Crystal

My palms are sweating. I probably shouldn't have teased Drelix like I did as I spent a terrible night alone on the Sarkarnii space ship, worrying and wondering where he was.

Apparently there was a party. A big one. The Sarkarnii love a celebration, and they are certainly celebrating having found themselves a planet going spare. Drelix's dance for me is forming a centerpiece which is going to result in yet more celebration.

Which means I'm in what was the robing room for the priests of the All Gods at the back of the shrine, getting ready with my stomach twisted into knots.

I'm wearing a bright pink gown made out of the lightest possible silky fabric, swathes and swathes of it, which curl around my body and legs like a glove. It's one of the dresses Zika made for me and which made it to Orias in Drelix's flyer.

In one corner, the star cat is curled up, head on its paws, watching the proceedings intently, tip of its tail twitching.

"You look stunning," Opal says, a tiny blonde lady who is, incomprehensibly, mated to the massive scarlet Sarkarnii, Daeos.

She plucks at the dress here and there. "I wish Jade was here. She'd be able to do any last-minute nips and tucks," she says with tears in her eyes.

"I know." Coral, a hospital doctor with the beginnings of a baby bump puts her hand around Opal's shoulders. "But she wanted to stay on Kitchik, and you know why."

Opal scrubs at her face.

"I know. And anyway, we've gained a new friend in Crystal, so there's that." The tiny blonde brightens.

"You scrub up nicely," Ruby, Drega's mate, says to me, looking me up and down. "Not that it matters to the Sarkarnii. I doubt your dress'll last long. Mine didn't." She snorts.

"Especially as Crystal shut him out of her bed last night." Jem chortles.

She's mated to the big green behemoth, Draxx, and is cradling a baby with similar coloring in her arms.

All these ladies are pregnant or nursing. Something I expect will be happening to me soon, and it causes my stomach to flip over.

"You didn't!" Ruby gasps. "Oh, that's pure evil," She tips her goblet at me, "well done." She grins.

I grab a goblet filled with something and swallow it down. Fortunately it's some sort of fruit juice.

"You look stunning," Amber says. "Drelix is one lucky Sarkarnii."

"Thank you, and I couldn't have found a more eclectic group of women to get stuck halfway across the galaxy with." I raise the goblet to them all. "I think it's going to be fun."

"I'll drink to that!" Amber raises her goblet.

Outside our little ante-chamber, drums start with a steady, deep beat.

"That'll be for you, Crystal," Jem says to a chorus of cheers from the others.

Ruby links my arm on one side and Opal on the other.

"It's fine, Crystal. Don't look so scared. Once you're out there, I promise it's going to be amazing," Ruby says, her eyes twinkling. "And as for Drelix, I hope he manages to get you back to his quarters before he divests you of that dress because most of our mates wouldn't have had that level of self-control."

"Are you ready?" Opal says, smiling happily.

I nod.

"You're going to love it, I promise," she whispers as the doors open and we walk out into the shrine, star cat at my side.

Initially the path is lined with the robed priests as it's dug into the ground, so as we walk up the ramp, it's only then I see the entire shrine filled with Sarkarnii, both shifted and unshifted. They cheer loudly as I appear, but the noise is quickly silenced as I spot Drelix.

On the other side of the sacred place, he stands tall, handsome and pensive. The little neons under his scales shine brightly and he flexes out his claws. On either side of him are Daeos and Drasus and just behind them, Draco, Draxx, and Drega.

Drelix looks magnificent. His tail has shifted out along with his wings, but he is laser focussed on me as I take my seat and the drums increase in volume and intensity.

With a snap of his hips, he moves towards me, sinuous, in perfect time to the beat. I can't take my eyes off him as he moves slowly, slowly towards me.

And then he's joined by the rest of the Sarkarnii, led by Draco. Each male swings to the steady thump of the drums, mimicking Drelix's every move, the swish of tails and wings and scales filling the shrine, rising up into the spire high above. They are dancing in perfect harmony and it is incredible.

Tears prick my eyes and I dash them away as. Drelix reaches me.

I'm already out of my seat as he offers me his hand. When I take it, I'm pulled against his hard, warm, muscular body.

"My heartsfire," he rasps as everything, including the drums falls silent. "Fate took so much from me, only to offer up you in return. You are the greatest gift a warrior could ever be offered, and if you will accept my claim, I claim you as my szikra."

"I accept." I force the words out of my mouth because my chest is so tight I'm not sure I can breathe and speak at the same time. "I thought I'd lost everything when I was taken from Earth, but instead I've found you and you found me. You are my gift, Drelix, and I want to be yours until the end of time."

His dips his head and captures my mouth with his in a kiss I don't ever want to end as the surrounding Sarkarnii do their level best to lift the roof off this ancient building.

"What happens next?" I ask.

"Anything you want, little morsel," Drelix says with his wicked, wicked smile. "You are mine, Crystal. Here and for eternity, our future is our own."