Chapter Three

Castor

We flew back to the ship. Even in Moonscale owned London I didn't get to surrender to my inner beast as often as I did on Starscale 1. It was euphoric to take to the purple haze sky with Axlin by my side. The world and its problems always seemed so small from the sky back on Earthside. Tiny, but familiar. Here, on Starscale 1, there was always something new to find. Well, usually there was something new to find, but now my whole body focused on the shiny-scaled black dragon flying next to me.

Over the course of our first months here, Fred's mate Elio, had dispelled the idea of the color of the star-shaped scales on their chests matching their true-mate's. It wasn't a predictor of anything, supposedly. He had an orange one and Fred a red one. Mine was black as the bottom of an endless cavern and so was Axlin's. In my beast form, I was as sky-night black as scales came except for the silver-plated scales on my belly.

Landing as a dragon was easy on Starscale 1. The whole world was built for and by dragons with dragons in mind. Even in London a dragon might have to land blocks or even miles away from their location and then walk, drive, or catch a ride to their actual destination. Clarence and Medwin were working on the problem they inherited from how the human governments built their cities. The war they fought against the hate group, Mundanes Before Magic, gave them an opportunity to make many improvements, but they could only do what the space allowed for.

Still, even here we landed one at a time near homes and other buildings. One wrong flap of a wing might take out a wall or at least leave a nasty bruise. Besides, I didn't want anyone flapping into my ship. As of right now, the Medwin 2 was our only way back to Earthside.

"Never going back. Staying right here," my dragon said into my thoughts as I drifted towards the ground with Axlin watching from above.

That would be a bridge to cross at a future date. Before meeting Axlin, our plan was to stay at least until we could connect the Starscales with the network of Other World gateways. After Elio and his brother went through so much trouble to reach out to us, I figured we owed them that much. I'd been part of my flight's Starscale Search from the ground up and it was Elio who made it possible to find them at all.

I landed, shifted back to my human form and shooed Sunny and Teddy out of the way. They'd barely made it back having stopped at a restaurant for a bite to eat on the way home. Fortunately for them, neither of them smelled like the sex-laden activities of the purple district. We may have had the same colored scales, but Axlin was just a bit broader than me. Probably the size of Fred. He always cleared the landing without ending up in the pool and I hoped Axlin could do the same. Putting the pool in was a big ordeal because the council here had to check everything again and again to ensure that landing was possible and that none of the swimming water leaked deep into the ground. Their regulations on building anything would give even Clarence Moonscale and his laws a headache.

I grinned like a fool as Axlin descended from the sky. It was evening now and purply orange sunset lit him up around the edges. Sometimes that orange showed in the sky and sometimes not. Noone was yet to explain why that happened to my satisfaction. Now wasn't the time to dwell on it, though. Casimir appeared from inside the ship and the others came out of the houses to meet Axlin.

"He's not small," Casimir grinned. "Not as big as me, but not small."

"Did they have a chance to tell you?" I asked.

"Teddy sent me a text on the ship's network. I imagine he left out some details, but unless this guy's a goon, that's fine by me. The purple district, though, cousin?"

"I wanted a drink," I shrugged. "Hush got under my scales. They have councils for everything but not for their dragons meeting their true-mates apparently."

"Eh, some people like to leave that shit up to fate," Casimir said.

"You like to leave it up to yourself by not leaving the ship whenever omegas visit Elio or Marsin," I whispered.

"I wouldn't wish myself on anyone," Casimir sighed. "I'm taking he's not about to ask me for your wing in marriage. Elio didn't put Fred through those hoops. Hopefully he doesn't make as ass of himself by asking. I don't want to be knocked out by any of the flying scales you rip off him."

"He's a stripper. I don't think he's going to ask your permission for anything."

"He any good at his job?" Casimir smirked, arching a dark brow.

"Damn good," I nodded, not looking at him.

When Axlin was fully human again I took his hand and introduced him to Casimir first. Due to complicated life circumstances and family dynamics, Casimir was more like my brother than my cousin. He was probably the dragon who knew the most about me on any world and I really wanted him to like Axlin. Not as much as I did, that'd be creepy, but I wanted them to get along.

They looked each other up and down. Casimir's thoughts drifted over the flight link about how he seemed fit enough to be a stripper and didn't smell like he did hard drugs.

"Stop it!" I snapped over our family link. "Not all strippers do drugs. I didn't see anything more than their version of pot while I was out there."

Casimir chuckled and Axlin shook his head.

"My profession precedes me," Axlin reached out for a handshake.

To Casimir's credit, he didn't hesitate long before he shook my mate's hand. Casimir didn't like to be touched by most people. I got by with it. Izora got by with it just enough to keep him on the crew. In general, Casimir was a hands-off sort of guy.

"Mine probably does too since I came on the ship," Casimir shrugged. "Look, I'm not going to tell you not to break his heart, because anything you do to him, he'll take care of it. He'll probably cook up revenge that I couldn't dream up. Take that as your warning."

Axlin chuckled and I worked hard not to think about certain parts of our family's past. Axlin couldn't hear my thoughts yet, but they wouldn't be as private after we exchanged our claiming vows.

"I look forward to my mate's imagination," Axlin said, and I tried my best not to blush.

Casimir picked up my efforts and let out a big sigh.

"I'll take care of this lot. You two can head inside, if you want, Cas. I'll camp out on the upper deck tonight after I grab a few things."

"You don't have to sleep outside," I said. "The ship's your home. I'm just back for the night and I'll set everyone straight before we leave tomorrow."

"If it works out that way, great, but we both know that you might go into heat because of him," Casimir said over the family link.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time I was locked in a room in heat and you slept down the hall. That's what happens when you have roommates."

"I'm sleeping on the upper deck," Casimir said. "I trust our guys. Hell, I even trust Marsin, but we don't know how the others will react to you being in heat. Izora's been good about reminding you about your shots since we got here. I'm sure Axlin can throw a punch but I don't think they should get that close to you in heat."

I wanted to argue with Casimir and tell him that he could at least sleep inside one of the houses with the others, but as far as family went, I was the only one Casimir gave that title to. He wasn't overbearing and he didn't usually butt into my business, but he always had my back.

"Are you two done arguing over your link?" Axlin asked.

"Haha," Casimir said and rolled his eyes. "Maybe I should talk to you for a minute while my cousin sets his crew straight."

"Whatcha worried about?" Axlin asked.

"Something that I'm not talking about within earshot of the crew."

"Fred?" I called out loud enough to get his attention.

"Yeah?" He called back from the porch of his and Elio's house.

"You got this lot for about twenty minutes while I talk to Cas?"

"You know I do. Sunny come over here and hold the baby. Minter misses you."

Sunny sighed and followed Teddy over to Fred and Elio's house. I let out a long sigh of relief and led my cousin and brother inside.

"Do you both call each other Cas?" Axlin asked as we climbed the steps to step inside the Medwin 2.

"We do," I nodded. "It confuses some people, but most people use my full name and only shorten his. He tolerates it but prefers his given name."

"I'll remember that," Axlin nodded as I shut the door behind us.

Part of me wanted to give Axlin the full tour of my ship. I wanted to show him all its secrets and all the work I put in. Only this wasn't the time, and he might not understand it all anyway. I offered a particular set of skills that not every dragon learned. Instead of rambling on about the ship – my first love and in some ways my first hatchling – I led them both to the dining hall.

"How do the other dragons here react to an omega in heat?" Casimir asked as soon as our asses hit the chairs.

"You don't mince words," Axlin laughed and then furrowed his brow. "If you have to ask that, I wonder if anyone should go to Earthside. We don't have that happen here. It's something wild animals might do to each other. Sure, people might smell someone in heat or even in a rut if they're not wearing or using some sort of blocker. It may even hit them in the junk, but we are not ruled by what's inside our pants. We haven't had murder since this world was built or anything worse like you're implying."

"It's not every alpha back home, but it only takes one."

"The law of the Starscales is sovereignty within reason. The within reason mostly applies to building new structures and acts that harm others. The whole your rights end when they step on mine."

"You can't tell me there aren't assholes here," Casimir rolled his eyes. "I get wanting to present your flight in the best light, but crime happens everywhere."

"Eh," Axlin shrugged. "I'm not going to argue with you there. Sometimes people get into fights. Not often here. That happens more on Starscale 2. Sometimes people have to go to the council because someone didn't hold up their side of a barter, but no we don't have murder or that anywhere. You can't be sovereign and have bodily autonomy if your whole flight doesn't. If someone can step on someone else's rights and body, what stops them from stepping on you too?"

"You smell like you're telling the truth," Casimir said, leaning back in his chair.

"I am. I've seen it before. An omega in heat wanting a good time has walked down the main street of the purple district. Custom is if someone is in heat or rutting no one offers anything. You can consent if asked, but they get to choose to ask or not."

"Makes sense," I said before Casimir could say anything else.

"What's the drug scene like?" Casimir leaned back until the legs of his chair rose off the ground.

Once upon a time I'd have scolded him for leaning on the back legs of his chair, but that time had long since passed. I didn't let the rest of the crew by with it, but Casimir was his own entity when it came to chairs.

"You can get rollies anywhere."

"Rollies?" I asked.

"Eh, it makes you head fuzzy and relaxed when you smoke it."

"Pot," Casimir said.

"Weird thing to call it, but yeah," Axlin nodded, putting his hand on my thigh under the table.

"What else?" Casimir asked.

"Mushies, but you have to take those where they grow them. They're these bright orange mushrooms that make you giggle and see shit. Tried it once and thought the rug was going to eat me. Never again. If I'm eaten, I'd rather it be a pleasant experience. If you want to try them anyone can point you toward that forest. There are doctors and staff there to watch out for anyone trying them out. You gotta be over thirty, though."

"I have no inclination to try. Do these mushies leak out in the rest of the world?"

"No, because everyone knows you have to do them there. We have our ways of doing things and we do them that way to keep each other safe," Axlin said trying to explain what even I couldn't wrap my head around.

There was always one bad apple that takes advantage of every system anyone put into place.

"And what happens if someone breaks the rules?" Casimir asked.

"You can't do mushies and hide it," Axlin shrugged. "Everyone would know and probably get you help if you weren't in the right place. Then I guess Hush and the others would probably ban you from going back there for a long time. If you're talking about the practices of the purple district, honestly, someone would probably be beaten to a pulp if they broke those rules. If it's not safe for one person to be there looking for what they want, it's not safe for anyone. Everyone wants to have a good time when they go there and we're all in the same flight. We're protective of each other's wellbeing. We all do what we can to make life happy. If those around us are happy, we have more of a chance to be happy."

Casimir didn't say anything for a long moment. Axlin stayed quiet to let him process. The memories rolled through my cousin's eyes and I got up to grab the whiskey from the top shelf. I poured him a shot and offered one to Axlin who declined.

"Thanks," Casimir said and downed his shot.

He put his hand over the shot glass when I went to refill it.

"I'm going to grab some stuff and bunk on the top deck for the sake of my ears," he smirked at me. "Hopefully the world is as bright and shiny as he makes it out to be. Would be a nice change of pace."

Neither Axlin or I spoke until Casimir was out of earshot.

"He's seen some shit, huh?" Axlin finally asked, breaking the silence.

"He's seen plenty, but that's his story to tell or keep to himself," I frowned.

"I wasn't going to pry. Is it really that bad on Earthside, though? In general?" Axlin asked, standing up.

A second later he lifted me, so I sat on the edge of the table, and he stood between my legs. He smoothed back my hair and pressed his forehead against mine as he waited for my answer.

"Well, compared to here, sort of. It's more needless violence anyway," I nodded. "And back on Earthside, being in heat can be a stressful time. It's not every person, but enough of them that you don't know who you can trust."

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and we shared a lingering quiet moment together. His brows furrowed and I frowned.

"Don't worry about it too much. Earthside has always been a cluster fuck of different groups and they don't always get along."

"So, it's not the Moonscales doing these things to each other, then?" he asked, his tone hopeful.

"I'm not going to lie to you, mate. Sometimes it is."

"We need to get connected to them. Some of them are probably mates of other Starscale dragons. They shouldn't have to live without that."

I let out a long sigh and nodded. There was so much I could've said. I could've told him maybe some Starscales would move to Earthside or that having a true-mate didn't mean you weren't an asshole. I decided to let it be for now because none of that could reach any of the Starscale worlds yet. For now, Axlin could live in his happy bubble where everyone watched out for everyone else. It almost seemed a shame to bring anyone else in to ruin that. Perhaps that's why Hush and the other world leaders weren't in a hurry to get the gateways.

"What is stressing you out?" Axlin asked, reading my scent.

"Earthside shit," I shrugged. "That maybe coming here."

"If they come here they will have to live by the rules or go back through the gateway. Your crew has settled in fine. At least well enough that no one's heard anything bad. Well, besides Fred trying to fry Elio, but Elio didn't take it to the council and true-mates are weird to each other at times. Maybe I should thank you for not making that a Moony tradition here."

"You're very welcome and thank you for not stealing my clothes on stage."

"That's what you were worried about?" he frowned. "Nudity is fine here. Everyone has a body, but no one is going to make you strip naked and show it off. That's your choice. I know you didn't know who I was to you when I told them to bring you to me, but damn, mate. I don't think I'd like Earthside. I think if I went there, I'd be banished for murder or something, because you can't go around treating people like that. They were worried about dragons rushing the ship to sniff you all, but nothing like what you and your cousin seem to worry about."

"You can't tell any of the others, because some of them still want to go back, but if we get the gateways open and if Casimir stays, I don't think I am going back," I whispered, admitting the truth for the first time. "I don't think Cas wants to go back either."

"I'll keep you safe anyway," Axlin said and kissed my forehead. "Not that I don't think you can do it yourself, but because you're a Starscale now and that's how we treat each other. The stars," he ran his hand over my chest until he found my star-shaped scale, "connect us all. We are all part of one giant constellation. If one of us goes out, the constellation isn't the same anymore."

I kissed him because his warm palm against my chest made me. His warmth spread through me even with my shirt between us. Most dragons here didn't wear shirts at all unless it was to dress up. They hindered their wings coming out smoothly and most Starscale dragons didn't put up with that shit.

"Take this off now?" Axlin asked, tugging at the hem of my shirt. "My dragon doesn't like it."

"The shirt in general or because I'm wearing it?" I laughed.

"It's not ugly," Axlin raked his eyes over it, "but it's hiding you."

I tugged my shirt off over my head and dropped it onto a nearby chair.

"Thank you," Axlin whispered, his voice turning that deep and husky tone, that he'd had right before he sucked my dick back in his dressing room. The memory of his lips and tongue lingered on my flesh as his mouth claimed mine for a long kiss. Our tongues danced between our mouths, and I ran my fingers through his hair. His shiny blue eyes drifted shut and I closed mine too as his warm hands ran up and down my chest and belly.

"Pants too now?" Axlin smirked when the kiss broke.

"Are you trying to get me naked?" I teased him.

"Very hard," he nodded.

"I can see that," I said, glancing down at his crotch. "Bedroom or wait for Casimir to go outside. Probably bedroom, though, in case he gets hungry."

I slid from the table and scooped up my shirt before taking his hand in mine. He entwined our fingers, and I led him down the hall to my bedroom. After Fred moved in with Elio and most of the others moved off the Medwin 2 and into the houses the Starscales helped build, I moved the second bed out and all of my personal items from my office into it.

I let out a huff of relief when we made it inside the bedroom without passing Casimir. I didn't mind him being around, but our obvious state of arousal wasn't something I wanted to share with my cousin. I locked the door behind us and crouched down to untie my boots. I took them off and turned to face Axlin. He was hard and already naked again. I was starting to appreciate how often he stripped free of his clothes.

Without giving myself time to worry about who might overhear us I dropped onto my knees and beckoned him to me. Axlin closed the space between us in a few long strides. He was big and thick with a few scales scattered around his shaft. I took him in my hand and gave him a squeeze ‘hello.' His hands found my shoulders for balance as a deep, throaty moan escaped his lips. He tilted his head back as I stroked him. His hard cock filled up most of my hand and I reveled in the heat of the muscle radiating against my palm. I ran my hand from the base of him all the way to his tip before sliding back down to the base of his shaft, my hand brushing against his balls. He moaned again, letting his pleasure be known. The sound vibrated through me, and my dragon purred. The mechanical sound echoed around the room.

I rested one hand on Axlin's hip as I placed a soft kiss on the head of his dick. He murmured something incomprehensible as I licked away a drop of precum that already formed there. I kissed it again and opened my mouth over him teasing the bulbous head of his dick with the tip of my tongue as if I meant to French kiss it. His salty taste rolled over my tastebuds and kept my inner beast purring.

Axlin thrust forward and I opened my mouth letting him slide deep inside. He was too big for me to ensnare all of him at once, but I pressed my tongue hard against the underside of his shaft, bringing another moan out of him. I could've listened to him moan for eternity.