The servants dish plates for the males and they begin speaking all at once. Uri has managed to get into a chair right next to me, and I am overwhelmed by the intensity of his thrall. His proximity makes the desire worse because I can smell the musky pheromones rolling off his skin.

“I must have you,” he growls, grasping my hand in his.

My fingers seem so small and thin compared to his massive hand. I don't pull my hand away and a jolt of electricity runs through my body, down my spine, and into my core. My sex throbs and I bite my lip. The vision of ripping my clothes off and laying myself on the table, in place of the feast, flits through my mind.

It takes all my self-control not to follow my impulse. This is not me. I am not a denizen of a galactic pleasure house. I am Joon D’fray, genetic biologist in search of the cure. I refuse to let this overpowering desire dictate my behavior. No matter how difficult it is to resist.

“We are all thralled, Uri,” Donte says.

Donte sits to my left and reaches out to grasp my other hand. The jolt of Donte’s desire sweeps over me, bold and unescapable. It hits me like a brick wall. My consciousness wavers as if I'm drunk. I blink my eyes and shake my head, pulling my hands away from the males.

I can't allow them to take control of the situation. That would be the end of me. I dislike the title of queen, and I want to let go and give in to their dominating power. But I know I cannot. I must be the leader. And they must follow me. That is the only way that any of this will work.

My brothers’ advice runs through my mind. I am not required to take all of their bites. I can choose only one or two. I don't have to have five. I look around the table and consider who I would cut. Would it be Uri, the brash and aggressive warrior? Would it be Reese, the man whose sensitivity and devotion makes me uncomfortable? Plume, the dangerous and mysterious viper dragon? Would it be Donte, the stone dragon senator who is old enough to be my father? Or would it be Mika, the youngest, with the least experience?

I don't want to make this decision, but I know that it is mine to make and no one else's.

“Let’s just eat. We’ll discuss the mating ritual later.”

I take a long sip of spiced merrow wine. It heats my throat and warms my belly on the way down. I take a nibble of silken sea egg soufflé and the creamy flavor melts in my mouth. I look around the table at my new mates. Their eyes are focused on me.

“Eat,” I groan, taking another drink of wine.

My nipples prick inside my sleek white dress and my sex clenches from my own thrall. My inner dragon growls at me. All logic and reason flew out the window the moment my first mate thralled. I will not regain my rationality until I have been claimed. None of us will be reasonable until the mating ritual is complete.

After an awkward dinner, we retire to the sitting room. Quintin brings more bottles of merrow wine. I've already had an entire bottle myself, more than I usually ever drink. I'm lightheaded and barely in control of myself. I know it’s stupid, but I don’t care.

Sitting on the couch in my gorgeous nanotech dress, I feel warm and giddy. The sexual energy of the thrall radiates from each male into me, magnifying my own desire. My inner dragon purrs and groans for fulfillment.

As I watch the males bicker and push each other verbally, Reese sits beside me and takes my hand in his, bringing it to his lips.

“My Queen, my darling,” he whispers.

Uri sees him touching me and flies across the room, yanking his hand away from mine. My mouth drops open, and I can’t speak through the surprise.

“What are you doing?” I ask him.

“I cannot stand to see another man touch you,” he says.

“I do not enjoy watching any of you fight over me. I wish you to stop, now.”

“Then let me be the first to kiss you, My Queen,” Uri says as he pulls me up from the couch and wraps me in his massive arms.

Before I can fully comprehend what is happening, he leans in and presses his lips to mine. His kiss is hard and unyielding. He enfolds my body as his tongue slips between my lips. I can feel the other males staring at us with hunger, jealousy, and aggression. The kiss stokes the fire inside me and I want to give in. I want to give in to all of them. But I push Uri away, my eyes still closed, and try to regain my self-control.

When I open my eyes again, I look up at the males. They are stunned at Uri’s actions and are all staring at me. I straighten my dress and smooth down my hair, lifting my chin with confidence I don't fully feel.

“Since Uri has taken the first kiss. I will now kiss each of you once, in turn. After which, I must excuse myself for the night. Tomorrow, we will make arrangements for me to spend time alone with each of you. Do you all understand?” I say.

They nod, and I tell them to line up by age. The first is Donte. He walks towards me and gently takes my hand, caressing it with his fingers. He is solid and strong and bigger than all the other males. As the oldest of my mates, I know he has vast stores of experience behind his emerald green eyes.

He leans in and softly kisses me, the intensity of his desire growing as the seconds tick past. I moan as I feel the hardness of the stone dragon press against me. I want to surrender to it.

But Plume is right behind him, tapping him on the shoulder. Donte lets me go and Plume is there to take his place. He is built like a viper, slim and quick. He wraps me in his agile arms and kisses me in a sweeping motion. His tongue darts over mine. I can taste his poison, a poison he has made unviable as he kisses me. There is a spice to it, and I’m filled with longing. He lets me go, but whispers in my ear.

“I have given you a taste of what I have in store for you. My Queen.”

He steps away and I'm left breathless. I want to explore his promises and to know if it's true.

Reese, known across Draxos as the Poet Prince of Umbria, for his poetry in the pages of publication Bones and Ash, seems shy now as he is given the opportunity to kiss me. He kneels before me and takes my hand, kissing my palm.

“My Eternal Queen. The depth of my devotion rivals the deepest seas of Umbria. I beg to pledge my service.”

“Reese, this is unnecessary,” I say.

He stands and kisses me more fervently than I had expected. I'm swept away like a tidal wave has crashed inside me. I want to scream with the bottomless desire I'm drowning in. Reese lets me go, and I catch my breath. He kisses my palm again and nods dutifully. I don't know what to do. I'm like a rudderless ship.

The last in line is Mika, the youngest, and closest to my age. He has the self-confidence of youth, but his hands are pushed deep in his pockets. Then he gives me a sly smile.

“Are we going to do this?” he asks me with a shrug.

“Do you want to kiss me?” I ask him, batting my eyelashes.

“Course I do. But I don't know how to follow all of them,” he says, cocking his chin at the other four.

“Don't worry about them. Just worry about us.”

He comes closer and wraps me in his arms. There's an awkwardness to it, but at the same time, his impulses are strong and decisive.

He smiles and chuckles before he kisses me. A wash of sunshine descends from nowhere as I lose myself in my young golden dragon’s kiss. He lets me go, chuckles, and kisses me on the cheek. With his lips brushing my earlobe, he whispers, “You're going to be okay, Joon.”