Vulrux:

My throat tightens with fear as unconsciousness claims her, but our mate’s breathing stays even, and her coloring is healthy. “Her body is recovering,” a voice says behind me. Raiht’vi again. “Let her rest.”

I give the woman a hard look. Raiht’vi had hustled Sofia Menendez out of the room when our mate’s eyes had opened, and for that, I’m grateful, but my loathing of the scientist hasn’t abated. I can’t ever forget that fateful night in the Crimson Citadel.

Raiht’vi and Beirax are still recovering from their wounds, and I will aid that recovery as best as I can. When they are well, however, things will change. I will question them, and I will get answers. Sixty years ago, the Scientists’ pet guards trained their weapons on our mate. Someone ordered them to kill her, and I intend to find out who that person is.

If I were not stuck on the prison planet, I would seek revenge, but I can’t. The truth is all I can hope for.

You will find happiness with Harper Boyd, the beast inside me insists, but I’m not hopeful. The dragon is ruled by biology and nothing else. I saw the expression of fear in our mate’s eyes before she fainted. She is afraid of me.

Haldax enters the room on Raiht’vi’s heels, and I frown. Especially during the rainy season, when the fourteen of us are crammed together in close quarters, we respect each other’s privacy and never enter another’s dwelling unless expressly invited.

The rigidly traditional Zorahn gives me an apologetic look. “The Firstborn wants to talk to you, Raiht’vi, and Dennox,” he says in explanation. “Thrax will guard the human woman.”

I heave an inward sigh. I’ve avoided having this conversation with my cousin for sixty years, but I can’t hide the truth forever.

“Why did you cut Harper Boyd’s hand?” Arax stares at Raiht’vi, his arms folded over his chest. We’re in the dining area. The rains beat a drumbeat on the roof, an ever-present sound during the rainy season. “Why did you push Sofia Menendez out of Vulrux’s quarters? What are you playing at, Raiht’vi?”

Viola Lewis, who is sitting next to Arax, has a concerned expression on her face.  Next to her are the two human women, Sofia Menendez and Ryanna Dickson.

In the ten days that my cousin’s mate has been in our encampment, I’ve come to like and respect the three human women. They’re dealing with a lot. Through no fault of their own, they’ve crash-landed on the prison planet and cannot escape. Half of their companions were stolen by another Draekon exile batch, and the rains prevent us from searching for them. Harper Boyd, one of their friends, has been in a coma.

Rather than fall to pieces, Viola set out to find help. Sofia Menendez takes refuge in discovering the various properties of the medicinal herbs in my stores, and Ryanna Dickson is learning how to fight with a bone knife.

It is Sofia Menendez, the human healer, who speaks up now. “Before Raiht’vi threw me out, I overheard you,” she admits softly, looking directly at Dennox. “You called Harper your mate.”

Arax and Nyx inhale sharply. “Your mate?” Arax says. “How is that possible? You didn’t transform.”

I take a deep breath and exchange a glance with Dennox. He nods almost imperceptibly. “We’ve never talked about the testing and the exile,” I tell my cousin. “For good reason. It is a time of pain for all of us, a time when we were torn from our families. But for Dennox and I, it was more.”

I tell them the story of that long-ago night. “Both Dennox and I transformed into dragons when we set eyes on the woman,” I tell Arax. “But she was killed, and we were exiled, and we’ve never allowed ourselves to think of it. When you told us how you transformed when you saw your mate, I understood better. Both Dennox and I have already transformed once. The creature inside me was wounded when she was killed and has remained dormant all these years.”

“Until Harper,” Viola says softly.

Raiht’vi mouth twists. “One mating and you think you know everything about your history,” she says disdainfully.

Arax’s gaze turns steely. “Scientist,” he snaps. “Do not test my patience with your half-truths, your hints, and your innuendos. I’m not in a mood to be toyed with. The human woman could have bled to death as a result of your actions.”

“She’s fine,” I interject. “She regained consciousness.” I address Raiht’vi for the first time. “You were right about Draekon immunity. You have my gratitude.”

She doesn’t meet my gaze. I don’t have time to ponder why; the moment I tell everyone that Harper Boyd regained consciousness, the human women jump to their feet, joy and relief etched on their faces. “She’s awake?” Viola squeals. “Can we go see her?”

Arax nods. He gives Raiht’vi a hard stare. “This isn’t over, scientist.” He turns to me, his expression troubled. “You kept this from me all these years,” he says softly. “Did you think I would react with fear when I learned about your transformation?”

“Of course not.” I lay my hand on my cousin’s shoulder. “It was a painful time. My mate had been killed, and my heart lay in tatters. I just wanted to forget.”

“And now? What of Harper?”

“She doesn’t know us.” A sense of hopelessness spreads through me. “She looks at us with fear, not desire.”

Nyx steps up and says something in a low voice to Arax that I can’t hear. At Nyx’s words, Arax’s face turns grim, and he nods tensely. “You’re right,” he says to his pair-bond. “But we need to wait for the human to heal.”

Unease fills my mind. I don’t like the way Arax is surveying Dennox and me. My intuition tells me I’m not going to like whatever he has planned.