We should have a housewarming party in your new lair. It would definitely make you happy.

“I do not have to be happy all the time,” Kyan told Laura in the momentarily empty, quiet Gnashing Teeth’s medical facility.

Her dreamy, satisfied expression crumbled.

Panic stabbed into him.

She let go of his still-hard cock, pulled her hand out of his briefs, and grabbed a sani-towel to clean off the cooling wetness from his release. “You didn’t enjoy the hand job? I thought I was getting better.”

Of course Laura’s “hand job” had been exquisite.

She’d pushed him against the med facility wall, unfastened his jeans, and rubbed his hard cock with her wet, slick hand until he lost control and exploded. She’d been thrilled and proud. And eager. He had reciprocated, caressing the seventh-month swell of her belly, plunging his fingers down the front of her scrubs beneath the silk panties, and brought her to her own dreamy release.

And then he spoke and destroyed her good feelings.

“I enjoyed it very much,” he said.

Her agitation remained. “It was too fast?”

“No. That is not—”

“Too hard?”

“A perfect pressure.”

“Stressful?”

“It was not stressful. I—”

“I know it’s distracting. We could get interrupted here at any time. It’s hard to focus.”

She dropped the sani-towels in the disinfection bin and straightened her scrubs. They were her own design — kyanite blue with iridescent jade accents and a dragon patch on her left breast. It identified her as the first nurse to travel the Dragon Empire.

“I mean, I had no problems. The last asteroid accident patient just got healed and left minutes ago. It’s been so long since we had privacy.”

“Days,” he agreed, watching her tidy the already pristine facility, spraying the wall with extra disinfectant and then using a laser biohazard gun to eliminate the last shred of genetic material. She did this regularly. The Gnashing Teeth likely had the most sterile medical facility of all warships in the empire.

“Only days?”

“Since the outpost station and our private room, yes. Six days.”

“I thought it had been longer.”

“Probably because you are reading those books about torture.”

She looked up. “Torture?”

“In the pleasure dungeon.”

She ducked her head, flustered, and stowed the biohazard gun. “‘Pleasure dungeon’ was another label for ‘bedroom’ in that one romance novel. But you’re right; I shouldn’t read them on long transits when we can’t get any privacy.” Realization struck her and her golden brow crinkled. “So maybe you didn’t feel as desperate as I did just now. I didn’t mean to pressure you.”

“No.” He caught her gloved hand, bringing her up short. “I was also desperate.”

Her eyes searched his, not reassured.

He stroked her cheek.

She closed her eyes and leaned into his caress.

His tension eased.

How could he cause worry for his sweet, sunny wife? He was a hulking, deadly dragon shifter so disfigured by scars he terrified all who looked at him — except Laura. And their opportunities for intimacy on the crowded spaceship were too few. He often feared that she did not want to be with a damaged male like him. Who would? She reassured him by enthusiastically initiating intimacy whenever they had a quiet, unguarded moment.

He would die for her. Her security was the only reason he had left his siblings on Earth to travel as a civilian contractor on the Gnashing Teeth. Now returning to Earth he wanted absolutely no risk

“The housewarming party,” he said. “That is what I was referring to.”

Her eyes snapped open. Concern returned double — and so did his.

She pulled away. “I’m sorry we’re going straight from the Gnashing Teeth to my parents’ house. I could have planned our leave better.”

His stomach twinged.

He wanted to cross the distance, put his arms around her, and stroke her curly golden hair. She was the only one who would ever look at his horrible scars or battered body with desire. She was the only female who would ever wish to be with him. She was the only one he ever wanted.

The ship announcement — We are entering Earth’s orbit — signaled for her to hurriedly finish and remove her packed travel bag. His was already at the dock.

“We are not required to have a housewarming party,” he said.

“Hmm? Of course, we’re not required.” She flashed a tense smile. “It’s for fun.”

He pulled the bag from her and opened his arms. “Fun?”

She stepped into his embrace, adjusting her belly and his bullet-resistant trench coat to snuggle against his hard body, and twined her arms around his neck. “It’s a wonderful chance to meet our new neighbors.”

“I already know our neighbors.”

“I don’t. And they don’t know us.”

Yes, that was the idea. The less the neighbors knew, the less vulnerable he and Laura would be.

“I fail to see the problem.”

She poked his hard abdomen. “You’re joking.”

“I do not joke.”

“Well, maybe you should start.” She stroked his taut muscle and rested her head on his shoulder. “It would make you seem less intimidating.”

He chewed on that thought as the med doors slid open. Rising with Laura and her travel bag through the hatch, he flew through the levels of the warship he had once single-handedly disabled.

Since Laura had begged him to rebuild his destroyed lair in a populated area, he had done so in the safest neighborhood — according to his standards and extensive background checks. He knew more about his neighbors than their own partners knew. Right this moment he had each and every one of them under constant surveillance.

“Besides, you should get to know them the normal way, not the black ops way.” She kept her eyes closed, not a great flier. “Otherwise, what’s the point? You have to get out, join the community, and enjoy the life you’ve created.”

“The only community I require is you.”

Not strangers who would react to his scars with horror, his size with fear, and his past and identity with distrust.

“You think that because you haven’t tried.” He landed in front of the external doors, released Laura, and organized the massive bags of security equipment he had brought. “When we got married, I promised I would dedicate every day to making you happy. Trust me when I say you’ll have a good time…”

The longing in her voice and the hopeful light in her kind eyes was the reason he had allowed the invitations to be sent and had not secretly collected them without her awareness.

The aristocrat captain personally saw them off and shook Laura’s hand. “Your presence on my ship was highly valuable. This is not farewell. I will see you tomorrow at your house heating.”

She choked. “Housewarming! Not heating. It’s a traditional welcome party to celebrate moving in.”

“So it is not for generating warmth? We intended to gift a thermonuclear furnace.”

“No! And anyway, gifts are optional.”

“Ah. We have the option of gifting a thermonuclear furnace?”

“Sorry. Better not. It’s not, um, proper.”

He studied her down his long aristocratic nose. “Truly a conundrum.”

“Anything is fine. I mean, anything small,” she corrected quickly. “Household goods. Linens or small appliances. Common hostess gifts are wine, food, or flowers. I’m sure we have, uh, adequate heating.”

His critical gaze slid to Kyan. He still considered a male of Kyan’s deadly background to be bad for Laura. “We will bring the furnace just in case.”

Kyan tightened his grip on Laura.

“I’m sure it’s fine,” she assured him.

“Hmph.”

The captain opened the external doors. The city of Portland, Oregon spread below, glimmering as the sun set in a golden-pink glow. He dropped out of the warship and spiraled down, flying like a black ops Superman to her parents’ neighborhood.

Letting humans into his lair introduced one risk. Allowing dragon siblings entry added another.

But the dragons who lived and worked on the Gnashing Teeth, including the irritating aristocrat captain, elevated yet another level of risk.

She shivered.

He cinched his trench coat more tightly around her and stroked her sinuous back. “You should not have invited the military dragons.”

“Of course we had to! They’re our coworkers. I wish more could come.”

Only the aristocrat captain and a few security officers could attend.

Kyan had seriously considered collecting their invitations surreptitiously before they’d viewed them. But Laura had followed up by asking the captain personally.

Containing the military dragons wasn’t even his biggest security nightmare.

He landed in front of the cheery yellow house where her parents dwelt.

Odd signals flashed across the street.

The hairs on the back of neck stood up.

He whirled and centered on the signals. Laser homing sights on scale-piercing razor pistols?

The tiny lights winked out.

Was it all in his mind?

Of course it wasn’t.

This was his true nightmare.

He moved to put his bullet-resistant trench coat between her and the lurking threats. “You should definitely not have contacted my old mercenary team.”

“The true miracle was your brother knew where they were.” She skipped up the brick steps. “Apparently they’re all still working in the field. And to think your old squad leader actually said yes!”

That certainly worried him.

She’d gotten to Flint and convinced him to contact Kyan’s old mercenary team. His old squad leader, who was more frightening than Kyan in many ways, had agreed. Why? He glanced again over his shoulder.

He flew to her side and murmured in her ear. “The military does not agree with those operating outside their rules.”

“They’ll put their differences aside for your house warming party.”

So, now it was his party.

“If it is my party, then I am canceling it,” he grumbled on the doorstep.

“You’re going to have a wonderful time and you’ll be so glad I convinced you.” Laura kissed him selflessly.

The hot pulse of arousal that was always near to the surface in her presence flared with new heat.

She pulled back, heated and determined. “I promise.”

Then, she yanked open the unlocked front door.

Inside her parents’ house was the usual chaos. Relatives, acquaintances who’d just stopped by, and all number of children tumbled over the carpet, spilled off the furniture, and chatted in the kitchen. The volume rose. Laura’s parents, a kindly middle-aged couple, only hesitated and swallowed once before they drew both her and Kyan into a welcoming hug.

Her family was still nervous around him, as was perfectly normal for the fact that he towered over them and looked like a criminal. The fact that they tried at all took out some sting.

“Uncle!” Laura wove through relatives to the living room and hugged her uncle.

Sitting in his wheelchair, gaze fixed on the distance, he didn’t respond. But a flicker of awareness lit his nearly immobile eyes.

Kyan bowed to him respectfully. He wasn’t sure but perhaps he detected the slightest nod in response.

The illness that had claimed most of her uncle’s mobility had also caused pitting and pocking of his face. His intelligence remained, and he had a machine that allowed him to communicate — when he wasn’t already exhausted, as he clearly was today.

He had been Laura’s favorite relative as a child because when the rest of the house had been full of noise and activity, he had always played quietly, read her books, and been a close companion. Laura had never made a connection but Kyan believed her experiences with her uncle were the reason she so easily looked past his own debilitating scars.

They passed a pleasant, late night and crammed into her twin bed in the attic bedroom. His feet hung off. Two of Laura’s cousins snored on the rug. Not conducive to passion, as she’d anticipated. He enjoyed cuddling. On the Gnashing Teeth, he only guarded her bunk.

“Hey,” she whispered over the snoring. “You’re not really mad about the housewarming. Are you?”

“No.”

Revealing vulnerabilities in the security of his lair was secondary. His primary concern was that the house party she had planned and hoped for would disappoint Laura.

“Dragons do not share their lairs,” he explained. “In the ancient past, before society became fixed in the caste system, one dragon might steal another’s goods for his own. Secret was safe. This human openness is hard to understand.”

“But you understand.”

He stroked her hair. “I will secure our lair despite this unusual intrusion.”

She dropped silent. Then, a few minutes later, she whispered. “What do you mean?”

“I will reveal the secrets of my lair.” He sucked in a breath. “And after the party, I will move the entrance.”

“What?” Her whisper was shocked. “You mean the front door? You can’t move the front door! How will people visit later?”

“Obviously they will not.”

“But that’s the point of a housewarming! Kyan. Promise me right now. You will not move the front door.”

“Very well.” He would move the whole lair. That would certainly take longer than simply moving the entrance. “You are making my task more difficult.”

“Well, you’re being crazy!” She squeezed him. “You are going to have a wonderful time. Our guests will have a wonderful time. We’re all going to have a wonderful time and it’s going to be fabulous and you will love that we did it. We’ll make a ton of new friends and all the neighbors will love us. And it will only be the start of our fantastic house parties. You’ll see.”

These were all the things he sincerely hoped for and deeply feared would not be possible. “Dragons do not enjoy house parties.”

“Ours will,” she insisted.

The day dawned a beautiful Portland morning. They left her parents’ house, stopped for food, and finished the short hop to the new lair.

He had acquired land within the city within walking distance from her relatives and “biking distance” to her old apartment — although she would not operate any flimsy two-wheeled vehicles in her condition.

They had done extensive training on the jet pack instead.

She would never again be trapped in a lair, whether the lair was suspended off the side of a glacier or buried in the center of Portland.

Their cheery blue craftsman matched the colorful housing on either side. Kyan landed on the sidewalk with all the bags — food, luggage — and released Laura. She walked ahead of him up a small set of wood steps and fit the key into the double doors. Just like the houses on each side.

“Exciting!” Her face glowed. She turned the key.

The knob sucked the key out of her hand.

Her eyes widened. “Uh … is it supposed to do that?”

“Yes.”

The door rotated in the frame and accordioned, allowing her to step into the glass-encased foyer.

She took a tentative step, her gaze focused on the doors now flush with the wall. “Huh. I’ve never seen … is the floor moving?”

“Yes.” Kyan pointed at the small camera. “When I am not with you, scan your retinas here to activate it.”

“Okay.”

The elevator opened on the bottom level — well below the street. But it was impossible to tell. The walls were covered with expensive screens that let in all the digital sunlight, creating a huge, open floor with infinite hallways.

Mt. Hood gleamed, impossibly clear, on one side. On the other side was a projection of Denali’s snow fields. And on the next corner, her favorite crashing waves on the Oregon coast.

“Can we turn these off?” she asked.

He waved his hand over the screen panel. The screens melted into ordinary hallway. From it branched the family room, exercise space, offices, Olympic swimming pool, and the bedroom.

He set their luggage inside the bedroom door.

She looked in on the swimming pool. “You’ve done a lot since I saw it.”

Construction had begun before leaving and then he had approved the final touches recently. Most of the work had been done by his security team working with contractors.

She traced her fingers along the Egyptian tile lining the master bathroom. “It’s all exactly how we planned.”

“Of course.”

“You’ve done an amazing job. I can’t wait to show everyone!”

That was a primary difference between them. He wanted to barricade himself in with her. She wanted to share her happiness with the world.

Someday, would she realize his scars weren’t the only reason darkness drew around him? Would his gloominess swallow her sunshine? Suck away all of her joy?

He clamped his jaw on his protests.

“Come on! We’re running out of time. Let’s start on the food.” Laura headed up the steps.

Her crocs caught on the edge of a stair.

She stumbled.

His stomach dropped.

He flew to her in an instant and swept her into his arms.

“I’m okay,” she said, hugging him nonetheless. “I had a hold of the railing.”

He floated up and rested her on the warm main floor stone. A gentle ocean blue smoothly polished, it complimented the creamy marble walls and stylish amethyst accents.

She slid down his hard body until coming to rest at her natural height. “You don’t have to worry.”

He nuzzled her blonde curls. “I like to hold you.”

She softened and rested her head against his shoulder. “I like to be held.”

His heart swelled.

The tender prickling, which he had once shied away from, now felt almost natural. She had upheld her promise to make him feel valued and loved every day. This prickling was the sensation of being filled too full. His heart had to grow and make room for the new feelings.

So, perhaps she was right about this housewarming party also. He would never deny her something that meant so much. He had faced far more difficult security challenges in the Colony Wars.

This was easy.

Her hands strayed over his belt and lower to cup his buttocks. “Too bad we don’t have time to do more.”

His cock pulsed with awareness. “I will revoke the invitations.”

She snorted and tried to smother her smile as she pulled away. “No, no. Later. Food now.”

They chopped vegetables, stirred dips, and set out appetizers. She handed him sherbet cartons and bottles of sparkling juice. “Put this in the largest bowl in the house.”

“The largest liquid-holding receptacle in this house is the bathtub.”

Her eyes popped. “We are not serving drinks to our guests out of a bathtub! Get your largest punch bowl and put it on the table.”

He pivoted for the glassware cabinet.

She tsked, talking to herself as she drizzled lavender-infused honey over fruit slices and crackers. “…can’t tell if you’re making fun of me…”

“It is a joke,” he said.

She looked up. “That’s not a joke. I have to know you’re not serious!”

He flexed his nails to dragon claws, sliced the sherbet cartons in half, and upended their contents into the glass punch bowl.

They finished preparing food as Kyan’s security team checked in. They would man the doors. The first guests arrived: Laura’s old housemates, her family, and a few curious neighbors.

She welcomed everyone, thrilled to offer food and accept their gifts of new tablecloths, place mats, decorative hand towels, and framed photos.

Whitney gave her a kombucha start. “It’s a mother for a soon-to-be mother. Add the tea and the sugar, and then age it in the fridge until it’s fizzy and delicious.”

“Thank you so much.” Laura put the disk-shaped fermentation thing into a bowl. “I’ll enjoy it after the baby arrives. And thanks for not following through on your threat to give me a puppy.”

“It was a close one.” Whitney’s boyfriend Tyler pushed his square glasses up his nose and added pink boxes of donuts to their spread. “You have to feed and care for the kombucha, too, but it’s less mess on the carpet.”

Kyan stood silently on the fringes.

Their neighbors avoided eye contact and skirted far around him.

Laura strolled up and clasped Kyan’s hands. “Where are your guests? Don’t tell me you actually did go out after me and collect the invitations before they could be seen.”

“You suggested it is socially expected to be ‘fashionably late,’” he said.

She checked her clock. “By ten minutes. It’s been nearly an hour.”

“Fashion varies.”

“Kyan!”

“I did not collect the invitations,” he promised. “Despite a strong desire to do so. My security team is interviewing the guests.”

“Tell me your security team hasn’t sequestered your guests for an hour.”

He remained silent.

Her eyes widened. “Tell me it’s a joke!”

“It’s a joke.” He indicated the elevator doors. “My siblings have just arrived.”

“Gah! Your jokes aren’t funny.”

His oldest brother, Malachite, led his eight-months-pregnant wife from the elevator. She looked a little queasy and headed straight for the lemonade.

Mal handed Laura a small wrapped package. “She hopes you like this. If you don’t like it, she’ll cry. Do you like it?”

Laura clutched the package. “Yes! Thanks so much.”

His wife flushed a darker shade. She tugged Mal down to whisper furiously. “You’re not supposed to say the last part.”

“But I do not want you to cry.”

“Shh! I won’t actually cry. Don’t say that.”

Laura unwrapped the tissue paper. An illustration of a small dragon wearing a black trench coat, steel-toed boots, and an eye-patch put a scaly blue arm around a beaming nurse. Behind them was a medieval castle.

“It’s our lair.” Laura stroked the intricate frame. “I love it.”

Mal’s wife blushed darker.

“That structure bears no resemblance to our home,” Kyan said.

Mal’s wife stared at him.

Laura covered her eyes. “Excuse me while I strangle him.”

Mal’s wife smiled shyly.

The rest of Kyan’s siblings and their wives arrived, along with the captain of the Gnashing Teeth and his security officer. Before everyone could be properly introduced, Laura gave the tour.

She’d warned Kyan that was a normal part of the party, along with eating food and accepting gifts. But it was still a little unsettling to see former enemies along with strangers walk through his halls.

“It is much warmer than I imagined,” Jasper mentioned to Kyan, easing his tension. “This is no ice fortress of bare stone. Look, toxic plants.”

“Those are houseplants,” his wife said flatly. “Spider plants, to be exact.”

“She has had them since college,” Kyan explained. “They are sentimental.”

“And toxic.”

The dragons stared at Kyan.

The aristocrat captain’s disdain burned him like a radiation wave. “You allow such items in your lair when you are expecting a dragonlet?”

He returned the captain’s disdain with icy dismissal. “Laura’ sentimental plants will go into the greenhouse I have prepared long before there is any risk of exposure.”

“Greenhouse?” Laura broke off her private conversation with her mother and spoke to Kyan. “I didn’t realize we had a greenhouse.”

The “greenhouse” in this case was an impenetrable force field prison allowing in light and an automated system for water and plant care. Visible but untouchable.

“I have installed it.” He indicated the familiar force field markers, although she didn’t look as though she recognized them. “You will see.”

His siblings relaxed.

The aristocratic captain sniffed. “If you believe that is adequate.”

His siblings — all low caste — collectively growled.

The humans shuffled nervously.

“Um, let’s get everyone’s drinks refreshed before we tour the lower areas!” Laura hurried to the main area, calling everyone with her.

Kyan hung back. He was still expecting a few guests and did not want to be in the wrong area when they arrived.

“You’re holding it together well,” Darcy said cheerfully, standing next to him. “Amber said this must be like getting stabbed with an electric cattle prod a hundred million times in the eyeballs for a security-conscious guy like you. A normal dragon would only feel it about half that much.”

He nodded.

Darcy waited.

He remained silent. There was nothing else to say.

The group gathered around Pyro’s delivery of spirits to stock the newly installed bar.

From the upper floor, natural light rained in the cathedral windows. Compromising on the all-underground bunker he had wanted, Laura had talked him into building the above-ground section with real, unsecured windows instead of projection screens.

“We can see that in the bunker,” she’d said firmly. “And I’m tired of looking at those wavy corners. It reminds me too much of being in space. On my home planet, I want to feel like I’m on my home planet.”

He had been unconvinced.

She’d leaned into him and rested his hand on her growing belly. “I’m sure natural lighting is better for our baby, too.”

They had the biggest and most windows in the neighborhood. Kyan had checked.

Now his eyes were drawn from the front entrance by a new calamity. Laura hurried up to Amber and pulled the newly poured whiskey out of her hand. “You can’t. Not in your condition.”

“Dragons aren’t affected by alcohol,” Kyan’s sister said.

“But your dragonlet is half human.”

“Dragon genes are dominant.”

Laura bit her lip. “I don’t think the effects of alcohol have been analyzed…”

Amber rubbed her baby belly. Her normally meek orange hair was swept up in a diamond-studded clip and she wore green eyeliner with tiny jewels dotting her lids. “Perhaps I should shift.”

“Would that be okay?” one of the braver new neighbors asked in curiosity. “I mean, for your baby?”

“Yes, because of the mind link. When I shift, my baby shifts as well.”

Amber was a huge female when she shifted. Much larger than this area. Kyan analyzed the space and braced.

“What’s this?” Darcy swept to Amber with a champagne flute full of fizzy yellow liquid. “One drink can’t hurt. That said, I’m drinking sparkling cider.”

“You are not pregnant,” Amber told him.

“It’s in solidarity with all you pregnant ladies. So here.” He handed her the glass. “Make my solidarity count.”

She sighed and accepted the non-alcoholic drink.

“You don’t even like whiskey,” Darcy murmured, a little too close to her ear.

“I wanted to show solidarity with my brothers,” Amber replied quietly. She still struggled to find her place.

The other soon-to-be mothers began quizzing each other. “Have you had any Braxton-Hicks? Anyone else still feeling morning sickness? Have you chosen names or are you waiting until you know for sure the mineral color? What have you done with the nursery? Am I the only one who keeps accidentally eating brimstone candy and throwing up fire?”

“It’s lucky unborn dragonlets stay the same form as their mother,” Pyro’s wife said, one hand on her pink and white maternity dress belly. She was two weeks farther along than Laura.

“It would otherwise be dangerous,” Amber said. “There is also a psychic connection for the first two years. It ends after the dragonlet starts communicating in words.”

Another neighbor with three young children and two types of drinks leaned in. “That would be useful for parents — if you could force them to listen and do what you want.”

“We’ll let you know how it goes,” Pyro’s wife said. “Actually, you’ve had three children? I’m researching parenthood and I have a few questions…”

Laura listened intently.

Some of Kyan’s fears melted away. If Laura could learn something useful and reassuring about their first dragonlet, then it made everything worth it. He was glad that she had encouraged him to break his own rules—

“Sir.” His security team gave him a tight warning. “We have a record of at least one intruder.”

He evaluated the guests. “Current location?”

“Next to the food.”

Of course.

He flew around the corner to the table and found not one intruder but three: the second-in-command of his unit camouflaged in a corner of the ceiling, their old comm tech in a shielded triangulating position, and their generalist “Crazy Ed” stuffing pink box donuts into his mouth.

Which meant his old squad leader was—

“Mmph! Scarface.” Crazy Ed spoke around his full mouth, frosting and cream bursting from his unevenly-shaved cheeks. “What are these delectable, froofy cakes?”

“Donuts.”

“What? Nah. These are creamy. Delicious. Amazing.”

He cleared his throat. “I see you skipped the—”

Someone brushed against Kyan’s back.

He whirled — toward the sharp point of a knife. He froze.

The other team members, including Crazy Ed, grinned at him.

“Losing your touch, Onyx,” his squad leader’s rough voice growled near his ear.

“I was going to say you skipped the name badge station.” He reached into his pocket, the squad leader allowing him to do so in total control, and produced six badges. Still immobilized by the knife, he passed them out.

They deactivated their camouflage and took their badges, materializing out of the ether to the startled noises of his security team over his ear buds. He lifted the final badge into empty space where, if he were in charge of the operation, he would have placed their final old team member — silent Schist.

“You only have triple-point entry protection.” Crazy Ed washed down his donut with a swig of punch. “Very insecure in your line of work. Very insecure.”

“Going soft,” the old comm tech said.

“No need to reveal all my secrets,” he replied.

The others raised brows, skeptical. Crazy Ed just laughed.

He continued to hold out the final name badge. His squad leader released him to stick his name badge onto his bulky, tactical breastplate.

Two invisible fingers closed over the final badge in Kyan’s hand and tugged. He let go. The badge disappeared.

“So this is Earth post-contact.” His squad leader stepped into his line of vision. Long shatter-marks of fire sprayed out from his jaw where he had taken shots to the face. Like Kyan, he was cold and deadly. “You’re working as a clothier.”

“You actually happy with a needle and thread?” his old comm tech asked.

“Why? Looking for a new job?”

He pshawed. “I’ve got a family fortune and fifty females waiting for their chance to mate with me.”

He grunted. The others laughed and helped themselves to food.

His comm tech lowered his voice. “You really satisfied here?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not bored? Wishing for the old life?”

“No.”

“Really?”

The others glanced over with the same silent question. They were really asking whether he’d finally found a place to rest. Where the nightmares could be buried or forgotten. Where he could let go and be a civilian. Normal, unlike any of them.

But his nightmares had never matched theirs. Their worst times had been in the war. His worse time had been in civilian times, long before a single shot had been fired.

He had never dreamed of getting out and finding peace. He knew peace would never be waiting for him.

For a long time, he’d felt their differences acutely. But recently — since Laura — his feelings had changed.

“I have everything I need here,” he said.

They still looked unconvinced.

“Kyan?” Laura stepped into the main room, one hand on her belly. She regarded his rugged, deadly company uncertainly. “Are you okay?”

He flew to her. Pulling her into his protective embrace, he gestured at the damaged warriors. “They served with me.”

Her expression lit. “Your old team members!”

Once, he would have denied he’d ever had a team. But now, he acknowledged what he couldn’t before. His team had relied on him and he had relied on them. He had denied it, but they were his old team.

“Welcome.” She rubbed his possessive forearms and leaned against Kyan, her natural sunshine radiating. “You’re just in time for a tour of the lower level.”

They all, even the squad leader, looked stunned. And he didn’t think it was only because giving a tour was anathema to their closely-held security secretes. Even though it made him want to curl up and squirm to freedom, outside of their evaluating gazes.

The captain of the Gnashing Teeth strode into the room. “Black Shadows!”

Kyan’s old team tensed. “Military.”

A tense silence underscored the standoff.

“Um, everyone is welcome,” Laura said.

The aristocrat drew himself up. “Well. I assume you’ve brought a gift. It is traditional. You’ll see ours.” He gestured. An electric blanket, an electric kettle, and a warming tray. “Small household goods. Proper gifts.”

Kyan’s squad leader nodded to Laura. “You have spider plants?”

“Huh? Oh, yes.” She frowned with bemusement. “Why’s that?”

“Spider plants are toxic to humans and dragons. The infestation must be contained before your dragonlet arrives. Therefore, we brought you the spider catcher plant.”

Hellfire.

The team unveiled the spider catcher and rested its barrel-shaped pot on the food table. A force field sealed the top of a terra cotta cup. Inside, a green object wriggled.

“Oh. Wow. This is a plant?” She touched the pot.

Right on the force field release button.

The large bulldog-sized, green plant with purple dots charged out of its pot, teeth-first, and snapped on the corner of the table, growling.

Kyan whirled Laura to a safe distance.

She shrieked.

The dragons calmly collected their mates, guarding them from the plant. The aristocrat captain swore and patted his crisp military uniform for a weapon. The other human guests stampeded out of the room, screaming. The black ops team took covering positions to corral the wild plant.

Darcy walked in from the bathroom, wiping his hands on a towel. “Whoah.”

The spider catcher whipped toward the sound. Its green leaves unfurled as it bared its blind teeth at the tall human.

He froze. “Um, who released the Super Mario Bros. pipe plant?”

It jumped at him.

Amber swooped in front and blew a controlled breath of crackling fire across its path.

The heat singed the tile.

The plant curled up, mid-flight, and landed on the ground in a protective ball.

Kyan released Laura, grabbed the pot, and scooped up the plant. It unfurled. He pressed the force field button.

The plant slammed into the field, jolted, and fell back, paralyzed.

“I’ll put this in the greenhouse,” he growled, heading out.

Laura put both hands over her heart, color returning to her cheeks, then frowned and followed him. “We have a greenhouse?”

When they returned, his teammates had fanned out and surveyed his home. The guests looked as uncomfortable as he’d known they would be. Mixing the military and black ops was a bad idea; both feared and believed the others did no good work while they had to clean up messes. Meanwhile, the humans were concerned about the dragons and the dragons didn’t know what to do with the neighbors.

Laura looked confused and lost. She turned to Kyan with a low tone. “Is it me, or are things really awkward?”

His worst fears were coming true. This party wasn’t fun for her.

He rubbed her arms. “I am having fun.”

She slowly straightened. “Really?”

“Yes.”

Her smile brightened, filling his chest with a sunshine ray of hope. She turned to the muttering cliques and clapped her hands. “Alright! Everyone who wants to see our amazing lower floor, come with me!”

The groups pulled together and trooped down the stairs.

Laura finished her tour with the lower rooms.

“This is amazing.” One of the neighbors, a middle-aged real estate developer sidled up to Kyan. “Is this beneath the water table? How do you keep the elements out?”

“Easily,” Kyan said. “Our last lair was suspended in the middle of Denali. It was much more difficult. This is self-contained and lined with lead. It could be shot into space and be self-sufficient for two years.”

He blinked. “And the permits?”

“Permits?”

“How did you get the permits to build? Pass inspections?”

He had not asked permission; nor had he allowed any inspections. He remained silent until the contractor looked nervous.

Ah. He must not make any guests nervous.

“And the last is the bedroom,” Laura said.

“Also known as the ‘pleasure dungeon,’” he said.

She turned bright red. The neighbors laughed.

“I know someone who’s getting ‘locked up’ tonight,” Darcy said.

Everyone laughed again and Laura thumped him gently. “No more jokes.”

“That was not a joke.” He stroked her head.

The party ended at the appropriate time and everyone dispersed. He made the farewells with Laura. He could tell his squad leader was waiting for him to be alone, so he allowed Laura to go check on the remaining guests and food, and made himself available.

“You are weak in the lower ventilation areas,” his squad leader said. “And the glass windows in the local style are a security disaster. But you knew that.”

He nodded. Compromises had to be made.

“Biolock sensors, laser-reflective shielding, and a quad-blind entry system will secure the worst of it.” His squad leader looked around the lair. “You have done well for yourself.”

The security evaluation was invaluable, but it was also out of character. Time to cut the lies.

Kyan growled, low. “Why are you really here?”

His squad leader raised his brows. “One of these days we are going to retire.”

“And he thought, if a female from this planet chose you, we have a chance,” his old comm tech joked.

The squad leader grimaced, wished them farewell, and the team departed up the elevator.

And that was nearly all the guests…

Crazy Ed was in the spirits cabin working his way through a second fifth, hiccupping.

Laura murmured to Kyan. “I thought dragons weren’t affected by alcohol.”

“This one is not a dragon.”

“Isn’t he your old team mate?”

“He was picked up during leave. Pre-contact.”

“Oh, my god. Aliens actually used to land here before you arrived officially five — no, almost six — years ago?”

“Unofficially, yes. And once we were stranded off a small island near Vietnam, and an ex-soldier who was more … risk-forward than any of us proved his usefulness.”

“Hey, Scarface.” Crazy Ed burped at Kyan, then nodded more respectfully to Laura. “You two throw a great party.”

Kyan contacted his security team. His old teammates hadn’t gotten free of the lair yet, and so he reversed the elevator until he could see the whites of their eyes. “You forgot someone.”

The squad leader no longer looked amused. He looked like Kyan had always remembered him — as if he were completely dead inside. A nightmare to enemies and a silent threat to so-called friends.

Ah. It was good to see a recognizable face.

The rest of the team looked irritated but not particularly surprised.

“Laura, you used to have housemates,” the comm tech said. “Don’t you want a new one?”

“Um, well—”

“No.”

Under Kyan’s supervision, they hauled his final teammate out.

Now, he and Laura were alone in their lair.

She rested her head on his shoulder. “Want to take me to the … bedroom?”

“Yes.” He held her close. “As soon as I permanently seal the entrance.”

“No! I told you. No moving the entrance.”

“But—”

She tugged him down to her kiss.

Their lips meshed. Liquid desire poured into his hard cock with sudden, throbbing tightness. He positioned her head against his and tasted her sweet, sparkling cider mouth. His wide palm on her back pressed her against him.

She whimpered with heat and pulled back, disentangling, her pupils already widened with arousal. She grabbed his hand. “Come on. I want to try out our new bedroom.”

He wanted to “try out” every room and the bedroom was a fine start.

Kyan scooped Laura up, flew down the stairs, and banked into their bedroom. The polished stone floor was softened with a white woolly mammoth fleece. Although extinct on Earth, they were raised on multiple nearby planets for meat and wool. He landed on the luxurious fleece in front of the crackling fireplace and released her.

She untied her maternity dress and wiggled out of her tights, naked in only a few movements, and lay back on the quadruple king-sized bed. All hot curves and sweet seductions, she sank into the thick comforters and pillows colored amethyst, ocean blue, and cream satin. Cool and inviting. Watching him in anticipation, her hungry gaze was a little wicked.

He removed his trench coat. Then, he unstrapped his side holster, back holster, laser-edged knives on biceps and calves, and an armor-piercing razor blade at the back of his neck.

Her brows rose. “Overkill?”

“The bare minimum.” He placed the weapons atop his trench coat and shrugged out of the other clothing — black shirt, jeans, steel-toed boots, boxer-briefs.

Her hunger sharpened. She rested on her elbows, then rubbed her plump belly and grimaced.

Anxiety twinged. “Problem?”

“My body’s changed a lot in the last couple months and it’s going to change more.”

“That is normal,” he said, with a lilt of a question. She was the health expert. Not him.

“It is.” She frowned. “This is the first time we’ve been able to take our time. Really look at each other. You know. Without a big rush or a deadline.”

“And?”

“I was just thinking.” She linked her hands over her belly. Her voice shrank. “Whether you still find … me attractive.”

He swallowed.

Was she honestly asking that question of him? Reclined in his lair like a fertility goddess, her curls fanned across his bed and the swell of her body glowing gently. Glowing as if the sunshine in her heart now infused her silky soft skin. She carried his dragonlet so carefully.

In his darkest nights, he’d thought her beautiful, kind light would never be his. And now she was here. Asking if he found her desirable.

As if the taut swelling of his cock wasn’t obvious.

“Yes,” he said.

Her smile broke through the concern. Her brows relaxed. One word and she believed in him. Her sweet faith was yet another reason he loved her so desperately much.

And any number of dangers could tear Laura away at any time.

A hard, sharp pain slashed his chest.

No.

So long as he was here, he would protect his wife and his unborn dragonlet with his life.

Her lips quirked. She rose to her knees and grabbed his hand, drawing him to the bed. “What are you thinking that makes you so serious?”

He kneed down on the bed next to her hip. “We are at risk.”

“Because of the housewarming?”

Yes. Even though he had already taken all possible measures to mitigate the risks. “And other reasons.”

“Then we’ll have to hold each other tight.” She smiled. “The best place to watch my back is when I’m in your arms, you know.”

He sucked in a breath. She always knew exactly how to lighten his darkest thoughts and fill him with her radiant love.

His father hadn’t been allowed to care for his mother while she carried his dragonlets. Kyan loved Laura so fiercely he sometimes struggled to tear his mind away from the darkness and appreciate these small, bright moments.

She wrapped her arms around his abdomen in a hug and stroked an index finger across broad pectorals. “Thank you so much for today. I know it was hard.”

“Did you enjoy the party as much as you anticipated?” That was all he cared about. She must find her community and be happy. Not sad or disappointed.

Instead of answering, she pressed a kiss to the hard muscle above his heart.

Okay. The question could wait.

He rolled her onto her back.

Her eyes widened and then she licked her lips and stroked his arms. “Are you finally going to make love to me?”

What? Had she been waiting for him?

“Is this a joke?” he asked.

“Talk later.” She lifted her head, closing the distance, and claimed his lips.

Her kiss fired through him, hot and ready.

He stroked her full, swollen breasts and teased her pert, pink nipples. She moaned. They seemed more sensitive to his touch and brought her intense pleasure. He swirled his tongue over the hot peaks.

She gasped and arched into his embrace. “Yes!”

He suckled, teasing and stroking. She clenched her thighs around his waist. “Please, Kyan. I want you so much.”

He kissed over her belly to her soft, curly golden vee.

She clenched tighter, stopping him, and writhed. “Now.”

He lifted his head. “Aren’t we going slow to enjoy it?”

“Next time!”

Her desperation pulsed liquid iron heat into his throbbing cock. He needed her too. Her desire made him want to cry and growl at once. A male as damaged as him didn’t deserve her love but he would fight anyone who tried to take her away.

While she remained on her back, he rolled to her side. He hugged her from the side, one arm under her head, the other below her belly cupping her damp mons. His engorged cock nudged her wet entrance.

She circled his cock and drove him deep. Slick, tight heat clasped his cock in a powerful embrace. He clenched, fighting the intense urge to come.

Laura gasped and vibrated. “You feel so good inside me.”

He curved one arm around her shoulders to cup her swelling breast. The other hand stroked her glistening pink nub above where they joined.

She dropped her head to the sheets and moaned.

He thrust into her, capturing her pleasure and transforming it into bliss.

“Kyan. Like that. Yes.”

His cock throbbed. Why was she always so mystified that he could bring her pleasure? She told him plainly what she wished. All he had to do was listen.

That he could give her pleasure — and she’d chosen him to be her male to do so — was the headiest aphrodisiac.

He fought his release, thrusting at her pace and depth, watching the heat whip across her face as she clung to him. Was gentleness on her throbbing nipple what she wanted? Was a hard stroke against her wet slick nub better? What about tugging her sensitive earlobe with his teeth?

She convulsed, her channel clenching him in ecstasy, passion soaking her scream.

He released, filling her already-full vessel with his seed.

They lay together in the quiet stillness of the crackling fire. She sighed dreamily. “Our first night in our new lair is going even better than I imagined.”

Good.

They shared an intimate shower, washing off the stress of the last months in the tight quarters of the warship. She grew hungry. They put on pajamas and robes and flew upstairs to the party leftovers.

“I think there were a few cheese rolls left,” she said, tired and relaxed and so cheery.

He rested her on the top step and opened the sealed doors between the lower bunker and upper floor.

“Did you have one? My mom makes the most delicious—”

Intruder.

“Someone is here,” he said.

“What?”

Known intruder. Consuming alcohol and food.

Hmm. Apparently, his old teammates had been busier than just giving him a free security evaluation.

He flew them to the main level.

She let go of Kyan and slowly faced the intruder. “Um… What are you doing here?”

Sprawled across the dining room chairs, like an eye in the center of a food debris and empty liquor bottle hurricane, hiccupped Crazy Ed. “Cheers.”

“I … see. It turns out the party’s over…”

“You throw a great party,” he assured her, through his mouthful. “Way better than the squad leader. I’ve been crashing at his pad. This place,” he burped, “is way nicer.”

“Thank you…”

He lifted a half-eaten custard bar. “Did you know they call this a donut? Donuts in my day were round and cake. They have come a long way. A long way.”

The real reason his old squad leader had shown up. Retirement? No. He’d been getting rid of his unwanted house guest.

It was still a pretty cheap trade for their free security evaluation.

Laura didn’t realize this truth. “Did we somehow miss you when everyone else left?”

He shook his short salt-and-pepper head, his grin wide.

“How did you get in?”

“We’re like Aldebaran roaches, honey. Once we know there’s a way in, there’s no getting rid of us.” He laughed.

Laura didn’t. But her too-generous concern radiated onto Kyan’s unworthy teammate. “Well, maybe you can stay for one night…”

Crazy Ed brightened. “That’s mighty kind—”

“No.” Kyan intervened. “You can’t.”

Crazy Ed stuck out his lower lip in an exaggerated pout. “Your wife said I could stay. Isn’t she nice?”

“She’s nice. I’m not.”

He lifted the mostly-empty vodka. “How about a round for old time’s sake?”

“‘Old times’ is the reason you have to leave. Now.”

Laura picked through the remnants of Pyro’s starter set of spirits — gone — and reached the dish that had once held her mom’s cheese rolls.

It only held crumbs.

Crazy Ed appealed to her. “Honey—”

“That’s not my name.” She crossed her arms. “And I hate pet names.”

“It’s a … oh.”

“I think you should listen to my husband. The party was fun but now it’s over. Goodnight.”

Seeing he wasn’t getting sympathy from either, Crazy Ed rose with a sigh and followed Kyan to the elevator. “Well, see you for breakfast!”

Laura paled.

Kyan escorted Crazy Ed out. His front door security settings were unaltered. As he had feared.

“I like pancakes.” Crazy Ed stumbled off the doorstep onto the street. “Big fluffy ones.”

Kyan shut the front door.

He activated secondary locks, the backup security system, and the third system he’d left dormant to reduce the odds of any guests — his old black ops team included — from finding it.

Then he poured instant cement around the door, sealing off the street entrance for all time.

Their lair was no impenetrable. And self-sufficient.

He would talk Laura about where to put the new entrance. Because he was not leaving it no matter what he had promised.

Kyan steeled himself for the fight and descended into his lair once more.

Laura was sitting in Crazy Ed’s chair, an unfamiliar gloomy expression on her usually sunny face. She mooshed the cheese roll crumbs into a ball and sighed. “He’s gone?”

Kyan nodded jerky with tension. “Sorry about your rolls.”

“You couldn’t have known.”

But he really should have. His old team had been up to something. This was their idea of a joke.

“I’ll just ask my mom to make more.” She sighed at the last crumbs. “The pregnant lady with cravings is allowed to make unreasonable demands on behalf of her unborn first grandchild.”

“My mother would also.”

“Does she know the recipe?”

Since his mother was a dominant dragon aristocrat on their distant home estate in the Outer Rim of Draconis — who had never prepared food in her life, much less human dishes — he doubted it. “She is very resourceful.”

“It’s fine.” Laura eyed the empty liquor bottles with dismay, then rubbed her eyes.

“I will clean this mess.”

“Hmm? Oh, thank you.” Gratitude swept over her. Then the unusual seriousness returned. “When were you going to move the front door?”

Ah. She had seen through him.

“After you fell asleep,” he confessed.

That was when he was going to move the entrance. He had sealed the old entrance early. All that remained was selecting a new, hidden, secure front door location.

Her brows rose in surprise. “Tonight?”

He nodded.

Her lips twitched. She rolled up her pajama sleeves and made fists. Preparing for the fight.

He braced.

“Did you want my help?”

Help?

“Moving the front door,” she explained. “You don’t have to wait for me to fall asleep. Now is fine.”

“You want me to move the entrance?”

“The sooner the better. I’m sure you can come up with a nice, friendly, secure way for me to share my house with our new neighbors.” She grimaced at her depleted cheese rolls. “I’m extremely against sharing with bugs.”

We’re like Aldebaran roaches, honey.

She trusted in Kyan’s ability to keep her safe and happy — his way.

A painful swelling sensation stretched the walls of his heart.

“I will complete the move immediately,” he said.

“I knew I could count on you.”

Maybe he didn’t have to be happy all the time.

But with Laura, every day was filled to the brim with sweet adventure, toe-curling kisses, and — yes — her promised happiness.

Thanks so much for reading! If you enjoyed this short story, please leave a review. See you in the next book!

STARLA