GWEN

For once, something in our world goes right, and Amy and Rast return the day after next. It's perfect timing, because I spend all that time in bed with Vaan, trying to recover from receiving his “fires” and making love over and over again with what little energy I do have.

I'm not complaining.

When Amy and Rast return, though, the fort's abuzz. Amy has bags of toys she's brought for the children and everyone's excited to see them back, including me.

Vaan and I get some weird looks from people as we emerge from my room, but that's all right, too. Weird looks won't kill anyone, and I'm getting better at tuning out my need to please everyone with Vaan's mind attached to my own. When a child giggles and points at us, though, I look over at my dragon-man and can't help but give a little giggle of my own. He's wearing a pair of cargo shorts because I asked him to, and it's clear he doesn't like them. He holds his junk as he walks, and his steps are a funny waddle.

Problem? I ask, trying to smother my laughter behind a hand.

How do human males not get their cock mangled wearing these things? Are they built so small that they do not have problems? He shifts on one foot, then the other. I do not like this at all.

I move to his side and pull at his waistband. "You were supposed to wear underwear underneath this."

The tight white layers? Bah. Bad enough that I have to wear this. He scratches at his groin. It rubs against everything. Better that I have my cock hanging out. We can make all the other females jealous of your mate if I am naked. He gives me an entreating look.

Let's try it my way for a day, I tell him, amused, and take his hand to lead him back to our bedroom. But for now, how about we switch to the wrap instead?

If I must.

We duck back into my room, change clothes, and then head back out. There's a commotion in the main area, and I'm both relieved and worried to see that it's Amy and Rast. The tiny blonde looks as happy as ever, Rast with both of his big hands on her shoulders and glaring at anyone that lingers too long talking to her. Andi and Cass are chatting with her, and when Vaan and I approach, Amy turns toward us and her polite smile blossoms into a huge one.

"So it happened," she says, glancing at Vaan and then back to me.

"It did," I agree and squeeze Vaan's hand.

I have…met this one before? This Rast?

Several times, I admit privately to him.

I do not remember.

Yeah, you have had trouble with that in the past. When I was talking to Amy she said that the insanity shows in different ways in the dragons she's met, and that Rast told her that you didn't…retain things. I feel guilty telling him this, because it sounds awful, no matter how gently I put it.

Do not feel guilty, he chides me. If you are right, then it is a problem I must be aware of.

Until you forget it again, I think, and inwardly wince.

He only rumbles with laughter. That is why I am glad to have you at my side. You can help me remember. He plays with a lock of my curling hair and glances over at Rast and Amy. I see he is not being tortured with human clothes.

I chuckle behind my hand.

"Okay, that's weird," Andi says from nearby, and I look over. She has a little half-smile half-grimace on her face as she looks at me. "You do realize you've been giggling and nodding at yourself for the last minute?"

Oh.

"Mental conversation," Amy says. "You get used to it." She reaches out and links her arm in mine. "Can we go talk out in the courtyard? Rast needs to hunt something for breakfast."

And I should probably tell her about the Salorian possession and the whole “truce” thing. "Oh, um, sure." I reach out to Vaan with my thoughts, something I'm still getting used to. Are you…

Hungry? Yes. I could hunt. Let us go, then. I will be glad to leave this hive even if it is only for a short while.

And he turns and strides toward the double doors that lead out into the old schoolyard, discarding his hip wrap as he does, and showing the entire fort his charming golden ass.

VAAN

My mate is quite happy to see you have given your female your fires. She had many worries while we were gone. The other drakoni male, Rast, dips low in the air, skimming between buildings as he extends his claws and snatches up a racing four-legged animal.

I wheel about in the sky, stretching my wings and picking up scents as the other male flies upward, perches atop a building, and then begins to devour his kill. My Gwen is happy to have you return. I think she has many questions for your mate.

They will talk to each other until they are exhausted, he agrees. You should hunt while you can. If I know my Amy, she will sit with your mate for as long as necessary. She has a very kind heart, my mate.

I fly overhead, where I left my Gwen sitting with the other female. Sure enough, they are still seated on a small bench out in the courtyard, surrounded by pots of greenery. They chat in low voices, and the constant flick of mental images I get from my mate tell me that they are talking of the human hive and the people there. Rast is right. They will probably be discussing this a while. I send my mate loving thoughts even as I soar higher, following the scent of game. This close to the hive it is difficult to pick out scents.

You get used to it, Rast tells me as he feeds. The human stench becomes less overpowering with time. If I focus on Amy, it makes it easier to tolerate the scents of others.

Up ahead, a creature darts out from between metal carcasses and I swoop low to grab it. Have you ever lost control around the humans? Attacked them with your mate there? The memories I do have are filled with fire and ash and the screams of humans…I do not like to think about those things. I feel no remorse, but I do not remember these times at all.

It is almost as if that drakoni was someone else, and I have woken up with his mind and only fragments of his memories.

It is the madness, Rast agrees. It has eaten holes into our minds and spirits. This human world does not welcome our kind.

Does it get better? I ask, rising up to settle on a building with my bleating, flailing prey in my claws. The memories?

Not yet. I think some of them will always be gone. Do you remember where you came from? Our world?

I remember sand. And…Salorians.

His mind fills with distaste. As do I.

Perhaps it is best to not remember, I think, hating the memories of Salorians that leak through my thoughts. I remember males in white robes that look like drakoni but do not act as we do. Their scales are paler, and their minds cruel. I remember…being enslaved by them. I remember waking up in chains, being starved until I gave in to their mind control and let them in.

I remember being their puppet, and hate flows through my mind. Distantly, I hear thunder and can feel the ominous change in the air, as if a storm is moving in. The skies grow dark.

Vaan?

Gwen's sweet thoughts pierce through the darkness of my own, and I look up. There is no storm. The skies are blue. Irritated at my own volatility, I tear into my food. I am here, I tell her. I am ashamed at how quickly I nearly sank back into madness, and I do not want to scare her. Not when our bond is so new. I distract her instead. What is this creature?

She focuses on the mental image I send her. Deer. A buck, specifically. Look out for the…horns, she tells me with a sigh moments after I crunch into them.

They taste good.

I can feel her wrinkle her nose. If you say so.

She is adorable, my mate. My thoughts easing, I settle in to my food. Across from me, atop another building, Rast licks his claws and then heads into the air again, his mind skating past my own thoughts in a comfortable greeting, an acknowledgement of each other. It is that simple mind-touch of one another that I have missed out on so badly. Every mind I tried to touch before, to connect with, only fueled my own madness.

I understand, Rast tells me even as he flies farther away, looking for more deer. Something here in this world has splintered our people. We were too dependent on communication by mind and it has ruined us. His thoughts shift. There are more of the brown creatures here if you are still hungry.

I am. I finish my meal and then extend my wings, leaping off the building and taking flight. This is oddly comfortable and reminds me of hunting with old friends and battle companions. Other faces and minds flash through my memories, as quickly gone as they arrived. I think Rast is right. Our minds do not work the same here, and because we are splintered instead of connected, we have all gone mad from it.

Have you met the blank one? Rast asks as I circle closer, riding an air current over to his side.

Idly, I touch at Gwen's mind to check on her, and find her deep in conversation with Rast's mate still. They discuss…babies? And forts. Rast's mate's sister is with young, and it fills Gwen with joy and wonder. I bask in her feelings, then focus in on prey, content that my mate is safe and happy. The faint scent trails of more deer touch my nose, and I find a nearby building and perch atop a ledge, waiting for Rast to flush out the prey. The blank one?

The one that took a human name and dresses in human coverings.

Ah. I have seen him.

There is nothing there when I try to speak to him, Rast sends. He feels entirely human— but he looks as we do. I do not trust it.

The others tolerate him. As long as he does not touch my mate, I do not care if he stays or goes. I felt no malice in him, only envy when he looked at me.

He did what he had to do to survive, remember? Gwen tells me, chiming into my thoughts. I am pleased she is listening in. Well, you're pretty loud, she sends back. I'm still not good at filtering things. It makes conversation difficult, but Amy says I'll get better with time. Her thoughts are amused and full of affection. As for Liam, I think he's got designs on Andrea. Her mind flashes with the yellow-haired human female. So you don't have to worry about him.

Worry about him? Over what?

Poaching your mate? she guesses.

Never. You are covered in my scent. Your blood sings with my fires. No male would dare touch another male's mate. Your scent is mine. You belong to me.

We can belong to each other, she tells me primly. I told Amy about your problem, by the way.

My problem? Rast descends upon the trees, and I watch as the deer scatter in different directions. There are four of them, scrambling to get away on spindly legs as they dart through the underbrush. One fat one heads off away from the others, and Rast sends me an indication that it is mine, so I rise from my perch and swoop down after it.

With the Salorian and the mind control. Fort Dallas.

Mmm. I do not like to think about it. It makes the storms gather at the back of my mind.

She is worried. She says she visited her sister and Fort Dallas is full of dragons. They don't leave, they just wait there. She says it's not right. Something is wrong there.

There is a Salorian there, I tell her as I tear the head off of my newest kill. Fresh, hot blood pours down my throat, and I seek out the horns once more. I like their crunch. That is what is wrong there.

Yes, but what is he doing? And why does he want a truce? Amy thinks we should visit her sister and the others with, uh, tamed dragons, and discuss. Meeting of minds and all that. Her thoughts grow distressed and then speed up. By the way, when I say “tamed” I don't mean tamed like a kitten, I just mean—

—Not insane.

Yeah. She sounds depressed.

Do not be sad. I was insane until I met you. The only reason I have been able to function without my mind lost in the storm is because of your scent and now your mind in mine. You have saved me.

No one's saving anyone. We're a team.

We are. What do you want to do, then?

She hesitates. I don't think it could hurt to visit Amy and her sister. Meet the others, discuss things. You can talk drakoni to drakoni, maybe learn something you've forgotten? And I can talk dragon-rider to dragon-rider.

Dragon…rider?

Her thoughts are full of amusement once more. Yeah, that's another thing. I'm gonna need a saddle because you're about to be ridden hard, and not in a sexy way.

We can do it a sexy way, too, I tell her agreeably, and like it when I can feel her blush.