Chapter Twelve
“Val! Hurry up. We’re going to be late,” Camille’s voice prompted from the communicator Gerri just happened to leave in the suite common room.
Arin shrugged into his shirt, cracking a grin. “I thought you call her bookworm,” he said, gesturing to the now dark screen.
“I do,” Valerie replied. “She just gets anxious about being late. I think it was her catholic school upbringing.”
Xavier cocked his head as he slicked his long blond hair into a low ponytail. “Her what?”
“Catholic school,” she repeated. “Strict rules? A ruler across your palms for transgressions?” She shook her head with a chuckle when they both stared at her. “Forget it. I guess that bit of pop culture didn’t translate to the shifter world.”
Xavier grabbed her around the waist and bent, kissing her neck with a loud smack. “And what about you? Were you a rule breaker?”
She sighed, letting her head fall to one side, giving him better access. “I am now, with you two.” Her eyes fluttered shut, but when she felt Arin reach for her from behind, she wiggled herself out from their shifter sex sandwich play.
“What?” Arin grinned. “Don’t I get any?”
She smoothed her clothes with a self-conscious cough. “You had plenty, for now. And that goes for both of you. We’re already late. If we don’t get to this dinner soon I won’t be able to make eye contact with anyone, let alone your new Dragos friends and the king.”
“You look beautiful, love. The eye contact will be all on you and not because we’re a little late.”
Val looked down at the flowy maxi dress that somehow found its way into her suitcase. She smirked to herself. Gerri. It had to be.
The dress was a silky ginger print that reminded her of a scarf she bought in the Caribbean on vacation one year. The dress's handkerchief style complimented her curves, and the halter top flattered her breasts in ways that made her proud. She felt pretty and sensuous, but it wasn’t just the dress. It was the two men who made her body quake twice that day. She smirked to herself. Multiple times, actually.
Checking her makeup in the mirror, she looked at them as they finished getting ready. Soft cotton shirts highlighted their broad chests and narrow, ripped torsos, while their pants molded to muscular thighs. She sighed again. If this was a dream, then damn. She hoped she was comatose.
***
“There you are!” Camille, said poking her head from the garden’s ornate wrought iron gate.
Valerie rushed forward, her high heels clicking on the tiles. “I’m sorry, Cam. We sort of lost track of time.” She peeked through the gate. “I don’t see Gerri. Please tell me I beat her here, at least.”
“Mrs. Wilder is already here, slow poke,” Camille joked. “And all I can say is thank God the walls aren’t as thin as the ones in your apartment, though the acoustics here are pretty good.” She waggled her eyebrows.
Valerie’s mouth dropped open. “Cam!”
“Gerri’s pretty good at what she does, huh.” Her friend snickered. “At least that’s the way it sounded down the hall.”
Valerie rolled her eyes, but the secret smile on her face spoke volumes. Xavier winked and she had to press her lips together, ignoring the flush that crawled up her cheeks. She gave Camille’s outfit an appreciative once over and smiled. “You look great, Cam. I love that blue on you. It really brings out your skin and eyes.”
“Ha. Nice dodge, Val.”
Arin laughed, giving Valerie’s cheek a quick peck. “A triad never kisses and tells.” He glanced down at Camille’s dress and nodded. “Val is right, though. You look very pretty, tonight. You do the Dragos proud.”
They walked into the garden and Valerie scanned the intimate party. One man was more gorgeous than the next, from the king on down to the two gorgeous giants standing at her side.
“Jeez, Cam. You weren’t kidding when you said they were all built like Ryker. It’s gotta be something in that pink water. It’s like an escort convention up in here.”
Gerri strolled up beside the girls, a knowing smirk on her face. “It’s nice to see you two together. I knew it was going to work out.” She eyed Valerie with a pointed gaze. “You still have choices to make, don’t you?”
“Let’s not go there tonight, okay?” Val replied. “But yes, I haven’t made up my mind yet. The Gemini asked, but I haven’t decided. I need time. I don’t know anything about them other than they rock my world. Sex isn’t everything, Gerri.”
Camille sucked in a theatrical breath. “Bite your tongue, Valerie Ann Ross!”
“Still,” Gerri said, undeterred as they walked toward the long table set with a gorgeous service and covered with enough food it could feed an army. “After what happened on the beach, my boys have a large task ahead. Something is not right in their world, and I don’t mean the triad. Castor is their elder. He’s missing and this Malus isn’t all he purports.”
“Such heavy talk for a happy occasion. Give it a rest for one night, Miss Matchmaker.” A young woman approached carrying four glasses filled with a fragrant liquid. She held out a glass to each of the women and then lifted hers to Valerie. “I’m Becca Dragos. Vikter’s mate. Welcome to Nova.”
Valerie smiled. “Looks like we could form our own human league. Exactly how many Earth girls are there mated to these amazing monsters?”
“Enough that you’re not too far off. Including the queen,” Becca replied. She jerked her head toward her husband talking with the Gemini and Ryker and another man near the purple perimeter trees. “That’s Alyx. He’s the king. Bella was the first one of us to take the portal plunge and ride the wormhole with this one.” She gestured to Gerri. “But none of us have regretted a moment of our decision to stay.” She looked at Camille. “Agreed?”
Camille sucked in a breath and stole a glance at Ryker. “Not one second.”
They moved to the table and took their places. Alyx walked to his seat as well. Everyone rose, but he waved them back to their seats before taking his spot at the head. “The queen sends her regrets. Bella’s not up to entertaining tonight. Her contractions have begun, so I’m only going to stay for a moment.” He lifted a glass of wine, but didn’t drink. Instead he held it out toward the table. “To the Dragos and the Gemini. Peace reigns at last.” His eyes moved to Valerie and he inclined his head. “And to the new triad and their beautiful mate. Valerie, I hope you choose to stay with us. The more human girls on Nova, the better. Or so my wife tells me.” He grinned and then drained his glass.
Arin nodded. “We want that, too. For our peace to last and for Valerie to stay, but right now nothing has been decided.”
Vikter cocked his head, confused. “Wait, it’s my understanding you two and Ryker came to a meeting of the minds earlier. If you need my seal of approval as Alpha of the Dragos, you’ve got it. I want nothing more than the dragon clans to be united and equal.”
“It’s not that,” Xavier replied. “If you know about our truce, then you also know we face an unknown malevolence.”
Alyx nodded. “Malus. No one knows where he hails from, but he’s some sort of powerful magician or sorcerer. It’s been speculated he’s from the Wyanar Woods, but I had that checked, and he’s not. My intelligence has been watching him, especially once we knew you two were returning.” He gestured to Arin and Xavier.
“Whatever he is, he’s got Castor.” Arin looked from the king to Xavier and back again. “If our elder was dead, we’d feel it. He’s alive somewhere or Malus wouldn’t have control over Castor’s staff. He wants our alpha and omega medallions. Without them he cannot enter the crystal cavern and our sacred grotto. Without them, he’s stuck.”
Vikter put his glass down and leaned on the table. “What can we do to help?”
“Funny you should ask that,” Xavier replied. “Arin and I are the only ones who can sense Castor’s trace. It’s a bond we’ve shared with him since childhood, especially me since he chose me for the omega. We can’t open the sacred grotto without Valerie, but right now she’s in too much danger. Malus knows she’s the key.”
Alyx chewed, considering. He swallowed, pointing his fork at Arin and Xavier. “Then Valerie should stay here at the palace. No place is safer on all of Nova.”
“In this one instance, I beg to differ, sire,” Vikter replied.
The king raised an eyebrow. “Okay. What am I missing, then?”
“Dragosland,” Arin responded before Vikter could. “They’ve had wards and safeguards against the Gemini in place for centuries. The palace does business with both clans. It would take your security force too long to pinpoint Malus’s single trace, especially since it seems he’s a master of deception. Dragosland is equipped.”
Putting his fork down, the king nodded and then wiped his mouth. “I stand corrected, and gladly so. I much prefer the dragons stabilize this situation themselves, but if this escalates, I will send my warriors if necessary.”
“Thank you, sire.” Vikter inclined his head.
Alyx pushed his chair back from the table, signaling to one of the servers. “Fill two trays with a little of everything and send them to the royal apartment.” He stood, waving for everyone to stay seated again. “Vikter, I’ll send word for a royal transport to be made ready for you to use in the morning. The trip to Dragos is long. Please forgive me if I don’t come to see you off. I don’t want to leave Bella on her own.”
“Actually, sire,” Becca began shyly. “With your permission, I’d love to fly and I know Camille would as well.”
“Becca!” Vikter hissed.
Alyx grinned at the young woman. “Just like my Bella. Strong-willed and sassy. I forgot you and Camille earned your shifter wings.” Glancing from her to Vikter, he shrugged. “As the Alpha of the Dragos, it’s up to you, of course, but you’d be smart to remember the human saying, ‘a happy wife, a happy life’.”
Vikter pressed his lips together, sparing a glance for his mate as she bounced in her seat. “Fine. But we follow formation. Understood?”
She squealed, throwing her arms around his neck. “You da alpha!”