Chapter Fourteen

Eyrl hadn't known what exactly he had been expecting in terms of Lily's home on Earth. He had seen pictures of Earth structures, with the boxy shapes they favored, and had to admit that they were quite functional, if not mathematically pleasing. He hadn't expected her home to be so small, though. She was meant to have come from a fairly wealthy family, but it was a small dwelling.

Quom, Zaner, and a handful of guards accompanied them to visit Lily's parents, but they weren't going to be able to stay in the house. Perhaps they could camp on the spreading yard. A lot of unproductive, artificial space. What was the point of grass?

Lily's parents, Roger and Alberta, embraced them both, which surprised Eyrl. However, as soon as Lily's back was turned, both of them gave him glares that had Quom hissing and reaching for his weapon.

"I think it would be best if we had a chance to speak with my parents alone," Lily said at the sound, her eyes wide.

"Good idea," Roger said. "Come on in, Earl."

Lily sighed as she entered the house with her parents. "His name is Eyrl, not Earl."

Quom grabbed Eyrl's arm as the prince made to follow. "They clearly want to kill you. Did you see that hatred?"

"Lily told me that on Earth, parents often exaggerate their dislike of a daughter's mate. She told me to be on the lookout for the 'dad threat' but that it's a formality and not to take it seriously. Humans are strange, Quom, and I may have entered into one of the stranger families."

His manservant didn't look pleased but nodded. He turned to give the guard orders while Eyrl entered the house. Zaner pressed in behind him, but at his order, she stepped back and stayed outside.

The interior of the house was nice. Simply decorated with lovely pieces of dark furniture that contrasted nicely with the pale colors of the walls and floor. Lily looped her arm around his and all but dragged him to a sitting room, where they sat on a sofa while her parents took two separate chairs.

"So." Roger leaned forward with his arms on his knees, his stance wide and threatening. "You're a prince."

"I am." Eyrl nodded. "I am the only child of the queen, Xæm, and when she retires her position, I will be the king and Lily my queen consort. One day our child will take leadership after me."

"How lovely." Alberta sat primly with a smile on her face, but for some reason, Eyrl felt like he should be warier of her than Roger. "You can't imagine how thrilled we were when our Lily told us that she had found her one true love. And then when the news came that she was expecting! I know several other women whose girls had gone to . . . what is its name? Brandal?"

"Bronæl," Eyrl corrected.

Alberta's smile widened slightly. "Yes. Brondel."

He opened his mouth to correct her again, but Lily elbowed him in the side. He shut his mouth. Why didn't she want him to correct her parents? Was it seen as rude here?

"Most of their girls have been calling them, writing messages. Why haven't I heard anything from my little girl?"

Eyrl thought there was an accusation in there somewhere, but wasn't certain how to respond. "We will make sure to install the correct technology in your home so that you can have video conferences regularly."

"It's getting late," Lily blurted as her mother opened her mouth again. She sprang to her feet. "Eyrl and I have made sure that we've been sticking with Earth times on the way here so that we would be on the same sleep cycle. I assume it's okay for us to sleep here instead of going back to the ship?"

"Of course." Alberta stood. "I've gotten your room all ready for you, dear. It's just the way you left it. Oh, and Earl – or should I call you your Highness?"

He managed a smile. "Earl is fine."

Alberta hummed in her throat. "Eyrl can stay in the guest room."

"Mom!" Lily's eyes widened.

Alberta rose her brows. "What's wrong, dear? You're not married . . . Unless you went ahead and did it without inviting your parents to the ceremony?"

Eyrl thought about saying that they were only having a wedding due to his position and that it was a formal adoption into the royal family rather than the binding of two people the way it was on Earth but chose instead to stay silent. They were mates, which meant they were already bound in every way two people could be bound. Earth, however, had different thoughts on the matter.

"I'm already pregnant," Lily said, her cheeks infused with red. "What are you hoping to do by keeping us in separate rooms?"

"You're not married," Alberta repeated. "It wouldn't be proper."

"Mother, if you think that—"

Eyrl took Lily's hand, cutting her off. "My dear, I am a guest in your parent's home. I'm not sure what it means on Earth for a grown child to return to their parents' place of residence, but it would be rude for me, at least, not to abide by their rules."

"Eyrl—"

"No, he's right." Alberta began bustling Lily off. "Roger, be a dear and show Eyrl his room?"

Roger clapped a hand on his shoulder, hard enough to send him stumbling forward a couple of steps. "This way, Earl."

That was going to get tiring very quickly. Eyrl made himself smile politely and follow the fragile, pink-skinned creature to a room on the second floor. It was adequate, comfortable-looking, and the prince nodded his thanks at Lily's father.

"Don't try to be sneaky," Roger said, the threat clear in his voice. "If you step a toe out of this room tonight, I'll hear. You don't want me to rain holy hell down on you, do you?"

Holy hell? What was that supposed to mean? Humans. So confusing. Still, he shook his head. "No, sir, I would not."

"Good. ‘Cause prince or not, if you hurt my little girl, I'll come for you. And then it will be goodbye Earl."

Eyrl repressed the urge to laugh at that. There was nothing the little human would be able to do to him. But it was clearly something important to him, so the prince nodded. "I will always treat her with the dignity and respect she deserves, sir."

Roger seemed to like that because he nodded.

"I have to give instruction to my companions," Eyrl continued. "But I assure you, I will not so much as open that door when I retire for the night."

"Right, then . . . " Roger stepped away, then stopped. "You don't seem like a bad chap. But she's my only daughter. You'll understand someday. A man's got to protect his daughters."

Eyrl nodded seriously. "Yes, I'm sure a man does."

***

Later that night, after Eyrl had given instruction to Quom to pass to the guards and when he could hear thunderous snores coming from Roger and Alberta's room, Eyrl opened the window. He carefully removed the screen and leaned out. While outside, he had noticed a ledge running between his room and Lily's. The dragons in the yard below looked at him with puzzled expressions as he inched his way across the ledge towards Lily's bedroom. A few of them shook their heads. He ignored them all.

Once he got to Lily's window, he tapped on the glass until she opened it. He climbed in, wrapped his arms around her, and gently tossed her onto the bed. Her eyes were wide and she stifled a giggle.

"What are you doing?"

"I've been watching human's romantic movies. This is traditional, isn't it? Just like the dad threat."

Lily pressed both hands to her mouth. "What happened to obeying the rules while you're a guest?"

"This is a rule, isn't it? To sneak into my lady's room so that we can be sneaky as we engage in sexual intimacy?"

Lily glanced at her door as her father gave another mighty snore. "If they catch us, I'll die of embarrassment."

Eyrl traced his hands up her body and nipped at one of her breasts. Lily moaned, arching herself to his touch. He did love how responsive she was, her legs moving to either side of her hips as he started on the buttons of her silk pajamas.

"It's tradition, isn't it? But we don't have to. If you really don’t want to—"

Lily giggled. "You are too sweet for words. Have I told you how much I appreciate it? That you make sure I want it before you get into the full swing of things? Although, if you didn't want to ask every time, I'd tell you if I wasn't in the mood."

"You were protesting," he responded. "I had to make sure that you weren't being serious."

Lily gave him a wicked smile. "Since we're here, I have something that I want to do . . . I know you said you don't like blowjobs, but you did say it was because of teeth. Can I try it?"

"You like giving oral sex?" He looked at her doubtfully.

The dragonesses he'd always been with said it was actively as unpleasant for them as it was for him. But Lily grinned and reached for his pants. Giving him a seductive look, right in the eye, she bent over him.