Dragon Talons (Indigo Apocalypse Book I)

Chapter Eleven: No Need To Be Contankerous, Or, Conceded

HUNTOR:
    I shook my head, unable to let it sink in, unable to accept it. Agony flashed through my body, white-hot agony and shame. Zavala cuddled into me, pulling me out of her. The dragon in me roared, nowhere near finish. I shoved it back, saying, "I let you have what you needed, now look what you've done." Even the dragon reared back, agony and shame written across it's scaly snout as I pushed it away. Sensing it, Zavala said, "No, don't blame him Huntor, you both wanted this, needed this, if you didn't, you'd have accepted Veevuqui's offer, you'd have asked Sarah to share this with. But no, you asked me, unwittingly asked me weeks ago to share this with you. Why? Because we're mates." Agony crashed through me again. "ZZ, please, this isn't true, isn't, can't be true. Sydney is my mate, was made for me." Pain slashed through both of us, and she snuggled harder. "No Huntor, I am." "I can't protect you, I—"You and I know I don't need protecting. I can fend for myself Huntor." I shook my head again. "No, oh skies Zeej." "Huntor." She pressed her lips to mine. I responded instantly, curving around her. "See, you belong to me as I belong to you." "Vlasfimies Zavala." I could feel her quirk her eyebrow, "That's a different language isn't it?" I tried not to roll my eye, it would just give her satisfaction. She grinned, "I know you want to badly." I snarled instead. "Zavala, I swear, this can't happen." She leaned back, and yawned widely. ""Well, it did."
    My mouth fell open as she laid there, legs slightly spread, watching me. "What?" She asked. "It happened, we're mates newly mated, you know it, I know it, your dragon knows it. There's nothing we can do. Unlike your girlfriend, neither of us can break this bond. You and her may have been lovers, but it was born out of desperation and a dark needy desire that may have turned intimate, but that's all it was." I pushed my face into the pillow, feeling sorrow take over full force. A small taloned hand stroked my back, scraping over my skin. "You bit me Huntor, bit me because you knew, you and your dragon knew that we were meant to be mates. Look at me, look with your mind." I reached for her, and felt her open for me. I saw all the savagery, all the primal things that made Zavala who she was. Saw that, through all of the sweetness, the gentle love, she was a savage beast, made for fighting, made for love. "I'm a dracon, not a half-blood, not a human, you don't have to protect me, I can protect myself." Her mind poured into my own, filling me with such unhinged affection, affection that was hidden away for months. Unable to resist, I yanked my face away from the pillow, and kissed her savagely. She purred, then moaned, then said, "Yes, yes Love, my Huntor, my Huntor, it's alright, we're alright, we're here." She stroked my mind as our tongues stroked each other. SHe moaned deeply and pressed herself against me, heat pulsing out of her like a heartbeat. "Take me again, you know you want to, you know you need to." "Zavala." I said, tongue racing over her's. "Huntor." She moaned. I shoved toward her and she rolled on to her back, spreading her legs. I sank hard and fast into her, savagely thrusting, harshly shoving deeper, deeper, deeper into her. She gasped, crying out in agonized pleasure as hunger that wasn't just dragon heat took over. A kind of blind, pun not intended, hunger drove me to near primal needs. Drove me to hammer myself into her with a desperate furor. She gasped under me and cried out, over, over, over, and over.
    "I love you, I love you, holy dragon talons I love you." She panted those words, over, over, and over. Panted them in our minds, moaned them, purred them. The crescendo came this time, I pushed myself into her, roaring as I climaxed in her. I slowly pulled out of her, and she moaned in satisfaction. "I don't know if I can do this for the next week, just lay in bed and have sex all day long." "Make love." She corrected. Another slash of agony went through me, but I said, "We'll need food. We'll—" I stopped, thinking hard. Following my thoughts, Zavala swore, then said, "I wonder what she'd say when she found out." For the person I thought of, was Veevuqui. "She knew you wouldn't take her though, she knew that. Maybe she expected you to take me, or Sarah, hell, maybe even Seeka or Theia. You had females in your court already, you wouldn't have had to go far to find someone to share your volken with." I ran my hand over my face, "We'll have to get up, have to face them today." "They know you're in heat, they wouldn't expect you to be up and active, they wouldn't, they, they, they." She stopped, realizing that's not only what they'd expect, but it would be what they'd want. "And you have no intention of giving them anything they want." I nodded. "We aren't done though." I pressed my lips to her's. "No Zavala, we are far, far, far, from done." I squeezed her right breast, and ran my thumb over her nipple, before pulling away. "Come bathe, after me." I added. "Awww, why?" "You know why." I said. "But Huntor, perche?" I rolled my eye. "Because if you and I bathe together, we aren't leaving the pool, and I want food as much as I want you." I washed and ran my fingers through my braided hair, after dunking my head several times. "Later," I promised my dragon. "Later, you and I will have her again, tonight, Let me play my cards today, and we can have her together." The dragon in me stared with his perfect snout, sapphire eyes glowing, then he bowed in submission. I pulled myself out of the water and started to dress. Zavala walked through the open archway, and I felt and saw, her admire my body. "Don't even think about it." I said. She said, "I can admire your naked wet body if I want." Mentally, she said, "And my, my, do you have a nice one, all long and lean, just the right—"Zavala." I said, feeling her lust rise. "Fine fine fine. I'm bathing, I'm bathing, I'm bathing." She honestly sounded like a petulant child, pissy because she had to bathe before dinner. I turned and walked out.
    It didn't take her long to go in, and come out. As she did, I felt lust rise for her. Her hair newly washed, face and naked body clean. "I didn't have any clothes, so, I had to walk out naked, and wet." She added. I rolled my eye, and, with a flick of my wrist, dried off her body and hair, then, sending the water splashing into her face, before drying it. "Bastard." She grumbled. "Cool it Zeej." She shrugged, and walked out, giving me a pervocative look before closing the doors. Shaking my head, I reached out for Sarah's mind. "CONGRATULATIONS." She screamed in my head. "I heard that." Zavala shouted. "I'm so happy for you, and proud." I snarled, but Sarah giggled. "So, I'm guessing your litle rides went great." I snarled again. "That's a yes." "So, is there anything left of your rooms?" "Yes." I said. Sarah shrugged mentally, "We're in the other rooms, where the others stay, I'm guessing you are coming to lunch?" "Yes." "We'll sendd Zenvanescence, even she figured you would need a while." "Damn right." Zavala said in my mind. I felt Sarah's happiness flow through me, making me smile. "I'm honestly happy for you friend, even if it was accidental on your part, even if you didn't mean it, you found her, she's your true mate." "So everyone keeps telling me." "Huntor, Sydney was and is a broken girl, may always be. You both were forced upon each other. Both of you had only each other, there wasn't any real love in it, wasn't anything but a desperate need for happiness." "Thank you for summing that up." I said sarcastically. "You know what I meant." She snapped. Zavala entered, dressed in blue jeans and black shirt, her hair brushed. "We're coming now." Sarah said. "See you love bugs soon."
    I sighed as Sarah disconnected our telepathic link. "You gotta love her." Zavala thought. "She's just—"A ball of light." I said, remembering Reina's words. Zavala came over, and took my hands. "I love you so much Huntor, always have, and always will. Please, please, don't pull away from me, don't cloud yourself thinking of me human. I'm not like her, will never be like her. I'm a full-blood, as pure as they get." I sighed, pulling her in. "I know Zavala, I know you are, I just, Gods, I can't help it. I thought I didn't have to protect her, but she got herself killed to save me." She kissed me, tenderly, sweetly. When the others came, I felt it, felt Raveaque's judgement, Draco's fury. Zavala withstood it though, stood her ground as they prowled toward her. Wenzi and Sarah, noticing it, took the others into the living area. "Milord." Zenvyyvu said. "Leave us." I said. She did, closing the doors discretely. As soon as she did, Draco, exploded. "What the flaming dragon tails Zavala. I smell him on you, smell him in you." Raveaque, normally as solid as stone, snarled his agreement. I felt ire rise along side Zavala's. "I told you Raveaque, stop, treating, me, like, your, daughter." She snarled at Draco, "You too." Raveaque stepped forward. "I'll treat you whatever way I have to to get it through your hard head. You mated him, even after I made you promise not to, even—"Promise?" She laughed. "Raveaque, I promised you nothing. I told you to stop treating me like your child, because I'm not. I'm of breeding age, and found my mate." I stepped forward, but Zavala threw out her taloned hand. "Stop Huntor, this is my fight." I stepped away, unable to resist the urge to help her. "This is what I mean." She said in my thoughts. "This is exactly what I mean. I can handle this, I have for years." Out loud to the both of them, she said, "I promised neither of you anything, never said I wouldn't attempt a mating with Huntor. But it just so happens that he, he, was the one who mated me. He was the one who sank his fangs in. Wanna know why? Because he knew we were mates, knew that we belonged to each other." "That doesn't matter." Raveaque snarled. "He has enough on his plate without you, he can't afford to have to protect you, to have to defend you when times get rough—" Zavala spun, her tail whipping up and slamming into Raveaque's face.
    Raveaque stumbled back, and Draco snarled, lunging forward. I yanked hard on the hook that linked me to Draco. "Enough." I said, strolling forward. Zavala snarled as I stepped up to her side. "You made your point Zeej, now I'll make mine." "Huntor." Draco said. "She—"Did nothing wrong." I said. "She's right, I mated her. I sank my fangs in her throat first. She only reacted the way she was supposed to. She's right." I took a heavy breath. "We're mates." I ran my hands over her arms, and wrapped one around her waist. She leaned against me. "Huntor, we can fix this, find a way." "Raveaque, it's fine. It happened, now we'll just have to work around it." Zavala purred in her approval. Draco just muttered under his breath and walked pass, no doubt giving Zavala a dirty look as he passed. Raveaque paused though, as if he wanted to say something, but Zavala's face must have given him another hint because he continued. "Thanks." She said when it was just the two of us. I kissed her, needing contact. "I'm so sorry Love." She said, understanding my pain. No, not the pain of watching her fend for herself, that didn't really matter to me.. No, it was the pain of having her, knowing she might truly be my mate, and that Sydney was forced upon me by the King and, and, and. "Holy dragon talons." Zavala muttered. "What did you just realize? You have that look." I shook my head, I seemed to be shaking my head a lot today. She gripped my fingers. "Don't shut me out Huntor, please, if you can't tell me, show me." I took a breath, and, opened, my, mind. She gasped as memories passed us, as she watched, as she felt what I did, smelled and tasted what I did. "I understand." I pulled away, and closed my mind down. She squeezed my fingers. "I'll make this one promise." She said. "If, for whatever reason it's true, if it truly is, if it honestly truly is true, then I'll do it. No matter how it hurts, no matter the consequences, I'll do it." I kissed her, affection roiling inside.
    "HUNTOR." Sarah yelled, throwing herself at me. She hugged me so tightly that I knew my ribs had to be broken. Zavala snarled and stepped forward, baring her fangs. Sarah hooked her arm through mine, and said, "Maybe he'll let me have one more ride, you know, for old times." Zavala bellowed in rage and attacked. Her and Sarah went rolling over marble stones, sending pedestals flying, toppling couches and benches. I stepped forward, but Theia stopped me. "She needs to get it out Huntor, it's either they brawl, or she brawls every female who looks at you funny." "Ohhh." I nodded, then frowned. "You're wondering why you don't have the urge? Because there aren't any males around who aren't family. Family doesn't count, so Draco and Raveaque don't apply, sadly." Draco muttered something that Theia chose not to hear. I ran a hand over my braided hair as they continued to brawl. "Clean up in isle ten." Wenzi muttered. Finally, after an hour of brawling, Zavala and Sarah rose unsteadily. I watched as my mate walked over to me, and kissed me hard, then said, "Thanks for that." I healed her little wounds, grateful her and Sarah were friends and neither of them did more damage than give bruises and little cuts. Sarah healed her own wounds, and walked into her bathroom to clean up. When they came back, I said, "I'm still supposed to be under the influence of the volken. However, I have control over it due to my indigo blood. So, we will attend breakfast, and will go about our day like normal. Though I need everyone on red alert. Veevuqui, Vileneequi, Daqutos, and the Queen are planning something. Something that ends with me on someone's blade. We're going to find out what, why, how, when, all the questions. Also, make friends with the servants. From the looks of it, none of the royals, nobles, any of them give the servants much more than a passing glance. So, make friends, find out what you can. And we'll play politics." "Yeah, politics with dragons rather than presidents." "What's the difference?" Wenzi asked. We all, laughed.
    As we walked along the corridors, dracon nobles sniffed audibly as Zavala and I walked by them. The sounds of their whispering was like a susurrous breeze, if one could have the power of speech. "Some of the females are giving you looks, and me looks too." Zavala said in our minds. "They give me dirty looks, and pity you." "Well, let's give them something to gossip about eh?" I smiled at her and she gasped as my arms went around her waist, and I spun us both, and her body bent at an angle, and her arms reflexively banding around my neck. We stood there, her arms around my neck, me holding her up, her body angled suggestively over the marble. I rose, lifting her up, and she gasped. The whispers turned into an angry buzz. I felt Draco shake his head. When we entered the huge royal hall, everyone turned to face us as we passed. Silence reigned over the royal table and we walked toward it, my hand in ZZ's. As we ascended the steps, two servants laid food in two spots, Zenvyyvu tasting each plate before seating us. "Well well, Brother." Veevuqui said. "I'm happy you've found your mate." I gave her my wolfish grin. "Thank you, Sister." I started eating, Zavala flying through her food right by me. "You seemed to have gone through your volken rather fast." The queen noted. I shrugged. "I guess I'm just a special person." Daqutos snarled. "Conceded arrogant beast." "Hark who's talking." I said. "You're nothing more or less than a contankerous, conceded, annoying freezing dragon—"Huntor, Love." Zavala purred. "No need to pick fights now." I shrugged. Silence ruled the table for a few minutes, then Veevuqui asked, "Are you seeing the Head today?" I nodded. "Yes, if you like, we can meet up afterward to continue our lessons." "Yes, we may." Shee answered. After breakfast, I walked with Zavala and the rest down the training field, "Hey Huntor." Qudorzo said rather cheerfully as we approached. I waved and asked, "What are we learning today?" "Aerial combat." Quedesha said. Sarah gasped and said, "Oh hell no, that is so, not, happening." "You'll have to get over your fear of heights at one point or another Sarah." Pheequa said gently. "No, nuh-uh, not happening, oh, no, no nope, nuh-uh." "Come with me." Qudorzo said to me." I followed him, up a ridge that overlooked the plain. "We usually teach trainees over a body of water." "Let me guess, so if, or, more like when, they fall, they fall in water, not on hard soil." "Yes." He said, and I heard the barest hint of humor in the word. "But there's enough snow out to protect you if you fall." "Well then, let's go." I said, shifting into my dracon skin fully. The breath of my wings was a release I hadn't known I needed. "You don't wanna stretch first? Test to see if you can fly through air as well as water?" "I already know I can fly, through air and water. I just wanna strengthen my wings so I can for hours." Qudorzo hummed thoughtfully, then said, "Ok, well, you know how I believe in learning on the job right?" I nodded. "Yes." My talons came out. Qudorzo laughed softly, and dove for my waist. I flapped up, avoiding him.