Interdict (4 page)

With the Introduction looming ahead of her, it was all she could do to act as if nothing was going to happen, but this moment was pivotal in her life and it would decide if she could live the life she had read about or would have to start from scratch.

It was enough to make her skip dessert.

Chapter Six

Introductions were monthly events held in an effort to introduce single Drai women to single Drai men. As Cynthia took a few timid steps into the hall, several of the occupants turned to stare at her. Many of the stares turned to glares, but some of the female faces wore smiles.

The women arrived first and got comfortable and the men arrived half an hour later via the large hole in the roof. Their landing in the hall was a show of physical capability. Their wings could slow their descent in a confined space and they could land on a set target.

As soon as the first male arrived, the women were locked in. They could leave at midnight but not before. Being trapped, it meant that the only way they could leave was to fly out and since the women did not have wings, they had to depend on someone else to carry them out through the opening in the hall ceiling.

Corleen took her by the hand and stood at her side as she was introduced to a number of matrons. They greeted her warily, but when she saw a friendly face closer to her own age, she was relieved. Marli Naxis was a pleasant brunette with an open face and a welcoming attitude.

"Cynthia, you must tell me of some of the worlds you have visited." Marli tucked her arm around Cynthia's and walked her over to the punch table.

"Which ones?" Cynthia didn't know where to start. She had spent three years learning the history of most of the worlds she had touched just for this kind of moment.

"Where did you study?"

Whew, that was easy. "I began my studies at the Alliance Archive. It is an entire world full of researchers, students and the history of all linked planets."

More questions followed and while Cynthia kept her mind on the histories of a thousand years before she had been born, Marli was fascinated.

Vanya was another woman who was interested in anything to do with off world and so were several others.

Cynthia found herself in the centre of a clutch of women with eager minds and no daily outlet for that curiosity.

When the men began to drop out of the sky, the Terran song
It's Raining Men
ran through Cynthia's head. She stifled her amusement as the Drai males entered the room and the entire mood changed.

Women preened, smiled and flirted like mad and Cynthia couldn't blame them. Drai males had to be in top physical shape in order to fly and it made for very impressive torsos.

In Drai tradition, the men were wearing trousers, boots and a sash around their waist. Their upper bodies were bare and Cynthia couldn't really complain. The skin hues of the Drai ran between light oak and the darkest mahogany with a rare few who were coloured as solid midnight. All in all, it was a lovely view.

Many of the males had their females in mind and immediately made beelines for them, but several others began to mix and mingle in the crowd, flirting outrageously with the matrons in an effort to gain proximity to the younger women.

Marli and Vanya spread slightly apart, inviting the less confident of the males to make a move.

Cynthia had to ask, "Is this normal?"

Marli laughed. "As normal as it can be when you have to wait for the males to make the first move."

One of the males in question made his way to their trio. To Cynthia's shock, he came directly to her.

"Ah, so you are the alien who fell from the sky and only days later standing here in an Introduction gown. You work very fast." He grinned. "I like that."

She blinked in surprise. A blush quickly worked its way onto her cheeks as he used his wings to move her companions aside. A few of the other males were doing the same as they found likely females and her new friends took this in stride.

"I am not doing anything. My host is insisting that I immerse myself in Drai culture. This was simply one way to do so."

"A fascinating way to do it. May I offer my assistance in your acclimatization? There are many sights to see here in the capitol." He raised his brow and his grin was quite engaging.

He stumbled to one side as another male shoved him. Mercuros grinned at her and bowed low. "I believe that you promised me this dance, Cynthia."

She extended her hand to his, "I believe I did."

He pulled her away from the more predatory male and hauled her toward the dance area where other couples were moving slowly to the music.

Mercuros pulled her against him and smiled down at her. "You should be careful. Males like Argus are dangerous if a woman tries to say no."

They swayed to the music and she ignored the light brush of his erection against her belly. "Are you sure that he was going to try something?"

"You are not one of us, there is no family protecting you. I am afraid that if you allow yourself to be distracted by some clever flirtation, you will find yourself in danger." His hand on her lower back pressed her against him and the concern in his face belied the arousal that was starting inside her.

She was speechless. He was so close to the man she had been dreaming of for the last decade, but a thousand miles apart in her heart. Mercuros seemed to want her, her body had no objections and time was ticking onward to begin her family line.

Cynthia mentally slapped herself. He was not for her. He was Vikki's and she had to convince him and more than a dozen others to leave Drai and sleep for a thousand years.

She was about to pull away when he was ripped from her by an irate Garo.

Cynthia watched as they stared at each other and spoke in low snarls. It seemed that while Garo didn't want her, he didn't want Mercuros to have her either. She turned to leave the dance floor and was spun back against a masculine form.

Garo scowled down at her. "Why are you here?"

"Your mother brought me. If you don't want me, there is no reason that I should live my life alone." Her voice was quiet, but her body was singing in relief at the contact.

A few couples ceased their slow movements on the dance floor as Garo and Cynthia cruised around in complete synch.

"It isn't that I don't want you. I simply know it is not in my people's best interest to have you."

Her words were a whisper of sound, "Then let me go."

He groaned and pressed his forehead against hers. "I can't."

They danced together and when the music paused, they separated. She felt like crying as she returned to Vanya's side.

"It is Garo then?" Vanya's whisper was amused.

"Unfortunately. He doesn't want me though." Saying it out loud made it more real and a tear tracked down her cheek.

Vanya put an arm around her shoulders and took her to the ladies withdrawing room.

"Cynthia, you mustn't put all your hopes and dreams into one male. Our folks have a connection to their mates, but no one is expecting you to have the same." Vanya held her hand while she sobbed.

The pleasantly appointed room had couches in the sitting area, mirrored vanity seats and a lav.

Vanya waved off three women who tried to enter the room and Cynthia was grateful. "I am sorry for such an undignified display."

"You are not the first to have fixated on the wrong man, you won't be the last. This room gets used for this purpose frequently."

As if her words were prophecy, another woman and a friend came in, one in tears and the other consoling.

Cynthia sniffled and straightened. "I know you are right, but I can't help the way I feel. My family always believed in love at first sight."

Vanya suddenly looked curious. "What happened to them?"

Cynthia smiled sadly. "They stayed home and I left to see the stars. I wait for the day that I don't regret my decision. It hasn't happened yet."

Vanya patted her hand. "It will happen. You will meet the man for you, see your future in his eyes and nothing will matter but the two of you."

She smiled. "Is that what you are waiting for?"

"Yes, and if it doesn't happen, I will find a man I can like and it will grow into love."

A ripple of shock ran through Cynthia. "I thought you only mated if you dreamed of your partner."

Vanya laughed, "That only happens in twenty-five percent of cases. It is a lovely conceit, but our instincts are no better than any others for most of our population."

Understanding as to one of the greatest mysteries in Drai history suddenly became clear. If they rejected that their instincts drove them to mate off world, it was no wonder that their genes were slowly cutting off their ability to shift.

The dreaming practice had driven them to diversify their genes and their government was taking pains to keep all Drai grounded. With no way to seek out the mates hidden in the stars, the flying dragons would soon be no more.

Cynthia repaired the damage left by her crying jag and straightened her shoulders. She smiled brightly, "Let's go and test my odds."

Vanya's bright grin and the thumbs-up from the other woman who was recovering her composure was all the encouragement she needed. It was time to face the dragons in their den and hopefully find one who wanted to craft a future with her.

If she couldn't have the one that she wanted, she would have to pick one that wanted her.

Chapter Seven

Bylos was an attractive Drai male with lovely dark gold skin, eyes and a dark shock of hair. He smiled as they discussed local weather, moving closer to her with every sentence. She could feel his sexual interest coming off him in waves, but she ignored it as she concentrated on having a pleasant evening. Flirting with an interested partner did wonders for her ego, especially with Garo scowling and watching from the corner.

"So, what are the moons called, Bylos?" She didn't touch him. Vanya had warned her that a small gesture would be interpreted as permission to let their hands roam free.

"Ekan and Ilosa are already up, the lover moons. Heki will rise just before dawn." Bylos was so close she could feel his body heat. "There is a much better view of the moons from the sky above the city. Do you wish to take a short flight?"

There was no chance to answer him, Garo grabbed him by the shoulder, swung Bylos around and ploughed his fist into the other Draikyn's face.

Bylos fell to his back and the crunching of his nose was highly audible in the silence that fell as Garo snarled and kept pounding at him until Mercuros and another male pulled him off.

He shook himself free and turned to Cynthia. Without a word, he wrapped her in his arms and leapt straight up. His wings scooped air frantically until they were free of the Introduction hall. Once out under the moonlight, he flew eastward without another word.

She could feel the tension in his body as well as the eager acceptance of her own. Whatever she was in for, it would be the start to something new and any progress was a good thing…she hoped.

Just having his arms around her sent her heart pounding in a heady beat. His limbs held her tightly against his body and she could feel the shift in muscle as his wings pulsed and scooped the night air.

She whispered against his neck, "Where are we going?"

"To get you out of my system. It doesn't seem like there is anything else to do." His words were far from the whispers of a lover.

Cynthia's mind clung to the hope that he would come around tonight. She knew that her acquiescence to his touch was all the encouragement that he needed to consummate their attraction. He hoped to get her out of his system, but she hoped that she started a craving that only she could satisfy.

The house looming out of the darkness was built against a cliff as was customary. He dropped them onto a wide balcony and walked through an arched doorway that led into a bedroom. Doors opened and closed silently as he held her with one arm, moving toward the bed.

He placed her on her feet and lifted the Introduction gown off her, over her head. Her body was naked under it and glowed in the dimness of the moons' light spilling through the glass doors.

She was shaking with nerves and the heartbeat that seemed to have settled low in her belly. Staring into his face was too much, so she looked at his chest while she raised her hands to stroke the heat of his skin.

He growled as her fingers trailed over the hard contours of his chest, over his shoulders and back again, moving against the edge of his sash before skating lower.

Keeping her gaze focussed forward, she traced the outline of his erection and felt it kick against her palm, swelling as she stroked him slowly. Her hand couldn't cover him all, so she settled for a slow stroke through the fabric. He snarled and grazed his teeth against her shoulder.

Cynthia shivered at the pleasure-pain and continued her slow stroking of his cock through his trousers until he pushed her hand aside and stripped his clothing away.

She waited nervously for his return to her, her skin cooling rapidly without his heat. Any noise on her part was going to break resolve, either his or hers, she wasn't sure.

He lifted her and the hard peaks of her nipples pressed against his hot skin. His mouth came down on hers, his pointed mating teeth sharp enough to draw blood.

Their tongues duelled, sliding in a wet and aching representation of what her body really wanted to be doing. He was careful with his teeth and she reciprocated by digging into his chest with only the flats of her fingers instead of her nails.

Cynthia rocked her hips against him, grinding his erection between them, smiling faintly at the copious precum that was emerging and slicking their bellies. She bit at his lip and with knowledge that her research had provided, she reached behind him and stroked the smooth base of his wings. Her touch was a catalyst for him.

He spun from the kiss to a peculiar frenzy, pushing her to her back and covering her. His lips trailed in heated paths down her breasts, his teeth grazing her in places she had never imagined would be sensitive to his caress. He never bit her. The enzyme in a Draikyn male's teeth could cause a Drai female to ovulate and he was obviously not taking that chance.