Captain of the Guard (Winged Beasts Series Book 1)

by Crystal Dawn

  They watched Tomi head into her room just before they went into theirs. “What are you thinking so hard about?” Romo asked.

  “I’m trying to figure out the mating pull. It seemed to be affecting more than just you and me,” she admitted.

  “That’s what I was thinking myself. Betty, Selia, and your mom may not be staying with us for long. I’m not sure how I feel about that. A full house was appealing, we are social creatures,” he offered.

  “How long does courtship usually last among your people?”

  “You can see from our experience that unless something is in the way, it is quick. It can be nearly immediate in some cases, but I think human females resist the fast mating thinking you can’t know that quickly.”

  “I have to admit that quick decisions in romance aren’t encouraged. Few of our people believe in fated mates. That’s more of a concept from our past and is frowned on in the present. They call it a Cinderella story and while it sounds romantic in the telling, it’s generally scoffed at in reality.”

  “Everything will work out the way it’s meant to. You just have to believe that.”

  Romo pulled her into his strong arms and held her offering comfort until it turned into something different. It was much later before they finally got to sleep.

  Chapter 12

  The Journey Home

  The ship alarm was an awful ear piercing shriek but luckily it wasn’t left on long. Romo hopped out of bed and looked over at his lovely mate who was reluctantly stirring. She let out a groan as she sat up and dropped her legs over the side of the bed. Moving around to her side, he offered his hand to pull her up. Accepting it, she allowed him to help her up and she moved forward sliding up against his body.

  “If we hurry,” he suggested, “We might have time.”

  Now she was pulling him along behind her to the shower. It made him feel good that his female wanted him every bit as much as he wanted her. They were on equal footing in all ways. He could admit he was looking forward to this trip. Not that he was a big shopper, no he was the opposite. He did, however, occasionally enjoy a trip to just this type of market. Many of the Draconis males had collections and his was of weapons.

  Several stalls in this particular market specialized in the weapons he preferred to collect. Romo had a world class collection that he was rather proud of and now he had a chance to add to it while the king picked up the tab. That was where he intended to spend at least half his allowance. The rest would probably go on whatever his mate wanted.

  The water warmed almost instantly and they stepped, under the spray. His cock was already hard as a rock and feeling Bree slipping and sliding against him only added to his need. He would be fast but he fully intended to satisfy his mate.

  Lifting her up, she wrapped her body around him and one of his hands moved to her ass grabbing a handful of one cheek to hold her up. She slid around spreading herself open for him perfectly he drilled right into her. Gasping, they both enjoyed the feeling of him fully immersed inside her. Pressing her against the shower wall, he plunged in and out with incredible athleticism causing her to moan. The friction was building and he could feel her body tighten. Little would be required for her to explode all around him. Speeding up, he whispered sweet words in her ear and her body squeezed him so hard he had not doubt her orgasm had built from way inside.

  Unable to hold back himself, he hollered her name as he filled her with every drop of his essence. He continued to jerk against her a few minutes after he was empty. Leaning in, he kissed her gently before letting her slide down his body. Quickly and efficiently they cleaned, dried, dressed, and headed to the dining room well within the time allotted.

  Breakfast was a rushed affair as everyone was excited to get to the market. There were other interesting things to see as well, but he and the other Draconis males had played up the market because that was where they most liked to go. Everyone was out the door en masse and heading to the market in thirty minutes or less. Romo only hoped the females would enjoy it as much as the males did or they would never believe a thing they said again.

  They arrived at the edges and the male was waiting for Tomi as they had been told. He was surprised to see who it was but the slight shake of the male’s head told him he wasn’t to say a word. Well he could keep a secret even if he didn’t know why it was necessary. Tomi and Erak seemed to hit it off so they moved into the marketplace sticking together as a group.

  Romo was satisfied with the way things were going as the females bought many items like clothing, jewelry, perfume, and a few household things. Bree also bought baby items and Selia bought toys and items to personalize her new room. They stopped in the middle of the market where the eating places were concentrated and had lunch. It was completely native and the females adjusted to it better than he had expected. The last portion of the market would appeal to males more, or so he thought. One of the booths that sold weapons old and new was nearby and they headed there first.

  He was amazed to find that Bree collected what she called pocket knives and Tomi collected blades and fighting sticks. They both looked through the displayed weapons right alongside him. Erak seemed fascinated with Tomi’s knowledge of blades. She admitted to having taken some training in the use of certain weapons but denied that her skill level was high. Their interest in weapons fascinated all the males.

  They moved along finding no shortage of interesting items and fighting not to stare at some of the alien species. Romo was proud that they avoided staring since on this planet, even more than most, it was considered rude. Finally leaving the market, they moved along to see a few of the sights. They visited a pond that contained exotic fish. Every color imaginable was represented and they were many shapes but the sizes were small. The famous gardens were next and they rented a transport to take them there.

  Brightly colored flowers, unusual looking mosses, and carnivores plants surrounded by warnings and protective coverings, abounded. “Are all these plants native?” Bree asked.

  “No, many were imported and some could not survive here without special care,” Romo said.

  “So they brought in sea life and plants to attract tourists?” Bree questioned.

  “Exactly,” Romo replied with a smile. “This is a planet that thrives from tourism. They bring them in with their attractions which make money and then they sell the tourists anything you can imagine.”

  “So if Trendis is a tourist planet, what is Draconis?” Bree wondered.

  “Draconis has various regions whose income comes from different things. There are two major tourist regions, one that has hot springs used for health purposes, the other is a small area built around shopping, sports, and other vices. Some areas have mining, agriculture, or even skilled artisans. Trust me, you would have a hard time to select one form of income to represent the entire planet. Isn’t that much like your own planet?” Romo asked.

  “Yes, you’re right. I just thought things might be different based on Trendis and the fact that you are more advanced than humans. This really is a lovely planet,” Bree insisted.

  “The places you’ve seen are but they were designed to draw in tourists. I’m not sure the rest of the planet is as nice,” Romo replied.

  It had been a full and exciting day. All their purchases would be delivered and it was time to get back to the ship. The one thing that had changed, was Erak and some other Draconis males would be accompanying them on the rest of their journey home. That they were gaining passengers was no real surprise to him or the other males but it seemed to surprise Bree and her family. Tomi didn’t seem as delighted that Erak was with them as he would have expected based on how well they got along. Romo didn’t think in a million years that he would understand human females.

  Everyone made it back to the ship without incident which was a good thing since so many aliens visited Tredis, it was easy to have a misunderstanding. Romo liked to believe it was the guidance he and the other males had given that made the difference but he wou
ld admit that the females had followed their guidelines, which surprise him since he had seen signs that they could be contrary under certain circumstances. Bree and Dori were better to listen, but Betty and especially Tomi was often contrary. He had only seen small signs of this but Bree had admitted to him that Tomi could be rebellious when they had first discussed her family coming with them.

  It seemed that Erak and his guards had taken up residence in the same hall they shared with Tomi. Erak was a strong leader, top negotiator, brilliant soldier, but Romo feared he’d met his match in Tomi who was now largely ignoring him almost to the point of rudeness. If Romo were to guess, he’d say Erak was acceptable as a temporary diversion, but Tomi had no desire to keep him as a mate. It was sad because Erak was of age to find a mate and had obviously decided Tomi was the one he wanted. If he couldn’t secure her agreement, things would be difficult for Erak. His choices would be to do without or to simply take her. Romo had a feeling he knew which way things would go and he would be helpless to intercede due to Erak’s position.

  Safely ensconced back on the ship they had a week to go before they reached the next and final stop between Earth and Draconis. Dori and Garulto were developing a friendly relationship, Niku was pursuing Betty relentlessly but she refused to let him get too close, and Erak was showing his predatory side whenever Tomi was near, but she refused to engage him. Did she believe if she ignored him he would go away? Foolish girl, it only made him want her more. Meanwhile the planet Horea was growing larger in their forward screen.

  The visit to this planet wouldn’t be an all day one. The political atmosphere here was slightly hostile since they had never had a close relationship and they had yet to work through all their disagreements. It was part of the reason that Erak would be meeting with politicians here. A decision had been made that everyone would be allowed to go to the shuttle port. That facility was large and held not only eating places but a medium sized marketplace. Another allowance had been extended to them and it would make the visit pleasurable. Romo looked forward to finding more bargains to add to his collection, home, and for his growing family.

  One thing he intended to do was to find Bree a bride gift. It was a way to welcome his mate to his world, home, and life. A custom going back as far as anyone could remember, he had enlisted Dori’s help to distract Bree so it would be a surprise. He wanted everything to be perfect for her because he loved her deeply. His heart swelled at the thought of them and their baby, maybe they would have a huge family which would bring him delight.

  They all met for breakfast, everyone seeming to agree with only half a day on the planet, it was expedient to eat here first. “I will be going to a meeting today. All of you understand not to leave the spaceport and to follow the advice of your guides. Matew will be escorting Tomi and everyone else will be the same as on Trendis. When I return, we will start the final leg of our journey,” Erak said.

  Romo thought that Bree and her family were beginning to figure out that Erak was more important than anyone let on. “Who the hell is he?” Bree whispered in his ear. More than anything he wished he could tell her. He hated keeping secrets from his mate.

  Instead, he relied on human humor that he had seen on TV. “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you,” Romo whispered back.

  “Fine, don’t tell me. We’ll know once we get to Draconis anyway,” Bree said.

  Romo nodded acknowledging she was right. Why Erak bothered to hide his position made no sense to him but he was in a position to enforce the secrecy since he outranked all those present. Now that they’d finished breakfast, they would all go. Erak had already left right after he’d spoken to them.

  “What’s different about this world?” Bree asked.

  “It’s not an ally. We’re not at war either, but diplomatic ties are not strong here and may never be,” Romo explained. She nodded to show she understood.

  Once they were down on the surface, Bree and her family tried hard not to stare but the plethora of creatures was incalculable and far greater than the assortment on Trendis had been. Horeans appeared to be amphibians. They were bipedal and their features were almost human but their skin glowed in various colors and was scaled. Some looked more like Draconis or humans and Romo admitted they were compatible for reproducing with humans and had mated with various other groups. They could not reproduce with Draconis because of their dragons. There were many theories as to why that was, but none had been proven.

  “They are beautiful,” Bree said.

  “Yes,” Romo agreed. “They can also be deadly.”

  Bree had been looking at the Horeans in with awe, but now her head swiveled and she looked at him. “What do you mean?”

  “They are some of the most vicious fighters you will ever meet,” he informed.

  “Your people have been at war in the past?” she asked.

  “Yes, we fought for many generations,” Romo admitted.

  “Erak has finally managed to get their attention on peace. It moves slowly, but it is a worthwhile goal,” Romo offered.

  “Peace is always a worthwhile goal,” Bree agreed.

  Thankfully it was only half a day and they stayed in the spaceport only going to a cafeteria style eating area and the marketplace. They were all pleased with the shopping, although Tomi seemed out of sorts. She wasn’t so much angry as her mood seemed blue. The only highlight of the trip he could see from Tomi’s perspective was a sword she had bargained for that a Nugha, an apelike creature about ten feet tall, had in his display. Romo thought the Nugha had undervalued it and Tomi had been tickled with her purchase. Romo was a little envious and wished he’d found it first.

  Romo tried not to overthink the situation with his new family. Their romances and their moods would no doubt work out for the best and he would have little say in either. It brought home to him how different males and females were and what an adjustment he would have now that there would be females around him. The human ones were different from the other races they had mated with in the past. Most of those were subservient and were thrilled at the new rights they were given on Draconis. It was pretty clear the situation would be different with human females.

  He wasn’t even sure if a book could save the males that were going to mate with some of these human females. It was good that Erak was strong and commanding, but Romo was sure it wouldn’t save him from countless painful moments as he tried to mate Tomi. Betty was easier to understand. She’d been hurt and feared more of the same. There was also her daughter to worry about and as any good mother would, she put her first. Bree had seemed like such a challenge at the time but they had mated easily in retrospect.

  They were back on the ship now, even Erak had arrived. Speeding away from their last stop before Draconis, Romo wondered what the ladies had thought of it. That it was different than what they were used to was clear, but had they been drawn or repulsed by it? If he moved up to the next rank, he might very well do some traveling and he hoped to take his mate and even possibly children with him. It was a common practice among Draconis who traveled for work. Possibly because it could be painful to be away from one’s mate for long.

  “It will be good when we arrive,” Bree offered.

  “Are you in a hurry to see your new home?” he asked.

  “I am excited and can’t wait to get settled in before I get too large with this child,” she admitted.

  “It won’t take much to get settled in. The house is move in ready. I’m sure you will want to change a few things but I doubt there will be much to do,” Romo said.

  The trip to Draconis stretched out longer than it should have and Romo was certain it was Erak that had caused the delay. It was almost funny watching him try to woo Tomi and she was completely against the idea, or so she pretended. Romo saw the glint in her eye when she thought no one was paying attention and he knew she was attracted to Erak and fighting against it. That made no sense to him but he was getting used to being confused. Betty was leading Niku on a merry
chase as well and the only one straight forward seemed to be Dori. While he would swear she and Garulto were having a hot affair, they were discrete enough that he couldn’t be sure.

  What he was sure of was the Dori wouldn’t commit until her daughters, at least the ones with her, were settled. Bree wasn’t a worry, but Betty and Tomi may have found their fated ones but they refused to give in. Eventually Erak would have to get back home because he had many important duties that could only be put off so long.

  “So why does it seem to be taking so long to get to Draconis?” Bree asked.

  “There are several ways to go and it is at the Captain’s discretion. Not only have I not asked, but no one has given me any information either. I truly don’t know a thing,” Romo admitted.

  Bree shot him a disbelieving look and rolled her eyes. “For goodness sakes, give me some credit and don’t mislead me. The reason you don’t know is because you don’t want to and I’d bet money you have a good guess.”

  Never underestimate a female. Wasn’t that a saying on Earth? His mate was smart and she could see right through him. “Okay, and what if that’s true? I still can’t tell you anything.” He moved closer to her and pulled her into his embrace. Kissing her like he meant it, because he did, he hoped to distract her.

  “Mm, Baby. Just keep one thing in mind,” her sexy voice throbbed in his ear.

  “What’s that, Sweetheart?” he asked.

  “You can only distract me if I allow it,” she whispered.

  Well, hell! It was alright because apparently she was going to allow it. He started stripping fast afraid she’d change her mind but she was undressing too. What a gorgeous female his mate was. Pulling her back into his arms, he kissed her slowly taking time to savor her taste and chew lightly on her full bottom lip. His hands stroked her back and her arms making her writhe against him. Need shot through him like greased lightning and he felt her skin shiver and little bumps raise.