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Cadence was serious. It is either these two for a complete match or the eagle for a close match. The standard alphas by appearance are right out. You need the energy of transformation to drive you.

Raek smiled. She is getting control over her skills. It s wonderful. He had an arm around her, and his hand was protectively over her belly.

Leska sighed. I didn t even meet the eagle.

The omega smiled. He s pleasant, but his beak is a little rough on the skin.

Leska blinked. Oh, right.

A deep voice said, Personal experience. He s a pretty omega but a pain in the ass.

She twisted, and the eagle was looking at them.

The omega snorted. I am sterile, but I still need an alpha now and then, so I am going with the sampler method.

Leska blinked. Oh. How did you end up here again?

Well, my Etir was coming to see if you and he suit one another, and I hate to be without him. He smiled. It seems I was useful.

You were. Thank you.

Ouch. Past tense. He held a hand to his bare chest.

She shrugged. You have already shared energy and are not showing any interest in me beyond what the tiger wants.

Purring. My name is Vinul. He is Sarel, brother to the beautiful Aluhara of the Sethir.

Oh, so there is a Sethir connection. She started to wiggle free.

Vinul held her tight. There is, but it is just a connection. We do not make our home there. Well, Sarel doesn t, and I am assigned to him for life.

Still. Too close for me. Sorry, boys. Gotta go. She pushed free of Vinul and started walking to the house.

Cadence called out in concern. Leska?

Leska walked past everyone and tried to push down her terror at the thought of the Sethir.

Cadence caught up with her and hugged her. She whispered, I know you hate the Sethir, but these guys aren t bad. They resonate well.

I know, but if they bring me into the path of any of the bad ones, people are going to die. Again.

Cadence rubbed her back. It s okay. You have claws and scales now. They won t come for you again. You aren t eight. You aren t alone, and the Uraddan scientists are gone.

Leska couldn t stop the tears and whispered, Why did they have to do that?

Cadence kept her arms around her. Tirra stood just behind them. She asked softly, What did they do?

Leska sniffled. They jacked up an alpha and shoved him in a room with me.

Oh, sweetie.

He didn t know what he was doing. They had doused me with omega scent. He came for me, and he died.

Tirra asked, How?

The dragon woke first. Then they put me deeper underground. More chains. She shuddered. They said the Sethir had put a price on my head, and then they laughed.

Salat murmured from behind her. I will check to see if the contract is still outstanding.

Cadence held her, and the hum from her skin was soothing. Relax. Rest. We will sort this.

Leska felt the panic drain out of her, along with everything else.

She heard Cadence giving them the details they had shared when they were children.

Salat said, The reapers still have the contract out on her. She will need to speak to the council to get it removed. She doesn t have to go alone.

Leska recognized the scent around her, but she jolted. Sarel. She whispered, Why are you holding me?

Because I am not an alpha.

Oh, good call.

He was rubbing her arms slowly. You really shredded an alpha when you were a child?

Yeah. I was hysterical when they came and dragged him out. He was making this horrible noise, and everything smelled like blood.

So, he didn t die in front of you?

No.

She turned toward him and pressed her face against his chest. He smelled nice.

I will go with you to the reapers. Which means Etir Vinul will be with you. We are fairly impressive.

She frowned. You don t like me.

Your predatory nature is growing on me.

Delightful.

He chuckled. I like you, Leska. You are graceful and ferocious.

Great. Where is Vinul?

He s checking with the reapers to see what is required.

Sarel stroked her hair. I believe Reni has a question.

She turned her head and looked at a sand-coloured man with dark brown eyes. Hello, little Leska. Do you know of any other omegas who have not come to the attention of the Sethir?

She looked at him blankly. Why do you want to know?

The man smiled. We merely wish to make sure that the ladies in question are safe.

He gently put a hand on the back of her wrist, and as Leska watched in horror, his eyes flickered gold to brown and silver in a dizzying pattern. Thank you.

What? I wasn t thinking about anyone.

He smiled. You did very well, but I cheat.

He got up and walked back to the three who were talking with Raek while Cadence looked at them with the indignation of a wet terrier.

Shit.

Don t worry. Your mind couldn t have stood against him. Reni s a sandman. He goes in through the dreamscape in your head and gives you suggestive comments to lead your thoughts. You can t even feel him in there. Sarel hugged her.

Raek came over and sighed. The others are going to try and find the omegas they saw in your and Cadence s thoughts.

Oh. Great. In the meantime, the reapers now know I am out in the open. How delightful.

Sarel said, I can get you enough energy to transform into a dragon fully.

I don t want to do that. It doesn t feel right. She looked at Raek. Why is Cadence pouting?

She didn t like the sandman rifling through her thoughts.

Oh. I would offer her a cuddle, but I am stuck.

Raek smiled. I will offer her the cuddle. It is time for her next dose.

Where are Salat, Khytten, Tirra, and Gorith?

They are down below, feeding the babies. Apparently, they all go off at the same time. He smiled.

She could see him looking forward to his own child in his arms. Five and a half months to go.

He grinned. I know.

Oh, shoot. We need to have a baby shower.

I can purchase whatever is needed.

Yes, but there is something to be said for getting things handmade by friends and family, in her case.

He nodded. So, a few gatherings at the house.

Yup. Where did Im-bar go?

She s having a deep conversation with Torenne.

She twisted in Sarel s grip and looked toward the patio where the two healers were in discussion. Oh, whew. With Torenne, the words deep discussion could mean something else.

He frowned and blinked. Oh. Right.

Sarel chuckled.

Sorry. My mind has a rather interesting twist.

Ah, yes. I didn t forward Sarel the images Cadence shared with me yesterday.

Leska frowned, and then she understood. No! Absolutely not!

Raek grinned, and Sarel s com pinged.

She looked at the omega. I know I am not in your food group, but please don t open that image packet.

Food group? Oh. I sleep with females as well. He shrugged and tapped his com, blinking in surprise. Oh, Leska, what did you get up to?

She started wrestling to grab his right hand to close the com. It was a confidence-boosting exercise for Cadence, so I had to go first.

Raek paused. Cadence has images like this?

Leska continued wrestling with Sarel as he laughed. You are very flexible, Leska. And very innovative. Where did those pearls end up? The manacles you made look like fun.

She ended up straddling his lap as he held his left arm up so he could see the images. Knock it off. Those images are mine.

He wrapped his right arm around her and flicked through the images. You looked like you were having fun.

I was. You couldn t see my scars, and I felt pretty. That s been shot down.

She was plastered to his chest and frowning to stop from crying. She was normally big and tough and someone for her friends to lean on. Now she was stuck because someone figured out Cadence was a harmonic.

Leska slid down and sulked in Sarel s lap. You can lose the grip. I give up.

She sat and looked at Cadence. Her friend was blushing furiously and speaking to Raek. Oh, she s trying to get out of showing him her photos. She did hers in a full gown and robe, but they are still sweet.

Sarel was zooming in on an image with her back highlighted. Those are prod scars.

They called them persuaders. She shrugged. The marks are gone now. Khytten is good at regeneration.

How old were you when they started with the prods?

Dunno. Two? Maybe three? I know I was walking on my own.

He scowled.

So, eternal omega? How old are you?

He smiled. Ninety-three. Same age as my twin, Aluhara.

Damn. I should move. I don t want to break a hip. Yours, not mine.

He chuckled. I am fine. I got to maturity, and I stayed in maturity.

It is the same problem my sister has. Her body doesn t age, so it took superhuman efforts to harvest her eggs.

Because my biology is static, I am sterile.

Same problem as my sister. Can t get an egg to do its thing and can t get the sperm to cooperate.

He smiled. So, pretty but useless for the Sethir.

So, I went to my mother s people, and now I am in charge of a small island where I am king of all I survey, but I spend the time puttering in my workshop.

What do you putter with?

Sex toys.

She jumped off his lap, but he held her. He pulled her back against him. You are fun, Leska. No, seriously, I design coms.

What?

I design coms and apps and other entertainment options. Someone has to do it. I also own the international patents. He smiled. So, I have enough finances to keep you in pretty outfits.

She snorted. I will audit you for fun. No spending on me without authorization.

Why not?

Because I am not fussy about fashion.

Oh, it won t be for fashion; it will be just for me. He grinned. Maybe a bit for Vinul. He stroked her back. When is your heat, Leska?

Three weeks?

Birth control?

Oh. No. It makes me feel funny.

Fair enough. Vinul will be excited. He s never had an omega in heat before.

Oh. Yay. I haven t been anywhere near an alpha at all, so new for me, too.

What if the reapers want to kill me?

Then, we will have to convince them that it isn t a good idea. He chuckled. I can be very persuasive.

She snorted.

Salat came over and said, Leska, the ribbons are up. Can you demonstrate?