Page 22 of Redondo (Mates of the Mylos #7)
CHAPTER 22
THOMAS
I woke up feeling sore in the best possible ways. I was tucked under a knitted soft blanket that looked suspiciously handmade. I lifted it, peering underneath. Yup, at some point, Ondo had gotten up and wiped me clean. How I had slept through that, I didn’t know. My neck twinged and I got up, padding over to the mirror I saw Whohanging over a dresser. Two large puncture wounds with two smaller ones beneath were starting to scab over.
“Aha, I totally did not dream that claiming bite,” I said aloud. The edges weren’t red or angry looking, so I decided to leave them alone.
“The venom contains something that keeps the bite from becoming infected,” Ondo said, coming in. He’d gotten dressed again, which was disappointing but probably was for the best. Any more wham bam thank you Sam and I’d be more than pleasantly sore and that would be no fun for either of us.
“Venom?” I asked. “Like a poison?”
He smiled tightly. “When I’m biting during one of our matings, no. My venom sacs then produce a serum that keeps bacteria at bay, speeds healing of the wound, and gives you a mild euphoria.”
“Oh, so more like a vampy chomp.”
He looked adorably confused. I was definitely going to have to introduce him to my preferred reading material.
“More yummy and less ouchie,” I clarified.
His expression cleared. “Ah. Yes, exactly.”
“And if it’s not a mating bite?”
“If it’s an accidental one, it’s just a normal wound. If it’s a bite inflicted while battling, the venom is mildly paralytic. I can also inject the paralytic version at will by stimulating my venom sacs.”
I stared at him in horror. “If my tongue is all up in your mouth sliding around while we kiss, you mean I could accidentally cause your fangs to produce something that will paralyse me?”
“No,” he chuckled. “It has to be done with intent. For example, if I was tasked to take out a guard while infiltrating an enemy base, my focus on that task would cause my hormonal response to change to be ready for battle.”
“Ohhhh! Gotcha! That would then make the freeze potion version of your venom happen when you stimulate your ah, venom sacs.” Just saying those two words felt a bit weird, but then this was my new normal. I was alien-married to a dragon-y Mylos dude, after all. The only one in the entire Mylos Fleet, at the moment, even.
I felt myself swell with pride at the thought. He survived a brutal childhood massacre to grow up to be this shy, sweet male who tried to save the banana trees of the world and fucked like a demon. And he was mine. I’d cut a bitch if they so much as even thought about trying to make a play for him. Not that they’d have any luck, because they only get one mate.
“Wait - you work with plants. They aren’t likely to ask you to go infiltrate some secret bad guy base, are they?”
“No,” he admitted. “Though like all Mylos warriors, I am trained for battle. I will protect you and this ship with my life.”
“Let’s hope it never comes to that, okay?” I kissed him on the underside of his jaw and he inclined his head to capture my lips with his.
“I like this mouth mating humans do,” he said as we parted.
“You mean it’s not something Mylos do?”
“Not with the tongues the way you do. I don’t think the Dragonii do either. At least, not that I remember and it wasn’t in the information I received during my schooling.”
Ah. During his sex class, I guessed he meant. His teachers and fathers must have made sure that they got what he needed to know about his body from the Dragonii. I got the impression that they were rather reclusive even though they’d joined the Galactic Alliance.
He stepped back,dropping his hands to his side. Clearing his throat, he said, “Terry brought you a change of clothes over. I placed them in the bathing room for you. You probably should put them on before we end up mating once more.”
My cheeks reddened. Terry had to have known. Who was I kidding? Everyone knew - the medical staff, his parents, our friends, his brother. Neither of us had been exactly subtle.
A horrible thought suddenly occurred to me.
“I was practically climbing you like a tree in the Sickbay, elevator and hallways! Am I going to get fired for conduct unbecoming? Ah! Are you going to get a reprimand?”
I wracked my brain. Had there been a morality clause of some kind in the contract? I didn’t recall seeing one but I was working on a children’s TV show for crying out loud!
I ran into the bathroom to go find the clothes he mentioned. Terry had brought over a pair of navy blue straight leg sweatpants and a t-shirt with an exploding taco stand depicted on it. I certainly did own a shirt like this - oh. That asshole! He must have had it replicated for me after what I’d said to Ondo! I snickered. It actually was pretty funny, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t get him back later. Just wait. My face fell, remembering that I might get fired, though I supposed they wouldn’t make me leave the ship, unless they transferred Ondo off. Did they have someplace like Antarctica they sent their warriors to? In the old TV shows, soldiers and airmen who got into trouble were always getting reassigned to the Antarctic.
Ondo stood in the open door of the bathroom, which in my haste I hadn’t bothered to close. Not that it mattered, it was the ensuite to his bedroom, or rather our bedroom now, and we’d both seen each other well and truly nekkid.
“You didn’t do anything overly lewd in public, nor did I,” he said. And our behavior was quite normal for couples in the early stages of building their mating bond. It’s one of the reasons the Mylos automatically provide two weeks off as soon as one is matched.
“Two weeks? But we have a shooting schedule!”
“And I am sure they will have anticipated at least one cast member getting matched,” he replied reasonably.
“And what about your bananas?”
He scratched the back of his neck. “I will have to arrange for their care and finish writing up my report, but the report can wait until I return. The plants themselves just need nurturing to thrive.”
I nodded at him. “Yeah, okay. Um, so I guess I should call my director and see what he says, huh?”
“Xeranos will have notified them right after we received our match confirmation. You probably have a message on your tablet.”
“Which is at my old place.” My shoulders slumped. “I don’t suppose I can log into my comms here without it, huh?”
“Terry also brought your tablet. It’s on the bedside table.”
“It is,” I peered past him, looking at the one he was pointing to.
“Thank you!”
He smiled as if my thanks was the best thing ever, his face lighting up like a kid’s on Christmas as he stepped aside to let me pass. I hurried over, picked it up and looked. Sure enough, I had a message from the producer’s office. I opened it and quickly scanned it.
“Huh. Looks like you’re right. They’re congratulating us and this says to not worry, they’ll film the stuff that doesn’t require me first and do the ones I’m in once we get back.” I laughed. “Apparently the luau at the Hilton in Waikiki is fabulous if we’re considering getting married or honeymooning there.” I looked over at him. “I’ve never been to Hawaii, but do you want to do a human style wedding or honeymoon?”
He took in a deep breath. “I do not wish to miss out on anything with you.”
Aw. At this rate, his sweetness was going to end up giving me cavities and I didn’t mind one single bit. I’d been with enough jerks. It was fabulous being with a guy who was considerate and full of romantic gestures that were heartfelt instead of going through the motions.
“Well, the only person I’d have to invite would be my agent, Cheryl. She’s the one who suggested I apply for a role on playtime Fleet. Of course, Terry and Ralph too, but they are also your friends, so that goes without saying.”
“Three guests for you and three for me,” he relied. The ticking them off his fingers, “Father, Papa, and Yllip.”
“Sounds perfect to me! And is it true we can pick anywhere?”
He nodded. “We can get married in one place and honeymoon in another, or split your honeymoon time between different places.”
“Do you have a preference? Where to get married or go visit for our honeymoon?”
He shook his head. “I never thought I’d actually find a match.” He looked down, shuffling his feet. “I thought if I got a match, they’d see me and be afraid because I am not like the Mylos they are used to, I am a Dragonii and scarred. Many are uncomfortable when they see me.”
“Then that’s their problem!” I was enraged thinking how terrible people made him feel. “Did they actually say stuff?”
“Just things like, ‘He’s huge’ and ‘What kind of Mylos is that?’ or ‘he looks like a dragon alright.’”
“So thoughtless things you overheard, but not meant to be mean.”
He got a thoughtful look on his face. “Yes. Yllip says if I come out more, it will stop because I will not be a surprise anymore.”
“I think Yllip is right, but maybe we should have a small ceremony where you’ll be more comfortable.”