Page 17 of True Calling
“I was gonna cook dinner.” Berk quickly said.
Shaking his head, Garth said, “Berk, with all the shopping you’ll be tired. There isn’t any reason that we can’t grab some takeout for tonight. You can get a fresh start in the morning.”
“Fine, but how you guys don’t have clogged arteries and diabetes is beyond me. It’s not good to eat takeout all the time.”
Garth smiled as he pulled out of the parking spot, “It’s one of the perks of being a shifter. We don’t get human diseases. We don’t pass on human diseases.”
“Are we still talking about takeout, or is this about sex now?” Berk asked, causing Garth to damn-near hit a parked car. “Shit.”
Berk laughed and said, “I told you, I read a lot of paranormal romance.”
“That you did.” Garth muttered trying to get control before his dick popped out of his jeans from the thought of Berk and sex.
They drove out of the farmer’s market and sat quietly for a few minutes, before Berk asked, “So is it true that if we have sex, we don’t need to use condoms? And when you mate, is it with sex and a bite? And what about my aging? Is it going to slow to match yours? Will I get special abilities like enhanced hearing, or speed, or smell?
“Whoa, babe, slow down. I’ll answer, but that’s a lot of questions at once.” Garth said with a laugh.
Berk blushed, “Sorry. I was just curious as to how accurate the books are.”
“Well, let’s see. When, not if we have sex, we don’t need condoms. Yes, we will have sex and I’ll bite you, but you will also need to drink my blood as well.”
Berk’s nose scrunched in disgust. “That just sounds all kinds of nasty.”
“Maybe, but it’s necessary. No, you won’t get enhanced abilities like sight, smell and stuff, but you will heal quickly if you’re harmed, and yes, you’ll stop aging. You will be immune to disease and sickness as well.” Garth added.
Berk smirked, “Yeah, no more flu shots for me.”
Another thought hit Garth and he tensed. Should he tell Berk or not? Damn. He knew he should, but what if he told Berk, and Berk then refused to mate with him? Fuck, he could lose his mate before he even had the chance to prove himself worth mating.
“Spit it out, Garth.” Berk said with an eye roll.
Garth looked guiltily at Berk, “Spit what out?”
“Whatever it is that has you looking like you’re trying your best not to shit your pants.” Berk answered.
“I’m not looking...” Garth stopped speaking and let out a deep sigh. “Fine. It’s possible that you can get pregnant with our child one day.”
Berk blinked, “Say again?”
“I’m a dragon, Berk. Dragons only have male mates. When we mate, your body will change a bit, and one of those things is giving you what you will need to have our child,” Garth answered.
Berk gasped, “I don’t want a womb! I’m not a woman, damn it. I... are you sure? I mean, maybe that’s all bullshit. I know I’ve read that in the books but...”
“I really need to read one of these books you talk so much about. However, this isn’t bullshit. It’s true.” Garth stated, not taking his eyes off the road, fearful of what he would see if he looked at his mate right that minute.
“But... but I don’t want to shit an egg, Garth. I’m not a chicken.” Berk murmured.
Garth did take a chance to glance his mate’s way and placed a hand on Berk’s leg. “No, you’re not a chicken, or a duck, or any other kind of poultry. You’re my mate and you won’t lay an egg. You would have a human child, and when that child turns two, he or she will shift into their dragon for the first time. Then shift back and will not shift again until puberty.”
“A human child.” Berk whispered, then asked, “Why does the baby shift at two if they don’t stay that way?”
“Because that’s when the dragon color is determined. The color will tell us the strength of our child’s dragon and what it is we will need to teach him or her. If green, that means the dragon’s power is going to be weaker than if it is blue or orange. It he or she shifts into a red dragon, that means it’s going to be immensely powerful and have many gifts, and we will need to prepare them for it. The real problem is if it’s black.” Garth said, turning into the diner’s parking lot.
“Why? What’s that mean?” Berk asked.
Garth turned to Berk. “There are no black dragons, Berk.”
“Why? I don’t understand.” Berk said in confusion.
“Because black dragons are evil and are killed immediately upon their shift.” Garth answered.