Page 6

Chapter 6

Yorix

T he landing pad was on the roof of the Center and upon exiting the shuttle, I quickly spotted the door that led to the inside. I approached it and pressed my palm against the scanner, pleased to note my hands were no longer trembling.

“Hi, Yorix!” Xeranos cheerfully greeted me.

“Hello, Xeranos. Let me in, please?” I asked, my voice tinged with an edge of desperation.

“Certainly!”

I heard the lock disengage and I tried the handle. It turned easily and I pulled it open, revealing a set of stairs leading down. Followed them and found myself facing another door at the bottom.

“It’s not locked,” Xeranos helpfully announced, so I opened that one too.

“Here’s Yorix now!” the Center officer said to the loveliest being ever to walk the cosmos.

The vision of beauty stood up, blushing sweetly as she crossed the floor towards me. We met halfway across the expanse.

“Hi,” she said softly, looking up at me.

“Hello.” I cleared my throat. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yes. Tylip went out and brought my suitcases in. I didn’t know I could bring my cat, so I left him at home.” Her hands flew to her cheeks. “I told Chris she was with my roommates! Do you think he’s going to hate me when he finds out I still live at home with my parents and brother? His parents were just so awful that it felt like rubbing his nose in it if I mentioned I did, because he’d figure out mine are pretty great.” She bit her lower lip. “I don’t usually lie. In fact, practically never…I just didn’t want to kick him while he was down, you know?”

I had absolutely no idea what my mate was talking about, so I looked to the officer for an explanation.

“I’m Tylip,” he introduced himself. “There was a bit of an incident, you see.” He quickly explained the unexpected extra applicant and subsequent matching. The entire time, I held her trembling frame against me, offering reassurance by rubbing the small of her back as she peered up anxiously at me.

“My darling, sweet one,” I rumbled, brushing my lips against hers. “He will forgive you, but I think perhaps that you should tell him yourself and explain.”

She blinked tearful eyes up at me, her expression one of defeat as she sighed and nodded. “You’re right.”

“I have no doubt that we will be invited to their wedding. You can tell him then.”

Her expression brightened. “Yes, we did promise to see each other often. He will be feeling much better then. I told him I just knew we’d be besties and a bestie would truly understand as it wasn’t a cruel fib!”

I growled. No male other than me should be her best.

She giggled, smacking my chest playfully. ”Stop that! I’m allowed to have a best friend! Plus, he’s mated, remember? Two big, tough vampire Mylos with a cute dog and a couple of kitties and everything!”

I sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m feeling a bit…”

“Grrr grr, me alpha male, must claim my mate?” she suggested, looking up at me now with an expression that spoke of mischief.

“Yes.” I wasn’t going to deny it, because how could I? The sight, scent, and feel of her was sending me into overdrive. My skin felt too tight, the itching was at insane levels.

“Oh dear,” Tylip said. “It looks as if your mating display is coming on rather aggressively. Your skin looks rather red, and I can clearly see your scale pattern beneath it. Hold on, I have something Xeranos found which helps. “

He bustled over to the food prep area, opening a cabinet, and took out a small box, taking a capsule out and bringing it to me with a small cup of water.

“Benadryl. It will help reduce the itching. When was the last time you did a partial shift?”

“It’s been quite a while, I admitted, taking the capsule from him eagerly. Anything to stop this drednar itching! “And it always itches more than most, but never anything like this.”

“Will you be alright?” My sweet Lynn was looking at me now with such tender concern that my hearts panged for the anguish my reaction to my scale eruption was causing her.

“Yes. Once my plumage is out, it will stop.”

“The medication will take effect in a very few minutes,” Tylip reassured us both. “Just be aware that on occasion, Mylos have been known to get a bit, ah, loopy, I believe the human term is, from it.”

Lynn giggled. “Okay, well, in that case, maybe we should get going before that happens. Um, what is it you gave him, anyway?”

“Benadryl,” came the reply. “And if he is still this itchy once the medication wears off, let Xeranos know and he’ll have the Sickbay dispense something. We have salves and bath soaks that work without the side effects.”

“Okay. Thank you, Tylip, for everything.” She pushed against my chest. “Come on, big guy. Take me to the shuttle so you can claim me.”

My cock was already hard and her words made my pants tighten even more. I felt a damp patch begin to form as precum welled from my tip.

“Not the shuttle,” I rasped, “our quarters.”

“Yes, well, we need to get to the shuttle so it can take us there.”

I closed my eyes and took a step back, handing Tylip the now empty cup. I needed to clear my head so I didn't embarrass myself. Once I was certain I had a grip on my reactions, I reopened them to find Lynn holding the handles to two rolling cases in her hands.

“I’ll take those,” I said, and she handed them over without a word.

“Fine by me. I’m guessing there’s stairs since you landed on the roof. Not my idea of fun with two suitcases.”

“I’ll arrange for your cat to be collected and sent up,” Tylip informed her.

She smiled. “Thanks. Um, if they are going today, it’s really only my brother at home. I kinda forgot my parents said they were going sofa shopping and out for lunch.” She stood stock still. “Oh! I promised to call if I got matched! Mama said she wanted a picture!”

“Please, allow me. I’ll take your picture and have Xeranos send it to them. I presume the family contact numbers you provided are accurate?”

“Yes,” she nodded, and we posed, her looking up at me with a smile, while I gazed down at her. I knew I probably had the stupidest expression on my face, the same one I’d seen other mated Mylos wear when looking at their mates, but I didn’t care.

“There. Sent.”

“Thank you so much!”

“Your phone will work after your mating is completed and Xeranos adds it to the Mylos network,” Tylip said.

“Oh! I didn’t think about it being deactivated as soon as I matched. Yikes. You guys work fast.”

“Not fast enough,” I grumbled. I scratched absently at one arm before taking hold of the suitcase handle once more.

She laughed. “And that’s our signal to go.” She turned to face me, her smile widening. “I think your skin looks a bit less red already!”

I nodded. The medication was working very quickly, thanks to the way we Mylos metabolized things. “I feel less itchy, too.”

I turned to go through the door ahead of her, leading the way. The sooner we got back to the ship, the better, especially since she seemed to want me to claim her thoroughly as soon as possible, as much as I did.

“Damn,” I heard her whisper, probably unaware she’d even spoken aloud. “Dat ass.”

Yes, she definitely did,