Page 38 of Joven's Bride
Chapter Twenty-One
The six women talked for hours forging their new friendships. Carly was glad they could meet before they got together with all the men. It was so late when Carly got home that she couldn’t call the Preserve until the next day.
Joven was waiting when she returned from her gathering, but he wasn’t upset at all. However, he greeted her as though she was gone for days instead of hours. After a long, thorough passionate kiss, she wrapped herself around him and he carried her into the bedroom.
Carly knew exactly what would happen when she got back. Her body went on alert almost as soon as she left Deja’s home. She couldn’t even imagine fighting the kind of mating pull she shared with Joven. Then, she never even guessed she could share the level of passion that she found with him, before.
They spent so long in bed together, Joven decided they should have dinner in bed, naked. He even arranged it.
“Are you still nervous about the dinner party now that you’ve met the other females?” Joven asked after the droid brought their trays.
“No, not at all. We had a wonderful time. They were not what I expected.” Carly smiled at him. “We are all about the same age and they were so much nicer than I expected. “Vres suggested I should volunteer at the preserve to rehabilitate injured dragons. I’m going to call them tomorrow.”
“Dr. Meksaj commed me, today. That the little dragon recovered almost as quickly as you did, but their attempt to put her back failed.”
“It’s a female?”
“That’s what he said. The protectors took her out to one of the meadows where dragons feed. Meksaj said they sometimes adopt orphans. Even though she cried and cried, the other dragons just sniffed her and left her.”
“Aw,” Carly groaned. “Poor thing. Did they take her back?”
“The protectors took her back to the refuge. She will have to be hand raised. Returning her to the wild will be more difficult than if they found her mother or another dragon adopted her. And the longer they keep her, the less likely she will adapt to life in the wild,” he explained between bites.
“Do you think they would let me come learn how to take care of her?”
“I asked Meksaj because I knew you would want to…”
“Yes, of course!”
Joven deliberately pause for dramatic affect. “But that would be a lot of flying back and forth. The refuge is not near the public access. It’s on the far side of the preserve.”
“And I don’t know how to use a flyer. But can’t you teach me?” She looked at him hopefully.
He didn’t say anything right away.
“I can and I will, but I told him it would be a lot simpler for you to care for her here,” he said.
Carly clicked her tongue impatiently. “Come on Joven, just tell me.”
“We can go get her tomorrow. They will show you how to feed and care for her. The parents both feed the young by regurgitation, but they have a prepared mix,” Joven finally gave it up.
“What made them change their mind?”
“I… suggested since you risked your life to save it that they should let you have her.”
“Suggested or strong armed?” Carly smirked at his innocent expression.
“What do you mean strong armed?”
“Threatened. Coerced.”
“No, nothing like that. Meksaj was going to recommend they should euthanize the dragon rather than raise it in captivity.”
“Like hell!” Carly blurted. “I will raise her, but she will not be a captive. When she is bigger, we can take her out where we saw those dragons, and she will at least know her kind.”
“Remember the raptor…”
“You wouldn’t let one hurt her… Couldn’t you shift and scare it away?”
