Page 32 of The Dragon's Perfect Omega
"No, it's just... look!"
Since we were still in the basement and couldn'tseeanything, Zed and I simply exchanged glances. "Wonder what's going on up there," Zed muttered, his eyes going to Finn's abandoned guitar. It seemed everything was more important than band practice today.
I shrugged. "Ryan wouldn't have called if it wasn't important." Finn's mate was considerate like that. He'd never get between Finn and band practice if it could be helped.
"Finn didn't seem alarmed before Ryan shouted, so it can't be anything too bad."
No, of course not. Zed was right about that. Finn and Ryan had gone through a bonding ritual shortly before their child was born. Their life force was shared between them now. When something was wrong, Ryan didn't need toshoutfor Finn to know. I couldn't say that I didn't envy them that sort of connection a little bit. What would it feel like to have that sort of bond with Zim?
"Guys!" Finn yelled, tearing me out of my thoughts. "You have to come see this!"
Still wondering what was happening, Zed and I went up the stairs to pass through the basement door into the main hallway. Finn's voice came from the spacious living room on our right. He and his mate were standing side by side, their eyes trained on the baby dragon sitting on the couch in front of them.
"He's changed!" Zed exclaimed when he saw the little one. "Congrats! I told you it was gonna happen sooner or later."
"He just... I had no idea what was happening at first." Ryan's eyes shone as if he was about to cry, staring at his son. I knew Finn and he were worried their child was taking so long to go through his first shift—Sky was two already—but I didn't expect they'd bethisemotional about it. Ryan looked as if he'd just witnessed the world's seventh wonder and Finn grinned like a dragon sitting atop a horde of gold. Sure, Sky was cute in his dragon form, but that didn't surprise me. The kid was always cute. His dragon looked a lot like Finn's, really; he was just a miniature version. A tiny red dragon with patches of golden scales here and there.
Finn took Ryan's hand and whispered something I couldn't hear. Ryan nodded, a single tear sliding down his cheek and a smile taking over the rest of his features.
They both looked so proud.
I’d never considered being a parent before, but watching my friends now, I wondered what that kind of happiness felt like.
15
Zim
The day of the solstice, I woke up feeling both terrified and excited at once. It was as if the two emotions tangoed together in my stomach, making me just queasy enough to pass over breakfast while the other winners helped themselves to eggs and bacon in the kitchen area of the small house where we were staying. Honestly, it surprised me that the island had empty houses, with it being so small, but there seemed to be a couple of them in town. A few years back I'd read something about the dragon population being in decline since they lacked females, but I hadn't given it much thought. I knew some dragons mated with human omegas now. Omegas were a topic I didn't want to think about, though. Going there only ever made me wonder why I had the same sexual fantasies that were ascribed to them.
And now, they weren't evenjustfantasies anymore. At least once, I'd acted on my desires—and I was planning to do it again. I could tell myself it wasn't so, but why else was I here on this island?
To enjoy the music?
That wasn't why I'd come.
I ran my tongue along my teeth, feeling my stomach flip as I thought of seeing Lowen again.
Would he take me back to his place after the show tonight? It had been a couple of weeks. Was he still interested in me at all? Ihadcome embarrassingly fast. You would think it was my 16th birthday rather than my 21st. Heat rose to my cheeks as I recalled my encounter with Lowen. I had to distract myself before people grew suspicious.
List all the elements in the periodic table.
Hydrogen, helium, lithium...
I had an exam coming up soon, too. That was a better topic to think about. I wondered if Lowen had ever gone to college. I should have read those interviews in my magazines again.
No, you should not. And you shouldn't obsess about Lowen. Focus.
With a sigh, I pulled myself back to reality. The others were done with their breakfast now. We were getting a tour around town next. Our tour guide didn't even have a real plan, though.I'll fetch you at 9am and then we'll take a stroll around town and you can ask me whatever you want.What sort of tour was that? I should have put my own plan together.
You can’t plan everything.
I bit my lower lip. I had to get Lowen's voice out of my head. Truth be told, though, if there was a way to erase the dragon's voice from my memory, I hadn't found it yet. I heard his deep baritone in my head every night, stirring a hunger in me that could never be sated, not even by jerking off. The relief I got from that only ever lasted for a few minutes.
Someone punched my arm. The same guy in the baseball cap who'd come up to me at the airport. His name was Tim or Tom or something like that. "Hey, you with us?"
"Yeah." I took a step aside to put some distance between me and Tim/Tom. Everyone else had gathered at the entrance of the house, around the tour guide—a rather small dragon with flaming red hair. The man was interesting, but nowhere near as attractive as Lowen. No one was.
That was the problem.
