Page 25 of Consumed By Fire
“Of course there is! I would never want more than one mate. You can give your ego a break already. I’m not interested in you, Draiger.”
“Good, because you are my enemy, little Red. And I won’t fuck another male’s woman. Not happening!” He looks angry.
“But making another male’s mate come is okay? It’s all fine and dandy?” I mutter, feeling annoyed although I can’t say why exactly.
He takes a step toward me, towering over me. “That was a mistake. It shouldn’t have happened.”
“Damn right, it shouldn’t have happened. Now, can we drop it already? I shouldn’t have brought it up again. Know that I’m not interested in you in that way.”
He takes a step away from me and squeezes the back of his neck. “I would rather be alone than to have to ever share, Trinity. It really is as simple as that. I can’t believe that males are choosing to share and that females are accepting of it.”
“It’s not like our people have much choice. Going without a mate, without sex, is unnatural for a strong, healthy male. Some of the females enjoy having a string of males. Most just put up with it for the greater good. I often feel selfish for refusing. I just…I can’t.” I shrug.
“It isn’t selfish. Wait a minute… Why is it unsafe to go into the jungle? I heard about what happened to Kim. Are there more of such males at Mistveil? Do they take females against their will? Even keep them?” he growls, his whole body tensing.
“Desperate males.” I sigh. “Yes…there are some. There are those who have chosen to isolate themselves in the jungle. Away from temptation. They’ve grown quite feral. I would not venture there. It would be asking for trouble. Perhaps it will be better when…” Shit! Why did I say that? I need to keep my mouth shut.
“When what?”
I shake my head. “I’ve said too much.”
“You can tell me.” He reaches out and touches the side of my arm. “Please.” His gaze softens.
“It’s probably all lies. False rumors,” I try smoothing it over. “But I heard that the Mainland is going to send human females to Mistveil. There have been mutterings. I might have misunderstood.”
“Human females…to Mistveil,” he almost whispers, looking shocked.
“Draig gets thirty tributes every year. It sounds like Mistveil will get thirty, too. Except we’ll only get females. Tributes for our males, from the sounds of things.”
“That’s crazy!” Octane shakes his head. “And all kinds of wrong!”
“Why? They would be mates, not sex slaves. Nothing like that. At least, I am sure that’s how it would work.” I sound unsure because I don’t know enough. I hardly know anything. Not much has been announced. “Like I said, I might have misunderstood. It was an overheard conversation.”
“Sounds like you’re pretty sure to me, Trinity. Know that we get Tributes to train as dragon riders. They’re here to help keep the peace. They were never sent here for us to take as mates.”
“You should see the discord and unrest on Mistveil right now. Fifteen males to one female. I’m sure you can well imagine. Thirty females per year will bring hope. It’ll bring order. I was shocked when I heard, but it might just work. What else should we do? What would you suggest?”
“Where did you hear these mutterings?” he asks, narrowing his eyes.
“It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have said anything at all.”
“I’m trying to understand, Trinity.”
“Why? So that you can control us better? So that you can keep us cowed? Keep us imprisoned on our island? This island is a prison, too, Octane. Don’t you see it?” I look around us.
“It’s our home, and right now, the actions of the Reds are threatening our people.”
“You really think that?” I ask.
“I do. I just wish you would tell me more so that I could understand better. Then I could decide either way.”
“I don’t know much of anything. I told you; you took the wrong person.”
“Seems to me like I might have taken the right one. You know a lot for a nobody. At least now I know for sure that the Reds and the Mainland are talking. It’s something we suspected.”
“It sounds that way.” They’re talking alright. “I think it’s bad that they are in communication with Draig as well as with us. They’re not disclosing that fact at all. We get supplies from the Mainland just like you do. We’re not feral jungle dwellers like you seem to think. The whole thing seems wrong, somehow. Have you ever heard the term ‘divide and conquer’?”
“Are you trying to say that the humans have us pitted against one another to keep us weak?”