Page 34 of Red Fire

“I don’t know all that much about the Draig Dragons. Suffice to say that they have human riders who do, indeed, ‘control’ them, for lack of a better word.”

“Riders.” Her eyes go comically wide.

“You didn’t know that Sky Wardens ride dragons?” I’m sure I look taken aback. “They’re wardens of the skies. It’s where the name came from.” I laugh softly.

“No, I didn’t know. They didn’t tell us that. I would have remembered. No wonder they wanted us to do that stupid obstacle course. It was to ensure that any fear of heights was eliminated. That’s insane.”

“I don’t know all that much about Draig, but over here, most of us don’t need Sky Wardens. We don’t need controlling, but there are a few who have lost most of their humanity. Males out here in the jungle who prefer their dragon form. I don’t thinkthey are even capable of shifting back anymore. There are others who can’t control their shifts. If they’re angered, or the hunt instinct kicks in, they’ll shift. It’ll happen whether they like it or not. They have less control over their dragon than they should. Males who, even in their human form, are governed by their beasts. We have certain…instincts.”

“Instincts to mate and to breed?” she whispers, looking pale. Her eyes are big and filled with fear. They look grayer than blue as night falls.

I nod. “Instincts to kill to be able to do just that. Instincts to hunt. We are part animal, after all. Man and beast should function in harmony, the one enhancing the other, but it doesn’t always work that way in reality.”

“You told me that some of these men were sent to live out here, that it wasn’t by choice.”

I shake my head. “They were exiled because they were unable to function normally in society. I told you about our shortage of women. It is hard on us.” I look down.

“What about you?” Octavia whispers. “Why are you out here?”

“I didn’t want to share my female.” My voice has turned gruff with emotions I haven’t felt in a long time. Feelings of betrayal rise up in me. “Most males must choose between sharing or being single. Both of those are tough on shifters. Some males cope better than others. Some don’t seem to mind, but I do. I do not like sharing. I made a big mistake, did a terrible thing, and ended up out here.”

There is silence for a few long moments. Octavia clears her throat. “It sounds like there was someone in your life. You can tell me to back off if it’s too personal. It sounds like something bad happened.”

I suck in a deep breath. “I was in love. I met someone wonderful.” I smile. “I didn’t think it would ever happen, and itdid. Aspen was…is perfect in every way. She’s kind and giving and so incredibly beautiful. I couldn’t believe it when she wanted to spend time with me…a nobody male like me. Females can pick and choose with so many of us males to one female.”

“Why would you put yourself down? You’re…um…nice and good-looking. Aspen was lucky, too.”

Her words warm me up inside, but I shove away those emotions. There was a time when I was easily swayed by compliments, but I am not the male I used to be.

“I was a construction worker. It’s not very glamorous. Mostly bricks and cement.”

“What’s wrong with being a construction worker? It’s an honest profession.”

I shrug. “It was work. It put food on the table. I enjoy working with my hands. I like building. Making something from nothing. I started working for myself on weekends and had big plans to start my own business. I’m a builder.” I look down at my hands.

“I think it’s great. Did you build your cabin?”

I nod.

“That’s impressive. I saw your wood carvings; they’re excellent. Really amazing. You have some serious talent, Creed.”

I nod once. More compliments. They don’t mean anything. It’s the human trying to be nice.

“What happened? I’m going to assume, since you’re living out here, that something went wrong.” She scrunches up her nose.

I nod. “Yep, you could say that. Aspen and I were in love. Had been together for a few months and were talking of taking the next step.”

“After a few months? Wow, you really must have been seriously head over heels. That’s quick, but I guess when you know, you know.”

“It’s not that quick for shifters. It’s probably slower than average.”

“Slower?” Her mouth gapes for a second. “A few months is considered slow?” She looks shocked.

I nod. “Yes, when we find someone we want to be with, someone we click with, we don’t hesitate. We are all in. We are driven to mate and to procreate. I was feeling the push.”

“It was your instincts in play.”

“Yes, exactly. But we are not in normal times right now. The females of our species are urged to take more than one mate. There are financial benefits to doing so. Our king pays grants for every extra male a female accepts in a mating circle. That’s what it is called. A mating circle.” My tone is clipped. “They pay out for every pregnancy as well. Having a girl child is akin to winning the lottery.”