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Eventually my breathing evened out and so did the beat of my heart. I leaned back to look at him and was horrified to see blood running down his nose. "Oh my God, did I kick you in the face?"
His fingers moved up to his nose before he held them in front of his eyes. Bewildered he stared at it as if he hadn't noticed me hurting him at all. He chuckled. "It appears you did."
"I'm sorry, so sorry," I mumbled mortified.
"Not many can say they drew my blood and lived." He chuckled some more.
I tried to scramble off the bed. "Let me get a towel—"
"It's fine." He grinned, pulling up part of the bedsheet and dabbing his nose. "It has already stopped bleeding."
His eyes moved to me. "Are you alright?"
I shook my head. "No, but better, thank you."
"My pleasure." He turned to leave, but suddenly the idea of being alone again in this massive bed frightened me.
"Garth?"
"Vra?"
"Will you… stay with me?"
Itook her requestfor what it was, not an offer for something I desired more than anything.
"If you want me to."
"I don't think I want to be alone."
I returned to the bed and pulled her stiffening body into my arms. "Relax, I'll just get us comfortable, vra?"
"Okay."
I stretched out on the bed, moved a pillow under my head, and pulled her against me. Reluctantly her head lay down on my chest. I felt her warm breath against my skin and a strange sensation of bliss enveloped me. Every protective instinct inside me became alive, and with absolutecertainty I knew I would do anything for her, even die if I had to.
There was more though. Her lying pressed against me, trusting me to keep her safe, was like coming home to Astrionis after a long time away from it. My heart opened to her, welcomed her in like a long-lost friend.
Mekarry, popped into my mind and I repeated the long-forgotten, ancient word. Mekarry. Was it possible this beautiful alien creature had awakened the fabled soulbond in me?
The Pandraxian Empire was made up of two factions: one, the modernized spacefaring New Pandraxians, including the imperial army; and two, the Old Pandraxians, the keepers of traditions, like me. The lord protectors of sections of our galaxy, protectorates. It was us that kept the old traditions and beliefs alive, while the New Pandraxians strove for technological advancements, to keep all Pandraxians protected and safe from outside enemies.
But no matter how hard we tried to live our traditional lives; modern technology weaseled its way into all aspects. It was sneaky that way, a tablet meant to keep our sacred writings safe quickly turned into a device every Pandraxian had to have to communicate with one another. A blaster was much more effective than a sword. Many of the inventions of the New Pandraxians had entered the lives of theOld Pandraxians no matter how much we fought to hang on. Right now the Tribunal of the Lord Protectors was discussing allowing modern heating into our strongholds and castles instead of our revered fireplaces.
Balancing old and new was a complicated path to walk, and slippery. We had walked it for the past three thousand years though, more or less successfully.
One of the things that had fallen behind was the mekarry bond. When was the last time I had heard of a true soulbond mating? Not one made out of convenience?
With a shudder I remembered Daryus mentioning I should mate Lavinia, Lord Protector Dromwin of Aspjerg's daughter, to strengthen Astrionis's security. I remembered considering it, even on the journey to meet King Crough.
Many matings were formed like this now, males and merrilies had forgotten the true meaning of the mating bond and that was on us, the Old Pandraxians, because it was our task to keep the old traditions alive.
How much more had modernization swallowed without us even realizing?I wondered.
As I held Silla in my arms though, I swore I would do a better job of preserving our inheritance. I wasn't sure if Silla was my mekarry, but what I did know was that she roused feelingsin me I had never experienced with another merrily before.
My pointer finger moved back and forth on her soft skin, and ever so slowly her breathing evened out. A soft jerk here and there told me that she had fallen asleep, whereas I lay there, pondering her presence and telling my cock to behave—who absolutely did not understand why he wasn't allowed to play when we were sharing a bed with the most beautiful merrily I had ever seen.
Patience, old friend, I told him,the best conquests are the ones hardest fought for and this merrily is worth a hard fight.
