Page 33 of Meet Me in the Stars

“It’s not a sex joke,” Fred shook his head.

His adam’s apple bounced as he held back a laugh.

“It’s an old alien joke,” Fred said a second later.

“That’s my brother,” I whispered to Fred.

“Does he come in peace?” Fred asked me.

“I don’t know. He hasn’t blown anything up or set anyone on fire,” Teddy said.

“I can hear you rolling your eyes, egg brat,” Fred laughed.

“Well, he has news from Uncle Shutup or someone,” Teddy said.

“Uncle Hush,” I corrected him.

“Does he ever?” Fred arched a brow and glanced at me.

“Nope. Well, only when we need him to say something important,” I laughed.

“Teddy?” Fred called to make sure his son was still on the other side of the door.

“I’m here. What do you want me to tell him?” Teddy called back.

“Just give us a minute. We’ll come out. If he says to take him to your leader he doesn’t mean Clarence,” Fred teased.

“I’m starting to think you hit your head when you passed out,” Teddy said as he walked away.

“I love that kid,” Fred laughed. “Though, I’m not sure your brother is old enough for those references.”

“We’ve both read a lot of Earthside stuff. It was the second home of our flight. Not a lot of people read it anymore, but we’ve been working on this for years, Fred. Seriously. YEARS.”

“I believe you. How’s your brother going to take this? Does he know about us?”

“Everyone knows about us. I’ve asked everyone for help. Most of the dragons here just thought it was impossible. It should’ve been, but we didn’t give up. Besides, Marsin might never meet his true-mate if we don’t get connected to the Other World gateway network.”

“Let’s go meet him and find out what they made of me trying to cook you.”

“I’ve seen worse lovers’ spats than we had today,” I shrugged and slid my arm through his. “Come on. I’ll introduce you.”

Chapter Seventeen

Fred

Marsin was taller than Elio. His smell told me that he was an alpha. He was as bare chested as his brother preferred to stay. His star scale wasn’t orange like Elio’s. It was bright blue. He ran a hand over it absent mindedly when I glanced at it for a bit too long.

“So, this is Fred?” Marsin asked.

He and the other crew members of the Medwin 2 were gathered in the dining room. Someone had set out a snack table and made enough coffee to boil crabs in. Teddy handed me a mug and I passed it off to Elio. The egg brat flashed me a sheepish smile and returned to the coffee pot. I’d always been like that with Lotus too. She got hers first, no matter what was in question. Some habits died hard and resurrected right when you thought they couldn’t hurt you anymore. I didn’t blame Teddy for not thinking of Elio. He might’ve heard the facts, but I knew in his heart my true-mate would always be his mother.

“Thanks,” I said when Teddy handed me another mug of coffee.

I’d lost track of the conversation going on between Elio and his brother. Marsin didn’t smell like a threat and didn’t register much on my dragon’s radar. It was Elio’s scent he homed in on and stuck with. As long as Marsin didn’t piss him off we’d get along just fine.

“So, Uncle Hush isn’t mad?” Elio asked and took a sip of his coffee.

He screwed up his face and then stuck out his tongue. It was too sweet for him.

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