Page 11 of Stripped to the Scales

“He’s seen some shit, huh?” Axlin finally asked, breaking the silence.

“He’s seen plenty, but that’s his story to tell or keep to himself,” I frowned.

“I wasn’t going to pry. Is it really that bad on Earthside, though? In general?” Axlin asked, standing up.

A second later he lifted me, so I sat on the edge of the table, and he stood between my legs. He smoothed back my hair and pressed his forehead against mine as he waited for my answer.

“Well, compared to here, sort of. It’s more needless violence anyway,” I nodded. “And back on Earthside, being in heat can be a stressful time. It’s not every person, but enough of them that you don’t know who you can trust.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and we shared a lingering quiet moment together. His brows furrowed and I frowned.

“Don’t worry about it too much. Earthside has always been a cluster fuck of different groups and they don’t always get along.”

“So, it’s not the Moonscales doing these things to each other, then?” he asked, his tone hopeful.

“I’m not going to lie to you, mate. Sometimes it is.”

“We need to get connected to them. Some of them are probably mates of other Starscale dragons. They shouldn’t have to live without that.”

I let out a long sigh and nodded. There was so much I could’ve said. I could’ve told him maybe some Starscales would move to Earthside or that having a true-mate didn’t mean you weren’t an asshole. I decided to let it be for now because none of that could reach any of the Starscale worlds yet. For now, Axlin could live in his happy bubble where everyone watched out foreveryone else. It almost seemed a shame to bring anyone else in to ruin that. Perhaps that’s why Hush and the other world leaders weren’t in a hurry to get the gateways.

“What is stressing you out?” Axlin asked, reading my scent.

“Earthside shit,” I shrugged. “That maybe coming here.”

“If they come here they will have to live by the rules or go back through the gateway. Your crew has settled in fine. At least well enough that no one’s heard anything bad. Well, besides Fred trying to fry Elio, but Elio didn’t take it to the council and true-mates are weird to each other at times. Maybe I should thank you for not making that a Moony tradition here.”

“You’re very welcome and thank you for not stealing my clothes on stage.”

“That’s what you were worried about?” he frowned. “Nudity is fine here. Everyone has a body, but no one is going to make you strip naked and show it off. That’s your choice. I know you didn’t know who I was to you when I told them to bring you to me, but damn, mate. I don’t think I’d like Earthside. I think if I went there, I’d be banished for murder or something, because you can’t go around treating people like that. They were worried about dragons rushing the ship to sniff you all, but nothing like what you and your cousin seem to worry about.”

“You can’t tell any of the others, because some of them still want to go back, but if we get the gateways open and if Casimir stays, I don’t think I am going back,” I whispered, admitting the truth for the first time. “I don’t think Cas wants to go back either.”

“I’ll keep you safe anyway,” Axlin said and kissed my forehead. “Not that I don’t think you can do it yourself, but because you’re a Starscale now and that’s how we treat each other. The stars,” he ran his hand over my chest until he found my star-shaped scale, “connect us all. We are all part of one giantconstellation. If one of us goes out, the constellation isn’t the same anymore.”

I kissed him because his warm palm against my chest made me. His warmth spread through me even with my shirt between us. Most dragons here didn’t wear shirts at all unless it was to dress up. They hindered their wings coming out smoothly and most Starscale dragons didn’t put up with that shit.

“Take this off now?” Axlin asked, tugging at the hem of my shirt. “My dragon doesn’t like it.”

“The shirt in general or because I’m wearing it?” I laughed.

“It’s not ugly,” Axlin raked his eyes over it, “but it’s hiding you.”

I tugged my shirt off over my head and dropped it onto a nearby chair.

“Thank you,” Axlin whispered, his voice turning that deep and husky tone, that he’d had right before he sucked my dick back in his dressing room. The memory of his lips and tongue lingered on my flesh as his mouth claimed mine for a long kiss. Our tongues danced between our mouths, and I ran my fingers through his hair. His shiny blue eyes drifted shut and I closed mine too as his warm hands ran up and down my chest and belly.

“Pants too now?” Axlin smirked when the kiss broke.

“Are you trying to get me naked?” I teased him.

“Very hard,” he nodded.

“I can see that,” I said, glancing down at his crotch. “Bedroom or wait for Casimir to go outside. Probably bedroom, though, in case he gets hungry.”

I slid from the table and scooped up my shirt before taking his hand in mine. He entwined our fingers, and I led him down the hall to my bedroom. After Fred moved in with Elio and most of the others moved off the Medwin 2 and into the houses theStarscales helped build, I moved the second bed out and all of my personal items from my office into it.

I let out a huff of relief when we made it inside the bedroom without passing Casimir. I didn’t mind him being around, but our obvious state of arousal wasn’t something I wanted to share with my cousin. I locked the door behind us and crouched down to untie my boots. I took them off and turned to face Axlin. He was hard and already naked again. I was starting to appreciate how often he stripped free of his clothes.

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