Page 15 of Stripped to the Scales

“Conscious of everyone’s safety and needs,” I said.

“Well, I told him I had to stay here with the crew,” Casimir said. “If you need time off with him, I get it. We all get it. I’ll keep Sunny from populating the world with Moonscale hatchlings while you’re gone. I don’t think he’s thinking about eggs. He wants to get laid and not put in the work of dating. Misses the romping app from back home, I think. The purple district is like one big romping app, apparently.”

“Sort of,” I shrugged. “I know I shouldn’t have gone there, but maybe it’s not so bad. Axlin and all.”

I grinned when his name passed over my lips. I couldn’t help it.

“Are you going off with him?”

“We’ll see when he gets back. He feels like he’s had a change of plans.”

“Do you think he can live on the ship?”

“Why couldn’t he?”

“Because we had over a year of practice and some nights, I still wake up thinking we’re going to hit space junk.”

“He wasn’t on the flight here. He’ll be fine,” I shrugged. “He was fine last night. I think he just sees it as another building because he hasn’t seen the Medwin 2 in action. Do you hate him?”

“Couldn’t hate him if I tried,” Casimir shook his head. “You love him already. He’s odd. If this were Earthside, I’d say he had a dangerous profession, but here it doesn’t seem dangerous for him to be a stripper. They don’t have the same stigma here. Doctors and strippers all get the same food point value per pound of body weight. Maybe that’s what’s done it.”

“Maybe. I hope you and Axlin can be friends, Cas, and don’t say you don’t do friends. You did once upon a time.”

“And look where that got us,” he shrugged. “Shower up before you see the rest of the crew. Smells like a two-man brothel in here.”

I’d have kicked anyone else square in the ass for saying that, but Casimir was right. I was still the captain of the Medwin 2 and didn’t want the crew to think I’d gone off the deep end just because I met Axlin. So, I showered up and had breakfast before heading out to the pool with them. I didn’t get in the water. Instead, I sat by the edge with my feet in. Izora, Teddy, Sunny, and Marsin played chicken. Their laughter echoed around the estate as I glanced up every now and then waiting for my guy to get back.

“I’m sorting out some things at the house,”he said into my thoughts over our mating link.“I can’t separate you and Casimir. You said it yourself, you’re the only one he considers family. He stays apart from the crew most of the time. He doesn’t want to come out here, but I don’t think it’s good for him to be alone. So, that means living on the ship. The house will behere if we need it or want it, but I can’t take you away from him.”

I nodded even though Axlin couldn’t see me. Poor Cas. Maybe his true-mate would be the next one to pop out of the woodwork or the purple sun or wherever they hid around these parts. Some more unconditional love would do him good, if only he’d take it. Maybe that was just my newfound happiness speaking, but I stood by the thought.

***

After lunch, I spent my afternoon in a meeting with the crew. Since we were talking about gathering help for the Other World Gateway mission even Fred came. He glanced at his phone every few seconds watching the baby camera he and Elio had installed not long ago. His distraction I forgave. Minter was an adorable baby. The first Starscale and Moonscale to be born since maybe the Sleeping Omega Prince himself. Or maybe that honor went to his kids. I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t a genealogist.

I started by explaining Axlin’s plan to call upon the folks who frequented the purple district for help. Sunny rolled his eyes at the mention of the district. I gave him credit. Except for running to my rescue he did stay out of it. He grew up in the age where everything, including string-free romping could be found on the tiny computers in our pockets. As far as I knew there wasn’t an app like that here, but who needed it with the purple district.

“You do understand why I said no purple district, right?” I asked, unable to tolerate the eye rolling any longer.

“Because you’re afraid we’ll knock everyone up.”

“Sunny Moonscale, we both know it’s more than that. If a fight breaks out, it’s likely to be at that district. Seriously. Sex makes everyone into a fool. We didn’t grow up here. We don’t know all their ways or the things they know about their societybecause they did grow up in it. We need to keep out of fights. We’re here to help them, not make them toss our ship out of their orbit and be done with the outside world for the rest of time.”

“I’m not a creep,” Sunny sighed.

“He knows that,” Fred cut in. “He knows not one of us are that sort of guy.”

“I do,” I nodded. “So much in fact that after I learn a bit more about it, I might reconsider my views on you all going there. I think it might be okay from what the claiming vows showed me. I still want Axlin to give everyone the run down of the rules when he gets back. You too, Fred, if you don’t mind. I know you might not go there, but you know more Starscales than any of us so far. They seem to like you.”

“I think they like everyone just fine. They may want to get to know us better, but they don’t seem wary of us,” Fred said. “I’ll stick around for that, though, unless Elio needs me.”

I grinned because I couldn’t help it. Would Axlin be a doting mate too? I probably wouldn’t let him dote as much as Elio allowed Fred to, but still, it was a nice thought.

“So, we’re not allowed there. You went there and met your true-mate and now we’re recruiting help from there?” Sunny asked.

“Don’t be like that,” Teddy sighed. “As far as I’m concerned, Sunny, Castor went there because Axlin was there. Maybe he didn’t know it consciously, but maybe his dragon did some way or another.”

“And it’s not like those folks live there. No one really lives in the purple district as far as I understand it,” Casimir cut in. “Those folks go there looking for a good time and it seems mostly they find it. Good for them and all that, but it’s not like Elio has a massive fan following or that Hush is going to help us get this done. If you ever want to see your parents or brother again, weneed to get these open. And remember, kid, just because Castor met Axlin there doesn’t mean you’ll find your true-mate there. I know all of you are itching for that, but we can’t go around sniffing everyone. We have to keep a level head about it all.”

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