Page 19 of Stripped to the Scales

“Good. I look forward to working with you all. Castor, welcome to the Sprinkles family.”

Then and only then, did she stand to shake my hand. When that was finished, she ran a finger over Sunny’s cheek.

“Sweet hatchling,” she purred, “even if I swung your way, you couldn’t handle me, but you can look all you like.”

The door opened and the white-stars ushered us into the audience’s space of the club. Sprinkles had reserved us a table right up front. I blushed thinking about what Axlin might choose to wear when he came out on stage.

I was about to look for a server or head to the bar to finally get that drink when Melon plopped down in the only empty chair at the table and handed me something that looked fruity but smelled like a mix of every liquor in the bar along with a cigarette that Fred eyed. I rolled it to him. I wasn’t much for smoking anyway. He lit it up with a match from a passing white-star. Elio gave him a dirty look and mumbled something about him taking a shower before touching the baby. Fred grinned and shrugged. Elio melted. He’d make his mate wash up before touching the baby, but he wasn’t going to stay mad at his mate long over one cigarette.

On the stage was a buxom dragoness with bright yellow scales on her knees, toes, and finger joints. She rubbed the pole between her breasts and someone in the crowd hooted. She blew them a kiss before wrapping herself around the pole and climbing up and bringing out bright yellow wings that matched her joint scales.

“Didn’t think I’d see you here again once Axlin claimed you. The other day you looked like a fish out of water, if you don’t mind me saying so,” Melon said, drawing my attention away from the dancer.

“I still am,” I shrugged. “Wanted to see outer space and prove the Starscales were more than lore. We found you.”

“That you did,” she laughed and took a sip of her own drink. “Now, I hear there is some big announcement from your mantonight. Unless Moonscales conceive and show up twice or three times as fast, I don’t think that it’s you’re expecting a baby.”

At that comment, Casimir took my drink and downed it. I hadn’t taken a sip yet. Not even a taste. I fought off the urge to kick him under the table.

“Well, someone’s looking out for possible eggs,” Melon laughed.

“Someone’s not minding his own business.”

“I find that most men never do,” she grinned. “Now, about this announcement.”

“It’s not really an announcement. More a request for help.”

“What do you Moonys need?” she asked, suddenly concerned.

“It’ll help you more than us. Well, maybe. I’d say it would help some other Moonscales too if we pull it off.”

“Now, I’m intrigued. You all don’t look like there was a famine or something back on Earthside,” she raked her eyes over me and then glanced at Casimir.

He grinned at her, and my mouth hit the floor. He didn’t smile at anyone like that. He was loudly and proudly pansexual before everything back home unfolded but was celibate since then as far as I knew. Maybe I was wrong or maybe he had plans to change that in the purple district.

“No famine,” Casimir said, flexing an arm up to show off the fact he kept his muscles despite being trapped on the Medwin 2 for more than a year in space. “We’re looking to hook you all up to the Other World gateway network. If you hadn’t heard about it before it’s sorta how Elio got in contact at all.”

“That’s real?” she arched a brow and leaned to rest her arms on the table. “I thought that was made up. Doors connecting everywhere.”

“Nope, it’s real,” I leaned back in my chair.

“And what do we need to do to get those?” she asked.

“That’s why we’re here to ask for help, because we’re not sure. You’d think if they belong to the elves like everyone thinks that they’d have seen all the messages that Elio managed to get through to Earthside,” Casimir shrugged.

The dragoness with the yellow scales finished her dance and took a bow to the audience. They cheered and clapped. I didn’t look behind us to see what else the patrons of Sprinkles might have been doing during her performance.

“Oooh! Your guy is next,” Melon shot me a grin.

I swallowed hard thinking about what Axlin might walk out onto the stage in. He was fucking gorgeous and the whole of the purple district knew it. I knew it more. I knew the lines and curves of his body. I knew the face he made while I sucked his dick or was inside him. I knew the primal cries he made while pounding into my body.

“Slow down there, Castor,” Casimir laughed and nudged me with his foot under the table. “You smell like you’re about to get up on stage and give us a show when he walks out.”

I didn’t apologize. Instead, I caught the attention of one of the white starred guys and asked them to bring me what Melon had but make it a virgin. I didn’t feel pregnant, but wasn’t taking any chances. If I was, that drink could wait a few more months. Maybe we’d crack a bottle of champagne after I laid my egg.

Axlin walked out onto the stage shirtless. He’d mussed up his hair to make it look like he just woke up. He wore a bit of black eyeliner as dark as his star scale. Pants. He had on pants. I knew strippers danced their clothes off, but I had expected him to wear less for some reason. Maybe it was wishful thinking. I waved at him, and he winked at me as two white starred dragons carried a black leather loveseat out onto the stage and handed him a microphone. His mind was quiet over our mating link as if he had meditated before taking to the stage. I let out a long, slow breath. Clothes on or off, the man took my breath away.

“Testing,” Axlin said into the mic, lowering his voice to the husky pitch that made me come undone so many times since I met him. His voice echoed around the room and the crowd turned their attention to him.

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