Page 27 of Grumpy Dragon Christmas

“And here’s me thinking you’re grumpy because you needed to shed.”

“I’m not grumpy,” I grump. “I don’t sleep well…until now.”

“Sleep doesn’t always come easily to me.” Jade sighs. “I used to sleep like a baby on Earth too, but multiple abductions and…other things, make nightmares pretty ever-present.”

I swallow down everything on the tip of my tongue, a rising desire to tell Jade everything, because she’s the one being I trust with my heart and soul.

I trust her with everything.

“I won’t ever let anyone or anything hurt you or your young,” I say. “Not now, not ever, and if I get my hands on the time travel device the Drahon are alleged to have created, I will go back and ensure you are not hurt in the past either.”

Jade smooths her hand over her stomach. “As much as the conception was a violation I never want to think about, I wouldn’t give up my baby.” She looks up at me, eyes sparkling with water. “Or where I am right now, not for anything. So, you can forget the time travel, thank you.”

I cover her hand with mine, marveling at the difference in size and how the bones in hers feel so very fragile.

“No time travel, but I do get to kill anyone who looks at you.”

A smile spreads over Jade’s face, and it’s a thing of absolute beauty but countered by the water which trickles from her eyes.

“Where were you when I was being experimented on?” she says in a low voice, a mere whisper. “When I needed you?”

She dips her head. The rut roars through my veins, the mating mix so nevving strong I can taste it, metallic in my mouth. I put my knuckle under her chin and raise it until she has to look into my face.

“Who hurt you?” I can’t keep the snarl from my voice. I want to, because I don’t want to scare her, but I also want to burn the entire galaxy down.

“There was an attack on the Sarkarnii, and I was taken by the Bogarok.” Jade hiccups. “Separated from the others. They…experimented on me and this is the result.” She taps her stomach.

“The Bogarok,” I spit out, blood boiling in my veins. “They will pay for what they did to you.”

“They already did. The Sarkarnii saved me and destroyed their ship.”

Part of me swells with pride my fellow warriors did the right thing, and part of me still rages at being unable to avenge my mate.

“I will never let anyone hurt you again, my heartsfire,” I say, pressing a kiss to her lips. “Never. You will always be safe with me.”

JADE

Ididn’t dislike my egg apartment, but the place I’ve been given is incredible. Over the past week, I’ve felt like I’ve bloomed, even with the impending birth on my mind.

I’ve been back to Blynda, with Drekkan in tow. She’s pronounced she still doesn’t know much about my pregnancy, but given my hormone levels, she expects I’ll give birth in the next few weeks…or maybe month…or two months. Blynda did say the facilities on Kitchik are rudimentary, and she’s relying on her experience more than any tech.

Not helpful, but I’ve come to terms with the fact I can’t prevent it and I’m going to have to go with it. In fact, I’ve even started preparing a nursery.

Drekkan has turned out to be significantly less grumpy than he makes out. He has the best sense of humor, a wicked streak a mile long, and his favorite activity is ambushing me in my new home and pleasuring me until I squeak. It’s something he delights in.

He’s also been very hands on with the baby’s room, and the time I came in to see him watching the light mobile circling over the cot (a very high tech cot with all sorts of functions I’ve yet to work out), eyes wide and spellbound, was one of thebest moments I’ve had, not just here on Kitchik, but since I was abducted from Earth. The innocence on his normally guarded face brought me to tears.

There is so much more to Drekkan than he lets on.

I’ve somehow gone from being all alone to having a huge Sarkarnii installed in my life. Most nights he’s with me, and while he disappears sometimes during the day, otherwise he’s always around.

I didn’t think I’d love it, but I do.

On Kitchik, the solstice celebrations are ramping up as the weather cools further. There’s been plenty of bright sunshine, but when I woke up this morning, there was a blanket of white snow on the ground. I squealed so loud at the familiar sight Drekkan nearly burnt the place down thinking something was wrong. It took me quite a while to calm my fire breathing dragon down. His eyes were wild and every atom of his being seemed to be under tension.

“Are you going to the square tonight?” Qrow asks me as he walks with me through the snowy streets to Gelvira’s shop.

“Drekkan said he’d take me,” I reply.

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