For a while? Oh, dear. Best not mention that to CK, he will likely blow every gasket he has.
“Mother, can I ask you something?”
She looks at me warily – seems even in the Dragon Realms that question usually precedes an unpleasant topic. “Of course.”
“Xane mentioned it may be possible for me to reproduce. Do you think that is something that is possible?”
“Do you want to have children?” She asks instead.
“I don’t think so. But I want to be prepared in case it happens, with…” I trail off as She is glaring at me again now as I, apparently, haven’t heard a word of what She has been saying to me about my willful Vampire self.
“ValamAtrux, anything is possible. You are no longer an ordinary Vampire. But know that you will never breed with your Vampire lovers. They are incapable. If you choose that path you will have to rethink your commitments,” She warns. Okay, breed? What am I? Some kind of mare?
“Do you want me to? Have children?” I ask hesitantly. She beams at me.
“With one of your own kind, yes. However, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. You have too many other distractions.” She frowns. “Heed my warning, my daughter, the path you are on is uncertain. You need to be clearer about what you want. There will be others vying for your attentions and even you cannot have them all.”
Even me. I don’t feel so well after that comment. What others, and how many? I am going to have to ensure no more funky rituals take place as I just cannot give my attention to anyone else.
“I must go now. I will see you soon, my dear.” She leans forward to kiss both my cheeks and whispers, “A female Dragon and a male Demon are the most powerful couple the Realms can produce. More so than two Dragons. If you choose him, be prepared to lose the ones you love.” And with that piece of actual motherly advice, instead of all this cryptic bullshit, She steps back and transforms to the black crystal Dragon She arrived as and takes off, whipping the air around me.
Xane is next to me in the bat of an eye and asks, “Well? What did she say? She looked pissed.”
“She wasn’t best pleased. Told me I had to suppress my Vampire self and be more Dragon.”
“She’s not wrong,” he says mildly.
“Hey! My Vampire self is the whole reason we were together earlier. If I become more Dragon, I can assure you there are others closer to the top of the list than you.”
He looks affronted at that, but it’s true. Especially after Tiamat’s remark.
“Do you really believe that? After what we shared? Everything I know you feel for me because I feel it too?” he asks.
“Xane, I feel it. Believe me, I do, but I just can’t do this. I am betraying everyone I love, who loves me.”
“I love you,” he says earnestly.
“No, you don’t. You don’t know me. You can’t possibly say that.” I am desperate to make him understand.
“I love you,” he says again, cupping my face with his hand. “We belong together. Do you know how unbelievable we can be together? I will take you to heights you never even knew existed.”
“I know that. But I am in love with four men. I am not adding a fifth. They won’t understand.”
“You think that now. Our bond is stronger than that of your Vampire bonds. You won’t be able to be without me as I won’t be able to be without you.”
I run my hand through my hair in the universal sign for agitation.
“You will see,” he says with confidence. “I will let you go for now, but you will see that we can’t be apart.”
“Take me back,” I say wearily.
“You take us. You should be able to now that Xerxei has made her appearance. Oh, and don’t think that my parents will overlook that. You will be hounded day and night until you concede.” I have to smile. “You will tell them?”
“Of course. My mother will be over the moon,” he says. “You don’t know it yet, but you have set your course.”
“Humph. We’ll see. I would ask you to keep what is between us, between us?”
“So, you admit there is something between us. It’s a start,” he says smugly.