He walked away from his best friend, turning to smoke instead of mist like the rest of his clan.The sulfuric aftermath of his departure was gone before anyone could realize he’d left.
Chapter Eight
Starla walked alongthe flower pathway, marveling at the beauty of the Fey Realm.She remembered the forest where she and Aurora had found safety that fateful day ten years ago.The trees were enormous.When she tried to think of the flowers or colors, the only thing she could picture was green leaves and lots of brown.
“Why are you frowning, halfling?”
She stumbled, catching herself on the pillar holding a vine of more flowers.“Hey, Lula.For a dragon, you sure do walk quietly.”
Lula, the pink dragon she’d met during her first week on Fey, shifted into a gorgeous woman with long pink hair.It still amazed her to see her shift from a towering beast to a tiny woman.
“I’m good like that.Besides, how do you sneak up on your enemy or two mates if you aren’t quiet?”Lula asked.
“Good point.How are your bears?”Starla asked.Lula had two mates who were alphas of a bear clan.They were huge and loved Lula to distraction, which was a good thing because Lula was wild and sometimes a little crazy, in a good way.
“They are being male.I have left them to their own devices to...realize why I’m right.”Lula huffed, smoke escaping her very human nose.
Starla waved her hand to billow the fumes away, settling herself onto the large swing.She patted the space next to her.“Would you like to talk about it?”she asked.
Lula sat next to her.She fluffed out her hair and began to braid it.Starla watched, loving the beautiful color.Her own blonde tresses had grown a lot in the time she’d been there.While she didn’t understand how Fey time worked, Jenna tried to explain the two suns and moons made their world similar to Earth in the sense she and others of her kind could live there without harm.However, Starla aged faster.When she’d been frightened of becoming old and ultimately dying long before returning to Earth, Jenna reassured her the Fey Realm only sped up time in the soul and body to heal what needed healing in those who were not from there.Starla didn’t understand until she’d woken one day, and her heart didn’t ache so much it hurt to get out of bed.
“Why the sigh, young Starla?”Lula turned to face her.
“You just reminded me why I have no mate.The reason my male rejected me was that I was too young.He decided I was too young for him without giving us a chance.”She rubbed her brow, hating the memory of his face as he glared at her.The distaste he didn’t bother to hide was like a physical blow.
Lula nodded.“Males, especially ones as old as a male vampire who has seen much in his life, would have a visceral response to finding out his bonded mate hasn’t had a life lived.He wouldn’t be a good male if he decided to take you before you were fully grown.”
Starla jumped to her feet.“Not you, too.How would you have felt if your mates rejected you if they thought you were a child and...”She sucked in a breath.“I’m sorry.I’m not mad at you.Hell, I’m not mad at him any longer.I get it.It was for the best.The hurt is still there.Especially knowing I may never have another Truemate unless our Goddess sees fit to gift me one.”
Lula flowed to her feet, showing Starla just how smoothly the female can move.She placed her hands on Starla’s shoulders.The way she looked at her made Starla feel as if she could see into her soul.
“Our Goddess is very good.She will give you a male of worth.Maybe two or three.”
Starla choked on her own spit.“Good Goddess, I hope not.One mate would be fine, better than fine with me.I don’t know how you do it.”She held her hand up, stopping Lula from explaining the details of her sex life.“I mean, how do you put up with more than one male on the daily.You and Jenna are seriously super women.”
Lula smiled.“We really are.Saving women kind by—”
