“How did you settle on ‘Dragon’ though?” Bobbi asked.
“Well, there was a particular sleeptime story I used to tell the boys that Dragon just loved. All about a boy who was picked on and bullied in school, but unbeknownst to him, he had the bloodline of our ancient Saurian ancestors.”
“The Dragons,” Dragon said. “They were much larger that the modern Saurians today,” he added. “And in some legends, they can fly.”
“Yes—he just loved that story because in the end, the little boy turns into a Dragon and flies away.” Res. Tizlah smiled fondly.
“Not before he roasts everyone who tormented him, though,” Dragon said blandly.
“Well, of course the ending was a bit bloodthirsty but it’s a tale for boys, so it has to be violent,” Res. Tizlah said, as though this was a fact everyone knew. “I mean, how else are they supposed to learn?”
Bobbi blinked.
“I…suppose that’s a valid point,” she said slowly. And maybe in the Saurian culture, it was, she thought to herself. It would certainly explain some of Zerlix’s horrible behavior. But if the lizard people expected males to be violent predators, she wasn’t sure about her odds of getting away from here.
But Dragon is a Kindred—not a Saurian, she reminded herself. Surely his Kindred DNA must have some effect on him!
She hoped, anyway.
“Well dear, I’d better be going.” Res. Tizlah was rising from the couch and giving her another smile. “You just finish that posset and feel better. I’m prescribing a good night’s rest and I’ll come and check on you in the morning.” She turned to Dragon and pointed a scaly finger at him. “No breeding her tonight,” she ordered briskly. “She’s much too small and fragile and she’s been through a lot. So keep your shaft to yourself, for tonight at least.”
Bobbi was surprised at the Saurian woman’s frank appraisal of the situation.
Dragon frowned.
“I wasn’t going to hurt her, Mother. You know I don’t enjoy hurting females—I’m not like Zerlix.”
“Now, I won’t have you speaking badly of your Big Brother,” Res. Tizlah said, frowning. She looked at Bobbi and sighed. “Though I’m afraid my older son is very dominant with the females he Claims—I’m always having to go to his rooms to patch them up. It’s lucky for you that Dragon took you before he could—I’ve never known my second son to treat a female roughly.”
Bobbi blinked again. Was the Saurian woman really saying that she knew her oldest son was abusive to women and she didn’t do anything about it? Was it really so common for females to be hurt and raped and abused in this culture?
If so, she really was in trouble here.
“I’d better be running along now,” Res. Tizla continued, taking the empty stoneware mug from Bobbi. “I have to start cooking for tomorrow night’s feast—there’s so much to do!” She reached up and Dragon leaned down to receive a swift peck on the check.
“Thank you for the posset, Mother Tizlah,” he rumbled. “And for coming to look over…Bobbi.” His bronze eyes flicked to Bobbi to see if she would object to his use of her name. But again, it seemed they had gotten past that point. She could hardly tell him to call her Dr. McClelland now that she had been chatting with his mother in such a friendly way and learning all about his childhood.
In a way, this felt like some bizarre first date or maybe the date where the guy brings you home to meet his parents—whichever one that was, Bobbi thought.
Of course, you don’t usually have to worry that the guy you’re dating is going to rape you as soon as his mom leaves the room, she thought with a small shiver.
What was Dragon going to do when his mother left? Would he follow her orders not to “breed” Bobbi tonight—or would he disregard them and do whatever he wanted with her? And even if he didn’t assault her tonight because of what his mom had said, did that mean he would think she was fair game tomorrow night and the rest of the time he held her here?
Bobbi just didn’t know.
“I’ll be by to check her again in the morning. Mind what I say now—no breeding tonight,” Res. Tizlah said again, frowning up at her adopted son. “Her eggs will still be there, waiting to be fertilized when she’s feeling better.”
Then she left the room, throwing one last nod over her shoulder at Bobbi as she went.
15
Dragon couldn’t have been more surprised by the interaction between the little feela and his mother. He had expected Bobbi—what a strange name for a female—to be on her guard, to be suspicious and angry—maybe even hostile. He had been pretty sure she would refuse to speak.
Instead, she had been charming and gracious, drawing Res. Tizlah into conversation and getting her to open up and discuss Dragon’s past and the ways of the Saurian people. Was she truly interested or had she simply been pretending to earn goodwill?