Dragon in the Dark (Kindred Tales)

“How do you do it, anyway?” Dra’vik asked, lifting his eyebrows in curiosity. “I mean, how do you bring them back to life like you do?”

Iyanna shrugged.

“I don’t honestly know. Chief Commander Rarev said I always had natural powers that were kind of dormant down on Earth. Then they were activated by the Monstrum Mother Ship when I boarded her the first time.”

“No, I understand that. What I mean is, when you’re working your, er, magic, do you feel something? How do you know what to do and how do you do it?”

“I can kind of feel when they’re in distress,” Iyanna said thoughtfully. “And then I just imagine them how they ought to be—healthy and full of life—and I kind of push that idea into them. And then they do what I tell them.” She shrugged. “I really can’t tell you anymore than that. It just sort of happens for me.”

“It’s fucking amazing, little girl,” he growled. “But you’d better make it happen now—I think we’re about to take off.”

“Right. Okay, let’s see…” Closing her eyes, Iyanna imagined the plants as they had been the first time she’d seen them, hours ago before the banquet in the glass terrarium. She remembered the moist pink petals of the vagina plant opening and closing eagerly and the sleek, plump penis plant, bursting with seed as it thrust into the female plants’ orifices.

That’s how you need to be, she thought, shoving the images of health and well-being and vigor at the two drooping plants. You need to get healthy and horny—that’s the way you two are supposed to be. Get excited! Start fucking each other again! Really go for it—both of you!

“Well, whatever you told them, it certainly seems to be working,” she heard Dra’vik said dryly.

Opening her eyes, she saw that the male and female plants had been restored to all their former health and vigor with thick stems and vibrant colors. Moreover, the penis plant was clearly raring to go. It had raised up on the thick blue-green vine of its stem and was jabbing at the vagina plant.

However, the pussy plant wasn’t just passively taking it. It was snapping back at the penis plant, almost as though it was trying to bite it. The penis plant, for its part, appeared to decide the vagina plant was too much work. It turned around on its stalk and started nudging at Iyanna, trying to push its engorged maroon head between her breasts.

“Hey, no! I don’t think so, buddy!” Iyanna muttered, shoving the dick plant away from her chest. “Titty-fucking me is not on the menu!”

Dra’vik smothered a chuckle.

“It’s fucking amazing what you can do, little girl, but maybe you’d better tell them to take it easy?”

“I don’t think I can control their behavior that way,” Iyanna said doubtfully, fending off the dick plant again, which seemed inordinately attracted to her bare breasts. “I mean, I guess I can try. Hey, you two, settle down a little, huh?” she told them, reaching down to pet the pink petals of the vagina plant.

But this turned out to be a mistake because the vagina plant actually snapped at her.

“Hey!” Iyanna pulled her hand back quickly. “What the hell? It nearly bit me!”

Dra’vik frowned.

“Who knew they could get so fucking aggressive?”

“I know!” Iyanna said, pushing away the male plant again while trying to keep her fingers far from the snapping pussy blossom. “I didn’t think—”

“Watch out!” Dra’vik exclaimed. “I think the male plant is about to—”

Before he could finish his words, the penis plant reared back and seemed to swell up, almost like a snake about to strike. But it didn’t try to bite her like the vagina plant had. Instead it pointed its maroon head straight at Iyanna and squirted an enormous load of dark blue jelly all over her breasts.

“Oh, hell no!” Iyanna exclaimed, instantly outraged. “The damn thing came on me!”

“I, uh, think it likes you.” Dra’vik appeared to be working hard to hide his smile.

“You…this isn’t funny, you know!” Iyanna exclaimed, glaring at him as the corners of his mouth twitched. But actually, it kind of was, she had to admit to herself. And when the big Drake lost the battle to hold it in and started snorting with laughter, she couldn’t stop herself from laughing along.

“Could have been worse,” Dra’vik said, still rumbling with laughter. “It could have come on your face.”

“Oh my Sweet Lord, don’t you dare give it any ideas!” Iyanna giggled. She felt heady with their shared laughter and light with relief—the plants she had to keep alive were obviously doing fine and they were finally leaving this terrible place. Mission accomplished!

They both laughed until their stomachs hurt and then Iyanna looked down at herself again.

“Okay, it was funny but I’m a mess,” she told Dra’vik. “I can’t take a three-hour interstellar shuttle ride covered in plant jizz!”