Hidden Rage: Kindred Tales

The voice was different from his own interior monologue and Dragon had never heard it before—yet it seemed to belong to him just the same. It should have frightened him to hear a strange voice in his head but it didn’t. It felt right inside him—like something that had been sleeping, curled next to his heart his entire life, was now beginning to awaken…

The thought made no sense but in his half-asleep state, he didn’t question it.

Fine, he thought at the voice. If you’re going to help her and protect her, show me how to keep her warm.

The deep, wild voice was silent but a new voice spoke in his head. It was clear and strong and feminine and the words it said seemed to toll within him like the ringing of a huge bell.

“Warrior,” this new voice murmured in his ear. “You must remember. Not all…not now, it would be too much for you to bear. But I will breach the barrier just a little, in order that you may learn how to keep your female warm.”

Dragon wanted to ask who she was and what she meant about a “barrier” but by then he was so near the edge of sleep, his lips wouldn’t even move to form the question.

And then he began having the strangest dream…

18

In his dream, Dragon saw two people—mammalians like him—not Saurians, he thought. One was a female with long, brown hair and large bronze eyes, very like his own. She was sitting huddled in a chair, wrapped in a blanket and shivering, blowing on her hands to keep them warm. Her lips were blue with cold and she looked miserable.

“I d-don’t see how we can stay here, Taurex,” she was saying to the other mammalian. “It’s so c-cold all the t-time! And my body won’t regulate its temperature like yours does.”

“I’m so sorry you’re cold, Lalish, my darling. I never want you to be uncomfortable.”

The one answering her was a male as big as Dragon was himself, with black hair and eyes like flames. He had broad shoulders and he wasn’t shivering at all, despite the obviously chilly conditions.

“Let me share blood with you,” he said to the female. “As the Blood Kindred do with their mates. That might warm you.”

Her eyes widened hopefully.

“But you are not Blood Kindred. Do you think it would help?”

He shrugged.

“I think it might. At any rate, it’s worth trying.”

The male with flaming eyes knelt beside her and pulled a sharp silver blade from the sheath at his belt. Drawing the blade over his wrist, he made a shallow cut that oozed crimson. He held this offering to the female’s lips.

“Go on—don’t be shy,” he said, when she hesitated. His eyes were warm as he looked at her—it was clear that she was everything to him, Dragon thought. “Drink of me and be healed…drink of me and be warmed, my darling,” he murmured.

Hesitantly, she put out her tongue and lapped a bit of the blood away. As soon as she did, her eyes brightened.

“Oh—it doesn’t taste like blood at all! It’s spicy and sweet and…” She took another taste and shook her head. “I can’t describe it. It’s like…almost like tasting liquid warmth.”

“Is it working?” the male asked anxiously. “Are you feeling warmer?”

“I…I think so.” She pressed her lips to his wrist and sucked more freely, taking more of the deep red substance before looking up again. “Yes—yes it’s definitely working,” she said, smiling. “Look—I’ve stopped shivering. I’m not cold at all anymore! It’s as though your blood is helping my body to regulate my temperature.”

“I’m glad. Take a little more,” the male said anxiously. “As much as you need, my darling. I want you to be warm and safe here.”

“Thank goodness we aren’t staying long. I don’t like these lizard people—I don’t trust them,” the female said, before pressing her lips to his wrist again.

“We’re only staying until we sell this latest shipment,” he promised, stroking her hair as she drank from him. “Then it’s off to the next inhabited planet to see what else we can find.”

She looked up once more.

“Good—I don’t like it here. I don’t think it’s good for Tolor, even if he did inherit your ability to stay warm no matter what.”

The male answered her but Dragon didn’t hear what he said. The dream was breaking up and the name—Tolor—was ringing in his head.

Tolor, he thought, swimming up from the depths of sleep. I know that name from somewhere—don’t I? But where have I heard it before? Tolor…Tolor…

He came awake to find that he was lying on his back and the little feela was curled against him. Her full breasts were pressed against his side and she had thrown a leg over him, so that her soft little pussy was rubbing against his thigh.

Dragon shifted uncomfortably. Gods, she was beautiful! Just the feel of her against him made his morning hard-on throb with desire. And she was so soft—soft all over and not a bit scaly. She was so different from the Saurian females he was used to.