Page 29 of Black Mamba

My nostrils flare.

Blue light emanates from her eyes before vanishing. “No wonder she won’t eat! She’s probably scared out of her mind! Look at you, look!” She points at my bulge. “If I were stuck in some stranger’s nest with a hard-on like that facing me, I’d refuse to eat too!”

We all peer down at my straining skin and scales, stretched to the max. It is not a pretty sight.

Vagan and I share a look and hiss at the same time.

He tugs Shelby further into him, wrapping his tailtip up her leg. “Do not ponder him there. That is not for you. Mine issss.”

“I cannot help it,” I growl, annoyed. “But maybe if Elena would eat, I could focus on making her less afraid of me.”

Shelby shakes her head, placing her hand on Vagan’s arm reassuringly. “Have you told her that?”

“That I cannot control the way my body reacts to its mate?”

“Maybe don’t say it like that… Anyway—that’s not the point. The point is that you took this woman, most likely against her will, and now she’s refusing to eat and nothing you do is helping the matter. Well, I know something that will certainly fix your problem.”

The taut muscles along my tail loosen. “You do? I have to impress her with a bear? I knew it…”

“No! Let her go! For crying out loud, let her go back to wherever you took her from. That’s my advice to you.”

“If I do that, she will be in danger. Her ship is running out of suppliessss, and it is out in the open where she cannot easily hide from prying eyes.” Then there are the males, Levy and Greg. And my clan. “She is in my territory. I have a right to claim her.”

“You have no right to her at all, whether she is in your territory or not! We all saw the ships come down. We all know The Dreadnaut is gone. Everything is chaotic and now it appears you have a person in need of help. You should try doing the right thing and start helping her instead.”

The Dreadnaut? “I am helping her. I am providing for her a devoted protector and a well-fortified nesssst. She has more food and water than she can eat or drink. She did not have to risk herself to retrieve these.”

“In exchange for what?”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“What does she have to do to get your protection and your home? Your help?” Shelby snaps, her gaze dipping to my middle again.

I stiffen. “She has to be mine…”

“That is the problem.” Her eyes flash again. “I hope to god you haven’t touched her. She does not want to be yours, Lukys. Let her go and help her because she’ll need it, and if you don’t fuck things up further, maybe she’ll someday forgive you. This was a bust. Males.” Shelby waves her hand in annoyance as she walks back into the forest.

I look at Vagan.

“I do not envy you.” He releases another low hiss. “I had my own battle with Shelby, but it is nothing like yourssss.”

I sigh, frustrated and anxious I have made a grave mistake. Whether that mistake was coming here or being told what my own misgivings are telling me. I fear it is the latter.

“I do not want to let her go,” I growl.

“I know. But if I have learned anything from Shelby in the time we have been together, she is usually right. Let your female go, but make sure she is safe, and show her how convenient it would be if she had you in her life. You came here to get her to eat but perhaps you should stop. She will eat if she makes the decision to do so. Shelby likes making up her own mind… That is all the help I can give.”

I consider the Blue Coral’s words.

My reasons… No one, least of all Elena… sees them.

I will have to show her. Do as the Blue Coral suggests and show her.

I tilt my chin. “Thank you, my friend.”

“Good luck, Lukyssss.” Vagan coils his blue and orange-tipped tail under him, turns, and follows his mate into the woods.

After he leaves, I make my way back toward my mountain, racing against the sun now descending toward the horizon.