Sergeant at Arms Read online

  “Thank you. I’m going to try it,” he said.

  She hurried past thinking she’d go to her room and die of embarrassment there. She made it to the elevator and was glad no one else was on it. It stopped at her floor and as she went to her room, she passed a man who looked familiar. It was making her nervous since the last person she’d recognized worked for Joe. She made it to her room and fell back against the door breathing in deeply. She really wasn’t cut out for this I spy shit. This was an adventure and stress overload she wasn’t sure she could handle. Not that she had a choice, it was do or die quite literally.

  She tossed her food in the refrigerator and sat down on the bed. She wasn’t really tired and TV sounded boring. She still had most of her money from earlier left over so she went back down to the casino. She had the excuse of getting acquainted with the people and the building, but honestly the win earlier had given her a taste for the slot machines. She felt excitement zip through her as she stepped off the elevator to the myriad of sounds in the casino. It was evening and the place was hopping. Machines were making every sound imaginable and the people were too. Eyes shining, smiles from ear to ear, and many people speaking so fast it was hard to keep up with.

  Even though it was early, there were even a few people slinking away, shoulders slumped and dragging themselves off toward the parking lot or the elevator. One such person vacated the machine right in front of her. It had frogs and some kind of tiki warrior. It made a lot of noise and had flashing lights. She sat down to figure it out. She was doing very well and so was the guy next to her who she’d hardly noticed.

  “It seems we’ve found each other,” he said turning to face her.

  It was her brown haired sexy guy. “Did you try the drink?” she asked her face turning pink.

  “It was sweet and very good.” He smiled and gave her an intent look. “Would you go to breakfast with me in the morning? All my friends are busy and I hate to eat alone.”

  She thought about it a second. This was a place singles met so if she wasn’t looking, someone might question why she was here. It was a good excuse to indulge herself. She grinned at him. “That sounds lovely. Where do you want to meet and what time?”

  It was almost funny the way his mouth dropped open and he seemed unable to talk for a second. “Why don’t we meet near the elevator at ten? Is that time alright for you?”

  “That sounds fine.”

  They both returned to their games and they spent the next few hours encouraging and congratulating each other. She didn’t know much about gambling but it had to be odd that the only two machines of the same kind were both winning more than losing. She was having a blast and Jarel, she’d finally remembered to ask his name and he had asked hers, was having fun and winning too. This wasn’t a large win, but playing for hours and turning twenty dollars into a thousand seemed pretty good to her.

  Jarel said. “Would you like to go for a nightcap?

  She thought it was cute that he was so formal. “I’d love to.”

  Chapter 2

  Earth

  It was an honor to be a guard at the emperor’s door as he and his fellows on this trip mostly were. He was a personal guard of the emperor and he took up his position wherever the emperor happened to be. He was young, especially to be in the mid-level position he was in. Some of the others guarded the palace doors or the gate. One was even a lieutenant in charge of a small squad of dragons and the highest ranking one among them. He’d kept to himself the first day but boredom had finally brought him out among the rest of them.

  Even though none of the males had bonded on the trip, they did have much in common including being selected as a test group for mating with humans. They had each been carefully selected to ensure nothing would throw the results off. They were all the most even tempered and reasonable of the mid ranked warriors. They had enough responsibility to understand and apply it and enough standing to provide decently for any mates and children they might soon have. They were all in good health which was usual for their kind.

  The mates they chose would find their world completely different from the one they came from so they had also been chosen from those most likely to make the adjustment process easiest. They had been tested, mentally, physically, and emotionally until they were half crazed from it before they’d even been told what the testing was for.

  Now, as Earth grew steadily nearer, he was starting to hope that maybe all they’d been put through might finally be worth it. It was like he was drawn to the planet by invisible stings. Could it be that his other half was down there on that strange planet somewhere just waiting for him? His hope grew as they got closer and he could see the same excitement in the eyes of the other males as they all stood watching the planet until they were about to land. At that point they all had to get into their safety harnesses for the landing.

  The landing was easy and hopefully an indication of how the rest of the trip would go. They were expected to complete their selection as quickly as possible and were only allowed a matter of days to complete such a life changing task. As soon as all the men had a mate or ten days had passed, they would return home. All of them were excited and even though they were soldiers, they couldn’t hide it. This would be the single most important event of their life. They would have no family life without a mate. There would be no one to love them, to care for them, or to give them little dragons if they didn’t find the other half of their soul on this planet.

  Others had been sent here before them to establish a place that those who sought mates could stay. They had everything needed for them so they would fit in while they found the one they searched for. The space ship would stay where it was concealed from human eyes on this large property the Emperor owned. It was a resort of sorts that they had set up where singles collected. Knowing most of the females they met were single would be a huge help.

  They unloaded and grabbed their bags. There was transportation waiting that was unlike what they were used to. They divided into two separate vehicles that had drivers already in place. Even with so much to become accustomed to, he was excited and just knew his trip would be successful. They were loaded and the vehicles sped away taking them to their future. Bright lights shone ahead and there was a cluster of buildings. A tape was playing in their language telling them about the place they were about to go. They would be staying in a hotel that was full of humans. Each of them would have what was called a mini suite.

  The hotel had an attached restaurant and several eating places in the nearby buildings. There were also bars which were places that humans went to socialize and singles often went to find mates. It sounded like a place he wanted to visit as soon as possible. He was committed to finding the perfect female for him, not just because it was his responsibility to do so for his emperor, but because he wanted to be half of a pair more than anything in the world. He had always wanted a mate even when his friends had partied and found females to slake their lust on in pairs and even trios.

  He’d not been innocent, a dragon could go crazy if he let his needs get out of control but he had assuaged them instead of involving himself in debauchery. He wanted love and a good relationship. He wanted a woman to care for and be with not just for sex, but also companionship. He wanted the whole package and he would do what was needed to get it. Most of his fellow dragons just wanted regular sex and children someday. He wanted a soul mate and by the fire gods, he would have one.

  They stopped at the hotel and he got out and grabbed his bag. They would have clothing and other things from this world waiting on them in their rooms. No expense had been spared and even the most minor detail was seen to. If this quest for mates turned out poorly, others would not follow. The first group that had come had been younger and not as responsible. While they had found mates, their matings had not gone smoothly. In truth, they had been sent here to work, to build the facilities and set up the businesses. That they found mates would have been considered a bonus if things were going well.
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br />   Of the eleven males that had brought mates home, only one had settled in and joined the community. Several tried to escape daily, one had shut down and the human doctor brought in had said she was depressed. The only reason he and his fellow males had gotten this chance was all the males were younger than the usual mating age and the emperor’s advisors had suggested they had not been prepared for the responsibility of a mate.

  He and all those with him were considered prepared. They all had good jobs that would provide a nice if modest home for a mate and any offspring. They were mature enough not be drawn into quarrels and experienced enough to be patient lovers that would see their mate’s satisfied. They all were ready to mate and wanted it not just for the sex, but for many reasons. They would be going into this world well prepared and they would be leaving with the females they all dreamed about.

  They pulled into a building with lights all over it. He’d never seen such a thing not even on the other planets he’d gone to as part of the emperor’s personal guard. When they entered, machines dinged, flashed, and rang. People screamed, cried, laughed, and talked loud to be heard over the machines and other people who were also talking. It was chaos and he knew he stood and stared like a yokel come to town but he couldn’t help himself. A glance at his companions told him they were likewise engaged.

  A beautiful woman walked by wearing almost nothing and he felt his body react. Was this how they all dressed? “Jarel,” Darcon said, “Have you ever seen such a thing?”

  “No, never in all my travels,” he answered.

  He could get used to the bright lights and the loud sounds, but the sour and smoky smells bothered him the most. He saw no smoldering fire so he looked closer and saw funny looking sticks in the hands and mouths of a good many of the people present. They were smoking enough to make the air hazy. Were they practicing some kind of pagan magic? Maybe that was why some of the women wore so little clothing. He’d seen rites like that performed on more than one primitive world.

  His gaze was pulled to a machine that seemed to be going berserk. The female and male in front of it were screaming and jumping up and down. Was it hurting them? It must not be since others stood nearby watching and not trying to help. He was sure this was the most confusing place he’d ever been. Someone shook him lightly and he looked up. It was Brener, he was one of the males in charge here. He would lead them to their rooms and explain what this place was all about.

  “If you men will follow me,” Brener said. Jarel remembered that the people of this planet called themselves humans. Males were men and females were women. He needed to keep that in mind so he would blend in. “We will go by each of your rooms and you can drop your bag before we go back downstairs to a conference room.”

  They followed him down an aisle around the edge of the room and to what was labeled the lobby. Brener led them into a shiny metal box that made them all nervous. They weren’t used to being crammed into such tight places. When the box lurched, they were all concerned and Jarel feared one or more would change form. “Calm down. It’s called an elevator and it takes you to the upper floors.” Brener said.

  Jarel was irritated at the smile he saw Brener trying to hide. If he continued to find humor at their expense, he might be sorry. The elevator stopped and Brener motioned them all out. He walked along the hallway as if he knew where he was going. He stopped in front of a door and waited for all of them to join him.

  “Watch me and I’ll show you how to unlock these doors,” he directed. He slid what he called a key into a narrow slot above the handle. A light turned green and he quickly opened the door. “Now you try,” he said to one of them after he pulled the door closed. It took a couple tries before he succeeded. “This is your room and that is your key. Go in and drop your bag. You may look around for a moment then catch up with us.”

  He marched down the hall doing the same at each door until all of us had our own room and had dropped our bags. “Be sure to keep your keys and remember your room numbers.”

  Everyone gathered in the hall with Brener at the front and he led us back the way we’d come. We entered the metal box, but we weren’t as nervous now that we knew what it was used for. We exited it on the floor we’d begun on and it was just as loud, bright, and smelled as smoky as when we’d left. We cut straight through the room to the opposite side where there was another lobby. Brener led us to a door twice as wide as the others we’d seen and bid us to enter it.

  There were long tables with chairs lined along them and a table with food and drinks. “Get some food and a drink, then sit at this table. I will talk to you while you eat,” Brener instructed.

  They were all happy to grab a meal since the food on the spaceship was reconstituted. It was every bit as good as that sounds. Jarel piled his plate high and got a large glass full of one of the drinks. He wasn’t familiar with any of the things on the table but he was willing to give it a try. He noticed Brener setting something up on one of the other tables. It looked similar to portable projectors that they had at home.

  “While you’re eating, I’m going to show you some pictures and explain a few things. First, this is one of the machines you saw in the room outside. Many humans enjoy gambling. These are slot machines and they put money in them for the chance to win more money.” Briner went on to explain about other forms of gambling and how the emperor decided to use this to draw females to them and to make money to pay for their trips to Earth and any trade items they wanted from Earth. The hold would be full when they returned to Draconis.

  “Any questions?” Brener asked.

  “Why do these humans gamble when the odds are against them?” Muriss asked. He was the lieutenant and accorded more respect than the rest of them.

  “Some come here for entertainment, a small number are lucky so they are drawn here, while others either have ridiculous hopes or have an illness that makes them return over and over while they lose more and more of their money,” Brener explained.

  “Where is the best place to meet females looking for a mate?” Jarel asked. That was why he was here and what he wanted to concentrate on.

  “Everywhere. Females are all over the property and you might meet the perfect one anywhere. In the casino, an eating place, at the pool, even at the spa. Just go places and don’t sit in your room. You will find a mate,” he assured them.

  Brener made it sound so easy. Was he not aware of the problems those men that had been sent here to build the place had had with their mates? He wanted to avoid those mistakes and get the right female not just any female.

  The training went on a little longer before Brener called a halt. “It’s time to go to a restaurant. Some of these are much like the ones at home but some are very different. The one we’re going to now is different. You will get a menu and you can order anything on it as long as you can afford it. Money won’t be a problem for any of you, but you don’t want to give the females you are with the idea you’re rich. Some will want you for your money and power. If you mate them, once they find out you’re not a rich man. They’ll be unhappy. Follow me and we’ll go there.”

  Females who want a male only for money? He didn’t want a female like that. They followed Brener to the elevator and only went up one floor. He led them to a lobby and through a wide door into a dining room. As soon as the serving girls saw Brener they got excited. He took a closer look at Brener, he was about the same size as him with honey blond hair which was a shade or two lighter than his brown color. He had green eyes and a pale complexion that was unusual for their kind. He assumed Brener got outside rarely now that he was on this planet. Maybe the male had some unusual skill with the ladies that Jarel was unaware of, he would have to ask later.

  They were seated immediately and he noticed a lovely lady sitting near them. She ordered a drink but he was so taken with her that he hadn’t paid attention. She was delicate and lovely but she was tapping her fingers on the table and seemed to be talking to herself because her mouth moved. Maybe that was common fo
r these Earth females. He tried not to look at her but he was drawn back time and time again.

  Before long, she was leaving and he touched her arm just to ask her what she’d been drinking. The drink had looked exotic and she’d seemed to enjoy it a lot. He noticed because he’d had a hard time looking anywhere but at her. Was this what it meant to find you mate? He wasn’t sure, but he intended to explore this feeling and that lovely female!

  Chapter 3

  Lucky in Love

  She and Jarel had spent a couple days together. They’d eaten all their meals in each other’s company and played for hours at a time in the casino, winning for the most part which was odd. They went swimming and she remembered how her mouth had gone dry when she’d seen him in those small trunks. Every female eye had turned in his direction. The little green eyes monster came out and she felt awful. She just moved away and jumped in the pool to cool off. It wasn’t his fault he was gorgeous and that she was insecure.

  He jumped in, and she turned to watch him swim to her easily. He cut through the water smoothly with no wasted motions. She was a good swimmer, nothing special. He drew the eye, he was poetry in motion. How had she even attracted such a man? It was clear he wanted her, what wasn’t clear was why. Last night he’d walked her to her room. He’d given her a kiss, and pressed against her lightly. She’d felt a large package press against her and almost made that old joke. The one about are you just happy to see me or is there a screwdriver in your pocket. It would have been one hell of a screwdriver.

  Tonight they were going dancing. She was wearing the most beautiful dress shed ever owned and mourning the fact that she only had a handful instead of more impressive boobs. The flashy red dress was skin tight everywhere. The skirt came to mid-thigh, was strapless, and didn’t allow for a bra. Maybe she was better off with what nature had given her. More would have spilled out and embarrassed her in a different way.