Page 29 of Blood Singer

He looked breathtakingly regal, fiercely dangerous, and utterly miserable to be trapped in a social gathering.

"The farmlands are our biggest concern right now," Lord Theron was saying. He was an older Drakhoni with white hair shot through with silver and a scar across his left cheek that suggested he'd seen his share of battles. "Seven hundred and fifty years of hibernation means seven hundred and fifty years without crop rotation, without soil management. We're essentially starting from scratch."

I forced my wandering attention back to the conversation, grounding myself in practical matters. "The Alliance has agricultural specialists who could help. We've dealt with similar situations on other worlds that experienced long periods of abandonment."

"That would be most welcome." Theron's expression turned grateful. "We're a proud people, but we're not too proud to accept help when we need it."

"What about technology?" another noble asked. She was younger—maybe three hundred years old, if I was getting better at estimating Drakhoni ages—with the characteristic white hair and golden eyes. "I've heard the Alliance has medical advances that could help with our mate shortage. Ways to influence the sex of offspring?"

"There are some treatments that have shown promise in other species," I said carefully. "But I'd need to consult with Alliance medical experts to see if they'd be compatible with Drakhoni biology. The envenomation process makes your physiology unique." I recalled what George the healer had explained during our recent holo-comm, emphasizing how distinct Drakhoni cellular chemistry remained.

"Any help would be appreciated," the female said, and I heard the desperation underneath her formal tone. "Since Earth is off limits to us, extinction is too real a threat if we can't solve this problem."

A heavy quiet descended over our circle. Looking into their eyes, the demographic crisis was no longer a set of numbers on a datapad. It was a looming shadow over their future.

"I'm working on something," I said, glancing at Binwee for support. "A way to connect Drakhoni males with human females who are already living in Alliance-controlled space. Women who might be interested in partnership, family, a chance at something extraordinary."

"A dating app," Binwee supplied helpfully, and I had to suppress a smile at the confused looks that earned us.

"It's a human concept," I explained. "A way to meet potential partners through technology. You create a profile with information about yourself and what you're looking for, then the system matches you with compatible people. After that, you can comm each other, get to know one another, and decide if you want to meet in person."

"Like a matchmaker," Theron said slowly, "but using Alliance technology instead of personal knowledge."

"Exactly." Finding my stride, I leaned into the technical details, grateful for anything that kept my eyes off Kavan. "The Prime has already approved the concept. The application would be hosted on Alliance infrastructure, so it will work seamlessly across the galactic network. These women are not being recruited from Earth. Earth remains closed under its protectorate status, and that won't change. The app simply connects people who are already in Alliance space and interested in meeting."

"So Earth stays protected," the younger female said, understanding flickering across her face.

"Completely protected," I confirmed. "Any human woman who decides to travel to Drakhone would do so with full consent and Alliance oversight. It's all voluntary. What we're still working out is the communication technology."

"Wouldn't we need to rebuild our entire comm network first?" the younger female asked, leaning forward with obvious interest.

"No. The Alliance communications relay would work independently of your existing systems. It's a stopgap solution, but an effective one. Once your infrastructure is modernized, you could integrate the dating app into your own networks if you wanted. For now, though, we'd be providing the technology and the access." I wasn't a techie, but the Alliance engineers had explained the method thoroughly.

"That's... remarkably practical," Theron said, and I caught the surprise in his voice.

"The goal is to help you solve the mate shortage," I said. "Everything else is just logistics."

The discussion drifted into trade agreements and logistical hurdles, but my focus kept fracturing. Kavan had drifted toward the tall arched balcony doors, his massive silhouette framed against the star-strewn darkness outside.

Every Drakhoni in the room possessed an undeniable, otherworldly grace. Their sculpted features and luminous eyes gave them a magnetic presence that would have turned heads on any planet in the galaxy.

Yet none of them stirred my blood the way Kavan did.

The pull I felt toward him was fiercely personal. It was the sudden skip of my heart whenever his deep, gravelly voice resonated across the hall, the heat that pooled low in my stomach whenever his gaze brushed mine, and the instinctive way my senses tracked his every movement. I did not want a mythical dragon king or a political symbol. I wanted the man who had smiled at me on a windy mountain peak with wonder in his eyes. I wanted the man who had laughed out loud when I compared his scaled form to a commercial airliner.

And that very same man was treating me like a ghost he wished he had never conjured.

"Leila?" Binwee's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "Lady Sanyra would like to speak with you."

I turned to see the royal guard general approaching. Sanyra moved with lethal predator grace, tall and striking in military black leather and a crimson tunic embellished with gold thread. Her silvery-white hair was woven into an intricate crown braid that rested proudly above her sharp brow.

"Lady Hunter," Sanyra said with a slight nod. "I hope you're enjoying the reception."

"It's beautiful," I said honestly. "And everyone's been very welcoming."

"Good." Sanyra's golden eyes studied me with an intensity that made me want to squirm. "I would like to introduce you to someone."

She gestured slightly, and a woman stepped forward from the edge of the refreshment table. She was human, appearing in her early thirties, with wavy auburn hair, a dusting of freckles over her nose, and an indigo gown that highlighted her warm coloring. The moment she reached Sanyra, the fierce warrior visibly softened, a quiet tenderness easing the tension from her jaw.