Lisa could not help but blush as she and Jeff sat looking over the table with the map showing their route. It was obvious to her that she crossed a line the night before and was not sure if it was a good thing or not. One thing for sure, however, is that over the last two years they have known each other, this was the first time that her control slipped, and she needed more. She suddenly jumps, startled when a gentle hand lands on her shoulder.

  “ Want to talk about it?”

  Lisa looked over her shoulder to the other couple whom they had been traveling with. Unlike her species, which goes into a hyper heat every five years due to the blood moon, the dragonkin enter deep hibernation. The stronger one of them is, the longer the sleep. In this case, the dragonkin would be asleep for a few days to a week. Since she stayed awake as long as she could to handle mercantile business for them, she could no longer resist with the moon starting its peek full moon monthly cycle.

  “ Sorry, this whole blood moon thing. It’s getting harder to manage. Worse because of all the dungeon diving, every time we come out, the buildup I missed became several times worse. In particular, right now I want to rip you out of your clothes and...”

  She could not help but pause and blush even more, her head starting to look like a tomato with a black cat ear and wig on her head. Jeff could not help but chuckle at this and wrapped his arm around her. Two dungeons ago, such affection would have been more than he would share, but in the last dungeon, she had to intervene in order to save his life, and that brought them closer together than ever.

  “So, what you are saying, this will escalate with time now?”

  Lisa considered this and slowly nodded as her normal color started to return to her face.

  “ Yes, at least for a week, then the levels will be maintained. Then, when the next full blood moon occurs, it will start to build again. This pattern will repeat until the blood moon subsides, normally it would be three months... but I have a feeling it will be longer.”

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  “ Why do you say that?”

  “ Well, that is the thing. The whole purpose of the blood moon for beastkin is to get them pregnant. Or rather, the main reason. It also triggers our puberty at fifteen, when we take on our animal characteristics. In our case, by tradition with my people, we are a couple, but you have promised another prior to our engagement. This kind of goes into some of the animal characteristics. In this case, pack mentality, in which you are the alpha of a pack. I am not, however, the alpha female; that would be your dragonkin friend.”

  Jeff rubs the back of his head to that.

  “ That is one of the things I am worried about. We will not be seeing her for a year from now, maybe two.”

  Lisa could not help but smile sweetly at this as she took his hand and held it.

  “ We should do something official once things settle down. Have an official union ceremony.”

  Jeff paused, hearing this, and took more than a moment to realize what Lisa just said.

  “ Wait, did you just ask to marry me?”

  Lisa just shrugged with a subtle smile on her face, saying she knew exactly what she was asking.

  “ We have been in dungeons for over two years now, and we will be in them for many more. This is not just the blood moon talking, either. I have been thinking about this over the last three dungeons, and when we... well, you know, we will likely have a kid... and well, I want to raise them with you. And I think... I think I will be happy doing that... by your side.”

  Lisa then blushed and turned away, but her tail betrayed her blush by rubbing against the back of Jeff’s leg.

  “ This is complicated, but I don’t disagree that this will make us both happy. I even know a saintess...”

  He then pauses before deciding she would probably be happy for him, more than jealous that it could not be her. Not anymore, not after it was robbed from them both.

  “Yeah, she would join us, and with a smile on her face, but we were starting to grow close when... It would be best if she told you. I just hope she finds someone like I found in you.”

  Lisa turned back to Jeff to look him in the eyes as the observer on the other side of the room tried not to gag as he worked from all the love and mushy stuff as the two danced around their feelings. Having a dragonkin as a partner made such things much more straightforward. They did not like lying, even to themselves.