BDP40
Ian had not been able to shake the feeling that Casca had been doing more to the rest of the unit than he was letting on. He had replayed their earlier conversation in his mind several times over the course of the day; concerned with the way his fellow Dragons had been treated during the night. He also had to wonder why the drugs had taken so long to affect him, since it was clear that the others had been unconscious for several hours, even through several tests.
Certainly Ian had always metabolized things quickly, and he healed at a rate that most considered miraculous. Although he could not recall recovering so rapidly from a dosage designed with his metabolic rate in mind, it had obviously happened this time. Perhaps Ian had finally found something positive about the treatments they'd been given, but he was going to keep this discovery to himself. That was the kind of edge you didn't get handed every day.
He had managed to tell the other Dragons about Moira's suspicions about the prostitutes during their time on the obstacle course, and her plans to circumvent it. Everyone had responded as he had hoped. No one wanted to father a child in that kind of situation. They were more than willing to make sure the women ingested the contraceptive.
Mobius had signaled Ian to run ahead with him, and in the relative privacy the distance gave them, asked Nottingham how he had come by his information. Ian had lied, telling Moby that Moira had met him inside the compound.
The falsehoods had tasted like ash in his mouth, but he led Mobius to believe that he and Dr. Burke had gone no further in their relationship than stolen embraces. He had even intimated that he was a virgin, and was not sure how to proceed with Moira.
Tonight, when the prostitutes arrived and Ian refused their advances, he had asked Mobius to tell the others not to tease him. Nottingham told Moby he was waiting for the right woman, sex was not a casual thing to him. The others would think that he was a lovesick fool, and perhaps he was. He had never felt like this before, and so had nothing to gauge it by, but he truly believed himself in love. Whether or not that made him a fool remained to be seen.
Moby however, had looked at him for a long moment as they climbed a wooden barricade, "You walk a difficult road my brother, but the love of a good woman is worth all the trials you will face. I am sorry that I did not wait to share the experience with the woman who will complete me."
That bit of conversation stayed with Ian all afternoon. It was exactly how he felt when he was with Moira. She made him complete.
"What are you thinking about so hard?" Placing one hand on Ian's shoulder, Mobius interrupted Nottingham's reverie.
"The love of a good woman." Ian replied softly, palming one of the capsules Moira had given him, he passed it to Moby under the guise of touching the hand resting on his shoulder.
"It is a wondrous thing." Mobius agreed, taking the ampoule and pocketing it.
"Indeed. Have a good time tonight." Ian replied, feeling a sense of relief. That had been the last of the contraceptives. Now that everyone had been given one without getting caught, he intended to turn in. No point hanging out, Casca knew he was forbidden women so there would not be one for him anyway.
Ian had waited to late though; the prostitutes were entering the common area even as he stood up to leave. Resigning himself to some friendly teasing from the rest of the unit, Nottingham started walking toward the door to the barracks. He watched the hookers as he moved, curious to see what they would look like.
The first two that entered the room were certainly dressed the part. Or would that be undressed? Tight skirts ended just below their hips and their tops bore striking resemblances to string bikinis. Ian wondered if they had arrived in something more suited to the weather and then changed. It had been snowing by the time they left the obstacle course this afternoon. He couldn't imagine that the weather had improved since then. The next four in were dressed in some variation of the same theme.
Nottingham reached the door but did not go through. His attention had been caught by the change in the atmosphere. It was suddenly charged with tension. His brothers were watching the women like starving wolves eyeing a wounded doe. Their bodies began to shift subtly, moving in display as well as trying to cut off rivals. The sight held Ian riveted. Surely they weren't going to fight over the women?
Ian remembered the rage he had felt when Beck had touched Moira, and thought that they might. He stepped away from the door, body tensing to intervene if necessary. There would be no one else to mediate, as there had been for him. They were all caught up in the hunger, even Mobius.
Ian had not been able to shake the feeling that Casca had been doing more to the rest of the unit than he was letting on. He had replayed their earlier conversation in his mind several times over the course of the day; concerned with the way his fellow Dragons had been treated during the night. He also had to wonder why the drugs had taken so long to affect him, since it was clear that the others had been unconscious for several hours, even through several tests.
Certainly Ian had always metabolized things quickly, and he healed at a rate that most considered miraculous. Although he could not recall recovering so rapidly from a dosage designed with his metabolic rate in mind, it had obviously happened this time. Perhaps Ian had finally found something positive about the treatments they'd been given, but he was going to keep this discovery to himself. That was the kind of edge you didn't get handed every day.
He had managed to tell the other Dragons about Moira's suspicions about the prostitutes during their time on the obstacle course, and her plans to circumvent it. Everyone had responded as he had hoped. No one wanted to father a child in that kind of situation. They were more than willing to make sure the women ingested the contraceptive.
Mobius had signaled Ian to run ahead with him, and in the relative privacy the distance gave them, asked Nottingham how he had come by his information. Ian had lied, telling Moby that Moira had met him inside the compound.
The falsehoods had tasted like ash in his mouth, but he led Mobius to believe that he and Dr. Burke had gone no further in their relationship than stolen embraces. He had even intimated that he was a virgin, and was not sure how to proceed with Moira.
Tonight, when the prostitutes arrived and Ian refused their advances, he had asked Mobius to tell the others not to tease him. Nottingham told Moby he was waiting for the right woman, sex was not a casual thing to him. The others would think that he was a lovesick fool, and perhaps he was. He had never felt like this before, and so had nothing to gauge it by, but he truly believed himself in love. Whether or not that made him a fool remained to be seen.
Moby however, had looked at him for a long moment as they climbed a wooden barricade, "You walk a difficult road my brother, but the love of a good woman is worth all the trials you will face. I am sorry that I did not wait to share the experience with the woman who will complete me."
That bit of conversation stayed with Ian all afternoon. It was exactly how he felt when he was with Moira. She made him complete.
"What are you thinking about so hard?" Placing one hand on Ian's shoulder, Mobius interrupted Nottingham's reverie.
"The love of a good woman." Ian replied softly, palming one of the capsules Moira had given him, he passed it to Moby under the guise of touching the hand resting on his shoulder.
"It is a wondrous thing." Mobius agreed, taking the ampoule and pocketing it.
"Indeed. Have a good time tonight." Ian replied, feeling a sense of relief. That had been the last of the contraceptives. Now that everyone had been given one without getting caught, he intended to turn in. No point hanging out, Casca knew he was forbidden women so there would not be one for him anyway.
Ian had waited to late though; the prostitutes were entering the common area even as he stood up to leave. Resigning himself to some friendly teasing from the rest of the unit, Nottingham started walking toward the door to the barracks. He watched the hookers as he moved, curious to see what they would look like.
The first two that entered the room were certainly dressed the part. Or would that be undressed? Tight skirts ended just below their hips and their tops bore striking resemblances to string bikinis. Ian wondered if they had arrived in something more suited to the weather and then changed. It had been snowing by the time they left the obstacle course this afternoon. He couldn't imagine that the weather had improved since then. The next four in were dressed in some variation of the same theme.
Nottingham reached the door but did not go through. His attention had been caught by the change in the atmosphere. It was suddenly charged with tension. His brothers were watching the women like starving wolves eyeing a wounded doe. Their bodies began to shift subtly, moving in display as well as trying to cut off rivals. The sight held Ian riveted. Surely they weren't going to fight over the women?
Ian remembered the rage he had felt when Beck had touched Moira, and thought that they might. He stepped away from the door, body tensing to intervene if necessary. There would be no one else to mediate, as there had been for him. They were all caught up in the hunger, even Mobius.