Cloven marched past the servants and his mother, following a very angry, panting Dragon commander into the office. He found himself feeling like he was an errant child again, except this time he didn’t have a terrible report card from school, he had actually spanked a fellow warlord. A gorgeous, curvaceous, annoying—and lovely woman—a peer.
And, of course, his father rounded the corner hearing Drayce’s pounding feet on the stone floor.
“What’s going on? What did you do?”
Drayce spun on his heel. “Father, leave us be. This is between the Dragon Commander and his Warlord. Not a family matter.”
Taken aback, Zorander halted, staring at his eldest son before glaring at Cloven. “As you wish, son. If you need me, I’ll be nearby, yell.”
“It won’t be necessary, but thank you.”
Cloven walked past the King and walked into the damn office; the smell made his stomach turn. It didn’t matter that he was old enough to have outgrown any anxiety or memories associated with this room, his subconscious reacted the same way every time he entered.
He muttered. “This damn room.”
“Yes, seems you’re always in here getting your ass chewed out. Don’t you ever grow weary from it? I would think that by this age, you would have figured out how to avoid the pranks and foolishness of your youth. It appears that I’m mistaken, again. It seems that your well for idiocy knows no limits.” Drayce slumped into the comfortable chair behind the desk.
Thus, leaving Cloven to sit in the uncomfortable straight-backed chair with no arms. He sat, crossing his leg over the other, draping his elbow over the back of it. He’d be damned if Drayce would make him repentant for what he did to Wish. She had asked for it – verifiably begged for it.
“Explain.” Reaching into the top drawer of the desk, Drayce pulled out a couple of glasses and some basilisk. The amber liquid glimmering in the light.
Accepting the drink, he would need it to calm his temper—or escalate it—he slapped it onto the desk in a silent plea for another. “As you know, I told both of you at Artemis and Thistle’s wedding; I do not want anyone on my dragon. I warned the hellion that if she were found on Indigo again, I’d whip her ass with my belt.”
“And I told you, that you were not allowed to demand such obedience. I’m in charge, damn you and warlords—all warlords—are allowed to handle the dragons in our care. Any dragon, and that includes your soldier. I thought I was clear before, am I clear now?” Drayce’s eyebrows were knit and his golden eyes, became amber with his anger, and he slammed his fist on the desk accentuating his point.
“Yes, you were clear, but I refuse to follow. That is my animal, and he’s sensitive and touchy.”
“Like his owner, it appears. It would seem that having a different rider would help Indigo with his narcissistic views, now if I can find a rider to settle your attitude!”
Instantly Cloven envisioned Wish riding him, sitting astride his hips, her lush breasts wobbling with the swivel of her hips, his cock bumping along the slick sensitive inner tissue of her sex.
His cock stiffened, and he adjusted himself before getting back on track with his argument to Drayce.
“I don’t need settling, Drayce. What I need is more support for my authority and the little minx to behave herself.”
Leaning forward with his elbows on the desk, Drayce glared at him. He hated when his brother took the superior mode, Cloven had been answering to him—with the support of their father. Cloven knew that as their commander, he should submit to him, acquiesce to his authority, but it galled him.
“You’ll apologize to her—in front of me—as soon as we’re done with our discussion. You’ll pay for the doctor’s visit, for her recuperation for the next two days, and two thousand luezoid as compensation for her literal pain and suffering.”
Cloven blinked, doing his best to calm down before he leaped down his brother’s throat.” What did you just say?”
“You heard me. You’ll give her restitution, and you’ll tell her today how much money you’ll be paying her, then you’ll apologize, and you’ll deliver the compensation weekly. She needs to see that you are truly repentant about what you did to her.”
Cloven couldn’t hold back the laugh, brushing his hand across his face he diligently tried, with no success. “You see, Drayce, I don’t feel remorseful about it. I enjoyed paddling her ass. She knew the consequences before she climbed onto Indigo, she was able to repeat the edict I’d given her, so she did it willingly. One would say she consented—even if it was on a subconscious level. Maybe, dear brother, she wanted her ass whipped. Maybe she wants to be guided by a strong hand from a warlord and prince. It’s possible, you know.” Cloven quirked his eyebrows at Drayce, shaking his head in defeat. “I’ll tell her I’m sorry and pay the little brat, but you need to know that I’ve warned her that if she does it again, she’ll receive double lashes of my belt next time.”
“Dammit, Cloven, you cannot put your hands on her. What would the Department of Right Behavior and Thinking say? I can’t have them breathing down our necks, not with a battle so close. The Defense Department is already watching us for unethical moves with Zelora. Do not allow your impulsive behavior and temper get us investigated. Father would string you up, and you know it.” Grabbing the tumbler in front of him, Drayce downed the basilisk in one gulp.
“I’ll keep it under wraps. If it becomes necessary to spank the brat again, I’ll do it behind closed doors – maybe in the basement where her pitiful wails won’t be heard.”
“Alpheas, help me. You just miss the point all the time. Do you do that on purpose?”
“Do what on purpose?” Cloven loved nothing more than playing stupid just to annoy his all-knowing brother; it had been a game that he’d played with Drayce their whole life.
“Nevermind. Let’s go see Wish; the doctor should be there by now.” Drayce stood up, flinging the door open so roughly that the knob smashed into the wall.
“Watch it, Drayce. You’ll mar father’s walls, don’t want to upset the old man. Oh, hi Father, I was just speaking kindly of you.” He winked, smirking at his father.
“I heard. Drayce, do you need me to assist you with him?”
Not even looking over his shoulder, Drayce barked back. “It’s not necessary; I have it all under control.”
He thought he had it under control, but I control this situation. Wish knows it also.