Chapter Eleven

 

 

Trin watched as the next dragon was called. There was a sapphire dragon who had a problem proving her power. When she finally managed to make her hands blue, she was allowed to continue.

She made a beeline for her chosen mate, and he smiled and accepted her. They hugged and then joined the lineup.

The colours streamed through, the gemstones and then the metallics.

One woman, one of the three topaz dragons, was rejected by her choice. Tears wobbled in her eyes, but she lifted her chin and moved to the back row, extending her hand to her second choice. He was very classy about it. He accepted her and drew her to him with a tender expression.

Trin let out the breath she had been holding. Her dragon reached out and took the woman’s hand as they passed her. The huge golden eyes were wide and her mouth opened in surprise as she received the surge of energy.

The woman stared at her hand as she and her second choice took their position in line.

Brommin leaned down. “What did you do?”

“The dragon gave her a blessing.”

His smile was smug. “I thought as much. I wonder when it will manifest?”

“After they have sex. It was a fertility blessing.”

He blinked. “You can do that?”

“Apparently. I am new to this. This time last year I was worried about getting the coffee shipment on time.”

They stood and watched as the metallic dragons made their choices. Two of the oceanic dragons were chosen, much to their delighted surprise.

The copper dragon was the last up. She announced herself and walked up to the man who had rejected the topaz dragon. She asked him softly if he would accept her, and she was only halfway through the question when he lunged forward and hugged her tight.

Trin leaned against Brommin’s arm, and she sighed. “That was nice.”

“They have been an item since they were teenagers, but her family isn’t powerful. She’s a copper, he’s a gold, I am glad they were able to connect. He would never be allowed to attend another ball if they didn’t.”

“So, once rejected, you can’t return?”

He quirked his lips. “No, if you reject a female, you surrender your right to attend subsequent events.”

“Wow. It is a good thing you didn’t turn me down.” She smiled.

He wrapped an arm around her reinforced waist, and he grinned. “Never.”

The master of ceremonies looked around, and he clapped his hands. “Gentlemen, thank you for your participation. Good luck on the next day of choosing. Thank you for attending.”

The dismissal was absolute. The words were lighthearted, but the tone wasn’t. Those men would leave or face the elder dragon.

The single men filed out and left the room.

The elder looked at the line. “Now, young couples, the upper levels of the hotel are yours to play with. First, introduce yourselves in the dance, and then, you can seek out privacy to get acquainted with your mate.”

Trin was shocked. She looked at Brommin. “Did you know about this?”

“I was aware of it, yes.”

She gave him a dark look. “Hmm. This shady side of you is rather intriguing.”

He laughed and then noted that the master of ceremonies was coming up to them. “I believe I should make an introduction.”

Trin blinked. “Okay.”

He offered her his arm, and she accepted, walking to meet the master of ceremonies halfway.

“Senator Weekon, this is my mate, Trin. Trin, this is Senator Amathor Weekon, your grandfather.”

Trin blinked slowly and then one more time. “Did you say, grandfather?”

Senator Weekon smiled and extended his hand. “As you are my son’s child, I am your grandfather. You are very welcome to our family.”

She extended her hand to his and noted that her fingers were shaking. Aside from Meadra, he was the first person to claim her as blood.

“I am pleased to meet you, Senator Weekon. You knew who I was when I arrived?”

“I suspected. I never guessed that my son’s daughter would be the diamond dragon that has been making herself known around town.”

She wrinkled her nose. “That happens when you have assassins at your door. They are disruptive little buggers.”

His eyes widened and then narrowed. “Tell me more.”

She opened her mouth, but Brommin stopped her. “Perhaps we can come by your home or office tomorrow?”

Senator Weekon’s cheeks darkened. “Yes, of course. Enjoy your evening. I will call Makros.”

Brommin smiled. “Thank you.”

Music had started up in one corner of the ballroom, and Brommin led her there.

“I don’t really dance. I mean, Brenner and I learned with Creata, but it was a decade ago.”

He smiled. “Just trust me to keep you from bumping into anyone, and we will be fine.”

He swung her around, and she settled against him. Her left arm settled on his shoulder, and all that bare skin was driving her to distraction.

“So, why do they strip you down?” She looked up at him through her lashes as he moved to the music and shifted her around on the dance floor.

“It helps to distract the human and focus the dragon females. They are more likely to let their dragon make the decision when their human is fascinated and aroused.”

She felt a blush heating her cheeks, and she looked down but then was faced with all that tanned muscle and her gaze went up again.

He grinned. “See? Someone once suggested that the women be attired in a similar manner, but the one experiment didn’t go anywhere until the ladies were willing to come out from behind the drapes.”

She sighed and found herself staring at the thick column of his neck as they moved around the other dancers.

Trin checked on her friends and smiled. Torm was teaching Meadra how to dance on one side of the dance floor, away from the others, and Apraxa and Romak were moving with the fluid grace of those who breathed water. They were fine.

“Did you have any trouble getting here tonight?”

Trin glanced up at him and smiled. “Vasic’s government-issued vehicle was vandalized, and the bartender here tried to drug us.”

Brommin tried to get out of her embrace to kill someone, but she held on. “It is fine. I smelled it, and I am guessing that it was a family connection that forced him into this action.”

“He is going to be interrogated for that slight.”

She nodded. “Yes, Brommin, but not tonight. Tonight is just you and me and the music.”

He pulled her tightly against him, and she could feel the outline of his thighs through the silk that he was wearing.

She giggled at the physical hint that there was more than just the silk between them. “Ah. I see.”

“Yes, I am guessing that I am not the only one in this situation, but the others are too polite to do anything about it.”

She smiled. “You know what I like about you, Archivist?”

“What?”

“You can dispense with politeness when necessary.”

Her permission was in her gaze, and she laughed as his arms came around her and his wings sprouted. He swung her up into his arms, and his heavy wingbeats took them out of the ballroom and up the stairwell.

He carried her past the guards in the hall and to one of the doors that had been propped open.

“That is convenient.” She smiled, and he kicked the doorstop aside before reaching out and latching the manual lock.

“I believe so. Would you like a breakdown on the etiquette of what we are going to do?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I think I have it figured out, and it has something to do with why we are not allowed undergarments with these gowns.”

His expression darkened, and he drew his hand up the back of her thigh. He let his breath out slowly. “That is... why do you have a corset on?”

Trin laughed. “I have had a few attempts on my life and Meadra’s custody. Mirbella wanted me armed, so I am covered with a number of weapons. Would you like me to show you or can we get into the interesting part?”

He pulled her in close as his fingers worked at the laces of her corset. She gasped when cool air rushed in against sweaty skin. “I think that we can do both.”

Her giggles lasted far longer than they should have, and it was only when there was no breath for laughter that she focused on the man she was with. Her mate. It was so much better than the romances she had read as a teen.

 

* * * *

 

Apraxa watched Brommin fly off with Trin as she danced with Romak. “It seems they couldn’t wait.”

She swayed and crossed her right and left feet before returning to his arms.

“They are fliers. They do not appreciate the pleasures of waiting.”

She gave him a look through her lashes. “I seem to recall you catching me in a hallway and pressing me up against the wall a few years ago.”

“I was young and had no patience for the waiting game.”

Apraxa nodded. “You tell yourself that a lot, don’t you?”

He leaned down and hissed in her ear, “Yes.”

She grinned. “You know there is no reason to wait, right? According to the laws of our people and the senate, we are the next thing to wed. A formal ceremony is all we need for the final documentation, and that is just so that any children I bear will have your name.”

The mention of children made him shudder, and he paused in their intricate dance. “That was cruel.”

She went up on her toes and licked the lobe of his pointed ear. “Why was it cruel? The only one keeping us on this dance floor is you.”

He grabbed her and strode off to the hall, heading up to the rooms that were set aside for them.

Imagine Apraxa’s delight when the tub was large enough to hold six people. The environment was ideal for her first night with her mate.

 

* * * *

 

Meadra focused on the steps, but she still ended up stepping on Torm’s feet.

He stopped them and kissed her slowly. She went up on her toes and followed him as he leaned back. He smiled against her lips.

Torm wrapped an arm around her waist and held her while they kissed, and when Meadra lifted her head, they were on their circuit around the room. All she had to do was leave her focus behind and trust him. Once she managed that, the rest was easy.

She glanced around, and more than half of the couples were gone. “Where did they go?”

“I imagine that they are making use of the hotel’s amenities.” Torm kept waltzing.

“Oh. Oh!” She blushed as she caught on. “Right. Of course. Should we go?”

“No. Not until you are comfortable touching me. That is part of the reason for the uniform we are dressed in. It gives you the advantage to learn what your mate feels like.”

“You feel like mine.” She smiled and ran her hands over his chest, down his abdomen, and around his waist to hold him tight.

His shudder was all self-control, and she fought a smirk. She had been around farm animals all her life. Sex was no great mystery, but knowing that he wanted to ease her into the idea was rather sweet. She was going to have to stop that immediately.

“Torm, I understand that you want to behave in a decorous manner, but do remember that my family could come after me or send someone at any time. My image was in all the evening news media. It would be better for both of us if we could confirm our connection.”

He blinked. “You would like to...”

“Seek privacy. With you. Lots of privacy and more kissing, perhaps tangled limbs—” She squeaked on the last words, but he had heard enough. He gathered her up, sprouted his wings and took them up and out of the ballroom.

Torm still had plenty of self-control, but he used it on his own body to the satisfaction of them both.