Accounting for Drakes (Stand Alone Tales #21)

Chapter Seven

N anitha sighed. “I can’t help but feel guilty. She was so small.”

“That leaves me with a serious question.”

“Okay.”

“If you were stuck as a drake, how did you change her diaper?”

Nanitha laughed. “Oh, that. She went free-range, and I used a light cleaning fire on her butt and bits. Fortunately, she potty trained shortly after we met.”

Orwon nodded. “Sensible. So, when we have little ones, I think it is best for all that we do it in the biped form. Mating your larger form would be difficult. Not impossible, but I think your gestational appetite would wreak havoc.”

She felt heat flare in her cheeks. “You seem very sure.”

“Do our frequencies match?”

She sighed. “They do. Rikian is very close to one of my cousins, but I would have to see them together to confirm it.”

“And you just blurred over the fact that we are a match.”

Nanitha wrinkled her nose. “Caught that, did you? So, you are a dark star?”

“Yes. Nice and dense.”

“Your markings?”

“Follow me in every form. I was egg-hatched and transformed first when I was two hundred. This form has taken getting used to, but right now, I am very pleased to be here.” He lifted her hand to his lips for a kiss.

“How old are you?”

He smiled. “Five hundred to your three hundred fifty years.”

“Wow. That isn’t common knowledge.”

“You flew through the stars for three hundred years. Everyone knows of the devourer.”

“Ah. What quaint names they give a person.” She ducked her head. “Time stops meaning anything.”

He nodded. “That is true. However, with you, I want every moment to count.”

She looked at him, startled. “You just met me.”

“You passed through my system on your great journey. I watched you help a foundering vessel to get moving, cleared a path for them through the asteroid belt, and got them back on their way.”

Nanny frowned. “Where were you?”

“Curled up in the dark star, having a nap.”

“Oh. Oh! I know where that was.”

“You should. You left munch marks all over the system.” He chuckled. “I was enthralled with a female of such appetites, but there was no way I was going to put my smaller self in your path. You looked hungry and irritated.”

“I was filling in.”

“I know. I feel honoured you stopped to sate yourself in my territory.”

She blinked at him. “You are saying something under the words.”

“Absolutely.” He chuckled. “How many forms do you have?”

“Twenty-five or so.”

“That is... many.”

“Ten of them are bipeds. Five are bipeds with wings. The rest are dragons or drakes.”

“What is your most comfortable form?”

“Oh, my original biped form.”

“The one you are in?”

“Oh, no.”

He blinked. “No?”

“My eyes stay the same, but this form is more approachable than my other one.”

“Abil recognized you.”

“She recognized my eyes. She never saw my original form.”

“May I see it?”

“Today? Now? I don’t think it would be a good idea.”

“Then, may I share a kiss with you?”

“There are people around.”

He chuckled and halted. “There really aren’t.”

She glanced around, and he was right. They were at the edge of the lookout, and there was no one but them.

Orwon caressed her hair and tucked it behind her ear. “Just one kiss and meet me halfway.”

She sighed. “I kiss like a drake.”

He grinned. “We can expound on that.”

She looked at him and leaned in, lifting herself up, and he was truthful. He met her halfway.

His mouth was warm against her closed lips, and then, they moved, and when she was pressed entirely against him, he wrapped an arm around to support her, and she tasted him, and he tasted her, and they continued as they vibrated softly together.

When they parted, she was flushed and warm. His hands had been respectful and supportive. The tendrils on the side of his face had caressed her cheeks, but now, they were flat against his features except for one little tendril waving happily.

Nanitha giggled, reached up, and smoothed the happy little tendril down. “Very cute.”

“Thank you. The darkness that wraps me is one of the things that has made me wait for my proper match. It got very excited when it saw you, but it was also confused.”

She chuckled. “It wasn’t confused; it was eager to see if I matched. I can confirm that I do, but I think I need to think about things now.”

He chuckled and stroked her cheek. “You are staying at the palace?”

“Oh, no. I have a place in the city. I didn’t know when she would arrive, but I knew she would. I needed a separate residence.” She smiled. “As tomorrow is formal, I will wear my actual biped form to the wedding. The rituals begin at dawn, so I should get to bed.”

He chuckled. “My beast is freaking out.”

“He can cool his jets, or I will take a bite out of his tail every time he annoys me.” She smiled.

“Well, that did it. May I escort you to your home?”

“Certainly. It is in the city limits.”

“The sooner we get you to bed, the sooner I see you in the morning.”

She chuckled, and they walked back to the city. It was far slower than their walk out to the cliff that overlooked an ocean reflecting a sky full of stars. That had all seemed inconsequential to the soft smile and hope in his eyes. Orwon’s entire body resonated with hers, and her drake felt it.

They walked through the night market, and she showed him her favourite fruit vendor, the place she bought her silks, and poor Mal who was working into the night to fill Abil’s order.

He looked up warily. “What can I get for you, Madam?”

“I am just showing my friend where I shop. He is trying to get a feel for my tastes.”

“Yours or your friend’s?”

“Mine.”

“Oh. Right. Opals. Madam loves opals in platinum.”

Orwon chuckled. “Why does that not surprise me?”

Mal brought out her purchase history prior to Abil’s arrival. “Here you are.”

Orwon flipped through the pages and grinned. “Good. This is good information.”

She smiled. “We will leave you to it, Mal. Would you like me to send you some food?”

He looked at her and checked the time. “My wife is on her way with something. Thanks to your orders, we are planning a new house.”

“Well, I will likely be leaving soon, but Abilatha will be using you as her jeweller as she develops. That should change things up.”

Mal smiled. “So, I am gathering that you are going to be travelling again?”

“Yes. You could say that.” She didn’t look at Orwon, but she could feel him smiling.

Nanny walked around the space while Orwon seemed to memorize her collection. He glanced at her. “You don’t consume these?”

“No, I have trained myself to avoid opals and platinum. None of my forms eat them.”

Mal blinked. “Wait. You eat them?”

“No, I just said I didn’t.” She smiled. “I haven’t needed to eat jewels in years.”

Mal stared. “So, you are actually a drake.”

“Yes. I am surprised it took you this long to figure it out.” She grinned. “I brought the next empress to you, and she obviously is one. The designs please the drake, and the work is only absorbed if necessary.”

He blinked. “Well, thank you for coming to me.”

She grinned. “You are welcome. I am very happy to have brought her here. You are very personable.”

Mal smiled.

“And your wife is amazing.”

He laughed. “She is, and here she is.”

The door opened, and the lovely woman with a ponytail of dark brown hair that reached her middle back stood there. “Mal, you are chatting?”

“Just conversing with the patron, Leena.”

Leena looked over and blinked. She curtsied deeply. “Lady, it is good to see you walking the city.”

“Don’t curtsy, Leena. You know it makes me feel icky.” She held out her arms. “Come in for a hug, if you will.”

The thud as the woman hugged her reverberated in the room. “Hey, Lee. You look prosperous. Mal, take the basket; it is digging in.”

Mal smiled and pulled the dinner basket away from his wife’s grip, and Leena held Nanny tightly.

Nanny stroked her back and neck. “Hey, little one. It has been a few years since I saw you.”

Orwon smiled. “You have been collecting strays?”

“No, just guarding those without shelter. There was a broken long-range vessel that sent some of its unattached children to Yorath’s care, and I opened an orphanage and raised them as best I could.”

Orwon frowned. “Unattached?”

Leena mumbled, “We were born outside of a confirmed union; they had no use for us. They were building a new society, and we were proof that impulses won out.”

“Ah. How old were you when you arrived?”

“Twelve. There were fourteen of us, but I was the youngest. Lady Nanitha set us up and bought us a house and educated us so we could introduce ourselves to local society. Most of us are in the service sector, but we have small shops and businesses that are well attended.”

Orwon handed the list back to Mal. “What is your business?”

“Flowers. I am just taking a few minutes out to bring Mal dinner because the wedding has been moved up, and we have hundreds of table displays to create.”

Nanny smiled. “Would you like help?”

Leena smiled slowly. “You would help?”

“Certainly. I have to leave by dawn to get ready for the party, but I can definitely do it. I think I can remember how.”

Leena clapped and hopped.

“I will be there as soon as I can, love.”

Nanny smiled. “Leena, you are going to be on admin only. I don’t want you stressing out that little bean you are carrying.”

Leena blinked. “You know?”

“Your pattern swirls from your chest and now your belly. It is obvious.” She glanced at Mal, who was looking very pleased with himself. “It explains your plans for a new house.”

Orwon offered, “I will help as well. I find the discovery of more layers to Nanitha fascinating.”

Nanny looked at Mal. “Eat your dinner and finish what you are working on, then come and take care of your wife.”

She linked arms with Leena. “Lead the way, little one.”

Orwon smiled and said to Mal, “I will speak with you before we leave.”

Outside, Leena asked, “You are leaving?”

“You started your life with Mal. I am going to try to start one with Orwon. He matches me.”

“I had hoped you would be here for this baby’s arrival.”

She glanced at Orwon. “I might be able to get a ride. He seems to have a better grasp of time than I do.”

Leena nodded. “I hope you can make it. I have convinced myself you would be there if I needed you.”

“The new empress was also one of my charges. I will be a regular visitor to this world.”

Leena smiled. “Good. I want my family to know you.”

Orwon followed them as they went to the florist part of the market, and Leena’s shop was bustling with light glowing into the dimness. Excited voices greeted them as all of the other fosters stopped what they were doing for hugs.

Orwon whispered in between meeting her charges. “They don’t know you were here?”

“They needed to start on their own, and I have a lot of biped shapes.”

He nodded and smiled. He looked to Leena. “Where do you need us?”

“Can you strip the thorns from the roses?”

Nanny grinned and hauled him over to the side where the base flowers were waiting for treatment. She made some claws, and he followed her lead as she used her index, middle finger, and thumb to thread the rose, and then, she pulled it out, removing thorns and extra leaves. He followed, and they went through the entire collection of roses.

After that, it was clipping flowers to a precise length and setting them in the vessels waiting.

The whole shop was moving fast, but with them adding built-in clippers and Orwon’s height, the archways got arranged, and by the time it was one in the morning, the extra twenty people via the foundlings and their spouses had completed the order for the next morning, with Leena focusing on floral crowns and bouquets.

They looked at each other and looked at the assembled mass.

Leena blinked. “Now, how do I get it into the palace.”

Orwon smiled. “I’ve got that. I have a very large guestroom and can stow everything in there for the night. At dawn, I will move it to the main hall.”

Nanny nodded. “Everyone, stand away from the flowers. Get behind us, please.”

The family parted and backed away from their efforts. Orwon held out his hand, and the entire mass was covered in black. A guest suite was visible, and the flowers filled the room. When he dropped his hand, the portal closed, and the flowers were safe.

Leena looked dazed. “We did it!”

Nanny opened a com link and left a message for the housekeeper and the majordomo. They would know where to get started the following morning.

Nanny smiled at Orwon. “It looks like you need a place to sleep tonight.”

He smiled. “Really? I hadn’t put that together at all.”

The men in the gathering laughed as they were all hugging and slowly drifting into different directions. Mal came up, hugged Leena, and then whisked his wife off for the night after she locked up.

Nanny linked arms with Orwon and asked, “So, shall we adjourn for the evening? Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

He chuckled. “Lead the way, my lady.”

She walked him through the quiet streets and eyed a few would-be thieves in the shadows. They caught her gaze and melted away against the buildings.

“So, you have a reputation.” Orwon chuckled.

She shrugged. “One of my forms has wings and a tail. A very long, sharp tail.”

“And the claws.”

“Of course.”

“I like you very much.”

She smiled. “I think I like you as well. You certainly know your way around a floral arch.”

He sighed. “Misspent youth.”

She giggled, and they walked to her home inside a wall inside the wall.

Nanny opened the gate and stepped inside her sanctuary.

“Oh, my. I am definitely in your territory here.” Orwon looked around her courtyard, where the fountains, plants, and fruit trees were all well-tended and healthy.

“Yes, you are. Yorath doesn’t even know about this place. One would think he would catch on to another drake on his world.” She chuckled.

“I understand why. You have marked the stone. It says don’t look behind the walls.”

She smiled. “You are very smart. Come this way. I have a guestroom.”

“Just one?”

Nanny chuckled. “Only one bedroom that you will be seeing.”

She walked him into the house and up to the guestroom she was offering to him. “Thank you for tonight. It was nice to see you interacting with normal folks.”

“None of them are drakes?”

“Not one. All blissfully human.”

He smiled. “I will see you in the morning. Five?”

“Yes. That sounds reasonable. Good night, and thanks again.”

He inclined his head. “Sleep well, Nanitha.”

She nodded and headed to her own bed. She had four hours of sleep to cram in before she put on her own face again. That was nerve-racking in and of itself.

She showered, left the room wrapped in a towel, and looked at her wedding day dress on its stand. It wasn’t really a dress; it was a pretentious set of handkerchiefs, but that was what passed for wedding wear on this world.

Nanitha breathed in deeply and exhaled, taking on the shape she was born with. Her hair rippled to her knees in a soft silver waterfall, her eyes were sparkling opal, and her skin had a glossy iridescent sheen.

She put the gold clothing on, and her back was exposed and the rest of her was covered with the delicate silks that moved around her slowly. The light slippers concealed her toes, and she twirled once to let her hair and dress settle, and then, she put on her jewels.

Nanitha left her room and headed downstairs to make breakfast in her full regalia.

She made some tea, toast, fruit, and eggs. She didn’t have any breakfast meat on hand, but it was ready when Orwon came down for breakfast.

He froze. “You are Nekkordan.”

She smiled. “It is the ears, right? The big pointy ears?”

He nodded. “And the eyes. The eyes of brightest opal.”

“Oh. Yes, I suppose that is what made me a collectors’ item.”

Orwon walked up to her and looked her over. “I have never seen one of your kind up close.”

“Well, you are close now. Sit your ass down and eat, or I switch back into my other form.” She smiled. “No more eye candy if you don’t eat.”

He grinned. “You already ate?”

“Yes. Now, eat, and we can get you dressed for the wedding and head out.”

He winked, and his clothing shifted into a silk sleeveless tunic and dark trousers. His hair smoothed, and she noted that his markings covered his arms. Her heart thudded in her chest at the sight.

She mentally fanned herself and had to turn away, putting everything back into its proper place.

“You live here alone?”

“Yes. The house that had the children is more centrally located.”

“Do they know what you look like?”

“No. They know the form I wore yesterday. They will understand this one when I introduce myself or they see me with you. Either one will get the point across.”

He finished his breakfast, and she cleaned up the plates and cups and put them away.

Orwon stood up and was bristling with power. “You are stunning, Nanitha.”

She smiled. “I know. That is all I heard from the brothers. I haven’t worn this form since I ran from them.”

“I hope I never give you cause to run from me.” He walked to her and slowly wrapped her in an embrace.

“I hope so, too. I know how to manage myself now.” She held onto him. “I just had to grow up.”

He inhaled deeply and sighed happily. “You smell like you now. It’s wonderful.”

“Thank you. Today is a trust exercise. Make sure that there is no reason for me to take off on my own, but either way, I am still going to talk to my parents. They have a lot to answer for.”

Orwon nodded. “I will be careful. Now, smile for the bride. It’s her big day.”

“I will smile when Abil is in front of me, and I will probably cry.”

He laughed, and they left her home and locked the gate behind them.

The wedding began at dawn.