Chapter 15 Bachelor Party #3
“Because of you,” Mei insisted. She pursed her lips. “I’m not good at this talking-to-people-honestly-thing. But you should know that you’ve had more of an impact in your short time as a Dragon Shifter than most of us have had in centuries.”
Caden blinked and swallowed. “That’s amazing of you to say, Mei, but you’ve all done so much more than me.”
She smiled and squeezed his shoulder. “But you’ve done what none of us ever could. Brought us together. Life is better… with friends.” She kissed his cheek, which had her pool-mates groaning, but then she was quickly sashaying back to them. “Come now, boys, how about we play strip-pool!”
There was a roar of enthusiasm.
“And that’s another one that you’ve changed,” Tez said with a tip of his head back to Mei.
“I didn’t change anyone, Tez. If I did anything at all, and I’m so not saying I did, it was to remind them that they’re needed. Not just by their people. Not just by their territory. But by us. By everyone. They just stepped out and met that challenge,” Caden told him.
Tears were running down Tez’s face and he clutched Caden to him. “That’s why Eldoron and I love you, Caden! You’re more beautiful inside than any of us. Eldoron is more beautiful on the outside, you understand, but that is its nature.”
“I know, Tez. No one is more beautiful than Eldoron.” Caden hugged him tight.
“If there’s hugging going on, why am I not in on it? Kaila demanded.
Caden and Tez opened their arms to make it a group hug.
“Why are we hugging other than for fun?” Kaila asked. “And why is Tez crying?”
“Happy tears, Kaila dear, happy tears,” Tez assured her. “And the hugging is because Caden is our friend.”
“Lana knew he was going to be the one to fix things,” Kaila said as they parted.
“Lana did?” Caden wiped his own tears away.
“Oh, yes, Lana could see your soul and knew that you were the one,” Kaila answered as she popped another pretzel bite inside. “And you are. Everyone is happy now. Family. Friends. Love.”
“Thank you, Kaila. Again, I’m not--”
“You are, Caden.” She then threw a dart over her shoulder that hit the center of the dart board. The people she was playing against groaned.
“You won again, Kaila!” one of them said.
“How about we play another round? Double or nothing?” Kaila grinned.
Her offer was accepted.
Caden was deep into beer, pretzel and dip land when Landry stood on the stage where the band was setting up. She had a microphone in one hand and a beer in the other. But she didn’t sway drunkenly. Instead, she looked almost nervous.
“Hey, everybody, I’m up here, because I get to give the second toast of the night to my friend Caden.
” She pointed at him and people clapped and hooted.
She swallowed and said, “There are so many good things I could say about Caden--embarrassing ones, too,” here she paused as everyone laughed, “But I’d like to focus on one of the qualities that Caden has that a lot of people don’t.
Maybe they’re smart not to. But he’s got it. ”
Caden squirmed under everyone’s stare. He wasn’t that special! Iolaire was!
“Caden gives second chances,” Landry said and there was a few scatterings of applause.
“And third chances, and fourth chances.” People laughed.
“But the reason he does it is because he believes in the good in people. And I can honestly say, that if he hadn’t believed in the good in me, well, I’m not sure that I would have believed in it.
He sees it in you and you want to see it, too. So… to Caden!”
They all raised their beers and said, “To Caden!”
Caden blushed, but headed to the stage to help Landry down. He embraced her.
“Landry,” he said in her ear, “I only ever saw what was in you all the time.”
“Thanks for helping me find it.” She held him tightly back.
They played pool and darts and ate and drank themselves silly before Rose was, once again, taking Caden by the arm and tugging him outside.
Once more, they piled into the SUV and were driven off safely.
Though Valerius had been afraid of what would happen with him out in public, the truth was that people were friendly, but they didn’t crowd him.
They kept a respectful distance until he gestured for them to come over.
So though he was the White Dragon King and Iolaire was the most approachable of the Dragon Spirits, the public didn’t take advantage of that.
Or, at least, that’s what he hoped. They had seen him go after the Behemoth.
They had seen the Behemoth. They might all be just a little more afraid of Shifters now.
“Where next?” Caden asked, shaking off those gloomy thoughts.
“The final place!” Rose beamed.
“Everything’s been so awesome, I can’t imagine anything better,” Caden admitted.
“Oh, I think you’ll find this the best. It might even outshine your wedding,” Rose chuckled.
“Now you’ve got me intrigued!” Caden laughed.
Simi drove them outside of the city on the winding highway, but then he was heading back towards Reach… to the Gash. Caden blinked as they parked outside of the Gash. The moment that Caden opened the door he heard music blasting from inside.
Rose took his arm and she let him inside.
Caden gaped. The entirety of the Below had been transformed into a nightclub.
There were flashing lights and pulse-pounding music.
Every door was open. Every business was serving drinks and food free of charge.
Everyone was dancing and laughing and having a spectacular time.
Rose took his arm. “The Below knows how to party better than anywhere else. Welcome to the final place, Caden!”