Chapter 18 Dragons’ Reign #2
“The Helix!” Kaila laughed as she danced over, her smile as bold as her pants suit. “Everyone saw it. Like everyone.”
“Do you suppose it will glow like that every time each of us has sex?” Tez asked as he wandered over with a glass of wine in one hand and a cheese toast in the other.
“If it does, my color shall be glowing more than any of yours,” Esme teased as she bussed Caden and Valerius’ cheeks.
“You teased that man in the conga line last night endlessly,” Jahara remarked with a shake of her head.
“You do realize if the Helix does glow when we get it on that there will be endless bets over who will win,” Mei pointed out, looking stunning in her red dress.
Anwar walked over hand in hand with Fadel, a man who the press had been agog over since he’d woken from a seemingly unbreakable coma. “Bets? About what?”
“Sex. Dragons. Which of us will win,” Illarion explained as he drained a glass of champagne.
“Ah, well, Fadel, I think we must give Caden and Valerius a run for their money!” Anwar said and then kissed Fadel on the lips.
Fadel grinned. “I do not know. Last night’s show was one for the record books.”
“The Helix doesn’t light up every time we have sex!” Caden insisted, cheeks flaring red. “Believe me, if it did it would be blaring every day, twice a day or more!”
“Young love,” Esme smiled.
“You do all realize that this is not just being filmed, but that we’re live, don’t you?” Valerius remarked dryly with a nod towards the camera operator who was desperately trying to catch everything.
The reporters had been awfully quiet, too, not wanting to remind the Dragon Shifters of just that fact. All the Dragon Shifters looked over at the camera with the red light on top of it. Caden buried his face in Valerius’ chest. He patted his beloved’s back.
Mei sighed and looked bored. “As if they haven’t guessed we all have sex.”
Kaila waved at all the people. “Hi, everybody! I have sex! Lots of sex! But not this trip. What about you, Tez?”
Tez pinked, especially when Kaila threw her arm around his shoulders and urged him to wave and tell the audience all about his sex life.
“Despite Eldoron being the most beautiful, we are still shy at getting our picture taken,” Tez explained. “And we never kiss and tell.”
“Well, the Helix sort of tells for us,” Kaila reminded him.
“Oh, dear,” Tez wailed.
Esme looked completely unrepentant. “I think it is a good thing for people to realize that sex and love does not stop when you start getting wrinkles.”
Jahara chuckled and nodded. “Love in all its myriad forms is a wonder. And I am happy to see it.”
Illarion cleared his throat and stepped directly in front of the camera. “I am looking for my true mate. If you think you’d be a good match, send me a photograph and your details to--”
“No, no, no, Illarion, that is not how this works,” Esme cut him off.
“What? Vozyth needs to see a selection of beautiful women to choose from!” Illarion cried. “And I am interested in--”
“Vozyth is totally not going to choose a buxom blonde with no thoughts in her head, Illarion,” Tilly sighed as she came over looking gorgeous in an airy concoction of white and silver.
And she wasn’t alone. Vanya and Viski were following at her sides, one with a black bow and one with a white one around their necks.
She patted their heads and they looked at her adoringly.
“You are a little girl!” Illarion scowled at her.
“And?” Tilly challenged with one eyebrow lifted.
“You know nothing about these things!” Illarion insisted.
Tilly poked the center of his chest. “I know that fate has something else in store for you.”
“Like what?” Illarion regarded her with suspicion and slight alarm.
“Oh, that’s for me to know and you to find out.” Tilly gave him an arch smile and went over to Caden to get a hug.
“Wait, wait, if you know something you must tell me! I cannot be left in the dark like this, Tilly!” Illarion insisted. “You must tell me! You cannot tease me like this! You--”
Chione stepped in front of the cameras, blocking their view of Illarion chasing Tilly around Caden and Valerius as he demanded to know what his fate would be. Tilly laughed and ran off with the dogs and Illarion at her heels.
“I think you should go get set up in the throne room for the ceremony, don’t you?” Chione asked. “Yes, yes, I think so.”
Caden grinned as he watched his sister tease Illarion relentlessly. It was far better than him asking for supermodels to email him their details just in case Vozyth took a liking to any of them.
“Does Tilly really know something, do you think?” Fadel asked.
“I think my sister knows that the last thing Illarion needs in his life is someone without a thought in their head,” Caden admitted. “He needs someone to be strong where he is weak.”
“So he needs the strongest person in existence?” Mei asked.
Tez snorted. “Such a person doesn’t exist. Unless they are some Russian grandmother who could hit him over the head with her purse!”
“Or a young male scholar whose very vocabulary would leave Illarion blinking,” Esme suggested.
“Guys, guys, you have to admit that Illarion has really turned things around,” Caden defended the Green Dragon Shifter.
“He has,” Valerius agreed and kissed Caden’s temple.
You are a great reason behind that, Caden, he sent.
I’m hardly alone. Your regard and the desire to keep in your good graces keep Illarion on the straight and narrow these days, Caden said.
Anwar gazed upon Fadel. “I owe him my life. But that does mean I want what’s best for him. I hope whoever Vozyth chooses will have those qualities to lead him always towards the goodness within him.”
“He has come far,” Jahara agreed. “Positive reinforcement is a very good tool with him.”
“That’s why Vozyth will never choose a supermodel,” Mei muttered. “Whoever it is must surprise him and keep him on his toes.”
“What about your mate, Mei? What do you hope they’ll be like?” Caden asked.
“Oh, someone… who can make me laugh,” Mei said with a slow smile. “Someone who can remind me of the good in the world.” She cupped Caden’s face. “Someone like you, I think. But we shall see if I am so lucky.”
“I’m sure you’ll get someone much better than me,” Caden said, but blushed all the same as Red Dragon Queen did not say these things so lightly.
“Everyone, it is time!” Anwar clapped his hands above his head to get everyone’s attention.
Caden’s heart raced. He looked up into Valerius’ face.
It was foolish to be nervous or scared. Getting married to Valerius was absolutely what he wanted to do.
They were already bonded fully. Today was just for the big party.
Valerius rubbed his thumb over the back of their joined hands.
Caden rested his cheek against Valerius’ shoulder.
Even with the crown on, it was still comfortable to do.
In fact, the crown seemed to weigh nothing at all, even less than when he’d first put it on.
“Everyone, line up!” Anwar said with a snap of his fingers.
The Dragon Shifters finished their last sips of champagne and wine before they formed a line.
Kaila was first, followed by Tez, then Anwar, Jahara, Mei, Esme and Illarion.
Valerius would walk up the aisle after Illarion.
The Dragon Shifters would array themselves evenly on either side of Caden and Valerius’ “sides” of the throne room. His parents and Tilly hurried over.
His mother was dressed in white silk with a stunning black velvet wrap over her shoulders. His father wore a white tuxedo with black cumberbund. His mother kissed him and Valerius. His father hugged them both. Tilly rocked back and forth on her heels as she gazed happily upon both of them.
“I’m so nervous and I don’t know why! This is the absolute perfect day and I am so thrilled for you both,” his mother said.
“I’m so proud of you, Caden,” his father said as he squeezed him tight. He drew back and there were tears in his eyes. “You’re a Dragon King that we can all believe in.”
Valerius made a small sound, which had his father looking over at the Black Dragon King.
Caden could still remember his father’s distrust of Valerius, though it had disappeared after the Behemoth incident--or so Caden hoped--but now his father was looking at Valerius with narrowed eyes.
But then his father grasped Valerius’ hands in his and shook them warmly.
“I am trusting you with a piece of my wife and my heart, King Valerius. One of two greatest treasures. I don’t think I have to tell you to live up to that trust,” his father said.
“You do not. I am honored and I will always keep you and your wife’s trust,” Valerius promised solemnly.
His father then gave the Black Dragon King a big hug, which surprised Valerius who hesitated before hugging his father back with a rather touched expression on his face.
The doors were already opening and people were starting to filter out towards the throne room where they would walk up the aisle. Tilly though came up to them both, wrapping her arms around both of them. Caden noticed she had her dagger at her waist that Valerius had given her.
“I love you both,” Tilly told them through happy tears. “And I can’t think of anything better than the two of you getting married. Have the best day. The best life!”
“Oh, Tilly, we love you too, and you will be a part of that life,” Caden assured her, hugging her back tightly.
“A big part,” Valerius added as he kissed Tilly’s head.
“I’ve got to stop crying or else my makeup will run! And there are like a bazillion cameras out there!” Tilly said as she pulled back and carefully dabbed her eyes. “How do I look?”
“Not like a racoon. You’re good,” Caden told her.
“You look beautiful, Tilly,” Valerius said.
“Thank you, King Valerius. Caden, you’re an idiot.” Tilly stuck her tongue out at him, but he’d made her laugh so that was the best part.
She turned and raced after the line of people leaving the room. Valerius and Caden stood there for a long moment.