Dragon 6 Chapter 31 (Patreon)

“As you can see, this loop is critical to the overall design. It certainly isn’t a flourish, as you called it. Instead, it balances the overall weight of the enchantment,” Sabrina explained to Frank.

“Oh. Like a well-balanced harem.” He nodded in understanding.

“I don’t know why that fits in your head, but sure.” Sabrina looked up from where she was teaching Frank, giving me a smile.

Her succubus nature was on full display. Her dark horns were rising out of her hair, and she had a subtle blush of pink skin. Her eyes sparkled with gold, and that gold made me very hungry and very possessive of my succubus instantly.

She smirked, knowing exactly what was happening.

“Oh. Hi, Zach.” Frank waved at me, ignoring any tension that might have been building. He let out a little chuckle. “I saw you get dragged away last night by all those nymphs. Are plushies going around the house now?”

A small giggle drew my attention to a blonde summer nymph with a round face that made her look young, who was standing in the corner of the room. She had a few magical implements in her hands, seeming ready and waiting to give them to Sabrina when she needed them.

“Seems like it. Now that I’ve apparently opened the floodgates, nymphs are trying to win the favor of each of my mates.” I pointedly looked at the nymph in the room, who didn’t shy away from my attention at all. She gave a small smile and a shrug, raising her chest up a little higher.

I moved back to Sabrina. “Just glad they are making my mates’ lives easier.”

The nymph nodded for emphasis but otherwise kept out of the way.

Sabrina quirked a brow at the small silent communication between me and her nymph. “Yes. Well, there is a small army of them hoping to be your personal nymphs as well. Something about a nymph hot spring in your manor. You have a manor?”

“Sounds like I will soon.” I shrugged, moving over to sit down next to her.

I looked at the enchantment that the two of them had been working on in the room. “What’s this?”

“Something for Maddie.” Frank smiled and worked on copying the circle on a board of slate. “She keeps losing her keys, so I thought I’d make a summoning device for them.”

“That’s an interesting application.” I sat down. “So, you are pairing it with an enchantment on her keys so that you summon the right ones?”

“Precisely.” Sabrina nodded, happy that I was able to put together the right application at a glance. “We will make a little leather keystone that can be attached to her keys and summoned with a bracelet. At least, that’s the goal.”

“Going to make it myself.” Frank nodded. “But it has some other fun applications. We could also do something similar with bloodwine for an emergency.”

Sabrina nodded. “Size is limited though. If you want to keep the summoning device to just a bracelet in size, you might not be able to get a whole bottle.”

“We’ll have to test it out,” Frank agreed.

I smiled, proud of Frank. It had taken him a bit, but he’d adapted to the paranormal world. And now he was certainly becoming a budding little wizard. It made me happy that he and Maddie had a serious shot at making their relationship work.

Sabrina shifted, moving herself over into my lap. I felt her tail curl around my waist possessively, and I felt her sipping at my lust.

“Thank you,” I stated, not quite realizing how much I needed that.

“Anytime. You have been overflowing since you’ve gotten back,” she observed.

Frank looked up from his piece of slate at the two of us. “Should I leave?”

“No, she’s feeding, but we won’t take it that far. If we need to, I’ll drag her out,” I promised as heat was building up in my lap.

“So, what are you doing for classes next semester?” Frank asked both of us.

“Not sure yet.” I answered honestly. “I haven’t signed up for any.”

“None at all?” Frank sounded surprised.

I shrugged. “Things have been getting a little more complicated by the day. I don’t know if I can finish out another school year. Besides, if I do, the campus is likely to be flooded with nymphs.”

Frank deadpanned. “I see no problem with that. I’m still working on having a few of my own.”

“Maddie swats them off?” I asked.

“Actually, she scares them off by openly feeding on me.” Frank rolled his eyes. “I know the fae have a problem with the vampires, but I didn’t realize it was this bad.”

His words reminded me of Elena Wallachia back in Philly, and I felt a headache starting to form. But she had given me something that still sat in my bracer. Now that Winter didn’t need it, I could use it for something else.

“You have a look on your face,” Frank pointed out.

“Yes, I do. Suddenly, I’m wondering if I need to borrow my favorite succubus for a project.” I leaned down, nuzzling my nose into her neck.

“Project.” Frank’s tone was filled with innuendos.

“No dammit.” To prove him wrong, I pulled out the piece of the crown. It had a large diamond inset in the center, and just a few fragments of metal beyond that. “Sabrina, can I forge this into a ring without losing the magical properties? Also, can I contain some of the magic so that it stops freezing everything around it?”

My succubus became intent on the magical artifact, looking closely at it without touching it. “It is extremely potent.”

“Only the best for Maeve.”

“A ring for Maeve.” She grinned. “Fitting.” Her nails just barely touched the edge of the piece, and she retracted as a few of them froze. “It’ll have to be cold forged. You wouldn’t want to try and heat this. It should retain any magical properties then, but as for containing it? It won’t be necessary. If Maeve wears this, she should be able to control the power within.”

The Wallachia had given it to us for Winter, but with Winter’s power restored, I wanted to give it to Maeve. Only now did I understand just how dangerous the fae courts could be.

And from what I’d seen, Winter was possibly a danger now. She was never incredibly friendly, but I’d still expected some warmth when we’d saved her from The Dreamer. I had to make sure Maeve’s mother didn’t see her as a threat and try to take her out.

“Who can do the cold forging then?” I asked.

“Dwarves are your best bet if you want it done right.” She winced, knowing that wouldn’t be the easiest solution for me.

The dwarves and gnomes had no love for the dragons, but I had pronounced their feud over. I figured seeing if they would help me in a task might be a good way to keep our relationship growing. But that also meant going back to Philadelphia.

“Okay. I’ll see you later, Frank. I think Sabrina is going to need a short break after all.” I snatched up the succubus and whistled innocently as I carried her off.

“Have fun,” Frank yelled after me.

“We’ll have plenty,” Sabrina shouted back.

It was great to be king.

***

After a few hours of distraction, I was back on the hunt for two dragonettes to take with me back home.

“Not like that. If you move quickly, you want to draw the blade across the body like this,” Morgana coached Maddie with a wooden rod, which was currently acting as a training sword. “Oh. Zach is here. Maybe you could practice with him.”

“I was just looking for the dragonettes.” I wanted to back out. The last thing I needed to do was bruise Maddie’s ego.

“Oh come on. We are just playing with wooden swords. See?” Maddie held up one of the fighting sticks. “Besides, you don’t have to hold back.”

“I’ll tell you where they are if you do a few rounds with her,” Morgana promised with a sassy grin. “I’m afraid you won’t find them without a little help.”

Wrinkling my nose, I contemplated the offer. “Fine. Give me those.” I stepped into the room and Morgana threw her two sticks at me. “Rules?”

“No shifting, no magic. Just innate strength and speed,” Maddie replied, bouncing from one foot to the other with a gleeful grin on her face. “Morgana says she can hand me a few jobs if I can train up. That means I could earn solid gold from these.” She was giddy about the idea of an easy side gig.

“Okay, but remember, I’m a dragon. I have quite a bit of strength,” I cautioned her.

“We have blood on hand,” Morgana promised. “She’ll be fine. Fight.”

Morgana suddenly started the fight, and Maddie leapt forward. But I’d been trained by Morgana. I was ready for it.

The second Maddie showed any aggression, the sticks were up in a guard as Maddie came with vampire speed. Although, her vampire speed was still far slower than Morgana herself. I blocked her first several attacks, my feet unmoving.

Maddie’s eyes were open wide in surprise. She’d expected to get the upper hand at the start of the battle. But as she hit against my sticks, I didn’t budge.

Quickly, she retreated and spun her sticks while she talked. “So, just how strong are you?”

“Imagine I have all the strength of a several-dozen-ton beast in me. Just right now, I don’t have the mass.” I smirked.

“At least I get to see this side of you now,” Maddie commented before zooming back in. “Now I understand a little of what you were going through earlier this school year.”

Her two sticks came in fast, repeating blurs. Soon I had trouble keeping track of them. Giving up, I struck out in the center of her chest with my palm. A stick that was about to hit me was jerked away as her body flew across the training area.

Maddie held her stomach. “Blood. I think I just shattered a few ribs.”

“Sorry.” I shrugged.

“No, that was good. Fuck, it hurt, but that’s what it is like to fight something stronger.” Maddie seemed more focused on the training. But her immortality probably helped lower her concern for the injuries.

Morgana came over with a wine bottle, ripped out the cork, and shoved it into Maddie’s mouth in a way that made me think of healing potions from video games.

“Yes, well honestly, if you fought a dragon with blades, you wouldn’t be able to cut him unless your blades were heavily enchanted,” Morgana told Maddie, who nodded in acknowledgment.

Morgana turned to me. “Go. They are in the basement. If you go to the center of the wings, there is a set of stairs leading down.” Morgana chuckled.

“Would have never known.” I shook my head.

“They know and we know. Just make sure you knock before entering,” Morgana warned.

I frowned at the caution but waved to the two women and went about my way to go find the dragonettes. It was time to head back to Philly.

I walked, trying to piece together what the dragonettes could be doing in the basement. Were they hiding from me? If Poly was involved, it wouldn’t be anything nefarious, but I could not even come up with a realistic theory.

I worked my way through the chateau, nymphs smiling and bowing. One even held up her plushie with a wide smile. Her curly, pink hair stood out; it was the same one that had been appearing around me.

It worked because I stopped to ask her name. If my women had given approval for her, she was likely worth getting to know. And it was also the third time I’d seen the pink-haired nymph.

“Pixie.” The nymph grinned. “You liked my dances last night. Would you care to enter a private room and see some more?” She put her hand on my arm, and even through my shirt, her touch was rapidly exciting me.

That damn nectar had made me even more insatiable.

“I would, but not now. You are going to come to my manor when it is finished?” I asked.

“If this is an invitation, then absolutely!” Pixie smiled and batted her eyelashes at me. “I just need to know where it is.”

“When I find out, I’ll tell you. Until then, you can be my personal nymph around here,” I offered her.

Her eyes went as wide as saucers.

“Of course.” It came out in a reverent whisper. “I thought Evelyn had taken that role.”

“I probably need three. One from Summer, Winter and Wild fae.” If balance was so important, and while I didn’t trust The Dreamer, I had seen enough to trust that it was. It made sense for me to try to keep the balance.

And having more nymphs couldn’t hurt. They certainly seemed good at the role they played. Besides, Pixie was incredibly easy in the eyes with her curly, pink hair and plenty of sun-kissed skin on display with what little clothing the nymphs wore.

Pixie bobbed her head. “Then I’m summer and Evelyn is winter. Have you found a wild nymph to your liking yet?”

“I have not, and you know what? I’d love one that isn’t Ikta’s little tool. So that will be your first task. Help me narrow that down. Oh, and also help me find the stairs downstairs?”

Pixie blushed and nodded. “This way, my king,” she mimicked the speech of some of the dragonettes.

I wondered if she viewed them similarly. They did serve the Dragon King, after all.

Pixie led me to a door and the stairs beyond it. She held it open with a beaming smile. “There’s only a single room down there. Summer had plans for it, but they’ve commandeered it.”

I raised a brow but headed down the staircase that was wide enough for three people. The lights were on already as I stepped down, and I could just barely make out the grunts of my dragonettes up ahead. Pixie trailed after me, her bouncy, pink hair jumping with each step.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, it was certainly an odd scene.

The place looked like some sort of audience chamber, yet the center was now filled with mud. The dragonettes were covered head to toe in mud as they took turns wrestling each other.

A small group of nymphs stood to the side, watching and waiting to help them when they could. It was the nymphs that noticed me first. Then as one, they all noticed Pixie trailing behind me. If looks could kill, Pixie would be dead on the spot.

Instead, Pixie fluffed her pink hair and batted her eyelashes when I looked to check on her.

“Let me know if any of them bother you,” my voice carried across the room. I wanted to make sure that the other nymphs heard the warning.

The other nymphs eased their expressions in an instant and focused back on the dragons. And all but the two wrestling dragons looked over at me. The two dragons wrestling in the mud continued on, focused on beating the other.

It took me a moment to realize who was who when they were all covered in mud.

“So, who’s winning?” I asked the others.

“Poly, of course.” Larisa crossed her arms. She was an easy one to spot given the drastic difference in height between her and the others.

“My mate.” Trina perked up and ran over, covered in mud.

I held out my arms, not worried about getting muddy, and wrapped her in a squishy wet hug. “How are you, Trina?”

“My king.” Regina bowed to me and looked over at the nymphs. “A towel please. I wish to at least have a clean face before my king.” She then turned back to me. “Have you had a towel? They are fantastic things. They are so soft, and you get much drier than a strigil.”

“Yeah. He knows what a towel is.” Larisa bypassed her and came to me for her own hug. “Now. Girls, no mud wrestling is complete without our king in the pit, don’t you think?”

“Hmm?” That was the last noise I made before Trina and Larisa double teamed me and hoisted me off the ground, rushing me off into the pit.

“Wait.” But my cries were unheard as I was tossed into a pit of slick, wet mud that was about two feet deep. “Why are we wrestling again?”

“The first to capture our king gets time with him for dinner!” Larisa shouted.

There had already been a frenzy as I was being carried towards the mud, but her words seemed to stir up the energy in the room even higher. All the dragonettes were jumping into the mud. Even Poly stopped her current fight, setting her sights on me.

“Get Poly!” Sarisha shouted, wiping mud from her eyes. “We can’t let her win.”

Several of the other dragonettes then tag teamed the bronze dragon.

“You’ll regret this!” Poly shouted as three took her down.

Sarisha had been the one wrestling Poly and took the chance to pounce on me as four other muddy bodies writhed with me, pushing and pulling me down into the mud.

I enjoyed it, not working to fight back too hard, just enough to make it a little more work for all of them. Slipping out of Trina and Larisa’s grip, I let Sarisha tackle me down to mud and pin me down. The shy girl rarely got time with me, losing out to some of the more aggressive dragonettes.

“Got you!” Sarisha straddled me and threw her hands into the air in victory.

“So you did. Now who cares to explain this all to me?” I took Regina’s offered hand and got myself out of the mud.

“It isn’t that different from back home,” Regina said. “We female dragons like to compete internally often. We spar or wrestle to get some energy out and establish our own pecking order.”

I stepped over to the side, pulling Sarisha with me and accepting a steaming towel from Pixie. Pixie stood next to me, seeming to stake her claim as my nymph.

“By the way, this is Pixie, my personal nymph. I think before everything is through, I’ll have three personal nymphs,” I told the dragonettes and the nymphs.

There were a few of the nymphs that started to breathe heavily with wide eyes.

“Thank you, my king,” Pixie said, stepping aside and letting the other nymphs help.

“Why are you all getting out? I wanted to watch some mud wrestling. Please don’t stop on my account. But once you’re done, I’d like to take Sarisha and… Regina back home. I have an errand I need to run back there.”

Without warning, Chloe took Polydora out with a flying tackle and the two splashed mud on everyone.

“Got you! Now let’s wrestle,” Chloe shouted, and I sincerely enjoyed watching the two athletic dragons wrestle in the pit.