Page 29 of Dragon Heir

He extends my hand towards True, who takes the ring from me. Gently, he lifts my finger and slides the ring slowly up it. It catches at my knuckle, but he nudges it over, and it settles into place as if it were made for my finger alone.

“Our loyalty is sealed to you,” True says. “We will always be here for you.”

“You say that like something bad is going to happen,” I say, trying to lighten the mood with a cheerful tone, but the air in the room still feels heavy. I’m not sure if the intensity is a good one or a bad one.

“Not as long as we can help it,” Pax says.

True mutters something at the same time, but I can’t make out his words. It sounds an awful lot like, “I’m afraid it will.”

“This is supposed to be a party,” I remind them, nudging Pax with a playful push. “You two need to lighten up. A couple drinks and a little dancing will do the trick, right?”

I raise my arms over my head and shimmy my hips, the glittering gems catching the light and making tiny shimmers reflect onto the wall. Both men gape wordlessly, their attention caught by the sparkling, bejeweled garment.

“Unless,” I say, dropping my arms to my sides. I’m suddenly self-conscious, feeling like I’m being too pushy. “If you guys want to stay in…”

“Nah, Nessie. We’re going to enjoy the night,” Pax says. “This is our chance.”

“You’re right,” True says. “Let’s try to enjoy it while we can.”

“Anything I should be aware of here?”

“No,” True says quickly. “Everything’s fine.”

“More than fine,” Pax says. “You look truly spectacular.”

I try to shake off the strange feeling that crept up with their ominous words, but we’re a solemn trio as we leave the house. A trickle of students is heading towards the supernatural district. I find myself automatically scanning for the tell-tale flame of red hair that I see everywhere I go, but I only see a crowd of muscular women decked in big fake gems like me.

As soon as I see the outfits my classmates are wearing, I’m glad that I put on the gifted get-up. All genders dress in the traditional gems-and-tail suits and dresses. I would have stood out in a shabby old cotton dress. My gown isn’t even close to the most revealing either. Half the crowd is completely topless. As much as True might deny that it’s a sex festival, the streets are filled with couples who are at least doing some heavy petting. I don’t see any actual sex, but the night is still young.

“Thank you again for the ring,” I say, hooking my arm through True’s. His body stiffens momentarily before it eases. I pull Pax in, hooking my arm through his too. His skin is a perfect contrast to True’s, hot where the other man’s is cool.

“Anything for you, Nessie,” Pax says.

“Tonight is going to be awesome,” I agree, the solemn mood already forgotten as we’re swept into the buoyant atmosphere of the crowd. “Maybe I can make it up to you later for not getting you a present.”

“That’s not necessary,” True says, his voice distracted as his gaze combs the street.

He clearly missed the inuendo my words implied.

Pax squeezes my arm with his like a secret promise, and I know he didn’t miss it, even if he’s keeping it between us. I decide that this will be the night. I’m going to make a move, tell him how I feel. If it makes things awkward, well, we’ll have years at the academy to get over that little embarrassment.

But I’m not sure we’ll have to endure that. If anything, we’re already a bit awkward around each other. Maybe this will get it out of the way, clear the air. It could bring us together in a way that we’ve never dared to be. A way I’ve been longing for since before I care to admit. Living with him has only proved it to me more fully.

As we approach the tavern, a group of topless girls in colorful feather headdresses turns to ogle my companions, preening and trying to catch their eye. Pax drops my hand, and a swell of hopelessness builds inside me. Here I was planning a move, and he doesn’t even want to be seen holding hands with me. That might ruin his shot with whichever revelers he’d like to bring home tonight for the orgy he mentioned earlier.

“Those are performers in the parade,” True murmurs. “We should go back out after a couple drinks to watch it.”

“Okay,” I agree, shrugging off my disappointment from Pax’s snub. “I’ve only heard of it before. It will be amazing to see it in person.”

A group of guys in bedazzled dresses bound by, hollering and howling like wolves.

“Stay close,” True says, steering me in front of him with a possessive hand on my hip. Unlike Pax, he seems to want to be closer to me when there are others around. I shoot him a grateful smile over my shoulder, but before I can say anything, Pax’s hand closes around mine again. This time, he pulls me through the crowd to a tavern with a sign that reads The Siren’s Song.

I follow Pax inside. It’s dark and damp and warm, the dance floor crowded with bodies grinding slow and rough against one another to the lonesome wails of Lita & the Banshees on stage. The scent of beer and sweat is heavy in the air. The atmosphere is loud and boisterous, though, and beams of colored lights slash through the air, illuminating the dance floor, the tables, the crowd as well as the band. In a back corner, a few bar games are packed with people, and I can make out a couple leaned up against a table, her legs around his waist while he leans over her, his hips flexing. Pretty sure I’ve officially seen someone having sex now.

Pax pulls me in front of him, using his body as a shield from the crowd. He leans a hand on the bar on either side of me, his chest pressing against my back.

“You smell good,” he murmurs into my ear, his voice low in his throat so only I can hear. “Like cookies.”