Dragon Nest

Chapter 14

Naw, you'll be fine. It's not all as grim as I made it out to be. If it's anything like my cat, just remember to trust your dragon's instincts. He'll watch out for the both of you but at the same time don't let him control you. Try to find a balance."

The conversation over, Chris strode forward to give the old werecat a heartfelt, if somewhat awkward man-hug. It felt like he was saying goodbye.

"I'm proud of you Chris, good luck," came Jethry's reply as they broke apart. "See ya around."

He walked back to the house, committing Jethry's advice to memory, trying to prepare for the new world.

***

Breakfast was awkward. His interlocked, very sharp teeth didn't really crush. They sliced. Utensils got in the way of his fang-like canines, transforming eating cereal – or anything else for that matter – into a frustrating experience. He was terrified he might bite off half his tongue if he ever slipped up. The women snickered at his misfortune while he tried to eat.

They all cleaned up and loaded the car. Susan had a duffle of clothes and a small briefcase for their documents. Chris noticed that she also packed some blankets and pillows. She put the back seat down and spread out the blankets. How else had he expected to fit in the car with wings that stuck out above his already considerable height? He hadn't considered that.

Once he'd crawled in and laid down, she threw him the pillows, and spread a final blanket to cover him. From within her purse, she produced a small erlamire flask containing a greenish liquid: a chameleon potion. This she sprinkled over everything in the trunk, and, with an image of a trunk's worth of shopping bags in her mind's eye, she released her energy into the spell; suddenly the blanketed, dragon-shaped mound, resembled a small shopping spree.

"That's so f*****g awesome!" Annabel exclaimed, running her hand through the illusion to feel Chris underneath.

"What do I look like?" he asked.

"Shopping bags. There are groceries and some clothes store bags, some shoe boxes, and a hardware store bag too. Susan, can I learn magic?" she asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry Annabel, but I don't sense any magic in you. Now stay lying down Chris, it's only an illusion as long as you stay reasonably still. It does nothing for sound but that shouldn't be a problem while we're driving." She closed the trunk and walked around to the driver's side.

Somewhat dejected, Annabel climbed into the passenger seat and had just snapped the seatbelt buckle closed when she had a brilliant idea. She unbuckled and climbed in back between the seats. Susan looked back in time to get an eyeful of Annabel's bare legs and panties disappearing under the illusion as she moved next to Chris, and pulled the blanket over their heads. Soon there were contented, moist, kissy sounds emerging from the pile of shopping.

"Alright, here we go," Susan said, mostly to herself. Turning the car down the drive, she waved to Jethry who stood on his porch.

They were off.

***

Chris and Annabel were stuck. Having spent the drive to Laramie smooching and petting under cover of the magical illusion, they desperately wanted to move things to the next level. There were just the small problems of Susan's presence in the driver's seat, and that they were now on a relatively busy highway headed for Denver. They decided to pause instead of exciting themselves further.

"Mom, what are we actually doing when we get to Denver?"

"Well, now that we are actually on the road I need to call and arrange an audience with Lady Narlakis – Annabel, she's the ruler of the mid-western territory of Beings. I've avoided calling before now, in case someone came looking for us. I won't tell them who you are; just that I have an awakened Being to present and register. Once I've called – I think I'll do that in a few minutes actually – we'll drive to the Denver Compound. It's an underground complex in the city centre, underneath the Being district, the area with the most Being-oriented businesses and shops. The Compound is actually an underground palace. Lady Narlakis is a Drow, after all."

"Wait, businesses? You guys are out in the open?" Annabel asked incredulously.

"It's our most important law that our activities don't expose our existence or raise suspicion, but yes. We are a reasonably large community and there are too many of us to live in the shadows. Every being has some sort of form which can pass for human, perhaps with the help of a little magic so we are hidden in plain sight." She paused to pass a truck before continuing. "The Lady should be in session this morning, receiving requests from the community and sorting out disputes. We'll be able to present Chris, get him registered, pick up a bodyguard, get an allowance to take a familiar, and hopefully not piss anyone off."

"Sounds complicated, with what Jethry said, it sounds like there are pitfalls and enemies at just about every corner," Chris worried.

"In a way there are, Chris. Some people will be threatened by you, others will just want to use you without any thoughts of real malice. Just be careful." She pulled into the next rest area. "Okay, let me call the Compound. I'll put it on speaker but you have to be quiet." She dialled the number. Communications of a magical nature were all encrypted by a global spell, a magical communications network: huge in cost and energy, but worth every penny in the modern world. It rang a few times before it was picked up.

"Denver reception, how may I help you?" came the female voice.

"My name is Susan Baryst, registered witch, 4th class, Laramie."

"Yes. I have your file on screen, what can I do for you today?"

"I require an audience with Lady Narlakis under urgency; I'm bringing in a recently awakened Being, suspected Class 1 or above. We'll need an escort."

There was a pause. "Class 1? Are you sure? What species? Is it dangerous?" Reception's interest was piqued.

"Like I said, Class 1 at least. Security is for his protection. I won't reveal any further details."

"One moment, may I call you back shortly?"

"Certainly," Susan replied before disconnecting.

It only took a few minutes for them to call back.

"Susan, this is Timothy Garrill, head of compound security," came a gruff male voice. "You will have a priority audience as soon as you arrive. Lady Narlakis will be in court all morning so you will be inserted into the schedule when you get here. Head to the bottom floor of the underground parking building; there you will be met by a security team and escorted into court. I understand you won't reveal the species or identity of the Being, therefore you will be held responsible for his actions should things turn sour. Is this acceptable?"

"Accepted. I expect to arrive in about an hour." Once Susan had responded, the line went dead.

"Wow, they don't muck around," Annabel commented in the silence after the phone call, now she was actually scared.

"They're not always this serious, but a Class 1 is a big deal. It'll be fine Annabel, just don't say a word. Chris or I will do the talking." Susan reassured. "Chris, you'll have to swear to uphold our laws and loyalty to Lady Narlakis. She can be a bit eccentric but she's generally fair, just be polite and don't offend her, try a little flattery if you can. She will be your protector and provider for years to come, you should behave appropriately thankful. However, she is a notorious collector, just like you collect treasure Chris, she collects valuable and loyal Beings. It's part of the reason she's so powerful. All going well, a young dragon will be such a tempting prize she will bend over backward to make sure we get everything we need."

Underneath the blanket, Chris pulled Annabel close into a hug.

***

The rest of the drive sped by in silence, an hour passing as if it were only a few minutes.

"Here we go." They pulled into the underground car park of a mid-rise building. As they wound down three levels to the bottom floor, Susan briefed them. "I'll get out first and open the trunk. Chris gets out, Annabel stay under the blanket until the initial meeting is over. Chris will help you out."

She pulled up to the security checkpoint. Their escort was already there: five Beings in dark clothes fanned out around the car as they parked. Susan got out first.

"Be brave, I love you." Annabel was trembling as Chris whispered to her before the trunk opened, the outside conversation becoming clear to the two inside.

"You can feel him can't you?" Susan asked. "He won't be dangerous unless provoked."

"Yes, he's a big fella," came the voice of Timothy Garrill. Bringing in a Class 1 was something the fire elemental would see to, himself. "Okay, bring him out slowly." He then spoke in a low curt growl, he meant business. "If you'd told us what he is we could have prepared better, witch."

"Okay Chris, you heard him," came Susan's voice.

Chris's heart pounded as he slid out from underneath the blanket. With his feet planted on the concrete floor, he pulled aside his section of the blanket and slowly straightened, raising to his full height. Taking in his surroundings in a flash, his tongue flicked out to taste the air. Elemental, vampire, lycan, wizard, witch, his dragon informed him.

"Holy s**t," Timothy started. "He's a dragon, right? Who the hell is he? They're all under protection."

Chris stayed still, trying not to seem threatening as he assessed the security team. The vampire woman and the male lycan were scenting him in return. "Yes, he's a dragon. I've raised him as my son. His name is Chris."

"Nice to meet you Chris, it's an honour. I'm Timothy Garril."

"Thank you." Chris shook Timothy's offered hand firmly. "May I bring out Annabel now?" he asked as he turned back toward Susan.

The attack came lightning-fast from behind; the vampire was on his back, attempting to sink her fangs into his neck, driven by the scent of his powerful blood. His dragon jolted into action, buffeting the woman with his wings as he snarled and reached behind to pull her off by her hair. Firming up his hold with a grip on her neck, he ripped her off his back, her scrabbling black talons ripping his shirt and scratching across his scales, drawing a little blood. The smell of his blood in the air only made her struggle harder but Chris had her, slamming her down on the ground and holding her there by her pale neck, applying pressure as she struggled and hissed, fangs bared.

The others sprang into action, moving forward, intent on pulling the two apart.

"Stop!" Annabel screamed, hearing the fight and pushing aside the blanket. "Don't hurt him, please!"

The security team held off and looked to their leader, startled by her sudden appearance.

Chris's dragon was in a rage. It wanted to kill the vampire, and pressed down, as if to rip her head off. She let out a wail, bloodlust fading as self-preservation became more pressing.

"Please let her go, Chris." Annabel begged quietly.