Chapter 9

"You're hurt!" Ciel reached to touch the welt on Argenis's nose.

"It is nothing and will soon disappear," he promised. "The new grinding stone is being installed as we talk."

"They shot at you?"

"Not the miller and his family. For their safety, I brought them here to Wyvern," Argenis tried to distract her. "Keres came to help."

"The black dragon. He's scary."

"When did you meet Keres?" Argenis asked. She could tell he was concerned by the furrow on his brow.

"He came here after you left."

"Send a message to me immediately if he shows again," Argenis ordered.

"O—okay. Is he dangerous?"

"I don't believe so," Argenis answered slowly as he was considering his words carefully. "Now, someone is coming to meet you."

"Who?"

"The gold dragon, Drake, and his mate. Her name is Aurora."

"What a pretty name! I think I remember someone named Aurora in school. She was a few years older than me, I think," Ciel suggested.

"I think you're right. She just finished college."

"When are they coming?" Ciel asked, lifting a hand to smooth over her hair. She had given up putting on make-up and there were no blow dryers or curling irons. Her split ends were out of control, but there was no way she could cut the long tresses herself.

"I see them now."

Ciel turned and raced back into the house. The cool shadows of the house slid over her heated skin as she ran for the bathroom. After quickly washing her face and putting a bit of powder on, Ciel brushed her hair and started braiding it into a thick plait.

Come.

She raced back through the house as she finished weaving her hair together. As she walked out the door, Ciel spotted the gold dragon shimmer into an amazingly fit man. A woman stood with her back to the house.

"Hi," Ciel called as she finished the braid and wrapped a scrunchie around it.

"Ciel. I thought that name was familiar. I think we were in physical education together in high school, "Aurora said with a smile.

"I recognized your name, too. I'm sorry I don't remember better. Freshman year was the absolute worst," Ciel confessed.

"No problem. I'm glad to meet you now. Let me introduce my mate, Drake."

"Hi, Drake," Ciel said with a wave.

"I am glad to meet you, Ciel. Congratulations on your mating," Drake told her in a voice even deeper than Argenis's.

"Ciel, I am going to show Drake something on the map while he's here. Why don't you show Aurora the swings in the back?" Argenis suggested.

"That sounds like fun," Aurora said with a smile.

"Come on. Argenis just put them up for me," Ciel said, waving to Aurora to follow her.

The two settled in the simple swings made with smooth wood and ropes. Pushing off with their legs, they swung back and forth for a while. Finally, Ciel asked, "Had you heard of the dragons?"

"My grandmother was the keeper of information for my family. She had not talked to me yet. I was clueless. I met Drake as he was going into the cemetery for his former mate's burial," Aurora shared.

"His mate had just died?" Ciel asked, horrified.

"Yes. How long ago did Argenis's mate pass? I'd heard she was sick."

"I—I don't know how long. I know he loved her. That's hard to know that the person you love has felt so strongly for other women." Ciel looked at the woman she knew understood. "Does that bother you?"

"It did in the beginning. Then I realized I didn't want Drake alone for centuries."

"I didn't think about it like that. That helps. Thank you," Ciel expressed her genuine gratitude.

"I'm glad to meet another person who just mated with a dragon. How does he treat you?" Aurora asked.

Ciel could tell there was a purpose for her question. She was asking for information. "It's great, unless I get spanked.," she blurted, hoping that she wasn't making a major blunder.

"Oh, thank goodness. I wondered if it was just Drake and me." She paused and smiled at Ciel. "It's like all my fantasies have come to life."

"Do you think they're all Daddies? I mean… Is Drake a Daddy Dom?" Ciel dared to ask.

"The Daddiest. He takes very good care of me."

Noting the slight blush on her new friend's face, Ciel said, "Could they be any hunkier? Are there any wimpy dragons?"

"I doubt that. I think it's part of their dragon shifter DNA. They're powerful in both forms. It fascinates me to watch Drake shift. It's like magic."

"I know. How can it possibly work? Where do their clothes go? And all the scales?" Ciel asked, laughing.

Aurora snickered. When their gazes met, peals of laughter bubbled from their lips. Instantly, they were the best of friends. All of Ciel's hesitations to reveal her new lifestyle evaporated.

"I'm glad you came," Ciel told her.

"Me, too. Drake didn't give me a choice," Aurora admitted.

"Want to come see my playroom?" Ciel asked.

"I'd love to."

"Come on. It's off our bedroom."

Ciel led the way into the house. They passed Drake and Argenis in his study, cut crystal glasses of an amber liquid in their hands. When they were safely passed, she whispered, "I thought they were looking at a map."

"We had to locate where the scotch came from, Little Sky," Argenis called after them. "Have fun!"

"Thanks, Daddy," Ciel automatically answered, a bit shocked that he had heard her. The moment the second word left her lips, she whirled to look at Aurora in shock. "I mean…"

Aurora interrupted her. "We're going to Ciel's playroom, Daddy."

"Be good, Little girl," Drake's low voice reverberated down the hallway.

Taking her friend's hand, Ciel dragged her into the playroom, where she hoped the men couldn't hear her. "Thank goodness you call Drake, Daddy, too. I thought you'd laugh at me."

"Of course not. A—you're my friend. B—Daddy Dom, what else are we going to call them? C—Drake insists."

"Argenis, does too. I like it," Ciel confessed.

"Me, too. He takes really good care of me," Aurora said, waggling her eyebrows meaningfully.

"You are so bad," Ciel accused with a giggle.

A few minutes later, they'd chosen a board game and were happily rolling dice and moving pieces around. It was the perfect fun to have as they compared their lives and found so many similarities.

"I don't suppose we can play," Argenis asked from the doorway.

"Of course, Daddy. Come join us. You can have the gray marker and Drake can have the orange one. We'll pretend they're silver and gold," Ciel promised.

"Deal. Prepare to go down," Argenis challenged Drake.

"Bring it on."

The women looked back and forth between the two before dissolving into laughter. Their peaceful game had just taken on a totally new tone. Aurora looked at Ciel and winked. Immediately, Ciel understood. They were going to work together to make sure one of them won.

Ciel picked up the dice and rolled. "Oh, sorry, Daddy. You get to go back two spaces."

"I haven't moved yet," he pointed out.

"According to the rules, that means you miss your next turn," Aurora volunteered.

"Indeed? Well, I'll just occupy myself while I wait to play." Argenis plucked Ciel off the carpet and plopped her gently on his lap. He rubbed her back with his fingertips, massaging her.

Ciel couldn't keep her eyes from lowering to half-mast. "Maybe we should ignore that rule."

Even through lowered eyelids, Ciel saw Drake looking at his mate speculatively. Aurora must have noticed, too.

"Who likes that silly rule? Go ahead and take your turn," Aurora suggested.

"Thank you," Argenis said graciously. He kissed Ciel's hair and sat her back in her original spot before picking up the dice and rolling.

The women just looked at each other. Who could win against cunning dragons?