Chapter 9

Dragon business?

Rolling her eyes as she yawned, Lalani stretched, trying to wake up completely. She hated to admit it, but she felt better after the nap he made her take. Her clothes had disappeared from her dresser where he usually put them. She’d have to pick out something new.

Pushing back the covers, she walked to the closet with her arms wrapped around herself. According to Khadar, she slept better naked. There was no arguing with him. He’d just pull the Daddy card— Daddy makes the decisions .

It was tough choosing clothes. Already, she had gotten spoiled by Khadar deciding everything for her. It was so much easier to enjoy all the fun things without having to worry about all those adult things. Bills, cooking, laundry, cleaning… Those were definitely not Lalani’s favorite things to do.

Khadar had created a list of chores for her to do. They were on a big board in her nursery. Each day, she got a checkmark or an X. Lots of checkmarks earned her a reward. Her face heated at the special rewards she had received. Too many Xs and she either had to stand in the corner or have some other punishment.

Her eyes darted to the silvery butt plug that sat on the dresser with a tube of lubricant. Khadar had declared her bottom training would begin tonight. She couldn’t imagine that going into her. Maybe he was just kidding?

Pushing her hand down into the front of her leggings, Lalani tried to convince herself that the thought of him pushing that device into her bottom did not turn her on. The slickness her fingers discovered proved she was. Lalani stroked through her pink folds. Tingles of pleasure gathered as she caressed herself.

Could he tell if she…? Lalani looked at the nursery bed and debated if she could lie back on the pillows to make herself climax. Maybe just a quick one?

She shook her head. He’d know.

She pulled her hand from her pants and wiped her juices onto her leggings before running over to the bed to make it and tuck Lettuce in. She needed to earn a reward tonight. Her body craved Khadar’s masterful touch.

A shiver of something evil slid down her spine, making her push her desires away. Something was wrong. Malevolence seemed to hover around Khadar. Was he okay?

Scared to distract him, Lalani locked down her ability to think something to Khadar with fierce determination. She knew he needed to focus on whatever was happening. Singing the most frivolous songs in her head, she tried to keep her mind busy as she tidied her nursery, putting away the toys she’d played with before her nap.

When she needed to get out of that room, Lalani wandered through the house, trying to map it out in her head. She avoided looking out the windows when she saw smoke bellowing upward. About the third time through by herself, she was getting the hang of it and allowed herself to celebrate.

I’m proud of you, Princess.

Khadar? Are you here?

I just landed outside.

Lalani dashed through the hallway and out the front door. Khadar stood tall and strong. He didn’t appear injured. She ran to throw herself into his arms. Plastered against him, Lalani held on tightly.

“Mate? Are you okay?” His hands stroked over her body as he alternated which one supported her.

“You’re the one that was in danger. What happened? Are you hurt? I kept trying not to send you worried messages.”

“Princess, you are the most important person in my life…”

Lalani interrupted him. “I don’t want you to get hurt because I’m panicking. It was so scary.” She bit the side of her lips and winced slightly. She’d done that a lot while she tried to concentrate on a song.

“I’m so sorry. Let’s figure out how to make things better.”

Khadar kissed her forehead and carried her up the stairs to a cushioned seat in a secluded corner of the large porch. Holding her on his lap, he cupped her face. “Remember, dragon. I’m difficult to hurt.”

“You were in peril today. I don’t care how you try to sugarcoat it. There was something very bad out there. Tell me what it was.”

“We were investigating an invading force between Oldrik and Ardon’s mountains. There is no pass there, so they haven’t set up barricades. Ardon will take care of that now.”

“Only Ardon? Is something wrong with Oldrik?”

“He’s fine. There was a slight problem today and Oldrik got the worst of it. He recovered quickly.”

She studied his face. “You’re not telling me the whole truth.”

“There was a group who attacked us today. It was something new that we hadn’t dealt with before. We were a bit surprised but took care of the problem.”

“I saw the plumes of smoke.”

“The colored ones didn’t go up too far.” Khadar brushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He didn’t meet her gaze.

Lalani reached up to cup his face and demanded, “Look at me. I didn’t see those. Just the black. What was the colored smoke for?”

“I’m trying not to upset you, Lalani. Let me tell you what happened.”

“Please!”

“A group set off a number of colored poofs of smoke. I could tell from the smell that it was evil and avoided running into it.”

“Oldrik got hit?” she guessed.

“He inhaled a small amount before Ardon knocked him into clean air.”

“Ardon’s okay?”

“He’s fine. And Oldrik is fine now.”

“But he wasn’t then,” Lalani stated.

“He was off-balanced but recovered.”

“Did they hurt anyone from Wyvern?” she asked, biting a spot on her lip again.

“Princess. You have to stop chewing on your lip. You’ve hurt yourself.”

“I only do that when I’m worried.”

“No citizen of Wyvern was hurt.”

She released his face to run her hands over his body. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine, Lalani.”

“It was so scary. I knew you were in danger.”

“Do we need to tamp down our mental connection? That way frightening things won’t bombard you,” he suggested.

Lalani shook her head violently. “No. I want to know. Can you just teach me how to keep from bothering you?” she asked. “That’s what I’m afraid of doing.”

“Singing was very smart. Anything that makes your brain work. Exercise, read, do a puzzle in your nursery.”

She nodded. “Okay, Daddy.”

Lalani rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Dragon.”

“I know. You’re a big, tough, indestructible dragon.”

“I’ve set the table for you,” Louise, the housekeeper, announced from the doorway.

“Come on, Princess. We’ll both feel better after eating.”

Lalani stayed close to her Daddy. Just being near him helped her relax. Sitting on his lap, she munched on a sandwich Khadar had created for her from all the delicious ingredients on the table. Somehow the ones he made were always more delicious than those she put together.

She froze when she heard Khadar humming one of the songs she’d sung while he was gone. “You could hear me. Thank goodness I didn’t…” Lalani clamped her teeth together to keep from finishing that sentence.

“Didn’t what, princess? Were you thinking of doing something naughty?”

Lalani shook her head. “No, I ran around the house trying to memorize where everything was.”

To distract him, she picked up a carrot stick from their communal plate and held it to his mouth. He took a bite with flaring nostrils.

“Are the carrots stinky?” she asked, holding the other half to her nose. It smelled just like a carrot. Lalani popped it into her mouth and chewed. Tasted like a carrot.

Khadar grabbed her hand and lifted it to his nose. He sniffed her fingers. “Is there something you want to tell me, Princess?”

“No? I forgot to wash my hands before dinner?” she guessed.

“No, Lalani. Did you touch yourself while I was gone?”

“Oh! Just when I went to the bathroom,” she lied.

“So, when I take down your pants, I’m not going to find you slick and aroused?”

“Well, now you will. You’re talking about it. My body is reacting.”

“Let’s see.”

Grasping her waist, he lifted Lalani into the air to press his nose against her mound. “You are very definitely turned on, Princess. But wait.”

He turned her slightly to press his nose to the side of her thigh. “I can smell your juices here, Lalani. On the same side as the hand you caressed yourself with. Want to change your story?”

She shook her head automatically.

“Hmmm. It’s too bad baby monitors don’t work anymore. I could just watch the replay.”

Khadar sat her back on his lap and helped himself to a large portion of potato salad. “This is my favorite. Would you like to try it?” he asked, holding a bite to her lips.

Lalani accepted the bite and chewed as she watched his face. Was that it? He was going to accept her word for it.

When Khadar didn’t bring it up but chatted about things going on in Wyvern, Lalani relaxed. She’d gotten by with it.

“I cleaned my toys up and made my bed when I woke up,” she announced proudly.

“What a wonderful Little one you are, Princess. We will go up to the nursery after dinner and count all your points. Do you think you’ll earn a reward today?”

“Yes, Daddy. I know I will.”

He nodded and offered her another bite of yumminess. When her stomach was full, she leaned against his broad chest. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to how much food Khadar ate. Looking sneakily toward his trim waistline, she couldn’t see an ounce of extra weight on him. His dragon form must require a ton of calories to keep him functioning. Lalani knew he raised livestock for a reason. A dragon needed a steady supply of nourishment.