by Aaron Crash
Torches burned around the table on the deck. The sun was getting low in the sky, glowing on the Glass House Mountains. The humidity had let up, the air warm and dry, smelling of the fields and flowers. What kinds? Steven had no idea. He’d never thought he’d leave the U.S., let alone have homes across the world thanks to the death of Rahaab.
Zoey came out in a white dress that didn’t fit well, and she helped the catering team put down pasta salads, potato salads, lettuce, beans, and some dishes Steven didn’t recognize. Liam had also been in the kitchen, and Steven was glad to see that the bear girl and the Yellow Ronin were enjoying each other. Their time in the kitchen was bringing them closer.
After the meal, the sun had all but set. For dessert there was Pavlova with fruit salad and cream on top, along with a sherry trifle, ice cream, and watermelon.
A dog had run up, maybe a neighbor’s dog, and Cooper had fed it shamelessly. The animal had curled up on the deck, trying to sleep off a food coma. As for Cooper, he’d convinced a few people to join him kicking around a soccer ball in the field.
Then Steven called his family to him. It was time for business. He sat at the front of the big table. Other chairs had been pulled up because it was a crowd of people, mostly women.
Finkfuss—he liked to be called by his last name—insisted on the seat next to the Big Guy, which was how he referred to Steven. Finkfuss didn’t have much hair on his head, but his chest hair overflowed from his shirt, and he was the color of a boiled lobster. He never went anywhere without a XXXX Gold in his big hairy paw. It seemed he sweated beer. Finkfuss considered himself a master Magician, but that wasn’t quite right, since he hadn’t tackled Magica Porta yet, but then, very few had. Finkfuss didn’t like Divination magic either. He said he wasn’t a bleeding fortune-teller.
Steven would let the Magician talk all he wanted. So far, he’d kept the Queensland Primacy running. Liam Strider and Skylar Blacke helped, though, and they too sat at the big table on Steven’s left.
The other four of the Five Widows sat back. Steven made sure to smile at Pretty, who smiled back. He was so glad he could give her a home with her fellow wives, though at this point, he needed the Five Widows in Australia. The battle that morning made that clear.
Of course, Bud was with Aria, Tessa, and Mouse on Steven’s right. Denise and Fimi sat with the Wenck Wives, otherwise known as the Three Queens. Tessa had come up with the name, since the women were from Queensland, after all. The Queens were currently distracted taking care of their children.
Zoey didn’t exactly sit still. She’d hover over Steven’s shoulder, then leave to go help with the children, especially Cooper, who dashed off with his stick, only to come back with another one. And Zoey loved to hold Aubrey. She nearly purred when she held the baby. It was apparent she wouldn’t mind having one of her own.
Finkfuss sipped from his Goldie and continued to talk. He didn’t stop much. “Hindmarch Hotham attacked ’cause he thought we were vulnerable. We’d heard rumors Steven lost a fight in America, and so Hotham hit us. Thank God the Five Widows had the extra help.” He tipped his beer at Aria, Tessa, and Mouse.
Aria and Tessa tilted their heads in a wordless “thank you.” As for Mouse, she grumbled under her breath, “For the love of biscuits, we didn’t lose. We won that fight against Liang Pope. But oh well, one more Primacy for us. And more wives. It’s becoming a real snatch factory around here.”
Tessa burst out laughing.
Not for the first time, Steven missed the Wayne twins. But they were on a mission of their own with Sabina in tow. It was an odd threesome: Sabina wasn’t exactly on the same page with Chastity and Prudence when it came to most things. However, putting together his seer with their best and most connected schemers made sense.
Steven glanced around at all the women. His four core Escorts. The Five Widows. The Three Queens. Denise and Fimi. Uchiko had woken up, but she kept to the back, in her black jumpsuit, with the stylish black surgical mask covering her face. Fifteen beautiful women, all his, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. He had wives from the former Texarkana Primacy he hadn’t met yet, along with new women from the PNW as well as the Endeavor Primacy to the south.
And he wasn’t done conquering. He had worlds to save, worlds to conquer, and a universe to explore.
Finkfuss continued to spout words. “And that little lady there, Mouse, and her big sword, why, she’s becoming a bleeding legend. I watched her cut off a dragon’s head as quick as you please. And the gunslinger Magician, she put two holes in Hotham with pink bullets. The guy never stood a chance. As for Aria and Zoey, I wouldn’t want to end up on the wrong side of their claws. I’ve never seen a more skilled fighter than Aria, I don’t reckon. She’s a real corker.”
Steven stood.
That was Finkfuss’s cue to stop. He was sober enough to get Steven’s hint. “Right, mate. Let’s get started with our business. I didn’t come here to fuck a snake, so let’s get to it.”
Zoey had Cooper and Emma over by some plants, where they’d found a stick insect, so the kids didn’t hear the cussing. Adelaide, though, gave Finkfuss a dark look at the swear word even though Aubrey was a tiny baby.
Tessa laughed again. “I am totally using that, all the time. I’ll be all like, ‘For the love of biscuits, I didn’t come here to fuck a snake.’”
“You can use the snake bit,” Mouse said, “but I’m not sharing my catchphrase.”
Tessa blew the petite blonde a kiss and a smile.
Steven waited on them to finish. Then all eyes went to him. “First off, I want to thank Harold for taking good care of the Queensland Primacy for so long.”
“Call me Finkfuss, Steven,” the Aussie Magician piped up. “Harold was my dad.”
“Okay, thank you, Finkfuss.” Steven lifted his gaze to the Three Queens. “And thank you, Adelaide, Isla, and Matilda. I appreciate your patience as we continue to figure things out over here. I’m glad we could stop over in Australia, but we have to get to Bali.”
Tessa raised a glass of wine. “The Mystery of the Dragonknights and Merlin’s Daughter! We have to find the lost son.”
“And the holy fucking grail,” Mouse smirked.
“Hopefully find a clue on how to stop the Americos Chambers from stealing Steven’s power,” Aria added.
Steven smiled and nodded. “All of that is so very true. But we have business to discuss tonight.”
They all nodded at him. Matilda gave him a huge smile, and the power behind it, the lust, made Steven forget his thoughts for a moment. Then he continued. “Going forward, we’re going to change how wives join my Escort. I’m not closing myself off completely, but what I really need are soldiers, not wives. So, any new woman that joins my Primacy can petition to become a wife, but it’s going to be a process. That process might be really slow because of my time.”
Denise and Fimi blinked, looking relieved. Their eyes went to Bud. Who was also surprised.
Adelaide lowered her head. Tears dropped onto her legs. Tears of relief, obviously. Isla looked on in wonder. Matilda was obviously disappointed.
Steven continued. “All the wives joining my Primacy are my vassals, but like I said, I need warriors, not wives. I’m going to encourage all of the Dragonsouls, men or women, who join me to find humans who want to become Dragonskins.”
Uchiko had her arms crossed. It was hard to tell the expression on her face, due to the mask, and she stood in a shadow, out of the setting sun. He would get her opinion later. Becoming a Dragonskin was no easy task. She knew from her own painful experience.
Steven watched Aria closely. She was frowning, her brow furrowed, her eyes staring holes into the table. Then, slowly, her forehead smoothed, a new light filled her green eyes, and a smile widened her lips. “Warriors, not wives.”
Tessa laughed. “It’s so like a networking marketing business. You take one wife, they train two Dragonskins, and they train two Dragonskins, and so on, and so on. And we get our army.”
> Liam Strider wasn’t convinced. “But wait, we’ve seen how hard the rituals are, how rigorous. I know people, and most are weak. They can barely get through their normal everyday lives. Yet, you are asking them to risk everything. And what does your average female Dragonsoul know about the rituals?”
Mouse smacked the table. “I knew shit about them. But I helped Edgar Vale. Yeah, it killed him and drove him insane, but I knew what to do. It’s not rocket science. It’s just awful.”
“What will you do with the failures?” Liam asked. “Will you send them away to live on a far-off island? Will you kill them? What about their families? And then there is the issue of telling humans about Dragonsouls. No, we can’t do this.”
Steven stared into Liam’s eyes. “The days of Dragonsouls are coming to an end. And Liam, who has really studied the Dragonskin rituals? I mean from a basic level. I reached out and touched Uchiko’s Animus core. I saw the issue. And with your help, I think I can adjust it.”
Uchiko stiffened. She ripped off her mask. “What are you saying, Steven? What does this mean?”
Inside, Steven felt his heart drop, but he kept a straight face. He hadn’t told her what he’d felt at the lighthouse, and he hated to do it front of everyone. However, there was no help for it now. Adelaide and Isla turned away in disgust, as did Denise and Fimi. His core Escort and the Five Widows didn’t have that reaction. They looked upon the half-Dragonskin with compassion and hope in their eyes.
Steven walked past all his wives and vassals to take Uchiko’s talon. Desperation and hope, in equal parts, painted her face. “It means I think with more knowledge, we can adjust your Animus, and with some time, and with FleshForge, I’m hoping we can adjust your body.”
Skylar Blacke spoke from behind him. “Most of the Primes I’ve known liked the Dragonskin rituals being difficult. They didn’t want the humans getting powerful. Humans becoming Warlings, Morphlings, and Magicians were bad enough, but to become dragons? Let’s just say not many were supportive.”
“We liked that it was difficult,” Liam admitted. “We liked that it was painful. I knew a Dragonlord that tortured their Skinlings for the fun of it, saying it weeded out those who weren’t dedicated.”
Steven turned and faced the Yellow Ronin. “So how much of the rituals are critical? Do you know?”
Liam shook his head. “I followed what I’ve been told. It could be that we know very little. However, if wives go out recruiting, that will expose us. We hide among the humans. If they know about us, if we become the next YouTube sensation, word will get out to the Zothoric. We are not ready for that.”
“No, we’re not,” Steven answered. He had to laugh. “I can’t even go back to my American Primacies. But this is the future. This is what I want.”
Aria was still blown away. “Warriors, not wives.”
“I’m getting that on a T-shirt,” Mouse said. “I need a cigarette. I need one of your quadruple-X beers, Finkfuss, but if I started on the hooch now, I’d never stop. What do you think of all this?”
The Aussie erupted. He’d been quiet for a long time. “Steven fucking Drokharis is bleeding crazy. He’s as mad as a cut snake, I’ll tell you what. Yet if he could get an army of Dragonskins, hell, no one has ever done that before. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around it.”
“Not quite right,” Steven said. “Rahaab had his 47. He basically created a hit squad of Dragonskins. I’m just doing it on a larger level.”
“Dude, wait,” Bud said excitedly. “Do I get to become a dragon? I mean, is that even possible?”
Mouse tsked and made a face. “Sorry, Bud. Douchebags don’t have the right souls for the rituals. And you’re a lawyer. I’m not sure you have a soul.”
“Ha.” Bud faked a laugh. “You guys don’t need me flying around, and I saw what Sabina had to go through. She ate vegetables and rice. Not even fried rice. Steamed rice. Not sure I could go raw-food vegan at this point.”
“That’s just it,” Liam murmured. “With AnimusChain, with the Mirror-Souled Dragon abilities, we could simplify the rituals. Perhaps even change things if the rituals fail.” The old yellow-bearded dragon had to ponder that for several long seconds.
Steven knew he’d made Liam curious, and a curious scholar was a powerful thing. He turned, leaned in, and gave Uchiko a kiss. Then he walked toward the end of the table. “For now, let’s study this plan, and as far as the Dragonsoul community is concerned, I get wives, I take them. It’s business as usual. In reality, it’s not.”
Matilda let out a sigh.
“Oh, just ask him,” Adelaide said finally.
Matilda blushed and opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come.
Steven smiled at her. “Yes, Matilda, later. We’ll talk. But for now, yes, don’t worry.”
Denise and Fimi whispered something to each other and then kept their eyes averted. Something was going on in their pretty heads, but Steven couldn’t address every single feminine mystery among his wives. He walked back to the head of the table and sat down.
A glance up. Uchiko was gone. She was a solitary creature, and he knew she’d want to be alone to process the news. He’d meant to bring it up before, but there hadn’t felt like a good time.
“Bud,” Steven said, “with everything going in the States, I don’t want to have to dick with my Australian Primacies. I want to play dirty with Chath Lavarack and Krab Beazlee.”
Bud grew serious. “You want to make them suffer, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Steven said. “I want them begging for mercy. I want them lying awake at nights, walking the floors, and I want them scared shitless in the daylight. I want to shake them down to their core.”
Bud nodded. “You want to lawyer them, don’t you?”
“That’s cruel,” Mouse whispered. “You don’t mean...”
“Yes,” Steven said. “I want Boaz, Jessup, & Novak to go after the other two Australian Primacies.”
Bud grinned like a feral wolf over a fresh kill. “Let’s see, we have auditing, asset seizures, foreclosures, property liens, court costs, legal fees, injunctions to cease operations, trademark violations, tax liens, anything, everything, and subpoenas to testify in, oh, let’s go with Lagos, Nigeria.” He paused. “No, wait, we can check their software licenses. Chances are they are using Microsoft, and even if they’re clean, they’re going to have to check every single workstation.”
“You’re an animal,” Tessa accused.
They all burst into laughter.
Steven knew it was the right move. Rahaab had used his legal team to freeze Steven out of his assets for weeks on end. With another law firm in the mix, the legal cruelty would know no bounds.
When it came to torture, lawyers could be downright medieval.
Chapter Seventeen
PRUDENCE WAYNE STOOD in front of the gas pumps at an Arco in Barstow, California. Cactus Bill had agreed to meet them in Joshua Tree National Park, and they were on their way there.
It was their first step in their investigation of what Tessa referred to as The Mystery of the Bad Mojo Americos Chambers. The gunslinger could be ridiculous, and yet she was the most powerful Magician Pru had ever met.
She sighed. Late January? Whatever. The Inland Empire air was hot from the asphalt, the traffic, the industrial parks, the donut shops, the storage units, and the miles of highways that Caltrans could never stop dicking with. Barstow was the dirty desert strip mall that Los Angeles tolerated, needed, shunned, and then called up at three in the morning to pay for nasty sex.
Pru wasn’t happy, for a variety of reasons. For one, they hadn’t been able to buy a Hummer in the Bay Area. Goddamn hippies. Rumor had it, they’d stopped making them, but Pru could’ve sworn she’d seen a newer model. Well, even if they had, Hummers had gotten smaller, which wasn’t the point.
The pump clicked shut. The Ford Expedition they’d settled on sure loved gas. Good thing they were rich as fuck.
Another super annoying thing? Sabina Go
nzales had hitched a ride with them. Chazzie and Pru schemed the best when it was just the two of them. At the lighthouse, when they’d started up their routine, having people butt into their thoughts just didn’t feel right. To be honest, Prudence was glad to be away from Steven’s Escort. And Steven.
He was too smart, too powerful, too mesmerizing. Pru found it hard to think when she was around him. All she wanted was to kiss him, hold him, love on him. That was not how Bob Wayne had raised his daughters. Queens did not kowtow to the kings. It was the other way around. Always. The Waynes were obvious Texas queens, without a doubt.
While Pru pumped gas, Sabina slept in the back of the Expedition. Chazzie returned with a few pairs of gas station sunglasses, big, sparkling, bedazzled, and even one with little pink feathers attached. They were wonderful and terrible all at the same time.
Chazzie slid a pair on her face and then outfitted Pru with a pair. A trucker’s air horn blasted through the air, and the driver said something, but of course he did. The Wayne twins were in town. Hard to travel incognito when you were so wonderfully gorgeous, all made-up, with half your tits out, and your ass packed into thousand-dollar jeans. Shopping in San Francisco had been super fun. Sleepy Sabina had crashed in their hotel, another J.W. Marriott, while the twins shopped, and they bought Sabina her wardrobe, and of course, the clothes were perfect for her.
Poor Sabina, her final transition to her True Form had taken a lot out of her. Goddamn Sabina, why had she come with them in the first place? That girl was always half in the past, half in the future, saying shit that was both helpful and unnerving.
Pru slid one of their super-secret credit cards into the pump to pay. They kept such cards handy because sometimes a girl wanted to buy things without anyone knowing. No one could track them. No one could question them.