Page 50 of Collected By the Crow

After cleaning up the lab and stacking paperwork on Ryuu’s desk, they exited the way they came. The building was way less crowded, everyone having left for the workday. That was reassuring, knowing it was one less thing for Q to stress over.

Dana led them to a sci-fi dune rover that immediately made Cass think of Star Wars. She glanced up to see Dana smirking at her. There was seating for four within the cagey metal frame, and surprisingly comfortable looking seats.

“My glider. Something straight out of a movie, huh?” Dana laughed. “I couldn’t drive it through the market earlier, but we’ll take it to my place. Assuming you guys still want to chill for a bit?”

Cass glanced at Qadaire. She wouldn’t push him into anything he wasn’t ready for.

“Yes. Let’s go, dudes,” he said with a painful-looking attempt at a smirk.

They hopped in the outrageous vehicle and Dana sped off. A bubble formed in the bottom of Cassandra’s belly, like the excitement of a roller coaster. She held her hair to the side, tucked her dress tight between her thighs, and laughed like a child. A similar sound rose beside her, and she forced her giggles to subside so she could observe Qadaire. His smile was so genuine and pure, she took a mental picture. His bottom hands gripped two of the structural bars, while he held his uppers out of the nonexistent roof.

Something in Cassandra whispered a hypothesis. If Qadaire lived somewhere he was welcome, then he would smile more freely.

The thought stifled her laughter. She put a pin in that for later.

The house they pulled up to was—unsurprisingly—huge. Dana whipped the glider around the side of the brick house and hopped out. Cass and Qadaire followed suit.

“Rathym won’t be here long, but we should be able to catch him briefly.” Dana gave Cass one of those looks. “He spent a couple centuries away from society. I think he enjoys being part of a community that appreciates him, but don’t tell him I said that.”

Cass smiled along, casting a glance at Qadaire. Would he like it here, too?

Once inside, Cass whistled in awe of the home’s interior structure. How did they get all these buildings to be so large? She supposed it came along with the species, obviously, but it was still humbling to witness. The difference between this home and the other building she’d been in, however, was the distinctly human-sized furniture. She didn’t know Dana very well, but she suspected it was her bookshelves that lined the far wall, fully equipped with a sliding ladder. Cassandra sank into an intricately carved armchair that would be way too easy to fall asleep in, while Qadaire hung awkwardly right inside the door. She waved him over, pointing to a plush armchair beside hers.

“Addy, they’re here!” Dana called. An auburn-haired woman peeked around the corner, smiled, then disappeared. “They have to grab her mattress.” Cassandra’s brows shot up, making the other woman snort with laughter. “Traeyr’s a demon. He’s bound to her but can’t leave her bedroom.”

“Ahh! Hence the one-room house.” Cass giggled. “That’s genius.”

A crimson dragon that perfectly matched the description in Scales and Handcuffs lumbered into the room. He held a fancy wine bottle in one hand, a bundle of wine glasses in the other. “Hello, my treasure’s guests. I will not be joining you today. Please enjoy this offering instead. Drink your fill.”

The bottle didn’t look like enough for five people to drink their fill, but Cass thanked him and accepted a glass. Rathym poured another and offered it to Qadaire, who also accepted it. She’d never heard him speak of alcohol and wasn’t sure if it affected him. She kinda liked the idea of tipsy Qadaire. She had a feeling tipsy Q would be very bold in bed indeed.

Moments after the door shut behind Rathym, Addy returned with Traeyr in tow. He was huge, Cass estimated somewhere around seven feet tall, and covered in fur. He sauntered in, a king-sized mattress casually strewn over his shoulder. It looked so natural, like he’d been carrying it around forever and didn’t notice its presence anymore. He leaned it against the far wall and swiped his hands together once.

“You’re the scientists!” Addy exclaimed. “You guys saved all those puppies.”

“Yep,” Cass confirmed. “But it was only because his magic made it possible.”

Addy shook her head. “What a miracle you guys found each other.”

“Not my magic,” Qadaire spat with disdain. Cass heard the raise of his voice. He was making sure he wasn’t mumbling. “It was my venom.”

The women exchanged glances. Cass was sure they’d heard his tone, too. Before she could say anything to comfort him, Traeyr stepped forward, taking a seat on the coffee table. He cupped his palms like he was holding an invisible ball and gazed between them. The shadows in the room reached for him. Tendrils rose like vapor from under the coffee table. There was black movement in her peripheral as her own shadow was pulled from behind her. The shadows of the room flickered and danced to him, around his furry arms and through his horns. Soon, they settled between his palms.

“Darkness.” Traeyr’s eyes flicked to Qadaire’s, a yellow glow lending to his striking stare. “I have it, too.”

The demon’s words struck Cassandra right in the heart. She put her hand on Qadaire’s top right where it clutched the armrest.

The shadows in Traeyr’s hands swirled. They collected into groups, transforming into a swarm of wispy black butterflies. With a flick of his wrists, their wings took flight and they rushed back to their places, the light in the room returning to normal.

Qadaire nodded at the demon and lifted his glass.

The night could only progress positively from there, which it did, especially because of the wine bottle. Cass had been wrong. It was more than enough. It was endless.

The longer they stayed, the harder it was for Cass to ignore that little voice. Was it wisdom, or was it wishful thinking?

Cass clung to Q’s neck. The cool night air of the human realm was a stark difference to the warmth of the Great Flame Kingdom. Qadaire’s black wings skillfully maneuvered them through the air, the sound of their strength beating against the wind a constant sign of her safety. Flying would take some getting used to, for sure, but right now she kinda liked it.

“I didn’t know you could drink.” She burrowed deeper into his hold. She didn’t even realize she’d started to kiss his neck, with tongue, until she felt warbles vibrating in his chest. “How much wine did you have?”

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