Page 29 of To Fall for a Dragon

He also wanted to prove to them that not all vampires were assholes with power issues by walking around with Poe on his arm.

Poe looked amazing in his borrowed suit. His hair was brushed to the side and slicked back. The grey pallor that had clung to Poe had slowly vanished with the care Hakko had lavished on Poe. His skin had a pearlescent glow to it, and he seemed more confident now. The suit jacket enhanced his slim body a lot better than his battered clothing.

Hakko made a mental note to remove Poe’s ancient clothes from his space and replace them with warmer and better versions. Though Poe would have to give him permission first.

“The doors haven’t opened to the public yet, so you have some peace while browsing. Ethan and I will be in the main hall where the buffet is if you have any questions. I’ll come back for you once we unlock the doors, okay?”

Poe nodded. He had grown quiet and almost distant as time marched closer and closer to when the event began. Hakko wished he could stay and help Poe, but the gala came first. He pressed a kiss on Poe’s forehead in apology before leaving him alone.

“How’s it going so far?” Hakko asked Ethan as he inspected the long row of tables with a variety of treats on them. “You’ve done a fantastic job.”

“Really? Thank you. Caden came in earlier and did a few adjustments. He said there wasn’t anything he could do to stop the ghosties from being poltergeists, unfortunately. The caterer and her bar crew will open the bar a half hour after people start arriving. All the hearts and Valentines are hung tastefully, and we have a few unmarked ones for people to create their own if they desire,” Ethan said as he studied the tablet in his hand.

“Have you had a chance to step away for a bit?” Hakko asked. Ethan had the same frayed look as Poe, and it worried Hakko.

“I’m fine. I need to make sure the exhibition hall is perfect before I sit down.” Ethan waved off Hakko’s concern as they followed the buffet line, inspecting each plate and name tag.

“Ethan…”

Ethan wasn’t allowed to crack. Hakko forbade it. Ethan was his second-in-command, and if he snapped, that meant all hell broke loose and there was no one to fix it.

“Go look after your vampire. I’ve got this. It starts in fifteen minutes.” Ethan pushed at Hakko’s shoulder until Hakko got the message.

Hakko pouted. This wasn’t in the plan. He was the leader, the dragon. He was the one who made the decisions about people’s care. Still, he listened to Ethan and hunted the rooms until he found Poe in the main exhibit hall, staring at the display cabinet.

“Ethan told me to go away,” Hakko grumbled as he sidled up to Poe. An arrested look on Poe’s face shook away the mock disappointment. “Poe? What’s going on? Who did it?”

“Hmm?” Poe blinked and gave a fake smile. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

“This is something. Tell me what’s wrong,” Hakko ordered. “You don’t have to do anything if it’s too hard.”

“What?” Poe tilted his head to the side. The weird expression disappeared. “No, this wasn’t about what you did. I was just caught by the letter. You chose that set?”

Hakko peered into the case with the two letters in prominence. They were the last notes they had written to each other and ones that Hakko decided had the most emotional punch. “I like them?”

“But…” Poe stumbled. “They are beautiful, I guess.”

“Come on. Let’s get you some fortified wine.” Hakko led him through a wide door and smiled at the head bartender. Once two wines were procured, they went to Hakko’s office. The ritual of cutting his hand for Poe to see had become special.

“Hakko? I’ll unlock the doors soon. You’ll never guess who’s waiting patiently or not so much for them.” Ethan popped his head into the hall. “Hi there.”

“Really? He’s that desperate?” Hakko groaned as he bandaged the cut and squeezed Poe’s shoulder. “Stay here a moment, okay, Poe?”

“Sure?” Poe agreed, looking a tiny bit confused.

With one crisis averted, Hakko strode to the main doors with a ready smile pasted on his face. He should have expected Elijah would be the first person to enter. “Unlock the doors, Ethan.”

Elijah slithered his way in and shot his cuffs as though he was a big deal. He wore a black suit with a yellow pocket square. He was visibly more human than earlier. If one didn’t realize he was a vessel for an elder demon, he could have passed for Hollywood handsome. “Hakko, congratulations on this wonderful installation. I can’t wait to see all the letters through time.”

Sawyer was hovering behind Elijah, still wearing his leather jacket. He wasn’t dressed for the party, but it seemed like a conscious decision, judging by the scowl on his face. He ignored Hakko and remained glued to Elijah’s side as they stayed in the lobby, greeting everyone coming in.

The excited noise as the visitors bypassed the mayor made Hakko’s day. He had hoped for a good showing, and seeing people coming in on the most romantic night of the year was a thrill. He'd shared his concerns with Ethan about the date, but Ethan assured him it was mostly hype. People liked having other places to go on Valentine’s Day, and this would be a fun way to shake things up.

Hakko led tours to the letters and offered red hearts to families to decorate. It was a grand success, and he beamed the whole time.

As he spoke to guests and explained the importance of pen pals, he lost track of Elijah and Sawyer. His hackles raised when he couldn’t locate them.

“Ethan, where’s the mayor?” Hakko asked when he found him holding court with a bunch of older ladies.

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