Page 58 of No Ordinary Drakeling
Chapter 20
It wasn’t difficult for Tiri to assimilate into their household. The sprite was insanely curious about his new life in the Council of Sorcery and Shifters and wasn’t shy about asking questions, which made Zane happy. He wanted Tiri to not only understand his surroundings but to find pleasure in everything. From the smile he wore most of the time, Zane figured Tiri was getting there.
Since Tiri was innocent, Zane was going to give him as much time as he needed to adjust before making their relationship an intimate one. They were sharing a suite of rooms, which meant Zane had to sneak off to the bathroom to jerk off. It was no surprise that his dick perked up as often as possible; Tiri was gorgeous. He had no complaints about Fate’s choice for him and hoped the sprite was feeling the same way.
His brothers had already confessed they liked Tiri. Though he would have been working toward a solid bond with Tiri no matter what, it meant a great deal to him that they enjoyed his company. Ellery was a new element in their family, but he’d taken to Tiri even quicker than the others and made sure everyone understood that foul language equaled money in Tiri’s account.
Zane was grateful for his intervention, and Tiri had plenty to spend. He’d created a wish list of fabrics, which drove Zane crazy since he wanted him to have everything. But once Tiri learned that if he waited until it went on sale he could get things cheaper, he would only buy materials that were discounted.
In the meantime, Zane put together a spreadsheet and each time someone deposited money—which seemed to include every duke in Court Draconis—he would reimburse them. It was his duty and honor to care for Tiri. He supposed if the sprite knew, he would be displeased, but it didn’t sit well with Zane to allow everyone else to fill Tiri’s account.
In the week since Zane and Tiri swapped blood, they hadn’t been alone together except in those hours where they slept in the same suite. Zane wanted Tiri to have some time to get his bearings and gave him seven days to get used to everything. His dragon was demanding he get to know Tiri better, and Zane was perfectly willing to let his beast have his way.
“Ready to go?” Zane asked Tiri who was standing next to him in the ornate foyer of their home. Tiri was wearing one of his new creations, and Zane thought he’d done an incredible job matching up the different black and teal fabrics. He liked that Tiri had adopted his dragon’s color and only bought materials that were a mix of both hues that represented them.
“Yes,” Tiri responded as he pulled his bag over his head, so the strap went across his body. Zane wasn’t sure what to call it other than a purse, but Tiri wore it each day without fail.
Zane held out a hand, and Tiri only hesitated for a second before clasping it. He led Tiri out of their home, waved to the guard on duty, and they strode into the elevator.
“I’m excited about our date.”
Giving Tiri’s palm a gentle squeeze, Zane winked. “Me too.”
Though he could’ve had a limousine take them to their destination, Zane opted to drive, so he took Tiri down to the large underground garage. When they got to his SUV, he unlocked Tiri’s door and released his hand. Tiri got into the vehicle, and Zane walked around the hood to do the same.
“Is driving scary?” Tiri asked once Zane got them outside and onto the road.
“No, I can teach you if you’d like.”
“Who taught you?”
“I guess you could say I taught myself. Damian, Costas, and I bought a car as soon as we learned about them. We’d race them too, which drove the groundskeeper crazy since we tore up the grass.”
“Did Chrysander learn to drive too?”
Zane took a turn and scanned for a parking place. “He did, but he rarely gets behind the wheel. As Emperor, he doesn’t have the freedom to just take off anywhere. Damian takes security very seriously and won’t let his brother go anywhere unescorted.”
“Did anyone offer to teach Ellery to drive?”
After finding a spot and maneuvering the SUV into it, Zane turned the vehicle off, then responded to Tiri’s question. “That’s probably Chrys’s territory.”
Zane let himself out and raced around to open Tiri’s door. Offering his hand, Zane smiled at him.
“You guys should ask Ellery more questions about what he wants to do.”
“He’s Chrys’s mate and my emperor. I can’t really start bombarding him with questions.”
Turning the corner around a building, Tiri gasped as the Circle of Druids’ extensive garden opened up in front of them. “This is beautiful.…Look at all the flowers.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Zane responded, his chest swelling with pride. He’d pleased his other half with his choice. Inside the massive garden was a tiny restaurant that was almost impossible to get reservations for, but being the family of the emperors had come in handy.
Tiri lifted a hand and brushed his fingertips over an enormous leaf. His steps slowed to almost a stop, but Zane didn’t care. They had time yet until they were scheduled for dinner, and he wanted to give Tiri the opportunity to take in as much as he could.
“How do they make so many things grow in the desert?”
“They’re druids. They use magic.”
Angling his head so he could look up at Zane, Tiri gazed at him with an inscrutable expression. “You took me to a garden, but there are no plants at the condo.”
