Dragon Estate, page 15
Brooke nodded. “Plenty. Don’t know about after, though.”
“So,” he shifted toward her, “are we just going in like, I don’t know, in normal clothes and stuff? Don’t we need gear?”
Brooke nodded. “Well, we will be taking a few weapons. Some blades and possibly one of the pistols. We usually rely on our dragonfire, but it’s nice to have extra and you’re not experienced at this. We also haven’t done it in a long time.”
“I’m guessing we’ll need a map.”
“We have a map of Meadow Song and that city in specific.”
“What’s its name, again?” Xavier asked.
She scratched her head. “Nefis, I think.”
“Weird name.”
Brooke laughed. “It is.”
“Hey,” he stared at her, “how was I able to do that? To just ‘know’ what everything meant?”
“Because you can ‘scrye. Isn’t that obvious?” she nudged him.
He nodded. “I guess,” Xavier finished. His eyes passed over Brooke’s exposed cleavage.
She smirked. “Staring at my tits?”
He shook his head. “’Course not.”
“Yeah, right. Want to touch them?” she grinned.
“I do…”
She bit her lip. “Well, I was on my way to bed soon since tomorrow is a big day but, I kind of want you to play with them for a second. How does that sound?”
“You’re so blunt.”
She pushed her bust outward and presented her perfect, large breasts. “I am. Come on. They’re big and soft and warm. I have nice nipples. I bet I taste good, too. Don’t leave me hanging.”
Xavier grinned and reached his hands up to her boobs. He groped and kneaded warm flesh beneath his hands. Brooke was probably about the same size as Hayley, not that tit size was a discerning factor. Nicki was smaller, but he didn’t care very much. Variety was good. “Wow,” he traced his thumb over fabric that hid Brooke’s nipple.
“You like them?”
He nodded. “I mean, tits. Dragoness tits, to be exact. Your tits, to be specific. Do you like this?”
“Duh,” she blushed, “I mean you can get them out of my bra if you want. Use your mouth, too. I don’t care if you suck on my nipples or use your mouth.”
“You want me to suck on your nipples?”
She nodded. “I’ve got a few minutes and I’m curious. So do it. Besides, I’ll be fucking you soon enough.”
He used his fingers to adjust the bra’s cup and freed her right breast. Brooke’s violet nipple was already firm. It ached to be touched. “I like them,” he said, “the color.”
“You’d better. Don’t make me wait,” Brooke pled.
Xavier traced her chest with his fingertips. “You’re not very submissive, are you?”
“Not really, no, unless I really, really want to be. Rough and hard. Remember that.”
Xavier chuckled. “I see.”
He dragged his tongue across her breast and tasted hints of sugar and spice. God, they all taste like desert, don’t they? He could only imagine shoving his tongue inside of Brooke’s pussy (or Hayley or Nicki).
Without hesitation, he drew Brooke’s nipple into his mouth. He nibbled and suckled on it with an eager tongue. He could feel it firming between his teeth. She squeezed him and pushed his head into her chest. Brooke clenched her legs and trembled.
She pushed him away abruptly. “Holy shit.”
“What, did I fuck up?”
Brooke shook her head. “No. No, not at all. I just want a lot more now. You’re so doing that to my clit until I finish. Fuck. Alright, I have to stop you now or else I won’t get any sleep. Especially you won’t get any sleep. God. That human tongue of yours.” She stood and slipped her boob back into the black, lacey bra.
Xavier fell back into the couch. “We will have to continue that.”
“Yes?”
Xavier nodded. “Yes.”
The corner of her mouth perked into a smirk. “Good. ‘Night, Xavier.”
“Goodnight, Brooke.”
He wished her a pleasant evening and rubbed his temples. After the images of her obsidian and cream breasts left his mind, he returned to the goblet plum wine. Hayley and Nicki were already asleep. Xavier felt tired, too. He stood from the couch and made his way to the spiral staircase.
As he ascended, he could only hope that the following morning would come easily.
Chapter Nineteen
Xavier stared at the open door and stepped in behind Brooke.
They led him to the ‘armory’ a few minutes ago. According to the dragonesses, going into Nefis or anywhere in Meadow Song without weapons was dangerous. More than dangerous, as Nicki had described. Long swords, daggers, scythes, cleavers, knives, pistols, and a few rifles were mounted in arrays along the wall. Boxes of ammunition sat on shelves. Backpacks and bags hung from a rack nearby.
Another area had armor.
Vests, coats, shoulders pads, utility holsters, belts, and braces were kept in storage cabinets. He opened one of them and inspected a duster jacket. Xavier felt its material, the fabric thick and leathery. “How old is this stuff?” he asked.
Brooke turned to him and shrugged. “A few hundred years, I think.”
“I think we’re going to need some stuff like bags or whatever.” Nicki pulled a few backpacks from the wall.
“Take this,” Brooke said as she handed Xavier a wristwatch.
Xavier slipped it on. “What’s this for?”
“Keep time,” Nicole laughed.
Brooke sorted through more gear. “I think there are maps in here, too.” Brooke said.
Xavier pulled the duster from its rack. “I want this.”
“It works. And armor. Get a vest, one of the leather ones. Better than not having anything.” Brooke pointed to a wall of leather armor.
Xavier approached it. He pulled the leather armor vest from the wall and slipped it on. He flexed his muscles, twisted, and stretched from side to side. It seemed to fit okay, at least if he had to guess. He’d never worn any sort of armor like this, let alone any kind of combat gear. “Looking good,” Nicki winked.
“Thanks.”
Brooke drew a sword from the wall. She extracted its blade from a sheath. “I’ll go with this,” she said.
Nicki slipped into some extra gear and tossed a couple sheathed daggers in her hand. “These are mine.”
He watched as Brooke adorned bracers, armor, and a sword. She attached the blade to her hip with a thick utility belt. Nicki did the same, each dagger sheathed and on either side of her waist. Xavier finished putting on his duster. Part of him was scared. He hadn’t left Ironshire since his arrival. Exploring the world of Meadow Song sounded like a risk.
Whatever was out there terrified him.
“What else do we need?” he asked.
Nicki tossed him a satchel. “When we find it, something to put the shard in.”
Xavier shouldered the satchel and nodded. “I guess I’m doing the honor of carrying it?”
Brooke nodded. “Yep.”
“You better be careful,” Hayley said.
She stood at the doorway with folded arms. Xavier approached her and patted his leather satchel. “I should be. Are you not coming?”
Hayley shook her head. “Someone has to stay here to protect the mansion.”
“You don’t want to, do you?” Xavier asked.
She shook her head again. “No. I do not. I’d rather be with all of you than stay here, but I must.”
Brooke came from behind, holding a pistol. “Relax. Xavier is going to be using this,” she said and placed it in his hand.
Xavier felt the heavy pistol in his palm. Its metal was cool and slick. He studied its antique-like features. The gun had a slide, magazine, and hammer. The grip was wooden with a textured crosshatch pattern and matte finish. He checked the sights and put the pistol in his satchel.
“No, no,” Brooke handed him a belt and holster, “it goes in the holster.”
Xavier put the belt on. He fed its length through the loops in his jeans. He slipped the pistol into the holster and buttoned it. “Does it have more ammo?”
“There’s a full mag in there,” Brooke said, “there is more somewhere but I don’t have the time. We don’t have the time.”
“It will be daylight, so we shouldn’t have to use it,” Nicki explained.
Xavier nodded. “Okay. Well, I guess that’s everything?”
Brooke grabbed a large, rolled map from a nearby shelf. She placed it in her bag. “That should do it.” She zipped her backpack.
Haley smiled. She ran a gentle, clawed hand over Xavier’s cheek. “Xavier Rhodes. You’ve grown a lot since you moved in with us over the past month, do you know that?”
Xavier smirked. “I had some nurturing.”
Hayley pressed herself against him. She stared with green eyes. “You be safe. You take care of them. You have them take care of you. Understood?”
“I thought you were submissive,” he laughed.
Hayley grinned. “When I feel like it. I can switch if I want. But I’m not submissive on this.”
“I will,” Xavier said.
“Xavier Rhodes,” she kissed him, “I will see you and the others tonight.”
“You will.”
Nicki stood, Brooke at her side. “We’ll bring him back. And we’ll be back.”
“Good,” Hayley slipped her arms off Xavier, “promise?”
Brooke nodded. “I promise.”
“I promise,” Nicki said.
Xavier shifted the satchel’s strap and adjusted himself. “I promise, too.”
“Well,” Brooke walked to the doorway, “let’s do this.”
* * *
The tree line of Ironshire’s yard approached. According to Brooke, the passage was beyond the mansion’s edge. The two dragonesses studied the map for several moments. Nicki confirmed the location. He sighed. Xavier followed behind and glanced back to wave at Hayley.
Hayley stood at the mansion’s back double doors, tail swaying and wings relaxed. He could see the worry in her eyes, see the look of concern on her face. It’d be okay, he thought. Brooke assured them that nothing would happen. Nicki promised they would all return in one piece.
And so did Xavier.
It will be okay.
But he really didn’t know.
“Well, here we go.” Nicki stepped into the trees first, then Brooke.
Xavier followed behind. They penetrated beyond the first few lines of forest trees, deeper into the unknown. The ground was damp and covered with a layer of moss. Stones and logs were scattered over plateaus of vines and tall trees. A canopy shielded most of the sunlight from the ground. The area was obscured with translucent shadows.
They eventually found a path. Brooke checked the map. “About a minute or two down this path and we’ll be at the passage entrance,” she said.
Nicki stepped onto the winding trail and offered a hand to Xavier. He accepted. The pink dragoness pulled him onto the path. “I could do that every day,” she smiled.
“What, helping me onto the road?” Xavier laughed.
“Holding your human hands,” she grinned.
Brooke put the map back in her bag. She lifted a claw. “This way.”
He tapped the holster belted to his side. The last time Xavier fired a weapon was maybe three years ago. One of his co-workers offered to take him out to test some guns. He learned the basics, but something told him the firearm he had now would function differently.
“Does this work like a normal gun?” Xavier asked.
Nicki laughed. “Point, pull, shoot.”
“It will feel a little different,” Brooke added with a chuckle, “it’s old. I haven’t used it in a while and last time was for a test. I had to clean it. Thing jammed up real bad.”
“Oh boy,” Xavier shook his head.
“It will be fine, Xavier,” Nicki patted his back, “us girls are here.”
“I know. I trust you both. But I want to feel… like I’m trying to help to. Like I’m of use,” he said.
“You are.” Brooke said.
The continued down the trail. “Those things,” Xavier asked, “what are they?”
“They were like us, once. Like you. Humans, half-dragons, so on. They changed,” Brooke explained, “into what they are now.”
“Well… what do they look like?”
Brooke shook her head. “I don’t want to melt your brain. Let’s save that for later.”
“But what if I need to know in case one sneaks up?” Xavier asked.
“Oh trust me,” she said, “you’ll know what you’re looking at.”
“There’s a reason we say they changed into things that corrupt the night because, well, that’s what they look like,” Nicki added.
“What made them do that? Change, I mean?” Xavier kicked a small stone as they paced.
Nicki adjusted her waistband. “Something corrupted everything with a shard. There were wars, on and off. We think it had something to do with that. I thought Hayley told you all this?”
“Some of it. Did the original guy know? Rhodes?” Xavier asked.
Brooke stopped for a second. “I don’t know. The guy kept to himself. Treated us like whatever. Always had his face dug into those books. Who knows what he was doing.”
“I see.”
Nicki glanced around. “I think we’re here. Am I right, Brooke?”
Brooke nodded. “There.” She pointed to a structure.
Chapter Twenty
The catacomb-like maze of underground tunnels coalesced and narrowed into one single corridor.
Moss, cobwebs, roots, and thin drops of water covered the arching ceiling of stone. The hairlike debris clung to his shoulders from time to time. Xavier momentarily stopped to brush them off. Ahead, Brooke led with a torch. A backpack of supplies was strapped to her back much like the satchel on his hip. Nicki walked next to him with a torch in her hand as well.
Dancing, amorphous shadows fought with dark shapes along the winding walls. A faint smell of mildew and Earth hung in the air. He wondered about the passage’s age and how it was constructed. Given the scent, it had to be old, though it was possible the odor came from its location. Like those moist basements, Xavier mused.
Bizarre markings were occasionally scrawled on nearby pillars. “I wonder what those mean,” Xavier said.
Nicki waved her torch at some of the inscriptions. “Protection,” she said, “and lore. Some indicators and positional marking.”
“You are here,” Brooke joked.
“I see.” Xavier turned a corner of the catacombs.
They stopped at a long, dark tunnel. Brooke extracted a map from her backpack. She mumbled something beneath her breath and traced a claw over its old parchment. “This is it,” she said.
“The mouth to Meadow Song,” Nicki added.
“That isn’t ominous,” Xavier sighed.
Nicki wrapped an arm around him. “Relax, you’ve got us.”
Xavier nodded. “Yes.”
They made their way down the vacant tunnel. It ended with a shrine and large circular structure. Water ran down its surface and glistened in the torchlight. A podium of iron and black stone sat next to it. Xavier studied the device and ran hand over a set of dials.
Brooke stood next to him and double-checked the map. She rubbed her chin and tapped a claw on her cheek. Were they lost? Xavier stretched in place. It wasn’t like the tunnel went anywhere else. What is this place? He wondered.
Nicki followed close behind and peered between the two of them. She observed the podium, reached over the inlays, and examined. The dials buzzed with faint electricity. A small impression in the middle glowed.
“Hold on,” Brooke said as she searched her bag, “I need a key to get open.”
Nicki nodded. “Do you remember everything?”
“Honestly,” she pulled a small piece of stone from her backpack, “no. Do you?”
“Luckily, I do. Put the key in, I’ll put in the combination.”
Xavier shifted between them. He stared down at the device. “It’s like a lock, sort of?”
“Yeah.” Brooke placed a stone piece into the impression. The dials glowed in bright pulses of unknown colors.
Nicki cracked her knuckles and hovered over the dials. “And then you turn it like this. Watch me so you can remember the combination if you need it.”
Xavier studied her motions. He watched the insignias and glyphs pulse as she turned the dial. It was simple enough. He remembered it well. “Do we need the combo to turn it off?” he asked.
Brooke shook her head. “No, you just pull the key.”
“That’s not hard, I guess.”
Nicki smirked. The series of dials locked into complete order. A mechanical click vibrated the ground. Eerie, strange hums accompanied it like wind. “Got it!” she cheered and jumped in place.
The large circular structure began to glow. Crescents of metal shared an immaterial, electrical current. Dust fell from the stones above and a low rumble shook the tunnel. The wall behind the device vanished, replaced with a vortex of twisting light. Xavier briefly shielded his eyes as the portal simmered. Darkness was exchanged with a window into some unknown world.
“Well, there it is,” Brooke muttered.
The way into Nefis became clear. Xavier approached it. “It’s like… like we can just walk into it and be there.”
“Well that’s the point,” Nicki laughed.
Brooke turned to her. “Alright, I don’t know if this thing can be closed from the other side, so we need to do this quick.”
“It just stays open?” Xavier asked. He poked a finger into it, a cool breeze over his skin.
Nicki nodded. “Yeah. You can add another lock on the other side, but we never did because we don’t want it to be operable. It stays open the whole time until we come back through and pull the key.”
“So it’s half broke?” Xavier tilted is head.
Brooke nodded. “Yep.”
“We should do this quick,” Nicki cracked her neck, “besides, I want to get back home and ride you.”
Xavier almost choked. “I… damn.”
“Now I know what position I’m doing first,” Brooke teased.
