“Oh, it’s a grandma kind of night tonight,” Solandis answered cheerfully, glancing over her shoulder as some of the louder customers finally left the bar. “They’re baking special cookies and having a slumber party. Toenails will be painted. The whole works.”
“Sounds adorable,” Sidney responded as she crunched down on a pretzel.
“And who’s with your baby?” Hyrak asked Sidney as he poured my drink and slid it in front of me. I cast him a grateful smile before redirecting my attention to the blond woman.
“A dragon is not ababy,” she answered drolly. She shrugged and continued, “He’s been more chill about hanging out on our property without me lately, as long as the pigeon stays with him, so they’re at home together. Huck’s been super cranky and hormonal lately, anyway. He either keeps himself wedged into the back of the cave behind our house and only comes out when I bring him treats, or he’s perched on top of our roof, trumpeting his territorial claim to the world. Jordan is convinced he’s going to pull the whole house down on us any day now.” She spoke like having a dragon with a pigeon friend on her roof was an everyday occurrence for her. As my wide eyes flitted between the rest of their friend group, everyone else nodded like this was expected.
“Poor guy,” Hyrak replied as he wiped the countertop in front of her and paused to take a payment from another patron. “Puberty is theworst,” he empathized.
Alistair shrugged and added in a thoughtful tone, “I have no memory of it.”
Solandis slapped her hand on the bar top and nearly howled at him in indignation. “Of puberty? That’s because youchecked outfor the entire process! Everyoneelsewas suffering with mood swings and acne, dorking around with their best friends.” She turned to address Sidney while gesturing accusingly at Alistair. “Not him!Mybest friend disappeared into a literal cocoon forsix months. He left me all alone!” Her glower was fierce as Sidney gazed at Alistair with wide eyes.
Alistair gave them very little reaction as he slurped up the last drops of his cider with his long, tube-like tongue. “I would apologize, but I’m rather grateful that I wasn’t aware of the metamorphosis process,” he replied tartly, placing his empty glass into Hyrak’s outstretched hand. His prissy tone tugged a smile to my lips.
“Wait, so did your whole body change like a butterfly?” Sidney interjected, staring into the middle-distance like she was trying to picture it.
“Yes!” Solandis answered for him emphatically, slapping her palm on the counter again as she spoke. Her words were a little slurred. “He went in looking like the chubby caterpillar I’d always known and loved and came out looking like a skinny version of this,” she said, gesturing vaguely at Alistair’s huge, winged form.
He pretended to be affronted by her description, recoiling slightly in mock-outrage. “I wasn’tchubby. I needed extra fat stores to sustain me during the—”
“He had the most adorable baby chub. Rolls for days. I made him play dolls with me. He was my only real friend, and I missed him terribly. I wasabandoned.”A dainty frown eclipsed her pout as her eyes grew distant at the memory. She snapped out of it quickly and slurred, “But I will admit his fluff looks fabulous now that he’s grown into it, and the wings are a pretty cool perk.”
“And my antennae are very handsome,” he added solemnly, lifting one of his upper arms to stroke the gossamer appendage.
“Very handsome,” Solandis agreed with a nod before taking a sip of her drink.
“Stop it,” Sidney groaned. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What am I doing?” Solandis asked in an innocent tone.
“You’re getting Hyrak all riled up so he’ll take you into the broom closet and bang your brains out. Again.”
I nearly choked. I glanced at the big orc to find him glaring at Alistair with slightly luminescent green eyes, something I knew to be an orcish tell that his adrenaline levels were rising.
Solandis gasped loudly. “I would never—”
“You would and you do,” Sidney stated flatly. “And you know what, it’s almost dark, so maybeIwant to use the broom closet this time,” she added, glancing at her watch.
“Oh! Does that mean Jordan is coming tonight—” Solandis started, but Alistair cut her off.
“Is that why you only compliment my antennae when Hyrak is around?” he very nearly wailed.
I clasped one of his hands, reveling in the velvety softness of his fingers, and told the perturbed mothman, “I think you have beautiful antennae, Alistair.” Oh, dear. I was definitely buzzed to have said that out loud.
“Gorgeous,” Sidney added with a nod that also might have been slightly drunken. We were all tipsy.
“I do not!” Solandis argued. “I tell you how handsome and fluffy you are all the time, Al.”
“I’m gonna jerk his antenna right out of his head,” Hyrak grumbled as he thumped the glass he’d just polished onto the counter and removed his wife’s half empty beer. He eyed Sidney’s drink as well, but she closed her hands around it and gave him a look that dared him to take it.
“You keep your hands off my bestie,” Solandis told the big orc. She turned to Alistair with a sly smile. “I only use you for your dashing good lookssometimes, Al.”
A deep growl emanated from the bartender.
Alistair countered with an annoyed buzz as his antennae flattened back against his head. “No!” He stood up, pointing at Solandis and then Hyrak. “No, you know what,I’mgoing to take the broom closet tonight. Youcan’t have it.” His tone was haughty as he lifted me from my seat with one arm. I cast a baffled but amused glance at Alistair’s friends as he hauled me away, just in time to find my own startled confusion mirrored in their faces. It was only as I heard a door open that Sidney’s cackling laughter pierced the silence. The door swung shut with a click, enveloping us in darkness, and Alistair set me down in front of him while he buzzed irritatedly.
I waited for him to regain his composure, trying and entirely failing to ignore how good he smelled this close—night air and warm musk, so rich I could reach out and touch it—eventually giving in and planting my face in the fluff on his chest and inhaling as deep as I could. Amazing. He was so big. Towering above me like a wall of heat. Soft. I wanted to bathe in his scent. I pressed my face against his sternum and tried to huff him, realizing I’d reacted to his scent whenever I was near him, and it was only getting stronger. “Why do you smell so good?” I asked him dreamily.
