Endangered Ch. 10

"Well, I don't know." He shot a reproachful look at the elf who had apparently abandoned him on the subject. They would have to have another little chat about honesty soon, and they'd been making such good progress. "Whatever it is he's up to, we have to stop him. It can't be good."

"The Brazilians have set up border checkpoints, but I'm not confident they'll do any good," Michelle moved them along. "All we have to distribute is his description and that he's extremely dangerous. Our best case in that scenario is that he's recognised and causes enough damage in his attempt to escape that it puts him back on our radar. Though what happens then is anyone's guess."

"The Synod has their own ongoing investigation," Relya addressed the President. "That may be our best chance to stop him, but they have their own problems to deal with. He hasn't been their top priority since he disappeared after the incident in Harrisburg."

"He hasn't been ours either," the President admitted. "We've been distracted trying to prepare for the Revelation."

"Which was his plan all along," Lisa spoke unexpectedly, sitting straighter in her chair. "I've read the files. Whatever he's planning, he engineered this whole situation to distract us from whatever he's doing now."

"I agree, Lisa," Chris nodded approvingly to the brunette.

"We need to devote more resources to this, Michelle," Robert Falconer agreed. "Put some people on it if you can spare them. Anything you can do to help, Lady Reyla, would be greatly appreciated."

"Of course," the dark elf inclined her graceful neck.

"Okay, I've got to get going in a minute," the President wrapped up, looking at his watch. "One final thing, I'd like Chris at the upcoming UN summit. It's a secret, but key leaders will be ratifying the draft terms of the Revelation. I know the Synod delegation will be there but to be frank, I'd like someone I can trust nearby. It's too delicate not to take precautions against trouble. Bring whoever you like, it will be a good chance to meet in person. What do you say, Chris?"

"Oh... Yes, of course, Sir. Are you sure it's not a little too public?" he asked. The logic of having him there was sound, but he was nervous about the publicity of such a high-profile meeting. There was bound to be a lot of press coverage.

"It's the perfect chance to foreshadow your appearance in the media," Michelle assured him. "It will be fine."

"Folks, I've got to go," the President glanced up off-camera as someone gestured for his attention. "Thank you for your time and especially your hard work and bravery. Keep me updated."

A curious mix of goodbyes, salutes, and nods bid the man farewell before the connection cut off.

"Very well," Michelle collected a few documents she'd put out on the desk and began packing them into her laptop case. "Back to it, people. I'll update your assignments over the next few hours."

Everyone else rose and began filling slowly out of the room, conscious of the tension between the dragon and the elf.

"Reyla," Chris finally spoke, controlling any trace of emotion. "I wouldn't mind a chance to discuss the events in Brazil, there must be something you can add to my understanding of the magic involved. Anything at all you can shed light on would be... appreciated. When you have time, of course."

"Yes. Yes, of course, dragon, I'll check my schedule. Good day." The elf beat a dignified, if slightly hasty retreat. The dragon was onto her, and this was not the place for that particular discussion.

Chris let out a little growl of frustration as she slid away. He moved to leave as well when Michelle stopped him.

"Chris, please come see me in my office for lunch."

***

Kat looked up from her screen as Chris hulked his way past her desk. She couldn't look at him the same way after what she'd seen. After... she shivered. His enormous, glistening cock wrenching free of Michelle, bucking, firing a pearly salvo to arc and splatter and... enough.

His butt looked damn fine in that pair of jeans as he walked to the door of Michelle's corner office and knocked. It had looked even better naked and working.

"Come in, Chris." Michelle opened the door and ushered him inside with a smile.

He smiled back, noting her demeanour seemed less aloof. The soft click as she quietly locked the door widened his grin.

"Have a seat," she said without turning, her attention on rolling the blinds down across the window that looked out over her pen of investigators, data miners, hackers, and soldiers.

Instead, he took three silent steps so he stood directly behind her. She was too busy trying to peep through a tiny gap to see if anyone had noticed her unusual behaviour.

"You've been avoiding me," he whispered warm against her neck, delighting in his predatory nature.

To her credit, she didn't jump or squeal or even turn her head. She quivered, like a hare in hiding, ready to leap away if the hounds came too close. He leaned closer, running his nose into her short black hair, scenting her. His large hands settled gently on her hips over her snug fitting suit pants.

"Chris I...eek!"

He spun her, sweeping her up into a hug without warning, easily lifting her into his arms. She looked slightly down at him now as he carefully squeezed her, unable to help the tenderness that grew in her expressive brown eyes. Her hands automatically fell on his neck, caressing as they communicated with just their looks and touches.

"Why the cold shoulder?" he finally asked, raising the question that had been bothering him ever since Brazil.

"I... Chris," she paused, tracing a finger over the shell of his ear. "We need to be professional. I can't have a public relationship with you."

"I see."

He didn't, of course. One incredible, steamy encounter and it was like they'd gone back to square one with their friendship. He slowly set Michelle down on her feet.

"No, you don't," she smiled sadly, laying her head on his deliciously muscled chest instead of stepping out of his loosening embrace. Her arms attempted to encircle him in return and failed as she breathed in his spicy musk. "I can't jeopardise all I've worked toward here for the sake of a little PDA. I can't kiss you, hug you, or even glance at you funny around my colleagues, Chris, even if I might want to. It's bad enough that Kat knows what we're up to. She said she'd keep her mouth shut, but if it got out, it could be grounds to transfer me or bust me down a few levels. I need to be the one holding the reins on this agency."

"They would seriously bust your ass over us?" he frowned. Humans were fucking crazy. With a start, he realised his unconscious change in perspective. The dragon was winning out.

"Maybe," she sighed. "Someone ambitious might call my leadership into question over it, certainly. It is unprofessional. I'm technically your direct superior."

"Questionable," he chuckled down at her.

"You know what I mean," she bumped her chin into his pectoral as a beautiful smile finally settled on her lips.

He wanted to kiss her, but his stomach gurgled in protest, sounding like some caged abyssal horror. It was feeding time.

Michelle actually started in fright, feeling the rumble through their embrace.

"Come on, let's go get something to eat before I'm devoured from the inside."

"Kiss me first," she leaned up on her toes, needing to reassure him.

"But I thought..."

"Are we in public?"

Soft, warm, and breathy, her lips met his eagerly. They moulded perfectly, drawing a rumbling purr from his chest as she teased him with a pulling nip of her teeth. His hands roamed up her back against the cotton of her shirt as their tongues finally met in slippery passion. He watched her eyelids flutter, an avid little noise rising in her throat.

When they finally parted, both were grinning stupidly.

They emerged from her office spaced appropriately apart and took the elevator down to the street. It was cool, but the sun was out. It wasn't too windy, all in all, not a bad late autumn day.

"Look at them all," he gestured to the oblivious pedestrians they passed, intent on their destinations, their phones, or their walking partners. Mostly their phones. "It's all going to come crashing down around them in a few more months."

"It needs to be sooner," she replied. "Some of them could use a shakeup. But it shouldn't be as bad as all that. There are so few Beings compared to humans, most people will never even meet one."

"That's a disturbing thought," Chris admitted, pausing to let a group of students pass unhindered by his broad shoulders. "We need to make a good impression then. It'll be too easy to dehumanise us."

"You'll be fine," she teased, poking his side. "You make a good impression on everyone. Even the President loves you."

"Huh, and look where that's landed me," he grumbled. "Stuck in a government job with a terrible boss who's always taking advantage of me."

"You're lucky we're in public."

He smiled.

"So how exactly is this going to work, Michelle?"

"It's simple, anything outside the house is completely professional. But when I get home, we're... fuck-buddies?"

"Fuck buddies?" he laughed heartily, causing a few heads to turn his way in disapproval. "And what about what just happened up in your office?"

"Momentary lapse in judgement," she replied with mock contrition. "Won't happen again."

"Is that so?" he challenged as they arrived at their destination.

"Yup. But when I get home tonight, I'm going to ride your face until you've got carpet burn. You owe me after the number that monster of yours pulled on me."

"Michelle, I..."

"Shut up, I loved every minute of it," she shot back.

He held the door open for her, his grin wide and lecherous. A delicious warm smell wafted out onto the street. The dragon's stomach protested the tantalising odours of the Japanese kitchen loudly, hurrying them both inside.

Chris had been there before and fallen in love with their crumbed pork cutlet. He asked the waiter if they could have a booth at the back and were soon perusing the menu.

"Hailey and I have been scheming up some ideas," he said as the server left with their order.

"Lisa told me about your quarry incident. Be careful, please."

"I will," he paused to take a sip of water. "I just wanted to let you know in case someone notices when I start playing around."

"Nothing too dramatic, I hope," she frowned across the booth. "There's a lot at risk."

"I know, but I feel like I need to make a start. There's a lot that needs fixing. Speaking of which, do you have anyone on your naughty list yet? That was quite the crafty little play you organised with Reyla. I almost feel sorry for Robert with you two ganging up like that."

"It's just politics," she shrugged, that impishly smile on her enticing lips. "If I'm going to play, I'll play smart. The President might seem all full of confidence, but I think the footage of Brazil gave him a bit of a wake-up call. If he won't try to move up the Revelation, I'll capitalise on his fears to get us more slack. We need more leeway for using magic, and if I don't get firmly inside the military's pants now, they'll start competing with us."

"You're incredible you know?" He rested his chin in his hands, staring puppy-like into her eyes.

"Stop that. Now, I've been searching through the data I collected from you-know-who's computers. A couple of his acquaintances could use a lump of coal and a switching if you get my drift."

"I think I do," he agreed. "A visit from dragon-santa then. Can I wear a costume?"

"Oh god!" Michelle laughed. "Please don't."

"What? It could be a good disguise."

"I don't think I'd be able to look at a Santa again after seeing one with big cream and purple wings, talons, and a dragonified face. You'd look like a jolly devil."

"See, perfect for what we've got planned. There's a bigger problem though. I think I need to start travelling to different spots around the globe in order to build a library of places I can jump to. It's a serious limitation if we have to keep relying on the jet to go places, even if I do love the thing."

"You're right, that would be very useful." She reached across the dark wood of the table to squeeze his hand. "But please, Chris, don't take on too much."

"I'll be fine," he winked back at her, full of burgeoning love and anticipation for the delights of her eager athleticism. He was wondering if they might get away with leaning across to share a kiss when their food arrived.

Said arrival spelled the death of their conversation, for the ravenous dragon attacked dish after dish until nothing was left. Michelle couldn't help wondering if it was his prodigious appetite that kept him overflowing with magic, all that food had to be going somewhere.

***

In the Ether, the depths of the Compound were one of the liveliest natural environments he'd encountered yet. Maybe not so much with the scuttling, hovering, or lurking critters he was beginning to recognise elsewhere, but with magic.

Every corridor, wall, and door was touched by arcane energy. Complex chains of runic symbols for strength and integrity graced the ceiling with almost mathematical precision every forty or so paces. Unknown spells surrounded door frames with elegant script, whether as simple magical locking mechanisms or to incinerate intruders, he couldn't guess. Anything in between seemed possible. A few plantlike denizens clung to the walls or found purchase in corners here and there, but overall, the Ether environment was very well tended.

He stalked his prey through the crowded corridors at the end of the working day, the drow who was still keeping secrets. The evidence of magic all around him drove home the elf's hard work and dedication to building her underground empire. He paused his hunt, leaning against a ghostly wall as two witches passed obliviously in the other direction, their heads bent together in hushed whispering. There was no real need to step out of the way, but it seemed a little rude to pass directly through the shadow of another Being when there was no pressing reason.

Reyla was an enigma to him. When it came down to it, he knew almost nothing about her history. Sure, she was nearly two thousand years old, everyone knew that. But where had she grown up? What magic did she favour? Did she have a family? How long had she been Lady of the Midwest? These and many other meaningful questions had never come up before. The realisation spread a thoughtful frown across his brow.

What had he learned so far? She was undoubtedly cold, calculating, and a skilled navigator of politics and psychology. Her ruthlessness and temper were legendary, and it was known that she 'collected' useful Beings to surround herself. Her relationship with Lillian showed that her scruples were somewhat lacking once someone was under her control or in her debt. Was he falling into her web? No, he thought not. If anything, their power dynamic was shifting in his favour. He thought he'd been making good progress cracking the shell of her defences. Beneath, he suspected he would find a very lonely, unfulfilled woman despite all her collected wealth and power.

The anger he'd worked up over the afternoon scribbling at his desk and writing up his after action report slowly drained. He would not pounce on Reyla from the Ether, demanding answers. She deserved a chance to explain her deceit in this matter, he owed her more respect after the hospitality she'd shown him.

He merged back into the Norm with a quiet pop, causing the conspiring witches to turn, delivering their best affronted glares. He ignored them, retracing his steps. Whatever she was up to down here in the lower levels was her business. He would wait rather than interrupt her. Not somewhere he could be ignored or put off though, he needed answers now.

The corridor leading to her study was a dead end as far as he knew, branching from a busier passageway that led to the offices of a few of her administrators. So, he took a post at the junction and waited. After perhaps ten minutes, he sat, finding a comfortable position with his back against the cold stone wall.

A state of restful alertness slowly enveloped him. His eyes closed and his mind slowed. He didn't sleep, his senses were still alert to the occasional passerby. Several paused, startled by the strange sight and the need to navigate the draconian obstruction to be about their business. It amused him to imagine how they gathered courage before scampering by like there was any real possibility that he might lash out. Some just turned and went back the way they come, as if his very presence was an impassable barrier. How absurd.

Humour got the better of him eventually, to the detriment of one unfortunate member of the custodial staff. A young feline shifter by the smell of her. It had taken minutes of shuffling nervously from foot to foot to finally work herself up to get around him with her cart of supplies.

"Boo," he said quietly just as she got by. Her resulting shriek and headlong flight brought him entirely too much simple joy. Had she really convinced herself that he was asleep?

He suspected word of his vigil would spread around the Compound soon enough.

At some point, Arvil slipped out of the nearby study.

"So, that explains the absence of my sweet briarthorn tea," the elf observed with a dry chuckle. "Must you block half the corridor like some overbearing gargoyle?"

"I'm afraid so," Chris opened one eye and grinned up at the brown-skinned elf. "Your cousin has been keeping something from me, and I intend to have some answers. Plus, I'm having too much fun to stop now. Unless, of course, you'd like to tell me what you've discovered about Radek?"

"Ahh, I see. No, I think I'll let her deal with this," he said warily, edging around the dragon just like the others.

"What's the matter, Arvil?"

"Nothing, nothing my boy," he laughed shakily. The elf actually seemed nervous. "Must be off to the kitchens for my tea though, helps with my headaches you know. Too much reading. As you were, I'm sure my cousin will arrive shortly."

"Sure," Chris smiled, playing his part perfectly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Almost silent footsteps on the lush carpet heralded Reyla's arrival when she did eventually appear. A quiet sigh of exasperation confirmed her identity. He stood to face her.

"Did you really need to terrorise my staff, dragon?" she tutted her mild annoyance, one hand on her slim hip. She was still wearing the lovely flowing gown he'd seen her in that morning, the blue fabric moulding to her tall figure wonderfully.

"Did you really need to lie to me?" he countered. "You've known something about Radek this whole time, I'm sure of it."

"I didn't lie," her chin rose defiantly, and she took on a practised, haughty air as she began walking toward him.

He shook his head at her antics. It was almost as if she was the one offended by his accusation.

"Enough!" he barked, drawing her up a few meters away from him. They squared off in the corridor as he moved to block her path. "No more games, Reyla. Lying by omission is still lying, no matter how you justify it. I thought we were making progress on trusting each other, but you have been holding back your cards this whole time. Tell me everything, explain it to me like I'm a child if you have to. What do you know about Radek and why have you kept me in the dark?"

"Chris, it's not that easy..."

"Stop," he closed his eyes, breathing deep to stem his growing frustration. "If you value our relationship, stop. This is your last chance. Come clean about Radek, about anything else you think might concern me or mine. I am a simple man, I won't deal in lies or deceits or with anyone who tries to sell them to me."