Endangered Ch. 08

Chris stopped walking, they were at the base of the steps leading up to the hotel. He turned to Susan and took her gently by the shoulders, trying to convey his feelings.

"I know it's a big deal, Mom, and maybe you're right. It will be hard to understand until Claire gives birth but I'm committed one hundred percent. Susan, when we have kids I will make sure they have the best start in life I possibly can. Working on this house of ours is only the beginning, I'm going to make the entire world a better place for them."

Susan's vision was blurring with happy moisture when he finished. She reached up and flung her arms around his neck, holding tight. The strength of her reaction took both of them by surprise, but she recovered quickly and gave him a passionate kiss.

"It's a good thing we're in public or your pants would be coming straight off, mister," her sultry tone and the heat of her kiss left no doubt she was being serious. "I just know you're going to be a great father, Chris. I raised you after all. Okay, let's get going before I do something that will get us arrested. It gets me so damn hot when you talk about having a family."

***

Michelle watched in amusement as Annabel's soft leather boot tapped impatiently on the dark wooden floor. The little tassels of brown calf-skin flapped just below her knee where the top of the cowgirl boots ended against her pale skin.

Annabel's outfit was supposed to match with Chris' but if he didn't show up soon and get ready in record time, Michelle wondered if Annabel had the nerve to leave without him.

She had to admit, Annabel did look very pretty. Any male in their right mind certainly wouldn't want to make her wait looking like this. Scantily clad only barely applied. Between the boots, a tiny pair of jean shorts, and a red and black checkered tie-off crop top, everything else was beautiful pale skin. The light-coloured Stenson hat and huge silver hoops in her ears completed the look perfectly and Michelle wondered if the Annabel of two months ago would have dared to pull off such an outfit.

Michelle glanced around the room self-consciously. She was certainly the most conservatively dressed of the assembled ladies. She wasn't sure what you were supposed to wear to a Being club and had chosen a simple navy cocktail dress she used to wear to the various functions her professional life took her to. She didn't have much else. The sexiest part of her outfit was probably her grey stockings and matching pumps.

Everyone else seemed to be going with the 'less is more' philosophy. Lillian looked like a walking wet dream in a slinky red silk dress. It was a stretch to say it went down to mid thigh and the succulent cleavage exposed on her chest was bound to cause men to drool, especially as it was obvious she wasn't wearing a bra. Her rich brown hair flowed luxuriously around her shoulders in beautiful waves, framing her refined features and suggestive makeup.

Lillian was supposed to be on duty tonight but clearly, she planned on enjoying herself, too.

The two dragonesses were over on the couch, engrossed in their tablets. Both wore matching charcoal grey crop tops but the material was very elastic, and long sleeved, too. The overall effect was quite revealing as it clung to their curvy bodies and exposed most of their tummies. If you looked closely, you could just tell that the proud mothers were beginning to show by the tiny bulges low on their bellies. Below that, they both wore short skirts.

Petra's was a lovely blue and green tartan, pleated all the way around. It looked great against her black stockings. Claire, however, was a little more daring than her mother and wore a form fitting white number that looked like it was made from some sort of leather. It had several slits cut into the material for ease of movement, exposing even more flesh. Her toned legs were on full display, a lovely light tan graced her skin and offset her scarlet hair wonderfully.

Chris was surely in for a treat tonight.

Michelle looked up as Annabel let out an exasperated grunt.

"I'm going to call him," she announced.

Lillian cocked her head, listening with for a moment.

"Don't bother, they've just gotten off the elevator."

"About fucking time!" Annabel complained. "The invitation said to be there by seven thirty for dinner, that's in ten minutes."

"Surely you're heard of being fashionably late?" Lillian poked.

Annabel only muttered something and glowered at the doorway, knowing by now that the vampire was just trying to get a rise out of her.

The key card reader bleeped happily and Chris was bustled inside with Susan bringing up the rear. The culpable looks on their faces told everyone in the room exactly why they were running late.

"I should have known," Annabel shook her head in surrender.

"I'm sorry, dear," Susan patted the younger woman's shoulder affectionately. "If it's any consolation, I've brewed up a stronger batch of the pheromone cancellation potion. It might be useful tonight if you want to take him out on the dance floor."

"It's fine, Susan," Annabel sighed before looking at Chris. "You. Shower. Right now."

"Yes, Ma'am," he came to attention and snapped out a crisp salute, making Michelle and Lillian chuckle.

Annabel started forwards with retribution in her eyes, so Chris quickly hurried away toward the bedroom. He wasn't expecting to receive a playful swat to his rear-end from his fiancé and let out a startled yelp when it connected, sparking another round of laughter.

As he passed close to Michelle, he paused, looking her up and down. He'd never seen her put so much effort into her appearance before. The ever-practical NSA agent usually liked to blend in as much as possible.

"You look lovely, Michelle. I'm really glad you decided to come along tonight."

It was true, her navy-blue dress looked fantastic on her athletic figure. Her short black hair was up in a bun with two decorative sticks holding it in place. Her makeup looked great, eyeshadow and mascara giving her a provocative, almost come-hither look.

"Thanks, Chris. I thought this could also be an opportunity to celebrate you finally coming to work with me at the BIA. It's been two months in the making and I know you've been struggling through your training modules. All that effort is about to pay off."

"Sure, I'm sort of looking forward to it actually. And not just because it means I won't be breaking my back at the warehouse five days a week. I'm excited to see what you have in store for me," Chris explained, glanced over his shoulder towards Annabel. "Anyway, I'm already skating on thin ice so I'd better go jump in the shower."

He was waylaid again in the bedroom, finding his little sprite twirling on top of Annabel's dresser, admiring her own reflection in the big mirror. She chirped excitedly when she noticed him, flapping over on her batlike blue wings to cling around his neck, her feet now dangling down just past his bellybutton.

"Oh, Master! Do you like my new dress? Annabel picked it up for me today and it's just perfect!" She gazed up at him adoringly.

"You do look beautiful, Immi. Does this mean you've finally decided to start wearing clothes?" Chris asked.

The tiny black garment in question was a custom number that Annabel had commissioned for this very occasion. She'd had it made in the style of the original slinky black silk dress Chris had bought for her and paid for in dragon gold. Mary was only too pleased to take on such a unique request, especially on behalf of the dragon. It was like designing a sexy doll's costume.

"I don't want to wear them unless I have to. Mistress says that I won't be able to get away with it much longer. She says I'm getting too big and too distracting," a cute frown crossed her brow.

"Well, I think she's probably right, little one. You don't see any full-sized women strutting around with assets like yours, do you?"

"No," she meeped.

"Hey, cheer up. We're going out tonight!" He reached up to cup her juicy little bum, taking the weight off her arms. If her current form was anything to go by, Immi was going to have an ass to seriously rival Annabel's. Her wings settled delicately as he held her up and gave her a quick kiss. "There's gonna' be food, new people to meet, drinks, and dancing. You'll love it. Besides, if you're well behaved, I promise that when we get back, you can strip down to nothing again. You can even have your favourite."

"My favourite!" she suddenly cheered up. Her innocent joy at the prospect did terribly arousing things to his dragon's brain. "You promise?"

"I promise, my dirty little piglet," Chris couldn't help smiling at the nasty thought.

"None for Mistress?" Immi questioned accusingly.

"Well, last time you couldn't handle it all yourself, Immi," Chris teased her. "Annabel was just trying to help out. She shares with you all the time."

"No! You promised. This time it's mine! I want to feel the whole lot shooting up inside me! I don't care if there's too much, I want it to look like I'm about to spawn. All. Mine!" The greedy sprite demanded, her little talons starting to extend in anticipation and prick against his skin.

"Okay, okay," Chris chuckled at the wound-up, pint-sized little succubi. The claws did tend to come out when his semen was involved.

Time was on his side now. It was only a matter of months before he would have his way with the rambunctious, long-eared, little devil-woman. If anything, he would have to be the one to show restraint. Immi was bound to insist they fuck before she had truly grown enough.

"I don't hear the shower!" Annabel shouted from the living room, startling Chris from his sexy debaucheries.

"I've been a little bit bad, she does hate being late," Chris explained as he deposited Immi back on the dresser and stripped hurriedly out of his clothes.

He had the quickest shower in history, not even bothering to let the water warm up before he jumped in and began lathering up. It was especially good to clean his groin, Susan's fluids and his own still clung to his skin in a fragrant, sticky residue. It wouldn't be very polite to show up like that to a party where any number of Beings would have enhanced senses of smell, especially Hailey.

His clothes were dutifully laid out on the bed. A skin hugging pair of black jeans, chestnut brown boots with slightly pointed toes, and a cotton shirt of the lightest blue, almost white. He ran a hand through his still damp hair whilst looking in the mirror. He gave up on any attempt to coax the short, blond mop into any sort of order after a few moments. It would just have to do.

It turned out that he could have taken his time in the shower. Susan took a fair while longer to emerge from her bedroom than he did, clad in a sensuous, flowing teal dress that accentuated her figure wonderfully. The deep v of soft cleavage left uncovered by the garment had Chris reliving the frantic rut they'd shared just an hour ago.

All the ladies looked radiant. His eyes were spoiled for choice, though they tended to be drawn back to Lillian's Amazonian perfection again and again. It was a rare treat to see her dressed to impress and in red, Chris couldn't help drawing a comparison to a buxom cartoon character. She certainly had the figure and effortless sexuality down-pat. It might take a little bit of liquid courage but he was going to have to ask her to dance tonight.

Chris glanced at his phone when they were all ready to go. Only twenty minutes late, that wasn't too bad. Annabel at least had been mollified by a stint sitting in his lap; soft kissed apologies, tender petting, and shoulder rubs went a long way.

"Alright, let's go," he announced.

They met in the space between the kitchen and living room on a big patch of open floor. In a manoeuvre practiced only once before, they joined hands in preparation for the teleport.

"Before we leave, I just want to say that you all look incredibly beautiful tonight."

He was met with beaming smiles all around.

"Even me?" Immi squeaked from her perch on his shoulder.

"Hmm, maybe not ALL of you," he teased the sprite who dutifully fell into a pout.

"Meanie," she accused, her bottom lip looking about twice it's usually petite size.

"Of course you too, Immi," Chris reached up to pat her reassuringly. "What I was trying to say, is that I feel incredibly blessed to have found all of you, to be making a family with you."

Petra broke the ring and strode forwards, wrapping herself around his solid frame with a heated growl and mashing her lips into his. Heedless of the jubilant sprite who cheered them on from his shoulder.

"We feel the same way, Chris, all of us," She purred when she finally released him.

Chris took a glance around as everyone huddled in for a big hug. Only Lillian distanced herself, a thoughtful smile unconsciously betraying her to the dragon.

"Come on, Lillian," He beckoned her over light heartedly. "We'll just go like this."

The vampire met his eyes and took his hand in hers. Already, his energy was flowing out to envelope the group hug, giving him an intimate awareness of their presence. He held that feeling and extended the effect down his arm towards the beautiful vampire.

Her eyes met his again and her mouth flashed open in an unnecessary intake of breath at the sensation of his magic flowing over her skin, enveloping her. Then everything went grey.

Chris took his bearings momentarily as they merged into the Ether, noting yet again that the native flora was growing out of control. It was almost like a botanic garden inside the apartment now. His aura was providing ample energy for the plants, fungi, and even a mysterious coral-like polyp to grow in abundance.

Susan looked up at the ceiling in wonder at the smorgasbord of rare and valuable ingredients wafting their leaves lazily in some light, unseen breeze.

"Oh, Chris, that's..." she started.

"Yes, mage wort," Chris interrupted.

"I could really use a little to jack up the potency of my transmogrifying potions."

"Okay, Mom, I'll get some for you over the weekend, in fact you can come back in here and hack away to your heart's content. It's getting a little overgrown. Okay. Everyone ready?"

A chorus of yeses were murmured back at him, most of them were looking around in interest at the lush grow of alien flora, it wasn't every day you got a free trip into the Ether after all.

"Here we go then!" Chris whooped, releasing his energy and feeling the ripple wave translate out around him, guided by the energy field he'd used to pull the ladies into the Ether.

There was a strange moment of incorporeal nothingness. Like his consciousness was put on hold and only the passage of time remained in his senses. Then they were standing in a darkened alleyway behind the Cauldron. Try as he might, Chris' study of physics and chemistry had yet to explain much of anything about his other magical abilities, let alone phasing.

As Lillian broke away to knock on the back door, he swayed slightly on his feet, the cost of the spell digging deep into his reserves.

"Are you okay?" Annabel asked, feeling his big body quiver against her.

"I'm fine," he smiled back. "It's pretty hard going pulling so many of you along with me, thankfully it wasn't a very big jump."

"Additional mass and complexity increases the energy cost of a jump exponentially," Immi lectured from her pulpit. "He has performed admirably to bring us all here without a single displacement."

"Displacement?!" Susan's voice rose an octave in alarm at the mere possibility of such a potentially deadly end to their travel.

"Relax, Mom, I wouldn't do it if I wasn't confident. Immi has been helping me practice," Chris put his hand on the witch's shoulder, squeezing comfortingly.

A slot in the thick steel door into the alley slid open almost comically.

"Who is it?" a deep, mumbling voice asked.

"Lillian," the well-dressed vampire replied simply.

"Pretty," was the only reply.

"Well, thanks," she smiled, waiting unfruitfully for the door to be opened. "Aren't you going to let us in?"

"Not supposed to," the slow voice answered. "Last time I let a pretty lady in I got in troub..."

"Out of the way. Out of the way! Don't I pay you big oafs enough to listen to me! That's a special guest out there," Rufus Veldeer's frustrated voice leaked out into the gloomy alley.

There was a shuffling noise and a thud as something was knocked over. Then a deadbolt was pulled aside with a satisfying 'shick' and the excited club owner was suddenly in front of them.

"Ogres!" he exclaimed by way of explanation, gesturing over his shoulder at the hulking bouncer lurking inside the doorway. While Chris might be a little taller, the huge being in his human form was like a walking tank, so bulky with muscle and fat that it ruined any chance that he would ever pass as normal.

"Hello, Rufus," Chris smiled, extending a hand for the vampire to shake.

"Chris, my boy! Come in, come in," Rufus and Chris shook hands firmly before he began beckoning everyone inside enthusiastically, speaking a few words to each as the passed inside. "Hello, Annabel. Susan, looking lovely as ever. Ohh, you must be the wonderful Immianthe. Ahh, the Godran beauties. My bartenders can prepare a wonderful selection of non-alcoholic drinks if you like. Michelle, I've heard good things about your efforts with the Revelation. Lillian. I don't want any of your usual gloominess this evening. It's a party, you're supposed to have fun. You do remember what fun is, don't you my dear?"

Lillian give her fellow vampire a beatific but obviously staged smile. Petra, Claire, and Michelle, who didn't know Rufus turned to watch how she would react.

"Well of course I do, Rufus," Lillian's voice was saccharine. "Why, I recall an evening just a few decades ago when I walked in on you and..."

"No! No No No," He rushed forwards, looking like he was contemplating clamping his hand over her mouth. "Good god woman, these are decent people. How could you even think of mentioning that particular evening?"

"Well, it was fun," Lillian smirked.

"Hmm, it was." An almost dreamy smile consumed him for a moment before snapped back to his senses. "Enough of that, and I'd thank you to never mention it again in such esteemed company. Down the corridor everyone!"

"What happened?" Immi's curiosity was peaked as they were guided around the silent ogre and down the hallway towards a black curtain, the notes of some sort of mellow electronic music becoming louder as they went

"I'm afraid it doesn't bear repeating in civilized company, Your Grace," Rufus startled everyone with his formal address to the sprite. No one ever really acknowledged it but she was technically a princess.

"Don't start with that silliness, vampire. I'll turn you into a sundried-tomato if I hear one more ounce of pomp from you. It's a party, remember?" Immi threatened.

"As you wish," Rufus turned to smile up at the sprite before bowing deeply, an elaborate hand motion pulling aside a black curtain to reveal a small room. "I shall keep my pomp strictly to the nonverbal."

Annabel and Chris couldn't help but laugh as Immi's little fists clenched and her wings fluttered in indignation.

"Don't worry about Immi, Rufus," Annabel teased. "You're going to be a good girl, aren't you Immi?"

Immi's outrage drained, thinking about what was at stake for her good behaviour. It was her absolute favourite.

"Yes, Mistress," she peeped, her shoulders slumping in resignation.

Funnier still to both Chris and Annabel, was Rufus' open mouthed shock. Lillian tapped it closed for him on the way past.

"Chin up, cousin. Who do you think's having more fun, Rufus. You? Or me?"