Why am I on Earth, again? I looked down into the tumbler as I swirled the smoky amber liquid, then brought the glass to my nose. Cherry, oak, chocolate-covered almonds, and always, that lovely smoke. Yes, mortals had done well to create such complex drinks like this twenty-five-year Glenfarclas.
"Are you going to drink it or inhale it? It's not like we can get drunk on this weak stuff," Nabu said, reclining on the black leather sofa across from me with his own tumbler of scotch in hand. "Although, I wish our brewmasters could create half as good a flavour in the swill they turn out."
Raising an eyebrow, I sent him a glare as I sipped my scotch, enjoying the small bite on my tongue. "Why do I bother spending time with you?"
Nabu smiled, gleaming white teeth on display and contrasting with his dark goatee and deep olive skin. Those damn dark eyes of his glittered with amusement. "Because, my prince, I'm your best friend and will tell you when you are being an asshole."
I sighed. He wasn't wrong. Still. "One of these days, I might just bite your head off."
Nabu snorted and took a sip of his scotch. "Well, at least I know you love me if you start at my head instead of my feet. I don't know how you manage to prolong their torture so long with such dainty bites in your dragon form." He pursed his lips and held up a hand, making a prissy, little nibble motion. "It's not like your mouth is smaller than mine. You've got a good metre more in jaw length than I do."
I smirked at his attempts to goad me. "Jealous, Nabu? Not all of us are gluttons that try to stuff as much in our gullet in one bite as you. I have manners." As I recalled the idiot scorpion demon I'd made an example of last week, my smile widened. I'd only taken both feet to the ankle—hardly a nibble—and he confessed his attempts to swindle me, the words tumbling out in a torrent.
A choked sound came from Nabu, his eyes incredulous. "Manners? You? Like the time you shat on Humbaba's favourite—"
"My brother still thinks that was you." I returned Nabu's toothy smile.
"Wha—"
"Getting back to your previous question, I start at their feet because those that survive are an example to the rest. If my demons didn't fear my wrath, I'd have to eat more fools that don't know enough to not fuck with me. I might get fat." I patted my lean stomach.
Nabu snorted a laugh. "As if. But speaking of fucking..." He looked down, smiling into his glass. "How's Anna?"
"Fuck you, Kenku dick." Tension shot through my torso. I tossed back my scotch in one swallow, and rose, walking over to the sideboard. "By Tiamat, you fucking know how it's going. She needs at least another four and a half weeks on the White Haoma to withstand the demands I'll put on her little human body," I growled. Longer would be better, but with my heat coming, I wouldn't be able to fight my instincts. Not with finally finding a compatible fertile female after waiting three thousand endlessly long years.
Even now, need had my cocks aching and temper short—the reason I'd come to visit Nabu in the first place. The temptation of Anna's sweet little body so close on Muspelheim... fuck, I couldn't wait to be inside her wet heat again. And this time, as myself without the disguise of a mortal. I refilled my glass, drank, and filled it again as I tried to push the memory from my mind, to stay in control, to not roar with the building pressure inside my chest.
"But she's tolerating the herb? It's not just your fucking she has to be able to withstand. If you really are planning on breeding her when your heat hits, she needs the improved physical resilience to carry your offspring to term." Nabu's tone was cautious as he approached and laid a hand on my shoulder. "It's never been successful with a human, not with the dragon races at least."
As if I wasn't already aware, yet he was right to remind me. "I know." My fist clenched on the tumbler and it shattered. "Fuck." Dropping the crystal shards into the trash bin at the end of the bar, I shook the scotch off my hand and brushed at my blue dress shirt. Unfortunately, not as impervious to sharp glass as my skin, I picked several chunks out of the punctured fabric.
"Do you want a fresh shirt?"
At my nod, Nabu patted me on the back, then walked to the wall, pushed a dark panel, and a closet opened with numerous dark grey suits and lighter grey dress shirts hung in a tidy row. Black dress shoes sat on a rack below them.
My lips quirked. "You know, you are allowed to have a little variety in the corporate image. I hear multiple shades of grey are all the rage with the mortals these days. Some might even say fifty. Perhaps Dark Drake Endowments should keep up with the times."
He barked a laugh, took a shirt off a hanger, and held it out. "I'm just your deal broker, my prince. You're the Dark Angel they've created so many myths about."
I wrinkled my nose but stripped off my shirt and took his. Nabu was a little narrower in the shoulder than I, so although it was dry, guaranteed at some point I'd move and rip the back with my larger build. Still, it would do for now. I was headed back to Muspelheim tonight, anyway. As much as I had to keep my distance from Anna, I needed to be within reach, to know I'd be there if something went awry at the temple. Shrugging the shirt on, I left it unbuttoned and poured myself another tumbler of scotch.
Nabu was right to be concerned with my plan. No mortal had ever survived birthing a dragon demon and even those of the wolves and lions had a low success rate. Still, he didn't know about the project. None knew except my two scientists and me. And I'd keep it that way until I was sure.
"Anna seems to be thriving but hasn't yet noticed her accelerated healing, libido, or energy, according to Claw. If she's willing, I'll also make a blood bond with her." I retook my seat on the black leather couch across from Nabu.
Nabu's eyes widened, and he leaned forward, putting his scotch down on the glass table between us. "Really? You're going to grant her some of your power? She carries enough of Inanna's genes for that?"
"Yes." I didn't tell him the White Haoma was building on that genetic base even further. "I know the power exchange is unpredictable, but if it helps protect her against Lamashtu, I don't care if Anna ends up with scales, a tail, or telepathy. It's bad enough losing bed acolytes. I won't lose another consort to that evil bitch." Recalling how Lamashtu killed my last two acolytes, my fist tightened on my glass, but I caught myself before I broke it. Once tonight was enough.
"You could just fuck Lamashtu and get it over with."
He covered his mouth, and I scowled at him. The fucker was smirking behind that hand; I was sure of it. "So, you don't really want a head. Is that what you're telling me?"
He raised his other hand, palm out, black eyes dancing. "I know she's horrible, but maybe it would stop her, finally."
My jaw clenched, red washing my vision as I slammed a hand down, cracking the glass table. "Would you trust your offspring to her?" My gut twisted, and I stood to pace. "This last time, she fucking killed my guards, broke into my palace, and killed my two females. As an additional insult, the fucking demon didn't even eat them entirely this time. No, instead, that damn child devourer bit out their wombs and left the remainder scattered in bloody trails as a message she'll never let me breed. She didn't care that they weren't even compatible with me." My fingers lengthened into black talons and I gripped the back of the leather couch, puncturing it. Tension turned my muscles to steel, and I snarled, "No, Nabu. I will never, ever fuck that dragon. I don't care how few Apkallu females we have or how much my father would love it. He has no idea how depraved she is."
Nabu's voice was quiet. "I know. I wasn't serious. She'd probably try to kill you mid-coitus." His black eyes met mine, the humour gone from his expression. "All teasing aside, my prince, you need to find someone else, another female acolyte to expend that lust on before you really do end up eating someone you don't mean to. Especially as you get closer to your heat."
A disgusted growl left my lips. "You know the danger Lamashtu poses if I accept more human acolytes. If I'm going to take on a female while I wait for Anna to reach an acceptable level of adaptation, the female needs to have some combat skills. Some way to defend herself. At least long enough to survive until help can get to her. None of the current Elven or Jotun temple acolytes are remotely skilled," I threw up a taloned hand and muttered, "or interesting."
Nabu sat back on the couch, crossing his leg with an ankle over his knee. The picture of a wealthy CEO if one didn't know he shifted into a dragon. He frowned and rubbed his chin. "The Unseelie are due with their latest quota tomorrow. It's mostly humans, but occasionally, they toss something interesting our way. I'll let Claw know if they do."
"Good. Do that. How are we doing in our own recruiting?" Nothing, not even my own raging needs, was more important than the project to save all the demon races from extinction. Letting my talons recede, I blew out a breath, returned to the other couch, sat, picked up my tumbler from the table and sipped my scotch as I deliberately forced my shoulders to lower. Tension sang through my body. Maybe I'll go on a hunt tonight.
"Several satanic cults have popped up recently that keep sending acolytes our way, looking for deals with the devil."
His lips twitched as I rolled my eyes at the name they'd given me and I waved a hand at him to continue.
"Most of them are headed to the mines and fields, but a surprising number want to be prey. No idea why, but it's still their choice, so it's not like we're going to refuse them. We've also had an influx of war dead deals and poor signing themselves over for their families' benefit, so the meat market is well stocked."
With difficulty, I bit back my impatience. It wasn't like he knew the labour and meat deals were a smoke screen for the project. Those deals were still important. "What about the temples? How's our turnover?"
"This last quarter, we returned fifteen hundred and eighty-three temple acolytes to Earth and recruited two thousand four hundred and eighty-four new acolytes, so we've been able to open additional temples in the Cedar Forest under your brother's supervision. King Hanbu sent a message that Lord Gandarewa would appreciate additional temples on Vourukasha as soon as we can supply enough acolytes." Nabu's questioning look spoke volumes.
Every generation of modified females we returned to Earth strengthened their race's health and vitality and brought humans closer to compatibility with demon reproduction, not just sex. After ten thousand Earth years, we were so close to achieving the goal of fertile mates.
But not even my best friend knew the truth. Instead, everyone believed I'd created the temples to reduce the demon deaths, to keep our predatory natures under control and ease the decline in our populations.
Although occupied running projection calculations with the new information, I sighed and ran a hand through my shoulder-length black hair, tugging at my scalp. "My father still isn't speaking to me. We had another fight over Lamashtu when I went to him this last time, again demanding permission to kill her."
"Ah... yes, I wondered why I got the message instead of you," Nabu said, sipping his scotch.
I clenched my jaw. Stupid, frustrating, blind old wyvern. Maybe I should tell him to fuck Lamashtu next time. If he wants more pure-blood Apkallu dragons, he can take the damn risk that she won't eat his child as soon as it's born.
Yet I knew his reasons.
Just as I had, he foresaw the lack of females, the decline in all demon races, but especially ours, the Apkallu dragons. With the death of my mother in the war with Asgard, only three female Apkallu dragons remained. There hadn't been a dragonling born in four thousand years.
The project was vital to Muspelheim's future. By Tiamat, and to me. My goals weren't entirely selfless. Finally, for the first time since Lamashtu killed my consort, Inanna, three thousand years ago—a long fifteen thousand years by Earth's calendar—I had the chance for a true mate, as long as Anna consented to the bonding.
In danger of shattering another glass, I relaxed my grip and forced a few calming breaths before I answered, "As soon as we can fill it, work on the new temples for Gandarewa. We need his White Haoma to ensure the human acolytes continue to be able to accommodate demon physiology, and that damn herb isn't cheap. We'll be able to bargain a better deal if he's appreciating the fruits of the temples more."
Nabu snorted. "It's a good thing we turned over this planet to the Asgardians to manage. They've done a marvellous job in shepherding the humans' evolution and development."
"I don't think any of us could have predicted the short-lived prey species crawling around in caves would develop as nicely as they have. If you'd asked me back then, I'd never have considered the proto-humans as bedmates or the delightful temporary temptations they are now. Yet if not for those ancestors"—and two thousand years of genetic evolution by exposing temple acolytes to White Haoma—"I wouldn't have my Anna."
Nabu chuckled and shuddered. "Absolutely not. They were nasty, smelly beasts." He raised his glass. "Here's to the Asgardians."
I winced, then laughed. "By the Abyss, don't ever let my father hear you say that."
"Oh, come on, they are a feisty race. Those battles were fun." Nabu smirked.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, so much fun we almost cracked the Earth's mantle. It would have been such a waste of a habitable planet. Besides, it's not like it hasn't worked out well for us." I lifted the scotch to the light, admiring the amber colour.
"Very true. Still..."
"Since you are craving battle, we should go catch the arena matches next week."
"Maybe... or maybe I'm just hungry. My human underlings don't screw up as often as your demons."
I raised an eyebrow. "You are one of my demons."
He waved a hand. "You know what I mean. My demons never get out of line. They don't want to lose the privilege of coming to Earth. And since I ate the last two mafia bosses that attempted to short me on their deals, I rarely get to make an example of our human crime bosses. I have to actually go find food. It's tedious when I don't get a true hunt. Mostly, it's the dregs. I'm tired of eating pedophiles. They're too scared to run and all taste the same. You can at least drop your prey in the palace maze to chase."
I shrugged. "Yes, but yours complains, whines, and cries less than my food, and doesn't taste of ash."
"Always an upside, I suppose."