Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 104141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Nyomi gestured to the twins. “Lift me up, please.”
They had been gawking at the twin women, but they soon hurried her way, grabbed her arms, and lifted her onto the bar’s surface.
Mmmm.
I got a nice view of her sexy leg and the temporary dragon tattoo running up it.
We’re going to have to make that permanent, Tora.
The chain loosened in her hand, allowing the slave to rest by the bar.
Nyomi crossed her legs. “Let the Claws’ cocktail party begin!”
“Fuck yeah!” Hiro bobbed his head. “We have not one fucking complaint. You’ve done quite enough.”
The rest of the Claws agreed, nodding their heads.
“But before I let you try your drinks, we must honor the most important man in the space.”
I couldn’t keep the silly smile off my face.
“No. No.” Hiro waved his hand from side to side. “No need to honor me at this time.”
I frowned.
The Claws laughed.
Reo covered his mouth to hide his chuckle.
I eyed Hiro. “Careful, brother.”
The women each took a small tray.
The bartender struck a long match and slowly began lighting the line of shot glasses like candles.
Oh.
Everyone watched in pure amusement.
Blue-orange flames bloomed across the surface of every glass in a quiet ripple of ignition.
Hiro made a sound that was not entirely human. “Fuck yeah!”
With their trays now held at waist height, the women moved forward and grabbed shot glasses. The flappers' fringe rippled at their hips.
The violin melody continued its bold journey.
I glanced down at the slave resting by the bar.
He was still staring at her feet.
I gritted my teeth.
The women spread out among us and began handing us the fire-flamed shots.
Nyomi had one lit shot in her hand. “We will now be drinking the Dragon’s Flame.”
I winked at her.
Damn right we will.
I took a shot and was surprised that the glass was not warm to the touch.
The flame danced, burning blue at its heart and orange at the edges.
Several seconds later, everyone had flaming shots in their hands, even the women.
"So, you have two options.” Nyomi held up two fingers. “Blow it out fast, then take the shot. Or. . .drink through the fire. Very, very quickly."
Chuckling, Hiro raised his flaming shot in the air. “You happen to be talking to the Dragon’s Claws. We drink through the fire!”
Every Claw echoed him.
I caught Nyomi's gaze across the small gathering. She lifted her glass slightly in my direction. “To the Dragon.”
Everyone else replied, “To the Dragon!”
I lifted mine back.
Perfect, Tora.
Fast, I drank through the fire.
Incredible heat blasted me first. Then, high-proof whisky struck my tongue and burned down my throat in a clean, fast line.
Fuck!
The fire kissed my upper lip and vanished the moment my mouth closed over the glass.
Ginger came next, a slower heat, climbing down from my jaw, to my ribs, and then the base of my chest.
Finally, a quiet sweetness arrived.
I licked my lips.
Lychee. Mmmm.
My eyes watered. Perhaps it was only from the heat.
My jaw set hard enough to ache. I held it there until this overwhelming emotion moving through my chest had somewhere else to go that wasn't my face.
Still. . .against all my will. . .I smiled like a goddamn fool in love.
Which was fine because the Claws went feral around me.
Toma roared. “Woohoo! I need another!”
“No.” Nyomi raised her empty shot glass high. “We’ve got more to come, Toma. You’ve got to pace yourself.”
The twins kept blinking as if they were still feeling the fire.
Kaede and Daisuke had now sandwiched Hiro between them and were joking about taking two more of those fiery shots.
Reo just stared at his empty glass. “Well. . .I think my ribs are now fully healed.”
I chuckled. “That was quite enough whiskey in there to supersede any pain pill.”
“Yes. Indeed. I may have a Dragon’s Flame every night.”
Nyomi placed her glass on the bar. "You all just had fired-up, high-proof Japanese whisky to represent the Dragon’s power.”
I couldn’t get the silly smile off my face.
“We had to add ginger syrup to build more heat slowly. That’s all about the Dragon’s control.” Nyomi looked at me. “And because the Dragon is so sweet, we could not forget the lychee liqueur.”
“Sweet!?” Kaede snorted. “Who?”
Daisuke chuckled.
Hiro turned to me. "That is it, Kenji. We are marrying her."
Everyone laughed.
I raised my eyebrows.
I couldn’t tell whether my brother meant that he had now committed to seeing the two of us married, or whether he had just announced that all three of us were entering a shared union.
Nyomi leaned her head to the side. "Are you ready for more, Claws?"
"Fuck yeah!" Toma roared.
Kaede adjusted his cuffs with ceremonial dignity. "I am prepared for whatever you bring us, Tora."
This time I didn’t frown at the use of my nickname. It was clear that tonight I would have to share. I just hoped that they understood that this wouldn’t be a continued thing.
What will my Tora surprise us with next?