^^ Magnus ^^

--- Magnus's POV ---

The human, Amber, looked at my eyes without flinching, something I enjoyed very much, (eye-contact, that is). "I suppose I'll see you around, eh?" She smirked.

I laughed, my voice sending out imperceptible shock-waves through the room. "Indeed, Miss Amber. You will, I think. If you're very lucky." I winked, and offered my hand to the half-vampire, Miss Miranda.

She took it hesitantly, looked back at her human companion, making a shocked expression she thought I couldn't see, and whispered 'oh gods it's happening!!! A lovely giant to whisk me away!!!'

The thought repulsed me for a moment, making me think of my lover, but I quieted the unworthy feelings, and payed attention to the Human Amber, who was laughing. "Stay on your feet, luv! He's all heart, don't worry!"

I raised an eyebrow disapprovingly. "I assure you, I've no intentions towards her, or anyone else. My wife keeps me very happy, miss Amber. I am simply a gentleman."

I turned my nose up, trying to stop the smile she infected me with, and fluttered my left hand at her, flaunting the diamond wedding band that Sonja had forged me for our wedding. Hers had been a torc for her wrist, smithed entirely of a single sapphire. She wore it every single day.

The Human Amber gasped, eyes widening with shock, and then pupils dilating with a healthy amount of greed, which she quenched admirably, and smiled. "I see. Good, then. Miranda doesn't need another man in her life. She just needs... some company." She winked suggestively, and I laughed, unable to help myself.

The Dhampir Miranda smiled again. "Oh maybe soon, last time was lovely! But let's go, I really don't want to leave my son alone for long... that sitter won't stay a moment more than she says." Her voice lowered. "Bloody Dwarf..."

I nodded. "Then off we are! I will be back, however, to speak some more, Jackson." I looked at the bear behind the counter slowly.

He nodded. "Of course. Be safe."

"Yes. And good night, Miss Amber, Mister Jacob. Lovely meeting you." I nodded and stepped outside with the half-vampire. "Where to, Miss Miranda?" I asked simply.

She flinched, no longer able to hide her fear of me, now that she realized what I was. She'd known, subconsciously, but the moonlight on my skin showed my true identity, no matter how much my body and soul were bottled up. "U-Uhm... it's not far, I swear-"

"Calm down, dear. I wish you no harm. I've given my word to escort you safely, and gentlemanly, to your domicile. Let us walk together, now." I said tenderly, calming her as best I could.

She nodded. "Y-yes. Yes sir."

I nodded. "Good. Which way?"

"Fourth Street, and Main. My Entrance is there." She pointed slowly to the east.

I hummed and stepped forward, walking at a slower pace so her shorter legs wouldn't trip. "I see. And may I ask questions as we walk?" I wondered.

"Anything, sir." She bowed her head.

"Your son. He is... not a Dhampir?" I cocked my head.

"His father was a full, and I'm half, so... whatever that makes him. I don't like... labels. He's David, and he's perfect." She said softly.

I nodded. "Of course. My apologies, I did not mean to be rude. For the sake of accuracy in the future, however... with creatures less accommodating as I, he is a full Vampire. That is not questioned. If two Dhampir have children, they are Dhampir, but one Vampire parent makes him a full-blood." I clarified.

She sighed. "I understand... thank you, I suppose."

My smile only made her flinch, and I hummed. "Is my smile different?" I wondered aloud.

"Yes... as soon as we left the bar. It's... like the moon. A crescent. Slightly... scary." She said apologetically.

"I apologize, I truly didn't mean to frighten you. It was meant to be a companionable smile. My wife and I have relocated our Entrance here, and so she demanded that I ingratiate myself to the local community." I explained.

She smiled softly. "I thank you for trying, sir. I've seen much worse attempts, if that helps."

"Yes... and, seeing as Jackson is a member of the Council, as I, I thought it my duty to... assist him. And I do owe him a debt, but this wouldn't barely scratch the paint." I laughed sarcastically.

She blinked. "I... Jackson isn't a Council Member. It's Jacob, the Elden Fae, who is." She corrected me.

I blinked, halting. "Oh dear... I must correct that mistake. Terribly rude of me." I sighed, and continued walking. "Thank you, for telling me. I will repay you." I said severely.

She blushed. "I... well... I only gave some information. Please don't go overboard... I know your kind are naturally... overzealous, but I beg restraint of you." She asked, glancing up at my eyes through her bangs for the first time.

Her knees immediately buckled, and I caught her, helping her stand, my eyes to the sky. I sighed. "My apologies... I seem to be building debts to you as we walk." I chuckled, and then hummed again. "Yes, I hear your concerns... I will attempt... restraint." I growled the last word softly, like a curse-word.

She giggled. "Thank you, sir. And this, is my Entrance." She placed a hand on a door, and it unlocked with a heavy click.

I stepped back and bowed my head. "Yes. You will have my debt within the week, I swear."

She smiled softly. "You're very kind. I don't know why your kind are seen so... well, never mind. I suppose you do earn that reputation rightly." She chuckled, just as the door opened, and an elderly dwarf woman stepped out, huffing in annoyance.

"I don't know where he gets his lovable nature, what with your ruinous bloodlines. Hello, Magnus Sjöllson, Son of Richten Sjöllson, son of Sjöll, third Blood of the Sjöll Line, love of Sonja, first Blood of her line, father of Ira, the Boy King, second and fourth Blood's of Sjöll and Sonja." She snapped my true name at me, making me freeze to stop myself from ripping her head off.

I gritted my teeth. "Hello... you seem to have the advantage of me. Your name?" I asked tightly.

She laughed. "Ha! The dragon thinks I'll give him my name! Ha Ha!!"

Miranda paled a little. "Missy..." she warned quietly.

"Ah! Well, Miranda, David is sleeping, and sleeping well, I might add. I gave him his dinner, steak and potatoes for the growing boy, then he thanked me, rather politely, that part you're definitely doing right, and then I took him to his bath, which he did himself, though he forgot behind his ears, as always, then it was his teeth, and off to bed in those cotton pajamas he adores." She smiled, betraying a bit of love for the child, despite her gruff exterior.

Miranda hugged her gently. "Thank you so much, Missy. I've actually got something for you! Your pay for last month, and this coming month, all at once!!! My friend and I had a great night at the bar." She passed a roll of money quickly into the woman's sleeve, and smiled quickly.

She raised an eyebrow. "The dragon had a part in it, I'm sure... ah well. Money is money. Off I go. And Magnus, if you eat this child, I will true name you into a volcano." She snapped at me, and waddled away in a huff.

I laughed gently. "I don't eat children... but overstepping dwarves..." Her waddling went a bit faster, and I nodded. "Good. Now, good evening, Miss Miranda. I look forward to meeting your Son. He seems polite, and interesting."

"Yes... and thank you again, I needed to feel safe, at least once. It was appreciated." She nodded and opened her door.

I bowed my head, and stepped away into an alley, where I began moving at my full speed, blurring from human vision as I hunted the Dwarf. When I found her, I dropped a diamond bauble in her hand as she reached for the door-knob of her house.

"I'm sure that will... hold you over, on the child's care-taking?" I said softly.

She nodded slowly, looking away. "For a few months. Yes."

"Good. And I don't eat children. Please don't perpetuate that myth. It's disgusting." I sighed, and sprinted away.

My front door came into sight, and I paused, approaching slowly. "Miss... Amber? What brings you to my home?" I asked softly.

She whirled, and clutched her chest, heaving for air. My sudden appearance had scared her. "Ah... your house? This is my apartment, Third Floor, room... well you don't need to know that. What do you mean your house?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

I hummed and read the number on my keys again. "This is where it says... I only moved in today... room 301."

Her eyes widened. "I... I was evicted? Just like that? Fuck! Alright, I'm off to have a fucking word with that piece of shit landlord!" She stomped in, headed to the dwarven landlord's room on the main level.

I hummed and followed, curious.

The door was busted open, and she immediately roared out in an impressive voice for someone so small. "GET OUT HERE YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!! LAW SAYS YOU GIVE TWO WEEKS NOTICE!!! RANDY YOU FUCKING WANKER I WANT AN EXPLANATION!!! NOW!!!"

The dwarf I'd bought the room from waddled out in the way they do, not disturbing a single paper. "Calm down, I can hear you, ya twit. What is it this time? Electricity cut out?"

"You gave a giant my room, and didn't even tell me! 301 is my room, you know that!! I pay my rent on time, every week!" She slapped her palms on his desk and growled at him.

He blinked slowly. "Eh? Giant?" His eyes traveled up, to find me, and he cleared his throat. "Oh. That giant. Yes. Well, you'll be happy to know this is a misunderstanding. I swear."

"Ex-Plain... Now." She hissed.

He nodded. "Yes. Ya see, 301 is a duplex of sorts, but you didn't know that, because you've never needed the room. 301A is yours, luv, but 301B, the room above yours on the roof, is his and his wife's. Sorry for the confusion, he probably didn't think about telling you. And there's not letters on the door because I'm too cheap to put them, okay? Ya happy? Go away, then." He shooed her with a swift hand motion.

She hummed and stepped back. "Alright. But if you're fucking with me, I'll cut your tires just for fun."

"Don't have a car, don't care, out of my office, girl." He shrugged and lit a cigar, beady eyes focused on my chest, giving me his full attention.

"Thank you for clearing that up. I was worried I'd somehow done wrong here." I said quietly and walked away, up the stairs. Before she reached us, I moved the door that held my Entrance over about ten feet, then created a magical staircase up to the roof behind it, and then opened it, stepping in.

"Is that my Magnus? Smells like him, but he's steppin' quiet, 'n tha's not like him. 'As he done somefin wrong, yeah?" Sonja poked her head around the corner, exaggerating her accent for fun.

I smiled. "Heart of mine. No, but we almost ousted a special human... we now live in 301B, remember that. And how is baby Ira?" I grinned and kissed her stomach, having approached at full speed.

She giggled. "Lovely... he's clawring me again. I've a mind to give him a talking to!" She pet my hair, hugging me to her gently. Well, gently for an Elden Dragon.

I grinned. "Good, he's strong... I was true named today by a dwarf. She called him 'Ira, the Boy King, Second and Fourth Blood of Sonja and Sjöll'."

She slowly gazed at me. "I see... now tell me about this 'special human'. Is she... yours?" She was implying that the human was a possible dalliance. Dragons were sporadically drawn to humans to mate and breed easier, as dragons breeding were extremely rare, and extremely powerful. My son would be quite the Warrior, it was in his blood.

"No, love, you're the only woman for me. More than I can handle." I chuckled. "No... but... it was an odd feeling. I've felt that one before, this was very different..." I sighed.

"Oh? Do tell. I love a good story." She smiled.

"I met her in a coffee shop, Jacks mugs or some such. Diana was giving her a hard time, but she was just calmly standing there, apologizing gently, and then went to redo the perfect cup of coffee Diana was complaining about... and she wasn't affected by me. She looked me in the eyes repeatedly, but only served to amuse herself with my eye color."

She hummed and sat down on the couch, kicking her feet up. I immediately began massaging her ankles absentmindedly, and she hummed again. "Interesting... and you met her twice more, I take it? Once is chance, twice is coincidence... thrice is fate." She gazed at me. "This woman. Her name?"

"Amber. She's... small. But fiery. Almost like a Dragon Legacy, but she's got no trace of anything supernatural in her. But she draws magical things to her." I shivered as I remembered the feeling that had led me into the coffee shop.

She raised her eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Her best friend is a Dhampir with a vampire son. Her boss at the bar is a Beast-man. Her boss's husband is the Elden Fae Council member, Jacob... her landlord is a dwarf. Her old boss was a lecherous selkie. Her neighbors are dragons." I listed most of them.

"That's not all together bad-" she started.

"There is a leprechaun living under her car, Sonja, and it's draining her luck away." I finished.

She stopped, blinking slowly. "A leprechaun? A real one?"

"Yes. Real. And dangerous. Oh, and remind me to get rid of him, yeah? I might just have something to do with him, actually..." I thought of her lecherous boss, the selkie whom I'd barely kept myself from disemboweling, when he'd had such obviously rude and disrespectful thoughts of her.

She smirked. "I do love a good sabotage."

I nodded and picked up a menu of local cuisine. "So. What would you like?"

"Hmm... I'm thinking-"

'Knock knock knock'.

I hummed and stood, cautiously walking over to the stairs and leaned against it. "Allo?" I asked.

"Uhm... hey. It's me, Amber? If you're interested, I'd love to cook you your welcome dinner? It's been a while since we got new neighbors..." the Human Amber, spoke hesitantly, as if she was afraid she was bothering me.

Sonja raised an eyebrow when I looked at her. "That's her?"

"Yes."

"Then accept her invitation, husband." She smirked and stood, snapping her fingers. Her silk pajamas turned into a silken robe, covered with Dragon images.

I narrowed my eyes. "A bit on the nose, yeah?" She sighed and nodded, and they changed to roses. I opened the door, and smiled down at Amber. "Hello, Miss Amber. That would be lovely. This is my wife, Sonja." I gestured at the woman who now stood next to me, even with my height.

She blinked. "Hello... wow. I thought he was special. I don't mean to be rude... but... wow. You're very nearly the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life. Ahem..." she blinked a few more times, turning away and stepping down the steps into the main building.

"Why thank you." Sonja purred, extremely pleased with the compliment.

I whispered in her ear. "And to think, she can only see a small piece of your true beauty..."

Her purring became fully audible after that.

"Yes. Dinner. Come with me, then, the kitchen is downstairs." The Human Amber hopped onto the rail and slid down the spiral stairs in a whipping motion, giggling with joy at the small pleasure.

Sonja smiled. "I like her. Honest, cute... And gay."

"Don't tell me you're jealous, love?" I smirked. She narrowed her eyes, which quickly dilated, and I balked. "Sorry, sorry, I'm only joking, I love you like the moon and stars." I kissed her cheek, and she huffed, stalking down the stairs ahead of me.

I smiled and followed.

We entered the 'Kitchen', which turned out to be a massive room, with a dining table big enough to seat twenty people, and the kitchen appliances to make it happen. Several people already sat at the table, which I recognized by scent as the other denizens of the building.

She grinned. "Sunday mornings are usually when we have our breakfasts, but you got here Saturday night, so we'll make do. What would you like? Adam keeps the cubbies full of goodies and Ron keeps our pantries full of meat, so what will it be? I'm a decent chef, if I do say so myself."

Adam, who smelled of ocean and kelp, smiled and bowed his heads while Ron, who smelled of a Beast-Man and a butcher's shop, grinned and nodded.

I looked at Sonja, and she smiled. "Magnets indeed... ah well. Steak and potatoes, lovely girl, I'm not picky." She smiled and leaned way down to kiss Ambers cheeks. "I'm Sonja, luv. I'm sure we'll be wonderful friends."

Amber grinned, unabashed. "Yes, I think so. I know the best places to get clothes of... different sizes. Usually super small, for me, but you'll be needing extra-tall. That can be arranged. Sit, sit, put your feet up, Adam, scoot a bit so the pregnant woman can rest her ankles, shoo!"

He held up his hands in surrender and scooted down three seats, next to Ron, who grinned and threw an arm around his shoulders, clinging to him with an avid interest in the man's scent that made me aware of his beast-spirit, that of a Timber Wolf.

I sat Sonja down gently in the chair, and she kicked her feet up, which stretched the three seats that had been vacated, something that amused me greatly. I sat next to her, and Amber quickly had several steaks grilling on a thick griddle.

I hummed and stood, assisting her out of some urge to do so. The two people who hadn't been introduced, and smelled of fairies, were the two women who wouldn't even look in my direction. City Fae, the weakest of their race, but some of the wisest and kindest, inversely.

They began peeling potatoes and chopping them, dropping them into a pot of saltwater to boil, while Amber and I spiced and grilled the steaks to perfection.

Wine was poured by a large person I had only just noticed, a human male that looked about 20, from his size and muscular definition, though he had a baby face, and who smelled of faerie, in that the women probably kept him as a pet, or perhaps they'd adopted him, who knows, they do odd and random things.

The kitchen was quickly cleaned, and we sat down, preparing to eat.