Draconia Offline vol. 1

29.2. Celestial Inside Out - Part 2

We work for three more hours after lunch and I'm getting progressively more nervous. I eye Erik every few minutes and sometimes he catches me and smiles. But I can tell that he's uneasy. Nothing eludes a telepath. I don't feel his love for me wavering but seeing me in full Celestial wrath mode shocked him. I guess he was still considering me human from the inside.

We'll finally have that super important conversation today but not only about our mutual telepathic addition. I have to make sure how he's copying with my Celestial-ness if I can call it like that. And how he really feels about being almost the only human among so many Draconians.

"Ryuu," he catches me staring at him again and kicks me under the table. "Finish your work already so that we can call it a day."

"Oi!" I let out because a kitten suddenly lands on my lap. It's pure white except for black dots around its spine.

Liana was benevolent enough to allow Emi bring her new pets into the office when the meeting ended. They're mostly all over the Clawfang Alpha but sometimes they go exploring and this time one critter ended up on me.

"Why didn't I think of that sooner!" Emi exclaims out of the blue and looks at me with a wild expression on her face. "Do you feel emotions also from animals?"

"Sure," I nod and pet the kitten. "This one is really happy."

"How is it?" Emi is mega curious. "Is it different?"

"A lot different," I nod. "Their emotions are strong but not as complex. They can usually feel only one emotion at the time."

"Can you connect to them?" she asks eagerly.

"Not really," I have to disappoint her. "Animal minds aren't as conscious as ours. I could probably calm an animal by sending it comforting feelings but that's about it. I think your scents work much better on animals."

"You know, let's call it a day," Liana surprises us by resolutely switching off her computer. "I can hardly keep my eyes open, you're not paying attention anyway and Ingri is sleeping already."

"Right, she is," Fefnir pokes Ingri who fell asleep over an opened textbook. For a moment it looks like he's about to wake her up but then he flexes his muscles and takes the sleeping Earthborn girl into his arms. "Good night, guys."

"Good night, Fefnir," Liana stands up, stretches and yawns.

"You can finish it tomorrow," Erik puts my computer into the sleep mode for me because he suspects why I'm stalling—I'm afraid of our upcoming conversation. But it must happen. I know it must.

"Let's goooo, little ones," Emi sings and seizes the kittens in shorter time that I'd ever think possible considering they're all over the room. But it's as if she calls them with her scent and they obediently come. Clawfangs might not have magic but their abilities are no less amazing.

*****

"I'm okay with your mental change," Erik blurts the moment the sound-proof door of our apartment closes behind us. "You've been worrying that it scared me, right? Well, it didn't. I wasn't afraid of you at that time, just surprised by the sudden change."

"Celestial wrath," I say slowly and manoeuvre him into the living room. "A character flaw my race shares."

"I finally get it when you were telling me that Celestials are the least peaceful race," he tries to joke and we sit on the sofa. "I couldn't quite imagine it before but at that moment you were much more intimidating than Fefnir."

"And I also told you that the Dragonkin are actually the most peaceful race," I remind him, spread my wings and hug him with them. "Despite their formidable appearance. And despite our innocent visage."