Lottery king 3, p.2
Lottery King 3, page 2
“I don’t know about you,” Rune mused as he flicked some mud from his forearms. “But I am so ready for lunch.”
“Oh, yeah,” I sighed. “That sounds perfect. A big burger and some beers? Hell yes.”
“That’s exactly what this afternoon needs,” Cove agreed.
“Maybe we should…” I chuckled as I looked down at the muddy state of my clothes. “Uh, shower first?”
“I can assist with that,” Sunny offered.
The yellow-haired fae walked up as he raised his hands, and his palms started to glow a little bit. A warmth like midday sun started to spread over me, and I felt all of the mud coated on my body and clothes start to dry out and harden. In a matter of seconds, the thick mud was dry enough that it started to crumble and fall right off me.
“Whooaa,” I breathed as the dirt dropped to the ground.
I patted my body lightly with my hands, and big clouds of dust poofed out into the air. I’d still need a thorough shower later, but I was sorted enough to be able to sit in a restaurant without causing an enormous scene.
“That’s so cool,” I laughed.
Sunny moved on to assist the rest of our group with their muddy appearances, and in a few moments, we were just a bit dusty.
“What a cool talent,” I said.
“It doesn’t come in handy very often,” Sunny admitted with a shrug as he baked the mud off his own body. “But it has its moments.”
“This was definitely one of them.” I grinned. “So where are we going for lunch?”
“I have the perfect place, your majesty,” Cove answered. “I already set up a reservation for us.”
“Not that the king needs a reservation,” Rune said with a smirk.
“No, but it is good manners,” I retorted with a laugh, and then I looked back at our ATVs. “Uh… will someone…?”
“Don’t worry, your majesty,” Cove assured me. “We have a crew awaiting our departure. They’ll make sure the ATVs get back home.”
“Awesome,” I sighed with lingering disbelief at the fact that I had servants and crews to handle all this stuff for me.
I shook my head and walked over to the line of Jeeps we’d taken to get out here to the mucky coast. They were as ridiculously customized as the ATVs, and the tops of their huge tires came up to my hips, so it was a climb to get back inside.
Firo hopped into the driver’s seat beside me, and Rune climbed into the backseat. Sunny, Birch, and Matis climbed into the second Jeep, and Tristan and Cove were in the third one. The ride back to the main road was almost as entertaining as our race had been, and the trail was filled with big ruts, bumps, and puddles that made the four-wheel drive totally necessary.
Firo continued to grin lazily as we drove back toward civilization, and I could tell he was enjoying himself. It was really nice to be able to see a more light-hearted side to the stoic dragon-man, and I was glad to see he had a fun side, too.
Once we reached the main road again, Firo drove less recklessly, and his smile faded back to a neutral expression.
“Did you enjoy our traditions, King Michael?” Rune asked as he leaned between the front seats.
“I did.” I nodded. “You know I wasn’t really sure about it at first, but I had a lot of fun. Robin really wanted to do the whole strip club thing, but that’s not really me.”
“Strip clubs?” Rune asked with a bit of confusion. “Are those human dance clubs where the women take off all their clothes?”
“Yeah,” I laughed.
My best friend, Robin, had been really disappointed when I told him I didn’t want to go to a strip club, and he insisted that if he ever got married he was going to drag me to one for his bachelor party. We’d gone for a pleasant hike last weekend instead, and I’d really enjoyed the leisurely afternoon with him.
“That sounds… like it could be fun,” Rune chuckled. “Though most women of the Eternal Realm aren’t as bashful about their bodies as many human women are.”
“I’ve noticed that,” I mused.
The general fashion choices of the women in my new world were far more revealing than the women I’d been used to interacting with in my human life. Not that I was complaining, but it was another of the many changes I’d experienced since becoming king.
“Here we are,” Firo said as he pulled into the parking lot of a white-washed bistro in downtown Orlando.
The place had a large patio with light green umbrellas over the dozen tables, and the front sign identified the restaurant as “Lemon & Basil Bistro” in big green letters.
Firo parked the huge Jeep, and Sunny and Cove pulled up alongside us. Everybody climbed out of the vehicles, and we congregated behind them for a moment.
“This place looks nice,” Matis observed.
“Their chef is incredible,” Cove said. “And the menu has a great selection.”
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Rune asked.
“I’m starving,” I agreed.
Everyone naturally fell into step behind me, and I led us around to the bistro’s front doors. A fawn-fae with large freckles on his face and brown deer ears greeted us with a respectful bow.
“Welcome to Lemon and Basil, your majesty,” the fawn-fae said. “We have your table ready.”
“Is it outside by any chance?” I asked.
“Uh, no…” the freckled fae answered, and his tone was suddenly nervous as he looked behind him. “Would you prefer to sit outside, your majesty?”
“If that’s possible,” I said, and I forced down the instinct to take whatever tables they’d prepared for us.
I wanted to sit outside, and I had to get better at accepting some of the benefits of being king without feeling guilty about it. The place wasn’t especially crowded, so I knew we wouldn’t be disrupting anybody else, and I knew the fawn-fae would probably bend over backward trying to accommodate me whether I changed my mind or not. I figured being relaxed while keeping my request was the best middle ground approach to a situation like this.
Plus, the young-looking fawn-fae would get a really nice tip either way, so I didn’t feel too bad about the minor inconvenience.
“Jamie!” the fawn-fae called to another passing employee. “Can we move the king’s party to the patio?”
“Of course,” the female fae said. “King Michael can have whatever he wishes.”
“Thanks,” I said to the brunette fae, and I gave her a charming smile.
The male fawn-fae grabbed a stack of menus and led us out onto the back patio. A tiny army of servers scurried over the patio as they pushed three of the square tables together for us, and by the time I reached the table, one of them pulled a chair out for me.
“My name is Ty,” the fawn-fae who’d greeted us at the door said. “Can I start you out with some drinks or appetizers?”
“Yeah, bring a round of your best beers for me and my friends,” I said, and I glanced around the group for approval.
“Water for me, please,” Firo said as the others nodded.
“Excellent.” Ty nodded. “Any appetizers?”
“Nachos, please!” Rune said as he lowered the menu and looked over the top.
“Yeah, that sounds good,” I agreed.
“And the loaded potato skins, please,” Cove added.
“Right away,” Ty said before he hurried away to get our drinks.
“So, your majesty,” Rune said, and his eyes started to brighten with curiosity. “Are you ready?”
“For what?” I asked, and I half-expected him to say we were going to go cliff diving next.
“To get married?” Rune clarified. “For the first time, at least!”
“Oh!” I laughed. “Yeah, I’m ready. I’m excited. Poppy is amazing, and I feel really lucky.”
“She is a very lucky woman, your majesty,” Cove said.
“Are all the details finalized, my king?” Matis asked.
“I’m honestly not sure,” I chuckled nervously. “Poppy was pretty insistent on handling all the details. She asked me my opinion on some things like the menu and some song choices for dancing. I know she has everything under control.”
“She does,” Rune confirmed. “Poppy’s been detail-oriented for as long as I’ve known her. She loves to turn chaos into order, and checking things off her list makes her happy.”
“Yeah, that sounds like Poppy,” I laughed.
Rune and Poppy had worked side-by-side for a decade before I’d become king, and I knew they had a long-standing friendship. I looked forward to getting to know Poppy in the intimate kind of things that could only be learned with time, and I was excited to begin our lives together as husband and wife.
My friends chatted about our race this morning as our appetizers arrived, but my mind wandered to the other amazing woman in my life.
Helena and I had grown close since we came back from Greece, and I was just as excited to continue spending time with her as I was to be marrying Poppy. We hadn’t discussed marriage yet, but I was pretty sure the harpy was on the same page as me in regards to our future. Plus, Poppy and Helena got along very well, and I knew I wanted all of my wives to be friends at the very least.
My eyes went wide for a second as the thought spun around my mind.
It was a tradition of being King of the Eternal Realm to marry women from several different species. It was expected of me to have several wives, and I still struggled with the idea sometimes. It was so against what I’d grown up knowing as normal, and I was so amazed that two incredible women wanted me and were happy to share me.
I was also taken aback by the shift in how I saw the men with me today. When I’d first met Cove, Rune, Firo, Tristan, and the triplets, they’d been my employees, and now I saw them as friends, too. It was really nice to have such a close relationship with the people who were responsible for helping me so much in my life now.
The food was incredible, and we enjoyed another round of drinks along with our lunch. I ordered the double bacon cheeseburger that was made of the best imported beef and topped with hothouse tomatoes. It was incredibly juicy and perfectly grilled.
I was feeling about ready for a self-indulgent nap by the time we finished up, and Cove handled the tab from my royal accounts. Then we climbed back into our Jeeps and headed home.
“I can’t wait to have a proper shower,” Rune said while Firo drove. “Sunny’s mud-drying trick was pretty good, but I still feel filthy.”
“Me, too.” I smirked. “There’s dust in places there shouldn’t be dust.”
“I, unfortunately, know exactly what you mean,” Firo grumbled lightly as he shifted in the driver’s seat.
Poppy’s group of friends pulled into the driveway just ahead of us, and I smiled at the sight of her teal hair through the back windshield.
Helena had taken Poppy out on their own bachelorette adventure this morning. They’d brought along my dryad gardener Thistle, the dryad representative Lady Taylee, and a mermaid friend of Poppy’s who I’d met only once before today. I couldn’t remember the mermaid’s name, but I spotted her bubble-gum pink hair among the group as they climbed out of the car.
Poppy was pink in the cheeks and had a wide grin on her face as she and Helena stepped out onto the driveway. She wore one of her signature little sundresses, and her teal hair was pulled back into a wavy ponytail. Her iridescent wings shifted between green and purple in the bright sunlight, and she laughed happily with her friends.
Helena was just as gorgeous in a more muted and earthy way. While Poppy was bright with rainbow colors, the Grecian harpy was all soft tans and browns. Her chocolate-brown hair was piled on top of her head in a loose bun, and her tawny-feathered wings were relaxed behind her shoulders. She wore a cream-colored halter top and matching drawstring shorts.
The line of Jeeps pulled up behind the ladies’ car, and we filled the driveway with muddy tires. I couldn’t take my eyes off my two gorgeous ladies as I climbed down from the front seat.
“Michael!” Poppy squealed with delight when she saw me.
“Hey, baby,” I said.
Poppy bounced over and threw herself into my arms, and I pulled her against me in a tight hug. Then I wrapped my arms around Helena and hugged her just as close.
“Hey, you,” Helena murmured in my ear.
“Hey,” I said as I pulled back to smile at my two beauties. “How was your day?”
“So much fun!” Poppy chirped. “We went shopping. I got a new swimsuit for our honeymoon. I think you’re going to love it!”
“I can’t wait to see,” I said, and I wondered how much fabric this so-called swimsuit was going to have.
If I knew Poppy as well as I thought, it would barely cover my favorite three small spots on her luscious body.
“Then we had brunch and mimosas!” Poppy continued.
I chuckled as I realized she was maybe a little bit pink in the face from those mimosas, but she was so beautiful I couldn’t complain.
“It was a lot of fun,” Lady Taylee agreed as she brushed her pink magnolia blossoms off her green face. “Thank you for inviting me, Lady Poppy.”
“I’m so glad you could join us,” Poppy said. “And please, you don’t have to call my Lady Poppy.”
“I’m just practicing,” Lady Taylee laughed brightly. “Starting the day after tomorrow, you’ll be Queen Poppy!”
“Oh, my god,” Poppy gasped as if she hadn’t even thought about that, but I had a feeling it was the excitement and alcohol that made her reaction so intense. “You’re right!”
“Enjoy the rest of your day,” Lady Taylee laughed. “I’ll see you all on Saturday.
“Have a good afternoon, Lady Taylee,” I chuckled.
“I had a lovely time,” Thistle spoke up. “But I have a lot of final details to sort out in regards to the flowers for Saturday. Thank you for inviting me, Poppy.”
“Thanks for joining us.” Poppy smiled.
Thistle smiled back before she turned around and wandered off into the backyard where the property was covered in her lush gardens.
“You know, you’d better get used to your new title, Poppy,” the pink-haired mermaid teased.
“I know, Una,” Poppy laughed. “But you know me, I always worked for the royals, I never imagined I would become one. It’s like something out of one of your books!”
Una was an author of period romance novels, and she was well-known among humans for her books. She used a pen name to keep her real identity hidden, and to keep the secrets of the Eternal Realm a secret, too. I’d only met the pink-haired mermaid once before today, but she was a sweet and quiet person. She was the opposite of Poppy in a lot of ways, and I didn’t think we would have been friends if it weren’t for our connection through my fiancée.
“I’ve got to go home,” Una said with an exaggerated pout. “I have a deadline to meet, and my editor will not be happy if I don’t get my last chapters done.”
“I know,” Poppy said with a pout as well. “Go and work. I’ll see you Saturday.”
The bright-haired ladies hugged each other firmly before she walked over to a hot-pink moped parked at the corner of the garage. She pulled a black helmet over her pink hair and waved as she puttered down the driveway.
“So, how was your adventure?” Helena asked once the engine faded away. “Did you get into any trouble?”
“Oh, tons!” Rune laughed. “King Michael was nearly eaten by a giant alligator!”
“What!” Helena and Poppy shouted in perfectly synchronized horror.
“Shit,” I cursed under my breath.
Chapter 2
Rune burst out in hysterical laughter at the terrified looks in my ladies’ eyes, and I raised my hands to try and ease their fears.
“I’m fine, I promise,” I said in a soft tone. “Look, I’m not hurt.”
“Goddess,” Helena cursed gently.
“Rune!” Poppy turned an accusing gaze on my golden-haired advisor. “That’s a terrible way to deliver news, alright?”
“I couldn’t help myself,” Rune laughed, and he scurried off before Poppy could find something to throw at him.
“Were there alligators at all?” Helena asked with curious eyes.
“Uh…” I stalled for a second.
“Michael!” Poppy gasped with renewed horror. “Was he right?”
“Sort of.” I shrugged a bit guiltily. “We went for an ATV race at the coast, and this is Florida… So yeah, there were gators. But seriously, look, I’m fine.”
“Ugh,” Poppy grumbled, and she huddled against my chest for comfort. “Well, I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“So am I,” Helena sighed, and she joined us in a hug.
“Helena and I were talking about taking a swim to unwind,” Poppy said, and she looked up at me with hope in her eyes. “Would you like to join us?”
“Yeah, I’d love to.” I smiled. “We got pretty muddy on the ATVs, though, so I’m gonna rinse off quick before I jump in. I’ll meet you there in like five minutes.”
“Perfect,” Poppy chirped, and she looped her arm through Helena’s.
The two sexiest women I’d ever known smiled at me as they walked around the side of my million-dollar mansion to the saltwater pool in the backyard. I groaned quietly as I walked into the house instead, and I rushed upstairs to the bedroom I shared with them.
About a week after we’d returned from Greece, Helena had moved some of her things into my home. It just made sense since she’d spent every night at the mansion. She’d insisted on having her own room because she was worried about imposing on mine and Poppy’s time, and in turn, I’d insisted on the closest room to mine. In the four weeks since then, I’d been alternating my evenings between my room and Helena’s.
A small and greedy part of myself wished we could all enjoy each other at the same time, but I didn’t know how to bring that up with them. I was already insanely lucky to have them both be so open about sharing me. I knew most of it was just normal to them because I was the king, but I still refused to take it for granted.
After a quick shower that turned the water a gross shade of tan, I changed into my swim trunks and headed back downstairs to join my ladies for a leisurely swim.
