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Jack wouldn’t say he was the biggest fan of the movies, but he was more than aware of who Dorian Marsten was. He could see why he was one of Hollywood’s most desired leading men as he was an attractive individual. He had a swagger about him though that Jack found an instant turn-off, although that probably put him in a minority. He smouldered, and while his human fans would put that down to his charisma, Jack knew it was largely down to him being a dragon and the real fire dancing in his belly.

Robin Flint was here too. Although he had been told he was coming, it still struck him as odd because he thought Robin was only making the connection rather than being needed in person. “While it’s nice to see you, I’m surprised you’re here, Robin,” Jack said, accepting a cup of tea. “How is LA coping without you there to keep the wheels moving?”

“Dorian is one of my clients and he was insistent I accompany him.”

Jack sensed there was more going on and, as Ben arrived with Ashley, he thought he understood why.

Ashley had caught him that morning and told him that he would be present at Ben’s meetings when Dorian was at the hall, and despite how much he’d cajoled him, Ashley had refused to admit there was any reason other than Dorian was a movie star and should be treated as an honoured guest and not left alone.

From the body language, there was history between Ben, Dorian and Robin. Dorian had hugged Ben on arrival and Dorian’s touches lingered on Robin more than they should on a recently married man, even though Robin had sent him pointed looks every time he did so. Jack suspected if Dorian so much as put a toe too close to Ben, Ashley would react and there’d be enough dragon hide available for boots and a new satchel.

“I’m grateful Dorian was willing to come to Crofton Hall,” Jack said. “Chris has agreed to have his jar analysed but he didn’t want it to leave the property.”

Robin didn’t seem particularly overjoyed to be at Crofton Hall, another strange reaction, because as far as Jack understood, Robin was one of Ben’s closest friends and visited whenever he could find the time. He suspected it had more to do with Dorian being here, and his insistence Robin come with him. “Did Chris give a reason why he didn’t want to leave Crofton Hall? I assume he would have needed to accompany the jar.” Robin said.

Jack’s biggest fear had been that while they were at the hall, Ben would afford them some protection but if Dorian identified the jar to contain dragon’s blood and if Chris was somewhere else, he might not return. “Crofton Hall has been Chris’s home for more than four hundred years, he doesn’t want to leave unless it is somewhere he wishes to go.”

“I have no intention of insisting Chris leave Crofton Hall,” Ben assured him. The trouble was, it was all well and good saying that, but if Chris was proven to be the homicidal crazy elf, Christopholous, it might be out of Ben’s hands.

“I also have concerns for his safety. Not so much that he would be banished from his home, but that if word were to get out, then there would be factions who would be interested in connecting with someone of his uniqueness. That would stand whether he is who Alex has hypothesised or not. His uniqueness makes him vulnerable to collectors and other individuals who are less than honest in their actions.”

Jack couldn’t sound more like a lawyer if he tried.

“Having a unique creature as a husband, I can certainly understand those sentiments.” Robin smiled.

Simon, his husband, was a vampire-fae, and Jack knew of the existence of only two of them, Simon and his father. He didn’t miss Dorian’s pout at Robin’s mention of Simon, and he thought Dorian would be onto a hiding to nothing if he’d agreed to help thinking it would be a way into Robin’s bed.

“Let’s get Chris in here then,” Ben said, sounding as keen as Jack was to get this out of the way.

“He doesn’t want to be present. But he has permitted me to present his jar.”

“Then where is he?” Ben asked. “He’s used to live in his jar. I assume that’s not the case now.”

“He’s in my room. As you are aware Chris is now corporeal, so can no longer fit in his jar. When he first woke up, he had to return frequently but that’s decreased over the years. Now it is more a matter of his jar being his only possession and he doesn’t want to risk any damage to it.”

“Right, that makes sense. I know this has been a difficult time for Chris, and we don’t want to make matters worse.” Ben said. “Let’s get this over with. Present the jar.”

Jack retrieved the box that he had stashed under his seat. “We haven’t discussed the process by which Dorian will make his evaluation. I want to be certain the jar will not be harmed in any way.”

“No fear on that score,” Dorian said. “I just gotta hold it. If it’s made from dragon blood, I’ll know.”

Jack hadn’t been able to find out much about dragon’s blood and its involvement in pottery—it didn’t seem to be used regularly. From his own experience, he knew dragon blood was a highly potent ingredient in many magical potions or carriers for spells. He opened the box and removed Chris’s jar. Chris’s trust in him to take care of his most important possession was not lost on him and only added to the depth of the affection he felt for the blond pillock.

Dorian was a big bloke, his large hands made the jar look much smaller, and Jack felt a pang of fear about having handed the precious item over. But he needn’t have worried as he could see Dorian was holding the jar with extreme reverence and delicacy.

“Oh wow, this thing is special.” Jack saw Dorian’s eyes flash gold. “It’s dragon blood all right, and a powerful one at that. If I’m not mistaken, it’s from a Rex, head of one of the dragon families.”

“You can tell that just from holding it?” Jack asked. Dragons weren’t his speciality, he knew them to be dangerous, and he wouldn’t cross one, but his knowledge had more holes than Emmental.

“Yes, we’re all linked through our blood.”

“The blood being from a Rex gives it greater significance?” Robin asked.

“Pretty much unheard of a Rex giving their blood for anything. When dragons first appeared they didn’t shift, unlike now where we all do, but the Rex were the start of that.” He closed his eyes and licked his lips. “I think it might be Firestar. Which makes this from my family.”

Jack didn’t need a dragon history lesson, as fascinating as it might be, but he needed to understand the significance of this being Rex’s blood.

“Why would they go to the trouble of using Rex’s blood over, say, a normal dragon? Any dragon’s blood is potent stuff?” Ashley asked.

“It’s as pure as you’re going to get, which means it’s very powerful and could be used to contain a fucking huge amount of magic.”

It didn’t need to be said that could be enough to contain an elf warlord for two thousand years.

Dorian was petting the jar, his finger tracing the gold lines.

“Is there anything else you might think would be useful for us to know?” Jack asked.

“You’re gonna think I’m not right in the head,” Dorian said, staring at the jar.

“Trust me, there’s little that shocks me these days.”

“There’s a sense of growth coming from it, I can’t explain it exactly, but I think it’s changed over time. I don’t know what it was like when it was forged, but now it’s calm, gentle, at peace and it seems to have taken a while to get to that state.”

Ashley was biting his lip, and Jack knew he’d joined the dots to something. “Could it have started as a prison and become a place of repentance?”

Dorian shrugged. “Anything’s possible when it comes to dragon blood of this strength.”

If they’d been in court, Jack would have accused Ashley of leading the witness.

“Would you be able to tell who it was made for?” Ben asked, and Jack wished he hadn’t.

“Not in the sense of the individual. There’s fae magic involved, and I’ve not heard of them ever asking this sort of favour from my kin. Maybe they can tell you.”

Dorian seemed reluctant to let go of the jar. “Are you sure this Chris guy wouldn’t be interested in letting me buy this off him?”

“Positive,” Jack said. He wondered if Dorian had listened to a word about the jar’s owner or if he didn’t care. “Please hand it back.”

Dorian did so. “Pity. It’s unique.”

“So is Chris.”

Robin turned to Ben. “What’s going on? What’s the significance of the jar? Or rather was this Chris fellow the one originally locked away in it or did he occupy it after it had become empty?”

Jack hadn’t considered that as a plausible angle and he was trying to formulate a response which could later be used in Chris’s defence, when Dorian burst his bubble.

“This would have been made for an individual, it’s not real estate to be bought and sold,” Dorian said, frowning, as if the notion was a personal insult, which was a bit much since his offer to purchase had been refused.

Alex cleared his throat. Jack had been waiting for him to chip in. “So, to conclude, the jar is made with dragon’s blood, but more than that, a dragon king who wouldn’t usually give up his blood. It would have been able to encase a great deal of magic and it’s probably unique in its existence.”

“I’d said that was an accurate overview,” Ben said. “But, Alex, I would ask you not to make any further deductions at this point.”

“Ben?” Robin asked.

“I tell you what, Robin, how about you and Dorian join me and Ashley for dinner at my club in London? Ashley can shepherd us through one of his portals.”

Jack thought it good to get Robin and Dorian out of the house as it would give him a chance to speak to Alex.

“Excellent idea,” Robin said, standing.

Dorian looked at Ashley, who smiled tightly. Jack knew Ashley wanted Dorian gone and would likely spend the dinner making it clear he was Ben’s partner. Dorian stood and took up a position a bit too close to Robin.

“Maybe you should call Simon?” Ben suggested. “I’m sure he’d make himself available if he can.”

Dorian huffed and Jack thought him an idiot. He’d seen some scary fuckers in his time, but nothing compared to what Simon might be capable of, and if he were Dorian, he wouldn’t risk being on Simon’s shit list.

“An excellent idea. I wouldn’t want him thinking I was doing anything untoward with one of my clients.”

“Ashley, darling, a doorway to Bled, if you’d be so kind. I think it would be best if Simon met us there.” Many people underestimated Ben, but he was a shrewd man who knew how to keep trouble away from his home. “I will probably ask him to contact Jack about the jar business before he decides to do anything else with the information.”

“What?” Robin asked.

“I’ll explain over dinner. It’ll be best once you have a glass or two of a nice Latvian 47 in you first.”

Ashley opened a portal. “This way. And, Jack, don’t hesitate to contact me if you need anything.”

He was left alone with Alex and Karl. “Are you going to accept I was right about Chris?” Alex asked.

“I accept that he had a jar made out of dragon blood, and there could be a conclusion drawn in the manner you suggest.”

“Please cut the lawyer-speak,” Alex snapped. “You don’t know the danger we could be in.”

“Chris isn’t going to be an issue. If he was Christopholous, he’s no longer him. My concern would not be he would be a danger, but rather that he was in danger.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Because I’ve become close to him, and delved into his magic. There wasn’t any of the darkness which would be behind him being the monster you claim. If anything, he’s lost and in need of guidance.”

“ Guidance ?”

“He’s an elf with magic he doesn’t know how to use and could do with one of his own to help him understand himself.” Jack wasn’t sure this was the right gamble to take, but he didn’t have many other options.

“You want me to help him?” Alex asked, sounding incredulous.

“I can’t think of anyone better. Alex, if he’s Christopholous, then he’s paid his dues, but he could be in danger, especially if the fae react like how you did.”

Alex seemed to be fighting with himself on how to respond. “Jack, I don’t know if I can do that.”

“The jar was Christopholous’s prison, they couldn’t kill him, so they came up with a way to contain and change him—if Chris was him, then it worked, and now, like any newly released prisoner who has repented, he needs help to be the best version of himself. I can help to some degree, but I’m not an elf. There’ll be aspects of his magic I’m not accustomed to, and so I might misinterpret the best way for him to handle a situation.”

Alex puffed out his cheeks. “All right. But I want to assess his magic first, and if he’s not an evil bastard, then I’ll see what I can do.”

He’d take that as a win, and he realised Alex had no intention of handing Chris over, although he didn’t know what he had planned. “Will you tell the elves about him?”

“No, nor the fae. I would deal with him, with help, but I would never hand him over to those creatures. If he is harmless, I will not put him in danger. And will protect him.”

The relief Jack felt was palpable. “Thank you.”

“He won’t stay hidden for long,” Karl warned. “One way or another, his existence will come to light.”

“I swear it won’t be by me,” Alex said. “But he can’t be kept a secret forever. The fae will find out.”

He didn’t need forever, just long enough so Chris could learn to use his magic and show he wasn’t a threat. “What about the elves?”

“Christopholous is a myth, a bit like a twisted King Arthur. There would be some who would rally around him and want to follow him or use him as a figurehead, and the Elven Council would not like that. I can’t see them acknowledging his existence.”

There was a possibility some elves would want to claim Chris as their one true king, although not those currently in power. While it was a relief to know Chris wasn’t going to be whisked away to the elven realm, there was a distinct possibility the elves might remove Chris in a more permanent way to avoid him being used to lead a revolt.

“He needs to be able to defend himself,” Karl warned.

“That I can teach him.” Alex smiled. “I’ve some errands to run but I’ll come see Chris in a while. I would prefer to talk to him alone. Elf business is not warlock business.”

Alex might have asked nicely, but Jack wasn’t stupid, he knew it was a condition for Alex working with Chris, and he wouldn’t limit Chris’s access to someone who could teach him about being an elf. He would do what was needed to keep him safe, he loved him too much to risk anything happening to him when he could prevent it. Chris was going to need all the help he could get.