Beauty and the Dragon

by Melody Rose

  I could tell from Troy’s groan that he was just as glad to indulge himself. I felt as though I’d never been broken in before and that I was finally welcoming in the right lover. It was a snug fit, but I loved how his massive shaft radiated with incredible warmth and stretched me to the point of pain. Even he could see that I needed to adjust to this and treated me to short, measured pumps, making sure I wasn’t overwhelmed by his size.

  Though my arms were still in Troy’s clutches, I bit into his tightly corded neck. Without fully realizing it, I drew blood, my mouth filling with a metallic taste. Even though this was out of character for me, it was also completely familiar. The enticing flavor took over my senses, and I had to wonder if somehow, the life force of dragons had some type of hallucinogenic. I was now completely in awe of Troy, not only addicted to his masterful thrusts but also convinced that I could feel our souls intertwine. My eyes widened as black scales superimposed on his muscular arms and torso, and an emerald pattern in the shape of diamonds dappled my naked legs. Alien as this was, I was entranced, even preferring this look on us.

  He scanned me with similar amazement, releasing my wrists. He must’ve experienced the same vision and was overcome with the same reverence. He planted a trail of tender kisses on my neck as if christening me with his love. I smiled warmly and returned the favor. I threw my arms around him and pressed my lips against his, nibbling and suckling. The more enthusiastically I expressed my passion, the more we transformed. I saw his eyes shift, now a bright yellow with snake-like slits. Rather than being repulsed, I felt I was bearing witness to a long lost love.

  As awareness flickered in our hearts, we crashed into one another, anointing each other with our adoration. I wasn’t sure how to explain how an impulsive lay turned into such a moving event, but here we were. We ground against each other with desperation, as if we were trying to reach each other’s souls. As we sank our fingers into flesh and kissed greedily, we finally reached climax simultaneously. The two of us even screamed together, our liberation resounding throughout Queen Zielona’s bedroom.

  26

  Rose

  If I weren’t so marinated in ecstasy, I would’ve been mortified by all my sweat. Ever since Troy and I made love, subtle but intense changes raced through my body, such as my blood running hotter and my metabolism leaping to an even faster rate. I panted, not out of exhaustion but rather out of delighted confusion. I fanned my arms and legs out, then shrieked when I felt what my shin had touched.

  “What is it, Rosalind?” Troy asked with sincere concern. He finally dropped the honorific, too, so I guessed he was really comfortable with me. I would’ve laughed if I wasn’t so pissed with myself.

  I scrambled up, pulling a sheet and dabbing my sweat from the crimson leather tome I bought from Ollie back in my world. Maybe it was because I was so spent from our passion, but the book did get slightly damp. I was used to being self-cleaning, bypassing the need for showers, and not worrying about making a mess anymore. It could also be that these volumes demanded respect and had consequences attached to them. I groaned in disappointment, looking at Troy with glittering puppy dog eyes.

  “Ah, I see.” Troy connected the dots even without my help. “You’re smitten with the Jörmungandr Manuscripts. I’m almost jealous! But I would be proud to lay claim to a Mate who knows my culture. At any rate, I am sure that we can ask Kalen how to mend this. For now, I think I know the proper way to lift your spirits.”

  “Yeah?” I asked, intrigued even while I was irked with my mistake. I could feel a sniffle coming on, my eyes already welled with tears. After all, I had a real love affair with literature, giving it my heart even before I’d met Troy.

  “What if…” Troy began his question in a tantalizingly slow way. “What if I told you that I got you every manuscript in the collection? I know where they all by heart even if I can’t decipher their titles. There have been forty-six in our clan’s possession, and you found one in your world, so that would be…”

  “Forty-seven!” I cut in, hopped up on wild excitement. This was a book hunter’s dream, and if anyone in my underground community knew this back home, they’d be beside themselves with envy. The catch was that I had no intention to leave Troy’s side, so I couldn’t gloat to any humans. Maybe I could sneak back in once every blue moon to make sure my old library was well stocked, but for now, I would forge ahead as an ally of the Jörmungandr clan.

  “Troy…?” I trailed off. My eyes were downcast as I struggled to piece my thoughts together. I didn’t want to ruin the beautiful moment we shared together, nor did I want him to think I was ungrateful. “What about my own kind? Or those who… were my kind? I’ve been gone for quite a while, and they’ll probably think I’m some missing persons case. Not to brag or anything, but I was pretty well respected back home.”

  The dark-haired warrior nodded with seriousness, his eyes glinting. “I don’t doubt that you were cherished by your people. You are quite a gifted Sorceress, and any clan would be proud to have you in its midst. I regret to say I don’t have a perfect answer to your query, but I will call upon Kalen to look into the matter.”

  He smiled softly. “Thanks to you, our Shaman has been in greater spirits since your arrival and has healed a great deal following your performance. I am sure he’d like to ensure your people have no need to worry, and he may be able to conjure a spell that explains away your disappearance. Can anyone take over your role in your stead?”

  I was even more endeared to Troy, and my heart melted at his willingness to aid me. Of course, a twinge of bittersweet nostalgia bubbled up for my patrons, but their needs paled in comparison to an entire continent being tormented by the Drikkende. I broke into a smile and shifted into Troy’s lap, nuzzling his cheek gratefully.

  “Thank you, sweetheart.” The pet name just tumbled out of my mouth. I hoped he wouldn’t mind. “I’m sure they’ll find someone who can approach what I did for the library, and it would really mean a lot to me if you can sort out the mess that’s probably occurring over there. And if you could fetch me all forty-seven of the manuscripts on top of that? I will make sure you’re more than well compensated.”

  “Perfect. I’ll see to it that this is all taken care of,” Troy said with a hint of smug satisfaction. “I am sure that Kalen can perform a detection spell to hone in on your realm and tap into the minds of those that reside in the environs.”

  Troy then pulled me into a tight hug, our slick bodies grazing yet again and making me feel impossibly warm. I was a bit worried I was getting ahead of myself, but he clearly reciprocated my feelings.

  “Please don’t lose heart, Rose,” he murmured and kissed me on the cheek. “With myself and the Jörmungandr clan behind you, all can be surmounted.”

  “I wouldn’t ever doubt that.” I heaved a sigh of relief, glad that optimism was trickling back into his system. Just some hours ago, he had rightly fallen into despair about what the Drikkende had done to his people. “And remember that I will be here in your time of need, too. My powers are always at your disposal, darling.”

  “I am a fortunate dragon indeed,” Troy remarked, then lifted me and gently placed me back on the bed. I was always left swooning over how effortlessly he carried me. Even if the first time was pretty terrifying, I now craved his strength.

  As I was caught up in my girlish reveries, he hopped up to dress hastily. I guessed that if I had a task in mind, he was willing to put all his focus on carrying it through. I found myself enjoying the commitment, even if it meant he had to clothe himself. Once he walked over to the door to leave, he looked over his shoulder.

  “Do take care of yourself, Rose,” he reinforced. “It would pain me to see you languish again like I’d seen you last time. You are a rare treasure and should treat yourself as such. Though you love your books, I’d like you to see what else the world has to offer. Our gardens are quite lovely, as you know, and Queen Zielona has a bath cut from the finest malachite.”

  I blushed at his faw
ning over me and nodded, ready to admit that maybe I did have my nose in books a bit too much.

  “I’ll try my best!” I called out after him.

  27

  Rose

  After giving Troy some credit for his advice, I found myself soaking in the malachite bathtub, a truly beautiful design cut from a gorgeous stone with alternating shades of light and dark green. Bubbly affection had partially rejuvenated me, but I was still pretty worn out from my animalistic encounter with Troy. As I soaked in the soothingly warm water, the bathroom practically turned into a sauna. Since the bath was so extravagant, I thought that I needed to do a bit more to do justice to the ambiance.

  Even though it was dicey since Troy said I should take care of myself, I decided to dip into my reserve of magic. Being low on mana felt like a second type of fatigue and pulling off a spell was like trying to push through an all-nighter. Still, I felt like I would enjoy myself more with a more luxurious setup. I shut my eyes and concentrated on creamy white rose petals, floating tea candles, and jasmine bath salt.

  When I sensed the serene medley I conjured, I knew that I was still capable of magic in my tired state. I sighed softly as I relished in the floral notes and the soft light that filtered through my closed eyelids. I might even doze off, lulled into hypnotic relaxation.

  My trance was broken when I heard a rustling noise near the bedroom door. A smirk twitched my lips, hopeful that it was Troy, and I’d be able to tear into all the Jörmungandr Manuscripts after I had a decent soak and dried myself off. After all, I would’ve more than earned my right for another book binge. I was treating myself just as Troy asked me to. I was ready to hear him compliment me for my listening skills and good sense.

  “Washing the filth off yourself, foreign whore?” a familiar feminine voice drawled sharply. My eyes snapped open, and my spine straightened to take in the disturbance.

  Astrid stood before me, glaring at me with derision. Immediately, my heart began racing as adrenaline flooded my system. She was armed to the teeth. That was unnerving in itself, but since I was completely exposed and vulnerable, I was absolutely terrified.

  I had to think quickly, so I leapt out of the bath and refused to give her the chance to drown me. Past that, though, I wasn’t sure what to do. Should I move as far away from her as possible or try my chances at shooting past her to escape? I tried to concentrate on armoring myself, certain that I couldn’t fend Astrid off unclothed. To my dismay, though, my magic wasn’t able to follow my will. I must’ve lacked the energy to carry out the entire spell, so I could only manage some leather chest armor and a matching battle skirt. I couldn’t even muster up any boots.

  Astrid simply laughed at my lackluster magic, shaking her head at my incomplete armor. I imagined I must’ve looked silly, barefoot and caught off-guard while she came in fully battle-ready.

  “I can see why Bard Pomi sings your praises, he’s a fool, after all, but the rest of our clan?” Her voice tinkled like a bell, amused at my misfortune. “Look at you! A sorceress is no battle maiden. This will be so easy that it won’t be worth singing about, and no one will mourn you when they learn how weak you were.”

  I winced at her using the past tense when describing me. She didn’t leave any room for misinterpretation. Astrid didn’t want to just rough me up, she was intent on killing me.

  My stomach tensed as she reached for one of her daggers. I knew that I didn’t have much to draw from, so I took a step back to buy time. All the tea candles bobbing in the bathwater stood out to me. Maybe I couldn’t conjure new matter from scratch in my weakened state, but I could be creative. I pictured harnessing all the flames, combining them with the heat of my own rage before I then trained my focus on Astrid’s dagger.

  To my amazement, the blade actually melted, causing Astrid to scream and drop it reflexively. The spell continued its work and dissolved the weapon down to its very handle. All that was left was a grey puddle of molten metal bubbling on the floor.

  The fiery blonde only raised an eyebrow before she grumbled and pulled a sword from a sheath behind her. I was even more incensed at this point, so my enchantment unleashed itself as a glowing orb of fire. I hurled it at Astrid’s sword, my entire energy dedicated to disarming her. Even while she threatened my life, I still had an aversion to seriously harming her.

  While I had an axe to grind with the Drikkende, I didn’t have any proof that Astrid was beyond redemption. She seemed to be a valuable battle maiden in the clan, and I hadn’t heard anyone accuse her of senseless murder.

  The fiery orb made short work of Astrid’s sword, and she was forced to toss it aside to spare herself from a horrible burn. Now that she was disarmed, I decided that I would give her a chance to explain herself. Maybe that was foolish, but I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t try. I had pledged my allegiance to the Jörmungandr clan, and so I told myself that I needed to extend some mercy to Astrid.

  “What is this all this about?! What did I do to deserve this?!” I screamed, but that proved to be a miscalculation on my part.

  Astrid exploited my attempt at diplomacy, closing the gap between us and reaching out for my neck with a speed I couldn’t even fathom. I felt like a small mouse in the talons of a bloodthirsty eagle.

  “Oh, shut up, you coy twit,” she shot back at me. “You might be weak, but you’re not dim. You are a sorceress, after all, and I’ve heard you’re well read, so you must know that dragons, even in our unturned forms, have finely honed senses.”

  I wrinkled my forehead, catching her drift even though my focus was compromised. Luckily, she wasn’t completely choking me for the time being. It seemed as though she wanted to drive home her point before eradicating me.

  “I was able to see your brazen intentions from leagues away, hanging over his arm as though you were some prize,” Astrid hissed. “I didn’t believe the claim that you were an esteemed guest for a second. You’re here to pollute our bloodline and revel in having our Champion as your consort. Even if you’ve bathed, I smell him, the both of you, all over this room. The queen’s quarters, no less!”

  While she poured her energy into degrading me, I concentrated on remaining calm so I could focus.

  “You don’t deserve even a shred of what you’ve been given,” she growled. “It’s plain to me that you must have used your filthy enchantments to infect my clan’s minds. Well, I won’t let you steal Troy before my eyes. He’s my Champion, and I intend to handfast with him. All I need to do is cut the cord holding us back!”

  As she voiced her resentments, her spirit dripping with venom and her aura burning with unthinking rage. I wondered what it would take for her to come to her senses, but I cared way more about saving my neck. Now that I was able to focus some, I was able to ignore the strangulation mostly. Since she only clutched me with one hand and my arms were free, I reached up and grabbed onto her fingers. I tried to use all my might to bend them backward, not that this was saying much. I was worn out, exhausted, and frantic, not really in my best form.

  While her hold on me loosened a bit, I wasn’t as free as I hoped. Still, I forged ahead before Astrid could crush my trachea with her vice-like grip. I rammed my bony kneecap into Astrid’s midriff, my mind’s eye focused more on a medley of emotions, namely anger, irritation, and vengeance. This must’ve been the right call, as I hit her far harder than I ever could have before, my blow fueled by my magic. Astrid was left howling, staggering backward as she let me go.

  I’d never technically gotten into a fight before, so I guessed this was good practice since I did give Troy my word that I would bring down an entire legion of demons. With renewed confidence, I sprinted past Astrid while she was still doubled over. I was hoping that I could race out of the bedroom before she regained her ability to stand up.

  So I did just that. I was able to advance to the sweeping ornamental rug about three feet away from the door out before hauntingly ice-cold fingers snaked their way into my damp black locks. My stomach tangled up with dread, s
eeing my escape so near and yet so far. I really didn’t know how I was going to get myself out of this. I tried to wrestle myself free, but Astrid strong-armed me.

  She didn’t even give me a chance to process my fate as she drove her lean forearm into my back and swept my leg so that I lost my balance. I tumbled onto the ground ribs first, my bones sharply aching from the fall. As brave as I was before, I couldn’t help crying out from the pain.

  Astrid only laughed with manic glee.

  I knew I was done for when she clapped her hands on either side of my head, pulling it back and then slamming it down. It was a small blessing, at least, that the floor was carpeted. It didn’t make it any less painful, and it only took two strikes before my consciousness was entirely robbed from me. Pitch darkness took over my world, and the last sensation I held onto was the distinct feeling of going totally slack.

  28

  Troy

  I arrived at Rosalind’s quarters with four satchels packed with the volumes that the Sorceress sought. I knocked to signal my presence, still reluctant to disturb the spellmistress. I thought I heard a feminine voice lilt in response. I should have been cheered by this, but I arched my eyebrow curiously. This wasn’t the same gentle tone that stirred me with tremendous affection. It sounded strained, even unhinged.

  Had I lost track of time? That was unlike me, particularly since I treated this errand with urgency. Perhaps Rosalind had lapsed into her old habits, forgoing food and rest to immerse herself in ancient texts. I was overcome with the intense desire to protect her, willing to admit responsibility if my Chieftain and Shaman decried our carnality.

  I sighed, subduing my nerves, then opened the door to greet her. What I found made me stand frozen with my mouth open. Rosalind was limp and lifeless looking, the alert eyes I loved so much shut and her features sickeningly serene. Despite my desire to collect her in my arms and rouse her, I tore my gaze away from the spellmistress to find her assailant.