by Lilly Wilder
“I don’t blame you. Jake was such an asshole – he still is.” I growled, bile building at the back of my throat. “I saw the way he treated you and he honestly doesn’t deserve a girl as pretty and hardworking as you are.”
Somehow, her cheeks became even redder. “Oh… um… thanks…” She bashfully hid her face behind her scarf.
“And, if you’re feeling down about your ex-boyfriend then I have the perfect way to cheer you up.”
“Thanks…” she started, about to reject my offer but I quickly interrupted before she could have the chance.
“I’m really not going to take no for an answer. Besides, I’m not trying to make a move or anything. We’ll just go as friends. How does that sound?”
“Um… what exactly would we be doing?”
“Hiking. I know the perfect trail. It’s not on any of the maps so it has that untouched feeling, you know? It’ll be great for your sketches. There are some really beautiful scenes up there,” I took her hand and squeezed it ever so gently. “I know that you don’t have girlfriends to cheer you up so just consider me your honorary girlfriend for the day.”
She giggled.
Hey, I’m not opposed to playing the gay best friend card if it gets me through the door and trust me, it works almost every time.
Chapter 5: Rosie
The following week.
It was around six o’clock in the morning when I heard the knock on my door. I groaned and willed it away. But then there came another knock and that’s when I realized that it was probably Foster.
I had meant to set an alarm for myself but I must have forgotten in my haste to pack my hiking supplies.
My phone started to vibrate against the nightstand, skidding across the surface until it balanced precariously on the edge. I grabbed it before it could fall and saw Foster’s name plastered across the screen. The bright light made me squint. Through my blurry vision, I managed to accept the call and in a groggy voice I answered, “I’ll be down in just a second.”
In zombie mode, I rolled out of bed and dragged my feet toward the door. I am by no accounts a morning person. Why I had agreed to this crazy idea was beyond my level of understanding. Sometimes you just do weird things.
Finally, I reached the door and unlocked it, and there he was looking as chipper as a blue jay. Speaking of blue jays, he wore a hockey jersey that looked a little out of place for hiking but I wasn’t about to question him on his sense of style. “I need some coffee,” I mumbled as I turned back into the kitchen and turned on the coffeemaker.
A second later, Foster reached over my shoulder and flicked it off.
“Hey, why’d you do that?” I moaned in annoyance. “Couldn’t we have gone hiking at noon or something? I mean, seriously, why do we have to leave at freaking six o’ clock in the morning? It’s practically the middle of the night as far as I’m concerned.”
“To make the most of the day,” Foster answered as he placed a cup of coffee in my hand. “Chai latte. I thought you might be needing one and I guess I was right because you’re Miss Grumpy Pants right now.”
“Sorry…” I sighed into my drink, holding the cup with both hands to make the most of its warmth. “I’m just not used to waking up this early.”
“With me around, you might want to make it a habit.”
I rolled my eyes. “I hate morning people.”
Foster held a hand to his heart to show that he was seriously wounded by my comment. “How dare you say such a thing!”
His dramatic tone was enough to elicit a chuckle from my lips. “Alright, let’s get this over with.”
***
Foster wasn’t lying about the place being beautiful. It seemed everywhere I turned there was a scene more spectacular than the last. I couldn’t put my camera down because doing so risked missing something I could go back and look at later.
“Have you tried looking at the world through your eyes instead of through a viewfinder?” Foster looked over his shoulder. He was sitting on the edge of a cliff, legs swinging. It was clear that he didn’t have a care in the world. I envied him. I was the kind of person who worried about everything and it never really got me anything but trouble.
I sat down beside him, finally placing the camera back in its bag.
“See, isn’t that better?” He asked with a smile. “Nature exists to heal us. That’s why I offered to bring you out here. I can’t say I know what you’re going through right now but I do know what it feels like to be lonely. It sucks. It’s as simple as that.”
“You’re not wrong about that.” I drew my legs into my chest and rested my chin on my left knee. I took in the scene, soaking it all in. Here, everything seemed to shine with a vibrancy I had never seen before.
Overhead, a hawk soared. I craned my neck to follow as it sliced through the clouds before diving toward the ground, eyes locked on a helpless prey below. If I had to guess, a mouse or something. Wanting to capture the moment, I reached for my camera but Foster placed his hand on mine, stopping me. “Just watch.” He whispered as we both moved toward the edge.
Effortlessly, the winged hunter swooped down and crushed the tiny mouse between his talons. I was glad we were too far away to hear its final squeal. Still, I flinched as if feeling its pain.
Foster tightened his grip and I locked eyes with him. For the first time since our acquaintance, it sent a shiver through my spine. My eyes widened as the air around us became artic. He flashed a knowing smile, his eyes dilating into slits. I blinked and the vision was gone.
I shook my head, pushing the hallucination aside. I must be seeing things. That was the only explanation.
Foster continued to look in my direction like he was on the verge of saying something but he never did. I looked away and my eyes settled on the lake beneath us.
The dragon!
How had I forgotten?
“So… Foster…” I ran my tongue along my lips as I tried to prepare myself for what I was about to say. “I know this sounds crazy but I had a dream that this roommate of yours… Myles… that he was actually a dragon.” I laughed at the insanity of it. “I know, I know, vivid imagination. Dragons aren’t real. They’re just monsters you can slay in video games.”
“They are much more than that.” He answered without hesitation. “I should know – I’m one of them.”
Had I been standing; his statement probably would have knocked me right off my feet. “What?” I stammered in disbelief. “Why would a dragon work at a café?”
“What? You don’t think dragons need money too?”
“I don’t suspect you have rent to worry about.”
“Well, you’re right on that front but if we want to interact with humans then we need human money. Your kind doesn’t exactly accept precious gems as currency anymore.” He chuckled. “Not that we would part so easily with our treasures. As you probably know, dragons are hoarders when it comes to treasure.”
I listened to him talk about dragons like it was an everyday affair. This guy had completely lost his mind.
“By that look on your face, I’m going to take a wild guess and say that you don’t believe a word that I just said. I don’t blame you. We’ve made a huge effort to keep ourselves a secret.” As he spoke, he rose to his feet and stretched his arms. His fingers curled into fists while his face twisted with pain.
“Foster!” I called out but he didn't respond to my voice.
I was about to do something when a pair of leathery wings emerged from his back. His face eased back to normal and he even flashed a smile. “See.” He turned around and flapped his wings, hovering slightly above the ground so I could see. “You can touch them if you'd like. Just watch out for the tips. They're razor sharp.”
To my surprise, they were incredibly soft. I ran my fingertips along the leathery surface and it was enough to bring a smile to my lips. “Wow… this is incredible. But why just the wings?”
“This is all I can man
age. I’m an omega.”
“Omega?” I repeated, unfamiliar with the word.
“Dragons range from Alpha all the way to Omega. Alphas, like Myles, are true dragons. They can transform into the beasts of legends. Omegas, like me, only get the wings. I can’t really explain why it’s like this – it just is.”
“I see…” I stood there my head buzzing. “So, it wasn’t just a dream… I really rode on a dragon’s back the other day. I can’t believe it.”
“I’m surprised Myles allowed you to do so. Then again, you’re just his type.”
My cheeks burned a bright shade of crimson. “I am.”
“Mhm.” He answered with a nod. “You’re cute. Which is good because it takes three to tango in our species.”
“What do you mean?”
“If we want to procreate then three people are needed. One female and two males.”
“So… like a threesome.” For a second, I entertained the idea of falling into bed with both Myles and Foster. I had never been one to fantasize but deep down, having a threesome was on my bucket list. “But how does that make any sense… I mean… biologically.”
“Well, our young are very valuable. People have been stealing dragon eggs since the beginning of time. So, at one point, we adapted into this system. It assures that the baby has two forms of protection so if something happens to one of the fathers, they still have someone else to rely on.”
“What about the mother?” I felt like writing this all down. It would make a great comic strip. Dragons were a big trend right now and if I capitalized on it, maybe I could make a quick buck. It would certainly help save for the vacation I was planning.
“Female dragons are known to be rather… err, what’s the word…” He scratched the back of his neck. “Well, let’s just say that they have a bad habit of killing their young.”
I gasped. “Why would they do such a thing.”
“Beats me. I try to stay away from them if I can.” He raised his hands in innocence. “Honestly, I wouldn’t get into bed with one even if you paid me.”
“Neither would I.”
“Which is why male dragons looked for an alternative.” He paused to point a finger in my direction. “For whatever reason, the human womb is able to carry our young. The only problem? Human females aren’t very fond of the idea. They think we’re monsters and most of the time they set their men to hunt us down.”
“I see…” I sat back down and he offered me a protein bar. I took it and nibbled on its edge while mulling over the information I had just received. It was difficult to believe that dragons were real but, at the same time, it was difficult to deny something that was right in front of me. “So, why are you telling me all this? Aren’t you afraid that I’ll tell someone?”
“I have my doubts especially with that ex-boyfriend of yours. If he gets the police department involved, we could be in some serious trouble. Some of those guns are strong enough to pierce through our scales, strong as they might be.”
I laughed. “I would never tell that douchebag anything. He ruined his chances.”
“Still, the heart is known for doing a complete 180 when you least expect it to.”
“It won’t,” I said through gritted teeth. “And that’s a promise. I’m never going back to that guy. Once you lose my trust, you lose it forever.”
Foster nodded his head. “In any case, I’m here because Myles marked you.”
“Marked me?” Without thinking, I lifted my hand to my neck as if I expected the mark to appear out of thin air.
“We’re dragons, we aren’t vampires, you know.” He shook his head. “But, yes, he marked you. He wants you as his mate. Usually, dragons take their female of choice back to the village – willingly or by force.”
I shivered. “Seriously.”
“Seriously.” We had done so much talking that the sun was starting to set. Foster retrieved a blanket from his bag and draped it around my shoulders while he got to work setting up the tent.
“Myles has always been against the practice so he asked me to talk to you.” He paused and looked up at the stars. “You know what? Forget the tent. I think a sleeping bag should be good enough. It’s so much better sleeping under the stars.”
“Wait. Why didn’t he just talk to me himself?” I asked as I started to unroll my sleeping bag only to have Foster stop me halfway through the process.
“I thought we could share one. It gets pretty chilly at night and this way we get to share some body heat. What do you say?” His eyes shone with mischief and again they turned into slits.
“I’m already having a conversation with a dragon so I might as well go all the way,” I said with a shrug.
He wiggled into place first and then I did my best to join him. It was a tight fit but somehow, we made it work. I could feel every inch of his body, including the package he had hiding between his legs. He pulled me even closer until I could feel the beating of his heart underneath my fingertips.
“To answer your question, he’s not very good at talking to women.”
“Could have fooled me.” I thought back to our night together. “Although, I guess he didn’t say all that much.”
“Exactly. I’m the chatterbox of us two.” He ran his fingers through my hair as his lips gently grazed the side of my neck. “I know you aren’t going to believe this but we’ve never had a mate before.”
I rolled my eyes. “Come on, now you’re just pulling my leg. You two are both drop dead gorgeous.”
“I won’t deny that,” he returned with a wink. “But I swear on my wings, it’s true. We’ve been waiting for that special someone to start a family with.”
“Oh…” I whispered, connecting two and two together. “And that special someone is me…?”
Before he could answer, I felt a gust of air rustle through the grass around us. I covered my face to keep the dust from my eyes. When all had calmed, I looked up to find Myles standing there, jeans hanging precariously on his hips. “And what do you think you’re doing?” he asked. “There better be room in there for me.”
Chapter 6: Myles
Of course, there wasn’t and Foster and I were forced to put together the contraption the humans liked to call a tent.
“I don’t think that goes there…” Rosie said in an attempt to be helpful but I was seconds away from burning the whole thing to a crisp.
By some miracle, we managed to erect the flimsy structure. Rosie was the first one to climb inside and I was afforded a splendid view of her backside. Foster and I shared a look of hunger before following after her.
“So, Foster tells me that you know everything.”
Rosie nodded. I noticed that she was keeping her distance. I didn’t take that as a good sign. My heart ached at the possibility of rejection. After centuries alone, I yearned for a mate – someone to cherish and protect – but despite my desperation, I would never take anyone by force.
“I do.”
“Then you must think us monsters,” I said the words expecting her to agree with me but instead, she shook her head.
“At first… I had my doubts. I mean, I’ve heard so many stories about your kind burning down villages and killing innocent people. Then, Foster told me about the kidnappings. I understand the need but it’s hardly the solution to your problem.”
“My thoughts exactly,” I said in response.
“And, if I had any judgment, I would probably run far, far away. That would be the logical thing to do but…”
“But…” This time it was Foster who chimed in.
“But… I don’t know how to explain it. Something about you guys seems different… like I can trust you. I know it’s crazy but tell me you feel it too… this connection.”
“You have no idea,” I said, my voice becoming husky with desire. Before I could stop myself, I was crawling to the other side of the tent where she sat, knees hugged to her chest. Once I was close enough, I took her che
ek in my hand and swept my thumb across her silky cheek. “It happens when a dragon finds a compatible mate and I think I just found mine.” Our eyes locked and my pulse quickened. My hunger for this woman took over as our lips collided.
From there it was just a natural chain of events. It started with kissing and then it progressed to undressing.
Rosie was eager to help, her eyes wandering over every inch of my body. She bit her bottom lip when my cock sprung to life before her. I prayed she would lean down and wrap her lips around my girth but instead, she gave Foster some much-needed attention by unbuttoning his shirt and decorating his collarbone with a trail of kisses.
While she was occupied, I pulled off her pants. Her ass was perfect. It was round with milky white skin. Eager to see it turn red, I slapped it – not too hard but hard enough to make a noise.
She jumped in surprise and I took the opportunity to flip her around and rip off the rest of her clothing. It fluttered to the ground in tatters but I hardly cared. My only thought was getting her naked as quickly as possible.
As soon as her chest was exposed, I took her nipple into my mouth and teased it between my teeth until it became a hard nub.
Meanwhile, Foster settled between her legs and lapped at the juices that ran down the side of her leg. She was so excited that she was already moaning our names and I liked it that way.
I nipped at her breasts before taking my cock in hand. I stroked it to maximum hardness before bringing it to her lips. Obediently, her tongue darted out, wrapping around the tip. Once I was satisfied with that, I pressed forward. Her mouth felt like paradise and when I say she knows how to suck, I mean it. My eyes rolled into the back of my head with bliss. I would have lost it right then and there if it wasn’t for Foster digging his claws into my shoulder.