Page 20 of Claimed by the Savage Dragons

‘They were killed.’

I find my chest still aches when I say the words.

‘By dragons?’ she asks.

‘No, by other humans. There was a war, long before thelastone fought by humans. They were both killed in it.’

‘I’m sorry.’

I turn away. ‘It was long ago, as I said. Now, do you want me to do it, or would you rather wait for one of the others to rut you while holding you over a table for your first time?’

She shivers and I know I’m scaring her.

I’m doing it on purpose.

Except thatI’mnot doing it on purpose.

What the fuck are you doing?I snarl silently into the deep dark recesses of my mind.

But he doesn’t answer. He hasn’t since long before the Fall. What’s clear, however, is that he wants this human. Why, I have no idea. He hasn’t shown any interest since my wife.

‘Yes.’ She whispers it so low that even my superior dragon ears almost don’t hear her answer.

I feelhisanticipation growing. He can’t wait for her to be under us.

I hold out my hand to her.

‘Come.’

She hesitates, but then takes my offer, her small hand warm in mine. I feel an odd jolt run through me, which I assume ishimgetting excited.

I take her down the corridor and through one of the bedrooms. Her fingers grip me tighter, obviously assuming we’ll do it now, but I have other plans. Or perhapshedoes. I don’t actually know at the moment. I’m not quite myself, that much I know as I take her to the stairs which wind down into the heart of the mountain.

‘What was this place?’

‘A place dragons stop at for rest on the way home,’ I answer.

We go past storage rooms that make her exclaim in wonder.

‘Are those paintings?’ she whispers.

‘Yes. Rembrandts, Monets, Caravaggios. Others, too. Saved by those of us who cared about the arts just after the Fall, before your kind couldburnthem for fuel,’ I snarl.

She blinks up at me and then, shockingly, a giggle bursts out of her.

I stop dead and turn around, watching in surprise as she lets go of me and doubles over.

‘What’s funny?’ I ask without anger.

‘It’s just…’ She giggles again. ‘You saved human artifacts from being burned. But you’re dragons.’

I find myself smiling at her. It’s not that funny, but I can see now that she's drunker than I thought. It wouldn’t be right to do this when she’s not able to consent properly. Maybe I shouldn’t go through with this at all.

No!

I stagger back a step.

He spoke to me. He’s receded again already. But he spoke to me!