The Dragon

Hey again everyone! By popular demand, the next installment of lovely maiden vs. dragon indulgence. Thank you to my wonderful four reviewers-your words give me fuel to continue one. I'm a review monster, so feed me!

Part Two



She must be dead.


That was her first thought when she awoke.


Her body ached all over and her head pounded fiercely. She couldn’t see. All was dark.


At least she had not died so painfully-just very frightfully. Groaning, she shifted slightly and something spindly and dexterous crawled across her cheek. With a cry, the young woman leapt to he feet, despite the pain. She loathed spiders, absolutely loathed them. Squirming in disgust, she ran her hands over herself to check for more and thankfully found none.


Her limbs protested loudly, aching sharply so she winced.


So, she was not dead.


She squinted in the darkness, waiting for her eyes to adjust.


After about 3 heartbeats, she could make out the hard stone floor beneath her, worn smooth from years of use. She tapped her bare foot and the sound echoed for what seemed like ages. She must have been in a truly gargantuan chamber for the noise to be so loud.


She inhaled deeply, then coughed. The air was stale, old. That meant no exit nearby.


Where in the heavens was she?


All at once, she ground shook beneath her feet with a low growl and she tensed.


The dragon.


She hadn’t forgotten it. Though, she assumed, it was probably safe to say that “it” was a “he”. Not that it mattered to her. He might be but a but a very rude and terrifying he. A he who might have very well crushed her.


She shivered at the remembrance of being shut within those fiery jaws. Was that what his victims last felt? Was that what they last saw?


Slowly, Darque felt her way sideways, looking for a wall. Hopefully, she would be able to find a way from this place. Maybe the dragon had simply left her here to die. Maybe that was to be her punishment for infuriating him. She’d admit, starving to death was a cruel way to go. How long was she to go before she cried out from thirst? Before her stomach turned in on itself for want of sustenance?


”Stop this nonsense, Darque.” She murmured to herself in the stillness, still inching sideways. “Stop it right now.” Silently, she shuffled on. It took her what seemed like endless moments before her hand finally touched a slightly curved surface, as smooth as the floor beneath her bare feet. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief. For a moment, she had been sure she was inching her way further into the ghastly tunnel with no chance of return.


Now that she had accomplished her first task, it was time for phase 2. Find an exit.


As if in warning, her stomach rumbled. What time of day was it? It had to have been at least 12 hours since the stone-faced villagers had dragged her out after her breakfast. She was starving.


Her face set, Darque began to walk, her hand never leaving the wall She would get out, she would. She would not let that cruel dragon leave her like a dog to die.


After what seemed like hours, the young woman had still found no exit. However, the tunnel did seem to be getting lighter. With every step she took, it seemed she could see more. First the shadows of her feet, than her individual toes, then the dirt on her tattered dress, then her hands…finally the whole cavern was illuminated with a dull, warm glow; and she saw for the first time how truly massive it was. She ceiling had to extend at least 70 feet above her raised head and the sides even more than that span horizontally, she seeming miniscule against the wall. No doubt the dragon traveled through here…


The ground beneath her trembled again, this time with such force that she almost lost her balance. She squinted. Up ahead she could see the source of the light-the cavern continued on, but from it sprouted another corridor, this one more brightly lit. She stilled. Perhaps the dragon dealt there.


The last thing she wanted was more dealings with that creature.


She looked behind her.


The tunnel got darker and darker, finally disappearing into oblivion. She was almost certain that escape didn’t lie in that direction. Exhaling softly in dismay, she turned forward again. Past that corridor was the only way in which she could travel.


Darque bit her lip.


She was small in this place.


Perhaps the dragon was asleep-and maybe if she ran, she could avoid discovery. It was her only chance.


Steeling herself, the young woman took a breath. She would try. It was all she could do.


Another 50 feet had her at the mouth of the opening and, with a great leap of her heart, she poked just the very top of her head around the edge of the branch-off, expecting it to be burned off.


However, to her surprise and delight, the huge, lowly lit chamber was quite empty. She did steal a moment of amazement, in the circumstances, to gape at her find. An immense, elliptical glowing orb in the corner of the vast room was giving off the low light and, in fact, seemed to be pulsing. It illuminated the piles of riches that lie in the room-chests of gold, fine garments and tapestries. A king’s ransom in goblets, jewels in treasure. Besides that, there were heaps or armor and veritable tons of human goods-dried meats and cheeses, bread, wine and milk, vegetables fresh from the harvest. What use would a dragon have for such things?


Her stomach ached with the thought, but she didn’t dare steal anything, not a single crumb. It was not hers to take- and besides, she was busy with escaping.


In another corner of the room resided a huge, hollowed out pile of the finest woven rugs which she was sure served as the dragon’s bed; beside that-her stomach lurched-was a mountain of bones. Human bones. She moaned lowly. Suddenly, she wasn’t so ready to die.


Bringing her head back into the clear, she took a breath. It was now or not at all. She braced herself. The run was perhaps 70 feet, maybe a bit more. She had always run faster than the other girls.


She didn’t let herself think about it.


With a huge exhalation, she sprang into motion, sprinting faster, perhaps, than she had in all her existence, bolting across the opening. Time didn’t exist. Her lungs filled to bursting. All she could think was to run.


When she finally cleared the huge opening, legs and arms screaming, she slowed, glancing behind her to check for pursuers. She was sure she would have heard the huge bulk of the dragon were he to come after her. However, the tunnel was empty. Gasping, she sagged in relief, turning back to what lie ahead-


And screamed.


Standing before her was what could only be a gigantic wolf.


But…how could it…stand?


The thing held itself erect on two hairy legs that were undoubtedly canine and was at least 4 times her size, covered in coarse, brown hair that emitted a musky, pungent odor. It’s arms were huge, bulging with muscle and ending in long-fingered hands with wicked, jagged claws, hanging to its knees. But it was its face that was most frightening. It was almost human, but with the muzzle of a wolf, scratched and whitened with old scars. The eyes were narrowed, dangerous, lips pulled back from teeth in a grim snarl. Its only covering was a small cloth that spared it indecency.


Darque collapsed to her knees.


Was there no escape from these monsters?


The animal roared, spittle flying from its jaws and she wailed, falling back on her forearms in fright as the creature advanced, obviously intent on some heinous harm. It seemed she was destined to lose her life-fate was against her; and there would be no quick death here-this creature would rip her limb from limb in a terrible fury-


“Don’t be so dramatic, Danthor.”


A deep, smooth tone interjected on her nightmare and she stiffened. The monster stopped in its advance. Darque held her breath. What new horrors were there to face? She doubted she could take more.


There came a low exhalation as a shadow fell over her. “Get up, human.” The command was firm, and she had no time to comply before strong fingers yanked on her already sore forearm and yanked her to her feet as easily as if she were a rotten fencepost.


Still, she cowered, face covered. She didn’t want to see her newest horror.


“Look at the master, wench!” A grating, harsh bark from the wolf-creature made her cry out-and instantly obey. She immediately gasped.


Standing before her (with an almost painful grip on her arm) was another creature that was remarkably man-like, but this one leagues more so than his counterpart. He stood at least 7 feet tall, towering over her, his form corded with lean muscle that stood out against pearlescent pale skin. His limbs were long but, most startling, was the fact that both his hands and feet were covered with scales. The pale smoothness of his skin faded near his forearms and knees and petered into a glinting, reptilian shell. His toes and lithe fingers were wickedly clawed. The scaled pattern ran from the ridges of his bare shoulders and, she assumed, covered his entire backside and the back of his neck. From between his shoulder blades sprouted immense, leathery smooth, segmented wings that were currently folded, tipped with talons as well. A long, scaly tail flicked back and forth in agitation behind him.


Onyx colored locks hung nearly to his waist, done in thousands of thin, intricate braids interwoven with beads and tiny jewels. Some of the miniscule, glinting red beads reflected the light of his darker crimson eyes with their slit pupils. His jaw was strong, facial structure elegant, almost noble, with silver markings beneath his left eye. She could only stare.


He was absolutely the most beautiful and terrible being she’d ever laid eyes on. All at once, she stiffened as the wolf thing got close-too close, and started sniffing over the length of her-horribly. She shuddered and he growled, snorting and receding. “She stinks.” He rasped.


“You don’t smell of lilies and saffron yourself!” She snapped, before she could help herself. Mortified, she drew back, the reptilian creature’s grasp on her arm almost painful as both males stared at her in surprise.


There came a low rumble. “The wench has a mouth.” The wolf sniffed her again and she whimpered.


“Danthor, please. I told you so.” The smooth voice of the reptilian answered. “I have this handled.”


His companion growled. “She was trying to escape. You were no where in sight.”


“I am always within range, Danthor. Don’t be absurd. I know you were curious.”


Darque trembled. What were they talking about? How had they come to be here? Wasn’t this the dragon’s lair? Was there going to be a battle over who ate her?


“I don’t care. I’m back to my duty. I’ll leave you to your toy, Silas.” With another gruff growl and a final post cursory sniff, the wolf-creature stalked away, surprisingly graceful on its furry haunches. Halfway down the tunnel it dropped onto all fours and loped out of sight.


Leaving her alone with the reptile.


After watching his companion leave, the being finally turned his piercing gaze on her and she inhaled sharply. It was impossible to look away. He gazed at her for a long, torturously long moment, until she shook all over. When he finally spoke, she nearly went to pieces altogether. “Now, human,” His tongue curled over the word in distaste. “We’ll see to your punishment.”


Punishment?


Did the dragon command these two? What a fearful and awesome beast indeed! His anger must have prompted him to use his minions to cause her even greater torture. She dropped to her knees, desperate. “Please, let me go. I’ll do anything-don’t harm me. If you let me escape, how will your master ever know?”


The creature stared at her with no small amount of disgust. “Get up. You have sealed your fate, woman.” He yanked her to her feet once more and dragged her toward the great chamber she’d almost escaped. “Where is the calm resign I saw before?”


He saw?


She’d never seen this creature before in her life!


How on earth-


All at once, she froze.


The reptile’s scales glinted in the firelight. Darque gasped-they were a luminescent, dark purple-the same hue as the dragon’s skin. His colorings, his markings, they were the same as well; and those eyes…those burning eyes…


This…thing…was the dragon.


The dragon in human form-at least, as human as it was able to be.


She nearly fainted. How was this possible? Dragons were gigantic, flying lizards! This…this couldn’t be!


She was roughly tossed on the stone floor before a pile of jewels. They could have been ashes for all she cared; her throat was dry with fear as she stared up at the creature who stood above her. His fury was a dark, living thing that pulsed through her body.


“You’re…he…” She whispered, faint.


His mouth quirked cruelly. “Clever little wench, aren’t you?”


“Please…” She croaked weakly. “Don’t torture me…I’m sorry if I insulted you-”


“Quiet, female.” He commanded in a tone so softly icy that her heart skipped a beat. He seemed to be basking in the power he had over her, those crimson eyes traveling over the length of her dirty, shoddy form with an intensity that made her blush darkly.


What on earth was he planning?


Suddenly, he knelt before her, making her flinch as he took her chin between two scaly, slender fingers-their strength apparent in their hold. He forced her face this way and that, eyes disconcertingly piercing. “You are of breeding age.”


It wasn’t a question.


Darque’s face flushed and she didn’t answer. The creature was crude.


Watch your thoughts, human.


She gasped, her gaze jerking to his once more. He could hear what she contemplated? Dear gods, was nothing sacred from him? “Strip.”


Her horrified thoughts were interrupted by a command that made her jaw drop. Surely, she hadn’t heard him right. She gaped at him for a moment before his face twisted into a terrifying expression. “Your clothes, woman. Take them off. I won’t ask again.”


Darque’s face flamed red at the proposition of this creature seeing her private parts-parts that no man, and few women, for that matter, had ever seen. Fear pooled in her abdomen. If he wanted her naked, there was no mistaking his desire.


Her innocence.


She had obviously hesitated too long. In the next moment, the young woman screamed as she found herself flat on her back , claws rending her filthy dress up the front and tossing the tatters of cloth aside. The dragon-being’s expression was neutral as he flicked stray threads from his claws before dexterous fingers encircled her throat. “Utter one more sound, and I will eat you.” He murmured lowly, his tone making her shiver as she clutched at his arm desperately, choking. “And I can guarantee that it will not be quick, or pleasant. Do you understand?”


She nodded frantically, the warm air from the cave kissing what skin was bared by her chemise and stockings. It may have been quite hot in the chamber, but inside, she was icy numb with fear and trepidation. She’d never even been with a man. This beast would probably tear her asunder! He was at least twice her size!


The creature’s hand slid down her front firmly, between her breasts, over a thigh and down her leg. She held her breath as a needle-sharp claw slit her stocking from knee to calf, scraping against her skin lightly. The dragon’s scaly skin felt unusually smooth and heated against her skin and she inhaled sharply as he stroked methodically up her bare legs, both stockings rent beyond repair.


Her only decency left was her chemise, and she trembled as the beast caught the hem in his fingertips. His eyes met hers, triumphant, smug, until he ripped it from her, jerking her body upward and causing her to cry out in surprise. She immediately covered her mouth with a hand, fearing the punishment that was to ensue for her transgression, but it appeared her tormentor was otherwise interested. His gaze roved over her bareness rampantly and her cheeks heated with a blush that stole all the way down her body to her toes. He was looking at her like he wanted to eat her; and for what, she knew not. She’d always been called too big and awkward by the village boys-taller than most and with more length in her limbs. She’d never cared what they thought…until now.


Slowly, she drew her legs up to hide herself, snaking an arm across her breasts until his eyes narrowed in displeasure and he shoved her onto her stomach, making her wince at his roughness. A patient, tender lover he was not; and Darque knew that this coupling could hold no possible pleasure for her.


“On your hands and knees.” He growled lowly, menace lacing the words; nonetheless, there was something else there-something that made his breath come faster, his words with less form than his firm, almost lyrical speech.


She didn’t dare disobey, but the young woman trembled with fear as she complied, the position opening her humiliatingly to his gaze. A sound reached her ears-the fumbling of cloth against skin, then tearing as it was merely ripped away in frustration. His hitching of breath was audible now-low and insistent-as animalistic as he truly was.


In the next moment, he was crouched over her, his presence heated against her back though he wasn’t touching her, his hands pinning hers to the ground. “You are mine.” He hissed lowly against her ear, making her shudder violently at her fate. “To do with as I wish, human.” Something warm and wet slid against her ear and she moaned in dismay. “If you please me…I may let you live.” A harsh chuckle followed the statement. “If this coupling does not kill you first.” Darque bit her lip as tears welled in her eyes.


The creature was as cruel as they said…


In a movement so quick, she didn’t register it until it had happened, she was penetrated by a long, impossibly thick presence that speared her with a burning intensity-and kept going. She screamed as, simultaneously, razor sharp teeth sank into the sinew of her shoulder, biting deep-to the bone. The young woman thrashed in agony as the breast’s member split her open-so hot, tremendous and unbearable that she thought she must die from it-but his hold on her-teeth at her throat and hands pressing hers to the stone floor, kept her from moving far from the shadow of his raised wings.


She hadn’t imagined anything could hurt so much.


Hush, woman. A voice in her head echoed. I have barely begun.


She would perish. She had to. Or at least faint-she could not stand this.


Where he had been still for a moment, the creature began to move-his rod backed out of her punished passage, then slammed back in with insurmountable force, driving her forward against the stone with a cry of pain. He grunted, repeating the action so she sobbed, before beginning a rhythm both incessant and animalistic in intensity, grunting with every forward thrust. Eventually, the pain dulled to a numbing ache that made her moan with his every movement.


Then, all at once, he shoved into her particularly roughly and she cried out, her eyes widening in surprise as her body trembled in delectation.


What was that?


It happened again and she whimpered, biting her lip as her thighs trembled. She could feel him; while she was still sore, his length and girth that had speared her before now stretched her, and she could feel herself widening and slicking to accommodate him. It felt…not unpleasant.


He ground his hips against her with a low growl that reverberated throughout her body and sent little waves of heat zipping down to the place between her legs. She groaned in pleasurable agony.


It felt good. More than good.


Where his rapid thrusts had drawn screams of pain before, her moans and whimpers heightened now to screams of pleasure. Her fingers clenched, toes curled and body grew taut with the anticipation of each additional penetration of her clenching womanhood.


More, more, more…a naughty voice in the back of her mind chanted indulgently.


But it was over too soon.


With a grunt and a grinding of his teeth that brought a yelp from the pain in her shoulder, the dragon finished his task, spurting seed inside her that seemed so hot it would scald her. She writhed, but he didn’t let her go until he was finished, his hips jerking instinctually as he rode out his completion.


His dead weight brought them both to the floor as she panted in distraught confusion. Was that the culmination of a coupling? Had he meant to hurt her further or…was he done with her? And most confounding of all-why did her body yet ache with the feel of his flaccid manpart inside of her?


She could not indulge in the feeling, however, as he momentarily moved from her, making her tremor as she felt the remnants of his seed drip down her legs. He didn’t cast her a second glance, merely standing in his nudity to stride towards the glowing red orb in the northeast corner of the room. While she lie there, she couldn’t help but notice that he had a very fine form; she blushed at seeing the size of the tool with which she had been speared (tremendous was the only way to describe it), as well as his bare backside and thighs twixt his settling wings.


When he reached his destination, he placed a scaly hand on the rounded surface of the object. Darque was mortified to see smoke rise from the place where his hand touched, as if his flesh was burning. He, however, seemed pleased with the reaction.


“Human, you will draw me a bath.” He didn’t look at her as he issued the command.


The dark haired young woman to whom he spoke sat up, totally confounded. She had no idea where to get water, nor where she could find a tub. However, when crimson eyes glared back at her over a well-formed shoulder, she swallowed quickly and made a reach for the remnants of her garments. “No.” He stopped her mid-movement. His lips curved in a sinful smile that made her insides warm guiltily. “It is my pleasure that you remain the way you are.”


Her eyes widened.


He wanted a bath from her whilst the only thing she wore was his drying seed?


Barbarian!


And you’d do well to remember that, Darque-Nobody. In answer to her comment, he spoke in her mind, expression amused. Lest I decide to be less gentle next time.


The young woman nearly swooned. He could be more rough?


A little voice within her was intrigued, but she firmly repressed it with the realization that she was a prisoner, and even worse, a slave. Blatantly, she glared at her captor.


He only laughed.