Stealing From a Dragon (2 page)

Gold rattled and rolled. The world  spun for a moment as I saw the massive creature shift its bulk in my direction. Millions of trembling voices were screamed in my ears and told me to run. Drums beat in my ears. There was another explosion of light, and another stream of fire headed toward me. I leaped out of the way, just in time to see a black spot appear against the rock where I was standing.

I ran from the beast, my steps were fueled by the writhing terror in my veins. The dragon slowly ambled after me, trotting like a dog being walked by its master. It was like the creature was mocking my futile attempt to escape. I made a circle as I weaved through the piles of coins, hoping to lure the beast away from the entrance, and make a mad dash for it.

When I was on the far left side of the cave, I'd finally achieved my goal. I saw the massive black shadow right behind me, it's yellow eyes glimmering in the darkness. I waited until he rounded a corner and bolted for the exit. My little light wildly swung left and right as I nimbly cut tight corners around large piles of gold.

My temples were pumping hard, but I paid them no notice. All I could see was the black outline of rock that marked the exit. My goal got larger in my vision, and I rejoiced. Several complications on how I was going to get away after I made it out came to mind, but I quieted them. At that moment, all I was worried about was getting into the winding cave that led to the exit. That's when I saw another flash of light.

I threw a glance back over my shoulder, and saw the large lizard shoot a jet of flame from its mouth. It spread its wings and took to the air. I was stunned for a moment. The majesty of the creature shooting up with its large wings fully extended, a fountain of flame flowing from its mouth, was a regal sight. The dragon arched through the air, and charged toward me.

I unglued my feet from the floor and ran again. I'd only taken two steps, when I felt something strong and serrated around my waist. I didn't have to look down to know that I was in one of the dragon's talon. I dropped the magic bag, and a pool of coins fell from it.

The large beast spun me around in its grip to where I faced it and slammed me against the ground. Air  rushed from my lips and my ears rang. The beast opened its mouth. My breath caught in my throat as its yellow eyes looked on me with murder. My body shook violently. I was going to die, and I knew it. I expected a jet of flame to blast into my face and end my existence. However, I was surprised when the being mumbled words under my breath that I didn't understand.

Smooth globes of white light burst into existence around us. I screwed my eyes shut, then squinted as my eyes got used to the sudden light. I slowly opened my eyes to look on my captor. Its scales glimmered in the magic light. The muscles in its chest and legs rippled as it held me. It's shoulders rolled lithely and its neck flexed as it cocked its head. Despite the situation, I had to smile. No creature that I'd ever seen in my life, displayed the raw amount of dominant strength that this one had. I felt a  flutter in my stomach.

When the creature fixed its hard, yellow eyes on me, the flutter vanished, and was replaced by a stinging, icy sensation. It growled, bearing it's sharp teeth. “What are you doing in my lair?” It's deep voice crackled with thunder.

My response came out in an unintelligible series of whimpers. I took a deep breath. I tried to form words and answer the dragon's question, but my lips were frozen.

The dragon growled again and pressed his leg into my chest. The pressure forced what little air there was in my lungs out.

“Answer my question,” the dragon said.

I struggled to take in a breath of air through the weight of the creature's foot. I clenched my fist and did what I could to calm my panicked nerves. I swallowed hard, and stared at the orange behemoth in front of me.

“Speak!” The dragon's voice boomed off the walls.

“I was stealing,” I screamed. After the words left my mouth, I clenched my teeth.

“You were what?”

I opened my mouth again, but my tongue wouldn't move.

The dragon pressed down on my chest again. I whimpered.

“If you don't start talking,” the dragon said in a low, cutting voice, “I'll squeeze the life out of you. Now, if living is important to you, talk.”

My lips slowly flexed. I took as deep of a breath as I could, with the huge weight that was on my chest, and pushed sounds past my lips. I moved my stiff tongue. “I – I was stealing,” my words were slow and long.

“That's what I thought you said. Haven't you ever heard, little thief, that it's unwise to steal from a dragon?”

“Never take gold from a dragon” is a line in a famous nursery rhyme that parents tell their children while they're still in the cradle. So of course, I was familiar with.

The dragon's face contorted as I stayed silent. “Well, don't you?” the dragon said.

I felt the weight on my chest increase a little more. My belt dug into my skin. I nodded slowly.

“Then, if you knew it was unwise, why did you do it?”

“To prove myself,” I said, my voice was a hoarse whisper.

The very small, floppy red ears on the sides of the dragon's head flicked. “To prove yourself? To prove yourself what, a fool?”

I gritted my teeth and shook my head. “No, to prove I'm a good thief.”

“Well you're certainly not great, you got caught. On top of that, you're an idiot. No thief worth their salt is dumb enough to steal from a dragon. You do realize that a dragon's senses are much more sensitive than a human's, right? Obviously not, or you'd have never come here. I hope you know dragons have short patience for those who steal their gold.”

I nodded.

“Tell me why I shouldn't kill you where you lay?”

Ice rushed through my chest. My eyes were saucer sized. My mouth hung open, but again, I found myself at a loss for words. What could I say? The massive creature had every right to kill me. Any being who is being stolen from has the right to defend their property.

A good thief would've been able to at least try to talk their way out of the predicament I was in, but at the time, I wasn't a good thief. I kept my lips sealed and eyes lowered. The dragon was fast and powerful. Even if there was some way I could have gotten out from beneath his foot, there was no way I could have gotten away before it could kill me. So, I resolved to submit myself to the dragon's whims. “I don't know,” I finally answered the dragon's question.

“What do you mean you don't know?”

“I mean, I have no idea why you shouldn't kill me. You have every right to.”

“So, you're not even going to come up with a reason why I should save your worthless, thieving skin?”

“No, because I can't think of any.”

The dragon tapped a claw against the stone. “Hmm, how strange. You're not like most thieves. Most that I've caught trying to steal from me usually come up with a stupid excuse why I shouldn't kill them. I have a family is usually the one they resort to. One man was actually honest, and told me I shouldn't kill him so he could spend my gold on prostitutes and ale. But you, you don't give me a single reason.”

I bowed and shook my head. I'd already accepted my fate.

“So you're just going to give up?”

“What's the point? It won't matter. You'll kill me anyway.”

“I never said I was going to kill you.”

My head snapped up. “What?”

“I didn't plan on killing you. I was just going to send you away. I love to send dumb people back into the human population, so they can breed and create other dumb people. The more dumb people there are in your society, the less of a chance your society will have of rising up against more intelligent races, like dragons.”

My ears burned. I never thought of myself as a stupid person. Though, now that I look back, I can't believe my pride made me undertake such a moronic task. I only nodded and let the dragon continue.

“Well, you don't deny that you're not terribly bright. Perhaps you actually realize this and are smarter than most of your kin. Anyway, you're free to go.”

The dragon removed his heavy foot from my chest. Sweet, glorious air filled my lungs. “I am?” I said.

“Yes, you are. I told you why I'm letting you go, and besides, I don't have the heart to end the existence of one as dense as yourself. Nature will probably take care of that for me.”

I was numb. I couldn't believe it, the dragon was going to let me go. I could have leaped for joy. I broke into that dragon's cave, and attempted to steal his gold. But, he was letting me get away scot free. His comments about my stupidity irked me some, but at the moment, all I was thinking about was my freedom. I bowed to the dragon. “Thank you for your graciousness, great dragon,” I said.

As I rose from my bow, I couldn't help but admire the chiseled muscles beneath those vibrant, orange scales. They flexed and rippled as the dragon shifted his weight. I imagined his massive feet on me again, pinning me down. Except this time, he wasn't trying to squish me. I imagined his maw very close to my body, running his tongue down my neck.

I was shocked out of my daydream when I felt wetness below. I shook my head and saw the dragon looking perplexedly down at me. “Are you feeling alright?” it said.

I nodded quickly. “Yes, I'm alright.”

“Then why are you standing there?”

I was about to say “nothing” and quickly leave, but my eyes got caught in the dragon's impressive form again. Something came over me. “I was admiring your muscles,” I said. I bit my tongue when the honest answer escaped my lips.

The dragon's neutral face puzzled. “What?”

I snapped to my senses. “Nothing, good dragon. I'm very sorry, I'll take my leave now.”

“No. Tell me what you said again. I'm not sure if I heard that right.”

I swallowed hard. My heart hammered in my chest. Partly from fear, part from admiring the dragon's well defined back legs. “I – I was – admiring you.”

A small smirk played on the dragon's face. “You've got to be the strangest human that's ever come into my cave, and that's saying something.”

I felt my face go flush. “I'm sorry good dragon, I'll take my leave.”

The dragon held up one of his massive fore feet. “Wait a minute, not so fast. I didn't say that was a bad thing.” The creature flexed it's muscles. “I'm not really surprised that you were admiring me. Dragons do have superior bodies to humans.”

My nipples grew hard as I admired the dragon's strength. He was right, he did have a superior body. Then again, the creature had a superior body compared to just about any creature on the planet. I smiled. “Yes, it's obvious you do.”

“You know human, you might not be as dumb as I thought you were. Do you have a name?”

“Marissa,” I said.

“Jourlund is mine.” The dragon swung its long neck to the left and flexed his wings. He took two swaggering steps toward me. “So, what specifically about my body do you admire?”

I couldn't help but smile. “I enjoy how your muscles bulge, and how they ripple beneath your scales as you walk.”

“Go on.”

“I really love how thick your neck is, and your strong legs.”

The dragon flexed his wings. “Anything else?”

“Your large wings are really strong, and you're very graceful in the air.”

“It's only true,” the dragon said.

Most thieves would've been saying the things I was saying just to get on the dragon's good side. But I wasn't I was – to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what I was doing. At the time, I was realizing how hot my leather suit was, and how much I wanted it off.

“I hope you don't think flattery will entice me to part with my gold.”

“Would it entice you to do something else?”

“Depends on what that something is.”

I pressed my hands against my thighs. “Perhaps, share in a little knowledge.”

“What kind of knowledge?”

“I was thinking carnal.” I could hardly believe what I was saying. I bit my tongue and snapped back to reality. “Wait, wait, woah – good dragon, my apologies.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“That was – strange of me to say. I'm sorry.”

The dragon took another step forward. It squared it's shoulders, threw out its chest and posed with its muscled right foreleg out in front. “It was strange, but I liked it.”

“You did?”

“Of course I did. I enjoy being desired in that way.”
“You have a lot to desire.”

“You haven't seen all I have to desire.”

The dragon rose up on two legs, lifting his tail and spreading his wings to keep his balance. He spread his hind legs and my eyes bugged out. Around his crotch area, a short distance from the base of his tail, was a huge pink cock. It was larger around than my arm and had to at least be two feet in length. Veins snaked around the massive rod. The creature stroked the side of his male hood with a fore foot. My stomach churned with desire and embers burned in my hips.“What do you think?” the dragon said.

“I think my mind is blown. Well, at least I know know you're a male. I might have felt a bit odd admiring a female of your species.”

“No, I'm nowhere close to a female. Females don't have muscles like these.” The dragon clenched the muscles in his stomach.”