Chapter 41: Roxanne

I will kill him. A slice to the gut so his intestines fall out is my preference. Then I will pull them and watch him die slowly while in great pain. Maybe a few birds will land and feast on his internal organs before the last vestiges of death lock his eyes into an endless stare.
He's mean. He's worthless. I give a loud sniff and lift my head. He's naked. It startles me so much that my anger vanishes. His male member juts out from between his legs and I jerk my gaze to his. "Why did you do that?" I demand.
He moves closer and I suck much needed air into my lungs. He waves his hand nonchalantly. "It's the only way for you to get over your fear of falling so we can get on with your next lesson." He walks past me and grabs clothes that I didn't know were there. I have no idea when they were delivered. "Are you finished gazing at my fine physique or would you like to come closer and touch it?"
I hadn't realized my eyes dropped back to his manhood. "No, please cover it. That thing is quite ugly." It isn't. It's strange, but not ugly.
He grabs it. "When you finally beg me, my cock will have you screaming in ecstasy much like you screamed on your way down when I tossed you from the ledge."
The ass. "I will be screaming as much as I would if I found a spider or snake within my bed."
His lips quirk. "You may consider me both. It will feel as if I have eight legs when I fondle you, and my snake knows just where to go."
He's insane. And he's laughing at me. I stand slowly. I'm at least twenty feet from the ledge, though to either side of me it's more like ten. I can't believe I behaved so childishly. I'm ashamed that he saw me at my weakest point. Crying was at the top of my list of things he would never see me do. I don't think about what I do next because I need to prove something to him and also myself. I run for the edge and dive. When you know you won't hit the bottom, the exhilaration is incredible. I laugh even though my heart stops.
His talons close around me. It's not real comfortable to be held like this, but I can move around. I position myself so when he releases me on the ledge, I roll once and take to my feet.
His dragon form is breathtaking. This is the first chance I've actually had to admire it... him, whatever he actually is. Acasia didn't explain more than that dragons have two forms. The people of my village don't know this. Somehow I think their fright is greater because the dragon is well... a dragon. They breathe fire, stomp, and snort during the claiming. They do good things also. Our land has few natural resources and the dragons occasionally provide a source of precious metals, machinery, and even cloth for our garments. And because of these things, a maiden is sacrificed every twenty-five years. It's only been one day, but my thoughts have turned upside down in regard to this dragon.
I notice smoke trail slowly from his nostrils. He's angry. This never occurred to me. His great legs widen and the scales to the back of his underbelly glide seamlessly away from his... for the love of all that's wicked. It's his dragon manhood, or cock as he calls it. I can't help my gasp. His large member pops from the underside of his belly. It's humungous. A giggle escapes me and I slap a hand across my mouth.
"You laugh," he blares into my head.
I truly can't help it. How can I not laugh when his mightiest sword is blue?
A split second later, he's human and has a hold of my tied-back hair. "You will tell me what you find so amusing or I shall pitch you over the side again. This time I won't bother catching you."
I'm really trying to control my giggles. The past twenty-four hours have been the worst in my life. The memories of each episode flash through my mind. It's just too much. Trying to kill him at the claiming ceremony. The terrifying flight to his castle. The flight from his castle on Acasia's back and return on Bastian's. At this moment, I'm standing before a naked half-man half-dragon. I'm dressed in a few strips of leather, in a new world, a totally different life ahead of me, and a dragon who says I'll beg to fuck him. And, in dragon form, he has a blue member.
How can I not laugh?
I'm laughing so hard now that I can barely breathe. I can't stop even when he lifts me and tosses me over the side. I laugh the entire way down. What does it matter if my guts splatter on the earth? I didn't manage to do the one thing I swore my entire life that I would accomplish. I didn't even say goodbye to my parents because of the course I was set on.
I have no idea when my laughter turns to sobs. Of course Laryn catches me. He doesn't carry me back to the tower, though. Inside his talons, I can't see where we're going. When I tumble to the ground, he carefully nudges me with one sharp claw. I come to my feet and the shock of what I see stops my tears.
I stand at the edge of a cliff overlooking water. I've never seen anything like it. The water goes on for as far as I can see. The water laps against jagged rocks far below us. A breeze hits my face and I inhale deeply. It's such a strange scent. The dragon places his legs to either side of me and I snuggle between them.
"This is where I come when the world is just too much," he whispers into my mind.
How does he know? I sink back against his belly and stare out over the amazing sight. "Thank you," I reply softly. I wipe tears from my eyes. "I never told my parents goodbye."
"Both of mine died in one wretched day."
He hurts too. I have no idea why that makes me feel better. "I truly meant to kill you yesterday," I sniff.
I feel his chest rumble. "You are incapable of killing me. I was surprised, though. It made for an interesting claiming ceremony."
"It did, didn't it?"
I start laughing again and he breathes fire over my head. Some of the sparks float away on the breeze and slowly sink into the water.
"Would you like to ride on my back? No bride has ever ridden me without a saddle until you."
I tip my head and gaze up his long dragon's throat to the underside of his chin. His top teeth protrude slightly over his bottom jaw. They are incredibly sharp and I should be terrified. "I would love to ride back. Have I ruined all chances of you training me in the ways of war?"
"A promise is a promise."
One full day has passed and I have feelings for this dragon. Or maybe they are for the man. I grin. It's hard to have feelings for a dragon with a blue member.