Page 5 of Eliza's Cursed Dragon

The water depth changed and I was able to stand. I reached for the cat, who, with a hiss, flung herself at my arm, claws out, and ripped through my wet shirt.

“Agh,” I cried, instinctively shaking my arm to get it off. Blood rose from where the cat’s claws had dug deeply into my skin.

“Don’t drop him,” the witch ordered.

“Lady…” I was at a loss for words, I wasn’t even sure if she qualified as a lady, but I kept moving out of the water nevertheless.

“Lucifer.” She stretched her arms out and the beast used me as a springboard, scratching my chest, upper arm and shoulder in the process as he flung himself at the witch.

“Damnit,” I cursed, shaking my arm, staring at the shredded material of my shirt and the blood dripping down.

The witch turned to leave and I stared exasperatedly at her retreating back. “Really? Not even a thank-you?”

“Is that why you rescued Lucifer? To get a thank-you?” she asked, turning back to me.

Large black eyes stared at me, sending shivers down my spine. I had heard of the inhabitants of Screaming Woods and Fable Forest, had seen pictures and even some short videos, but this was the first time I saw one of them up close and face-to-face.

It was unreal and frightening on a deeply primal level.

“Well, is it?” she prompted.

“No, ma’am,” I replied, wishing myself anywhere but here.

“So why then did you expect me to thank you?”

Because it’s the polite thing to do, lay on the tip of my tongue, but I bit the remark down.

“Never mind,” I said instead. “You have a good day, ma’am.” Just because she didn’t have manners didn’t mean I had to forget mine.

I couldn’t bring myself to look away from her though, her black eyes were hypnotizing and besides that, I didn’t think I would have turned my back to her no matter what.

“Here is a thanks for you then,” she said with a crooked smile that raised even more hairs on the back of my neck.

“In scales, in fire, in power ignite, with this curse, transform from mortal to might. Wings shall sprout, fangs and claws, dragon’s form by ancient lore!” she chanted, and my skin began to crawl. Knowing eyes penetrated deep into my soul.

"By lunar might, shift to dragon at night. With morning’s gleam and daylight’s power, transform to man by sunrise hour. As stars emerge and daylight’s done, return to dragon when the night’s begun."

“What have you done?” I pressed out. But she wasn’t finished.

“Scale and flame to flesh and bone, from dragon’s might to human’s tone. By noble act, in peril found, break the curse that doth abound. Return to form, from beast to man, with bravery, undo what began!"

Before I even had a chance to reply, agony brought me down to my knees, my clothes ripped and my body hurt as if someone was crawling out of it. No, not someone, something.

I stared at my arms as they moved up against my will, connecting with whatever had emerged from my back, my skin was turning into scales. My teeth hurt as they turned into fangs and my hands as my nails turned into claws.

The witch had turned me into a dragon!

“I fucking saved your cat,” I said before I was robbed of the power of speech and my mouth turned into a snout. Heat built in my belly. An urge to exhale was so overpowering, that I did, and stared in horror at the large flame coming out.

“You did save my cat. In return, I gift you the present of true love. May you find it and become the man you are supposed to be,” the witch said and turned away.

For a moment I contemplated spewing fire at her, roasting her and her damn cat, but I managed to taper it down. It wasn’t the cat’s fault.

But I was royally screwed.

The moon hung high in the sky when I figured out how to work my wings and in wobbly flight made my way across the river to where my ATV still stood idling.

I tried to recall the witch’s words, By lunar might, shift to dragon at night. With morning’s gleam and daylight’s power, transform to man by sunrise hour. As stars emerge and daylight’s done, return to dragon when the night’s begun, and hoped it meant that at least during the day I would be a normal person again. If my father found out what happened, he would not only fire me, but disown me, I was certain of it.

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