Page 13 of Bred By the Dragon

“I’m with the Department of Antiquities. Are you the prior owner of the Goblet of Hilumeni?”

What? No one should know about that. Well, no one except Rodney, the pawn shop owner, and I. It was the goblet I sold to him a few months ago for enough cash to keep paying DreamTogether.

“Why?” I ask, guarded.

“Because this is an item of international interest,” the man says in a tone that’s almost... threatening. “And you sold it under the table to an imp for fourteen thousand dollars.”

I mean, I know I was taking a bad price, but Rodney was the only one who would pay cash.

“So?” I ask. I don’t know what business it is of anyone else’s.

“That violates a number of international treaty laws. This is a protected item. It has been seized, and we would like to ask what other invaluable cultural artifacts you’re planning to sell on the black market.”

“Black market?” I growl into the phone. “What are you talking about? It’s mine to do with as I want.”

But I already know where this is headed.

“What else is there?” the man on the other end presses. “We can’t prove yet that the goblet came from you, but if you try it again...”

Fuck. That was my plan for my future hatchling. Though I’ve already paid for the full package at DreamTogether, each of the breeding sessions costs extra.

But now? It’s all over.

I hang up the phone, no longer listening to the man on the other end. I’m going to have to find a new pawn shop to sell my wares, or dig further underground, which doesn’t sound appealing.

Hell, I don’t know. I’m too old for this. And that means parting with even more of our ancient treasure, my links to my past and my family.

No. Perhaps... perhaps this is a sign. After my poor showing yesterday, and the coldness of that room, it might be time to throw in the towel. What I have with my human will never be anything else, nothing beyond our occasional meetings in the breeding room. It will never be the closeness and connection I’m imagining.

Will she give me that empty, fake-happy face again when I tell her?

The threatening man tries to call me again, but I silence it and stash the phone in my bag. I hope Rodney hasn’t spilled what other treasures he’s fenced for me, too, or I could be in real trouble.

I decide to retreat to my mountain earlier than usual. I need the fresh air, the sunshine, the cool comfort of my hoard—which is now mostly useless to me. And I need to be far away from the government’s prying eyes until things cool down.

I suppose I could dig out some raw gold coins and sell those above-board, but there’s no point any longer. It was never going to work for me at DreamTogether. I have one last appointment already paid for, and that will be the last.

After chasing down some prey in the woods and devouring it whole, I stretch out over the immense pile of treasure I’ve accumulated in my many years. My mind keeps flitting back to that moment in the white tile room, how my human kept her head turned away while I... what?

While I what? While I made love to her?

That’s not what this is. I hired her for a reason. I went to DreamTogether because I don’t need a partner—just a hatchling that I can devote my life to raising. There’s no emotion involved in any of this, and she knows that.

I should know that, too. Maybe that’s what she was trying to tell me with that pasted-on smile: that we went too far last time.

I’m not surprised when I never receive the call. If it hasn’t worked yet, what makes me think that poor showing I put on at our last session will make a difference? Whenever I think of it, my cocks shrivel even further inside me.

Finally, I drag myself up to my feet and head out to the landing, then spread my wings. Time to return to civilization, and give notice to DreamTogether that it’s over.

I won’t get my money back on the package, unfortunately, but I find I don’t care that much about the money. It’s my human who I won’t see again. It’s the memory of her pert, round nose and soulful, brown eyes that drives a dagger through my belly.

SAMMY

I feel awful about it after seeing the dragon’s face as he left, but it’s the right thing to do. DreamTogether put boundaries in place for a reason, to protect our clients. I already let this go too far, probably the very first time the dragon came in and introduced himself to me with no name. I was too open with him, too receptive to the affection he lavished on me.

I wasn’t a professional about it, and now that’s back to bite me in the ass. It was always our mantra in the gym: kind, friendly, attentive, and professional, no matter what. Even when you have your hands on someone’s ass while you try to balance them on a workout ball, you were professional, professional, professional.

It’s been getting colder out lately, so I know I have no choice but to fix the roof before it starts to snow. I pay what I can so the roofers can get started, hoping the dragon doesn’t cancel our next session.

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