Page 15 of Bred By the Dragon

Those reptilian eyelids of his rapidly blink. “Left?” he echoes.

“Yeah. What if we...” I flounder for the right words. I know that DreamTogether is listening, but if he’s going to terminate today anyway, then who cares? I’m certainly not going to be bred by a stranger, another monster, after this. I only want him, and it would feel strange, wrong, with anyone else. “What if we met outside of here?” I finally ask. “Maybe it has something to do with this room. We could try it somewhere else, and see if that makes a difference.”

Am I really offering what I think I’m offering? To keep doing this, even outside the company?

Yes. Yes, I am. I think my dragon deserves everything he wants and more. And the truth is that I’m not ready to let him go.

“You want to continue this?” he asks, aghast. “I couldn’t pay you. And what if they get upset with us?”

“So what? What are they going to do about it? Once your business is concluded with them, they’re not the boss of either of us any longer.”

He studies me, his neck elongating towards me as he tries to read my face.

“You would do that?” he asks, a hint of hopefulness in his voice. “Truly?”

I nod. “I would. You should have what you want.”

“What does that get you?” he asks, his eyes narrowing as he turns back around to face me. “This is your job.”

I wish I had an answer for that. I have no idea what I’ll do, but I’ve always been a hustler. I’ll figure it out.

“Leave that to me,” I say at last. “I can handle it.”

Still, the set of his mouth is uneasy. “It doesn’t feel right to?—”

“You’re still arguing with me?” I pull on the strap holding me down. “Do you want my help or not?”

His tail thrashes behind him, like he’s thinking hard and doesn’t know what to say. His wings even extend a little, then readjust and return to their resting place.

At last, he says, “I do. I do want your help.” He crosses the distance between us, and I inhale sharply as he stops right in front of me. He raises one clawed hand to my cheek and strokes it with one of the sharp tips. “More than anything.”

“Then let me help,” I say more firmly. “And get me the fuck out of this thing, will you?”

seven

ZAKARION

She’s willing to help me, without compensation.

I wonder what I’m missing. Her emotions seem to sway back and forth like the sea. Last time we were in this room, it was as if she didn’t know me. Now she’s offering to... loan me use of her body, for nothing in return?

I don’t understand, but her face is so vulnerable and pleading that I know I have only one choice.

Using my claws I free her arm from the strap, even though we could easily have called in someone on staff to help.

“What’s your name?” she asks as I cut the strap on her other arm.

Oh, of course. Now that we’re tossing aside DreamTogether, there’s no reason to keep who we are secret anymore.

“Zakarion,” I say. “Offspring of Zabaza and Akatarion.” I draw her arms forward to hold onto my shoulder while I reach down to free her legs. When I’ve helped her down to the floor, I realize precisely how small she is. How does a creature this size take my cock? And take it so well?

“You are?” I ask as she plants both feet on the ground and straightens.

“Samantha,” she says. “Sammy. I prefer that.”

I taste the sound of her name. “Sammy.” It’s cute, like she is. Cute and precious. I resist the urge to touch her now that she’s freed of the table. I want to pick her up and clutch her close to me, but she’s keeping a safe distance, so I do, too.

“Shall we get the hell out of here?” she says, heading to what appears to be a locker in the back of the room. She opens it and grabs her clothing.

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