Sliding the finger upwards, I let it move forwards to the outside of her pitiful dress until it lightly touches the side of one surprisingly alluring breast. “Oh. Should I stop?”

She swallows. “No…”

It’s fun toying with her. She’s torn between fear and arousal, with neither winning. That’s unusual. Normally, the fear wins easily. But this female is anything but normal.

I push the claw into the thick and rough hide that her dress is made of. It sinks into the softness without touching her skin. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Through the hide it’s impossible to see where the nipple might be, but I take a guess and put the tip of my claw on it. “I really want gold, you see.”

There’s another light gasp. “I’ll help!”

This is more interesting than I thought it would be. She has only run away screaming once, and her scent is more aroused than afraid now. It has its effect on me, too. There’s definitely some hardening down below. I’m getting excited! In the dark and goldless jungles of Xren! Who would have thought it?

I move the claw in a little circle. “Tell me if you want me to leave.”

Another shudder goes through her. “I have to find my friend. Help me find her!”

I take my hand off her completely. “Your friend? The one who’s obviously close with a slayer?”

She looks up at me with big eyes. “That’s Alba. I’m looking for another woman. Maybe you’ve seen her in the jungle.”

“And maybe not,” I tell her. “I wonder which it is.” Pulling back, I half turn as if leaving.

“Wait!” the woman pleads. “Don’t… oh!”

With one quick step I’m next to her again, my finger across her lips. “You keep trying to change the subject into something boring. I see no friend of yours here. But you and I are enjoying our new friendship, yes?”

She nods eagerly, but can’t speak with my finger where it is.

I put the other hand on her hip. “So. If you want me to leave, start talking about your friend again. Or about anything else that’s not gold.”

She just looks up at me, eyes glazed while she breathes fast.

I take my finger off her lips. “Let’s see how quiet you can be.”

Letting my hand slide around her hip to the round rear, I enjoy the extremely feminine softness there. I muse that it’s precisely counterpointed by the hardness at my crotch.

She whimpers and lays her head back to look up at me through thick eyelashes. I don’t miss the way it also exposes her throat, and any experienced male knows what that means in a female. She’s ready for more than just my hands outside her dress.

I use one hand to push her dress down from one shoulder, exposing the bare skin, but the opening isn’t large enough to pull it as far down as I want it. So I add my other hand and rip it open.

The woman gasps again, and her eyes open wider when I tug the hide down to expose one round breast to the air.

“What an alluring body you have, little alien,” I growl as I cup the soft, pliant flesh with one hand and drag my thumb across the already hard nipple. “You want me to enjoy it, don’t you?”

The glassy look she gives me is all the answer I need. Her scent gives no room for doubt. The fear is still there, but the excitement is stronger. I suppose it figures — she’s a female stuck with only the simple-minded slayers for company. How she must have longed for a better male then them?—

There’s a terrible ruckus behind me, high up in the treetops. The female tenses up in my hands and her eyes go wide as she looks past me. “Dactyl!”

I sigh and let go of her. “There appears to be no peace and quiet at all on this planet.”

Turning, I spot the silly creature that’s broken down through the thick cover of treetops high above. It’s a local monster,winged and clawed and seeming to show promise. But it’s not a dragon, being far too simple and stupid. And I know from bitter experience that they don’t have hoards I can plunder.

It comes lower, zigzagging between the tree trunks as it sets up its attack. It’s the first time I see one this close. It’s not as gigantic as some of these things, but it’s about my size and will require some effort from me.

It’s also remarkably ugly. Its beak is full of triangular teeth, set at chaotic angles. Its talons are impressive and almost make me envious. The wings, although leathery and clumsy, make me more than envious — they make me furious. That laughable caricature of a predator flies around freely, while I, an actualdragon, am bound to the ground?!