Page 62 of Training my Human

While I’d never personally experienced it, my memories advised me the flakes were crystalized water and cold. Yuck.

As a dragon of fire, I preferred warmth. Not that lower temperatures would harm me, but it would be unpleasant, and if exposed long enough to frigid temperatures, my body might put me in a state of hibernation. Not that I planned to leave the warm apartment. I waited for Pip and the promised pizza. It better have lots of cheese.

The snow fell heavily, and darkness arrived early as the clouds and the swirling flakes stole the natural daylight. An ominous-looking day that matched my mood.

I couldn’t shake the impending sense of wrongness. Of danger. While usually my enemy came at night, despite it being very early in the afternoon, a foreboding sense insisted they were near.

Ding.A message arrived on my tablet from Pip.

On my way but sorry, no pizza. All the places around lost power.

What? No yummy, cheesy, saucy goodness? Disappointing. I consoled myself by microwaving some burritos. Delicious things. And the machine that could heat them in minutes? My favorite invention of this time period thus far.

When the lights flickered, and then went out, I grabbed the bugout bag by my side and settled it in place. With the electricity gone, the warmth dissipated quicker than I liked. The things Pip called baseboard heaters ceased their function. I sat by the window, wrapped in a warm blanket, and stared outward, my tension tightening. Where was Pip? It had been more than thirty minutes since she sent the message announcing her return. The weather must be delaying her transport.

I kept watch. The reward for my vigilance was that I spotted two beams of light piercing the falling snow, heading for the barn. Pip, or someone else? The motorcycle had only one headlight and she’d explained to me that morning before leaving to catch a ride with her employer that she couldn’t ride it in the snow.

The truck that stopped close to the barn doors disgorged people in silvery suits. At last, my enemy made their move while I remained awake.

As they trudged through the snow to the door, I launched myself upward and clung to one of the beams crisscrossing the peaked ceiling. I perched and could almost hear Pip laughing the first time I’d done so. “You look like a gargoyle,”she’d said.

A rude comparison, as it turned out. Not knowing the word gargoyle, I’d sought out images and been less than impressed by the hideous beasts lacking any kind of majesty. The only admirable thing about them? Their stealthy ability to blend in with their surroundings. Kind of like I did now. With the lights out, I vanished in the shadows and remained statue still.

I heard the muffled thump of boots coming up the stairs. Heard the scratch and click of a key being used.

A key! How did they have one? Had Pip had been taken captive and robbed?

I counted the number of silver suits who entered. Four. A respectable number to send for one of my greatness. They held flashlights which they shone around the room as they spoke amongst each other.

“I don’t see it,” a male voice said, sounding echoey as he spoke behind a helmet.

It? How insulting.

“Probably hiding,” replied one with a deeper timber.

More like lying in wait.

“Pity we couldn’t trigger the sleeping gas before the power went out. It would have been easy pickings. Are we sure these tranquilizers will still penetrate its skin?” queried a female with a reedy lilt that I recognized. She’d been one of those who invaded the trailer.

“Boss says they will. Just like these suits should protect us from fire,” said the Echoey Man.

“Should?” The female didn’t sound enthused.

“Don’t be a pussy, Kaitlyn,” Deep Timber rebuked.

“Fuck you, Ed,” Kaitlyn snapped right back. “I’m only here because Malone is getting its room ready in case you fuck up again.”

“Well, excuse us. It’s not every day you come face to face with an actual dragon,” drawled Echoey Man.

“Hence the briefing beforehand to warn you,” Kaitlyn pointed out.

“It’s one thing to be told, another thing to see,” Echoey Man argued. “Considering you’ve had access to it for over a week, I don’t see why we’re in a rush to grab it now.”

“Because the cold will kill it,” Kaitlyn snapped. “That’s why we can’t wait for the power to come back. Trust me, if we had another choice, we wouldn’t be here. The boss had hoped to have more time to finish its prison.”

Prison? I almost fell off my perch.

“For fuck’s sake, can we argue about this later? Let’s find the lizard, tranq it, cage it, and get out of here. I’ve got a bottle of whiskey with my name on it and a new season ofThe Boysto stream,” stated the third male who’d been quiet until this point.

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