Page 63 of Training my Human

Lizard indeed. Just for that I wanted to swoop down and show them what happened to those who insulted dragons.

“Spread out,” Kaitlyn barked. “Ed, you check the bedroom. Nelson, bathroom. Travis, start with the kitchen. When you spot the creature, holler. If it spits fire, remember, the suits are flameproof. I don’t want a repeat of the panic we saw the last time.”

Oh, theyshouldpanic. My first fire-breathing attempt had been puny and weak, however, the inferno within had been simmering since. Even without practice, these miscreants were in for a surprise, assuming they found me. None had yet looked up. Would they leave if they couldn’t find me?

While the tin suits spread out, the one named Kaitlyn remained by the door, guarding it. She held her gun in front of her in a slightly shaky hand. Someone had lost their cockiness of before. I must have frightened her at our last encounter. Not enough, though, seeing as she came after me again. Some people never learned—usually because they died.

I almost got bored waiting as they searched and searched again. Opening cupboards, the fridge, even tearing out the couch cushions as if I could conceal myself under them.

Echoey Man stated it first. “It’s not here.”

“It’s here, Travis. You just haven’t found it,” Kaitlyn insisted. “According to our surveillance, it was sitting in the window when the power went out.”

They’d been spying! I shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Maybe it left,” Ed, a.k.a. Deep Timber, opined.

“To go where?” Kaitlyn asked. “It’s too cold outside for it to survive.”

“Does it know that?” asked the third guy, who had to be Nelson.

“Yes, it knows.”

“Well, it’s not here,” Travis reiterated. “I’m going downstairs to see if Benny and Dylan saw anything.”

“Should we go with him?” Nelson asked.

“No. It’s here. I’d stake my job on it.” As Kaitlin spoke, she shone her light upward, tracing it along the beams.

Since I’d be discovered anyway, I made my move and dove, my maneuver revealing me and causing Kaitlyn to scream, “It’s overhead. Shoot it!”

“Where?” Ed hollered.

A good question since Kaitlyn’s bouncing flashlight beam failed to track my wily flight.

Before anyone could even think of darting me, I opened my mouth and breathed right in Ed’s helmeted face. I then banked my swoop and flapped to rise again, just in time, as something singed past my wing.

“Argh. Argh,” Ed screamed, batting at his face.

Kaitlyn started out saying, “You’re fine. The flames will die out,” only to be interrupted by Nelson. “Holy fuck, his face shield is melting.”

Which led to really intense screaming for a few seconds until my fire destroyed Ed’s jaw. He crumpled to the floor.

One down. Five more to go.

Two of whom suddenly chose to flee. Kaitlyn and Nelson bolted through the apartment door so fast they forgot to shut it. Now I could have basked in my victory at having chased them off, but… Pip was coming and I didn’t want them hurting her.

Besides, now I knew their suits couldn’t stop my flame. Silly humans, thinking they could counter dragon’s breath. They’d been fooled by the weakness of my first attempt. But I’d grown stronger since then. Strong enough to handle my enemies.

I flapped my way to the open door and exited, too quickly and rashly as it turned out. But luck was on my side as the fired dart narrowly missed me.

Nelson was waiting for me in the stairwell. He aimed and fired again.

I simply breathed.

The dart melted but Nelson threw himself down the stairs to avoid the flames now licking the walls and treads of the stairwell.

The warmth felt nice as I floated down. I could hear shouting as my enemies panicked, a noise that abruptly ceased as Travis yelled, “Shut up you morons, unless you want it to barbeque you.”

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