Page 32 of The Exiled Dragon

My father did some crazy research for one of his stories, and this was an interesting fact he shared with me. Even though rabbits were cute and fluffy, their meat had to be slowly cooked to have the right tender texture you would think they would have.

All the vegetables were thrown in as well. A dusting of a few spices entered the pot, and already I could smell the spices infusing with the meat. Fluffy sat by my side, trying to look inside.

“Eh, no, you don’t get that,” I scolded. The poor thing looked hurt like I told him he couldn’t have a cookie. Thinking about what I could give him instead, I saw my gigantic pile of discarded bones and pieces of the animal. “Would you eat this?” I cooed at him, pulling the larger than Earth’s rabbit from the bucket. His nose stuck up, and he went back to sitting at the pot cooking.

He was gnawing on a leg two days ago, and now he wants to eat cooked food?! I rolled my eyes and laughed, getting a pan, and heating it up. Once hot to the touch, I threw the rabbit leftovers in, searing them with the spices I had included in Creed, and I’s dinner. Fluffy licked his chops, just watching me flip the leftover meat and bones.

Fluffy was one giant baby.

Once cooked enough, and when I mean cooked enough, I mean where Fluffy was prancing around the room, purring like a giant panther, I pulled it from the fire. Putting it on a cracked plate meant to be discarded, I laid it on the floor for him. Fluffy rubbed his giant head against my hip and began to eat.

What a little turd.

The light at the far end of the cave let me know the sun was high in the sky. It took me all morning just to start dinner since I wasn’t familiar with cooking in this sort of manner. I grabbed one of Creed’s old tunics and raced to the back of the cave to bathe.

As much as I enjoyed having Creed with me all the time, bathing completely naked was a treat to do alone. I didn’t have to worry about his completely innocent stares. I knew he worried about the wounds on my body, but now that Creed and I were really taking our roommate status to the next level, I felt more self-conscious than ever.

Staying at the shallow end of the hot spring, I dunked my head. Washing every part of my body. The oils and soap were scrubbed all over my body to the point I was rubbed raw. I felt so much cleaner after scrubbing every corner of my body. Dunking my head, I arose to find several blades on a nearby ledge. Picking one up, they were sharp and small. My finger ran across the blade, instantly cutting me.

“Ouch,” I whispered. Of course, Fluffy came in, sniffing and whimpering, to enter the pool. “I’m fine, just a cut.” He acted like he understood me. Creed must keep his beard trimmed with these. All five were lined up in perfect rows. If he could do his beard, maybe I could do my legs?

Using the oil, I lifted my hairy leg up above the water. Creed didn’t seem bothered by the hair on my legs, but I would certainly feel better to be smooth. Taking my time, I shaved my legs and armpits and trimmed up my lady area. There was no way that was going to get shaved clean, not after all the little knicks on my legs. I’d need more practice for that.

Doing the best I could to trim up, I washed the blade and set it back further from the others. Maybe he will get the hint I took that one. Laughing, I hopped out, covering myself with a nearby blanket.

After doing several more chores around the cave, including washing my one set of clothes and using one of Creed’s tunics to wear, I also swept the cave and put a fur rug next to the bed so my feet wouldn’t get cold in the middle of the night. I also began sewing a new pair of pants and shirt from extra leather folded in a basket of supplies. I couldn’t wear the same set over and over. Some underwear would be nice. Luckily, my breasts weren’t overly big, so I didn’t need a bra too badly. Proud of my work, I finally sat at the table, observing the cave.

As much of a cave dweller as I had become, I really enjoyed it. It was quiet, stress-free, no Vampires, and best of all, it was Creed’s. He let me stay here, invade his home without question, and most of all, he shared the same feelings as I was. My body melted, thinking about his soft lips.

The hot breath of his kisses, his hands encompassing my body, had me craving him like a drug. I would have kissed him all night long if I weren’t so tired. His endless trailing of his fingers between the dimples in my lower back had me fighting the urge to fall asleep. Creed was soothing. He made me feel protected, wanted, and I really wanted him.

For a man so large, so muscular, and, to others, frightening, he was the gentlest person I have ever known. He was better than any Prince Charming any girl could have imagined. Best of all, he was my Prince Charming and my Dragon. My heart fluttered, feeling the excitement of him coming home. Even staying busy all day, his face came to my mind. Hoping he was all right, praying he was safe, and pleading with whatever god ruled this place, he would come home soon.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Odessa

Istirredthepota few more times. The meat was breaking up perfectly. Savory smells from the spices infiltrated the cave, and I hoped no one from the outside could smell it. The large tunic I wore I tied with a strap of leather, making a shortened dress that laid halfway down my thigh. The bulkiness of the shirt had caught too many times on the floor and random objects in the room while I cleaned.

A warm presence was felt behind me, and then a tender, calloused hand grazed my arm. The sparks that flew across my arm that I had felt only with one person had me giggle in excitement.

“You’re back!” I threw my arms around his neck. The surprise caught him off guard, tumbling backward. His Dragon inside rumbled with what I assumed was laughter. Strong arms picked me up off the floor, holding me above his head. My arms lay on his shoulders, smiling down at him. He picked me up like I weighed nothing, making me feel like one of those not-Fairy people. Creed gracefully pulled my body lower so our lips lined perfectly together. His kiss was soft while he held me close to his body. “I missed you,” I whispered into his lips. This only made half of his mouth smile, large enough to see the fangs in his mouth.

“I made you dinner.” He sat my feet down gently on the floor while I jumped at his much larger chair and pulled it out for him. Creed looked at me, confused, but I continued to point for him to sit down. He traveled all day, and I wanted to pamper him like he had done for me all this time.

Pouring a large helping of the rabbit-like stew, his nostrils took a large breath, smelling the aroma. I didn’t want to brag, but it was good for my pallet when I tasted it earlier. Creed didn’t hesitate. His large spoon dipped into the thick cream-like sauce, tasting the first chunk of meat. His eyebrows widened and looked at me for an answer.

“It’s rabbit.” His brows furrowed more. “I cooked it all day, heating it slowly and letting it sit in juices to break down the toughness of the meat.” Creed took another bite, groaning until it was completely gone from his bowl. I took it back to fill his bowl more, but his muscular arms pulled me to his lap.

“You’re still hungry. Let me feed you some more.” He leaned over the pot with me in his lap and poured another large helping. This time he didn’t feed himself but put it to my lips. Blowing on it, I accepted, even if it felt childish. If there was anything I knew for sure about Creed, he desired to take care of me. Fighting him would only upset him, and I had to admit, I liked his attention to me.

He fed me the entire bowl. I rubbed my stomach, shaking my head when he tried to offer more. Shaking his head, he poured another bowl and began eating. Creed did not let me leave his lap that I was straddling, mind you. I had no underwear on, and the make-shift dress had ridden up high on my thighs. Creed had also taken off his leather pants, only donning his leather loincloth he liked to wear around the cave.

My cheeks reddened, looking at his muscular thighs. I could barely straddle him properly because of how much muscle he had. I sat on him like a doll, unable to move anywhere because my own muscles were too weak to do so.

If he was this large everywhere, his arms, legs, torso, that means he was big in other places? The brief side view was so quick I barely remembered it. I bit my slightly chapped lips, my mind wandering to places they should not go. How good would his hands feel on my body, all the places he hasn’t dared to touch? My inner thighs, my breasts, and heavens have mercy, the pounding between my legs when his kisses become harder, needy, and passionate.

Creed’s spoon stopped halfway to his mouth, his nose took in a large breath, and his eyes closed. “What’s wrong?” I asked. Creed finished the last bite of his meal, setting the bowl down with a thud. His hands rubbed the outer part of my thighs, his breath slow and steady. Leaning closer, I met him halfway for those kisses I craved for the entirety of the day.

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