Page 23 of The Exiled Dragon

Finally, eating something that wasn’t just red meat, I now had something else, pork! I clapped my hands as he threw the meat on his now new table he had made with his bare hands while I napped. Creed was very resourceful. He made his own tools, made furniture, and everything in this cave, all to help me feel more welcome. Welcome for two people instead of his lonely one.

He had tightly wrapped the boar between its legs, and a long rope had drug on the floor. A large gash to the head was the final culprit of death that now covered Creed with blood.

“Aw, you need a bath again.” I laughed, pointing out the blood still running down his torso. His very taunt, muscular torso.

I had the internet growing up. My days of doing research for books had led me to see some very handsome men in my time. Creed surpassed them all. He didn’t need some whey protein to get the muscles he had. Maybe it was the Dragon in him?

Creed would make a handsome husband for some lucky gal, or whatever they call them here. Wait a minute, beloved? I’ve heard that word thrown around several times with the Vampire servant women. It’s someone they care about and promise to stay together.

Nothing was black and white here. I could take cues from watching romance movies and reading books to know if a guy was interested. This place was too different! Just minutes ago, I thought I was a pet, and now I’m a friend, right? Friends don’t cuddle on Earth. That was meant for couples. Here I didn’t know. It could be common to cuddle in bed with a fellow Dragon.

Creed threw a side smile at me. The slap of the boar had dust flying from the animal. Creed got to work. I watched as he gutted the beast. The smell didn’t bother me, nor did the gore like the fluffy white furred animal. Lord, I had seen enough gore after living with the Duke too. I learned to get used to things quickly. When the Vampires were done with a human that became too old and sickly to produce enough blood, the really evil ones would rip them to pieces while alive.

Creed had the boar stripped of most of the meat, the tusks sawed off, and thrown into another basket filled with more tusks. Seriously? How many tusks does a man need? My mind continued wandering, thinking if one day I could dress an animal and prepare it to eat, but the more I thought of using a knife to filet anything, the more my gut churned.

Creed snapped his fingers to get my attention, the firelight shining on just the one side of his face. The fire was dying, and I had been too busy with my thoughts to notice. Creed’s finger pointed downward, telling me to stay. Nodding, he picked up the discarded boar pieces to take outside to dispose of.

With my ankle feeling much better in just a day’s time, I grabbed a bucket of water I’d seen Creed used to clean. Throwing the water down on the floor, pushing away any blood, the brush hanging on the wall caught my eye. Grabbing it, I started pushing the dirtied water towards the large cracks. The blood and small meat fall through. Proud of myself, I got off my knees to wipe my forehead and put the brush back on the wall.

The cracks in the cave had become useful. Who knew where they ended up, but it was a great way to wash away the mess and take along the smell. Feeling the heat on the side of my body, I see Creed standing at the entryway. He must have rinsed his body elsewhere because his body was clean, and his loincloth dripped with water.

“Ta-da!” I pointed to the floor, the bench, and the table. “Now it’s clean, and we can eat!” Creed pointed to the ground again, raising his good brow. “Stay?” I questioned.

He nodded, walking up to me barefoot. His feet still didn’t make a sound as he pushed back my now dried hair. My body stiffened while he leaned beside me, writing on the leather. “You did not.” It said when he handed it back to me.

“I wanted to help,” I said, whining. Creed only shook his head, interlacing my fingers with his and pulling me to the table to eat.

Creed

I had one full day with Odessa before leaving to visit my brother’s tribe. She laid softly on my chest, her little pants of breath cooling the heat inside me. The fire died out after dinner, and it was already late in the evening. I had pulled her to my chest, wanting her to feel the most of my heat. Her body stiffened as she lay on top of me, but it was the best way to keep her warm.

My Dragon had been clawing at the walls of my chest, begging to let him out. Having her close to my heart, my Dragon’s heart filled his craving for her. He wanted her more with each passing moment, and there may be a time I couldn’t pull him back.

I couldn’t have that. She had been through much. Going from blood bag Vampire mate and into the arms of a hideous Dragon wasn’t something she needed. She deserved more, and the more I come to terms with that, the better.

Moments like these, however… I pulled her long hair to her side, exposing her clothed back. I can’t let go. For once in my life, I wanted to be selfish, take what I wanted, if she would have me. Watching Odessa for far longer than she noticed, washing the floor of our cave, made it real. Odessa did not know what thoughts ran through me. With the magic dying within the Dragons, I would often see my mother scrubbing the floor of our home. My father would hate for his mate to be on her knees, scrubbing like some servant.

But it made her happy.

“I’m really fine.” My father pulled her up from her knees. Her dress was slightly damp from the knees down. “Even if I can’t use my magic as much anymore, I think I would like to keep the cleaning to myself.” She smiled at him. “It makes me love our home more, knowing that I worked so hard for it, for you and our children.”

My step-father’s smile faltered hearing the word “children” because I was not his son in his eyes, even if he tried to treat me as equally as he could.

He gently pulled my mother’s chin up with a curl of his finger, having his lips meet hers. She sighed contentedly, leaning into his body. “I love you.” Her Dragon purred in agreement while he held her tight.

“Now, I’ve also made stew. I hope you like it!”

Odessa on the floor, on her knees, in the filth reminded me of my mother. Odessa even gave that beautiful smile, showing off her work and contributing to our cave. Yes, our cave. It was as much hers as it was mine, even if she didn’t know it yet. If I had my voice, I don’t think I could tell her how I feel because anytime I am with her, my head is empty, but my heart is full.

Odessa’s ankle was healing rapidly, far faster than I had originally intended. In just a day of sleep, a good meal and going back to bed, her wounds were closing.

Gods, what if she leaves? My head rolled back into the furs, no longer keeping my lips to the top of her head. The beast was stirring, listening to my doubts, causing a growl.

“Creed?” Her voice did not need to be a whisper. We were the only ones here, yet her voice carried the tenderness I wanted to continue to hear. Odessa’s cheek lifted from my chest, my hand automatically laid on the side of her face to push her back to my heart, my Dragon. His fire burned bright, his comfort vibrations from his own body within me begged for her to stay. Odessa couldn’t see the broken Dragon inside my eyes; my beast didn’t want her to see us as weak.

“Creed?” Her hands crept up my chest, fingers running through the side of my beard. “Everything’s all right. Did you have a bad dream?” No, I wanted to tell her. I was living a nightmare, scared she would leave when she was well. She would find another Dragon, Wolf, or Elf to sweep her away from me. My Dragon growled in my chest. Odessa didn’t flinch. Her hand continued to caress my face. Immediately, I nuzzled into her hand.

“My ankle is doing better,” she said, trying to put out the fire in my heart. Talking about her getting better and walking out would only worsen it. I rolled us to the side, my arms not letting her go. Her squeak was adorable while she wiggled beneath me.

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