0 comments/ 76496 views/ 9 favorites Treasure Ch. 01 By: Torachan He saw her leaving the school, after class had let out for the day. She was absolutely lovely. Her curly red hair shone like fire in the late fall sunlight. It was not yet cold enough for jackets and coats, so she stood in only her perfectly white sweater, the v-cut one that showed off her beautiful c-cup tits and skintight black jeans that wrapped themselves like silk around her fine round ass and full hourglass hips. She was talking to some of her friends, little sluts that they were. But no, not her. He'd been watching her for three years, since she was fifteen, since the day he first laid eyes on his beautiful creation. He knew his perfect treasure wasn't a whore like her bleach-blond empty headed friends. No, his treasure was pure. Well, almost pure. He had been following her for almost a year, the first time he saw her touch herself. It had taken him almost that long to figure out how to get into the tree the grew next to her bedroom window undetected. But as soon as he figured it out, there he was, watching her walk in from her nightly shower, dressed in only a towel, ringing out the perfect curls atop her head. He had been expecting her to simply drop her towel, and climb into bed like she usually did, but for some reason, this night was different. She dropped her towel and laid down all right, but she did not sleep. He didn't realize what she was doing until her saw the tiny fingers on one of her smooth ivory hands suuddenly flick across her blush pink nipples. It hardened immediately at this touch, and so, too did his cock. He felt it swell almost all the way to it's immense proportions as soon as he saw this. He hoped she didn't pursue this new sexual exploration or he'd be in trouble. Much to the combination of his horror and delight, his beauty suddenly started caressing her nipples, rubbing them hard and moaning softy. He heard every sweet sigh that escaped her lips that summer night, as she had left her window open to let in the breeze. She continued to rub her nipples with one hand, while the other trailed torturously slow down her slightly rounded feminine belly, to the mound of fiery curls that rested between her legs. His cock was by now straining mercilessly against his pants, demanding to be let out. He obliged the demand, quietly and slowly unzipping, careful not to let the noise drift through the open window. His ten inch long, four inch wide behemoth sprang to full attention, and he stroked it slowly as he watched his treasure caress herself. She was by now sliding two fingers back and forth across her clit, and moaning in ecstasy. She stroked her tiny nub slow at first, then faster and faster, and he, in time with her fingering, stroked his cock faster and faster, and just as he watched her body shudder in what he was sure was his princess's first orgasm, he shot his load all over the side of her house. He smiled at the bulge growing in his pants while he let that memory play through in his head. He resisted the urge to whip it out and jerk himself off right there in the parking lot across from her school. That would get him caught for sure, and he couldn't have that. Not when tonight was so important. He watched her walking down the front steps to the student parking lot, towards the beat up old car he had sold her parents those three years ago. They had bought it for her, in anticipation of her getting her driver's license. The two people who had sworn to protect their little girl had unknowingly put her fate in the hands of a monster that day. He knew this. He knew he was sick and twisted. He didn't care. Tonight her parents were going out of town, and tonight he would finally have her. Waiting for nightfall was absolute hell for him. But as soon as darkness enveloped the tiny suburban street she lived on, he climbed silently into his tree. If he leaned a certain way, he could see the driveway, and so he knew the exact moment her parents left. They would be gone for five days, and he intended to make her his for the duration. While he was sure she was still downstairs watching tv, he climbed silently through her bedroom window, as he had done so many times before. Never when anyone was home before this of course, but just to get a basic layout. These things took careful planning. But now, now that it was finally happening, now that he was finally going to taste her sweet pussy, and feel her virginal hole stretch itself around his cock, now he would have his sweet treasure at last. He had grown painfully hard thinking about taking her at last. He tried to calm himself down, but it was no good. He crept into the closet and silently jerked himself to completion, to calm his excitement and nerves. It was forever before he heard her come into her room after her nightly shower. As usual, she was wrapped only in her towel. She was about to drop it, to give him the closest view thus far of her perfection when she stopped. She was staring at the window. FUCK! He had left the window open. She turned suddenly, and started slowly towards the closet. No, no no, he thought to himself. If she catches me I'll have to rape her, take her forcefully. He didn't want to hurt his sweet girl, but if she caught him, he wouldn't have a choice. Just then, something crashed downstairs. The cat had knocked something over again, as that cat was prone to do. But it was convenient for him, because she turned and left the room, throwing her nightshirt on quickly, and going to investigate. It was no good. She was suspicious now, he would have to use the drug. He never found out what the crystalline powder was called, he only knew what it did. It put the person under it's spell in a state of conscious sleep, meaning they were fully awake and aware of what was happening, but they couldn't access the part of their brain that allowed them to make a conscious movement. He wanted to experience her in her full potential, but this would have to do. He could take her in her fully concious state tomorrow night. While she was downstairs, he dumped the entire contents of the bag into the water glass on her nightstand and stirred it all in. He was just settling back into his spot in the closet when she walked back into her room, muttering to herself, "Stupid fucking cat." She sat on the edge of her bed, and drank the entire glass of water in one gulp. She choked a bit as she set the glass down. The drug did have a slight taste to it, but by the time she realized what was happening it wouldn't matter. The effect hit her almost immediately. She laid down on her bed and closed her eyes, but opened them again. She sat halfway up, and lifted her arms to pull her night shirt off, but slumped right back against her pillow as if an invisible force had pushed her down. Her eye were open, and full of terror. Oh no! She was afraid. He had to make sure she wasn't afraid. It was time. "I'm not going to hurt you, precious," he told her, as he walked out from behind the closet door. "I don't want to hurt you my treasure, but this was the only way." "GET OUT!" She screamed. The one thing he liked most about the drug was she would still be able to talk. This was perfect, he wanted to hear the orgasmic moans she was so deliciously capable off. The other side effect that endeared him to it so, was that it enhanced involuntary stimulation. Which meant the slightest touch would send her over the edge. He could already see her nipples perking in the cool breeze that was coming in through the still open window. His cock stirred in his pants. Soon enough, he thought. "I wont hurt you sweetheart. I want to make you feel good," He said, sitting on the edge of her bed. He placed a hand on her stomach, and started caressing her skin. A slight sigh escaped her lips as he brushed the underside of her tit. "See, darling, this wont hurt at all," He promised, pulling the scissors from his bag. She screamed when she saw them, but he quickly cut her nightshirt away from her body, so he could finally see it in all it's feminine glory. There, her tits were right there, her nipples hard as stone, begging to be touched. He reached out and caressed her nipple gently with his broad fingers. He saw her body shiver involuntarily, and she moaned softly, at the same whimpering, "No, please don't do this to me..." "But honey, you like it, look at you," he protested softly. "See?" Before she had time to respond to this statement, he leaned over, and gently licked her nipple. She cried out in pleasure, as he began sucking furiously on her tits, one at a time. She was quaking and shivering, alternating her pleading for him to stop with begging him to go on. He couldn't take it anymore, slid his hand slowly up her creamy thigh, and gently massaged her soaking mound. She was positively dripping, and her sweet scent had begun to fill his nostrils. He wanted so bad to taste her, but first things first. He parted her outer lips, and rubbed her clit gently, but firmly, as she released the loudest moan yet. He increased the speed and intensity of his rubbing and her body began to shudder almost violently. She was near orgasm. Without warning, he stopped rubbing her clit, and slid two fingers into her hot throbbing pussy. Her hips rose involuntarily to this intrusion, which was hindered by her tightness. His cock damn near sprang through his pants. If she was this tight against his fingers, oh he could only imagine, but he had to be patient. He continued to suckle her breasts, as he began to slide his fingers in and out of her dripping snatch. She was screaming in delight now, still on the verge of orgasm but not quite there. His dick was throbbing, begging to be let out, but he couldn't yet, he didn't want to take her yet, he wanted to make sure she was good and ready. He picked up the speed of his pumping fingers at the same time sucking her tits harder than ever. He was practically slamming his fingers into her quivering hole now, and he had half her breast in his mouth when she cried out, "Oh god, I'm cumming! No! Don't let me cum for this monster!" But the reaction was inevitable. He juices were flowing over his fingers like a floodgate that had just broken loose. She was panting heavily now, and crying at the same time. He wiggled his fingers inside of her a few times before pulling them out. He sat up and brought them slowly to his lips, and tasted her for the first time. It was heaven to him, such a mix of salty and sweet, he had to have more. He re-positioned himself on the bed, and pushed her legs as far apart as they would go. He then pushed her feet all the way up to her ass, so he had a perfect view of her pussy. It was still glistening from her orgasm, and the intoxicating aroma of her juices were calling to him. "No..." she begged. "Please, stop this now...." But he couldn't, not now. He lowered his head to her body, and licked the entire length of her slit, tasting every last bit of her that he could. She shuddered again, and the moaning started. He flicked his tongue across her clit a few times before diving into her hole. He wriggled his abnormally long tongue into the sweet opening, and rolled it around inside of her. He was happy to hear that she had given in to his pleasuring, and was now only begging him to go on. "Lick me, yes... take me..." He put his thumb on her clit and started rubbing it and tonguing her hole at the same time, and she started to shake and scream again. He barely had time to up his tempo before he was hit with her second wave of cunt juice. She was panting and sighing again, this time though, there was no crying. He quickly licked up every last drop of cum that had spilled out of her pussy. She had given in to him. It was time. He stood up, and undressed quickly, his throbbing prick springing forth for her to see. Her eyes widened in shock and horror at the size of it, and she asked "Are you going to put that in me?!" "It will only hurt for a second, my treasure, I promise." He assured her as he was crawling between her legs. She didn't argue with him at this, which meant one thing: She was definitely his. He positioned his cock head at her pussy, and stroked it up at down several times, making sure to bump her clit. If she wasn't wet enough for this, it would hurt longer then he promised it would. But she was still soaked, and he couldn't wait one second longer. He had been waiting for this moment for three years, he had to have her now. There was a piercing scream as he rammed all ten inches into her at once, obliterating her hymen and stretching her virgin pussy to it's limits. She was sobbing in pain. He leaned over and kissed her gently, letting his tongue slide over hers. He made sure she was calm and adjusted before he started to pump. She started moaning and sighing again, as he worked her hard with his dick. The room was filled with the sloshing sound of his cock ramming her virgin cunt. He was fucking her harder than he had ever fucked anyone. She was the ultimate treasure for him. She was soaking wet, and moaning audibly with each hard thrust of his cock. She was begging him now to fuck her harder, and so he did, slamming into her with a force he had never used before. He felt every bump and ridge in her pussy pass over his cock with each stroke. She was the tightest fit he had ever experienced, and that combined with her wetness, made him sure he wasn't going to last long. Apparently though, neither was she, he had only been fucking her for a minute or two when she started cumming. He felt it wash over his prick, and it was too much for him. He rammed into her hard twice, and then started to shoot his load. It spurted from him in one long gush. He held his dick inside of her, and let her shaking cunt milk every last drop from him. He pulled out of her a moment later, his shrinking member dripping with their cum. He sat back on the bed and looked at his princess. She was breathing heavily, and muttering to herself. "Did you enjoy that my darling?" he asked, finally. Still unable to move because of the drug, she said, "Yes. That was amazing." "Good," he quipped, leaning in to kiss her softly on the cheek. "You're mine now. I've waited three years to have you, and you belong to me now. Be in bed by nine tomorrow night my dear. And wear something pretty for me okay, my lovely?" "Okay." And finally, after having her for the first time, he got dressed, and climbed out the window, looking forward to tomorrow night. Treasure Ch. 02 At exactly nine the next night, he climbed through her window, and took in the first sight of his precious thing since deflowring her. She was crawling onto her matress, wearing the only thong, he knew she had, a thin lacy black one with ties at the sides, and the camisole that went with it. He saw her looking at his bag, which was bigger than the night before. "Hello precious," he said, setting the bag down. He took a long leering look at her, drinking her beautiful figure in, she looked automatically at his crotch, to guage the effect she was having on him, and saw a large bulge in his pants. He chuckled, noticing where her eyes had wandered. "We'll get to that," He promised, crawling slowly on top of her. "But I didn't have a chance to properly worship you like the goddess you are, and tonight I will." Before she could say anything else, he leaned in and kissed her, letting his hand dance slowly up her thigh, resting between her legs. He rubbed her pussy gently trough the lacy material, letting the fabric do most of the work, and before long he felt a wetness seeping through as she moaned into his kiss. He untied one side of the thong, and rubbed her fine hairs, pulling them gently to tweak her, prime her. She moaned even louder, and pulled away from his kiss as his finger found her clit. He rubbed her little nip of a thing slowly, then harder, timing his stroking to her moans, and as they got louder he went faster, stopping her just on the edge of cumming. She looked at him pleadingly and he laughed. "Not yet my dear," He whispered. "We're going to play a little game tonight. You are not allowed to cum, until I tell you to. No matter what I do," he flicked her clit one last time, "Or what I say," He pushed three fingers into her hole, and started pounding furiously, and as she gasped and moaned, "I don't want to see one hint or an orgasm. If you cum before I let you, I'll never return here. Understand?" he asked, as his fingers slid in and out of her dripping snatch, picking up tempo as he went. He pushed into her with his fingers harder and harder, watching her gorgeous body twitch and wriggle, until he again felt the first spasm of the orgasm he sought to deny her. She cried out in protest as he pulled his fingers out of her, and stood up next to the bed. Eagerly, she crawled over to him, and began unbuckling his pants. Looking up at him, she asked, "May I suck your cock? I've been thinking about having your hot dick in my mouth all day." He nodded, and she pulled his pants down, his monster prick springing to life in front of her eyes. She held it just below the head, and gave it a first tentative lick. Then, she dove in, opening her mouth and sliding as much of his throbbing cock into her mouth as she could. He stared down at her, smiling as she stretched her plump, innocent lips around his dick, letting her hot wet mouth slide all over it. He let out a guttural moan, as she flicked her tongue over his head, and then tried to stuff as much of it into her mouth as she could. He grabbed her by the hair with both hands and started to fuck her sweet face as she continued to flick her tongue all over his incredible shaft. Before long his cock started to twitch, and in seconds he was shooting his thick, salty load into her mouth. He held her face and pushed in, forcing her to swallow every drop. When he finally pulled his now limp cock out of her mouth he didn't say anything, but instead reached into his bag. "These are for you, my lovely," he told her, pulling out a pair of vibrating nipple clamps. He pushed her back onto the bed, and carefully slid her camisole up, stopping to lick her sweet, budding nipples. His cock was stirring again, listening to every moan and sigh escape her lips, he worked her tits over enthusiastically, when to his surprise, she started to twitch and shudder, as an orgasm approached. He pulled back and looked at her, shocked. He knew she didn't cum, but she had been damn close. "You can cum just from having your nipples played with?" He asked. She nodded, embarrassed. "Don't be embarrassed by it, sweetie," He reassured her, rubbing her tits slowly, listening to her moan. "This will actually make things more fun." He pulled the clamps out of their package, and carefully attached them to her nipples. He turned them on to the lowest setting, and a low whir filled the room. She reacted immediately, shuddering and gasping. He turned the clamps up one speed, and left them on, while he trailed kisses down her round little belly, and found what he was looking for. Without so much as a warning to her, he drove his tongue into her now soaking hole, rolling it around and moving it from side to side inside her snatch. She was whimpering, and sounded near tears and he knew why. She wanted to cum so badly, but amazingly, had managed to delay it happening. He looked at her and asked, "Does my darling treasure want to cum? Hmmm?" He slid three fingers into her cunt again, and flicked his tongue over he swollen clit, devouring it hungrily as he pumped his fingers into her again and the nipple clamps continued to vibrate on her tits. "Do it then" He said, pulling away from her pussy long enough to speak. "Cum for me so I can taste your sweet drink again." He drove his tongue into her again. This time massaging her clit with his wet fingers, and before long she was crying out loudly moaning and shrieking as her juices exploded into his mouth, allowing him to lick her pussy almost dry. He had to fuck her again. He wanted his cock in her cunt now."Get on your hands and knees," he ordered. She did silently. She hadn't spoken much through the entire evening, but he supposed that was because she was enjoying taking the role of his treasure, his toy. And after tonight he would make her that permanently. He could feel the heat emanating from between her legs, as he guided his cock to her sweet snatch from behind. He positioned himself, and paused for a second, before ramming his entire ten inches into her cunt as hard as he could. she cried out, whether in pain or pleasure, he not know nor care. She was his now, and he would take her. He did not slow his pace for one moment. Her body was shaking as she rocked her hips back to meet each one of his powerful, animal thrusts she was moaning and whimpering again, and it wasn't long before her cunt walls were contracting around his thick manhood, in another powerful orgasm. He continued to pump into her hole, determined to fill her with another load. She came twice more as he was slamming in and out of her, but he would not stop, until finally, he gave one last final, brutal slam, and his own orgasm exploded his sum shooting out of his cock and into her now trembling pussy. He held her hips back against him until he was sure every bit of his load was inside of her. He finally pulled his deflating member out of her oozing hole, and let her collapse on the bed. She gasped and rolled over onto her back, pulling the nipple clamps off. He leaned down, and kissed her on the cheek. "Same time, same place tomorrow my lovely creature." He commaned before disappearing out the window. Treasure Ch. 02 Catherine's eyes eased open, and she squinted blearily at her surroundings, which were still sparkling in all their splendor. Her body wasn't quite as sore as it was before, but her head ached a bit from the wine, and her back was a bit off from laying on the hard rock floor the night prior. And she was ravenous. Suddenly, she blinked. The surface she was laying on was much warmer than she remembered, and she could have sworn it was...moving? She glanced down, and her heart leapt into her chest when she realized that she was naked and sprawled out over the stomach of the dragon, sound asleep and back in his original form, the soft scales of his belly smooth and hot on her skin. He took in a deep, shuddering breath in his sleep, and Catherine let out a squeak as she steadied herself, bracing her hands so she didn't fall off. Why was she naked? This was awful. His massive head, almost as big as she was, was pillowed on a heap of gold, and his mouth was open slightly, revealing his sharp, gigantic teeth. His breath came steadily in a rush of warm air, and when she glanced at her shackles, she noticed that they were chained to one of his talons, which hovered over her protectively. Frowning in confusion as she realized he was cradling her to his chest as if she were some sort of stuffed animal, she yawned and sat up. After shaking her long, curling black hair back from her eyes, she tried to remember the events from the night before. Her eyes widened as she felt the soreness between her legs, recalled a pale man with long, straight, silky white hair and draconic eyes. Oh, Gods above. She had given herself to a dragon. But he had been rather sweet and gentle, she thought absentmindedly. That is, of course, after he had frightened the daylights out of her and touched her inappropriately until she was squirming. Although, the more she remembered from the night before, the less she found that she minded the inappropriate touching. There was a rumbling noise from beneath her as the dragon stirred, and she glanced back at his face as he opened one eye languidly, fixing it on her for a moment before opening the other. "Good morning," he sighed, tensing in a stretch. She looked away, blushing fiercely, and he raised his head to regard her curiously. "How are you feeling?" "My head hurts, and I'm really hungry," she admitted. Then she flushed deep red. "...and...naked." "You say that like it's a problem," he teased. She glared at him. "I can fix one of those things now, and two of them later." "Please say it's the clothes," begged Catherine. She then let out a noise of surprise as he lifted his arm, raising her high up in the air by the shackles on her wrists, before setting her gently on her feet on a gorgeous tapestry that was laying about and unfastening the shackle from his talon. "Give me a moment," he told her, and she watched with fascination as his body slowly shifted and twisted back into a man's, his scales retracting into his skin. "Much better. Now, I'm afraid that I don't have any proper clothes for you at the moment," he announced as something seemed to catch his eye. He motioned to her to wait and walked several paces away from her, pulling a length of luxurious looking cloth from a chest near the wall. "But I do have this." As he moved closer, she saw that it was made of a rich black velvet, trimmed with gratuitous amounts of fur on the hems. It was a cloak that was long enough to trail behind her as she walked, complete with a wide ermine fur collar that cascaded over the shoulders. Catherine's spirits fell slightly as she saw the fur. She had made the mistake of befriending some of the fur merchant's little stoats when she was a little girl, and had been horrified when she learned about what would happen to them. They were awfully adorable, even if they did bite a lot. He held it out to her and she took it, looking up at him blankly. "This is...I mean...where did you get this?" she stuttered. It was very fine quality-something that a king or queen would wear. He grinned fiercely. "It was a King's once," he said, an amused tone in his voice, "and now it isn't." "Oh." Catherine slung it around her body with a bit of effort, surprised at its weight, and secured the ropey ties in the front, fluffing her dark hair over the fur of the shoulders. She felt incredibly silly. She glanced up at him afterwards, immediately looking away in embarrassment when she saw him staring. "I look ridiculous, don't I?" she asked. "Oh, certainly not," he mused, and when she looked back up at him, his expression was intense. "Like a wild, pretty thing who overthrew a King on a whim." As if in immense effort, he finally wrenched his gaze away from her. "I do need to leave for a moment, however. I'm quite hungry, as I'm sure you are, and unless you'd like to dine on bats-and I certainly don't-my home is rather lacking in sustenance." "I'd rather not dine on bats," Catherine agreed, offering him a wry smile. "But I'd also rather not eat anything...raw," she added carefully, visions of raw, bloody flesh playing rampantly through her brain. He raised his eyebrows. "I breathe fire, darling," he said simply, and she immediately felt foolish. "I'm sure I can find a way to accommodate your needs." "Oh," she said apologetically. "Right." He smiled and tipped her a wink, turning towards the cavern entrance and pacing leisurely towards it. Scales began to ripple over his spine as he walked, as as she watched, wings pushed out from his back and ripped open behind him. He paused and turned his head to look back at her from over his wings, scales feathering the outside of his face and framing his eyes. Goosebumps prickled up Catherine's arms as she met his gaze. "I don't think I need to tell you to stay here," he said. When Catherine nodded wordlessly, staring at him in shock, he turned back around and vanished through the darkness of the entryway. She heard the distant scrape of talons on rock and a couple loud beats of massive wings, and then there was only silence. She peered at her surroundings, pulling the too-large cloak closer to her frame. It was fantastically soft, although a bit dusty. She was still quite unsure about how she should be feeling. She was certainly jumpy-her nerves were strung tight as a violin-but at the same time, she was sort of excited. Butterflies were zipping around in her stomach, and combined with the feeling of panic that coursed through her veins like electricity, she was trembling like a leaf and ready to scream. The only thing that stopped that from happening was the dregs of lethargy that were left over from sleeping like the dead the night prior. She sighed. She would have burned down churches for more wine to steady herself. It was very troubling, however. Was this the way you were supposed to feel when you were being held captive by a dragon? Wasn't she supposed to feel more distraught and hopeless or something? Well, here she was, alone in a large cave full of treasure, she thought, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "I guess he never said I couldn't at least look around," she said to herself, turning to meander in the other direction. The cloak trailed behind her as she walked, exposing long expanses of her legs with every step, much to her dismay. She wasn't used to her legs being visible. As her father was a prominent figure in the kingdom, her ankles had to be covered at all times, and her bosom had been perpetually locked up in a mercilessly tight corset. It was incredibly strange to be walking with only a long strip of fabric swathed around her torso. She paused at a particularly large mountain of treasure that was twice as large as she was and stared at it in awe. There had to be thousands of gold coins in this pile alone, and there were about three more about the same size scattered throughout the room. How long did a dragon have to go around looting and pillaging unsuspecting kingdoms to acquire this much wealth? Something sparkling a little brighter than the rest of the pile caught her eye in the pile, and she raised her eyebrows in shock. It was a pendant, cast in silver and inlaid with one of the largest, most dazzlingly cut sapphires she had ever seen. She stood on her tiptoes, raised her shackled hands, and plucked it from the mountain of treasure, wincing timidly as it sent several coins avalanching down the side of the pile. The chain was thick and heavy in her hands, and the pendant itself was about the size of her fist and three times as heavy. The jewel sparkled like a star picked from the sky, blue and luminous and glittering. After a moment of hesitation, she pulled it over her head, the weight of the jewel hanging comfortably against her chest. Circling in place for a few moments, she found what she was looking for: a massive mirror leaning against the wall. It was humongous, maybe fifteen feet tall and ten feet wide, and it was then that Catherine realized just how tiny she was compared to everything else in the room. She stared in surprise at her reflection as it came into focus. Her chest-length black hair was full and slightly tangled, and it framed her face in a cloud of curls. Her face was a little more pallid than usual, no doubt from exhaustion, terror, and the ghosts of the alcohol that had made her head throb, but lit up in the cheeks with hints of rose. Her legs looked long and pale and slender from where they peeked out in between the luxurious folds of velvet, and the pendant was doing something to her blue eyes that somehow made them bluer. She had never really admired herself wearing, well, so little clothing. It was considered immodest, at least according to her nurse. She looked...kind of good. She gasped as a familiar, pale figure appeared behind her in the mirror. "Playing dress-up?" the dragon asked, grinning in amusement. Catherine watched in the mirror in horror as her face turned beet red. He had returned faster than she thought he would have. "Sorry," she murmured, wishing she could bury herself underneath the piles of treasure in embarrassment and vanish forever. He laughed, his eyes sparkling. "Oh, no need for that." She yelped indignantly as he hoisted her into his arms and walked with her to another pile of gold, kneeling into a sitting position and depositing her in his lap. She frowned and hastily gathered the hems of the cloak to her waist, preventing it from parting at her hips and exposing...well...everything. He ran his fingers through the mountain of coins and jewels, plucking things out here and there, and Catherine watched him suspiciously. He then took her hands gently in one of his, extending her fingers and carefully sliding rings onto them, one at a time. Each one was a masterpiece, made of gold or silver and studded with diamonds and pearls and other precious stones, and he was smiling to himself as he did it, content and lazy. Once all her fingers sported at least one ring, he began to root through the treasure again, idly playing with a curl of her hair in his other hand while Catherine sat obediently in his lap. "...Excuse me," Catherine finally managed to say. "Mmmm," the dragon replied, unearthing a gold chain bracelet and carefully fastening it around her wrist, just above her shackles. "What are you doing?" she asked slowly. He stopped playing with her hair for a moment to hold a necklace dripping with pearls against her throat, fastening it gently at the nape of her neck. "Dressing you up," he said simply, gently tugging her arm out of the cloak and fastening a gold cuff around her upper arm. One side of the cloak tumbled off her shoulder, revealing a section of her upper torso, and she felt her face heat up. His gaze crawled for a moment over her exposed skin, but he continued what he was doing. "...why?" Catherine insisted. He silenced her with a long and hard kiss on her cheek, winding a long string of pearls around her wrist. "I have all of these lovely jewels," he sighed, as if it was with great woe that the jewels had been bestowed upon him, "and nobody to wear them. It's quite sad, really. Besides, we're about to have our first meal together. Don't you want to look nice?" "Well...I guess," Catherine sputtered. "But I think I'd look much better wearing...you know...a dress." "Would that I could make you a dress out of spun gold," he said wistfully. "I don't suppose it would be very comfortable, anyway. But you would be a vision," he continued. Catherine's eyes went wide as his fingertip skimmed against the skin of her belly on its way back to the pile of treasure, and she quickly reached down to grab the hem of the cloak and yank it back over herself. "You don't need to be so shy," he said, smiling. "At this point, I think I'm intimately acquainted with most of your body." She scowled. "Not by my consent," she muttered. He shrugged, that smile playing lightly across his lips, and he began idly sorting through the gold again. "Then I apologize. In my defense, you did seem a bit eager last night. Although that may have been the wine. I am a terrifying beast, after all." She glared at him. His voice was so casual, and he discussed his status as a terrifying beast as one might discuss the weather. Coins and jewels tumbled down the pile in rivulets, exposing something circular and pale silver, set with rubies the size of quail's eggs. Catherine's jaw dropped. "Is that a crown?" she breathed in shock. "Aye," he said cheerfully. "Taken from King Stephan of Brightvale a long, long time ago." "Wait. That can't possibly be right. Stephan of Brightvale died a hundred years ago," Catherine protested. "His kingdom was..." She stopped suddenly and looked up at the dragon's wild green eyes, which were narrowed with fierce amusement. "...His kingdom was besieged by a dragon," she finished lamely, her jaw slack, her eyes wide with shock. "A great, green dragon. Everyone knows the story. How...how old are you?" He brushed a long lock of shockingly white hair out of his eyes. "If that's how long ago Brightvale fell, then...if memory serves..." He paused, the tip of his too-long tongue idly pressed against one of his too-long canines as he thought. "Two hundred seventy-two." "Oh," said Catherine weakly. He shrugged. "I believe the creators above rather liked dragons," he said absentmindedly. "We are not burdened with the curse of aging for many centuries. You," he added, beaming, "look like the luscious mistress of a particularly rich emperor." She scowled, a flutter of-what, embarrassment maybe?-jolting through her stomach. "As flattering as you may be," she said darkly, "I feel ridiculous." He held up a pair of sparkling cabochon sapphires, set on top of short, sharp-looking needles. Catherine cringed. "Do you wear earrings?" he asked lightly. She shook her head violently, shuddering. "Heavens, no." "What a shame," he sighed. "I always enjoyed women in faraway countries. Studded with gems and gold in every place one could imagine." Catherine looked down at the sparkling ground, a troubled look passing over her features. "Is that what you want from me, then?" she asked quietly. "To be another gold statue in your collection?" He raised an eyebrow, the smile fading from his lips. "Perhaps." He gently pressed on her shoulders, guiding her forward as he stood, and she dropped to her feet from his lap. "But you are a statue that talks and breathes and moves," he continued, standing very close in front of her, making her crane her neck to look up at him as he towered over her, "and that seems to be far more useful than something glittery." She watched him uncertainly as he spoke. "Many dragons go insane, you know," he added. "There aren't many of us left, and some just stay locked up in their caves, with nothing to speak to except for a bunch of gems and metals, for hundreds of years. With no mental stimulation, they turn into rabid, gibbering animals. It would drive anyone to madness. And a mad dragon, my dear, is something truly terrible to be reckoned with." She swallowed hard, wondering to herself how far along the trek into insanity he was. Two hundred years was a very, very long time to be alive. "What's your name?" she blurted out suddenly, hoping to change the topic. The dragon's eyes grew wide with surprise, and he regarded her curiously. "Name?" he wondered. He paused. "I have many of them, I suppose. You tend to acquire a few after living as long as I have. Which ones would you like to hear?" "Just one is fine," Catherine said softly, her eyes wide and unblinking with uncertainty. He made a contemplative noise, his eyes gazing up towards the ceiling of the cave. "Some men of this land have called me Adeon," he finally answered, turning his gaze back to her to her. "And what, darling girl, do I call you?" "Catherine." She almost curtsied, but realized that lifting her robe would expose quite a bit of her lower body, which she was intent on trying to conceal from him for as long as possible. He was silent for a few seconds. "What a refreshing exchange that was," he finally said cheerfully, his mood spiraling from serious and pensive to bright and courteous in less than seconds. "Well, my dear Catherine, I have venison and bread and wine for us to dine upon. Would you allow me to escort you to dinner?" he inquired. He offered her his arm-a silly gesture when you weren't wearing any clothes-and Catherine smiled a bit despite herself. "Must you?" she asked. "Oh, I'm afraid I must," he said gravely, his grin widening fiercely. She fiddled with her robe so that moving her arms wouldn't shift the cloak and expose too much of her, gave up, and gently touched her right hand to his arm, her left dangling below it from several inches of golden chain. "This feels silly," she admitted as they began walking through the entrance of the treasure cavern. He looked down at her. "Because we aren't wearing proper clothes? Humans are so particular about clothes. It's only fabric, you know." "My nurse always said that a pretty package makes the present lovelier and more intriguing," Catherine replied, quoting her fondly. Adeon cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. "I don't think I've heard it phrased that way before. How interesting." He waggled his eyebrows scandalously. "I did enjoy unwrapping you last night," he admitted, and she looked away from him in embarrassment. "There's no need to be ashamed," he told her reassuringly. "I don't think I can have this discussion until I drink more wine," Catherine muttered. He gave her a long, hard kiss on her cheek. "Eventually, I shall beat the ladylike grace right out of you and make a proper girl out of you," he said cheerfully. "One who isn't afraid of enjoying herself at the expense of some twisted sort of moral obligation. Ah, here we are." They had arrived back at the entrance of the cave that they were in last night, except that now, two silver goblets, (and Catherine did not doubt that they were real silver), lay upon the floor, accompanied by a giant, golden brown loaf of bread and messy, skinned slabs of raw meat belonging to what she assumed was a large buck, head and antlers included. She paled. "The venison, I presume?" she said faintly, and he rolled his eyes. "A dragon cannot go to market and order a rack of lamb, Catherine," he explained patiently. "Then where did you get the bread?" "A hunter was preparing his dinner in the woods in which I was hunting. He saw me and he ran, leaving behind his lovely dinner. So I fetched it for you," he said happily. "I was sure you would grow tired of meat during your stay." She smiled weakly, hoping it looked a little sincere. "Oh. Well. That was...thoughtful." "I'm glad you think so. Have a seat." She complied, folding herself into a sitting position as far away from the buck as she could on the cold, hard rock floor and watching him curiously as he picked up a dusty bottle from the floor and uncorked it with his uncannily sharp teeth. He then stooped down to fill one of the goblets to the brim with shimmering, clear red wine, and the sweet, heady scent of it filled the room like so many fruit orchards. He handed her the goblet. "Take a drink," he urged her. "It's an old spirit, but it's aged well, I'm sure." She nodded thankfully and took a little sip, closing her eyes as the taste tumbled over her tongue and blossomed in her mouth like a plume of smoke from a candle. Treasure Ch. 02 "It's lovely," she confessed, and he smiled widely, a chunk of bloody meat in his hand. It made him look rather terrifying, and she returned his smile worriedly. "Good. Excuse me for a moment." Adeon turned away from her and opened his mouth wide, exhaling sharply and engulfing the meat and his hand entirely in shockingly orange flame. It streamed through his mouth like rushing tides, fast and merciless, and Catherine felt the color leave her face. It was beautiful and utterly frightening, and she tried to keep her composure as he stopped and turned back to her, the meat in his hands charred and brown. "Here you are. Be careful, it's hot." "I...thanks," she managed to say weakly, grabbing it gingerly with two fingers. He purred a noise of content acknowledgement and picked up a piece of raw meat, opening his mouth and pausing as he caught her eye and saw her watching him in horror. "...Yes?" he inquired after a moment's pause. "Do you...have to eat it like that? In front of me?" she stuttered faintly. Glowering at her impatiently, he turned away again, letting out a much briefer burst of flame over the slab of meat that turned it a light brown, and turning back to her. "Better?" he asked dryly. She nodded, looking down at the floor. "You are much too delicate," he said before taking a large, savage bite out of the meat. "Eat," he ordered around a mouthful of deer as she studied her own chunk of meat. "I'm hardly going to poison you. That seems a bit redundant, considering you're already mine." "A bit hard to forget with these," she replied, jingling her shackles morosely. "Poison isn't something I'm terribly worried about." She narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "Although I do have a bit of a suspicion that you're trying to fatten me up for Sunday dinner." A bit of juice from the meat trickled down the corner of his mouth as he studied her with surprise, and she watched as he delicately caught the drop with his tongue. But the look of shock on his face was fleeting, and quickly transformed back into his lazy, mischievous stare. "And perhaps I will," he retorted, looking incredibly pleased, "if I'm forced to put up with your cheek." To her surprise, a broad, broad smile broke out across her lips, and she stifled a giggle by leaning down to take a small bite out of the deer, frowning when she couldn't bite off a chunk properly, and finally ripping it off impatiently. As she chewed, she looked back at him and saw him watching her, an odd look in his eyes. Although there was some distance between them, his presence seemed to buzz against her like static. It wasn't unpleasant...just difficult to ignore. "It's very good," she told him around a mouthful of deer. "Especially considering it hasn't got any spices or butter." The bread broke cleanly in her hands as she ripped off a piece, taking a small nibble and smiling brightly. "Rosemary bread!" she exclaimed. "This is my favorite. Thank you." "My pleasure," he replied, and he looked like he meant it. After a moment, she began to eat with abandon, sucking the juice from the deer off her fingers and taking a long draught of wine. He chewed slowly and methodically, watching her eat with an inquisitive look on his face, a few locks of hair fluttering over his eyes. Those long, tapered fingers wrapped around the stem of his goblet and he raised it to his lips, taking a sip and leaning back against the wall of the cave. Light from the setting sun streamed in through the entrance, staining his pale skin with fiery reds and oranges, and Catherine gazed down on the tiny kingdom that lay at the base of the mountain, the one that she had come from just a day ago. "Did I really sleep for a whole day?" she asked curiously, gnawing on a chunk of meat and a wedge of bread she had fashioned into a haphazard sandwich. "I'm afraid so," Adeon answered, pausing to take a long sip of wine. "You were exhausted, frightened, and incredibly drunk. You slept quite soundly." His lips were stained with wine, and they looked full and wet and incredibly kissable, she thought absentmindedly, immediately chastising herself. It must have been the alcohol making her think that way. A flush crept up her neck as she remembered his soft, long kiss from the night before, and she pointedly looked away from him, taking another long draught of wine. "Did I say something?" he asked, a tiny smile curling the corners of his lips. She drained the rest of her wine and finally looked back at him, taking a deep breath and willing herself to speak. "I just think you look very handsome right now," she murmured, looking everywhere but at him. He raised an eyebrow, the cheer fading gradually from his face, his smile becoming pointed and sardonic. "Resorting to flattery?" he inquired slowly, and Catherine's eyes widened. "How very clever of you." "I didn't mean it like that," she said quickly, setting down her goblet. "I just thought..." "Thought what? That the poor, lonely dragon would take pity on you and let you go if you showed him kindness?" he interjected, his eyes narrowing. Catherine's face suddenly contorted into a scowl, and his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Don't be an idiot," she snapped. "I was enjoying speaking to you, and I looked at your lips and thought it would be nice to kiss them. But now I don't think I'd like anything to do with them, let alone the self-pitying dragon they belong to, so I'll just sit here and finish eating and keep to myself." The dragon gaped at her in disbelief, and she grabbed the bottle of wine and turned towards the entrance of the cave in a huff, drawing the cloak close to her and pouring another glass. It was a bit difficult, pouring wine in shackles, but Catherine was much too angry to ask for help, and eventually the goblet was full. "I don't think I've ever been called an idiot before," he wondered out loud, and Catherine rolled her eyes, setting the bottle back down so she could take a sip of wine. "You could have fooled me, making rude assumptions like that," she said swiftly. "Forgive me. I just find it incredibly hard to believe that a pretty young thing such as yourself would ever want to kiss a dragon," he explained, and Catherine could hear the sincerity in his voice. She turned to glare reproachfully at him from over her shoulder, and he smiled at her. "You're cute when you're angry," he teased. "Like a puffed-up little bird scolding a fox." "I am not a puffed-up little bird," Catherine insisted, and he burst out laughing. She turned back towards him and scowled at him from over her glass of wine, taking a long gulp that almost emptied it. He leaned close to her, bracing his hands on the floor so his face was inches away from hers, and she leaned away from him instinctively. "Prove it," he murmured, and she stared at him uncertainly. "That I'm not a little bird?" she asked slowly, and he smiled. "That you want to kiss me," he breathed, and each word was soft enough to send a tremor shooting up her spine. She bit her lip for a moment, and he slowly turned his head to the side, watching her with half-lidded eyes and parted lips, his movements languid and slow. Her hands shook, and she steadily closed the distance between their lips, her eyes closing as he let out a shaky breath of surprise against her lips and gently tangled his hand in her hair. After a moment, she pulled away, and his eyes were glazed and bright, his mouth was pink from kissing, and his expression was distant. "I'm sorry," she whispered breathlessly, her body warm and weightless. Her lips were buzzing from where he had kissed them. "I'm not very good at kissing. I don't do it very much." "I think you kiss beautifully," he said unsteadily, jerkily moving closer and sitting up so he could cup her face in his hands and claim her lips with his again. "Mmmm." She wrapped her arms around his neck, trembling as his mouth opened in a rush of warm breath. Suddenly, his hands slid downwards to pull her body up against his, and she made a noise of surprise as he straightened up and lifted her into the air. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and every part of her body exploded into jitters as he pushed her up against the wall and kissed her hard, frantically, like the world was ending, then trailed a line of kisses from her cheek to her neck. "Can I touch you?" he murmured. She shut her eyes tight, the movement of his lips against the skin of her neck wracking her nerves. "Yes," she whispered, her hands clenching into claws on his back and raking his skin with her nails. He let out a groan and turned to lower her shakily onto the ground, laying her down and parting the fabric of her cloak to expose her body. She quivered as his hands slid across her torso, cupping her breasts and stroking the sensitive skin of her belly. With a contented smile, he dipped his head down to gently suck one of her nipples into his mouth. His teeth lightly caught the pink tip, causing her to yelp, and his right hand mauled her other, pinching and rolling and squeezing in a way that made her tremble and jerk. She tangled her shackled hands in his long, white hair, her breathing hitched as if she had just run several miles. Her hips were making desperate little circles underneath him, her body silently pleading for him. He pulled back and kissed her, his lips moving hungrily against hers. "You slay me," he sighed after he pulled away, watching her writhing below him with that lazy stare of his, one that was fascination and craving and chaos. He trailed his mouth down Catherine's body and nipped it sharply every few seconds; her belly, her thighs, eliciting several little cries from her, and she felt herself dissolve as he ran his wet tongue up the length of her lips. Her body was tense and alive with electricity, and it was all building up inside her like a scream in the back of her throat. "Adeon," she moaned, holding her hands to her chest and gasping as he nibbled at her inner thigh. He grabbed her calves to hold her legs steady as she tried to jerk them away from him at the sharpness of the sensation. His hair tickled against the sensitive skin, and her breath was hitched and unsteady in her throat. "Oh, God, I think I'm going to scream if you don't stop..." "Then scream for me," he breathed, giving her thigh another sharp nip. She put her shackled hands to her mouth to stifle the tiny yelp that escaped her lips, and he laughed. "Somebody has very sensitive thighs," he crooned delightedly, trailing his tongue up her skin until he reached the crook of her knee and making her take in a quivering gasp. Then he trailed a line of soft, soft kisses down her other inner thigh towards her lips, holding her legs fast as they bucked against him. She exhaled shakily, trying to contain herself, but then his tongue was swirling against her clit and she shut her eyes tight. He released her legs and stroked her stomach with one hand, the other sliding between her legs so his fingers could probe at her lips, a noise of pleasure escaping his mouth as he felt her wetness. Catherine's world was spinning, her heartbeat was throbbing in her ears, her mind was cloudy and hazy and dizzy. All she could do was lay wide-eyed and gasping as he gently slid two fingers inside of her, moving them in and out of her slowly. Her breath caught in her chest as he gazed up at her from in between her legs, his green eyes bright and wicked, and he gently sucked her clit in between his lips, lashing it with his tongue and fucking her slowly with his fingers. It was all too much, and Catherine was sent over the edge, letting out a little cry as her body convulsed with release and went limp. She clenched around his fingers, wet and throbbing. And then suddenly he was knelt over her, his breathing uneven and desperate, his right hand seizing her hip as he pushed his hard, eager cock inside of her. She gasped as he entered her, oversensitized and frantic. She could feel her passage strain against his width and clenched her teeth at the dull soreness he was eliciting with every inch that slid into her. "Do you want me to stop?" he whispered raggedly. She shook her head helplessly, lifting her legs obediently as he tilted her hips upwards and closing her eyes as he leaned in to give her a fierce kiss. Her mouth felt bruised and raw from kissing, and her body was fever-hot against his chest, which was cool from the cave. He began to move in and out of her at a deliciously leisurely pace, and she hooked her shackled arms over his neck, feeling the taut muscles of his back move under her fingers. This wasn't sex, or carnal pleasures, or sin. This was making love. His left hand supported the back of her neck, his thumb brushing against her throat as he moved inside her, and he moved his lips to the soft area underneath her chin and kissed it before burying his head in the crook between her neck and her shoulder. His movements were so slow, his body was shaky and hot and damp with sweat, and the soft noises that escaped his lips made her quiver. One of his hands slid underneath her, gently cradling the small of her back as he pushed into her. She brought her mouth to his shoulder and gave it a small kiss, nipping the skin before she pulled away. With a soft noise of pleasure, he lifted his head and tangled his hand in her hair, his gaze intense through eyes slitted with lust. He gave her hair a small tug, punishing her, sucking air in between his teeth. His actions and the utterly covetous look in his eyes were making her melt, and his pace seemed to quicken as he watched her quiver beneath him. "I love watching you," he hissed in a strained tone, giving a couple more desperate, rough thrusts before he closed his eyes in ecstasy. His breath came in gasps as he crushed her against him, shuddering blissfully and groaning against her shoulder. Catherine let out a little moan and wrapped her legs around his hips, holding him close as he throbbed inside of her. After several moments, he opened his mouth and slowly slid his hot, wet tongue from her chin, over her lips, to the tip of her nose. When he opened his eyes, they were positively burning. "Mine," he moaned softly, his eyes wide. She trembled with the intensity of his tone. It was like he was begging for something, like he wanted something so badly that he would certainly die if he couldn't have it. She caressed his back softly with her fingertips, her lips quivering as they parted to speak. He watched her hopelessly, bringing his face so close to hers that she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. "Yours," she finally whispered. He exhaled shakily, as if in relief, lowering his face to kiss her frantically. They lay there like that for a while, the cavern silent except for their labored breathing and the soft sounds of their kissing. Catherine's heart was beating fast. This was a side of him she hadn't seen yet-desperate, vulnerable, almost insane. It was both lovely and terrifying, and it made her stomach do complex twists and turns of giddiness and nervousness. After what seemed like an eternity, he slid out of her and ducked out from under her arms, gently pulling her up with him into a sitting position. As if in a trance, he brought her shackled wrists up to his lips and kissed them gently. His gaze was pleading and distant as he turned his eyes back to her, and he smiled faintly. "Can I trust you?" he asked quietly. Catherine nodded slowly, and he pulled hard against the manacle that encircled her left wrist. With a loud clanging snap, the metal broke apart where he pulled, and she stared at her wrist in disbelief as he moved to the other one. It was only her second day here, and he was going to let her walk around unbound. She looked up at him hesitantly once he had freed her and saw him watching her in silence. "Thank you," she said sincerely, rubbing her left wrist with her thumb. She paused, and then gently leaned her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. He sighed, kissing the top of her head and entwining her in his embrace. "Now, I don't know about you," he finally said into her ear, and Catherine was relieved to hear the air of clever confidence return to his voice, "but I am incredibly thirsty. More wine?" "I thought you'd never ask," Catherine squeaked out. With a sigh, he pulled away from her, scooping up the goblets and filling each with a generous portion of wine. He turned the bottle upside down after he finished, frowning at it as a single drop slid out and fell to the floor. "That went quickly," he commented, handing her a goblet and sitting behind her, spreading his legs open so she was leaning backwards against his chest, cradled in his arms. She made a noise of agreement, taking a long sip and closing her eyes. "How are you feeling?" he inquired lightly. "Exhausted," she answered after a pause, craning her neck to look up at him with a small smile playing across her lips. "But happy?" he asked softly, scanning her face curiously. She nodded after an uncertain pause. He exhaled slowly and gave her a squeeze, tilting his head back to drink deeply of the wine. "Good," he sighed. "I'm finding that I rather like it when you're happy." Treasure Ch. 03 Catherine's eyes fluttered open, and she squinted against the beams of harsh sunlight that were streaming into the cave. The racket of songbirds assaulted her ears, and a weak stream of air, cool with the chill of dawn, played over her exposed legs. She sat up slowly, arching her back in a long, luxurious stretch. The warmth of Adeon's skin was gone from behind her, and as her gaze darted throughout the wide mouth of the cave, she realized that she couldn't see a hint of his presence anywhere. Clutching the edges of the cloak closer to her body to shield herself from the chill, she rose to her feet, toed on her slippers, and made her way to the entrance of the cave. Gravel crunched under her feet as she crept outside, and she brought one hand to her eyes to shield them from the sunlight as she scanned the skies. She didn't see any large shapes hovering in the blue, nor glimpse the brilliant green of Adeon's scales further down the mountain. Her gaze traveled towards the castle below her, toy-sized in the distance, and she let out a weary sigh. Not for the first time, Catherine wondered how the rest of the kingdom was faring without her. It wasn't as if she was terribly paramount to the goings-on of the city, but in the back of her mind, she was dreadfully curious about whom, exactly, her disappearance had affected. Her father was almost certainly beside himself, she thought, and the very idea left a sizable lump in her throat. She moved a little closer, crossing her arms over her chest as a weak, cool breeze gusted over the rocks and shrubs around her, scattering dust into the wind. If only they could see me, she thought morosely. Just once, to see that I was alright... Then again, she thought with a miserable smirk, what on earth would she say? Father, I'm alive! The dragon didn't eat me after all--he only absconded with my virginity. Now we're quite smitten with one another and I do think I'm going to marry him and go live in the mountains forever. Don't worry about the other sacrifices, he's promised not to do it again. He's actually very nice. Immediately, her brows furrowed in confusion. What had happened to the other girls...? "Going somewhere?" a familiar voice inquired from several paces to her right, and Catherine's eyes widened as she spun to face the source of the noise. Adeon, still in his human form, emerged from behind a large rock, his eyes narrowed in fierce suspicion. To Catherine's immense surprise, he was clad in a loose, deep red shirt that contrasted fantastically with his acid-green eyes, a black hat adorned with a magnificent white plume, and a pair of black trousers. He was even wearing a pair of black leather boots, laced up the sides. She gawked at him for a moment, but then regained her composure. "I don't really think I'm going anywhere dressed like this," she answered quickly, plucking at the fabric of the cape. "I'm sorry, I just...I didn't see you when I woke up. I wondered where you had gone..." His expression softened, and Catherine watched in fascination as he raised his hand to run his fingers through his long, white hair. Dressed like this, he looked like a young nobleman, albeit a very tall one. Absentmindedly, she wondered where he had found clothes that fit him so well. "Forgive me," he sighed, casting his eyes downwards. "It was rude of me to assume..." He trailed off and gave her an odd look, following her gaze down the front of his shirt. "...What?" he asked, clearly puzzled. Catherine's lips split into a wide grin. "You look rather dashing," she admitted, feeling a faint heat creep up her cheeks. He regarded her with amusement, although Catherine could have sworn she saw a hint of bashfulness taint his air of easy confidence, if only for a fraction of a second. "I don't know what you expect to gain from your shameless flirting," he teased, flashing her that brilliant grin, the one that was just for her. "Surely you can see the irony in accusing me of shamelessly flirting..." "I don't flirt. I merely make very honest observations." He arched an eyebrow. "Aren't you cold?" "Frigid," Catherine agreed, rubbing the sides of her arms, and he shooed her away with his left hand. "Inside," he demanded in a serious tone that was offset by an excited smile. "I have a surprise for you," he added. She regarded him strangely for a moment, but then turned on her heel and pranced back into the cavern. The air was only a little warmer inside, and she stood in wait for him near the back wall. After a few moments Adeon strode inside, a large, blue fabric sack slung casually over one shoulder. Catherine's brow furrowed in confusion as he lowered the sack to the ground, and he watched her in amusement. "Curious little thing, aren't you?" he chuckled, and she smiled weakly. Although it could have contained anything, it worried her that the bag was decidedly person-sized. He loosened the ties at the mouth of it and rooted through it, and then held up a swath of sky-blue fabric with his long, tapered fingers. Catherine raised a hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp, hoping it was what she thought it was. "I thought it would be stunning with your eyes," he told her, his eyes dancing. "Is that a dress?" she breathed, moving closer. He offered it to her and she took it, watching in awe as the fabric cascaded down to its full length. It seemed rather soft and slinky, and its folds caught the light beautifully. "Adeon, it's...it's gorgeous," she choked out, clutching it to her chest. "Let me put it--" She was cut off as he scooped her into his arms and began to carry her down the passage that led deeper into the cave. "What are you doing?" she cried indignantly, and he pressed a hard kiss to her forehead. "You'll see," he confided in a conspiratorial whisper, and Catherine watched in confusion as they passed through the treasure room and entered yet another passage. He took a right turn into a wide-mouthed cavern, and Catherine's eyes widened in awe. A small hole in the ceiling of the cave let in a thin stream of morning sunlight that was reflecting off of a huge pool of crystal-clear water. Crystals and stones the color of amethyst and quartz jutted out from the walls of the cave and sparkled from inside the pool, making light dance around the cavern. The temperature inside was a little warmer than the rest, and the ceiling was high and domed. "It's incredible," she breathed. "Wondrous, isn't it?" he agreed cheerfully, setting her gently down on the ground. He then ducked down to busy himself with the ties of her cloak, sliding it off her shoulders. The warm air flitted over her bare skin in the most delicious way. "Join me for a bath?" "Yes, please," she sighed, folding the dress and setting it on top of the cloak, then kicking off her slippers. She had been dreaming of water and soap since yesterday, and as she dipped a toe into the water, the warmth of it sent goosebumps crawling up her legs. "Oh," she moaned in delight. "It's so warm!" She shivered contentedly and slowly slid herself into the water, sighing as she was swallowed up by its warmth and clinging to the edge of the pool to steady herself. It was shallow in this area, but near the center of it, it seemed darker and much deeper. At the other end of the cave, the ceiling stooped down and the water let out through a tiny, creek-like crevasse in the wall. She let out a cry of surprise that echoed loudly as he leapt in without warning, splashing her with hot drops of water and going under for a few seconds. He re-emerged suddenly, silvery tendrils of wet hair streaming down his face. "It's a hot spring," he told her, floating back towards her and leaning against the wall next to her. She looked down and saw the string of pearls around her neck floating against the water, and quickly unclasped both the necklaces from her neck and set them on the rock floor behind her. "Perfectly clean and untouched...for the most part, anyway. It might not be a fancy bath with soaps and perfumes, but it's something." She took a deep breath and submerged herself under the water, scrubbing at her scalp with her fingernails to clean herself and letting out a sigh once she rose to the surface. The water smelled slightly of sulfur and minerals, but in a good way, and she leaned against the wall of and stared at the bottom of the pool, where crystals sparkled and shone. Her long, wet hair hung heavily past her shoulders. The sensation of bathing after two days was marvelous. "It's perfect," she said blissfully, scrubbing her arms with her fingers. He kissed her cheek and closed his eyes, tilting his head back to lean against the wall with his forearms propped up on the floor behind them, and she watched him curiously. He seemed so at peace. His fierce, aloof demeanor had diminished and had become soft and teasing and loving, and he was far from the desperate creature, toeing on the brink of madness, that he had turned into the night before. Mine. A shiver ran up her spine as she recalled the frantic, proprietary way he had run his tongue in that slow lick over her lips, and the way his eyes had burned with wanting, as if she was the last thing he would ever see. He had been so intense, almost dangerous. He gazed at her from the corner of his eye, and their eyes met as he caught her staring. "Something on your mind?" he murmured. She smiled, shrugging and turning her gaze back to the pool. "You," she said honestly. When she glanced back up at him, he raised an eyebrow inquiringly. "Oh?" "Yes." "Anything in particular?" he asked curiously, bringing his face closer to hers. She bit her lip. "You seem...different," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. He watched her solemnly, his hand reaching up to stroke her cheek. "I fear that you've done something to me," he said softly. "Something great and terrible. And worse still, I'm starting to find that I like it." Her heart leapt into her throat at his words and the intensity of his gaze, and they stared at each other for several moments, her eyes wide with surprise, until she nervously leaned forward and gently kissed the tip of his nose. He seemed to unwind visibly in front of her, his shoulders sloping downwards drowsily, and, as if he were in a trance, he moved in front of her to wrap her in his arms. Leaning down, he nestled his head in the crook of her neck, and she hesitantly wound her arms around his torso to run her fingers down his back, stroking his spine and the length of his neck. A soft sigh of relief escaped his lips in a rush of breath, his eyes closing, and they stayed like that for several minutes. He then began to trail a line of kisses up her throat, pausing at her ear. "I can't wait," he whispered, the mischief returning to his tone, "to see you in that dress." "Do you take some sick sort of pleasure in dressing me up?" she giggled, her nervousness subsiding, and he laughed, catching her earlobe gently in his teeth. "And I'm sure the entire ordeal is simply agonizing for you," he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her out of the spring, then setting her down gingerly on the edge so her legs dangled on either side of him. She flushed and crossed them, and he gave the tip of her toe a little kiss before she could pull it out of his reach. "Get dressed before I contemplate the redundancy of putting clothes on you," he growled playfully, and she quickly pushed herself onto her feet, skittering away from him with a giggle as she heard him rise from the spring behind her. Water streamed down her body in rivulets, and she brushed her hair over one shoulder and wrung it out. It hung long and heavy past her bosom, and she sighed. Having so much hair could be a nuisance, especially when it was wet. It would take hours upon hours to dry. She knelt down to pick up the dress, then pulled it over her head and wriggled into it. It fit like a dream, although the neckline plunged a little lower than she'd like, and it was tight against her stomach and hips. The sleeves were long and billowing at her forearms, but tight around the wrists, and the skirt was loose and comfortable and trailed on the floor. It was the color of a clear spring sky. Normally she would be incredibly self-conscious about a lack of a bodice, but after prancing around in little more than a blanket, she found she didn't mind. "You look delightful." She glanced at him over her shoulder. He was clothed again, and the smile on his face was wide and wolfish. "Turn for me." She obeyed, swirling so the skirt flared up over her ankles. "Lovely," he sighed, and then something seemed to catch his eye on the floor. "You forgot this," he added suddenly. He knelt down and scooped up the sapphire locket, watching it glimmer like a thousand candle flames in the light of the cavern as he straightened back up. She watched him uncertainly as he moved behind her, lifted her wet hair away from her neck and fastened it at her throat. "I thought you weren't keen on others taking your trinkets," she protested softly, and he kissed her cheek. "It's a gift," he said simply. "Besides, it looks far better on you than it does lying in a heap somewhere." He moved fluidly out from behind her and motioned for her to follow with a small tilt of his head, and she fell into step beside him through the narrow passageway. The other jewels and the cloak were left in a heap on the cavern floor, and Catherine couldn't help but marvel the ease with which he could leave so many riches just lying around. "How on earth did you get these?" she asked as they walked, inspecting the folds of the dress. He shrugged. "I went to market, actually." Catherine stopped and stared at him in shock. "You what?" she asked in disbelief, and he turned to look back at her, a single eyebrow raised. "Well, first I had to clothe myself, so I found some garments unsupervised by the river. I think these were a man's laundry," he admitted, plucking at the fabric of the shirt with his long fingers. "And I put on a hat, to hide my ears and eyes. I took some gold with me and bought you that dress. And a rack of lamb. For you, and for irony's sake." His eyes glittered. "But what if someone had noticed you?" she breathed nervously. He laughed loudly. "And did what, exactly?" he mused. "Shot me with arrows? Ran me through with a sword? They would be dead before the strike fell. Don't you remember?" His eyes widened wildly, his grin broad and vicious. "I'm dangerous." She frowned. "I'm well aware that you're very capable of killing human beings," she scolded him, "but you'd do well to stay out of the kingdom. If they figured out who you were, there would be hundreds upon you in moments." He narrowed his eyes at her in thought, clearly pondering something. "Are you worried about me?" he finally asked incredulously. She felt heat crawl up her neck, her face flushing red in embarrassment. "So what if I am?" she retorted. "I would hate to see harm come to you over something as silly as getting me a dress and a piece of meat." He laughed, mussing her wet hair with his hand. "You continue to astonish me every day." She glowered at him, and he kissed her forehead. "And you needn't worry. All the town thinks is that a particularly tall, good-looking gentleman with light hair and an air of mystery about him came and went, and purchased a very lovely dress and some dinner, presumably to pitch woo at a very lucky girl," he added teasingly, winking at her. "Now, what shall we do today? We have the entire day to look forward to." She blinked, surprised. "We're in a cave," she said dully. "I imagine there isn't much to do." "Shall I fetch something for you?" he offered hopefully. "Some paper and a quill? A book? I can read to you." His tone seemed to brighten at the thought of reading to her, and she almost smiled. Here she was, trapped in a cave with a murderous, fire-breathing creature, and he was excitedly offering to tell her a story. She thought for a moment, then glanced back at him, her expression hopeful. It might not work, but it was worth a try. "I'd like to go outside," she announced, and he stared at her uncertainly. "You can come with me, of course, but I haven't been out of this cave in a few days. I need to stretch my legs." His eyes narrowed, and she swallowed. After a few moments, he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I suppose it's not an unusual request," he admitted, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt nervously. "But you must understand the predicament I'm in..." "I won't run," she promised quickly, clasping her hands together in front of her pleadingly. He nodded, the look on his face turning gloomy. "Gods, I hope you don't run," he murmured, and his eyes seemed to grow wide with worry at the thought. Panic coursed through her veins like ice, and she tentatively touched his arm with her fingers. Seeing him like this made her nervous. "I won't," she insisted. "I promise." He stared at her for a long time before finally giving her a little nod. Suddenly, his expression brightened, his eyes glittering in excitement and his mouth curling into a little smile. "Actually, I just had the most wonderful idea," he announced, and she watched in shock as scales began to ripple over his skin, his limbs lengthening, his spine bending and elongating as a tail grew from his tailbone. He began to pull off his clothes. She looked away, and when she glanced back a few moments later, there was a giant, green dragon in front of her, his eyes still that wild green with crimson rings on the outside. "Climb on my back," he offered, and it was so strange hearing his voice coming from the throat of a giant beast. She stared at him uncertainly, biting her lip, and then stepped forward, putting a hand on his side. He reached over to her and plucked her up by her waist, setting her gently on his back just below his neck, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as far as they would go and clenched her thighs tightly around his back. "Hold on tight," he warned her, and she nodded, her eyes wide. He began to walk forward, a smooth motion that made her relax slightly as she realized she wasn't going to fall off, but her stomach did a nervous sort of flip-flop as he walked outside, across the trail that she had walked to get there, and paused at the edge of the mountain. The trees on the ground far below them were tiny twigs, the castle a miniscule grey lump in the distance. Suddenly, she knew exactly what he was about to do. "Oh, no," she said loudly. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no..." A rumble of amusement sounded from his throat, and he looked back at her with wickedly gleaming eyes. "Oh, come now," he purred. "It'll be fun. It's beautiful up in the clouds. And besides, how many humans have flown with a dragon before?" "Perhaps that's because humans simply weren't meant to fly," she said shakily, clutching at his neck as tight as she could. "Hush that darling mouth of yours and hold on," Adeon laughed, his voice a rich crescendo of excitement, and she screamed loudly as he leapt from the face of the cliff and ripped his wings open behind her. She closed her eyes as he beat his wings in long, heavy strokes, pressing her face against his skin and gritting her teeth hard. Wind rushed past her ears deafeningly, and his scales scraped lightly against the skin of her cheek. "Open your eyes!" he shouted delightedly, and she squinted one eye open cautiously. The ground was far below them, traveling past slowly as they glided on an undercurrent of wind. Wisps of clouds passed close above them, faint and cotton-thin, and the air was much cooler than usual. She quickly closed it again. "No, I shan't," she yelled back. "Open them or I shall turn upside down." "YOU WILL NOT."