Dragons are killers. I have to remember that. I repeat this to myself over and over again as I finish bathing, then wash my hair in the sink and try to work out the worst of the tangles. When I can’t stall any further, I peek out the bathroom door and give him a wary look.

Kael crouches atop a mound of rubble, looking just as majestic and fierce in human form as he does in dragon. He’s scanning the skies, and the moment I open the door, he glances over at me. His eyes are calm, gold on gold. That’s good, at least.

I manage a friendly smile as I shut the door behind me and head out again. He descends from his little mountain, moving toward me with authoritative strides. When he gets to my side, he gives me a possessive once-over, sniffing me, and then touches my wet hair, rubbing it between his fingers.

I rub my arms, a little shivery due to the fact that I’m naked and it’s windy. Yeah, those are the reasons. Sure. “Don’t suppose you happen to know where the nearest un-pillaged department store is, do you?” At his blank look, I sigh. “Guess not.”

 

The rest of the day continues kind of like the last one. We circle around each other warily, trying to communicate and failing. Kael stalks me with every step, shadowing me wherever I go, watching me with hungry eyes. I take a nap when I’m tired of exploring—though it’s not much exploring when you’re afraid to do anything that might alarm the other party—and when I wake up, I’m starving. Through a few pantomimes, I ask Kael for food.

Hunger’s not the only reason I ask. If he leaves, I can slip away and return to Fort Dallas. I’ve decided that I need to check on Amy, regardless of if my life is in danger from the militia. My sister can’t fend for herself, not with her bad leg. She’s got no food to eat and we’ve got no money saved. I have to get back to her. Amy’s counting on me.

And that means risking a return to the city. So I have to make Kael leave, and I gesture that he should go hunting.

He does, but he takes me with him, carried in his claws. So much for that. And it seems he’s trying to anticipate my needs, because this time, when he runs down an animal, he doesn’t bother to snap its neck.

He just breathes fire on it and roasts it as it tries to run away.

The pained bellows of the dying cow are awful to hear. I sob as it dies, because I feel responsible. Kael’s trying to please me, and because he is, this critter gets a terrible death. I sob even harder when I eat a hunk of his flank, because I’m too hungry to waste food, even if it died badly. And I sniff unhappily as I wash my hands in the sink afterward. We’re going to have to have a talk about humane butchering of food.

Provided we can ever have a talk, that is. Our dialogue is mostly our names and ‘no.’ I’m not getting anywhere with him. It’s like he’s not interested in learning, and it’s frustrating.

That night, I sleep curled up against him again. He remains in dragon form after the hunt, protectively cradling me between his forelegs and against his breast. His enormous heart thunders against my ear, and it’s almost peaceful.

Except…I keep thinking about that cow. And my sister, who’s probably starving to death waiting for me.

Unless she goes to talk to Blowjob Becky about work… I shudder. Not Amy. Not happy, innocent Amy, who sees the good in everything and refuses to get cynical like her older sister.

I close my eyes and try to sleep, but I see the cow in my dreams. Running away, crying out in terror, and then blasted with flame. Sometimes in my dream, it’s my sister.

Sometimes it’s me.

 

 

12

 

 

Three Days Later

 

 

CLAUDIA

“Let’s try this again,” I say to Kael. “Water.” I run my fingers under the tap of the bathroom sink. “Waaaaa-terrrr.”

“Clau-dah,” Kael rumbles in that deep, overtly sexy voice. “Clau-dah Kael.” His hand slides around my waist, big and scorchingly warm against my skin.

I flick droplets of water on his face from my fingertips. “You suck. I know you understand me. You’re just being difficult, aren’t you?” But I find that my mouth is curling into a bit of a smile anyhow. “Difficult and flirty.”

It’s hard to stay mad at Kael when he’s showing a mischievous side. I’m in a surprisingly good mood this morning despite my vicious dreams. Maybe it’s because of Kael himself, I think, as I turn off the tap. It’s been a few days since Kael found me, but they’ve been surprisingly easy days. I’ve been fed, I’ve got water to wash with and to drink, and a warm place to sleep at night curled up against Kael. I’ve found an old janitor’s uniform in one of the closets, and even though it’s paper-thin and will probably rip to shreds with the wrong move, it’s clothing. The new building’s kind of nice, and it’s quiet.

The only thing I’m missing is Amy. Sasha, too, but I worry less about her being able to take care of herself. I’m haunted by thoughts of Amy starving, but I can’t get Kael to take me back to the city. He’ll do a lot of things for me, but I don’t think that’s on the table.

So I pass my time with Kael, and…he’s a surprisingly good companion. His eyes whirl black less and less, and he hasn’t had any crazy episodes. It’s like the longer he’s around me, the better he is. I’m good with that. He hasn’t tried to rape me, or touch me in the middle of the night when he thinks I’m sleeping. He’s attentive and flirty, sure, but one simple ‘no’ shuts things down. He’s comfortable to be around, and I never thought I’d say that about a dragon. We don’t speak a lot, but I still feel…pampered. Coveted. It’s weird, but I can’t deny it.

Like today.

When I woke up this morning, he’d immediately changed to his human form and then spent the next several minutes checking over my scratches and bruises, as if nothing else was more important than making sure I was okay. And that…was kind of sweet. It’s been a long time since I’ve had anyone fuss over me. With Sasha and Amy, I have to be the strong one, the one that shrugs everything off. I have to take care of them, so I can’t stop and whine about cuts or bruises, or if I’m tired. With Kael…it’s different. I don’t have to be big and strong, because I’m not. At least, not compared to him. And all he wants to do is take care of me.