A rustling, a low snarl, something slamming against something.

I turned to look, worried that the faceless monster may jump on me at any time. There was nothing.... although I knew there was something there, following me.

My body, my soul and my heart were all screaming at me. 

To go. 

to run. 

To find refuge.

That growl was the very voice of fear. My greatest fear. And I couldn't even name the cause of it, of this choking, nerve-wreaking hand invading every single part of me. 

I could not explain why it terrified me to that extend, while lizardmen and other monster had not affected me at those paralysing levels. There, my survival instincts had kicked in, at least for the most part. 

And now?

Now... it was different. Paralysing.

Until I ran. 

Running had defined my life. My survival. I had always done it and I will always do.

My ears were deafened by my pulse, the blood pounding in my heart, in my head.

My muscles ached so much as I pushed myself harder than I ever had before. That fear had pushed me harder than ever before.

Running, however, wasn't the only thing I had learned. 

I halted, skimming.

Bark by bark, branch by branch, I climbed to the top of an imposing spruce, more still than the massive stones scattered around, almost beckoning me to fall and splash on them. 'Come here human! Splatter on us!' they seemed to lure me, to die on them; their voice similar to the one that belonged to the monster that had called Gianni and me just before. 

Finally, I settled on a convenient, medium-large brunch partially covered in moss. The foliage a good shelter. I was concealed from below.

Surely, a lizardman could not climb all this way....

Soon, I heard claws scraping, followed by long, heavy breaths.

I, on the other hand, could hardly breath, terror gripping my lungs.

I peered down, checked every direction, and saw nothing.

No sign of lizards, alligators, or half devoured preys... just the same rocks, some bushes, and more eerie trees. All was still as if it were a painting. A painting of death and desolation.

That heavy breathing continued, same as the small scraping.

My tears were flowing freely. 

'Where is it?'

'What is it this time?'

"Damn it." I muttered, leaning my back on the trunk, and covering my face with my hands.

A low rumble emanated from somewhere... my tree shuddered.

My heart swelled as I froze. My hands slowly slipped down my wet face.

A small scream lodged itself into my throat, and it came out as a pitiful whine when I noticed the massive shadow, looming just behind my tree. It was not underground. That was why I didn't see it.

I crawled backwards on the branch, with my hands and butt pushing me away.

Seized by fear, I looked up again, and...my heart stopped. I was pretty sure it did stop.

Because there was a... dragon.

A real dragon, in flesh and blood. 

An impossible beast, as if someone had fished it out from my worst dreams and threw it into my reality. My greatest childhood nightmare. A dragon. 

The reason why I slept with my windows locked and a little light on.

For a moment, I felt something draw me to it, something deeper than fear itself. Something in its gaze promised me freedom, fulfillment, and satisfaction.

I forgot all about it. Because  terror and fear were the main, leading emotions. It was petrifying. My greatest fear was alive and it was watching me.

Nearly thirty feet long-more including that long tail with spikes, the light-blue dragon was there, watching me from above.

'I did not think to look up...'

That triangular head was enormous, broader at the top, where white horns curled upwards. Blue eyes with a deep crimson rim around the edge had black slit pupils...like snakes. Like cold-blooded predators.

Its scaly mouth parted to show a double row of knives as it eyed me up and down, and a low rumble escaped its throat as a long tongue about the length of my leg licked its lips.

My mouth parted in a silent scream, eyes widening.

While I was still deciding if it were real or a dream, it slowly started advancing towards me. It seemed to be crawling on its stomach, to maintain a height "similar" to my branch's.

This time, my scream was real.

Its reaction was odd... It seemed to...wince and then roll its tremendous eyes> A very human-like reaction.

That made me pause, gaping at him.

A mistake... since I was snatched by a long talon and lifted in the air.

I squeezed my eyes shut and choked back a sob, cradling my head with my arms.

'I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die...' 

I'll be food, then part of me will be digested and another discarded.

When nothing happened, I slowly open one eye and peered from behind my fingers.

The thing was watching me with its head tilted to the side and I was on its...palm! Surrounded by long, curled, blue talons! Like an open cage from which I was not quite sure I could escape.

We stared at each other for quite some time. Me, with my mouth opened, sitting on my bum. The thing...it just watched me, unblinking, from his left eye.

Then, the dragon inhaled slowly, filling its chest, and brought that face with never-ending fangs and all the rest close to me.

I found myself curled up in another trembling ball. "Don't eat me, don't eat me, don't eat me." I chanted like a...a person about to be swallowed alive.

However, what it did was a little different than eating. Its tongue skimmed the whole length of my body!

I jerked at the unexpected shower, a yelp escaped my lips. Was he tasting me? Was it playing with its snack?

"Ahhh, disgusting!" My hands tried to push away that large, red tongue, still on my belly. "Stop!"

It began to sniff me with those enormous nostrils... right in between my parted legs.

His tongue slid up my inner thigh, a million sensations exploding from the touch, warming my insides.

I froze.

There were sparks!

Maybe that was why my temperature had increased so much, all of a sudden... When he paused at a sweet spot between my thighs, probing at middle, horror filled my body.

"No!!" I swatted his muzzle with my hand and he jerked back, looking shocked at my reaction.

"Well, excuse me, but you can't touch me there!" My voice was a trembling mess - the dragon terrified me so much, I was not sure why I did not faint yet. "It's inappropriate."

The thing snorted, streaks of smoke coming out of its nostrils, then it came forward very quickly and rubbed his nose on my chest like a giant cat. I found myself falling onto his open hand again, my legs in the air for an embarrassing moment.

"Ufff," I brushed my hair aside, "You are a bully." I moaned, but he licked my face, making me smile. Probably because I must have gone mad. A reaction to fear.

He purred, scaly lips curving into something that may have been a grin. This dragon was odd.

I sat on its opened palm, studying him.

I tilted my head to the side, and the dragon did the same.

"So... aren't you going to eat me?" I asked, more to myself since the beast could not understand me...probably. The dragon eyed me with curiosity and...amusement?

His muzzle rubbed my side, his warm, very warm, breath tickled. A giggle escaped my lip. The dragon froze for a moment and then continued to rub on me. It tried to probe between my legs again, but I always shoved it away.

"I don't know why I'm even talking to you or what you want with me."

The dragon just watched me, waiting for something I did not know.

"I'm crazy. Here, talking to a carnivorous giant lizard-"

It did not seem to like what I had said, as it growled, baring his fangs, nostrils flaring and...brightening. Oh god, it was going to make a bbq out of me!

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..." I whined, again covering my face and sobbing, "Don't roast me!"

Tears began to fall again.

The dragon sighed heavily, a jet of hot air hit me, and to my surprise, I found myself on the ground.

'Yeah, I'm too skinny to be a pray worth the effort of chewing.'

As soon as I touched the ground, I scurried away. And, of course, I was grabbed again.

However, it felt different.

This time there were no massive muzzles or fangs.

Oh no...

Two warm palms were on my waist...two, big, manly human palms!

### 

AN/ There he is!! Exciting, isn't?! A dragon lord for you ;) although this book and series isn't about dragons...but beasts eheh

What do you think our bad boy is? ;)