Chapter 17

17

D eep in the woods a few miles from the hut

Crystal paused outside of the mouth of the cave where the dragon-cat creature had guided her. Trepidation filled her as she stared into the gaping mouth of the rocky outcrop. The dragon-cat paused in the entrance, as if uncertain. The creature remained frozen, its ears forward and its body tense.

I really, really hope that it isn't leading me to the dinner plate, she thought.

Her fear that she had made a grave mistake deepened when a low, menacing snarl echoed from deep inside the dark cavern. She swallowed and began slowly backing away. Her heart pounded with fear when a pair of blazing red eyes appeared. It was obvious that whatever was attached to those eyes was not in a human-like form.

"Move your legs, Crystal. Don't just stand here. Move your stupid legs," she scolded herself when the paralysis caused by fear continued to grip her.

The dragon-cat shimmered violently between her and whatever was about to breathe fire on her. Crystal's body finally listened to her mind, and she turned. She had only gone a few feet when a whip-like tail wrapped around her waist and lifted her into the air. She released a blood-curdling scream that would have made Fay Wray, the brilliant actress from the original King Kong movie, proud.

She gripped the tail wrapped around her and struggled. A cry of panic and frustration slipped from her when the pressure increased, and the creature turned her to face him. The gasp of horror on her lips faded when she looked into the creature's eyes. In the fading twilight, they were no longer red, but light violet with flecks of gold ringed with black. They were also filled with anguish. The pain reflected back at her was deeper than a physical pain. It was a pain that was soul-wrenching.

A pain I understand.

The memories of the accident, losing her leg, waking to feel as if her world had been shattered and that she would never be whole again threatened to swallow her. Without realizing it, she reached out. Her fingers skimmed along the scars that marred one side of the dragon's face. It looked as if it had been raked with claws.

"I won't hurt you," she murmured.

She continued to stroke the creature, trying to ignore the sharp teeth a mere breath from her vulnerable wrist. Crystal surreptitiously studied the black dragon-cat. It was brushing up against the dragon's scarred, silver body. The dragon shuddered and slowly lowered her back to the ground. Crystal stood rigid with shock when the dragon turned and walked back into the cave.

She breathed deeply, willing her body to stop trembling. She looked down at the dragon-cat who had plopped down on the ground and was staring at her with an expression that bordered on—expectation. She glared back at the symbiot.

"What? You saw what just happened! I don't think he wants me here," she snapped, wrapping her arms around her waist.

The symbiot snorted and laid its head down, facing the entrance to the cave as if saying ‘Go on, you can't quit now'. Crystal bit out a low curse which earned her a glare of admonishment from the dragon-cat. She continued to mutter under her breath even as her eyes were continuously drawn to the cavern.

She bit the tip of her finger and paced back and forth in front of the mouth of the cave. There was no sound… nothing to indicate there was a dragon in there. If she hadn't seen it… felt it… for herself she would have questioned her sanity.

"I should just turn around and go home," she gritted out. She glared at the dragon-cat again when its head jerked up, and it gave her a look of disapproval. "It's going to be dark soon. If he wants to live in a blasted cave, that's got nothing to do with me."

The dragon-cat continued to follow her with its eyes. She would have marched her butt back home—if she hadn't felt the sense of despair inside the dragon all the way to her soul. The cave was surprisingly close to her home. She wondered how long the dragon had been living here.

"It couldn't have been long. Christoff knows these woods like the back of his hand. He would have warned me about any suspicious dragons in the area."

She rolled her eyes at her comment. You are definitely not in Kansas, Dorothy!

She snorted. No, I'm more like Alice falling down the rabbit—dragon-hole.

Her contemplation was interrupted by the dragon-cat who had risen while she was distracted and was now blocking her path. Her scowl of annoyance changed to resignation when the symbiot returned her look with a pleading one of its own.

"If he eats me, I'm going to come back and haunt you," she said before she pursed her lips together in determination.

She bent to pick up her hiking pole that she had dropped, then adjusted the strap of her pack before she slowly advanced toward the dark mouth of the cave. She fumbled for the small torch she had thrust into her bag and pulled it out. Unlike the dragons, her vision in near-total darkness sucked.

Advancing carefully over the uneven, rock-littered ground, she placed her left hand on the wall of the cave to keep her orientation. The last thing she wanted to do was fall. The interior wall curved, and she was surprised to see several lights flickering in a larger opening.

She turned off her torch and let the light from the fire and torches guide her. She paused and looked over her shoulder. The mouth of the cave… and the dragon-cat… were barely visible. Rubbing her damp palm against her jeans, she returned her focus to the opening ahead of her.

In the faint glow, she noticed a man pacing back and forth. He looked like he was having a heated argument with himself. The irony didn't escape her, and she snorted out a laugh. Horror filled her, and she covered her mouth when the low noise echoed loudly, amplified by the narrow tunnel. The man swirled to face her and froze.

Oh my! He's… beautiful!