Chapter 17

He saw the torchlight flickering in the distance as he closed in on the standing stone, then his keen eyes made out the shape of Georgie as well. She stood bravely before the monolith, clutching something in her hand - a spent torch or stout stick, perhaps. The trick would be taking her without causing pain. He hated to think of marring that tender skin. Perhaps he should perch on the craggy hilltop above her and wait for her to fall asleep.

No. Now that she'd seen him, she wouldn't rest. And she had seen him. Her posture had stiffened and she now grasped her makeshift weapon almost as though she knew how to wield it.

"Put down the club," he said as he drew nearer. His deep voice boomed in the darkness, even though he'd intended to whisper.

"Come no closer," she called bravely. She lifted the weapon. Moonlight glinted on polished steel.

Oh, hell, where had she gotten a sword? He needed to get that away from her before she hurt herself. Since even Toledo or Damascus steel wouldn't pierce his scales, he had no concern for his own safety. As cautiously as he could, he flew in closer.

"I am not going to hurt you," he boomed. "Please put down the sword."

He was close enough now that with his better-than-human vision, he could see the determined set of her chin and the fierce courage in her gaze.

"I said stop," she repeated. "If you mean no harm, then why are you here?"

He tried to soften his voice as much as possible. "May I land?" The words still boomed and echoed off the rocky hills behind her.

"Over there." She pointed to the farthest part of the clearing.

With a sigh, Caddoc settled on his haunches on the very edge of the grass. "Acceptable?"

Georgie nodded but continued to hold the sword in front of her. "Now what do you want?"

"I want to get this business over with." He rather wished that hadn't come out as a snarl. He'd never had a need to control his vocal chords as a dragon before.

"Well, forgive me if I'm in no hurry to be eaten," she retorted. "As not one of the 'sacrifices' has ever been seen again, I am forced to assume the worst."

"Ha! Why would I want to eat you when there is a hillside full of sheep and cattle?" Well, not eat her in the sense she meant at least. She was breathing heavily, and her luscious breasts pushed against the flimsy fabric of her gown. He could see her nipples taut and beaded underneath. Oh, yes, he wanted to feast on Miss Georgie, just not in a lethal manner.

She tilted her head. "Then what do you want?"

You. He'd never experienced an erection in his dragon shape before, and it was a decidedly uncomfortable sensation. His heavy penis had pushed free of its protective sheath and now hung below his belly in the tall grass. "I do not feed on humans," he reiterated. "But I do need to take you away from here. If I promise you'll be safe, will you put down the sword and come with me?"

Her laugh was rusty but filled with bravado. Even while he wished she'd concede, he was forced to admire her feisty spirit. He became even further aroused when she lifted the sword and pointed it at him.

"I am not going with you, dragon. How am I supposed to trust the word of a creature who does not, cannot exist?"

"Of course I exist," he argued. "Otherwise how could we be having this conversation?"

"I am clearly dreaming," she replied. "Or else I've simply lost my faculties, which is a distinct possibility."

"Put the sword down before you hurt yourself, Georgie." He reached one scaly paw to snatch the weapon.

"Back!" She thrust with no little skill, cutting deeply into his wrist.

Caddoc roared as pain sliced up his arm - or foreleg, as it were. "Ow!" He looked down to see dark streams of blood spurting from the wound. His paw hung useless, half severed from his arm. Oh, fuck, she'd hit an artery. His vision began to dim around the edges. "Why did you do that?"

"I said, stay back." Her voice quivered now, with fear or regret, he couldn't tell.

Caddoc slumped to his belly. He was going to have to change; it was the only way he could heal. He just hoped she didn't slice off his head when he shifted to human. "Please," he murmured. "Step back, and for God's sake, put the sword down." Then with the last of his consciousness, he shifted.

Georgie dropped the sword and stared at the dragon that seemed to have fallen unconscious into the grass at her feet. Was this a trick? No. Even in the dim light she could see the dark wet pool that formed far too quickly around him.

How had he known her name? She pondered that as she watched his back move up and down. He still breathed. She shouldn't be glad of that, but she was. Frightening or not, he was a magnificent creature, all silver and black in the moonlight, the torch reflecting brightly off his metallic scales. He hadn't attacked her, not really. If only she could have trusted him.

As she watched, she saw his shape begin to shimmer and even glow against the darkness of the sky. Then, almost before she realised it was happening, the large form began to change. When the shimmering stopped, there was no injured dragon lying in the grass before her. There was only a man - seemingly whole, and utterly naked.

"Lord Weir!" Georgie recognized the stunningly handsome face, even when it lay flat against the earth.

"At...your...service." He rasped out the words as his eyelids fluttered open. He turned his head to view the hand she'd cut and flexed the fingers slowly. Blood glistened on them from the puddle they'd lain in, but the cut was completely gone. "Thank God."