Chapter 2 #2
He looks at me and his lips thin. ‘When we get to where we’re going, the fact that you’ve been taken by force before won’t matter. You understand, don’t you?’
I shake my head at him, confused.
‘I won’t be able to protect you from those who want you. Only the Commander can do that. And he won’t.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because his reign is new and precarious. He may not believe your kind should be subjugated, but many in our faction do. If enough of them turn on him, his time will be over before it even began.’
‘So other dragons will try to…do what Orin did?’
Tor looks away. ‘Not just that. They’ll succeed, Mari. No one will protect you.’
‘Not even you?’ I ask quietly.
‘No.’ He stands. ‘So, I suggest you try to get over your fear. It doesn’t matter what happened to you before. The future for you is already set. Come to terms with it.’
He stalks from the cavern and down a narrow hallway that’s clearly only meant to be used when they’re in human form.
‘Come on,’ he calls.
I follow him, finding the caverns quite warm so I lose the furs I had for flying, draping them over one of the couches before hurrying after him.
I find him in a rough kitchen with a big white box at one end, which he’s rummaging through.
He brings out something huge and frozen. It’s wrapped in paper. He shuts the box, unwraps what I see is meat, and puts the slab on a rock in the large fireplace. ‘Step back. I have to half-change for this.’
I do as he says and watch with wide eyes as his torso and head morph from human into lizard, and he blasts white fire at the stone for about two seconds before changing back.
I stare at the rock which is now red-hot, and the meat is steaming.
‘Food in about ten minutes,’ he says, looking a little proud of himself.
I look at the white box again.
‘It’s a freezer,’ he murmurs.
I nod. ‘I’ve seen pictures in old books. But I thought those needed power. I’ve only heard of one place with power to make them work.’
‘There are a few human settlements that use old technology to keep their machines working,’ he says quietly.
Something beeps and he pulls out the little box I saw him with when I first came into the cavern.
‘Tor. Go.’
I hear talking and I blink, my eyes starting to hurt from being perpetually wide.
‘Yes, I have the Tribute but keep an eye out for Orin. I sent him ahead. Make him muck out the stables until I’m back.’
There’s indiscernible noises coming from the box and Tor listens to them intently.
‘Because Morcai’s ideals still run deep, especially in the younger ones, that’s why. I’ll deal with him when I return in two more days. I strained my wing. I’ll be resting up here for a day. The Tribute is safe, don’t worry.’
He puts the box into his pocket and sees me watching. ‘A method of communication. From before the Fall.’
I’ve heard stories of the technology the old world possessed. ‘A…fome?’
He smiles. ‘Phone. Or, in this case, a cellular or mobile phone. They still work in some areas where we’ve kept the infrastructure in good repair.’
‘And this place? I couldn’t see inside until I had passed over the threshold.’
‘This was once a military installation. Research and Development. Toys for warmongers.’ He lets out a chuckle but then seems to recall that we aren’t friends and frowns at me.
‘There’s a bathroom down that hallway. The water should be warm if you want to bathe. Dinner will be finished in a few. Don’t try to leave. There’s only a few ways out of here and you need wings to use them.’
I nod a little absently, turning around and walking slowly down the hall. There are several doors. I open them all and find bedrooms with actual beds and bookshelves before I find the bathroom, which is small and utilitarian, but has an honest to God shower in one corner that works.
I twizzle the knobs until water sprays out and warms up. I pile my hair on top of my head and stand under the pummeling stream for a minute before I soap myself up with a square bar that’s in a little alcove at chest height.
I’ve had a shower exactly once before, when I stayed over at my friend’s house once. Her family were the richest in town and their house has been in the family for generations. They had lots of ancient things that weren’t common anymore, like a coffee machine and a screen that played stories on it.
How do these creatures have all this stuff? Why?
When I’m finished, I towel myself off and throw on the clothes that Tor gave me.
Rejoining him in the kitchen, I see his nostrils flare for a moment, and he closes his eyes as if he’s in pain. But he recovers quickly, and gestures to the table where two plates already sit. They’re piled with meat and potatoes and peas.
‘Come.’
I sit down and watch as he does as well. He grabs his knife and fork and begins to eat, cutting the pieces into palatable chunks and closing his mouth while he chews.
Manners.
I’ve seen these once in a while as well. Elder Eddard had dinner parties where everyone ate like this. I heard about them.
Not wanting to draw attention, I emulate him, eating slowly even though my stomach is twisting I’m so hungry.
He pours something into a cup for me from an earthenware jug. It’s a deep red.
I take a sip and exclaim softly at the odd taste. It’s not awful, but it’s not like anything I’ve ever tasted before.
‘It’s wine,’ he murmurs. ‘A ’63. Good year, if I recall.’
I cant my head at him. He’s talking like he was there. Before the Fall.
‘How…old are you?’ I ask.
He snorts. ‘Older than I look.’
‘Are all dragons…older than they look?’
He shakes his head. ‘Not all. Orin is exactly the age he seems, which is why he’s an idiot.’
I scowl at him. ‘So, we’re of a similar age. I’m not an idiot.’
Tor finishes his food and leans back, eyes surveying me. ‘That remains to be seen, little human.’
Taking a sip of his wine, he keeps his eyes on me as I eat, and I try not to feel self-conscious.
‘Don’t try that trick you pulled with Orin on any of the full-grown males where we’re going,’ he says quietly. ‘It won’t go down well.’
I look down at my plate. I’d forgotten this was sort of my last supper. Is that why he’s making it nice? Not treating me as something less than him?
‘I’m just supposed to let them do whatever they want with me?’ I ask quietly.
‘If you want to survive, Mari, yes. Don’t fight and you’ll find their attentions blessedly brief.
Make sure they’re bored, and they won’t bother with you.
It won’t be like whatever happened to make you so afraid.
’ He snorts. ‘You might even find that your body enjoys it. If it does, try not to be ashamed.’
I try to take in what he’s saying. ‘I’ll like it, but I won’t want to like it?’
He nods once. ‘Sometimes they make games of it with the females. They’ll make you enjoy it.’
‘Games?’
His jaw tightens. ‘See who can get the female to scream the loudest, come the most times.’
Fuck.
I’m out of my depth. By a lot.
My fork falls out of my hand and clatters to the table. His eyes find mine.
‘B-but…’
I stand up, my chair screeching back behind me on the stone floor.
He stands as well, looking wary as if he think I’m going to run outside and throw myself off the cliff.
Maybe I should. Living with the dragons as a servant was bad enough but as a sex slave sounds awful. Maybe death would be preferable.
‘I’ve never…I don’t…’
He looks confused, but then his eyes widen. ‘You’ve never been with a male?’
I shake my head.
‘Not even one of your own species?
Another shake.
‘Times really have changed,’ he mutters and then he gives me a pitying look. ‘There’s still nothing I can do, you know. I’m bound to take you to the Commander. He is the one who decides your fate. Not me.’
I say nothing, but I sit back down at the table with a long breath out.
‘You must be what, twenty? Why have you never…’
‘My mother… She was with many of the men in town. She had other children after me but none of them survived long enough to make it to their first birthday. She died in childbirth last year. I don’t want that.’
‘That’s what scares you?’
I nod.
‘If it’s truly only breeding that frightens you, there’s no chance of that, not between a dragon and a human,’ he says, his eyes not leaving me.
‘Really?’
‘Really.’
I let out a sigh of relief.
Strangely, even though I obviously don’t want to be raped, it does make me feel better knowing that pregnancy isn’t an issue.
Everything else I can deal with. I’m a survivor of this harsh world, after all.
When sickness took out half the town, I didn’t even get a fever.
When raiders from the Southern Tip came to steal from us, I didn’t die from my wounds after the fact like many others did. I can deal with this as well.
But then Tor looks concerned.
‘What is it?’ I ask.
‘Virgin humans are rare. If you’ve never been with anyone, they’ll see you as a shiny new toy to break. It’ll be a lot worse for you.’
I snort and look at him properly for the first time since we got here. ‘What do you care?’
He lets out a slow breath. ‘Truthfully, I don’t know. But I do.’
‘Then let me go. Say I escaped. You’ll never see me again.’
He stands, looking annoyed. ‘I can’t. I’m sorry, Mari. There’s only one thing I can do for you before we get there and you aren’t going to like that either, but I think it’s a better idea than, well, doing nothing.’
‘What? What can you do for me?’
He takes his glass off the table and downs it in one. ‘I could be your first.’
I pour myself another large glass of wine. I wish it did more than give me a light buzz.
Jesus, did I really just tell her I was going to do this? There’s a reason I stay away from humans. Multiple reasons.
‘My first?’ she echoes faintly.
‘Yes,’ I hear myself say. ‘The first time hurts a human female. It would be better if it was done by a dragon who…’
Wasn’t trying to make you scream in pain and beg for mercy.
‘Knows how to be careful.’
‘How do you know that? About human females, I mean?’
I sigh and I tell her the truth. ‘I…had a wife. Long ago.’