Epilogue
The weeks and months after my adventure in the Antarctic proved hectic.
My piece on the Antarctic, more specifically, the lack of any kind of dragon let alone a city-sized one, ended up airing to the highest ratings ever.
Did it kill the hype? Nope. See, it wasn’t just a pilot and those watching the radar that claimed a massive, living creature had emerged from the Transantarctic Mountain.
While we’d smartly fled away from the volcano, others had boldly ventured into the danger zone to document the eruption and aftermath.
They posted a few videos as proof. A mountain shaking.
A dense cloud of something through which a darker mass swirled.
And then the strangest video, which proved the most frustrating.
Whoever filmed with their camera was running, and breathing hard, and exclaiming, in a shrill voice, “What the fuck is that? Oh my god, it asked if I was its wake-up snack.”
As to what had him frantic, when the runner did occasionally rotate to look towards what he bolted from, you could see some kind of large moving mass for like half a second.
News pundits refused to run the story, which did a great job of discouraging conspiracy theorists. Not! They claimed the lack of discourse indicated government involvement. I’m sure more than one keyboard warrior came in their pants as they waxed on at length about a cover-up.
In my show, Discounting the Existence of Dragons, I tackled the supposed monster in the South Pole.
I went through the video frame by frame, trying to sharpen it and showing my audience the lack of anything that would prove a living creature.
I showed it to specialists, but they didn’t provide any information as to its origin to avoid bias.
Despite being unaware of the earthquakes and volcanic eruption, the theory most offered?
A landslide. When the mountain collapsed, the resulting avalanche made it seem as if something emerged.
Even once I did reveal the provenance, they stuck to their initial assumption.
The scientific explanation that made the most sense.
As for the pilot who’d publicly discussed his experience, he didn’t end up court martialed because it was deemed he suffered a mental breakdown. Supposedly he’d been institutionalized, and no, no matter how much I begged, they wouldn’t put me in contact.
To add even more fuel to my debunk, I provided data from every single monitor available in the Antarctic.
Seismic readings, radar from traffic controllers monitoring the space, and a host more.
Not one showed any evidence of a beast, let alone one pegged at between a few hundred feet to three miles long.
Did everyone believe my inevitable conclusion? ‘Course not. Within minutes of my show airing, there were some keyboard trolls with orange-stained fingers, in need of a shower, claiming everything had been doctored as part of the cover-up.
In a week or so, they’d lose interest and move on to their next big deal.
As for me, I’d be lounging on a beach with Noah before he started his new job as my official bodyguard.
It only took one super fan throwing themselves at me screaming, “The tooth fairy is real, you bitch,” for Noah to decide to turn his vacation into a retirement from the military.
He quit because of me. Did I feel guilty about it? A little, since it was all my fault. Before being tackled to the floor by Harley Kiss My Ass—that’s literally how they signed their name on their threatening messages—I kind of said the L word. Not once, but TWICE!
It slipped out the first time when I came across Noah in the kitchen making bacon. I mean, in my defense. Bacon…
Some of the blame for the second ‘I love you’ kind of belonged to Noah. He hit a bakery and brought home my favorite pastry.
Crossed-eyed, and drooling, it only took a single bite of gooey sugary goodness and I groaned, “I love you.”
Turned out he loved me, too. Enough to want to stay with me. Good, because I couldn’t imagine my life without him. The best part of my day—other than the toe-curling orgasms—was being cradled in his arms at night and rousing to kisses in the morning.
The first night in our tropical hotel, I woke suddenly with my heart pounding.
Noah squeezed me. “Sorry if I woke you. I had the strangest dream.”
“Me, too. Guess I’ve got dragons on the brain because I dreamt of one.”
“Was it resting its head on the beach outside our balcony?” We’d gotten an ocean penthouse view.
I stiffened. “It said, nice spot. I’ll have to put it on my list of places to visit.”
“Did yours also say, don’t think forgetting me means you’re not still in my service?”
“Yeah.” I chuckled. “Okay, that’s crazy we both imagined the same thing.”
“Because dragons aren’t real,” we both said at the same time.
“This is utterly unfair,” Leviathan groused as he threw yet another phone at the wall. “They’re calling me fat and out of shape.”
Lilith kept mixing drinks at the bar inside her condominium situated in the famed New York. Should call it old and smelly. At times, he missed the crisp, fresh air of the South Pole.
“Stop reading the comments. I told you, most of those are posted by shit-disturbing bots.”
“It’s not my fault this idiot lacked any kind of recording skill. I am majestic in appearance. Fearsome.”
“If you say so.” Lilith headed over with two tall glasses, brimming with fluid.
“You know, this wouldn’t have been an issue if you’d allowed my interview to be broadcast.”
“You’re lucky I had someone to intercept,” she chided.
“Am I? Had that interview played, right now, the world would be catering to me.”
“Oh, really?” She sat and took a sip of her drink.
“They wouldn’t have a choice. By now, I would have released a statement, something to the effect of, people of Earth, I’ve chosen to spare you, but I have conditions.
One. No hunting or capturing of dragons.
To do so is punishable by death.” He ticked a finger.
“Two. Universal recognition that dragons were not to be impeded upon or bothered in any way should they be spotted. Break that rule and—”
“You’ll eat them. I get it.”
“I wasn’t done. Third condition, all future publications, whether it be books, movies, or games, would depict dragons as the mightiest of creatures. Smartest, too. And lastly, they would address me as Supreme Leader.”
“World domination is overrated.”
“According to who?”
“Someone who’s done it. There was a time I went by a different name and was a queen.”
“You ruled the humans?” Okay, that was intriguing. “And?”
“It ended in me faking suicide by snake bite. Human politics are often intricate and dangerous.”
“In other words, fun.”
She grinned. “I told you there was much to keep us entertained.”
Leviathan guzzled his drink, feeling the hot burn of the alcohol followed by the buzz.
“Where are we going tonight?” For he’d been following Lilith’s lead.
She understood this world, much better than him, who’d only listened and partially seen.
After some time spent in her Himalayan hideout—a monastery holding gold and jewels that impressed the younglings—she decided he needed to immerse himself in human culture.
She took him through the mundane tasks involved with fitting in.
Shopping for clothing, which entailed getting inside cars, confined containment units for travel.
She took him to restaurants and had him delighting in food in a way he’d never imagined.
Before, he simply dumped meat into his gullet to feed the hunger.
It didn’t really have any taste, nothing noticeable at his size.
Being housed in a human’s body meant experiencing flavors and textures.
Drooling at the scent of a steak singed on both sides and trickled with salt.
Mouthwatering at the sight of a large plate of nachos.
Liquor proved fascinating, for it blurred the edges of the world. He could actually get drunk. Not for long. He metabolized fast. However, he still enjoyed the experience.
“Tonight, we pop your cherry.”
The statement saw the glass in his grip shattering. Levi ignored the shards and spilled droplets. “You don’t mean—”
“You are getting laid.”
“You’re going to have sex with me?” That quickened his pulse.
“Oh, hell no,” she snorted with a roll of her eyes. “I am not deflowering you. We’re hitting the club for some action.”
Action he did end up getting, but not with a random stranger.
Turned out, he could feel jealousy. Although, he’d not at first understood his violent reaction at seeing some male grinding against Lilith on the dance floor. He threw the offender across the room and roared at a decibel that shattered all glass.
It led to Lilith dragging him from the club and back to their condo, where she harangued him.
“You idiot! We’re supposed to blend in and not break cover. What possessed you?”
“That male laid hands on you.”
“And?”
“And I don’t share.”
“Neither do I, so realize, once I claim you, you won’t ever belong to anyone else,” Lilith warned.
“You, claim me?” Levi scoffed.
By the next morning, and several, several orgasms later, he would have plucked the moon from the sky if she asked for it. Maybe he’d surprise her and have it made into a ring. She deserved it, for she’d shown him how to do more than exist. He now truly lived.
It took Abaddon much too long to venture forth in his new human body.
Yes, human. A gift from Leviathan, but only after Lilith harangued. This isn’t the olden days. They’re prisoners in that shape. You need to help them.
Why should I when they didn’t render me aid?
Fine, then I’ll do it, since you’re obviously incapable.
As to how that conversation even started? Blame Tigger, who never shut up. The moment they reached Lilith’s home, Tigger started with the questions.
Where did you come from?
How come ET knew the way home, but you don’t?
Can you fly in space?
How come us boy dragons have junk between our legs, but you don’t? Apparently, because Leviathan kept it tucked until fertilization time.
But the query that changed Abaddon’s life?
Do you think any of us will ever get the power to change shapes? It sure would be fun to live like a human for a while.
Which turned out to be something Leviathan could gift, once Lilith used reverse psychology to convince him.
The process proved to be unpleasant as it involved being marinated in Leviathan’s saliva for a few days.
Gross. Only after they’d been doused did they get told they could only change into the shapes of meat they’d ingested.
Good thing Abaddon had killed a few people and gotten a taste of their blood.
Poor Tigger, turned out he mostly hunted geckos.
Pollita only had males in her memorized DNA bank, which led to some consternation on her part initially until she acquired a female form.
“Dude, I’m regretting my life choices,” whined Tiger, who’d modified his name to fit in better once he acquired a human form. “These pants are hell on my balls. And why do we have balls, anyway? They’re just in the way.”
Having the same plaint, Abaddon almost squirmed in solidarity. The clothes he wore still chafed skin much too sensitive. However, to agree would be to admit weakness. “Suck it up, buttercup.” He’d been working on his modern slang.
“This is so exciting.” Persephone, a petite-seeming lady with violet hair, clasped her hands. “Our first day of college.”
Yes, college. The hatchlings had, upon their sire’s recommendation, chosen to immerse themselves in the human world, hence the young forms they’d adopted—taken from the wicked who didn’t deserve them.
Or so Lilith claimed as she handed them the bodies.
None of them really cared where the drugged victims came from.
They needed to eat for the genetic structure.
For those curious, it turned out human meat didn’t beat Alberta beef for flavor, not that Abaddon could tell Pip.
She was still pissed he’d left home. She might soften up once she found out he could now fit in and would be going to college.
Alistair deemed a varied education, along with all the social drama that came with dorm life, would best prepare them to deal with the human world.
“This place is too cold,” lamented Pollita. Lilith had chosen for her a beautiful woman of Latina heritage to help Polly honor her first servant.
Thankfully, Abaddon didn’t get given a Pip look-alike, but rather someone that could have been a model. Tall, dark hair, very striking features.
Poor Tiger remained the runt, and a freckled redhead at that.
“You don’t feel cold,” Percy reminded.
“True. But I need some kind of drama if this is to be like one of my telenovela’s.” Pollita had an obsession with those serial dramas that Abaddon didn’t understand.
“So long as the drama comes without a surprise pregnancy,” Percy offered with a snicker.
“Wouldn’t that be quite the story. Pregnant young dragon navigates classes and the peril of discovery, all while keeping the ladies away from her super-hot—”
“But also arrogant,” Percy interjected,
“—boyfriend,” Polly stated before turning her gaze on Abaddon and fluttering her lashes.
Abaddon swallowed hard. Sometimes his chosen mate scared him.
Before he could run away, Alistair arrived with Davina by his side. “Ready for your first class?” asked the inseminator.
“We totally are,” Tiger declared.
On that, they were agreed. This semester they’d start with human biology, followed by history, because to conquer humanity, first they needed to understand it.
And so ends the Dragocracy Chronicles. I hope you enjoyed this wild ride. See you soon in the pages of your next book.