Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
What the fuck possessed me to offer Davina a ride to the mainland?
Probably the same ailment that had me shadowing her all day.
Literally stalking the woman, giving myself lame excuses to make it acceptable, such as ensuring she didn’t stay behind to search the castle against my wishes.
Didn’t steal anything, even as I knew she was no thief.
Valid reasons, but in truth, I spied on her because I couldn’t help myself. Something about her had piqued my interest.
The cloudy skies, along with my mirroring scales, had offered me some cover to coast above Davina as she’d left my home.
I should have been happy she departed, and yet, I’d found myself angrier than usual, hence why I’d not bothered to say good-bye.
I wanted her to leave, and yet, the moment she set off on foot—by herself—I’d been plagued with a nagging worry.
What if she were attacked again on the way to the ferry?
I shouldn’t have cared. Davina wanted to see Nessie, so if a Red Cap, or other minion of Nessie’s, kidnapped, whatever.
Only, I couldn’t help but wonder at Nessie’s interest in the history professor.
You see, before cats became well known for their curiosity, that title belonged to dragons.
Me, even more so than others. Having lived for eons, I needed interesting things to keep me from going mad—or becoming despondent.
As Davina sauntered down to the port—with me gliding well above—I began thinking perhaps I should tag along on her journey.
Or maybe not with her. After all, why travel like a human crammed into a tin can rocking on the waves when I could fly?
It also occurred to me, I didn’t technically even need Davina by my side.
I could simply fly myself to the loch and ask Nessie what the fuck?
A decision made and then changed—again—when the professor ended up back at my door, stranded on the isle because of a faulty ferry, her expression hopeful despite the setbacks. Tempting me with her stupidly bubbly personality. Rousing needs that I wanted to ignore.
In the end, I couldn’t deny her—because I was obviously weak!—and it led to me offering the unthinkable. A way off Rum Isle.
The moment she clapped and gushed, I regretted my rash words.
“This is so exciting. I mean, I’ve seen movies where people ride dragons, but to actually do it myself…” The squeal and smile almost made me eat her. Davina obviously didn’t realize how dragasculating being ridden was, so I set her straight.
“First off, I didn’t say you’d be riding, nor would you want to, as you’d likely fall soon as we took off.”
“I guess you don’t have a saddle,” she mused aloud.
“No, I do not,” I huffed. “I am not a beast of burden.”
“Are you going to carry me in a basket?”
I crossed my arms. “I am also not a balloon.”
She sighed, “You’re going to bring me over gripped in your paw, aren’t you?”
“It is the most efficient method.”
“I think you mean terrifying.”
“As if I’d drop you,” I stated with indignation.
“I’m more worried you’ll crush me to death if you squeeze too hard.”
So much for my benevolent offer. “If you don’t like the method, then you can wait for the ferry.”
“No, no. It’s fine. When do we leave?”
“Soon. I need to ensure the castle is properly closed up so no sneaky tourists get inside. While I’m doing that, you should grab a few blankets from my bedroom to wrap yourself in. The flight over to the mainland will be chilly.”
In short order, we stood in my unkempt garden, almost ready to go. Davina had swaddled her frame in two thick comforters and continued to smile and vibrate with excitement.
“Can you hold on to this?” I handed over a knapsack. “It’s got a set of clothes for me to change into.” As well as my wallet with my identification and some cash.
“Going to spend some time on the mainland?”
“Yeah.” I’d yet to decide if I’d be joining Davina on her voyage to Loch Ness. For the moment, I planned to drop Davina in Mallaig, and then I’d determine my next move based on my mood.
“I’m ready to go when you are,” she sang, rocking on the balls of her feet.
“Just one more thing.” I’d fastened some safety goggles to a woolen cap. It looked like shit, which might explain Davina’s arched brow when I held it out.
“What’s this?”
“Protection for your eyes and head. This way, you can see and not freeze your ears off. You might also want to make sure the blanket is tucked around your chin. It will be chilly.” Look at me being considerate. Astaria would be so proud.
As Davina settled the cap and glasses in place and tucked the blanket higher, I dropped the scrap of fabric I’d wrapped around my loins. I’d not wanted to ruin my robe by leaving it outside during my absence.
It didn’t take much effort for me to change, not anymore.
In the beginning, eons ago, my belly used to churn and swell as the needed energy gathered in my gut before spreading to my body, allowing me to shift.
As time passed, and I got used to my ability, it became as simple as thinking and poof. Man to dragon and vice versa.
I grabbed Davina—a tasty professor wrapped in a blanket—gently in my paw and ensured her head remained peeking out.
Humans tended to panic if fully encased.
They sometimes also panicked when they glanced down and realized the distance to the ground would turn them into red sludge if I let go.
A useful threat when I wanted cooperation or information, not something I’d had to do in centuries.
With Davina secured, I used my hind legs to launch myself, pushing to vault into the air, where I unfurled my wings and started flapping. With ease, we began to rise.
“We’re flying!” Davina squealed as if surprised, despite the fact we’d done so before. Then again, the last time she’d thought she’d die.
Rather than shout into the wind, I sent her a thought. “Duh.”
Her reply? Laughter. What a surprise. Not!
At least she’d yet to point out the impossibility of me, or any dragon for that matter, being able to actually soar.
On a logical level, I recognized that even with our broad wingspan, our heavy bodies shouldn’t be able to leave the ground.
In the past, some had theorized that our flight relied on magic.
If it did, then it lacked the stink that hovered around witches and other creatures that could access esoteric forces.
My theory? Dragons had evolved in such a way that we defied the usual laws of gravity.
Less gravity equaled less weight, thereby making our aerial maneuvers possible.
One day it might be interesting to see what scientists could discover if we ever let them study us.
However, that would rely on a respect and cooperation between our species that would bank heavily on trust. Knowing the human propensity for greed, I doubted that time would ever come.
A hundred well-meaning scientists who truly wanted to learn could be undone by just one person who wanted to use us for monetary gain.
Just like it took only one to convince others we posed a threat and mount an assault against my kind. It had happened before.
One good thing about flying? Davina didn’t talk once we rose above the clouds, the thinner atmosphere and cold likely the reason.
She should be fine, though, as the trip would be short.
While the ferry took about ninety minutes to cross the seventeen-mile stretch, for me it proved to be a flight of about twenty minutes.
While I’d never had anyone measure my speed, I’d done my own calculations and figured I probably reached close to one hundred miles an hour when I pushed myself.
All that to say, Davina wouldn’t be exposed to the chilly upper atmosphere for long. Harder than the crossing? Landing somewhere out of sight, AKA in a rural spot rather than in Mallaig proper, where I might be seen. I knew of a few open areas that wouldn’t have spying eyes.
With my wings flapping lightly to steady me, I landed on my hind legs rather than on all four paws.
Tricky, but necessary if I didn’t want to smush Davina.
I released her from my grip and waited for a complaint—because the humans I carried always whined.
So cold. So scary. Don’t eat me. I pissed myself.
“That was exhilarating, but chilly. You weren’t kidding,” she exclaimed, looking rosy-cheeked and adorable with her red-tipped nose.
No, not adorable. I needed to stop thinking of her in that way. I’d come along to confront Nessie, not seduce the sexy, full-lipped professor. There I went again!
I shifted before replying. “It’s not as cold at lower altitudes.”
“But then you might be seen, and people would shoot at you,” she exclaimed, only to frown. “Although I do wonder how you’re not spotted on any radars. Surely a dragon your size would set off some alarms and the military would deploy some jets for a peek.”
“It’s my scales,” I stated. “They prevent them from noticing me.”
“How utterly fascinating. Your dragon form is truly marvelous.”
My chest puffed at her admiration. I mean, she wasn’t wrong. I was awesome.
“May I have my bag?” I held out my hand.
Her gaze dropped from my eyes to my naked torso, then lower.
Her red-chapped cheeks turned even brighter.
“So sorry.” She handed over my knapsack and turned her back while I dressed.
Probably a good thing, since she might have wondered at my erection.
Blasted cock enjoyed her presence a tad too much.
What part of no-seducing did it not understand?
“It’s safe to look,” I stated with a hint of amusement as I finished pulling on a light jacket, not that I technically needed it to be warm, but humans could be odd if you didn’t dress for the weather.
Davina whirled around but wouldn’t look me in the face. The lack of eye contact didn’t stop her from talking. “What happens if you travel somewhere and forget or lose your clothes? That must be awkward.”