Page 69 of Escaping my Dragon

Who are you? I asked, as I could sense nothing. Nor could I penetrate her thoughts.

Don’t recognize me? she taunted. Guess it has been a long time.

A comment that made no sense. All the humans I’d met remained clustered by the station. Any I’d known during my last awakening would be long dead. The creatures of this planet did not have long life spans.

But those with my essence did.

Show me your true form, I demanded.

I’m not sure that’s wise. Haven’t you done enough showing off for us both?

Reveal yourself, I hissed, suddenly having an inkling of who it must be.

Still just as bossy, she grumbled, increasing my certainty.

The body, tiny, not even a good biting mouthful, suddenly leapt into the air and expanded.

And kept expanding. Dragging herself upward as massive wings unfurled to keep her aloft.

By the time she’d finished transforming, I ogled.

For before me was a drone I thought long gone, since she’d not been present for my awakening. No real surprise. She’d never been the best of servants. Letting humans build a city atop me. Letting me be covered by lava during my last nap and leaving me trapped in its shell.

A drone who’d somehow grown to be almost as big as me.

A threat to my superiority. A foe seeking to steal my territory. A⁠—

Before you do something stupid and ruin this planet for the both of us, let’s have a chat.

Unless it involves apologies and groveling, not interested.

You don’t want to know how I, a measly weak drone, managed to get so big? she teased.

My curiosity wanted to know, for it should have been impossible. This planet didn’t have enough resources to sustain me, let alone allow her to achieve such an immense size in such a short time frame.

Speak.

I will, but I suggest we do so in more suitable shapes on the ground since we’re causing quite the chaos below.

A glance showed the downdraft from our wings causing not only vigorous gusts of stinging wind, but sloshed water onto the shore, wrecking the buildings closest to it.

What do you mean by suitable shape?

She showed me by shrinking back into her two-legged form. A female one that now lacked clothes.

To my eternal annoyance, humans did provide the best shape for audible discourse. From the enormous genetic repertoire available within me, I chose a male I’d eaten a long time ago. A warrior who’d thought himself brave and dared to confront me.

So I’d eaten him.

I transformed, and only belatedly recalled humans didn’t fly before plummeting.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Just before the jets arrived…

“What’s he doing?” Noah asked, his arm still looped around my waist.

“Sunbathing, I think.” Joslyn still had her camera pointed in Leviathan’s direction.