The Redemption of Maximus

Dragon Breakfast-Emily

  Shit. A dragon. You have got to be kidding me. I knew believing what he said was too good to be true. I should have just taken my chances and made the journey back to camp last night. I slowly take a step away as my body prepares to run to get away from the monster in front of me.
 
  "Why are you afraid"? he questions me.
  I snort because the reason has to be obvious. I take another step backward toward the front door. When he steps forward with his hand held out my heart starts to race in pure panic. "Just stay right there. I don't want any trouble from you. Just let me go and I will pretend like we never met" I say trying to remain calm in the face of a monster.
 
  "I thought we had a deal. What about me being a dragon frightens you? I have done nothing wrong." He says as he remains in the kitchen.
 
  "Maybe you haven't. Who know? But I know that your kind eats my kind. I would like my head to remain very much in tacked thank you very much" I grit out as I continue backing toward the door. At my words I watch as his entire body goes rigid. His eyes close and his jaw tightens. Great now I am going to have a pissed off monster to deal with. Julia told me I need to learn to keep my mouth shut. Oh why, oh why have I not learned to listen to her.
 
  "Look Emmy, I'm not going to hurt you. Dragons done eat people. It could come handy as far as defense to bite someone's head off but it's not an action that we do on a daily basis." He says with a forlorn expression. "Besides, you don't have anything to fear from me. I haven't even shifted into my dragon form in over a decade" he says. For some reason, the tone of voice he uses has me pausing.
 
  As I take in his expression, I realize that he looks embarrassed. He refuses to meet my gaze and his hands fidget as if he doesn't know what to do with them. For some stupid reason I believe him.
 
  "Why would a dragon bite someone's head off in defense? I would say that overkill right?" I ask with my back against the door.
 
  With a huff of breath he answers "I would say overkill is putting it mildly. When our beast is in there form they don't always have the same morals that we do. It's something that they have to learn or be taught" he says running is hands through his severely unkempt afro.
 
  Feeling a bit foolish I search for a way to break the tension. Here he is trying to help me and all I'm doing is accusing him. I would be embarrassed if someone did the same thing to me. He still hasn't moved from his spot in the kitchen besides to lean against the counter. If he were going to  attack me, he could have done so by now.
 
  I let my eyes drift over his form. Besides being taller than many of the men I have seen and having more muscles than him, he looks entirely human. He looks like a really hot human. Shaking my head away from my way ward thoughts I try to think of something to say. Before I can speak however my traitorous stomach decides to growl and loudly at that.
 
  "I wouldn't be opposed to food, if you have it" I say as I take a step back in the direction to the kitchen where he resides.
 
  "Right, food. Uh, what do you normally eat" he ask as his eyes finally meet mine.
 
  "For breakfast I am usually an eggs and bacon kind of person" I say. His face crumbles in disgust but he quickly tries to mask the grimace. "What?" I ask him.
 
  "You eat eggs, seriously?" he questions me with a tone of disbelief.
 
  "Well, yeah. It's a normal food to eat. Most humans do. You mean to tell me dragons don't like eggs" I question in the same tone of disbelief once I get near him.
 
  "Absolutely not. That is someone's young. It's still a living creature inside that egg that has been denied life. Its cruel" he says with conviction.
 
  I chuckle at his description. "if that's the way you feel about eggs, I would hate to know what you think about bacon" I say as a way of making conversation.
 
  "There is nothing wrong with meat. We eat meat in massive quantities. Meat comes from animals that have experienced life. There life is sacrificed to sustain us which is part of the natural order. Eating their young is wrong however, even if it's not fully grown. We did all hatch from an egg; would you have been able to eat one of us?" he deadpans.
 
  Not having an answer my mouth gapes open and shut at a loss for words as he searches my gaze.
 
  "Okay, so no to eggs. Good to know" I say wanting to end the conversation even though it was interesting. "So, you are a dragon?" I ask. He answers with a nod while he watches me. His nostrils flare slightly as I lean on the counter a few feet away from him.
 
  "Do you have any proof?" I ask curiously.
 
  "Are you sure you want any?" he ask as he starts to move around the kitchen. He fiddles with a machine near the fridge, and after a few moments the scent of coffee fills the air. The scent is so aromatic that I sigh in contentment as my mouth waters for a cup. "Coffee?."
 
  "Please" I say as I wait for his answer. "And I do want proof, you wouldn't have to shift into a dragon to show me, or anything right" I say warily.
 
  "No, no shifting. I can just let him forward for a moment if you are comfortable with that"
 
  "Uh okay" I say not really sure.
  He turns to face me, and he looks me directly in the eye. I watch as his eyes close for a brief moment and when they open his eye are completely different. The slit like reptilian eyes that look at me cause me to startle and take a step away from him. His eyes are such a beautiful blue color.
 
  "Hello, mate" He says in a much deeper voice. His eyes roam over my form as he cocks his head at me curiously.
 
  "Uh, hi dragon. Do you have a name?" I ask feeling a bit awkward.
 
  "No, not yet. Would you like to give me a name?" he ask with a chuckle. The sound is rough as it leaves his lips. Even his breathing has changed. The pattern is weirder as he takes two breaths in and one breath out.
 
  I smile at the question as I step closer to take a better look. "Why do you want me to name you? Isn't that Lee's job?" I ask as I stand in front of him.
 
  "No, he is mean and would pick something I do not like. Since I like you, you can give me a name" he says with a lick of his lips.
 
  "Okay, how's about Martell" I offer.
 
  "I have not heard this name before, what does it mean" He ask cocking his head to the side as I reach a hand up to touch the side of his face near his eyes.
 
  "Oh, it's after an alcohol. It a cognac but one of my favorite drinks" I answer him.
 
  "If I choose this name, could I become one of your favorite things?" he ask with a wiggle of his eyebrows. The silly gesture causes me to laugh, and I slowly lower my hand before I touch his face. Holding the weird gaze of the creature I think on his question. He certainly is a happier customer to his counterpart.
 
  "As long as you don't bite my head, I would say that it is highly possible that you could become one of my favorite things" I say with a smile.
 
  "Thanks for the name mate" he says. Suddenly his head swoops down a lay a quick kiss to my lips and laughs. Just as fast as his soft lips hit mine they disappear. His body jerks away from me fast and is quickly on the other side of the kitchen as I chuckle. I feel as my face flames in embarrassment as Lee shakes his head as if trying to clear it.
 
  "I am so sorry. I tried to take back control as soon as I found out what he was going to do. The randy bastard was being stubborn though" he says in a rush as he refuses to meet my gaze.
 
  "Your dragon is quite interesting I look forward to our next conversation" I say with glee.
 
  He groans as he walks toward the coffee pot which has finished its brew. "You have no idea how much you just made his day. Please hold your tongue, his dancing is terrible" he pleads with a smile.
 
  "He's dancing" I ask with a chuckle as I take the cup he offers. He gestures to the neatly labeled black containers on his counter that say sugar and creamer. I add two scoops of sugar to my cup and smirk when I see he does the same.
 
  "Yeah, if that's what you want to call it. He apparently really likes his name" he says as we take a seat at the table. As I take the first sip of my coffee a sigh of pleasure leaves my mouth as I close my eyes. When I open them his cup is frozen midair as he eyes my lips. Noticing that I caught his gaze quickly looks elsewhere as he takes a sip.
 
  We sit for a few moments in comfortable silence as we both finish our coffee. Now that my stomach has something in it, it no longer growls. Knowing my body I do know that I will be needing food soon. Before I can bring up the subject of food he turns his whole body in my directions. As I watch his muscles bunch and move I have to hold in a feminine sigh at the sheer beauty of him.
 
  When he catches my gaze he crosses his arms over his chest, and I bite my lip thinking that I have made him uncomfortable with my ogling. I really need to get it together.
 
  "I will need to leave for a little while this morning. I need to talk to someone to make sure my duties can be handled while I answer your questions. I will bring you back food before because I don't know how long I will be" he says as he holds my gaze. I watch as his eyes flicker down briefly and for a moment I consider that he may be looking at my lips. I force my teeth to remove my body lip as I think of how to reply.
 
  "What should I do while you are gone?" I ask. I have never been one to sit idly or with nothing to do.
 
  "Well I do have a bookshelf if you want to take a look. You are free to roam the cabin also. I just ask that you don't go outside. No one can know that you are here. It could mean dire consequences for me if they find out" he says.
 
  "Why help me if it could get you in trouble?" I question him with curiosity.
 
  "I....I just wanted to talk to you. I can't quite explain the reason why just yet" he says. I look at him wanting to study the hesitation I heard in his voice. I have to be missing something here, I can just tell. Well, the sooner he gets back the sooner I can ask more questions.
 
  "Okay, I will stay for now. you still have questions to answer" I remind him.
 
  "Right. Just give me a few minutes and I will get your food" he says as he grabs our cups to take to the sink. I watch him as he moves from the kitchen to the living room. He gathers his cloak like cover from the back of the couch and I find that I am almost sad to watch the view of the majority of his muscles disappear.
 
  When he gets to the door he pauses and looks around the room. When his gaze lands on mine he watches me for a few moments as he contemplates something. Just shy of staring too long, he waves at me awkwardly and then quickly exits the cabin. I rise from the chair and survey it once more. As I look around I notice that he has cleaned it. Before when I went to sleep last night there were clothes on almost every surface. Looking at the clean surfaces now, I would say that he was up for quite a while before me. Surprisingly, I don't find the idea disturbing.
 
  Feeling boredom as it sets in quickly, I make my way over to the bookshelf. I start to peruse the titles and am shocked at what I find. I see the House of Night Series, The Twilight Series, Forbidden Knowledge, Harry Potter Trilogy, and various books on Military Protocols all with  black covers. The books are all in good condition too.
 
  Not interested in any of the military books I reach for the first book in the House of Night Series. As I take the book over to the couch to settle in, the door swings open.
 
  Startled by the sound of hit, I collapse onto the couch as I clutch the book to my pounding heart. When I realize that it's just him returning with containers I sigh in relief. He shuts the door quietly and holds out the container for me.
 
  "Thank you" I say as I sit the book aside to take it.
 
  I open the container and see that half of it contains bacon. There is also a serving of fruits and a small bowl of oatmeal. I quickly bite into a piece a bacon and savor the perfect crunch of it.
 
  When I lift up my head I see that he is still watching me. My chewing pauses as I self-consciously berate myself. "Did you want some" I say holding out the container.
 
  "No, I uh.....I was just waiting to see if you wanted anything else while I was out" he says as he stands there looking sheepish.
 
  I chew on another piece of bacon as I think. Once I swallow the bite I ask for a few items. "A pen and paper would be great. I also wouldn't mind more clothes too" I say. He answers me with a nod and turns back toward the door.
 
  "I won't be gone long. Please stay inside" it's with that warning that he takes off. I polish off the food that he brought me in no time. Not seeing a trash can and not wanting to snoop, I place the empty container on the counter and make my way back to the couch.
 
  As I approach it, I take a closer look and see that there are a few tears. When I run my fingers across them I realize that they are three tears in a roll on the cushion. It almost looks like an animal clawed it; I think. With another question added to my list, I make myself comfortable on the couch. I quickly get caught up in the fantasy series as I read to pass the time.