Dragons breath

Chapter two

Weeks passed, and Kael quickly learned that traveling with a dragon was both a blessing and a challenge. Draven, in his human form, was tall and intimidating, with sharp features and dark hair that shimmered faintly like his scales. His golden eyes always seemed to be watching, calculating, and yet, when they spoke, there was a warmth between them.

Kael couldn't deny the strange connection he felt with Draven. At first, it was awkward, trying to understand each other. Draven was proud, often distant, and Kael found himself unsure of how to break the walls around him. But slowly, they began to share stories—Kael of his simple life in the village, and Draven of his past as a dragon, once feared and revered, but cursed by a sorcerer to live in both human and dragon form.

"It's not all bad," Draven had once said as they sat by the fire. "Being human allows me to understand your kind better. Though I'll never understand your kindness."

Kael had laughed softly, his heart aching for the lonely dragon. "Maybe kindness is something dragons need to experience more often."

Draven had looked at him then, his golden eyes soft in the firelight, and Kael felt something shift between them.

One particular evening, they made camp in a secluded glade surrounded by ancient trees. The night air was cool, with a faint breeze ruffling the leaves, and the crackling fire between them cast flickering shadows across Draven's sharp features.

Kael sat close, feeling the pull between them stronger than ever. Something about this night felt different. He noticed Draven seemed restless, his gaze shifting between the fire and Kael, as though he were holding something back.

"What's on your mind?" Kael asked softly, leaning a little closer.

Draven's eyes flicked to him, their golden hue almost glowing in the firelight. "There's something you should know," he said quietly. "The curse I bear...it's more than just binding me to human form. I can take another shape. A form that lies between dragon and man."

Kael blinked, intrigued. "Between?"

Draven nodded slowly. "I try not to use it. It's powerful, but...unstable. When I'm like that, I'm not fully in control. And yet... I want you to see me as I truly am."

Kael's heart pounded. "Show me, Draven," he whispered. "I want to know all of you."

Draven hesitated for a moment, his golden eyes searching Kael's face, as if trying to discern if this was truly what he wanted. Then, with a deep breath, he stood and stepped back from the fire. His body began to shimmer, a soft glow surrounding him, and Kael watched in awe as Draven's form started to change.

His skin darkened, the smoothness giving way to shimmering green scales that rippled across his arms and chest. His muscles bulged, his physique still human-like, but far more powerful, more dangerous. Large, leathery wings unfurled from his back with a sharp snap, their span immense, and a long, sinuous tail appeared behind him, curling slightly. His face was still handsome, still Draven, but now crowned with sharp, curved horns that jutted from his forehead.

Draven stood before Kael, half-dragon, half-man, and utterly breathtaking.

Kael's breath caught in his throat as he gazed at him. Draven's presence was overwhelming—raw, primal, and yet still familiar. "Draven..." Kael whispered, unable to tear his eyes away.

Draven's voice, deeper now, more resonant, rumbled through the air. "This is the form I take when I embrace both sides of myself. The man and the dragon. Does it frighten you?"

Kael shook his head, standing slowly and stepping toward Draven. "No. It's...incredible."

Draven's gaze softened, and he reached out to Kael, his claws retracting as his hand brushed against Kael's cheek, gentle despite the strength he now possessed. The warmth of Draven's touch sent a shiver through Kael, and he found himself leaning into it, his heart pounding faster.

"I didn't want you to see me like this," Draven murmured. "I thought it would make you afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid of you," Kael said, his voice trembling slightly. "I never have been."

The air between them seemed to crackle with energy, something far deeper than just the physical transformation. Kael could feel it—the undeniable pull between them, stronger now than ever before.

Without thinking, Kael took a step closer, his body pressing against Draven's. The heat from his scales was intoxicating, and as he looked up into those golden eyes, he saw not a beast, not a dragon, but the man he had come to care for more than anything.

"Kael..." Draven whispered, his voice thick with emotion. His wings fluttered slightly, and the tip of his tail brushed against Kael's leg, sending a shock of heat through him.

Kael closed the distance, his hands resting on Draven's chest, feeling the ridges of his scales beneath his fingers. "You're beautiful," he breathed, his lips trembling as he looked up at him.

Draven's breath hitched, and before Kael could say another word, Draven's lips were on his. The kiss was fiery, intense—Draven's mouth was hot, his sharp teeth grazing Kael's lips, but there was a gentleness in the way he held him, his strong arms wrapping around Kael's body, pulling him closer.

Kael gasped into the kiss, his hands sliding up to Draven's neck, feeling the warmth of his skin, the sharpness of his horns. Draven's wings wrapped around them both, cocooning them in their own private world, shielding them from everything but each other.

The kiss deepened, Draven's tongue exploring Kael's mouth, and Kael responded with equal fervor, pressing his body against the dragon's. He could feel Draven's tail curling around his leg, anchoring him, and the sensation was electrifying.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were panting, their breaths mingling in the cool night air. Draven's golden eyes were filled with something raw, something that took Kael's breath away.

"I thought I would always be alone," Draven whispered, his forehead resting against Kael's. "But you...you've changed everything."

Kael smiled, his hands still resting on Draven's chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath the scales. "You're not alone anymore," he whispered. "Not as long as I'm here."

Draven closed his eyes, his wings tightening around them both, and Kael felt the warmth of the dragon's body envelop him. There was a sense of peace in that moment, a quiet understanding that neither of them needed to say aloud.

They had found each other.

And in that moment, under the stars, surrounded by the flickering glow of the fire and the silent witness of the ancient trees, Kael knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.

For the first time in his life, Draven—the proud, fierce dragon—had found a home, and Kael.