Long May I Reign (Myths & Legends: Dragon Gods)

Fire in the Night (unedited)

I'm hiding in the closet, barely holding my breath as I peep between the crease of the door. Outside I hear furniture being overturned, the scuttling of feet on the carpet. I see a shadow pass from under the door. I suck my breath in as my heart hammers in my chest. For eternity the shadow was motionless, then I heard the creak of the floorboards as it disappeared from my sight. I released a pent up breath. "I can hear you lizard." 

Before I could react the doors were flung open. A dark hooded figure stood between me and freedom, his flaming eyes burning into my soul. I pressed myself against the wall as a single tear escaped, my lip trembling. The room goes cold as the blood drains from my face. The creature leaned in slowly, pressing his nose to the side of my neck. I cried silently as I head his inhale deeply. "Give yourself to me...gecko."

My heart stops as the room grows hot, fire circling around me as I feel my resolve turn to steel.

"Gladly." I reach out with clawed fingers, grasping his neck as I stand to propel us both out the closet. He screams like a cornered animal and shoves himself from under me. I stand in my fire as it rumbles around me, encasing me. I feel my skin burn away, making way for the scales. My bones elongating, the fire around me attaching itself along my body to make wings and my tail. I twist my head to crack my neck as it elongates and the horns grow, my chest burning with its protective warmth. I stand in my glory as the fire dies down, revealing my dragon self. The creature throws its shroud away, revealing pale grey skin. He glares at me and gives me a demonic growl. My scales grow hot as I flare my wings to rear up and give my war cry. Shaking my frills out I meet him head on as he rushes me.

It's a tangle of wings, tail, and vampire's body. I dig my claws in and bite the back of his neck, he screams and pushes me against the wall but I don't let go, reaching up to choke him with my tail as I whip my head back and forth violently. He gurgles as he tries to throw me off, but I refuse to let go. He begins to go quiet, before he raises his head and releases a terrifying screech. I flinch at the sound but don't let go.

Thud. 

My ear twitches to catch the sound. I take the time to check out my surroundings. I'm in a dim room. The bed is turned on its side and the remnants of an end table and lamp in the far cover. Directly in front of me is a window with the stars shinning brightly.

Thud thud.

I turn my head to look down the hall to my left. I see three figures standing there, slightly hunched over. My heart stops, and grows cold as I see more figures come to stand with their companions. All their eyes burning orange globes and focused on me. My breath hitches, their body snaps into alignment and they race towards me. 

I let go of their fallen companion and spring for the window. I feel a hand clamp around my tail tip. My heart drops into my stomach, I give it all I've got as I dig my talons into the floor, feeling the strength I didn't know was there flare to life as I lurch forward, leaping through the window and taking the vampire with me. As the shards of glass travel through the air with me I look down, and see I'm on the fifth floor, and quickly dropping as the thought is processed. 

As I begin to open my wings the weight of the vampire throws me off balance as I tumble through the air with him. He groans and grabs onto my wing, locking it to my side as he attempts to bite it. I do my best to curl into a ball, but a second later I hit the ground hard, with the vampire following to fall on top of me. I screech as I feel his weight fall on my tail bend it at an odd angle. 

It takes a moment for me to have coherent thought. I raise my head in a daze while the vampire lays there lifeless. "He wasn't alive in the first place so I guess that's not too comforting." I stand and shake my frills out and sway my head to look at my tail. It's not broken as I lift it over my head, just really hurts. I head glass break off over head to see the pack of vampires looking down at me, one poised to jump from the window.