Surrogate of the Sleeping Dragon

mb

burned as though I'd

, but that didn't stop the pain. Looking down, I could see it was my hands tha

my hands the only light in the darknes

. "Mama, it hur

eaming it. I was trying to.

ile, but a smile nonetheless. And

ighte

ied again. "

sou

ing, even as she di

d soundlessly.

*

ightmare, covered in a cold sweat. My heart thundered

faint glow around the room. A Figment blanket had fallen t

ths. I was safe in my room abo

ng terror of my nightmare awa

yellow lava bubblin

te paint glory, housing the microwave and fridge

e monitors and a gaming chair, all set u

. Check. Except, blessedly, they weren't

stitched into the leather. I considered pulling them on for comfort, but I was

ed lace panties and padded barefoot over to the door, checking

mare, the band had come off my ponytail and I had the annoying long locks in my face again. I could

ck-and-red gaming chair and brought up the five forums where I spent most of my free time.

nline friends lurked

dragons and hoarding. Some of my fellow dragon obsessives we

ted. P

d authoritatively. 'Heck, some might h

e I only half paid attention t

e forums. Not to say that was unusual, most of my frien

s at once. Usually, a true dragon freak like me kind of organically mi

e received a flurry of DMs, but, another shocker, HE DM'd ME. I hadn't said a word, but five minutes int

ry time I remembere

re sexy,

ryone, he'd sa

, but also shared his deep knowledge of dra

ere wa

pped up on my screen

beau

s on, just

lder than I would have been with the distan

are you doing up so la

. It was like he could

e. What are y

racoK4u responded. *Especially when a gi

*No, I su

use. *Any way I can

you makes it be

me a sm

talking...* D

quickly type

ally hurt so much for me

r maybe I lost my damned mind, but I couldn't think of a reason today not to talk to him. He'd been a

maybe,* I

kiss emoji a

smoothest voice I'd ever heard

ful," DracoK

. I put on my headset. "H-Hi," I replied, k

was as though I could feel those words skimming over my bo

xy as you,

the sensation THAT caused. "Depends on w

asses or something," I said, l

that dripped all over

"And stop talking like that, I m

low. "Okay, beautif

I asked, changing the subject. "I can't be

dragons do hoard

ell. Maybe even more so. "Yeah, but not all of them. I've done a lot of

s," he s

responded, thinking of a big red dragon

kind of knowing tone to it I didn't unde

y," his voice rumbled low and

Not sure I ever told you that

a library. I'm a great lover of books myself. I suppose you'd h

rue." I

your bookstore some

eathing, because he quickly continued, "I don't have to. I didn't mean

r. "Just... after my bad dream... I'd

e time. Online, that is. I spend my whole day wo

drawing the word ou

es

ing around me in a velvety smoothness that made my pulse quicken. At th

.." I murmured before I

n my chair, nearly toppling over in surprise. It took me a good five brea

an see me coming,

And ripped. And

rehead, like an actor who'd just "woken up" in a movie. No one

iles and miles of coaxial cable

tattoo. It was the most intricate, well-done tattoo I

that disappeared out of view of the camera. I f

ous, full lips asked, "are y

red out of my mind to turn

to be, because I was actually

I'll tell you right now, that's not

"Feeling'

not wearing a shirt," he said,

iness and then..." I trailed off, cheeks

ble to touch

a dragon nerd," I muttere

rhaps, a Star Wars t-shirt-wearing,

bled, "Not a Star Wars t-shir

bbit t-shirt?" he won

hen turned on my camera

ake of breath was surprisingly gratifyin

ting it was white, stuck to me,

on's Lair'

my cheeks. "Yes... well... I thought it was

s," he grinned. "I'll

informed him. "Though... I don't kno

a hearty guffaw. "Well, back at y

d at my hair. "I loo

k... delightfully tumbled. Wish it

spontaneously combust. "Dragons

-beams?" he as

nice view. I started folding my arms across my chest, then shrugge

s," he

ot about the world outside and my only thoughts were of him. I wondered if I ever would se