After he had gotten the taste of her lips, as promised Siroos shifted again, this time into his majestic lion form.
Cassandra had met him before in the arena, but he wasn’t very amicable at that time because of the life-and-death situation they had been stuck in.
Lion raised his head and took a deep roar, his heavy mane shook as he moved its gigantic head and his yellow eyes fixated on Cassandra.
He indeed was a majestic beast, his size much larger than a regular lion and it ambled towards her on its paws. Its jaw opened and a huge pink tongue darted out.
Cassandra was watching him in a trance, unable to move until it licked her cheek.
Once
Twice
Thrice
A hearty giggle fell through her lips as her arms wrapped around its manned neck and she buried her face in its long fur.
"You are so amazing. Thank you for saving my life in the arena at that time. I am so late to acknowledge you," she whispered into his soft mane, rubbing her cheek with him.
The lion affectionately growled, rubbing every part of his body with his mate. Lifting its paws, the lion hugged her while Cassandra laughed and kissed his large nose.
"You are snuggly!" Cassandra let him nuzzle her and they stayed like that for several minutes. Before Siroos took the control back and shifted.
Cassandra kept hugging him, placing her cheek on his sinewy chest. The peace he invoked was priceless, she wished to stay like that, into his arms.
"Who would you like to meet next? It’s a war inside my head right now, I have to put them on a leash," Siroos told her with a chuckle.
"They all wish to meet me?" She knew the answer but her hungry heart lurched for their affection. It was like a woollen cloth, ready to sponge and store every last droplet.
Siroos nodded and shifted again. The hawk emerged with its majestic wings. It elegantly perched itself on her shoulder; his sharp beak nibbled her earlobe, making her giggle.
Next, it was the turn of the snake. It wished to wound around her neck like a scarf and rub its face with hers. Cassandra stroked it’s brown and black scaly body, as it slithered all around her, especially her soft breasts.
Most of them took turns to come forward and meet their mate and bask themselves in her scent.
Cassandra met all of them with intrigue and love. This was one of the most entertaining and loving moments of her life. She couldn’t believe that so many animal spirits lived inside of him.
Most of them were dangerous animals and she wondered if he had any cute animals as well. A certain bunny came to mind.
She asked with keenness.
"Can’t you turn into a bunny?"
Siroos almost choked on his saliva, he gulped so hard.
"Bunny? No!" He quickly spoke, trying his hardest for the tips of his ears to not turn red.
"Ahh! That would have been so cute. I love rabbits," she informed him, reminiscing about the cute one who visited her at night.
Just to change this embarrassing topic Siroos’s eyes began to ink from molten gold to a deep red hue, as if embers burnt right under them. The colour was so rich and captivating and spoke of untamed passions and power.
He wished to surface, the one who had claimed her first, the one who was ready to burn everyone down who dared hurt her.
He had been sitting in the shadows, letting everyone take their turns and now it was his. He could wait no longer.
Cassandra tenderly took Siroos’s face in her hand, her face coming alive with an understanding smile. She had been dying to meet him.
"Come forward, my valiant guardian; I would love to see you again."
With a devilish grin, Siroos began to transform into his dragon. The mightiest, tallest, ferocious and the most possessive one.
Cassandra watched in awe, her eyes only holding the image of her transforming mate.
The black dragon surfaced, looming against the darkened sky; its obsidian scales glistened like polished onyx. Its each ridge was a testament to its formidable strength.
His vast wings were shadowy, spanning the heavens. But it was those glowing vermilion eyes, like molten lava, that bewitched Cassandra. They pierced the darkness with a fierce intensity, burning with power and untold emotions. Its nostrils shrivelled and flared as it inhaled and exhaled, the air crackling with the remnants of its energy.
It landed with a thud, sending a spray of sand in the air, right before Cassandra and swiftly bowed his head to his mate.
With a quivering hand, Cassandra reached out and placed it on his head, feeling the scaly skin under her soft palm. He was warm, just like Siroos.
"So magnificent!" She breathed out, taking in all of his wild beauty. The dragons were creatures of myths. They existed no more in their worlds and yet here he was, all hers.
The happiness rumbled inside him as his large eyes closed and he placed his monstrous head on the ground, savouring her touch. His huge spiked tail curled forward and wrapped around Cassandra’s waist, with extra vigilance that he wouldn’t hurt her.
"Ah!" She cried out in excitement as he picked her up and placed her on his back.
Cassandra opened her arms and hugged him, placing a kiss on his scaly back; her hands rubbed it in affection, tracing it from his back to his head.
Like a faithful dog instead of a dragon, he wagged his tail, too excited and jubilant at being close to his mate.
’She is so soft; I am taking her for a ride. She wouldn’t scream, right?’ The dragon spoke to Siroos through their mind link.
’She admires you, she is not afraid. Go, show her our lands,’ Siroos answered, sitting back and enjoying their bonding time.
The dragon flapped his wings open and slowly lifted itself off the ground. Cassandra understood he was about to take flight and snugly wrapped her arms around his thick neck, holding onto his scales.
A tiny spec of fear crawled in her heart remembering what he had done the last time he had taken a flight with her on his back. But she pushed the fear away.
Today was about them and she was going to enjoy these moments without any fears or regrets.
Up and up they went. The sand rose in a swirling dust storm underneath his gigantic body as he took flight and began to glide with his mate safely settled above him.
Different from the first time, Cassandra had no fear in her heart. Instead, she was astounded by him.
The dawn was cracking, and the first glimpse of light was dancing on the horizon.
The dragon flew so high that everything seemed minuscule on the ground. They flew over the oasis and their dwelling heading further west. He showed her the vast lands of Dusartine and she watched everything spellbound.
Most of it was the gold speckled desert but there were patches of wild bushes, boulders and small natural cave systems which served as homes for the wild fauna of the desert.
They flew for an hour; the air scattered her untameable hair, but she didn’t mind. All her focus was on the scenery below and this one-of-a-kind creature giving her a ride.
Finally, the dragon made its way back and slowly landed near the oasis. A few warriors were on duty who obediently bowed, seeing the mighty dragon, and made way, scattering away and giving them privacy.
The dragon began to move further towards the canopy of trees inside which lay a plant, one of its kind. There wasn’t another like that which existed in their world.
Carefully manoeuvring his way through the trees, the dragon settled near the plant and placed its head on its claws and touched its broad leaves with his long tongue.
The plant seemed to slowly glisten as if it held magic and she wondered what was so special about this small bush.
Cassandra unwillingly untangled herself from the dragon. Her heart ached as she climbed down and stood with her hand near his left eye. He watched her with adoration and she gently caressed him.
"Thank you!" Cassandra whispered to him, placing a kiss on his maw. His claw lifted and he wrapped her in it, tenderly placing her between his foreleg and head.
He wished to sleep with her in his arms; extracting his long coarse tongue, he gave her a swift lick, slobbering her in his saliva.
"Aw!" She rubbed under his strong jaw with her fingertips.
This time, Cassandra didn’t mind; all of them had covered her in their salivas, which was a sign of their love for her.
She comfortably nestled with him with a small yawn escaping her. Soon Cassandra drifted off to sleep with the dragon’s head resting on her bosom as he kept watching her with more adorable eyes.