by Logan Jacobs
“You make it look easy,” Lezan snorted sarcastically as she backed up and prepared to copy her leader.
The multicolor-haired woman took off, leapt across the crevice, and then landed safely inside of the structure. Mira went next, followed immediately by Sela. That just left me, Arrick, and Jonas.
“My turn,” Arrick announced as he stepped back, sheathed his seaglass sword, and dug his feet into the branch for support.
Instantly, I looked over at Jemma and Tirian and gave them a warning nod, and my two companions turned their attention toward my son and prepared to catch him if anything went wrong.
My heart hammered in my chest as Arrick ran toward the hanging house, and I tried to calm myself down. Still, I couldn’t help but freeze when my son sprang off the branch and went out over the abyss. It felt like Arrick was suspended in the air for several minutes, even though it was only a few seconds, but he finally landed in the door opening of the dwelling, and my heart resumed beating.
That just left Jonas and me.
“I-I can’t make the jump, Draco Rex.” Jonas hung his head in shame. “I’m sorry, but I know I can’t. I’ll remain here with Malkey until you all get back.”
“Come on, Jonas.” I smiled and tried to pump up the soothsayer. “You’re a lot spryer than you look. You tell me that all the time.”
“Just playful banter, I’m afraid,” the old man chuckled. “If I make that jump, you’re going to be scooping my mangled corpse off the ground. Trust me, Ben, it’s better if I stay here.”
“Nonsense,” Jemma scoffed as she and Tirian hovered downward. “Here… I’ll get off, and Tirian can bring you over.”
In a swift motion, Jemma jumped off her silver dragon’s back and landed safely inside of the hanging building. Then Tirian let out a happy chuff as he fluttered over to our position and lowered his head for Jonas.
“I suppose that works,” Jonas grumbled as he mounted the small dragon. “But don’t expect this to become commonplace. I never really was one for riding, particularly dragons.”
“Noted,” I snickered.
Tirian flew Jonas over to the building, and I could now see several of my friends had already exited and were crossing the bridge to the next one. That was probably the right call because, as sturdy as these things looked, there was no way they were built to handle eight people inside of a single building.
Do you want a lift, too, Ben? Tirian asked as he looked back at me over his shoulder.
“Nah, I’m good.” I waved my hand dismissively. “I think I’ve got this.”
I took a few steps back, took a deep breath, and then took off full tilt toward the open door across from me. Then I waited until the absolute last possible moment before I pushed down, sprang off the tree, and shot toward the open door of the hanging dwelling.
I landed inside the door with a hard thud, but was somehow able to keep my balance. Arrick, Jemma, and Jonas were all still inside this building, and they were all marveling at the structure in which the natives resided.
“Curious,” Jonas mused as he ran his hand along the inside wall. “This is not made from that ‘concrete’ you had us create back on our island. Though, I believe it is of the same structure and texture…”
Honestly, I was more preoccupied with the raw simplicity of this dwelling. There was an open door on each side of the structure, and each one was connected to a bridge that led right into another house. There were no windows in the hanging building, nor was there anything like a tub or a sink or cabinets or chests. The only things inside were a kitchen table made from large leaves that had been folded up and bonded together, as well as a bed that appeared to be made from wood and padded with the waxy green flora.
“Whoever these people are,” Jemma noted, “they must live a pretty simple life.”
“It’s a bunk,” I chuckled with an epiphany.
“A what?” Arrick questioned as he cocked his head.
“A bunk,” I repeated. “It’s what we had in the military. They’re spaces that are not really meant to be lived in, but rather just exist as a place for individuals to sleep or unwind after a long day of work. If this is a bunk, then I’d wager a bunch of these buildings are actually common areas, much like our courtyard back home.”
“Those would have to be some pretty small common areas,” Jonas interjected.
“Well, for all we know, there could only be two or three people who use these spaces,” I tried to explain as I pointed between the four of us. “And they can obviously hold all of us. Granted, I feel like we couldn’t even move without bumping elbows, but still…”
The four of us strolled out onto the wooden bridge, and my pulse quickened instantly. The wooden boards creaked underneath my weight with each step I took, and the entirety of the bridge seemed to wobble back and forth as I crossed. However, despite the fear-inducing sounds and the fact it felt like a near-death experience, we eventually made it to the other side.
The next house looked almost identical to the first one, with nothing but a bed and a small table inside of a somewhat square room. So, we moved on and on through the hanging village until eventually, we came up on the rest of the crew huddled on a large, flat platform at the village’s immediate center.
“What’d I tell you?” I mused as we approached. “A common area. I bet this was where they feast or hold government meetings and stuff like that.”
“I don’t think that’s it at all.” Lezan smirked and shook her head. “Look here.”
The Coonag with the dual-colored hair led us over to a spot on the platform that had been indented into a large trough. The trough ran exactly halfway across the space, where it then broke off for a fleeting moment before another trough began.
“Are those… feeding areas?” Jemma observed as she squinted her chartreuse eyes.
“What in Oshun’s name are they feeding that would need this much space?” Mira gulped as her golden eyes darted back and forth nervously.
“I mean, look around.” I motioned to the jungle that engulfed us. “Everything on this island is ridiculously oversized. They probably have a freaking giant bird or lizard as a pet, and this is probably its bed.”
The realization that there was a living creature this large made us all uneasy. We hadn’t seen anything yet up to this point, but the mere fact that something this size existed in the same area we were exploring? None of us wanted to be around when it finally decided to show its face again.
If it ever would show its face again. For all we knew, it was dead along with everyone else who used to live here.
“There is a silver lining to this situation!” Jonas smiled and stuck his finger in the air. “This spot would be perfect for the dragons to sleep for the night.”
“I like where your head is,” Sela admitted, “but there’s a problem. How can we get Malkey over here? He’s way too heavy for those hanging houses to support.”
It might be a long shot… Tirian spoke up timidly, but I can try to carry him over.
Jemma’s head snapped around, and she gave her bondmate a concerned look.
“Don’t be foolish, Tirian,” she warned. “You said you can barely carry me for long distances. How are you going to lift up a creature almost double your size?”
Very carefully. The silver dragon winked. I will pick him up with all my might and then set him down on a tree branch whenever I feel myself starting to get tired. If I take it bit by bit, I think I might just be able to get him over here.
“I’m not sure that will work,” the auburn-haired beauty reasoned with her bondmate. “If you drop him--”
I won’t drop him, Tirian retorted. I’m getting stronger and stronger by the day, and I know my limits. If I start to get tired, I’ll set him down. Simple as that!
I trust him! Malkey’s voice echoed through our heads. I think I can make it over on my own, but I’ll need him in case I fall.
See, Jemma? the small silver dragon pleaded like a child asking his mom if he could sta
y at his friend’s house for an extra hour. I wouldn’t even be doing any of the heavy lifting unless it’s an emergency.
Jemma rubbed her chin, deep in thought. I could see in her eyes she wasn’t quite sure about this proposal, but I also knew she wasn’t one to dash the hopes and dreams of her beloved bondmate. Finally, the Niralope woman rolled her eyes and chuckled.
“I guess if that’s what it takes,” she finally conceded. “Just be careful, okay?”
We will! Malkey and Tirian both said in unison, and then the silver dragon swooped over to where Malkey was waiting.
We all watched cautiously as Malkey began to hop from tree branch to tree branch and made his way over to our position, and Tirian hovered just above the water dragon, with his paws open and at the ready as his lips pursed with nervous anticipation. Thankfully, there was only one point in which Tirian had to carry his friend, a spot where there was a twenty-foot gap between two of the trees.
However, the little silver creature took it like a champ. He fluttered down, wrapped his talons around Malkey’s shoulders, and then pulled up with all of his might. The poor thing dipped a few feet as gravity tried to run its course on the hefty water dragon in his grasp, but he strained intensely as he stayed the course. Finally, Tirian set Malkey down on the next closest branch, and then the copper water dragon continued on his own. Eventually, his lumbering figure leapt onto the giant platform, and he collapsed onto the ground in a heap.
That was a lot of exercise, Malkey panted as his tongue hung out from his mouth.
You’re telling me! Tirian huffed as he landed next to his friend. I think you might need to lay off the fish, my friend.
Excuse me? The copper dragon shot Tirian a dirty look. I’m a growing dragon! My mom always says so.
The rest of the crew chuckled at the dragons’ back and forth banter, but we still had many decisions to make so we could keep ourselves on the right path.
“So, guys…” I said as I stepped into the center of my group of friends. “What do you think? This looks like a pretty good place to stay the night, no?”
“As long as the inhabitants don’t come back,” Mira pointed out.
“Nobody’s coming back, Mira.” Sela rolled her eyes. “Look around. This whole place is abandoned, and we found all those footprints on the beach that indicate the orcs have already found the inhabitants.”
“That doesn’t mean anything!” Mira retorted with her hands on her hips. “The orcs got to us, too. And Jemma’s people. And the Coonag. They’re all still alive to tell the tale, right?”
“Yes, but all of the people you mentioned remained in their original homes,” Sela growled. “None of them up and abandoned their dwellings like these people did.”
“Did you see those bones down there?” Mira pointed downward. “They were pretty fresh. I’d say maybe a week or two old, at the most. That tells me there are good odds these people might be coming back soon.”
Sela shook her head and let out an annoyed chuckle. “If they were alive, don’t you think they would have left somebody here to guard their village? Also, wouldn’t this big space be full of food? A creature this large would need lots of sustenance constantly. The fact the troughs are empty means the large beast has not been back here for some time. And if the large beast is gone, and the inhabitants of this village are gone… What risk is there?”
“There’s always plenty of risk!” Mira argued as her face turned red, and her eyes narrowed.
Oh, boy. I could see it in both of these women’s eyes that they were ready to throw down, so I needed to diffuse the situation before they ended up sparring right here and now.
“Jonas?” I whispered to the soothsayer. “Take Arrick to one of the dwellings and hunker down there for a while. If you don’t hear from me soon, then just assume we decided to stay the night.”
“What are you going to do, Draco Rex?” The old man frowned and seemed genuinely confused.
“I’m going to see if I can calm them down,” I said cryptically. “It might get kinda messy, so I don’t want my son around when it happens.”
“Say no more,” Jonas noted, and then he turned to my son. “Come, Arrick. You don’t want to be around when your father lays down the law.”
“Aww, man…” the lanky preteen grumbled. “That’s exactly what I wanted to see.”
Trust me, sport… What I had in mind you definitely didn’t want to see.
“You guys, too,” I told the rest of my crew. “Go get some rest, and I’ll handle these two.”
“Just don’t ‘handle’ them too hard, Ben.” Nadir winked. “They won’t be much use to us if they can’t walk tomorrow morning.”
“Very funny,” I joked, and then I kissed the Coonag woman on the forehead and sent her on her way.
I gave Jemma and Lezan parting kisses, as well, and soon it was just Sela, Mira, and me.
And the two dragons, but both of them were already half asleep on the other side of the platform.
“And another thing,” Mira grumbled with a finger pointed at Sela, “why would you--Wait, where is everybody going?”
“I sent them away,” I explained. “So I could talk to the two of you in private. We’ve got a lot to discuss.”
Chapter Seven
The color drained from both women’s faces, and Sela immediately fell down onto her knees and started to grovel as humbly as she could.
“I’m sorry, Draco Rex.” The green-scaled woman bowed. “I promise I will try to be more of a team player. Please don’t relieve me of my duties.”
“Relieve you of your--No!” I snorted. “I’m not firing you guys. I just want to have a little talk about your attitudes. But I don’t want to do it right out here in the open. We need to find a place a bit more private.”
I glanced over to a nearby hanging dwelling and then motioned for the women to follow me, and as we entered the building, I noted it was just like all of the others, with a single bed and a single table.
Still… it would fit our needs for now.
So, I turned around, hoisted myself up onto the table, and then crossed my arms across my chest.
Both of the dragonkin warriors looked down at the ground. They knew what they had done, and they both knew I wasn’t going to tolerate it.
“I’m sorry, my king,” Mira muttered.
“Look,” I sighed. “I didn’t bring you in here to scold you or give you a long lecture. Ever since I first arrived on your island, the two of you seemed to have some sort of rivalry going on for my affection. Honestly, I don’t know why. I love both of you equally, and I think I’ve done enough to show you how much I love you.”
“Of course, you have!” Mira gasped as she looked up at me with her golden eyes. “I know deep in my heart your love for your women is stronger than even the strongest dragon bond.”
“Great!” I clapped my hands together. “Then why are you two still bickering all the time?”
“I-I…” Sela sputtered in a moment of rare emotion, and she dropped her gaze to her feet. “I just know how great our love is for each other, and I don’t want to lose that. Even if it is to one of my oldest friends.”
“I feel the same way,” Mira confessed. “I know you have many lovers, Ben, and I think that’s great. I’m just afraid, eventually, you’ll run out of love to give me because it’ll be stretched so thin.”
“That will never happen,” I promised both the women as I slid off the table and placed my hands on their shoulders. “Never. No matter how many lovers I get… No matter how many children they bear me… I will love both of you with everything I have.”
Sela rose up from her crouched position with tears forming in her eyes.
“Oh, Ben…” she sniffled, and I ran my fingers through her gray-blue hair. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.” I smiled, and then I pressed my lips tightly against the dragonkin warrior’s mouth.
We kissed passionately for a few seconds before I pulled back, turned
to Mira, and pulled her in close. Then Mira and I shared our passion, and I slowly felt my pants tightening around my cock until it must have been too much to hide anymore.
Sela let out a gasp as she bit her lip and stared at my erection. Then, without another word, she fell down onto her knees.
“What--What are you doing?” Mira inquired, though she knew damn well what was about to happen.
“I’m showing Ben how much I love him.” The green-scaled woman winked at her friend.
“Right here?” Mira gasped. “In front of me?”
“You will join both of us,” I commanded. “I’m tired of you both arguing over my affection, so now you will both share pleasure with me.”
Smooth, Ben. Smooth.
Mira’s large gold eyes flitted back and forth between my face and my erection as her cheeks flushed with a dark red color. Then she smiled.
“It is a great idea,” she conceded, and my dick became rock hard at the thought of both of these women pleasuring me at the same time.
“Ohhhhh,” Sela purred. “I think Ben likes that.”
“Only one way to find out.” Mira shrugged, and then she got down onto her knees beside Sela.
Holy shit, was this really happening? I thought this kind of thing only happened in porn videos, but apparently just giving them an order had worked.
I was about to make love with two gorgeous, sexy babes at the same time.
Sela let out a slight giggle as she tugged down my pants and released my cock. It shot straight up and nearly slapped her in the face, but that only made the dragonkin woman laugh even more.
Then she grabbed my erection firmly in her hand, lifted it up, and looked me in the eyes, and her tongue poked out of her mouth as she began to tease me. The blue-haired beauty flicked the tip of her tongue against my balls before she ran it around the full length of my shaft and ended with a swift kiss to my cockhead.
