The Sleeping Dragon

by Joel Rosenberg

*But I was wondering about the food. I'll keep alert, I promise. Young dragons don't sleep much at all, you know.*

  "Young dragons also don't stop bugging the hell out of me."

  *True.*

  Ellegon went silent. Karl let his eyelids sag shut, his muscles unkink. Loosen the neck, slow the heart, rest the mind . . .

  Silently, she slid into his arms. He sat up with a jerk, bowling her over. "What the hell—"

  Andy-Andy propped her chin on one hand. "If you're going to bounce me around the meadow, I'll go elsewhere." A loose strand of hair fell across her nose. She blew it off and moved closer to him, brushing the blankets aside.

  No, there weren't any bikini marks. Amazing.

  After a while, she pushed him away. But gently, and only a few inches. "Looks like you finally found yourself a profession—"

  "This?"

  "—hero."

  "Don't talk dirty."

  Whether he reached for her, or she for him, he was never quite sure.

  But he couldn't have cared less.

  END