The Vow of a Dragon by C Mari (ready player one ebook TXT) 📕

I would always have Eli.

I shivered yet again as I waited for Eli still. I had been sitting in the same tree-covered part of the mountain we met at last time.
My mind was going through scenarios and I couldn't get it to stop. No matter how much picturing the scenarios tortured me, my mind wouldn't ease. That was until I saw him in the sky.
My heart sped in joy at the sight of him. Then, he spotted me and spiraled down towards me. He didn't land gracefully or magnificently like I had expected; he crash landed behind me on his left side.
His body was facing me as I turned around to look at him slowly. His eyes were half shut and his body scarred and bloody again.
"Eli!" I screamed out of worry. "What's happened to you!?"
He only groaned in reply.
Suddenly, something landed behind me; a big something.
I spun around, my arms spread out as if I could protect the large dragon behind me.
In front of me were another two large dragons. One was a deep, crimson red all the way through while the other was a shade of emerald green with a white spot on its forehead.
I was in the middle of a fight. I must have been too worried about Eli to notice them earlier.
"Lea." Eli moaned from behind me. I hadn't noticed he had transformed.
"Eli. What do I do?" I whispered in fear. Eli stood up behind me and put his arm on my shoulder for support. He went in front of me and put out his arm to protect me like I had earlier.
Just as I felt safe and protected and I was thinking out how hot and sweet he was trying to protect me, he fell to the ground once again.
"Eli!" I screamed. His wounds were too bad for him to protect anyone. He was losing too much blood.
"Lea, I'm sorry. Protect yourself." Eli muttered softly.
As the two dragons closed in, delighted to have a second prey, I stepped back.
"Do something." Eli ordered. "Transform. You can take them if you change."
"I can't, Eli." I said, my breathing growing rapid from panic.
"You can, Lea!" Eli shouted the order, making my skin crawl from fear at the harshness in his voice. "You must!"
"Eli, I can't!" I shouted back, almost in tears from fright and frustration. "I-I've never fought before! I don't know what to do!"
"You what

!?" Eli asked, looking at me like a dumb child. I didn't want to disappoint him like this.
I probably did seem like a dumb child to him. I was a dragon who couldn't even protect herself.
But I never had to protect myself before. Not from dragons at least.
"Give into the change, Lea, and I will tell you what to do." Eli coaxed in a softer, gentler voice. "All you have to do is give in."
I wanted to please him; I wanted to protect him. So, I gave in.
I let the dragon within me come forward to protect me. I broke my vow that I had followed for years to protect a man that I met yesterday.
Truth be told, I could I wanted this to happen. I had wanted to give in all along, but I kept it secret from myself; I just needed an excuse to change.
I felt the familiar ripple down my spine first. The bones of my body grew longer to form the skeleton shape of a large lizard. The rest of me went along with my bones and grew to fit my new body. More skin was created passed my back bone to develop my tail as even more bone was formed to stick out through the skin of my tail and head to develop horns. Then, I felt the growing skin in the middle of my back that stuck out to the tops of the trees that formed my wings.
My wings. They were the same pure white that colored the rest of my body, except they were colored the light blue on the outer half; just as the tip of my tail was the same color blue.
I wanted to take flight from joy, but stood my ground in front of the other dragons.
"Good," Eli whispered faintly. "Very good."

First Fight

As fearful as they had earlier made me, the two other dragons became even more so.
Take a deep breath, Lea.

I heard Eli's voice inside my head. I almost jumped around to question him, but instead stood my ground in front of the dragons.
He clearly saw my surprise; as he replied to to my confusion.
Yes, darling, I am inside your mind. Two dragons can do this and communicate telepathically if the two have a strong bond.

He answered my silent question.
Then tell me what to do!

I yelled the thought in my mind.
Take a deep breath.

He ordered. I did just that. I inhaled through my nose, taking a large, dragon sized breath to fill my dragon sized lungs.
I felt good and powerful now. My body shivered from pleasure from my again found strength.
I stopped myself from shivering and becoming to pleasured immediately for multiple reasons.
One reason was if I didn't control the joyous pleasure, I would fly away into the air and leave Eli lying there, which seemed like a bad decision.
The second reason was that I would be more vulnerable to the attack of the other dragons if I were distracted by joy, so I had to contain myself to be prepared.
The third reason was that I reminded myself of what happened before. I felt so guilty for breaking my vow, but I had to protect Eli. If I lost myself in this pleasure, I wasn't sure what would happen.
Let yourself give into the dragon, Lea.

Eli's voice said.
I can't do that. I don't trust the dragon.

Just let it take over. Your breath will turn into rage. Your rage will turn into fire. Let the fire fill you up and then let it out.

He explained.
I didn't feel any rage; maybe because I wouldn't let my dragon take over completely. But I did feel the breath I took turn hot inside me. When it felt like the fire was burning fully, I let it out through my breath.
Instead of red fire like I had expected, the fire that came out of my mouth was white; a pure white.
It looked like snow, but it was still flaming hot.
Oops. I don't think I did that right.

I thought immediately after I spat white fire, feeling embarrassed.
One of the dragons growled loudly, as if in a scream. After the fire evaporated, I could see the left side of the crimson red dragon was almost roasted. His green friend was only partially burned on the right side for some reason I didn't understand because he was directly beside the red dragon and I aimed my fire at the both of them.
The red dragon jumped up to take flight. I allowed him to leave as best he could with only one wing. His friend took off to help him after looking at me with frightful eyes.
No,

Eli thought, following the dragons with his eyes. It was perfect.

Taking Flight

I did it!

I thought excitedly.
Barely.

Eli shot back in my mind, bursting my bubble. You'll need more training in order to survive or be of any help.

I felt depressed now. I didn't like being a burden to anyone. I especially didn't want to become a burden to Eli.
You train me!

I partially begged.
I can't.

He sighed, not giving it a second thought. I was already a burden to him. Not because I don't want to, my love. But because I am not good enough to train you myself.

He came back in his sweet, seductive voice.
How could you not be good enough? You're perfect, Eli.

I replied, hoping to brighten things up,
You require a more advanced teacher. I can barely teach at all.

He seemed to think on it for a while before coming up with an idea. Come, I will bring you to my master. He will know what to do.

Eli thought again. Can you fly?

Yes, I can fly!

I shouted in my head, annoyed with his question. I couldn't tell what his tone was, but he seemed either overprotective or disbelieving.
Then we shall go.

Are you OK to fly!?

I asked, panicked and wanting to keep him safe if I could.
I feel well enough. I healed as you fought.

Eli reassured. Besides, we must leave before they return. Come, we take flight.

I followed Eli as he lifted himself into the air with his wings.
I felt the air on my wings give me pleasure just as before.
I wanted to fly away with Eli and never worry about anything again.
I felt so proud and powerful yet still so guilty.
When we reached above the trees, Eli darted off at a faster speed.
I followed faster, feeling every blow of wind all though-out my dragon body.
It was almost a race between us, except we didn't care about winning; we just wanted to feel the air.
Every turn Eli took, I followed close on his tail.
He turned sharply at some times just to see if I could keep pace.
I was hoping to impress him with my flying.
I wasn't a novice as he thought. Flying was my favorite thing about being a dragon. I felt so free in the air.
It was also the thing I missed most after promising myself to never transform again.
It felt even better than I remembered; especially to have a companion in the air.
All too soon, Eli landed and the flight was over.