The Dragon’s Treasure by Caitlin Ricci Page A

seemed more curious than anything else. It was quite a strange reaction for such a young human. Perhaps he had misjudged her.
    “This isn’t your natural form?”
    Faolan’s gaze traveled over his smooth chest and arms. He raised his hand so that he could see it clearly and turned it over, marveling as he always had at its frail design. “No, it isn’t. I chose it for tonight, as you’ll see many of our kind have done, because of your presence. You are not used to us, you have never seen us before. To throw you into the midst of our home, our people, without such a time as to get to know us and what we are and to learn our customs and ways would surely throw you directly into madness.”
    Her eyes narrowed at him. “But isn’t that what your father has done? Hasn’t he thrown me into your world?”
    Faolan nodded sadly. “Yes, he has. If I had the power to set things right again, I would, Isabelle, believe me. You no more belong in my world than we belong in yours. Our kinds have been separate for all these thousands of years for a reason. A very good one in fact.”
    “And that would be?”
    Faolan forced himself to meet her eyes, if only for this instant. “Because we eat you.”
    “You won’t kill me,” she replied simply.
    Curiosity piqued, he replied, “Oh no?”
    Isabelle quickly shook her head, her messy mop of brown hair falling around her face in waves. “No. You need me. You can’t kill me just yet.”
    “You’re right. But what about after the child is born?” He hated to ask her these things. To even think of such a thing made his stomach turn. While it was true that his kind did eat humans, the slaves in the cells far below their feet were proof enough of that, he had never indulged in this habit. And now, with his young bride laying in his bed, he decided that he never would. The thought of any one of his kind doing that to her, or laying a finger on her at all, was enough to bring a strange new sensation boiling just below the surface of his skin. He was not used to jealousy, nor could he understand why he would care so much about a girl he hardly knew. A human girl no less. But regardless of her birth he was not capable of denying his emotions forever and knew that eventually he would have to admit what his heart was already beginning to believe.
    “Faolan?” her quiet voice cut through his thoughts.
    “Yes, Isabelle?”
    His eyes widened as she rose gracefully from the bed, the dark sheet wrapped tightly around her body. She took a few steps toward him, her cautious movements gaining strength with each step she took. After what felt like minutes, she was before him, her dark eyes staring imploringly into his own.
    When he made no move to touch her, she brought her hand up to the side of his face, the smooth lines of his jaw moving easily under her fingertips as he struggled to speak.
    “What are you doing?” he finally managed, hoping his voice was stronger than the fearful whisper he imagined it to be.
    “I know that this is hard for you, too. I can’t imagine you wanted to be saddled with a bride, especially one you had no choice in…”
    “It’s fine,” he bit out quickly, uncomfortable with her fingers moving down his throat to stroke his collarbones. Rational thought was quickly becoming impossible as the girl, no, woman, he quickly reminded himself, continued to explore his still form.
    Undeterred by his harsh tone, Isabelle merely smiled at him. She rose up to press her cheek to his. “Please, Faolan, no more stalling. Can’t we just do this?” she whispered gently into his ear.
    He gulped audibly, earning a bright smile from the woman. “Are you sure?”
    Her smile faltered only for a moment before forming into a thin straight line across her face. She nodded grimly and took his hand loosely in her own, bringing him to the bed. He stripped quickly, not caring where his clothing landed in the darkness of his room.
    She was shaking below him and although he tried to