Red Dragon

Episode II Return of the Dragon

Chapter 13 Disciple

Melissa was exhausted. If it was Noric’s plan to walk her to death then he was well on his way to succeeding. Actually, run her to death would have been more accurate. He and his female entourage had moved their horses along at a brisk trot, forcing her to run to keep from being dragged. She knew what her captors were trying to do, but she was forced to cooperate. Being dragged behind a horse was something she did not want to experience.

Riding behind them was a Sea Warrior escort of several dozen men. They kept their distance, however, almost as if they seemed afraid to be too near Noric and the strange women that accompanied him. Melissa could certainly understand their feelings. Just looking at the women made her uneasy. From behind they seemed almost normal, but whenever one of them turned to look at her it sent a cold shiver down her spine. There was something about lifeless about their bizarre, dark eyes, almost as if she was being watched by the undead.

To her relief Noric suddenly reined in. Turning his horse he looked down at his panting captive. During her run Melissa’s shirt had opened even further, revealing the more of her bosom. Only the silken bindings about her breasts afforded her any privacy. Noric’s eyes narrowed as he gazed at her and she knew that he had seen the dragon tattoo.

He rode closer. “Secrets and more secrets,” Noric murmured as he looked down at her. “There seems to be a great deal I need to learn about you.”

The five harpy-like females closed in about her. “May we have her now, master?” asked the woman Noric had called Doria.

“Soon,” Noric answered. “First we need a suitable place for the initiation.” He looked toward the top of a wooded hill. “Let us try there.” He spurred his horse into motion, jerking Melissa forward. Gamely she trotted along behind him, trying to avoid obstacles as best she could. Halfway up the hill they encountered a small brook that emptied into a shallow pool. Noric halted once again.

“This is opportune,” he said. “Prepare her for the ritual. I will see what waits at the top of the hill. Tell the escort to camp on the lower slopes.”

“As you wish, master,” Doria replied. But the look on her face indicated that it was her wish also.

The five women dismounted and moved toward Melissa like jackals closing in on carrion. She thought about opposing them, but one look at Doria removed that idea from her mind. The woman was smiling at her clearly daring her to do something. Melissa remembered the blinding pain when she had been captured. Had it come from Noric or one of the women? There was only one way to find out and she had no wish to experience such pain again, especially not in her exhausted condition.

The women closed about her and began to strip off her clothing. They did not comment as Melissa’s body was revealed. Apparently the dragon tattoo was of no significance to any of them. The rest of her anatomy, however, was another matter. “Pretty,” one of the other women muttered.

Doria hissed at her, quite literally. She opened her mouth wide, revealing a serpent-like tongue. “She is not yours, Talitha. She belongs to me.”

Talitha stared back at Doria. Melissa could not help noticing how similar the women were. All five of them had blue-black hair, chalk-white skin, and flat black eyes. It was almost as if all of them had undergone some sort of magical transformation that had stripped them of their individual characteristics.

Talitha spoke. “The master did not give her to you. She is as much mine as she is yours.”

“I am the elder,” Doria replied, her voice dripping with venom. “The master chose me first. You will do as I say.”

Talitha went into a crouch, her clawed hands flexing. Melissa watched, holding her breath. If a fight broke out between the two harpies it might enable her to escape. Those hopes were dashed a few seconds later. A third girl spoke up. She appeared to be the youngest, although her appearance was so similar to the others four women as to be almost indistinguishable at first glance. “The master told us to prepare her. We will be punished if we do not.”

Her comment ended the confrontation. “The master will decide,” said Doria. “He will give her to me, you will see.”

Talitha snorted, but made no further comment. Instead she joined the others in removing Melissa’s clothing.

They were none to careful about how they did it. Ties and laces seemed to mean nothing to them. Using their knife-like claws they cut away her clothing, taking time only to pull off her boots. Naked she was then forced toward the pool. The water was chill, but Melissa did not flinch. She had endured much worse during her lifetime and after her grueling trek under the hot sun, the water was a welcome relief.

Roughly, the five women bathed her. They did not have anything in the way of soap, but they broke leafy branches from the surrounding bushes and scrubbed her skin until it was almost raw. Then from somewhere, Doria produced a comb and dragged it through Melissa’s flaming tresses. Finally, satisfied that she was now presentable they hauled her from the pool and without bothering to allow her to replace any of her clothing, escorted her up the hill. This time they did not bother to bind her. Instead they formed an escort of two women on each side and one behind.

Melissa took a slow, deep breath, forcing herself to relax. She was unfettered and Noric was nowhere in sight. It was time to escape.

A low laugh sounded from behind her. Doria’s voice hissed like that of a snake. “Go ahead, Red Dragon. It would be my pleasure to punish you for your indiscretion.” There was a slight crackle of energy as the woman finished speaking. Melissa chanced a quick glance and saw Doria nonchalantly tossing a ball of blue energy from hand to hand. The other women joined in the laughter. Melissa’s heart sank. She was the prisoner of creatures possessed of supernatural powers. There was no escape. With mounting trepidation she continued her march toward the top of the wooded hill.

The trees thinned out as Melissa and her “honour guard” reached the top. Here there were just a few large trees and a circle of boulders that formed a natural amphitheatre. Noric stood in the centre of the clearing, his arms folded watching as the procession moved toward him. His eyes widened slightly as he took in Melissa’s nude body.

“Exquisite,” he said. “You shall be perfect as my first disciple.”

Doria spoke, her voice tinged with anger. “But I was your first acolyte. Why would you choose her to supplant me?”

Noric turned in Doria’s direction, his dark eyes flashing. He said nothing, but merely stood looking at her. The woman wilted under his stare. Falling to her knees she bowed her head to the ground. “Forgive me, master. I forgot myself.”

“And for that you must be punished,” Noric said. He raised his hand and a flash of fire wreathed Doria’s body. The woman screamed horribly and writhed on the ground her voice incoherent with pain. Noric let her shriek for a full minute, his face impassive and then he closed his hand. The fire stopped and to Melissa’s amazement Doria emerged unscathed.

“Now,” Noric said. “To regain my favour you will aid in my preparations. Take our initiate and bind her to that tree. The rest of you gather wood. We need a fire as our newest sister must first be purified.”

Doria got to her feet. All of the woman’s former arrogance was gone. Completely chastened she took Melissa’s arm and began to pull her toward the tree Noric had indicated. It was an ancient oak. Some time in the distant past it had been blasted by lighting, leaving a shattered trunk and a few broken branches.

Melissa resisted slightly as Doria led her toward the tree, but she did not attempt to escape. Noric’s message in his treatment of Doria had been clear enough. To resist meant severe punishment and in spite of the fact that the flames that had wreathed Doria’s body seemed to have caused her no permanent harm, there was no guarantee that they would have the same effect on her. Still, she felt incredibly helpless. To offer no resistance went completely against her nature, but common sense dictated that resistance in the face of overwhelming strength would not only be futile, but dangerous. Feeling like an utter coward she followed in Doria’s steps.

“No,” she thought, “I will not go.” She dug in her heels and at the same time twisted her arm free from Doria’s grasp. That was as far as she got. A thousand needles seemed to stab into her body, creating such excruciating agony that she was unable to scream. She simply froze, her body contorted in agony.

Doria’s low laugh sounded close to her. The pain was so intense that Melissa could not even see. Blinded she felt herself being pulled forward again. This time she did not resist, allowing Doria to lead her to the tree.

“You are strong but foolish,” came Noric’s voice. “But you will learn to obey. Soon you will be mine in every way possible.”

The pain ebbed and Melissa could breath again. She found that while she had suffered Doria had bound her to the shattered oak. Her body was now stretched in the shape of a cross with her arms drawn out to the sides and slightly upward where her wrists were bound to a branch on either side. Her legs were spread also, the ropes binding her ankles drawn tight about the trunk, pulling her thighs apart. For Melissa the position was all too familiar and emphasized her total subjugation. Noric had her and could do anything he wanted with her.

By this time the other four women had returned carrying bundles of firewood. Noric sent them away for more and sent Doria after them. Melissa got the impression that this was part of Doria’s punishment and the expression on the woman’s face seemed to confirm this. All in all the women were required to bring back five bundles of firewood before Noric was satisfied. It was all piled a few body lengths in front of Melissa and then Noric waited.

“What do you want with me?” Melissa asked. “Why have you simply not killed me?”

Noric moved closer to her. “Does one destroy a diamond because its setting is displeasing? No, one simply changes the setting, thus making the gem acceptable. You, Red Dragon, are a rare gem and soon you will be mine.”

“You mean you will turn me into a mindless creature like Doria and the others?”

Noric chuckled. “Like Doria and the others? I said you were a rare gem. These others are like pieces of cheap glass. You will be far more than they could ever hope to be. You will be a creation worthy of being my consort.”

“You will never turn me as you turned them,” Melissa protested. “I am not as they are.”

“We will see,” Noric replied. “When the lord of light has departed we will begin the purification ritual. After that I will make you mine.” He looked at the setting sun and smiled. “It is almost time.” Turning toward the pile of wood he gestured with his hands and the wood burst into flame.

Taking advantage of the fact that he was no longer watching her, Melissa tested the ropes holding her, but Doria had tied her too well. She succeeded only in cutting off a bit more of her circulation. By now darkness was closing in rapidly. Melissa watched helplessly as the flames of the fire mounted until it was a roaring conflagration. About that time she noticed that the five young women had formed a semicircle on the far side of the fire. They had removed all of their clothing and were holding hands.

Only a few paces away from the flames, Melissa began to sweat as the heat beat against her naked body. Rivulets of perspiration ran down her forehead to her face and dripped onto her chest where they continued their downward journey. Straining against the ropes, Melissa tried once more to escape, but in spite of the fact that her body was now slippery with sweat she could not work her way free.

Noric turned toward her. Although he was directly in front of the fire, he showed no signs of suffering from the tremendous heat. “Now, Red Dragon you will be cleansed so that the ritual of initiation may begin.”

Melissa twisted her body, hoping that by some chance the ropes holding her wrists might loosen. She had no idea what Noric was talking about. Cleansed? For what? And what did that mean? The five ghoulish young women had already bathed her. What more did he have in mind? And what was the purpose of the fire?

“You are not a virgin, and only virgins are acceptable to Skolth. Therefore you must be purified before you can be presented as one of his handmaidens.” As Noric spoke he took a small wooden box and began to take out various items and lay them out neatly in the hollow of the lid like a surgeon laying out his instruments. Melissa took a deep breath. She had seen some of the devices before and their use had been far from pleasant.

The swaying girls now moved closer, undulating around the fire like snakes. Melissa noted that their bodies were decorated with many of the same items that Noric was so carefully setting out, confirming her suspicions as to what was going to be done to her.

“May we ornament her, master?” Doria asked, her naked body dripping with sweat and jingling with jewellery that pierced her body in a dozen places.

Noric did not answer, but instead took out a pair of tongs. Placing a gold needle in its jaws he held it in the fire until it began to glow cherry red. Then with a smile he handed the tongs to Doria. The girl grinned maliciously, her pointed teeth gleaming in the firelight.

She pierced the septum of Melissa’s nose first, working the glowing needle into the smoking cartilage. The stench of her own burning flesh almost made Melissa gag, but she made no sound. She knew that her ordeal was just beginning and she had endured much worse pain than this.

Her lower lip was pierced next. And then Doria inserted gold rings into the openings she had made. There were four in all, one for her nose, one for her lip and one for each earlobe. The latter were already pierced, but Melissa had removed the earrings she had worn in preparation for combat.

After the rings came the chains. Doria snapped a pair of gold chains running from the nose ring to each earring. She did the same with the ring piercing her lower lip, leaving a double row of chains running to each of Melissa’s earlobes.

The weight of the metal pulled at the raw wounds, but Melissa gave no indication that she was suffering the slightest discomfort, a stoicism that enraged Doria.

“Why do you not scream?” she demanded. “Do you not feel pain?” I will make you scream.” She moved her taloned fingers toward Melissa’s breasts.

“No, Doria,” Noric warned. “She must be undamaged. Only a purified offering can be made to Skolth.”

“Skolth, the Lord of Darkness,” thought Melissa. The most brutal and vengeful of the gods. Few worshipped him out of love, but many feared him and so made sacrifices of animals to him every year. Some it was rumoured even sacrificed people. It appeared that by sheer bad luck she had fallen into that category. Again she pulled at the ropes binding her wrists. By this time she had removed most of the skin. Slippery with blood she hoped that the ropes might slip loose in time for her to escape. She was running out of time. Sooner or later Noric and his minions would tire of torturing her. If she was not free by then she would almost certainly face a brutal end.

Noric heated the needle again. This time Doria used it on Melissa’s breasts, piercing each areola where it joined the nipple. Again, Melissa made no sound, even when Doria deliberately twisted the hot needle in the wounds, trying to elicit a response. As with her face and ears, Doria twisted rings into the wounds and then connected each nipple with a length of chain. She also suspended heavy gold ornaments from each ring. These swung back and forth as Melissa’s body trembled under the pain of the multiple piercings.

But Doria was just getting started. She connected another set of chains that ran from the ring in Melissa’s lower lip to each nipple, and then hooked still another chain from her left nipple that ran under left arm and around behind her back until it finished at her right nipple.

The weight of chain pulled cruelly on all of her raw wounds. Melissa fought to remain impassive, remembering her brutal Dragon Warrior training. She had endued much worse than this. The pain of the dragon tattoo being cut into her body had been excruciating almost beyond belief. No matter how many chains were attached to her body she would show no emotion; give no sign that she was in the slightest discomfort.

Doria grew steadily more angry at Melissa’s impassiveness, but not so Noric. The Wizard got to his feet and moved to within inches of her sweat-streaked body. “What a disciple she will make,” he exclaimed. “Stolth will be most pleased.” He gestured to Doria. “It is time to complete the preparations.”

Returning to the fire he withdrew the glowing needle once again. This time Doria knelt before her. Melissa steeled herself as her nether region was pierced. Doria made three perforations, the last one the most painful. The first two penetrated her labia majora; the last one her clitoris. She held her breath as Doria lifted her clitoral hood, exposing the tiny bud. The pain as the burning needle entered was horrendous, requiring all of Melissa’s self-discipline to keep from screaming. Her chest heaved as Doria completed the ornamentation, attaching rings and lengths of chain that connected with the rings in her already heavily ornamented nipples.

“Now,” said Noric. “It is time.” He moved so that the fire was between him and Melissa. His hellish handmaidens lined up on either side. Then he raised his hands and began to chant.

Melissa understood not a word he said. The words were guttural; the syllables twisted and unpronounceable by any normal tongue, but the results of the incantation were more than clear.

The fire brightened and then grew, roaring up until it was three times the height of a man. Then it twisted strangely, and took shape, emerging as a creature of flame standing on two flaming legs. To Melissa’s horror the creature began to move toward her, the leaf-strewn ground bursting into flame as it approached.

Suddenly close to panic, Melissa wrenched once more at her bonds. Step by step the flaming monster moved closer, its furnace-like heat blistering her skin as it closed. Then the unbelievable happened. The flaming beast assumed human proportions, shrinking to the size of a man. It stood just a body-length away; seeming to stare at her, and then it resumed its progress, shuffling toward her, its blazing arms raised to take her in a fiery embrace. From what would have been its loins rose a burning staff. It was only then Melissa realized what Noric had conjured to life. It was a fire elemental. Her scream broke the silence of the woods as the underworld creature embraced her.

The fiery rape could not have lasted longer than a few minutes, but for Melissa that time seemed almost an eternity. Flames consumed her body, her hair burst into flame and every inch of her body blistered. Shrieking in agony she arched backward as the glowing phallus thrust was into her. Her body exploded in pain beyond anything she had ever experienced and then suddenly the elemental was gone.

Melissa went limp, the ropes about her wrists holding her erect. She was close to fainting, but was aware of the fact that in spite of what had just happened to her she seemed completely unharmed. Nevertheless the pain, magical or not, had been all too real. Her legs would no longer support her and her breathe came in ragged gasps.

Noric appeared before her, once again flanked by his ghoulish female disciples. “Now, Red Dragon, you have been purified. It is time to make you mine.”

Melissa tried to raise her head, but could only move her eyes. She met Noric’s gaze. She had not yet been broken, but did not know if she could survive another horror such as what had just been visited upon her. She fell forward as Noric parted the ropes supporting her. She would have hit the ground had not Doria and Talitha caught her. Taking her under each arm they dragged her away from the oak and set her on the ground by the fire. Strangely, Melissa welcomed its warmth. The purification ritual had left her drained, her body devoid of heat.

“Bring the brandy,” Noric ordered. “Talitha, prepare a meal. I will eat first and then I will welcome the Red Dragon to my embrace.”

Melissa almost choked on the brandy Noric offered her, but a few sips helped her recover. One of the other girls at Noric’s command draped a blanket over her. She was still decorated with the painful jewellery that perforated her body, but the memory of the terrible pain was subsiding. A few minutes later she was handed a bowl of broth, which she forced into herself.

The brandy and the food seemed to help. Melissa felt her strength return, but there was to be no respite from Noric’s attentions. A rope halter was placed about her neck and Noric mounted his horse once more. “I am not one for spending the night in the open,” the magician said. “There is a large farmhouse not from here. We will stay there tonight.” He kicked his heels and set off, dragging Melissa behind him. Her wrists were no longer bound and she gripped the rope with both hands to keep it from jerking on her neck. She noticed with mild surprise that her wrists, which she had rubbed raw trying to escape, seemed completely healed.

An hour later they arrived at the farmhouse. Noric’s Sea Warrior escort had already taken possession of it and the wizard and his entourage entered without ceremony. It was a fairly large building, standing two stories with the bedrooms on the second floor. Noric turned to Doria. “Prepare her,” he ordered. “Remove the ornamentation, I find it distracting.”

Doria took Melissa to the largest of the upstairs rooms. Removing the rope from her captive’s neck, she ordered Melissa onto the bed and then removed the rings and chains she had so painstakingly placed there just a few hours before. Melissa made no attempt to escape. She had learned the hard way how impossible that was. As the piercings were removed exhaustion overcame her and she fell into a deep sleep.

She awoke to sunlight streaming through the open window. Her first instinct was to escape until she saw Noric watching her from a chair just a few feet away. “You slept well, Red Dragon? I thought it best to let you rest. I found the ritual I performed last night somewhat tiring as I expect you did.”

Melissa clutched a blanket to her breast. Her reaction to Noric was one of fear, but her words were defiant. “What was the purpose of last night’s torture? Did you seek to break me? Well, you have failed. I will never give in to one such as you.”

“Bravely spoken,” Noric answered. “You are indeed difficult to break, a trait that makes you all the more desirable. It suited my purpose to let you rest, but now you must become one of my acolytes. With you as one of my followers I will be powerful beyond any king. Sandor will be mine and then I will take the neighbouring kingdoms. No one will be able to stand against me.”

“I will never join you,” Melissa declared, “no matter how much you brutalize me and degrade me.”

“Tonight I will change your mind,” Noric sneered. “Rest up for now. When the sun goes down you will need all of your strength.”

The rest of the day was spent in anxious waiting. Melissa wondered why Noric had to wait for evening to attempt to subvert her, but could think of no logical reason unless he planned to repeat the previous night’s tortures. She thought of escape also, but gave it up for the moment. The window allowed access to the courtyard of the farmhouse, but Talitha was stationed there to watch her and when she checked the door of her room it was locked from the outside. Unless she could escape through the roof there was no way out.

Evening approached. Doria brought her a meal. She stood watching while Melissa ate. “Eat well,” the girl taunted. “You will need all of your strength to face Noric.”

Melissa did not give Doria the satisfaction of a reply. Instead she ate in silence, acting as if she was alone in the room. Eventually she finished and Doria stomped out, but threw a parting shot as she closed the door. “You are silent now. But in a short while your screams will fill the night.”

Melissa waited. She still not been given any clothing and so kept the blanket draped about her. Doria had shuttered the window and had placed a couple of lanterns in the room to provide limited light. It was poor light to read by, but it would enable her to see Noric when he came for her.

A sound outside the door alerted her before Noric entered. He came alone, dressed in his now familiar black robe. He closed the door behind him and took two steps into the room and stood looking at her. Finally, he spoke. “It seems a long time, since your lover betrayed you and handed you over to me, but it was just a day ago. Tonight we will be lovers, and that coupling will bind you to me forever.”

Melissa got to her feet. “You will not find me a willing conquest,” she answered. “I have no doubt that your magic can force me to your will, but I will never serve you.”

Noric’s lips parted in a wolfish grin. “I was hoping that you would resist. It will make the sounds of your screams so much more enjoyable.” His hands went to the ties at his throat. With a quick tug he loosened them and then moved his fingers down the front of the robe, undoing each tie in turn. His robe parted and he allowed it to slide from his shoulders.

Melissa stared at the wizard. Beneath his robes he wore nothing, but he was not particularly imposing. Tall and thin, he appeared to pose little threat to her, and then his body began to change. Melissa’s eyes widened as Noric’s limbs elongated and then thickened. With seconds he loomed over her, his head brushing the peaked ceiling of the bedroom. But it was not his height that was most impressive. The creature before her was no longer Noric. Great wings expanded from the being’s shoulders, sweeping to the edges of the room. The head was grotesque with an elongated jaw full of pointed teeth. Two yellow eyes with vertical irises looked back at her and the ears were pointed like those of a bat.

Fear swept over her. She knew now why Noric had been so confident. He was not a man, but a demon. She also knew what had happened to Doria and the other women. She could imagine their terrified screams as the hideous monstrosity that stood before her drove its wicked barbed phallus into their virginal bodies. And now she faced the same fate.

“Yes, Red Dragon,” the creature said. It was Noric’s voice, but strangely slurred due to the beast’s dog-like snout. “Now you know why you cannot defy me. Tonight you will experience pain and terror as you are taken by a demon. Tomorrow, you will be bound to me forever.”

“No,” Melissa gasped. “I will never be your slave.”

The demon laughed. Lashing his forked tail he lunged toward her, his taloned hands reaching for her and his immense wings blocking off escape.

Melissa tried to duck under the monster’s outstretched arms, but the demon was quick as well as tall. His left hand tangled in her hair and swept her toward him. His prehensile tail caught her ankle. With a cry of terror Melissa was raised in the air and then dropped onto the bed, the demon on top of her.

She grunted as the demon’s weight pinned her to the bed. She struck desperately at the creature’s head, but it was like pounding her fist against stone. The demon laughed again and then darted its head toward her breasts.

“Aaaagghh!” Melissa screamed in abject terror and pain as the long, needle-sharp teeth pierced her right breast. Then she squealed as the demon used his right knee to part her thighs. The huge demonic phallus was at the gates of her now virginal pleasure garden. Barbed, and fully as thick as her forearm it was a frightening weapon. With all her strength she fought to preserve her virtue, but the demon held her like a child. It lifted its now bloody maw from her breast and ignoring the blows she rained on its head and shoulders it thrust forward.

She bucked like a frightened mare, understanding fully the horror of what had happened to Doria and the other girls. An image of the five flashed through her mind. Five young maidens violated by a monster and filled with demon seed. The ordeal must have been horrible beyond belief as their virginal bodies were corrupted into servants of a vile and dark evil. And now it was her turn.

The thought gave her renewed strength. Somehow she managed to bring her left leg up and drive it into the demon’s chest, forcing him back. But he was far too powerful for such a blow to completely dislodge him. Catching her ankles with both hands he spread her legs and drew her toward him. He toyed with her, watching in malevolent glee as she struggled helplessly to escape. Then he slowly drew her toward his cruel phallus watching the sweat fly from Melissa’s body as she writhed in frenzied terror.

“Eeeeaagghh!” Melissa screamed as the brutal instrument tore into her. It was like being impaled. The giant organ was ribbed like the carapace of a lobster and a spiny ridge ran down its length. As it plunged into her it ripped open the tender lining of her birth canal as it penetrated to the depths of her womb.

If the rape had been painful before it now paled into insignificance, as the demon, now embedded deep within her, began to thrust slowly in and out of her. The cruel phallus, like some horrific torture device tore the silken flesh of her garden of passion, lubricating the giant member with the blood of its victim. Melissa’s back arched and she screamed as Doria had said she would, begging the demon lord to stop. But the fiend’s sexual appetite was insatiable. The brutal violation lasted six long hours, leaving Melissa a broken wreck, her voice so hoarse from shrieking that she could hardly make a sound. Her body quivered from pain and exhaustion and the bed she and the demon lay upon was stained from one end to the other with her blood. Even the walls and floor were splattered with the sticky red fluid. And then the demon arched its back and with a scream of its own and a convulsive shudder exploded deep within her.

The impact of the unearthly orgasm struck Melissa’s womb like a hammer, driving the breath from her body. She hovered on the edge of unconsciousness, and then felt a strange glow within her. It started in her womb and then radiated outward like the heat of a furnace, burning through her internal organs until it reached the skin and then traveling down her arms and legs and surging into her brain.

Her skin burned as if from some inner furnace. The demon pulled out of her, his form changing to that of Noric even as she watched. Melissa lay back. She should have felt brutalized and exhausted, but instead felt a strange elation.

Noric donned his robe and then moved to the side of the bed. He took her hand. “Come,” he said. “There is something you should see.”

He helped her from the bed. There was a definite tenderness between her legs, but nothing like the pain she expected. Confused she stood before the half length mirror in the bedroom.

A pale-skinned, midnight-haired stranger stared back at her. She was very beautiful, her cheekbones high and her eyes and lips as black as coal. Melissa’s eyes went lower and saw that the woman’s full breasts were highlighted by ebon nipples. But it was the black dragon tattoo between her breasts that caught her attention. Familiar and yet different at the same time, it was incised into her flesh with ink so dark it was almost blue.

Melissa’s mouth opened slightly, her breathing quickening as her gaze went lower. The woman’s waist was slender, and emphasized by flaring hips. The slight swell of her abdomen and her washboard stomach promised both fertility and strength. Farther down her mound of Venus was partially concealed by gleaming dark hair.

Melissa opened her mouth to speak, overcome by what she saw.

Noric ran his fingers from the small of her back to the nape of her neck, caressing her gently and catching her long black tresses in his hand. “Welcome, Black Dragon,” he said quietly. “Together you and I will conquer worlds.”

Melissa smiled, revealing needle sharp teeth. She placed her hand in his. “Yes, master,” she replied.

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