Dave frowned; he had never had this reaction to a human before.
“Oi, would you put some clothes on before you hurt someone with that thing.” This voice was also one he had never heard before. It took him a while to locate as the creature was hidden behind Maeve.
The small dragon looked at him with smoke pouring from her little nostrils. Dave wasn't frightened of many things, he was a large mythological creature. Few could rival his size. Yet this small dragon scared the shit out of him.
He looked at Maeve for help, because he didn't have clothes. He had still been growing when he had first shifted, so everything they had got him to wear now didn't fit. He felt the magic as it whispered over his skin before he found himself still bare-footed but dressed in grey joggers and a loose shirt.
“Than-k… y-you,” he stuttered out. Words still not coming as easy as he thought they would.
Maeve nodded. “Not a problem, please could you lift Jessica for me and place her over in the shade?” Maeve asked, using her magic again to manifest a small camp bed in a shade alcove. It was also the alcove Dave used to place what few things he had.Trinkets from the sea floor, shells, and the odd piece of treasure from the wrecks in the deep. Brutas had said he was starting to hoard. It's what a Kracken did before they left to find a mate. Brutas didn't know about his secret hoard though. One that was deep under the sea.
Gently he cradled the human within his arms, her body light, and he actually enjoyed the way her head sat against his chest, her ear right over his heart. He was glad she was unconscious or else she would hear its rapid beat at the mere act of holding her.
She felt familiar, it was almost like home to hold her and that worried Dave, these feelings were new and scary, and he didn't know what to do with them.
“Just here please, Dave,” Maeve instructed, and as soon as he placed her down, he moved away, as far away from the little fire beast as he could.
Dave clenched his fists and watched the witch deal with the human, he actually missed the feeling of her in his arms. He wanted to know who she was and why she was here, and if she had seen him in his Kracken form.
He worried for the Hollow if she had, they would have to deal with her, and he hated that stress for the witches.
All of these thoughts raced through his mind, and he hated it, gone were the simple worries of a Kracken now he had human thoughts too. Human thoughts that messed with his grand plan and gave him feelings.
How Brutas dealt with this he didn't know, Dave was sure he didn't like it, who would? It was confusing, and made it difficult to enjoy the simple things like the way the sun would heat your tentacles if you lay on the sand long enough.
“Dave…Dave!” Maeve's voice cut through his internal chatter and brought him back to the task at hand.
Instead of answering, he grunted and stepped back away from the unconscious female. He had to keep away from her. Shemust be a witch to be casting spells on him like this. He had a task. Sort the eggs and then leave to find his mate.
“Dave, please don't worry, she merely fainted. I think it is due to her long journey here and the excitement. She is here to help with the eggs. She's a specialist in mythological creatures. Her name is Jessica.”
Dave listened as Maeve explained who the female was, as soon as the Witch said her name, it stuck inside his head.
Jessica, Jessica, Jessica.
He liked the name, and it suited the beauty that she was. She would fit in well at the Hollow… all of the females were beautiful.
“You will help her, Dave, and show her our little slice of heaven out here.” Maeve smiled, and Dave nodded.
He didn't want to, but he would always do what Maeve told him and he didn't want to piss off the little dragon. She was still eyeballing him like she wanted to set him on fire. Maybe he should ask the other familiars if they want to chat about it. Maybe take it to one of their poker games. Not that Dave knew what poker was. He just knew it made the parrot angry and Bas usually ended up fighting.
Stepping a little further away, Dave sat on a rock in the sun, it wasn't as good as laying out his tentacles, but it would have to do. He would watch over both females whilst they waited for Jessica to come around, only then would he go back out to sea. He had this urge to add to his hoard. He wanted to find something large and shiny.
Letting his thoughts drift to the many wrecks untouched by humans, Dave planned out the rest of the day for when the females would leave him in peace.
5
Jessica’s dreams were good,they always had a tendency to be enjoyable, but this one was different. She was on a beach, sunbathing and enjoying the feel of the sun on her skin, next to her a man. A large male whose face she couldn't see as the sun was shining from behind. But she knew this man cared for her, and the way his hand caressed up her bare leg made her stretch on the sand. Silently encouraging more touch.
But that touch wasn't gentle. In fact, the longer his hand stayed on her leg, the hotter her leg got until she sat up and shouted.
“Ouch, you mother fucker!”
“Told you that would wake her, works like a charm,” the smug voice of Edith broke Jessica out of her confused stated.
“What the hell, Edith? That hurt,” Jessica argued, looking at the little purple dragon, who stared back, a grin on the little sod’s face.
“You needed waking, I helped,” Edith stated before she nodded her head.
