My breath comes out shakily as I watch him. He looks away first and keeps his gaze down.

"Eat what is on the table," he orders, before walking deeper into the tunnel.

I look at where he had been sitting and playing with the child. There's a small wooden table beside it, with a tightly wrapped roll. I glance at the retreating dragon, and then at the table. My stomach growls and decides which I should chase.

I take a seat and unwrap the roll. It's still warm; freshly toasted. Soft pink meat peeks out from the corner. I unravel the buns and find ham inside. Actual ham.

The first bite I take is mouth-watering. I chew quickly and the bite goes down my throat dryly. I feel full already, like my stomach is occupied with something else— with guilt.

My eyes move to the direction the dragon disappeared in. What the fuck happened, and why do I feel so bad?

Although I have no appetite, I force myself to eat.

A bottle against the tunnel's wall grabs my attention. It's crystal clear and half-way full with what I assume is whiskey. It probably got lost in the skirmish yesterday.

I wrinkle the napkin and pick up the bottle. After a quick sniff test, I take a swing. My eyes tear and my throat prunes. I cough, and with a sniffle, take another sip. The whiskey makes me feel like a dragon; like I can breathe fire. I feel less cold, less afraid. If I was a weaker person, I would get lost in the liquid bravery, but I have things to do. I can't afford to get drunk.

I wet the napkin with whiskey and dab at the cuts on my wrist. The broken, outraged skin burns worse than my throat, but I enjoy it. Self-harm alleviates my guilt. I know it's not healthy, but we all need our coping mechanisms, especially in the apocalypse.

I set the bottle back where I found it, wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, and walk back to the tent.

To assure that no human will come and give me trouble, I keep an eye on the entrance. I doubt anyone is suicidal enough to approach, though. They're keeping their distance from the intimidating dragon, going as far as abandoning neighboring tents. To restore peace, we have to leave this colony.

After half an hour, no one but the dragon appears. He's back with a bleak expression, ready to continue to drag me to the end of the world.

"Time to get going," he says. "I will get supplies from—"

"No," I blurt.

When his gaze narrows, I add a "please."

"Why not?"

He seems to be back to his imposing, irritated self. Our earlier exchange has been shrugged off.

"I don't want to take anything else from them. Please. I can survive without it."

"Get up," he repeats

I pull my coat on and follow him out. Our footsteps echo through the dark, empty, filthy tunnels. The flooding becomes more apparent the deeper we go. I come to a stop and stare at the distance with discomfort. I can't get my shoes wet. Not in this cold. It'll be an easy way to lose a toe to frostbite.

"Get on my back," he commands.

Ordering me around is his favorite hobby, second to confusing me.

I have no option. I don't have many around him.

When he falls to his knees, I stand behind him and wrap my arms around his shoulders. He swallows my thighs with his huge palms, and lifts me. I become hyper-aware of how my sex is flush against his back. There is some stimulation with every step he takes. My morbid interest in the pleasure he can bring me makes me want to rip my wrist open with my nails, but I resist.

He treads into the water, his now bare feet and pants getting soaked. The water goes up to his knees. I see some rats swimming away from us, and I squeeze my thighs tighter around him.

"You—"

He's cut off by the sound of a rumble that comes from above. Before I can process what's happening, I'm whipped off his back, swung down so I'm against his chest. His body convulses, as if struck by something, and then I hear a splash.

Dirt rains from above us. Oh, fuck. A brick dislodged and fell. If it hit me, I would have crumbled under the injuries.

The dragon groans and rolls his shoulders.

"Are—are you alright?"

"Yes," he grits out and walks away from the dangerous area. I'm secured tighter around him, my arms moving to cup the nape of his neck.

He keeps rolling his shoulders, and I know that if I look, I will find blood.

Thank you for saving me.

I want to say the words, but they won't come. It's as if the whiskey I drank became tar and is trapping them.

He walks through the tunnels for hours, never taking a break. I'm nearly lulled to sleep, if not for the constant sense of danger.

His rumbling voice clears my head. "I'm returning to the surface," he declares.

"What about the snowstorm?" I mumble. "Has it ended?"

"Yes."

He goes up the stairs, and I sigh with relief when sunlight hits my skin. We've been underground for what felt like years.

The dragon slides me off him. He observes the sky and inhales deeply. He's searching for other dragons.

"Anything? Do you sense them nearby?"

"No."

With that, he continues walking. I try to see the degree of damage on his back, but his clothing blocks my view.

As usual, I hold him back. My shorter, weaker legs can't keep up with his pace. There's too much snow in my way. After an hour of struggling, I cave into my pride. If he flies me to FEMA, I'll reach Daisy quicker. Since the other dragons aren't a threat, this is our only chance.

"Why don't you shift and fly us?" I suggest.

He takes a minute to respond. "I cannot."

I frown. "Why?"

"I sustained substantial damage to my back. The ruined bone will need more hours to heal."

That explains it. The brick landed with so much momentum that it crippled him.

My guilt inflates. I was supposed to be the one who took the blow, not him, but he pulled me away from danger without blinking an eye. I'm torn between appreciating and despising him. Saving me does not condone all the death he brought to humanity.

"You're really dedicated to your mission, aren't you?" I laugh weakly. I'm more emotionally tired that I have been in years. "I'm such a valuable lab rat."

He spins, kicking up snow. "You are not my lab rat." He looks exasperated. "Are you looking for a reason why I have not abandoned your angry, stubborn, scheming, careless self?"

I hold my breath.

"It is because I have become attached to you."

What the fuck? What the fuck!

I release my breath, and the hot air combusts with the cold to create white smoke. A silent scream.

I fall on my knees and lie on my back to stare at the sky. I ate meat for the first time in ages, and I'm well-rested, but I haven't felt this tired in years.

Snow crumbles when the dragon lowers himself. He lays flat on his back beside and stares at the sky with me.

I feel pressure on my hand. He has engulfed it with his own.

I'm too exhausted to lift mine, so I keep it there, sandwiched between the freezing snow and the hot touch of this dragon.

a/n: The purpose of book 1 was to explain the downfall of humanity at the hands of Drakkon and his brothers. There will be a second book that explains how humans and the dragons try to rebuild together, and how their two races mix (it's about human women getting matched/paired with dragons -- The Alien's Match

Threatened by a dwindling population, alien warriors from Planet Le'vris enlist on a social experiment with human women. They are to seduce, conquer, scramble the ovaries of their females, and impregnate.

After years of bad blood between the two planets, Myra hates Le'vris. She thinks the women that enlist are traitors for turning their backs on Earth in exchange to get their backs blown out by the insatiable alien warriors.

When she finds out her sister enlisted, Myra chases her down, desperate to get her home before it's too late. In an unexpected turn of events, Myra ends up enlisted while her sister is left behind. She's taken to Le'vris, and shoved into the arms into her alien match.

With Earth millions of light years away, she's stuck on Le'vris. She has no option but to fight her match's attempts at seducing and wooing her.

ALSO IN THE SERIES↓

Jasmin/The Alien's Liar

Jasmin was a part of a Dragon Match program that hoped to offer opportunities to a post-apocalyptic Earth. She was teleported to planet Le'vris and was paired with a dragon, but he was cold toward her. Feeling unwanted, she gave up on the program and returned to Earth. This story is about how she's dragged back to Le'vris and meets another dragon that clearly wants her.

Book 3 is available on www.patreon.com/ancientt

ALSO IN THE SERIES↓

The Alien's Match

This dragon says he will make me shine brighter than his treasure, and he succeeds every time he touches me.

Threatened by a dwindling population, the dragons create a matching program where their fittest warriors seduce and conquer humans, providing comforts and pleasures fit for a queen.

It has been decades since they attacked Earth and destroyed our cities, but I haven't forgotten. After years of resentment and fighting to survive, I have no interest in their matching program. But when my rebellious sister enlists, I go on a wild chase that lands me in the brawny arms of an unyielding dragon who sets me on fire without breathing a single flame.

I'm stuck on an alien planet with this relentless man. He has so much wealth, status, and muscle that little can be denied, but the greedy dragon wants more:me. I resist his advances, but with every touch and whisper, every time he flies me into the sky to do wicked things no one else can see, I fall deeper into his lure.

Available on www.amazon.com/author/elainewaters