-Thank you,
come again. – Brona said as he closed the door behind his customer.

Brona
turned and slammed his back to the door, slowly slumping down to the floor.

-Everything
alright, boss? – Tugg asked, not raising his eyes from the newspaper.

It had been
a long day at “Brona’s curse and charm removal service”. As long as any other
day according to Tugg, but he didn’t really mind it all that much, having now
adjusted to his new position at this little venture as a
secretary/security/helping-hand.

-Do you
know what I hate, Tugg? – Brona asked while getting up.

-Paying
taxes? – Tugg took a glance at the lion.

Brona
furrowed his brow.

-Wel…yes.
Who doesn’t? But do you know what else?

-Running a
respectful business venture?

-I see you
are in a sour mood today. – Brona said as he darted to grab his tin coffee mug.
– What I hate are all these hillbillies and country bumpkins coming here,
making a fuss about who cursed them and how and then claiming that I am not an
expert on the matter!

-You aren’t
really that much of an expert.

-You…you
are just filled with spite today.

Tugg let
out a low chuckle and turned back to his paper.

-What
happened? – Tugg asked trying to sound as sincere as he could.

-Pff…I
don’t know… - Brona said taking a sip from his coffee. – This guy said that I
don’t know what I am talking about since I’m not a real wizard and that his
neighbor shared a room with a real one and would probably be of more help.

-Did you
take out the urethral prod?

-…I’d
rather not say.

-Never take
out the urethral prod… - Tugg said shaking his head.

-Look, the
urethral prod doesn’t matter. What matters is that there’s some charlatan out
there, claiming to be a wizard and he’s most likely stealing my clients.

-Glass
houses, Brona…

-Would you
stop doing that?

Tugg let
out a deep sigh, closed his paper and turned towards the lion.

-Is there a
wizard out there going around helping people? – Tugg asked, his eyes
dead-centered on Brona.

-I doubt he
is a wizard. I haven’t heard of any wizards living here and I’m in the know.

-Mmm…there’s
that kid. Raeder’s boyfriend. What was his name again?

Brona
flinched.

-There’s a
wizard here?

-Sure. You
remember that guy? Raeder? He came here last week. Something to do with his
stomach and his wizard boyfriend.

-Not
really, no.

-Well, a
guy came here, who’s name was Raeder and he had a stomach problem caused by his
wizard boyfriend. – Tugg said with a deadpan voice. – Raeder is a big, black
wolf and his boyfriend is this white little fox boy.

Brona
almost choked on his coffee.

-I’m sorry,
did you say “white little fox boy? – he asked, still coughing.

-Sure did.

-Atilus…

-Beg your
pardon?

-Atilus!  - Brona repeated.  – That mangy, old git is behind all of this.

Tug ran a
hand across his face. The pay was pretty good, but these episodes made him
question his career path.

-Who… -
Tugg slapped his hands together. - …is Atilus?

-Ohhh! He’s
a no good, two-timing swindler of a wizard! That’s who he is! – Brona shouted
as he flayed his arms around while walking around the room.

-I take it
you have some sort of…beef with this wizard fellow?

-Is it that
obvious? – Brona asked sarcastically.

-Eh…so-so…
- Tugg replied sarcastically, shaking his palm.

The dry
humor was lost on the lion. He hurried into his study and started rummaging.
Tugg remained seated for a while. He wanted to remain seated. He knew that
nothing good would come if he didn’t remain seated. But he knew that Brona
would have some stupid and crazy scheme at the ready and the quicker he learned
about it, the quicker he could calm his nervous.

Tugg
deseated himself and followed Brona into his study. He saw the lion going
through a stack of papers, crushing them and throwing them. Tugg leaned on the
door, arms crossed. He was not going to engage. Deaseting was more than enough.
Engaging was stepping the line.

-Tugg! What
are you standing around there for? Come and help me!

Tugg
sighed.

-Sure
thing, boss…

Tugg
stepped over the piles of loose papers, torn up books and charm and curse
relocation equipment, making sure to a serviceable amount of distance away from
the urethral prod.

-What are
we looking for?

-Flyers! –
Brona murmured.

-Don’t know
what does are.  – Tugg stated with as
little energy as he could.

-They
are…papers! Papers with news printed on them! 
- Brona tried to explains in between his frustrated grunts!

-Ah…so…a
newspaper? – Tugg let out a short, low chuckle.

-Smaller
papers! With less information. It’s a relatively new idea!

-Whatever
you say, boss.

-Aha! –
Brona leaped from joy, waving a flyer in his hand.

-What is
that, boss?

-Revenge,
dear Tugg. Sweet, sweet revenge.

-Assassin’s
guild?

-No… -
Brona said with a sinister tone.  –
Something much, greater…

-Right. –
Tugg turned around. – We’ll working day’s over so I’ll be heading back home.

-How would
you like to make quadruple your salary with an all expenses paid three day
vacation?

Tugg
stopped dead in his tracks.

-What’s the
catch?

-You’ve got
to steal some things for me.

Tugg
repeated the words in his mind. Surely there was a catch. Brona was malcontent,
without a doubt. But just to steal something.

-What’s the
real catch?

-You’ve got
to steal three things for me, while seducing a gay dragon.

-It’s never
easy with you, is it Brona?

#

-Thanks. –
Tugg said, gave the money to the coach driver and jumped off.

Although
Krekh was a much larger town than Brin, it seemed much more peaceful and quiet.
The ram walked through the streets, inhaling deeply the smell of lavender and
roses sold by the stands of the marketplace. He almost tripped as three kids
ran pass him, headed towards a street show of thespians and musicians. It
really was calmer than Brin and apparently much more artistically inclined.
Tugg smirked. He just might decide to relocate here. They’d have bars probably.
And if they have bars, then would need security.

He pulled
out a piece of paper from his pocket. “Basilisk tooth street 24. 8 o’clock. You
got this.”. The ram took a moment to stare at the paper. He might as well move
here when the job was done.

Tugg walked
through the streets, very conscious of the fact that he looked like a tourist,
the way he examined the architecture and he confusion at trying to read the
proper street signs. He didn’t really care. And the residents did seem quite helpful
each time he asked for directions.

A few turns
here, a few there and finally Tugg was at Basilisk tooth. He knocked on the
door.

#

-What is
all this about exactly?  - Tugg asked.

Brona
sipped from his mug, letting the ram read and reread the flyer a few number of
times.

-Simple.
This guy here, this Amar fellow. He’s a close friend of Atilus.

-And he’s
queer. And he’s organizing blind dates. Yes, I read the thing. What is it all
really about

-I hate
Atilus…

-You hate
everybody who’s more successful than you.

-Shush! I
hate Atilus. He thinks he’s this big shot, flaunting his wizard hat around like
a he owns the place.

Tugg took a
seat. This was going to take a while.

-And as I
said, this Amar fellow is a close friend of Atilus. I have it on good authority
that Amar has, more than once mind you, received gifts from Atilus of a
certain…magical nature.

-On good
authority? – Tugg leaned forward.

-Yes.

-You?

-Yes. Me.
You’ve got to be in the know on these things.

-“In the
know”…Brona. You aren’t in the know. I don’t know anyone who is less in the
know.

Brona
seemed genuinely hurt by the last comment. 
Tugg didn’t apologize.

-You…I
don’t know what has happened to you today. But you are positively dreadful.

-Fine!
Fine! What do you want from me?

-Steal
three things. A bronze dragon statue. A blue and gold book and an amulet.

-And what
do these things…do exactly? – Tugg questioned, scratching his chin.

Brona was
silent for a moment.

-You don’t
know, do you?

-I don’t
know.

-So much for
being in the know. Fine. I’ll do it.

-Excellent!
That would teach that cruddy, old Atilus a thing or two! – Brona started
chuckling to himself as he went through more and more books.

-What is it
going to teach him?

-Not to be
such a ponce, for starters.

-I highly
doubt that.

-Also
you’ll be seducing a dragon.

There was a
moment of silence. The ram broke it.

-Come
again?

#

-Krandred I
presume? – the dragon said.

Leaning on
the doorframe with a pleasant smile, Amar took his time eyeing the ram.

-Um…yeah…that’s
me.  – Tugg answered nervously.  

Amar
stepped aside a invited his guest in. At first Tugg was a bit hesitant, peering
inside the house. It looked extremely luxurious, at least to Tugg’s
understanding.

-Come on
now, Krandred. No need to be so shy. Please, come inside.

Tugg took a
deep breath and stepped inside. He walked through the hallway, examining the
indoor decoration, trying to located the loot and to remember the layout for a
quick escape later on.

-Dinner
will be ready shortly. Let me show you around the house. I’m sure you’ll enjoy
it, being an architect and all that. – Amar said, grabbing the ram by the hand
and pulling him inside.

-Yeah…sure…

Passing
through the tinny corridor, Tugg noticed a bookcase, on top of which stood the
dragon statuette. He quickly glanced inside the bookcase and saw the book. Two
out of three. One more left.

-I must
say, I was quite pleasantly surprised when I saw you, Krandred.

-How so? –
the ram furrowed his brow.

-You
haven’t been on blind dates before, have you? – the dragon asked rhetorically,
trying to sound sweet.  – Most people
tend to…exaggerate. They would paint themselves in such fabulous lights, one
would think they were taken directly out of a fairy tale. But you, dear Krandred,
you were spot on. Your build, your horns, your mannerisms. Even the way you
walk. It’s uncanny.

-My…mannerism…
- Tugg said silently, trying not to make it sound like a question.

-Oh, yes. You
do seem a bit shy and tense. Most of the time people would only say that to
look a bit more cute. Or they would downplay their severe social ineptness.
Still, to each their own I suppose.

The pair
entered a room, much larger than Tugg would expect a room could be. A large oak
table stood in the middle, decorated with an intricate cover, with candelabras
place at a five peace distance between each other. The floor was wooden, most
likely ash. The windows had glass, which to Tugg’s understanding was a symbol
of wealth, and long, velvet curtains hung to the ground, tied in bundles with
golden rope. Beside the fireplace, stood a black harpsichord with an ivory
floral relievo.

-This is my
dinning room. We will be dinning here, as you might have guessed. – the dragon
chuckled. – I usually entertain guests here. Oh, and back there is the living
room.

Amar
pointed towards the corridor, motioning towards the room next to the entrance.

-…where you
usually live? – Tugg said in a sardonic tone.

-Oh, you
are cheeky. – the dragon laughed lightly, the sarcasm lost on him. – Yes,
that’s where I usually live. And over there is the kitchen, where, you guessed
it, I kitch.

-Heh. –
Tugg forced out a laugh.

This was
going to be harder than expected.

#

-Here’s the
thing, Tugg. – Brona said. – You will be impersonating a thirty year old
architect, who’s a little shy. I have no doubt you will manage.

-Brona… -
Tugg began while massaging his temples. - …I am not sure…if you’ve noticed,
but…I am not in my thirties.

-Don’t
worry about that. I have a plan.

-Tell me
again, how you managed to convince this guy to invite me over?

Brona
leaned back in his chair, proudly scratching his chin.

-What can I
say?

-You are
quite the seducer, aren’t you?

-I know
what people want. I know what to say. It’s simple.

-Can’t
expect anything less from a confidence artist. – Tugg chuckled.

-I’m not a
conman. I run a respectable business venture, which satisfies the wants and
needs of all my clients. Why are you sassing me so much?

-Don’t talk
to me about respectable business ventures. I’m your accountant. I’ve seen what
you do. Buying and selling bridges all around.

-Would
you…just stop criticizing. Do you want the job or not?

-Fine.
Fine. – Tugg gave in. – What do you want me to do?

-I’ve been
writing this guy for some time now. You are a gay architect in his thirties who
is a little shy.

-That’s it?
– Tugg raised an eyebrow.

-That’s it.
– Brona nodded confidently.

The ram
took a deep sigh and stood up.

-Listen. I
haven’t been to a play for quite some time, so I might be…out of the loop…on
the thespian matters. But. I’m pretty sure that’s not a very convincing
character.

-Don’t
worry about it. – Brona waved him off. – The guy’s pretty full of himself. He
talks page after page about what he wants and what he dreams, and about his
life. He’s quite the sucker.

-Fair
enough. And what about the fact that I’m in my fifties. And that I ain’t a fag.

Brona
scratched his chin once again, trying to imitate deep thought. But his
expression showed that he already had an answer.

-Here’s the
thing. We can’t do anything about the homolust. But I have an idea about the
age.

Brona
jumped up and out of the mountains of piled up books and knickknacks and
doohickeys he somehow pulled out a leather sofa, ripped up and stained, a life
lived inside the goliath of garbage.

-Lay here.
– Brona said and ran to one of his bookshelves, scanning the contents slowly
and methodically.

A bit
suspicious of the sofa, Tugg pushed a few times before ling down, the springs
somehow managing to pierce his back without penetrating the material.

-Tell me,
Tugg, are you familiar with hypnotism?

-Mmm…isn’t
that the thing the ugly villains use to get innocent damsels to fall in love
with them in those penny-dreadfuls?

-Yes, but
not exactly.

Tugg let
out a loud grunt. He had the strange feeling that something stupid was going to
happen. He tried to shift and take a look at Brona and the ruckus he was
causing, but the obnoxiously uncomfortable sofa was causing him some problems.

-Now.
Here’s the thing. – Brona said as he appeared before Tugg, scanning through a
book. – The popular term for this in the wizarding community is “low majjixk”.

-And what’s
the unpopular term for it? – Tugg commented.

-Well…depends
on the kind of wizard you are. You see, there many schools of majjixk, with
each one having a specific set of ideas and principles…

-I don’t
care. – Tugg shut him down.

-Wow. Rude.

-Indeed.
So, what will you be doing exactly?

-It’s a
simple trick. First you are going to relax. And then I’m going to tell you some
nice things. After which you will look in your thirties.

-I…don’t
really understand this.

-Don’t
worry your head about it. Let’s get this started.

#

After what
seemed like an eternity of babbling about the décor, design, the types of people
he would usually invite over and chat with as well as his tremendous book
collection, Amar settled on playing a piece he was composing to his guest.

Tugg didn’t
have much appreciation fine music. He had a simple, yet relatively sound idea
of what music was: if you could stomp your foot to it, it music. Truly some
scholars might agree with that notion to a certain degree.

Amar on the
other hand had a much more elaborate understanding of what music was, as he
explained to the ram about half an hour before he began playing his
harpsichord. He felt that music was supposed to give atmosphere to an occasion,
grasping the subtle nuances of an experience and translating it into sound,
transmuting the ambience, thereby enhancing and enriching the moment. Some
scholars might agree with that notion to a certain degree as well.

But besides
their differences, both camps of musical scholars would most certainly agree
with one particular notion at that very moment was that the dragon wasn’t very
good at playing the harpsichord. He would miss beats, lag behind, hurry, hit
wrong notes and all the while play the music without any musicality whatsoever.
A third kind of scholar, a more forward thinking and avant-garde sort, might
say that the point of the piece was exactly that, but without any doubt those
lot, if they by chance informed themselves on Amar’s techniques and methodology
and continued to hold the same sentiment, would be willfully ignorant of “the
experimentalist vs the hack” idea in arts.

-Well, what
do you think?

-Huh? –
Tugg was woken from his dazed stat, greeted by the smiling dragon.

-I’m still
developing it. The piece is there, but it’s not completely ready. I’m sure you
can understand, being a man of the arts and all.

-Yes.
Completely. – Tugg answered stiffly.

-But in
case, I believe this piece, for its fullest enjoyment, should be played during
an afternoon meet up, over blueberry tea and chocolate cake, with an audience
of no more than five. I call the piece “Cool and gentle drift in the springtime
afternoon”.

-You don’t
say… - Tugg murmured.

-Yes, if I
dare say, I am a bit of a romantic. Always following my heart, wherever it may
lead me. You understand me, don’t you, Krandred?

-Huh? Oh,
yes. Completely.

The dragon
stood up from his chair and laid on the sofa in the most flamboyant pose
possible.

-Oh,
Krandred. Why can’t there be more people like you? Ones who understand the arts
and the importance of fulfilling your soul’s longings? I have a friend, who is
most truly a romantic type, always going on adventures, armed with nothing but
his quick wit and trusted hammer. He is fairly intelligent, I must say, but he
is a bit of a brute, so I am not sure if you should meet him just yet. But in
time, I am sure that you would find him a very interesting fellow. – the dragon
let out a heavy sigh before he continued. – Come to think about it, there might
be chance that you could have met him. He does travel a lot. And he is a close
relative to your kind.

-My kind? –
Tugg raised an eyebrow in contempt, unnoticed by Amar.

-Mhm. He is
a minotaur. A bulky one with…

-As a
whole, we don’t really know each and every one of us. You know that, right?

The dragon
seemed stunned for a moment.

-Oh, no,
no, no. I’m not trying to imply anything here. I’m just mentioning that…

-You do
know there are differences between bulls and rams? – Tugg let the question ring
for a moment.

#

-I can’t
believe this worked! – Tugg said as he examined his face in the mirror.

-Of course
it did! I just convinced you that you were younger. People see you the way you
feel. So if you feel younger, people will see you younger. And if they see you
younger, you’d be even more convinced that you were younger. – Brona adjusted
his spectacles. – It’s quite the circle. Now. Have you decided how you’d act?

-Um…gay?

-Okay, yes,
but what does that really mean to you?

Tugg
scratched his neck.

-I know of
only one gay guy. He acts rather normal, so I don’t know really.

Brona took
a moment.

-Just don’t
talk a whole lot. I doubt it would be a problem with this guy. But if you find
yourself in a conversation in which you have to participate just…I don’t
know…talk with a high pitched.

-I don’t
think I can. – Tugg said, still looking at himself in the mirror.

-Why’s
that?

-Got my
vocal cords shredded a few years back. Anything higher and I sound like two
rocks grinding each other…but higher.

-Well…just
speak more quietly then, I don’t know. Also…try not to be too assertive with
guy. I’m pretty sure he scares easily.

#

-Well, yes,
of course I know there is a difference. I’m not trying to say that you are all
the same. But you have to acknowledge that there are some similarities. Not
that there is anything wrong with that. All I’m saying is… - Amar continued to
stumble on his words under Tugg’s fierce gaze.

-Look. It’s
fine. – Tugg said quietly. – Just…forget about it.

-No, no,
no, I don’t want you to think that I don’t respect you or your kind in any way,
shape or form. I was just saying…

-Please.
That’s enough. I understand.

-I am
dreadfully sorry if I offended you in any way…

-I said its
fine! – Tugg yelled out.

A silence
followed with Amar staring in disbelief and Tugg mentally kicking himself for
bursting out. This really was going to be challenging for the ram.

-I am sorry
I yelled. – Tugg began adopting his quiet voice again. – This is a bit of a
sensitive matter amongst bolvines. I don’t think you would understand.

And like
that Amar’s moment of shock evaporated and he returned to his overdramatic
self.

-Oh,
Krandred, I think I just might. – he said his voice fluctuating into school
theater levels. – As a dragon I know a thing or two of social mistrust and
inequality ever present in the age we live in.

-You don’t
say. – Tugg commented beneath his nose.

-Oh, yes. I
do. It…isn’t easy…being a dragon. Seldom can you find people you can trust. And
even less frequent are those that you can truly share your heart with. – the
dragon made a dramatic pause, waiting for his guest to respond in a similar fashion,
which didn’t occur. – Say! You know, what? I want to show you something.

And with
that Amar grabbed Tugg by the hand and pulled him up the stairs.

-I have a
few books about dragons. Their history, biology and the like. As a man of the
sciences, I am sure you will find them most captivating.

They burst
into one of the rooms on the top floor.  The
dragon threw himself onto the leather couch and motioned Tugg to sit in the
leather chair right next to it while grabbing a book of the small table next to
him.

Tugg
begrudgingly did as he was told. Amar opened the heavy book on a random page,
cleared his throat and began reading.

-“Draconae
biology 101”.

Tugg
suppressed a grunt.

#

-Tell me
again why you need these things? – Tugg asked Brona.

-I’m
vindictive and grumpy.

-Sounds
about right. Sounds strange when you say it, but sounds right.

-What can I
say, Tugg? You have broken me. I have discarded all pretences by now. Find me
the stuff and you’ll be rich.

-I don’t
think that three months of my pay is worth the kingdom and the princess’ hand.
– Tugg said.

-Well to me
it’s almost the same. Here’s the thing. I don’t know what these thing do, so
just grab them and we’ll figure it out when you get back. Just remember the
blue book, the statuette and the amulet.

-Right,
right…steal a bunch of crap and bring it back. It’s not that difficult to
remember.

-I have the
sneaking suspicion that there is a chance that you might forget…

-How come?

-I can bet
my ass that the dragon is going to bore you out of your skull. High chance that
you won’t be able to concentrate enough on the task at hand.

-Right… -
Tugg said with solemn but doubtful expression.

#

Suicide was
a mysterious thing for most people. It was extremely hard for anyone to imagine
what might drive someone to such actions with most people condemning them as
cowards. Tugg was not one of them. He loved life and believed that no one
should be denied its gifts and that all deaths, no matter the circumstances,
should be mourned. He believed that everyone should only be remembered with the
good they had done and, if by some chance, they had no good deeds in their
lives, then it might be best that those people should be forgotten. Suicide for
him was not a bad thing in itself. It was a sad occurrence. He understood that
there had to be something fundamentally wrong with somebody to be able to defy
all his biological drive, instincts, mechanisms and safeguards to be able to
cease his existence like that. He had never understood what might drive someone
to suicide. But at this moment he believed that he might have found one reason.
And he believed that this was the closest he had ever been to understand the
mindset of one such person.

-And that’s
the basics more or less. – Amar said with a self congratulating tone of voice.

-Mhm. I
just didn’t hear the last part – Tugg said, as if he was paying attention.

-Oh, well,
a dragon’s underbelly is of his most sensitive areas.

-Right,
right… - the ram said absentmindedly.

The dragon,
for one reason or another, took that as a plea for a demonstration and without
missing a beat, he undid the belt of his velvet robe, exposing his abdomen.

-This… - he
slid a hand over his belly. – Is my most sensitive area. Well…one of my most
sensitive areas…

He winked
at Tugg. At first, the ram didn’t get what he meant and when he took a look at
the dragon’s gut, he noticed the host testicles and penis hanging out. The
ram’s eyes widened. This was not in the plan. It wasn’t even in the contingency
plan. It wasn’t even part of the improvisation. Tugg quickly ran all of the
conversation he had with Brona. None of them said anything about sex. Brona
even went out of his way to say that there was to be no sex. And yet here was
the dragon, waving his dragon cock and dragon balls...dragonly.

-See
something you like? – Amar asked, his smile coy.

-N-no! No…I
was just…zoning out... – Tugg answered quickly.

-On my
balls? – the dragon chuckled.

-I…ugh…

-Relax…I
remember our agreement...I just figured that you might…you know, want a sneak
peek at what’s to come later on.

Tugg
audibly gulped. The dragon slowly closed up his robe.

-You should
feel very honored, Krandred. You’ve managed to spark to fire of lust in me,
even though you aren’t my type.

Tugg
squinted his eyes. He was pretty sure, that even amongst gays, that wasn’t a
pretty nice line.

-And what
was your type exactly? – the ram decided to humor the dragon.

-Oh…you
know…younger…scrawnier. I am top after all. So a muscular, middle aged hunk
wouldn’t do it for me.

Tugg had a
vague idea of what a “top” might be. He doubted the dragon was really a top. In
fact he was pretty sure that the dragon was a virgin, considering the way he
talked. Like every man, Tugg had discussed sex with his friends and usually
those who talked a big game didn’t have anything to show for it. He was pretty
sure it was the same here.

-But
you…you are different. You are special…

Tugg knew
those words as well. They reeked of desperation.

-I don’t
think I’ve felt this way before about someone…

Tugg was
now certain that he was in the company of a desperate virgin, who was trying
everything to get laid.

-In fact…I
just might show you something…

The dragon
went to a closet and started rummaging. Tugg rolled his eyes in disbelief. It
was no wonder Brona had managed to set everything up so quickly. Tugg looked
around the room. It was a nice room, actually. Oak desk, leather furniture,
mahogany bookshelves. The bookshelf! There it was placed – the golden amulet.
The last thing he needed. Tugg licked his lips, his hand slowly moving towards the
sack he had hidden in his boot. It was simple, while dragon was preoccupied
with whatever he was doing, he would jump, grab the trinket, rush downstairs,
grab the statuette and book and bolt out of the door. Simple.

-Aha! –
Amar yelled out and turned towards the ram. – Here it is!

Tugg’s eyes
went wide as the dragon pulled out a giant dildo, roughly the size of the ram’s
forearm. The dragon smirked the moment he noticed Tugg staring at the
contraption.

-Don’t
worry. It gets smaller.

Tugg didn’t
answer, still in shock.

-…or would
you prefer it the way it is?

-Hey! What
happened with dinner? I’m famished!

-Where’s
the hurry? – the dragon spoke slowly, sliding across the room and up next to
the ram. – See something you like?

Tugg’s gaze
shot quickly from Amar’s stomach towards his face, sensing how he was most
likely sending mixed signals.

-Umm…no…

-Come now,
no need to be shy. We are both adults. There’s no need for that. If you want
you can touch it…

Tugg
gulped. He could just cave him in, bash his jaw and run. In fact, he had half a
mind to do it. But something was stopping him. He speculated that it might be
duty. The plan was for theft, not battery and burglary. He took a shallow
breath and lightly poked the dragon’s belly.

-Heh…you
can do better than that. – Amar said, giggling.

Tugg
squirmed and placed his on the dragon’s belly.

-That’s
nice…

-Mmm… -
Tugg grunted.

-You can
rub me, it’s no big deal.

Tugg
clenched his jaw and slid his hand over Amar’s abdomen. It was obvious that the
dragon as holding his gut in. The ram’s hand moved up and down, left and right,
with a low moan escaping Amar’s mouth from time to time. This continued for
what seemed like an eternity. Each time Tugg looked at the dragon’s belly, he
noticed Amar’s shaft peering from beneath his robes and the ram would quickly
look away.

-This is
very nice. – the dragon moaned in his guest’s ear.

-Mm…

-I really
wouldn’t mind my turn on your body… - Amar said as he gently caressed Tugg’s
horn.

Tugg was
fairly old and he had been around the block a few times. Throughout his life he
mostly worked jobs involving security, simply keeping the peace and dealing
with ruffians. That being said, he didn’t consider himself a meathead in
anyway. He firmly believed that it was the job of everyone to constantly
improve themselves in any way shape or form. His way of improvement – reading
fighting philosophies and mastering fighting styles.

On the
surface it wasn’t anything special, since most people he worked with knew a few
different fighting techniques. But he would go beyond simply learning a new
headlock and calling it a day. He had spent hours reading and researching
biomechanics, pressure points and optimal positioning. He had devoted entire
days on training his strength and speed, trying to transform his body into a
living weapon.

In his
youth he could go against five opponents at once and win without much of a
hassle. But time catches up to all of us, including the ram and as he aged, he
became slower and less flexible, making him more unsure and less likely to get
into fights. And yet, his spirit hadn’t faltered. He decided, instead of trying
to keep up with what he had been able to do in the past, to simply adapt his
techniques to what he had become.

His style
was now more defensive now, less sporadic. But most importantly, he had trained
himself to fight in even closer quarters, making less likely to strain himself.
And now the dragon was in a perfect position.

In split
second, Tugg pulled his hand back and jammed his fist into the dragon’s gut,
pouring his entire bodyweight into the punch. Amar couldn’t really comprehend
what had happened as he flew a few meters backwards, crashing right into his
bookcase. His gut had completely retreated into his cavity and it was slowly
and painfully inflating as the dragon whizzed and tried to breathe, unable to
inhale.

-That’s for
touching my horns, fag. – Tugg spat out. – Never touch another man’s horns
without permission.

The dragon
didn’t react, his breathing slowly stabilizing, but still shallow. And then it
quickened with dragon starting to hyperventilate. And with each exhale, he let
out a small puff of smoke. One after another, the smoke clouds rolled up,
forming a light smog in the room. Tugg started coughing violently, but through
bloodshot eyes he noticed that the dragon didn’t seem to react much, still on
the ground huffing. The ram thought that he must have ruptured something,
deciding on the spot to run downstairs and grab what he could and later coming
back after the smog had cleared.

 The ram ran through the hallway and jumped
down the stairs, spinning around and stopping right in front of the bookshelf.
He quickly scanned the books, grabbing what he had come for and then
immediately jumping up and grabbing the dragon statuette. And then he dropped
the dragon statuette, slightly burning his hand in the process.

At first he
thought that he might had imagined it, but after a second try, he discovered
that the statuette itself was hot to the touch. Figures Brona wouldn’t really
know what he had been after.

Tugg pulled
out a bag from his bag pocket, gently punting the statue inside, after which he
stuffed the book in there too. All that was left was the amulet, which he left
behind in the room. Maybe he should have taken it earlier. The ram was about to
go back up the stairs, when he heard Amar stumbling through the hall. Tugg
should have definitely had taken the amulet earlier.

The ram
crouch down right next to the staircase, hoping the dragon wouldn’t see him. He
tightened his grip on the bag as he heard Amar’s footsteps getting closer. And
then he loosened his grip a bit when he heard the dragon falling down the
stairs.

After a
series of profanities, Amar managed to get up and violently opened the door. He
must have thought that Tugg had gotten away by now. With a quick dash the ram
grabbed the dragon by the shoulder, turned him around and planted his fist deep
in his abdomen.

Amar
kneeled over as the fist was engulfed by the dragon’s belly. His eyes bulging,
his jaw dropped and his body limp, Tugg figured that he had gotten the better
of him once more. And yet again smoke started leaking from Amar’s gapping maw,
evenly spreading through the corridor.

Tugg
quickly threw the dragon to one side and ran upstairs. The smoke in the study
had almost completely cleared out. Through bloodshot eyes, he scanned the room.
The moment he found the amulet he quickly snatched it and turned back to run,
only to be met by a pounce.

The dragon,
somehow managing to recover quicker than last time, had managed to silently
climb up the stairs and caught the ram by surprise. Maybe should had kicked
Amar just for good measure.

-Who do you
work for? – Amar panted out, smoke still coming out of his mouth.

-Ain’t
working for no one! – Tugg blurted out. – Just an honest thief, trying to make
a living.

-Sure… -
Amar said wheezing and coughing. – A month long correspondence, just to steal a
book and a statue. Sure.

-Hell! –
Tugg struggled underneath Amar’s pin, but couldn’t manage to get himself free.
– You’re a dragon! Figured you just might have something of value here. You
know how it is, right? The most inconspicuous might be the most valuable.

The dragon
narrowed his eyes, his grip still firm and his breathing still syncopated.

-I don’t
believe that…

-Hey,
believe what you want, friend.

Amar let
out a low growl.

-I think I
just might have a way to make you talk…

He waved
his tail in front of Tugg and with a quick snap, he tore off the ram’s pants.
Tugg’s widened as Amar wrapped his tail around the dildo he had been waving
around earlier. He knew where this was going.

-To think I
had fallen for you… - Amar spoke with a melancholy voice. – In any case, I’m
sure I just might get what I wanted from you…

It should
be noted, that whatever Amar’s intentions might have been, raping the ram was
surely not one of them. His plan was fairly simple, really. Threaten his guest
with sexual assault, until he spilled the beans, then incapacitate him and call
in the authorities. In Amar’s mind, the plan was foolproof.

But the
moment he slightly pressed the dildo to the ram’s buttcheek, Tugg knew that
things were serious. In an instant a mixture of fear and anger boiled up inside
of him, the adrenaline pumping through his body, reflexes taking completely
control.

Tugg
violently jerked back and forth, causing Amar to pin him harder on the ground.
Tugg struggled and cursed and then he found his way out.

A simple
technique, well practiced and efficiently deadly. The nut kick. Tugg slammed
his foot into Amar’s crotch.  There was
no sound, at least none that can be heard. Amar’s eyes watered up and he bent
and rolled over on the floor.

Tugg,
wasting no time, jumped up and grabbed the sack. He took a glance at the
dragon, still curled up on the floor, ass up. The ram clicked his tongue.

Amar, too
preoccupied to hear anything, was fairly certain that the intruder had left, gathering
that he just might had scarred him enough. The pain was slowly subsiding and he
was almost ready to get up and head to the militia station. And then Tugg
shoved the dildo right up the dragon’s ass.

Amar
convulsed on the floor, yelling in pain and, for one reason or another,
pleasure. He had used that dildo numerous times before, during the dark and
lonely nights. A standard session with the device took between one and two
hours – including preparation and foreplay. A few seconds was much less than
ideal.

-Wellp! You
got what you wanted. I got what I wanted. I think it just might be time we part
our ways. – Tug said with a cheery tune.

-Please!
You can’t leave me like this! – Amar muttered out.

-Oh? I
guess I could help you out a bit.

Tugg
grabbed the dildo and gave it a violent twist. Amar clenched his jaw, bashing
his fist on the floor and grotesquely bending and yelping.

-Say… - Tugg
said with faux curiosity. – What does this doohikey do?

-Please,
don-

Tugg gave
the little dial at the base of the dildo a turn. Amar had mentioned that the
dildo got smaller. He had neglected to mention that it got even bigger. In less
than a second, the dildo expanded to its maximum potential, sending Amar into
another fit. With each move sending shivers of pain and pleasure up and down
his body, Amar tried to stay completely still and failing as wave after
orgasmic wave hit each and every one of his pleasure centers.

-P-p-please…no…more…
- Amar spat out, all the while salivating.

- No? You
want more? – Tugg chuckled.

Before
being able to answer, Tugg took a running start and kicked the dildo up the
dragon’s arse, completely smushing his insides. That was his peak. His butt
cheeks gripping the dildo tightly, Amar orgasmed, his cock erupting, sending
shot after shot of ejaculate flying through the air. His mind now gone
completely blank, his tongue hanging out and his mouth wide agape, Amar fell to
one side unmoving, albeit twitching occasionally,with a dopey smile on his
face. He was still orgasming.

-There we
go… - Tugg said with a laugh. – That’s better, ain’t it?

There was
no response. Tugg furrowed his brow.

-That’s for
trying to rape me. – he said as he positioned himself over the dragon. – I know
I said that the first hit was for touching my horns…but I want to…mmm…drill the
message in.

And with
all his might, Tugg stomped onto the dragon’s belly. Amar broke out of his
trance as his air shot out of his mouth. His eyes bulged comically and a high
pitched wheezing echoed through the house, slowly transforming into a low
pitched drone as his air completely evaporated. The dildo shot out of the
dragon’s ass the moment Tugg laid his foot on Amar’s stomach, flying out of the
room and down the stairs, with Amar’s asshole instantly shutting tight in
relief.

The dragon
now seemed completely unconscious. A self righteous smile crept onto Tugg’s
face. And immediately turned sour.  Thick,
heavy black smoke erupted out of the dragon’s mouth, quickly filling up the
room. Tugg stepped back, the dragon’s belly returning into its usual plump
shape in response, but the smoke didn’t stop.

Tugg went
into a coughing fit, lightheadedness taking over. He grabbed the sack and with
what strength he had left ran full speed towards the window, breaking the glass
with his half naked body and flying for what seemed like an eternity like some
dashing pervert of the night. He fell with a roll on the ground, quickly
regained his composure and dashed off, knowing that the smoke will cause people
to gather around the house. His mission was done.

#

-Thank you!
Come again! – Brona said merely as he waved off his client.

When
slammed the door and yelled out in frustration. Another client thinking that he
was a hack. Luckily, Tugg should be back today if all went well. Brona hadn’t
really realized how hard balancing accounts and keeping track of appointments
had been. A small, microscopic inkling took shape inside the lion’s skull, that
he just might give the ram a raise. That inkling was almost immediately
eliminated with brutal efficiency and cold, calculated precision.

Brona
jumped as the door got kicked open. Tugg stood at the doorway, wearing a pair
of shorts, a few sizes too small.

-Happy to
see you! – Brona opened his arms and greeted his assistant with a smile. – I
see you trying to follow the latest fashions. Keep trying, you’ll get them
someday.

Tugg’s
permanent scowl did not flinch. He stepped inside the office and smacked the loot
sack onto the desk.

-Here. – he
said coldly. – I’m taking a vacation. I expect my money in my mailbox by
tonight at six. I’ll see you in three weeks.

-Wait! You
can’t just take a vacation like that!

-Oh, my
bad. I meant to say “paid vacation”. I’m sure you’ll manage for some time
without me.

And with
that Tugg left the establishment. A confused Brona dumped the sack on the desk.
He grabbed the statuette and immediately dropped it after getting burned. He
examined the amulet. It looked nice, but he couldn’t tell if it had any
preternatural properties. He hoped it did, but a distinct feeling deep in his
gut told him that it most likely didn’t. But that didn’t really matter. He had
what he truly wanted. The book. Said to contain all of Atilus’ metaphysical
discoveries for the last thirty years. This was the key towards Brona’s better
life. He cracked open the book on a random page. He clicked his tongue.

-Wrong
book.