gently positioned her between himself and the machine so that she was facing both the machine and the mother of a dozen colorful and demanding dragon babies. Shivaun didn’t try to stifle the gasp that took her breath. If she’d ever seen anything more magnificent, she couldn’t imagine what it might be.
The dragon’s scales were a mixture of deep blue and green iridescence. When she moved one way she appeared to be more blue. When she moved the other way, more green. Her eyes were sapphires set on fire. Her wings gray, tipped with gold.
Taking her hand, Lyric demonstrated how to quickly serve cotton candy to eager dragons, while whispering in her ear. “Dragons have an affinity for our kind, Shivaun.” The dragon arched her beautiful neck and then stretched toward Shivaun as if sniffing. “Don’t be afraid. She’s curious. She may never have encountered a female demon before.”
The dragon pulled back with a small huff and nudged one of the more demanding babies who was trying to cut in line.
Shy took over the task of serving cotton candy. The little dragons grabbed what was offered and squatted on haunches nearby, cone clutched between their paws while they licked with long forked tongues. When the last baby grabbed his prize, Shivaun’s eyes wandered to Lyric who was petting the mom, murmuring sweet nothings about her exquisite beauty.
The mighty female dragon was eating up the sweet flattery. Now and then she bowed her neck, nudged him as horses are sometimes inclined to do with humans. The invitation for more petting made him laugh, which in turn enchanted Shivaun as much as the dragon. She decided on the spot that the demon’s laughter made her list of best things ever.
When he saw that his date was watching, he smiled. “Want to pet her?”
Shy shook her head. “No. But I’ll swirl another cloud of pink sugar if she wants it.” The dragon huffed softly. “I’ll take that as an aye.”
When Shivaun completed the biggest cone she’d made, she said, “Do you want to give her this?”
“Come give it yourself.”
Shivaun looked dubious. “Does she, em, breathe fire?”
Lyric laughed like it was a stupid question. “What? No. She’s not part salamander. There are many species of dragons just like there are many bipeds. As you know, we can look alike and be very, very different.”
As Shivaun approached, the dragon raised her head so that she towered above, but reached out to take the stick, careful not to cut skin with claws.
“She’s curious about you,” Lyric said. “She’s never seen a female demon before.”
“Guess that makes us even. I’ve never seen a dragon before.” Without taking her eyes away from the mighty creature she’d thought to be mythical, Shivaun whispered with wonder, “Is this the most magical place in the world?”
“I’m not good at rating things. There’re lots of wonderful things to see and do.” Lyric waved his hand and the machine vanished. “Let’s leave them alone. I don’t want to over-socialize the young ones so that they’re too trusting of strangers.”
“Alright.”
He took her hand and an instant later they were far below the cave where the dragon was raising her young on a beach that looked like it was made of fine crushed pink granite.
“Is a walk on the beach too cheesy?”
She noted, with satisfaction, that he had not let go of her hand. “I do no’ know what’s meant by ‘cheesy’.”
As he encouraged her to walk along with him, slowly, he said, “Trite. Cliché. Overused?”
“Hmmm. I guess, if walks on the beach are cheesy, it must be because ‘tis timelessly romantic.” She grinned.
The demon raised his chin and seemed to study her for a couple of beats. “Those of us who are into lyrics, have a world of admiration for romantics.”
With a grin, she said, “So you admire me?”
With a sideways glance and a sly smile, he said, “In more ways than I can list.”
“Try.” He laughed, but before he could begin composing a list on demand, she changed the subject. “Why’d you call me your best girl?”
“Did I say that?”
“Aye. When ye gave me the dessert of dragons.”
“Oh. Well. It’s just an expression.”
“’Tis an expression that implies there are multiple females referred to as ‘your girl’.”
“Does it?” Lyric looked down at Shivaun and caught a flash of temper behind her eyes.
“Aye. It does.” He chuckled. “I think ye like teasin’ me.”
“In fact, I do.”
“I do no’ like to be teased.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“We will no’ see about that, demon. I know how to