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“Sisters!” she shouted as she used one wing to point at him. “We have a visitor!”
All three of them let out screeches of delight and splashed toward him, stopping some ten feet away.
Thorn smiled and bowed his head to the trio. “Good morning, sisters.”
“Good morning, dragon,” one of them cooed as she grasped her wings behind herself, the better to show off her assets. “What brings you here?”
“I had heard my tenants were having a difficult time fetching their water from the pool, and thought perhaps I might convince you to go to another less used pond,” he revealed.
One of them hopped up and down and laughed. “Silly dragon! We like it here!”
“Very much so!” the third one agreed as she dipped her wings into the water and came up with armfuls of the stuff which she threw into the air. A torrential rain poured down on their heads. “It’s so clear and warm!”
Thorn didn’t lose his smile, but he did clasp his hands behind himself. “I’m afraid I can’t allow that, sisters. I swore that they would have use of the water so long as they protected the road, and I must keep my word.”
“Bah!” the first one commented as she wrinkled her beaked nose. “What does it matter keeping a promise to such things? They hardly live long enough to know their names.”
“But they are tasty!” the second one pointed out.
The third eyed Thorn with a hungry look. “I have heard dragons, too, are tasty.”
“We are rather tough,” Thorn warned her.
“Then we would rather you join us for a swim,” the second one insisted as she sauntered toward him, her breasts tantalizingly bouncing with every step. “I have heard dragons are very good lovers, as well.”
Now that was a rumor I could confirm, and my cheeks warmed as I recalled that wonderful night with him.
Thorn shook his head. “My sincerest apologies, but I must insist that you leave at once.”
The seductive harpy stopped and glared at him. “Then if you won’t play with us that way we will have to make do with enjoying your flesh.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Her sisters chimedin with their agreements by splashing their wings against the water. The creatures leapt out of the pool and into the air. I now saw that they had claws instead of feet, and their wet talons glistened in the bright sun. They flew some fifty feet in the air before they aimed those talons at Thorn and swooped toward him.
I noticed movement behind Thorn’s back, which was strange because he hadn’t moved an inch. Rather, the shifting came from his hands as they transformed into long claws. My heart pounded in my chest as he remained still as they shot toward him with maniacal grins on their faces.
At the last moment, Thorn ducked out of the way and his hands sliced the air. The harpy closest to him let out a screech as he cut deep gashes into her wing and sides. She lost her balance and tumbled into her nearest sister, and the pair fell onto the banks in a mess of feathers and flailing limbs.
The remaining harpy let out a screech that could have shattered glass. I clapped my hands over my ears and shrank beneath the horrible pain to which my eardrums were subjected. Thorn, however, merely stretched himself to his full height and held up one of his bloodied and feather-covered hands.
“Will you leave now?” he questioned her.
The harpy snapped her sharp teeth together and flew at him. Her speed was incredible and Thorn only had time to throw up both arms to block the blows from her talons. She flapped hard in front of him to keep her altitude and clawed at his face with her barbs. The harpy succeeded in tearing his sleeves to shreds and revealing his scale-covered arms. Her talons clashed with the metal-like skin and I saw sparks fly.
Thorn crossed his arms and flung them outward, pushing her away. She was flung backward and he used the opening to sprout wings from his back. He leapt into the air and wrapped one of his clawed hands around her throat. She let out a garbled cry as he flew up a few feet, leaving her dangling in his grasp. The harpy clawed at his arm that held her, but her pitiful nails could do nothing against his hardened scales.
“Mercy!” she choked out. “Mercy!”
Thorn shook his head. “Mercy is only for those who are merciful.”
She gasped as he tightened his hold on her. “Then we will leave!”
He stopped and narrowed his eyes. “You swear it?”
She tried to bob her head. “I swear it!”
“Then leave now,” he commanded her as he opened his hand.
