Sharra found herself slung over his shoulder...

Art ~ Golden Dragon by meganbednarz ~deviantart.com~

Harvest Moon howls and yowls, shapeshifter lovers.

Given the supersonic speed of this year, Halloween, and the approaching spooktacular celebration, will be here before we know it. Sheesh!

So, today we continue with Sharra and Zerod's flash story from the past two weeks.

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Sharra found herself slung over his shoulder...

"Thunderbird," Sharra forced through her numb lips. "Not the good kind. The kind that devours every living thing in sight."

Once the telltale shadow finally passed them, Sharra resisted the urge to shudder violently. In the back of her mind she knew Zerod would become aroused, despite the dire situation.

Besides, encouraging him in any way was the last thing she wanted.

His arms remained locked around her protectively. "I will loose one of my battle dragons."

Not exactly astonished, given his triceratops pet... yet still astonished, Sharra gave her gun a toss so she wouldn't accidentally fire it -- given it was useless in this situation. As the weapon landed on a thick patch lavender, she spun around, and sought his gaze. "Battle dragon?"

"This way." Without ceremony, Zerod released her, but gripped her upper arm. He led her quickly over the drawbridge, and into his rock-hidden castle. "Tell me what more you know about this flying nemesis."

 "They serve the interdimensional lords of dark magick. This one is likely on a scouting mission. Or there would have been an army of them."

"How is it you know about their kind?" At a fast pace, Zerod moved them toward an enormous spiral staircase.

"They invaded in armies that darkened the sky as if night arrived during medieval times." Sharra hesitated. "I was there."

"Tell me." Zerod spoke urgently, even as they rapidly climbed the gorgeous granite stairway that seemed lit from within.

Sharra heard Quoff's resounding steps behind them... then a horde of similar steps.  How many of these 'dino pets' did he have? 

Immediately, dismissing the question, Sharra tried to keep up with Zerod's bounding stride. "The witches of that time summoned me, and several other witches...when I lived in Ireland."

"You prevailed, right?"

"We did. It was horrible. Herds of sheep were eaten like popcorn snacks... forests were torn apart, every creature that couldn't flee..." Sharra took a much-needed breath. "Even with the strength of our magick, it was touch and go for days."

Zerod abruptly halted, and Sharra found herself slung over his shoulder. He raced  up the narrowing spiral of steps. "I have mind-summoned Nygarr, and several other of my battle dragons. They have been patrolling the mountains. Otherworld enemies are here."

Sharra attempted to clear her head from the sudden rush of blood, from being jostled, and the shock of being thrown over Zerod's admittedly hunky shoulder. "Yes," she burst out, once she caught her breath, well aware he spoke the truth.

"Did magick alone stop the thunderbirds' slaughter?" Zerod halted in what appeared to be the top of a tower, turret... castle whatever, it was sunlit.

He placed Sharra before him, not letting go of her arm. Good thing, since she wobbled on her feet. "The good dragons mopped up, if that's what you want to know. We had to permanently seal the gateway with magick, though."

"Evidently someone has opened another gateway." Zerod palmed beneath her chin, and tipped her face to his scrutinizing gaze.

"Evidently." Sharra began the tornadic spin of her power -- all while the thunderous beating of wings surrounded them. Dragon wings, Sharra knew the sound.

"Will you allow me access to your memories? I want Nygarr to own every advantage." 

Vivid shattering memories of the black and blood-red feathered thunderbirds, their horror-show onslaught, flooded Sharra's mind. How could she deny Zerod, even if it became an intrusion?

"Go! Do it." Sharra prepared herself. Simultaneously, she sensed the thunderbird circle back toward their position. With perfect intuitive clarity, she knew the insatiable predator was on reconnaissance for its masters. "It's coming back."

Zerod cradled her head between his hands. "Look at me, Sharra. I need your eyes." 

She'd closed them. Now Sharra blinked her eyes open, instinctively clasping his hard-as-stone biceps to steady herself. The beam of his gaze not only penetrated but cut like a diamond through her. The sensation wasn't painful, it was the sheer intensity. It was his power.

"Relax," he murmured in a way that allowed her to do just that.

"Wow," she breathed out several moments later. "You're like a vacuum cleaner."

A grin flashed on his face before Zerod whipped around, leaving her clutching the air. Sharra kept her feet and followed his rush onto a perimeter balcony with her gaze. Seeing giant webbed wings, the color of antique gold, she hurried after him.

What met her gaze... Sharra forgot to breathe. She grabbed hold of the archway that had obviously been carved out of an immense rock wall. Behind her, she heard the tromp of small triceratops' feet.

Zerod held his dragon's elongated, slim head the same way he'd held hers. Their foreheads touched at the point where the creature's horn swept backward in an elegant curl. The same color as his wings, the bony protrusion was at least three times the length of Zerod's head.

Beyond magnificent, the dragon's scales ranged from burnt orange to shiny gold. Whip lean, the structure of his body allowed the dragon to knife through the air at a furious speed, to battle as savagely as a serpent.

Sharra opened her third eye, watching the bright-sparking flow of communication between Zerod and his dragon. No, not precisely a mind-to-mind speaking -- even though he gave the dragon what he'd learned from her. More, it was a communing of their souls.

Somehow, that stunned Sharra.

TO BE CONTINUED... maybe...

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Wishing you love and passion on the wild side ...

Savanna 

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance