Archive of Our Own

Work Text

Raising its head opal eyes shone in the rays of the new day sun. Its tail swept over the polished black floors of its cave home, a reflective obsidian that was cool under its paws yet not too stifling. Other’s of its kind would often take to lofty high places or burrow into places so inaccessible that nothing could steal their horde, that would not do for them. Considering unwanted guests WERE its horde.It grinned with its multiple sets of pearly white teeth and licked its snout with a long red tongue it could spend the day sucking the brains out of the last humans’ skulls that were piled in a separate corner from the bodies, all preserved in a perfect state of newly deceased thanks to its saliva.Most dragons would breathe flames but they were not most dragons, No, it was a bit of a looser, a black drake with no flames was not really desirable to be company of any of their kind though they did not really care they liked their solitude.It rose up and shook itself scratching its long neck against a wall and grumbling over how inefficient that was, then it was onto the usual monotony of its day, sharpening its claws and organizing its horde. At least until something interesting happened.  How did he even get here? He had to keep asking himself as he ran down the halls and corridors while being chased by guards, really what was wrong with him? Why did he decide that he should try to expose the Duke of his obvious crimes when the man had more resources than a lowly scribe? Eddie just hated how this man was eating well while children and women were starving. Annie would have told him to stop this, his pathetic desire for justice in a world with none, but the brave lady knight had found someone better than him in Daniel, a herbalist who was kind to everyone he met.Dan would have not pulled this stunt, Dan would have just helped out people around town without trying to get to the source of the problem.Eddie slipped down another corridor only to find himself trapped between a wall of stone and a wall of guards. “Well, Well well, Edward Brock. You really do have a knack for sticking your nose in places where they don’t belong.” Eddie grimaced as he heard the oil slick tone of Carlton Drake, Drake was a fitting last name for this ruthless duke. Though Eddie did not flinch even as the guards knocked him down. “what should we do with him, sire?” Drake looked at Eddie like he was a pile of dung disgust and contempt clear on his features that had never known a day of hardship. “He wants to know my secret? I say we give him a front row seat.” With a snap of immaculately groomed fingers the butt of a sword smashed upon Eddie’s skull and all he knew was blackness.  “So, um…where are we- “The guard just yanked the chain holding Eddie’s hands bound in response making the scribe stumble and curse under his breath. Another guard was behind Eddie and he ignored the scribe’s existence too talking instead to his companion and fully acting like Eddie did not exist, like a jerk. “Let’s just hurry up and get this done and leave him with the others, that place always gives me the creeps.” “Me too, I don’t know why Drake has us go out and do this sometimes.” Eddie decided instead to focus on the ground below his feet, well-trodden on and baked by the blazing sun overhead, in the distance he could see hills and trees but before that, he could hear crying and screaming…What in Gods name was happening?That is when he saw it, a pit dug into the ground where the screams emanated from, pleading for help, the man’s stomach lurched as he realized Drake was leaving people here for dead and he started to struggle, fighting against the guards who were dragging him closer to the pit.A sound like a thunderclap broke the sky and the guards looked up in obvious panic as they began to scramble away, A shadow cut over the sunbaked earth.“What in the hell is happening?”  It could not help the rumbling laugh that escaped it as it took flight, there were a few humans it could chase and it was very bored.It ignored the pit and the bound human going for the ones that would fight.Or at least it hoped that they would, however, they like most others became frozen and did not move.So boring.It licked them hoping to make them move but when only one was able to whimper and the other had passed out it knew that the fun was done, with a miffed growl it snaked its tongue around the conscious guard’s throat and squeezed. With no small amount of satisfaction, it watched the man’s head pop off his neck, only the thinnest traces of where there was once a connection, the other guard was swept into the pit with a sweep of their tail as they bathed the body in their saliva to preserve it before it began to decay.It looked over at the glassy eyes of the head and snorted with disgust but laved their tongue over the dead man’s flesh, with a flex of their tongue barbs protruded from it and scraped off the skin, muscle and fat.Eyes were plucked out with the dexterous tapered tip of their tongue then the true meal began.Their tongue acted like a syphon and could contract to be very thin so they could extract the delicious treat from the human’s skulls directly without having to mash them to a pulp with bones and ruin the flavour.It purred and stacked the skull on top of the chest of the newly preserved body before turning to see the bound human was not there….it was running…this never happened. It, of course, gave chase and overpowered it trapping the human under its forepaws but the human still struggled, not frozen at all. 
Fun.
 Eddie was hyperventilating as he was trapped under the massive beast, he had just seen this…this THING kill a man in one fell swoop then dine on him the way a picky child would by separating the carrots from the peas. Opalescent eyes met Green and Eddie gulped up at it. This was it, he was going to die.“H-hey, I um…I know you are probably going to eat me but um, could you maybe just, bite my head off instead of the squeezing thing?”The creature looked at him and tilted its head and Eddie could not help but flinch. He was too scared, he was doing that thing where he started to talk just because he was anxious. The great beast opened its mouth and the scribe screwed his eyes shut praying for Annie and Dan to be happy in their lives together.He prepared for the worst and felt something warm coating him. He opened his eyes and screamed, seeing that tongue on him, he could not do this any more, fear was penetrating his every nerve and overriding his system and for the second time this day, he blacked out.  The dragon whined softly, had they broken it already? They wanted to keep this one’s head on it.It was more interesting with its head, it made little noises. It softly lowered its large head against the human and trilled happily, the little thing just fell asleep they could feel it breathing. It coated its new prize with more of its saliva so it would smell like the rest of its horde and picked up both the living and dead human in one forepaw before taking to the skies with a delighted trill. Where should they put their human?  Probably in the head pile since that was where all the special things went. It dove into a spiral in the air and did not slow using momentum to slide into their cave.A labyrinth of tunnels was the only way out, that or a sheer drop from the main chamber which had a hole in it that they could squeeze through, it let light in but not the wind making it nice for sunning oneself.They plopped the dead body on their pile unceremoniously while delicately adjusting the new skull on what was an intricate stack of skulls the width of a king-sized bed with the height of two full grown men stacked on top of one another.It looked at Eddie, laying him out on the very top and watched him breathe…It was new having something alive in their lair 
Nice.
 It gave Eddie another soft lick on his face. 
Mine.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It awoke to a not so pleasant screeching from its skull pile, it felt annoyed for a split second before it just perked up, bodies sliding off of it as it quickly rose from its slumber to check on its treasure. It watched with delight as the little thing scooted away from them, not frozen and not dead.Its tail thrashed back and forth with delight and it pressed its muzzle to the creature making it create more sounds, this thing was warmer than all the bodies in its pile and that was nice.It licked the human on its face again despite the sounds It was making.
Mine.
Eddie Woke up and rubbed his back, he was sore all over, he felt sticky and his mouth and throat were dry and raw.He tried to get up and that was his first mistake, opening his eyes he came face to face with a grinning white skull Brought him to scream, Then the dragon rising out of a mountain of headless corpses was the reason for his shrieking.Then the heights were the third reason.He froze and squeaked when the dragon pushed its large muzzle against his chest and he could feel a warmth radiating from smooth scales, He tentatively reached out a hand feeling its snout. The scales were not like steel, more like plates of leather the kind shields could be made of, flexible and lightweight but they could stop an arrow cold.Then its mouth opened showing rows and rows of pearly teeth and he flinched before groaning with disgust as he was slobbered on for the second time to his knowledge, that is why he was sticky, dragon spit.“Seriously? Stop, stop licking me!”He tried to shove the creature’s face away and he felt a low grumble from it.“Shit! Wait I’m sor-!”That tongue was around his waist now and he was hyperventilating…but when he was not being squeezed to death and just, being carried he started to calm himself a bit.He could not really see where they were going in the dark tunnels of the dragon’s lair but eventually, he saw a greenish light ahead and heard the dripping of water. He breathed out softly seeing a large cavern with an actual lake in the centre, water rushing in from a waterfall in the rocks.The light was coming off some strange moss and all in all it looked like something out of a fairy-tale.He supposed he could be in one now, he did not think dragons were actually real before yesterday.He was pulled from his thoughts as the dragon waded into the water while still keeping a hold on him, it spread out its wings and Eddie gasped.It looked like the night sky had been perfectly painted on the inside of those wings.Without warning the creature flipped over onto it’s back and started floating in the water. It craned its long neck and placed Eddie on its chest with a warning growl, or at least what he assumed to be one.Then Eddie remembered how dry his mouth was and, hoping the water was clean dunked his face in and took three large gulps before being pulled up by the dragon, gently tugged by the back of his tunic, it may have been him imposing human emotion on this beast, but he almost thought he saw worry on its features.
No.
They knew humans well enough to know what happened when they were submerged long enough.It was normally funny to watch, but this.Not funny.It pulled the human up and it looked at them then reached out and softly touched its snout with an outstretched hand. The sensation was nice and the little creature was chittering away, it raised the corners of its mouth and patted its nose before lowering its hand.Was this tiny thing trying to comfort it? What?
New.

But, Not bad.

Little Treasure.
That earned the little human another lick from it as it splashed in the water. Ever so carefully it scooped water up with its tail and doused the human so they sputtered, then on its newly clean body, it licked. This made it’s sent on the human more prominent and it rumbled with satisfaction, wrapping up the human in its tongue.It felt the growling of its small one’s stomach and chortled, it remembered there were some trees in the valley with fruit…humans ate fruits so that would be safe.It plopped the small jewel, its little treasure on its pile of skulls.
Stay.
Then it flew through the gap into the distance.Eddie watched it and began to scramble, he looked at the tunnels. He could not see into the darkness, and the drop from the cliff would kill him, he was truly stuck…captive to this creature’s whims.It hit him that really. it. did. Not. Matter.No one knew he was gone, No one was left to care about him he was all alone, and that truly hurt the most. It did not matter if he lived or died, he did not exist, he was nothing.He felt so cold, not just from the water drenching him. His body was shivering and all he could do was cry.Nothing was okay, and it never would be.In his sadness, he did not know that the sun had set, that the dragon was back and watching him until he felt something drop beside his head, slowly he opened his eyes, A peach had been splattered beside his head. He picked up the pulp and ate it with a soft whine, curling up, not even bothering to look up.He did not have the energy for it, nothing was worth moving for, was it?He barely responded when he felt the tongue cradling him, he just sighed and put his hand on the slick surface.It was kinda pretty; the red was a stark contrast to the deep black. He did not really notice he had been stroking the slick surface until he was placed on the ground, surrounded by a mountain of peaches.He actually had to raise an eyebrow at that and looked a the dragon who was laying close to the floor watching him in what one could only describe as: expectantly.“Wait, all his is for me?... I”Damn it all he was getting choked up over his. A little bit of kindness, but it just felt good, like he was cherished. Even if this thing was just doing it to keep him alive.He picked up a peach and ate it, throwing the pit to the side.The dragon kept watching so Eddie ate another, then another…After about ten peaches his slim frame felt like it was going to break. He tried to scoot away but a claw held him fast. He looked at the dragon who poked a peach with a claw and brought it to Eddie’s mouth.Eddie cried, realizing this thing probably was just fattening him up.Not that it mattered if he was eaten anyway, and with that resignation he ate and continued to eat until the pile was gone, his stomach was bulging and he felt too full. He whimpered as the dragon slid its tongue under him.Just thinking this was it and praying for it to be quick, but the dragon instead was sliding with him under the pile of somehow preserved, not gross smelling dead bodies. He was placed between the beast’s front paws and he felt that dexterous tongue rubbing his stomach.It actually made him feel a bit better despite his fear.Soon, full and warm he fell asleep.It purred with pleasure seeing it’s small gem sleep between its paws, full of food, clean, covered in it’s sent and safe.Though it looked at the state of its treasure and its nose curled. The small one was thin, raggedy, clothing that did not fit hanging from his frame, its hair was wild. No this would not do, it’s new treasure must be perfect, in looks as it was in spirit.
Don’t worry my small star, we will make you better.

You will never want for anything, you are our treasure.
It rested its head next to the slumbering human and listened to its breathing until they too fell asleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It had been a week or so since his kidnapping, and honestly, Eddie had never looked better.He was still thin but was gaining muscle mass again and he looked and felt clean, though the dragon still insisted on scenting him. At least that is what he thought it was doing, marking him with it’s sent and saliva like the dead bodies.Still, he was being cared for, it was kind of nice in its own freaky way. Like the day the dragon brought back a dead archer so Eddie could take their clothing, at first, he thought the dragon wanted him to eat the man with all the persistent nudging of the body against his feet, but it lifted the black leather armour with a claw and trilled at Eddie softly. It was still loose on him, but it was actually cleaner and in better shape than the rags he had been wearing.He tried to ignore the dragon eating the whole body when he was done undressing it.The dragon had nuzzled him while he was in his new clothing and it made soft trilling sounds, it was like a deep throaty cello.   The dragon also had some habits one could call…cute.Like trying to scratch it’s back on a wall like a giant bear.Once while laying in the sun from the opening that leads to the sheer cliff it had bolted upright and started slamming its head on the wall behind it making rumbling sounds of displeasure hat sounded like rocks rubbing together. No, make that boulders, an avalanche of frustrated growls before Eddie scooted over and he felt those opal eyes lock on him as if expecting him to jump off the ledge.“Hey, um…want me to…I dunno, help scratch that itch?” The dragon tilted its head from side to side like it was trying to figure Eddie out then lowered itself, its scales lifting slightly in a patch, underneath Eddie could see something that looked like water but pitch black, was this its skin?Eddie just stared at the surface flowing under the scales for a moment before a growl interrupted his train of thought and his hands fell on top of the surface.It was like nothing he had ever felt, his hands sinking into it a little, it was like what he thought touching a feather pillow would be like.He ran his fingers over the surface, delicately scratching, the surface gave to his touch but he could not break the surface tension.And the sounds the dragon made were just the best, it was purring like an overgrown cat and its long tongue was lolling out of its mouth as it was getting its itch scratched.  There were other things too, Like the “gifts” the dragon sometimes would bring back Eddie a skull, or anything particularly shiny, Rocks, shells, coins. So many that a third pile was added to the horde just for him.There also was the feeding, the dragon seemed to be obsessed with feeding him, it overfed Eddie at any opportunity.I had tried to feed Eddie humans but he had screamed so loud that it became agitated and stopped pushing the body on him. Beginning to nuzzle the loud human instead making soft gurgling sounds to reassure him. The dragon had left at the moment to get more food so Eddie was rummaging around his small pile, sorting out the shells and coins, shaping them into pictures on the glossy black floor.He smiled as he looked at a tarnished silver piece twirling it in his fingers as he looked at the picture he had created. A large grinning silver dragon with shell pieces for eyes and teeth, he could not help but chuckle under his breath at the oddness of it all. Being cared for by such a large creature. He heard scraping along the opening and frowned, the dragon made a whooshing sound when it entered, flaring its wings dramatically. This sounded much smaller, deciding it was time to hide he scooted under some of the corpses, wincing as he felt fingers brush his face. Of course, he had to get stuck with MR. corpse blanket the dragon, it could not horde normal things like gold. He grumbled softly before freezing up as he heard a voice. “Drake and his crackpot schemes…guy is just guessing, he don’t know if the beasties spit will make it work…now I gotta grab a gross dead body…” The man was slightly obscured from Eddie's view but he could tell by the clanking sounds of movement that he was heavily armoured, he also sounded gruff…but what did Drake want with dead bodies in a dragon’s lair?Eddie wanted to know more so he shuffled a little in the pile, causing some bodies to shift.Shit, he was exposed…he was staring at the guard and the guard was staring at him, his visor was down, the metallic sheen of the armour dull from years of combat, the man was huge a behemoth that could pop Eddie like a grape. “Well, well. Look at this a living human…I guess it beats carrying a corpse.”Eddie went wide-eyed, at first, he may have not wanted to be here, but now he was not sure he wanted to go back to a town for some time. The dragon was nice, he had food and company he was not giving that up.Eddie started to slide back into the pile as best he could but he was caught by cold steel circling his ankle. “Now where are you going princess? Drake wants dragon spit, and from the way, you smell you have lots on you.” Eddie frowned at the man and kicked his leg trying to get free. He did not really mind the smell of the dragon’s spit, it was mainly a sweet smell with a copper tang at the end telling of its predatory nature.His thoughts were broken as was the grip on his leg by the sound of a roar. “Shit, Well I will be back soon princess, Gotta tell Drake about this.”He heard the rush of steel banging on rock and another series of roars. The dragon slamming into the cave and sliding into the body pile. He squeaked as the dragon growled at him and he tried to talk it down. “It’s me, hey…It is Okay…I’m okay…” The dragon pushed its muzzle to his chest and growled licking Eddie’s ankle free of the foreign smell. Eddie whined with slight displeasure at being lathered up in more saliva but the dragon was gentle, it’s tongue was soft and after it was done it was nuzzling Eddie softly warbling soft coo’s as if to reassure him…But he was still afraid. The knight had said he would be back soon, Eddie clung to the dragon’s snout, he could only hope that he would not find him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The dragon had not left him alone since that day. It was odd such a powerful creature was worried for him, yet still, it clung to him needily like a child with its favourite toy at every turn. It would press its muzzle to his stomach as it lay on the ground, it was like a facsimile of a hug, gentle and warm, but sadly lacking the arms to encircle him. He was getting more used to being bathed with the dragon’s tongue, covered in it’s sent…he would be lying if he said he did not sort of starting to enjoy it.Truly it was always warm and it snuggled him after laying its head down and casting opalescent eyes upon him like he was the most precious thing in the world. It even took him to the fruit trees that it usually went to alone, the ride was always within the dragon’s mouth, wrapped up in its tongue and cradled between teeth. Eddie was a bit ashamed to say he fell asleep during those rides now, all danger in the situation not registering in his mind at one point he might have screamed, but now that mouth only meant warm safety for him.  If he noticed the changing of the seasons, he did not mention it.  Though had he been wise, the twittering calls of birds and the rutting of deer may have caught his attention more.   It was that time, and it was having a hard time controlling itself. There was the urge to fly off, to seek a mate, though, it knew it would find no takers.Then there was this new urge.Terrifying, bright, sharp, but also beautiful somehow.The desire to protect its treasure was stronger though it also felt odd at how it saw its little star.The smiles it flashed and the soft words it spoke, even as its voice cracked were adorable and sweet.The moments when their treasure would rub under its scales there was a strong desire to pull it close, never let go and let its little darling in.The liquid-like material of its “skin” shivered with delight at that thought. It could keep this beautiful jewel safest that way…make sure it wanted for nothing as their small darling was coiled within darkness. Sometimes it caught itself in fantasy and had to shake itself free, but it made sense…didn’t it? The more it thought the more it came to the conclusion that yes, this was a good idea. And yes, perhaps the season was getting to its mind…But surely its small darling would not mind. No, its treasure was perfect, its treasure would be happy and safe. 
No matter what.
  That evening after helping the dragon sort through piles with less disgust than he used to have, he was laying upon the dragon’s chest as the tongue of the dragon rubbed through his hair making him all but melt. He was full, warm and safe. Sure, it was weird but he was happy, he was the happiest he had been in a long time and all it took was a dragon. He blushed in spite of himself at thinking of the tales of princesses that were kidnapped by dragons and he could not help but feel slightly happy if not embarrassed that he was basically a princess to this dragon. “Hey, Um…Thank you again…You are always so nice to me. So, if you need anything?” It was odd like something had clicked for the dragon regarding his speech as the scales over the dragon’s chest parted, revealing the glossy black abyss below.He looked up at the dragon who had tilted its head and was making encouraging gurgling sounds for him and he smiled. It was not the first time the dragon had asked him to scratch an itch. He moved forward to reach the blackness…but it met him back his arms encircled and pulled flat against the chest as the scales closed back over him.Part of him wanted to be scared, or angry.The dragon could not talk though, and it had never hurt him before.It was always tender and sweet, so even though his heart pounded in his chest and the warmth of the black abyss surrounded him until he could see nothing, he accepted it with as little fear as he could muster. Then a voice within him, yet all around him at once spoke with the volume of the waves crashing into rocks and cliffs yet the tenderness of a long-lost lover. 
“Hello my little treasure, you are safe do not worry.

I am venom, and you are mine.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Eddie had a few particular feelings and most were not overly positive at this point. He was wracking his brain trying to understand what just had happened, he was surrounded in an abyss that should make him fear, however thanks to the dragon his fight or flight response was too messed up to register this.Though, he was upset in all honesty; he felt a little betrayed that he was here and also ashamed of himself for not seeing his untimely demise coming, he also was angry that he was not all too bothered by it.If this was how he was going to die…there were worse fates he guessed.  Then the voice came, it was so deep, so all-encompassing that he was not sure what to do. Somehow, he found his voice though and inhaled…it felt like he was breathing molasses.“if you wanted to eat me, you could have done it when we first met.” He cringed at his snark and sarcasm, great, now he was dead for sure. Instead of feeling like he was being torn apart though he could feel a gentle caress on his cheek and heard the deep mirthful laughter of the dragon that made him shudder. 
“Ah, our lovely treasure. We would not eat you…though we are sure you would be quite tasty. No, we would never wish harm to you. Besides you did ask if there was anything you could do for us.”
 Damn, he did. He didn’t think the dragon understood him though! He thought it was a slightly intelligent beast. Though looking into those deep opal eyes, he should have guessed that this creature was probably godlike in form and intelligence. “w-well, be that as it may, I did not think I was gonna be dragged…wherever here is…”He could feel it purr and that somehow made him want to close his eyes from how the purring was shuddering around him rocking him into sleep like a long carriage ride. 
“You are within us, in a way our outer layer is just armoured the inside is the heart revealed only to a select few…we are glad it is our beautiful small star.”
 Eddie felt his cheeks flame red at the praise and wiggled a little, he was basically seeing the dragon’s true form? If so, it was an all-encompassing night that he was living and breathing in.He should not feel so safe here, so…cherished…right? Just as he was about to ask another question, he felt something tugging under the leather tunic he was wearing and he let out a soft yelp, wriggling away.“What was that?!”He could almost feel the dragon’s…venom’s sadness as they spoke, almost a whining pout. 
“Little gem, beautiful treasure…we want to hold you. We have seen you without that armour on and we are not armoured here, be fair.”
 Eddie felt more…. somethings in the darkness wrap around him, his waist encircled firmly as there was more tugging, but the armour did not come off even though he knew that venom was capable of ripping through steel normally it seemed almost as if it was…“Wait…are you asking permission…you want me to willingly get undressed, what for?” Eddie had gotten undressed a few times in front of the dragon but only out of necessity, what reason could the creature possibly have? 
“We would not think this is such a hard thing to ask of a mate.”
 Wait, hold up there.“Mate?” Eddie just choked out, the breath leaving his lungs as if it had been punched out of him. 
“Yes, we have given you gifts, courted you, we sleep with you, and you said you would.”
This was all said so matter-of-factly that Eddie could not help but start laughing in hysterics.“Oh my god, this is all a dream, I am dying in that pit Drake sent me to and I’m having a dream because I’m dying.”   He was laughing so hard that he doubled over wheezing and venom started to writhe around him in agitation, gently stroking through his hair and along his spine trying to calm him. 
“You are not dying and are not going to die; do you think we would let that happen to you, Eddie?”
 All at once he stopped, it spoke his name and was gently encircling him with itself, small patches of darkness softly touching his neck, chin, and running over his lips so softly like they were afraid to hurt him. 
“Eddie, we wish to love you…why do you resist the idea so?”
 Venom’s voice was so gentle and it broke him.He was flushing now with anger, with self-hate, because this could not be happening. “Because no one loves me! Not my own father! Not the woman I loved for years! Not my mother who died because of me!”   He felt the hate pouring from him and being soaked into venom like a sponge, yet all venom expelled was their own fear. 
“Eddie, do we repulse you? We know we are not the same as those humans…but we want to be good to you, please Eddie…”
 For a thing so big, it sounded so meek and Eddie felt wrong for being angry, it was not venom’s fault, it just wanted to love him, it did not know he was so broken.Besides, he was not bothered so much with venom not being a person so much as he would somehow mess up this relationship too.He should feel more trepidation to being with something so inhuman, but he figured God had already turned his back on him by now.What was a little more sin mixed in with some hope? “hey…I’m, listen it is not your fault. I am just worried okay? Everyone so far has left me, I don’t want you to as well.” He felt warmth bloom around him and encompass him in the hug he did not know he had been wanting this much, as he leaned into it, he felt venom’s voice inside his mind. Their chuckle forcing away all doubt. 
“We are a dragon Eddie, and you are our treasure. We intend to horde you forever.”
 That was all it took to shatter any resolve he had, just the promise of being loved forever. How sappy could he get?This time when his shirt was being tugged off, he complied and groaned with delight as every knot and sore spot in his torso was soothed with venom’s roiling warm form. Dark appendages ran through his hair, rubbing his scalp and working his brain into mindless putty.He panted and leaned forward and as he found an appendage, he pressed a gentle kiss there with chapped lips. His mind was having a hard time registering the part of this that was “wrong” when his whole body was singing a course of yes. Screaming within his mind in delight as he began to think less, and enjoy more. Their little treasure was so pliant right now, they watched as they surrounded him and breathy groans passed through beautiful plush lips, green eyes shaded under fluttering eyelashes.It took most of their willpower not to just rip the remaining clothing from that milky skin but they remembered that this little gem was human, so gentle tender care was needed, especially for their first joining. With some tugging and wiggling on Eddie’s part, they were able to get him free from the confines of his pants, taking time now to marvel at his soft skin and hair, humans were such soft breakable little things.Eddie had to be kept safe.Something possessive sparked within them and they pulled Eddie down, sinking him to the thighs into their dark form so he was held fast. Their gem did not notice until he tried to move a little and failed, it made him produce such a cute little sound. Now came some of the more fun parts.They produced a special mass of appendages between Eddie’s encased thighs and gently began to rub the soft flesh still covered by undergarments. They could feel Eddie twitching, his manhood beginning to spring to life as slick trails were run over his inner thighs and covered cock. 
“Eddie, we are going to mark you with our scent in new places. Do you want to be ours, Eddie?”
The human was gasping and whining, barely able to keep coherent thought, that may have been their fault a little…a human within their space would no doubt have different effects than one of their own kind, truly it was a miracle they did not break his mind but their influence was strong here, and it was having a potent effect on Eddie in the most delicious way.   “more wanna feel you, venom.”The words were spoken with a delight and reverence venom had never known.They made their mind up now to be with this little human and treat him like the princess he truly was meant to be. “Then you will have all of me my small darling.”Cooing they stripped off the thin fabric and drank in the sight before them; Eddie with his hair mussed, eyes blown wide, sweat dripping down his chest and back, thighs encased in them as his now swollen cock stood proud against his stomach. They began to meticulously rub a new scent over Eddie from the specialized appendages, wherever they touched dark stains were left.They started with his head running over his scalp and watching the liquid sink in, his ears, his eyelids his lips.  As they coated these a soft pink tongue darted out and flicked against them, it was pleasant, they wiggled a thinner limb in-between pillowy lips and rubbed against the wet heat they found.The taste he was being fed was not unpleasant. In fact, the more he sucked the more he found his mind wishing for more, was that what it was to mate one of these creatures? You become addicted to them so fully you never want to leave?   Whatever the case he was not sure he wanted to, just a little attention from venom had made his body sing. He chased after the limb as it left his mouth with a wet pop, whining softly at the loss as he began rutting into the wet mass of tendrils below, his manhood tingled as the strange lubricant slid over it but he could not find it in himself to stop. Everything felt so good and every nerve was set alight. He did, however, yelp when his hips were lifted and his ass cheeks were parted. He was so nervous about this yet venom did not force like he imagined would happen, no, a tendril gently rubbed the liquid like a soothing balm against his fluttering hole. 
“Don’t worry my little love, we will wait for this. For now, marking the outside will be just fine.”
 True to their word venom only rubbed the outside giving his ass an appreciative squeeze as the appendages left his backside in favour of wiggling against his sack and pulling a moan from him.“v-veno..m gonna….im gonna cum…” The creature rumbled in appreciation and finally, something tugged on his weeping cock. 
“Oh Eddie, go ahead, cum, share your pleasure with us, now and forever.”
Eddie could not stop as pleasure vaulted through his mind ripping into him as steaks of white flowed into the vast abyss and he was gently caressed and laid against the immense form that was venom. And for the first time in a long time, he felt something he had not felt.Love.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Eddie woke feeling warmer than he had in a long time, he nuzzled against the warmth encompassing him not wanting to wake from it.
“Eddie, it is time to wake up.”
Eddie whined softly and pressed a small kiss to the appendage caressing his face.“no, wanna sleep more…”He was being stubborn by this point, but being mixed and joined with venom made him feel fairly sluggish in a happy sort of blissed out way.Even as he snuggled, he felt more curling shadows tickle just under his ribs and his eyes shot open as he tried to contain his laughter.“Eddie, Time to eat little lovely.”  It was touch and go for a while but he was getting more and more used to being absorbed into Venom, though Venom was very strict about how long they could stay together, making sure to wake Eddie before breakfast to feed him and feed themselves.Venom had talked about how hard it was to separate from him and how they wished they could keep Eddie but it was dangerous to keep A human within them for too long.“Why would it be dangerous?”The cold feeling of sadness and loss that emanated off of Venom made him shut up immediately.
“You would not be able to separate from us eventually; you would become one with us and not be Eddie anymore.”
He sat and pondered this as he ate an apple and some hazelnuts on the top of the skull pile.Venom had the habit of putting him on top of it. they said
“We like the look of you on the top of our horde, the most beautiful treasure we have.”
It made him blush but he shook the wonderful thought aside for the moment, the real question he should be thinking is; could he really stop being himself?He guessed if he died, but Venom would never knowingly hurt him, so it must be like an odd body function that just happened, like breathing.He watched his love leave earlier through the opening in order to find fresh prey and he could not help but feel excited for when they came back…Night.The time when they would join.Eddie would not lie and say it was not strange at first being treated like a maiden in the bedroom, tender and loved while he was pushed down and was played like a harp.He was still afraid to be…taken and Venom was just so good to him in that respect, promising to wait until he was ready and gently caressing his hair until his nerved vanished.He had a surprise for Venom tonight though…well, it may not be exactly what Venom wanted he felt so bad that he got off every evening and venom had yet to seem at least pleasured, at least sexually.  They seemed happy, yet he felt like a terrible bedmate.It was going to change tonight and he was going to make sure to give his lover a good time tonight.Even if it made his cheeks flame red and had his heart thundering in his ears like a warhorse.They were enjoying the feeling of Eddie sprawled out over the light leather of their wings, dexterous fingers rubbing against the fine hide there. Such an odd thing, a massage. But Eddie had asked to do this among other things he would not talk about yet, still, they purred and gurgled with delight as those gentle lips pressed kisses to the “stars” in the undersides of their wings.They heard the sound of fabric dropping and they released an excited trill, enjoying seeing Eddie discard clothing readily and sit atop their broad chest.They could not communicate as easily to Eddie like this, it was mainly in their native tongue. However, the lovely human seemed to have no fear.No, Eddie reached towards their face and made grabby gestures with his hands and those beautiful big eyes were begging them, they released a chuckle and put their massive head in those small hands which drew them close and then…Eddie licked them on their maw, which transformed into small kisses and happy sighs.
Treasure. ~
They were delighted in this little display as their kind often interpreted the world through scent, having their little mate’s scent on them filled them with delight and they opened their maw slightly to let their own tongue roll out, maybe to Lick Eddie a bit more and taste him again.But their small star was faster and to their surprise, and delight those lovely lips were against their tongue, kissing hungrily before licking against Venoms tongue with a happy groan, hugging the slippery appendage against his body.Now Venom had to hold back a roar, Eddie tasted so good against them, naked and needy, they could taste every inch of their little lover and they saw stars when Eddie sucked the tip of their tongue into his mouth and began to rub his own against it. Venom could barely take it and at this point Eddie was beginning to sink past their scales, groaning at this loss as he fell into the heart of his lover. What happened was intense, to say the very least. Eddie had never felt this close to anyone before as he could almost feel his pores filled with venom. It was almost like they were fully connected for some blissful moments before he was jettisoned once more into the air of the cave. He looked around to see a tail retreating deeper into the maze to tunnels and called out to no avail as his lover vanished, leaving him to puzzle over what had happened alone. Venom dunked their head in the water, again and again, trying to clear the fog from their mind. Every part of them wanted Eddie back, to be part of him again. However, this would not work, they could feel Eddie slipping when the mingling was attempted, they knew it would turn out like this yet they tried anyway…Their star was a perfect match and they could feel it.Yet they could never attempt this and all for one stupid reason.They had lost the thing that would help them long ago.They sorted through their nose and lashed their tongue as they pawed at the water furiously. The frustration was too much to bear at times, to see Eddie so close yet unable to commit a true joining with him, worse yet how could they let their beautiful treasure know that they could have joined at one point only to rip it from his precious tiny hands?No, this would be a secret for now and they knew it may stay that way until the end of their days…their little treasure would die before them and they could not stop it.With those sombre thoughts, they dragged themselves back to the main chamber and looked around.
“Eddie?”
They snuffled on top of the skull pile before knocking it over, soon becoming frantic.  They hauled bodies out of the way and checked, carelessly tossing aside anything in their way before they stopped and caught it…a different scent, the one that had been on their Eddie before.Unfurling massive wings, they let out a roar filled with rage, hurt and fear.

“̶̖̳̮̟̩͖̹̙̫̐̔͆̂̒̅̅̃͑̎̋̆̈̽̍̍̊̕͝Ȩ̵̢̢̫̫̙̗̬̝͎̈́̆̋̂͌͒̎̋̓̋̑̒̓̀̓̇̂͘͝Ḋ̶̙̖͓͕͖͔̱͔̞̻̗̣̼̜̙̭͍̗͙̋̿̀̽̂̅̃̏̄̄̓͘͜͜͜͝͠͝D̶̡̬̻̲͉͔̞̞̖͓̺͇̮̪̟̭̳͎͓̩͚̞͚̕͝Ḯ̶̯̏̉̈͂̅̿͌̏̌̉̿̌̓̒̋̈̂̐̉̀̌̔Ȩ̴̩͉̫̩͖̙͕̜̣̼͔͈̙̖̾ͅͅ!̴̣̤̼̣͉͚͛”̷̧̣̌́̔̉̆̐̾́͌̿̿̓́̀͛̏̒͐̕̚

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hoisted onto the back of a horse with a bag on his head was not how he envisioned his evening going.Luckily he had been able to pull on his clothing before he was accosted and bound up, dragged out down a freaking CLIFF.He would have screamed if he was not gagged under the bag on his head.Things as they were, were pretty bad though his heart banged in his chest when he heard the thunderous roar of venom which made his heart soar only to have it plummet to the ground once more as he felt himself being dragged into a dark cave and manacles were fastened on his arms and legs.He felt it was a cave due to the moist air and the cool rock under his feet, it also was too small for Venom to hope to fit into the entrance…rocks scraped along his shoulders as he was tugged along, stumbling and nearly falling many times. This cave entrance must be far enough away that it would probably be difficult to spot even from the sky.This evening was going just great, first, he gets his affections spurned and Venom went and would not even talk to him about it.Now he was being dragged God knows where by some crazy person who had put a sword to his throat and told him not to move in a gruff voice. “Ah, sir Roland. I  am so glad to see you brought him this time, I can only hope that you have not wasted my time. Now off with you.”Eddie may be bound and gagged but he knew that voice anywhere…The devil himself Lord Drake. Eddie was pushed back onto a stone surface and felt himself being chained to it, uncomfortable metal already chafing against his raw wrists and ankles. Then the bag was removed and he found himself blinking in the dim light, his heart stuttering to a stop. All around him were vials and beakers, things that only alchemists had, bubbling and simmering, different ingredients were hanging  from hooks in a stone ceiling, chains hung around, fastened to the hooks hewn into the stone of the ceiling, he could see a trap door and a ladder that must have l tread up to Drake’s home and some secret entryway, just given how long he had been walking down the tunnels of this cave system, yet what made his heart stop was the pile of bodies human and animal in different states of decay piled into a wooden cart. Drake must have seen his horror and smirked.“All failures thus far, they either die or go quite mad. Oh well, more for the pit. I honestly thought that is where you were going, it was a fun thought all those mad people ripping you limb from limb.”The dark-haired man sighed almost wistfully that thought before continuing.“Oh well. At least you will be useful now.”Drake hummed to himself as he worked, uncovering something and mixing a few powders in a stone bowl. Eddie could only stare on in horror, what is it this madman was doing? What was he planning?“I am not removing the gag, honestly your lips look much better with something in them…though I suppose most of you looks better now. How was it to become a dragon’s pet? For someone as lowly as you I imagine it was lovley.”This made him thrash against his bindings, he was not a pet, Venom treated him as an equal! A lover…but…last night…no..no! he could not doubt his love right now.“I imagine you are curious.”Drake just ignored Eddie’s outburst and fiddled with a small black box in the corner of the room that he had uncovered.“As to why you are here, well I needed something alive that had been in contact with the dragon this time. If I can get this one artefact work properly I can replicate it and then once I do Well…Ever heard of the philosopher’s stone?”Eddie snorted at that, all of that was garbage and he knew no one could live forever.“scoff all you like, you are a simpelton after all, but It is real and the ones who create them are dragons. They carry these stones within them and when they mate they give them to their mate, much like wedding rings binding to lives symbolically but this bind not symbolically but truly.”Carlton Drake strode over to Edward Brock, holding the small black box, it was plain and simple for what the man was claiming but Eddie stopped thrashing and looked at Drake with horror. Wishing this story would end…that he would just do the terrible thing that would end him up in the pit if only so he had the chance to see venom one last time.“My great-great-grandfather fought a dragon in his youth, he managed to split open its side, and out came this gem, well he soon became driven to unlock it’s secrets and passed them down, my family has been working towards unlocking it’s potential so we could gain the lifeblood of dragons.”Eddie stared at Drake, his dark eyes and raven hair that was swept to the side. The clothing that adorned him dark as to not leave any bloodstains like a doctor or barbers. He was afraid no if he had not been before. Drake was mad, this story was insane! There was no way in hell what he was saying held any weight.“Now Mr Brock, you are going to help me. You are so lucky to have such a great purpose now.”The smile on Drake’s mouth was cold and he flicked the box open.Eddie heard before he saw, or felt he assumed as Drake did not react.What flowed out of the box was like a song, rough and deep, he could feel his heart swell with something other than dread…something he only felt with Venom.Wait, was this something from Venom’s horde or perhaps“Well Edward, I am going to lay it on your chest. Most of the time it burns people, but this is why I wear gloves.”Eddie felt a strange calm wash over him as Drake unfastened his shirt, hen he Finally saw it being lowered to his chest his breath caught in his throat.It looked like a great white opal, shimmering like one of Venom’s eyes. The world moved in slow motion as it was slowly set towards his chest and as it made contact he let out the breath he did not know he had been holding.Then the world went insane. As contact was made The opal-like almost seemed to sink into his chest slightly, it felt warm. It felt good, he could feel, hear, and smell it before he saw it.Carlton Drake’s throat against his teeth as blood gushed out of the once-living man, he was frenzied in his eating, gorging on all the sticky red flesh till nothing was really left but an eye and the viscera clinging to him. which he began lapping at with a long tongue. He was vaguely aware of broken chains that dangled from him and his back and scalp felt so itchy it was almost like they were on fire.

Who was he again?

What was he?
That did not matter too much at the moment, he wanted to leave now that he had eaten, this place smelled terrible and like death, dead meat rotting. Not like nice clean bones and sterile corpses.

Why did he think that?
He slid on his stomach up to the tunnels, his tongue flicking out of his mouth to taste the air instinctually. He knew which way was out, he could taste the fresh air on his tongue.When he finally got out he fell onto the grass and rolled upon it, he could feel the tension and itching in his back flare up and he hissed softly.He needed something to soothe this burning itch in his scalp and back.With long strides on all fours, he smelled the air, ducking and diving to sniff out a pond or river.
Why am I running like this?
When he came to a clearing in the deep woods he smelled the pond and slid towards it, he found himself taken with his reflection for some reason.Blackened fingertips that ended in retractable claws, darkness swirling out of an opal in his chest that seeped down his chest arms and legs, black horns with opalescent tips just beginning to emerge through pale skin close to a mop of chestnut hair, bright emerald eyes. He imagined his back must be burning because his wings were unfolding.Though he did not know how he came to that conclusion.Enough admiring his reflection, he plunged into the water, becoming annoyed by the restriction on his legs he tore off the useless fabric on it with a snarl and a flurry of claws.He gasped and roared as his horns grew and curled backwards and the pain of his wings growing was so much worse.They were large, big enough to carry him in flight if he desired. They somehow made him feel…nostalgic, black with star patterns within…however they hurt so much in their growth that he nearly passed out in the water.Food.He followed his nose once more to fill the cavern that was his stomach.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Villagers cowered and screamed in the wake of the night sky seemingly falling upon them only to open giant opal eyes and a monstrous maw teeming with dagger points that promised only death. it was the tenth village of the evening that venom was pillaging for the only treasure that mattered to it. A treasure that eluded them still.Eddie’s scent was nowhere to be found and it was driving them quite mad with grief, they should have been there!They should have calmly explained that they lost the only thing that could make their bond permanent.Instead, they ran.Like a coward.Like always.when things got hard or bad, they hid, they ran.They were such a loser. They crunched the roof of a barn in their maw and rooted around within, disturbing cows and goats from their slumber which either fainted or ran.This must have been a place Eddie was in once before, his old scent lingered upon the floor, the one before they began marking him.Desperate for their little mate they licked the small surface Eddie once had been on and roared in dismay and longing. Eddie… They could not even protect him, keep him from another measly creature that took him. They lifted their great head and breathed in great gusts of air.There was a place that had so much of Eddie’s smell on it, it was old but Venom was desperate and not thinking of the differences in scent in their grief and loss. Wings as dark as the night sky that glittered with stars that had once been kissed and blessed by an angel among men lifted them deeper towards the wood near the edge of the village.  Steel plate-mail glittered in the torchlight of a small farmer’s hut. “I swear ta ya, t’ was a demon! it was guttin’ an eattin’ one a my sheep!” Eyes as sharp and grey as storm clouds cut the farmer’s story short with a gaze and the lifting of a gauntlet covered hand.  “Sir, what makes you think I am qualified to fight a demon? I am but a simple knight.” Her fiery hair spilt over armoured shoulders and she was perhaps more frightening than the creature that had been going after his sheep for two nights, still he looked at her pleading with watery eyes. “lady knight...please, ya know as well as me. Drake got all them other guards an even the priests in his pocket...no one else can help...please… I gots family to provide fur.” She sighed, looking around the hut, the small quarters showed the lack of a woman in the household, no doubt she had died from childbirth given the empty cradle in the corner. there were however five children snuggled up in one small bed. “Call me Anne and sir...I will do it, but only if...let’s say maybe one or two of the children can help me around my home. I need some help in the garden’s sound fair?” The man was all but weeping with gratitude over the small kindness, the price was minimal compared to anyone else, and he knew Dan the herbalist would teach his children as they worked...it was not only payment but also a way to give his children a future.Anne was truly a saint. he still tried to pay her actual money, but she urged him to keep it. Drake had been bleeding the town dry and she had to admit it… Eddie had been right they man was a snake. Eddie… She regained her composure as she walked into the night air and took post by a small fenced-in area near the sheep and a pond they drank from. Eddie would have laughed over her demon hunting, but also gone with her and helped the man however he could have. Now that kind young man had gone missing after going after Drake.If only she could prove anything. She had tried but it only led her and her soon to be husband into more hot water, Drake had been able to demote her to a simple guard. the people of the town saw her as a knight still and often would only come to her now as the last uncorrupted guard who was not buying what Drake was selling. Darkness was too slow to fall and she was certain it would only be a wolf or some mangy dog that she would have to kill, still, she stood watch, hand on her sword.she rested her eyes for a few moments. night fell and a few of the sheep were still awake, one began to wander as if tempted by something...Anne squinted and saw something...a trail of apples, small but a treat for an animal like a sheep. that made her tense up, someone must have gotten in quick and quiet enough to go unnoticed but knew better than to do anything to the sheep while she was there.It must be a human doing this then, after all, nothing else could lay a trap like this.Cautiously she followed the sheep that scrambled past a break in the fence and into the wood.She then started to hear something, it was like singing but no words were uttered, it carried only a feeling of supreme calm. she could feel herself relax without wanting to.Lethargically she made her way to a small clearing and her breath caught in her throat. Sitting with a now sleeping sheep on its lap was...well, what one would say looked like a demon.A torso swirling with darkness, blackened wings and claws, horns growing from its head, a lashing tongue and vicious teeth. the creature was softly...gently even stroking the sheep as it slept, singing wordlessly that song, the one that made one simply relax. Without warning it stopped and its wings flared, opening to show its tear-stained face as it flipped the sheep onto it’s back and in a swift motion that was all teeth the creature’s life was ended with a merciful and quick bite to the neck. Anne watched in shock and horror as it ripped into the sheep, devouring it with vigour, horror not because it was a monster but because it was… “Eddie?” The creature looked up, emerald eyes glittering in the night and it hissed softly, standing over its kill. She could now see the silhouette that he cast, a tail was included and it twitched whip-like behind him, a strange gem embedded in his chest...but those eyes held the same softness, that chestnut hair, that face.No doubt it was him. “Eddie, by God, what has happened to you?” He simply tilted his head quizzically and lowered himself to his kill once more, eating but now keeping an eye upon her. “Eddie, come on, it is me. Anne? remember?” He continued to eat until the bones were licked clean and began to purr like a large cat, he arched his back in a stretch and clambered up a tree in an almost liquid glide of claws and tail, hanging upside down effortlessly as he eyed her.Okay, she found the demon, but she was not going to kill something that looked so much like Eddie, no... she needed help, she needed…“Dan, Dan can help...Come on...Come with me, Eddie.” He still showed no signs of recognizing her.It took some doing, she had to make a trip back to town and back bringing a chain to wrap around his waist and small morsels of meat to give him periodically as she walked the creature-Eddie back towards homeHe had just wanted to try making a few different tea recipes, instead, he was getting a terrifying show of a Dragon eating a deer.it had all started with this creature destroying the shed and making a sort of nest out of old scraps of clothing and scrolls that had been written by a certain truth-loving young man.Dan had really Liked that guy, he was always so nice, just like Anne but different.He was reckless and fearless in ways he would never be able to.Now there was an honest to God dragon sitting in all that old stuff and he wanted to cry.Anne would probably hate this. He had tried to make it go, tried to scare it and make it leave, tried bribing it with gold, even tried to poison some food and give it to it. nothing worked, it just ignored him or put its tail on top of him.Which is the position he was currently in.“Hey, um...Could you please not try to crush me?”The dragon shifted it’s tail off him but used it to flick him away, sending him tumbling into his strawberries. “...Well, I guess I have to use these to make jam now...wait, what are you...No! don’t lick Eddie’s old work!” The dragon paused as it put down the scroll it had been about to lick and levelled its opal gaze upon dan, this caused him to fidget nervously. “l-look, if you can understand me...um, Eddie was a really nice guy you know? he always tried to help others and Anne said that she was only keeping his stuff because It is evidence against Drake but um, I think she still cares about him as a friend and him disappearing crushed her, so if you destroy that by licking it....she will be super upset.” He could not help but ramble out of fear Before turning as his name was called out only to scream. There was Anne and trailing behind her a humanoid version of the Dragon. ……He had just wanted to try new tea recipes today dang it….

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

EDDIE!~

they got close before Eddie let out a low hissing sound...making them back off instantly and emit a low whining hum from their throat.Their Eddie was certainly...different, even his scent took on a new aroma, blood and sweetness clung to proto scales that littered once human skin. Venom eyed Eddie quizzically seeing the true cause of this change, the opal. Their heart.The very stone they emerged from when they were “born”Half of this remained within their form, holding it together, the other was for a potential mate so they could fully meld into something more and create more from the void and darkness.Eddie could never give enough to create more like them...though perhaps one day…They shook their head free of the thoughts of hatchlings.The melding took well to the human, possibly due to Eddie already having physically bonded to Venom. By the stars above Eddie was beautiful even as he hissed at Venom and flared out his wings to force venom to back down. Venom complied and it honestly it looked so odd to see such a small humanoid puff up and scare such a large beast into submission. The draconic that was Edward Charles Allen Brock slipped out of his bonds liquidly, muscles rippling as he flared his wings once more, clumsily flapping then half crawling up onto the roof of the hut and curling up as he watched the two humans and one dragon from his new lofty perch. Venom tried a few more times to approach and was rewarded with scratches to its face and an angry draconic that spat and hissed at them. 
Why does Eddie not remember me? My poor Eddie I am sorry forgive me!
 They wailed and gurgled as they slumped to the ground.They wished they could cry but lacked the tear ducts, the sadness within them made them seem like they could explode from sheer sadness. …” Anne, you know how weird this is? Eddie is some sort of...demon? dragon? and then this dragon...is just...being bullied by him?” Anne frowned, the behaviour did not seem very Eddie like yet this had to be him, he had not harmed her or Dan, saddened even by eating sheep. “I don’t know what is going fully on but I guess the two are connected somehow? The dragon looks a whole lot like the ‘look’ Eddie has now, maybe something magic happened?” She wished she could explain it better but the situation was far beyond their grasp.Still, she felt bad for the large creature now gurgling piteously on the ground and she gently put a hand to its face. It made her want to freeze in fear or scream, but she stood fast. “Hey, If you can understand me...and if that is Eddie, he will get over it. he always bounces back eventually...well...except for one time, but I assume he was okay since he is alive still…” The dragon raised its head and she froze momentarily as Did Dan before they proceeded when they found no harm came to them. “He..um, he and I were close, we had a falling out, but he has always been a good guy, a sweetheart y’ know?” The dragon waggled it’s head up and down...Was...Was it nodding? “Oh. You can understand me huh? Will Eddie get better? What happened to him?” The dragon lifted a forepaw and Anne and Dan held their breath before releasing it when it pointed to its own chest then to Eddie who hissed at the dragon and made it curl up and whine. “so...the stone in his chest is...doing this? can we take it out?”The dragon narrowed white soulless eyes at her and growled softly with a swift shake of its head to the left and right. Wincing she put up her hands placatingly. “okay..um...well you both can stay here until we can work this out...Dan...Do you think we can make something to help Eddie?” Dan lit up happily, he nodded swiftly.“Oh! I can make him some tea or candy with valerian root, It should help calm him at the very least for now. I will go prepare something!” Anne sighed happily, God she loved this dork. then she turned to the dragon. “We will do our part to try and help him...but you better not try anything or I will not hesitate to end you..and If I find out you hurt a hair on his head…”  Venom liked this warrior, it wanted to keep Eddie safe, he watched the she warrior and Small bubbly man prepared a meal in the kitchen...Seeing them so close over their food gave Venom an Idea and it slunk into the forest. 
Well, This was interesting, but annoying in some ways, there was something more dangerous than him and that would not do...yet instead of lashing out back at him it cowered and submitted to his growls and scratches

Stretching and digging his talons into the roof he yawned and grumbled over his hunger. If only the nice human gave him more meat. he hungered still.

He craned his neck and breathed in, tongue lashing into the wind.

He could smell a fresh kill before he saw the Large dragon fly above and descend quiet like an owl, dropping a Stag upon the ground and nudging it with its nose towards him.

Cautiously he climbed down and sniffed the kill, the dragon backed up as he got closer, stalking forward in a raptor-like fashion, eyeing the dragon with suspicion before taking a bite and jumping away. when it did not hurt him he took another, and another bite and run at least ten times before settling over the carcass and feeding with a delighted groan blood coating him...a long tongue connected with his body swiping the blood off him and he shivered.

That was not too bad, and the scent was familiar. he wanted more. carefully he let out a soft questioning trill that was answered in kind with a deep gurgle and a tongue that swiped over him again. this time connecting with the stone in his chest.

The feeling was like a lightning bolt of pleasure.

“Ah...More?~”

Even his voice was rough to him a sibilant hiss. but he was listened to and his mind felt strangely clear.

He was This Dragon’s mate...His poor mate...he had been mean to them. he gently licked their muzzle and nuzzled under the scent releasing glands where maw met neck. covering himself with his mate’s aroma.

His mate was so beautiful and strong...but his brain still felt off...what was he forgetting?

He clutched his head and growled before recognition struck and he began to understand the trilling of venom(Yes, Venom, the dragon...HIS dragon) as words and a look of relief crossed Venom’s features.

“There you are my treasure.”

“There you are Eddie, do not worry, Venom is with you.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Eddie felt almost drunk as venom’s voice resounded within him, it was warm and compelling to be this close.He could hear venom speak, not just when they were connected within his lover but outside.They were outside and Eddie could understand venom. The warm feeling pooling in his chest radiated outwards like all of him would be consumed by this heat as he nuzzled against Venom’s neck. The world faded to mere background noise as he trilled softly.
“I missed you, why Did you leave me? Did I do something wrong?”  
He vaguely remembered Venom leaving him in the main chamber after he had tried to have a moment of passion with them. Still, he felt too drunk on the warmth and love radiating in him to feel Venom flinch before the dragon laved its tongue over his chest, just under the collarbone, near his heart sat the opal and touching it so intimately made Eddie gasp and purr.
“My Eddie…I was scared. I risked losing you each time we became more intimate, but I craved it. I need someone with me to make me whole but I lost the one thing that could connect us.”
Venom nosed the gem, hot huffs of breath ruffling Eddie’s hair.
“Every one of my kind connects not only our bodies but our minds and souls when we have a chosen mate, we give them what is essentially a piece of our heart. We connect and then we will not absorb the other submissive partner into the whole.”
Eddie’s head swam, he had a feeling Venom was not just a dragon…but something older and perhaps more dangerous. Then the thought struck him, the opal in his chest was that?
“Do…Do I carry your heart now?”
He felt rather than heard the yes, it resounded through him, pumping through his veins.He was filled with love, adoration. He could see past the stars and into the void before his lover tugged him back to the now with a gentle nudge to his sternum.
“Do not look too far back my treasure. Your mind cannot take that much yet, perhaps one day though.”
For the moment Eddie decided to let go, his mind felt soft around the edges, like metal softened in a forge. He cooed and trilled Needily as he rolled over and batted his tail against Venom’s chest, he clawed and grasped. Licking at his mate’s neck, a long tongue and sharper teeth made for better love bites and scent covering. He could tell from the sounds Venom made the soft hisses and encouraging gurgles that his lover was enjoying the attention and would probably delight in Eddie finding more sensitive spaces to mark.All the fun ended when he heard a sharp intake of breath and a cup shatter.Eddie whipped around ready to growl when he saw the male human who had dropped a cup of flower-root water. This person was not bad so he just blinked and slid down as Venom righted themselves onto their forepaws and he flexed out in a stretch. Back arching and wings flexing outwards.The man cried out, that was…a name? He could not speak it the same as he could before right now, but he understood it. “Anne” That name felt familiar to him still he waited and hunkered down next to venom sighing contentedly when a fore-paw was draped over him protectively.The lady who had fed him rushed out of the hut and the man who had brought out the flower-root water was speaking animatedly with her.Eddie’s ears perked.“Anne, I swear to you Eddie was just on top of the dragon nuzzling it like a kitten.”Anne shook out her strawberry-blonde locks and sighed as she looked over at the draconic man cuddling up with the beast.“Well, maybe we can try to reason with him if he is calm now…We need to help him, Dan, he is obviously sick somehow.”She looked over what was once Eddie with worry, what had time with a dragon done to him, it had to have something to do with that stone in his chest…they just needed to get it out then Eddie would be okay again.“look, Anne, I know you care about Eddie but are you sure he wants help? He looks okay to me…and the dragon seems to be pretty protective.”She looked up at Dan dumbfounded.“Dan, He looks like some sort of dragon half-breed, for all we know that thing is messing with his head! We need to help him somehow!”Dan raised his hands placatingly and looked her dead in the eyes.“Anne, before we go overboard thinking that this thing is evil. Let’s gather information first if we know for sure that Eddie is suffering than we will do something. Don’t rush into things like this head-first, you are smarter than this.”Steadying her breath, she managed a small smile up at Daniel. What had she ever done to deserve this man?”“All right then Dan. We will wait. But I am still going over there to try to talk to Eddie.”Before Dan could stop her, she was marching over towards the dragon and its dozy mate. Eddie lifted his head slightly to look at the woman coming towards them. He perked a little in hopes she would have meat again then whined noticing none.What did this woman want? He was so sleepy he just wanted to nap with his mate.“Eddie, stop pretending to sleep.”The voice was exasperated and Eddie cracked open an eye before trilling softly at the woman signalling to her that he was sleepy.“Come on Eddie, talk to me…It’s me, Anne, remember?”He cocked his head back and forth and nudged Venom’s forepaw so his mate would lift it. They did, but not without a groan as they were enjoying basking in the sun with their small treasure and were quite nearly asleep.Still protecting their mate took precedent and they got up to a sitting position, tail lashing irritated behind them.Their mate carefully stood like the woman before dropping to all fours to stretch out before sitting, folding his wings and lifting his tail to encircle it around one of venom’s forepaws.The gesture did not go unnoticed as venom huffed with delight and lowered their muzzle to rub against Eddie while also eyeing the woman.  Anne looked rather confused over this whole display. Eddie seemed content and relaxed with it…but she was not convinced.“Look, Eddie, you need to tell me what is going on, I am worried about you.”Eddie understood but he was having a hard time trying to make words, he saw the woman, Anne flinch at his attempts at speech that came out as hisses and growls.Then the thought hit him, he had been a scribe! Hopefully, this Anne person knew how to read at least simple phrases.With a long look at her he began scratching out something easy on the ground and added an arrow pointing to venom, although It did not cover their relationship, he did not really have to words to explain it fully to this woman.“Friend…this dragon is your…Friend?”Eddie beamed and nodded tail now thumping against the dirt making him look like an excited puppy.The woman may not have understood when he spoke, but she could understand venom was not going to hurt her.Then trilling once more he curled up, calling for his mate to cuddle him.He felt safe and content once more as venom covered him with their forepaws to horde him like a treasure as they rested in the sun once more. Oblivious to the intents of man.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Anne was a lot of things, she was a crack shot with a bow, an amazing swordswoman and the most honourable person Dan had ever met. That did not mean he agreed with her staunch opposition towards the dragon. He had a hunch that Eddie was probably not under any spell other than maybe whatever changed his form. Annie had it in her head that Eddie was well, unable to do things on his own. She was one to baby and protect him even when he did not need it.One of the reasons the relationship they had fell through is that she realized she never put Eddie on the same footing as herself.Dan did not mind the protective nature of Anne but he was pretty sure Eddie had fought against it. Eddie was independent and free, lots of people thought he was simple or faey struck. Dan was a man of few needs and limited expense, but he never thought Eddie was simple. He was brilliant with a quill, he just worked differently on some level Dan never fully would ever understand. Dan was sure every human was slightly different and that was why he never became a doctor.Bloodletting could not possibly cure all ails of every person. If every human was different surely their needs were as well. He watched Anne as she stalked back to the house looking defeated at the moment, knowing Eddie was "Friends" with the dragon…How she could not see that there was more to it than that was beyond him. But she was a fighting woman and she was sure to fight this. Dan could only shake his head and sigh.He had prepared some bread with potato flour and put it on a tray for Eddie. As of now, Eddie was a guest as was the dragon so he wanted to show them they had nothing to fear from him at least. Anne was probably trying to concoct a way to keep Eddie "safe" even now.Holding the bread carefully he approached the giant black dragon. He could see Eddie resting peacefully under its paws and he hoped this was fine. He resisted the urge to freeze each time he got near the thing. His instincts screamed at him to, and he wondered how Eddie could be so naturally calm around the dragon. This thing inspired an unnatural fear. "Hello, I brought Eddie some food, it is just bread but I figured he may need some variety other than...meat." His breathing quickened as the Dragon craned it's long neck down towards him. He couldn't move as the maw of the beast opened and Dan watched in horror as the tongue lashed like a whip across the bread, a hairsbreadth from his fingertips.A clean slice that flipped over onto the Beast's tongue and it gulped the bread into its mouth which snapped shut.Dan did not even register he had fallen on his backside and started crying until he felt the Dragon gently Butt its snout against his chest.It was making a lie humming sound and Dan started to breathe again. He dried his tears and reached out. Shakily he put a hand on the massive snout and gave it a soft pat.  It was warm and smooth. Not rough like he had thought it would be.He watched as a small-clawed hand reached up and grabbed the bread. Smaller coo's of delight being emitted by Eddie as his head popped up from in-between the dragon's forepaws.Dan was fascinated by Eddie's appearance, he looked rather odd but in a beautiful deadly kind of way. Like a Snake.Dan did like odd things, perhaps that also lead to him being a herbalist.He was shocked as Eddie soon hopped up and sat on his lap, tail thumping against the ground like an excited pup."Do...you want more Eddie?" He smiled as Eddie nodded and started ripping around him on all fours like a, particularly happy Dog. The Dragon made It's happy humm-purr as it nudged Him once more with its snout."Oh! You would like some as well? While I am not sure I can make enough I can give you a loaf each okay?"Dan was knocked over as The Dragon and Eddie Decided to lick him.That is where Dan found himself. Stunned and covered in drool as he dipped himself in the river outback. The Spit had two different smells, one from the dragon which smelled sterile and clean. A smell that clung to Eddie. The other smell that was left by Eddie was sweet, it was hard to remove even as he scrubbed it.He was sure if he could collect some samples he could figure it out more. He just needed to be kind and ask nicely. That was probably all it would take.------
"Edward. Do you understand why you were sent here?"

There was a sharp slap of a switch against his back. He had lost count of how many times it struck him.

How many red lines would be ripping open?

"Because I am A bastard and my father was ashamed of me?"

He gritted this out...because it was the truth.

The elder with the switch, however, did not seem to share the twelve-year-olds belief as the switch came down once more, hard.
 
"No, you simple boy. It is because you like all men, are a sinner and need to repent of your sins. You may have learned the quill but you have yet to learn to hold your tongue."
 
This man had hit him over the head while he wrote and made him spill his ink, yet he had the gall to say that was Eddie's fault?

Eddie was growing to dislike some of them.

This member of the clergy was for certain his least favourite.

He was a thin boney old man with cold blue eyes that priced into you. He often would bully and belittle the scribes who kept silent.

Except for Eddie.

He had to go and open his big mouth.

He had to stand up for Gerald, a boy three years younger than him who was learning to write and still had to run errands around the church because of it.

The kid could not write if this man had his way and had broken his wrist. The boy had tripped and spilt soup on the floor. It was not his fault.

And he had to point out that it was an accident.

Now his back was red and raw.

Stinging like had rolled in nettles, he finally was free of his torment.

His back had nearly gotten infected if it went for the kindly nun who had talked pity on him.

He wanted to be like her, soft light in the darkness. Giving kindness to those who needed it.

Sister May.

She had shown him how to draw and that went along with his writings well.

This woman was amazing, she believed that everyone should have the right to learn to read and write, not just those in the church.

She was run out of the town for those beliefs.

Eddie had only known her for two years.

At fourteen he took to writing missives for the local gentry. He became well known for being able to use flowery language and illustrate...but there was something else he did unbeknownst to anyone else.

He wrote of the dirty dealings of the gentry in pictures. Showing their vile deeds to the public by posting them under cover of darkness in the town square.

He found information on them and defamed them for the horrible people they were.

It felt good to take down those who had hurt so many.

He always wanted to help.

---
He awoke gasping as his love gently ran their tongue across his body to wake him, he quickly forgot his dream. It could not have been real, but Venom was...their tongue on him again. It was soft contact and he reached up and latched onto his love's tongue and cooed at them.
"Got you.~"
His tail twined with the tip of it and he basked in his Venom's scent.
"Ah, whatever am I to do little treasure. I have been caught. And by such a fearsome foe." 
that made Eddie smile and press a kiss against the tongue as he slipped off it and crawled onto Venom's head to scratch and groom their horns.The problem with being so much smaller is it made grooming and scenting his partner so much more difficult. It was a new instinct and he wanted to be a good mate. He wanted to please his mate as much as his mate worked to please him.It made something itch in the back of his mind that made him upset like he had felt this before.Wanting to please a partner but never being able to measure up.He shook the thought away as venom sighed and he dug his claws into the plates around their horns. The carapace their darling had must have taken so long to grow, created from something that once was but now was not. Fashioned from a time long gone by and modified to suit their needs here.Eddie stopped dead. What odd thoughts these were, it was strange...disconnected with his other thoughts like there was past, present, and future Eddie who were all together but separate, talking in layers over one another.He clutched his horns with a groan and closed his eyes to relieve the pressure burning in his skull.Just focus on Venom. They matter more.
"Venom? Is there a place you want me to groom?" 
Eddie watched the translucent covering of Venom's eye shift over it in a blink.
"You are doing well already Eddie...though maybe between our wings?"
He watched in awe, seeing those wings open made him marvel at the wonder that was Venom, beautiful and strong.Those wings that could carry venom across the vast sky with such ease, it made him close up his wings a little tighter to his back, feeling inadequate as he crawled over His dragons long neck to their back, gently scratching between their wings. He was feeling less like he should be scenting Venom. He felt bad because he was so inferior to them.they were a titanic ancient creature that had so much knowledge...and he was nothing, a speck of a human.He carried on in silence not noticing Venom had turned their head to him and was breathing over him. He forgot how flexible the dragon's neck was as a snout bumped against him, lifting him to eye-level with his love.
"You are being so quiet...are you troubled?" 
Eddie Muller this over. If he let Venom know they may become upset with him it was better to bury that bad feeling like he had any old memories that popped up, he was with Venom. He had all he could want, he does not deserve to feel upset."No, not really I was just thinking about when we will go back home to the cave is all." He had not thought of that for a while, but he did miss the cave...and maybe it would make him feel better to be there rather than among these humans.
"Ah, is my little treasure homesick? Does he want to return to the rest of my horde?" 
Venom crooned as he began licking Eddie once more, the simple act of smelling like venom being a comfort to Eddie as he nodded up at Venom.When Venom put it that way, he did miss his home, that cave was His home, surrounded by bodies and bones. He wanted to curl up with venom under the body pile and snooze, he wanted to wait and arrange his own treasures as venom was out.He wanted to try and fly.That thought made him lock up.He hated heights.Huh...he had forgotten that, though he was sure it was fine.He was fine.Fine.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

She screamed as she saw the Dragon open it's mouth as it landed. Eddie climbed out and shook like a dog to free himself of excess saliva and looked at her pointedly.The dragon was growling at her raised sword, hackles up and rows of needle teeth bared. She was starting to dislike all the surprises. She had been certain this monster had just eaten Eddie, yet it only circled for a while before landing, the man-dragon still in its mouth and not sliding into its belly as she had thought. "Stop putting Eddie in your mouth lizard! It looks like you are eating him!" The dragon puffed up, enraged and let out a growl before starting to lunge at her. She raised her sword once more before she and the dragon both froze. Eddie crawled over and plopped himself between them like a lazy cat and began to rub his cheek against the dragons left forepaw, his cooing sounds distracting both her and the beast, who started to make little chirps back at Eddie. It glared at her before scooping Eddie up in its mouth once more and going back to the spot in the woods where they sunned themselves. She was certain that thing was going to hurt Eddie, it was too unpredictable. Eddie had always been so fragile, always so prone to making mistakes.She had to fix this.For Eddie's sake.---
"Love, she did not mean to upset you...I am sure."
He was trying to soothe venom who was, for lack of a better word; sulking.Over being called a lizard. 
"She meant it, my treasure. I am beginning to dislike the she-knight."
They grumbled and muttered, raking their claws into the muck of the forest floor as Eddie squirmed under them and started sniffing around. Eddie was so curious, they enjoyed it immensely, especially with the little gem's latest discovery.They had never known they had genitalia before a, particularly spirited grooming session. It turns out it was all internal, they just never had these urges before Eddie.Even if their kind never looked like this originally the form they had taken from so long ago was serving them now. Even in their frustration Eddie Had wriggled under them and was rubbing his face against their belly.It made them sigh contentedly.Eddie was such a doting lover, he thought about his partner and cared deeply for them. It was sweet and they drank it all up.Flipping onto their back with their wings splayed open so they could watch Eddie as he rubbed his cheek to the slit they had before he started kissing and licking.Venom found the anatomy odd at times because there was a disconnect between the physical pleasure they gained from this love-making and the more...spiritual pleasure that could only be gained by the natural way for their kind.It had been so long since their kind had come here...so long since they had seen another of their kind.They never had wished to entangle with any of them though….No, only Eddie.
"Venom, you are so big.~"
It was true, they could never really do anything penetrative with their small lover because that would hurt him, however, Eddie insisted at least on rubbing, licking, kissing, and squeezing.They watched in awe as the tip of prehensile member slipped out of their slit. As obsidian black as the rest of them, but with the sheen of a magpies feathers, it was like the opalescence of their eyes yet in black.Eddie was gently coaxing the rest out with his hands. Grasping and pumping as much of the girth as he could while being very careful with his claws. 
"Ah, treasure. Feeling adventurous are you?"
It made that like smirk cross their features as the tip of their member slid against Eddie's belly, the friction was deliciously forcing the ribbed segments out from them until they were fully unsheathed.
"How can I not be? I want to explore and get to know every inch of you...is this okay Venom?"
Ah yes, such a gentle and sweet lover Eddie was, he never forced, and always wanted to give.He was so beautiful, it made venom wish they were smaller so they could properly take their sweet.Still, this was just as good for them as Eddie Rubbed himself against their member peppering it with wet open-mouthed kisses.
"Yes, you are perfect Our Eddie. Ah!"
Truth be told, never having used this organ before meant they lacked stamina and Eddie was coated in an oil-like liquid that shone with a dozen different colours in its black surface.They needed to do this more so they could build up the stamina for their little Eddie. For now, they were sleepily purring as they cleaned Eddie off with their tongue.
"Our Eddie, our perfect Eddie. We love you."
---The humanoid was blushing and he nuzzled against the dragon's snout. Revelling in the closeness they now shared. They were content to explore each other's bodies and find the secrets they held and nothing was there to stop them. His mind felt a little fuzzy around the edges as he curled up against venom.It was like he had forgotten something, yet what was there to forget? He was happy now and that should be enough.Between having venom take him flying in their mouth to help him get over his fear of heights and the warmth of the sun he was pretty sleepy. But he had been determined to help venom out of their bad mood first. (Even if it was really cute how they had sulked over being called a lizard.)A sleepy bit of masturbation seemed like just the thing and he did not regret it as he now was being licked clean and getting pressed under the warmth of his Big lover's arms. He was safe and secure.He yawned and Venom cooed at him and; "how cute" he was before he drifted into the void of sleep.---
"You are a fool."

It was dark, all around them. It was dark and cold. Biting with harshness as they felt a part of their mass being separated trying desperately to hide and save one of the weaker spawn they had been nurturing.

These were not their spawn. They were unable to entangle.

Those with protective instincts were not allowed to procreate freely unless they were to make more spawn-kin. The ones who watched and waited, Caring for more of their kind's young in mass nests until they could leave. Often spawn-kin were eaten by the spawn they watched over.

Not them though.

That is why they were here.

Drifting in the void with a few others of their kind to find more planets to call home.

"Perhaps I am. But you will not eat the spawn just because you hunger. Leader or not."

They were beaten for that. Their form was not as sharp like their leaders. It was strong and protective but not made for the same attacks.

How they hoped for a world where they could be alone.

Away from the ridicule of desiring little ones who were not made to be fodder

They were soft. They wanted so deeply to be safe, for the spawn to be safe.

They were not though. The leaders began to pick off the young one by one.

Only three were left not including themself and the two leaders by the time they entered a new planetary system. They could feel the pull of gravity against their membrane.

The asteroid they were on was porous enough to squeeze into sheltering them from the entry into this new world as they felt the shrieking of one of the spawn and one of the leaders.

They never made it. Burnt up in the atmosphere.

They knew this mission was suicide.
----With a cry, Eddie awoke. His head was pounding and he was shaking. Everything hurt.He tried to get up to flee the feeling of suffocation and pain as he could still feel himself inside a small rock careening toward earth. How did he know any of this? Was he mad? His mind felt too strange in his skull and his long tongue lolled out of his mouth as he panted.  He felt something wet and soothing swipe over his horns, delivering a pleasant shiver to his spine.
"Hush. You had a nightmare and nothing more small Gem. Sleep."
The darkness faded out of his vision...how had he not realized he still had his eyes closed this whole time?The voice was grounding as he lay on his back looking up into the night sky.The sky was soon obstructed by darkness with teeth and opal eyes that were looking down upon him. Feeling wetness fall from his eyes he reached up and held Venoms snout close as he wept. That dream was much too real.He felt like he was still plummeting to earth.Venom was the only one who could ground him. He did not want to be anything or anyone but Venoms treasure at this moment.If he closed his eyes and pretended it would be fine. He would be fine.Venom would not want him if they knew how broken he was becoming.His mind felt like broken glass shards.
"I'm scared "
He was worried even that admission was too much...too weak.
"It is okay. You had a nightmare, that is normal. You can keep holding me for as long as you need."
 Eddie wept. Because Venom did not promise to take away the nightmare, or even say nothing would hurt him while they were around.Venom knew that both were impossible. Eddie's mind could still hurt him, they could not keep every danger away from him. And they could not turn back time.And that was okay.Weakness was okay.Eddie wept.He could not have wanted someone more in his entire life.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The time was right. The brute had flown off for food, it made her shudder to see how far Eddie had fallen, eating uncooked meat like a Savage while acting like a spoiled puppy around the dragon.Her knife was primed and ready, hidden against her bodice.Eddie would be free.Of this, she swore.---It was this human again, the male named Dan. His tail thumped against the bark as he watched him carefully place a roll of bread smothered in honey on a wooden slab near the tree he was hunched in.He found he quite liked Dan, enough to give him a good scent covering. But he still took pleasure in how freaked out Dan became over his little sneak attacks.One of which he was going to get very soon. Dan looked to the left and the right, backing away slowly and looking up and down and over his shoulder.When he turned his head back Eddie unfurled his wings and wiggled, his pupils expanding so wide that he resembled an excited cat as he lept downwards, pinning Dan to the ground and relishing in his scream as he relaxed on top of his body.Something had to be said for this human, he was very warm, both in body and deed.Eddie found he quite liked him, plus spending time doing things and being with others minimized the thoughts he had.The dark ones that were not his own but now were a part of him.He had made his peace that he probably would not recall what or who he had been before, not fully. Things came back to him in fragments looking like the filament of a dragonfly's wing. He knew this was not normal, and he knew venom was concerned about Eddie not being whole.They tried to be a good mate but they knew he must be wrong, after all, he was so small compared to them.He was not the match he should be, he should be large...intimidating. "Eddie, come on, up you come. H-HEY! Don't lie down on me! Gah!! Stop! Stop licking!!"He could not help it, Dan broke him from his unhappy thoughts. He was quite grateful for that. He licked the side of the human's neck breathing in as he felt the pulse racing just under his tongue. Ah yes, he was fairly certain this type of hunger he had was new. No matter what kill Venom brought back it always left him with a bitter taste in his mouth.He had killed sheep and other animals and he hated it, but oh how he craved it, the chase, the hunt, the kill.He shook himself free of his thoughts before he bit into Dan's neck. Settling instead to lounge on top of him and nudge him for attention. The human gave very good feeling scratches just where his wings met his back, it was very relieving.Dan smiled warmly at Eddie and gave in. He had to admit that Eddie was kind of cute like this, he was like a big housecat, truth be told Dan had a soft spot for animals so Eddie giving him affection was nice. Gently he pressed one hand to the gem in Eddie's chest and felt it beating in time with his heart.Eddie was warm and kind still. Offering up food from hunts to the couple, he always looked so proud of himself. Sitting hunched up by the door with a dead animal in front of him, tail batting the sunbaked earth of the path as he waited for their approval.He did seem to be a remorseful hunter though, the looks he gave his prey were sad, green eyes always looking watery.How Anne could not tell this was still Eddie, just altered was beyond him.There were things so distinctly human about the way he watched them, his eyes keen as ever, fingers, although now clawed tapped nervously.They were things Anne had told him about Eddie when they first met.How did she not notice it now?He knew how...it was her love of justice.She assumed Eddie needed to be saved, needed justice from the thing that had done this to him.Dan gave Eddie a final pat and stood up as the half-human slunk off to consume the bread roll.He had to go into the village today, he was going to trade for ingredients.He just hoped everything would be fine by the time he returned. ---"Don't forget to see if you can find a whetstone for me, love."She smiled up at Daniel from her chair as she sat and sharpened a knife.Dan was such a good man, she was glad to have him and she had to admit she laughed like a schoolgirl with a crush when he brushed his nose over hers with that goofy smile of his."I would not dream of it. Be safe okay Anne?" "You should worry more for yourself than me, last week you were covered in poison oak because you just had to try and get to a particular clearing to dig up a flower. Honestly, Dan, you are hopeless when you get in your head." He smiled fondly and brushed her cheek."And yet, you love me anyway."She batted him off with a smile and he laughed. The door shut, leaving her to gaze at the knife in her hands, contemplation coming to her mind. She sometimes wondered if she could have been this happy with Eddie? Poor simple Eddie. He was a talented scribe, but he was struck. Some called it fey struck, he was so aloof and distant that he seemed to be from another world entirely. She always had hoped she could be his anchor, that she could ground him in reality.But that never happened. Now he was more lost then ever and it was all her fault, she had made it seem like he was undeserving of her love but that was the furthest thing from the truth. Eddie was kind and sweet and good. Every time they were together it made her feel like she was taking advantage of him, that she was the one in the wrong.She could not live like that, she was not strong enough for that. In a fluid motion, she stood knowing what she must do. "You will be free again Eddie, no one should tie up your spirit...no one should try to own you." ---Eddie was never sure how to feel about the female. The looks she gave him were mixed.Revulsion.Pity.Fear.Love. It was all there in that gaze, the woman looked the way he felt inside when he had a new vision. So broken beyond repair. Still, as she walked towards him he greeted her cheerfully with high purrs and chirps and gentle touches that she smiled sadly at. Her smell made him feel a little sad at times like it was something he should know better but he could not place; like, the way rain smells in a dream, or how you forget the way lightning smells as it breaks the sky in half during a storm. "Oh, Eddie…" She placed one of her strong calloused hands on his chest just over his gem and he cocked his head at her.Did she have something to say to him? Maybe she was going to give him more sweetbreads?His tail thumped on the sunbaked earth in anticipation. Instead, he was given a warm drink that was filled with honey, it wasn't until he was halfway done that he noticed he had tasted this before. The sleepy drink Dan had given him...what was this woman doing? He felt himself slowly slipping even as he clumsily tried to scramble away from the woman before falling in an undignified heap. "Don't worry Eddie. I will make sure to save you." But, he didn't need saving.He thought fuzzily as his eyes closed. ----She stood over him and flipped him over, this was a worrying thing, she had to get the gem out but avoid cutting out Eddie's heart. She raised her knife to the sun, it glinted with all the finality of the reaper's blade as she brought it down onto the gem hoping to dislodge it.It did not loosen, thick blood oozing around the gem where she nicked him with the knife. Maybe if he could chip it the thing would come out? She brought the butt of the blade down on the stone, over and over, that opal nicked her until she saw it, a hairline crack forming. She jammed her knife's blade into the crack.  And all Hell broke loose.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

He was gone...she was lucky to have just lost an arm...that...that THING had not been Eddie.Eddie was gone, she looked at the shattered remains of the opal and felt her eyes growing heavy from pain and blood loss. Her body fell to the side as she gazed up at the sky, rain like blackened pitch falling as the open wound in the chest of her once fiance dropped constantly, like burning tar used to punish criminals. The moment the opal was gone he snapped, like the only thing grounding him to his mind vanished, the blackness oozed out of the wound openly. It was as if there was more of that inside him than blood. He had raged, his claws and fangs; more real and deadly than they had ever been before. The worst part of it all though? He was gone And it was her fault.The feeling was unbearable the sudden break. A moment of blissful nothing before the true pain became apparent, much like breaking a bone, but oh so much worse. They don't know what made it worse; the feeling of fear from their mate just before the true break, or that the fear meant their treasure, their lovely Eddie,  had not done this himself. Someone had attacked him. Made him scared and vulnerable. Then, they stole and broke their connection. It was unacceptable, inexcusable and Venom would kill them if they could get over the pain that had sent them into a free fall. They had to save Their love...if they didn't… Unconsciousness met them as they plummeted, wings seizing in spasms.   Oh...shit. Because what else was he to say about this situation? There was the sickly sweet smell of rot and a trail of death paved from their garden to the forest. His dear Anne had lost an arm… And Eddie and the dragon? Nowhere to be found. Anne told him between sobs in a high frantic voice. He had winced, but knew that Anne should not have done what she did… He went to the front yard to collect the pieces of the opal. It was so broken he was afraid he would not be able to mend it...but perhaps, with luck and his theory on Eddie's new form, as well as some spit-soaked clothing… He could make this right, he wanted to help people who were suffering. And after he helped Anne, he knew who needed the most help next. He just had to pray he was not too late. 
Should have killed it.

Hungry.
 They were readily piling a fox into their maw, not yet dead. But the struggle felt good. Anything to be felt was good. They were broken. Jaws snapped shut and gore oozed over them.  Why had this made them feel bad before?  They couldn't feel much of anything. They were dying. A slow death. They still shared much with...them. the names were lost, much like the feelings. Just a roiling hunger to greet them. The kind they were once bonded to came from far away, lived longer than the creatures here. So they had a long time to die or wait for...them. They may grant them death. All that they once may have been was drowning, flooded out by the blackness dripping out of the hole in their chest. But the blackness brought a strange clarity. Thoughts of a time not their own. Those were lost with their half broken. But these thoughts flowed freely. The one they had once been bonded to had come here from the stars. They had been soft in a land of sharp creatures so it took their forms. Ate them from the inside out, took them fully and that was how it was made. The blackness in them did not burst only because they had their heart. Their core. This one. The one playing idly with the entrails of a fox. Stretching them between black appendages had lost their core. The core was all they were. Once lost that was it for you. You had to wait until you assimilated back to the whole. That was fine. It wouldn't hurt them, not that they could fear.  
Hungry still.
 All that was left was hunger and a slow March to the end.

Eddie would be gone… It was… If Eddie had just stayed human…If they had never gotten so worked up in the first place so that their darling had been kidnapped. If they had not decided to love him…If they had not gone hunting that day. It was not the first time they wished they could cry. Eddie was going to be lost.Lost in the giantness that was them. It was normal for pairs to assimilate into each other's forms, it was not odd and normally the pair in the assimilation could  gain synchronicity...symbiosis. protecting each other, becoming stronger than the sum of their parts. But Eddie was small and new and young in comparison, easily lost in the sea that was Venom. Eddie was a cup of sweet fresh water, but if mixed into the sea he would become saltwater too. They wanted to put it off. So they would. They could not bear to hurt their dearest one. They could hurt someone else though.  It...it was working?! Dan was amazed, but only slightly as the pieces fused together with his careful blend of Eddie's saliva, the dragons and a potato paste for makeshift glue. He had noticed the smell. Eddie's saliva had taken on a slightly sweet smell like healing tinctures, but the fact that it was working on a rock… Was this even a rock? It beat weakly, like a small heart. The fluttering of a little bird. He carefully wrapped it into a basket. Checking on Anne once more. There was no sign of a fever...which was good. He had cleaned and wrapped her wound...but the damage was done. The roar that shook their home made him seize up. Oh God, the dragon was sure to be angrier than a Hornet's nest… Still… He would be too if someone hurt Anne out of a misunderstanding...what Eddie had done. He wasn't mad. It upset him. But Anne didn't listen. Didn't wait. Eddie acted out of self-preservation like an animal would. He couldn't really blame that. So he steeled himself and opened the door to the cottage, standing in front of it like that would do something against an enraged dragon. Said dragon was waiting, tail lashing behind it, claws creating sizable cart sized divots in the earth. It was waiting for him to move...it was not dumb it knew which human did this. Dan let go of his fear which left him frozen for a good long while and spoke shakily. "L..listen. I know what...what Anne Did was wrong. But...please...I love her. And she was misguided but...she cares a-about Eddie." He fumbled with the basket. The dragon making its way towards him. He could feel its breath upon him. Maw open, teeth ready to crunch him down even as he held it up. It must have looked bizarre...this behemoth with jaws open, ready to swallow down this human, who was hiding his face in fear. Frozen as an opal was held up...not as bright before, sporting a couple of hairline cracks, but still undeniably beautiful. Jaws shut around the air with a snap and the dragon regarded Dan almost calculatingly. "Save him...okay? I...I will keep her away if that's what you want...but Eddie is a good person. I know he wouldn't..he would have never hurt her unless." Oh good, he was crying. Way to not look like a yummy treat, Daniel! He braced.But only felt the opal lifted from him and a warm, wet tongue flick over his face before the dragon turned. He could only watch, stunned as it crashed into the forest. Following the trail of death that Eddie had left behind. "...Maybe we should move…"Hmm.That was faster than they thought. But it was fine they would be absorbed and then that would be it. They were more a part of them than they were what they had once been. It made sense not to waste resources. They sat on a rock waiting.  The one to claim them back, however...did not do what they had thought. They did not fly, though that was obvious. The pain of the bond breaking must have hurt those receptors, it would be over soon. Their pain would be over. No. They pressed their tongue to its chest. They had little time to wonder before pain. True and burning set into them. They did not know who, or what they were...but they felt once more. And the snap of the bond and their shattered self did not help! What did they think they were doing? Just assimilate them. Reabsorb them and get it over with!! 
Eddie. We are going to help you. It may be a bit much. You may feel uncomfortable. But bear with us.
 What was Eddie? Why was the bond pressing their muzzle against the heart opal now sealing their chest once more? It burned. Then. 
Ice. Thick and clinging. Sheets of it. The spawn around them were dead. The leaders trying to eat them to gain enough sustenance for survival in this new world.
 Venom...they were...yes, the pressing got stronger, they were pushed back. Scales began to fall with heavy thuds. 
Escape, they ran, they hid. It was not honourable, but the fight for survival rarely was.
 They saw the bond...venom, with no scales and it was so strange at that moment but as their mouth opened blackness flowed forth to meet it.  
It was cold for so long, they slept. Deep within the earth. Safe and buried deep. Eating small creatures, gaining strength biding their time.
 Their throat burned, what was venom doing? This is not how absorption worked! His chest was soon added to a point of entry, blackness flowing between the seams of the opal and his flesh. His skin began to prickle oddly. 
A creature left its hatchlings unguarded. It began eating the eggs and waited for the last one to hatch. Once it did, it was easy to overtake it. And get the mother to feed them.
 His eyes were next. The ooze flowing over and around him from venom...was venom? They were doing this the opposite way! A twinge of pain struck him 
He was screaming and running away from a dragon. He had just seen it pop a guys head off like a dandelion!
 Was that...it was him? He was...not empty? The ooze continued to drip, memories flowing between the two. From venom's growth and hibernation only to wake up to the strange creatures now inhabiting the world. To Eddie behind sent away at a young age by a father that didn't love him. Venom learning about humans and being sent sacrifices. Eddie being spurned by Anne for his behaviour and desire for change. Eddie's skin felt tight, it was like something was just under the surface...it felt nice though, the sort of tightness from a hug almost but inversed. Sure he could feel a burning, and his bones were straining but he started to get up...the flow slowing to a trickle, which soon stopped.  He stood, nearly falling on his backside...he felt...off, almost too tall as he reached up he saw his fingertips brush the branches above. They were black talons, longer than before. He looked around, the only show of venom once being there were the giant scales littering the clearing. 
"Venom?"
The silence greeting his ears made him panic. He spun in frantic circles desperately crying out the name of his mate. His opal pulsing against his chest. Feeling stronger than ever. 
"VENOM!!"
 He wanted to cry but nothing came. He was going to claw at his eyes but his arms seized up. "Hush Eddie. Just tired. Resting." Eddie collapsed in a heap. Wailing out his relief and clutching the stone which sank into him. His entire self blackened. His visage, demonic. None of that mattered. " Let's go home my love."  With the opening of wings that were still much too large feeling, he began their clumsy flight back home.