Dax looked down at his mate, the woman he had snatched from a field when dragons were feared, and hugged her tighter. Her scent had told him she was his. A peasant dependent upon her overlord for survival, and he swooped in and stole her away. She soon succumbed to fate, accepting him and all that he was.

“Yes. Survive and perhaps once again rule the world.”

He chuckled as Jasima rolled her eyes and settled as the touch of her lips against his stirred his dragon into preening.

“Let’s finish watching.”

“Tease.”

Her low laugh and the wiggle of her hips assured him that she wasn’t going to argue that.

The news continued to blare. The dragons sat and watched, learning as much as they could. A few well-placed missiles had taken out the seat of the government. The military commanders had, as they were trained to do, stepped into the breach. Their first orders had been the evacuation of all posts around the globe.

The only saving grace, the only blessing to come out of it, was that the troops were called home. Quarantines went up around the world. The military began transporting their own back home. By air and sea, no one was left behind. Embassies emptied, bases abandoned. The United States was ruthless in abandoning the world to look after their own.

Dax nodded in approval. Families needed to be together in times of tragedy.

No airspace was too hot to fly in, refueling done at gunpoint if no cooperation was to be had. They met resistance at first until hatred was suppressed by the shear effort of survival.

“They did as they should.” Dax felt satisfaction at their actions. Strong men bred strong children. Many dragons sought mates from humans to keep their lines strengthened. Those surviving this would create even stronger bloodlines.

“Yes. I hope they all made it home. No family should be separated in times like these.”

They both nodded in agreement.

Dragons were family oriented and nothing superseded protecting each other. Family, then race, were a dragon’s priorities. In the dawn of history, dragons could trace their heritage back to one family. No matter the variations or where they lived, dragons were all ultimately one family.

Every dragon would stand together against an enemy of dragonkind. Whereas humans did their best to erase each other, a deep seated hatred based on beliefs they could not substantiate.

Dax changed the channel, looking for more information. None was to be found, just the snow of an obviously unattended station left behind. Obviously not all had shut down, the world hadn’t ended for the humans, but the report they listened to said that less than twenty five percent of the population of this country had survived. When the same report they had watched started over again, Dax realized it was on a loop. There would be no more to learn.

Rise of the Dragons

Before there was Stealing Hope

Stop by next Saturday to read part five of the story.

If you missed the beginning check it out here.

https://sslyblog.wordpress.com/2016/04/09/rise-of-the-dragons/

Part two

https://sslyblog.wordpress.com/2016/04/16/rise-of-the-dragons-2/

Part Three

https://sslyblog.wordpress.com/2016/04/23/rise-of-the-dragons-3/