An eccentric lordling had paid her hansomely to find him one of the red-black firelizards that were supposedly hatching from Ryslen - and while everyone was gathering for a hatching was her only chance - she’d have to take every egg in the flitter hatchery to be sure she had a red-black... and she’d have to sell most of them to be able to bribe that colorblind Abri rider to pick out one that was red-black for certain. She’d considered having Mayli just come here herself, but it was too risky. Better to steal them all.

The humming from the sands grew louder as she neared the flit hatchery, and when she slipped inside, she was horrified to see two small dragons and no flit eggs on the sands in that small room. And Watchrider Kerli.

“You’re supposed to be on the sands.” Ke’li said, directing the small blonde figure out of the room and down the hall. “Hurry now.”

With his eyes upon her, she had no choice but to go into the hatching grounds. Unfortunately, someone was waiting for her there - someone from which she could not escape.

Kimre, I am Nuarth.

While she was utterly thrilled to have a dragon, Kimre's career was shot. She was stuck at Ryslen for almost two years, and couldn't exactly have a message conveyed to her employer.

Life isn't about money. the dragonet said as Kimre fed her bite-sized pieces of red meat.

My work allows me to live, Nuarth... Kimre shot back, her mental tone sharp as a knife.

That's my job now, Kimre.

A twisted smile crossed the young theif's face, and thus began her true companionship with the Twilight Purple.

* * *

* * *

A wingless lesser beast advanced on the glowing Twilight Nuarth, leering at her in a twisted manner, his red eyes gleaming with lust. Shrieking, the dragon turned on the beast, tearing at its limbs, slashing at its eyes. The beast did not take her abuse lightly, retaliating with clawed paws and poison stinger tail. He scored a hit on her shoulder, stabbing deep into the muscle. In that moment of pain, Nuarth tore out the beast’s throat, showering her injured shoulder with the crimson spray. Instinctively, she latched onto the beast’s neck and drank deeply of his blood.

With a scream Nuarth left the carcass in a pool of blood in the dark stone courtyard and leapt for the sky. Several wild winged beasts left the higher mountains in pursuit of her, but none were near enough to contend with the red-black menace who rose to meet her.

You’ve never killed before… Wraakth growled seductively to her. It suits you…

Nuarth snapped at him as he drew near, but did not resist when his sinuous length enwrapped her.

With her jaw clenched, and eyes pressed shut, Kimre endured Nuarth’s capture, only daring to breathe once Wraakth released her.

Once Nuarth was free, she opened her wings and shot back up into the sky instead of returning to the ground. Wraakth followed, and Kimre was forced to stifle a scream when he quickly recaptured her twilight dragoness.

When they split and rejoined for a third time, the petite blonde thief fell to her knees, sobbing in agony. “What about me!”

As Nuarth broke away from Wraakth, strong arms picked up the crumpled rider and carried her away, and as Wraakth ensnared Nuarth for the fourth time, Kimre’s own needs were taken care of.

Afterwords, Nuarth and her blood-red mate returned to her pre-flight kill and feasted on it together.

Nuarth's Brood