Jim was no fool. He loved Abby, but he didn't want to become a dragon or a hydra. And part of her - the part he loved anyway - didn't want to stay that way either. So he quickly formulated a plan to get them both out of this mess, alive and human. It would require a little ingenuity, and some slight of hand, but it could work.
"Okay, let's go with the first option. I'll first make you both Dragon/Hydra hybrids. I'll even mix in a little of the Growth vial so you can be bigger than me. It will make me easier to control," said Jim.
Abby sighed sadly, but her other heads seemed to be thrilled. Sandra was strangely happy, too.
"Ooooo, I didn't know you were so kinky, Jim. I like it. It will be fun to get even bigger and more powerful, " said Sandra. She imagined her offspring slowly taking over the world. She would have to keep some humans alive, as cattle. And she would have to do something against her rival, Abby, to keep her from trying to usurp her throne. But for now she was content just to grow.
Jim grabbed the Dragon, Hydra, and Growth vials. "Okay, I need something to mix these things in. Do you have some kind of container?"
"Of course not! " grumbled Sandra. She glared at Abby. "Come with me. I know where we can find some, and I don't want to leave you alone with him. I don't quite trust you."
Abby stomped off after Sandra. One of Abby's head looked back at Jim.
"What if he tries one of the vials while we are gone?" it asked.
"That shouldn't be a problem, " said Sandra. "If he becomes a Dragon or a Hydra we can just begin our fun a little earlier. If he tries to become anything else, we will have a nice snack when we return."
Jim understood the threat, but it didn't deter him. Sandra was smart, and he doubted it would be easy to trick her. All the same he had a plan, and it seemed to be working. While they were gone, Jim slipped the "Human" vial up his sleeve. They soon returned and dropped two bloody canteens down before him. Abby hung her head in shame and he didn't want to ask how they got them. Jim carefully poured half of the Growth and Hydra vials into one canteen. He pretended to mix the Dragon and Growth vials into the other, but actually poured the palmed contents of the "Human" into it instead.
"Okay, girls, drink up, " said Jim, as he handed them the solutions.
"I think we will nee a little help, dear, " said Sandra as she lowered her head. He poured the Growth/Hydra mixture into her mouth. She licked her lips with satisfaction.
Abby tilted her head down to Jim. "I am so sorry about this, Jim, " said Abby, after she swallowed the Human vial, thinking it was a Dragon/Growth mixture.
Jim rubbed her snout affectionately. "Don't worry about it. Everything will work out like it is supposed to. Just trust me, and follow my lead."
Sandra didn't understand what he was talking about. Had he tricked them somehow? She had read the vial labels and seen him use the correct potions. Soon she felt the power swelling within her, and she quickly forgot her concerns.
"Oh my, " she said, as her chest and limbs began to slowly balloon up in size. "I had forgotten how good this feels."
"Not me. I feel really sick, " said one of Abby's heads, as it bent down and released a large stream of puke. Sandra chuckled. Abby really was weak. She couldn't handle power. It would be easy to crush her later.
Jim took advantage of the distraction to run into Sandra's cave.
"Hey, he is getting away, " said one of Abby's heads.
Sandra shifted her body, as it continued to stretch and grow across the ground. "It doesn't matter. This is the only exit to that cave. He will have to come back out sooner or later. "
Sandra was now much too big to fit into her cave, and her body was still growing. Abby on the other hand was too sick to follow. All of her heads seemed much paler, and looked miserably ill. Sandra absently wondered why Abby was still so small. Had her dear Jim given her a larger share of the Growth potion? Did he recognize that she would make a better Queen and mate? Suddenly one of Abby's heads dropped to the ground. It began to wither and recede into her body.
Something's wrong, thought Sandra, as she finally noticed that Abby was actually shrinking instead of growing. Her tail was much shorter and her paws were beginning to look more like human hands than claws.
He tricked me! thought Sandra angrily. Somehow he slipped her the human potion!
She was about to attack Abby when she suddenly developed a painful headache. Her head slowly split in two. The new head tried to gain control of her body, and she quickly cut it off at the neck. Two new heads emerged and began to fight for control. She quickly disposed of them, too. She continued to tear off each new head, creating new heads more feral than the ones they replaced, until she was the only dominant rational head left among eight others.
Now she was ready to attack! But it was too late. She saw Jim helping a weak, small, nude and very human Abby run into the cave. She charged forward, but her massive body was much too large to fit, exactly like Jim had planned. Sandra roared in anger, her large powerful wings flapping angrily behind her. The other heads fought each other to squeeze into the cave, but Sandra forced her head past them and shot a burst of flame down the entrance. She couldn't smell any burnt flesh, and could only assume the young lovers had made it to a place in the cave her flames could not reach.
Sandra pulled her head back out and roared in frustration, shooting flames high into the air. The other less dominant heads imitated their new master. Sandra noted that some of the heads shot ice, while others shot a caustic acid. She was pleased by her new powers, but still frustrated by the loss of her mate. Now that she was even more of an animal, the urge to procreate was even more overwhelming. She was furious that she would be denied release from her oppressive need. She waited outside to devour the mortals who had betrayed her.
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Inside the cave, Jim and Abby huddled together. Jim gave her some of his clothes, but they were still cold in the damp cave. Sandra's flames lit up some kindling, and soon they had a small fire. They could hear the beast roaring outside. Occasionally the cave shuddered as Sandra pounded the ground outside.
''Thanks, " said Abby.
"No, I should be thanking you. You saved my life. If you hadn't figured it out, I would have been tricked into becoming her dragon slave lover, " said Jim.
"Better than being dead, " said Abby as the cave shook. "I am sorry I didn't have a better rescue plan."
"No, I am the one who should be sorry. It's my fault we were in this mess in the first place, " said Jim.
Abby scoffed. "How could you have known that a dragon lived in this cave?"
A large icy wind blew down the cave, and they huddled closer together for warmth.
"I love you, Jim. I just wanted you to know that before we died," said Abby sadly.
"Don't say that. Someone will come and rescue us. You will see, " said Jim. But as the beast continued to roar outside he was beginning to have his doubts.
Suddenly he heard the heads of the beast screech. They felt the heavy thuds of the creature's feet get lighter as it appeared to be walking away. Cautiously, Abby and Jim crept to the cave entrance. They were shocked to see a large Gryphon standing at the entrance to the cave.
"Quickly, " said the Gryphon. "My mate has the monster distracted, but not for long. It will return soon. Get on my back so we can fly away from this cursed place."
"You .... you can talk," stuttered Abby.
"A gift from the fairies. But I have no time to explain. We must flee, now!" said the Gryphon. They could hear the sounds of the beast getting louder as it came closer
Jim remembered that the Gryphons were Sandra's enemies, and quickly decided the enemy of his enemy was his friend. He climbed on the Gryphon's back and helped Abby up, too. With a mighty leap the Gryphon took to the sky, leaving Sandra behind at her cave entrance, howling at them as they flew away.