It was love at first sight. The first time Yossarian saw the chaplain, he fell madly in love with him. And then the dragons arrived.

Sherlock Holmes took his bottle from the corner of the mantelpiece, and his hypodermic syringe from its neat morocco case. Then the dragons arrived.

I scowl with frustration at myself in the mirror. And then 50 grey dragons arrived.

A little more than ten years after we had all arrived in Key West, saved the universe from annihilation, and settled back to have us some serious fun, bad ugliness and death came into my bar. And then the dragons arrived. - Callahan's Con by Spider Robinson

I suppose I should've known there was more to you than the insipid whore you present yourself to be."
Instead of being insulted, Ian smiled almost flirtatiously. "Oh, I am all the whore you can imagine and more, but I do have other talents. Few people see them, although you and your lovely wife are about to. And then the dragons arrived.
-Jeaniene Frost, Into the Fire (Night Prince)