by Angel Black
Out of nowhere, a short, voluptuous woman with cinnamon skin and waves of black hair walked up to him and draped her arms around his neck, pushing her heavy breasts and wide hips right up against his ridged torso.
“Hey there stranger,” the woman practically moaned. “You look mighty handsome and serious. I bet you could really rock me sideways.”
With her doe eyes, full pouty lips, and curves upon curves, Valonis had no doubt that he could find a wealth of sexual pleasure within the woman. To prove his point, his member grew hard and long, pressing painfully against the synthetic fabric of his black Under Armour leggings. However, he could smell the cocaine in her blood stream, along with the putrid smell of vomit and liquor that curled from her lips every time she opened them.
Gingerly he reached up and unwrapped her arms from his neck. “A tempting offer, dear one, but I’m afraid I have to say no. You’re in no condition to handle the thorough amount of fucking that I could do to you.”
The woman’s eyes dilated with arousal as Valonis’ blunt words filled her ears. It was a statement of utter refusal and yet she still seemed to want to persuade him.
Without saying another word, he took a side step and continued his path, leaving the woman and her posse of friends standing in the middle of the sidewalk.
“Strange women,” he murmured, looking for a place to go. “Strange, strange women.”
He had walked for nearly fifteen minutes when he caught the smell of something delicious. It was hot and wild, yet familiar. Every cell in his body seemed to wake up and bump against one another as he drew in another lungful. Arousal once more coursed through his body, but it was laced with something else; a feeling of possession. Of domination. Following his nose, he found himself between two houses.
Chapter 6: The Sweetness of Surrender
“Please go spill your beer on someone else,” Rachel groaned, trying to move around the inebriated Edmund that had her all but pinned against a wall. He couldn’t even stand without swaying and he smelled horrible, but he was still trying to convince her to give him a blow job in the bathroom.
“Thefucksyerproblem?” Edmund asked, slurring his sentence into one long word. “I’m drunk. You’re drunk. I’m horny. You’re desperate. Let’s just go take care of this!”
A shudder of revulsion coursed down Rachel’s spine as the crude words came out in the vilest way. She was beyond mad at herself for following Druscilla and her boy toy. They had started off at The Hotel, which had actually been fun. Then about twenty minutes in, Dru saw someone she knew and then off they were, heading to a house party. Except it wasn’t just a house, it was a frat house, and everywhere she went she was bombarded with drunk, horny guys who lost their boundaries the second they lost their GPA. Then of all people, in came Ed. For the first five minutes he couldn’t decide on whether to be angry or glad to see her, but eventually he decided on happy. Which, unfortunately for her meant a very long, awkward conversation about blowjobs, ‘titty-fucking’, and copious amounts of other debasing things she didn’t want to hear.
She had been looking for her roommate to tell her she was going to go home when he had pushed her against a wall. Now she was beyond done, and didn’t give a damn if she found Dru or not. With as much force as she could muster, Rachel shoved the guy she had once thought was her friend away from her, and all but sprinted on her heels out of the house. On the porch, she fought embarrassment and rage as she drew in large gulps of cold, fresh air. Dru had convinced her to not wear a coat, and with just teetering heels, a short plaid skirt and black halter top on, she wasn’t able to control her teeth chattering within two minutes. To make matters worse, the closest Uber was still thirty minutes out.
For a moment she considered waiting on the porch so that she’d at least have a light overhead of her, but when a wasted girl in a tank top and a thong came barreling out to throw up over the railing, she decided that she needed to be as far away from the idiocy as possible.
Wanting to be out of sight, Rachel ducked into the empty walkway that ran between two frat houses. It was narrow and dark, but it kept her out of the wind and away from the drunk college crowd. Shivering uncontrollably now, she checked the temperature on her phone. She swore when she saw it was only 45 degrees. She could make it without damage until the cab came, but it was going to be a long, painful wait.
Rachel had made it to nearly ten minutes of waiting before she started feeling like she wasn’t quite alone. Lifting her head up, she glanced rapidly around, looking for any sign of movement. From above she watched something dash from one roof to the next and she gasped. For warmth she had curled herself into a ball against the wall, but the moment she saw the figure she tried scrambling out of it. Losing her balance on her heels, she fell to the ground, scraping her knees hard on the cement. Pain blasted through her broken skin as she tried once more to rise up onto her feet to run, and tears welled up in her eyes. Drunken Edmund didn’t seem so bad now; at least she could face him head on. Whatever was on the roof, she was sure it was something she was no match for.
Suddenly Rachel felt herself being lifted up onto her feet by strong hands. Gasping, she looked up to see the most gorgeous golden eyes she’d ever seen. Light seemed to dance behind them as long, slit pupils made a slow, studying glance down her entire body. She could have sworn that blue and green scales shimmered over the handsome man’s forehead and jawline, but she was desperately hoping that the lack of light was all that it was.
Her first response was to be afraid. After all, who wouldn’t be afraid of being cornered in an alley with a stranger? But along with the fear she felt something else; an exchange of energy between her body and his. It confused her, excited her, and yes, even frightened her a little. Taking a deep breath, she did her best to get her emotions in line.
“Hello,” she greeted, “And please let go of me. Don’t you know it’s rude to touch things that don’t belong to you?”
“You’re bleeding,” the man replied, ignoring her attempt at sarcasm. She watched as his nostrils flared once more, and she wondered if he was captivated by her scent as she was with his.
“And freezing.” He added. For the briefest of seconds he let go of Rachel’s arms with his hands, only to pull the long corded muscles of his arms around her. He enveloped her in the warmth of his body, and she couldn’t help but relax--if only a little. She noticed, as his hard muscles bulged against her, that he was wearing black synthetic athletic gear that covered his body like a second skin.
“I’ll be okay,” Rachel whispered, unable to take her eyes off of his. Her brave, sarcastic facade was starting to slip. Something wasn’t quite normal with what was happening.
“T-thank you for helping me up, but I should go now.” She couldn’t find her breath. Where had it gone? Her initial fear was slowly seeping from her, but she still felt as if something dangerous was about to happen.
The stranger’s arms tightened around her and she gasped. He was by no means hurting her, but it had been so long since she’d had anyone touch her in such a familiar way that it caught her off guard. More than off guard, actually. His touch made her want to rip her clothes off and seduce him right there.
Ugh! She thought, feeling dizzy with need. What’s happening to me?
“You can’t leave,” he told her, his arms tightening ever more. “Your scent is…it’s unique. Special.” He leaned closer, burrowing his nose in her hair. “I can smell your blood. It calls to me in the ancient way.”
“My blood stays in my body,” she shot back. “Just because it smells good doesn’t mean you get to take it out.”
The man chuckled as he continued to study her. “You are very funny, human. I didn’t know your kind had humor.” His smiled faded as his eyes landed back on hers.
“I need to take you with me,” he rasped. “To keep you safe.”
“The Uber,” she stammered, but didn’t try to fight his grasp. She was losing her bravado. Her head was starting to feel big and fuzzy, like s
he needed to fall asleep that moment. His words were alarming, but his tone was soothing to her. She knew, logically and deep down, that she should scream and run. But just like he was smelling her she had caught his scent too. It was strong and feral, and opening her senses up to emotions she had never felt before.
“Hold tight to me,” the man whispered, grasping her even closer. He pushed off his feet and to Rachel’s terror she felt her entire body being lifted up above the frat houses and into the sky. A scream welled in her throat but darkness overcame her before she could let it out.
Time was lost as Rachel travelled in and out of consciousness over the next several hours. She remembered something warm and wet being spread over her knees, taking the sting of the cuts away. At another time she felt the cushiony welcome of a mattress, and the feel of warm, chaste hands spreading over her arms and legs, as if massaging them. Then, for the briefest of moments when she felt strong enough to open her eyes again, she saw those golden eyes again, staring down at her from only centimeters away. His lips, chiseled and dark, levitated just above hers, and for a moment, she hoped that he would kiss her. Then under she went all over again.
Rachel’s head pounded as a thick fog settled over her brain. Around her she could feel soft fabric and the warmth of a fire at her feet. Her arm twitched in pain, but for some reason she couldn’t move it. Sleep was heavy around her, but as she strained her ears she heard voices.
“My lord,” a man whispered, his voice full of distress. “What have you done? Your father….”
“May never find out about this,” a familiar voice interrupted. It was familiar, yes, but she couldn’t quite picture a face. Whoever it was, they continued their whispered argument as Rachel struggled to clear her head.
“I didn’t mean to take her, Duke, but when I caught her scent and when I saw her, I knew she was mine.” The familiar voice paused, and when he spoke again he sounded sincere, almost worried even.
“I could feel it in her too. She recognized me somehow. It’s..it’s like those stories my nurse would read us, remember? Of the dragon pairs destined to meet? What if she’s my…my mate?”
The other man sighed. “Are you sure you’re not just bored with our women my lord?”
The familiar voice sounded offended, angry even.
“It’s not about that. Okay, maybe at first, but things are different now. She’s different. Special.”
Rachel wanted to listen more, to find out where she was, what she was doing there, but a heavy sleep kept pulling her back under. Letting out a small moan, she gave in to the sweet sensation of slumber and slipped back into a deep sleep.
Chapter 7: What Are You Going to Do To Me?
Full consciousness slowly returned to Rachel; waking up her fingers and toes first, then her torso and limbs. She felt unbelievably soft fabric beneath her as she yawned and attempted to stretch. It was then that she realized that her hands and feet were tied, so that she was making an X on the bed. Her eyes flew open in alarm as she realized that she had been kidnapped, and began to look frantically around the room.
The first place she looked was over her body. To her relief, she was clothed. To her horror, she was not wearing the short skirt and halter anymore. She had been clothed at some point in a long, dark red dress, with flowing sleeves and a deep V that ended just below her navel. Checking in with her body, she searched for any form of pain in her abdomen or apex, but found none. Other than the slight pain in her limbs from being tied, she actually felt no pain at all, even from the skinned knees.
Hoping to find a clue, she scanned her surroundings. The room appeared to be in a cave, with large vaulted golden sand ceilings and walls. The floor appeared the same, only buffed to a shine. On the walls she counted six large sconces, all of them lit with fire. Directly across from her was an overly large fireplace. To her complete and utter astonishment, the hearth had the very same carvings she had found in the first Dragon’s Den she discovered with her father nearly 20 years ago.
Before she could try to fathom how or why however, she spotted a man to the right of the fireplace, looking at her in utter awe. He was not the golden eyed man she had seen earlier though, and she honestly couldn’t tell if that relieved or frightened her. Right as she was about to open her mouth to ask where she was and why he was staring at her like that, the doors to the room burst open, and in strode the golden-eyed man from before.
In the light he looked more human, even moved more human. Though she was afraid, she couldn’t deny that he was an utterly attractive man. He wore only black synthetic athletic leggings that slung low on his hips, showcasing his well-toned abdomen and pectoral muscles. He had an air of cockiness that terrified her, and she immediately started berating herself for thinking so kindly about a scale covered stranger who had been concerned about her cold skin and bruised knees.
“Let me go,” she barked, struggling against her ropes.
“Absolutely,” Valonis replied, his tone casual.
To Rachel’s surprise, he motioned to the guard to go to her and he did, quickly cutting through the ropes with a knife.
“This is Duke,” He went on, introducing the servant. “I know he looks a little…intimidating, but I promise you he’s extremely loyal to me and will not, under any circumstances, hurt you. He can be trusted.”
Duke, who was by Rachel’s left wrist sawing at the rope, stopped for a moment to give her a low bow.
“Big boy,” she murmured. “And who are you?” Rachel asked, glaring at the man that had taken her in the first place.
His eyes flared gold again, and several dozen blue, black, and green scales erupted in a wave over his torso and arms before disappearing again. After an initial look of shock, a cocky smile curved his lips, showing off the two sharp fangs she remembered from the night before.
“My name is Valonis,” he explained. “I’m the next Earl in line for the dragon kingdom. Be careful of how you speak to me, lovely human. I may find you beautiful but that won’t save you from certain…punishments.”
Duke had finished letting her loose. The moment he had gotten her last ankle free she curled herself up into a sitting position to rub the soreness out of her wrists. She didn’t reply to his threat. She wasn’t sure how. And to her amusement, her silence was seemingly throwing the man off balance. She kind of liked that. After a long stretch of utter quiet, he dismissed Duke. As the guard opened the door to leave, he turned and gave Rachel a reassuring smile.
“Wait!” Rachel called, scrambling off the bed. She walked up to Duke, who had just put his hand on the door to leave. When he turned around to face her, she bowed her head in a small curtsy. “Thank you for untying me.”
A blush rose in Duke’s cheeks, but he gave a gentle smile and then quickly turned to go out the door. When she turned back around she noticed with amusement that Valonis looked less than amused at her show of appreciation.
“What?” She asked, raising a haughty eyebrow. Appearing calm was becoming less difficult as she gauged the type of person her kidnapper was. He had a wild temper, of that she could tell. But he didn’t feel violent. A bit crazed, maybe, bored even, but not violent. From what she could gather from his stance and the way he talked, the more relaxed she was with him, the more likely she would be able to get answers from him.
“You thanked Duke,” he replied, folding his arms. “And yet you refrained from doing so with me.”
Rachel’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as she looked the man up and down. He seemed genuinely offended that he hadn’t received a thank you.
“He let me go,” she explained.
“Because I told him to!” Valonis shot back.
“Because you had me tied up in the first place!” She countered.
“Because I didn’t want you to run away!” He replied, his eyes glowing gold again.
“I wouldn’t want to run away if you hadn’t kidnapped me in the first place!” She screamed, rage taking over. “You could have asked me, or explained! Hell the m
ood I was in I might have come willingly!” She stomped her foot on the polished floor, forgetting she was barefoot. The hardness of the stone sent shocks of pain up her ankle and into her calf, making her gasp.
Immediately Valonis was by her side, scooping her up as if she were an injured kitten.
“Are you all right?” He asked. All traces of annoyance in his voice were gone, replaced with tones of care and concern.
“I’m- I’m fine,” Rachel replied softly. She had never been held by a man in such a way before, and was surprised at how comfortable she was. Valonis cradled her as if she were nothing more than a cotton blanket, and she was pretty sure that if he wanted to he could toss her a good thirty or more feet. Instead he took her back to the bed, where he sat her down and began to examine her foot.
“I’m fine,” she told him, sounding more biting than she meant to.
Valonis ignored her and continued on to check her ankle. He used a surprising amount of tenderness as he inspected then massaged all the way from her toes to her knees. It was hard for Rachel to not slip into the pleasure of his massage, and jumped when Valonis broke the long bout of silence.
“I don’t want you to be afraid of me,” he said suddenly, after finishing his examination.
Rachel raised an amused eyebrow and parted her lips. Although it was an apparent hostage-like situation, she was amused. Probably shock, she told herself, remembering her medical training.
“Good,” she said proudly, tucking her leg beneath her. “Because I’m not afraid of you.”
This time it was Valonis’ eyebrows that rose up. Clearly he was not used to being spoken to in such an informal manner.