Why did she fear him so much? Then he saw something that made his blood run hot. On her shoulder someone had carved their initial. An ‘S’, the skin raised in a jagged mark. He remembered the men in her apartment, someone owned her, someone had branded her with their mark.
What leverage did they use to bend her to their will? She was strong, he had seen glimpses of it, but somehow they controlled her. The vial he had found in her pocket while she was bathing told him all he needed to know. She had been forced to come here for another purpose other than to breed with him, but if he wanted to find out he had two choices, he could force her, or he could make her trust him.
Her body was everything he could desire in a mate, in the mother of his child. So his choice was easy, he would seduce her.
“Serena,” he tried to keep his voice low, kind.
She turned around to look at him, tears sliding down her cheeks. “Yes.”
“Turn around.”
She shook her head. “No. Please, I’ll be fine, just do ... what you have to do.”
He smiled crookedly. “That is the least arousing thing a woman has ever said to me.”
***
Chapter Seven - Serena
“I’m sorry,” she gushed, and now she did turn around. If she had to, she would beg him to do this. Her sisters life, and her own too, depended on it. “What do you want me to do?”
She looked down at his large erect cock. What if she touched him? She had enough experience of men to know she could drive him to the point of no return. She had been well schooled in using her hands and mouth to please Samuel when he came to her apartment with his threats and demands.
She reached out to touch him, but he grabbed her hand. “No,” he said, shaking his head.
“Please. I’ll do whatever you want me to.”
“I want you to relax. You’re shaking.”
“I’m sorry.” She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly to try to get herself under control.
“Don’t be.” He lifted his hand, she flinched away, but when he brushed the hair away from her face, and stroked her cheek she allowed him. “I know it’s not what you really want.”
“I do,” she insisted.
“I have been with enough women to know.”
“I need the money,” she lied.
“I won’t insult either of us by asking why.” He stroked her cheek and ran his thumb over her lips, electrifying her body. “I will ask you one more time if this is what you want. I have never forced myself on a woman, and I don’t intend changing that tonight.” He looked up as he spoke, and Serena knew that if she hesitated too long her fate would be decided by the eternal moon instead.
“I want this.” She turned and nuzzled his hand, her tongue circling the palm of it, and he pulled away as if she had scorched his skin.
“Very well. I’ll make it as easy for you as I can.”
He covered her with his body, forcing her to lie on her back before him. Gently he tested her lips with his own. When she responded, he kissed her deeper, and she threaded her hands around his neck, urging him on. She needed to do this, she needed to complete the moon rite with him or she was doomed.
His hand went to her breast, and she arched her back, offering herself to him when he touched her nipple, his fingers playing with the taut little bud until she whimpered against his mouth. His other hand went down over her stomach, and further, until he stroked her mound, and ran a finger along her slit. She was too dry, she knew that, although the heat in her body was increasing with each stroke of his hand.
Then he moved backwards, away from her, his body sliding over hers. He pressed her thighs apart with his large warm hands, and she felt his breath on her thighs.
“Ohhh,” she breathed when his mouth kissed her clit for the first time. The stubble on his face prickled the sensitive flesh of her thighs, but it only heightened her desire. His teeth nibbled her outer lips, and she pressed her hands into his hair when he drew his tongue along the length of her slit.
Licking and sucking her sex he brought her to the point of orgasm, her hips rising off the stone as she offered herself to him. But this was not why they were here, and the first rays of the moon glanced across her face while he feasted on her sex.
“Connor,” she said urgently, using his name for the first time, for at this moment he was no longer the beast of nightmares, he was a man, a man she wanted to make love with.
He raised his head, the moon catching his attention. Rising up he moved to cover her body once more, propping himself up on one elbow while he guided himself towards her heated wet sex with the other. The time for questions was over, she had given her his answer in a way that no longer needed words.
With his eyes fixed firmly on her he pushed against her outer lips, she tensed, and then tried to relax, praying it wouldn’t hurt as much as she had been told it would. At least his cock didn’t have spikes on it like Samuel had told her in one of his teasing rants. The smile that had threatened her lips soon disappeared. He pushed forward and her sex yielded for him, but he was so big, and it hurt as he stretched her.
His hand went to her hip as she moved backwards, instinctively trying to ease the discomfort. To help her, he moved very slowly, letting her body to adjust to him. He eased back out, and then pushed forward again until he hit the barrier that needed to be broken.
Sliding back out, she didn’t need him to tell her what he had to do. His hips flexed forward and he thrust into harder until he tore her virginity, and she bled on the altar, as many had before her. Her nails scraped the hard stone, one of them breaking as she tried to stop herself from screaming. It stung, her sex on fire as he filed her, pushing forward harder and then pulling back before lunging into her until he had filled her completely. As he moved the pain disappeared, and her sex ached with a new need, to be filled with the seed of the dragon.
She craved his movements, pushing back, bracing herself as best she could, her hands at first going to curl around the edge of the stone to hold herself in place, and then going around his neck, pulling his head down and searching for his lips.
His hand went under her bottom, he leveraged her body upwards, pinioning her against him, allowing him to penetrate her so deeply she felt impossibly full. Serena clung to him, kissing him, cradling his head in her arms. His tongue plundered her mouth, moving in the same rhythm as his body. She met him with her own, feeling the equal to a man for the first time in her life.
Her climax came quickly, his cock stroking her inner walls with each thrust until her body exploded around him. She threw her head back, crying out as waves of pleasure, covered her. Her sex throbbed, gripping his cock tightly until he could hold himself together no longer and he came too. His thick seed spurting deep inside her. Her first duty was done, she had sacrificed her virgin blood on his altar, now she had to hope she was fertile enough to conceive his child.
When he lay her gently down, his cock still buried inside her, she looked into his face and saw him for the first time. Not through the fog of fear, or in anticipation of hurt. At this moment they were stripped down to nothing, all that they were in this moment were lovers. Her fingertips stroked his cheek, then along his lips, and down his neck over his toned chest.
His chest heaved, the exertion of their lovemaking still affecting him. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
She shook her head. “Not so bad.”
He went to move away, and she caught his arm, pulling him back to her. “Thank you.” He raised his eyebrow in question. “For making it easier. I know you didn’t have to...”
“The thought of you crying while I mated with you was a real turn off.” His walls were back in place. Most women would have been offended, but she knew all about walls, they kept you safe, but she was terrible at keeping hers strong. She was a fool where her emotions were concerned, and that was exactly why she had ended up here in the arms of a dragon. If she had followed after her mom she would be a selfish bitch, and above the control Sam
uel had on her.
She slipped off the the altar. Gathering her clothes, she pulled on her panties, but held the rest against her chest, waiting for him to say something. Connor had gone to a small table, and was pouring wine into two large goblets. He turned, still completely naked, and offered her one of the ornate cups.
“I don’t usually drink.”
“Make an exception.”
She took it from him, the fear from before settling uneasily back on her. “If you insist.”
She took a sip, it was good, the smell rich and fruity, following through to burst on her taste buds. No doubt it was expensive, and old. That thought made her study him closely as he drank his wine in bigger gulps. This dragon was meant to be thousands of years old, but he didn’t look a day over thirty.
With one more mouthful to give her courage, she asked, “How old are you?”
“Old,” he said, turning the full force of his dark eyes on her.
“How old?”
“What does it matter?”
“It doesn’t, I guess.” She took another sip, and the warmth spread through her, easing the ache in her back, and her sex. Although he had been considerate, the hard stone had bruised her back, while his hard thrusts had stretched her inside.
Connor drank his wine quickly, and then refilled his goblet, offering her more. “No, thank you. This will be enough to make me drunk.”
He didn’t answer.
“Have you always lived here?”
“Are you always like this?”
“Like what?”
“Chattering.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I’m interested, that’s all.”
“For what reason?”
“I... No reason. Just small talk.”
“I don’t do small talk. In fact I find it as irritating as your crying.”
She stepped back as though he had struck her. Clutching her clothes even tighter to her chest, regretting now not having put them on, she drank her wine straight down, feeling the room begin to spin.
“Well, I think I’m going to head for bed,” she said, placing the goblet back on the table.
“Bed?”
“Yes. If we’re done for tonight.” She stepped away from him.
“Done for tonight. Oh,” he said, his voice sexy and low. “We’ve only just started.”
***
Chapter Eight - Connor
He had made a mistake. Offering her kindness, it left him open to her, and some how she had struck a part of him long since thought dead. His heart.
Now he had to limit the damage. Make her see it was a ploy to set her at her ease so he could finish mating with her.
So he did what he did best, and made a barrier between them, over the centuries he had learned the hard way not to let anyone in. And now her questions confirmed his fears, she was here to find out all she could about him and his kind.
It had started simply enough with her comment about him being alone, but he wasn't too concerned, Zoah could look after himself. But now, asking about how long they lived, it made him suspicious. Sure she could simply be interested, but all these women usually wanted was money or power. Deep down most of them saw him as a beast, and this one was no different, he had seen the look in her eyes when she had first come here. Fear mixed with abhorrence.
Why did she have to be so damn attractive to him?
He wanted to turn dragon and roar out his confusion, lashing out on some innocent village in the middle of nowhere, releasing his temper. But those places didn't exist any more so he would have to release his tension the other way. More sex.
His head told him to send her away, to give himself time to gather his thoughts together, but it wasn't possible. He needed her. He tried to convince himself that it was simply to vent his temper. But he had lived too long, and knew when he was lying to himself. Still, she would not be sleeping any time soon, he planned to take his fill first. And his thirst for her body was pretty much insatiable at this point.
***
Chapter Nine - Serena
He watched her, his eyes slanted, studying her. Whatever he was thinking was cold and calculating, the man who had shown her such warmth and kindness had retreated. The man before her frightened her once more. All she wanted to do was go back to her room and slip into a numbing sleep, but he intended to mate with her again. Yet despite her fear, and the exhaustion that threatened her, she wanted him.
Perhaps during sex he would let his guard down once more and allow her to see a glimpse of the man he could be, the man she wanted him to be.
"I think we can leave this place, the moon ritual is complete. I suggest we go somewhere a little more comfortable." He drained his goblet, and placed it down before turning on his heel and marching from the room, flinging the doors open and disappearing from view.
Serena stood rooted to the spot. Did he expect her to trot along behind him like an obedient dog. "Now," he bellowed.
"Great, he's a mind reader too," she said to herself, and gathering herself together she followed him out, trying to resist the urge to run and find her way back to her room. But it wouldn't offer any sanctuary against this beast.
There was no way she would ever get her bearings in this place. He took her down hallways, across rooms with suits of armour in them. Yes really. It was like some stately home. In front of one set, which had a huge dent in it, she stopped. Looking back along the line of shiny armour she noted they all had gashes or dents in them.
"Find something interesting?" he asked, appearing by her side unexpectedly. "You are testing my patience."
"Are these all men you've slain?"
"What?"
"The armour. Is this some kind of trophy hall?" She looked at him, completely serious.
The room shook. He bellowed so loudly she wanted to cover her ears, but this was not anger. He was laughing, a real deep belly laugh, that she found contagious.
"Zoah will enjoy this when I tell him."
"So it's not? Then why keep so many suits of armour, are you planning on opening a museum?"
He stopped laughing and stood looking around the room. "Are you really interested?"
"Yes. Oh, I see, you think all these questions are about getting information on you." She shook her head, looking at him honestly. "I'm interested."
"Zoah picked them all up off one battlefield or another. It might surprise you to know we don't, and never have gone around killing humans for fun. But we've watched plenty of muddy battles across the length and breadth of England. He used to bring them home, and throw them in a pile, to remind him of the folly of humans, and to make him feel better about not being one. As dragons we have killed, but only for food and to protect ourselves."
"My sister would love all this stuff, she's fascinated by history." She reached out a hand to touch the cold steel, thinking of Charlotte and wondering what was happening to her, were they treating her well. She would be missing school, and her friends.
"Then maybe you should ask her to come and look at them." His words jerked her back to reality.
"Thank you. Maybe one day." But Serena knew that would never happen, either Connor or her sister was not going to come out of this in one piece. Pulling her dress back to her chest, she shivered.
"Come," he said, his voice holding a gentle tone once more. "This way."
He walked slower, and she no longer had to run to keep up with him. It gave her time to think about what had happened, and what she must do to get Charlotte back. If he drank wine often, she would be able to slip the contents of the vial into his goblet, and he would drink it without knowing her betrayal. There seemed to be no sign of his brother, so there was a chance she could carry out her task with no hindrance from him.
However, watching the tall proud man in front of her, she hated the idea of him becoming a slave to Samuel. Serena would not wish that on anyone. Yet it was not a choice, she had to do this if she ever wanted to see Charlotte again. She needed to harden herself to him, her softness, the tend
erness of her soul would be her undoing if she let it.
They reached his room, and he opened the door, standing to one side to let her in. Then he closed the door, and followed her towards the bed. She wanted to explore his room, it had a magnificent four poster bed, complete with drapes, and carved wooden furniture around the room that begged to be touched, and appreciated. However, before she had a chance to, he moved close behind her, the heat of his body warming her cold flesh. One look into his eyes told her what was expected, this was no polite social visit, he wanted sex, and he wanted it now.
His hands gripped her arms, and he pressed himself against her, his erection thick and hard against her belly. Lowering his head, his lips captured hers, his tongue exploring her mouth, probing there until she met him with her own. She tasted him, their tongues entwining, and thrills coursed through her body. He was everything she could ever want in a lover, strong, and gentle, passionate and tender. If only the circumstances were different, if only she could make him love her.
Her hands went about his body, stroking his flesh, feeling the muscles bunch and tense where her fingertips trailed over his warm skin. She affected him, and that pleased her, he was not hard and emotionless, he was made of the same flesh and blood as she was. Only more.
Connor palmed her breast, and she gasped against his mouth. His fingers tweaking her nipple almost painfully, sending shooting sensations through her body, connecting at last with her sex which ached to feel him inside again. Using his hands and mouth he aroused her, wanting her to be ready for him. Serena knew he could simply have forced himself on her, and she would not have had the strength to fight him off, but he wanted her to enjoy this. Surely that must be the case.
She wanted him to feel her appreciation, in some small way she wanted him to know how she felt, and how grateful she was for his consideration. Serena thanked him in the only way she could.
Wrapping her hand around his hard length, she gripped him tightly, running her hand up and down his cock. He paused for a breath, concentrating on what she was doing to him, before slipping one hand down to stroke her mound and rub her clit. Together they stimulated each other, in the most wonderful way, they might be two lovers here together. Wanting the other to experience pleasure and satisfaction, instead of two strangers caught up in some bizarre pact.
Howl & Growl: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set Page 43