by Rose Thorne
Stolen by Dragons (Dragon Nursery, #1)
By: Rose Thorne
©Copyright Rose Thorne 2015
Published at www.smashwords.com
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This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the author or publisher.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to the author. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
Warning:
This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers.
Stolen By Dragons
“Clarissa Sawyer, Head Nurse,” I murmured, looking at my reflection in the full length mirror in the locker room. The green eyed, auburn haired young woman in the crisp scrubs staring back at me nodded in agreement.
Yeah, maybe someday… after years of internship and more training. I glanced at my wristwatch—my shift was almost over. I’d gotten the lucky draw of the straw, the training shift for this week a good one, from six in the morning to six in the evening. Which means that I had the full evening to myself. I was excited to go home and spend another evening doing absolutely nothing with my best friend, silence. Face down in a tub of Ben and Jerry’s, here I come.
But that was not going to get me down, it never did. There were so many things to do other than finding love and being swept off my feet. Prince Charming was confined to a fairy tale, and I’m sure he’d overlook me if he ever came my way, but a girl can dream.
Six O’clock at last, I hurriedly changed out of the scrubs and got into my jeans and T-shirt. I smoothed the clothes down over my body, the chest too snug. At twenty-three, I had a good figure, a bit on the curvy side, but I liked it. No aspirations to be a willowy, starving model ever took me hostage, and I know any man would love to be with me. But then I wouldn’t want to be with just any man.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t entirely certain my ideal man existed.
I stepped out of the hospital, the sun bright and warm against my face. Sliding my shades on, I walked straight into something huge and hard that seemed to appear out of nowhere. I took a step back, gasping, and peered over my shades. I was sure my eyes had just popped out of their sockets…
Standing before me was a man, and not just any man, but the tallest, most powerfully built man I had ever seen. A diffident smile creased his ruggedly handsome face. Silky hair fell in waves of midnight to his shoulders, framing chiseled features, and his eyes, azure as a stormy night, were the most inviting pools I could see myself drowning in.
I waited for the heavenly chorus to start as he looked down at me, his nostrils flaring as if he liked what he scented.
I steadied myself, my limbs like rubber. He held up both his hands in apology. I looked around… no one was in the immediate area… perhaps he were lost and looking for direction?
“I’m terribly sorry, Miss.” His deep voice drew my eyes to his perfect lips. He had a strange accent, unusual but seductive. I felt a flutter in my belly and took a deep breath, realizing I had been holding it.
“That’s all right.” I offered him a clumsy smile. “I should have looked before rushing out of the building.”
“No.” He held out his hand, palm up as if I were some maiden that needed assistance stepping from the carriage. “The fault is mine. Perhaps I can make it up to you?”
“Oh, that won’t be necessary.” I smiled and shook my head.
“But I insist.” He looked at me intensely as he picked up my purse and handed it back. “Let me take you out to dinner or at the very least, coffee.”
“Uh… I’m flattered, but I don’t usually go out with strange men… um, strangers,” I managed to stammer. His intense gaze made me nervous but an excitement I had long forgotten blossomed in my belly, the kind a girl gets when she’s thirteen and speaking to the boy of her dreams.
“Pardon me, my dear. Where are my manners?” He bowed elegantly. “I am Dante Firestone, and I suppose you can consider me a stranger in a strange land. I am a visitor to this place… A foreigner to your customs. Please excuse me if I have imposed in any way.”
“Clarissa Sawyer,” I replied and hesitantly accepted his hand. His firm grip and strong fingers enveloped my small hand and I my knees trembled. I let my eyes feast over him once more. He cut an imposing figure—he was easily over six and a half feet tall with broad shoulders, a wide chest tapering to a narrow waist and his long powerful legs could pass for tree trunks. His thick legs were covered in leather pants and a flowing overcoat, buttoned only at the middle, exposed a good deal rippling chest muscles. Strange, I thought.
“Such a lovely name.” He grinned and his eyes lingered over my heaving chest. “So shall we have dinner this eve? Afterward, I will drop you home. Tell me, how does this sound?”
He was moving too fast, too soon. I swooned and my breathing went shallow. I had never been with a man like him… well, ever. And parts of my rational mind that still functioned wanted to know why this Dante Firestone would fancy a girl like me. A man such as he could get any woman he wanted.
“Dante… Mr. Firestone,” I said, looking away. “I really appreciate the gesture, but I don’t usually take up offers like this out of the blue. I’m so sorry to disappoint you. I mean, you seem like a very charming man, but I’m sorry… I have to say no.”
“I understand.” He sounded completely smashed, his lips pulling down. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Clarissa Sawyer.”
“Likewise, Mr. Firestone,” I said and quickly walked away. I knew his intense eyes shadowed my every move, I could feel them burning into me. I didn’t look back.
As I briskly headed to the bus stop, my right hand was trembling, my fingers still tingling from his touch. I couldn’t help thinking if I’d done the right thing. I’d have to be crazy passing up on a guy like that, but what did I know about him? He could be a real whacko or even a psycho-killer out to murder me or something. Use me and trash me like yesterday’s news… Once was bad enough, I was not going to go through that kind of heartbreak again. No more men for me, not even for a quick good time, and not even if they looked that amazing.
I shivered as I got off the bus and walked into my apartment. That man’s intense eyes had followed me home. My stomach fluttered liked a nest of butterflies every time I pictured his handsome face—If only this was some fantasy fairy-tale and he was Prince Charming. His mesmerizing eyes, those powerful hands and muscular arms, the broad shoulders and thick thighs… I shuddered and suddenly realized I was wet. This was crazy! I’d never felt this way before. I knew my dreams tonight would be full of Dante Firestone.
Figuring I could use a little excitement, I stripped and got in bed, my hand darting between my thighs.
****
I stretched, a deep yawn escaping. I opened my eyes, my vision bleary from sleep. Brightness surrounded me… everywhere. I wiped the crust from my eyes and looked around. A cold chill ran down my spine. I wasn’t in my room! I seemed to be in some kind of extravagant, palatial suite. I had to still be dreaming—Memories of Dante Firestone came rushing back, both from my real encounter and those of my dream.
That’s it… I was still in my dream.
One way to find out, I mused. Pinching myself, I gasped at the sharp
pain. The discomfort made my eyes tear up… this was no dream.
Where the hell was I and how the did I get here? Where was here? I looked around, the whole setup like a set-piece out of a movie. Either that or I had been magically transplanted in Ancient Egypt… Were those hieroglyphics? Through the columns of sandstone, I could see tall buildings carved with runes. Everything looked so surreal, I felt sure I was still dreaming, despite the pain from the pinch.
A large shadow passed overhead, blocking out the streaming sunlight momentarily. I looked up terrified. I couldn’t believe my eyes! The strangest looking birds flew passed the glass ceiling, the pale sky cloudless. And… Wow! Those weren’t birds at all! They looked more like giant flying lizards.
Where was I? A sense of dread quickly replaced the astonishment. I drew silken sheets closer, realizing I was naked. My senses reeled and I thought I’d pass out from the confusion.
A soft grunt made me jump, the pattering of paws pulling my attention to the side of the bed. A lizard like creature as big as a Rottweiler, was sitting on its haunches, its horned head cocked as it watched me from slitted eyes. Panicking, I pushed myself against the head rest of the bed. I didn’t know what its intentions were, but I got the feeling it was hungry. Still hoping this was a dream my heart beat so hard I could hear my pulse in my head.
“Clarissa.” Dante Firestone appeared suddenly out of nowhere. “Awakened at last, I see.”
My jaw dropped as he strut in looking like an Egyptian Pharaoh. I don’t know how long I sat with my mouth gaping at him… A cool breeze brushed across my breasts, my nipples hardening… I hadn’t realized I had dropped the sheets, my upper body bared for him. I grasped at the sheets and pulled them close in an effort to cover my nudity.
“Rest your fears, my dear,” Dante said, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. He stood before me bare-chested, his lower body shielded by a scant loin cloth—if one could call it that, anyway. It was hard to keep my eyes from the potent, virile bulge between his thighs. “No harm shall befall you. This is but a fledgling dragon and he is merely curious about you.”
Dragon? Did he say dragon? My mind threatened to shut down. I didn’t utter a sound, but he read the confusion on my face and smiled reassuringly.
“Clarissa,” he said, his eyes absorbing the ribbons of sunlight streaming in so that they glowed. “You are no longer on Earth. You now reside in a parallel dimension and we call my home Daenar.”
He waited politely, allowing his words to sink in but he might as well be speaking Greek. I blinked a few times, unsure if I even heard him right. He turned his attention to the creature and shooed it away. I watched as it scampered away, its claws clicking against the stone.
“I deeply apologize for the inconvenience I have caused you,” Dante said, his voice a gentle caress as he walked up to the side of the bed. “You see, I have no other choice. The females of our species have long since vanished and our survival is threatened. I brought you here to Daenar, because I believe you are the best suited for the task.”
He sounded as if he were speaking from far away, as if he were underwater. His voice was soothing and I could hear the words but they made little sense. He held out a drink to me, a shimmering liquid of pale green bubbled, the scent aromatic like wine. I licked my lips, something making me crave the drink. I accepted it, looking in to his haunting deep blue eyes.
Dante smiled as I drank the delicious concoction, the thick sweetness like honey against my tongue. His handsome face blurred, and strange odors swirled around me…
…everything faded to black.
****
I returned to consciousness slowly, my head reeling as memories flooded my mind. Dante… looking delicious in nothing but a loin cloth…
Stretching on the comfortable bed, I grinned. What a bizarre dream. Taking a deep breath, I slowly sat up. Pushing the sheets away, I froze. I was still naked and my breasts felt strange. They were large enough to begin with, but they were swollen now, so full and heavy. They ached, the sensations all encompassing. My nipples were hard and rosy... What the hell was going on?
“Clarissa.”
I knew that voice, that rich, peculiar accent—Dante!
Was I caught in some sort of dream-within-a-dream loop? Fear filled me so fully I wanted to call for help. I looked up at him, frantic and pleading. His eyes twinkled and I immediately felt a sense of relief that I didn’t understand. Wasn’t he the one responsible for this?
“Have no fear,” he purred. “You are safe here and no harm shall befall—”
“But where is here?” I cut him off. “And what do you want with me?”
“Dear Clarissa, I do indeed owe you further explanation,” Dante said with a warm smile. “As I explained before, this dimension is known to my kind as Daenar, a parallel world to your Earth. And while we have no human life forms here, we dragons are the dominant species. Through science and magic we have mastered the art of transforming into human bodies once we mature.”
“But for what…” I stared at him wide eyed. A dragon, in a man’s body? My mind raced. For the first time, I noticed the strange tribal tattoos all over his lightly tanned body, the runes swirling and dancing.
No, this was a dream!
“We have studied the art of transformation so that we could visit your world and learn. I am among the few that has mastered the process, allowing me to travel between parallel realms. I have observed life on Earth for some time now and found you to be the best suited candidate.”
“What?” I still couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Why me?”
“I have watched you for a while and you possess all the qualities necessary to care for young dragons.” His smile was intoxicating, but his words angered me. “You are a natural caregiver to begin with and your body is strong, your lineage pure. You have little obligation and emotional attachment on your world and would not be missed. Here you will be the sole caregiver, the only nourisher to our species.”
Nourishment? Did they intend to eat me? When Dante’s eyes dropped to my breasts, I gasped, realizing beads of moisture had saturated the sheets. Nourishment… milk? Oh my God!
“How dare you think you can treat me like some cow you dragged from the pasture?” I exploded, my hands shivering as I clutched the bedclothes around my nakedness. “I demand you to take me home. Now!”
“Clarissa, my dear—”
“Don’t you ‘dear’ me!” I hissed.
His lips pressed into a thin line and I thought he might feel abashed by what he’d done. Good! “I am truly sorry for uprooting you from your life on Earth, but I have no choice. You are our only hope. We as a species need you, our continued survival depends on your care and nourishment.”
He gently placed his hand on my shoulder. I flinched at his touch, not because it repulsed me, but because my body liked that simple caress. Sparks of electrical impulses ran through me. The feeling of his hand on my skin was like magic. I wanted more, wanted him to run his big palms all over my body. Absently, I let the covers drop and eased back on the bed, allowing his hands access to my traitorous body.
My muscles loosened, my heart slowing, a sense of elevation making me giddy. Dante was using some kind of magic, he had to be… or was I that desperate for some male attention? A sigh escaped my lips and he smiled as his questing hands slid down to my aching breasts. I arched my back, pushing my breasts further into his teasing hands.
“Oh, god!” I moaned. “Dante, what have you done to me? Why do I feel like this…? Why does this feel so good?”
“Clarissa, I have chosen you to be the provider for the young dragons of my kingdom,” Dante said, leaning forward to kiss my forehead, his lips like velvet. “The magic potion you drank earlier… it has stimulated your breasts to lactate, and they are now filled with the nourishment we need. Only when you suckle young dragons will it abate.”
“What the hell?” I burst out, shocked—breastfeed dragons? “But… how can—I’m not even pregnant.
”
“You don’t have to be. That is the wonder of the potion,” Dante said, his fingers running through my unruly hair. “It makes you produce milk so you can feed the young ones… and save us from extinction.”
“This is so beyond me I can’t even…” I felt strange, unable to move. Everything spun, and my body went numb. I realized I was going into a state of shock.
Dante scooped me off the bed into his strong arms, his stride brisk as he carried me over to a lavish bathroom. He set me on my feet carefully beside a large pool in the ground and stepped away, leaving me alone.
I didn’t hesitate, relieving myself in a chamber pot. My eyes were drawn to the steaming pool, the heat wafting off the water calling to me. It looked like it had been freshly drawn. I slipped into the pool, the water wonderful and my body relaxed. I gave in, slowly sinking deeper into the soothing, satisfying heat.
A shadow fell over me and I looked up. Dante was standing there naked in his birthday suit, his body glorious, the tattoos icing on a beefcake. My eyes drank in his masculine form… God, he was gorgeous. My stomach churned and a pleasant throb started between my thighs. I fought the desire—this guy, this dragon-man had kidnapped me, taken me against my will. I knew the rational thing was to be displeased with him, but it was so hard. Why the hell was he so damn sexy?
“Feeling better?” He grinned and slipped into the tub beside me.
“I am now,” I said huskily then checked myself. I had to put on a brave face, show him I wasn’t bespelled by his male beauty, but he was so irresistible. “I’m still not happy about being kidnapped.
“I understand,” Dante said with a rueful smile. “But here, unlike your life back on Earth, you will be respected and have every need fulfilled. You will be revered as a Goddess and should you allow it, experience unimaginable pleasure.”