by Ashley Frost
“Nanili, pick up the books,” he said.
She flailed her arms and banged against his chest with her fists. “Put me down! I wish to be put down.” Her heart threw itself against her ribcage. Would he whisk her away and do as he pleased? She didn’t want that—at least not really.
“You can bring the books home, so that shouldn’t be a problem, yes?” Heat emanated from his body. It brushed her skin lightly, making her too conscious about the way she felt. Rayse sighed. “I’m not used to defiance, but I will put you down if you promise to come home with me. I don’t like you staying out late. Dragon Keep isn’t safe, especially at night, love. You should have learned that not everyone supports me by now. It’ll pain me greatly to see you hurt.”
She sucked in a deep breath. She knew her emotions were irrational. “I’ll follow you home. I’m sorry. I’m just not used to…” To what? Men? She knew the only man she could truly be comfortable around with was Eduard, and mainly because he raised and nurtured her. Or was it the fact that Rayse had such an overwhelming presence?
“Understandable,” he said. “This all must be very new to you.”
She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “That’s putting it lightly.”
He let her down. “Most dragon wives do take some time to get used to the new environment. It’s expected.” He tipped her chin up with his index finger. “I don’t think many of them are as terrified as you are, however. Is it me you’re scared of?”
She wanted to say ‘yes’, but decided against it. “I just miss my family.”
If he bought her lie, he didn’t show it. He turned away. “Come, I’ll lead us home.”
She followed him, walking to the entrance. The skies were more beautiful in the mountains. Splatters of stars and the moon lit the darkened sky.
“Dragons don’t stay out late very much, do they?” she asked.
“We are creatures of the sun.”
They made their way back to Rayse’s stone mansion. The way down was rocky, and she nearly tripped because the darkness made it hard to see. Rayse and Nanili were able to move down the trail without any problems.
“Hold my hand,” Rayse said.
“I can handle myself,” she responded in a half-lie. Each step she took felt unsteady.
“That wasn’t a plea. It was an order. I will not see you trip, fall, and injure yourself.”
He tugged her hand from her side. Dragon’s breath , was this man always this uptight and forceful? It struck the wrong chord with her, even though his demeanor was justified. He ruled over an entire settlement of dragons. If he allowed his subjects to do as they wished and go against his orders, the place would turn to chaos.
But just because she understood the way he acted, didn’t make her stop disliking how overbearing he was. She had left her misogynistic life long ago and wanted it to stay that way. Eduard thought her to be an independent woman, unlike most fathers.
At least my parents won’t have to starve for herbs anymore, she thought, reminding herself of what her sacrifice bought. She had to live with this.
“Why are you and Nanili not tripping over the rocks?” she asked. They weren’t even slowing down to be careful while she felt like she could slip and hit her head at any moment.
“Dragons and mishram can see in the night. Unlike humans, our eyes aren’t so weak.” He stated the words frankly, and not as an insult. She tried not to see them as such, as they were true after all. “You will be able to see in the night too, you know. You simply need to finish your mating process with me.”
His coarse hands were hotter than the average person’s. The mentioning of mating made her cheeks flush. “We did. Last night.” She forced back the tingling sensation rising within her. She would not allow herself to be too trusting of this dragon. She didn’t want to go back to submitting to men, even to one as delectable as Rayse.
“No, that was the initiation process. We are mates, but not true mates yet. We still have yet to bind our souls. You still have the lifespan of a human, and you do not have the abilities a true dragon wife has.”
“Abilities?” she asked, curious. She’d never thought that the girls belonging to dragons would gain special traits.
“Better resistance to most sicknesses, immunity to fire, night vision, and having your lifespan increased to that of your partner. You act like being bonded with me is something to be feared, love, but many would kill to be a dragon’s mate. If you are afraid of dragons, why did you sign up for the Offering?”
“It is not dragons I fear.” She was afraid of losing herself in this mess.
“I see,” he said, disappointment sounding in his tone. “Well, as I said earlier, we are not true mates. Last night was for me to mark you as mine, so other dragons will know not to get close. When we are true mates, it means that our souls are bonded for the rest of our lives. It requires trust. Both parties will have to trust each other unconditionally to complete the bond.”
“That… that isn’t happening anytime soon.”
“Because you don’t trust me.”
She licked her lips. “I am not one to trust easily.”
In the dim moonlight, she caught him smiling faintly. “A challenge, I see,” he said. “I’m not one to shy away from challenges.”
They reached his mansion. The trek downhill felt harder than her walk to the castle. Although she had Rayse’s hand to guide her, she strained herself trying to be careful. She had halfheartedly wished for him to pick her up and carry her to his doorstep. He wouldn’t reject her should she request for something as such, considering he had previously decided to carry her in the library, but her stubbornness didn’t allow her to give in. Plus, she couldn’t be so close to that man, leaning right on his chest. That would drive her insane. Whether with fear or some other feeling she didn’t want to face, she couldn’t say.
“You’re hurting,” he noted as they entered the house.
“It’s my legs. I’m not used to walking on slopes. They’re not common in my homeland.”
He smirked, as if knowing she’d be sore after their journey home. He gave her a look which said, you could have simply asked. She tried to shrug off the smirk. Pushing back a scowl, she walked past him and into the stone mansion.
“A bath might help,” he said. “I asked some seamstresses to prepare you some garments. You didn’t have time to pack, so there are none with you. Plus, you don’t smell as nice as I want you to. You haven’t had a shower since last night.”
The calmly-spoken insult jarred her. He hadn’t meant anything by it, and stated it as if it were a fact. Perhaps she really did smell. She pulled the sleeve of her frock to her nostrils to take a whiff. It wasn’t a pristine scent, but not intolerable either. Perhaps it smelled worse to a dragon.
“Nanili will help you to your bath.”
“Must she?” Constance asked. Having a stiff, lifeless being studying her as she bathed didn’t sound very fun.
“I insist.”
She allowed the mishram to usher her away. She left for the bath, but not before stealing a glance at Rayse. If he was born in her village, the girls would go mad for him for sure. There was not a flaw she could point out on his physique.
And he’s mine, she thought as she walked up a flight of stairs. She shocked herself with the sudden thought. Where did that possessiveness come from? It quickly faded away as she reminded herself of her current circumstances.
***
The bath did indeed soothe her aches and calm her. Constance had half a mind to thank Rayse for providing one, but would he be more inclined to take advantage of her if he knew about her gratitude? Everything came at a cost. Her childhood taught her that.
Nanili had scrubbed her back for her, reaching the hard-to-reach places. When she protested, the mishram simply stated that Rayse had asked her to bathe Constance the “usual” way. Arguing with Nanili was next to impossible once the mishram set her mind to fulfill a certain order. She was forced to let the mishram work her ways.
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br /> Her aches lessened once she stepped out. The robe she was given was made out of silk instead of the usual cotton she wore. She reminded herself to not be distracted by the luxuries the dragon clan provided her. She was in a foreign land and still in danger. The dragon she shared her chambers with was widely known as the Black Menace . And should anybody let their guard down next to someone known as such?
“It looks good on you,” Rayse said. “I will ask the seamstresses to sew more of such garments.”
The robes hung little bit too low on her chest. Feeling self-conscious, she pulled her fabric up.
He was waiting for her on the bed. He left his torso exposed, but kept his pants on. He had propped a knee up and placed an elbow on it.
He waved his hand. “Nanili, leave us.”
The mishram marched out of the room without hesitation, not even bothering to glance their way.
He looked glorious in his regal pose. The thoughts she experienced when her eyes first laid upon him during the Offering shot through her mind. She brushed them aside, but they stuck in her mind like rubber sap.
She made her way to a lounge chair next to the window. “I think I’ll sleep here tonight.” Her skin was crawling with fear and anticipation simultaneously. She didn’t want a repeat of last night, but expected it.
“No,” he said.
“I don’t think that is up to you to decide.” Her voice shook. He could make her sleep with him against her will, but he did mention needing trust. That wouldn’t help very much with trust, would it? Still, the dragon could likely squeeze the life out of her without needing to use much strength. That thought terrified her.
“I have left you alone enough for today. You needed time to adjust to our culture and I think you have. Now we need to become closer, and we will not do that with you hiding from me, love.”
Her heard pounded madly in her chest as she walked closer to him to pick up a pillow. “You spoke about respecting each other’s wishes. I wish to sleep in this chair.” She threw the pillow onto the lounge chair as a statement.
“And I wish for you to come here. Sometimes compromise is necessary.”
“No.”
“You have five seconds. If I don’t see you on this bed, I’ll have to make you lie here myself.”
She counted the time passing by in her mind. One… two… She fluffed up the pillow and sat on the chair. The countdown reached five the moment she leaned over to lay herself down.
She was up in his arms before she knew it. She realized she couldn’t fight him even before she stepped into the house. How would she resist a four-hundred-year-old dragon? But she refused to go out without a fight, no matter how insignificant her resistance proved to be.
“I will not touch you tonight,” he said, throwing her onto the bed. He hadn’t taken any care to be gentle. “But I want you close. As close as you can be without making you uncomfortable.”
“I am uncomfortable.”
He raised a brow. “Scared, I mean. I saw your face this morning. It… fazed me. I don’t want to see it again.”
She was scared. She kept the thoughts to herself. Apparently, she wasn’t terrified enough for him to notice. She tried not to let his words affect her. It almost sounded like he cared. Trying not to look his direction, she pulled the blanket over her shoulder and closed her eyes.
She waited.
He didn’t touch her, as promised. Surprised, she peered at him. He was lying a foot away, arms folded, eyes closed. He seemed intent to keep his word. She expected less of him. Most men weren’t like Edward. Her time with them taught her that they saw females as little more than livestock. Women were to be used as they pleased, how they pleased.
Perhaps Rayse didn’t want her at that moment. Or perhaps she could trust him.
The heat from his dragon body warmed her, even as he lied so far away. He promised not to lay a finger on her, but she felt his presence anyway. “Comfortable indeed,” she muttered to herself. Her body wouldn’t allow her to fall asleep. She was aching everywhere, and not because of the walk. She tried to force herself to hate this man. Hate was what she needed to distance herself from Rayse, because anything less and he’d suck her in with whatever made him so tempting to her. She needed to be wary of him and not allow herself to be fooled so easily. Her childhood reminded her about what happened to people who trusted too easily. Yet, when he was close, her emotions raged with the need to protect him, love him.
“You can feel it, can’t you?” he said. He must have noticed her tossing around in bed. “You want me.” Confidence coated his voice.
“No…” she breathed.
“Can I embrace you?”
“No,” she choked. But her instincts were screaming yes.
“ Then can I kiss you, at least? Lightly on the cheek, even?”
She shook her head. Desire weakened her resolve. She wanted to beg him to touch her. The experience of last night came back to her in a wave.
A chuckle sounded in his voice. “You are infuriating woman, but I can’t say I hate it. You are to rule these dragons with me. A firm nature might not be such a bad thing.”
“Please…” she muttered, more to herself. She was begging her body to stop tormenting her. Just feeling his warmth…. It drove her insane.
“Good night, love. Your resolve impresses me.”
***
When she woke up, Constance’s body burned.
The discomfort continued to chisel at her, but it was no longer the lust bothering her. It was just the sheer, intense heat coming from Rayse. The sheets could have caught on fire with this temperature.
She jumped out of the sheets, not able to take it, and leaned over to Rayse’s side. She confused herself by feeling worried. Why did she care?
“Are you okay?” She placed a hand on his forehead.
His hand shot up and wrapped around hers. His nails lengthened, forming claws.
A lump choked in her throat.
“Ah, damn,” he said, releasing her when he saw her face. “I’m sorry. It’s a habit.”
“Right.” She circled her fingers over her wrist. Rayse was strong. If he had gripped her too hard, he could have easily broken bone.
“I scared you again, didn’t I?” He sounded angry, but the anger wasn’t directed toward her. “I promised myself I wouldn’t let you make that face a second time. That didn’t last long.” He seemed less contained than yesterday. She realized she liked this caring side of him. It made him feel a bit more… human?
The men who tried to control her mother and her never showed concern, as much as they tried to fake it.
“You’re burning, is that normal?” she asked.
He flashed her an amused expression. “I’m a dragon, love. I breathe fire. Is it strange for me to have a high temperature?”
She pursed her lips, wondering why she didn’t think of that earlier. She cursed herself for acting silly.
The sun hadn’t fully risen yet. She must have woken up early because of how uncomfortable her night’s rest was. She’d assume her aching body would force her to sleep for at least half a day, but it wouldn’t allow her to. Imaginary weights stretched her arms down. She considered lying back down to rest, but not then. Rayse was still in the bed. She’d do so in the afternoon after he left.
He nodded to himself about something, and said, “I’m not leaving you alone today.”
“You’re not?” She was looking forward to more time spent in the library.
“I think I’ve left you alone enough. I asked Fraser to help watch over you yesterday, but I think he got distracted by his new mate last night. He left too early.” He glanced to the side. “I’ll have to talk to him about that.” Shaking his head, he continued. “No, I’d rather not trust other dragons to take care of my mate. I’m watching over you. At least until I can ascertain that no one is trying to harm you. Of course, I can’t stay with you the whole time because I have a village to take care of, but I’m going to bloody well try.”
He snorted. “A dragon can take her out with one swipe of its claw.”
“How dangerous could it be?”
“You’re a human female. “ His nose turned up in disgust. “And there are at least a few hundred dragon men here.”
“But, we’re mated, aren’t we?”
He let out an exasperated sigh and swept his hand through his dark locks. The action distracted her. “Not truly, I must remind you, love,” he said. “To many dragon men, you might seem like you’re up for grabs. There are so many alpha males here, or at least they think they are. They might want to challenge me by, well. I’d hate to see any injustice done to you.”
She folded her hands over herself, remembering the countless times Crescent Rinehart was taken against her will. “Would they really?” Dragon Keep made her feel like safe by the minute. She had no one to depend on, and Rayse was starting to feel like the only choice.
“Not if I’m with you. I won’t allow it. Nothing will ever happen to you as long as I’m alive.” He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. “I promise.”
Why was he acting nice to her? What did he want?
It felt like he was trying to beguile her into liking him with his… his eyes, mouth, voice… body. She swallowed, hoping the lust didn’t return. It died down sometime during the night, but came back sporadically a couple of times. She was relieved that it didn’t surface, even after staring directly at those deep eyes of his.
Was he tricking her into a trap as the men in her past had?
He tightened his jaw, then looked away. He seemed to have seen the doubts in her eyes. “I have plans for you today. I think you will approve.”
“Plans?”
“A job. Every member of this village needs to play a role. I will not allow idleness. It is not good for the mind. It is why many dragons in tales are known to be so destructive. It is because they have too much power and time and no way to spend them.”
“Forced to work on the second day of my arrival, huh?” she murmured. “I guess dragon wives don’t have it as easy as the villagers exaggerate their lives to be.”