4. Female

I nestled deeperinto Keldor”s embrace, my cheek pressed against the smooth warmth of his chest as he regaled me with tales of his incredible world. Despite my confusion and the lingering unease from the nightmare that had jolted me awake, I felt an unexpected sense of peace and comfort in his arms. It was almost as if some part of me recognized this magnificent alien male as a source of safety and solace amidst the turmoil.

As Keldor”s rich voice washed over me like a soothing balm, I found myself captivated by his words. He painted such vivid pictures of celestial wonders and mythical realms that my mind could scarcely fathom, yet I hungered for every detail, every nuance. His world was so vastly different from the fragmented memories and knowledge I still possessed of Earth, and I wanted to absorb it all like a sponge, to immerse myself in the incredible world he called home.

Perhaps it was the lingering adrenaline from the nightmare, or the heady thrill of being so intimately entwined with such an otherworldly, charismatic male. Whatever the reason, I felt emboldened, daring even, as I playfully traced the intricate patterns adorning his muscular arms and shoulders. His scales were like finely polished gemstones, smooth and warm beneath my fingertips, and I marveled at the raw, primal power coiled within his deceptively lithe frame.

”You know,” I murmured, tilting my head back to gaze up at him through my lashes, ”for a fierce dragon warrior, you”re a fantastic storyteller. I could listen to that delicious voice of yours for ages.”

Keldor”s eyes danced with amusement as he arched a questioning brow ridge. ”Is that so? And here I thought my tales might have bored you to slumber by now.”

”Never,” I assured him with an impish grin, emboldened by the playful gleam in his mesmerizing amber eyes. ”In fact, I was rather hoping you might indulge me with a few more stories. Unless...” I trailed off, feigning a pout as I traced a teasing path along the chiseled line of his jaw. ”Unless you”ve grown weary of my company already?”

A low, rumbling chuckle reverberated through his chest as he leaned in, his lips a mere hairsbreadth from mine. ”Hardly, my sweet. I could never tire of your presence, nor of gazing upon your lovely face.” His words were like velvet against my skin, raising delicious shivers along my spine. ”Though if you insist on tormenting me with such blatant flirtations, I may be forced to steal another taste of those delectable lips.”

My breath caught in my throat as our mouths brushed in the faintest of caresses, the lingering heat from our earlier kisses reigniting into a simmering blaze. Just as I was about to surge forward and claim his mouth in a searing embrace, a traitorous rumbling echoed through the chamber, shattering the heated tension.

I froze, mortified, as the unmistakable growl of my protesting stomach resonated loudly. Heat flooded my cheeks in a furious blush as I ducked my head, wishing I could simply melt into the plush bedding and disappear.

”Well,” Keldor chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he nuzzled my burning cheek. ”It seems my stories have worked their magic a bit too well. I did promise to fetch you some nourishment, did I not?”

Keldor rose fluidly from the bed, his wings unfurling slightly as he scooped me up. I squeaked in surprise, clutching his shoulders as he cradled me against his sculpted chest.

”Wh-what are you doing?” I stammered, even as I melted into the reassuring strength of his embrace. Being held so tenderly by this magnificent creature was swiftly becoming an addiction I had no desire to resist.

”Why, fetching you something to eat, of course,” he rumbled, that delicious undercurrent of amusement tingeing his words. ”Unless you”d prefer to nibble on the bedsheets?”

I rolled my eyes in mock exasperation, but couldn”t quite smother my grin. ”I am capable of walking, you know. And feeding myself, for that matter.”

”I have no doubt, little one.” His heated gaze drifted over me in a languid caress that raised gooseflesh along my arms. ”But where would be the fun in that? Indulge me, hmm? I so rarely have the opportunity to spoil a beautiful female such as yourself.”

The low, silken purr of his voice sent delicious tremors ricocheting through my core. Who was I to argue with such blatant flattery, especially when delivered with that wicked glint sparkling in his molten eyes?

Keldor carried me through the dimly lit chamber to the sitting area nearby. A small, ornately carved table dominated the space, its glossy surface laden with a mouthwatering array of exotic fruits, nuts, and other delicacies I couldn”t identify. Tantalizing aromas wafted through the air, making my stomach grumble eagerly in anticipation.

Rather than depositing me in one of the high-backed chairs, Keldor sat at the table, his long legs stretched out before him as he expertly arranged me sideways across his thighs. I couldn”t quite stifle the tiny shiver that raced through me at the intimate contact, my back cradled against the solid wall of his chest, his powerful thighs like steel bands bracketing my hips.

”Comfortable?” he purred, his gravelly timbre vibrating against my sensitized skin in a way that surely should have been illegal.

I bit my lip, giving him a sidelong glance through my lashes as I shifted ever so slightly, allowing my curves to mold against the hard planes of his body. ”Mmm,” I murmured, unable to resist trailing my fingers in a featherlight caress along the rippling musculature of his forearm.

A low, rumbling growl reverberated through Keldor”s broad chest, the feral sound raising delicious goosebumps along my flesh. Then, before I could so much as draw another breath, he plucked a plump, iridescent fruit from a nearby bowl and brought it to my lips.

”Open,” he commanded in a tone that brokered no argument.

I arched a brow at him, but obediently parted my lips to accept the succulent morsel. An explosion of flavors danced across my tongue - sweet and tart, with hints of exotic spices that tingled along my tastebuds in the most tantalizing way. A low, appreciative moan slipped free before I could stop it.

”Good, isn”t it?” Keldor”s voice had taken on a deeper, huskier quality that sent molten heat pooling low in my belly. His free hand traced idle patterns along the sensitive skin of my inner thigh, his touch scorching through the thin fabric separating us.

”Delicious,” I agreed, my voice emerging in a breathless rasp. I arched against him, craving that electrifying contact, only to have him withdraw his hand, leaving me bereft.

Undeterred, Keldor selected another fruit and brought it to my lips with maddeningly slow precision. ”Then you”ll want to save room for more, sweetling. We”ve only just sampled the finest delicacies my world offers.”

I huffed out a petulant breath, but obediently opened for the next treat. And the next. And the one after that. With every bite Keldor fed me from his own hand, the sultry heat simmering between us ratcheted higher, our breaths mingling in scorching exhalations until I thought I might spontaneously combust from the sheer, intoxicating tension.

”Keldor,” I rasped out a plea, my slick tongue darting out to chase a stray droplet of nectar from the corner of my lips. ”I really think I can feed myself now.”

His only response was a low, rumbling growl of disapproval as he snagged another fruit and traced the plump curve along my lips with excruciating leisure, leaving behind a shimmering trail of sweet juices in its wake. ”And rob me of such sweet torment?” he husked, the words a heated caress against the throbbing pulse at my throat. ”I think not, my daring little minx.”

Then, with no further preamble, he sealed his mouth over mine in a searing, all-consuming kiss that stole the very breath from my lungs.

The insistent demand of Keldor”s questing tongue against my lips proved too heady a temptation to resist. With a ravenous moan, I parted for him, our mouths clashing in a carnal duel of slick heat and unbridled hunger. His talons scored delicious trails along my sensitized flesh as he angled me more fully into his lap, the thick ridge of his arousal grinding exquisitely against my aching core through the thin barrier of our clothes.

”Keldor,” I whimpered breathlessly against the scorching assault of his kiss, my nails raking over the flexing muscles of his back. ”Please...”

A low, guttural snarl rumbled up from the depths of his chest as he wrenched his mouth from mine, panting harshly. His eyes had gone molten, the amber irises virtually swallowed by rings of smoldering black. Desire painted his chiseled features in stark lines, the feral angles and planes holding an almost feral intensity that should have terrified me. Instead, it only stoked the raging inferno burning through my veins.

”You test me, sweetling,” he rasped in a gravelly rasp. ”You are temptation itself with those wanton sounds and scorching caresses.”

”Then don”t resist,” I dared him brazenly as I ground my weeping center against the throbbing length confined beneath those soft, supple leathers. ”Take what you want from me, Keldor. Make me yours.”

A muscle ticked rapidly in his taut jaw as he visibly wrestled for control, the tendons in his neck standing out in taut cords. When at last he spoke, his tone was rough, almost pained. ”As enticing as that invitation is, I fear I must refuse. At least for now.”

I blinked at him, dazed and incredulous. ”What? Why?”

Keldor cupped my face in his calloused palm, his thumb tracing the swollen curve of my lips with exquisite tenderness. ”You are not yourself, little one. Your mind is addled, your memories lost. I will not take advantage of your vulnerable state, no matter how tempting the prize.”

Frustration and a hint of anger lanced through me at his gentle refusal. I opened my mouth to protest, to insist that I knew exactly what I wanted - what I craved with every fiber of my being. Keldor hushed me with a lingering brush of his lips, leaving me trembling and bereft all over again.

”Please, try to understand,” he murmured, his gaze holding mine in a searing caress. ”You have awakened desires in me I had firmly locked away long ago, deemed too dangerous to indulge. To surrender to them now, when you are not fully cognizant of the consequences, would make me no better than those vile slave traders who stole you from your world.”

My breath caught at the unexpected vulnerability shining through the cracks in his usually stoic facade. Reaching up, I traced the firm line of his jaw with trembling fingertips. ”I want this, Keldor. I want you. Surely you must feel how right this is, how much my body yearns for your touch?”

He caught my hand and pressed a fervent kiss to my palm before holding it against the thrumming cadence of his heart. ”You do not know how badly I crave to make you mine, sweetling. To stake my claim and never allow you to leave my side again. But not like this, not when there are so many shadows clouding your mind.”

Withdrawing from the intimate embrace, Keldor rose fluidly to his feet, his towering presence utterly commanding the space around him. He took care that I stood on my own before shifting away from me. ”Perhaps...perhaps it would be best if we took some time apart. A brief respite to allow our turbulent emotions a chance to settle, and for you to regain your full faculties before we discuss the undeniable connection blossoming between us.”

He turned on his heel and strode from the chamber with those powerful strides, leaving me gaping after him in a swirl of confusion, desire, and a surprising flicker of hurt at his abrupt departure. As the heavy door thudded shut behind him, sealing me inside, a wave of frustration crashed over me.

”Damn you and your insufferable honor, dragon,” I growled, slamming my fist against the unforgiving surface of the table, rattling the dishes that remained. ”I don”t need time or space to know what I want. I want you, Keldor Blazeclaw, scars and shadows and all.”

Sagging back against the table, I dragged a shaky hand through my disheveled tresses and blew out a harsh breath. Whether or not the fierce warrior accepted it, my heart and body had made their choice. I belonged to the dragon, wholly and completely.

All that remained was to make him see the truth.