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Violated? Ridiculous. Do you feel violated?
In truth, I did not. I felt – free. Empowered. And at the moment, in Drayke’s arms, I felt cared for. Cherished. Dare I say – loved? I resolved to banish all negative thoughts from my head. It was time I started defining myself instead of accepting the constraints of old stereotypes.
Emboldened, I kissed him. He didn’t ramp it up, as he’d done earlier. Simply kissed me back, allowing me to lead. My soft kiss became a long, slow, sensual experiment.
I marveled at the texture of his lips, the softness. I let the tip of my tongue trace them. He opened his mouth, and I ventured farther, sliding my tongue in.
It was as though all my senses had been asleep till now. I’d spoken, eaten, used my tongue my entire life. But I had no idea it was capable of producing such erotic sensations. I swept my tongue around his, and suddenly I tingled all over. Intensely aware of our bodies pressed together. His skin against mine. The firm smoothness covering a layer of hard muscle. The heat of him.
The heat. My eyes flew open, and I pulled away. In my highly aroused state, I’d forgotten one thing. In the vision given to me by the Oracle, this man, my lover, had morphed into a fire-breathing dragon before my eyes. I’d thought it bizarre. Unbelievable. Chalked it up to a vestige of those erotically charged nightmares I’d had about him for years. Yet, tonight he confirmed it as fact. He obviously suffered from delusions. What if they made him violent?
Dear heaven. I’d given my virginity to a madman!
He must have seen the flash of terror in my eyes and misread it because his arms tightened around me.
“Ssssh. It’s all right. You’re safe from him.”
“Safe?” My voice rose. “Safe from him? What about being safe from you?”
He looked hurt. “I would never harm you, my lady.”
“Maybeyouwouldn’t. But what about that creature you claim you can turn into?”
His jaw clenched. “I don’t know why the Goddess chose to grant me the power to become a dragon. The Oracle tells me it is so I can fulfill my destiny. What I do know is that when I assume its form, I’m imbued with immense power. But as the dragon is within me even now, I am within the dragon. I know the difference between right and wrong at all times. Between good and evil. And I swear to you on my very life, I will never harm you. Not as a man and not as a dragon.”
I gazed into his eyes. Warm brown eyes, full of tenderness. The eyes of the man who’d just made love to me for the first time. I believed him. This man would never hurt me The Oracle had sent him to me, to fight by my side when the time came. Perhaps he wasn’t mad after all. Maybe his fanciful delusion had been caused by the mind-altering smoke from her braziers.
I reached up to caress his cheek, show him all was well – and caught a flicker of something. Perhaps it was caused by a reflection of the starlight coming in through the doorway. Perhaps it was only a figment of my imagination.
But, for a moment, I could swear his eyes gleamed red.
Chapter Twelve
Drayke
I lied to her.
I had no idea if I could control the beast within me. I hoped I could. I prayed I would. But I’d never been tested. In the past, I’d shied away from contact with anyone after I shifted. I’d stayed hidden in the mountains until my body resumed its human form and never flew except in the dark of night. Till now, only the Oracle had seen me in my dragon form.
I had to lie. She’d been so comfortable with me. Then I felt her body tense as she confessed her fear. It was essential the queen trust me. Only if she had complete faith would she follow my lead. And I knew she would never consent to what I was about to propose if she was afraid of me.
“In the ancient folklore of our world, there’s a legend about a flask of fire. According to this tale, anyone who drinks from it will be able to harness its power. He or she will have the ability to set objects – or even people – aflame at will. Until I shifted for the first time, I thought it was a myth. I thought all the ancient tales were pure fancy, concocted by ignorant beings trying to explain the unexplainable forces at work in the Universe.” I shrugged. “Now, I’m inclined to believe every one of them.
“According to these tales,” I explained, “in the past, the Lord of Darkness possessed the same ability. But during his forced slumber, his powers have faded. The legends say his followers must find the flask and take it to him to recharge the element of fire within him.”
“Why would anyone want to help him?”
“They believe he will grant wealth and power to those who pledge loyalty to him. Unimaginable wealth. Unlimited power.” I gave her a wry smile. “Believe me, my lady, for one who has not experienced it before, the feeling of unlimited power can be more seductive than the charms of the most beautiful maiden.”
“Is that how you feel when…” She stopped.
“When I shift into dragon form? Yes, my lady.”
“But when the Oracle showed you to me, it looked horribly painful.”
“It was, the first time. My body has gradually gotten used to the transformation. Now I can shift at will.” I grinned. “Thankfully, I no longer need to plunge into a river of lava.”
She shuddered. “I don’t know how you can joke about it. That night…I thought I was witnessing your death.”
