Soul Of The Dragon (Her Dragon's Bane 1) (2 page)

And then it was over.

Her body cold, his touch gone. The lasting afterglow of her orgasm the only thing to tell her it had happened at all.

“Get dressed. See yourself out, you may return when it is time.”

He left, leaving through one of the many doors, closing it silently behind him. She picked up her clothes and hurriedly dressed, before half walking, half running from the large mansion the dragon lived in. At the end of the drive, the gates opened for her, and she knew he must have watched her hurried retreat. When she was safely outside they closed, and she looked back at the dragon’s lair, wanting never to return, but knowing she must.

He was a fool. There had been women before her, women more beautiful, women with countless riches, thinking their gold would buy his favour. All those centuries when to lie with a dragon was a blessing on the family. Now it was a curse very few knew about or wanted to be a part of.

Long ago things were so much simpler.

Her building came into view. He knew the room, he knew where to perch to get the best view in through her window. She had no idea he watched her. Nor did the men who visited.

As he suspected they were waiting for her. As soon as she went inside they came. It confirmed his suspicions, someone was putting her up to this.

With only a moments hesitation, she opened the door, backing away, trying to put the bed between them. When he had first seen them beat her he had watched coldly, devoid of feeling. Yet slowly he had begun to hate them, and the way they treated her.

His talons gripped the stone work, bits flaking off as the biggest man struck her across the breast. Always they hit her where no visible marks would be seen. Now he dragged her to her knees by the hair, he knew what was coming, and so did she.

When he had first seen this he had thought she must be their whore, she never fought back, never refused. He had left, the first night he had watched them, and not returned for days, knowing she was trouble, cold hearted trouble. However, he had come back.

“And I find you in your usual roosting place, Brother.”

His gaze left the room, thankful for an excuse not to watch as the man grabbed her hair and forced her to suck his cock. “Zoah. I thought you had plans.”

“I do. A fist fight at nine, then bed.”

“I take it you don’t mean an early night.”

Zoah laughed. “Of sorts, but I have two buxom beauties lined up. You should try it sometime instead of watching your little whore suck another man’s cock.”

“No thank you.”

“She came today?”

“Yes.”

“Why? There are thousands of women to bed. And why you would want to bring one more of us into this poor overcrowded world is beyond me.”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me. Before she gets you killed, tell me what it is that compels you to want to breed with her, when you know it’s a trap.”

“Because I’m tired.”

Zoah laughed. “Tired of living?”

“Yes. In a way, I’ve lived for three thousand years, and I cannot see the point in living longer unless there is something more.”

“You, Connor, are having a mid-life crisis.”

“Maybe. At least I know the estate will be left in your very capable hands if this ends badly.”

“Oh, Brother, there is no doubt in my mind that this will end very badly. I only hope you don’t intend to drag me into this mess. Humans are for using up and spitting out. No more.”

“We’ll see, Zoah.”

“Well, I’ll leave you to watch your mate. At least she’ll be broken and obedient. It looks as though she’s had plenty of practice.”

He turned his gaze back to her. The men had gone, she was curled up on her bed, he couldn’t hear but he could tell by the rise and fall of her body that she was crying, big heaving sobs.

As Zoah took off into the night, all Connor could think about was how he wanted to rip the heads off of these men who tormented Serena.

Zoah was right, something inside him had changed.

The taxi took her to the gates of the big sprawling mansion, the driver could go no further.

“You’re sure this is the place?” the driver asked, concerned.

“Yes. Thank you.” She gave him her fare, and got out, waiting while he went around and fetched her suitcase from the trunk.

“Listen, it’s none of my business, but I’ve been a cab driver for twenty years, and no one ever goes in there.”

She smiled at him, “I can manage from here.”

“Are you sure? I can wait.”

“No, thank you. I’m staying for a few days.”

“Just be careful. If you’re in trouble, I can take you to the police.”

“There’s nothing they can help me with, thank you again.”

“Well if you turn up dead I’ll give a statement to the police that I dropped you here.”

She could have laughed, but as his words sunk in she knew he meant them earnestly, and that he might be right, there was a chance she might not come out of here alive.

“Thank you, but everything is going to be fine.” She closed her hand around the small vial of blue liquid in her pocket, only hoping she would be strong enough to use it when the time came.

Pressing the button on the security gate, she waited patiently for an answer. She did not get one, instead the gates opened, and as she walked in she wondered if he was watching for her from one of the many windows overlooking the front drive. The house was enormous, and Serena wondered how he looked after it all by himself. No cook, no cleaners it was such a solitary life. Did he ever get lonely?

Don’t. She reminded herself, he was not a man, he was a beast. Serena had been told how they treated humans, and how she must never allow herself to see him as the same as her. It was a sure way to get herself killed.

Carrying one heavy bag, and dragging her suitcase she made her way up to the house. If he were a gentleman, he would have come out and helped her, but it was a good job he wasn’t, she had secrets in her luggage she did not need him finding out about.

The house seemed to bear down on her, huge and imposing, like it’s owner. Serena wondered how long he had owned it, these great beasts were supposed to live for thousands of years, he might even have had it built himself, stone by stone. All those people he must have known that were now dead and gone.

Once more she wondered if he was lonely. Perhaps he would be grateful for the fate she was being forced to inflict on him. He might enjoy the freedom of having the thinking, feeling, part of him ripped away while his body went on living. However, she could not console herself with that, she would not be allowed to forgo her guilt by thinking she was doing him a favour. More than anyone she knew what it was to have no freedom, to be told what to do. And to be forced to do things you hated.

This will end that life, she told herself. All she had to do was survive the next few days, and then give birth to the little dragon child, hand him over, and then she would be free. Samuel had promised.

Yet the voice in her head whispered to her of her naïvety. She could hope all she wanted, but she doubted Samuel would simply let her go. Once pregnant she would have to find some way to leverage her position over her impending motherhood. First she had to get through this ordeal. Because if she didn't, she would never conceive the child, and if the dragon didn’t kill her, then Samuel would.

All she had to do first was get inside the house. She went to the front door, expecting him to be waiting, after all he knew she was there, he had buzzed her in through the gates. Any physical pain he might put her through she could deal with, she had been well schooled in putting her mind elsewhere while men hurt her, but if there was one thing she didn't need it was mind games. Closing her eyes to push the thoughts away, making her mind blank, she lifted her hand to knock.

Then she waited. Nothing.

Turning she watched the taxi disappear into the distance, if no one answered she was stuck here in the grounds of this monstrous house. Raising her hand again she knocked harder, and kept knocking until the door was flung open.

"I assumed you would come straight in."

She was taken aback by his tone. "That wouldn't be polite."

He laughed. "Manners have never been a requirement for a breeding vessel. I let you in the gates, I knew you were here. No one gets in the estate without my prior knowledge, and if they did I'd eat them." His eyes danced, he meant to scare her.

"You might not care for manners, and that is your choice." She lowered her tone, her usual cautiousness returning.

"Really? And do you believe you have a choice in what you say and do? Once you step over this threshold, our bargain is sealed. Do you understand?"

She hesitated, looking up into his handsome arrogant face. Until she had conceived his child she would be his to do with as he wished. Charlotte's face came to her, smiling, happy, they were somewhere safe, away from here. His words were truer than he could ever imagine, she had no choice, she never had.

Without answering she took a deliberate step over the threshold into his house. His hand pushed the door, it slammed shut with a shudder, the effort he had exerted negligible. A thrill of fear coursed through her. Her fate was in his hands now, and all her old fears came back to her, and she trembled before him.

He stood studying her, something she gathered she would have to get used to. Maybe he hadn't had a woman for a long time. Maybe he would be kind to her, but the stories she had been told about the dragons and their mating rights would not let her fool herself.

"I'll show you where you will sleep." He turned and marched away, and she half expected him to take her to a deep dark dungeon where he would chain her up, only freeing her when he wished to use her body for breeding. Instead he took her into a massive hall, an ornate staircase rising up out of it, and several other doors leading off. The place was bigger than anything she had ever seen, paintings lined the walls, heavy drapes at the windows, she felt as though she had stepped back in time.

Twirling around she took it all in, the carved rails of the staircase, the head of a dragon rearing from the ground forming the newel post. Above her the vaulted ceiling displayed a painting of a dragon fighting a man in armour.

"Wow," she said, placing her luggage down and spinning around slowly to take it all in.

"St George. Our story is a little different from that told on his Saints day."

"Don't tell me. The dragon won."

"Do you honestly think a man could beat a dragon?"

She thought of the blue vial in her pocket. "I'm sure there are ways."

"Not then."

"Have you always lived here?"

"Yes. We come and we go, but always return."

"We. I thought you were the last?"

He blocked her way, his body rising above hers, dangerously close. "Why are you here, Serena? To mate with me or to learn all my secrets?"

She shrunk back from him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. It doesn't matter. Please show me my room, I'm understand you don't want my stupid questions."

She picked up her suitcase, and waited for him to move, again he simply watched her.

"I live here with my brother.” He snapped. “There's no point hiding that from you, he will make a nuisance of himself, and insult you, it's what he does best."

"Your brother. Here?"

"Yes."

"I was told only you lived here." She hadn't expected this, and her plan was in jeopardy. Her instructions were clear, she only had one vial, and getting the dragon out once he was poisoned might not be so easy if his brother saw what was happening and stopped her. She glanced up at the ceiling once more, seeing the flash of the sword, and the flames engulfing the wielder. That might very well be her fate if she wasn't extremely careful.

"And who told you that, Serena? I have so many questions myself. It is not common knowledge that dragons even exist. There are stories and myths, but no one really believes them."

"I heard it from an old man."

"His name?"

"I forget."

He leaned down towards her, his lips so close to hers she thought he would kiss her, she licked her lips involuntarily, waiting for the first touch, but only his breath caressed her skin. "I have little patience, but I'm going to let this go for now, because when I mate with you there will come a point when you will tell me everything I want to know. You will beg me to let you talk just so it will end."

She looked up into his deep brown eyes, red flecks made them dance, as though he was made of fire, and the flames licked at the windows of his soul. "I am used to enduring pain."

He lifted his nostrils and breathed in her scent. "Who said I was going to hurt you Serena? I have spent centuries discovering the weakness of humans, and I find that the thing that gives a person the most pleasure is the one best used for leverage."

Serena backed away from him, holding her bag close to her. "I'm ready to see my room now," she said dismissively, but inside she trembled, and he knew it.

"Very well, I'm sure you're eager to prepare yourself for tonight. I can assure you it will be a night you will never forget."

He lifted her large suitcase effortlessly, and carried it up the stairs, not bothering to turn around to see if she was following. He knew she was obedient, but she told herself he didn't know why. Maybe he did believe it was for the money. Samuel had told her how much to ask for, but that was the icing on the cake for the man who controlled her.

Perhaps the dragon suspected there was more to this bargain, she didn't know, and tried not to care. Did he guess she was after the child dragon, believing she would try to sell it, or use it for her own gain. She expected he had some plan to keep her here until she gave birth to the aberration. What he didn't know was she had the power to take his will from him, his very soul. The small blue vial in her pocket held the answer to all of her problems.

Her scent filled his nostrils, it teased him, threatening to control him. Never had he met a woman like this, and he thought back to the myths of the dragons and remembered those that spoke of finding a true mate. He had always thought they were fairy tales, but now he wondered differently.