by Dena Christy
He reached around behind her and drew down the zipper of her skirt. As he pushed the fabric down he caressed the round globes of her ass, which was covered in wispy black lace. He turned her so she was facing away from him, with her hands braced against the edge of the bed. She was wearing only black stay up stockings and black lace panties. He dispensed with the panties quickly enough and enjoyed the sight of her bare flesh exposed to his gaze.
He slipped his hand between her legs, to test her readiness and found her wet. He stroked his fingers over her, and she pushed her hips against him as a purring moan escaped her.
"I want to feel you inside me."
Her command was all he needed to hear. He ripped off the rest of his clothes, placed his hard, straining cock at the entrance of her body and pushed forward slowly. Closed his eyes is he buried his entire length inside her warm, wet body. God, she was made for him. Being with her like this felt like heaven, and something clicked inside him at the rightness of it.
He pulled back and pushed back inside her. For several moments the only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of excited pleasure and their flesh slapping together.
He could feel the pressure inside him build, the need for release climbing to a fever pitch. The urge to put his claim on her was so strong that he needed to hear her say who she belonged to.
“Whose woman are you?” His voice came out in a possessive growl and she responded to it.
“I'm yours, Gregor. I'm your woman.”
To reward her for saying what he wanted to hear, and to bring her to the point of climax, he reached between her legs and rubbed her clit in the same rhythm he was using to thrust in and out of her body.
She called out his name as she climaxed around him. Her body clenched and squeezed him, and it sent him hurtling over the edge. He gave a long drawn-out groan as he poured all his pleasure inside her. If there was ever any woman who was meant to be with him, it was her.
The need to declare himself to her was so strong that he had to clamp his lips shut. There was still so much that she needed to know about him and until she knew it all, he would keep his words of love tucked away inside him.
He pulled out of her and she straightened up off the bed. Turning her to face him, he pulled her into his arms to hold her.
"Will you stay with me tonight?" Her words were whisper across his skin, and he cupped her face and tipped her head back so he could look at her.
"I'll stay as long as you want."
That night as he held her sleeping body against him, his mind turned to the problem of telling her what he was. He didn't know how he would do it but he needed to find a way soon. Now that the hunters were gone his true nature was the only obstacle that needed to be overcome before he could declare his love for her.
Elle opened her eyes and realized that she was no longer in her own bed, but in a much larger, more sumptuous one. She must be dreaming again, and she slowly sat up and realized that she was naked. She had no idea where she was because she’d never dreamed about this place before.
She was inside a cave but it was like no cave she’d ever been in before. If not for the fact that there were no windows, she would swear that she was in a lord’s castle. The furnishings were rich enough to belong to someone of great wealth. Even the bed she was lying in was much finer than the humble one she slept in at her mother’s cottage.
She heard a noise from the doorway of the room, and she looked over to see Gregor standing there, watching her. She clutched the blanket tighter around herself and she could feel a blush creep up her cheeks. A memory of the night before, of him making love to her came to her and the heat in her face deepened. Had she really given herself to him wholeheartedly, had she given him something she’d always promised to herself would belong to the man she gave herself to in marriage alone?
His mouth pulled up at the corner, and he looked so handsome and strong that she knew why she’d given him her innocence. She’d known no one like him and had felt nothing close to what he made her feel inside. He approached her and the butterflies that always seemed to dance in her stomach when he was around came back in full force.
He sat down beside her on the bed and ran a gentle hand down the side of her face. She tilted her head so that her face rested in his strong, capable hands.
“You don’t have any regrets about last night, do you?” His voice was gentle, and he leaned in to place a soft kiss on her lips.
“No, I don’t regret it. I felt things with you last night that I’ve never experienced.” And that was true. He brought her such pleasure it was impossible to regret a single part of last night. The question was, what was in store for them now that the cold light of day had arrived.
“Good. I am happy to please you as much as you please me. But I have something else to talk to you about. Do you have questions about what I told you last night?”
She hesitated for a moment. What he revealed about himself should have frightened her but it didn’t. She knew no matter what, he would never hurt her.
She shook her head, and he looked at her for a long moment, as if he couldn’t quite believe it. He leaned in and placed another soft kiss on her lips and she snaked her arms around his neck. She loved kissing him, and she clung to him and offered her mouth up to him. He took her at her invitation and kissed her for long moments.
Once the kiss finished, he set her away from him and a feeing of disappointment settle in her stomach. Surely he wanted to do more with her. After the way he’d made her body sing last night, she was eager to experience his touch again.
She allowed the blanket to fall away, exposing her bare body. To her surprise, he pulled the blanket back up to cover her as a regretful groan escaped him.
“As much as I would love to experience the delights of your flesh again, I have some urgent business to attend to.”
“You’re leaving?” She clutched the blanket tighter to herself at the thought of him going away. “For how long?”
“Only for a few hours. I will be back here before you know it. You will be safe here, but I must ask you not to leave the confines of the cave until I return. Can you do that for me?”
She didn’t know what she would do with herself for the time he would be away, but there was an expectant look on his face that had her nodding in agreement.
“I’ll stay until you return.”
“Good.” He leaned in and gave her a swift kiss and then he left.
She sat on the bed for a long time until she decided that she should get dressed and explore more of what she had a feeling would be her new home. She pulled her clothing on and took her time exploring her surroundings until she came to the entrance of the cave itself. Gregor had admonished her not to leave the cave, but surely he meant that she was not to go back to the village. There could be no objection to her stepping outside for a moment to enjoy the feel of the sun on her face while she waited for him to return.
She leaned against the craggy rock by the entrance to the cave, and let the warmth of the sun lull her into the happy feeling that had been slowly building inside her from the day she’d come upon Gregor, injured in the woods. If he asked it of her, she knew she was prepared to spend her life living with him and loving him.
The sound of a footstep scuffling on the path beside her had her opening her eyes. Had her love returned to her already? She turned her head and straightened away from the wall.
“Archer? What are you doing here?” She swallowed nervously when she saw the intent look on his face. There was a slight look of disdain there too, as if he could see inside her and knew what she’d been doing while she’d been in the cave. Why had she not heeded Gregor’s command to stay in the cave?
“I have come to take you home, where you belong.” He reached out to take a hold of her arm and she moved out of his reach. She had no intention of going anywhere with him.
“I will stay here. I appreciate your concern, but Gregor is the man I want to spend my life with.” She’d alway
s known Archer had the notion she would be his wife, but even before she’d met Gregor, she’d known Archer was not the man she wanted to spend her life with. She’d tried subtly since they’d grown out of childhood to let him know how she felt about him, but it would appear that he still had not gotten the message. Under normal circumstances she would not have been so blunt with him, but she’d found the man she wanted to spend her life with and she would not give that up for Archer.
“A man? Surely you are not so naïve to believe he is only a man?”
So Archer knew of the dual side of Gregor’s nature. It would explain the disgust that curled his upper lip. Anger stiffened her spine, and she looked him square in the eye as she turned to face him.
“I know what he is. Gregor has no secrets from me, and it does not matter. I love him and will spend the rest of my life loving him.” His hand snaked out with a swiftness that surprised her and made her jump. She let out a startled cry as he took the flesh of her upper arm in a painful grip. She tried to pull away from him but he held her fast. “Let go of me. You are hurting me.”
He pulled her toward him and spoke to her through clenched teeth. “You need to wake up, Eleanor.”
With a startled breath, Elle opened her eyes to find her world had returned to normal. She was in her own bed, in her own home and the warm body next to her told her that Gregor lay beside her. A frown pulled her brows together. What a strange dream. It had been some time since she’d dreamed of the past, and with sleep still fogging her brain she couldn’t think of the significance. Perhaps it wasn’t a dream of the past at all. Maybe her brain was trying to process what she was feeling for Gregor, and it had mixed up lingering emotions over her confrontation with Gabriel during dinner.
She snuggled down deeper into the blankets and cuddled up against Gregor. He rolled toward her with a sleepy growl and pulled her close. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and pressed her lips against his warm skin.
“You’re meant to be sleeping, woman.” His voice was rough with sleep but he did not seem to object to her moving against him.
“I find I am no longer sleepy.” She moved a caressing hand over his bare chest and pulled her head back so she could look at him. He leaned in and pressed soft kisses on her mouth.
“Are you happy here with me?” His voice was a soft whisper as if he was speaking something he was unsure of the answer to. She was a little startled by his words since they were a close echo of the words that the dream version of him had spoken.
She ran a caressing hand over his face, and the answer came to her.
“I have not been this happy for a long time.” She realized that happiness was not all she felt, but it seemed too soon to use words of love, and something she couldn’t identify was holding her back from saying them. There was plenty of time for them to say what was deep in their hearts, and for once in her life she would enjoy each moment as it came instead of trying to predict what the future would hold.
She moved toward him and kissed him. He gave a small growl and pulled her tight against his body. The feel of his naked flesh against hers was glorious, and she wanted him.
From down below in the shop, glass smashed, and the alarm screamed. Elle jumped and Gregor pulled away from her and was out of bed before she could blink. She reached out and turned on the bedroom light just as he was pulling on his jeans.
“What is going on?” Fear coursed through her as she too got out of bed. Was someone trying to break in? Was that what the smashing sound had been about?
“I don’t know. Stay here and I'll go see.” He pulled his shirt on over his head and her stomach churned inside her.
“Please don’t. What if whoever it is is inside? Don’t risk getting hurt. The police will be here in response to the alarm.” She pleaded with him not to leave the bedroom. She knew all too well how quickly someone could be lost to violence and she wanted nothing to happen to him.
“I’ll be fine. I’m just going to go downstairs to see what is going on. It could be just kids playing a prank. Just stay here and I will return in a few moments.”
He turned away and left the bedroom. Cold air chased down her spine and gave her a sense of foreboding. She was also hyperaware of her naked state. She went quickly to her dresser and pulled on some underwear and a bra. She did not understand what would be in store for her tonight, so she pulled on a pair of jeans and a comfortable sweater.
She looked at the open bedroom door and longed to follow Gregor and see what was going on. It would be foolish to do so. If someone was there, she didn’t want to distract Gregor and perhaps give away his presence. She went over to the bed to sit and wait for him to come back. She told herself that she would give him a few more moments and then she would go after him. She didn’t know what she could do to help him if he was in trouble, but she knew there was no way she would let him endanger himself.
12
Gregor's heart beat heavily in his chest as he made his way toward the door that went down out of the apartment to the stairwell that led to the shop. The screaming alarm sent shards of agony through his sensitive ears, but he did his best to ignore it. Covering his ears was not an option because he needed his hands free to fight whoever was downstairs.
For their sake he hoped it was kids playing a prank, because if someone was in the shop intent on harming his woman, they would face a furious dragon. At the thought of some harm coming to Elle, he could feel his blood heating beneath the surface of his skin as his dragon fought to come out. He was certain that his anger was visible in his eyes too.
He did his best to calm down since he couldn't risk Elle seeing the change in him. She would know with a certainty that could not be ignored that he was not just a man as she believed him to be. Even now, after last night, he was still not ready to reveal himself.
He unlocked and opened the door to the stairway, and the unmistakable acrid smell of smoke came to him. He debated for a second whether he should go down further to investigate. Fire could not harm him since he was a creature of fire himself. He needed to know if escape through the shop was still possible.
He went down the stairs and he could see tendrils of smoke seeping underneath the door. He could feel the heat on the metal doorknob and thought better of opening the door. If he opened the door, it might provide oxygen that would further fuel the flames. Elle was human and all too vulnerable to the damage that fire could do.
They would have no choice but to find an alternative way out of the apartment. He hoped there was one because based on the heat coming from the door and the smoke coming out from underneath it, it was too dangerous in the shop for Elle. Turning his back on the still firmly closed door he quickly made his way back up the stairs and shut the apartment door. Hopefully, it would provide a temporary barrier to the fire's ravenous hunger, at least long enough for him to get Elle out of the apartment.
His long strides took him back to the bedroom where he found Elle dressed and talking on her cell phone. Thank God she'd had the sense to put clothes on because he didn’t know how much time they had left before the fire made its way up the stairs. It had only been a few minutes since the sound of breaking glass had roused them out of bed, and if the door to the shop was hot already, then that meant the fire was spreading fast.
"Elle, we need to go." He did his best to keep his voice calm, since panicking now wouldn't do them any good.
She held the phone away from her ear and pointed to it. "It's the alarm company. They want to know if they need to send the police." There was a worried line creasing the area between her eyebrows and he wished he could tell her that the police weren't necessary. That he could say it was just kids playing pranks, and that everything was fine. It killed him to not be able to do that, and he swore that he would find out who was behind this and they would pay. But thoughts of vengeance would have to wait because he needed to get Elle out of this apartment.
"Yes, the police need to be here and they will also have to send the fire depar
tment. The shop is on fire." Her face drained of all color and she quickly relayed what he'd said into her cell phone. As soon as she'd ended the call, he took her hand and pulled her to her feet.
She was trembling and he could sense the panic rising inside her. He bent his head to look into her eyes and all he could see there was raw fear. Above all, he needed her to be calm, so he took precious seconds to run his hand down her arm.
"Is there another way out of this apartment? We cannot make it out through the shop." He waited for her to answer, but while her mouth moved, no sound came out of it. He took hold of her shoulders and gave her a tiny, gentle shake. "Elle, I need you to focus. You're strong enough to hold on until we are safe, I know you are. You can do this. I swear I will do everything I can to keep you safe, but I need you to stay strong for me. Is there another way out of the apartment?"
He hoped to God that there was, otherwise they would have to risk going through the shop and he didn’t want to do that. She stood a little straighter and seemed to shake herself. He could see her internal strength overcoming the fear inside her and he could not have been more proud of her.
"There is a fire escape off the guest room. We can get out through there." Now that she had conquered the fear that had been inside her, she seemed galvanized into action. She moved quickly, shoving her cell phone into her pocket, grabbing her purse from where she'd put it on top of her dresser and leading the way out of the bedroom.
Thank God she was moving because he smelled the faint whiff of smoke inside the apartment. They didn't have much time to get out, and he put his hand on the small of her back to propel her forward when she looked up at him in alarm. Apparently she could smell the smoke too.
"It will be okay. We have to keep moving."
She went into the guest room with him close at her heels, and she walked around the bed to the window at the back. She threw it open. She looked back at him and he motioned for her to go first. With a visible effort, she collected herself for a second and put her leg over the windowsill. Her body bent forward as she ducked under the window and went out onto the fire escape. It was a much tighter squeeze for him to get out with his large body but somehow he managed.
