Hope

by Tia Wylder

  I laid back onto the soft silk sheets and closed my eyes. I felt something land on my stomach. It was a strip of cloth.

  “Put this on,” he said.

  “A blindfold? You don’t trust me?”

  “I don’t want you to see me until it’s time. Put it on, please.”

  I tied the blindfold around my head and laid back on the bed. The room was cold as ice. I felt Constantin’s hot breath on my thigh. He hovered just above my skin.

  “Are you ready?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Do not worry, you will have pleasure to balance the pain.”

  His fangs dug into the flesh of my thigh. My entire body flooded with adrenaline as blood was pulled from it. My heart raced and I felt the room spinning around me. It lasted for what seemed like an eternity before he stopped. I struggled to catch my breath, but barely could before I felt soft and supple hands gently wrap around my legs.

  “Can I see you?” I asked.

  “Not yet,” he whispered.

  He kissed the skin on my inner thigh and moved upward until I felt his breath between my legs. My body quaked with anticipation. His tongue emerged and gently parted the folds. He wandered upward and started gently licking at me, moving in perfect circles. The pleasure was beyond words. Wave after wave of chills ran down my body. My muscles spasmed, I didn’t know what to do with myself.

  He was incredible, so precise and consistent. The pleasure was overwhelming, I felt a new and exciting feeling pouring through me. I lost control of my body and screamed out as a powerful climax crashed into me. Constantin’s hands came up and gently pulled the blindfold off of my eyes. I saw his face for the first time. Chiseled jaw, warm brown eyes, and short silvery hair. He was an incredible looking man. My head was spinning from blood loss. He looked down at me and smiled.

  “How do you feel?” he asked.

  “Incredible,” I whispered.

  I sat up as he laid down on the bed. He had a perfectly toned body, perfect from top to bottom. I climbed onto him and looked down at his deep and mysterious eyes. I positioned myself and let him slide into me. He lacked warmth, like a living person. I didn’t mind, though, I still felt his passion. I leaned forward and grinded myself against him. I pressed my hands on his chest and braced myself as his hands reached up and cupped my breasts. He gently massaged them as I rocked back and forth.

  “It’s been so long,” he said.

  “Since you’ve made love?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “Since I’ve felt something.”

  I leaned down and kissed him softly on the lips. His hands traveled down my back until he gripped my backside and thrusted upward into me. My whole body shook as a wave of pleasure shot through me like lightning. Our hips found a common rhythm. I threw my head back and let him flow through me as he came inside me. I collapsed onto the bed beside him.

  I couldn’t move. I felt myself fading, but I didn’t want this moment to end.

  “It’s alright, Natalia, rest. I’ll be here to protect you.”

  He made me feel safe. That was perhaps the best gift he could give me.

  Chapter Five

  That night, I had a different dream. I wasn’t in the mansion, nor was I in the time I knew. I was in the past, lying on the ground amidst rubble and dust. Around me, several prisoners laid crushed by rubble or impaled on spikes that were spread out across the floor. I had managed to avoid the trap, but only by a few inches. I had been hit with an arrow while the other prisoners and myself tried to flee into the depths of the enemy tombs.

  The floor gave way and we fell. I still lived, but just barely. The arrow pierced my side. I was bleeding profusely. I didn’t have much time. My thoughts were only on Rayna and what had happened to her. Surely they would have killed her for conspiring with me, but if I made it out, I would find her.

  Death was coming, though, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I knew this memory all too well, but for some strange reason or twist of fate, that night as I slept by Natalia’s side, the missing pieces revealed themselves.

  A gaunt and emaciated man emerged from the darkness in the back of the chamber.

  “You’re dying by the looks of it,” he whispered.

  He sounded like he was in pain himself. He hid his mouth from me with his hand as he spoke.

  “Please, help me,” I whispered.

  “Aye, I can help you, but it is not a fate I would wish upon any man, even my enemies.”

  “I must find her, I must save her,” I said.

  “You would do this, at any cost?”

  I coughed. Blood splattered across the sand covered ground in front of me.

  “At any cost.”

  “Very well, I will take you to her.”

  The man dragged me across the ground by my arm. The pain was overwhelming. My screams echoed through the chamber, but no one responded, not even him.

  “I will give you life eternal, but it will come with a cost. You will have the chance to save your beloved, if indeed she still lives, but you will live long after she is dust. Do you wish to take this burden from me?”

  I was delirious. I shouldn’t have said yes, I should have died there!

  “Yes.”

  “Very well.”

  The man lifted me onto his shoulders and I saw the statue of the goddess that now sat in the vault of my home. He lifted my arm into the statue’s mouth and its stone fangs dug into my skin. I had a brief moment of clarity as it drained everything from me. I looked over and saw the man’s vitality return to him. He took his hand away from his mouth and I saw a pair of fangs. They fell out like children’s teeth and landed on the ground in front of him. Joy filled his face as my vision went black.

  ***

  I awoke to the sound of yelling. The lights in the bedroom illuminated and I saw a portly fellow stroll into the room. He swayed as if drunk and waved a pistol around that he had clutched in his hand.

  “How dare you! How dare you steal my property!” the man screamed.

  “I climbed out of the bed and pulled on my robe. Richard stood in the doorway behind the drunken man.

  “I’m sorry sir, he threatened to kill me!”

  I waved Richard off. “Go, I’ll handle this.’

  “Did you sleep with her? Huh? Did you?”

  I nodded.

  The man pulled back the hammer on his revolver and growled.

  “I had people lined up, people who paid good money for her first time! Now you took that from me!”

  “I assure you, I can offer you something far more valuable than her in exchange. It’s just inside that vault there,” I said.

  The man looked to the vault and then back to me. “In there? Unless you got another virgin woman in there, I’m not interested!”

  “Constantin, don’t do this for me. I’ll go with him,” Natalia said.

  The man spit on the ground. “I don’t want you back, whore! I want what’s owed to me!”

  I looked back at Natalia. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle this.”

  I typed in the code and opened the vault. The man followed me inside and looked at the statue with contempt.

  “This is it? Seriously? How is this supposed to help me?” he asked.

  “It’s not the statue that’s priceless. It’s what it does. Go ahead, give it your arm,” I said.

  “What’s it going to do?” the man asked.

  “It’s going to make you immortal. Would you like that?”

  “You’re shitting me!”

  “Even if I am lying, what do you have to lose?” I asked.

  The man raised his arm and placed it into the statue’s grasp. It grabbed him and lifted him off the ground. He screamed and dropped his gun as it bit into him. I picked up the gun and watched as it drained him entirely until he looked like nothing more than a fleshy sack of blood. I backed away from the scene and looked down as the fangs fell out of my mouth.

  I felt a rush of adrenaline as I ran to the vault entrance.
I pushed the door closed and it locked. I stepped back and fired the gun into the control panel, sealing him inside.

  Natalia was dressed and standing beside the bed.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  I laughed as a smile swept over my face.

  “Constantin, you have to go, the sun is coming up!” she said.

  I shook my head. “No, I want to see it.”

  I turned and ran down the hall. Natalia chased after me, begging me not to do it, but I had to know, I had to know if it was truly over.

  Just like my dream, I approached the doors and grabbed the knobs with shaking hands. I pulled the door open and ran outside as the first rays of sunlight illuminated the world. I closed my eyes and felt it wash over me. I felt warmth, live giving warmth. Tears slid down my face, but when I touched them they weren’t crimson, they were real.

  I looked over as Natalia stood in the doorway with a shocked expression on her face.

  “I don’t understand,” she said.

  I ran over and wrapped my arms around her. I felt her warm skin against mine.

  “It’s over, the curse is broken!”

  The nightmare had finally ended. I was awake. My hands were shaking and my heart was pounding in my chest.

  I was alive.

  RIGHT BEFORE EACH BOOK TITLE:

  The Dragon’s Love Affair

  By Bella Angel

  Chapter One

  Ragnar Eriksen had lost everything to the Dragonslayers. His wife and son did not choose to be born as dragon shifters. Ragnar promised his wife and son that he would protect them, that no harm would ever come to them. That promise was broken when the Dragonslayers came and slaughtered an entire village of dragon shifters living peacefully in the Scandinavian mountains.

  Ragnar and his people had been ruthlessly hunted for centuries by humans, but the Dragonslayers were different. They had the form and persona of humans, but their strength and longevity revealed that they were something different. Some say it was because they drank the blood of the dragons they killed and drew strength from the blood. Others say they are fallen gods who cannot rise to power again while the dragon shifters exist. The truth remains a mystery, for the Dragonslayers are an elusive group.

  After the loss of his family, Ragnar’s people were scattered. He followed one of the wounded Dragonslayers back to a place where they met. It was a veritable fortress hidden in the Black Forest of Germany. There were hundreds of them, but Ragnar was confident that he and his fellow dragon shifters could overpower the fortress if they had the element of surprise. The Nordic ice dragons were among the most powerful of the dragon tribes. Ragnar’s icy breath tore through flesh and bone and leveled cities faster than fire ever could.

  Frozen solid in the blink of an eye, Ragnar would shatter those who took everything from him. He returned to his people and pleaded with the elders to form an attack party. They told him his need for revenge would lead only to more bloodshed. They told him to mourn his family and leave the Dragonslayers to their own devices.

  They have grown old and soft. Their icy hearts have melted, Ragnar thought. He would go himself then and infiltrate the fortress. He shifted into a beast of legend, with scales blacker than the night sky and cold blue eyes that reflected his frozen soul. His wings spanned far in both directions, casting an ominous shadow on the clouds below. The air was thin and crisp. The full moon above refracted across his shimmering black scales, casting him in a white glow.

  Flying this close to heaven was the only time Ragnar thought he could feel the presence of his wife and son. He imagined them flying by his side, soaring above the cares and worries of the world below. Ragnar descended beneath the clouds and dived at rapid pace to avoid being spotted. He landed in a clearing and quickly shifted back to his human form.

  He was naked. His human form could not withstand the icy chill of winter for long. Fortunately the fortress was close. He made his way silently through the forest until he spotted a lone guard standing watch. Ragnar circled around and approached from behind.

  Ragnar wrapped his arm around the man’s throat and pulled him down. He clenched his thick bicep and pulled his forearm upward, cutting off the man’s air supply. He was too shocked and surprised to fight back. He lost consciousness and Ragnar slowly released him. He pondered for a long while if he should deliver a killing blow, but decided against it. He would die with the rest of them when the time was right.

  Ragnar took his clothes which consisted of a suit and crimson tie with plain black slacks. He had a gun holstered at his side and a wireless communicator in his ear. Ragnar took everything and dressed himself as the guard. He made his way to the fortress and walked with a quiet confidence that he hoped would allow him to blend in.

  There seemed to be an event being held within the high walls of the complex. Various humans were arriving dressed in military uniforms and decorated with medals. There were representatives from various countries. Ragnar saw all manner of different flags stitched upon the shoulders of the men entering through the main gate. Many of them walked with woman by their side. The whole scene made Ragnar think he was attending a celebration or gala instead of infiltrating the heart of his enemies.

  The guards at the front gate wore the same clothing as Ragnar. They afforded him a slight nod as he passed through without issue. Ragnar breathed a sigh of relief as he melded himself into the crowd. Guards were placed at various intervals and directed the guests through the open complex. Buildings passed by on either side, holding secrets that Ragnar was determined to reveal. All in due time, he thought.

  “Don’t you have something you’re supposed to be guarding?”

  Ragnar turned and saw a woman dressed in a tight black dress that traced the outline of her curvaceous form. She had jet black hair and glistening emerald eyes that regarded Ragnar with a quiet curiosity.

  “I’m on break,” Ragnar muttered.

  “Ah, I see. Going to see this Apollo fellow then?” She asked.

  Ragnar hadn’t heard that name before.

  “Apollo?”

  “Yeah, one of your bosses. Are you new or something?”

  Ragnar shook his head. “I’ve been doing this a long time.”

  “Well, since you’re on break, maybe you can be my date?”

  “You’re here alone?”

  The woman waved her hand to dismiss the idea.

  “No, but I haven’t the slightest idea where my husband is. Besides, if you turn me down, I’ll tell your boss you’re skipping out on work.”

  Ragnar clenched his jaw. This woman was becoming a nuisance.

  “Very well,” he said.

  The woman interlocked her arm with Ragnar. He hadn’t felt the touch of a woman in some time. It was both welcome and distracting. He had to remain hidden until this Apollo revealed himself. Then he would strike at the heart of the Dragonslayers.

  The earpiece crackled with static. Ragnar stopped in his tracks and focused on the sound. The woman’s pace came to a grinding halt. She teetered on her heels and let loose an audible sigh.

  “Gamma post, report in! You’re late again!” A voice shouted.

  Ragnar pressed his finger against the communicator and heard a click.

  “All clear here,” he said.

  “Miss another check and I’ll have your ass, you hear me?”

  “Yes sir.”

  Ragnar looked back to the woman who was still relentlessly clinging to his arm.

  “Trouble in paradise?” She asked.

  “I don’t know how long I can stay,” Ragnar said, “They’re going to find out I’m away from my post.”

  The woman gestured to the continued flow of guests.

  “Then hurry up and escort me to the presentation dinner!”

  Ragnar returned to the throng of moving people. Everyone was being led like sheep into one of the larger buildings. Inside the drab interior was decorated with ornate tapestries that hung from the walls and covered the plain concrete beneath.
Tables and chairs were arranged across the open space and a stage with a podium lined the back wall.

  “We should probably know each other’s names if we’re going to go any further with this,” the woman said.

  “I don’t think I’ll be staying for the presentation,” Ragnar said.

  “Nonsense! By the time my husband finishes bragging to every general in here the dinner will be over! Don’t make a woman eat alone.”

  She extended her hand. “I’m Isabel.”

  “Ragnar.”

  “Oh, I like that name! What is that, European?” She asked.

  “No, it’s not.”

  “Well then, let’s find out seats, shall we Ragnar?”

  He was growing tired of this woman. She was clearly starved for attention, but he couldn’t afford to have his divided. Ragnar sat beside her at one of the tables and scanned the room. He didn’t see any Dragonslayers, just a bunch of humans enjoying each other’s company.

  When a Dragonslayer did enter the room, Ragnar felt the temperature drop. Their presence was haunting, like being in the room with a malevolent spirit. It was just one for now, but Ragnar knew this one was somehow important. It was the way he carried himself, the contempt in his gaze as he looked out at the humans in the room like they were cattle.

  He had a chiseled jaw and ashy white skin. His thick brown hair was perfectly manicured into a high and tight haircut. He took the stage and tapped the microphone that extended from the podium. The crowd went silent.

  “Thank you all for coming here. I appreciate that so many nationalities and countries are willing to work together in this endeavor. My name is Apollo, and I am one of five who will be speaking tonight. For now, please enjoy the food and relax,” he said.

  No one had seen the leaders of the Dragonslayers in person. The elders of Ragnar’s tribe, in all of their years, had only learned that they numbered five. Ragnar had a name: Apollo. It was the name of a Greek god, but more than that, Apollo was known for slaying the she-dragon Python of Delphi. Could this man and the god of myth be one and the same? Being in his presence, Ragnar wasn’t certain either way.