The Dragon King's Servant

Chapter Seven: Desires

"Lucian..." Melanie repeated the name as though she needed to hear it from her own lips before it made sense. Of all the fantasy and supernatural romance novels she had read over the years, Lucian was one that primarily went to werewolves. 'Dammit. Focus Melanie! This isn't a romance book. Remember, chapter five of book one. A submissive must present their undivided attention to their dominant.' Melanie thought to herself and looked at Lucian. 

"What brings you to this event if you don't mind me asking?"

Melanie brushed her brown hair behind her ears and looked into his eyes. She wanted to ensure he knew that she was listening. 

"That is an interesting story. I suppose the short version is that I am looking for-" he paused and considered the best way to word his intention. "-a particular role that a female of a particular nature might fill." 

Melanie arched her eyebrow and smirked. She understood that he was trying his best to remain formal and avoid derogatory terms. Looking him up and down she suspected that he was dominant. The way he carried himself, the way he spoke and moved seemed like the mannerisms of a dominant. However, she didn't want to assume. It was impolite to group others based upon their appearances alone.

"Are you looking for a dominant or submissive, Lucian? Do you mind if I call you Lucian?" 

"I'll allow it." He winked. "I am looking for a submissive. I had one a very long time ago."

"What happened?" Melanie asked.

"She unfortunately became ill and..." he glanced away and sighed. The weight of those emotions bared down upon him as he thought about it. His head snapped back around when he felt her hand settle upon his wrist. 

"I'm sorry." She said. "She must have been important to you." 

"She was." He smiled softly. 

Melanie pulled away and looked over the sea of people that shifted along the floor, moving between tables as they mingled. 

"Well you'll find plenty of submissive women here. Especially if you head about two rooms back you'll be able to take a few on a test run."

She blushed, remembering the groups of people locked together, lips and hands linked. As Melanie looked back at Lucian, she met his gaze. 

"Ms. Rivers, tell me. What is it that you desire? What is it that you are looking for?"

Melanie watched his dark garnet eyes light up as though a flickering candle had illuminated behind his irises. Before she could say anything, she felt his consciousness penetrate her thoughts and her true intentions floated to the surface. Lucian watched as images shifted through his mind like a reel of still photographs.

He saw Melanie, kneeling before a man. In another image, she was tied to a bench, naked and bare as a man stood around her. The last image was of her being held by a man. Lucian blinked and pulled his consciousness away. Melanie gasped and leaned into the chair as though she had resurfaced from beneath the depths of some dark abyss.

Her blue eyes settled upon Lucian with an expression of confusion and curiosity. 

"What was that?" She asked. "What did you do?" 

"I looked at your desires." Lucian replied. 

"My...desires?" She asked. "What do you mean?"

"Think of your longest dream. Your deepest desire." 

Melanie thought about her desires. The single largest desire she had ever wanted, was to serve a dominant. One who was kind and strict. Flexible and firm. Compassionate and consistent. She wanted that, and the man before her, knew it now too.