Treasured by the Dragon

Ch 2: Escape

"Excuse you! As you said, I am a princess, and as such you will house me in a private suite."

I raise my chin in challenge, but my captor meets it with a vicious snarl.

"Is that so? I believe you officially lost that title once your parents sacrificed you on my altar."

"How dare you," I hiss, gritting my teeth. My heart pounds inside my throat, and I ball my fists, digging my nails into my palms so the pain might chase away the tears. "Just because they forced me to be your offering doesn't mean I stopped being who I am."

"Forced?" A bark of laughter rises from his chest, while my own tightens with the fierce cold. "Did you even try to run? Did you fight against them with everything you had? Even if they were going to kill you instead of letting you run, you had a choice."

He pauses, drinking in how my jaw clenches and my muscles strain at his words. "Say what you will, Princess, but you chose to be here. Whether it was a fair choice is irrelevant."

Despite my conviction, a single tear wells up in the corner of my eye and skids down my cheek. I curse my body for its insufferable weakness. However, I won't acknowledge it by wiping it away. I will not confess the cracks in my armor.

"You are a monster."

The heat of my words cannot warm me. My teeth chatter, and my body acts of its own accord, shaking so hard my knees buckle.

"And you are pathetically human," he says with a patronizing sigh. "Come here. You'll freeze to death in that ridiculous outfit."

His hands reach for me, but I shift away from his grip.

"Don't you dare touch me." My words hiss out like a cat backed into a corner.

"I'll dare to do whatever I want. You're mine now, and though you may be of little value, you are still a commodity. One which I don't intend to lose the moment I've claimed it."

"I'm not your property!"

My voice strains and I double over. I stumble backward, and my knees give out. I feel myself tumbling, unable to command my frozen muscles.

For a moment, my mind swims, floating within my skull as I fall. I take a shuddering breath, realizing my arms are too stiff to catch me before I crack my head against the rock.

But I never meet the unforgiving stone.

"Such pathetic creatures."

The words are frosty, but his arms are hot and firm. I'm cradled against the dragon's chest, his hold wrapped around my shoulders and under my legs.

The soft, sleek silk of my dress slips down my thighs and pools at my waist, so the hand bracing my hips against him is touching bare skin. The heat of his large palm feels hot enough to brand me. My head rests on the bend of his arm, and I can feel the mound of muscle flexing beside my ear.

His breath brushes my cheek and tickles my nose. He smells like spice and pine. There's a scent of newly fallen snow and yeast wafting off the damp fur of his cloak. Mixed, they make a heady aroma that fills my senses and threatens to drown me.

"Let go of me."

My voice is meek and the words performative. Nothing in me fights his grip, and I only sink deeper as the heat enveloping me loosens my joints.

"Make me."

His words aren't a threat. Instead, an amused growl rolls in his throat and I dare to look up to gauge the wicked smile on his lips. He hovers over me, his face only inches from mine. There's a fire crackling in the garnet red of his eyes, both fierce and playful.