Defying the Dragon

Prologue

Rikat was another kind of animal. He was a Dragon in human skin.

He had his arms crossed across his chest, his right hand holding the key to her freedom, showing it to her, daring her to take it. His head was down, his hair was the colour of moonlight rays caught in silk with the tips baptized in fire falling over the wide forehead and shadowing his eyes. He didn't have his hair styled as usual, with the hair all on the right side of his face so everyone could see his weird witchy tattoos. No, it was covering his face, hiding his eyes, but she could tell he didn't have his eyes open. If he had, then she would have known immediately. Nothing could have hidden the power lurking behind those irises.

He raised his head and opened his eyes, and deep within those midnight-blue irises a cold fire burned; the same kind of lethal fire that you could find in the amber eyes of a tiger, predatory and yet so irresistible. It forced you to stare, even though you knew that if you caught his attention, that freezing fire would swallow you whole. And knowing this, she was still drawn to him just like metal was drawn to the magnet.

She knew she should gaze somewhere – anywhere – else, but she couldn't. She was frozen on the spot, shocked by the shift her escape plan had taken.

Rikat looked directly at her with his blue eyes. The fine scales that never quite disappeared from under his brow go down on his neck always reminding her what he was. His predatory, ruthless power had caught her in its web. She couldn't move even if she wanted to. She was at his mercy. Rikat really was a dragon in human skin, more powerful, cruel, heartless and dangerous.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked, pure curiosity coloring his tone of voice.

She couldn't find any fury in his voice, even though she expected it to be there when he found out her running to escape. He didn't seem irritated but amused, as if her trying to break free of his chains was something inconsequential – a game created to entertain the dragon.

He tilted his head, an inhuman gesture which sent chills down her spine every time she saw it. She wanted to put more distance between them, but his power was keeping her still.

Then Rikat pushed himself of the threshold and closed on her, stopping only when his chest was touching her left arm.

"Is this what you desire?" he whispered in her ear, his lips touching oh so slightly her ear.

He freed her from his control so she could look down at his right palm. His hand which held the key to freedom was right in front of her, but she didn't dare take it.

She didn't know what game he played but refused to let him torture her with the false promise of freedom.

"Of course, there is a price for the key," he said, closing his fingers and making the tentation disappear.

He was waiting for the girl to answer him and she is forcing her vocal cords to make the sounds Rikat wants to hear.

"And what is the price, Rikat?" the girl asked, whispering his name because she knew that pleasured him. She looked at him with the corner of her eye, seeing him closing his eyes and relishing the way her tongue tangled while uttering his name.

"A kiss. Given, not stolen," he said.

"And you will let me leave?" she asked, trying to hide the hope that maybe she could escape that time.

"Yes. If you will kiss me with passion. If you will make me believe that, indeed, it gives you pleasure to do it," he said, his lips curving into his typical superior smile.

She turns so quickly that Rikat doesn't have time to react – not giving him the chance to reconsider his offer, knowing she didn't have much time; if Rikat was there with her, then "Quiet" by Beethoven had already begun. When that melody came to an end, then the door would disappear. Her arms went around his neck, while her lips attacking his. Her tongue caressed his lips, seducing him into opening up, to let her taste him. A phantom fire touched her nape, sliding slowly down her neck like warm honey, creeping deep into her body, her veins, her skin sizzling with lust. But she tried to ignore that hot touch, continuing to kiss him. Her hands caught his silver hair, pulling on it so she could deepen the kiss. She couldn't let him control her, making her give under his attack.