Sold

9: Nightmare

I toss and turn, trembling and dripping sweat all night long as nightmares plague me. I can't get away from a pair of hungry Draconian eyes and, when I try, a terrifying blue tendril of light constricts me and pulls me into a void of darkness.

Something touches my forehead and I jolt awake, frozen in bed with my eyes wide and heart pounding. I look straight ahead; I'm too scared to look up and see what - or who - is touching me.

"Everything is alright, it's only a bad dream." It's Master Synn's low voice, his cool fingertips stroking up my forehead and through my matted hair.

He rubs his thumb against the tip of my ear and I have to stop myself from letting out a very embarrassing noise. No man has ever touched me before, and especially not a sensitive place like my ears.

I worry that Master Synn has come to my bedroom to make me do things with him, but he does nothing besides whisper comforting words and pet my head. I pretend to still be asleep until eventually he stops petting my head and settles into bed beside me.

My heart beats so fast I think it may explode. Why is Master Synn laying in my bed? Men only lay in a woman's bed if...

I peek over at him, but he's already fast asleep. His dark red hair drapes across his forehead and his sharp eyes and angled features look far less intimidating when he's asleep. If anything, he looks even more handsome than I already thought he was.

I notice my platter of broth is missing from the bed and a new platter of food is sitting haphazardly on the dresser. He must have come in to bring me more food and noticed I was having a nightmare.

But why is he staying here with me? For my sake? My bad dreams are hopefully over. I squint my tired eyes at him, watching the gentle rise of his chest with each breath he takes. He lays on his back instead of his stomach or side - which is strange - and I wonder if all Draconians do that. I could never sleep comfortably on my back. I'd crush my tail, but I suppose he doesn't have to worry about that.

I retreat to the furthest corner of the bed - as far as I can get away from Master Synn - and close my eyes. The sound of his gentle breathing beside me quickly settles me into a calm sleep, free of nightmares.

**************

When I awaken, the side of the bed that held Master Synn last night is empty. I almost wonder if I'd dreamt that he slept beside me.

It doesn't make sense that he'd come to my room in the middle of the night to bring me food, then end up petting me and sleeping by me - the more I think about it the sillier it sounds and the more certain I am that I've imagined it.

I peek at the food sitting on the dresser - some kind of filleted fish over a bed of berries and greens. For major festivities back in my home village, we would sometimes enjoy a large catch mixed into the stew, but never on a field of veggies.

I lift a bite into my mouth, and tangy berry dressing touches my tastebuds. The fish itself is mild in flavor, baked into a layer of sweet nectar. The herbs are also fairly tasteless, if not for the dressing decorating them.

This isn't nearly as good as the pastry Master Synn brought on the first day, but it is still far tastier and more lavish than anything I had back home. If there's one thing I do enjoy about this kind of weird captivity, it's the meals.

The door cracks open and Master Synn steps inside, carrying a basin of pale pink liquid. He sets it on the dresser beside the meal I'm currently standing and eating.

The scales on his lean, muscled arm brush my skin, sending a tingle through my body. I feel nervous being in such close proximity when he's...not sleeping. And I feel...confused about hating him so much after the way he acted last night.

"What have you liked most: The broth, the berry pastry, or the fish salad?" He sets a cup beside the basin, dipping it into the liquid to fill it, and hands it to me.

"I liked the pastry..." I raise the cup to my lips and curtsy as an afterthought. "...Master Synn. Thank you."

He angles one of his eyebrows. "But you did not finish the pastry. I assumed it wasn't something you enjoyed."

I shake my head.

"I didn't finish the pastry because..." My voice falters as the memory of the screaming man outside the house flows back into my head.

"Because?" His sharp chin tilts to one side and his stark pale eyes pierce me.

He hasn't moved from his position in front of the basin, and every second he stands so close to me my body feels warm and my heart flutters. He's so tall, so attractive, and staring at me in such an attentive way.

I'm used to men barely sparing me a glance, not standing within arm's length while staring directly into my eyes. I'm also used to those men not being my type. I didn't even know I had a type. But clearly now I do, and it's a pale-skinned, white-eyed, red-haired, horned, slender...

My eyes trace all over Master Synn's body right in front of him and I quickly stop myself. I turn away, wholeheartedly mortified that he just saw me looking at him so much.

I realize he's been waiting far too long for an answer from me. I draw in a deep breath, summoning up my courage to ask a question I'm not sure how Master Synn will react to.

"I-I just overheard something that sounded bad. Did you..." I hesitate, unable to meet his gaze. "...hurt a man outside?"

His eyes travel from mine down my jaw and to my neck. He lifts his fingers and brushes them along my collarbone up to my throat.

I close my eyes and whimper, afraid that I've said too much and he's going to choke me to death, but his fingers continue moving upward to the underside of my chin. He gently tilts my head up toward him and stares sharply down at me.

His voice dips low. "I killed him, yes, but I'd never hurt you."