The Cursed Dragon

Hunger

The nightmare clung to his skin in a sticky web of half forgotten torments. His chest heaved from the adrenaline and a fine sheen of sweat coated his pale skin in little drops that shimmered in the moonlight like tiny diamonds on his skin.

Across his chest was her hand, palm flat, fingers spread. He could feel every point of contact like a tiny coal burning his flesh.

Shoving her away he threw off the covers and took several steps before stopping.

She had seen him weak.

In this form he had tried to keep the upper hand to erase the fact that she had seen his wretched face before.

"Cadimus," her voice was gentle.

"What?" he snapped turning on her only to find that she had followed him across the room and was standing mere inches away.

Beautiful, she was so beautiful. How had he not noticed from that first moment?

Because you didn't want to see, his mind answered back.

"Are you alright?" Her amber eyes were soft in the moonlight. They had a glow about them, soft and sweet like the heart housed inside that stubborn Phoenix chest. He had seen it in the way she treated the servant with the scarred face.

She gave that poor wretched scarred beast of a man nothing but kindness.

Would she still be kind if she knew the truth? If she knew that the wretch who's life she had saved and the cruel beautiful captor who now held her hostage were one and the same?

He didn't notice her moving until she was already close. Didn't sense her intent until her arms were already around him.

A hug.

Cadimus couldn't remember the last time that someone had wrapped him in a warm and caring embrace. It had never felt like this. This burning thing that ripped into his chest.

It was like she was touching his soul.

And it burned.

Somehow that embrace was more intimate than a kiss could ever be.

Slowly his arms rose and wrapped around her smaller frame. She was strong, so much stronger than he had given her credit for.

Seconds lengthened between them until the kind heat started to shift into something darker, more primal.

He wanted her.

But that was impossible, a Dragon had no reason to crave the touch of a Phoenix.

She was his enemy.

Cadimus growled low in his throat and felt her stiffen in his arms.

Enemy or not he wanted to lay her back down on the bed, fist his hand in that dark garnet hair and pound into her till she screamed and begged for a release that only he could provide.