CHAPTER 3 #2
I shower quickly, not wanting the hot water to run out like yesterday. The warmth soothes my chilled skin, a relief after struggling to stay warm for so long.
Halfway through washing my hair, a draft brushes against me. A presence.
I turn toward the door—and freeze.
Dragus stands in the doorway, watching me, his faded denim jeans and black singlet doing nothing to soften the devious smile on his lips. Behind him, Matitus sits at the edge of the bed, expression unreadable, yet his gaze is locked on me.
Heart pounding, I reach for the towel on the basin. It’s gone. Vanished.
Heat prickles down my spine as Dragus moves behind me, his arm brushing past to shut off the water. His breath ghosts over my neck, sending a shiver through me.
I go still. Turning around means revealing far more than just my back.
When he doesn’t move, I glance over my shoulder and see he has come even closer. I feel his fingertips brush my side and I flinch away from his touch.
“Dragus, give the towel to her. You’re scaring her,” Matitus growls. Dragus ignores him, moving closer, and I can feel his belt buckle press against my back. My heart hammers in my chest when I feel both his hands on my hips tugging me against him.
“If I wanted to hurt you, I would have by now,” he whispers, his hands trailing up and over my stomach to the sides of my breasts. His hands are warm, making me shiver as his body temperature runs a lot hotter than mine. His thumbs brushing the sides of my breasts.
“Dragus,” Matitus growls, louder this time.
Dragus huffs, clearly annoyed, but I’m grateful when he drapes the towel over my shoulders. Clutching it tightly, I wrap it around myself before turning, glaring up at him.
His lips curl into a slow, seductive smile, his gaze dragging down my body, stopping at my legs.
I shift uncomfortably as he licks his bottom lip.
Stepping to the side, I try to pass him—he moves with me, blocking my path.
“Dragus, you had your fun, leave her be. Silas will rip your head off if you touch her without him,” Matitus warns.
My blood runs cold at his words. What did he mean touch me without him?
Dragus growls. He steps aside, and I quickly dart past him and grab my clothes off the end of the bed.
I go to turn back into the bathroom and Dragus’s huge body is blocking the door.
I wait for him to move. He doesn’t.
I look to Matitus to see if he is going to tell him to move, and I realize they want me to get changed in front of them.
I pull my towel tighter, stepping away from them.
I move to the other side of the room, and quickly pull my jeans underneath the towel, while glaring at them.
They both look quite amused at my discomfort.
I feel the denim sticking to me as I pull the pants up from not being able to dry myself.
I then grab my shirt, pulling it over my head and removing the towel.
Matitus picks up the book on the nightstand scanning the last page I was reading. He chuckles and I raise an eyebrow.
“Fae are such proud creatures, I swear they believe their own lies,” he says when he reads the page. I bite my tongue knowing if I speak, I will say something I regret or will get me killed.
“Come, dinner is ready!” says Matitus, tossing the book on the bed and standing. He moves to the door with Dragus and they both step outside waiting for me.
“I don’t like repeating myself, Elora. I suggest you move,” he says, holding his hand out. I move closer ignoring his outstretched hand, following instead with my arms crossed. Matitus sighs and strolls ahead, leading me through a part of the castle I haven’t seen before.
A massive wooden table dominates the center of the room. Matitus takes a seat while Dragus pulls out a chair.
“Sit,” he says.
I hesitate, then finally step forward.
Dragus takes a seat beside me and turns his chair so he is half facing me.
A few minutes later, Abigail emerges and places three plates in front of us.
I stared at the plate wishing I could be anywhere else.
I would have preferred to sit in the room alone and eat instead of finding myself stuck between two intimidating men.
Dragus touches my knee beneath the table.
I just stare at the plate, uncomfortable.
Dragus runs his hand up my leg, making me jump.
I move his hand off me only for him to place it back on my thigh.
Ignoring his hand, I glance over at Matitus.
“Eat,” he orders. I suddenly don’t feel like eating and certainly don’t trust my stomach to keep it down.
My hands tremble slightly as I pick up the fork and push the food around the plate.
Matitus starts eating, Dragus using his hand that wasn’t on my leg, picks up a bread roll and bites into it.
“Why am I here?” I ask cautiously.
Dragus squeezes my thigh making me look at him. “Enough questions. Eat,” he says pointing at my plate.
“I’m not hungry, can I just go back to the room?” I ask, not liking the way he is watching me. Dragus sighs and Matitus speaks up.
“Eat Elora, I will answer your questions once that plate is empty,” he says tapping my plate with his fork.
I look at the plate. There is no way I am going to be able to eat all that, there is way too much roasted vegetables and meat.
My grandmother and I could have made what’s on the plate last three days between us.
I pick up the fork and stab a piece of potato, popping it in my mouth and chewing slowly.
The entire meal continues in such a way.
They ate theirs and I picked at mine. When they finish, they watch me, making me nervous.
I can’t stomach anymore and know if I do continue to eat, I am going to make myself sick.
Them watching me wasn’t helping my sickly feeling.
“You barely touched your food, Elora,” says Dragus.
“I can’t eat that much. It is too much,” I tell him. He growls low, making me shift uncomfortably.
“Leave her be, Dragus, she can’t eat it. Silas will deal with her when he gets home. Let it go for now.”
I peer up at the mention of Silas’s name.
I didn’t like how they kept mentioning him and it made me curious as to what he wanted with me.
Everyone fears the Dragon Kings for obvious reasons but Silas…
No one even liked mentioning his name. I have heard it whispered over the years, the entire city is aware of who he is.
He is the worst of the three Dragon Kings, known for being the cruelest. He kills without hesitation just for someone glancing in his direction.
Dragus sighs, his grip on my leg a little too tight.
Abigail steps out, glancing between the three of us before lowering her head. She clears the plates quickly, never meeting my eyes until she reaches the door.
Just before leaving, she gives me a sad smile—a look that sends a ripple of unease through me.
“Do you know about Dragon Mates?” Matitus asks, pulling my attention away from the door Abigail left out. I nod slowly
“Yes, most creatures have mates except humans and Fae,” I answer. He nods. I think his question is strange until he speaks again, making my blood run cold.
“We believe you are our mate, and we will know for sure once Silas is back. The mate pull will be stronger when he arrives, and we will know for sure.”
I look between them; knowing my shock must be on display because I see Matitus smirk cruelly. I shake my head. This can’t be happening. I feel nothing, only fear for them.
“When Silas gets back, we will mark you and start the mating process. Once you’re marked, you will feel the mate bond,” Dragus says beside me, making me jump to my feet. Dragus growls, reaching over and grabbing my hand and ripping me back down into my seat.
“You wanted to know why you’re here and we answered. Now stay in your seat, you haven’t been dismissed yet,” he growls, making goosebumps rise on my skin.
“I will never mate with any of you,” I say, my voice shaking with fear at the thought.
“Who said you had a choice?” Matitus says, raising an eyebrow.
“You will willingly or not but you are ours now,” Matitus says.
Dragus grip on my wrist tightened, and I hiss slightly at the pain shooting through my wrist and arm.
“Silas will be back in the morning. It would be in your best interest not to provoke him,” Dragus mutters menacingly.
I shake my head, words failing me for a few moments.
I can’t believe the shit show my life has become.
Surely no one is this cruel to make me a Dragon’s mate let alone three.
Now come to think of it, Dragus is a Werewolf, isn’t he?
“How can I be all three of your mates? You aren’t even a Dragon, are you?” I ask, looking at Dragus.
“I am a Dragon hybrid. My mother was a wolf, my father a Dragon,” he answers, letting go slightly, making my wrist stop throbbing from his intense grip.
“So, you are both?”
“Yes, I can’t shift into either, but I get some of both their traits.”
I try to pull my wrist back, and he pulls my hand onto his lap. Not wanting to anger him, I let my hand rest there and he let me go, nodding approvingly.
“So, all three of you are mates?”
“Yes,” Matitus says, watching me carefully.
“Silas will want to mark you as soon as he gets here, we just wanted to warn you first. I know you are frightened, don’t resist him. I would hate to see you get hurt,” he says warningly.
“Can I go now, please?” I want nothing more than to get away from them.
“Dragus will escort you back,” Matitus says, standing before leaving the room.
Dragus grips my elbow, pulling me to my feet before leading me back to my prison.
Climbing into bed, I toss and turn, my mind racing too fast for rest. Sleep doesn’t come easily.
When it finally does, nightmares pull me under—flashes of the night I was brought into the castle, the horrors replaying like a cruel reminder.
A touch jolts me awake.
My eyes snap open, locking onto Dragus sitting beside me.
I freeze. He leans in, a seductive smile curling his lips.
His obsidian eyes hold mine, and strangely, in this moment, I don’t feel fear.
He moves closer, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. Gentle, at first. Then urgent.
His tongue plunges into my mouth, demanding. I pull back slightly, gasping for air as his lips trail to my neck.
Warm hands grip my shirt, tugging it over my head. His mouth finds my nipple, latching on to it.
My body betrays me, a moan slipping free as his touch sends a jolt through me. His hot tongue trails lower, devouring every inch of flesh in its path. Heat pools between my legs, my stomach tightening, walls clenching in response.
Dragus moves lower, sliding my jeans down my legs. I try to speak, to ask what he’s doing. The words catch in my throat.
His breath ghosts over my core, a cruel tease, before his tongue flicks across my clit, sending a sharp pulse through me.
His hands pull my thighs apart as I try to close them on his head.
My back arches off the bed, my hands running through his hair as I try to tug his head away from my sensitive areas.
His torture is unrelenting as his tongue flicks across my clit, making me moan as I feel my orgasm reach its peak, like I am suddenly about to be thrown over the edge.
A knock pulls my attention away, and he is suddenly gone.
The knocking gets louder, and I glance around, but no one is there.
When I feel someone touch me, I jolt upright in my bed.
Peering around frantically, drenched in sweat, my hair sticking to my face.
I relax, it was just a dream. Sitting upright, I peek toward the door, and Dragus is leaning against it, watching me with a smile.
Seeing him standing there, I nearly jump out of my skin.
Suddenly, I feel a blush spread across my face, remembering the dream I just had. Yet it felt so real.
“You okay, Elora?” he asks, his smile widening, and I feel my face heat up with embarrassment. I know he can smell my arousal. He doesn’t need to know I dreamt about him.
“Yeah, fine, just a nightmare,” I tell him.
“Really?” he says, sniffing the air slightly.
“Must have been a nice nightmare, then,” he says, making me look away from him.
“Silas will be here in an hour. Abigail has some chores for you until he arrives. So, shower and get dressed. Abigail will bring you some clothes.” Then he turns around and saunters out.
I hear him chuckle as he leaves. My heart races at the thought of Silas arriving back at the castle. I need to get out of here.