Touch of Flame

Her heart skipped a beat. What did she want to do? She loomed over him, her eyes drinking in his bare upper body. She had many ideas and his scales grazing her inner thighs gave her even more ideas.

Nazneen wanted to tease him, run her lips over his chest but he wouldn't like it. He didn't like her type. Human's were different.

She released his wrists. "Nothing," she said.

A small frown settled between his brows but he didn't attempt to do anything now that he was free.

Nazneen pushed her hair back from her neck. "You can drink if you want. You lost a lot of blood."

Ares pushed himself up on his elbows and watched her confused with a tilted head.

"Hurry before I change my mind," she said hating his probing gaze.

He leaned forward slowly, his fingers sliding beneath her hair to grab the side of her neck. Her heart was already starting to act strange in her chest at the feeling of his cold fingertips on her nape.

He leaned in even more, his breath hot unlike his touch. Nazneen closed her eyes and her shoulders hunched upward when his lips touched her skin. He kissed her soft and slow as if licking honey off her skin. She had never been kissed like that before. Dragons were too hot-blooded but Ares kissed her delicately. Soft feathery kisses that caused her head to roll back.

The cool water from his hair dripped down on her chest, cooling her skin but his lips came down, kissing the water away and leaving heat in its place. His fingers went into the straps of her top and teasingly pulled it down from one shoulder. He then softly dragged his lips from her shoulder bone to the crook of her neck.

Nazneen was breathing heavily and her heart was a knot of beating muscles. Could a man be this gentle? She never knew. Could a touch so light inflame her deep into her soul? She never knew.

A different kind of yearning grew in her. One she didn't recognize or understand. It was frightening in its depth but she wanted this. Someone to touch her with such tenderness.

It felt so good, so intimate that a part of her wanted to run away. Her hands shot out and she pushed him away while quickly standing up. Why was he like this? He usually avoided her? Why now suddenly?

She wanted to tell him not to play with her but she could smell his arousal. "I said blood, not kiss."

An unknown emotion flashed through his eyes. "I... know." He said frowning. "I am sorry."

He stood up and she realized his eyes were back to their normal green.

"Why did you kiss me?" She asked, feeling all hot and bothered and very annoyed. She was supposed to be angry at him but it was coming.

His eyes searched hers. "I could not help myself."

He couldn't help his hunger but he could help his thirst? She couldn't understand.

"You shouldn't take advantage of my willingness."

His face strained. "I am trying despite your constant teasing and my very dry throat right now."

So he was thirsty? He lost a lot of blood but he still kissed her or was it some kind of preparation? He had touched her that last time he took her blood. Maybe...

"I offered my blood!" She reminded annoyed.

"I know! But I can't seem to separate my hunger and thirst!" He blurted with equal frustration. He was as surprised by his statement as she was, but he regained his composure quickly and sighed. "Forget it. I am not supposed to drink dragon blood anyway." He said and started to walk back to the sea.

"Where are you going?"

"To find some food. Or drink."

He wanted to drink from someone else. Hell no!

She hurried after him and stopped him by grabbing his wrist. He looked over his shoulder with a frown.

"No! Don't drink from someone else. I don't like it." She said. "Your hunger and thirst, I will take them both."

His jaw tensed and he looked away. She could feel the resistance now. He was back to being in control. He pulled his arm away and she let him. Her heart sank. She couldn't stand the thought of him having his mouth anywhere near someone else's neck but she was really trying not to be forceful.

"I am not thirsty anymore." He said and went back to walking away again.

That couldn't be true but she felt relieved that he wasn't going to drink from someone else at least. But why was he still going back to the sea?

"I am sure you are." She said following him. "I said I don't mind."

"And I said I am not thirsty."

"What did you drink? Air?"

He smiled but said nothing as she came to walk beside him.

"Why are we going back to the sea?"

"I need to stay close by for a while. To heal fully."

"How did you even get to the river?"

He frowned. "I am not sure. I just heard a sound, as if the sea was calling to me and then I found myself following it as if spellbound. Before I knew I was in the water, shifting, my bones painfully reshaping, and now here I am."

"Malachi suspects something." She told him. "You haven't told me yet how you command dragons."

"I just do."

"He won't like knowing that. No dragon will."

"I know." He said.

"And finding out you are a sea demon won't help either."

He looked at her with a smile. "You didn't tell him?"

"Of course not but... how will we explain your leg now?"

"Let's not think about it tonight." He told her.

She was confused but she let it go. She had something else she wanted to address anyway.

"And Ravina... Is she the one?"

He was so good at hiding things that he didn't even falter. "The one?"

"The one you didn't want to leave?"

He halted and turned to her. "Who told you that?"

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that YOU didn't tell me. Do you know how stupid I felt not knowing?"

"That was not my intention."

"It doesn't matter!" She almost yelled. "You are here, seeing that woman every day!"

"I do not enjoy it! It is not fun for me to be here."

"Because you still like her! It hurts!"

His jaw clenched and his eyes became glossy. God! She hated it.

"You could have at least told me." She breathed.

He took a deep breath. "I am sorry."

"You thought I would hurt her. That was why you didn't tell me." She said feeling hurt. Her eyes burned.

He was still protecting that woman... from her! He was supposed to be on her side. He was HER breedmate after all. She thought this would work! How stupid of her! He was a bloody human!

"Don't worry. You were right. I wanted to pull her heart out, squeeze the blood out of it and sip it like wine all night. You know me very well it seems."

He shook his head. "No, I don't... because you didn't." He said softly.

His usually calm and sharp gaze now swirled with many emotions.

"Only because of you." She breathed.

She didn't miss the muscle that ticked in his tensed jaw and his lips pressed harder together. They stared at each other for what seemed like forever, the night singing waves and wind and echoing what she just said.

Because of him... she had held back. The things he was making her do.

Suddenly, he grasped her arms and turned them around, shielding her with his body. She panicked, but before she could understand what was happening, she heard a female laughter.

"Relax," the voice spoke. A smooth, hypnotic voice.

Ares looked over his shoulder and then slowly released her. Nazneen was quick to step forward. What was he thinking protecting her?

The woman was naked or not completely. She had a few scaled covering her most private parts.

"A dragon? No wonder." She said.

She had long orange wavy hair and her blue eyes looked like a pool of clear water.

"Who are you?" Ares asked.