Page 10 of Dragon Touched
Careful, careful, Fin. Don’t let the power control you.
He focused on finding an inner calm and sighed. Thinking about Sacha’s little body did the trick. Excitement replaced the hate at the mental image of how her dark skin heaved under the torn dress, how little rivulets of water beaded and dripped between her breasts, how he’d wanted to catch them on his tongue.
Those light brown eyes sparring with his was delightful, and he’d imagined wrapping his hands into those snarled, black curls and feeling the small rosebud mouth smashed against his lips.
It had been a long time since he’d been with a woman, and the sight of her stirred long-buried lust. He’d enjoy his little game—and she would, too—she just didn’t know it yet.
Feeling restless, he drained the glass and pulled one of the old books on to his lap and flipped through the pages.
The little dragon slithered down his chest and onto the table, watching Fin turn each page through the tome. Two rings of steam puffed from his nostrils. Cyan tilted his head and placed a talon on a corner.
“No, no good. I need an invisibility enchantment that doesn’t require too much power.”
The dragon lowered his snout and tried to chew the paper.
“Stop that.” He shooed the creature away. “Behave yourself, and go back to sleep, you little terror.”
Cyan flicked his tail, turned, and flew to the perch.
The paper was brittle, and he couldn’t afford any damage to the weathered book because it was a tether to home. He’d been here far too long and was desperate to leave. Sachamightbe his salvation, but there wasn’t any reason why he couldn’t have a little fun first.
“Oh, little rat.” A small chuckle slid from his throat and out his mouth. “I’ll make you scream before this night’s over.”
The ring hanging from its chain seemed to burn against his skin. He rolled it between his fingers.
“You’ll wish you’d never set foot outside your daddy’s protective circle.”
He walked to a desk, pulled out a black blindfold, and stuffed it in a pocket of the robe. His head tilted and he paused. “Ah, yes, there they are.”
Walking to a cabinet, he opened a glass door and retrieved two sets of manacles with thick cuffs and chains in-between. Dropping them into a pocket, he pulled the belt of his robe closed. Their weight jostled against his leg with each step toward the door. He grinned, already imagining theclickthey would make when clamped around the small, delicate wrists of Sacha Ninnette.
He headed down the stairs.
A roar of thunder shook the tower, but he whistled a low, slow tune. This evening might end up being one of the most enjoyable nights of his life on this world.
Chapter 5
Sacha
“Thisway.”MargaretledSacha to a smaller room on the opposite side of the staircase.
Once inside, the woman stopped at a porcelain, claw-footed tub, kneeled, and then turned the faucet.
Hot water began to pour. Little swirls of steam coalesced into the air, and the sound of the splashing liquid was a soothing counterpoint to the raging storm beyond the walls.
“With a little soap and a good scrubbing”—Margaret sprinkled bath beads out of a cylinder canister with foreign writing—“you’ll be as good as new. Fit to dine with royalty.”
Well, I am my father’s daughter, so that makes me mafia blueblood.
Sacha was torn. On one hand, the thought of soaking her freezing bones in a steaming tub of bubbles was tempting. On the other, she was in a stranger’s domain, and didn’t know if it was a good idea to get naked and relax in the bathroom. Especially after meeting the creepy owner.
“Dear, that storm isn’t going to pass any time soon, and let’s be honest—you’re filthy and shivering so hard, your teeth are about to jump out of your head.”
She walked to a shelf and gathered a bar of white, homemade soap and two fluffy, green towels into her arms. When she reached Sacha again, she set the bundle on an empty stool near the bath.
“Thanks, but I don’t know if this is such a good idea—”
“Nonsense. There’s nothing to fret about, child.” Her eyes swept over the length of Sacha’s frame. “I used to be Fin’s nanny, and he’s an honorable man. I’ll be outside if you need anything.”
