Page 23 of Claimed By the Sinful Dragon
Chapter 12
Kaylee
Something was chasingme, and I didn’t know what it was. All I knew was that if I stopped, the dark thing would devour me. It was stronger than me, and faster than me…and it was coming for me. Relentlessly.
My bare feet slapped against the tiled floors as I raced through the corridors, each breath searing through my lungs. I skidded at the end of the hallway, slamming into the far wall and knocking the air from me. I gulped nothing and pushed off the wall, forcing my legs to keep going. Couldn’t stop. Had to get to…anywhere. I just had to get away.
I spun round another corner and stared in horror. A dead end. No windows. No doors. No escape. Just the beast chasing me from the shadows. I threw my head back and screamed.
“Kaylee!”
I jolted, and blinked my eyes in the semi-darkness, my shoulders still heaving as I tried to orient myself in the unfamiliar environment.
“You were having a bad dream.”
I blinked again, and Rook sharpened into focus, leaning over me.
Rook.I was in my room. The one in his home. Right.
“Dream,” I panted, trying to force the terror from my mind as I sunk back into the pillows. I stared up at the ceiling for a moment as my breath came back under control, and then I turned to Rook with a frown.
“You know my name,” I said dumbly.
“Of course I know your name,” he said, his voice somewhere between confused and amused. I pushed myself up onto one elbow.
“Then would it kill you to actually use it during the day sometime rather than those ridiculous nicknames?”
“Maybe,” he said, and this time his tone was definitely amused. “Better not to find out.”
“Asshole,” I muttered, and darkness glinted in his eyes, but he let it go. I scrunched my forehead up. “How did you know I was having a nightmare?”
He grimaced, and his tone tightened with displeasure. “I heard you screaming.”
“Oh.” I felt my cheeks color. Of course I’d been screaming like a little girl in front of the centuries old dragon. Just great. And I’d probably woken him up. In fact, looking at his clothes—or lack of, except for a pair of gray sweatpants that looked like they’d been pulled on in a hurry, I was certain of it. He was even barefoot. I didn’t think I’d seen him barefoot a single time since I’d been here. And I definitely hadn’t seen him bare-chested. He was ripped. I was pretty sure his muscles had muscles. I was also pretty sure I was staring.
“Do you have them often?”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I snapped, definitely over the staring. What a dick. “Did I inconvenience you? In future I’ll try to scream more quietly.”
His jaw ticked and tension rippled along his shoulders. I swallowed.
“Answer the question.”
I rolled my eyes and looked away. “Fine. Yes. A few times a week, ever since my wolf didn’t show. And yeah, I know what it means.”
“Do you?” His eyes narrowed as he regarded me, and this was suddenly entirely too much conversation to be having while I was lying in bed, propped up on one elbow and dressed in a very flimsy nightgown. A flimsy nightgown thathe’dprovided, seeing as he’d dragged me away here before I could pack any of my meagre possessions. Asshole. And assholes didnotget to enjoy the sight of me in flimsy nightgowns, even if they were made of what felt like some kind of very expensive silk. I sat up, pulling the duvet up around me. He snorted in amusement and I ignored it, focusing on his question.
“Yes, I do. I’m not a complete idiot, thanks. I’m obviously scared the pack’s going to come for me because I have no protection, no wolf, so I keep dreaming about it happening. It’s just a dumb dream, my subconscious’s helpful way of reminding me most of the pack wants me dead.”
“The pack? That’s what you see?”
I blushed. “Well, no, I don’tseeanything. I just know it’s chasing me through the shadows.”
“It?”
“It. They. Whatever.” I threw my hands up in frustration, then realized I’d dropped the duvet and snatched it up again, clutching it to my chest.
“Indeed.”
