of an elephant’s trumpet and a lion’s roar. No, that definitely didn’t belong to any animal she’d ever heard of. What the hell was that?
Cora backed away and left the kitchen in a hurry. Despite the growing distance from the possible threat, she couldn’t shake the eerie sensation. When Stig woke in the morning, she’d ask him to go down there and check it out. Maybe whatever had gotten in there was hurt and needed help.
Or maybe it wanted to break free and eat her face.
Shuddering at that frightening thought, Cora rushed into her room, located her toiletry bag, and skittered across the hall into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. Back in her room, she locked the door, slipped into her pajamas, switched off the lights, and slid under the covers.
Wrapped in the warmth of the comforter, Cora felt her fear melt and exhaustion take hold. The last four days had been incredibly long. Sleep, she needed lots of sleep.
Cloaked in the welcoming arms of Morpheus, Cora experienced the most vivid dreams of her life. She was asleep and yet so incredibly aware. Her synapses fired rapidly and amplified every sensation. Touch, smell, taste —they were so very strong.
In her dreams, Cora became aware of a male presence. His scent, a potent mixture of cedar and earth and sweat, teased her nose. Like an aphrodisiac, the smell provoked an aroused state. Her nipples tightened into hard peaks pressing against the simple cotton of her camisole. Her sex pulsed as desire blossomed in her belly and spread its warm tendrils of electric current through her lower half.
There was no stopping the downward movement of her hands. They outlined her curves, taking time to tweak her nipples beneath the thin fabric before sliding even lower. Her fingers slipped beneath the elastic waistband of her pajama bottoms and panties and slowly drew them free.
Undressed from the waist down, Cora sat up against her pillows and opened her thighs. Cool air met the blazing hot skin of her most intimate region. Wet and slick, the tender folds of her pussy yielded to the gentle parting of her fingers. Her throbbing clit begged for attention. With the tip of her forefinger, Cora stimulated the swollen nub in lazy circles.
Big and burly, the man loomed naked in the doorway and bathed in shadows. The sight should have terrified Cora but she found it oddly thrilling. There was something so sexy about a little exhibitionism. Moonlight spilled through the window and splashed across his lower half. His magnificent cock, so thick and erect, betrayed his obvious interest. Although she couldn’t see his eyes through the darkness, she could feel his heated gaze locked on her. It swept along her body, leaving a prickly sensation of awareness.
Cora watched in fascination as the naked man fisted his meaty hand over his stiff length. Wanting to give him quite a naughty show, she licked her upper lip and moaned loudly. She arched into the tantalizing touch of her circling finger. The fingers of her other hand found their way between her lips and into her mouth. She ran her tongue over the skin, slicking it with her saliva, and then slipped them inside her tight, hot channel.
A gasp sounded from the doorway. So he liked that, did he?
She moaned and swiveled her hips. Her finger thrusts felt so good, the slick cream of her cunt coating her digits. Little sparks of pleasure flickered through her lower belly. Cora’s toes curled against the sheets. Her wrist moved faster as she strummed her clit with more fervor. Mouth agape, Cora pursued her climax.
Still standing in the doorway, her mystery dream lover breathed hard and loud. His forearm rippled as he stroked his cock. Their competing pants echoed in the stillness of the room. Cora wasn’t sure who would come first. It was almost a race to the precipice of ecstasy.
In the end, she cried out a few seconds before the shadow man. Her pussy contracted and clenched around her fingers as she rode out the waves of her orgasm. He grunted as if in pain and spilled his cum in ropy bursts.
Separated from her partner in exhibition, Cora was suddenly gripped by the desire to touch his sweat- slicked skin, to taste the salty cream now dripping from the blunt head of his cock. She wanted to be held close and caressed like some soft creature. She wanted to feel his soothing breaths against her forehead and hear the reassuring beat of his heart as she slept against his chest.
But none of those desires were to materialize.
As quickly as her dream lover had appeared, he vanished. In the next instant, Cora woke and shot up off her pillow. Trembling and sweating, she sucked in a sharp breath. She wiped a shaky hand down her face. Her thighs clenched with the last tremors of her fading orgasm.
Cora’s cheeks flamed with embarrassment. She’d just had a wet dream in the room next to Stig’s. As a former marine, he was bound to be keenly aware of his surroundings. Had she cried out in her sleep? Oh God. Had he heard her?
Groaning in humiliation, Cora flopped back against her pillow and buried her face in the crook of her arm. How the hell was she going to face him at the breakfast table in the morning?
Chapter Two
Stig woke with a start. The built-in alarms on the locks beeped incessantly and annoyingly. He smacked the buttons in irritation and rubbed his face. The skin was smooth, his scales banished by the rising sun. From the ache along his left shoulder and hip, he surmised he’d fallen asleep slumped on that side against the cold, wet stone. Stig hissed in pain as he slowly climbed to his feet and stretched the stiffness from his muscles and joints. He yawned and reached high overhead. He’d survived one night without complication. Only eight more to go.
As Stig gathered the lengths of chain and hung them on their wall pegs, he was troubled by the vivid dream snippets now flashing through his mind. He was a little ashamed he’d conjured up such a dirty vision of Cora touching herself. Despite the shame, Stig started to get hard at the images of Cora sliding tongue-slicked fingers into her tight cunt. Her breathless moans as she came rang in his ears. The urge to work the head of his cock overwhelmed him.
God! What kind of a pervert was he?
Stig shook his head, got dressed, and left the unlocked chamber. He climbed the stairs slowly, his body still sore from its night of punishment. He hesitated on the top step and listened carefully. His highly acute dragon senses picked up on the faint sound of Cora’s deep and relaxed breaths.
Certain she still slept, Stig cautiously entered the kitchen and quietly crept up to his bedroom. His gaze hovered on Cora’s door. Standing in such close proximity, Stig was overwhelmed by her scent. The light, bright smell of freshly cut grass and some kind of citrus tickled his nostrils. And there, even more powerful, was the musk of sex.
That was a scent he hadn’t expected. Stig inhaled deeply and confirmed his initial identification. The smell of her arousal filtered through him, setting his body on edge. He could practically taste her sweet pussy. His tongue slipped out to wet his lips in anticipation. He took a step toward her door before stopping abruptly.
“What the fuck are you doing?” His harsh whisper sounded incredibly loud in the quiet house. It was enough to shake him from his lust-induced stupor.
With a gulp, Stig took a step back and tried to make sense of his primal urge. He remembered his dreams. The sight of Cora writhing atop her bed spurred his desire. A troubling thought entered his mind. What if that hadn’t been a dream after all? What if he’d connected with Cora on a much more intimate level?
“Shit.” Stig turned on his heel and shut himself away in the bathroom. He started a hot shower and peeled out of his clothing. A quick glimpse in the mirror and he caught the flash of his dragon’s reptilian eyes. The beast was subdued during daylight but lurked and waited for his chance to strike. If Cora’s smell made him ravenous with need, how the hell was he supposed to control himself in the same room with her?
With a groan of frustration, Stig stepped into the shower and stuck his face in the bracing spray. The blast of hot water cleared his foggy head. After a night forced into dragon form, he always woke a little groggy and confused. Hopefully a shower and some breakfast would allow him enough time to get his dragon instincts under control. He couldn’t risk behaving inappropriately with Cora—or revealing his true identity.
Shit. Cora. What the hell was he going to do about her? She couldn’t stay here—that was for damn sure. Until his mating period ended, it was too dangerous to keep her nearby. She spurred his arousal into dizzying heights. He couldn’t imagine how strong his scent must have been last night. Were it not for the safety of his lair,
