Dragon Heat by Charlene Hartnady

Chapter 8

It took them forty minutes to get to the heart of the mountain range. There was a natural rocky ledge on the side of the cave. The entrance was high up on the north-facing slope. Azure gripped the stone surface, her claws scraping for purchase.

A moment later, she shifted, stepping to the side to allow Skarn to land beside her. She’d bathed that morning, washing herself with the special soaps that the elders had left for her. From the way Skarn sniffed openly at her, it was clear that the scent of her heat was coming to the fore. The soaps were no longer working. He roared as he shifted, sounding pained. The reason for his pain became obvious as soon as he was in his human form. His erection jutted from between his legs. Azure quickly averted her gaze.

Crap!

Although, if she was honest with herself, her body was ready to be rutted. Her channel felt achy and empty. Her lower belly coiled with the need for release. Her nipples felt tight and her breasts heavy. Azure could feel that she was wet and ready, but she couldn’t…she just couldn’t face the thought of rutting Skarn.

The male stepped towards her, his eyelids hooded with desire. He reached for her, but Azure took a step back. “I’m not ready.”

Skarn sniffed at her again. “You smell ready.” His voice was deep.

“Soon,” she promised. Why did it sound like a lie? “Let’s look around first.” She walked inside the cave. Although the entrance was narrow, it was voluminous inside. It smelled musty and damp. Fresh air blew in from the entrance. She could also scent minerals from the rock. There was another scent, one she couldn’t place. Plantlife? Creatures who lived deeper in the cave? Azure wasn’t sure.

Those kinds of thoughts left her when she spotted the large bed in the center of the space. It had a post on each corner. To the right of the bed was a fireplace. There were candelabras on all the flatter rock surfaces. The only other furniture was a table and chairs, as well as a large chest to the rear. On top of the wooden chest was a basket. She could smell fresh bread, cheese, as well as various other items, such as salted nuts and jerky. The cave looked deep. Water dripped somewhere at the rear. She knew that there were bathing pools back there; that’s how the heat caves had been designed. Practical and low maintenance, yet comfortable enough. They had everything they could possibly need for a couple of days. The bedding smelled like it had recently been laundered. Everything had been prepared for them. Everything was ready. Everything except for her. She wasn’t ready. Not even close.

Skarn touched the side of her arm, and she jumped half out of her skin.

“Do you want to eat? We could talk.” His voice sounded strained. Need would be riding him hard.

Her stomach churned. She was turned on and yet loathed the idea of rutting with this male, even though he was a nice person. They would be making a whelp. This wasn’t just a rut. This was serious. She would need to get through the pregnancy…the birth. If that went well and it was a big if, they would be responsible for another life. Tied together for the rest of their lives. This was a huge deal! Food was the very last thing on her mind. She nodded anyway, needing to buy time. “That would be nice.” It wasn’t Skarn’s fault. He hadn’t had much choice in this either. She needed to try to remember that. He was a pawn, just as much as she was.

“Go and sit.” He gestured towards the table. “Shall I light some of the candles? It might be nice…romantic even?”

Shit!He was such a nice male. What was wrong with her? “I’ll light the candles. You get the food,” she told him, forcing a smile.

Skarn nodded. His face was pinched, his mouth a grim line.

Azure went through the motions. She found some matches inside the chest and started on the candles.

“I hear you’re a hunter,” Skarn said as he put plates down on the table.

By claw, his erection was huge. It looked angry. Could a cock look angry? Seed leaked from the tip. She quickly looked away before he caught her eyeballing him and got the wrong idea.

“Yes,” she squeaked. “I’m a…” She swallowed hard. “I changed careers six months ago. I worked in the kitchen before that as a cook. I got to know the hunters. They brought us fresh meat every day. When an opening came up, I applied…and got the job.” She was babbling. She couldn’t help it, it was the nerves.

“You’ve lit enough candles,” Skarn remarked. “Come…sit.”

There were still a couple of candles that remained unlit, but he was right, it was enough. Candlelight flickered all around the bed, highlighting that specific space. The far reaches of the cave were bathed in deep shadow, particularly to the rear. Azure wasn’t really thinking about what she was doing. She turned, thanking claw that Skarn was already sitting. He smiled at her. It was brittle. The muscles on either side of his neck were roped, and sweat beaded on his forehead. Azure felt terrible. She felt like the worst person on earth.

“I can’t do this,” she whispered. “I was just so pissed off yesterday when my king blindsided me. I…” She licked her lips, considering her next words carefully.

“You feel like you might have picked the wrong male?” Skarn offered.

Azure nodded. “I’m sorry. We need to go back. I need to—”

“No!” Skarn shook his head. He pushed out a deep breath through his nose, looking at the table. His hands were flat on the surface. Then he lifted his dark eyes to hers. “I’m sorry. I’m a little on edge.”

“I know, and I’m really sorry.” She took a step back, putting some space between them. Not that it would help much.

“You don’t understand.” There were frown lines on his forehead. “It’s too late to change your mind.”

“It’s not too late.”

“You can’t pick again. You already picked me. The rules of Kikalla state that once a female picks a male, she can’t change her mind.” His eyes seemed darker, even though the firelight flickered in them. “Thunder made that clear last night. Weren’t you listening?”

She shook her head. She’d watched as Ice left the room. There were several other males who left as well, not just him, and yet her eyes had trailed after him from the hall. Her mind was in turmoil. “No, I guess I wasn’t listening.”

“Then I’ll fill you in. When we left that hall yesterday, our fate was sealed. You can’t pick another male, Azure. I’m sorry. We are here, and this needs to happen.”

“I don’t plan on picking anyone else.” Her voice was slightly shrill. “I’m not doing this. Those healers can spend the rest of my heat cycle conducting all the tests they want. I need time. I can’t bring a child into this world. Not with a male I don’t love. It doesn’t feel right. I’m sure you’re a good person, but none of this feels right. I—”

“This is happening.” He slapped his hands on the table…hard. His chest heaved as he fought for control. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. We can’t go back. The kings have—”

“I don’t give a shit about the kings. This is my life…my body. It’s my—”

“This is going to go one of two ways, Azure. Both will end with my seed in your womb. My suggestion is that we quit wasting time. Get your ass on that bed!” he shouted, pointing at the bed.

Her mouth fell open for a few seconds. She couldn’t quite believe what she had just heard. “I suggest that you go outside for some fresh air. My scent has addled your brain. You should think about honor while you are out there. Forcing me against my will would not be an honorable thing to do.” She worked at keeping her composure. She knew instinctively that if she lost it, that he would too.

“There is no forcing in Kikalla. I have been tasked with breeding you. I will carry out my duty.”

“That’s bullshit!” She kept her voice low. “It would be rape!”

“No!” His eyes burned. “You need to do your duty. You will fight me for all of five seconds, and then your body will take me. You need me, female. You are nearing the height of your heat.”

Her sex throbbed. Revulsion was at the forefront of her emotions, though. It wasn’t true. “Go outside! Better yet, I want you to leave. Know that if you choose to do this, I will fight you and keep fighting you. I don’t want you. Although I respect my king, we are no longer in ancient times. Blaze, Thunder, and all the others can stick Kikalla up their asses.”

“We are in troubled times. Kikalla was rightly instituted. I’m not going to debate this with you. I am a male. I am therefore stronger than you are. You don’t stand a chance against me.” He stood up, turning to face her. “This is your last opportunity to keep this pleasant. I will breed you, Azure. I take my duties very seriously. I would prefer that this was pleasant for both of us. I urge you to please do the right thing.”

She’d rather take a loud-mouthed, dirty-talking asshole any day over this polite piece of shit.

Where Skarn was strong, she was fast. Azure wished she could shift as she moved, but the exit was small. Damn! She needed to try. Azure had meant every word. She’d fight him with everything that she had.

“Screw you!” she shouted as she ran. Her arms pumped.

Azure was quicker than he was, but in his position near the table, he was slightly closer to the exit. With testosterone and adrenaline fueling him, the bastard was faster than she expected. Still, Azure managed to get through the exit first. Within half a second, she was on the ledge, about to throw herself over. She’d shift as she was falling. There was no time right then.

She was pushing back to launch herself when his hand fisted her hair, yanking her back. Azure swore that she was going to shave off every strand when she got out of this mess, and she was getting out of it. With a piercing yell, she was hauled back against him. Against his hard body. His throbbing cock. She felt it pulse at her ass and lower back. Azure snarled as his hands grabbed at her, squeezing her breasts, pulling her harder against him. She struggled, but it only caused her body to rub against him, so she stopped.

Skarn growled low. “What an unexpected treat this is.”

Raping her was a treat. Is that what he meant? Fuck him! She stomped down on his foot and drove her elbow into his middle.

His hold on her loosened, but only for a second. Azure couldn’t break free. Skarn dragged her back into the cave, angling them towards the bed. “Don’t fight me. Get on your knees…be a good female.”

Fuck him!

She needed to think. He had the upper hand. “I prefer my back,” she said. “My legs up high.” She was panting. It was fear…not arousal.

Skarn didn’t seem to notice. She could feel his seed leaking onto her back. Oh god! Oh god! “I’m glad you changed your mind. You want me inside you? You want my seed to fill you?”

“Yes,” she moaned the word. “I’m aching,” she lied. Azure felt nothing but cold.

“I like a female on her knees.” He pushed her down on the bed.

Crap! Crap!“The seed finds the womb more easily if a female has her legs in the air,” she quickly pushed out, hoping he didn’t hear the fear and desperation in her voice. “We have a duty. This is not about rutting; it’s about breeding.” She used his own words on him.

“Yes, it is,” he whispered in her ear.

He moved back, flipped her over. She had half a second. Maybe even less. It was all she needed to pull her knees against her chest and to kick him in the face. She heard something snap. A tooth…bone? It didn’t matter. Skarn flew backward, bellowing like a stuck pig. There was a spray of blood. She would have loved to watch him bleed, but she knew she didn’t have much time. Skarn was pumped full of testosterone. He wouldn’t feel the pain. He’d be angry and still intent on breeding her. She scrambled back, since he was in front of her and already recovering.

Damn!

The entrance looked too far away. She’d heard that many of these old caves had tunnel systems. Tunnels that went deeper down under the mountains and others that led out. If she kept running down the tunnel, he’d track her scent. He’d catch her. There was no hiding…unless. Water. Water could mask her scent. It was also a great conductor of electricity. Of lightning. She’d fry the bastard. She just needed to calm down long enough to be able to harness her power. She was too tense, too highly strung. Also, he couldn’t be touching her, or she’d fry herself as well.

Dammit!The asshole wasn’t far behind her. She could hear his ragged breathing. He’d be able to see her. One misstep and he’d have her. Azure sucked in a deep breath and turned. She held out her hands, tapping into the energy inside her. There was a crackle and a flash.

Skarn staggered back a few steps. He grinned. “Is that all you’ve got? As much as I’m enjoying the chase, I’d prefer to be inside your willing body.”

“I’m not willing!” she screamed. She hoisted up a fist-sized rock in each hand and threw one at him, using every ounce of anger she could muster.

Skarn hadn’t been expecting it. The rock smashed against his face…hard. The prick lost his footing and fell. He roared as he went down. The sound filled with both rage and pain.

Bastard!

Azure didn’t hesitate. This would buy her a couple of seconds, at best. The rock would have hurt him. It definitely didn’t disable him.

The deeper into the cave that she ran, the more difficult it became to see. Non-humans could see well in the dark, but it required some light. The moon, stars, reflection from towns and cities…something!

The caves, well, this was something else. This must be how humans felt at night. All she could see were outlines and shadows. There were glints just ahead of her. The pools. She could use the darkness to her advantage. Azure inhaled deeply as she heard Skarn clamber to his feet, and then she heard loud footfalls. Shit! The chase was on. Azure did not like being prey. She wasn’t a victim. Skarn was going to be sorry he ever took her on. She prayed that this would work. Azure threw the remaining rock further into the cave. She ducked down, then as gently as she could, she eased herself into the cold water.

The water rippled and lapped as she dropped all the way under, taking a deep breath just before the water closed over her. She counted to ten. Enough time to let the male pass her. Her head prickled. She half expected him to grab her out of the water. Perhaps he’d seen or heard her enter the water. This was where his testosterone-flooded body would fail him. He might be stronger, faster, and have a higher pain threshold, but he lacked focus. His senses would be muddled.

As soon as she hit ten, Azure gently surfaced. She pulled in a breath, careful not to make a sound.

“What the fuck!” Skarn yelled from somewhere within the cave. She assumed he had found the rock with her scent on it, and he’d realized he’d been fooled. It was time to slip out of the pool. Skarn would hear her, but she’d have a big enough lead to be able to get to the exit…at least, she hoped she would.

There was a loud hiss, followed by a deep rumble. A hiss? Did Skarn just hiss? It didn’t sound like the noise a dragon would make. It didn’t sound human either. Not by a long shot. That scent she had picked up earlier was stronger. She couldn’t recognize it.

“Who are you?” Skarn shouted. “Let me go.” She heard the sounds of a struggle.

What?

Did something have Skarn?

There was more low hissing. It would be too low for a human to hear. It sounded like it was coming from multiple sources. What was that? It was too dark down at the bottom of the cave for her to see much of anything. She heard shuffling of feet and louder sounds of a struggle.

Shit!

Goosebumps rose on her arms. It had nothing to do with the cold water. Her mouth dried. Her breathing hitched. Her heart raced. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t right at all.

Skarn screamed, “Put me down!” He snarled and growled. It sounded like he might be partially shifted.

There were several loud thuds, as well as hisses and grunts, followed by a snarl. Skarn roared, the noise cut short with another thudding noise. All was silent for a few long seconds. Gooseflesh broke out all over her body.

“Glan di gom!” a thick, deep voice sounded.

Fuck!

Holy shit!

Not like anything she’d heard before. A shifter?

“Sik!” another one of them said. She had no idea what was talking. The things definitely weren’t human.

Azure’s eyes were wide. She was panicking. Should she run, or should she—? Someone was coming. If she hadn’t been paying close attention, she might have missed it. The footfalls were almost completely silent, even with the loose stones on the cave floor.

Pulling in a small breath, she slowly and carefully sank down into the water. A dark shape appeared at the water’s edge. It was a human… Wait a minute, was it a human? It grew in size. Then again, perhaps it was coming even closer and merely looked like it was growing. Either way, the thing was big. It was… She sank down lower as it leaned over the body of water. It was huge, and it was right there.

She saw… She… Icy tendrils of fear wrapped themselves around her when she got a look at the creature standing over her. It was dark, and water obscured her vision, but she could see its outline. If the thing looked down, it would see her. Crap! She was in real trouble.

Azure sank right down to the pool floor. Her lungs burned. She closed her eyes and forced herself to stay calm. Azure wouldn’t be able to stay below the surface for too much longer.

This was unreal.

She needed to hang on…just a little longer. She needed to survive. She needed to warn her tribe.