Chapter 2 The dragon's den 2

I'm so stupid.

Her brain stopped working for a moment. She should have left immediately, apologized and bolted away. But she couldn't take her eyes off him.

His back faced her, water dripping down bronze skin over muscles that looked like they were carved out of stone. Wet hair fell past deliciously broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist.

Scales, black scales with red edges were littered across his shoulders, and down his spine disappearing into the water.

He was beautiful, dangerously so.

He ran his hands through his hair, the movement making every muscle in his back flex and shift.

She could neither breathe nor think. Move. Don't let him see you.

He turned slightly, reaching for something at the edge of the pool. She caught a glimpse of his profile, a sharp jaw dark with stubble and the sensual curve of his lips, his golden eyes half closed, relaxed.

Then his head tilted slightly. Oh gods, he knows I'm here.

"I can hear your heartbeat." he said without looking back. His voice was lower, rougher.

Elara's throat completely closed up. She quickly bowed her head.

"Your Majesty, I....I didn't know you were....I was told to clean the bath chamber. I deeply apologize for my intrusion. I'll just....."

"Stay." A command

Her feet were rooted to the floor.

"Shut the door."

She unconsciously shut the door behind her. The soft click echoed in the steamy room.

She was alone with the King now, completely alone.

"Come closer." he commanded again.

"Your Majesty, I...I shouldn't. It's n..not appropriate..."

"I don't like to repeat myself." "Come closer." This time dragon compulsion threaded through his voice. Not strong enough to coerce her but enough to make refusal difficult.

Still clutching her cleaning supplies like a shield, she took three shaky steps forward.

He turned around.

Elara forgot how to breathe.

The water ran in rivulets down his chest and over abs that looked like they had been carved by a sculptor obsessed with perfection. There were more scales scattered across his chest and sides. His arms were corded with muscles, powerful enough to snap her into two.

And lower....

She jerked her eyes up before it could travel below his waist but not before catching a glimpse of the sharp v of his hips disappearing into the water.

Her face was on fire.

He ran a hand through his damp hair as his lips curved up into a slow, predatory smile. He'd noticed, of course he had.

"You're new." His deep voice echoed through the steamy chamber. Not a question.

"Your name?"

She was startled by the question. Why did he want to know her name? She was a mere kitchen maid.

"Elara, Your Majesty."

"Elara." He tested it slowly, deliberately.

"I don't recall seeing you before?"

A lie. He'd seen her multiple times. But she didn't need to know that.

"I..I w..work in the lower kitchens your Majesty, I've only just been reassigned." she stammered with her head bowed desperately trying to look anywhere but at him. "I've only been here for a year."

"Interesting." He purred, moving a bit closer through the water, his steps were slow, unhurried, like he was stalking his prey.

She visibly flinched at the movement making him chuckle darkly.

"No need to be scared of me, little mouse."

"I.. I'm not scared..." her voice quivered miserably betraying her.

He grinned wickedly. Oh but she was terrified, he could smell it on her, her fear mixed with lavender and something sweeter that made his mouth water.

She was different from his usual women, so.. innocent, delicate like a frightened little rabbit. The contrast between her softness and his own primal power made heat pool in his groin.

"You lie to me, little mouse." "But I can forgive it..this time."

He slowly rose from the water not bothering to cover himself. Water dripped down the hard planes of his stomach, down his hips and over thick powerful thighs. His thick shaft, dark and engorged sprang free, its head a deep angry red pulsing with a life of its own.

Elara's eyes widened with barely concealed shock. Her violet blues impossibly large as they trailed up his emerging form. She had been trying impossibly hard not to stare, but human nature won. Her sharp intake of breath echoed loudly over the gentle lap of water. She had never seen one before but she didn't think it would be this large.

How utterly shameless

He stretched languidly, muscles rippling under damp skin and watched as she swallowed hard.

Her gaze darted downwards again, just for a second before jerking back upwards. She looked like a ripe tomato.

"Come here" his voice softer than before yet even more commanding.

She stood frozen as she forced herself not to look at him, her cheeks burned hotter.

The air in the room grew thick with steam and something else entirely, something primal.

"I...Your Majesty I'm here to clean" her voice came out as a whisper.

"And I require assistance with my bath."

"Yes, Your Majesty," she replied hesitantly as she moved quickly to the edge of the bathing pool where he stood. Any more excuses and she'd be dragon food.

"Begin with my hair"

Her fingers trembled as she took a vial of scented oil from her basket. She knelt down on the edge and reached for his hair, her knuckles brushing against the wet strands.

"Good." He shut his eyes slightly tilting his head back. "Now, my shoulders."

A jolt, sharp and electric shot through her arm as it made contact with his skin, making her gasp. He sharply inhaled with a low rumble vibrating in his chest.

Her hands, still tingling, moved down, hesitantly at first, then with more purpose as she began to rub the oil into his skin. His muscles felt hot beneath her palm. A strange warmth began to bloom in her chest spreading outwards and it was definitely not the steam. It was him.

A deep, guttural groan escaped his lips as his skin flushed darker beneath her touch.

"Lower." He said with a strained voice, laced with urgency. "My chest."

Elara hesitated once more as her hands hovered over his broad back. Moving to his chest meant she would have to face him fully, it also meant facing the undeniable evidence of his arousal.

"P..pardon me, Your Majesty but I..."

Before she could complete her sentence his hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and pulling her forward. She stumbled, losing her balance and plunging into the steaming water with a loud splash.

Her drab linen dress, now completely drenched, clung to her like second skin revealing her every curve and dip.

He tightly held her wrist preventing her from scrambling back. Her body was pressed flush against his as the water swirled around them reaching her waist.

Her nipples, hardened from the sudden chill, brushed against his hard chest.

His strong arms wrapped around her waist pulling her even closer until there was no space left between them. The prominent hardness of his cock pressed against her soaking thigh.

Her eyes, wide and terrified, snapped up to him. His golden orbs burned right into hers, hungry and possessive.

"Continue, Elara" his voice was a low dangerous whisper, hot against her ear.

She fumbled nervously, her fingers brushing against his chest. The strange warmth intensified. Her hands moved over his pectorals, feeling the ripple of his muscles beneath.

He deeply groaned, his hips subtly thrusting forward, grinding against her. She could feel his erection against her thigh growing.

"This..this is enough Your Majesty." She gasped, her voice barely audible. Her breath came out in short gasps as she felt the full weight of his desire.

His arms tightened, crushing her body to his. His large powerful hands slid lower, past her waist, molding over the curve of her hips, then cupping her soft ass, lifting her slightly and pressing her more firmly against his throbbing cock.

His head dipped down as his lips grazed the delicate skin of her neck sending shivers straight to her core. His tongue traced a wet path from her earlobe down to her collarbone. She let out a loud whimper, a sound foreign to her. No one had touched her like this before and she couldn't name what he was making her feel.

"Release me." Her voice cracked as she cried out, her small fist pounding against his solid chest. The heat that emanated from him was intoxicating and that strange pull she had felt before, the one she dismissed, now undeniably pulsed through her veins.

Her desperate shoves against his chest only made him tighten his grip on her ass as his fingers dug into her soft flesh, lifting her further against his erection. He nipped at her neck, a playful yet possessive bite that drew another whimper from her lips, louder this time.

"Let me go, Please, Your Majesty." She begged.

He pressed his lips onto the shell of her ear, his hot breath making her shiver. "Why would I let you go, little mouse, when you feel so perfect against me?" his voice was strained as if he was barely holding himself back from completely devouring her.

"This isn't r.. right." She stuttered even as her traitorous body responded to his touch.

"Right?" He chuckled. "I'm the Dragon King, I decide what is right in this entire kingdom."

One of his hands moved from her ass to tangle in her silver blonde hair, gently but firmly pulling her head back to expose more of her throat to his hungry gaze.

The severe knot had finally come undone and the wet strands cascaded over his arms like moonlight.

"You're trembling." His lips brushed against her pulse. "Are you cold, Elara? Or is it something else entirely?"

"I'm scared." She said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You're the dragon king and I'm just a kitchen maid. I'm nothing. This will ruin me."