Taming the Dragon Collection by Jessica Ryan Page A

good. That’s why I do it.”
    “I knew that,” she said, turning her back to Alek. “Do you mind scrubbing my back?”
    She heard him move quickly through the water, reaching her in no time. “Of course not.” She could feel his hot breath on her neck as he leaned close to say it.
    Even though he was using a sponge to touch her, she felt her clit begin to swell and throb with arousal. As he swayed in the water she could feel something stiff and hard poke her from behind. Alek was aroused and distracted. This was the best time to approach him and try to convince him to do something else.
    She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. This entire plan may have been a bad idea. Mara’s desire was so great she considered slipping a hand between her legs and massaging herself discreetly. Surely Alek wouldn’t notice. She could spread the wet folds of her labia and sneak her middle finger deep into her tight opening. No, that would be too much. She had to concentrate. She had to do what was right.
    “I have a question for you, Alek.”
    “What’s that?” His voice sounded far off and distant. She wondered if she could even get through to him. Her body was obviously distracting him and having much more of an effect than she had intended.
    “Do you really want to fly out in the spring and destroy people?”
    “Well, my intention isn’t to destroy people per se, just to destroy their crops and villages. If they get in the way then they get in the way.”
    “But why do you need to do it?”
    “Because it’s fun, of course.”
    “It’s fun to needlessly kill innocent humans?”
    “Not this again,” he said. She felt water splash on her backside as the sponge dropped into the water.
    “Don’t get upset,” she said, spinning around. “I’m just asking you about it. I’m human, remember? It upsets me that you would find my life so valueless that you would do something like this. It’s upsetting.”
    Alek grew very serious as he narrowed his pretty eyes at her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “Your life is not valueless to me.”
    Mara felt a chill go through her body. Her face tingled and grew hot as she waited with anticipation for what he would say next. Unfortunately he continued to stare at her so she prodded him along. “It’s not?”
    “No,” he said with an assured smile. “You belong to me. I care about everything I own.”
    The tingle went away immediately as Mara felt her stomach knot up. “What? You don’t own me.”
    “Of course I do,” he said. “You were sacrificed to me. That makes you mine.”
    “And you view me as an object? Am I no better than your treasure?”
    Alek thought about it for a second, which was way too long in Mara’s book. She was definitely better than his treasure. How could he feel this way?
    “No,” he said, shaking his head. “I suppose you are better than my treasure.”
    “You suppose?” she asked, trying not to slap him. On the other hand, that would probably just excite him so much he would take to the skies tonight and destroy several villages.
    “Well, yes. You do provide me with companionship. I find I can talk to you more easily than the other maids. I do admit you are pleasing to my human eyes. You challenge me and give me things to think about, which my treasure does not do. So, yes, you are above the treasure.”
    “And the other maids?” she asked, feeling the happiness growing in her again.
    “Yes,” he said. “They are interchangeable in my eyes, but you are not.”
    “Even Raylene?”
    “Raylene is a loyal maid, I will give her that, but she is far too boring and she does not please my human eyes.”
    “I thought that you weren’t attracted to humans,” she said innocently as she traced the hard line of his pecs with her finger.
    “I’m not,” he said. “My human form is.”
    “But isn’t it the same thing?” she asked. “I mean, it’s just you shape shifting.”
    Alek recoiled as his mouth hung open, like she was