Aris: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (Stratham Dragons Book 1) Read online

  When Zarin’s slow and even breaths let him know he was asleep, Aris leaned over Sophie. “He’s asleep now. I want to show you around.”

  She untangled her hand from Zarin’s slowly, as if she were making sure he didn’t wake up. Zarin’s hand twitched, but he didn’t. Sophie let out a breath and stood from the couch. When she turned around, she blushed. Aris hadn’t realized the others were still watching. He turned toward them and narrowed his eyes, telling them without words to go the hell away. He wanted some time with his mate alone. The others slipped out of the room. Aris reached for Sophie’s hand and tugged it, bringing her closer. She watched their hands before bringing her eyes to his. She was so small compared to him. He liked how delicate she was, but he hoped he wasn’t too much for her. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckle and watched her eyes dilate.

  Inside, his dragons perked up by her scent, and arousal shot through his body. She reacted to his touch, and that’s all it took. It left him hard – aching and yearning for a body he wasn’t sure he’d ever have. But he wasn’t going to give up. Fate wouldn’t be so cruel to give him a mate who would never fully be his. She was his for a reason. He saved her from her own monster, and she had certainly saved him, but it was more than that. With their eyes locked, he could swear he felt her. She feared being hurt, but not at all confused by how she felt for him. He could feel her fighting the attraction, and he couldn’t have that. He didn’t want her to fight her feelings for him.

  Without a word, he led Sophie out of the den. Her room was right in the hallway. It was a spare room which they hadn’t converted into anything yet, making it perfect. He opened the door, and his eyes widened in surprise. Zarin had filled the room with feminine touches. Everything was brand new, and the scent of something hit his nose. He found a vase of flowers on the bedside table. They were fresh. He guided Sophie into the room and stepped back to let her take it all in. She gasped and looked around the room in wonder. The room was bright with a large window that had a seat so she could sit and look at the stars, something he had in his room as well. The walls were painted yellow, and the trim was a light pink. The bed was large and looked more comfortable than his own. None of this was done before they’d left, and he realized how much Zarin had accomplished in the time they were gone. He felt guilty because now he was sicker than before.

  “Do you like it?”

  “Yes, it’s beautiful,” she said, and stepped towards the bed. She ran her fingers along the pale pink quilt. “This is mine?”

  Aris wanted to hold her close after hearing that longing in her voice. “Yes, it’s yours, and anything you don’t like you can change.”

  “It’s perfect,” she said, and then she stepped towards him.

  Aris froze, wondering what was going to happen. She didn’t walk to him like a scared girl; she walked to him like a woman ready to seduce her man. He only prayed he was right.

  ***

  Sophie couldn’t believe how accepting they were to her. She also couldn’t believe how safe and right she felt in a house full of moody dragons. She could have never imagined anything like this, and now she had a room with a huge window. It was the opposite of everything she’d lived in for the last seven years. And then there was another feeling – a tingling sensation in her stomach. It started out light, but the longer she was around Aris, the more it heightened. It didn’t hurt, but she was uncomfortable. She needed something, but she wasn’t sure what.

  He was frozen watching her. She watched the heat behind his eyes grow. His eyes changed to pure white. For a second, it made her stop, but then she could tell it was the dragon lurking. Her heart raced and heat filled her from the inside out. She walked to him, but it was more than that. Her body came alive, and when she stood in front of him, she licked her lips. She wanted him to touch her. That should have sent her into panic, but instead, she slid her hands up his chest and behind his neck, bringing her to the tips of her toes. She felt his heart pick up against her chest, and she smiled as she wrapped her hand into his hair. It was pure white and even softer than it looked. Still, he didn’t move. She felt his body shake, and when she wrapped a finger through his hair and tugged, he purred.

  “Sophie—”

  She leaned up as far as she could and brushed her lips across his chin. It wasn’t his lips, but it was as close as she could reach. Aris finally moved, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her from the ground. She let out the breath she’d been holding, fearing he really didn’t want her. Their hearts raced at the same pace. This time, when she leaned into him, she shut her eyes and didn’t close the distance. She wanted to see what he would do. She kept her eyes closed and played with his hair. She licked her lips, and her body shook with nerves. He didn’t move, and she waited for what seemed like forever. Then, finally, his lips were on hers. A tingle of anticipation flowed through her, and she kissed him back.

  She had never kissed anyone…that wasn’t true, but she wouldn’t think about that; it wasn’t the same. She pulled back and took a deep breath. She wouldn’t ruin this moment. She kissed him again, harder this time. She licked his lip in excitement, and he groaned. His hands massaged her back before pulling away. She could feel him struggle to stop kissing her, but he eventually pulled away.

  “Sophie,” he said as he struggled for a voice. “As much as I would love to take this further, I don’t want you to feel pressured.”

  He was really sweet, and it wasn’t her mind that wanted this as much as it was her body. In fact, her mind mentally jumped for joy when he told her he wouldn’t pressure her. Her body on the other hand, wept. There was this ache that wouldn’t go away. The pulsing between her legs only proceeded to get worse when he set her back on the floor. She wanted to cry out for him, tell him not to stop, but that would be way beyond desperation. She needed to figure out what was wrong first. A niggling in her thoughts told her she already knew.

  CHAPTER 13

  1 week later

  The ache hadn’t gone away. The more time she spent with Aris, the more her body screamed for her to do something – anything to get him to take the pain away. She hadn’t mentioned it, but her silence hadn’t gone unnoticed. No one had come out and questioned her, but she could tell they were doing their best not to ask. She had no idea why until she heard them talking.

  Sophie woke up gasping for breath. It was another dream, one with hands and skin…and teeth. Her core pulsed, and when she slid her hand between her legs she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. She wasn’t stupid; she’d read many books. Her body needed a release, but she’d never done anything like that before. Never in her life had she felt desire, and now that was all she felt. She thought about trying to take care of it herself, but the thought made her shudder. The only thing she wanted was Aris. He was the key to making her feel better.

  She threw the sheet off her body and pulled on her shorts and shirt. Sleeping nude was a new thing to her. She’d been so hot with a fever that she couldn’t stand having clothes on. Just pulling the fabric over her skin sent a pulse of arousal through her body. She was about to fall apart. Sophie opened her door quietly, intending to sneak into Aris’ room, but stopped short when she heard voices.

  “She’s not okay, Blane.”

  “She is too. She’s been through a lot, but she is here, and I promise she doesn’t want to leave.” A pause. “She has been feeling off. Don’t ask me how I know, but there’s something going on with her, and if you would just ask her then you would know.”

  “Well, she has barely spoken since our kiss. I knew I shouldn’t have done it, but I thought it was what she wanted. She gave me all the signals.”

  “Just talk to her.”

  “I will tomorrow.”

  “No, now,” Blane said, and turned around. Sophie froze. She should have known she was caught. They could always tell when she was around.

  She crossed her arms over her chest when her nipples tightened. It was as if her body knew she was near him. Maybe it did. She wa
s his mate, and she was ready to do some of this mating business. At least a part of her was. The other part of her was terrified.

  ‘No one will ever love you like I do, Sophie-girl.’ Ron’s voice had a way of taking over every thought.

  Blane walked by her and smirked. He didn’t touch her, but when his nostrils flared and his body tensed, she knew he could tell.

  “Just tell him,” he whispered.

  Easier said than done.

  Sophie shuffled into the den. It was now empty aside from Aris, and his eyes tracked her every moment. Maybe she wasn’t the only one feeling the pain. “Can we go to your room and talk?”

  He walked towards her and put his hands on her shoulder, turning her to walk back the way she came. Instead of going to his room, he led her through the large kitchen and out of the sliding glass doors. The night air on her skin felt amazing, and her nipples puckered below the thin t-shirt. The feel of his hands disappeared. She reached for his hand and held it tightly. He led the way through the darkness. She had no idea where they were going, but it was almost as if he were on a mission.

  “Hey, slow down a bit.”

  Aris chuckled and lifted her into his arms. She gasped and laughed. “What are you doing?”

  He stumbled. “I’m not sure, but I don’t know if I’m in control right now.”

  Sophie looked into his eyes, noticing they were glowing. They were white again, just like they were when they’d kissed. She shivered and the white faded.

  “Are you okay?”

  Aris was back just as quickly as he was gone. She knew he was strong, but he commanded control. “I’m fine,” she replied, and wrapped her arms around his neck, playing with his hair. She started to realize something: she felt more confident and in control when Aris wasn’t. “When your eyes turn white, what does it mean?”

  He stopped walking and let her stand again. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “The white is my golden dragon. I’m still learning control with him, and he’s quite strong.”

  Sophie nodded. “I like him.”

  “I thought you were scared?”

  “No, not at all.” Sophie took a deep breath and did something she never thought she would do.

  ***

  Aris loved this place. The trees were thick and the grass was soft. He loved that it was the one spot on the land that was fully surrounded by trees. In the distance, the sound of a waterfall filled the silent night. The air was muggy from the hot spring. This was his favorite place. He hoped bringing Sophie out into nature would bond them. That maybe being outside and not inside of a house would cause her to open up. But every time he was around her, her scent drove him crazy and the golden dragon wanted to come out. He wanted to complete the bond, to mate, and bite her to tell the whole world she was his.

  Aris tried to shove him back, but Sophie seemed to respond to the dragon.

  “I thought you were scared.” When she had shivered, he’d done his best to put his dragon back.

  She shook her head, and something in her changed. The quiet woman he was used to seeing was different. She stood up tall, and even only after a few days of being fed, she was starting to fill out some. Her body curved and then…

  “No, not at all.” She said, pulling her t-shirt over her head and dropping it to the ground.

  Aris licked his lips, and he couldn’t stop it. Both dragons sensed the change in their mate. One eye gold and one eye white stared at their now half-nude mate. She didn’t stop there, though. No, she shimmied out of her shorts. Aris nearly chocked on his tongue when he realized that she hadn’t even been wearing panties. She sauntered towards him, and his fangs elongated. He licked the tips, pushing them back. It wasn’t time for teeth. No, he wanted to show her how much he could love her.

  “Sophie?”

  She laughed when she met his eyes. “I get to meet them both now?” Her voice was lower and deeper than he’d ever heard it.

  “I don’t know what you want, love. I don’t want to push you too far.”

  “Just kiss me.”

  That he could do. He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers and then growled. She was tiny. “Lay down, love.”

  She lay on the ground, and before he followed suit, he took the time to enjoy seeing her body for the first time. She was thin – too thin – but that was slowly changing. Her body still had bruises in various degrees of healing, and her skin was covered by scars. But that didn’t bother him. That made her more beautiful to him, and one day he would know what each scar represented, but not tonight. He went down on all fours, straddling her body, covering it and protecting it. He was still fully dressed, but tonight he would love his mate the way she was meant to be loved. He would take the look of fear from her eyes.

  CHAPTER 14

  Ron - 9 hours away from Sophie

  She’d been gone a week, and Ron was out of his mind. He never thought she would actually break free. He paced the living room and gripped himself tightly in his hands. He needed his release, but nothing but Sophie’s sweet skin allowed it – not anymore. He needed to feel her flesh beneath his fists. He needed to squeeze the plump breasts and rub her thighs. Even knowing he did everything in his power to keep her weak, she was still strong. He hardened more. The thought of her being strong shouldn’t have excited him, but it seemed everything about his sweet Sophie did.

  He was hoping that once she realized she missed him, she would be back. He knew his Sophie-girl loved him. She wouldn’t stay away. She’d miss his touch, too.

  Ron slammed his hand against the wall, causing bits of plaster to fall around him. She hadn’t come back. He didn’t want to resort to it, but he needed to find out where the hell she went. She shouldn’t have been able to get out – not on her own. But who could have helped her? She knew no one.

  He stalked down to the basement, looking for a clue. He shoved the metal frame that held her mattress across the room and found nothing. He yanked back the blanket and found it. There was a hole in the wall. It led outside. He knelt on the ground and felt to see if she had managed to get the door opened. She hadn’t. Still, the anger rose within him.

  “When I find you, you’re dead.”

  All this time, she was trying to get away from him. That wasn’t acceptable. She should have been defeated by now. After all the hard work he’d put into her, she should have bowed to him. But this undermined his authority.

  Ron stomped up the stairs and slammed the door shut so hard it bounced back open and hit him in the back. He didn’t react as he kept walking. Everything he worked for was gone. She should have been loyal to him and never want to disobey his commands. He threw himself down in his chair and wailed. He would have to go to the library and track her down. He’d find her. A part of him knew no woman would ever fully be trustworthy, and he was glad he planned for her escape, because with his brains, she’d never be able to escape fully. He’d always find her. She was his to command and to do with as he pleased. Now when he brought her home, she would suffer the consequences of her actions. And maybe – just maybe – he’d let her live, but not before he punished her.

  Ron chucked and stroked himself. Yes, he did love punishing her.

  CHAPTER 15

  His body was warm. He was everything she always fantasized about in a man. She lifted her head back and closed her eyes, but he didn’t kiss her lips. He brought his mouth to her neck. He inhaled her scent and kissed behind her ear. She shivered and gripped his side. Aris moved slow and brushed kisses across her skin, across her collar bone and to the other side behind her ear. He worked his body down, exposing her skin in the cool night. Goosebumps covered her skin, and she opened her eyes to watch him.

  The dragons wanted to eat her up, she could tell. One golden eye and one white eye held her gaze as the pursuit of his lips travelled down her body. The flesh on her body was electrified. Each brush of lips or stroke of the tongue made her body feel alive. She whimpered and bucked her lower body when he nibbled on her stomach. Her co
re clenched, searching for something to fill it.

  “Please,” she whispered.

  He froze and watched her. Pain filled her eyes. It was too much.

  His tongue delved deep inside of her, and she cried out as her body reacted. She tensed and held herself up in offering. Asking him – no, begging him – to take her. She offered herself to him.

  Aris growled and licked her more. His tongue went from strong strokes to light, teasing strokes as she filled his mouth with her essence. Her body tensed, and she clenched her knees on either side of his head to hold him. She screamed for more. And in the silence around her, she wondered who else heard her scream. He rumbled against her and kissed her soft lips. Sophie pushed against his mouth, asking for more. Her body trembled. The ache wasn’t gone. It only had gotten stronger.

  He lifted his head with a furrowed brow. “What’s wrong, love?”

  “More…I need more.” She was begging now, and even though she knew she would feel stupid later, right now all that mattered was feeling him inside of her. It had to be done.

  “You’re not ready, love. That will tie us together forever.”

  “Yes, yes. Oh, please. Make me yours.” Her words came out in fast desperation.

  Aris moved from her body. She whimpered when she felt nothing but coldness until she pulled his shirt over his head. It was as though her orgasm enhanced her senses. His chest was large and muscled. Sophie licked her lips. She wanted him. She was crazy and frenzied. “Hurry up, Aris. Please. I need you now!”

  ***

  Those words made him primal, but there was still a human part of him that lurked somewhere. The desperation in her voice. The pleading. He finally realized what was going on. The mating frenzy. Or what he had come to think of it as since he’d met her. The last week had been torture. He did his best not to touch her at all, but now she lay on the grass, naked, beautiful, and perfect, begging him. He wasn’t sure if he should or not.