She Dreamed The Monster First

The man kissed her like he was starving, and she was the only food on earth.His mouth crashed onto hers, hot, wet, and desperate. One hand gripped her waist, pulling her hips flush against his hard erection, while the other tangled in her hair, cradling her head with a possessiveness that made her knees weak.Careful? No. Possessive? Absolutely. As though she was the only thing in the universe that mattered. Something precious. Something he would kill to keep.Elara moaned into his mouth, arching against him. The sound seemed to snap something inside him. A low, guttural growl vibrated in his throat, a sound of pure, unfiltered lust. He pulled her closer, grinding his hips against hers until she could feel exactly how much he wanted her, how hard he was for her. "There she is," he breathed against her lips, his voice rough with need. "My sweet, angel."His forehead rested against hers, his breathing ragged.Silver eyes met hers. The sight never failed to make her wet. Moonlight seemed trapped inside them, swirling with a dangerous, predatory intensity. Beautiful. Deadly. Mesmerizing.Those eyes softened only for her. Only when they looked at her. A dark, wicked smile tugged at his lips. "You missed me. I can feel how much you missed me."Elara laughed, a shaky, breathless sound. "You're impossible. You're arrogant."His arm tightened around her waist, pulling her so close there was no space for air between them. "You did. Your body is screaming for me, Elara. I can feel it.""I saw you yesterday," she whispered, though her hands were already clutching his shirt, pulling him closer. "Too long," he growled. "Twenty-four hours is too f*****g long. Every second without you is torture. Every second I'm not inside you is a waste of my life. "She rolled her eyes, but her heart hammered against her ribs. His expression remained serious. Deadly serious. As though a day apart was a physical wound. As though every moment without her was a punishment from hell. The realization made warmth bloom inside her chest, a heat that had nothing to do with the dream and everything to do with the sheer, overwhelming force of his desire. The man brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her neck, tracing the pulse that jumped under his touch. The gesture was so familiar. So natural. As though he had done it a thousand times, as though he knew every inch of her body by heart. "You look tired," he murmured, his thumb brushing over her lower lip. "You look like you haven't been sleeping. Like you've been crying. ""There you go again," she whispered. "Always noticing."His jaw tightened. The smile vanished, replaced by a dark, dangerous shadow. "What happened? Who hurt you? Tell me their name. I'll kill them. I'll tear them apart with my bare hands."Elara sighed. Nothing escaped him. Not a bruise. Not a sad smile. Not a tired glance. Nothing. The silver-eyed man always noticed. Always."I'm fine," she lied.His gaze sharpened. The change was immediate. Subtle. But there. Something dark moved beneath the surface. Something dangerous. Something that appeared whenever he thought she had been hurt. Something that promised violence to anyone who dared touch her. "You shouldn't lie to me, Elara," he warned, his voice low and threatening. "Not about this. Never about this.""I'm not.""You are." The certainty in his voice almost made her laugh. Almost.Instead, she reached up and touched his face. Her fingers traced the sharp line of his jaw, the rough stubble.Instantly, the darkness disappeared. The storm in his eyes calmed, replaced by a burning, intense focus. As though her touch alone could calm the monster inside him. As though she was the only thing that could save him from himself. His eyes fluttered shut briefly, leaning into her hand, a moan escaping his lips. "f**k, Elara."The sight made her heart ache. Nobody had ever needed her. Nobody had ever looked at her as though she was the air they breathed. But he did. He always did.When his eyes opened again, they were filled with something fierce. Something primal. Something that made her pulse stumble and her thighs clench."I don't like seeing you sad," he whispered, his voice rough. "I don't like seeing you hurt. If anyone touches you, if anyone makes you cry, I will destroy them. Do you understand? I will burn the world to ash for you." Elara's smile softened. "You always say that.""Because I mean it." The words settled between them. Simple. Honest. Dangerous.His hand found hers, intertwining their fingers, holding on tight. As though letting go was the last thing he wanted. As though she was the only thing keeping him sane.A strange silence fell around them. Comfortable. Peaceful. The kind of silence shared between two people who knew each other's bodies better than their own. The man lifted her hand to his lips. A kiss against her knuckles. Gentle. Reverent. You're mine."The certainty in his voice sent a shiver through her. Not fear. Never fear. Something else. Something warm. Something that made her feel safe. Something that made her wet. The man stepped closer. Close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him. Close enough that she could hear his breathing, ragged and desperate. His hand rose to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing across her skin. "I don't care where you are," he whispered, his lips brushing against hers. "I don't care who stands in my way. I don't care about the rules, the laws, or the consequences. I will always find you. And when I do, I'm going to make you scream my name."The promise wrapped around her heart. Strong. Unbreakable. Real.For a moment, Elara wanted to believe every word. She wanted to feel his hands on her body, his mouth on hers, his c**k inside her. She wanted to be his. Then—CRASH. Freezing water crashed over her.She gasped, the air knocked out of her lungs.The world shattered. Warmth disappeared. Silver eyes vanished. Strong arms were gone. The heat of his body was replaced by cold, damp stone.Laughter echoed through the room. Cruel. Hateful."About time you woke up, you lazy w***e," a voice sneered.Water dripped from her hair. From her face. From the thin, dirty blanket tangled around her body. Her clothes were soaked, clinging to her skin, making her n*****s hard and cold. A palace guard stood over her with an empty bucket, a cruel grin on his face. His eyes raked over her wet body, lingering on her chest. "Look at that," he laughed, nudging her leg with his boot. "Even soaked, you're still a f*****g slut. Dreaming about f*****g someone, were you? Bet I know who you were thinking about. Some rich bastard who'd actually touch you instead of kicking you."Around her, other slaves hurried to their feet, heads down, terrified. Nobody dared look at her. Nobody dared speak. Nobody dared help.The guard nudged her shoulder again, harder this time. "Move your ass, slave. Breakfast won't prepare itself. And if you think that was bad, wait until I tell the overseer you were sleeping in. Maybe he'll let me use you for real next time. Maybe I'll show you what a real man feels like inside you. "He laughed again, a harsh, grating sound. Then he turned and walked away, still laughing.For several seconds, she remained where she was. Soaked. Cold. Shaking. Staring at the stone floor. Her chest tightened, tears burning her eyes. Another dream. Another night dreaming about the silver-eyed man who promised to find her, to save her and protect her. Another morning inside the palace, where she was nothing but a slave, a piece of meat, a target for guards who wanted to r**e and kill her. And for the first time in a long while, as the cold water dripped from her hair and the guard's laughter echoed in her ears, Elara found herself wondering the same dangerous question. A question that could get her killed. What if he was real?What if he wasn't a dream?What if he was out there?And what if he was coming for me?