Monster Hunter Conquest Collection #1 (2 page)

While
she was still uneasy, she untensed her shoulders and relaxed her
hands, trying to offer a small smile to the dark haired man. She
noted there was something about his eyes that was throwing her off,
but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. “Sorry, I should
have introduced myself first. I'm Siena Rovan, a member of the
Monster Hunters Guild.”

Her
last words were spoken with pride, and her smile became genuine.

Vylanthe
seemed to hold still a moment, before he drew forward until he was
only a few feet way. “Oh, Monster Hunters? Interesting, and
what were you doing out here, then?”

The
girl adjusted her stance, rocking her hip to the side and clasping
her waist, shoulders rising in a shrug as she released a dramatic
huff of air. “Well, to be honest, I was stalking something that
I was told was in this area. I stumbled on your fire it seems
instead, though.”

The
tall man inclined his head, a curl of a grin inching along his face.
For a moment, she thought his lips were oddly wide. His voice burned
low as an ember. “I see. What were you hunting, sweet girl?”

The
way he referred to her made her flinch, and she didn't hide her scowl
as she folded her arms in displeasure. “I'm no 'girl,' thanks.
I'm a Hunter, and you should respect that. There are dangerous things
around, and it's my job to get rid of them.”

He
clicked his tongue and chuckled, but his postured seemed to relax as
he drawled his words. “Your job, well, that's an interesting
way to view it. I'll be honest, I don't think you look too dangerous,
and you never answered me. What are you hunting?”

Siena
furrowed her brow, turning on a heel to face away from the man. He
was clearly rude, she felt, and wasting her time now. “I'm very
dangerous, all have you know. I'm brave enough to hunt a dragon,
after all. If it was here, well, it'd be dead by now, and you'd be
thanking me for saving your life.” Smirking, she closed her
eyes to let that hang in the air, feeling she must have impressed him
now with her obvious arrogance.

When
he responded, his voice was low and hot, whispers of ash and steamy
air.

“
Oh,
child, but 'it'
is
here.”

The
blonde felt the foreboding tone, the heavy air, even before she could
make herself turn enough to flash a stare full of shock and anxiety
over her shoulder. The sight before her took the voice from her
throat.

The
man who had called himself Vylanthe was gone, and in his place was a
beast as large as a barn, and black as pitch. Its scales caught the
light of the fire, reflecting red and gold on their shiny surface.
Hulking, reptilian, the slim snout was leveled at her, its gaze
intense and petrifying as it focused on her. The orbs were acid
yellow, and when she was faintly surprised she couldn't see herself
in their wide surfaces, she realized what it was about the man's eyes
she had found odd.

They
didn't catch the light, they absorbed it, almost flat as stone.

When
it spread its wings, the sky was blocked by double walls of veined
shadow.

In
that moment, she suspected her death.

On
reflex, she grabbed for her sword, yanking it from its sheath and
swinging blindly at the huge head of the creature. It dodged, smooth
as silk, and Siena had the luck to roll out of the way of its swiping
claws. Stumbling in the dirt, knowing she had scraped her cheek, the
Hunter spun around with her blade lifted high.

She
never saw the serpentine tail.

Whip
like, the appendage smacked into her ankles, sending her falling onto
her back with a scream that was quickly cut off when the air exploded
from her lungs. Dazed, she had a passing thought that the sky had
become night, only to understand it was the body of the dragon
hulking over her. Far too slowly, she moved her hands on the ground,
trying to find her sword as she also tried to back peddle away.

It
was not to be, her escape was ended when the wide palm of the
creature arched over her, digging talons into the earth on either
side of her shoulders, as well as her hips. The heavy, scaled paw
pressed down, and in that second the girl thought she would be
crushed.

Her
eyes squeezed shut, hoping the pain would be short, her destruction
painless. The roaring of blood in her ears, the drum of her heart,
kept her from realizing how quiet the world was. Bit by bit, as she
noticed the heat of the monster's scales, pressed onto her body but
not through, her ribs in tact, her life blood not spilled, she opened
her eyes. Emeralds, wide in terror and confusion, focused on the face
of her captor.

“
Ah,
my brave little hunter, it seems that despite your claims, I still
live. And you...” The snout lowered, the rumble of a voice like
crumbling earth and burning stone moving within inches of her blood
drained face. “Should stop calling yourself dangerous.”

Siena
gawked into the dagger like fangs, the head of the beast bigger than
a horse. She was sure she'd fit inside its maw, and instantly tried
to forget the image. The voice, when she spoke, was dry and
trembling. “You're not a marsh dragon at all, you're a shadow
dragon. That's how you tricked me with your human form...”

The
laugh was deep, the breath hot as it tickled her hair. “Well,
you're giving yourself too much credit there. I had no intention to
trick you until you so boldly declared your skill in battle, your
plans to end my life. I didn't lie really, either. I told you my
name, it's not my fault you are so uneducated in dragon lore.”

Its
paw flexed, and she darted her eyes down to study the firm scales,
surprised at how polished they seemed. Somehow, she had imagined
dragon scales would be rougher. “Why haven't you killed me
yet?”

Vylanthe
tilted his jaw, pulling his head back on that long, muscular snake of
a neck to study her from a distance. “Oh? Did you wish death,
then, after all? I assumed hunters were living a suicidal life as is,
but I didn't peg you to want it over with. But, if so...” Siena
saw that long tongue flicker, curved teeth of pure white glinting in
a smile of destruction.

Imagining
it must be able to feel her heart pounding, she struggled under the
hand pinning her and cried out in despair. “Wait! I didn't mean
that, I'm not looking for death at all!”

The
fan like ears on the side of the dragon's head flashed, folding back
into place as if he was trying to show surprise on that reptilian
visage. “Well, forgive me. I'm afraid I don't understand you at
all. If you didn't come seeking me for death and pain, then perhaps
I'll have to indulge my next suspicion.”

The
girl was confused, and she gripped her digits into the wet earth,
trying to find some hold on her situation from any means. Out of the
corner of one green eye, she spotted the coiling, thick tail inching
forward. It brushed over her cheek, making her flinch, before it
wrapped about her throat tenderly. It made her gasp, teeth gritting
as she pictured him throttling her.

“
I
said I didn't want to die!” Her moan was desperate, but the
dragon simply rolled its large yellows and snorted.

Amazingly,
the paw keeping her crushed into the ground raised, chunks of sod
coming away on the blade like fingers. Strangely, like a cat might,
the beast shook the dirt free and rubbed the curled hand clean on its
cheek. This distracted her a moment, so that she wasn't ready when
the tail traveled from her neck to her waist.

With
ease of strength, she was lifted into the air, brought up to the
lifted head of her former prey. He studied her, while she kicked her
legs and squealed, hands holding the scales around her tightly; she
hated heights.

The
wide nostrils came close, inhaling the scent of her hair, and she
swore she saw that dangerous mouth smirk. The tip of Vylanthe's snout
rubbed her shoulder, making her lift her brows. Siena was at a loss
for words, unsure if he was toying with her or not.

That
slim tongue, forked at the tip, edged out to stroke her cheek, making
her pull away and yelp. 'Oh no, is he tasting me, seeing if I'm fit
for a meal?' She was terrified, and wondered if her adrenaline bursts
would ever end. If her heart could take much more.

When
the slick appendage crawled down, running along her chest, she felt a
twinge of suspicion at his intentions. The idea was far too strange
to entertain, so the Hunter tried to bury it. The sudden, strong
rubbing of the tongue across one of her round breasts wrenched all
logic away.

“
What
are you doing!?” She shouted, eyes flashing in bafflement to
the long face of the dragon.

“
Isn't
it obvious?” He canted his head, before raising a hooked claw
and deftly catching it on the front of her leather tunic. Like a
knife in butter, he ripped the cloth open, baring her creamy, soft
breasts to the forest of Hyvar. The yellow orbs glinted in a hunger
she was starting to better grasp.

Siena
lifted her arms, covering her pert chest to try and saved her
modesty. “Stop! You can't do this!”

“
I
can do what I want, I do believe. But, I admit confusion. I assumed
if you didn't come looking for death, you sought me out for other
reasons, no?”

“
No!”
Her shout was angry, her cheeks cherry red as that tongue came close
again, running along her stomach. When she went to block it, one of
her breasts popped free. The nipple, pink as a sunset, was vulnerable
to the lightning quick, fleshy forked coil. The tips danced over her
soft skin, grazing her firm nub easily. It made her squeak, and her
reaction was to cover the area from this attack.

Each
time she tried to hide herself, she left somewhere else for the
monster to taste. Soon, her attempts to protect her nubile form were
clearly futile. Strangely, and with some concern, she realized her
body was also beginning to flicker with a warmth that seemed high
inappropriate. 'What the hell is wrong with me?'

As
if reading her mind, Vylanthe chortled low and dark, the sound
vibrating through his tail and making her shiver. “See? I'm
rarely wrong, I've lived a long time, after all. You crave this, my
sweet little hunter. Your body is a realm of need, why else chase
after dangerous beasts?”

“
You're
wrong,” she spat, but she clenched her knees together with a
thrill as his words rushed into her center. Her breasts were wet from
the saliva of the monster, and she could feel her breathing coming
quicker. He seemed to tire of her fending off his direct contact,
though, for he reached out with claws that could easily slice her in
twain. Out of fear, she held still, letting him grip her hands and
move them away. Agile, the prehensile tip of that tail wrapped
higher, snagging her wrists and pulling her arms firmly behind her
back.

The
motion, the tightness, made her arch her spine helplessly; thrusting
her delicious mounds forward, the access now easy. That tongue
returned, ignoring her cries as it teased over her hard nipples with
all the leisure it wanted.

Siena
was crying out, angry shouts giving way to pleading as the beast so
casually toyed with her form. In spite of herself, of her denial, she
was fully aware of the warmth flooding into her belly. The dragon was
masterful at creating lust, and it terrified her. She wanted to think
he was doing this, somehow, that she had nothing to do with her
reactions. Yet, it seemed he had been right. Somehow, she
did
want this.

Like
little fingers, the end of that tongue gripped one nipple, twisting
and pulling it tenderly, until she cried out not in anger, but in
pleasure.

The
shadow dragon snickered, and she felt herself flush in humiliation.
“I can smell your need,” he stated, so bluntly that she
felt herself tingle in arousal, and burn in embarrassment. Was it
possible to turn anymore red, she wondered?