Touch of Flame

Darcy wasn’t sure why The Phantom would go out of his way to provide for her to live a comfortable life. He had already helped her enough many times.

“Because…” he began his footsteps slowing down. “Things are becoming more dangerous now.”

“We already knew a time like this would come. The storm before the calm perhaps,” she said hopefully.

She felt his fingers around her hand tighten slightly. Her heart changed rhythm, shifting strangely in her chest. What was this feeling?

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” his voice lowered and thickened.

Darcy was taken aback by his reply.

“I only allowed you because I saw you come alive finding something meaningful to do,” he quickly explained as if regretting his earlier statement but he seemed to regret this one too as he cut himself off and remained quiet.

Darcy could feel his arm stiffen.

“It is still meaningful to me,” she spoke softly.

“I know,” he replied curtly.

He was worried about her. Why? Did he feel what she felt? Did he think about her the way she did? This was insanity. She didn’t even know what he looked like.

“So this man who could be your father, where did you meet him?” He asked.

“He seemed to have been looking for me,” she said now remembering he was king Russell. “Do you know anything about the king of Balkae?”

“Yes. The one fighting dragons. Is it him?” He asked.

“He said so. He said he wanted to meet you.”

“But king Russell only has a…” he stopped.

“Has what?”

He halted and she somehow put the pieces together. If he was king, surely she could find out if he had daughters. “Did he have daughters?” She asked tugging at his hand for a reply.

“No.” He said.

Her heart dropped. It was not her father. Should she be happy or sad?

“But… he is still family right? I mean, they said he smelled like me and he was looking for me. Also… he calls names I recognize for some odd reason. Corinna and Ravina.”

She felt him stiffen.

“What is it?” She pulled at his arm. “Do you know them?”

“Darcy,” he began sounding almost pleading.

Oh no. She didn’t like this but she needed to know. She felt him move closer in the darkness and she looked up at his face. She could see the shadow of it, detect some lines and his hair, it was long. Possibly dark. But it was his eyes that caught her attention. She could see a soft gleam of gold, hiding behind shadows.

“Let’s wait until he wakes up,” he told her.

“No. Tell me what you know,” she said. “Who are they?”

“I am sure you have heard of princess Ravina. The cold-hearted princess.” He began.

Yes, she heard. The inventor of weapons and the previous kings daught…

No! She pulled her hand away from his. “We wait until he wakes up,” she said her voice cracking. She turned around and decided to leave on her own even when she didn’t know where she was going.

Tears burned in her eyes. It couldn’t be. Please God, her father couldn’t be dead. Maybe this was all just a mistake and the names sounded familiar because she heard them once. It could be. And maybe she looked like them because she was a cousin or something. Anything.

She walked in the dark, feeling stupid after a while for having run away when she didn’t know the way back. A large warm hand grabbed hers again.

“Come,” the familiar voice said and showed her the way. She was grateful he found her or she would walk around until dawn. “Here,” he said when they arrived in front of the room she was given.

“Thank you,” she whispered embarrassedly.

“Darcy,” he pulled her closer by the arm gently. “I want you to know that you are never alone. As long as I live, I will look after you.”

She moved closer, trying to find his face in the dark. “Then will I ever see you?” She asked. “I want to see you.”

“You will not like what you see,” he said.

“Why?”

“I am more dragon than you think.”

“I don’t care.”

He remained quiet.

“Let me at least see some of you. Your eyes? Your hair? Anything.”

God, she sounded desperate.

“Can I… at least touch you?” She moved even closer, his warmth drawing her in and his scent; he smelled like something dark and smokey.

The scent of smokey incense and smoked amber was heady. Darcy reached for his face, slowly, hesitantly. He didn’t pull away and her fingertips touched his skin.

He was warm and she dragged her fingertips down, trying to distinguish the lines of his face. She followed prominent cheekbones and then her fingers dipped into the hollow of his cheeks before reaching a strong jaw. Reaching up again, she traced thick arched eyebrows with soft hair. His eyes closed as she continued down over his eyelids and his eyelashes.  She traced the bridge of his nose, followed the narrow line hilting down, and then going up to the tip all while trying to imagine what he would look like based on what she was feeling.

He was still, but she felt the tremble of his breath as she reached his lips. Heat pooled low in her below and her own lips parted as she touched his. Soft, plump, and hot, her fingertips tingled and he sucked in a sharp breath.

Suddenly a grip of steel came around her wrist, and a strong arm around her waist. He pulled her against his solid body and she felt his face beside hers. Her cheek brushing against his, his breath tickling her ear. He leaned closer and she tilted her head slightly, his staggered breath now reaching her neck.

Something hummed to life inside of her, an unfamiliar tingling, a heady feeling that caused her eyes to close and allow her head to fall back. His lips brushed against her neck, quivering the way her heart did. He was hesitant. She knew it wasn’t supposed to be like this. She wanted to feel his lips on her.

Her fingers went into his hair, soft and silky, causing her to melt even more. She pulled him closer and with a low grunt his lips pressed into her neck. He kissed her, leaving a wet heat on her skin and other parts of her body that she had been unaware of. Her head spun, lost in his intoxicating aroma and the sensations awakened in her.

This was madness, a distant voice in her head tried to awaken her but it drowned with every movement of his mouth on her skin. A soft moan left her lips and he stiffened.

Slowly, he pulled back, and his hold on her loosened. Darcy was still heady and lost as she tried to stand steady on her feet and then realization hit her. Her face burned with embarrassment and she pulled away. A shiver ran through her as if her body hated the absence of his. She dared not look his way.

“Rest. I will see you tomorrow,” he said, his voice gravelly.

Then he turned and walked away. Darcy rushed back into the room, her heart pounding like a thousand drums. What just happened? She stood leaning against the door, confused by what she did and felt.

God, she didn’t even know what he looked like. She didn’t even know his name.

She sat down on the floor, touching her neck where he had kissed her.

‘As long as I live, I will look after you.’

‘I am more dragon than you think.’

She recalled his words. Was that why? Did he think she would like him less because he was more dragon? Maybe she would have if he hadn’t saved her that day. If not for him, she would have become a breeder.

She shivered, recalling the preparations she went through. She fought hard to fight off the memory but it came back. She had pleaded with the women to have mercy on her. To let her get away. She could only see pity in some eyes. The rest treated her like she was worth nothing. Stripping her, touching her here and there, and speaking of her while she was there as if she was a product to be sold and had no feelings.

And then they presented her to the ones who would sell her. She fought back a cry of fury as she recalled those men examining her naked. Speaking of her body, pointing out flaws and what they liked. Darcy ground her teeth and shut her eyes tightly. She was away from that place now. She was fine, she told herself.

She had her crew, knowing what she went through all the men were very protective of her. They were her family. Captain Joseph looked out for her like a big brother. She had arrived scared and while he was protective, he didn’t treat her like a fragile lady.

“You did everything to try to escape. Good for you.” He had told her. “Now next time if anything happens, you will escape without help.”

He had given her a sword to train and stand on her own to protect herself and chase away those fears. “No one can hurt you unless you let them!”

Yes. She nodded. No one would hurt her. She went from being scared to fighting the dragons head-on. Someone had to do something. Someone had to protect their people. She didn’t want anyone to suffer the same fate she suffered.

“Corinna!” Russell’s voice spoke.

She crawled closer to his bed. “Russell.” He was still not fully awake.

She took the damp cloth and wiped away the sweat.

“My… daughter…”

His daughter? But he didn’t have one.

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