Five

Chapter 5

Elena pov

I took a step back, feeling the hairs at my back stand up.

He was gorgeous. I have never expected a dragon to be so attractive. But that didn't make him less of a dragon, or less a danger. Somehow his good looks were even more terrifying.

I felt my breath catch in my chest and I did my best to straighten my shoulder and stand my ground.

"Whatever you have in store for me, I'm prepared." I said, doing my best to keep my voice leveled and stable even though my hands were shaking.

"Just, please, honor our agreement and leave my kingdom alone."

Every part of me was telling me to run. My mind was screaming at me to get out of there now, my hands were shaking as I stared at him down.

But I had to stand my ground. I wasn't going to run away.

Whatever happened, happened. I wasn't going to flee nor cry.

The Dragon Lord looked at me with an expression full of surprise. He looked like he was analyzing me, trying to determine what made me tick.

He hummed a soft sound that carried easily in the air of the quiet castle.

"Whatever I have in store.." He said, letting the word trail off, linger for a moment.

"What do you think I have in store for you, Elena." He said

The sound of my name on his lips sent a shiver through me. What was it about this guy? He was terrifying, but at the same time, I couldn't look away from him.

His eyes, a beautiful golden color, were sparkling in the darkness, and I couldn't look away.

I'd never seen eyes of that color before. Like molten gold, like coin brought to life and given movement. It was mesmerizing.

"I don't know." I answered, the words feeling flat as they left my lips. I didn't know. I was prepared for the worst, for death, but I don't know what else he could have in store for me.

"I don't know why I'm here." I said, I didn't know why I was admitting this to him, but it couldn't hurt. I was already in his power, under his control. I was in his castle after all.

I was alone here, with no one but the Dragon Lord and his men. What can I possibly do to defend myself?

My skin felt cold, but I could feel the heat radiating from him as he took another step closer. My breath catch in my chest.

"Well, you are here because I called you." There was an arrogance to his voice, and arrogance I had in royalty before.

But It was more than that. It was confidence. It was only arrogance if you couldn't back it up and the Dragon Lord had proven time and time that he couldn't back up his claim, his confidence.

"You're here because I need help with a little... the problem of mine." he said, letting the words linger...

I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up a hand. I fell silent.

"For now, it's none of your concern. You will get the details as they concern you. If necessary." He was still sizing me up and I was almost surprised that he wasn't circling me.

The way he looked at me was the same as a predator stalking prey, sizing it up. They were a hunger in his eyes, a sense of enjoyment. I wondered if he was having fun.

Then I decided that he was.

"How I'm I suppose to help you if I don't know your problem." I said.

I didn't know where the bravery came from, but I regretted it immediately. He needed me for something and that meant he wasn't going to kill me straight away. I shouldn't be trying to mess that up and get on his bad side.

He stopped and looked at me and for do moment, I felt sure that he was going to strike. The moment stretched out between us, endlessly and exhausting in its intensity.

If I run, will I make it?

I didn't need to know about his problem, I just needed to stay alive, for as long as I could. Wasn't that the best scenario here? If I made him angry, what will he do to me, my kingdom?

He narrowed his eyes.

"I said, you'll be told, if necessary." His voice didn't raise in volume. He didn't shout or roar or yell at me across the room.

Instead, his voice dropped. It got quiet. He got quiet. The silence in his voice gave way, just a little, and I had a glimpse of his brutal power beneath.

It was enough to shut me up right away.

"But as you are here, for the foreseeable future, we might also get the introduction out of the way."

He smiled, and I was once again, reminded of a predator, toying with a prey.

He has a beautiful smile, though.

Beautiful but false. He couldn't be trusted, and I knew that. I just had to keep remaining myself.

"I already know your name, Elena." He said, "but do you know mine?" He asked.

"No." I whispered, "No one does."

*

"Oh."He looked amused, "So what do they call me, then? In your kingdom."

I shivered. He was enjoying this far too much, "The Dragon Lord."

He smiled nodded in approval. "Right, as they should."

"As for you, call me Dracul."

Dracul. I had learned the Dragon Lord's name. It was regal, aristocratic, and powerful at the same time. It rolled off his tongue melody or a song.

I bit my tongue before I could say it too. I didn't want to grow too familiar with him. He was the enemy and I had no business being on first name terms with him. Instead, I pressed my lips together and nodded.

He chuckled, a low sound of amusement. "Now the introduction is over, I'll let you get settled in."

"Settled in?" I said.

The words keep leaving my mouth before I could stop them. I couldn't seem to hold my tongue and keep my sense in my brain. It was foolish and dangerous, but I wanted to know more.

I wanted to know what he was going to do to me. It didn't seem possible that the Dragon Lord will need my help.

And to threaten my kingdom and send for me? What type of problem could he even have that he will be needing my help? What problem was he facing that could call for such measures such as these?

"Yes, Zane will show you your room." He said.

Dracul looks like he has lost interest in me, like a cat that has batted around a mouse one too many times.

I shivered at the idea, the comparison feeling all too real right now. Because I was nothing but a mouse in the face of the Dragon's power.

I knew that and I was still standing here, still alive. I didn't know what to think, or what to expect.

I had thought that staying alive was the best ending to this story. But now I was starting to think that the best scenario would be putting an end to this uncertainty, this game.

He was toying with me. So, what happened when he truly grows bored?

"But what.. "

I didn't get a good chance to finish my sentence.

"Zane." The princess needs to be shown to her room." Dracul called out.

He turned away from me and I felt the uncertainty rise in me again. "Was this it."

Was I going to be spoken to and then dismissed? It was confusing and frightening and nothing like I had expected.

I didn't if I was lucky, or this was worse than my fears.

"Wait, I.."

The door behind me opened and I turned to see Zane. This time he didn't ask me to follow him. I didn't get the moment to finish my sentence. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me.

Dracul was out of sight before I could even realize what was going on.

I stumbled as he pulled me down the stairs, through the dimly lit hall for what looked like ages.

Then he dropped my wrist and opened one of the many huge doors that we had passed on our way through the castle.

I didn't get to ask any questions. I didn't even get a moment to catch my breath. Not really.

"There you go." Zane said

He grabbed my shoulder, and I felt the biting pain of his hand on my skin. He was rough, and I felt the ache deep into my bones.

He pushed me hard and I stumbled into the room. For a moment, I was utterly and completely consumed by darkness, the depth of which overwhelmed my sense.

I only had seconds to turn around, before I heard the slamming of the huge metal door.

The last trace of light disappeared, and I was sucked into the darkness?