Ascend by Ophelia Bell Page A

was somehow so irrationally afraid of. He stepped a few more paces into the room, keeping his eyes on her. She seemed so placid, sitting there, just watching him come to her. Halfway into the room he stopped, deciding that was far enough. If she wanted him, she’d have to meet him the rest of the way.
    Now that he was closer he could see her very clearly. His uncertainty replaced by cautious interest in the lovely figure. She was a petite young woman with skin so fair it glowed and thick black curls that fell past her breasts. She had the same Asian features as Kris, though much more lovely and feminine compared to the guide’s. Of course, Corey reminded himself, she was Kris’s sister. Her bright green eyes watched him take her in. He only made a cursory glance of her body, quickly shifting his eyes back up when he realized she was stark naked.
    Of course she’s naked, dummy. This is like the dragon nudist colony. Though he supposed dragons might not normally wear clothes when they were being…well… dragons .
    She frowned and finally spoke. “Do you not find me pleasing to look upon, human?” Her voice sounded light and smooth, and carried easily across the expanse of the room to his ears.
    Corey cleared his throat. “Oh, trust me, I find you spectacular.”
    “Then why won’t you come to me?”
    Corey stood blinking at her. She sounded genuinely confused by his hesitation, but not in the way he’d have expected someone with the title of “Queen” to sound. She cocked her head in an endearing way, waiting for him to respond.
    “I’m not sure what you expect so I’m just being cautious, if that’s alright. I’m not in the habit of just jumping into bed with a pretty girl the first time we meet, I don’t care how kinky you normally get with your lovers.”
    “What can I do to appease your reservations?”
    Corey took a deep, calming breath through his nose and rubbed the back of his neck. Eyebrows raised slightly, he said, “Well, you could start by telling me your name. Then maybe we just talk a little?”
    “My name is Racha. And you are Corey. My brother told me of you before you arrived at my door.”
    “Oh? What did good old Kris have to say?”
    “That you are not like the other humans, but I think you are.”
    “And what makes you think that?”
    “You’re here, and you want me.”
    Now there was the Queen he’d expected. Her assertion irritated him, which he hated because she wasn’t lying. Except it was a hollow want he felt, not the deep abiding need he’d seen in the others’ eyes, particularly Kris’s just before he’d made love to Issa for the first time.
    “Maybe I just don’t want you enough,” he said.
    Racha grew thoughtful. Her gaze slid over his body and paused at his hips before moving back to his eyes.
    “Prove you don’t. Take off your clothes.”
    Heat rushed to Corey’s face at the command. The hell he’d strip naked. Well, he might have just to prove the point, except being naked in front of her would only prove the opposite.
    “I have a better idea. Why don’t you put something on and we can talk about this like two sane people who…I dunno…actually get to know each other before fucking.”

Chapter Two
    R acha was fascinated by the human’s reluctance to bed her. All the others had participated so enthusiastically. She was brimming with the power the others had fed to her and could taste how willingly the humans had given of themselves. All except for this one. That he’d resisted participating thus far either meant he was physically incapable or he had some other aversion to the act. And the evidence of his body’s willingness was as plain as day.
    Tired of the vast distance still between them, she gave in and left the comfort of her bed. She’d slept there long enough already. Perhaps it was the bed itself he had a dislike for?
    As she approached him, a bright flush rose up his neck and into his cheeks. He kept his eyes averted, first to the floor,