Touch of Flame

Ravina went back to her room feeling a bit disorientated as if the body she was in wasn't hers anymore. She never blushed. Never! And now these latest few days she had only been blushing.

She could understand why with Ares, but now even with the dragon? With her enemy? Something was wrong with her. She couldn't blush the same way with a man she actually felt drawn to and another she detested.

She sat on her bed with a sigh and stared ahead at the window. She could still feel the heat of his body on her palm and why was he suddenly talking to her with that calm rich voice, that reminded her of early mornings with coffee near the fireplace? She loved that but hated him.

Still feeling hot, she went and opened the window. Sticking her head out she let the cool wind blow on her face when she took notice of Ares. He was seated on a bench, first watching the combat between the soldiers but eventually he leaned back and closed his eyes, basking in the warm sunlight.

She spent a moment watching him, allowing her gaze to follow the lines of his face that softened when he was relaxed. He was beautiful.

Oh no! What was she doing? She quickly stepped back and shoved the window close as if she had seen a ghost.

Alright. She took a deep breath. Of course, she was like this. She had been slacking and needed to get back to work. She hurried down to the inventory and pulled out all of her projects. Except for the one about the prisoner. To hell with him for now. She didn't want him in her mind.

Sitting down at the table, she continued with her sketches but she had zero focus. She ended up scribbling while her mind skipped back and forth between the prisoner and Ares. At least if she had normal thoughts about them she wouldn't mind but… she kept thinking of Ares's kiss, of the prisoner's body, of the touch and voice and words and gaze.

"Ravina!" Bram stood at the door looking horrifies. "What have you done?" She followed his gaze and realized she had cut herself again with the pen and she bled over the paper. "Hold it. Let me bring a bandage." He rushed away.

Ravina put her hand over the wound and sighed. It was just a bad habit that she had.

Bram came back with bandages while shaking his head. "You need to find a way to handle your distress." He sat as he came to sit beside her.

He wiped the blood away and bandages her hand. "What is causing you distress this time?" He asked.

"Nothing." She lied.

"No. It is not nothing."

She watched Bram closely as he remained focused on bandaging her hand. As much as she liked him, she couldn't tell him what was truly going on. He wouldn't understand. Even she didn't.

"Perhaps you should stop seeing this prisoner. He doesn't know about your sister. He is only messing with your mind."

She couldn't stop now. The possibilities of achievements if she turned out to be his breedmate were too tempting. She would be filled with pleasure, even if she could only use it to anger him.

The rest of the morning she spent in the inventory, forcing herself to work until she somehow fell asleep, her head resting in her arms on the table. The uncomfortable position didn't allow her to sleep for too long and when she woke up she found Ares sitting across from her.

She blinked a few times to fully wake up. "Ares. What are you doing here?"

He watched her with a smile. "I was looking for you and found you here."

"You could have woke me up."

"I wanted to but… you looked different when sleeping." He said.

"How?"

"You looked peaceful." He pointed.

Right. Because she wasn't peaceful.

"I just thought that is how I am going to find you every morning in the near future." He added calmly.

Her heart skipped. Why was he talking about their future?

Why would he not? They would get married. She would share a bed with him.

She would…

She discarded the thoughts quickly, not wanting to think of all her wifely duties. A life with a husband and children. What a nightmare.

She looked ahead at Ares. He didn't look like a nightmare at all.

Angry with herself for the way she was feeling, she began to pack up everything, putting them back in their drawers and shelves.

It was all his fault. He disrupted her peace. She turned to him, "I'll be retreating for the day. I am tired." She said.

He nodded. "You seem to need the sleep."

"Yes."

"Is something bothering you?"

She remembered the erotic dream she had and her cheeks burned. "No."

"I will walk you to your room." He said standing up.

"No need." She spoke.

"I am on my way to my room anyway."

She fought the urge to sigh. She really couldn't get rid of him.

As he walked her back to her room, she remembered what he said, "Why were you looking for me?" She asked.

"I was wondering how you spend your days and how you were doing. I think I know now." He said pointing at her bandaged hand.

"Oh," She looked at her hands. "I cut myself while working."

He took her other hand in his. "And what happened with this one?" He asked.

Her hand looked small and fragile in his. This hand grabbing made her nervous because from what she knew, it led to something else.

She withdrew her hand carefully. "I have a few bad habits." She admitted.

"A few?" He raised a brow. "Not sleeping, not eating, overworking, not smiling or enjoying life, I would say it is more than a few bad habits."

"How unlucky you are then to marry such a lady."

He chuckled. "I told you. I like a challenge. I will make you eat well, sleep well, smile, and enjoy yourself."

She stiffened. Any woman would probably like that but she didn't. Make her smile? Enjoy herself? He wanted to ruin her focus? No!

Ravina wanted to accept his challenge but she knew that would only make him more determined so she did the opposite. "I do smile with certain people and I do enjoy myself."

"What do you enjoy?" He asked. "I mean besides your research and inventions."

She tried to think of a few things quickly. "I like reading and horseriding and…" her mind froze.

"And?"

They arrived in front of her chambers and came to a halt. "I don't like wasting my time, Ares."

He looked at her long and hard. "Neither do I but it depends on what you perceive as waste. You can work hard and still enjoy life."

"I don't." She said quickly feeling irked. "I don't enjoy life nor do I want to."

His green eyes searched hers. "You can't know unless you try." He said, tracing the side of her face gently with a finger.

Ravina held her breath feeling as if he was suggesting something else. Try what?

"Have sweet dreams." He smiled.

He gave her a curt nod and walked away leaving her confused.

Sweet dreams?