Chapter 155: Episode 154: Drax brings a treasure.

Drax led her away from the bright art gallery.

He kept his large hand firmly wrapped around hers. He walked down the winding stone stairs with slow, measured steps. He made sure she kept her balance on the uneven blocks. He didn’t speak. He just offered a quiet, solid presence.

Rue felt the tight knot in her chest slowly untangle. Leaving the chatty merman behind felt like taking a deep breath of fresh air.

Zale was nice. His paintings were beautiful. But his words carried way too much weight. The heavy talk about saving a dying royal bloodline made her stomach churn in endless circles. She hated the pressure. She hated the expectations. She just wanted to be Rue.

They reached the bottom of the tall tower. Drax pulled her down a long, dark corridor. The windows here were narrow and high up on the stone walls. Only thin slices of sunlight cut through the gloom. The air felt much cooler down here. The sounds of the massive manor faded away, leaving only the soft thud of his heavy leather boots on the smooth floor.

He stopped in front of a thick oak door at the very end of the hall. He pushed the heavy iron handle down. The door swung open without a single creak. He pulled her inside and shut the wild world out.

Drax’s bedroom smelled like old paper and smoke.

It was a dark, quiet sanctuary. Thick velvet curtains covered the tall windows, blocking out the bright afternoon sun. A massive stone hearth dominated the far wall. A bright fire crackled in the grate, casting warm orange shadows across the floorboards. Tall wooden bookshelves lined every wall. They held hundreds of thick, leather-bound books and fragile parchment scrolls.

A giant bed sat right in the center of the room. It had dark gray sheets and thick fur blankets. It looked like the perfect place to hide. The room matched Drax perfectly. It felt old, powerful, and deeply private.

The door clicks shut.

Drax didn’t ask if she wanted to sit down. He didn’t offer her a cup of water or point out his favorite books. He turned around fast. He stepped right into her personal space. He pinned her against the heavy wooden door.

His hands found her face. His rough palms cupped her cheeks, tilting her head up. His dark eyes burned with a fierce, quiet heat. He didn’t hesitate for a single second.

He kisses her hard.

His mouth crashed down over hers. He acts like a modern Earth man right now, direct, heated, and taking charge without the feral beast growling. He didn’t bite her lip to show dominance. He didn’t let his dragon aura flare up to claim her scent. He just kissed her with deep, consuming passion.

It felt like a kiss stolen in a dark city alleyway back in her old life. It felt raw and hungry, but so wonderfully human. Back on Earth, men didn’t growl or flash glowing eyes when they wanted a woman. They just moved in and took what they wanted with their hands and lips. He slanted his mouth over hers, parting her lips easily. His tongue swept inside, tasting like warm tea and dark smoke.

Rue melts into him.

Her knees went weak. The solid oak door held her back up, but Drax held her soul steady. She brought her hands up. She rested her palms flat against his broad chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath his dark shirt. She slid her fingers up his strong neck and tangled them in his messy dark hair. She pulled him closer, kissing him back with everything she had.

The familiar, human-like passion makes her feel grounded and relaxed.

All the terrible anxiety from the art gallery washed away. The heavy imposter syndrome vanished. She wasn’t a magical prophecy right now. She wasn’t a rare prize meant to save an ancient family tree. She was just a regular woman kissing her boyfriend in his bedroom.

He made her feel normal. He saw the panic in her eyes upstairs, and he knew exactly how to fix it. He didn’t use magic. He just used his physical touch.

They don’t go all the way, but the make-out session is intense.

Drax slid his hands down her neck. He traced the curve of her shoulders through her wool dress. He gripped her waist, pulling her flush against his hips. The hard lines of his body pressed tight against her soft curves. The heat radiating off his skin soaked right through her clothes, making her skin flush.

Rue let out a soft, breathy sigh into his mouth. She arched her back, pressing her chest against his. She wanted the heavy weight of him to erase the rest of the day. She wanted to stay locked in this dark, quiet room forever.

Drax groaned low in his throat. The sound vibrated against her lips. He walked her backward a few inches until her back hit the door again with a soft thud. He caged her in with his arms, planting his hands flat against the wood on either side of her head. He leaned his full weight into her, kissing her deeper.

The fire popped in the hearth. The shadows danced across the ceiling. The only other sound in the room was their heavy, ragged breathing.

Rue let her hands drop to his shoulders. She gripped his dark shirt, bunching the fabric in her fists. She felt safe. She felt cherished. Drax always knew how to make the loud, scary world quiet down.

He pulled back just a fraction of an inch to catch his breath. He dragged his lips down her jawline. He pressed a hot, open-mouthed kiss right below her ear. He knew exactly where her skin was the most sensitive. A sharp shiver ran straight down her spine.

She tilted her head to the side, giving him more access. Her pink eyes fluttered shut. She felt a warm, heavy pull low in her stomach.

But Drax knew her limits. He knew her body was still healing from bringing Seika into the world just four weeks ago. He knew she needed rest more than she needed a wild night. He never pushed her past what she could handle.

He slowed down. He pressed one last, lingering kiss to the pulse point on her neck. Then, he brought his face back up to hers. He rubbed his nose gently against hers.

Drax pulls back, breathing heavy. "I could keep you in here all day, but Zale wants to show off the pond."