50. Dreams

Dreams were meant to be blissful.

Hers were anything but blissful.

They were dark. Violent. Terrifying.

Danika relived the moments of running across the landscape of the compound, running towards the gate. Her mind pushed her forward, aware she needed to get out of there now, before others were alerted of her escape. All the while aware if any of them caught wind of her fleeing from the compound then he'd come for her. He, her dark capture, her passionate jailer. Her savage beast.

She didn't have a clue where these strange thoughts about him came from, but were nonetheless the truth. From the moment she'd first seen Shane in that mansion, she'd sensed the raging storm inside of him. The beast buried deep in the center of his soul, as there were times when he seemed more animal than man.

Only feet away from gaining the freedom she'd been desperate to find she was propelled backwards from the trees. Those eyes. Those beautiful, terrifying, magnificent glowing red eyes. Danika didn't know where they'd come from or who they belonged to, but the fear inside of her warned her away. Even while she wanted to reach out, to touch the one those eyes belonged to, she was repelled. Not out of disgust or distaste, never that, but rather fear. She was afraid of them. Afraid of what they could mean. Of the secrets buried inside the mysterious glow.

The image of those dazzling eyes was coming closer, near to the edge of the trees, almost able to make out a shadow. The shadow of her stalker. The owner of those magnificent orbs. Just when Danika felt like she'd finally received a hint of the identity, the scene around her suddenly changed. In the next moment she found herself teleported inside of a bedroom, stretched out across the large expanse of a bed. Eyes heavy from sleep tried to push themselves open, noises from the outside world beckoning her forward.

Still lost in dreams Danika watched as a man, Shane she realized, stalked across the silence of the room. Why? What was going on? What was he doing inside of her bedroom? Only for the first time realizing Shane was naked. Or close enough. He wore a bore of loose-fitting basketball shorts hanging low on lean hips, giving her the chance to ogle his build. And boy did she. Danika was almost salivating at the mouth at the sight of him, only for her to suddenly jerk back. Was that...blood? How had he gotten blood across his chest? Too tired to contemplate what these dreams could be trying to tell her, she stilled deeper into sleep.

She didn't stay under for long.

Sometime later -not quite certain how long it'd been- when Danika slowly came awake from a deep sleep. Dragged out of dreams by the sliver of light streaking across her face, the beckoning sun determined to wake her. She attempted to roll further away from the source of light, in the hopes of being able to fall back asleep. Only to pause, realizing she was already practically lying on the edge of the mattress as it was. Any further and she'd fall onto the floor.

Gods, where was it coming from?

She knew it couldn't be the windows the sun was coming from, as the windows were on the opposite side. Danika was grateful when entering her chambers to see the bay window was on the far side of the chambers. Granted there was the one window off to the side of the bed, but how it was positioned the sun couldn't disturb her. So if neither of the windows could reach where she slept in the bed, how on earth was it getting to her now? What was she missing?

Growing increasingly alarmed at this revelation, Danika shot straight up in bed, desperate to come source of understanding. Only for her to quake where she sat as she glanced around her surroundings, petrified of what was going on. Granted it was a bedroom she'd woken up inside of this morning, but instantly knew it didn't belong to her. At least not the one she'd grown accustomed to in the days since Danika was brought to this strange place.

Where was she?

How had she gotten there?

Who's room....?

Her frantic questions trailed off into stunned silence as her mind recalled the events of the previous night. Her memory instantly reminded her of what'd transpired the previous evening that led her to this point. Remembering her flight to safety was called to an abrupt halt by the annoyingly possessive brute. Danika was currently lying on the plush bed inside of Shane's personal chambers, where he'd brought when he'd brought in from the storm. The man hadn't even considered the option of returning her to her borrowed chambers, not quite finished with her.

After he'd finished expressing his frustration in the most delightful way, moving was the last thing on either of their minds. Danika vividly remembered collapsing on the bed, too exhausted to breathe so moving wasn't an option. It was the same for him too. She'd been waiting for him to transfer her to her bedroom chambers, but the action never came. Instead Shane barely rolled over on his side and dragging her to his chest, he'd promptly gone to sleep. Danika fell asleep in the enclosure of those strong arms, feeling protected and safe as she'd never experienced.

Slowly alighting from bed, a serene calmness washed over her, the same sense of security from last night. A sense only he seemed to afford her, a content that even she found herself still grappling to understand. Shaking off the thoughts as she came to her feet, Danika wrapped the sheet around her to cover her nudity. Tucking it toga style around her willowy frame, Danika stepped towards the doors of the balcony. Testing the door out she was pleasantly surprised Shane hadn't taken the time to lock it beforehand. Probably believing there was no threat of her using this as an avenue of escape, as it was quite a drop.

Electing since the man hadn't taken the time to lock the door, then apparently he wasn't bothered by it. Though silently she knew there was a very good chance he hadn't thought ahead to think of locking it. Taking advantage of the opportunity presented to her this morning, Danika slowly crept out the door. Showing no regard for standing outside in nothing but a sheet, she curled up on the chaise lounge. Sighing as she luxuriated in the cool breeze brushing her heated flesh, she stared off into the horizon.

Lying there on the chaise lounge, the sun shining down on her, Danika found her mind wondering. Despite her best attempts not to she found herself consumed by thoughts of everything that'd happened. Reliving the moments of the last forty-eight hours and all that'd taken place in her own life. And forced to recall all the changes that'd taken place, Danika wondered what she was going to do now.

No matter what'd happened between them last night Danika hadn't changed her mind on her plans. Determined she'd find a way to escape this dreadful place, knowing she couldn't stay there any longer. Though her need for escape had more to do with the one who was holding her there, then actual dangers. No mind the maddening arousal that surged inside of her anything she was near him, she couldn't stay. Shane was everything dark and dangerous inside of the world, warning her it was best to steer clear of him. Staying there would ascertain Danika would undoubtedly get pregnant by him and there was no way she'd leave her child in this place. Surrounded by all of these dangerous people, who'd show no concern for the baby raised among them.

Stepping back inside before he happened to come into the room, as if almost afraid he'd lock the door if he saw her outside. Securely shutting the door at the thought of that very thing happening, she heard the sound of running water. Realizing he must've come back inside at some point, Danika turned around as the door opened. Fully prepared to give him some lame explanation of why she was at the door, as she knew he'd ask. Only all thoughts fell from her mind as she saw Shane standing there in the doorway, a towel tucked around his waist.

Lust, fierce and strong, surged up inside of her at the memory of what the towel hid from her view. Only to be magnified by a hundredfold as she remembered all the delightful things he'd done to her. Her tongue flicked across her lips, unable to forget how her tongue had licked those delicious muscles. The memory of her hands running along the expanse of those rippling muscles, how her nails had dug along his back. As well as the all-consuming pleasure as she'd felt those teeth and talented tongue discover every inch of her body.

He chuckled hoarsely. "Hungry already?"

Ducking her head to keep him from being able to look in her eyes, she adamantly refused to give him an answer. Fully aware she had no proper explanation for the desires that rose up inside of her, as it always did whenever he was around. Danika didn't understand how this man could have such a devastating effect on her mind, her body. It failed to matter how much she despised him or the cruel things he did to her. Anytime Shane was near lust surged up inside of her, prepared to do whatever she could to have him climb between her things.

Sauntering across the bedroom when she failed to offer him an answer, Shane stalked right where she stood. Coming to stand in front of her Danika couldn't help the sudden thundering of her heart and raspy breathing. Biting her bottom lip she tried to hold in the moan threatening to surface, pleasured by his mere presence. It took everything inside of her to keep from allowing the sheet to fall from her grasp, to allow him to take what he wanted. Her body.

Shane leaned forward to her, their noses less than an inch apart, and had no doubt he'd swoop her into his arms. Only at the last minute, his hand reached out to the door behind her, firmly shutting it closed. "Don't go outside during the day."

She swooned at his nearness. "Oh...okay."

"Stop doing that?" he growled low in his throat, spinning away from the woman a tight expression was stretched across his face.

Her eyes widened. "Stop doing what?"

"I can smell you, Danika," Shane confessed from inside the closet, having gone to retrieve the clothes he'd wear for the day. He came out a couple minutes later dressed in a pair of pants and shirt, his eyes narrowed on her. "I can smell your arousal, your heat, your need to fuck."

Danika shifted uneasily. "Sorry."

Stalking back to where she stood rooted in front of the balcony door, a hand came up to brush a tendril of hair out of her eyes. A broad grin broke across his face. "No need to be sorry, something has awoken inside of you and it will only grow worse if you fight it. Don't. But the fact remains you need to rest, time to recuperate. I've done quite a number on you and you need time to heal."

An almost angry growl came from her.

Shane's head snapped back as if surprised by the noise himself, but soon the same emotionless expression returned. "Maybe tonight."