“Are you going to catch me or what?” My mind blanks, only her words linger. My mate wants to play.

Who am I to deny her?

CHAPTER THREE

Zhuliya

I have no idea what I'm doing.

At first, I thought it was all just a dream. There's no way Ilian Yaniqu is at my hotel door. I'm asleep, living out one of the most lucid fantasies I've ever had.

And if that’s the case…I'm going to enjoy myself.

"Run!" he growls, sending a chill down my spine so real that I feel it.

Still, I can’t help but bait him. “Ok, try and catch me.”

If Ilian thinks I'm easy prey, he's mistaken.

Sprinting to the connecting doors, I throw them open and dash into the adjoining room. It’s twice the size of the master bedroom, which is already larger than the apartment I share with Sakura.

Along the far side of the wall are built-in bookshelves and a grand piano. I run behind it, hiding like in all my fantasies while Ilian chases after me.

But tonight, I’m not going to give in as quickly as I usually do—I'm going to make him work for this.

The monstrous man skirts around the room, almost to the piano, but as he closes in, I crawl out and sprint away.

I cut through the center of the room, bouncing on the couches with wild abandon. Pillows go flying, and I end up exactly where Ilian was seconds before.

The look of consternation on his face is comical, even though all of this is imaginary. The man can't believe I somehow bested him.

Another snarl echoes through the room as Ilian takes off, bounding through the middle just as I had, but when he jumps on the couch, it collapses with a giant crash.

The sound explodes into my brain, ringing in my ears until I realize this might not be a dream…

Ilian and I stare at one another for a small eternity until there’s a knock on the door. He opens it, turning away from me and speaking lowly to someone on the other side as I try to figure out what’s real and what isn’t.

Still uncertain, I make my way back to the center of the room where I pick up a velvety red pillow, an idea slashing through my discombobulated thoughts.

Sneaking behind the hulking giant, I wait until Ilian shuts the door. Then, I rear back with all my might, slamming the fluffy piece of decor onto his horned head all while taunting him.

“Are you going to catch me or what?”

He whips around with inhuman speed, staring at me in shock before a feral smile takes over his face.

"So you wanna play?"

A thrill runs through me as I make up my mind—definitely a dream.

I toss the pillow aside, walking backward until I’m in the bedroom, knowing there’s nowhere for me to run—as much as I enjoy the chase, my favorite part is when Ilian captures me.

He stalks toward me slowly, a predator with its prey in its sights. Between my legs, my pussy throbs, demanding I end the game so he could give us both what we want.

Once more, my knees brush the bed, and I fall, barely catching myself on my elbows as I hold my breath.

When Ilian is mere inches from me, he sinks gracefully to his knees. Even then, his horned head rises above me.

"What do you want?" he asks, his gaze wild but his touch gentle as he traces a claw along my naked thighs.

"You."

It’s a simple answer, but it’s the truth. Ilian groans, pushing me back onto the bed before spreading my legs wider.

I know this perfect moment could never be real because Ilian Yaniqu would never let my back touch the bed after a tattoo.

The hard bone of his face is warm to the touch as he nuzzles between my thighs. I hear him inhale deeply, a purring sound coming from his chest before his tongue flicks out.

Even without seeing it, I know it’s extraordinarily long. It rasps over my pussy with a finesse that only exists in dreams, and my eyes roll back in my head.

Ilian coils that clever tongue around my clit, pulsing there with expertise before dipping back inside to taste me.

Instinctively, I clamp my legs together and reach forward to pull him closer. My hands find purchase around his horns.

They’re like smooth handlebars, and I grip them to jerk him forward. Ilian grunts as I thrust his tongue deeper inside of me.

"Be still, my mate."

His growl is a whispered command against my core, but since this is a dream, I do as he says.

My mind stumbles a bit when Ilian swirls his tongue just right, and I stop worrying that I’m becoming too attached to a fantasy.

Right now, there’s nothing but him, me, and this moment.

He snarls as he fucks me harder with his tongue, curling it in a way so that part just outside of me curves upward to hit my clit at the same time.

The way he rolls it sends pleasure coursing through my veins, and I thrash my head from side to side.

“Please, I’m so close.”

To my eternal relief, Ilian doesn’t stop. His tongue works faster, his claws digging into my thighs with the perfect pinch of pain to tip me over the edge.

I arch my back as ripples of ecstasy radiate from my pussy, my clit throbbing with every luxurious pulse.

Instead of gently helping me ride out the waves, Ilian hums, the sound vibrating his tongue both inside and outside of me.

Whether it’s an echo of his contentment or his intent, I’m not sure. Either way, I squirm at the motion, my sensitive clit twinging at the overstimulation.