Free Embrace Me At Dawn by Shayla Black Page A

clamping her pinned arm to her waist—where she could never touch him.
    She stomped the ground, looking for his feet, finding only the hardwood floor. Frustration and anxiety played with her head, and she stomped faster, frantically seeking to defend herself.
    “ You’re panicking. Focus. Think,” he snarled in her ear.
    Anka had no idea what to do next to fight him off, and she supposed that he had proved his point. She hadn’t yet mastered self-defense. But she couldn’t quit and show him that she didn’t have any business fighting. She had to work herself free.
    Ceasing the pointless stomping of her foot, she shifted her weight and kicked back, right into Lucan’s shin.
    “ Shit!”
    Triumph swelled at his curse. But he didn’t let go. The short-lived victory died. She couldn’t ram the elbow he’d pinned down into his stomach, so she fought dirty, digging her fingernails into his thigh.
    He hissed, then let go of her waist to grab her arm in a viselike grip. With her torso free, she reared back, using her whole body, hoping to catch him off guard and knock him onto his arse. He merely tightened his grip in her hair and pulled harder, sending a flash of pain across her scalp. Her eyes watered. With that one tug, he immobilized her body.
    No. Bloody hell, no . She wasn’t going to roll over and play dead. She was taking the word “quit” out of her vocabulary starting now, right along with “defeat.” Mathias had hurt her more deeply than she’d known it possible to survive, but now that she had, she’d be damned if she let herself be defeated.
    Anka had no doubt that her next and only move was going to hurt. But she’d rather take the physical pain than the dent to her pride.
    She lunged forward with all her might, trying to wrest herself from his grip. Instead of letting go, that stubborn bastard Lucan released her hair and wrapped both arms around her waist. As they tumbled down, a moment of pure accomplishment roared through her. She’d brought him to the ground! That was a victory in itself. Now she could fight, tooth and nail. Scratch and claw and battle until he knew she was serious about beating back the Anarki and killing Mathias.
    Before they landed, he jerked, twisting his body until he cushioned her fall. The impact still hurt. As he grunted in pain, her shoulder rammed into his unforgiving chest. Her head bounced against his hard shoulder.
    As she tried to roll away and continue the fight, he tightened his hold on her and murmured, “Are you hurt?”
    She paused, taking mental inventory. “Just shaken.”
    Before she could draw in another breath, Lucan rolled them over, positioning her on her back. He slid between her legs, and he used his thighs to part hers wider, settling his hips in the cradle of hers. He was as hard as she’d ever felt him. Fire and need sizzled through her.
    “ What the fuck were you thinking?” he barked, breathing hard.
    “ Of breaking your hold. Fighting back.”
    But all she could feel now was his body against hers, hard in all the right places, sliding across her skin. Everything inside her lit up. Yearning bubbled in her veins.
    “ Instead of being upright with some mobility to keep fighting, you’re under me, pinned, gravity working against you. Regret that decision?”
    Yes. No . She closed her eyes, no longer interested in fighting him. God, she’d never imagined being this close to Lucan again. Pain mixed with longing until it became a terrible ache in her chest. She had to gather every bit of her control not to lift her hips to him and pretend the last three months had never happened, especially when he pressed his erection right against her moistening, softening folds. He wanted her, too—or at least his body did. She bit her lip to hold in a moan.
    “ How will you get free now?” His voice had dropped to the rough murmur she knew he only used when aroused.
    The longing in her chest spread crushing fingers through her.
    “ I-I…don’t