Free When Time Stops: Dragon Shifter Surprise Pregnancy Romance by Anya Nowlan

in his hands. He didn’t bother to push the door shut.
    One look at him was enough to tell Isobel that there was no way in hell that she’d be able to outrun him, and even less of a chance that she could overpower him.
    He was all muscle, strength and speed, in a package that was far too handsome for the threatening look he wore in his eyes. Tall, blond and blue-eyed, he looked like he walked off of a California Golden Coast photo shoot, his hair mussed by the wind. There was something inexplicably off about the way he looked and the way he carried himself that put Isobel immediately on edge.
    Not that the fact that he’s one of the pricks that abducted me is giving him any bonus points, Isobel thought grimly.
    “Here,” he said, thrusting the package into her hands. “Put this on. It should be your size. You will have another set of clothes tomorrow, along with other necessities.”
    “Why are you doing this?” Isobel asked, staring up at the man. “What the hell did I do to you guys?”
    It was the first smile she’d knowingly seen on a dragon – at least she assumed the man was a dragon – and it was scary as hell. She could almost see the swirl of fire behind his eyes and the slightly reptilian features hidden under a mask of humanity. The smile didn’t reach his eyes and while they burned so hot, they left Isobel completely frozen.
    “You didn’t do anything to us. And we are doing this for you. You need help.”
    “I don’t need help!” Isobel countered, flabbergasted. “What would give you that crazy idea?! I was sunbathing by the pool in my damn villa! What about that screams ‘help me!’ to you?”
    She was gripping the package too tightly against her chest, her fingers digging into it. It felt like she was this close to snapping, but that wouldn’t have exactly helped her case any. Reasoning with the unamused mountain of flesh in front of her seemed just as futile, but that at least seemed to have some possible margin of success.
    “Change. Tomorrow will be a long day,” he said, ignoring her question.
    He turned to leave, his hand on the door handle.
    “Wait! Will you at least tell me your name? And what happens tomorrow?”
    He glanced over his shoulder and Isobel wasn’t sure whether it was her somewhat desperate appearance at the moment or the fact that he actually cared to answer those questions, but he paused. Pursing his lips slightly, he considered her, letting his eyes run up and down along her body. The way he looked at her was oddly possessive, making Isobel take a step back.
    “I am Torren. And tomorrow is the day of the ball.”
    “The ball?”
    Isobel’s brow furrowed. She couldn’t have felt more confused if she tried.
    “The ball to begin the tournament, of course.”
    There was that smile again, vacant and uncaring. Anger boiled up inside of her again, practically foaming at the top.
    “What tournament?”
    “The tournament in which you will be the prize.”
    Torren didn’t linger any longer, taking one long step out of the room and pulling the door shut behind him. The lock clattered into place and Isobel never heard the footsteps that took Torren away from her cell, just like she hadn’t heart the ones that had brought him to the room. He was seamless, completely silent like a ghost.
    The prize? Isobel repeated in her mind. The prize for what? Why!?
    A moment later, she had dropped the package and she was back at the door, practically hissing out of it, screaming for Torren or anyone else that would hear her to come and give her some answers.
    It was not that surprising that no one came.

Isobel
    I wish I could be surprised by this, Isobel thought, being led into a large, opulent ballroom the next evening.
    Her voice was hoarse and her throat hurt from yelling and cursing for hours on end. It had paid off, as another dragon had come to her door eventually, but the only thing he’d done while giving her a hateful look was to shove the shutter of the hole that