The Draglen Brothers - DRAKEN (BK 1) (20 page)

“I’m sorry, Dad, just been thinking a
lot.” I look up, giving him my “sorry” face.

“Okay, I understand. Draken said you
guys have been discussing big issues between you two.”

“WHAT!” I yell. My mother nods her
head in approval and smiles very sweetly at me. What the hell? When
did this happen? “I mean, Dad, when did you talk with
Draken?”

“This morning, Princess, and I’ve
already said yes.”

“Yes to what?” I’m in shock right now,
I can’t believe this is turning out this way. How did he talk with
my father and not me? Well, I did say I wanted to be alone, but
still.

“Darling, I think your father is
trying to say, Draken asked for your hand in marriage and we both
said yes. I’m so happy for you, I can’t believe my daughter is
marrying Draken Draglen, I couldn’t have picked better,” my mother
says, gleefully. I can’t believe this, he asked my parents if he
could marry me and did not ask me. This keeps getting better. I bet
he didn’t tell them he is a dragon and he wants me in another land
I’ve never heard of, or the fact I could never see them
again.

“I’m speechless, well, I need a glass
of wine,” I say.

“Yes, let’s have a toast to my two
wonderful kids and to your engagement.” my father signals the
waiter.

“Wait, I’ve not been asked for
marriage, and who said I would say yes?” I say, frowning at my
father and mother. D keeps eating, a smirk on his face. Shit, he
knew, too. Everyone has secrets from me. I can’t believe this is
happening.

“Of course you will say yes, Princess,
why would you say no?” my mother says, frowning slightly. “Besides,
I’ve already reserved the country club for a few Saturdays, you can
choose which one, of course,” she smiles again. Well, fuck me. They
all seem to think this is okay, just to give me away. My mother
thinks he is a dream come true. Well, he is a dream come true. He
loves me so gently. He talks with me, getting to know me, and he
loves me. Why would he talk with my father and not me,
though?

“D, you are pretty quiet. What do you
think about your sister getting married?” my father asks. D finally
looks up and stares me right in the eye.

“I think Cess should be happy, and if
he makes her happy, I’m happy.” D says. “Cess and I’ve already
talked. She knows what I think, and she knows we will always be
twins, and no distance will ever separate us,” My eyes water again.
D’s opinion is so important to me. I can’t bear to think of never
being able to see his handsome face again, eating my food and
making fun of me. I love the bond he and I share.

“Princess, I would not say yes if I
didn’t think Draken was a good catch. I love you, and you two have
been inseparable for the last few months. I thought naturally you
would want to. I mean, Draken is a little older, but not by much.
You had to know he would want a wife,” my father says, while we all
get a refill.

“Well, I thought I would have been
asked first.”

“Nonsense, Draken knows tradition.
It’s respectable to ask the father before asking the daughter. What
if he asked you and I said no, then he’d be up shit creek.” He
holds up his glass. “Now, lets have a toast.” I hesitantly hold my
glass as my father begins his toast. I start to think of my time
with Draken, being in the kitchen cooking with him, dancing
together, walking around in the park. Laughing at Showken’s lame
jokes was always a part of all our time together. Then, my mind
drifts to all our sexual times together, and how he ran bath water
for me, carrying me to the tub to soak and relax, such awesome
times. I finally hear my father say, “To my Princess and her future
husband.” We touch glasses and I sip my wine, feeling the need to
run away to think. Could I leave and go be with Draken? Is it even
possible to be with him? I’m not sure, I just can’t wait to get
home. There is more talking to my mother about the wedding, and my
father talking to D about his position at the company. I sit in a
daze. I can’t wait to get home. Finally, my father is done, and we
go to the car where my father’s driver, Jimmy, is waiting for us.
We climb in and head for home. When we turn onto our street, and I
see Draken’s house come into view, my heart beats a little faster
and my hands become hot. I miss him. Draken is my heart, I love him
so.

When we all get inside I walk to my
room, where I have been kind of hoping I would see him waiting for
me, as he often does. Now, I know he could get in easily because he
has powers that allow him in without being seen. I get out of my
dress and head for the shower, and then I smell him.

“Draken?” I look around and don’t see
anyone, yet I know he is here. “Draken, just come out and talk with
me,” I say out loud. Still there’s no response. “This is not funny,
I’m saying I will talk with you, I mean you have talked with my
parents, asked for my hand in marriage and never asked me.” I look
around my room, under my bed, in the closet and still no response.
“Answer me, damn it. I don’t have time for you and your dragon
tricks.” That’s when I hear a growl. Shit, he must be sensitive
about the dragon thing.

“Okay, sorry about that, but no need
to growl at me, Draken, you don’t have to hide.” I wait a few more
minutes. I go into the bathroom and start my shower. As the steam
fogs the mirror, I see on it, “Princess, I love you, Draken.” Oh
shit, he is here, or was.

“I love you, too, Draken, but love is
not our problem, and you know this,” I say out loud, hoping he can
hear me. I take my shower, and put on a nightshirt. I climb into
bed, hoping to get a visit from Draken, but nothing. I cry all
night. He is not letting me think and make the decision, he has
already asked for my hand. I mean, he is still that ass I met on
the first day. I still can’t believe he walked me off the property,
now he is begging me to be with him. I will go to his house first
thing in the morning and demand that one of his brothers go get
him. For one, so I can prove Showken is a liar, and two, so I can
chew him out about this entire situation. The morning is not going
to come fast enough.

***

Finally the house is empty. I put on
my clothes and head to Draken’s house. It feels like it was just
yesterday. I wanted to see who was moving in. If I had listened to
D, I would not be in a situation where I have to choose. Then, I
would never have met Draken, and though he is an ass, and has got
me into a hell of a predicament, I still love him. I make it to the
door and start ringing the doorbell. I know someone is here. I wait
and no one shows; I try the door, and it opens. I go in, yelling
out Draken’s name. There are boxes everywhere. I guess they’re
leaving with Draken.

“Draken, we need to talk,” I yell,
heading for his room. I know he hears me, I hear a growl and it
frightens me. Shit, maybe this was a bad idea. I move faster, I
will feel safer in Draken’s room. I’m too far into the house to
make a run for the door. I close the door when I get into his room,
and call his name again. “Draken!” I yell. “I think one of your
brothers is trying to scare me, or should I say has scared me,
please Draken, I’m scared!” I hear the growl, and it’s his growl.
It’s loud, like he is giving a command. “Thanks Draken, I know that
was you, you told them not to scare me, didn’t you?” I see his bed
and my body heats up, remembering all our lovemaking in this bed,
the floor, his chair, against the wall, yes, that was really fun. I
sit on his bed, lie back and began to cry. “Draken, why won’t you
answer me? I know I said I can’t leave my family, but I don’t hate
you.” The door opens.

“Draken?”

“No, Showken. Are you here to be with
my brother?”

“Showken, was that you growling at me,
you scared me. I want to talk with Draken.”

“Yes, it was me, Cess, sorry about
that. I’m just pissed, but my brother corrected me. You can only
see Draken if you accept-”

“Don’t scare me again, and accept
what?”

“Cess, stop playing dumb, the lifetime
with Draken. Coming to my land is what I want to hear. Will you
save Draken, or will you be a coward and let my brother die for
you?” Showken says, unsmiling. He’s serious.

“I want to speak with Draken, right
now!”

“Okay, then you have to come to my
land, that’s the only way,” he snaps. “I so want to hate you, but
Draken made me promise, but if he dies, then so will
you.”

“What are you talking about? You’re
still talking about Draken dying? Showken, stop saying
that!”

“It’s true, he has already killed
Ravla, because he feels she was the cause of your not wanting him,
and he waits for his own death. I refuse to be a part of it, so my
father has taken my place. I’m here to settle our business affairs.
We will never return to this land again.” He stares at me, and his
eyes turn really green. I see that he is telling the truth. What
have I done? I will do it, I will go. I can’t let him
die.

“Showken, take me to Draken, right
now,” I say, shaking. I’m not even dressed for this. Shit. I should
have worn something other than shorts and a shirt.

“You serious?”

“Yes, let’s go before I change my
mind. You better be telling the truth, or I’m going to kick your
dragon ass and still find a way home. I’m not saying I will be with
Draken, I just don’t want him doing anything for me.” Showken picks
me up and starts swinging me around. I hear the growl and so does
he. He puts me down fast.

“Sorry,” he says, pulling out a round
case about the size of a powder compact. He pulls me close and
says, “hold on.” It’s like something out a movie, we are moving
faster than anything. I’m screaming the entire time, knowing this
was a bad idea. I can hear Draken’s growl getting louder. Showken’s
face is turning green. Shit, it’s his dragon. We finally make it,
and I need to vomit. We end up outside some sort of huge stadium. I
lean over and puke my guts out.

“Cess, come on, the ceremony is
starting.” Showken pulls me in through a door and it’s beautiful,
the walls shine with jewels of all different colors. I can hear a
man talking, and his voice is commanding and scary. Showken
continues to pull me along, and we enter the stadium. Draken is
tied to a huge pole that looks like it’s going to touch the sky,
and he is in full dragon. That’s why he can’t talk, he is in dragon
form. There are dragons around him in all colors, even one that
looks crystal clear. Holy shit, he is going to die.

“Showken, what is
happening?”

“I told you, they are going to burn
him all at once, that is the only way.”

“No, they won’t!” I lose my mind,
these things are like huge over me, I’m surrounded by dinosaurs.
Showken is right with me. I begin yelling for everyone to stop, but
that is when the fire starts to come from the dragons surrounding
him. Oh no, I’m too late.

“
DRAAAKEN!!” She’s here! I
gather my strength and start firing back, but I’m weak. I’m not
going to make it. When I see my brother, Showken, who would not
stand, I’m pleased. He changes into a dragon, and starts hitting my
other brothers with fire. Princess is screaming and crying. I need
to go to her. I roar loudly. Showken is fighting with them, and my
father stops burning me. I break free, the chains falling to the
ground. I’m badly hurt. She does love me. I knew she loved me. My
dragon is so weak. I can’t protect her. Showken will do it, I see
him standing in front of her.

“You killed him, you killed him,
please Draken, don’t die, I love you, I love you!”

Showken stands there protecting her
from the others, humans are not allowed in this arena. Please,
Showken, protect my wella, keep her safe. Showken roars, causing
some of my brothers to take a step back. Everyone thinks Showken is
all smiles, but when he is dragon, he is all beast, and very deadly
if he has to be.

“Showken, I need to get to Draken.
Please, I need you to help me, don’t let them harm me!” I see my
mother coming towards Princess; she helps her from the ground. I
feel Princess’ hesitation.

“You are the one, the human who has my
son’s heart, no harm will come to you. I will make sure. Come, I’ll
take you to the center so you can see your prince.”

“Okay.” Princess shakes as she walks
past the others, who snarl as she passes them. My mother corrects
them.

“Do not dishonor me, children, my
son’s wella has come!” she says firmly, smiling at Princess. I
growl as I smell her fear of this place. I will make her feel
comfortable as soon as I get my strength. She comes close and
begins to cry. I hate her crying.

“I love you, Draken. Please live,” she
says. I will live, Princess, I will, I say in my head.

“He says he will,” my mother says,
nudging her closer to me.

“He is hurt so bad, will he live?”
Princess asks.

“You ask too many questions, go to
your prince and reassure him,” my mother says, pushing her forward.
Each step she takes makes me happy my Princess came. She comes to
me and begins rubbing my head.

“Draken, you are hurt so bad and you
can’t talk right now. I love you, Draken, and I’m so angry you
would die on me like this. When you heal I’m going to kill you.”
She leans over, lays her hands on my huge neck and cries harder. I
whimper in pain and joy, for I have my Princess. She is amazing,
risking her life for me. I open my eyes, turning my beast head to
see her. She looks at me with a smile that heals my heart
instantly. I feel her hands exploring my dragon.