“And all of the dragons do this?”
“No.” He stood in front of her rubbing at his arms. “Each species has its own ideas of how to do things. The Inero take the virgin women of the country who haven’t found a human mate and take them for their own. Often, one of their kind will have many different wives. If ever there was a group that treated women as a breeding tool, it would be them. They’re going for quantity amongst their people. The Terran on the other hand go very slow and court like most humans do. The Aero have arranged marriages.” He shrugged.
Tai stared at him, not sure what to say. He couldn’t blame her. It was even more information for her to absorb in such a short period of time. He didn’t want to overwhelm her. The last thing she needed was a mental breakdown.
“Loved from far away...” She said quietly.
“What?” Darien asked, startled by those words. That was the last thing he was expecting her to say. He had expected her to get mad and say something witty to him again.
“Nothing,” Tai said.
“Sure are thinking a lot for nothing,” he mumbled. So many different thoughts were pouring into his mind and they were all coming in so quickly, he couldn’t even decipher what they were. It was giving him a headache.
“What was that?”
“Nothing,” he said quickly. “We can talk more later. How about I let you chew on all of this for a while, and I’ll be back later. Dinner? Tonight? I’d say earlier, but my dad is pulling me aside for something, and I don’t know how long it’s going to take. We can talk after that? Anyway, I encourage you to go out and get some breakfast, or lunch, as long as you eat something. You can meet everyone.”
Great, more strangers. All she did was sigh.
Darien bit his lip. “I’d introduce you formally, but I…it’s just a lot of inconvenient timing. Everyone’s nice.” Except Ashley, please don’t talk to her.
“Who’s that?”
“Oh, uh.” He shifted awkwardly. “One of the ladies here. She’s kind of cranky with everyone.” He gave her a weak smile. “But maybe she’ll be nice to you.”
“Right,” Tai said softly. “Go take your shower or whatever. Don’t worry, I won’t be in here when you get back so you can prance around all you want in your room.”
Darien opened his mouth wanting to explain he hadn’t meant what he said earlier; at least not in the way it had come across, but instead held it in as well as held back any thoughts while he entered the bathroom. He tried to sing, to talk his thoughts out to himself, all while he paced back and forth on the tiled floor.
“She just needs to calm down and then she’ll understand,” he whispered. “Why is she being so mean to me? I knew she had a temper, but I didn’t think she’d be so unreasonable.” Once the water was warm enough for him to go into the shower, he couldn’t hold it back anymore. His mind flooded with thoughts and frustrations and fears as he tried to figure out how he was ever going to make this work. It’s only one day. It’s only one day of forever. It’ll be okay. She’ll love me.
Chapter Eight
He was thinking something. She got blips of his thoughts into her mind, but they were coming in like a walkie-talkie with a low battery, full of static and unclear.
Are you hearing me the same way I’m hearing you? There was no response. “Fine, ignore me.” She walked through the hall of what he called her new home and tried to take it all in. It was a beautiful building. It had a nice homey feel to it while still retaining its modern aspects. It was so large. The one floor was the size of her entire house growing up. No, she thought as she rounded the corner to see another endless hallway, it’s bigger.
Upon entering the kitchen, she saw two other young women who didn’t look much older than her. One was obviously in her early twenties, while the other could have passed for being either a teenager or an adult. Both of them noticed her as she came in.
“Hi, you must be Tai,” The elder one said with a bright smile. She had gorgeous long brown hair that flowed past her shoulders. She was classy and regal in appearance and poise. Her skirt and blue blouse didn’t have a crease, and her hair was pulled back with a matching ribbon. She stood tall and confident, like she owned the room. “My name is Katelyn. It’s so good to finally meet you! Are you hungry? I’m making some pancakes.”
Her stomach rumbled quietly, but Tai wasn’t sure if she had an appetite. “Maybe one,” she said nervously. While Tai was confident that these women wouldn’t do anything to hurt her, she didn’t do well with strangers.
“It’s a lot, I know.” Katelyn said. “We’ve all been in this position before. They don’t mean any harm. You’ll be surprised to find you are so deeply cherished by him. Honestly, he’s been gushing about you for years.”
Years? Tai blinked, not realizing it had been years. She had always noticed the dragons followed her around ever since she was seven or eight. There had been two for a long time: a large one and a smaller one - a much smaller one. Then when she was around twelve there was only one. Now she knew why the dragon had always been around. It was you.
Huh? Was the reply she got from him.
Never mind, we’ll save it for dinner. She’d been quiet for too long. “I know the intentions are good and all. I just don’t like not having a say in any of it. Not exactly how I was imagining I’d meet my future husband.” She tried to not sound so bitter when she said it if only for the sake of being polite. These two women were not the one responsible for what happened to her. Tai didn’t want to take out her anger and frustrations on them.
“Not exactly how any of us imagined it,” the other girl said. She brushed some of her short, blonde, curls out of her face. “I certainly wasn’t tickled after-.”
“Ashley,” Katelyn snapped. “Don’t make it worse. She’s scared.”
“I’m a realist,” Ashley said. “So I’m not going to paint a perfect, happy, fairy tale life for her.”
Katelyn shot a glare at Ashley before giving Tai a small, apologetic smile. “I don’t think anyone has an accurate image of how they actually meet their future spouse. Even the guys here. I’m pretty sure what happened with each of us wasn’t exactly what they were thinking. I know it feels like you don’t have any control right now, but if there was only a way I could make you understand how much he loves and respects you.” She sighed deeply. “I’ll let him speak for himself. I just want you to know we’re here for you anytime you need us for anything.” She dished up a pancake for Tai and handed over the plate before serving herself and Ashley.
“So what do you do here all day?” Tai finally asked. She tried to pick a less controversial topic.
“I keep a studio,” Katelyn said as sat at the dining table. She motioned for Tai to join her. “I design a lot, and Lance, my husband, will take my designs and pitch them so they can be produced. I’m sure you’re familiar with Lady Oceina?”
Tai gasped. “Yes, I am. It’s only been the most popular teen and children’s clothing line since I was born!” She paused and looked at Katelyn with uncertainty. “Did you inherit the line? Take over or something?”
“No, the whole thing was something Lance and I conceived together actually,” Katelyn explained casually as she buttered her pancake. “I was getting bored and his father was looking to invest in other avenues of business. Anything with the Oceina name attached to it is something that’s part of his company.”
That was a lot of different things. The Oceina name was on practically every kind of product available. “Wow, but I mean, I’ve worn your clothes since I was a little girl. You can’t really be that old can you?” Tai asked, confused.
“I’m not really, not technically.” Katelyn paused as she tried to figure out the best way to explain everything. “Part of being one of the dragon’s wives is you gain some of their abilities, their magic. One of the perks is a longer life span. A dragon naturally ages four times slower than a human. We gain that ability as well so we can continue to be mates for them, and not rush ahead of them
.”
Tai nodded. That certainly made a lot of sense. “Life companions.”
“Precisely.”
She wasn’t sure if she should pity Darien for believing this was the only way for him to find love, or be angry with him.
Chapter Nine
After receiving permission to enter his father’s room, Darien nervously opened the door to do so. He adored his father, but there was something odd about being in the bedroom. Even when he was little and had trouble sleeping, he felt a strange vibe come from the four walls which surrounded it. Sometimes he thought it was the spirit of his mother lingering there, choosing to watch after her husband and children before going on to the afterlife. He wanted to believe she would stick around to have the quality time she never got with Darien, but that was probably wishful thinking. Why would she choose him over heaven?
Otherwise, he felt the grief his father lived in as he tried to make it through every day without her. It weighed on the man. Each day he spent without his wife, Orion’s loneliness grew. He no longer walked with the same pep he had when Darien was young. Instead he dragged himself around the house. Darien felt guilty for being the cause of this grief. He felt as though he were on eggshells, no matter what his father said to him about it. How could he possibly be forgiven so easily?
“Really Darien, do you have to walk so timidly? I wasn’t expecting you so early.” Orion, the great dragon lord of the Oceina clan said with a small smile. He beckoned for Darien to come sit beside him on the couch in his den. Darien practically trotted over (if only because he knew it would make his father happy) and then settled into the black leather cushions.
Darien gave his father a weak smile. “I wanted to give her some time to herself. She seemed tired and crabby this morning. I could tell she didn’t want me to be near her.” He sighed heavily feeling exhausted both physically and emotionally. “I mean, not like I was expecting her to. I guess I’d be crabby too. I wasn’t thinking we’d have perfect honeymoon bliss or anything.”
“But you still seem disappointed,” Orion said. “It’s okay if you are. You will have time for honeymoon bliss later in the summer. You can take a trip somewhere if you wish before high school starts up again. That is, when you two feel ready for that sort of thing.”
“I’m not disappointed!” Darien insisted. “I’m confused, or maybe just unsure. I’m trying to figure out how to explain everything. I don’t want to go through what Tony does. I’d hate myself if I made her despise me so much.”
Orion placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t be disheartened. Sometimes it takes a bit longer than expected. Take it one step at a time. Your mother didn’t warm up to me until perhaps a week before Brian was conceived.”
Darien shifted a little. He didn’t need to think about his parents like that. In fact, the whole idea made him blush profusely as he replayed the night before with Tai over again in his mind. The way she touched him, the passion in her kisses, and even the look of desire she gave him was enough to give him happy shivers. Immediately, he felt silly. He was an adult now. He should not be reacting to adult things in such a childish manner. Still, it was hard to hide how exciting everything was.
“I’m impatient I guess.”
“You’ll learn then.” He gave his son a smile. “Is there anything else you want to talk about?”
“Not really,” Darien shrugged. “There isn’t much else to say except I think she hates my guts right now.”
“I think you’re being melodramatic now.” Orion laughed before releasing Darien from his grasp. “There was something else I wanted to talk to you about. Previously we had talked about you not coming with me to the council this year. I know you haven’t come since you were twelve or so, and while you’re eligible now to sit in on the adult events with the rest of your brothers and me, you’ll want to stay home to be with Tai. It’s horrible timing, but I would like you to come.”
“But you promised I’d have time with her. You promised I could go to the fall session, that it could wait.” If he’d known he’d be forced to leave so soon, Darien would have waited to perform the ceremony with Tai.
“It’s very important. There’s a lot going on in this meeting, and a lot of it you need to know about. If it weren’t important, I wouldn’t make you come. Especially now, because I know it could interfere with her transition.” He paused. “And I know she just got here, and the council starts in a couple of days. Like I said, I know it’s horrible timing, but please Darien. Please do this for me. There are things happening this summer that might not be relevant in the fall. It’s important you see them.”
“I....” Darien started hesitantly. He searched for any other excuse he could give as to why he should stay home, but he was coming up dry. “Fine, I’ll go.”
“I have a gift to make it up to you,” his father said with a small smile. He stood and moved about his room for a moment before returning with a medium sized box. He handed it to Darien. It was a music box or a jewelry box of some kind. There was a painting of a rose on the front, and it was decorated with metallic leaves. “Open it.”
Darien did so, slowly, curiously, and raised an eyebrow at the contents inside. There was an elaborate diamond necklace made for a woman. He’d never seen anything quite like it before. The chain was completely covered in diamonds with a centerpiece made of white gold and larger stones that formed a wreath of small flowers. He wasn’t quite sure why his dad would have given it to him, but he continued to dig around in the box. There was a pair of earrings as that matched the necklace, and a wedding ring. “What’s this?”
“They were your mother’s,” Orion said. “One of her last requests was for you to get them when you were old enough. There’s an explanation in there, but there’s also more.” He gestured for Darien to continue searching the box. “I think it’s in the journal.”
Darien pulled out a small leather bound book. He was terrified to look inside. He wasn’t sure if he could handle the contents. His older brothers still held a grudge against him for being the cause of their mother’s death. She knew she was going to die because of him before she ever delivered, or so the story went. She chose to keep him alive, and he was grateful for that, but he didn’t believe she felt only good things about this decision. He didn’t need to see it all written in her own hand, or relive the moment. He would keep it though to honor her last wish. Underneath was a small, beat up, rag doll and a set of keys. The keys looked new.
Giving his father a weak, forced smile, he jingled the keys with his hand. “And this is from you, I’m guessing?”
“Of course,” Orion smirked. “I figure you’re a bit too old to be carpooling with your brothers or walking to school. Something nice and small to enjoy while you still can. You know, before you have little ones to cart around.”
A small grin graced Darien’s lips at the thought of children, or more specifically making the children. “That’ll be a while I think.” He’d be lucky if Tai ever let him touch her again. “Thanks, Dad.” He took his gift, clutching it to his chest in a tight fist and bowed his head. “Is there anything else we need to talk about?”
“No. I’m glad you’re happy. I can see you are.” Orion paused, reaching out to put a gentle hand on his son’s. “I know it might be difficult for you, but she did want you to have them. When you have time, when you feel ready, I encourage you to see it for yourself. She really-.”
“I know,” Darien said quickly and carefully pulled away from his father. “She really loved me. I remember.” He waved a dismissive hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow at breakfast.” He had a lot of things to do before his dinner date.
Chapter Ten
Awkward would have been one word she could have used to describe her dinner with Darien. Creepy was another, not to say he was creepy exactly, but the situation they were in together was very unsettling. She appreciated him at least trying to make an effort. The table in their den was set with a couple of candles, and his cooking wasn’t horrible either.
He claimed to have made dinner himself.
“You had something you wanted to ask me?” He inquired quietly as he picked through his food. He seemed to feel the same way she did: uncomfortable, and unsure, and no appetite. “Earlier, I mean, you mentioned something.”
“This is going to seem kind of strange,” she started and then paused for a moment. “This whole thing is weird. Maybe, but maybe you won’t think it’s a weird question after all. Dragons have been following me around my whole life. Was that you?”
He actually choked on his food. He coughed and pounded at his chest before taking a drink from his water glass. “Yeah?” He shifted some and cleared his throat in an effort to regain some confidence. “I mean, yeah, it was.”
“Why?”
“I thought you were interesting,” he said. “All of my life, I was told I was going to find my future bride on your island. I was told to think carefully over my decision. When I first saw you, I didn’t know necessarily if you were the one, but as time passed, and I kept surveying the island I found myself drawn to you again and again. I liked watching you.”
“You liked stalking me,” she said darkly.
“Yes, if you have to call it that,” he said, and glanced down at his hands. He frowned. He didn’t seem to agree with her. “There wasn’t any other way to make sure you were still eligible unless I checked up on you. I didn’t spy through your windows and watch you undress or anything. I just found comfort in seeing you on occasion, and then when time got closer and closer to our wedding date, knowing you were going to be with me. You noticed me. Did you feel anything?”
Legend of the Oceina Dragon (The Dragons Saga) Page 4
