The Draglen Brothers
— D R A K E N —
by Solease M Barner
Copyright © 2013 by Solease M Barner
First Edition – September 2013
Illustration by Patti Roberts
ISBN: 9781301878123
All rights reserved
License Notes
Smashwords Edition
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work. This book is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents depicted herein are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Thank You
I have to thank all my readers, who support me in my writing. I appreciate all the thoughtful things you do to share my book with others. I feel very blessed when I encounter many of you on my website, Facebook, emails, and even in public. I hope to encounter more of you in the future.
I hope you enjoy the new series, readers!
I must thank a few people individually,
Jane A. Bowen. Jane, you are a special woman. I love how you take the time to do sweet things that help promote my books. I love my special banner you created! I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I hope you enjoy the new series!
Denise Bush take a bow, you go far and above what is required. The love you pour out to all authors is amazing. Thank you for supporting me, and for letting me grace your FB cover among so many great other authors. Thanks for the gifts you make for my books, they are special to me. I’m happy you enjoy my books, and hope you enjoy this new series!
Diana B. Tan, thank you for always retweeting my books on Twitter. I’m not experienced on twitter, I’m truly grateful for any help I get. I thank you for supporting my work, sharing and always coming to party with me!
There are so many of you who go out of your way for me, I can’t name you all, but know I love you all! I look forward to getting feedback on this series from you all!
The Special People working on the book to make it perfect,
Tabitha Ormiston-Smith, you know how to make a girl work. You are the best editor I’ve encountered. I love you when the book is complete, and think you are a evil witch during editing lol I know I can say that to you. I always say to myself, Tabitha and I are in a love/hate relationship. I know when you are angry when I see caps in comments on edits. I also know when something made you giggle as well. I appreciate you teaching me to be better at writing, and keeping my feet to the fire. I love working with you and look forward to more books together!
Patti Roberts, you are full of talent! I look forward to doing covers with you. The way you bring life to my vision on a cover is amazing. I’m like a kid in a candy store when I know we are working on covers. You’re always so patient with me, very accommodating, and kind. I always say you’re heaven sent and I mean that. I can’t wait to work with you, it’s such joy to spend time working on covers with you, even when I ask for changes after I’ve said ‘I love it’, you change it without complaint, and for that I thank you deep down.
Beta Readers
I LOVE YOU ALL!! I truly enjoy how you are all so truthful with me about my books. I won’t give names, because I like to keep my beta readers to myself! You all know who you are, my first readers. I always look forward to your feedback. You are all awesome!
Special Thanks
I’m not ashamed and will always thank my heavenly father Jesus Christ. I would not even be here without Him. I have to thank my wonderful husband. I’m so blessed to share my life with you. I love that you are so accepting of my madness, when writing, editing, promoting, and the crazy schedule I have, still you never complain. To my precious daughter, Mommy loves our time together. I love that smile and how we can talk about anything. You will always be my baby. Thank you Mom and Dad, for supporting me with all the wisdom you give me. I love you both, and consider it a blessing to have you as parents. I love all my sisters and love each one of you for being there for me no matter what. Shatina, my manager, I love you so much; you always make sure I stay focused, reminding me of all the important things, and pushing out the negative. Thank you. To my nephew/son, I love talking with you. You are so wise at such a young age, your advice is appreciated. To my friend who is awesome, I love reading books with you and discussing our fictional boyfriends, you know who you are, SWH!!! LOL. To the best book club ever, I love all of you and enjoy our meetings, with such great food and wine! If I have missed anyone please don’t charge it to my heart. I love all my family and friends!
Solease M Barner
PURPLE REIGN!
You were not planned
You invaded my life
You changed me
You caused me pain
You even lied to me
Yet, here I stand
Loving You
Wanting You
Needing You
Caressing You
Now, when it’s my time to
Reign,
We both shall wear the crown,
Called the
Purple Reign!
CESS
BOOM! Bang, bang, BOOM, is the sound I hear first thing in the morning. The new neighbors are moving in two houses down, and I can hear all their noise as I try to sleep. It’s Saturday and my day off from work and school. It’s my senior year in college, and I’m still at home with my parents. I decided to go local rather than leave the nest. I love my home, and I want to save money to take my dream trip after I graduate, to beautiful historic Italy, without any help from my parents. I have always wanted to go, enjoying the people and the history. That’s why it’s so important for me to get my rest, as midterms are coming. I must continue with my GPA of 3.8 if I want the gift my parents promised, which is my very own first place, with them paying the first six months rent. I drag myself out of bed and stumble over to the window to see why all the noise. Glancing at the clock, I notice it’s only 8:00 a.m. I wouldn’t normally be out of bed until at least 11:00 a.m. My parents are gone for the weekend, and D, who is my twin brother and best friend, will sleep until noon. Nothing will wake him, not even if the house was on fire. I look out the window harder, to see if the neighbors are visible. I only see that it’s four men carrying boxes. I grab my binoculars to get a better look. I focus and see a man giving orders. I can’t see his face, as his back is to me. I try to focus on the others, but they are behind the moving truck. I feel like Mrs. Peters, the Nosey Parker. I crawl back into bed and try to go back to sleep, but my chance has passed, and I decide to have breakfast. I usually have a yogurt and some toast, but today I’ll eat a man’s breakfast. I start making pancakes, eggs, sausage, toast, and hash casserole. If I’m going to be up, I might as well eat good food. I could have asked Gloria (she is our live - in maid, plus she cooks better than the cook) to prepare the meal, but I like cooking for myself sometimes. It’s not long before my twin brother smells the food, and comes into the kitchen sniffing.
“Cess, I know you made enough for me? I was out late with the guys, and I’m starving,” he says, grabbing himself a sausage right out of the pan.
“Hey, I’m not sure if they are done.” I smile.
“Doesn’t matter to me, if I die from one small half-done sausage then I guess it
was my time,” D says, grabbing the orange juice. He pours himself a big glass, and proceeds to tell me about his wild night out. His story is interrupted by loud laughter outside.
“Who the hell is laughing like that?” D says, shaking his head. I frown at him, because D can be extremely loud sometimes. The laughter is loud, and the houses are not that close together in this area.
“That might be our neighbors . . . let me go see,” I say, walking into the front room. The laughter gets louder. I peek out the window and it’s those guys who just moved in. Now that I’m fully awake, I can see them clearly. It’s four of them, and they look amazing. They are all over 6 feet, closer to 6’6” then 6’4”. My mouth is open when D comes and interrupts my fantasy.
“Cess, you are not ready to be in another relationship, you just broke up with Travis,” he mumbles through toast and sausage.
“Look D, I’m over Travis. I thought we agreed not to mention his name in this house,” I say, as I turn to finish gazing at these fine men. There is nothing wrong with looking, but I will not break my promise. No men until I’m done with school and have started my career. They can be such a distraction, and looking at these guys, they could be a huge distraction. I will stay away from them.
“Cess, I know that look, stay away from them. I can’t go through another boyfriend with you,” D says, leaving the room.
I yell back, “I have only had two boyfriends, D!” I think how torn up I was when Travis and I ended our relationship. I’m pretty sure I didn’t eat for a week. Maybe I should be nice and introduce myself to the new neighbors.
“D, I think after I eat I’m going to go meet the new neighbors,” I say, making my way back to the kitchen.
“Umm . . . Cess, remember your promise?” D mumbled.
“I’m just going to say hi, that’s all,” I say.
I finish my food and head upstairs for a quick shower. I put on a pair of short shorts and a tank, and walk out the door. The closer I get, the more I realize I haven’t talked with a guy (outside of D and his friends) since Travis. What was I thinking, coming out here? I should just turn around. Yep, that’s what I’m going to do. As I turn, I hear a very deep voice call out.
“Hey . . . hey you, are you going to come introduce yourself, or are you going to go home?” The voice is friendly. I had thought they were talking and hadn’t seen me. I turn slowly, and he is right there.
“Ah . . . hi,” I say, looking at this man. He is beautiful. He has long blond hair that’s all wet from working out in the sun. His body is perfect. His eyes are amazing, deep green, and he’s smiling at me, and those dimples! Yikes, I’m in trouble.
“Hello, I’m Showken, and you are?” he says, with his hand out. Feeling embarrassed, I realize my face is red from looking at his beauty.
“I . . . I’m Cess” I say, shaking his hand.
“Hello Cess, I told my brothers you were nice and I would come introduce myself,” he says, with the kind of deep voice that should only be heard in private.
“Umm . . . yeah, how do you say your name again? I’m sorry,” I say, feeling really rude. I have never heard of a name like that before.
“Showken, like Show and Ken put together.” Showken smiles as he says it again. I notice he is still holding my hand, as two more of them walk up. I’m not going to make it. I have a promise to keep, no men and especially no sex. I’m staying focused on my studies and my career.
“Brother, what have we here?” One of them has short, dark brown hair. His body is huge and he smells so good. He has amazing light gray eyes. He only has on some cut-off shorts, sandals, and a amazing chest that’s illegal, or it should be. I can’t wait to tell my girlfriends about the new neighbors.
“This is Cess, Cess meet my brother Gemi. The one who is just looking is shy, and that’s Layern,” Showken says, smiling at me.
“So Cess, are you going to come over?” Gemi says, narrowing his eyes as if he is searching for something.
“I should be heading home. I, umm…” I can feel all their eyes intensely on me. Layern’s eyes are really blue, and he is quiet, but just as handsome. The other two are not shy at all. They are all smiles. I bet these brothers are fun. No, I can’t think like that, I must remember my studies and career.
“Come on, Cess, we never have company,” Showken says, pulling me towards their home. I feel my feet moving, and turning, I see the other two behind me. I should be afraid to be walking with these guys, they are strangers, but I feel no fear at all. As we make our way to the lawn, the door opens. I see him, and his stare is cold. He has long, jet-black hair, which is pulled into a neat ponytail hanging down his back. There is no smile on his face at all, just a cold look. I feel his eyes roam my body, and now I feel uncomfortable. I guess he’s not the friendly brother.
“Brothers, why is she here?” He speaks as though I’m not standing there. I feel insulted and a little humiliated. This man cuts Showken off before he can speak, and marches right up to me, looking down at me as if I am nothing.
“Look, stay off my lawn. Go! Now!” he snarls.
Showken speaks up for me, “Draken, she’s okay, ask Layern,” he says, as he comes and stands beside me. I’m not afraid of him. I may be smaller, but he will not talk to me like that.
“Draken . . . is that how you say it? Well, you are rude, and I was invited, so don’t snap at me,” I say, seeing his light purple eyes glaring at me. His brothers move away from me, going inside the house one by one.
“Cess, I will take your tone as a sign of ignorance. You stay off MY lawn, and you will remain intact,” Draken says, as he grabs my arm, walking me off the lawn, past his property line and into the street. I’ve never been treated like this by a guy in my life. He is the rudest man I have ever met, although he looks so hot with those eyes, that hair, and that smooth tan skin. I try to pull away, but he is so strong. My face is turning red, how humiliating is this?
“Let go of me,” I snap. He releases me as soon as I’m in the street feeling like trash.
“Cess, be a good neighbor and mind your business, and stay off the property. This is your warning, next time I will ask something of you,” Draken says, turning and walking away. I can’t help but notice how perfect his walk is. And as the wind blows, I catch his smell, and I know that, though he is as mean as anything, Draken could make me give up my promise.
“Draken, if you ever put your hands on me like that again, I will give you a kick that will make having babies a problem,” I say. He stops and looks over his shoulder, continuing to walk towards the house.
I stand there for a second before I make the short, but embarrassing, walk home. I turn and look back, and see the other brothers working, not saying anything now. Draken is outside watching. He turns and looks at me. We stare for a long time, and I finally break the staring contest and head back inside. I lean back against my door, and see his beautiful eyes in my head.
“Draken,” I say out loud. Good thing I made the promise of no men, just finishing college and going to Italy before starting my career.
DRAKEN
I’m glad it’s only six months this time. We are here for business only. The corporation needs to hire new management, as profits have gone down. I will not tolerant incompetence in our business. Every time we have to check on the businesses, no matter what state we are in, Showken always finds a girl for his pleasure. Well, not this time, I’m not having it, or I will send him back home. There are plenty to play with there. I just had to march some little girl off the lawn, on our first day, because Showken can’t keep his smile to himself. We must discuss this.
“Showken, no girls on the property, at the office, or in the car at all. Leave them alone,” I growl. That girl, Cess, is going to be a problem, I can tell.
“Draken, listen, just because you have this ‘no play while working’ doesn’t mean I have to follow. I like females and they like me, just relax, I never harm them,” Showken says, calmly.
“Six months and we are home,
away from this place. Keep it in your pants, or I might ask you for something, just do as I ask,” I snap. We have finished the unloading, and Layern and Gemi are setting up downstairs in the basement.
“Okay, Draken, I will honor your request,” Showken smirks. I know my brother and I are going to have trouble, since that Cess just had to come down the street with those extremely too-short shorts. Although her legs are beautiful and strong, like a dancer’s, and that beautiful brown hair does not help matters, she is a nuisance. I could really make her scream out. I’m nothing like my brother. I have plenty of women waiting to pleasure me when I get home. I have self-control.
“Draken, what are you thinking?” Layern asks, narrowing his eyes, Layern and his gift. Whatever you have got hidden in your mind or heart, Layern knows how to find it.
“I’m just thinking about the interviews coming up this week,” I say, trying to push it way down, so he can’t see it, but my brother’s perceptions are too fast.
“I could have sworn I saw you thinking about Cess, you know, the neighbor you were so rude to, and whose legs you were looking at,” Layern says with one brow up. Shit, what am I going to say? She is attractive, and she did make me want her, even with her threats? That little girl has to stay away from me.
“Oh, so that’s why she had to leave, you want her. Brother, all you had to do was say something, and I would have backed off,” Showken frowns.
“I don’t want that girl, and Layern, stay out of my head,” I say, done with the discussion. I return to my office and start working on new layouts for the office here in Arizona. I hear Showken yelling through the closed door: “Draken, if you want her, just say it.” I totally ignore my favorite brother. I love all my brothers and sisters, but Showken is the only brother I never fought with, growing up. I often experienced jealousy from my siblings for being the oldest, and heir to the throne. I had the misfortune to be born first, and now I have all these expectations, not only from our parents, but all our kind as well. Showken treats me just like a normal brother. I fight with some of my other brothers, and blood has been shed more than once. When I got word that we had to visit Earth, I was displeased. I love living in Kalin, the home of the most powerful dragons. I’m what you may call a shifter. Not all in the land have this ability, but all the Draglen Brothers can.
The Draglen Brothers - DRAKEN (BK 1) Page 1
