The Draglen Brothers - DRAKEN (BK 1)

by Solease Barner

  “Yes, Draken, carry her to the study and lay her on the sofa.”

  “I’ve really fucked up now. She knows about my engagement. She will never forgive me, and I will never let her go,” I say, walking quickly to lay her down. I don’t even know how long she will be out. “Not to mention, I still need to tell her I’m a dragon. FUCK!”

  “Draken, you just placed Ravla, your long time Giver, under arrest. You know you must go back and deal with that,” Gemi says, looking me in the eye. One thing I can say about Gemi, he doesn’t say much, but when he does he’s usually right. Knowing protocol, I should be home meting out Ravla’s punishment, but I can’t leave Princess, she needs me.

  “I will wake her now, she can’t leave this house. Understand?” I ask everyone. They all nod, knowing she knows way too much for things to go back to being normal. I lean over and go into Princess’ mind, urging her to wake. Her eyes are open in no time.

  “Oh, Draken, I had the worst nightmare ever. I was at the school studying when . . .” she stops and looks around, noticing all my brothers are watching her very closely. “Shit, it wasn’t a dream, you . . . you are a monster!”

  “I’m a dragon, big difference,” I say, watching as she curls up at the end of the couch. She looks so frightened. How could I let this happen?

  “Are you all, umm, dragons?”

  “Yes,” Showken says, giving a winning smile. Only Showken would be smiling when I’m falling. Ravla exposed my marriage, which should never have been done. I exposed myself, by tracking her down when that human placed his hands in her hair, it was like I felt his filthy touch. She is looking at me with tears in her eyes.

  “You mean I love a dragon?”

  “You love me?” I ask, watching her expression.

  “I thought you were a man. I’m scared, I want to go home, please.”

  “I can’t allow that, Princess, I must talk with you first.”

  “Are you going to kill me?” Those words hurt more than anything I’ve ever heard. How could she think I would harm her, ever?

  “No.” That’s all I can get out of my mouth. I’m so confused right now. I’m sure a messenger will be coming soon for me to go back to my land, leaving Princess with her thoughts. I can’t take her home. I’m in so deep, and I can release her from me and me from her, but there is only one way.

  “Princess, I-”

  “Wait, are you getting married? Who was that lady? What . . . I need to go home. You can have this mess,” Princess says, but Layern sends me her true feelings and she is really hurting, her heart is broken. She really does love me.

  “Yes, and no. I’m scheduled to be married, but I’m cancelling it. I love you, Princess, and I want you, I want you to choose me,” I say, begging. Who would have thought I would be begging a human to choose me?

  “I . . . choose you? I did choose you, but you’re engaged, and you still have not said who that other woman is. I guess cheating on me is what guys do. I give you my heart and you do me like Travis. D told me it was too soon, not to mention you are a dragon.”

  “Please, Princess.”

  “Are you holding me captive, or can I go home? Don’t worry, it’s too embarrassing to say I fell in love with a dragon man who is married and obviously has women on the side. You disgust me,” she says, letting the tears roll down her face. I look at my brothers. I will let her think she’s home, creating a fake image when she leaves. I’m too hurt to get enough power to do it. I need to go handle Ravla, and protest this marriage. I will go visit Princess in her mind until it’s all sorted out. I think the best thing, now, is to make her think she is at home, and I’ll handle my world. If she chooses to leave me, then I have to take the only option left to me, death.

  “Okay, okay, you can go home.” I look at Showken and he nods, letting me know it’s done. Now, when Princess goes home, it will be the same, only it’s not real. She rises very slowly and backs away from me, and I feel my heart being ripped out. She’s still crying, and as soon as she leaves, I hear her running out the door. I close my eyes and tears flow down. I have never cried in my life. If I can’t have Princess, death is what I want. I walk into my bedroom and pack all that I have, opening the portal and leaving for home, never to return.

  ***

  Walking to my room, passing servants who are bowing and speaking kind words, assures me of my being home. I place my things in order and go to the garden, where I find my mother in her favorite place in the castle.

  “Queen Nala, Mother of Draglen Descendants, permission to speak,” I ask, looking around my land and seeing other dragons flying freely. Everything is so beautiful and free, yet I feel ugly and trapped.

  “My son, please come,” my mother opens her arms and I walk into her arms for comfort. She holds me, knowing the decision I have made, and I hear her sob.

  “Mother, don’t cry, please.”

  “Just marry your wife to be, my son, don’t do this, please. My heart will rip a thousand times.” I pull back and see my mother’s face. She is beautiful. I can’t stop her pain, because everything rests on Princess choosing me.

  “My heart is ripping right now, mother. I love her, and she may not want me because of what I am, and if she can’t, I won’t live without her.”

  “Bring her, then, son, I will accept her. I can’t lose my son, the heir to this throne. The land will be in chaos, making us vulnerable, it can subject us to other lands trying to come and take ours.”

  “I won’t force her; I will try to convince her. I do have to decide on a punishment for Ravla, she should never have showed up without my sending for her.”

  “You do what you must to Ravla, just remember, she is probably hurt, too. She has always loved you,” my mother says, rubbing my hair. When she rubs my hair I feel so much better, usually, but today, I feel worse.

  “I will, mother.” I nod, and walk across the garden, heading for the caves where Ravla waits for her punishment. I am close when I see the sorrow birds following me. I guess they sense my feelings. I get to the gate where Ravla is, and I see her pacing. There are two of the guardians outside her gate. She is frightened when she sees me coming. I will not show one ounce of mercy with Ravla, she disobeyed the rules.

  “Ravla, why did you come?” I ask, folding my arms across my chest.

  “Dra . . . Prince Draken, I was concerned for your sexual needs. Plus I, I needed you, too. You know I’m not allowed to touch another, being your Giver.”

  “YOUR NEEDS ARE NOT MY CONCERN, RAVLA! YOU! ARE! A! GIVER! NOTHING MORE!” I yell, and feel the ground shake. I see the sky clear from happy flyers to very frightened dragons. I glance back at the guardians and they are nervous. I forgot my voice makes people scared. Ravla starts backing up against the wall, and her eyes are changing from human to dragon form. I don’t give a fuck.

  “You will stay here until I decide your punishment, and you are not allowed to transform into your dragon until I say, or that around your neck will choke you to death before you can stretch your wings,” I say. I turn and walk away. I hear her cries. I’m hurting, too. She will be let loose if I die, anyway. I close my eyes, transforming into my beast, and take off into the sky. Our sky changes colors every few seconds, forming a great show all the time. I take my time sweeping the land. My people are so happy, dancing and playing music. I fly past a group of Youngs trying to learn how to fly high. Finally, I come upon my father, on the cliff of Hulin. I land next to him and he is in human form, yet I bow my head waiting to hear him talk.

  “Draken my son, heir to the throne, why do you break my heart? You mother told you to end it with that human, now you’re in love, you say. I’m glad you are in your true form, but I don’t want to hear you speak. I’m angry, because you are choosing her over your family. She should not be this important, son, only if . . . is she the Key?” I nod, meeting my father’s gaze. I know he understands. A Key is rare, and only a few have ever found one, but it’s when a dragon shifter’s true love is human. It has to happen
to keep the portal open to travel back and forth. The human can then be allowed into the land. “Who else knows this? Oh, you’re in dragon form, shift.” I quickly shift into human, getting ready to do an official introduction, but my father stops me.

  “Draken, speak freely.”

  “Well, Father, yes, I think she is my Key, I can’t live without her. I can sense her even in our land. I miss her now, and want her so badly. I want her with me every night. I won’t live without her.”

  “I won’t ask you to. You need to convince her, son. I don’t want to lose you, and I’m sure your brothers will not be happy, as it will involve them.”

  “I will do my best, Father. I just don’t know where to start.”

  “She is a woman, son. Do what any beast, man, or other would do. Agree with whatever she wants, say yes to whatever she wants, and most of all, make sure she can’t walk when you’re done pleasing her.”

  “Thanks, Dad. I’m going to go lie in my bed and go see my Princess in her mind. I need to comfort her, I can feel her tears and I hate that I’m the cause of it. I just hope she will be able to look past me being a dragon,” I say.

  “I hope for your sake she does, too.” I vanish, ending up lying on my bed. I close my eyes, going to comfort my Princess. I feel her pain as I get close.

  I find her in bed, crying. I call her name, “Princess.”

  “Draken?”

  “Yes, Princess, talk to me, tell me what you are thinking.”

  “How are you communicating with me?”

  “I can communicate with you because I’m connected to you.”

  “So you’re not really here?”

  “Princess, I’m here for you, always.”

  “I mean you’re in my head, right?” She is making this so hard. She has curled her body into a fetal position, I don’t want to scare her, but here it goes. I want her to feel me. I slide into her bed. In her mind I’m really in her room, it’s just another advantage. I get right behind her, placing my hand on her waist. “Draken,” she cries harder.

  “Princess, yes, I’m here. I’m sorry you are hurting, but I’m not sorry for loving you. I need you, Princess, please, come share my world with me.”

  “Draken, I love you, but you lied. You’re getting married, and most important, you’re a dragon.” I move in close, getting right up to her ear.

  “I never lied, Princess, and I’m not marrying anybody if it can’t be you.”

  “Draken, just leave and go have your life, I will never be the same.”

  “Why?”

  “How could I fall for a guy who loves another?”

  “Princess, I love you, and no-one else. That bride was chosen for me before I could fly.” She tries to turn, but I hold her tighter. I want her every night.

  “So, you’re a dragon?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Can you shoot fire from your mouth?” I hope she gets all her questions out. Many things about my people are myths. We live in harmony among one another.

  “Yes, I can shoot fire from my mouth, hands, eyes, and if I get really angry, my entire body can become fire without burning.” I feel her tense up as I’m talking. I have to assure her I would never harm her. “I don’t have to use those abilities most of the time. Because I’m a prince, most of the time I’m working to ensure peace in our land. We don’t fight, only with other lands, never among each other. Except me and my brothers, we fight sometimes.” I say. I want to be inside her so badly, but I can’t, she needs to know me.

  “Draken, how can this be, you being a dragon? I mean, I was taught you are bad, evil and ugly. I don’t know how this will work. My family is not going to want me with a dragon. Where is your land? Do you live here on earth?” My father’s words come back into my thoughts, and I don’t hold back.

  “My land is called Cortamagen, and it’s in another realm, very far from Earth. We use a portal to travel back and forth. We come to Earth because we do business here, and one myth is right, we like treasure, so we are always hunting for it. I’m not evil at all, Princess, I’m in love, with you,” I say, placing a feather kiss on her shoulder. I feel her shiver. She still wants me.

  “Draken, please.”

  “Please, what?”

  “I can’t do this with you.” It feels like I’m being stabbed over and over, in the same wound. I close my eyes. I know she wants me. It’s her ideas of dragons that have her mind all crazy.

  “Draken, the dream, was that you?”

  “Yes, that was me.”

  “So, that is you, the dragon.”

  “Yes, that’s my other, my beast, and he loves you, too.”

  “Please don’t say that.”

  “Okay, I’m sorry. I know this is all new and you need time.” I swallow hard, wanting her so badly it is killing me.

  “Who is that woman?”

  “A jealous woman I used to sleep with.”

  “You mean have sex, right?”

  “Yes, that is what we did, but it was more like passing time. It meant nothing to me.” This is not turning out good. She asking about Ravla, I swear if I die so will Ravla. I will not let her live if she is the cause of my losing Princess.

  “She’s very pretty, why don’t you want her?”

  “Fuck her. She’s nothing compared to you. You’re the most beautiful woman I know, and I love you,” I say, wishing I could just go this very moment and choke the shit out of Ravla. I thought she had more class than to do what she did, but I guess not.

  “Draken, I can’t be with you, this is why I’m hurting so bad. I love you and you’re not even human. I can’t travel back and forth to different realms, I mean, what do I tell my parents about me being gone and they can’t call? If I was to be with you, what if I get pregnant? I mean, can you even get me pregnant?” These questions are driving me crazy, but she’s my Key, and if my father is right, then I just keep her talking until I can get her to come home with me.

  “You would always be able to communicate with your parents and your brother. Others, I’m not sure. I could find out, though. As for children, I want to have lots of babies with you. I’ve done my research, they would be like me, shifters, my gene would overpower yours.”

  “What? Draken.” I begin rubbing her hip, slowly, in a circle. She moans “Ah, mmm.”

  “Princess, I want you in my life, I need you in my life, I can’t have one without you, and I refuse a life without you.” I smell her arousal, and now I’m as hard as a rock.

  “Draken, I have to think. This is really hard for me. I don’t know what to think right now, and you touching me is making me lose my logic.”

  “I want you to stop trying to convince yourself, Princess. I love you, please, say you love me, too.”

  “I do love you, Draken, but I’m not sure who you are, or if this is some sick trick that is being played on me. I want you, in this world. I would not fit in your world. I’m just me, not anything special.”

  “You will be if you say yes.”

  “What does that mean? I’ll become a dragon?”

  “No, that is a birthright, but I will share myself with you, which gives you more than some dragons,” I say, wanting to show her, but I can’t until she is mine.

  “I won’t lie and say that I’m not curious, I-” She breaks down and starts crying again. I hate her crying. It feels like I’m being pulled apart.

  “Please, Princess, your crying is ripping me apart.”

  “I know this is not what you want to hear, but I won’t leave with you, Draken, I love you so much, but my brother, he’s my twin. If I leave it will tear us both apart. My brother gets me when nobody else does. D would not be right if he could not be around me. I would have to keep secrets, I’m sure, and I can’t, if it was just seeing my parents every now and again, maybe, but D, no I won’t leave him, not even for you, Draken.” She’s made her decision no. This can’t be happening. I can’t live without her. She’s my air. I won’t breathe if Princess leaves me. I will die. I want t
o die if she won’t accept me.

  “Princess, just think about it, don’t decide now,” I beg. I feel like everything is closing in on me.

  “Draken, you’re a dragon, you live on another planet. I could never understand this between us.”

  “Princess, please don’t. Listen, we don’t have to rush, we could wait until you are ready to make the final move.”

  “Final move?” Shit, I forgot, once she comes with me she could never come back to earth, again.

  “Yes, Princess, I won’t lie. If you decide to come with me and be my wella, or as you would say, my wife, you can never return to earth,” I say, feeling like shit for asking her to give up her family for me.

  “What? I can’t, Draken. You’re asking me to give up my entire life and go to a place I’ve never been. What if I don’t like it when I get there? What if your land hates me?”

  “I know it’s selfish of me, and I promise to dedicate each day of my life to you, and I will even work on a way you can travel back. But yes, I want you with me forever.”

  “You have to give me time, Draken, but right now my answer is no. I won’t leave D, my parents, and my friends for you. You tricked me and you’re getting married, that’s why only six months. Yes, I’ve been thinking, you knew this between us would never work, that is why you said six months. Well, let’s just end it sooner. Please go, and let me cry.”

  “I will leave now, Princess, but I won’t ever let you go,” I say, returning to my bed, looking at my gold ceiling. I can’t marry another when I love Princess. I will let the family know and let my father cancel the ceremony. I can’t keep Princess in an image of her house. I will call Showken and have him place her in her home for real. I will not take that away from her. I should never have thought I could have her; she’s a precious gift to the universe. I walk out of my room and make the arrangements that I need. I will not live without her.