He quickly turned away and told Tori and her parents he would meet them at their house. Once he was out of their sight he almost ran to his car. He sat there with his hands shaking. His breathing ragged, and his dragon in an agitated state. ‘What the hell?’ He has never felt this way. He laid his head on the steering wheel until he could get his body and his dragon under control. After several minutes, he started the car and headed for the Robinson house. It was a long drive.
When Aldain arrived at the house, the Robinsons were already there. Tori was sitting in a recliner while her mother hovered over her. “Mom please quit. I am fine. If you really want to do something for me, I would love a veggie tray with Ranch dressing. That stuff that they call food in the hospital could kill a person.”
Amanda laughed, “One veggie tray coming up honey. It will just take me a few minutes.” She went to the kitchen, happy to be able to do something for her daughter.
Aldain smiled, he guessed someone who was into athletics like Tori would eat healthier than the average person.
“So Aldain how was your flight here?” Tori asked “I am sort of excited to go to Scotland. Becca tells me you live in an actual castle.”
He smiled as he said, “I do. It has been in my family for several hundred generations. I look forward to showing you around, the castle and Scotland. I love the country.”
Tori smiled, “Can I ask you a personal question?”
Aldain bowed his head and said “Of course.”
“Well when you wear your kilts, do you wear underwear or are you au natural? It is something I have always wondered,” she asked.
Aldain laughed. “It depends, some men do and some don’t. Personally, I prefer the natural feeling.”
“Really? Do you wear yours often?” she asked.
He smiled, “I wear mine only for special occasions. Marriages within the clan, some holidays but not all the time. When we get to Scotland, if you would like, I will bring you to a special occasion where a clan will be wearing their Kilts. We Scots are always looking for something to celebrate.” Tori loved that idea.
Aldain asked her what kind of sports she enjoyed and the evening passed by with them getting to know each other. She told him of her love of running and rowing. He told her how he loved exploring new caves and collecting old things. He noticed how she really enjoyed the veggie tray her mother had fixed her. He would have to find a place near the castle where he could plant a variety of vegetables for her to eat. There were some prime places nearby that were perfect for planting.
As the evening got later, Tori started to yawn. Her eyelids got heavy. Even though she hadn’t done anything physical the beating her body had taken was taking a toll on her. She excused herself and trotted off to bed. Aldain stared at that luscious round backside of hers as she walked out of sight. It wasn’t until he heard Andrew Robinson clear his throat he realized he had been caught staring. Aldain had the grace to blush, he was caught red handed and there was no use trying to lie about it.
“I am not going to lie Andrew; Tori is one sexy woman. Just because you caught me enjoying some of her physical attributes doesn’t mean I can’t be trusted. I will do everything within my power to keep her safe, of that you have my word. That doesn’t mean I can stop being a man and not enjoy watching a beautiful woman. I hope you take no offense.”
A wide grin spread across Andrews face. “See that’s what I like about you. You get caught doing something and instead of trying to deny it or make up a totally ridiculous story, you admit it. You apologize for possibly having offended me but don’t apologize for enjoying my daughters ‘physical attributes’ as you put it.” He slapped Aldain on the back. “I know she is going to be in good hands with you” Aldain smiled and thought ‘If only.’
The Robinsons put Aldain in their guest bedroom. He had been tossing and turning for what felt like hours. Every time he closed his eyes he saw a tiny woman with a luscious backside. He couldn’t stop thinking of Tori. His dragon wasn’t helping matters much either. He kept pacing saying, “Ours, ours” in a chant that was driving him crazy. He tried soothing his dragon; he told him that she isn’t theirs. She was someone under their protection and they had to behave; his dragon loudly disagreed. Aldain finally had to threaten him with keeping him grounded for a substantial length of time which caused him to huff. He finally threw himself down, curled up in a ball, and went to sleep.
While Aldain was thinking of his dragon’s reaction he heard an odd sound coming from Tori’s room. He got up to see what it was and as he stood outside her door, he realized it was her cell phone. He had excellent hearing being a dragon shifter. He could tell she was talking in hushed tones, trying not to wake anyone else in the household.
His body went into full alert when he heard her say,” Tom you bastard. When did you get out of jail?” There was a pause of silence before he heard her say, “Why would I want to meet you? We don’t have anything to talk about. You beat the crap out of me then ran like the sniveling coward you are. You have a lot of nerve calling me here. What do you mean you have Carrie with you? Why do you have my best friend with you? What have you done to her? I swear to god if you lay one hand on her I will kill you.” There was another short pause of silence.
“Alright I will meet with you, but when I leave Carrie is coming with me. Is that understood?” He heard Tori call Tom a very derogatory name and could hear her getting dressed. Aldain had a feeling she was going to try and sneak out of the house. She wouldn’t chance going down the stairs. So, knowing her and her penchant for athletics he figured she would shortly be climbing down the tree in front of her window.
Aldain went to his room and quickly dressed. There was no way he was going to let her meet the sick bastard who beat her. He quietly slipped outside and waited at the bottom of the tree. It wasn’t long before he saw a pair of legs going out the window then the rest of her body followed. He watched her quietly climb down the tree. When she reached the bottom, he said in a non chalant voice. “Going somewhere are we?”
Tori let out a squeak of fright. “You scared the hell out of me. What are you doing out here in the middle of the night anyway?”
Aldain raised a brow, “I could be asking the same thing of you. Where do you think you are going at such an ungodly hour?” He could see the wheels turning in her head.
She was wondering if she should lie or tell him the truth. She decided she was already caught so she might as well tell him the truth.” I got a call from my ex and he wants to talk to me. I told him I had nothing I want to say to him but he has my best friend Carrie with him. He talked her into getting in his car while he told her how sorry he was for what he did to me; he told her how much he loved me and wanted another chance. She has always been way to soft hearted for her own good. She told him he needed to go his own way and leave me alone, but she wasn’t mean about it. He said he really needed a friend to talk to, Carrie was quick to point out that she was my friend not his. He actually cried in front of her. He knew what a tender heart she has and that bastard cried.”
“She agreed to go with him to his house so they could talk, right now she is watching a movie at his place. She has no idea that he is holding her as ransom until I agree to meet him. I can’t let him hurt her; I have to go get her. Even if it means seeing that slime who calls himself a man! I just can’t leave her there.”
She abruptly turned to get in her car, before she took more than two steps Aldain grabbed her by the shirt and held her up. “What the hell!” she sputtered. “Put me down” she said as she started swinging at him. He held her far enough away to where her short arms were swinging at air.
“What do you think you can do to him Tori? He has already beat you bad enough to hospitalize you. If he decided to hurt you again I doubt you will be able to stop him. You’re five foot nothing. I can’t let you go. I am here to protect you, just in case you have forgotten.”
The entire time he was talking, Tori was trying to hit him with everything she had
, while swearing like a truck driver. She finally tired herself out and he felt it was safe to put her down. Before he could stop her, she kicked him hard in the shin and tried to take off running.
“Why you little midget” he said as he quickly grabbed her shirt again.
She turned to look at him. Her face looking thunderous. “What did you just call me?”
He said in his baritone voice, “You heard me. You barely come to my waist. You’re not much bigger than a midget. If you will calm down and listen to what I have to say. We can go get your friend. I have a better plan.”
This got Tories attention, “I am all ears Dain my man what’s your plan?”
Aldain blinked, “What did you call me?”
Tori smiled, “Well since we are close enough to give each other nick names. That’s yours. So, what’s your plan? I don’t have all night.”
Aldain sighed, she wasn’t going to make this easy. “You drive to his house. I will follow you from a distance. He will never see me. When you get into his house I will find a way inside. Does he have some doors you could make sure are unlocked?”
Tori smiled. “Actually, he does, and he rarely locks them. They are in the back of his house. You could sneak in there.” Aldain thought this was perfect. He could stay hidden in the house to make sure Tori and her friend remained safe. When she left with her friend he would go out the way he came.
Chapter Five
Aldain followed close enough to keep Tori in his sights but far enough away so it didn’t look like she was being followed. He watched her pull into a driveway that had a huge house on the side, you could tell her ex came from money. When she got out of the car, he silently closed his door and went around the back of the house. He checked to make sure no one was nearby and quietly slipped inside. He found a large pantry to the side of the refrigerator and noiselessly entered it. He could tell Tom and Carrie were in the den watching television; so far, she seemed safe. He heard Tori ring the doorbell and Tom told Carrie to stay and watch the show. He said he had some business to attend to but would be back shortly. Aldain found it odd that he didn’t tell her it was Tori at the door. This gave him a bad feeling.
Tom opened the door and grabbed Tori by her arm and quickly shut the door after pulling her inside. He told her to make sure and keep her voice down, he didn’t want Carrie or his parents to hear her. Aldain knew this was a lie since his parents weren’t even there. He had checked to see if there were any other vehicles in the garage as he was walking around the back and the garage was empty. He knew Tom was alone.
Tom pulled Tori to the stairs that went down to the basement. Tori kept trying to pull her arm away but Tom had a death grip on it. Tori told him he was holding onto her too tightly, and that he was hurting her. He loosened his grip as they both went downstairs into a huge basement. It was set up like a theatre with huge television sitting in the middle of the room. A horseshoe shaped couch surrounded it.
Just as Tori opened her mouth, Tom grabbed her and threw her on the couch. His body followed hers down so he landed on top of her. He quickly put his hand over her mouth so she couldn’t scream. “You listen to me, you deceitful little bitch. If you don’t drop those charges against me not only will I come after you but I will get your parents and your best friend as well. You know I have the money to hire someone to take care of all of you and I will pay whatever it takes.” Tories eyes widened at his threat. She knew that he meant what he said.
He released his hand from over her mouth slowly to make sure she wasn’t going to scream. She hissed at him, “You slug. How about I go to the police and let them know you just threatened my life and the life of my family and friend. They can add that to the list of assaults you bastard.” She drew her arm back and punched him square in the nose. She felt it crunch as blood started pouring out of it.
“You fucking bitch!” he yelled. He put his hands around her neck and started squeezing. Tori was pulling at his arms as hard as she could, trying to get his hands loose when she started to lose consciousness. She could hear her heart beating in her head. Suddenly his hands were gone and she started gulping in huge breaths of air.
She looked up and saw Aldain holding Tom by the throat with his feet in the air. She could have sworn she heard a growl come from Aldain but that probably didn’t happen. Her hearing wasn’t totally back yet so she must be hearing things.
While Aldain was holding Tom in the air his mouth was close to his ear. “You listen to me you pathetic excuse for a man. If you ever, and I mean ever, bother Tori, her family or her friends. I will end your life. MYSELF! And just so we are very clear; not only do I have more money than your parents. but I also have the means you mentioned…. In fucking spades… You piece of shit. Do you understand? Blink your eyes once for yes.” Tom was almost purple from lack of air but he quickly blinked his eyes. Before he threw Tom into the wall, Tori had her cell phone out and took a quick picture. Aldain wasn’t sure why and didn’t care. He threw Tom into the wall where he fell into a heap on the floor.
Tori walked over to Tom as he was gasping for air. She showed him the picture she took. It showed Tom being held in the air by his throat and showed he had wet his pants. Aldain heard Tori say, “If you don’t want this picture plastered all over the internet you would be wise to listen to my big friend here. Your reputation for being big and bad would be ruined. You pig!”
It took Aldain everything he had to keep his dragon at bay, he wanted to kill Tom. He hurriedly grabbed Tori away from Tom as they went upstairs to collect her friend. Carrie was surprised to see Tori as she explained to her what had happened. Carrie apologized profusely for putting her in danger and thinking that Tom thought of her as a friend, acting like he needed someone to talk to. He made Carrie think that he was going to apologize to Tori. She was glad Tori broke his nose. Aldain hung behind the girls as they walked to Tori’s car. Carrie finally realized he was behind them.
She stopped short. “Tori, who is your tall dark and handsome friend here?”
Aldain smiled at her. “My name is Aldain Kincaid. I know your name is Carrie. It is my pleasure to meet you.” He said as he took Carries hand to his lips kissed it.
“My oh my… A gentleman with old fashioned manners. That’s refreshing. You must be the friend that Tori mentioned was coming from Scotland. I noticed that slight accent.” Tori felt a rush of jealousy. She shouldn’t have and didn’t understand why she did. Carrie was her best friend and she had no claim to Aldain.
She shook it off. “Yep this is him. My sister and husband live with Dain in his Scottish castle. He is my knight in shining armor. He is very handy to have around.”
Tori had no idea just how much of a knight in shining armor he really was. He just raised his brow at her shortening his name again. He was going to have to get used to it. He opened the car door for Cassie then went around and did the same for Tori. He told her he would follow her to Cassie’s, then home. Neither one of them thought it was a good idea to take Cassie to Tori’s house. Her parents were sure to ask questions and they didn’t need to know about tonight.
Aldain’s body was still tense as he followed Tori home. When he saw Tom choking the life out of her, his first instinct was to shift and tear his throat out. His dragon roared and demanded he save their mate.
Aldain was startled as he realized what his dragon had said; Tori was his soul mate. The realization made him ecstatic; he had found his mate! He wasn’t going to be alone anymore, there was someone to love. Now all he had to do was slowly romance her until she loved him back. A million thoughts were going through his head at this new development.
Aldain was very sure of himself with the opposite sex. Tori, however, wasn’t like any other woman he had ever met. She is very independent and outspoken. She has a very dominant personality and he would have to tame it, he also has a very dominant personality. He was going to have to be very careful how he woos her. He was definitely out of his element with her. One thing he’s sure of is there isn�
�t going to be a dull moment with her at his side.
Chapter Six
The time Aldain spent with Tori and her family flew by. Her parents were great people and he informed them before he left that as far as he was concerned they were as much a family to him as his blood family. He was there for them if they ever needed anything.
There were some problems with Tori having nightmares at night. Aldain would find himself running into her room because Tori would be screaming because she kept reliving the beating Tom was giving her. She would be thrashing about and you could tell she was trying to fight him off. Aldain would hold her hands to keep her from hurting herself as he whispered in her ear, “Wake up Tori. You are safe. I am here, your parents are here. You are home again. Shhh.” As she started to comprehend his words she would stop flailing her arms and relax. She always woke up from her nightmares drenched in sweat. The last thing to leave was the shaking of her body. Those nightmares seemed so real to her.
Then she would break down and sob. She couldn’t understand why Tom treated her like he did. Was it something about her that made him want to hurt her? What did she do wrong that would make a person want to hurt her so badly? She hoped her nightmares would stop, the constant reminder of that beating was almost more than she could take. She was always told how emotionally strong she is so there was no way she was going to talk to her parents about it. Maybe when she got to Scotland and talked to Becca it would help get rid of her nightmares. Until then she just prayed every night it would be nightmare free.
Love of A Dragon (Exalted Dragons Book 1) Page 12