by JF Jenkins
"This is a lot to take in," she admitted.
He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sure it is, and I wish I could have told you sooner. It's a secret I've been sworn to protect, and can only share with the woman I want to be with. She is you."
"I want to be with you too," Kat whispered. She loved him and almost said it. The words caught in her throat. She wanted to hear them first from him. He had to feel the same way, right? Why else would he go through all of this trouble just to be with her for centuries?
Kat leaned up, paused to lick her lips, and then kissed his mouth. "I'll have you."
Chapter Seven
"What kind of a loser doesn't sleep with his wife after they get married?" one brother asked, his voice reverberating down the stone hallways of the castle. Jason couldn't remember his name. In fact, they'd barely spoken more than two words to one another. The most he knew was that they were half-brothers and a handful of years apart.
Why Jason's love life had to be the latest gossip to float through the Inero Castle was beyond him. Surely, there were better things to talk about.
"I don't know, but he still reeks of purity. It's disgusting and shameful," another brother replied.
"How is he being a man?" the first continued. "How will he even become a man at this rate? Isn't it one of his duties as a husband to bed her? Besides, she'll never respect him if he doesn't show her where her proper place is now."
"I'm not sure. Perhaps he has a problem? Perhaps he is…"
Jason had to ignore the rest of this conversation as he walked by. Both of them stopped talking when they noticed him then continued on in hushed voices. Soon he was out of range and the only sound he heard was his footsteps on the stone floors. He didn't want to be late for breakfast.
As hard as he tried to forget about them, their words still bothered him. They didn't get it. He wasn't a charmer, so he couldn't naturally seduce her. He felt wrong coercing this girl into bed with him anyway. What happened to being in love? Hardly any of his kin spoke of it much anymore. They were too busy rushing into bed then regretting it later. Love generally happened with the third or fourth wife.
While seventeen was considered young to humans, it felt like an eternity for him. Every four years he aged one year, so he'd already walked the Earth for sixty-eight years. He'd finished his proper schooling, still having a lot to learn, but he couldn't stand being babied any longer. It was time to grow up.
His decision to wed hadn't only been for himself, though. He did it for Gwen just as much. Granted, he didn't know whom he would be choosing as his bride, but he had vowed to pick a girl and protect her. He felt sick thinking about what could have happened to her if he had chosen to wait for another group of girls. A rejected Elite often got taken by an older guard member and enslaved.
Jason wanted to be honorable. He wanted to be good. He wanted to prove that his people were not all bad. The other brothers who participated in the ritual would hopefully not be abusive and cruel. From what he understood, most had an intense night of lust-filled passion. They had also chosen to treat their women like trophies—gazed upon and admired as a possession with no emotional attachment. It sounded like a lonely life.
Gwen was a girl he could get along with. She wasn't the most beautiful girl in the line. Her long, black hair had been straight and flat, her eyes a dull hazel, and her body thin and toned from all of her hard work on the farm. Attractive, but not gorgeous like the pouty-lipped, curvy vixens who had made up the rest of the line. Jason had picked Gwen because when he had looked into her eyes, he had seen her soul. He was eager to go back to her and explore it more thoroughly.
He stepped into the dining hall of the great Inero Castle, moving quickly to stand next to Matt. The first thing he noticed was how he smelled different. Just the day before he had smelled of wind, dirt, and a slight hint of wood fire smoke. Now he smelled like roasted chilies and dark chocolate—like a man. Already everything was changing. Jason didn't realize it would be so drastic and instant.
Together, they waited for their father, the Great Dragon Lord of the Inero, Lynx.
"Are you—" Matt began to ask.
"Yes, I'm fine. Let's get breakfast over with," Jason said.
Matt nodded. "I know it's hard, but they'll understand when they realize their fun times are nothing more than that," he said. "You have integrity, and that is something you should be proud of. Your marriage will be a first to last and they will envy it."
"Yes, I know," Jason snapped. Hopefully his brother would get the hint that he didn't want to talk about it anymore. He clenched his fists at his sides and his jaw went stiff. Why couldn't anyone drop the subject?
"Okay, sorry," Matt mumbled while rolling his eyes, frowning as though he had been stung.
Lynx entered before Jason could reply. All eyes went to their father, and everyone bowed their heads. Lynx made one smooth wave with his hands for them all to sit. The twins sat on their father's right side. Matt always sat next to Lynx with Jason seated next to him.
To share breakfast with their father was a great honor. It was Lynx's favorite meal and the one when he had the most time to converse. Only his favorite sons were allowed to attend it. Out of almost five hundred, Matthias and Jason were favored the most.
"I understand you're trying to make me feel better," Jason said to Matt in a lowered voice. "I'm glad you're on the same page with me, at least. I didn't get to marry my childhood sweetheart like you did. I'm kind of on my own with this one."
Matt glanced around the room then sighed. Soon, Jason could hear his brother's voice in his head through the telepathic connection they shared. I may not be in the same situation, but that doesn't mean you are alone either. You can still rely on me and I can still reassure you, right?
Twins in any dragon line didn't happen often—something about how the eggs formed inside of the mother didn't allow for it. More often than not, one baby died early in the pregnancy. To have identical twins like Matt and Jason was nearly impossible, especially to have them be Touched.
'Touched' was how they described being blessed with a surplus of magic. Matt excelled in offensive fire magic, while Jason specialized in more of the defensive side. Together, they were unstoppable. The two also had the ability to use telepathy, a skill most dragons only shared with their wives after intimacy. Matt was able to share the ability with his wife too, which made things confusing between the brothers since only Matt could hear his wife.
You're busy. Things are different. You're a man now and I'm far from it, Jason said.
Matthias gave him a side-glance. You're still a man even if you haven't been with your wife. And you're melodramatic. Kat agrees with me, by the way. She thinks you're sweet for keeping Gwen's feelings in mind too, so stop letting the others get to you so much.
Glad to know my business is being blabbed about, said Jason.
She's my wife. I'm supposed to tell her everything.
Jason nudged Matt. Shut up, Father just spoke to us. You know he doesn't like us having side talk at the table. Jason immediately bowed his head so he could offer up a prayer for his food before reaching for a few sausage links.
"And what about you, Jason? Was the ritual everything you expected?" Lynx asked. He leaned forward so he could see around Matt.
"Yes, everything is going well so far. We have a lot in common," Jason replied. He'd always been good at multi-tasking his attention.
"Good, I'm pleased. I knew she was for you when I saw her," Lynx said. "You have similar spirits. That is important when choosing a mate. I wish you many years of happiness."
"Thank you, Father, for your blessing," Jason said softly, then let Matt have his turn to speak. The other brothers at the table all eyed the two. Jason and Matt were the only two teenagers at the table. The two had been eating breakfast with their father since they were five years old. Most of the other brothers at the table had only recently received the privilege.
Jason suffered through breakfast, keepin
g his focus on the food and not on the conversation. Matt was gushing again about his bride. Jason was happy for his brother, but he had an unfair advantage in the marriage ritual.
When an Inero was of the age to marry and start a family, he was allowed to choose his bride from a number of young virgin women who were of acceptable marrying age. This was typically between sixteen and nineteen years of age, and the ritual happened the first of every month (or just about every month). The process was supposed to be random, but it wasn't last night. Jason felt a little better knowing he had been thought of as well, but he would never compare to Matt, the favorite.
"Are you finished eating already?" Lynx asked Jason. "Usually you have more than one plate."
"I guess I'm not hungry today. I haven't been well," he lied. "I'm sure it will pass soon. Thank you for your concern, Father."
"You may go rest," Lynx said with a smile. "I will be by to visit you later this evening."
"Thank you, Father. I would enjoy that greatly. Thank you for being considerate of my needs," Jason said. He stood, bowed to his father, then briefly made eye contact with his brother as he left the dining hall. He didn't believe his father would come by later. Something would come up, no doubt.
He walked through the hallways of the castle, debating what to do next. He needed to get back to Gwen, but she was visiting with the other women. She needed to talk to them, get to know them, and understand how life would be changing for her now that she was considered of the Elite. Jason was determined to do his best in helping her adjust, but he figured she might listen better to another female.
Still, when he had dropped her off at the wives' pool, he could tell the idea of being with a group of strangers had made her anxious. He would collect her and bring her back to his home—their home. That was something he was going to have a hard time getting used to. At least he wouldn't be completely alone.
Upon finishing with school, the twins were each offered a place of their own. Matt had opted to keep living in the castle, staying close to their father. Jason had decided to get his own house nearby. For the first time, the two lived more than a door away from each other.
Jason had a lot of unpacking to do and getting settled. Maybe with Gwen's help, he could make it feel like a real home. He liked having the peace and quiet, and being away from the family. The castle was always so busy, especially over the last few years. He stepped outside the castle doors.
As he made his way to the wives' pool, he found the streets as busy as ever. The castle was the only old part of the city and the largest building there. No building was allowed to be bigger than the massive stone fortress. His great, great grandfather had built it, and his father had put the law in place. Lynx continually rejected any proposal to change it. The castle was just another way for his father to show he was the most powerful man in the country. The perimeter could easily be over a mile, and the wall had four stories in height. The castle grounds themselves consisted of a forest, the pool, and a collection of all Lord Lynx's many pets. He liked animals from all over the world, especially horses.
He walked along the walkway leading toward the pool where most of the wives spent their free time. It was more like a massive garden. Flowers were everywhere of varying different species and all shapes and colors. Roses were especially plentiful as they were the favorite of Lynx's current wife.
The women spent the day there, lounging about and gossiping. Some ate and drank, others swam in the luxurious pool, while others read or did art. Jason had only set foot inside of the area once as a child. Men typically were not allowed to enter, but a special exception had been made then.
He waved to a few of his half-brothers and cousins along the way. The population of the city was about fifty-fifty in terms of the human to dragon ratio. Most of the humans lived outside of the great city in suburbs or smaller towns. Almost all of the businesses were dragon owned.
He stopped outside the gate to the pool and summoned for Gwen. Essentially, he called a secretary who sent a messenger to find her.
"Are you all right?" Jason asked once she arrived. She seemed fine, but she was difficult to read. Most of the women he interacted with were fake and shallow. He couldn't tell yet if she was the same. Her bluntness from the night before suggested otherwise, which was refreshing.
"I'm okay," she said. "There are so many women here, and they're all city ladies. I guess this sort of thing is normal to them. The other girls kept talking about how it was their dream come true being taken away from home to be chosen by the dragon kind or, I guess, your kind." She glanced up at him and shook her head. "I still can't believe you're a dragon. I want more proof, but a lot of them talked about it so openly I can't explain it as a lie anymore."
He sometimes forgot that the normal human population didn't realize the dragons could take on a human form. He was so used to being surrounded by his own kind.
"It's kind of a crazy thing if you don't live with it all your life. I like to think of myself as more of a human than a dragon," he said.
She moved in closer to him with a small smile, and he felt as if he had done something right. "I did get to meet Katarina, like you suggested. She's nice. She helped me get acquainted with the others. They're a little snotty though, and cliquey. Most of them were already friends."
Gwen came from one of the farming territories and was eighteen years old. He'd gotten her to tell him a little more about herself earlier in the morning. While he had been on the planet for far longer, he was technically younger than her by a year by dragon standards. The only other thing he knew about her was how she enjoyed drinking tea instead of coffee in the morning.
"That's what it's like all over the city," Jason said. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you make some great friends. In fact, I know someone you'll get along with besides Kat." Jason liked his brother's wife, but she wasn't like Gwen at all.
"It's sweet of you to look out for me like this."
"I want to make sure you're comfortable given the circumstances. Maybe after things settle some, we can visit your family."
"I'd like that. They'd appreciate knowing I'm in good hands. I'm sure they're already proud that I've been chosen to be an Elite, no matter how much they miss me."
"It'll be good," he said. He couldn't guarantee frequent visits back home, but one or two wouldn't hurt. "I hope it makes things easier. I'm glad you feel you're in good hands. I know we still have a lot to talk about. Like, what happens now. I'm thankful for your cooperation."
"I'm smart enough to know I can't run away right now," she said with a shrug.
He laughed. "Hopefully you'll never have to. I mean, our whole relationship at this point is mostly for show. If we can keep it believable, no one should give us any problems."
"Pretend I love you, then?"
He shook his head. "Most of my kin don't believe in one true love. You can probably get away with simply liking me," he said, flashing her a smile. She laughed.
"You haven't given me a reason to not like you yet, so I think I can put on a genuine performance. I shouldn't expect to ever be able to really leave here though, should I?"
"We'd have to divorce," he explained, lowering his voice as they passed a small group of people. "Which, if we can't find a system for both of us to be comfortable with or you're truly that miserable, I will do it as soon as I think it's safe to. Then you can go back."
"But it's not safe now?"
"No, far from it," he said. "If I let you go now, you'd most likely be taken and recycled to another one of my brothers. Our relationship isn't considered respectable. I can't let them think you displease me or they'll give you away. It's hard on me just as much as it is you. It will all figure itself out."
"You haven't let me down yet." The two stopped in front of his new house. Her eyes widened at the sight of the stucco and brick mansion with the red shingle roof.
Jason laughed and unlocked the door. "One of the advantages to being one of Father's favorites is that he makes sure we'r
e taken care of. There are six bedrooms, so you pick whichever one you like the most. In fact, we can do what you want with the place because I have no idea how to decorate."
She nodded, stepping inside and taking in the sight of the massive entryway. A staircase spiraled up and around a crystal chandelier. Tiny lights reflected off of the black tiled floor. She glanced back at him, her eyes glittering, and smiled. He loved seeing her happy. It made things easier to know she could be pleased.
"Go ahead," he said with a slight push and a nod. "I'm going to start unpacking the kitchen. By the time I finish, it'll be time for lunch. We can discuss everything more thoroughly then. Why don't you go find a room for now and rest." If he was exhausted, she was no doubt doubly so. There was plenty of time to talk after some sleep.
He watched her run up the stairs. It put him at ease to see that she was no longer afraid and, even more so, to have her trust him. This was how he planned to win her over, even if they just stayed friends. He meant it when he said he wasn't ready for a relationship. Still, they were stuck with each other for the time being. He had one year to decide if she was the one. If, by the end of the year the two had still not yet mated, he would be forced to pick another bride.
He didn't want to scare her. She didn't need to know about the extra details. Not yet, anyway.
Chapter Eight
Matt laid his head against Kat's bare chest and sighed. He had dreamed of being her husband since they'd first met. Now that the dream was a reality, he could hardly believe it. He knew they were meant to be together forever, even back then. She completed him so well. She calmed him when he got angry, and her smile lit up his life. How did he get to be so lucky?
"What else do you want to know?" he asked her while tracing her hand with his fingers.
"I don't know," she whispered. "It's been a lot to take in. I mean, you're a dragon, an actual dragon. I didn't know it was possible. I suspected something was up when I realized you aged differently than me. I have known you for five years and you don't look much different. And I noticed your nails were different too."