A Dragons Favorite Piece (Book 2)

17 Blood Tea

I awake in my old room. My voice is dry, shoulders slumped when I lean up to look around the room. Nothing has changed since I left almost as if it was frozen in time from the moment I took Leo's hand, "You're awake." My father sits at the end of the bed looking up at me, his eyes tracing over my skin with a slow drag, "Good to see they haven't sunken their claws into you just yet Azzie."

"What's going on?" My words are cracked and unsure of how this conversation is going to go. I don't want to upset him since I haven't established who the enemy is just yet but something from the way his collar is popped and the leisurely way, he leans back tells me that this isn't the man I'd left. This man is proud of his actions, confident in his skin in a way I'll never fully understand.

"It's nice to meet you," He sticks his hand out – the hand that has slapped me many a times to fall back into line, "I'm Samuel." I reach my hand up to shake his trying to read between the lines. His name is not Samuel, at least as far as I knew, but in what way would I be responding appropriately? After everything that's happened in the few hours, I've been awake over the past days what is there to expect?

I look over the man that raised me trying to put two and two together. Something clicks when I see the red tattoos peeking from his unbuttoned collar, "You're a dragon."

"And you're the false queen." He takes in a deep breath the glow of the dragons magic ring circling his eyes, "Sad that it was someone so pathetic." How I haven't seen these before is a mystery to me, how would I miss something so mystical.

"Let me ask again," I attempt to pull my hand back, but Samuel keeps a tight grip, "What is going on?"

"You'll be starved while you're here." His hand strength starts to crush my own bring sounds of pain across my lips, "You've gained too much while you were off screwing that pretension prick on the throne. Sad that you've let yourself go, Azzie. After you've learned your place once more, I'll have the marriage contract signed between Dante and you. Marcus will assist in the rest after that." My body leans forward into the crushing pain of my hand. My father's free hand grabs my chin turning my head up to look at him, "Do not question me again, Azalea."

"I will never marry him." My teeth snap as I look up the man, I once called father. That man that a month or two ago I sat on the plush couch with while my mom worried over her appearance, the man that was working to earn his families favor so he could take over... Now here is the real man sitting in front of me, "You can't force me to join his harem."

"Is that the problem? You'll have to share? How selfish." He tosses me back letting my almost broken hand go, "Dragons long ago kept more than just gold in their hoards. Their women would be carefully selected and dressed to match the dragon they were held captive for. It was a sign of power if you were able to take the mate of another dragon. Dante even plans to make you his favorite, you should be honored that a human of his caliber even wants you." And with that he leaves the room with a click to be heard shortly after. I'm locked in.

It's a long moment of me processing everything that has happened. From the jewels that had laid on the side table, to Leo sneaking me away in the night. Then we'd fought, his attraction more than I wanted to deny till I finally broke from his consistent affection. In our last moments we fought seemingly side by side, until he gave up his precious friends to save my life. I've died for him, felt the pain and love that some never get to. And now, without any explanation I'm sitting in my old room with a dragon father who's planning to marry me off to a hunter while working with a dragon duke, "Coming in." A voice calls through the door the click following moments later. Charles enters with a grim expression where I'm reminded of our last conversation we had.