Dragon Matchmaker

Chapter 12

   Tears burned in her eyes, but she refused to let them flow. Kinsey sat in front of her mirror, observing the ring on her finger. It was truly exquisite, but the golden heart on the silver band was made obviously from the dragon's tail horn. When she'd first observed it, it had terrified her. It was the same gold ring from her dream a few nights ago.

   She sobbed and wiped away the old tears, holding back the new ones. It had been a week since he'd proposed, but it felt like a year. When Aldwin had come back, he saw the ring and his upset glare had broken, showing just how shocked and dismayed he was. The look he had given her had proved her thoughts. He liked her. But now it was too late. If she tried to go to dad and tell him what Audrey was really like, Audrey would kill Aldwin.

   "Why're you so upset, my sweet? Getting nervous about the wedding?"

   She froze and her breath hitched as Audrey's fingers trailed down over her spine. The goosebumps he raised were out of fear, not excitement. His actions around her always suggested he was getting closer and closer to the point of no return. Sex. She didn't want that from him. Not before marriage anyway. If she ever found a way out of this, she didn't want to be trailing his baby with her. She shook her head. "No. I'm just thinking about my mother."

   "That seems to be your answer to every question regarding our wedding day. I think your clinging too much to the past, sweetheart. Relax and focus on what will be. Such as our wedding, our life together, our children."

   The word children made her shiver in disgust. He chuckled and dent down, his face coming down beside hers. He kissed her cheek and tried to turn her face towards his. "Come on, my sweet. A quick kiss. I won't disappoint you."

   Why did he have to be so close? If he were only a few inches away, she'd be able to back away and come up with an excuse, but he expected her to return his gesture. She reluctantly turned her head and let him have her lips, but she refused to kiss him back, knowing it would only encourage him. He suddenly lost all control. He grabbed her by her shirt front and hauled her up, covering her mouth as he shoved her onto the bed. "I've had it with you! You've got two choices here. Strip off your clothes or I rip them off."

   She clenched  her teeth and bit his hand, kicking out as hard as she could. She hadn't meant to hit him so perfectly, but she definitely enjoyed seeing him double over, clutching his privates. He was in too much pain to move. She saw her chance.

   She leapt up and raced to the door, but his hand caught her foot and she met the floor painfully, her chest coming down the hardest. She just knew that was one more bruise to add to the collection on her breasts. Audrey was suddenly on top of her, forcing her face down into the hardwood floor. "You think that was funny? Well I'll show you funny!"

   He grabbed her by her arms and threw her back onto the bed, grabbing a handful of her blouse. Before he could rip her shirt, a sturdy knock came at the door. He glared down at her and held a finger to his lips. "Not a word."

   He went over and answered the door as she situated herself on the bed. In walked her father, smiling brightly an  holding a small box in his hands. "Just came by to give…sweetpea, why're you crying?"

   He rushed over to her and sat down beside her, wiping away her tears. Audrey slashed a hand across his throat and she sighed. "I just started thinking about mom and how I wished she could've been here to see the wedding."

   Cedric sighed and nodded, kissing her temple. "I know, but that's why I'm here. I wanted  to give you this."

   He opened up the box and she gasped, looking down at the item inside. It was her mother's favorite necklace. She'd always worn it out in public and to church, praising its pale pink pearls. Cedric smiled and placed it on her neck. "Now a little piece of her will be there on your wedding day."

   "Thanks dad. I'll wear it proudly for her."

   He nodded and stood, sighing. "Well, I'd better be off. The king leaves this afternoon for Clarksville. I hope you two lovebirds have fun while I'm gone."

   Audrey smiled. "I'm sure we will."

   Kinsey shivered and looked away from him as dad walked out. Audrey closed the door and smiled again, a little less friendly like. "We'll have lots of fun, but before that, I think I need to explain to you just why I want you as my wife."

   He came over and sat on the other end of the bed, sharpening his knife on a stone he'd picked up. "You see, I'm the kings nephew, FYI, and because his son passed away a few months ago, that means I'm next in line for the throne."

   Kinsey didn't like how he put so much emphasis on passed away. "So why do you need me?"

   "With you as my queen, your dad will be my close advisor and he'll listen to everything I say."

   "What will you say?"

   Audrey chuckled and sharpened the knife again. "Once I'm king, every surrounding kingdom and county will be mine. I'll have supreme rule over everything for a two hundred mile radius. And you'll be ruling by my side. Doesn't that make your mouth water?"

   He leaned towards her and put the stone down, placing his lips against her temple and holding her still with his hand on her back. "Think about it. All that power. All that wealth. It'll all be yours. Isn't that what you want?"

   As she thought about this, the thought of having power did appeal to her, but one thought emerged into her mind that warmed her heart. It was Aldwin's line from the other day. "Who needs power when you have what you want?"

   Audrey chuckled and she felt the cold knife blade slip up the outside of her thigh, closer to her hand. "And what do you want that you have?"

   She smiled and narrowed her eyes at him. "I may not have it now, but I had it before and I passed up my chance. I don't need power because I had Aldwin. And I'll have him again."

   Kinsey lashed out at Audrey's hand and grabbed the knife. Without thinking, she stabbed it toward his heart. He swerved to the side and instead of hitting her target, she hit his shoulder. He yelled in pain and his hands went to the knife.

   Before he could pull it out and regain composure, she ran to the door and flung it open. She ran down the hallway towards the barracks and the mess hall. She had to find Aldwin. Quick.