Dragon's Key--Complete

Chapter Six

Some people come awake all at once with abrupt awareness and enough energy to get right into their day with aplomb and finesse.  I am not one of these people.  I always come into awareness reluctantly with the extreme desire to go back to sleep.  At home, my alarm clock has to be on the other side of the room or I will hit snooze repeatedly until it just stops going off.

This awareness was slow in coming as usual, but I felt more relaxed and at peace than I had in a long time.  I felt a gentle touch echo along my hair, waking me gently rather than the usual abruptness that caused morning irritation until tea was consumed.  I stretched toward the touch that was easing me so nicely into consciousness.

I heard the rumble of deep laughter as I curled myself toward that voice and then came into contact with a length of comfortable warmth.  That caused confusion in the depth of my mind and I sat up abruptly.  Men sometimes appeared in my dreams, but I never woke up with them in my bed.  I was not that kind of girl.

I sat up too abruptly and my head started to spin.  I closed my eyes again while I waited for it to stop and reached out a hand behind me to steady myself.  I came into contact with the back of a sofa instead of a soft mattress and I stilled, confused.  As my head started to clear, my eyes flew open and I scanned the room, trying to figure out what was going on, why I was on the couch in the blue drawing room rather than in my room.

My head shot around to see the rest of the room behind me as I tried to make sense of it all and I caught sight of Aaron sitting on the sofa right behind me.  My head must have been resting on his leg the way he was sitting.  I reached up to touch my hair, trying to figure out the sensation of comfort.  He must have been playing with my hair again.

I turned, sliding my legs off the sofa and leaned back against the back.  My brain was still foggy and I was starting to really hate this constant feeling of confusion.  “What happened?”

“It appears you passed out,” Aaron said in a clear rumble, watching me carefully.

“Passed out? I've never passed out before in my life,” I reached up to rub at my head again, looking for a bump.  If I passed out and hit the ground, there should be evidence of it.

“Perhaps not, but you did this time.  We were talking in the gazebo when you lost consciousness.  I brought you in here while you recovered.  I did not like the idea of you being defenseless in the open.  It was an indefensible position.” Aaron's delightful lilt was pleasant and comforting at first.

I allowed myself to be soothed by it until I remembered just what we'd been talking about in the gazebo.  My eyes narrowed and I turned my glare on Aaron, staring him down.

Unfortunately, he didn't get the hint and just returned my look evenly.  “What?”

I continued for a moment, he deserved many glares.  “You.  It was all your fault.”

Aaron had the presence of mind to look sheepish and nodded.  “I know.  I probably shouldn't have told you that way.  I've been looking for you for a very long time, however, Sofie.  As Henry informed me earlier, I must 'cut you a little slack'.  Whatever that means.”

“Dang right you should.  Announcing out of the blue that I'm going to marry you.  That's not an assumption, Aaron! I don't care who you think I am, I'm not going to randomly marry some guy I just met!” I jumped to my feet and nearly tripped over the coffee table in front of the sofa.

“Good!” he agreed, startling me.

I turned to blink at him, “What?”

“You shouldn't agree to marry random men.  I agree,” his smile grew smile.  “But I am not a random man.  I'm your fated mate.”