Dragon Soul

Chapter 17

17

Porter kept trying to talk. Probably to tell me whatever he'd been trying to back in the spare room at Dragon Soul. Whatever it was, I didn't want to hear it. And he didn't seem to be all that keen either or he'd have actually blurted it out already rather than just opening and closing his mouth like a confused goldfish.

I chuckled to myself at the image but stopped abruptly when I realised the sound was giving me a headache. Not my best move.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Once you drop me off?" I checked.

"Yes. You don't seem all that happy to be going home."

"It's a stressful week. I broke my curfew for the first time ever and I’m getting married to a stranger. At least I know he's a man? Not that it matters but it's nice to know something about him."

"You'll probably find you know more about him than you think."

I scoffed. "I doubt it. There's no unmated dragons in my commune around my age. A few younger but my parents have already told me my birthday is the day, so it's definitely not them."

"I think you'll be surprised."

"Not as surprised as he'll be getting me at the end of the aisle," I muttered darkly.

"Maybe he knows who you are?"

"I doubt it."

"Have a little faith, JJ. You may be surprised."

"Hmm."

I let the conversation die, not wanting to cause myself any more pain. The rest of the journey passed in tense silence, like he could tell the direction my thoughts had taken.

"It's here on the left," I said as we pulled up to my street.

"Can I see you again?" he asked, his eyes pleading with me in a way I hadn't expected.

"I don't think that's the best idea," I replied. "We're not supposed to have a friendship like this."

"There's nothing in our culture that says we can't be friends, JJ."

I took a deep breath, not wanting to go where I knew I had to. "There is. The memory of your lips against mine is enough to stop us being friends. It won't be fair to my husband and it certainly won't be fair to your wife."

Not waiting for his response, I swung the car door open and slammed it behind me, walking towards my front door and what I was sure would be a blazing row I didn't want.

“Where have you been, young lady.” Mum swivelled her chair as I entered the house like a villain in a bad movie.

“Out.”

“I can see that.” She glared at me, her usual frown carved so deep into her face, I wondered if it was finally permanent. “Explain yourself and your text message.”

“Text message?” I frowned. I didn’t remember texting her.

Mum pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. “Nine-thirty, you messaged me to say you were with a friend and would stay the night. Which friend. Where did you sleep?”

I shot a silent prayer to Zara, guessing that it must’ve been her who texted Mum. She was an absolute guardian dragon and I needed to thank her properly.

I shrugged. Mum was already wound up tighter than a loaded spring, I possibly couldn’t make it worse. “Just a good friend.”

“Not from your little game, right?”

“Actually, I did meet him through my little game.” As soon as I heard the words leaving my mouth, I regretted them.

“Him? Janet, don’t tell me you’ve soiled your honour.”

I scoffed loudly. “No, Mum. I did not soil my honour.” We didn’t live in the Middle Ages anymore, although she could’ve fooled me with her curfew and her rules.

“Is that who dropped you off?” Mum glared. She sprinted to the window and yanked the curtains to the side. Her breath painted smoke on the glass as she hissed like a cat.

“He won’t still be there,” I sighed. Or at least, I hoped he drove away. For his own sake.

“What a cheap car,” Mum scowled. She let out a startled shriek and threw the curtains closed, as if they would ward off the rebellion and evil. “What’s his name?”

“Excuse me?” Now she was going to show interest in my life?

“This friend of yours, what’s his name?”

“Why are you asking? So you can track him down and ruin his life too?”

Mum gasped. “Watch your tone, Janet!”

Ugh, she was so exasperating. Why couldn’t I have normal people for parents? I stomped through the living room, annoyance raging through my stomach.

“Janet Jane, I asked you a question!” Mum called after me.

“His name is Porter and he’s getting married himself, if you really must know!” Without waiting for her reply, I stormed up the stairs and slammed my bedroom door as hard as I could. Whenever Mum got on my nerves like this, I’d usually get lost in my game and jump on a quest with Porter, but now that wasn’t possible. Not with my computer confiscated and Porter being Porter.

“Aaaaargh!!” I fell down on my bed and hit my forehead with my pillow. Feathers fluttered out of the casing and I blew them away with a raging dragon breath. Why was my life such a mess? I was twenty-four, and yet the moment I set foot in my house, I felt like a teenager again. I was sure Mum still saw me as such.

A soft knock proceeded the door cracking open and the one person I wanted to see least, entered my room.

“I’m not in the mood to talk more, Mum.” I pulled the pillow over my head and hid under it.

“I come in peace, Janet.” She held up her hands as she sat down next to me and patted my thigh. “Listen, I know I’m come across as strict and harsh, but I just want what’s best for you. Trust me on this.”

“Trust you? You’re marrying me off to a man I don’t even know!”

“He’s not a stranger, Janet. He’s your mate, your one, your life partner.”

I rolled my eyes back into my skull. “Yeah, sure.”

“Listen, I was young once. I wasn’t too keen on marrying some random guy, but when I stepped up to the Chapel and laid eyes on your father…” Mum paused for a moment, just long enough for me to peek from under my pillow. She took in a deep breath, a little shakily. “If you could’ve seen him... He was so handsome and strong. Once he said my name, I just knew that I found what had always been missing.”

“Great for you,” I mumbled.

“I promise you. I know our customs and traditions are a little outdated, but they’re there for a purpose. They work. You will be happier with your mate than you’ve ever been before.”

I recalled last night in the bar. The laughing with Porter, the geeky moments, the once-in-a-lifetime kiss. The way he looked at me, the tenderness sparkling in his eyes and the protective way he held me. I couldn’t imagine what could be happier than that.

Mum patted my leg. “I know we don’t always see eye to eye, but you’re not the only one struggling with this marriage. I’ll be really sad to see you go. The house will be so empty.”

“How inconvenient for you.”

“Janet.” She pulled the pillow away and scoffed. “This isn’t just about you. This is about our family, about your mate and his family too. You always tell me to treat you like an adult, well, act like one.”

“Fine.” I sat up and dusted myself off. “I’m here, aren’t I? If a wedding is what you want, a wedding is what you’ll have.”

Mum hugged me tight, a soft sob shaking her shoulders. “I’m so happy to hear that.”

I patted her back, still slightly annoyed. I hadn’t wanted to return, but I had no other choice. Porter had his own wedding to attend and I certainly didn’t have enough money to start a life for myself. If I wanted to get away from my parents, I’d just have to get through with this marriage.

“I know you don’t believe me right now, but this will be the best thing that has ever happened to you.” Mum released me from her suffocating hug and stroked my hair. “My baby, my Janet. You’ve grown up so fast.”

I sighed. “I’m not a baby anymore and can’t you just call me JJ like everyone?”

She kissed my cheek as she stood up to leave. “But Janet is such a lovely name.”

Yes. For a nun. I didn’t voice that thought out loud. I was tired from all the fighting and now that Porter was gone, there wasn’t anything left to protest for. It was time to accept reality.

I was getting married and it was time for me to deal with that. Even if there was a big part of me that didn't want to fully accept that yet.