Chapter8

King Scott I was at the castle and I was looking through the maps to find the Dragon's hideout. Leo came back a few times along with Prince Tobias to report back their sightings. "We've checked over the areas where the Dragons used to live and where some people have seen them but, so far, nothing." "We can't give up, we know their hideout is somewhere in this area here where the Dragon priests offer up those poor women to the dragons." I explained to Leo as I ran my finger over the spot where we saw that dragon flying away with my daughter. "If that's the case then there's only one area I can think of where he might have taken her." Leo pointed at the forest area on the map and then I realised the same thing. "The forbidden forest, of course, the dragons fly over that place and they usually disappear but to where?" "I don't know, but, unless we had wings to fly over that forest and find it's lair then we're back to square one." "Not exactly, there's one man I know who loves to research dragons. Leo, go and bring Alfred here. He's the only one who can help us." "All right, I'm off," Leo told me before he left my office. "Prince Tobias, you earned a break, why don't you go and get something to eat and drink." "What about you my King?" "I'll be fine, don't worry about me." "Yes sir," Prince Tobias told me before he left my office. 'Kassandra, please be all right.' Drago I slowly opened my eyes and I was still in my dragon form until I noticed my mate had fallen asleep. Last night, I remembered my mate starting to trust me and that means that she's starting to fall for me. However, I shouldn't get my hopes up since she's still a bit distrustful with the others. I can't blame her since the King fed her all those lies about us. My father and the previous leaders of the horde knew what happened that night but, if Kassandra knew the truth, how would she react? "Hmm..." I heard my mate stirred in her sleep. I shifted back into my human form and I held my mate in my arms. "Hey sleepyhead, time to wake up." "No...just a few more minutes," She groaned in her sleep while nuzzling her head on my chest. I chuckled before gently stroking her hair. I picked her up in my arms and I placed her on the bed and I moved the strands of her hair out of the way. "I'll be back for you later, Kassandra. Don't stray too far," I whispered to her before kissing her forehead and leaving the room to get some food for her. Kassandra I opened my eyes and I found myself on the bed. I sat up and Drago was nowhere in sight. I checked myself over to make sure he didn't do anything. I sighed in relief before getting up from the bed. I glanced at the pile of gold and I walked over to it. I crouched down and I picked up one of the gold coins and some of the inscriptions on them looked ancient, how old is this dragon? "See something you like?" Drago asked me unexpectedly. I jumped in fright and I dropped the coin I was holding and I turned to look at him. "I'm sorry! I wasn't-" "Relax, I don't blame you for being curious, although, if it was someone else, I would have killed them for stealing." I gulped a little as Drago places a tray of food on the bed. "Here, eat." I looked at the food he gave me and there was a bowl of fruit and some cooked meat and I was grateful it wasn't cooked fish. After yesterday's events, I stank of rotten fish. After I had the food, Drago looked satisfied and he said to me. "Glad to see you've still got an appetite." "Anything is better than eating fish." "You better get used to it Princess, because the other dragons and some of the women hunt for fish every day." My stomach felt funny when he said this. "Please don't mention it again..." I grumbled. Drago chuckled and then he suddenly picks me up like a bride. "Ah! what are you doing?!" "We're going to meet up with some people of course." "I mean, why are you carrying me?! I can walk by myself!" I shouted as Drago carried me out of the cave. "What? can't a Dragon Lord show off his beautiful mate?" I blushed a darker shade of red and I glared at him. "Look! yesterday was just a one-off! I still don't trust you or your kind!" "I know, which is why I'm taking you to meet some friends of mine." My eyes widen in shock and I felt scared because I didn't know how they would react when they see me and when they find out that I'm King Scott's daughter. We got to the lake where we saw the dragons and their mates. I recognized a few of them from yesterday's feeding and I wondered if they were going to hurt me. When Drago introduced me as his mate, while still holding me like a bride, they were all shocked and amazed when they saw me. "The Princess of Cassina is Drago's mate?!" "Amazing! she's prettier than I expected her to be!" "I'll say, the Dragon priests' ancestors have chosen well!" The dragon shifters spoke with smiles on their faces. I blushed a little and I looked away from them. "You're one lucky guy Drago, I'm a little jealous that your mate is from Royalty." "Don't worry, Axel, you'll find your mate soon until then, keep your claws away from mine," Drago told him with a glare which scared Axel. Drago sat me down on a rock and then he knelt down before grabbing my left ankle and moving my skirt upwards. "H-Hey! what are you doing?!" "You have cuts on your feet. They were probably from those little moments when you tried to run away from me. Stay still while I treat them." I blushed a little as Drago moved the skirt of my dress out of the way which revealed my calf, knee and part of my thigh. I held down my skirt to cover my dangerous area. Drago began to wash my foot and I could feel the cuts disappearing already. Once Drago was done, he worked on my other foot and it was also feeling better now. Just then, Drago pressed his lips on my right foot which made me shiver. "Hey, what are you doing now?" "Stay still," Drago commanded me. "Hmm...your skin is so soft and delicious." Drago spoke as he kissed and licked my leg. I felt Drago's lips travel up my leg until his lips reached my knee. "Drago...hmm...stop..." I spoke with a red face. "Not yet, I'm not done yet," Drago whispered against my skin. "Hey, Drago!!" Midnight shouted. Drago turned to look at him until Midnight splashed at Drago. "Ahh! Midnight, what the hell?!" "You look like you needed to cool off, you were burning up when you were flirting with your mate, hahaha!" Midnight laughed while his mate hugged him from behind in the water. Drago growled and then I started giggling at his reaction. Drago glared at me and then I held it back. "You think that's funny?" "No...*giggle*" I spoke as tried to hold back my laughs. Drago smirked at me and then he said to me. "Laughing at your mate, are you? Big mistake Princess," Drago stalked towards me and I knew I was trouble. "Oh no!" I shouted before I took off running. However, Drago wrapped his arms around my waist and he picks me up. I squirmed in his arms and he said to me. "Time for your punishment, Princess," Drago told me as he walked towards the lake. "Drago! don't you dare!" "What are you gonna do about? you can't escape from your punishment." "No! Liz! help me!" "Sorry Princess, I'm a little busy," Liz spoke with a smirk as she let Midnight kisses her neck. "Drago! I'm sorry for laughing! please don't throw me in the water!" "Too late," Drago spoke with a smirk before we both fell into the water. I surfaced and I glared at Drago who had a grin on his face. "Serves you right!" "Oh yeah? take this!" I shouted before splashing at Drago. "Hey!" "Now we're even!" "Oh, you're gonna get it now!" Drago spoke with a smirk before he swam over to me. I tried to get away from him but, Drago caught my ankle and he pulled me towards his chest. We both laughed when we splashed about in the water. Drago held me close to his chest and he rested his head on top of mine, while I looked at the other dragons and their mates. I didn't notice how happy they looked until now. "So, the women that were kidnapped by the Dragon priests...they are happy to be here?" "They are." "I have no doubt they 'like' you guys but, what about their families? don't they ever miss their families?" "Some of them do, in fact, some of the dragons let their mates visit them but, some of the women around here came from bad families. Liz's mother was one of them from what she told us about her past, her father was killed in battle and then her mother took her anger out on her until the priests came along." "So in a way...they did the women a favour? but, what I don't get is, why am I here? surely there's a reason why they chose me to be taken by you." "I have no idea, maybe the priests' ancestors notice something special about you," Drago spoke as he caressed my cheek. "There's nothing special about me and I'm not from an abusive family either. My father-" "Is overprotective and he treated you like a bird in a cage, what does that tell you?" Drago asked me as he held me by the waist. I had a think about it and he was right. My father kept me behind castle walls and whenever I did leave the castle, I needed someone with me. I looked at Drago and I told him. "I know that my father is overprotective and he keeps me in a cage but, he's just worried that something bad might happen to me until I came here." Drago sighed and then he said to me. "Well, you're still rough around the edges but, at least you're starting to trust us a little." Drago held me close to his chest and I tried to get out of his grip. "No, not yet. Just a little longer." Drago's voice sounded half demanding and half begging. I didn't know what was wrong with me but, I couldn't bring myself to pull away from him, could it be this strange mating pull? if that's the case, then I can't stay with him. I'm still the Princess of Cassina and I need to get back home with or without the help of a dragon.