Bride of th Dragon King -Now published through Lulu.com. Sample only!!!

Chapter Twenty Three: Accepting The Inevitable

"There not here, yet.", said Constantine, "But they will be here soon."

"Where are they?", she asked.

"They're staying at the same Inn that you, and Josh, stayed at your first night on the trail.", he told her, "Their arrival, which will happen tomorrow, was going to be my wedding present to you, but Katherine was never good at keeping secrets."  He then smirked at Katherine.

"How do you know where they are?", she asked with tears in her eyes.

"I told you that they would  probably come look for you.", he replied, "I was right. I was keeping an eye on them the whole time you were here. Elisabeth, you have no idea how powerful I really am. The internet is an interesting invention. The Earth is so vast, yet technology makes it easy to keep the entire world connected.  I was able to keep an eye them, just by tapping into your smartphone.  Just as I was able to tap into your subconscious from three thousand miles away, I was able to do the same with your parent's modem. I knew what flight they took off, when they arrived, and where they are staying. I suggested the Inn when they contacted me. They were looking for a private investigator. So, I am posing as one. When I meet with them tomorrow, I will bring them here. Don't worry, I will make sure that their lives will be very happy. After all, they are going to be my in-laws."

"So now they're going to be trapped here too!?", she cried, "What happens when Josh's father come looking for him?  Is he going to be imprisoned, as well?  Maybe he can be husband for Elaga, it that it?"

"Mother please!", cried Katherine, "Father is just..."

"WILL YOU PLEASE JUST FUCKING GROW UP!", screamed Elisabeth, "I'M NOT YOUR DAMN MOTHER!  I DIDN'T GIVE BIRTH TO YOU!  Why don't you just go back to fucking Josh's brains out! Apparently he'll fuck anything with a hole in it.  He fucked Jessica!  He fucked me! He fucked Melinda, and now he's fucking you!"  With that Elisabeth fell to her knees, as tears kept pouring from her eyes. Everyone around her was silent.

"Father!", cried Katherine in confusion.  He placed his hand on his daughter's cheeked, and gave her a sweet smile.

"I told you Katherine, it was going to take her a while to get used to her old life.", he told her, "We just have to be patient."

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!", cried Elisabeth, "I JUST INSULTED, AND SNAPPED AT YOUR DAUGHTER?  WHAT KIND OF A FATHER ARE YOU?"  Constantine's expression became cold.

"One that isn't human!", he replied, "Is that what you want Elisabeth?  Do you want me to become violent?  Then I really would monster, then it would be okay to hate me!  Would that make it easier for you?  Or did Josh hurt you so much, that you can't except the fact that I am completely, and unconditionally, in love with you!  You keep trying to push me away!  You are doing everything that would piss off a human male. I am not a human male!  You are not a child, you're a grown woman. You are too old for me to punish, and I'm not a controlling sadist. I would take no pleasure, or feeling of superiority if I were to hurt you."  He then got down to her level, and looked her in the eye.

"I'm scared!", she cried while looking back at him, "I thought my life was going one way this morning, and now I'm pregnant. You just went ahead, and impregnated me, without my permission. That day at the hot springs, you kept pushing me. I gave in because I wanted to make love to you. But what if I continued to say no. What if I really didn't want to. Would you have stopped?  You didn't in the cave.  You raped me!  I know my body responded, but that didn't mean you had the right to continue.  So I'm sorry if I think you might be a monster, but what else would I think?  Even if I am the reincarnation of Elsbeth, I'm not your personal property. What if Josh treated Katherine the way you treated me?"

"And if you had been forced to kill the one you love?", he asked, "Because they wanted their child, your child, to live. If they promised to return, and they did, how would you react?  You relived that moment, what did Elsbeth want?"

"She wanted to return to you.", replied Elisabeth with tears, "Because she loved you. She didn't care how she came to love you, she just loved you."

"I understand how you feel.", he told her, "Can you understand how I feel?"  Elisabeth just closed her eyes, nodded her head.

"Yes.", she replied. He then cupped her face with both of his hands, and stared into her eyes.

"These are the facts Elisabeth.", he told her, "You are Elsbeth reincarnated, and that is the reason your here. You are pregnant with my son, in fact he's been communicating with you. Whether you want them here, or not, your parents are coming. And maybe you don't want to admit it, but we did fall in love.  But if you want to see the truth Elisabeth, I will show you the truth.  No more manipulations, this is who we really are."  With that Constantine grew, and morphed into his true dragon form. Then his daughters began to morph into their true forms. Their hair, and eye color stayed the same, and they remained the same size. But their human skin had changed to grayish scales, and their wing came from out of the so called tattoos on their backs. Yet, Elisabeth wasn't afraid. They were still beautiful. Elisabeth felt as though she was in a daze. The entire scene unfolding around her, was completely surreal.  Constantine then communicated with everyone telepathically.

"Now then, my dear.", he began, "Shall we continue with the wedding. At this point Elisabeth felt numb.  He had worn her down. She knew fighting him would be a losing battle.

"Yes.", replied Elisabeth.  She had always pictured her wedding day. She just never pictured marrying a giant serpent.

"Father.", said Constantine.

"Do you Elisabeth take Constantine as your husband, and your King?", asked Father Francis, "To have and to hold, to love honor and cherish, and to be bound to him for all eternity?" Out of emotional exhaustion she looked at her husband to be, not a man, but a full blooded dragon.  She accepted her fate.

"I do!", she replied.

"Do you Constantine take Elisabeth as your wife, and your Queen?", asked Father Francis, "To have and to hold, to love honor and cherish, and to be bound to her for all eternity?"

"I do!", he replied.

"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband wife.", said Father Francis, "What God has brought together, may no man put a sunder!"  Elaga, and Constantine's daughters, were all shedding tears for joy. Everyone was clapping, everyone except for Josh. Still without a voice, he looked into Elisabeth's eyes. His eyes filled with tears, but not because of joy.  It was the first time, in a long time that he actually cried. The last time being the day his mother died. If he had treated Elisabeth better, maybe this wouldn't have happened.  He wondered if this was all his fault. Katherine looked at him, and smiled.

"Come just Josh.", she said to him, "It's time to go to our home."  Josh had now accepted his own fate, and left with his adoring wife. With that everyone headed for their own individual dwellings. Constantine then placed his talon down towards Elisabeth. Slowly it opened, and she knew what he wanted her to do. She didn't fear him as he gently wrapped his claw around wast, and carefully gripped her body. With that, they took off into the night sky. She felt safe as he flew through the air, and the experience was even exhilarating. Perhaps the fact the he was now honest with her, made her feel better about their union. Maybe she could learn to love a dragon.  After all, he had been preparing her for this moment since the day she was born.

********************************************