© Sandra Corton 2015

Chapter 12 - How to bring a dragon to tears

A week had passed, and Duane still had not even a vague idea of where the pearl existed. Between that and Millie's refusal to talk over their relationship, Duane felt defeated, and unsure of what step to take next.

The continuous rejection from his mate kept dragging down his temperament, leaving him constantly fearful or furious of what lay next for them. Convincing her that she was his mate seemed an impossible feat.

Today, he had to spend time at her human lair, and he already felt suffocated at just the thought of that. The only light he could see in this weekend was that he might have a chance to tell her properly that she was his mate.

"We have to get a move on," Millie ran frantically to where he sat awaiting her.

"I am ready to leave," Duane stated calmly.

"Oh, okay then," Millie eyed him sitting stiffly on the couch. "You seem upset."

"No, Camille, I am perfectly fine," he replied, as he stood fluently. "I suggest that we fly."

"Um, I'm not so sure about that." She gulped.

"I would never drop my mate." He snapped, and Millie winced.

He had tried for every spare minute of the past week to discuss their relationship. As soon as he did, Millie would divert his attention by asking something of the dragon world. She didn't want to hear that she was nothing to him, especially when she knew that was what he would say.

"Flying means that we can be there shortly," he said abruptly.

"Everyone will see us," she gulped, not enjoying the anger that she was sensing in Duane.

"Camille, I have been flying all week looking for the pearl, and nobody but my family knows that. We are like the creature that you call a chameleon. We blend and change could colours to suit our environment," he explained.

"Okay." She sounded a bit dubious.

"We must leave." Duane strode out of her house, and she grimaced.

She had made the dragon mad, and now she didn't know what to do. She tried to reassure herself that his frustration probably stemmed from the missing pearl. She knew that wasn't the only reason, and guilt plagued her.

The black dragon stood magnificent in the entryway of the lair. His talons clicked against the stone floor, showing his impatience. She wanted to speak, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out. He laid his claw flat on the floor, and she stepped on without hesitation.

He was airborne once she was secure, and she glanced between his talons to watch the world fly past her. He had been right; he simply blended with the scenery. She wasn't sure how she looked, so she tried to make herself as small as possible, hoping that nobody could see her.

He landed on her street in the middle of the road and changed back. He held her in his arms, before setting her on her feet, without another word. She was hating this silence between them, but her words just didn't want to spill out.

"Uh, thank you," she told him politely.

"It is perfectly fine, Camille," Duane tilted his head her way. "One would assume that noise is your sister heading this way,"

Millie turned to look in the same direction that he was, and sure enough, her sister marched along the footpath, while yelling into her phone. Jake followed behind her, trying to distance himself from the embarrassment that his mother's loud voice was making on the early morning air.

"No! It cannot be!" Duane exclaimed, capturing Millie's attention.

"What is it?" Millie asked.

"Nothing to concern yourself with, Camille." He gave her the brush off.

She watched as he stared at her sister. Millie's heart plummeted as Duane's words sank into her mind. Had Duane found his special partner, his mate in Katrina? She felt sick at even the thought of her vapid sister and Duane together.

"Mills," Jake called out in relief at his aunt's familiar presence.

"Hey, Jake," Millie forced a happy tone into her voice.

"What's with the angry dude?" Jake asked, as they hugged.

"He's staying for the weekend," Millie stated, making her nephew smirk. "And no, it's not like that." She slapped a hand against his arm.

"Whatever you reckon, Mills." Jakes grin only widened.

"C'mon let's get you inside before you get any crazier ideas." Millie shook her head at him fondly, but headed towards the house.

Duane watched them go, feeling envious of their easy camaraderie. He then turned his gaze to Katrina. He had sensed it the very moment that he had spotted the woman; Katrina had the Pearl of Antoinette. He was equally furious, as he was relieved. Dread struck when he recalled the payment that he would have to give this woman.

"What do you want?" Katrina snapped, as she hung up the phone.

"You have something that does not belong to you," Duane stated, making the woman baulk.

"How the hell do you all know?" She whispered.

"It is ours, and I will have it. It does not belong to you," Duane told her firmly.

"Well it sure as fuck doesn't belong to you," she snarled.

"What payment do you require?" Duane raised an eyebrow at her.

"You want it?" Katrina went from annoyed to ecstatic instantly.

"Name your price." Duane bargained.

"You'll have to go awfully high," she waved her phone in the air. Dread filled him, as he realised that her previous conversation had been with an interested buyer.

"I will go higher than any other offer." Duane stated emphatically.

"Let me think about it." Katrina tapped a finger against her lips with a sly grin upon her face.

"Fine," Duane replied calmly, showing a confident smile and forcing his fear down, so she wouldn't be able to see his desperation. "I shall be here all weekend."

"Have you and Millie got a thing going?" She asked, and the concern in her voice surprised him.

"Why? Would it bother you?" He gave her a narrow eyed glare.

She said nothing, but walked ahead of him into the house. Duane frowned, but watched her leave. It would seem that life was only becoming increasingly difficult for him.

"Duane? You are allowed inside you know." Millie called out to him, and he turned to his mate.

"Of course, Camille. I shall be in shortly."

Millie stared between Duane and her rather smug sibling apprehensively, as they headed into the house. Her heart flopped painfully, as the truth of Katrina possibly being Duane's mate hit her. No wonder Katrina looked so smug and delighted, she had won the one thing in life that Millie had wanted desperately, Duane.

She swallowed down the jealousy and immense disappointment that threatened to crush her. She forced a smile onto her face, and sought solace in her kitchen.

She hadn't realised, as she stirred the mixture that it was for donuts, until she placed the dough in the bowl. She sighed and tried to forget the anguish that stirred inside her. The loss she felt came down upon her with a crushing weight, though she tried to push it aside.

"Camille, what are you doing?" Duane asked, as he entered the room.

Millie quickly righted herself, and blinked back the tears that were forming. She chided herself for having hope. She had known from the beginning that Duane would never be hers, but she had let that damn hope grow inside of her when she shouldn't have.

"I thought you might be hungry," she shrugged.

"I will always be hungry," his words were a growl that shivered across her skin as he moved closer.

"Donuts, for you then?"

"Yes."

"Mills, that looks awesome. Are you cooking me donuts?" Jake flew into the room, but stopped at the fierce glare that Duane had sent him.

"Mine." Duane growled deep in his throat.

"Hey man, it's cool." Jake's eyes widened, and he took a careful step back towards the door.

"Duane!" Millie scolded, as she jabbed an elbow into his ribs.

"Sorry." He appeared ashamed, and down to single word answers, so she knew that his hunger had control.

"Didn't you eat before we left?" She asked, as she peered at him.

"Yes, but mine." Duane pointed to the dough that was bubbling in the oil.

"That's fine, Duane. Jake, honey, I'll make another batch for you, okay." Millie called out to her nephew, as he scurried from the room.

"Sure." She heard him shout out.

"Duane, how are you going to deal with your hunger while you're here?" Millie asked, feeling flattered, but perturbed by his reaction.

"No worry." He answered, as he scooped the dough out of the oil and threw it into the waiting sugar.

He had devoured every scrap of donut, before he seemed calmer. He let out an enormous burp that made Millie giggle. She had no clue why she found his behaviour adorable, but she just did.

"Better?"

"Much, thank you." He smiled at her, sending her heart rate skyrocketing.

"Should I cook for you on the weekends?" She asked, as she began another batch for Jake.

"No, I shall have my normal delivery from my lair. Kevina can stay with you in those times." He explained.

"Okay." Millie perked up.

In the last week, Millie and Kevina had found an unexpected friendship. With having to spend their days together, while Duane searched for the pearl, they had forged a bond.

"We need to have a talk while we are here," Duane insisted and Millie sighed. "It is important, Camille."

"Okay." She whispered her agreement, before he walked from the kitchen.

Millie had cooked the second batch for the hungry teenager, only to stare at the awaiting dishes. She glared at the messed despondently. She was in no mood to clean, so she headed upstairs to her room.

Whispered voices caught her attention at the top of the stairs. When she found Duane close to touching her sister, she felt nausea and despair flood through her.

"Excuse me," Millie cleared her throat, and then stated the words in a clear, firm voice.

"Camille," Duane sounded relieved to see her, but that only deepened her angst.

"Well, I guess you found your mate." Millie forced a cheerful voice.

"Yes, of course I did." Duane appeared puzzled, as he peered at her.

"Well I hope you and Kat are happy together." She smiled, but was sure it would seem like more of a grimace.

"Me and him?" Katrina let out a snort of laughter.

"Camille, I have no feeling for this woman." Duane's look of disgust towards Katrina shocked her.

"You were just...awfully close together." Millie stated firmly.

"Ah, I see, that was not a friendly action, it was a threat. She has something that I need, but she is demanding a payment in return." Duane explained to a baffled, but still hurting Millie.

"I'm confused." Millie crossed her arms and frowned at them, but Duane turned back to Katrina.

"What payment do you demand?" He snapped.

"I have been offered one hundred gold bars," Katrina turned sly.

"They are lying. I will offer you rubies." He winced as he spoke.

"Pure?" Katrina turned greedy eyes to Duane.

"The purest that you will ever see." He replied honestly.

"You being them to me, and I'll decide then." Katrina became all business like.

"Fine." Duane turned, grasping miles Millie's hand, so she would follow him.

"Duane." She complained, when his fingers tightened against hers.

"I need you to join me, please. I need someone that I can trust to retrieve the rubies," Duane said quickly. Millie was about to protest, but Duane's serious golden eyes stopped her, and she nodded instead. "Thank you."

Duane knew what he had to do now. It pained him to think about how devastated this may make him, but it had to be done. He knew the one thing that would make him vulnerable enough to bring him to tears, his mate's constant rejection.

He walked out of her house, and into the middle of the road. He scooped Millie into his arms, changed into his dragon form, and was into the air before Millie fully comprehended his actions. They were flying through the air in her next heartbeat, with the wind rushing by, which swept all her questions aside.

They landed on the snowy cliff face, where he had told her that he was a dragon. She pondered why she was back here, as he placed her on the ground.

"Duane, you need to tell me what's going on," she demanded into the chill air.

"Pure rubies are dragon tears," Duane stated, leaving Millie flabbergasted.

"Right." Millie's disbelief was clear in her voice.

"I have been wondering how I could cry enough rubies to attain the pearl. At first, I thought the death of my mother would be enough. She died here. They sawed off her wings, and pushed her over the edge." Duane's words were calm, but he swung his head in an agitated manner.

"Duane, that's horrible. I'm so sorry." Millie felt his pain at having to see such a horrific event.

"I have never cried for her loss. Even today, I do not think it will be enough. Today, I must, if I ever intend to protect my mate."

"How can I help?"

"Two things. Firstly, collect the rubies when they fall. We need to hope they are enough to appease your greedy sister."

"Okay." She replied, hoping that she didn't sound as dubious as she felt.

"Now, I'm going to try."

"What's the second thing?"

"We shall discuss that if my first plan doesn't work," he let out a grunt, and stared over the cliff.

Duane curled his huge body into a circle, and huddled her closer to him. She was grateful, considering that she was once again without any warm clothes on a snowy cliff.

"My mother was a silver dragon. She loved all of us up to the point where she risked her life to keep us safe. She was selfless. I could have felt no love stronger for her, until I met my mate. Now, I understand her fight, her sacrifice. I would give everything that I have to keep my mate safe." Duane spoke with assurance.

Millie tried to stem the jealous feeling that such loving words were not for her. She stayed quiet and let him continue talking. She had no idea of why he was saying what he was, but he obviously needed to vent.

"That is still not helping me," Duane grunted.

"So it's time for plan B?" Millie said weakly.

"Yes."

"I wish I could help,"

"Accept what you are to me." He said firmly.

"Sorry?"

"Why do you keep denying me?" He asked sadly.

"I don't understand."

"She said... she told me that making you believe would be the hardest thing." He hung his head down low.

"Who told you?"

"My mother. She said that convincing you would be more difficult than retrieving the pearl. Now, I believe her." He sounded sorrowful.

"Your mother?" Millie felt baffled, as she stood staring at the immense black dragon.

"I cannot be without you, Camille. Yet, you do not seem to have the same attachment."

"What are you saying?"

"Tell me that you are my mate." Golden eyes blazed into hers, as he stepped back and lowered his head to the ground.

"But... you were the one that told me we weren't mates."

He stood upright and bellowed out a sheet of fire, which thankfully flamed away from Millie. She stepped back, away from his terrifying visage. She decided that the cold snow would be a better choice for the moment.

"Why? Why won't you accept me?" His voice filled with pain and heartache, as something hit Millie smartly on the head.

"Ow!" She exclaimed, as she reached down to see what it was.

A ruby, cut to perfection lay within the fallen snow, its deep red colour shining back at her brightly. She felt mesmerised by it, until another hit her on her outstretched arm. She grabbed it quickly and backed away, as a hail of rubies fell from the sky.

It only took her a moment to piece everything together. Duane had said that dragon tears were rubies. Did that mean that he was crying over her? She peered through the rain of rubies to try to see him. His figure slumped in rejection, while his devastated eyes pierced straight into her.

She felt her heart lift and lighten. He wanted her to accept him as her mate, even when he had told her that they weren't on numerous occasions. As much as this baffled her, she felt both stunned and elated as well.

"Duane, I accept you." She admitted eagerly.

The rain of rubies turned to what appeared to be sapphires. She could badly comprehend how he was able to cry for her, when he was unable to cry at his mother's death.

She darted around the gems that continued pounding onto the ground and hugged Duane's leg close. One claw scraped her up, and held her gently against his chest.

Perhaps, she had been looking at everything the wrong way. Maybe his words were hints for her to accept. She smiled happily, as her fears dissolved. She had been a blind idiot and missed Duane's obvious clues. This dragon wanted her as much as she wanted him.