33. Dragon

Angela looked up from the documents she was signing when her office door opened and closed. She smiled amused when she saw Adrian walking to the leather sofas as though he had every right to be in her office without an appointment. She glanced at the temporary male assistant waiting for the documents she was signing and dismissed him from the room. She took in the expensive suit he was wearing and the fact that his dragon tattoo was partially visible on his neck meant he came to her in an official capacity as the heir to the dragon family. She stood and went to join him on the leather seats, "Should I assume you are not here as my employee?" she asked just to tease him. "I hope you used the secret entrance reserved for people with our reputation." He just raised an arrogant brow to that query as if she should know the answer automatically and instead of Angela being offended like she normally would she burst out into laughter. "Stacey has informed me that Shirleen has won three matches already."

Adrian's lips tilted in a lopsided smile, "Yes," he confirmed, "Thanks to the training you gave her for a whole month."

"I personally believe she is naturally talented all she needs is to get a grip on that driving anger she possesses," Angela said.

"That would happen if she didn't believe you killed her mother," Adrian said coldly.

Angela's smile disappeared, "Careful Adrian you are treading on very icy grounds," she said her voice just as cold.

"Forgive me Angela," he said his voice softening, "I am finding myself more worried every time she wins a fight. I keep wondering what if the next fight she meets an opponent who will manage to kill her."

"Do you know why I gave you permission to date her? Apart from the obvious reason of course." Angela asked looking at a painting of a young girl seated in a wide field all alone hanging on the wall, "I wanted to see what love should be. It became quite apparent that he has never loved me not even for a second of the time we spent together. I wanted to see what could have been."

"Come now Angela," Adrian said amusement filing his voice, "I bet you also wanted to see a man like me, ruthless, cruel and heartless fall hopelessly in love with a girl you control. Meaning you control me as long as I love her."

Angela laughed, "Well that was a bonus, something I was hoping for but didn't expect it to happen."

Her office door flew open and an enraged Lucy stomped into the room her eyes locked on Angela. "You bitch," Lucy shouted.

Angela sighed as if tired, "I should start locking that door considering my family thinks of it as a revolving door where they can come through when they so wish." Angela looked at her cousin and asked, "Why are we name calling?"

"The position of heir was supposed to be mine and now I see a woman participating in the queen's blade claiming to be the heir?" Lucy asked incredulously.

"Oh that," Angela said nonchalantly. "I was going to introduce my stepdaughter to the family after the queen's blade."

"The other heirs would never agree to it. Bringing an unknown to be the heir will not be accepted and even if they do I will kill her to get that seat," Lucy said with malice. Before Angela could react to that threat Adrian stood in front of her holding Lucy by her throat raising her to meet his eyes cold and fixed on hers. "I will tolerate anything from you Lucy because I find you amusing but if you touch even a single hair on my girlfriend's head I will kill you in the most painful way possible," he said softly making sure he was understood before letting go of her. Lucy fell on the ground coughing and clutching her neck.

"I believe you are getting used to being in this office Lucy dear maybe you should start avoiding the said office. Let me introduce you," Angela said gleefully looking at her cousin. "You knew him in school and had a crush on him but what you didn't know was he was and is the heir to the dragon family, Adrian Maliekhe." Looking betrayed Lucy left the office without a single look back. "We need to be careful of my family they will try to get rid of her. As much as I hate my husband's mistake, I hate my family more."

***

"Yield or die," Shirleen told the injured woman lying on the ground her sword pointed at her neck. The woman's eyes were filled with pain and the need to win. She still wanted to fight even though she was severely injured and there was a possibility she could bleed to death. Shirleen's eyes held no mercy only determination. She tried to give the women she fought an option to give up and live or death by her hands only one of her opponents so far had chosen the latter and Shirleen had had no choice but to deliver a death blow. The woman on the ground dropped the blade she was holding and laid back in exhaustion pressing her hands on the bleeding cut on her thigh and she said, "Yield." Shirleen withdrew her sword and stepped back as the coordinator announced she had won and she officially became one of the three contestants who were to make their way to the Queen's capital to participate in the last contest. Her four guards, Eva and Stacey waited for her in the fringes. Stacey quickly placed her black overcoat over her shoulder and Shirleen patiently waited for her guide to switch off the live broadcast. Immediately she was aware she was no longer live she slumped leaning on Stacey succumbing to the pain that was coursing through her body. She was sure her opponent had managed to break a rib or two and the wound on her waist was bleeding heavily. She was barely managing to hold herself up and trying not to succumb to unconsciousness. Stacey quickly wrapped her arms around her and helped her to the waiting car and headed to the ranch they were renting outside Dallas, Texas. An hour after treating Shirleen and leaving her to rest, Stacey received a video call from Angela. "How badly is she injured?" Angela asked softly.

"She needs time to heal before her next fight. The only advantage she holds now is that the other two must also be injured during the fights and they are yet to recover," Stacey said. "How did you know she was injured during the live stream she tried to hide she was injured and only collapsed after she was sure the live stream was off."

"Even though she wore black to mask any injury in case she was injured. I noticed her flinch when she blocked the blade during the fight and I noticed the second blade her opponent was holding had blood on it. Also, when she raised her sword at the end of the fight her face tightened in pain," Angela said. "From now on her opponents will be stronger and less merciful. They will simply want to kill her during the fight. She needs to be at the top of her game."

"I will make sure she is well enough to be able to hold against her opponents."

"I am counting on you Stacey," Angela said.

"I would never let you down Madam," Stacey replied and Angela nodded and signed off.