The Silver Dragon (2 page)

Are you the one?
He could be. He was one of Tony’s partners. That usually translated into dragon friend, as well.

She stared up into the man’s strange, silver eyes. Did he have a title, too? Was he the leader of a dragon sept like Tony and her other sister’s husbands? Iris found that she didn’t care. The only way she could find out the things that mattered, was to kiss the man. So far, he didn’t seem as though he was in a hurry to do anything so rash.

“d’Argent...why does that sound so familiar?” She bit her lip with a frown. Maybe she was remembering something from her high school French classes.

“
Argent
is a common word in French,” Luc replied. “It means silver.”

“Oh.” She touched her upper lip with her tongue. “Your last name is Silver?”

He smiled and gave her an exaggerated bow. “Jean Luc d’Argent, the Silver Dragon, at your service, my lady.”

He
was
the leader of his sept. “It’s nice to meet you, Jean Luc.”

“Call me Luc, please.”

“Luc it is, then. I like that.” She smiled.

“Now that we’ve all been introduced, perhaps we should sit down to dinner.” Tony smiled at his friend. “Did you ever figure out what that smell was that you liked so much, Luc?”

“Eh, no. I am afraid I did not. However, I am certain I shall find something satisfactory on the menu.”

Iris didn’t know what she missed, but Luc glared at Tony for a minute. Was it some sort of private joke?

“It’s not French. I hope you can endure.”

“You insult me, Tony. I am not that insufferable ass, Armand.
I
like American food. Unlike him, my taste is
not
all in my mouth.” Luc held Iris’s chair while she took her seat then moved to his own chair next to her.

“I’m glad to hear you like it.” Iris wrinkled her nose. I’m afraid the only French food that I really like is Julienned potatoes.”

Luc smiled, took her napkin and shook it out before placing it on her lap. “Whatever we decide, I am sure it will be delicious. At least, I’m sure I will think so because I will be so distracted by your beauty.”

Iris leaned over and whispered in her sister’s ear, “He’s a smooth talker, isn’t he?”

“Of course I am.” He grinned. “As Armand would say, I am French.”

Two hours later, their dessert finished, Tony checked his watch. “I’m sorry, but I have an early day tomorrow. I hate to call our evening short, but Tansy has a doctor’s appointment in the morning.”

“What’s wrong?” Iris turned her attention to her sister. She felt bad for ignoring her all through dinner now that she knew she wasn’t feeling well. “I knew it. You never tell anyone anything. What’s going on?”

“Nothing that a few months won’t cure, if it’s what I think.” Tansy grinned.

“A few months?” It took a moment for Tansy’s words to sink in. Iris stood and hurried to wrap her arms around her sister. “You, too? Oh, my God!” Tears streamed down her face. “Congratulations. I’m so happy.” She
was
happy for her sister. Really.

“Perhaps you and your mate would like to ride home alone.” Luc said as he watched the drama unfold.

Iris glanced at Tansy then at Tony and nodded. “You two should really be alone. Go on ahead. I can catch a cab.”

Not for a moment, did Iris think anyone would let her ride home in a cab. She merely needed Luc to volunteer a ride and she could give her sister and her husband the privacy they deserved.

“You will not take a cab.” Luc glowered at her. “I will take you home. Though I have never met him, do you not think that I know how closely Drake guards his wife’s sisters? He protects you almost as well as he does his greatest treasure.”

Iris knew what he meant. Her sister April, was the Golden Dragon’s most valuable treasure. All dragons held their mates in such high esteem. Iris only hoped she could find a dragon who could love her half as much as her sister’s husbands loved their mates.

“You’re sure you don’t mind?” One of Tony’s brows almost reached his hairline as he studied Luc’s expression. “I would trust her with you, if you’re serious.”

“I am.” Luc inclined his head.

Iris closed her eyes and prayed that he wasn’t only serious about taking her home. Something told her that he had more than taking her back to Tony’s house on his mind. She hoped it wasn’t just wishful thinking.

“If you’re sure.” Tansy stood. “We don’t mind if you ride along, hon. Really.”

“No offense, Tansy, but I should have gone to Europe with everyone else. Frankly, I’m tired of being the fifth wheel.” She waved her arm when Tansy would have said something. “You’re not doing it on purpose, and I know you don’t mean to do it, but let’s face it. You two are in love and anyone in your house while you’re still getting to know each other is bound to get in the way.”

“I never meant to make you feel that way.” Tears glistened in Tansy’s eyes and Iris felt like a heel.

“I know you didn’t.” She hugged her sister. “But, if you don’t mind, I would like a few minutes away from you. It’s too bad that Luc isn’t staying in a hotel. He could take me back there with him.”

“Iris!” Tansy stared at her with wide eyes.

“I didn’t mean it like that and you know it.” Iris rolled her eyes. “I just meant that he could take me there to get a room and you could rest easy for the night knowing that I’m safe in the same hotel as a dragon male.” God forbid they should trust her, an adult, to take care of herself.

“Oh.” Tansy bit her lip. “What do you think, Tony?”

“He
is
staying at one of the better hotels in town. Their security is beyond reproach and he could probably arrange for her to get the room next to his.” It was almost insulting the way Tony jumped at the chance to be rid of her. Still, she understood his reasons. He wanted alone time with his wife. She couldn’t fault him for that.

“I have a suite. She is welcome to stay in one of the spare bedrooms. I certainly can’t use all three myself.”

Luc could barely contain his excitement. What luck to have this gorgeous woman dropped in his lap in his last days. He wanted to spend some time alone with her. They could stay in his room and whatever came of their time together would be of mutual, adult consent.

“I couldn’t possibly impose on you like that.” Iris stared at him, her fingers resting against her throat, her violet eyes wide. The sound of her erratic heartbeat was loud to his sensitive ears. Like other dragons, his hearing was exceptional.

“It is no imposition. I have three bedrooms. I could protect you better if you were in my suite.” At least that much wasn’t a lie. It might be a ploy to keep her close, but the truth was the truth.

“Are you okay with this?” Tansy stared at her sister, her brow wrinkled. “You don’t have to go with him, you know.”

“I know.”

Luc found himself holding his breath. Had someone asked him if he missed female companionship just a day ago, he would have answered in the negative.

Not now.

Everything had changed in the last few hours. Luc wanted Iris Flowers more with every passing moment. Each time he inhaled, he dragged her sweet scent into his lungs, his body responded with an unexpected intensity.

The indecision on her face gave way to resolve. “You two deserve a night alone, and frankly, I’d enjoy getting away for a little while, myself.” Iris turned toward her sister. “You know what it’s like being cooped up in the same house, day in and day out.” She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “It’s probably not so bad for you, now that it’s technically
your
house, I suppose.”

“I remember.” Tansy made a face. “It wasn’t that long ago, you know.” She covered her mate’s mouth with her fingers when he would have commented. “A gilded cage is still a cage, darling, even when it
is
for our safety.”

Tony didn’t say anything, but the expression on his face spoke volumes.

Iris pressed her lips together. “I know you, Drake and the others do your best to keep us happy, and I realize we’re much younger than you are. However, you guys still need to understand that we’re grown women. We haven’t had someone telling us what to do since our parents died.”

“Your parents aren’t dead.” Tony shifted in his seat. “Not one of you has the power or the darkness within you to kill anyone with your magic, especially your parents.”

“Tell that to Rose,” Iris shot back.

“I’m lost, here. Who is Rose and why would she have killed your parents?”

“Wow! Where have
you
been?” Iris stared at him, her eyes wide. “I thought just about every dragon male in existence has met us. My sisters and I have been somewhat of an oddity to you dragons.”

This is what he got for staying out of the loop for so long. Luc had no idea what they were talking about. How could he have known he would suddenly take interest in life the day before he planned to put himself into the death sleep?

He glanced at the woman who had finally awakened his senses. Could she be his mate? Inhaling deeply, he drew her delicious scent into his lungs.

She could be.

Luc clenched his teeth, determined to ignore that other part of him. He would never know. Not now. He would rather die believing he’d finally found her, than end his life knowing the fates, or gods, cared so little for the life given back to him that they refused to provide him with a mate.

“Rose is my sister.” Iris visibly bristled. “She
didn’t
kill my parents. She
thinks
she killed them. Big difference. Rose has a...” She bit her lip. “A kind of pyrotechnic power.”

“Pyrotechnic?”

“Yeah.” Iris nodded. “She tends to blow things up.”

Luc stared at the woman in front of him. Now he knew he had to get her to spend the rest of the night with him. He was certain there was a story there and now, he was dying to hear it.

Iris pushed away from the table, stood and then turned toward her sister. “I think it’s settled. I’ll go with Luc and you two have a good night by yourselves. Get your ants out of your pants tonight, because I have no idea when another opportunity like this is going to come along.”

Finally! A reason to get out of that house. If I have to watch Tansy flirt and giggle for another minute, I’ll pull my hair out.

She glanced at Luc who sat staring at her. His attention made her uncomfortable. Of course, she hoped he was the one for her. Usually, dragons didn’t hang around women who weren’t their mates. However, she was uncertain if he invited her because he wanted her, or as a favor to Tony. It could go either way.

Centuries of living alone made them recluses, outsiders, even amongst their own kind. It also tended to put them off people, in general, and women were no exception. As a matter of fact, they probably avoided women more.

From what Iris gathered, dragons lost interest in the opposite sex after a few hundred years. She couldn’t say she blamed them. Just the last couple of years of being paraded around her brothers-in-law’s friends had almost been enough to put her off men. Maybe this night on her own would help bring things back into perspective.

She glanced at Luc who stood and held out his hand. It was a capable-looking hand, the palm large and square with long, strong-looking fingers. It looked like a hand that could hold hers through anything. She widened her eyes at his clean, manicured nails and wondered if other dragons kept themselves so meticulously groomed.

From his perfect hair and sparkling silver eyes, down over his immaculate navy suit, to his shining designer shoes, the man appeared as though he’d just stepped off the cover of a men’s fashion magazine. Could she really spend the rest of her life with someone so darned perfect? Did she want to?

Yes, dammit.
She was tired of being the fifth wheel and if living with someone as perfect as Jean Luc d’Argent was what she had to do to avoid it, she would do it with style.

Slowly, Iris placed her hand in his. A shiver of awareness shot up her spine when his strong fingers closed over hers and he gently pulled her to her feet. She moved in front of him with the sensation of being cared for when he helped her with her coat.

“Thank you for joining me. Another lonely night had no appeal.” Luc slid her coat up over her shoulders and adjusted the collar. His fingers brushed the side of her neck, giving her goose bumps. They had chemistry. That much was certain.

“Thank you.” Turning, Iris’s gaze slid up to his silver-gray eyes and her legs went weak.

If Luc d’ Argent wasn’t the dragon destined as her mate, the disappointment might make her cry. She could tell herself she would suffer through it all she wanted, but the truth was—she wanted this dragon.

A lot

“You are most welcome.” Luc bowed that strange, courtly bow all of the dragons practiced on a daily basis. His old-world mannerisms were what originally drew her to him. He even spoke as though he was as old as dirt.

Well, that and his tall, dark good looks. Every one of the dragon males she had met were handsome in their own way. However, Luc was one of the most ungodly handsome men she had ever met.

Dark brows slashed over his liquid sliver eyes that glittered down at her. His light eyes contrasted with his dark hair and Mediterranean complexion. The man appeared as though he had a perpetual tan. Perhaps he did. What she knew about dragons wouldn’t fill a shot glass.

“Shall we go?” He shot a glance over to Tony and Tansy. “I will bring her safely home when you call for her.” He glanced at Iris with a smile. “Or when she wishes to return.” Placing his hand at the small of her back, Luc escorted her from the dining area and out into the cold winter night.

“Thank you.” Iris turned to him. “I didn’t want to ruin their Valentine’s Day.”

“I would imagine not.” He turned to her, a brow raised in the sexy way that most dragons managed. “What is Valentine’s Day?”

“You
have
been out of circulation, haven’t you?”

“I attempt to catch up when I return.” He paused to shrug. “Though, I must admit that it gets more difficult to catch up when one really doesn’t give a damn.”