The Silver Dragon (4 page)

Did Luc want her to admit it, or would he insist on going on with his plans?
That
was the question.

Cheeks burning, Iris rushed back to her room. “Oh, my gosh!” She pressed her hands to her face. “I don’t believe I just did that.”

How in the world had she managed to keep her cool after seeing Luc in all of his naked glory? What disappointed her most was the fact that she hadn’t even taken the time to look. Her
good girl
mentality had kicked in and she’d immediately closed her eyes.

She smiled slowly. She
did
like what she had seen, though. Golden brown skin covered most of his muscled body. She only wished that instead of having her gaze glued to his perfect chest and incredible abs, she would have had the presence of mind to at least glance down at the lighter spots. She didn’t though. As soon as she realized she’d gotten a side view of his package, she’d glanced up to see him turning her way. At that point, she’d done what she thought prudent by closing her eyes and announcing herself.

It was too bad she hadn’t thought to get a better look at the rest of him before she closed her eyes. It wasn’t as though the encounter was her fault, after all.
He
was the one who stood naked in his room with the door hanging wide open.

Reaching up, she twisted her hair and stared out her window. She tried not to look down. At night, it wasn’t so bad. Lights didn’t show distance too much. Tomorrow, in the daylight, the view would make her sick.

Moving to the side, she pulled the drapes closed. The last thing she needed to do was wake up in the morning, look out the window and faint dead away. She had plans to make.

Luc de’Argent might not be her mate, but she planned to find out one way or the other. Iris only had to figure out how to get the man to kiss her. “This should be a piece of cake.”

Four days later, Iris stalked into her bedroom in Luc’s suite. “He said I could stay as long as I liked, then he has the nerve to ask me when I’m leaving? What a jerk!”

Flopping onto the bed, she pulled her pillow close and sobbed into it. What was the matter with him or was there something wrong with her?

Dragons weren’t supposed to be this difficult to get a kiss from. Usually, if there was any doubt, the kiss ended it. “So what’s his problem?”

After four days of hints, questions and just plain throwing herself at him, the man barely gave her the time of day. “What’s wrong with me? Or better yet, what’s wrong with him?” She finally voiced the question that had been plaguing her for the last several days.

Someone knocked on her door. It could only be him. Iris rolled over, putting her back to the door. “Yes?”

“May I come in?” She squeezed her eyes shut at the muffled sound of Luc’s sexy voice on the other side.

“I suppose.” She refused to roll over and face the door. The man didn’t need to know he’d made her cry. It wasn’t as though he’d give a damn, anyway, and she refused to give the jerk the satisfaction.

A moment of silence followed the sound of the door opening. “Can I talk to you?”

“I don’t see the need. If you’ll give me tonight, I’ll pack what things I have here and get out of your life.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Of course you didn’t. You don’t care. You’ve already told me that numerous times. You don’t care enough about me or anyone else to want to hurt our feelings. All you care about is you.”

“That’s not true.”

Iris hugged her pillow tight against her chest. Why did things have to hurt so much? Why did she have to fall in love with the defective dragon? Mostly, she wondered why she couldn’t get him to care, even about himself.

“No. You’re right. You don’t even care about yourself.”

“Like I said, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“What makes you think you hurt me?” She did her best to sound normal, but something told her she failed miserably.

“The fact that you’re on your bed crying into your pillow might have something to do with it.”

“Stop acting like you give a damn and leave me alone. Didn’t I say I’d be out of your hair tomorrow? Go ahead, kill yourself, goodness knows it’s apparently so much easier than facing life head on.” She wiped the tears from her face, rolled over and sat up. Staring him straight in the eyes, she gave him the best smile she could muster.

“You said there was a possibility that I could be a mate to more than one dragon and since, I’m obviously not
your
mate, it’s only a matter of time before I find a man, dragon
or
human who will treat me the way I deserve.” Standing, she made her way to the closet and opened the door.

“Don’t worry, Mister d’Argent. I’ll be out of your life tomorrow. Go ahead with your plans. Just don’t expect me to waste another tear on your sorry ass.”

Luc’s stomach clenched at her words. It had taken him long enough, but he’d finally come to realize that he wanted Iris Flowers enough to risk kissing her and finding out that she was his mate.

Four days, it had taken him to realize that his death meant nothing to anyone, except him—and possibly Iris. Why, now that he thought he’d found his mate, would he choose to continue on with the plans to enter the forever sleep?

Why would he choose to leave such a beautiful woman before he found out whether or not she could be his? His chest ached, though he didn’t know why. It couldn’t be heartburn, he’d had little to eat. He’d been so preoccupied with avoiding Iris that he hadn’t bothered to eat more than a few slices of toast before she’d entered the room and he left to see to his businesses.

The last four days had been the most difficult of his life. He constantly fought his dragon. The beast struggled against his control. It wanted to shift, to grab Iris and carry her away. That alone should have told him something days ago.

It’s already too late to carry out your plans.
The low growling voice of his dragon didn’t tell him anything he didn’t already know.
She’s already imbedded in your heart, our heart. Stop fighting it.

Generally, the dragon didn’t speak to him. It felt too much like mental illness to them both. However, in times of great need, the beast made himself known.
We merged our spirits all those years ago when we both were dying. We had a deal, Good One, you and I. When will you hold up your half?

Luc closed his eyes. He never should have made the deal. He should have died all those years ago and let the silver dragon die with him. Instead, they had merged and become one. He’d lived the life of the silver dragon ever since. Taking on the dragon’s lands and power, his money and family—his enemies and sorrow. It had been too much.

Finally, when he managed to convince the dragon to agree to the forever sleep, Iris Flowers came along with her sweet scent and caring ways. She gave the dragon a reason to hold on still longer. It wanted its mate and it made Luc want her too.

“I don’t want you out of my life.” He closed his eyes at the words he knew she longed to hear. “I think you might be my mate.”

“You think?” She spun around, her eyes flashing as she glared at him. “Isn’t that what I’ve been saying for the last four days?” She swung her arm in an arc. “But you wouldn’t hear it. You wouldn’t have anything to do with me. So now, I don’t want to have anything to do with you.
You
aren’t good enough for me. I can’t live my life wondering when or if you’ll change your mind and decide to toss me aside as you’ve so easily done today.”

Heart in his throat, Luc stared at her mouth agape. He wanted her more than life itself. In fact, as odd as it seemed, he’d finally come to realize he wanted Iris Flowers more than he wanted to seek death. It was why he stood here, staring at the woman who now couldn’t be bothered by a man who could break her heart so easily.

“While you can apparently turn off your emotions, I can’t.” She turned to face the window, her head bowed. “I can’t take the pain of your rejection again. I don’t like the person I become when you make me feel less than I am because you don’t want me.”

But I do want you.

Oh, God, he was too late. He was too late to make things right. He squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he’d done things differently.

Kiss her. Kiss her, you idiot. When you do, she will know about us. She will understand your reticence and she will forgive us...I hope.

As silently as he could, Luc moved closer. By the time he was nearly touching her, he couldn’t wait to pull her into his arms and hold her there. No matter how much she might protest.

He’d heard about the dragon’s kiss. Something about it changed a dragon and his mate forever. He had never experienced it. He hadn’t hoped to experience it. Luc hadn’t been born a dragon. In fact, he had no idea that he could come to love a woman destined to be the beast’s mate.

Dying, he’d struck the deal with the Silver Dragon in hopes of living long enough to fulfill his destiny. After more than a thousand years, he’d fathered at least seven sons and those sons had, hopefully, fathered sons of their own.

After waiting so long, he’d assumed that his visions were inaccurate. Perhaps he had made the deal and lived so long for nothing. Until four days ago, he couldn’t bear to think of going on for another month. Now he wanted more. He wanted Iris Flowers more than he had ever dreamed possible to want or to love a woman and he’d ruined it with his selfishness.

Gently, he rested his hands on her shoulders. She stiffened, her spine ramrod straight. “Please.” He bent, murmured the words in her ear. “Turn around and we’ll find out now, if you’ll allow it.”

Turning, Iris stared up at him through her tear-filled eyes. His chest hurt, his heart aching. He had done that to her. He had reduced this proud and beautiful woman to tears and it shamed him.

“Will you allow me to kiss you? Will you let me finally put our hopes—our fears—to rest?” For the first time in years, he felt hope. Her hope. He only prayed she couldn’t feel his fears. He did fear. He was afraid that she wasn’t his mate and he would lose the tenuous grip he had on that one small sliver of faith he held dear.

Their kiss, one kiss, would either break their hearts or send them soaring. It was a step he wasn’t sure he had the courage to take.

Kiss her!
The low growl of the dragon drove him on. Cupping her cheeks, he brushed her lips with his thumbs before dipping his head to press his mouth against hers.

Iris stood still. Her heart pounded, her knees grew weak as she watched his head grow closer and closer. The urge to run made her shake when she resisted. She wanted this. She had wanted it since the night they met.

Maybe he wasn’t her mate. There was always the possibility that they could kiss and nothing happened. It had happened to one of her sisters. Ginger had been positive she’d found the dragon of her dreams. However, it turned out that she wasn’t his mate, after all. He’d returned to Italy or wherever he’d come from without a word.

Since then, Ginger had been a bit cavalier with her dealings with everyone. She acted as if she didn’t care, but Iris knew better. Finding out the man wasn’t her mate had broken her heart. Iris was terrified that the same thing would happen to her. Still, she couldn’t stand by and do nothing while Luc withdrew more and more, never knowing for sure.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes as he drew closer and closer. She couldn’t stop the inevitable. She didn’t want to, she only feared the outcome.

Warm lips pressed against hers. Tilting her head back, she opened her mouth. Her sisters told her nothing would happen until their tongues touched. Perhaps it had something to do with the change of body fluids. No one was quite sure.

As soon as Luc’s tongue touched hers, she saw it. A man and a dragon fought evil side by side. This wasn’t a dragon like her sister’s husbands were dragons. This one couldn’t shift its shape into that of a man. Still, the dragon fought beside the man who had more power than she ever thought possible.

Somehow, she drew memories from both of them. The dragon thought of a life of utter isolation and exile from his own kind because he couldn’t shift his shape. The man, he was the greatest sorcerer known to mankind.

Side by side, the two fought men who wanted them dead. The two together weren’t strong enough to win without sacrifice. The dragon breathed fire on those who would harm them taking a spear to the heart to protect the man. He fell, killing the last of their enemies. Filled with both pain and regret, he breathed the wounded sorcerer’s name.
Merlin, apart we both die. Together we will live to fight another day.

Iris gasped, pulled away from Luc and stared at him, her mouth open. “Merlin? You’re
Merlin?
” Stepping back, she shook her head. “You can’t be. Merlin would be over a thousand years old.”

Of course, her sisters had called and told her about what happened with Emily and the Red Dragon. She hadn’t really believed it, but she gathered
they
had. Iris had decided to reserve judgment until they all returned and she could question her brother-in-law, Drake.

“Besides, Merlin was a sorcerer—a human. You can’t both be a sorcerer and a dragon.” Could he?

“I can. I am.” He stepped closer, his arm out. “Let me explain.” He winked at her. “Or we could do it the easy way and you could kiss me again,” he said, his mouth quirking up at the corners.

“No.” She held her hand out, as though that could hold him off if he really wanted to kiss her. “I’m fine just hearing your explanation.”

“As you wish.” He sighed. He led her to the sofa in the sitting area of her room, sat and pulled her down onto his lap. “Lluc, it’s the Catalan name of the dragon you saw, and I fought off a host of sorcerers bent on ruling the world.

“They wished to kill King Arthur and his knights to do so. What you saw, was our battle to stop them. It has taken them this long to rebuild their ranks, for one of them to gain the strength to rule the others.” He sighed. “As much as I didn’t want to believe it could happen, I predicted this turn of events hundreds of years ago.”