The five brothers responded with a combination of shock and disbelief, expressed through gasps and looks of surprise. “Disowned?” Drew managed to choke out.
“I believe that is what ‘removed from the family’ means,” Cyril said.
Vann spluttered. “You can’t be serious!”
Father smiled at him. “Oh, but I am.”
“This is going to kill my reputation,” Mal muttered, shaking his head.
“Actually,” Don said, speaking up for the first time, “several musicians with wives and families have maintained their popularity, especially with female fans. A man who is faithful to his partner and a positive role model to his children is very appealing.”
Mal snorted. “Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet, bro.”
“In Donnie’s defense,” Seph said, “he’s right. In my line of work, I find that my female clients favor males who can provide for their families.”
Father rose from his chair and tugged at the cuffs of his jacket sleeves. “You’re free to continue this discussion,” he said, “but you would be wise not to waste too much time. I’m giving you all six months to complete the task.”
Seph’s mouth dropped open. “Six months?” he echoed. “Father – with all due respect, that’s not a lot of time.”
“Then you’d better get started,” Cyril said. Retrieving his cigar, he strode toward the door. “I believe dinner is about to be served. If you choose to accept the terms placed before you, you are welcome to join me.” With that, he left the room in a swirling cloud of smoke.
“Jesus,” Vann muttered. He sank into the chair their father had vacated and dragged his hands down his face. He looked up at his siblings. “Can you believe this? I feel like I’m in a nightmare.”
“Yes, I’m sure it’s going to be hard for you to give up having sex with all your clients at the spa,” Drew said dryly.
Vann gave him a sour smile. “Says the District Attorney who sleeps with his interns.” His eyes widened in a comical manner and he pressed his fingers over his open mouth. “Oh, wait – is that inadmissible evidence?”
Drew glared at him. “I’d still stand a better chance of finding a mate before you could,” he fired back.
This made Mal stop pacing. He raised his eyebrows at his clutch mates. “Hold up,” he said. He stalked toward Drew, shaking a finger at him. “I like that idea.”
“What ‘idea?’” Seph asked, wary.
Mal grinned. “As long as we’re being forced to do this, why not make it interesting and turn it into something fun, like a contest?”
“A competition?” Seph asked. “And here I thought you were the laid-back one who tells everyone to ‘go with the flow.’”
“Yeah, well, Father just changed up that game,” Mal pointed out. He tossed his head, reaching up to brush his hair out of his eyes. “That’s why I said we should make it ‘fun.’ Something like…last one to find a wife has to do something for the other four.”
Now Vann laughed out loud. “In that case, I think we all know who’s going to lose.” He swung around to regard Don, sticking out his lower lip in mock sympathy. “The only virgin among us.”
Pushing at the bridge of his glasses, Don scowled at Vann. “You put so much emphasis on physical intimacy,” he said, voice soft but full of disdain. “Did you ever stop to think that maybe the reason you’re all unmarried is because you think of women as sex objects and not as intelligent human beings?”
“Wow,” Vann said, deadpan, “that almost sounds like something a gay guy would say.” He leaned forward, peering at Don. “Is that why you’re still single, Donnie? Do you prefer men over women?”
“I am not gay,” Don snapped. “And even if I was, what difference would it make? There’s nothing wrong with being gay.”
“There is, if you want to stay in this family,” Drew said with a grimace.
“Relax, guys,” Mal said. Twisting the heavy silver rings adorning his fingers, he looked around at his brothers. “I didn’t mean for this to get ugly. I just thought it might help light a fire under our asses. You know?” He did a little dance move. “A little…motivation.”
Seph held up his hands. “Sorry, Mal,” he said. “But I have to agree with Donnie. We’re talking about our futures, but we should also take into consideration that the women we choose will be the mother of our children. Speaking from a professional point of view, she should be someone who appeals to us on every level. It’s not just about sex. Mating is all about compatibility.” He rubbed his palms together in a slow circle. “Whoever she is, she has to be the right one.”
“Yeah, well, good luck finding Ms. Right in six months,” Vann said with a bemused huff. He turned to Mal. “Okay, asshole – forget these guys, I’ll take you up on that bet. Good luck finding a groupie who can produce an heir worthy of the Vovin name.”
“Right back at ya,” Mal said, offering his hand for Vann to clasp. He winked. “I know it’s going to be hard for you to narrow your client list down to just the right one, and then hope that she’s not already married!” He jerked his head toward the hallway. “Now, let’s go grab something to eat – I’m starving.”
As Mal and Vann left the study, Seph turned to look at the two brothers who remained with him. Don stood with his arms folded tightly across his body, staring down at the firelight as it danced across the patterned rug beneath their feet. Their bond as clutch mates made them empathic to each other’s emotions when they lowered their mental defenses and allowed them to connect on that level. Now, he could feel the frustration and embarrassment rolling off Don in waves. “Don’t let them get to you,” Seph murmured, reaching over to clasp his sibling’s shoulder. “They’re assholes – but then, we always knew that.”
Don let out a light snort, and smiled. “Yeah,” he said, nodding. He sucked in a deep breath and dropped his arms to his sides. “Some things never change.” Shoving his hands down into his trouser pockets, he wandered out.
Now Drew and Seph stood together, just the occasional snap from the fireplace to fill the silence in the room. “Six months,” Drew mumbled at last. “I’ve worked trials that lasted longer than that.” He looked over at Seph and shook his head. “As busy as I am, when am I going to find the time to look for a wife? And where am I supposed to find one?” He grimaced. “Any suggestions?”
Seph sighed. “When I figure it out,” he said, “I’ll let you know.”
Chapter Two
I can’t believe I’m here, Seph thought with a grimace. He stood outside the frosted glass doors of an office suite, the words Wings of Love along with the image of a dragon standing behind a human woman, his arms around her, and his wings spread in such a way that they formed a heart. Seph rolled his eyes. He never imagined that he would have to resort to a dating service to find a wife. Then again, the women in his social circle were either married or not compatible. And compatibility was key when it came to finding a mate. Not all Human women could bear Dragon eggs. They had to be tested for the specific genetic markers that made them part of a rare and highly sought-after section of the world’s population.
Almost a month had already passed since Father handed down his order that the five brothers find wives and settle down. Seph had steered clear of the competition between Mal and Vann, choosing to conduct his search at his own pace. He had confided in his friend Tony Mireu over lunch one afternoon after a grueling session on the racquetball court. “I don’t know what to do,” Seph had lamented, after he finished telling Tony about the situation. “I don’t want to be cut from the family. It has nothing to do with inheritance – I’m financially secure with my practice and various investments I’ve made over the years, so I would never need a penny of the Vovin fortune. It’s the other part, having the natural ties severed, that scares me.”
“Oh, I understand,” Tony had said, with a sage nod. “No Dragon wants to be cut off from his clan. I met one back in college who came from the Middle East, distantly related to one o
f the Persian dynasties. He had come over here to go to school when war broke out back in his homeland. He lost his whole family – parents, clutch mates – in bombing raids. He told me he even felt it when they died, through the empathic bond.”
“Oh, my God,” Seph had said, mortified. “What happened to him, after that?”
“Well, he was devastated, of course. He had to be put on suicide watch because he didn’t know how he would survive on his own. He said he felt…empty.”
Seph had shuddered at that word. In his line of work, he had often encountered couples who struggled with connecting to one another, and sometimes a Dragon would say he felt hollow inside, like something was missing. It was that bond that was vital to their kind, the sharing with family and chosen mates essential to their existence. Without it, they withered from the inside. Seph had been told it felt worse than any physical pain, too. I don’t want to go through that, he thought.
Taking a deep breath, Seph grasped the brushed chrome door handle and pulled. He stepped through into a reception area decorated in white with the barest hint of rose and lavender. Watercolor paintings of happy couples, dragons touching noses with women, adorned the walls. A young lady sat at a crescent-shaped desk with the business’ name in raised metal letters and backlit by violet across the front. Seph took a moment to admire the large floral arrangement on the corner, which included – of course – pink snapdragons. “Hello,” he said, with a smile. “I’m here to fill out an application for a mate match.”
The petite redhead beamed. “Of course, sir,” she said, and handed him a clipboard with a sheet of paper attached and a pen. “If you could have a seat and just fill this out, we can get you started right away.”
“Thank you.” Taking the items, Seph retreated to one of the plush sofas lining the room. The gentle strains of a string quartet filtered over a hidden speaker system as ambient music, relaxing without being distracting. He took a moment to look over the form before writing in the provided spaces. First, of course, his name, date of birth, and contact information. Then, his Dragon family history. He almost hesitated, but his gaze flicked up to the words at the top of the page that guaranteed a respect for privacy. Tony had told him this place also did not judge a person based on his material wealth – it was all about finding a partner who would be best suited for him genetically, physically, and emotionally. He scribbled in ‘Vovin’ under clan name and ‘Anglo-European’ for origin. Anyone with any knowledge of Dragon clans would know that the Vovins originated in Romania, but immigrated to the British Isles where they integrated with smaller, scattered families with no strong roots. These groups would diverge into what would become the powerful bloodline that existed today.
A checklist followed, where Seph had to mark his personal preferences, interests, and other random facts. Be honest, he told himself, when he found himself hesitating over the question “Do you have difficulty making decisions?” He remembered his brother telling him he spent too much time analyzing everything. That habit had always made him cautious, never one to rush in. Does wanting to weigh all your options carefully mean ‘difficult?’
He finished the questionnaire and returned it to the receptionist. “Thank you, Mr. Vovin,” she said, glancing at the chart for his name. “I’ll give this to our coordinator to look over, and then she’ll call you back for a one-on-one interview.” She stood and motioned to a table with a single-cup coffee maker in the corner. “Please help yourself to a refreshment while you wait. There’s also a selection of bottled waters and juices in the mini-fridge below.”
“Thank you,” Seph said. He watched her go before wandering over to the coffee maker. Selecting one of the white ceramic cups stacked beside it, he perused the flavors before opting for one of his favorites. With steaming mug in hand, he strolled around, looking at the paintings and thumbing through the various magazines on the glass tables. He found a stack of pamphlets about Wings of Love and took one. The lilac-colored, tri-fold paper had the logo on the front and the company’s catchphrase, ‘Where happiness and harmony take flight!’ Seph sighed and shook his head. “God,” he muttered under his breath, “what am I doing, here?”
“Mr. Vovin?”
Seph turned around and saw a beautiful, curvaceous woman standing in the doorway to the back offices. Her skin had the same dark brown hue as his coffee, a lovely contrast to the form-fitting peach dress she wore. She smiled at him and offered a hand with manicured nails painted like Mother of Pearl. “Hello,” she said, her voice low and husky. “I’m Asha Hamilton. Welcome to Wings of Love. How can I help you?”
Seph set his coffee down and moved toward her. His fingers curled around hers as he clasped her palm. Immediately, he found her touch to be cool, soft, and pleasant. “Hello, Ms. Hamilton,” he said, returning her smile. He knew that some Humans had trouble making eye contact with Dragons; Asha did not seem to have this problem. He looked into her dark brown eyes as she gave his hand a brief but firm squeeze. “And to answer your question – well.” He shrugged. “I need a wife.”
Asha grinned. “You’ve come to the right place, then,” she said. She jerked her head, her long thin braids swaying across her rounded shoulders. “Come on in, and we’ll discuss this further.”
He followed her back through a short hall, past a few doors – some closed – to a cozy room at the end. Seph found it reminded him somewhat of his own office, with an inviting, comfortable sofa and two armchairs set up facing it, a decorative area rug, and aesthetically pleasing décor consisting of vases, small statues, and framed art on the walls. Sunlight poured through the vertical blinds on the windows overlooking the small city park Seph had noticed when he first arrived at the address.
“All right, Mr. Vovin,” Asha said, as she sat down on the sofa and reached for a laptop on the coffee table in front of her. “Or would you prefer I call you by your first name?”
“’Seph’ is fine,” he replied, settling in next to her when she indicated he should join her. He watched as she opened the computer and tapped the screen. The gold bracelet on her wrist caught the light as she moved, reflecting off the colorful gems set inside the charms dangling from it. Birthstones, he surmised, judging by the way they had been arranged in order of correlating month. He gestured to the jewelry. “That’s a very pretty bracelet. Do those stones represent your children?”
Asha chuckled. “I guess it’s true how they say Dragons are attracted to gold,” she remarked, peering at him sideways in a playful manner. “I know it looks like a mother’s bracelet, but it actually represents the women in my family.” She paused to hold up her wrist and flick through the charms. “The amethyst is my mother, who was born in February; the diamond is me, because I was born in April. Two emeralds are for May and my sisters who are twins. And the topaz is my late grandmother, who had a November birthday.” She smiled. “I carry them in my heart, of course, but this is just another way of having them with me. Every time I look at it, I think of them.”
“That’s a very nice way to honor your loved ones,” Seph said. “Family is as important to you as it is to Dragons.”
“That it is,” she agreed. “Now, Seph – I went over your application. We’re going to need to get a DNA swab so we can find your genetic matches first and foremost. These will be the women who will be able to bear your children.”
“Got it,” Seph said, trying not to feel like an animal in a breeding program. “What else?”
“After that, we’ll also take photos and video, where you can introduce yourself and let prospective Human women see and hear you. This isn’t just about making babies – although we all know that’s the main reason why people come to us.” Asha paused and sat back, hands folded in her lap. “I founded Wings of Love for a Dragon friend of mine, someone who was like a brother to me. He would always talk about how hard it was for his kind to find mates capable of having a family. My late grandmother was an old-fashioned matchmaker back in her day, pairing up Human folks.” She shrugged. “So, I thoug
ht, ‘maybe I should follow in her footsteps, and help Dragons and Humans get together.’” She gestured around the room. “And here I am. Wings of Love is one of the most successful Dragon/Human dating services in the country. We’re not only responsible for many happy couples finding one another, we’re also helping the Dragon race to flourish.”
Seph smiled at her. “That’s why I’m here,” he said. “My father told me and my brothers that it was time to settle down and make heirs. His grandfather had come from that generation where Dragons almost died out completely, and would always tell Father about it when he was a boy, stressing to him the importance of having at least one male in a clutch.” He chuckled. “Father got lucky and sired five. But now he’s pressuring us to continue the family line – and you know, I can see his reasoning. I’ve given it some thought and I’ve started to realize that maybe I should settle down. I counsel Dragon and Human couples, and some of them have families of their own, and there are days when I listen to them share stories about their children that I start to feel…” He trailed off, searching for the word.
“In the mood for a brood?” Asha supplied, and they both laughed. “Oh, Seph – I know what you mean. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard the same thing from my clients. There comes a time in every Dragon’s life when he feels the urgency to have a family; when he wants to help bring his eggs into the world, and open them up, and release those sweet little bundles of joy nestled inside.” She patted Seph’s knee. “You’re starting to feel that, too, and it’s a good thing. The women who come to us are just as eager to get started. It’s as if the genetic component within them that allows them to bear Dragon children knows. Mother Nature has set that old Biological Clock inside them, and they hear it ticking, telling them to get ready.”
“So, after you get all the information you need,” Seph said, “what happens, next? How long does it take to find someone for me?”
The Dragon's Secret Prize Page 12
