The Dragon's Secret Prize

by Jasmine Wylder

  “Well, once we have your genetic results, we run them through the computer system and the program flags every woman who would be a good match for you. We then sort them by personality, mutual interests, until we have a nice list.” She reached for the laptop again, and pulled up a list of couples who had been matched successfully. “Typically, you would then go out on dates with these women – one at a time, of course – and once you’ve met them and had a chance to spend some time together, you’re both expected to fill out a review and give your opinion. We then narrow it down to the highest scores on both sides, and voila! You’ve got your mate.” Asha smiled at him. “So, is this something you would still like to do?”

  Seph nodded. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, this sounds good. I’d like to give it a try.”

  “All right, then.” Asha got up and ran her hands down over her full hips, smoothing her skirt. “We’ll get that swab from you, now, and then if you’re up to it, we can take some photos and do an introductory video for your profile page. Oh, and so you know – all this information is kept confidential within our company’s private database. We will not share anything without your consent.” She nodded to the laptop. “The couples I’ve shown to you today all agreed to let their stories be used, to demonstrate that our method works.”

  “I’m not worried about that,” Seph assured her. He stood up, too, and faced her. “Let’s get started.”

  Chapter Three

  It took another month before the results came back. Seph soon found himself with a list of potential mates. They all looked good on paper, so he watched all of the corresponding videos on the Wings of Love website through a private account he set up with the company as part of his membership. He picked one prospect at random and sent her an email, asking to meet somewhere for coffee on his next day off. The woman had been quick to respond, and agreed to join him at a café on the city’s north side the following week.

  Winter had begun to draw ever closer, bringing with it colder temperatures. All the beautiful autumn foliage that had colored the city’s trees with bright yellows and scarlet now lay in damp, brown clumps along the gutters of every street. Like most Dragons with European origins, Seph enjoyed the chilly months, and looked forward to the first snowfall that would turn the world a pristine white. Although a lot can be said for curling up in front of a nice, warm fireplace, he thought. He sat at a window table at the appointed time and place, and watched the pedestrian traffic outside the coffee shop. For his first date, he had chosen a pair of light wool slacks, a black turtleneck, and a tweed coat, looking like he should be standing in front of a university classroom.

  His shoulders straightened when he saw her arrive. Seph recognized her from her dating profile: a tall, willowy dentist in her mid-thirties, she stepped out of a taxi and tossed her long, knit scarf over her shoulder before making her way toward the shop’s door. Putting on a cheerful smile, he held up a hand to signal her and then rose to greet her when she came to the table. “Crystal? Hi, I’m Seph.”

  “Yeah, I know,” she said, her laughter light and almost musical. She matched Seph’s height with just the slightest wedge heel to her boots. She had a narrow face, a slender nose, and sleepy, sultry blue eyes. Her mouth curled up at one corner when she smiled. “Sorry I’m late.” She unbuttoned her long coat and removed it, along with her scarf and hat, giving her thick hair a quick shake as it cascaded around her shoulders in luxurious, wheat-colored waves. “I had an emergency with a cracked molar that needed filling.”

  Our children will look like Norse gods, Seph thought, admiring her high cheekbones and fair skin. Towering, golden-maned things with blue eyes. “Sounds painful,” he remarked.

  “Nothing a little local anesthesia and a lot of painkillers can’t cure,” Crystal joked. She draped her wraps over one of the vacant chairs before settling in the seat opposite Seph. “And right before him, I was putting braces on a little girl who has a little phobia when it comes to visiting the dentist.”

  Seph chuckled. “I’ve had clients like that,” he said. “In my case, they’re afraid to open their mouths to share their feelings.” He looked around and caught the attention of one of the waitresses moving among the other tables, signaling her to come over. “I’m glad you agreed to meet me, here. I thought we could start with coffee and if things go well, maybe move on to a nice restaurant for dinner.”

  “Isn’t that a little backwards, though?” Crystal asked, planting her elbows on the table and lacing her long fingers together under her chin. She arched a fine eyebrow at him. “Most people start with dinner and then have coffee afterwards.”

  “Yes, well,” Seph said, “I like to mix things up.”

  “Hm, that’s nice,” Crystal said, looking him over. “It appeals to my desire to keep things fresh and come at situations from different angles.”

  “So I gathered from your profile,” Seph said. “That’s one of the things about you that I liked, the fact that you respect routine but that you also like to challenge it from time to time.” They took a moment to order their drinks; Crystal went with a sugar-free mocha frap with a double shot of espresso, while Seph settled on a chai latte. “I also noticed that you’ve been a member of Wings of Love for over a year, and that you had actually met someone when you first joined and quit the program, but after a few months you came back.” He gave her a quizzical frown. “If you don’t mind my asking, what happened with that?”

  “Oh, nothing,” Crystal said, leaning back in her chair and waving a hand in a dismissive manner. “We were compatible on the genetic level – the same as you and I – and we had a lot in common in other areas, too…but…” She sighed and shook her head. “After three months of dating, I realized it just wasn’t going to work out.”

  Seph noticed the immediate change in her body language, how she had shifted from open and forthcoming to self-conscious and withdrawn. This intrigued him. Cocking his head, he pressed gently for more information. “How so?”

  She looked down at the table and then around the room, classic evasiveness, before giving a reluctant response. “Alex was very…complicated. He was very sensitive, and his artistic soul spoke to me. Likewise, he said he admired my stability and level-headedness.” Their drinks arrived and she murmured her thanks to the waitperson. Instead of tasting her frap, she wrapped her hands around the cup and stared down into the frothy cream floating on top of its hot, liquid contents. “As much as I admired his Bohemian lifestyle, I told him if we were going to be together that he would have to get a serious job.”

  “Ah,” Seph said, nodding. “You know, that’s one of the main problems in most relationships – not just Dragon and Human, but all couples. Financial security is a serious concern. I have clients with a two- and even three-income household, just to make ends meet. Usually, they’re the ones with multiple clutches of children, but I know a few who had just two eggs and are struggling. Unless one partner has a good-paying job, it’s difficult to survive in today’s economy on just one paycheck.”

  “I know!” Crystal said. “And that’s what I tried to tell him.” She grimaced. “But I wound up insulting him, instead, and said a few things in anger that I didn’t mean.”

  “Did you ever apologize?” Seph asked, looking at her directly.

  Crystal could not hold his gaze for long; she looked away. “No,” she muttered, sounding defeated. “The problem is that I don’t know how. So many times, I’ve wanted to call and talk to him.” Her hands curled into fists and she pressed them to her heart. “I just…I felt such an instant connection to him.”

  Seph smiled. He knew what that meant, as he had heard it enough in his line of work. “You were already bonding with him, when this happened.”

  “Yes,” Crystal said. “Even if we never got back together, I still feel like I should clear the air with him.” She sighed. “But I’m sure he hates me.” She let out a bemused snort. “You know what’s funny? Right after we broke it off, I got my own practice. I’m now doing very wel
l for myself. But at the time, I couldn’t see how we were going to start a family with just my salary to support us while he spent all his time painting.”

  Seph leaned back in his seat and tilted his head. “Do you know what I’m hearing, Crystal? I hope you won’t think this too presumptuous of me, but I think you’re still in love with Alex.”

  She looked startled at this. “What? No…”

  “Yes,” Seph insisted. “I can hear it in your voice. You still speak of him with genuine fondness and deep regret.” He pointed at her. “I believe you really do want to patch things up with him, that you bonded with him more than you realize – or maybe you do realize it, and that’s why you’re just going through the motions of finding someone new. You don’t want just any man; you want a Dragon. But I can tell you right now, you may find someone who is genetically suited to you, but you will never find anyone who connects with you the way Alex did. Your best bet is just to swallow your pride and go to him, apologize, and then see if he’s willing to put this matter in the past.” Seph rested his elbows on the table and gave her a warm smile. “Personally, I’m willing to bet he’s been just as unhappy as you are, too.”

  Crystal appeared to consider this before choosing her next words. “Well…I did hear from a mutual friend, about two months ago, who told me that Alex had stopped painting and found a nine-to-five job. She said that he was miserable, though.” Crystal swept her hair back from her face with both hands and gripped the top of her head, her eyes going wide as another realization struck her. “Oh, God – you don’t think it’s because of what I said to him, do you?”

  Seph shrugged. “Possibly. But that’s not your fault. He made that decision on his own.”

  “But I put the idea into his head,” Crystal insisted. She groaned in dismay. “I never wanted him to give up his art! That would kill him! And I would never expect him to get a job that he hated!” She brought her hands down over her face. “Oh, shit. What have I done?”

  Before Seph could assure her – again – that she was not to blame, Crystal had pushed her chair back, gotten up, and began to gather her things. “Where are you going?” he asked, surprised.

  “I have to see Alex,” she replied bluntly. Shrugging into her coat, she looped her scarf around her long neck. Her hat fell on the floor and she bent to retrieve it. Looking at Seph, she shook her head. “I’m sorry about this, I really am. I know we were supposed to hook up, but you’re right – about everything. I am still in love with Alex. I’ve been trying to deny it for months, and yet I know once a bond is formed with a Dragon…that’s it.” She pulled her purse around and fished inside until she produced a wallet. “I need to make things right with him. He can’t give up his painting. He’s a brilliant artist; that’s one of the things I loved about him the instant I met him. I never wanted that for him, and no matter what you or anyone else says, I feel like this is my fault.”

  “What are you going to do?” Seph asked.

  “I’m going to talk to him.” Crystal smiled and rolled her shoulders. “Who knows? Things are different, now. Maybe we can find a way to make it all work out.”

  Seph held up his hand to stop her from putting down money for her drink. “I’ve got this,” he said, and treated her to a gentle smile. Rising from his seat again, he faced her. “You go find Alex. He’s the one you were meant to be with, not me. Go to him, and be happy.”

  “You’re so sweet,” Crystal said. “And I’m so sorry. I’m sure this was not what you were expecting when you came out here, today.”

  “First of all, don’t be sorry,” Seph told her. “Second, I’m glad I was able to help nudge you in the direction you always knew in your heart that you needed to go, but were just too afraid and uncertain to do it.”

  “Thank you,” Crystal said. She reached over and touched his cheek. “You’re going to find your mate. Any woman would be lucky to have someone as understanding as you.”

  Seph let out a wry laugh. “I’ll take your word for it,” he said. “It was nice meeting you, Crystal.”

  “Nice meeting you, too, Seph.” Waving, she hurried out of the coffee shop.

  Seph watched her through the window as she flagged down a taxi, climbed in, and rode away. Strike one, he told himself. When he would rate this date, he would say that he liked Crystal but that it had been clear to him that she would be much better off with someone in the arts. He sighed. Meanwhile, it’s back to a different kind of drawing board, for me.

  Chapter Four

  Seph looked up when he heard Asha call his name. Putting aside the magazine he had been thumbing through, he smiled and stood, following her back to her private office. He noted how her white, scoop-neck cashmere sweater made her décolletage look like a rich, dark chocolate dessert wrapped in fluffy whipped cream. The wine-colored pencil skirt left little to the imagination, too, as Seph’s gaze drifted down to watch her large, rounded bottom sway as she walked. “I guess you want a report on how my first date went,” he said, as she closed the door behind them and motioned for him to take a seat on the couch.

  “Actually,” Asha said, sitting in one of the chairs adjacent to the sofa, “I was hoping you might be able to explain to me why the woman I chose for you showed up here this morning to ask for the contact information of another client – a gentleman I had paired her with over a year ago, but she had decided to drop because she said it wasn’t working. She had me call him and tell him to come over immediately so she could talk to him.” Asha crossed her legs at the knee, her black and white peep-toe pumps giving the tiniest glimpse of polish the same shade of gold as the paint on her fingernails. “The moment they saw each other, it was like they had never been apart. They were all over each other, kissing and touching, and saying they were sorry about before and wanted to be together, now.”

  Seph raised his eyebrows. “Wow,” he said, genuinely amazed.

  “Yeah,” Asha agreed. “That’s what I said.” She stared at him. “So, what I want to know is what you said to her on your date to make her go running back to someone she swore would never make a good mate for her?”

  “Nothing, really,” Seph said, lacing his fingers together over his lap, his elbow hitched up onto the sofa’s arm. “I just asked her about what happened with that relationship and why it failed, and after she started talking about it I was able to put it into a new perspective for her. I suppose by seeing it from a different angle, she was able to figure out what went wrong and that there was a very simple way to fix it so they could both be happy. I got the impression just from listening to her talk about the guy for a few minutes, that she was still very much in love with him, and had already bonded with him on a very intimate level. In short, they were meant to be together – trying to be with anyone else just wouldn’t have worked.”

  “I appreciate what you did for them,” Asha said, relaxing with a smile. “And you’re right, once that bond is established it’s crazy to try and put either of them with another prospective mate.” She snorted a dry laugh and arched an eyebrow at him. “You wouldn’t happen to be looking for a second job, would you? Because I could use someone like you on my staff.”

  He grinned. “I think I should just stick to the original reason why I came to you,” he said. “That was just the first date; I still have a few other ladies to meet.”

  “Well,” Asha said, “let’s just hope the next one works out for you.”

  “That would be nice,” Seph agreed.

  On his way back to his practice, Seph called up the Wings of Love app and checked his list of prospects. He decided to try his luck with Yume, a lovely young woman in her early twenties and of Japanese-American heritage. Petite, with black hair in a pixie cut, she had a very gamin quality to her and an infectious smile. Seph sent her text message, introducing himself and asking if she was free for dinner anytime soon. She responded right away, telling him yes, next week, and asked him to pick her up at the house where she lived with her parents.

  On the night of their da
te, Seph showed up dressed in a tailored black suit over a dark gray shirt. He had opted to go without a tie and left the collar unbuttoned. He walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

  A moment later, an older couple answered the door. “You must be Seph,” the man said, smiling. “I am Yume’s father, Toshiro, and this,” he indicated the diminutive woman at his side, “is my wife and Yume’s mother, Hari.”

  Seph bowed to them respectfully. “It is an honor to meet you,” he said.

  They returned the bow. “The honor is ours,” Hari said. She stepped back and motioned for Seph to enter. “Please, come in. Yume is still getting ready. She will be down in a few minutes.”

  “That’s fine,” Seph said. He made his way into the house and took a seat in their living room. Looking around at the décor, he saw many framed photos lining shelves among books, vases, and small statues of dragons.

  “We cannot tell you how pleased we were to find out our daughter was Dragon-compatible,” Toshiro said with a proud smile. He gestured to a gorgeous hand-painted silk kimono hanging on the wall. A serpentine Dragon of what Seph recognized as a member of the Tatsu Clan wound around a woman in traditional Japanese wedding garb. “That is my wife’s great-grandmother, the last to be chosen as a Dragon Bride. Her grandmother came to this country from Nagasaki just before World War II. She was the only member of her family to survive.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Seph said, his sympathy genuine. While many members of his race had a history as being fierce warriors, he knew that their dwindling numbers forced them to avoid combat in order for their kind to survive. He had also heard of many Dragon men who had been subdued and subjected to unspeakable forms of ‘study’ by the Nazi regime. “It was a very dark time in our history, to be sure.”

  “Yes,” Toshiro said in solemn agreement. He gestured to his wife. “Had my Hari found she carried the gene, we would not be together today.”