The Dragon's Secret Prize

by Jasmine Wylder

  As Seph followed Harold into the two-story Craftsman-style house, he picked up on many outstanding aromas – roasting meats, breads, and various herbs and spices. He could hear the sound of a sports commentator coming from a large, flat-screen TV that he glimpsed in the front parlor. “You have a lovely home,” Seph said, looking around. He liked the warm, cozy feel of the place, the framed photos on the walls showing many happy faces. Seph recognized a younger Asha in a couple.

  “Thank you,” Harold said. He held up the beer. “I’ve got an extra icebox in the garage; I’m going to put these out there to keep them cold, because I don’t think there’s going to be room for them in the kitchen with all the food Helen’s got in there.” He smiled. “Go ahead and make yourself at home. The game doesn’t start for a few hours, so we’re just watching the pre-show. You’re welcome to join us.” He motioned to the parlor. “Just head on in and introduce yourself. My sons and some of their kids are in there, now.”

  Before Seph could join the other men, Asha appeared, wearing an apron over a brown and gold paisley blouse and boot-length denim skirt. “Hey, you made it!” she said with a bright smile. She had a smudge of flour on her cheek and her sleeves had been rolled to the elbow. “You’re right on time. Biscuits just went in the oven.” She noticed the bottle of wine and clucked her tongue. “Now, I thought I said you didn’t have to bring anything.” She looked up into his eyes. “I hope you listen to your clients better than do to me.”

  He grinned. “I’ve never had any complaints.” He handed her the bottle. “It’s a little something from my family to yours.”

  “’Vovin Vineyards,’” Asha read from the label. She nodded. “Impressive.” She cocked an eyebrow at him. “You know, if I take this into the kitchen, I can’t promise it’ll make it back to the table with the food. We’ve got some thirsty ladies in there, working on this meal – we may need a little of this to help keep us from losing our minds.”

  “It’s yours to do with as you please,” Seph told her. He peered past her toward the kitchen. He could hear laughter amid the bang of pots and the clatter of utensils. His mouth watered as he stood in close proximity to the source of all those amazing scents he had detected upon his arrival. “It smells really good…” As a boy, he could not resist the siren’s call of Mrs. Carson’s domain, always fascinated with the whole cooking process. He had learned at an early age that the kitchens could be hallowed ground for the staff, and in particular for the woman in charge of it all, which meant getting permission to be allowed past the door.

  Asha seemed to read his mind. “You’re welcome to come in,” she said. “Just don’t get underfoot, and be prepared to get your Christmas Goose a little earlier this year than you expected.”

  Seph treated her to a bemused frown. “My what?”

  Asha smirked. “Grandma likes to pinch butts,” she said. “Especially when they’re on cute young men.” She gave him a serious look. “Remember – you have been warned. Enter at your own risk, and make sure you never turn your back on Grandma.”

  “I won’t,” Seph said, chuckling, and followed her in.

  Asha proceeded to make quick introductions, pointing to each of the five women of varying ages currently bustling from stove to countertop. “There’s Aunt Helen, Aunt Beverly, my cousin Ruth, my mom Janice, and Grandma Hamilton – or as we like to call her, ‘Gram Ham.’”

  Seph leaned in close and whispered in Asha’s ear, “Is she the pincher?”

  “One hundred percent Doberman,” Asha confirmed, in sotto voce.

  “And who is this fine looking golden boy?” Ruth asked. A slender young woman with a short Afro, she gave Seph an unabashed appraisal. “Asha, girl – you been holding out on us?”

  “This is Seph,” Asha announced, gesturing to him. “He’s a professional colleague.”

  “Are you one of her clients?” Janice asked outright, eyeing Seph. Full-figured like Asha, she wore a brightly colored scarf twisted up around her head like a turban. Seph could see that Asha had also inherited her mother’s prominent cheekbones. “You’re a Dragon, right?”

  “Oh, yes,” Grandma said, and gave a coo of delight. A thin little woman with silver hair and wire-rimmed glasses, she walked over and patted Seph’s chest, leaving her slender hand pressed over his heart. “He’s a Dragon, all right.” She winked up at him. “My late husband was one, too. We never had any boys, though – just girls.”

  This came as a surprise to Seph. “Wait,” he said. He looked over at Asha. “So, that would mean…”

  She sighed and nodded. “I’m a carrier,” she confessed. “And I’m sure you’re wondering why I haven’t found a mate and settled down by now.”

  “Well, now that you mention it…”

  “She’s waiting for the right man,” Ruth interjected with a smug smile.

  Aunt Helen stopped stirring the contents of a pot on the stove and turned to Asha’s cousin with an admonishing look. “Ruthie, have you finished whipping those potatoes, yet?” Not quite as plump as Janice but not as slender as Grandma and Ruth, she had a strong build and a short, Josephine Baker hairstyle. “Because this gravy is just about ready and I am not going to let it grow skin while I’m waiting on you to finish what you’re supposed to be doing.”

  “Sorry, Mama,” Ruth replied sheepishly. She went back to the large bowl on the counter and began attacking its contents with a hand mixer.

  “As you can see,” Asha said, “Aunt Helen runs a tight ship when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner.” She fished a corkscrew out of a drawer and opened the wine, letting the bottle sit on the counter a moment to breathe while she retrieved six glasses from a nearby cupboard. “This is our family tradition – every year, we drive each other crazy getting the meal ready. We start cooking the day before, taking shifts, and we’re not done until it goes on the table.” She poured the wine and then began distributing the glasses, saving the last two for herself and Seph. “One thing’s for sure: nobody ever walks away hungry.”

  “Your hard work pays off,” Seph said.

  “Always,” Asha replied, and tapped her glass to his before they both drank.

  A digital timer began to chirp. “Turkey’s done,” Aunt Helen announced. She moved her gravy pan to the back of the stove and turned off the burner. “Now, where did I put those mitts…?”

  Seph saw an opportunity to help. Setting aside his glass, he walked over to the oven, opened it, and reached inside with his bare hands. “Here we go,” he said, grunting as he lifted the large roasting pan out and set it on the stovetop. “Wow – that is one big bird. Are you sure that’s not an ostrich?”

  Ruth stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed in amazement. “I can’t believe you just pulled that metal pan out of that hot oven like that!” She snagged one of Seph’s wrists and looked at his palm. “Not even red,” she murmured.

  Seph held up both hands and wiggled his fingers. “Dragon,” he said, by way of explanation. “We’re naturally impervious to extreme temperatures, in either form.”

  “I’ve never seen anyone shapeshift before,” Ruth said, and Seph could tell she was flirting with him. She peered up at him through her thick lashes and smiled. “Maybe you could let me see you do it, after dinner…”

  “Seph’s not here to entertain you, Ruthie,” Asha said, lightly admonishing. She caught Seph’s elbow and steered him away from her cousin. “He’s our guest. Show a little respect, now.” She looked at Seph. “We’re going to be bringing the food out in a few minutes. Go ahead and get yourself a seat at the main table. You can sit beside me, if you like. We all take the end chairs in case one of us needs to get up and run back to the kitchen for something, so just grab a place next to one of those.”

  “You sure you don’t need any help?” Seph asked.

  “If we do, we’ll call you.” Smiling, Asha gave him a gentle push to send him out of the kitchen.

  The long dining room table sat twelve people, with some of the teenagers in the living room eating off tray st
ands and the younger children gathered at a small table off to the side. Seph wound up introducing himself to everyone, as Asha had been preoccupied with helping serve. Bowls and platters got passed back and forth across the main table. The sound of happy voices blended with joyful feasting. Before they began, however, Aunt Helen had everyone join hands and bow their heads, and Uncle Harold gave the blessing.

  “We gather here today to give thanks, for good food and good company. We are fortunate to have both, and to be able to share our bounty with others. May all who sit at this table never hunger, may their lives as well as their bellies always be full, and their hearts and minds always open to those in need.”

  So, this is where she gets it, Seph realized, glancing at Asha. He looked around at the large family and the friends they had invited to join them today. He had never seen such warmth and camaraderie in his own home while growing up. My father would say it was “improper.” Seph smiled. I like this.

  Within the hour, everyone had finished their first helpings and some had gone back for seconds. After dinner, Seph began to help gather up the dirty dishes. “Would you like me to wash or dry?” he asked Asha, only to be rewarded with a hoot of laughter. “What’s so funny?”

  “You.” Asha gave him a wry look. “You’re a member of the Vovin Clan. Have you ever washed a dish in your entire life?”

  “Well…”

  “Uh-huh,” she said, nodding. “Don’t worry – Aunt Helen’s got a dishwasher, and I do not mean Uncle Harold.” She hefted the plates and turned toward the kitchen. “All we have to do is load it and run it.”

  “Fine,” Seph said. He picked up another stack and followed her. “But just so you know? This is one Vovin who isn’t opposed to soapy water. I’m more than happy to pull my weight and do my share. Doesn’t your tradition also include the one that goes something like ‘those who don’t cook, get to clean up?’”

  “Sometimes,” she said, peering back over her shoulder at him. “But around here, it’s more like ‘if you want the dishes to be clean the first time, get someone who knows what they’re doing to wash them.’”

  They finished clearing the table. Janice, Helen, and Grandma sorted the leftovers into containers, creating full meals to be stored and eaten at a later date. They bagged them up and wrote people’s names on each. “Everyone goes home with something,” Asha explained, passing a bag to Seph that had his name written on it. “That’s how we roll.”

  “Thank you,” Seph said, and then choked on a yelp when he felt a sharp pinch on one of his buttocks. He twisted around to see Grandma strolling past, smiling and humming pleasantly.

  “She got you?” Asha asked.

  He nodded, reaching back to rub his posterior. “Yep.”

  She sighed. “I warned you…”

  Once the food had been put away, most of the family gathered in front of the television to watch the game. Seph joined Uncle Harold and the gang for a beer during the first quarter. At halftime, he wandered into the dining room where he could hear people laughing and talking loudly over a board game that involved making wild sentences from a combination of cards with random words printed on them.

  “Seph!” Ruth said, patting the chair beside her. “Come be on my team!”

  “Ah, excuse me,” Asha said, “he’s my guest, so if he’s going to be on anyone’s team it’ll be mine.” She nodded to the seat on her side of the table. “Come on, get in on this. Don’t worry if you’ve never played, you’ll learn as you go along.”

  “I’ll give it a try,” Seph said. Loosening his tie, he pulled up a chair. “Let’s do this.”

  For the next hour or so, they engaged in a battle of wits that often erupted into lighthearted disputes over the validity of a few plays. It lasted several rounds and in the end, they had to do a Sudden Death tiebreaker which Ruth’s team wound up winning. The young woman threw fists into the air and did a little dance around the table, poking at Asha and teasing her. “You lost, I won, you lost, I won!” she sang.

  “Only because we let you win,” Asha shot back, grinning. Seph could tell from their moods that they bore no real animosity toward each other; in fact, he could feel the affection radiating between the cousins. That same love permeated the house.

  If the whole world could fit under this roof right now, Seph thought, there would be no war, no hatred, and no longing – just peace, happiness, and satisfaction.

  When the football game ended, the family began to disperse. Sleepy children got bundled into their coats. Everyone kissed Grandma and Aunt Helen, thanking the latter for a wonderful dinner.

  Ruth surprised Seph with a hug. “Still wish I could have seen you shapeshift,” she said.

  “Another time,” Seph promised with a smile. Wait – did I really just say that?

  Finally, Seph decided to take his leave. “I had a wonderful time,” he said to Asha, as she walked him to the door and pulled his overcoat out of the hall closet where the other guests had hung their jackets. “Your family is amazing. I’m a little jealous, to be honest.”

  “Of what?” she asked. “These crazy people?” She waved him off, chuckling. “Yeah, they’re all right…I’ve been with them this long, I might as well keep them.” She smiled up at him. “Thank you for coming.”

  “I should be the one thanking you,” Seph replied, gazing down into her eyes. “I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for having the opportunity to experience this.”

  “Well, I’ll be even more grateful when I can find you a mate,” Asha said. She shook a finger at him. “I am not giving up until I find the perfect match for you. I know she’s out there.”

  Remembering something said earlier that evening, Seph cocked his head. “So, why haven’t you found someone for yourself?” he asked. “If you know you could be a potential mate for a Dragon, why haven’t you put yourself out there, too?”

  Asha smiled. “Because I want to help others find their mates, first,” she said. She rolled her shoulders and shook her head. “Too many people wander around, blind to the fact that they have someone out there who is totally compatible with them in every way. You know that old saying, ‘ships that pass in the night?’ I want to be the lighthouse that helps to bring these boats in from the darkness, so they can meet on a common shore and go off together on new adventures. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Believe it or not, I was inspired by Gram Ham – she and my grandfather were the perfect couple, so happy and in love. They were together a long time, and while she managed to outlive him, you never hear her complain or get sad. She misses him, but she still carries the same joy in her that she had when Gramp-Gramp was here. She said that’s what happens, when you’re lucky enough to be loved by a Dragon.” Asha reached out and poked gently at Seph’s shoulder with a fingertip. “Someday, some woman is going to say the same thing about you.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Seph said. He picked up his bag of leftovers. “Good night, Asha.”

  “Good night, Seph. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

  “You, too.”

  Chapter Six

  Christmas at Tamerlane had always been a requirement, not an option. Cyril Vovin had insisted his sons come home for the holidays and stay through New Year’s Day. This year, Seph knew Father would be using this as an opportunity to check up on his sons’ progress at finding mates.

  Seph had invited another of his prospects from Wings of Love to accompany him. Elizabeth had attended an Ivy League school and recently completed work on her doctorate. She taught a course in Medieval History at a local college, and had written several books on the subject. Seph liked the fact that she satisfied his intellectual needs, and that she spoke her mind freely. If he had to settle down, he wanted his partner to be smart. Of all the women with whom he had been matched through the program, Elizabeth was closer to his age – in her early thirties – and she had the maturity of character to go with her years. They had gone out on a couple of dates and seemed to be getting along fairly well. She had
agreed to join Seph for the week-long visit to his family home, as it coincided with the school’s winter break. Seph saw this as a chance for them to get better acquainted, and perhaps test the waters of intimacy between them.

  They arrived at Tamerlane late in the afternoon on the day before Christmas Eve. A recent snowfall had covered the grounds; as they followed the winding driveway to the manor, they could see festive lights and garlands in every window. A pair of large wreaths with red and gold bows hung on the double doors at the main entrance. Seph carried their bags like a proper gentleman until they got inside. Paul and one of the other stewards met them in the foyer.

  “Welcome home, Master Seph,” Paul said cheerfully. “You are the first to arrive.” He smiled at Elizabeth. “It is a pleasure to have the young lady as a special guest, as well.”

  “Thank you,” Elizabeth said, removing her coat and shaking the snowflakes from the mass of red curls framing her face. She looked around. “What a beautiful home.”

  “I’ll give you the grand tour,” Seph said. He nodded to Paul, who ordered the steward to take the luggage up to Seph’s old room. Each of the boys had his own space; only one – Drew – had his own bath. Seph and Vann had to share, as did Mal and Don. Seph proceeded to lead Elizabeth around the main floor. He took her through the kitchen where he introduced her to the staff. Everyone showed Elizabeth respect and kindness.

  Mrs. Carson gave her approval along with a sampling of the latest batch of pastries to come out of the oven. “She’s lovely, dear,” she told Seph, as one of the cooks invited Elizabeth to taste the soup that would be served as one course of their meal tonight. “Very dignified.” Mrs. Carson shook her head. “I must admit, I’m a bit surprised.”

  Seph frowned at her. “Surprised?” he echoed. “Why?”

  “Well, I’m just going on a first impression,” the matronly woman assured. “But I had always pictured you with someone who was more down to earth but capable of being a bit of a firecracker.” She nodded to Elizabeth. “She’s a redhead, so she could have quite a spark to her.” She smiled up at Seph and gave his hand a pat. “All that matters is that she makes you happy in every way. If she can do that, then she’s perfect.”