The Sapphire Dragon Read online

  She didn’t want a control freak. Never that. However, she did want a man who cared enough to wonder about what she was up to, yet trust her to do the right thing. Her sisters’ husbands were that way—well…for the most part, anyway.

  Drake, on the other hand, was a complete control freak when it came to April’s unmated sisters. It was as though he thought everyone was out to harm them.

  Daisy made her way to her bedroom and some more fresh air. She needed to think, to clear her head. What she needed more than anything was to reflect on the man she’d just met. He seemed interested, but what did she know about men? She knew more about bossy, dragon males than she did human men and even that wasn’t much.

  Entering her room, she closed the door behind her and headed for the sliders to the second story veranda. Once outside, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Why had she run from the man the way she had? She’d had a human male interested in her for once and she dumped him in her sister’s garden.

  “What’s wrong with you, you idiot? You could have just met Mister Right and you blew him off.” Bending, she leaned against the stone railing and rested her forehead on her arms.

  He’d said he was a neighbor. Granted, around here, a neighbor could live as many as twenty miles away, but if he was here, her sister knew who he was. She merely needed to get April to invite the man back here for another of Drake’s pimp parties.

  Chuckling, she looked out across the gardens and shook her head. As crazy as it sounded, it was as though Drake really was attempting to pimp them out. He had a plethora of male friends and April literally had a dozen sisters.

  “What’s so funny?”

  Daisy glanced down into the darkness with a gasp. “Who’s there?”

  “It’s me,” Jarrod said as he stepped out of the shadows. “I’m sorry I frightened you.” He smiled up at her. I thought I’d take a walk alone since the most beautiful girl at the party ditched me for a book.”

  “I didn’t ditch you for a book.” She leaned over the rail and scowled down at him. “I ditched you for some peace and quiet. Those are two things that are difficult to come by around here on Friday and Saturday nights.”

  “Your sister likes throwing parties, I take it.”

  “You have no idea,” Daisy replied rolling her eyes. “She’d have them every night if Drake didn’t insist that he get some work done in between them.”

  He stuck his hands in his pockets with a chuckle. “So why don’t you come back down and spend time with me. I don’t bite. I promise.” He smiled, flashing a row of teeth so white, they practically glowed in the dark.

  Daisy wanted to spend more time with him. She didn’t know why. Never had any man had such an effect on her. She found that she wanted nothing more than to join him and take the opportunity to stare into those beautiful blue eyes of his. She didn’t know what it was about them. They seemed to dance with sapphire and silver. What was it about the man that made her feel so strange? Every gaze, every smile seemed to draw her in more.

  Jarrod continued to stare up at her until he raised his hand as though expecting her to take it. “Come on, Daisy. You know you want to. Even I know you want to. What’s the harm in spending a few more minutes with me?”

  Daisy bit her lip. What was the harm, really? Didn’t Drake swear that if any of April’s sisters found a human man they wished to marry that he wouldn’t stand in the way?

  “Give me a minute.”

  Daisy rushed back into her room, ripped her dress off over her head, and slipped on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. If mister stuffy Englishman didn’t like women who wore pants, it was better that she find that out sooner rather than later.

  Daisy strode back out onto the balcony and threw her leg over the railing. Her foot swung back and forth for a moment before her foot found purchase on the uppermost slat of the wooden trellis attached to the wall.

  “What are you doing?” His whisper came to her in a loud hiss. “Are you trying to kill yourself?”

  “Of course not.” She scowled down at him. “Do you want me to come down there or not?” She paused halfway down. “Because I don’t have a problem climbing right back up there. April hates it when we parade around in pants while her guests are here. I come down this way or I don’t come down.”

  “Oh.” He grinned up at her, his blue eyes twinkling in the light of the moon.

  She frowned for a moment. “Why does it look as though your eyes are glowing?”

  “It must just be the way the light from your room is hitting them,” he answered with a shrug. “I’ve been told before that they look like they glow. It used to bother one of my dates when I was younger. She always said it freaked her out.”

  “I can see why.” She jumped the last three feet to the ground, turned and looked up at him. “They’re beautiful, though.” She frowned. “Guys shouldn’t have such gorgeous eyes.”

  “You think my eyes are gorgeous?”

  “Is there something wrong with that?”

  “Nothing.” Smiling, Jarrod shook his head. That lock of hair fell over his eyes again and he reached up to push it back with a grin. “There’s nothing wrong with that at all.”

  Chapter Four

  Jarrod held out his arm and waited for Daisy to take it. He wondered if she would or if he’d have to lead her into the garden with his hands in his pockets. He hoped not. His fingers practically itched to touch her.

  He’d never felt this way about a female in his life. There was no doubt that she was his mate. Still, how would he manage to get her to fall in love with him without lying to her at every turn?

  The last thing he wanted to do was lie to her. He abhorred liars and that was exactly what he’d become to trick Daisy Flowers into spending time with him.

  “I think I could convince your sister to let you skip out on tomorrow night’s festivities. I have been out of the country for quite some time and I’ve known Drake forever.”

  “Forever?” Daisy shook her head with a smile. “Forever is a long time and you don’t look that old.”

  She didn’t mention that she knew Drake was a dragon and that forever could mean a thousand or more years.

  Jarrod didn’t mention it either. That was something better left unsaid for at least a while longer. If he admitted that he knew what Drake was, she would know that Jarrod was also a dragon. He couldn’t afford that snag yet.

  As much as he hated the deception, Jarrod knew he must continue on his present course. She had to come to care for him first or she would run when she found out. The last thing she wanted was a relationship with a dragon. Drake had told him that much.

  “I’m old enough,” he said with a chuckle. “We’ve been neighbors since I was a boy.” It relieved Jarrod that he could be honest with her about that. As April said, he wasn’t really lying, but he wasn’t telling her the whole truth either.

  “I’d love to get out of this house if you think you can manage it.” She stopped walking and looked down at the ground. “Do you think he would let us go without body guards?”

  “I’m sure he would.” Jarrod took the opportunity to look up at the sky. “He knows I’m well-versed in martial arts if it’s your protection he’s worried about.”

  “It is.” She ran the tip of her tongue along her lips. “He’s certain that someone is trying to harm us.” She shook her head with a laugh. “Personally, I think if they wanted to hurt us, they would have done so instead of taking those damning pictures.”

  Her eyes widened for a moment and she pressed her lips together as though she realized she’d said more than she intended. “Maybe we should go inside and ask him.”

  “What about your attire?” He swept his hand in front of them indicating her state of dress, or undress as her sister might call it.

  “I’ll climb back up to my room, change and meet you in the ballroom.” She squeezed his arm. “Just don’t say anything until I get there. I want to see Drake’s reaction.
”

  “As you say, my lady.” Jarrod leaned down and pressed his lips against her cheek. “I shall await your arrival with increasing enthusiasm.”

  Jarrod watched as she hurried back toward the section of the manor that held her rooms. He needed to talk with Drake before she got there. Jarrod knew the other dragon couldn’t capitulate too quickly. To do so would only raise her suspicion.

  Hurrying back to the house, he shook his head. He didn’t like this deception. In fact, he hated it, but a dragon as old as he, would do anything to secure his mate…anything.

  “We need to talk,” Jarrod said to Drake as soon as he entered the house. He knew he only had a few minutes to talk to the other man. It wouldn’t take Daisy long to change back into her dress. Goodness knew it didn’t take her long to change out of it.

  “About?” Drake led him into his study. As usual, April wasn’t far away. She blew her husband a kiss from across the room. Drake smiled at her and winked.

  “Daisy. She wants me to ask you for a night out without her guards.”

  “She knows I would never do that.” Drake sat down in his chair and indicated that Jarrod should sit.

  “I’d love to have a seat, but she’ll be down here any minute and she asked me not to talk with you until she gets down here. She said something about seeing your reaction.”

  “Perhaps she suspects you’re not human.”

  “Maybe.” Jarrod shrugged. “I don’t know. You know I’ll have my own guards, but she can’t think it’s too easy. She’ll really suspect something’s up if it is.”

  “You’re right.” Drake pushed his chair back and stood. “I’ll agree to let her go with only one guard, but later, you can pretend to ditch him. Just be certain that you never let her out of your sight. It would devastate my mate and the rest of her sisters if something should happen to her.”

  “Great. I’ll just step back out into the ballroom so she won’t know we’ve already spoken.”

  “That’s fine.” Drake came around the desk and followed Jarrod from the room. “Just search me out when she makes her way back down here.” He held out his hand. “Welcome to the family.” He grinned. “I can only say that you’ll never be bored.”

  Chapter Five

  “I’m getting some time out without guards!” Daisy said to her sister the next evening as she dressed for her date.

  “What?” Marigold, Daisy’s twin turned to face her. Black brows rose up to meet her equally black hair and her green eyes widened with disbelief. “How’d you manage that?”

  “Jarrod, my date, knows Drake and convinced him to let us go out without an escort. I think he’s got his own body guards.”

  “You’re going out with a dragon?”

  “Of course not!” Daisy reached into her closet and pulled out a beautiful blue silk gown. The rich color shimmered in the glow of the waning sunlight. “He’s human and his eyes are just this color.” She held the dress up in front of her. “He’s one of Drake’s neighbors and he’s known him since he was a boy. Drake couldn’t possibly tell the man that the reason we couldn’t go out without a guard is because I’m a witch and Drake is a dragon.” She rolled her eyes. “The man would die of a heart attack.”

  “Oh, so he’s old.”

  “What? No,” Daisy said, shaking her head. “He’s a young man. What makes you think he’s old?”

  “Well you’re the one who said he’d have a heart attack.”

  “Wouldn’t you, if you didn’t already know that witches and dragons exist?”

  “You forget. We grew up not knowing dragons exist. Finding out about that is a rather new development. None of us had strokes. I just wanted to know what makes you think that this guy would.”

  “Whatever.” Daisy rolled her eyes. “I don’t know why you have to always be so literal.” She held the dress up in front of the full-length mirror. “What do you think?” she pursed her lips. “It’s this one or the little black one. She moved back and forth, trying to get a feel for how it moved. Not that she’d be doing much dancing. The man had already told her he didn’t dance. Damn it!

  “I like that one, though there is something to be said about a little black dress.” Marigold sighed. “I wish I could go out without a group of guards breathing down my neck.”

  “Find yourself a man and Drake will let you,” Daisy said absently. “I think I’ll wear this one. You’re right. It’s different. Every woman owns a little black dress.”

  Removing the garment from the hangar, Daisy pulled it over her head and turned her back on her sister. “Will you zip me up?” She glanced over her shoulder. “I can’t do it myself. I can only hope that Jarrod won’t be bashful if I ask him to help me out of it later.”

  “I didn’t just hear that. You’re going to make me gag, you know,” Marigold said with a laugh. “I don’t want to think of you doing anything but eating, drinking and dancing with this guy.”

  “He doesn’t dance.”

  “What?” Marigold frowned. “Wow. He must have really caught your attention. You don’t date anybody who doesn’t dance.” She grinned. “Or are you really just that desperate to get out of the house?”

  “I’m desperate, all right,” Daisy replied, “but I’m not sure it’s to get out of the house.” She sighed when she thought of him. The man would be perfect if he would learn to dance. “I don’t really understand it myself, Mari. It’s just that Jarrod is tall, dark and handsome. In fact, he’s so handsome that I can barely get him out of my mind.”

  “That could be said for any number of Drake’s dragon buddies. Why the human? A dragon could better protect you.” Marigold leaned back on her elbows and watched as Daisy slipped her shoes on.

  “You know how I feel about our world.”

  “Yes, I do, and it’s ridiculous.” Mari shook her head. “Look at April May and the others. They found their dragons and their powers have leveled out. They have control. In fact, they all have more power than they know what to do with and they have control over it.”

  That was the important part. All of their sisters had magical abilities, but none of them had much control until they met the man destined to be their match. So far, they had all met dragon males. Daisy didn’t want a dragon. She wanted a human. She could only hope that she’d lose her powers if her predetermined mate was human.

  She didn’t know how long she could go on with her magic raging out of control, burning food in chafing dishes, exploding toilets and floods of raw sewage at the mall or cars that inexplicably died for no reason other than she sat in the backseat.

  “I don’t want control. I don’t want this. I never did. I just want to lead a normal life with the man I love. What’s so wrong with that?”

  “Oh, honey, there’s nothing wrong with that.” Marigold bounced off the bed and gave her a hug. “It’s just that I can’t imagine you without your magic. It seems as though it would feel like me without mine and I couldn’t stand it.”

  Daisy hugged her sister back. “Of all of our sisters, you know me best.” Daisy laughed. “You have to. You are my twin, after all.” She reached up and gently pulled a lock of her sister’s hair. “Even though you try to hide that fact by dying your hair and wearing contacts.”

  “It’s got nothing to do with you. You know that.”

  Daisy tilted her head and stared at her sister. “No, Mari, I don’t know that. What’s so wrong with the way that we look that you have to hide who you really are?”

  “Don’t you ever get tired of looking like me?” Marigold asked as she moved to look out the window. “Haven’t you ever wished that you were unique?”

  “I am unique and you’re unique. Haven’t you realized that it’s not what you look like, or who you look like that matters?” She reached out and touched the center of her sister’s chest. “It’s what’s in here that counts.” She gave Marigold a hug. “I love you, Mari, no matter what you look like. The rest of our family loves you, too. You just
need to learn to love yourself.”

  Pulling back, she smiled into her sister’s eyes. “Now, will you do me a favor and help me find the bag that I bought to go with this dress? I need something to carry my lipstick and cell phone in.”

  Chapter Six

  Jarrod almost swallowed his tongue when Daisy and her sister walked down the stairs. Had he seen Marigold without Daisy next to her, he would have sworn the other woman was Daisy with black hair and green eyes. He’d never been in a house with so many gorgeous women until Drake brought the Flowers sisters here. Every one of the girls was a knockout, though these two were the only ones who even resembled each other.

  “Hello, Jarrod,” Daisy said as he bent over her hand. “Have you met my twin, Marigold?” She turned to the woman. “Marigold, this is Jarrod.”

  Marigold smiled up at him. “Now I can see why you want to date him, Daiz. He’s gorgeous.”

  “Mari!” Daisy slapped her sister on the arm. “I don’t believe you!”

  Jarrod smiled, casting his gaze between them. “I’m happy to meet you, Marigold.” He took her hand in his and bent to kiss it.

  “And he’s a gentleman, too.” Marigold grinned up at him. “That’s always a plus.”

  “I do try to serve, my lady.” He eased into the old-world manners he’d grown accustomed to over the last few centuries. “You look lovely tonight, Daisy.”

  She was a vision in a sapphire blue gown. She wore her blonde hair up, loose curls tumbling down her back. A shining rhinestone clip held her hair in place. He inhaled deeply, breathing her in. She smelled just the way she looked…lovely.

  He held out his arm and glanced at her twin. “If you’ll excuse us, we have reservations.”

  “Don’t let me hold you up,” Marigold said with a wave of her hand. “Have fun, kiddos. I’ll be here when you get back.” She waggled her brows at her sister. There was definitely some sort of twin communication going on between them.