Free The Silver Dragon by Tianna Xander Page A

Reaching out, she picked it up, touched the screen and held it to her ear. “What did you need, sweetheart?”
    “Oh, God.” Iris leaned back in her seat with a glower. “Speak of the effing devil.”
    Tansy only used that tone of voice with one person—her infernal dragon.
    “Of course we can, but we’ll need some time. Iris was just saying she’d like to get out and into the fresh air for a while,” Tansy said into her phone. “It’ll take us a few minutes to change, but we should be there within the hour.”
    Be where? Iris perked up. She didn’t really care where as long as wherever it was got her out of this blasted house before she lost her mind.
    “I love you, too, darling,” Tansy whispered into the phone. She giggled at something he said. “See you soon.”
    Tansy set her phone on the table and met Iris’s gaze. “Tony wants us to meet him at O’Leary’s on Fifth Street, for dinner. His business meeting ran a little late and he wants to celebrate the acquisition of a new company.”
    “Whatever.” Iris pushed away from the table and stood. “I don’t care what his reasons are. I just want to get out of this house. Even if it’s only for a few hours.” She almost danced toward the stairs. “I’ll just go take a quick shower and change into something nice.”
    After all, a girl never knew when she might meet the man—or the dragon—of her dreams.
     

Chapter Two
     
     
    Luc stared across the restaurant. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep the bored expression from his face. He had agreed to join his soon-to-be ex-business partner for a celebratory meal, because, frankly, one did his best not to insult the fire dragon.
    Soon, within the next day or so actually, he would have sold off all of his assets and given the bulk of the proceeds to a few lucky charities. After that, he would pay off what bills he had and end his existence. He couldn’t bear to wait another moment to find a mate who didn’t exist.
    He had lived too long, been alone for too many years, to hold out much hope that his mate would somehow magically appear before him at this late date.
    “You seem preoccupied.” Tony swirled the amber liquid in his glass, the ice tinkling against the crystal before tipping it up to take a long drink.
    “I am always preoccupied these days. Liquidating all of one’s assets is not an easy task.”
    “I don’t suppose I could talk you into waiting a little longer? I still have a few single sisters-in-law I would like for you to meet. Who knows? One of them might turn out to be a match for you.”
    “It is of no use.” Luc waved his arm with a shake of his head. “I have been alive too long. I have waited too many years, and shouldered more disappointment than I care to recall.” He stared down into his glass. “It is time.”
    It was past time. Luc had been tired of waiting a lifetime ago. If he met his mate tomorrow, he didn’t know if the attraction would be enough to hold him to life.
    Boredom was a dangerous thing. He’d learned that long ago. Bored dragons took risks and he had taken too many over the last pair of years. He’d taunted a powerful sorcerer in an attempt to keep the man from carrying out some nefarious plan. He didn’t know if his ruse worked, but he was certain the man would attack any minute.
    It didn’t matter. His affairs were in order, his will signed and filed. After he made provisions for the non-profit children’s hospital he’d acquired to impress his non-existent mate, he would welcome the oblivion of death.
    Luc took a deep breath, drawing in a mouth-watering aroma. “I have no idea what that smell is, but I intend to find out and inform the waiter that I wish to have it.”
    Tony glanced at the tables near them with a frown. “I don’t see anyone eating anything but cheesecake, and you know what that smells like.” He glanced behind Luc, and his eyes lit up. “My wife and her sister have arrived.”
    Luc followed Tony’s lead