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 of 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 thought, ‘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?”
“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.”