Her Hidden Dragon Mate: Sahara Pride

an introduction to graves

-Sam-

     When I wake up the sun is shining bright in my face and I can hear the faraway sounds of Felicity in the kitchen. The clock on my phone says it’s almost 11 and I shoot up and grab my hanging teal silk robe, cursing myself for forgetting to set an alarm for such an important day. My company sell gemstones and designs jewelry, and I have a potential investor scheduled to video chat me for information on the stock I keep close by.

     I rush into the bathroom and check myself. No more eye bags, so I’m grateful for that, and when I open up my robe to check my hip, I’m relieved that the bruise is gone. Now I get to admire myself.

     Twisting and turning, I start reshaping my waist length curls and admiring my small waist and wide hips. My butt is on the big side but honestly, I like it that way, even if it can be hard to find pants on occasion. When I lean over to brush my eyebrows and add some eyeliner behind my thick lashes I have a sudden appreciation for the bra keeping my large breasts in check. After I brush my teeth I study my face.

     Full lips, a few freckles on deep tan skin, big golden yellow eyes, thick slightly arched brows, high cheekbones. I swoop my hair up into an artful curly messy bun with a few loose pieces and choose earrings to compliment for the day. They’re deep garnet drops in rose gold with little roses on the top I made when I first came over from the motherland, and they’ve always been lucky for me.

     I rush into a white suit with a cream form fitting blouse and head downstairs where Felicity is putting sausage on the table. My girl is beautiful no matter what she wears. Today her hair is braided back under a backwards hat, crop tee showing several inches of skin over cute high waisted shorts, and when she brings over a plate to start serving me I plant a kiss where her waist dips.

     “When you said you’d let me sleep in, you really meant it. I have a client in half an hour and I had to rush to get ready.”

     One raised eyebrow. “You know you forgot to put that on the calendar, right? Or I would have been up there forever ago.”

     Ah, s**t, that explains it. “I’m so sorry, I’ve been so distracted all week! I need reminders to set reminders.” I breathe in, mouth watering. “Everything looks great, did you make biscuits or pick them up?”

     She’s laughing at me. “I didn’t make the biscuits, I called them in. The omelets, oatmeal, and sausage all me. Bell peppers, spinach, chives, and cheddar today.”

     I sigh in happiness. “You’re too good for me, you know.” She winks, “yeah, I know. Hurry and eat before they think you cancelled!”

     She doesn’t have to tell me twice.

**

-Tiago-

     I was tossing and turning all night, dreaming of velvet paws and golden eyes in a cold sweat until I gave up and went for a run instead. I'm not due to my next assignment until 11 so after running I head down into my home gym for a workout.

Punching bag. Honey cakes. 

Weighted squats. Nose touches nose.

Bench press. Moving so fast and quiet I never saw her leave.

     I can't keep torturing myself like this. 

It would be one thing if I even knew what she actually looked like but this is absolute torture, it feels like being kept in the dark. Most shifters live pretty openly these days, but it’s still hard to get them to open up if you happen to be human, and I’ve been hiding since I was 16 years old. I have connects at a local mystic bar my friend Thalia owns, and I think maybe I should try discreetly asking around. Maybe she has a lead on lions? She’s a wolf whose pack has territory outlining the city, and helped me find the job as a bodyguard I have now. I pull out my phone when suddenly it starts ringing and I see it’s my client. I grimace. “Good morning, Mr. Graves, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Ah, Santiago. I was wondering if you were interested in a little more overtime. I know you know I have a meeting with a potential collaborator at noon over video but before that, my wife and daughter would like to head into town for breakfast.” I roll my eyes- it doesn’t sound like a request. It’s only 8am according to the clock.

“I don’t see why not, Mr. Graves. I’ll be there within a half hour for Mrs. Graves and Miss Eleanor. I might remind you that I prefer being called Tiago, if you would keep it in mind.” I personally don’t like making requests either.

“Yes, yes, of course, Tiago. I’ll remember that for next time, Mr. De La Rosa. See you soon.”

     I grimace again, grateful he can't see my face. He knows I prefer to keep my name as anonymous as possible and prefer my nickname, so I know this was a weird flex I don’t see a point to. Choosing to ignore it, I start looking for a neutral colored suit and call up Thalia.

     “Hey, Tiago, it’s early even for you. I hope you know I’m expecting coffee later. What’s up?”

     She’s the kind of happy person who can’t help but make you smile right along with her, and it shows in her voice. “Morning Thalia, I know it’s early, I should’ve called later. Do you want me to call back?”

     “No, no. it’s fine. Darcy closed up last night so I got to sleep at a decent hour for a change. How was your camping trip? I thought you were gonna be gone for at least a weekend.”

     I scramble for details to my cover story. Wolves are excellent at detecting lies. “I actually ran into a bear in the woods and decided to cut it short, I came back late last night. Graves had a job for me anyways so I texted him I could take it on the way back.”

     “Aww, that’s a bummer. Was that all you called to tell me?”

     “…Actually, no. This might seem a little strange but I think I saw something in the woods last night and I was curious about it. Do you know if we have any werelions in the area? I swear I saw one with blood on its mouth while I was driving off.”

     I hear her laugh. “You’ve been hanging and living in the shifter side of town this long and haven’t heard of Sahara Pride? They’re the only real werelion group in the whole country, I don’t think there’s one bigger than 5 members outside of Knox city.”

     My heart is hammering in my chest. “They don’t live in the mountains?”

     “Nah, they have a pride house maybe ten miles from my pack house actually. Their Queen is super cool but she’s not around shifter meets too much. I think she runs a company. I’ve seen her have dinner with Joe and Zola a few times though, we’ve bought deer from them when the deep freeze runs low. Stone cold fox, that one. You could have seen one of her girls out there.”

     “One of her girls?”

     “Yeah, prides are usually a bunch of females and one male. I don’t think most of the males do anything except breed from what I understand, it’s usually all basically run by lionesses. Am I overwhelming your goofy human brain yet?” She laughs and a piece of me is sad I can’t tell her the truth, and I’m alone in this. I pull my arm through a navy suit jacket.

     “I think I got it all, I was just curious because I don’t think I’ve ever seen one. Thanks, Thal.”

     “Don’t mention it. I’m at the bar tonight. If I don’t have a raspberry latte in my hand by 8pm though I’m gonna think you don’t love me anymore.”

    I laugh. “You better perish the thought. Have a great day.”

    Getting a look at myself, I think I’m satisfied. My navy slacks and jacket are well tailored to my form, white shirt is crisp, and I have on a gold silk tie because Graves prefers his guards have a little flash. I rub a hand over my face, noting a little scruff, but I don’t have time to shave. Working some product into my hair so my jet black curls are all in place and putting shades on to hide my very distinctly icy gray eyes I step out, ready for the job and excited to head to the bar tonight.

***

“Tiaaaaago, why can’t we walk? Me and mama would be safe.”

     I’m amused at the tempter of this very precious 7 year old. Eleanor has more fire than either of her parents and somehow, a perfect mix of their features. Mr. Graves’ hazel eyes tried staring me down under Mrs. Graves’ auburn hair. “First of all, it’s ‘mama and I’, and you know why. Your father sent me to escort you to make sure you’re safe and we have to take the car to make sure no one sees us to keep us safe.”

     She squints up at me, still refusing to get in the car. “How tall are you? You could piggyback me and I’d be safe.”

     “I’m 6’4, and we can’t piggyback today. Nice try. Hurry up before your mom comes out and decides you’re not going anywhere because you didn’t listen, and then no scones for you.” Her eyes widen and she squeaks diving into the car just as Mrs. Graves makes an appearance.

    I try not to make eye contact because her interest in me has always been very obvious. She’s a classic kind of pretty, medium height with a slim figure and deep red bobbed hair. She’s just not my type at all, and today I have even less interest. Bright gold eyes. She flashes me a smile and I force one back, closing the car door behind her and ignoring her attempts to flirt when they arrive at the café through breakfast. Sometimes I wonder if I even enjoy my job.

**

-Sam-

    I make it to my virtual meeting just in time after a panicked ten minutes of looking for my laptop. I settle myself into my office with a tray of gems and ingots of metal for the client to look at until we can have a physical meet and to get a feel for his tastes. This is my element, and I’m so happy to have a reason to pull out my personal stock. The gems he saw on my online portfolio didn’t match what he was looking for, and I love a challenge.

     Clicking join, I see he is already waiting even though I am ten minutes early, which leaves me a little surprised. “Ah, Mr Graves, I thought we were scheduled for noon?”

I see him raise an eyebrow. “You’re Sam Ghazi? I expected someone more…” he trails off.

Gritting my teeth and forcing a smile, I am suddenly much less happy. “A man, I presume?”

“You caught me.” He’s laughing now, which I don’t appreciate. “Most jewelers I know and work with are men.”

“And not up to the task, considering you reached out to me three times in a week- but yes, I am Samiah Ghazi, head of Bold Heart Jewelry.”

He’s laughing harder now and I’m thinking I might have judged him a little too harshly. “You would be absolutely correct. May I see the options I asked for?”

“Surely. May I ask who is with you? I see an arm outside of the frame.” When he turns the camera I’m genuinely impressed, this man is a study in male perfection.

“This is my bodyguard, Santiago De La Rosa.” The man clears his throat and removes his shades. I can see his grey eyes staring me down and I can’t tell why, almost searching my face for something, and I feel my heart start hammering in my chest. “Ah, yes, he prefers Tiago. My apologies, Tiago.”

I clear my own throat. “Good to meet you, Tiago. If we could proceed Mr. Graves?”

     An hour later, my heart is still beating furiously and he’s chosen stones- a boring but incredibly beautiful morganite and a pair of absolutely show-stopping pink diamonds to have a necklace made for his daughter’s 8th birthday. The thought of making jewelry for a child cheers me up when I turn the discussion to metals and he stops me. “Actually, I have a family heirloom I’m like to know if you’d work with for the earrings. Tiago, could you bring me that box on the shelf there? Yes, the blue one.”

     “I most certainly could try. It would be incredibly sentimental.”

     “These have been in my family for generations. I know they aren’t real, who would even believe it even in a society like ours? But I’d like to think my daughter got magic for her birthday anyways.” He opens the felt keepsake box to reveal several large, gold glittering yellow dragon scales and I think maybe, just maybe, I didn’t like him very much at all.

     “Are those..?”

     “I come from a family that supposedly used to hunt dragons before they disappeared from Europe, back in Wales. The scales are pure yellow gold when they shed supposedly and are how my family got rich. You should be able to work it, I’d imagine?”

     It doesn’t escape me that his guard’s whole body has gone stiff and still and I’m flashing back to last night in the woods. That was it. Silver eyes in a great, golden face. I feel sick to my stomach.

     Trying to keep my tone neutral, I say “I’d have to get back to you on that, do some research to confirm whether or not I feel comfortable trying. Shall I hold the stones for you regardless?”

     “I’ll wire you the money for them, yes. Transfer the ownership papers to me at your earliest convenience. It’s been a true pleasure, Ms. Ghazi. I’m sure your husband is a lucky man.”

     “If he existed, he definitely would be. Have a wonderful day.”

     Disconnecting the link, I sigh and drop back into my chair. I was going to have a hell of a story to tell Felicity.