SapphireDare, page 1

Instead of going back to Earth after one of her targets shoots her with a poison-tipped dart, Sapphire takes her mother’s advice and seeks out the greatest healer their people have. How was she to know that just being near him would send her senses reeling and tie her stomach into knots? When five males arrive to convince her that Galen is not the right dragon for her, will Sapphire run for cover or will she fight alongside the dragon male who saved her life and preserved her freedom to choose?
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Sapphire Dare
Copyright © 2011 Tianna Xander and Viola Grace
ISBN: 978-1-55487-999-1
Cover art by Martine Jardin
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
Published by Devine Destinies
An imprint of eXtasy Books
Look for us online at:
www.devinedestinies.com
Sapphire D.A.R.E.
By
Tianna Xander and Viola Grace
Chapter One
Sapphire slowly made her way through the dense underbrush, both admiring the beautiful flowers and avoiding them. She’d heard what the strange foliage on these other dimensional worlds could do and she wanted no part of getting herself poisoned or paralyzed. She had a job to do and she intended to do it with utmost haste.
Still, she couldn’t help but admire the beautiful plant life as she made her way toward her targets. Teeming with life, the jungle seemed to welcome her. Even as she stalked prey that tried to avoid her, she felt as though she had come home. Sapphire knew it was a strange notion, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she belonged in a place like this. She didn’t necessarily believe she belonged in a jungle. She just knew she needed to live in a place full of freedom, life and enough action to keep her busy for the rest of her days.
Sometimes, freedom seemed like nothing more than a dream, an ideal that she conjured up, but ever since her mother told her of her sisters’ escapes, she couldn’t help but dream of such an escape for herself. Sometimes, she wondered at the foolishness of wishing for some intangible thing she’d never had and barely ever heard of before, but it sounded so exciting!
Since four of their sisters disappeared, the rest of her sisters couldn’t wait for the assignments to come to their final conclusion and she was no different. Perhaps, when their assignments were finished, they could lead normal lives. Well, as normal a life as someone brought up in a laboratory compound could get. She had no idea what she would do once the humans were back on their world and her sisters mated and gone. Perhaps, she would find a place like this and live out the rest of her days hunting wild animals with an imaging device for sport.
Sapphire moved behind a tree, using the special camouflage provided by her new leathers. Somehow, the camouflage used the images of the things around her to render her clothing invisible. The techs back at the lab hadn’t devised any sort of head covering yet, so she must use the technology to the best of her ability while somehow keeping her head out of sight. It was not a simple task. They could still see her head if she wasn’t careful, so she kept to the trees, hoping to catch her targets off guard.
Criminals of the worst sort, she knew they wouldn’t hesitate to harm her if they knew she was there to take them back to Earth where they would be incarcerated again. Perhaps some of them would even face the death sentence. Who knew? Humans were an unpredictable lot. Most of them didn’t know their own minds, how could anyone else attempt to predict what they would do?
Stealthily, she moved from the cover of one tree to another as she studied her scanner. The last three of the eight she was here to retrieve were just ahead. She could take them by surprise, open a rift and throw them home before they even knew what hit them…if they hadn’t already known she was there.
Closing her eyes, she knew there was nothing to do but do her best to rush their camp and try to send them home. It shouldn’t be too difficult. They were human after all and she was a dragon swan. She and her sisters were easily five times stronger than the average male and their hunting instincts remained unmatched.
Shoving her scanner in her belt, she moved slowly toward their camp. Two sat at the fire, roasting what looked like a six-legged rabbit. Whatever it was, the scent made her empty stomach rumble in protest of its deplorable condition.
Sapphire took a moment to pause and reflect on her inner self in an attempt to dampen her olfactory sense so she could ignore the delicious scent of the roasting rodent and concentrate on her prey. It wouldn’t do to let the scent of food be the cause of her first failure.
Creeping into the campsite, she concentrated on the two sitting around the fire. The one sleeping could wait. At least that’s what she thought and that was where she made her first mistake.
Her second mistake was believing that since the Earth council sent them here with no weaponry, that they had remained unarmed. Not so. The man on the ground beneath the blanket leaped from his position and raised his arm. There was no doubt that the object in his hand was a weapon he intended to use.
“What do you want?” He backed away from her and moved closer to his companions.
“I am here to take you home. The machine used to open the dimensional rift that brought you here ripped holes in the fabric of the universe. Everyone who left using that means must return home.”
“Bullshit. I’m not going anywhere, especially back there.”
Sapphire widened her stance, preparing for a fight. She had known these men wouldn’t want to return willingly. She couldn’t blame them. Their return may well mean a death sentence, but she remembered a saying from the history disks she had access to and agreed. Don’t do crime if you can’t do time, or something of that nature. It was a lesson this man could have benefited from greatly had he been privy to the same educational data as she had been.
Looking around the camp, Sapphire noted the position of the men, the distance the other two were from their weapons and judged the accuracy of their aim by studying their shaking hands. These men weren’t as calm as they would have her believe.
“I have my orders.” She glanced up at the tree limb eight feet above her head, then judged the distance between that and the branch a few feet from the armed man. If she moved fast enough, she could jump up, catch the branch and swing herself over fast and hard enough to knock the weapon from his hand. She only needed a diversion. Too bad one wasn’t forthcoming.
Unfortunately, Sapphire had no choice but to rush the man. Bolting to action, Sapphire dove for the armed man, grabbed his hand and subdued him. It was just too bad it had taken too long. That was her third mistake. One of the others, who once sat around the fire, grabbed his weapon and shot her in the shoulder with a crude projectile weapon. It looked suspiciously like a bow and arrow.
“What…what have you done?” Sapphire felt her mind fog and her legs grow weak. A mere arrow should not have such an effect on her. She looked down at the shaft, still protruding from her shoulder and tried to clear her head. She must send them home. These were the last three. If she sent them home, she could go home as well and let the doctors see to her wound.
You cannot take that chance, little one.
Why not, Mother? Since her mother never contacted her on assignment, Sapphire paused, shook her head and used the man she held captive as a shield against another shot aimed her way.
Because I’m psychic. I know I have told you this before. The poison they used to coat the tip of the arrow in your shoulder will not kill you immediately, but it will kill you unless you find a skilled healer to remove the poison from your blood.
I plan to as soon as I get home. Sapphire planned to see the doctor as soon as she stepped through the portal. Her mother should know that by now. It was procedure.
No. You must see a skilled dragon healer. They won’t shoot you again. They will not want to waste their precious supply of the poison. They will, however, wait for you to drop before they celebrate their victory. Use your time wisely. Fight as only a dragon swan can and send them home. Afterward, I will tell you how to reach one of our greatest healers.
Yes, Mother. Sapphire agreed to do as her mother said, because she knew her mother was psychic. She had proven it on more than one occasion.
Wasting no more time, Sapphire broke the haft of the arrow off as close to her leathers as possible. The last thing she needed was to have it get in her way. After breaking it off, she opened a portal and threw her human shield into the rift. Using her dragon’s speed and dexterity, she then threw herself upon the other two and fought like only a female of her kind could and threw the second man into the rift.
She gave a brief thought as to whether or not the second man landed on the first. Then with a shrug went
Sapphire paused with her hand on the man’s shoulder, until she saw the look of triumph in his eyes. With a shove, she pushed him through the rift to the other side and closed the portal.
Where to now, Mother?
Her mother’s thoughts led her to a world filled with dragons. Males dipped and swirled over a large, shining city as they circled a bright tower in the distance. How would she ever get through such a sea of males if what her mother said was true and they could claim a lone female if they so desired?
“Hello, lady.”
Heart in her throat, Sapphire spun around at the sound of the deep voice. She couldn’t help it. She wasn’t sure if it was the poison in her system or if she was just struck dumb by the sight of the male standing before her.
He was beautiful…and large. He stood a good six and a half feet tall, his blond hair brushing his shoulders. His black vest barley covered his wide, muscular chest and did nothing to cover the light swirls of chest hair as it swirled and dipped below the wide leather belt at his waist.
Green eyes similar in color to her sister, Emerald’s, stared down at her with the most mischievous-looking twinkle she’d ever seen. Arms as big as tree limbs crossed his chest.
As he stood examining her, she couldn’t help but notice he had markings similar to hers.
“Hello,” Sapphire replied warily. “Do you know how I can contact Galen?”
The man held his hands out to his sides and grinned. “Why would you search out another male, when you have one so handy already?” He waggled his brows. “Believe me when I say I would service you in any way you need, lady.”
“I need a healer.” Her vision blurred and she felt her body give way to a bout of the cold sweats. Swiping her arm across her brow, she began to pant. Flipping her hair back over her shoulder, she raised a hand to her wound and pointed. “I’ve been shot with an arrow tipped with poison. I must see him immediately.”
“Let me help you, lady.” The suddenly serious male stepped forward and made to take her in his arms.
Sapphire stepped back with a snarl, her scowl fierce. She may be injured, but she was still well enough to fight if this male attempted to kidnap her for his own. She would be no man’s possession. Lifting her chin, she stubbornly stared him down. “I will allow only Galen to touch me.”
Smiling, the man shook his head. “I am not certain how I have garnered such trust in one I have never met, but I thank you, lady.” He bowed with a flourish. “I am Galen, at your service. Now…will you allow me to help you before you collapse, or shall I wait until you do so?”
“No one told me you were a tease.” She eyed him suspiciously. “How do I know you speak the truth?”
“Ask one of your sisters to describe me, or better yet, stop wasting time and trust me to do what is best for you.”
Sapphire could feel the poison working its way through her body, systematically shutting down essential functions and organs. It was only a matter of time before she expired altogether.
Nodding, she reached out. “Okay. I believe you…I think.” She stumbled forward and felt him lift her effortlessly into his arms. “Just find a way to make me better.”
“Don’t worry, lady. I will heal you or die trying.”
With those words, Sapphire felt herself enter a dream world. She knew it couldn’t possibly be real. She actually flew over the city she had seen in the distance, then circled a large, bright tower. Somehow, they entered the tower on the third floor where she found herself, once again, in Galen’s arms. He took her to a room filled with a light so bright, she could have sworn they stood on the surface of the sun itself.
“Welcome to my home, lady,” Galen whispered at the scented, crushed herbs and the smell of sweet smoke. “Never fear. I will heal you and you shall be whole again.” He smiled. “I will even remove your leash.” He waved the sweet-smelling smoke over her face. “Now sleep, lovely one. This will spare you the pain.”
Chapter Two
A storm was raging outside, which was strange enough, but Sapphire woke up without a stitch on her and a throbbing in her thigh. She could taste rain in the air and when she sat up, the open window let the storm in to caress her.
Galen came into the room just as she was looking around for clothing. “Here is something to wear. One of your sisters donated the size for the gown.”
“Which one?”
“Ruby. She has the largest wardrobe currently. We got the information from her seamstress. How is your arm?” His gaze skated over her body with more than causal interest, but his raised eyebrows enticed her to answer.
She rubbed her arm while trying to maneuver her way into the dress. It wasn’t a successful operation until she managed to get both arms into the dress and Galen helped her bring it into proper lines.
Sapphire got to her feet with his help and he assisted her while she swayed. The view from the tower was dizzying, but the proximity to him was far more dangerous to her equilibrium.
He held her close and supported her until she pushed back to stand on her own two feet. Her knees had other ideas. “Why am I so weak?”
“You were poisoned. Weak is the general response of the body to imminent death.” He put an arm around her waist and helped her to the door. “Come on, get walking and get that dragon metabolism back in operating condition.”
They walked down the stairs together. Well, if she was honest, it was half-walking, half-tippy-toeing her way down the stone steps.
A matronly woman met them at the base of the stairs and clucked her tongue at Sapphire’s appearance. “You dragged her out of bed, sir?”
“Of course not, Lona. I simply helped her down the steps after she was already up and moving.”
The old woman snorted and took Sapphire by the hand, “I bet you did. That dress had been downstairs until half an hour ago. How did she get up and dressed if her clothing was down here?”
To Sapphire’s surprise, Galen blushed and she found herself being tugged along to a table laden with food and the smell of fresh bread in the air.
“Come along, little chicken. You look starved and pale. This meal will set you to rights.” The species of the old woman was hard to determine, but she had lightly scaled features and a thick braid of white hair.
“Thank you, Lona, was it?”
“Yes, m’dear. I have worked for Galen’s family for the last two hundred years, so when he went out on his own fifty years ago, it was natural that I come to keep house for the lad.”
When Sapphire looked at Galen, she didn’t see a lad, but there was a sheepish attitude to his posture. “Lona is an excellent housekeeper. My mother was sorry to see her go but was happy to have her stay in the family.”
Lona cackled and poured Sapphire some tea. “She still keeps trying to lure me back with the promise of wealth and an easier workload, but I like it here. Sir keeps the house busy and since you and your sisters have entered the arena, he has been almost perky.”
Sapphire blushed as Galen’s perky anatomy was even with the edge of the high table. “You don’t say.”
Lona bustled around, filling a plate for her. “Indeed. He was very focused on healing before your sister arrived and gave folks the news that there were twenty of you ladies out there. After that moment, there was no stopping his plotting and scheming to win one of you for his own.”
Galen sighed and sat next to Sapphire, stealing tidbits off the plate Lona left in front of her. “I have not been plotting, merely waiting until the right dragon presented herself before me.”
Sapphire turned and shielded her food with her body. “I see. Is this a common occupation?”
“Only in those who have an interest in having a family and a mate of their own. In our culture, the men pursue the females and she has final say. Well, she has final say if her father isn’t involved. He can overwrite any decision that is made until a relationship is formed and locked in.”












