Treasured by the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons #10) - Jessie Donovan Page 0,23

true mates regardless of fertility issues with others.

However, much like her daughter, Dawn's mouth and brain didn't always work together. So she blurted, "I want the frenzy, Blake. Do you?"

Chapter Eight

Blake wanted to shout yes, he wanted the frenzy before pulling Dawn close and kissing her. However, he couldn't do that just yet. A few things had to be set up quickly before any of that happened. So he simply stated, "Of course I do."

"You say 'of course' as if it couldn't be any other way."

He reached out a hand but then pulled back and clenched his fingers into a fist. "You are beautiful, kind, amusing, and so many other things. What male wouldn't want a chance with a female like that?"

Her cheeks turned pink, and he itched to caress her blush to see if her skin was warmer to the touch.

The whole "not being able to touch her" deal was annoying.

Dawn cleared her throat. "Maybe if said female were single without any strings attached. However, I have Daisy, and not every bloke would be up for that challenge."

He frowned. "Maybe she's energetic and chatty, but so are you. If they like you, why wouldn't they like your daughter?"

Dawn tilted her head. "Liking her and wanting to raise her are two very different things."

Even now, he could tell her idiotic ex was hovering over her. He'd left because Daisy had been too much for him to handle, true. But the male must've hurt her deeper than she let most people see.

It was a good thing the bastard lived in Australia or Blake would risk venturing into a city to find him and tell him a few things. "She is a huge part of your life, a huge part of you. Maybe I would've resisted a little without knowing you, but now? I would accept five Daisies for a chance with you, Dawn. You make the world brighter, which is something I never thought I'd say to another person."

She moved a few inches closer, although it was still too bloody far away. Her voice was soft when she replied, "You're so much more than what people say about you, Blake. Why do you hide away from everyone else?"

He could've deflected like he usually did when people asked him about his self-imposed solitude. However, unlike with others, Dawn asking him didn't turn Blake defensive or make him want to ignore the whole matter. No, if she was willing to endure his dragon during the frenzy, then she deserved an answer. "White dragons are rare, but a white dragon with any other sort of special marking is almost unheard of. They're called unicorn dragons, and stories say that if you ever can find one, that you should ask to see their unique marking, touch it, and make a wish. It'll bring good luck and maybe even your greatest desire to life."

Blake did his best not to remember a lifetime of people trying to corner him somewhere so they could convince him to shift, touch his spot, and make a wish.

She whispered, "You're a unicorn dragon, aren't you?"

He nodded. "As a child, the other kids made fun of me constantly after my first shift in class. Children are so curious about what their dragon will be like, look like, and act like that it makes them a little insecure. Anything out of the ordinary is pounced upon to make themselves feel better.

"I didn't understand that as a child, of course, and just tried to hide away from everyone when I could. And to be honest, it became much worse as I grew up. Adults won't try to accost a child, but you'd be amazed at what someone will do to an adult unicorn dragon to get a chance at making a wish."

Dawn moved even closer while remaining about a foot away. There was a mixture of anger and sadness in her gaze. "What exactly did they do to you?"

He shrugged. "Nothing criminal, mind you. But pretty much my whole adult life dragon-shifters have tried a variety of ways to get me to shift. To say I gave up on dating or finding a mate was an understatement. No one could get past my dragon form, so I isolated myself and devoted myself to my work."

"That's horrible."

He searched her gaze. "Yes. Although you had no idea about anything related to my dragon form and you still found ways to make me smile the night of the play. And I somehow don't think the strangely colored