Cadmium Dragon Read online

  Arsenic was the most stubborn, insisting on only putting a jacket over his shirt and jeans and wearing his usual boots .

  Chromium bundled up, putting a coat on and wrapping a scarf around his neck so you could barely see his face, then putting a hat on his head .

  Cobalt put on snow pants and a matching coat, along with a hat .

  Cadmium looked at Casey. “What do you suggest ?”

  She looked as if she was trying not to giggle at the other dragons for what they were wearing. “Sorry ?”

  “What do you think I should wear ?”

  “Oh, um, maybe just a winter coat and pants and a hat. Like Cobalt .”

  “He’s always been the smartest,” Cadmium said, putting the clothes on. He looked at Casey, who was wearing a coat that came to her knees and pants that bunched up like marshmallows. Plus a hat that fell over her ears. She looked adorable, but… “Will you be able to move in that ?”

  She scrunched around, moving awkwardly in a little circle, then looking up at him with a cute smile. “I think so .”

  He felt as if his heart had just melted. “Okay, then.” He put on the coat and pants she had suggested but passed on the hat because he hated having things on his head. Then he followed Arsenic, who’d decided he was leading the way outside .

  As they opened the front door, wind blew a flurry of snow at them, and Cadmium had to resist the urge to shut the door as the cold air bit at his face. But looking down at Casey, who seemed excited, he steeled himself for the weather .

  Walking out into the snow was an interesting experience, as it sort of crunched and smushed under his feet, sort of like very light dirt that compacted instantly. Arsenic walked forward, making odd stomping motions with his huge feet, looking angrily at the snow around him as if daring it to do something untoward .

  “This isn’t too bad,” he said, taking a jump forward over a particularly large pile and catching his boot in the snow, as it was deeper than he expected. His arms flailed and he went down face forward in a heap .

  In a second, he was up, sputtering angrily, and he gave the group a flashing glare before stomping farther into the knee-deep snow, as if to prove it didn’t bother him .

  Chromium walked into the middle of the front yard and started gathering snow and packing it in his hands, studying it carefully .

  Cobalt looked slightly confused and was holding a ball of it in his hands, breaking it apart and looking through it and then even raising a tiny bit to his mouth and tasting it gingerly .

  “How is it?” Cadmium asked .

  “Good,” Cobalt said. “It is the same composition as water, with perhaps a higher mineral content from falling through the air .”

  “I’ll pass,” Cadmium said, looking down at it .

  “Just watch out for yellow snow,” Casey said, grinning up at him .

  “What ?”

  “You know,” she said, gesturing at the woods in the distance. “Animals come out sometimes, I’m sure .”

  Cadmium blanched. “Oh. Right. Ew.” He looked around as the snow softly began to fall all around him. The ground fairly sparkled, and Casey seemed relaxed and content just to watch the group .

  Chromium had gathered an impressive pile of snow in a relatively short period of time and was shaping it, and Cobalt was crouched, sifting his fingers through the snow as if perplexed by it .

  Cadmium realized once again with a sense of dismay that Zinc wasn’t there. Cadmium guessed he should be used to it, since Zinc was often withdrawn on Drakkaris, but when they’d first come to Earth, he’d at least been around a little more often due to the fact that Earth seemed to be slowing the progression of his metals .

  Cadmium was lucky. For some reason, he’d never had much trouble controlling his, maybe because he wasn’t particularly poisonous, even though he was of high blood .

  He would probably need to go check on Zinc as soon as possible, just to make sure he was doing okay. But he would get to at least spend some time with his mate first .

  “So what now?” he asked, looking at Casey and seeing her amused by the antics of the other dragons. “What else is there to do ?”

  “Well, we could have a snowball fight,” she said, dropping her voice to a whisper. Her dark hair was in two ponytails that stuck out from under her hat, and there was a twinkle in her eyes .

  He watched as a few snowflakes fell on her cheeks and melted against her skin. He wanted to lick them off. “Wait, a snowball fight? How does that work ?”

  She bent slowly, probably trying not to be noticed and packed a handful of snow into a ball in her hand. Then she gestured to Arsenic, who was stomping down a pile of snow vigorously, as if to get revenge on it .

  She crept forward, pulled her arm back, and let go, launching the ball of snow right into Arsenic’s back .

  He whipped around lightning quick, emerald eyes blazing, going into full warrior mode in a split second. He glared at all of them as he raised to full height. “Who did that ?”

  Cadmium wondered what his mate would think if she knew she’d just attacked (even playfully) the most dangerous assassin on Drakkaris and probably Earth as well .

  Arsenic’s eyes glittered as he walked forward, a smooth predator’s grace in his movements as he approached, scooping up a ball of snow as he went. He packed it tightly in his large, elegant hands, not bothering with gloves. “Who was it ?”

  Once again, Cadmium had to protect his mate. “It was me,” he said defiantly, scooping up a ball of snow for the fight that was inevitably starting .

  “It was me,” Casey said almost at the same time. But before Arsenic could decide who to throw his snowball at, Cadmium stepped in front of Casey and launched his ball right at Arsenic’s head .

  It exploded all over the arsenic dragon’s face and hair, knocking him backward, but he recovered far quicker than he should have and launched his snowball at Cadmium, hitting him squarely in the stomach with so much force it felt he’d been hit by a meteor .

  Cadmium went down, clutching his stomach, and Arsenic walked forward, wiping snow out of his face and stepping over him .

  To Cadmium’s shock, he heard Casey let out a shriek as Arsenic caught her around the waist and then hoisted her over his shoulder .

  “We fight for the female,” he said imperiously, depositing her on a pile of snow off to the side and blocking her when she struggled to get back up. He rolled up his jacket sleeves. “This is between men .”

  The warrior in Cadmium sat up and grinned evilly. It’d been a while since he got to kick ass. Now he could do it without getting in trouble .

  He grabbed a ball of snow and threw it right at Arsenic’s crotch, but Arsenic dodged, almost at the speed of light. Damn, that dragon was fast .

  Chromium looked up, having created a snow sculpture of a dragon that was actually pretty incredible. He narrowed his eyes on where Casey was still sitting in a pile and then grabbed a handful of snow and packed it into a ball .

  Arsenic looked at him, then at Cobalt, who was doing the same thing. “Now wait a minute. We should make rules .”

  “Why is it a fight over me, again?” Casey asked with a giggle .

  “We always fight over women. Why should this be any different?” Arsenic said .

  Casey looked a bit confused but flattered, and Cadmium intended to use this as just another chance to show her what a great protector he could be .

  Arsenic was an assassin, but Cadmium was a royal guard, and he wasn’t about to be bested at this snowball game when his mate’s favor was at stake .

  “What do we win?” Chromium asked flatly, looking over at Casey .

  “A kiss?” Arsenic said. “We still haven’t gotten to practice .”

  Rage flooded Cadmium, but he couldn’t really show it without giving himself and his feelings for Casey away .

  “Not if the lady doesn’t want it,” Cobalt said, looking over at her .

  She looked at Cadmium, biting her lip as if she wasn’t sure what
to say, and Cadmium just nodded .

  “It doesn’t matter what the prize is because I’m going to win it, suckers,” Cadmium said. Then he ran forward, quickly scooping up two handfuls of snow, balling one in each fist and throwing them simultaneously into Chromium’s and Cobalt’s faces .

  They were both knocked back, and Chromium dropped his snowball, while Cobalt recovered and threw his at Cadmium, who ducked .

  Cadmium grabbed another ball and ducked to the right, running past Arsenic, who was distracted by Chromium running toward them .

  It turned into an all-out brawl as Chromium tried to tackle Cadmium but caught Arsenic instead, knocking him to the ground .

  “That’s right. Hold him there,” Cadmium said, hurling another ball at Arsenic’s face .

  Arsenic’s furious glare promised vengeance. Cadmium probably wouldn’t have picked a fight with him on his own, but now that his mate had started it, he couldn’t let her down .

  Arsenic struggled with Chromium and then grabbed a handful of snow and shoved it right in his eyes, between his hat and his scarf, forcing him to roll off of him, scrabbling at his face .

  Cobalt ran forward with a roar of rage, but Arsenic was up in a second and had a handful of snow in his hand as he drove his fist into Cobalt’s stomach .

  Cobalt choked but regained his footing, glaring at Arsenic as he lifted a powerful knee up into his chest, throwing him into the air and then onto his back in the snow, where Cobalt hit him in the face with a snowball .

  “Wait, wait,” Casey said, getting up from her pile. She looked like she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry over what was happening. “It’s a snowball fight, not a real fight .”

  “Ha!” Arsenic said, recovering again, covered in snow, hair hanging in wet streaks, only looking that much more vicious. He grabbed a snowball in each hand and glared at Cadmium. “You started this.” He threw both snowballs, and though Cadmium tried to dodge, one caught him in the hand, stinging his skin .

  “Dammit, Arsenic, that hurt!” he said, just as Arsenic charged him, catching him around the waist and knocking him down .

  Arsenic grabbed snow and began rubbing it into Cadmium’s face, when Cadmium heard Casey let out a war cry and jump into the fray .

  He saw her grab Arsenic by the back of his jacket, trying to pull him off .

  He flailed, trying to push her arms away. “Stop it, woman. This isn’t your business. I don’t wish to hurt you .”

  She let him go, and when he started rubbing snow into Cadmium’s face again, she threw a snowball right into Arsenic’s nose .

  He turned to her with a glare. Shit. Cadmium bucked his hips, tossing Arsenic off of him on the opposite side of Casey, and then pinned him with a knee on his chest. He grabbed both handfuls of snow and slammed them onto Arsenic’s mouth .

  “Surrender!” he said .

  Arsenic struggled, trying to dislodge Cadmium’s knee, but he’d done the most fighting, and as cold-blooded creatures, none of them were really equipped to fight in the snow .

  Not to mention he was wearing the least clothes .

  His teeth chattered. “Never .”

  “Well, then,” Cadmium said. “I guess we have no choice. Cobalt, Chromium, Casey, come help me .”

  “You can’t—” Arsenic sputtered as all three began to throw snowballs at him, nearly burying his face in the snow. “I give. I give!” He screeched. When Cadmium let him up, he stumbled to his feet, looking slightly dizzy .

  He glared at all of them. “That was dirty.” Then he smiled. “Let’s do that again sometime.” He stretched his shoulders, back, rolling his neck. “Good stress relief.” He looked at Casey. “Sorry, looks like you’ll have to kiss one of these brutes.” Then he put his hands in his pockets and headed back to the house, whistling .

  Only Arsenic could be in such a good mood after giving and receiving that much physical violence .

  Chromium folded his arms and walked forward. “Who wins , then ?”

  Cobalt gave him a smile. “I think Cadmium does. He orchestrated the final coup after all .”

  Chromium gave a slightly disappointed shrug and followed Cobalt into the house to warm up. He stopped at the porch steps and turned to Cadmium. “Make it good,” he said. Then he walked inside, leaving both Cadmium and Casey alone and blushing .

  “Wow,” she said, looking up at him. “I had no idea a snowball fight between male models could get that intense .”

  “We aren’t models,” he said, wrinkling his nose .

  “Are you cold?” she said, walking closer and taking his hands in hers. She pulled his gloves off and put his hands to her mouth, warming them with her breath. It felt awesome .

  “Thanks,” he said. “But I’m not too cold to do this.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently, letting the snow fall around them as their lips and breaths mingled and the world fell silent except for the beating of their hearts .

  When he pulled back, her cheeks were flushed, and she shivered slightly, from arousal or cold he didn’t know. But he did know that he needed to get inside where the dragons were waiting for them .

  “That was fun,” he said, taking her gloved hands in his and squeezing them. “We’ll have to do it again .”

  “We will,” she said. Then she looked over at Chromium’s sculpture. “Isn’t that beautiful? He’s kind of an artist, isn’t he? How do you think he just made that up ?”

  “Made what up ?”

  “A dragon,” she said. “That’s what it is, right? The wings, the scales. It’s beautiful. He must be a big fan if he can just make one up from memory .”

  And suddenly, that made everything real again. He wasn’t just living in some fairy winter wonderland where he and Casey could just keep having fun and hanging out together .

  He was a dragon. She was his mate. Eventually, he would want her to accept that, and as a human, she would have no idea .

  At least Lead’s mate, Brittany, had been aware of the shifter world and knew they were dragons .

  But to Casey, Chromium’s mini self-portrait was something from a fantasy, something that couldn’t exist in real life .

  That made Cadmium very nervous. After all, how would she react when she realized the man who was trying to win her could turn into a larger version of the real thing ?

  “You are cold,” she said, running her hands over his biceps. “Let’s get you inside. You don’t look like you feel well .”

  “No, I’m fine. How are you doing ?”

  “I think I’m ready for some cocoa,” she said .

  “Me, too,” Cadmium said, throwing one last glance at Chromium’s dragon before following his future mate inside .

  Chapter 8

  “S o how did Chromium learn to cook like this?” Casey asked, sipping the rich, deep, chocolate and enjoying the feeling of being in the warm again .

  Her new friends were seated at the kitchen table with her, and Cadmium, as usual, was protectively positioned at her side .

  “He was just a natural,” Cobalt said, rubbing his hands together and blowing on them. All of them must not be used to cold weather, because they were taking longer to warm up than her. “He’s a lot smarter than most people give him credit for. Just because he’s not always talking, it doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking .”

  Arsenic was huddled over his mug, enjoying the steam. “Cooking isn’t about brains. It’s about luck.” He sipped his chocolate and looked resigned. “I put the same things in, yet it doesn’t come out right .”

  Chromium shot him a smug look, brushing his exotic-looking white hair over his shoulder. Chromium’s blue-green eyes closed as he breathed in the scent of his cocoa and let out a satisfied sigh .

  She had to look up to face any of them and wondered what they fed the guys wherever they’d come from to make them all this big .

  Sometimes she even forgot just how big Cadmium was, due to the fact that he was so kind and approachable .

  It was Sunday, and s
he didn’t really have any excuses to stay here once Monday morning came, yet a part of her hated to leave .

  She supposed it was because she’d been living in a magical world full of friends and people she felt she could trust. Along with a guy who seemed genuinely interested and sexed her incredibly well .

  What would happen in the morning, though? Would she wake up and go back to being a delivery driver and he just being a customer on her route? Was she good enough for a weekend, but nothing more? She tried not to be negative, but after everything Benny had put her through, her confidence had been shot .

  She still hadn’t fully recovered, though Cadmium was helping, with the way his eyes followed her, the way he seemed to constantly want her around .

  If only she could just stay here forever. If only she didn’t need a job or a reality check or to have to go back and pay her mortgage and start driving her truck .

  If only she could stay in this little alternate world that the men (and Brittany) had created .

  “What are you thinking about?” Cadmium asked in a low voice. His blond hair was still damp from snow, and she realized how much she was liking dating a man with longer hair. It looked rakish and hot and was healthy and thick and masculine. It only framed his face and made him that much more handsome .

  Sometimes, looking into his warm, brown eyes she felt she could pass out .

  “I don’t know,” she said. “This has been so fun.” She looked up to see the others were looking at her thoughtfully, including Brittany, who was cuddled against Lead’s side. “I was just thinking I’ll be sad when it ends .”

  Several of the men shared cryptic looks, but no one said anything .

  “I mean, you’re at least staying until tomorrow, right?” Brittany asked, looking hopeful. “It’s really fun having you around .”

  “Sure,” Casey said. “I mean, at this point, why not? But I still think you all are crazy for just inviting me in and letting me stay. I’m a stranger .”

  “Not anymore,” Arsenic said, leaning back with folded arms. “And we all want you around .”

  Cadmium’s posture tightened, but he turned to Casey with calm eyes. “Me especially. But we aren’t here to pressure you either. But never feel bad for being here. We’re enjoying it .”