Marina was relieved when she finally got back to her room, escorted by Cadmium, whom she’d found charming.

He was blond and handsome and easy to talk to, which she couldn’t say of some of the other dragons.

Still, each had their charms, and after her fortifying dance with Mercury, she’d had fun meeting each of them and getting to know them a little better.

Her conversation with Cobalt had been the most illuminating, because once he’d figured out she had questions, he’d swept her to the side of the ballroom and sat them in chairs so they could discuss all her concerns.

When he looked at her with those deep-blue eyes, she felt so heard.

He’d explained that while yes, there would be fights the next day as part of the right of union challenge, they were more for exhibition, for the competitors to show off their strength and fortitude, not because the strongest would get to carry her off like a caveman.

The men would compete, but the choice would be hers, as they’d said when she’d first agreed. At least it wasn’t just a competition of brute force, like some of the wolves did back on Earth.

She liked all of the men so far for different reasons, but she wanted to choose her own mate.

Arsenic was hilariously grim and dark, a good compliment to Lead’s straightforward but somehow naive leadership style. He was also witty, caustic, and intelligent, with absolutely gorgeous green eyes.

Lead was Lead. Honest, kind, chivalrous, but with this sort of uptight, stick-up-his-butt demeanor that made her want to see what was underneath the buttoned-up exterior of the dragon guard captain.

Chromium was quiet and shy, but she could see him watching her intently with those unique, creamy-jade eyes, cocking his head whenever he found something interesting. His body was beautiful, and he had a smooth way of moving that enticed her, as if he had a kind of control over his body that was heightened compared to anyone else.

He nodded to any of her questions, so it wasn’t like he wasn’t responding.

He just either didn’t see a need to talk or didn’t want to. But that was fine.

Other dragons, like Cadmium, were happy to make up the difference.

Cadmium had given her the dirt on several of the other dragons. Particularly Zinc, whom he was very close to, having grown up together. She could sense the two men meant a lot to each other. Cadmium also seemed a little worried about Zinc’s trust in Mercury, that he could be hurt by him.

Marina had no idea what to say to that. She wasn’t the one to talk to about someone giving Mercury too much credit.

But to her relief, Cadmium hadn’t harped on it. He’d just talked a little about the dragon guard in general, how it was comprised of royals, like himself and Zinc, and those from the middle class, like Cobalt and Chromium, and then those from rural areas, like Lead and Arsenic.

She’d started to sense a little tension between some of the members when she saw them together, when one was coming to take her from another, but overall, she thought they got along well.

Zinc was probably still the biggest mystery. He’d been the perfect gentleman. Aloof, royal, quick with a soft smile or a comment that could make her laugh.

But she could sense something else behind his dark-gray eyes. A kind of sadness he kept hidden carefully with a polite smile and a stiff royal bearing.

He was happy to meet her and assured her if there was anything she needed, he would make sure and supply it, but more than any of the other dragons, she felt she hadn’t really seen into his heart.

It was just too guarded.

Nothing compared to Mercury, but guarded all the same.

She’d noticed Mercury hovering around the perimeter at times, watching her, and even when he wasn’t watching, she wondered if he was in a different form, hidden from others. That was totally creepy, and she wondered if she should tell him not to do it.

She pulled her dress over her head, leaving her just in her shift, and walked to the closet to hang it.

She changed into soft, silky pajamas and grabbed a robe to pull on over them. Then she went into the bathroom.

After she let her hair down and took out all the ornaments, she pulled it into a soft ponytail so it was out of her face. She washed off her makeup, enjoying the feel of water splashing over her, taking with it the stress of the day.

Then she practically jumped onto the bed so hard she bounced and crawled under the covers, ready to sleep. Or was she?

She grabbed her human phone off the nightstand and opened a book she’d been reading. Kai and Seaton (her brothers) liked to use the phone to try and win over their human mates, but Marina had found she loved human books and the romance in them.

Adventure, love, people with good hearts and amazing spirits, all of that was waiting for her the second she flipped the page.

She had just gotten into the scene when she heard a soft knock on the door.

She set the phone aside. “Who is it?”

“Mercury.”

Even if he hadn’t said his name, she’d recognize that gravelly, sensual voice anywhere. “Come in.”

No matter that everyone thought he was the most difficult; he was still the person here she knew best. Or who knew her best since she’d done most of the talking when she’d been visiting him in his cell back on Earth.

He walked forward, still wearing his suit from the ball and looking devastatingly handsome. He rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck, and then began undoing the buttons at his collar.

“Wait. What are you doing?” she asked.

“It’s uncomfortable,” he said, continuing down the tunic until he could pull it over his head. He wore an undershirt beneath, but it caught on the tunic and pulled up slightly, exposing a row of perfect abs on taut skin.

Then he had the tunic off and the shirt fell back down, and she had to pretend she hadn’t been gawking.

“Why are you here?”

“To check on you, obviously,” he said. “After having a bunch of boorish dragons slavering over you all night, I thought my company would be welcome.” He raised an eyebrow. “You did travel the stars to see me.”

She frowned as she tried to pretend she hadn’t been gawking at his abs.

“No need,” Mercury said, tossing his tunic to the side as he walked to the foot of the bed and sat there without asking. “I’m obviously aware of your attraction to me. Why else do you think you kept visiting me in the basement?”

She stuttered, shocked that was what he thought. He was wrong, wasn’t he? Sure, he was attractive, but that wasn’t the point. “It was because I felt sorry for you, you—”

“No,” he said, scooting forward, seeming so impossibly big as he took up more of the space in front of her. “That’s what you probably told yourself, but admit it, Marina. You like what you see.”

She shook her head, putting a hand out to shove him back. Big mistake. The feel of his hard, bulging chest made warmth zing through her, which only made his point for him. “Back off.”

He sat back, still on the bed, and looked at her, one steely-gray eyebrow raised. “Really?”

She nodded.

“Fine,” he said, stepping off the bed and reaching for the hem of his undershirt. “You give me no choice.”

“Wait, stop! What are you—” She felt her feeble protests cut off as his undershirt joined his tunic on the ground, showing Mercury in all his half-naked glory.

She’d never seen him like this, except when he was about to be executed and his back was to her. And she hadn’t really been able to get a good look at him then because she was busy trying to save his life.

But Mercury without his shirt on was a sight to behold, and the dragon inside her was instantly pacing.

Marina had always had a healthy—well, maybe a little crazy—sex drive, and she was realizing perhaps Mercury was right. She hadn’t visited him because he was sexy, but perhaps that hadn’t hurt.

His face was perfect, so handsome it hurt to look at it, with full lips, sensuous, slightly hooded eyes, sharp jaw, perfect nose.

But people called him a demon. Said he did unthinkable things. That he was… unforgivable.

So was it wrong to be looking at him like this? As just a man standing there looking incredibly beautiful?

He was relaxed, hands in his pockets, letting her look her fill over his broad, defined shoulders, hard chest, rippling abs, trim hips. There wasn’t a spare bit of fat on him, all hard, unyielding strength.

“See?” he said. “You think you’re so pure, Marina. But it’s not all pity that makes you seek me out.”

“I never said I was pure,” Marina said. “I’ve enjoyed my share of sensual pleasures.” When his brows lifted slightly in shock, she smiled. “I’m a dragon, after all.”

A muscle ticked in his now-taut jaw. “Oh, is that so?”

“Yes,” she said, knowing she was goading him but liking it. Feeling as though she were in control for once. The one getting the reaction out of him. She dropped the sheets from around her and lowered her robe from her shoulders, showing off her creamy, bare skin in the tank top she was wearing. “I have a good heart, but I’m no innocent.”

She heard only a short snarl before he was on top of her, jerking her down so she was flat on her back and pinning her arms above her head in one of his hands while the other traced the delicate curve of her neck. Her heart beat faster than butterfly wings.

“Then there is no need for me to be careful, is there?” he asked, lowering himself to lick a slow line up her neck as she shuddered. He was touching her. Licking her.

Mercury, the world’s most villainous dragon, was on top of her, yet she wasn’t scared at all.

In fact, the moment would have been perfect if someone hadn’t just decided to knock on her door.