The next morning, Leanne woke up in Zinc’s bedroom. There was a pleasant soreness in her body, and she felt utterly relaxed after their night together.

Physically, at least.

Looking at her surroundings was a vivid reminder of what she was going through.

The room was gigantic, with beautiful metallic furnishings and exotic flowers in several vases, plus a large window that looked on the mountains.

She’d been so caught up in lust the night before, she hadn’t really been able to look around.

“So this is your room,” she said, noticing Zinc was sitting nearby at a desk, writing something.

He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled, and she felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach. There really was something about this man. Something beyond their experience in the dungeon or the odd way they’d been thrown together.

An image of him shot into her mind. Zinc in a suit, working with her in an office. He’d look just as at home in a boardroom as a powerful executive as he would here in his palace as a prince.

Just the idea of a life like that took her breath away.

But she would never ask that of him. Just based on how much he’d been doing in the short time he’d been back, his country clearly needed him.

He stood and walked over to the bed, a black robe tied loosely around his waist and silken pants hanging low on his trim hips.

Truly a mouthwatering male.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Don’t hate me, but I’m being called away again.”

She sighed and smoothed the covers nervously with her hands. A part of her was relieved to get some time without him to process things. The other part still felt things were unresolved between them and would never be resolved if they kept getting separated.

“But I’ll be back later. I promise. I’ll take you on a tour of Drakkaris.”

“I see,” she said. “I mean… sounds fine.”

He came over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and something about the way his hands closed over her shoulders gently and his expression shone warm and tender made her feel they knew each other much better than they did.

Like they were truly a married couple, not two strangers that had been thrown together in a basement.

Two strangers that had sex twice. Once from necessity, once for the sheer pleasure of it.

They had chemistry; that was for sure, but was that enough when one of them would have to leave their planet behind?

He leaned in and placed a kiss on her forehead, lingering for a moment, and she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his lips. Then he pulled back with a sigh. “It’s going to be hard getting anything done with you here.”

She smiled, folding her arms around her, glad for the sheets that were covering her breasts. “I understand. You have things to do. This is your world.” She shook her head. “I don’t expect anything in repayment for me saving you.”

He eyed her narrowly. “This isn’t about that, Leanne. I like you. I truly do. And I think you like me. I think you’re downplaying it because this has been really confusing, but have you ever had this kind of chemistry in your life?”

She pressed her lips together silently.

“I know I haven’t,” he said. “I know we were thrown together, but maybe it was meant to be? I mean, we should at least try at it.”

“But why?” she asked, frustrated. “We’re from two different worlds, and—”

He closed a hand over hers, leaning over the bed. “The only world I want to be in is one with you in it. Okay?”

She nodded reluctantly. There really was something between them. Had been from the minute she’d seen him brought into the dungeon. And she supposed she owed both of them a chance to explore it.

Even if she feared he was just going along with this because it had worked out for him. He’d gone to Earth to find a mate to save his own life. It had worked, and now if he just kept her happy, he wouldn’t have to bother with anything more.

But that was just the dark, insecure side of her, and she told it to shut up. Nothing about Zinc had ever been untrustworthy, and she doubted he’d trick her just to save himself some trouble.

If he said he wanted her, she was going to believe him and see if they could make it work.

At least until it was safe to return to Earth.

He released her hand and went to the closet to dress. She watched the elegant movements of his muscles as he pulled on a tunic and pants similar to the ones he’d been wearing yesterday. It seemed to be the typical garb of dragons on Drakkaris when in human form.

For a second, she remembered Hora and wondered what Zinc looked like as a dragon.

“I’ll be back,” he said, ruffling a hand through his thick, silvery-gray hair. His grin was rakish. He truly looked better every day since they’d mated.

“See you.” She sat back in the bed uncomfortably, wondering what to do until he returned.

She wandered to the bathroom, which was about the same size as the one in her own suite, and began to run water for a bath. If she was going to be waiting, she might as well be comfortable.

She’d been soaking in steaming, floral-scented heaven for about a half hour when she heard a knock on the door and froze for a second.

Was that Zinc?

No, if it was him, he wouldn’t knock on his own door. She got out of the tub, wrapped a warm, soft robe around her, and crept into the bedroom, making sure the door was still closed and securely locked.

“New clothing,” a voice called. “I’ll leave it here, and you can open the door when I’m gone.”

The voice was feminine. Familiar. Was that the queen?

Leanne raced to the door in her robe, but by the time she peeked out, the hall was empty. Next to the clothing was a plate of food, but this time, things were more familiar.

She picked up the clothing and plate and walked back into the room, noting a small card on the plate between a yogurt and some toast.

It was still odd to have the queen of another planet telling her to call her Mother.

She looked over the clothes, a little embarrassed that the queen had picked out her underthings, but she found everything fit perfectly. Earth wasn’t too different from Drakkaris in some ways. The bra she slid on was silky and smooth, the underwear made from a cooling material that was so comfortable it almost felt like wearing nothing.

Then she pulled on a soft sweater made of similar material and some silky pants. She ran her hands over the outfit, marveling at how smooth it was.

As she sat on the bed, feeling refreshed from her bath, enjoying wonderful food, and more relaxed than she’d been in a long time, she thought it might not be so bad to stay here.

But then her heart gave a pang, as she thought of her siblings. She’d have nieces and nephews at some point. She’d miss her family. Her parents.

Was her mom worried, even now? She hadn’t heard from her in two weeks. Not since the last forced phone call the wolves had made her make.

She looked out the window at the alien planet around her and wondered if she could truly be here or if this was some kind of illusion. If she walked outside the castle, would things actually be real?

She had just about finished her breakfast when she heard another knock on the door, this one softer.

“Hello?” she called out, wondering if it was the queen. If it was, she should thank her.

“It’s Cobalt. Zinc said I should come give you a tour of the castle.”

“Oh.” She hopped off the bed, the last crust of toast in her hand, and opened the door for him. He was looking handsome as ever, though she didn’t feel anything for him the way she did for Zinc.

He pushed his glasses up slightly in what seemed to be a nervous habit. “I… How are you doing this morning?”

“Great,” she said, nibbling the toast and waving for him to come in.

His tunic and pants were blue, matching his eyes. “Did you enjoy breakfast?”

She held up the card. “Did you have something to do with this? The queen said the food was sent by my friends, but I don’t have any friends who know I’m here.”

“You are Zinc’s mate. That means you have many friends, some of whom are on Earth right now.”

“Oh,” she said.

“But yes, I did arrange to have some things sent through the portal. I know this has been a huge change for you.”

“Well, thanks.” She sat on the bed with a sigh. “I like Drakkaris food, but sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of home.”

“I understand.” He took a seat near the window.

“That’s right. You haven’t been back here in a while either. How do you like it compared to Earth?”

“It’s a little odd,” Cobalt said, looking around him. “I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t quite feel like home anymore. Then again, I’ll be returning to Earth to find a mate as soon as you and Zinc are settled.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Settled?”

He bit his lip, silver eyebrows lowering. “Um. I mean… when you’ve figured things out.”

“Right.”

She stood and stretched, liking how rested her body was feeling after sleeping on a proper bed two days in a row. “So. You’re going to help me tour the castle?”

Cobalt nodded.

“Why can’t I go alone? I was going to ask Zinc about it, but we got sort of… distracted.”

Cobalt thankfully ignored her awkward statement and simply left his chair to join her at the door. He opened it for her, and she took a deep breath before heading outside.

The palace was magnificent, made up of multiple stories with stairways on different sides leading to different levels. Bannisters and railings were ornate and in all colors of metals. Tall, metal-accented windows rose on every wall, letting in natural light and making the whole building sparkle.

Yesterday, she’d been too caught up in Zinc to pay much attention to it at all.

“Did you enjoy your dinner last night?” Cobalt asked as they walked down one flight of stairs and crossed a room to go up a different one.

“I did. It was nice to spend some time alone with him.”

“He’s busy as king. Try to forgive him.”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” she said. “It’s just a difficult situation. He didn’t ask for this in the first place, and even though he’s being amazing about it, I know it’s kind of tense.”

“How so?”

“His family all thinks he’s permanently mated.”

Cobalt stopped and looked over a railing at the grand ballroom they’d been in when they came through the portal. She recognized it instantly, though it looked different when not full of people.

Cobalt gave her a sidelong glance. “Would it be so bad if you were permanently mated?”

“It just wouldn’t be what I thought.” She shrugged. “Zinc wants to stay here, and I want to go to Earth, and—”

“Have you asked if he would join you?”

“Seems a little much, asking a king to leave his planet just so I can pursue my business goals and stay with my family.”

“Then would you stay?”

“No, because when I saved his life, I wasn’t agreeing to giving up everything either.”

“So you could just leave him?”

Her heart ached at the thought as she and Cobalt walked along a high balcony that overlooked the ballroom and then exited out a side door that took them down a narrow corridor. “I don’t know.”

I don’t truly know if he wants me.

Cobalt was quiet as they turned into a bigger hallway, and he gestured to a large set of double doors on the right. “That’s the kitchen. You can stop there if you need anything.”

“But not alone,” she said.

“Yes.”

“Would that always be the case?”

Cobalt clasped his large hands behind his back as they walked forward, a thoughtful look on his handsome face. “I’m not sure. There is some unrest in the kingdom due to your heritage. Not everyone was aware of the dragon guard taking human mates, and some other families that are in line for succession aren’t too pleased with things.”

“I see.”

“Several other potential heirs have managed to find mates through family connections and old deals, even though they were as high ranking in Drakkaris. Some of them think they should ascend to the throne rather than Zinc now that he’s mated to a human.”

“Oh dear.” So she might not even be helping him anyway.

“But things will work out. In the end, people tend to go along with Zinc. He’s polite, strong, and cares about the kingdom. The people here can be paranoid at times, but they do trust him and his family.”

“The current queen and king.”

“Yes.”

They took another staircase and walked onto a floor with windows all along it looking out on the front courtyard that led up to the entrance to the castle.

“Beautiful,” she said. “Sometimes it doesn’t seem so different from Earth.”

“Common ancestors,” Cobalt replied, standing next to her, hands still clasped behind him, legs spread shoulder width.

He looked a bit like a soldier that way. At attention, ready for anything.

“Zinc means a lot to you, doesn’t he?”

“He changed my life,” Cobalt said. “Brought me from the merchant class into the palace. Introduced me to a world of information I could never have imagined. Helped my cousin as well.”

“Cousin? Is he here?”

“Back on Earth,” Cobalt said, a slightly sorrowful look in his eyes. “We are usually together, and I do miss him.”

“How did he help you?”

“We were an odd pair in the district we came from. I wasn’t interested in business, and he… Well… he doesn’t talk much. He’d rather work with his hands, if you know what I mean.”

“What?”

“He’s a warrior. I mean, all of us dragons have it in us, but some more than others. Chromium is pure warrior.”

“What is the dragon guard anyway?”

“Those dragons Zinc gathered to protect the country. We have Arsenic, an assassin, Lead, who is the captain, Cadmium, who is one of Zinc’s best friends.”

“What is Cadmium like?”

Cobalt smiled crookedly, a twinkle in his eye. “To understand, you’d have to meet him.”

“Ah.”

“Then there’s me, Chromium, and Zinc, of course.”

“Wait, so he’s part of the guard?”

“Zinc isn’t really the type to sit and wait for a throne.”

“No, he doesn’t seem like it.” She walked closer to the window, placing her hands on the cool glass. “Wait, what’s that out there?”

Cobalt came up and squinted down at the stairs leading up to the palace. There were men running up it, men with pale hair and skin and odd clothing, moving as if in one blob.

“Shit. I need to deal with that.” He grabbed her by the hand and tugged her along briskly as he tapped something on his wrist that was made of metal. “Zinc? Dilutes entering the courtyard.”

She didn’t hear any response, but apparently, Cobalt did, as he came to a stop.

“No, she’s with me. All right, we’re coming.”

He hurried her along the hallway and down a flight of stairs until they came to a wide-open hall. The doors at the end opened, and Zinc came in, robes flying out behind him as he strode forward, an elderly man and woman right behind him, both wearing crowns.

“Dilutes,” the king said. “Always a problem.”

“What about the court?” Zinc asked matter-of-factly. She could sense the irritation on his face. “Surely if there are that many gunning for the throne, the least they could do is defend the kingdom.”

She didn’t hear the answer to that because Zinc abruptly stopped when he saw her.

“Leanne,” he said, his expression going a little softer as they made eye contact. She felt herself blush as she waved to him.

“Zinc,” she called back. Why did it already seem like she was addressing her lover? She could practically feel the tension crackling between them all the way across this large room.

Zinc gave her an apologetic expression as he walked forward. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to deal with this. Cobalt?”

Cobalt put his hand at his side, and a sword appeared seemingly from nowhere. “I’m ready.”

She did a double take as she realized Zinc was now armed as well, with a long, thin blade with a very ornate hilt wrapping around his hand.

The queen walked over to her as the king eagerly followed the other two men toward the front doors.

“Let’s go upstairs where we can get a better look,” the queen said, reaching for Leanne’s hand.

Leanne didn’t really feel she could refuse, so she let the queen lead her to a circular staircase that led to a little sitting area that overlooked the courtyard.

The queen seated herself on a cushioned chair and motioned for Leanne to do the same. “Now we wait.”