Zinc could feel the ever-pulsing ebb and flow of his poison threatening to take over as it always did when he awoke.

He needed to get control of it, clear the fuzziness from his brain, and remember what had happened and how he’d come to be in this place.

Looking at the woman who was sitting on her butt on the floor, staring at him in shock, he was pretty sure he’d never met her before.

Never met anyone like her, in fact.

Her skin was a different color than the other dragon mates. darker. Her eyes were a sparkling shade of brown that was almost black, which matched her dark curls that hung down over her shoulders in an unruly mass.

No, he would have remembered seeing someone like this before. Instantly, he wanted to go to her, the gentleman in him eager to help her up and make sure she was okay.

But even the slightest movement brought on the urge to vomit, and Zinc put his hand over his stomach. He rolled onto his back and waited for the world to stop spinning, for the poisonous gray tendrils of his metal to recede from his body and mind.

When they did, he realized just how much trouble he was really in. Only blood transfusions from Mercury had been keeping him alive lately. As heir to the throne of Drakkaris, Zinc had extremely noble blood and, as such, really should have been mated by now to slow the metal in his blood that was threatening to take over his heart.

But there weren’t a lot of mates around, and even though they’d come to Earth, all women they’d met so far had been fated mates of the other dragons.

Zinc wasn’t angry about it.

He was also aware he didn’t have much time left. Perhaps fate had never meant for him to be king of Drakkaris.

“Um, you don’t remember anything?”

Zinc turned at the sound of the feminine voice, rich and somewhat deep. The woman had gotten to her feet and walked to a chair, pulling it over to the bed and sitting on it so she could presumably talk to him.

His eyes moved over her body, returning the favor she’d paid him earlier when she’d ogled him. Were all human women really attracted to dragon males?

He pushed himself to a sitting position, feeling weak and sickly, but no longer in danger of losing control. He rubbed his head, trying to bring back foggy memories. “I was hit in the head. A portal. I was brought here.” He sighed. “And my memory is only okay at the best of times these days.”

“You’re sick,” she said. “They told me.”

He pressed his lips together. “Did they say with what?”

“No,” the woman said, squirming nervously. It emphasized her soft, curvy form. When she folded her arms, her generous breasts were pushed up and together. He could see the shape of them even through her pajamas.

He quickly looked away.

“I hope nothing contagious.” Her tone was wary.

“Nothing contagious,” he said, meeting her eyes. “You couldn’t even really call it sick. It’s… hard to explain.”

“Well, anything I can do to help, I’m here for it.” She gave him a little mock salute. “My name is Leanne by the way.”

“Leanne, nice to meet you. My name is Zinc.”

“Zinc. Interesting name.” She crossed her legs. Even her thighs looked delicious. “So are you one of the good dragons?”

“I’d like to think so,” he said, smiling slightly at her suspicious tone. Then he realized she was here in his cell with him. Left alone with him.

Her fragrance was familiar, and he realized he could scent it from the other side of the prison was well. Violets in the rain.

“You are being kept prisoner as well.” Dark anger rose in him at the thought of it.

She shifted nervously. “Yes. I’ve been here a while.”

“How long?”

“A couple weeks, maybe.”

“Why did they take you?” He sniffed the air. “You are only human.”

“I guess I’m a dragon heart or something. I’m not sure I’m supposed to be telling you that. But, uh, yeah.”

“I see.” He thought it over, wondering why their “hosts” would be putting them together like this. Perhaps they were aware that, as a dragon on the oracle’s side, he couldn’t hurt a human, whereas anyone else they sent in his cell would probably receive death.

She motioned to the tray of food that had been brought in earlier. “You should eat that. If you don’t, they’ll get on our case.”

“Our?”

“I’m sort of… responsible for you now.”

“I see.” He picked up a roll off the tray and bit into it. “I’ll eat as long as you stay and share this with me and talk.”

She smiled, and it seemed to light up the dingy dungeon where they were being held. If she was a dragon heart, presumably she’d done something brave to have landed here.

She’d have to be brave to keep up her spirits in a place like this.

“Of course I can talk, if it’ll make you feel better. But I won’t eat any of your breakfast. I have my own in my cell. You should eat it all, given how weak you look.”

Zinc’s eye twitched in irritation before he could stop it. Weak. The last thing he wanted to think he was. In another world, where he’d found his mate sooner, he’d be strong enough to rule nations.

Now he wasn’t even reliable enough for a human to share his breakfast.

“I didn’t mean that in a bad way.” She twisted her hands nervously. “I mean, getting knocked over the head and kidnapped would take the strength out of anyone.”

“I like honesty,” he said quietly, picking over his tray and beginning to eat. If nothing else, he didn’t want this human to get in trouble if he didn’t. “So tell me about yourself. How you got here, where you’re from.”

“I’m from Oklahoma,” she said. “But I’ve lived all over. Army brat.”

“Oh,” Zinc said, not exactly sure what that meant.

“My dad was in the army, so we travelled a lot from base to base.”

“That sounds like an interesting way to live.” He’d only been here and on his planet, and he couldn’t imagine not having a solid place to call home. “So what is your favorite place?”

“I couldn’t pick one,” she said. “I liked Hawaii, though. I went to college in New York.”

Ah, the higher educational facilities for humans. “What for?”

“Business.” She shrugged, her shoulders hitting her pretty, mussed curls. “But I ended up basically a secretary instead. Oh well.”

He cocked his head. “Business?”

“You know, starting companies, managing them, making money.”

As future king of Drakkaris, making money hadn’t really ever been a concern.

“I do think I’ll start my own company someday, when I get capital.”

“What kind of human business would you start?” He wanted to ask her a million questions just to hear the smooth, soothing sound of her voice. He could feel the metal in him subsiding. Could all humans have this effect on him, or was it just her?

“I’m not sure. I have a few ideas. Wait, that’s right. You aren’t human. Well, half human, like the rest of these guys.”

“I’m not anything like ‘these guys,’” he said bitterly. “I am sorry they took you. Even if my friends can’t make it here in time for me, I hope they rescue you. I believe they will be able to.”

“They already rescued other dragon hearts, so I’d like to think so. Not that I understand how we are all linked.”

“Me neither,” he said. He wondered if he should tell her about being from another planet, but he wasn’t sure how she would react. And he was a little too tired to explain everything right now.

He finished his meal and pushed it aside, looking to her for approval.

“I’m glad you finished,” she said. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Mate me, he thought sarcastically with a little laugh to himself. His brow furrowed, imagining for a moment that she truly was his mate and the answer to all of his prayers.

But that was stupid. It was too late for him, and with his addled brain, he would never trust himself to make a call like that. Not for something that would affect them for the rest of their lives.

Even if she literally embodied everything he could ask for in a mate. Beautiful, strong, caring, kind, courageous (a given since she was a dragon heart), curvy, and smart.

He could sense all of that about her instantly, and he wanted to know so much more.

“What did you do to get captured? I’ve heard dragon hearts perform great feats of bravery.”

She smiled at him somewhat sadly. “Well, that’s a long story. I don’t know if I’m brave as much as stupid. But I think you should rest now. You look like you’re feeling a little better.”

He thought about it, wondering why he seemed to feel lighter just with her there with him. Just listening to her talking. Now that he’d eaten and was feeling a bit better, he could feel tiredness once again overtaking him.

Damn.

He wished he’d met her sooner, before he was so far gone with his poison. He would have kissed her hand, as he usually did with females, and been much more talkative, much more charming.

He would have told her he was a king, maybe, and tried to impress her. Tried to win her as his mate. But now it seemed all too late.

He could barely think straight, and he had no idea if his friends would come in time or if he wanted them to if it would put them in danger.

Still, spending his last few days with a woman as wonderful as Leanne wasn’t the worst thing that could happen.

In fact, it seemed like sort of a waking dream.

“You look tired,” she said, walking over and grabbing the covers so she could pull them over him. “Go ahead and get comfortable. I’ll wait here until you’re asleep.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“It’s my job,” she said lightly.

He supposed that was true, that she wouldn’t be here unless assigned to him. But he knew that wasn’t the whole story. This was a woman with a good heart.

It was such an odd situation, having a human woman watching over him, the future king of a planet of dragons. Yet, as he felt his mind drift and his body go warm and limp beneath the covers, he had to admit, for the first time in a while, he felt… safe.

“Good night, Leanne.”

“Good night, Zinc.”

He heard her take her seat in her chair again just as everything went dark.

* * *

That night, Leanne was woken from her sleep by the sound of Zinc murmuring something from his cell.

She’d gone over at dinnertime and gotten him to eat at least a little, but he hadn’t seemed to feel well at all.

Definitely not enough to talk.

She was so intrigued by the beautiful, soft-spoken man that was so unlike any shifter she’d known.

She paced in front of the bars in her cell, wishing she could go over and see him, make sure he was okay, as he tossed feverishly in his sleep.

The things he was saying made no sense to her. Drakkar-something. King. But then something that was very clear to her.

“Don’t let me die. Don’t let me…”

Her heart nearly broke at the sound of it, and she didn’t know what to do about the urgency of the situation. He’d seemed to feel a little better earlier when she’d been spending time with him, but he quickly went downhill after each meal.

She’d been here for weeks, and she would probably keep living just fine with the food and water they gave her.

He, on the other hand…

If only she could get through the bars and go see him.

“Zinc,” she called out in a whisper, hoping not to wake the guard who was sleeping by the door to the stairs.

She heard Zinc snort and cough, then saw him push himself up, looking around wildly. His hair was soaked with sweat, and he ran a hand through it as he looked as if he was trying to sort out reality from his nightmares.

“I’m here,” she said. “It’s fine.”

He looked at her, and the haunted expression in his eyes caught her by the throat. At that moment, she would have done anything to help him.

She supposed she was just that kind of person, though. Always wanting to help people. Always thinking of the needs of others over her own.

But she could sense something really special about this dragon.

She needed to help him get back to his world somehow. Back to his friends who could help him.

He blinked slowly, his eyes finally registering her form. “Leanne. Good to see you.”

“Missed you,” she joked, knowing they’d just seen each other at dinner. He’d been so out of it she wasn’t sure he even remembered.

“I’m sorry if I woke you.”

She shrugged, sending a quick glance at the still-sleeping guard. “It’s fine. Wanted to make sure you were okay.”

He slumped slightly, big body looking defeated. “You already have enough to deal with, and now I’m here being a bigger burden to you.”

“Don’t talk like that. It’s nice to have company. So whatever it is you’re fighting over there, you keep doing it. Because I like having you around.”

He smiled at her then, and warmth seemed to fill her, blocking out the cold that was pervasive in the dark dungeon. The way she was feeling, it might as well have only been the two of them in the entire world.

She knew then.

She would get him out. She would make sure this spectacular specimen got out of here alive and well, no matter what it took.

The world should never be robbed of such beautiful eyes.

Oh God, she still managed to have a crush, even in prison. But how could she help it when, after weeks of imprisonment, a beautiful, kind man who needed her also looked at her as if she were some kind of savior?

“When you look at me like that, I feel like I’m not on this planet,” he said softly. His eyes were still bleary, and she wondered if it was the fever speaking.

And as for being on another planet, was that a good or bad thing?

He lay back on the bed with a huff, seemingly out of strength again, and the basement was quiet except for his breaths.

“Drakkaris,” he said quietly. “I’m coming back to you. With a mate.”

Based on the tone in his voice, she could tell he was definitely out of it again. It sort of broke her heart.

“My friends,” he said, dropping a hand weakly off the side of the cot. “They’re coming. I know it.” Then his head fell to the side, eyes closed, and she hoped to God he was just asleep.

When she saw the slight rise and fall of his chest, she sighed in relief. He was okay. For now. Hopefully, his dreams would be better.

He’d said his friends would be coming.

Leanne hoped that was true, and soon, because otherwise, they might be too late.