Away from the town, Casey found a place to park. He slid out of the truck and ditched his flannel shirt while searching for signs of Gavin. The man Casey knew had been smart. Gavin had been preparing to inherit his father’s role as their leader. Gavin would never risk their safety by flying over town.
Something was wrong with Gavin. Casey hadn’t seen it before. If only Gavin would talk to him, then maybe they could figure this out. Then Gavin wouldn’t have to deal with this alone. Yet, Casey knew no one wanted his help. No one wanted him.
“There you are, you bastard,” Casey whispered when the red dragon crashed onto a craggy cliff above him.
Gavin cocked his head, yellow eyes flashing with inhuman intelligence. Casey stared down a beast without a hint of the man he’d known.
“So, you left us because you were having trouble with this?” Casey gestured to the red dragon. “Can’t seem to work together anymore?”
The dragon snarled. The air filled with smoke. If Gavin unleashed fire on Casey, it would burn away his clothes and singe the side of his truck, but it wouldn’t hurt him. They were both made of the same thing.
“I was getting friendly with a local, about to shoot my shot, when your fat ass appeared over town.” Casey shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned against the truck behind him, trying to be non-threatening. “Cute girl with chameleon hair and a need for someone big and scary in her life. I barely know her, and I can already tell she’s a better person than you’ll ever be. Maybe it’s for the best that you ran away from your future.”
The dragon growled and it almost sounded like he said king.
Casey rolled his eyes. “You’ll never be king if you’re going to throw fits like this.”
Casey had balled his hands into fists. He wanted to pummel his friend’s face and make good on that promise to break one of those forward-facing horns that framed Gavin’s head. He didn’t know if it would grow back or if Gavin would have to bear the evidence of Casey’s anger for the rest of his life. Casey didn’t care, either.
But when the dragon side had eclipsed the human side, fighting wouldn’t bring the man back. More often than not, reason tipped the scales into balance once more. If Casey couldn’t reason with the beast, then he would rile Gavin up until his human pride did the work for him.
“So? Are you going to come down from your perch? I got more beer.”
The beast stamped its front feet. Stones and dirt tumbled down the side of the mountain. Casey eyed the sheer cliff and hoped his asshole of a friend wouldn’t trigger a landslide. Casey would hate to lose his truck.
He sighed and turned his back to Gavin. “Have it your way. I’m taking all this beer back to Erik and Dillon. We’re going to shotgun it all.”
More stones clattered down the cliff and made Casey stiffen. He waited for the impending landslide, but instead heard a human voice.
“I thought the other two asked for glass bottles,” Gavin growled, like he hadn’t yet pushed his dragon back.
When Casey turned, he saw that Gavin’s eyes were still yellow as he jumped down from the cliff. Dragons didn’t lose control like this for no good reason. Nor did it happen overnight. Gavin had kept something from his clan, from Casey, for quite a while.
“Last I knew, you can’t shotgun a glass bottle,” Casey grunted, yanking the driver’s side door open.
They drove in silence most of the way back to the cabin. Casey drowned in all the things he wanted to ask, the scolding he wanted to deliver, and the doubt that made him keep it all to himself. If Gavin hadn’t shared this issue with Casey, then it meant they weren’t the friends that Casey had thought they were.
“You understand that your father wants to kill you, right?” Casey asked finally. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel.
“The old man can eat my dick.”
“He’ll likely eat all of you. Kronos style.” The white of his knuckles remained ghostly pale despite his attempt at humor.
“Well, Kronos’s kids broke free of him. I can, too.”
Casey growled. “Are you really going to try to defy him? For what? What happened that made you up and leave without telling a fucking soul?”
“That’s not any of your damned business.” Gavin’s features twisted with anger.
Casey slammed the truck brakes and shoved the gearshift into park. “Of course not. Can’t tell your best friend what’s wrong if you don’t have one.”
He jumped out of the truck before Gavin could reply. Barely three days in and Casey wanted to burn this luxury cabin to the ground. He wanted to reduce Gavin’s hide-away to ash and cinders so he would know what Casey felt like.
Come morning, Evangeline would forget about him. Gavin would have another episode. Erik would threaten to eat them all. The world would keep spinning while Casey desperately reached for something to hold onto. He was alone, though. No hand reached out to him in return.
Away from the cabin and the others, Casey found the business card Evangeline gave him. The corners were starting to bend and crinkle. Had Gavin toasted him, the card would have gone up in flames. So, Casey grabbed his phone from the truck and entered the information into it. He was smart enough to keep it off his person when dealing with Gavin and the others.
* * *
Evangeline couldn’t make sense of what she’d seen above the town. A part of her knew what it had been. The other part of her shoved the thought away, trying to hold onto rationality.
She cleaned off her make-up, threw the multi-colored towelette into the trash, and padded back to her bedroom so she could curl up with her sketchbook. Without Trevor telling her what she could and couldn’t have, she’d redecorated her bedroom to turn it into her own private oasis.
A neon sign glowed on the wall, telling visitors exactly how she felt. Turning it on made her grin and chuckle to herself. It was vulgar, but no one was going to see her room for a very long time. No one would be able to enjoy her faux fur blankets or her stack of minky pillows except for her.
Evangeline told herself that was alright. So long as she took care of herself and made herself happy, then she didn’t need another man. She didn’t need Casey beneath her, but now the image of him between her thighs filled her mind.
His cocky grin turned her warm all over again. Would he have been able to live up to his claims? She would never know because he’d all but abandoned her in a parking lot. Wanting him the way she did was dangerous.
She reached across the bed for her phone, intending to text Isabella or Nellie, so they could talk some sense into her, but the device vibrated in her palm. Her heart lurched into her throat, fearing the worst.
Isabella’s boyfriend displayed some of the same tendencies Trevor had, but turned up to the max. Evangeline often caught Isabella pulling her sleeves down over bruises. Had something finally happened to her friend?
But an unfamiliar number flashed across the screen instead. Evangeline thought about deleting the message just in case it was Trevor, trying to get under her skin. He was the type who would get a burner phone to harass her under the guise of a stranger.
She didn’t know what possessed her to open it, but she was glad when she did because the first message was a selfie of a grumpy Casey in the woods. Part of his thumb obscured the picture, like he wasn’t used to taking selfies. Had he used the front camera instead of the forward-facing camera?
Despite her earlier feelings toward Casey, she laughed. Her heart fluttered like a trapped bird, making her fingers tremble as she tried to type up a response. Before she could finish, he sent another message.
This is Casey, by the way. Didn’t know if that was obvious.
She laughed out loud before slapping her hand over her mouth. Her cheeks hurt from smiling. She didn’t think he would care that her personal number was on her business cards.
I figured from the photo you sent. She pressed send and then started typing again, the trapped bird in her chest starting to suffocate. Did you want to set up an appointment
for your free tattoo?
That had to be what he wanted. She couldn’t imagine he wanted to talk to her after dumping her in the parking lot like he had. No matter how her body reacted around him, nothing would ever come of it if he didn’t reciprocate.
The phone vibrated in her hand. Can I have confirmation that I’m talking to Evangeline?
She shook her head as she typed back, I took off my make-up for the day. I’m not sending you a picture right now.
An old selfie was an option, though. She opened her photo files and scrolled through photos she’d taken, but she looked desolate in every picture. Her smiles were tight, as if forced. She couldn’t find a single image where her eyes had any kind of light. She hadn’t realized just how miserable she’d been with Trevor.
Unhappy, yes. Utterly broken? Damn, she’d been blind to so much.
Women don’t need make-up. Sure, it’s pretty, but it’s like lingerie. What we really want is what’s underneath.
Her heart flipped. That wasn’t the response she’d expected, though she was still waiting for him to ask for nudes. The age of cellphones had made intimate interactions kind of cold the past few years. Guys would promise they’d keep the pictures to themselves, and then everyone in town would have their hands on the pics.
Evangeline never had anything so drastic as that happen to her, but she’d been burned more than once. Today was a good day to draw new lines and set up boundaries that would keep her from getting hurt. No matter how badly she wanted to woo Casey, she wouldn’t send nudes.
I’m not saying I’m asking to see your goods. That wasn’t my intention. Had a shit afternoon. Just wanted to see your smile again.
And, like that, Casey came through and kicked down all her defenses. Her cheeks ached. She hadn’t smiled this much in years. She pressed the phone to her chest and let out a girlish sound that she was grateful no one had heard. Then she lifted the phone and opened the camera.
He would get to see her dark circles and probably ask why her lips didn’t look the same, but she hoped her smile more than made up for that. Rather emboldened by Casey’s request, she only hesitated a second before pressing send. The image that popped up in their chat feed was brighter than any photo she already had on her phone.
She actually looked…happy.
Three little dots danced at the bottom of the screen to let her know he was typing back. The dots danced and danced for what felt like forever. She groaned, knowing he was probably trying to find a nice way to ask why she looked so pale.
The phone finally buzzed. You got freckles.
She stared incredulously at his response, unsure of what to say back. She usually hid her freckles under a layer of foundation because she’d always found them unseemly. Did Casey hate them, too?
The little dots appeared a second before another message arrived. That shit is cute as hell.
You really think so? Evangeline kind of thought he was lying. There was no way he liked her make-up free face.
Hell yeah. So far, I like every version of you. You’re cute as fuck. The dots returned. Seeing your smile made my shitty day a little better. Thank you.
Evangeline tossed her phone onto her bed and covered her face with a pillow even though no one could see her ridiculously wide grin. Hugging the pillow to her chest, she basked in the warmth radiating from her chest.
She couldn’t recall the last time a man had made her feel that way. The conversation had lifted every weight from her and allowed her to drift away on a cloud of joy. Even the abrupt departure earlier seemed unimportant now. Casey thought she was cute.
It would have been nice to be called sexy, but she would settle for cute. For now. Next time she saw him, she would make him see that she could be both.
Oh, what was she thinking? She needed to make sure he wasn’t going to break her heart. Casey was almost a complete stranger. She knew nothing about him! He could turn out to be just like Trevor under all those nice words.
Still, she reached for her phone and her sketchbook, determined to draw a portrait of the photo he sent. When she opened her phone, she found another message.
Have you eaten those candy bars yet? Let me know when you’re over your ex.
Gripping the pencil in her hand kept her from replying right away or else she would have told him she was already over Trevor. She gathered herself and flicked the phone screen to scroll to the top of their conversation. If she told Casey she was ready when she wasn’t, she would get herself hurt again.
Trevor was old news, but she still needed to get her grandfather’s ring back. She didn’t want to go through that mess while trying to get to know Casey. The two worlds would clash eventually, and she would suffer.
Evangeline told herself that once she got her ring back, she would tell Casey how she felt. He could leave before then, though. He’d said it himself that he didn’t intend on staying long.
She swallowed and drew the first line. Her mind quieted as the image came together. Before the night ended, Casey glared back at her from the page. As much as she wanted to rip it out and give it to him, she closed the sketchbook. Constantly hunting him down wouldn’t help her keep her distance.
5
A loud crash woke Casey from sleep. He jolted upright, throwing his feet to the floor before he remembered where he was. A mountain in the middle of nowhere, in a cabin that his ex-best friend was hiding out in.
Casey paused at the door, ready to ignore whatever was happening on the other side, when another crash shook the building. He snarled and threw the door open. He was going to make whoever that was pay for interrupting his sleep.
He’d wandered the forest for a long while the night before, lost in his thoughts until the sun peered over the horizon. Then, his beast had squirmed and begged to be released. Casey had to give in to his beast’s request or else face a future like Gavin’s.
At first, the beast had turned toward town, all too eager to follow Evangeline’s scent. Casey had pulled on the reins and fought to keep his dragon contained to Gavin’s lands. The creature hadn’t complied at first, thrashing about in an attempt to overthrow Casey. Then, when the beast had bled away its restless energy, Casey finally dragged himself to bed.
That’d been a mere three hours ago.
“Get out of my house!” Gavin roared.
Dillon’s heavy form crashed into Casey. He skidded back but didn’t fall under the man’s weight. Dillon tried to get to his feet, but Casey shoved him off and stormed toward Gavin.
Erik stood in the living room, his hands raised in a placating gesture. His sunglasses were busted, revealing his multi-colored eyes and narrowed pupils.
“What’s going on?” Casey asked carefully.
Gavin unleashed another roar. The sound shook the rafters, but there was no dust to rain down on them.
Casey crossed his arms over his chest and waited. Eventually, Dillon came up beside him. Silent, he seemed unfazed that he’d just been thrown across the room. The man was made for taking a beating. Casey just hoped that wasn’t all that Dillon was destined for.
Oh, what did he care? It wasn’t like Casey planned on staying. He had no desire to remain part of a clan that didn’t care if he stayed or left. He knew no one would ever want him the way he needed, but at least he could avoid the daily reminder that no one cared.
“We’re here to help,” Erik said, his voice shaking with the power of his beast. It was almost as if he spoke with two voices. “We don’t want to watch Zander slaughter you just because you’re a dumb prick.”
Gavin rushed Erik. Before Gavin could reach the shifter, Casey slammed him off course. They both tumbled across the room. Gavin’s knuckles found Casey’s face. Pain thrummed through him, but he happily swallowed it. Anything to make the dull ache in the pit of his stomach go away.
“I didn’t ask for your help,” Gavin screamed. “I came out here to suffer in peace!”
“Well, now you can suffer with friends,” Dillon suggested.
Everyone paused, jaws nearly hitting the floor after hearing a whole sentence make it past Dillon’s lips.
Gavin took advantage of the stunned silence and kicked Casey off him. Casey didn’t fall but found his feet and put distance between them. Before he could strike again, Erik moved. Faster than Casey thought possible, Erik pinned Gavin to the wall.
Erik’s lips twisted in an inhuman snarl. Gavin shoved him off, but Erik came back for more. When his lips parted, they revealed sharpened teeth.
“You think you’re the only one with any goddamned problems,” Erik hissed. “Well, you’re just a pouty prince who’s been cushioned his whole life. You don’t know what it means to suffer.”
Casey knew something was wrong then. Erik’s voice had changed. Gavin kicked him off, but Erik landed on all fours. His form wavered, like he was about to change. Gavin shouted for him to take it outside, but Casey saw the flicker of something that bothered him. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he recalled Erik’s strange threats and realized this would end horribly if someone didn’t stop Erik from shifting.
Erik’s roar echoed inside, a sound of power that turned into one of torment. He clutched the sides of his head and doubled over while his spine rippled. A dragon’s shift was seamless. Powered by magic, they didn’t have to wait for their bones to bend and break. Erik seemed to be coming apart at the seams, though.
“What’s going on?” Casey asked, having to raise his voice.
Erik’s only response was a pained snarl. His hands slapped the floor as he tumbled forward. Fingers curled into talons, but the scales on either hand didn’t match. Gavin watched with horror, but Casey launched into action.
He hauled Erik off the ground and slammed him back down. He heard the air whoosh from Erik’s lungs and hoped the impact was enough to startle him out of the change. Erik whipped his head left and right. His back arched and a sickening crunch filled the room.
Footsteps approached just before Gavin dropped to his hands and knees beside them. Gavin’s eyes glowed golden yellow, and his lips curled over his teeth.
Rogue Dragons Series: Box Set Books 1-5 Page 4
