Page 9 of Stripped to the Scales

“He’s a stripper. I don’t think he’s going to ask your permission for anything.”

“He any good at his job?” Casimir smirked, arching a dark brow.

“Damn good,” I nodded, not looking at him.

When Axlin was fully human again I took his hand and introduced him to Casimir first. Due to complicated life circumstances and family dynamics, Casimir was more like my brother than my cousin. He was probably the dragon who knew the most about me on any world and I really wanted him to like Axlin. Not as much as I did, that’d be creepy, but I wanted them to get along.

They looked each other up and down. Casimir’s thoughts drifted over the flight link about how he seemed fit enough to be a stripper and didn’t smell like he did hard drugs.

“Stop it!”I snapped over our family link.“Not all strippers do drugs. I didn’t see anything more than their version of pot while I was out there.”

Casimir chuckled and Axlin shook his head.

“My profession precedes me,” Axlin reached out for a handshake.

To Casimir’s credit, he didn’t hesitate long before he shook my mate’s hand. Casimir didn’t like to be touched by most people. I got by with it. Izora got by with it just enough to keep him on the crew. In general, Casimir was a hands-off sort of guy.

“Mine probably does too since I came on the ship,” Casimir shrugged. “Look, I’m not going to tell you not to break his heart, because anything you do to him, he’ll take care of it. He’ll probably cook up revenge that I couldn’t dream up. Take that as your warning.”

Axlin chuckled and I worked hard not to think about certain parts of our family’s past. Axlin couldn’t hear my thoughts yet, but they wouldn’t be as private after we exchanged our claiming vows.

“I look forward to my mate’s imagination,” Axlin said, and I tried my best not to blush.

Casimir picked up my efforts and let out a big sigh.

“I’ll take care of this lot. You two can head inside, if you want, Cas. I’ll camp out on the upper deck tonight after I grab a few things.”

“You don’t have to sleep outside,” I said. “The ship’s your home. I’m just back for the night and I’ll set everyone straight before we leave tomorrow.”

“If it works out that way, great, but we both know that you might go into heat because of him,”Casimir said over the family link.

“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time I was locked in a room in heat and you slept down the hall. That’s what happens when you have roommates.”

“I’m sleeping on the upper deck,”Casimir said.“I trust our guys. Hell, I even trust Marsin, but we don’t know how the others will react to you being in heat. Izora’s been good about reminding you about your shots since we got here. I’m sure Axlin can throw a punch but I don’t think they should get that close to you in heat.”

I wanted to argue with Casimir and tell him that he could at least sleep inside one of the houses with the others, but as far as family went, I was the only one Casimir gave that title to. He wasn’t overbearing and he didn’t usually butt into my business, but he always had my back.

“Are you two done arguing over your link?” Axlin asked.

“Haha,” Casimir said and rolled his eyes. “Maybe I should talk to you for a minute while my cousin sets his crew straight.”

“Whatcha worried about?” Axlin asked.

“Something that I’m not talking about within earshot of the crew.”

“Fred?” I called out loud enough to get his attention.

“Yeah?” He called back from the porch of his and Elio’s house.

“You got this lot for about twenty minutes while I talk to Cas?”

“You know I do. Sunny come over here and hold the baby. Minter misses you.”

Sunny sighed and followed Teddy over to Fred and Elio’s house. I let out a long sigh of relief and led my cousin and brother inside.

“Do you both call each other Cas?” Axlin asked as we climbed the steps to step inside the Medwin 2.

“We do,” I nodded. “It confuses some people, but most people use my full name and only shorten his. He tolerates it but prefers his given name.”

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