Page 1 of Iced Heat

Chapter One

Sequin Moonscale-Cromwell

Backstage at Glitter Bomb

Music pounded in my veins from the dance floor even backstage. No one was going on stage tonight which is why I chose Glitter Bomb to hide out at. Daliah turned into a bridezilla the moment her feet touched down on GGB soil. It was as if Diamond Moonscale flew her here to be their latest celebrity instead of just to be a bride. I loved my sister. She used to be one of my favorite people in the world, but everything fell apart after she met Rosemary. Sure, her mate was no longer turning my house pink, but Daliah made it clear she resented the fact I made her family move. Deeds are deeds and deals are deals. I would’ve kept the hatchlings around if they weren’t so attached to their parents.

So, there I was stretched out on the floor backstage smoking a joint. Technically, Feral should’ve sent me outside to smoke because a lot of the older shifters worked their tails off to quit but he cut me some slack. As my cousin and the owner of Glitter Bomb he had the right to do that. Oh, and he and his mate, Ty, also led the shifters of the GGB. Being the ‘baby cousin’ of the First Mate came with some perks. Whatever his air vent did was working to suck up the scent because no one had barged back here to complain or join me. I wasn’t in the mood to share anyway.

“You gonna get high all night?” Feral asked, slipping through a side door.

Sweat dripped down his face, neck, and what I could see of his chest. He wore a black tee with rainbow printed words that read‘Stay Feral.’ He’d grown his brand from the ground up and now manufactured everything from clothes to cars. If not for their opinions on his lifestyle he’d have been living up to his parents’ expectations.

“No one gets high all night. Smoking all night would be…. Well, not so much fun. It’s the effects I’m after. Sure, I might be high all night, though,” I stumbled over my words a bit. Not because I was too high but because Feral was always a little intimidating. Most old dragons like him were, whether or not they tried to be.

“You sure you want to? You could dance? Drink? Make friends? Quit brooding because your sister is getting married. Just some suggestions,” Feral said, snatching up a water bottle from the backstage fridge. “She can only ruin your trip if you let her.”

“I’m enjoying myself,” I smiled up at him, feeling fuzzy all over. I might’ve rolled around like a giant cat on my back if he wasn’t staring me down so hard.

“I’m sure you are but from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re pouting. I’d say Moonscales don’t pout but I’ve raised enough kids that I know that’s not true.”

“I’m a Starscale now too,” I pointed to my chest where my shiny silver star-shaped scale lived. “We do what we want.”

“So says Fred and Teddy,” Feral rolled his eyes. “Your scaley ass has been over there one time. That’s it. You wouldn’t know.”

“I believe them,” I laughed and stuck my tongue out at him. “Elio grew up a Starscale and he says so too. Don’t step on anyone else and they really don’t care what you do.”

“Is this thing with you and Daliah really gonna be going on forever? You’re in her bridal party, right?”

“I am,” I nodded. “Yes, before you ask, yes, I am going to go through with it. I don’t hate her. She might hate me, but you’d have to ask her about that.”

“She doesn’t hate you. She’s pissed at you. She thinks you betrayed her and tossed her omega mate and hatchlings out on their asses,” Feral sighed. “Look, I’m not going to get into it, but I see both sides. She’s here to enjoy her wedding and I think you both should try to have a good time. Press the pause button on the fight or something. There will be plenty of time to fight later. Don’t waste too much time on that, though. Life is short even when it feels like you’ll live forever.”

“I don’t want to talk about Mum right now. Mum is Nelum and Nelum is up Daliah’s ass so far that any day now we’ll have to call in a rescue team to pull him out. I guess she was always her favorite,” I said and took a long drag off my joint and held my breath until the world felt as fuzzy and fluffy as a long-haired cat.

“Don’t do that,” Feral sighed.

“Hold my breath?” I blinked.

“No. Don’t start thinking that anything Nelum does reflects on how your mother felt. Look, Teddy and his Starscale friends will be here soon. It took a lot of convincing to get him to come over here for the wedding. I’m not downplaying your territory dispute with Daliah but he’s going through it right now. You’re all going to be back in the same place for a while and that’s either going to be great or horrible.”

“We all are going through a lot right now, cousin. We all are. Seriously. Why do you think mine and Daliah’s fight got so bad? Nelum’s here and she’s gone. I’m not stupid. I’m not emotionally ignorant. I know what’s going on with all of us. Even Duke is constantly on his phone about her.”

“No, it’s not. It’s because he has so many kids who have kids and he likes to stay in touch,” Feral laughed. “Come on. Things will slow down soon out there. That’s why Teddy’s coming at midnight. That’s when most of the dance crowd go home. We’ll have a beer or something and all have a good chat.”

He held his hand out to me, and I took one more drag off my joint before holding out my hand to him. I let him pull me up and give me a hug. I wasn’t sad. I was just plain ole fed up with the world and considering charging people for hookups since my last two had met their true-mates not long after we did the deed.

Chapter Two

Xav Ice

En Route to Earthside

Teddy shook out his hands as we walked through the bramble-filled shortcut to the gateway that would take us to the planet of his birth. Dude was stressed out. He’d slipped away on his family more or less. I didn’t blame him. My parents were alive and kicking but if they died and came back, I’d run away too. Knowing them in one lifetime was more than enough for anyone. Though, Fred and Elio weren’t that bad from what I knew of them. Nelum seemed decent enough too. He never took to being called Mum but that was probably the most relatable thing about him.

I shook the thought away as Baby Selatris cooed and waved his hands in the air. Selt and Liatris’s baby was in Selt’s arms, and his sire looked as if he might have to de-limb someone any second now who approached his offspring or mate. Liatris, as usual, was right at home. My friend and teacher was always at home as long as no one tried to boss him around too much or make him stay put. He squeezed Selt’s hand, and they must’ve exchanged something over their mating link because Selt grinned down at him.

I glanced back at Teddy because it felt pervy to watch their secret exchange. He was still shaking his hands out as if his fingers were clogged up with stuck magic.

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