Dragon Down Under(34)
Terrie laughed. “Help me up and we can make the lemonade and compare dragon stories.”
Amber chuckled, filled with eagerness to listen to their tales. She helped Terrie to her feet and followed her into another surprisingly modern, commercial kitchen. “I’d love to hear your story of how you and Kaden met.”
“Of course, but only if you tell me yours,” Terrie bargained in good humour.
Amber liked this woman. She didn’t have many friends, but felt she and Terrie would be good ones. “Deal, as long as you give me permission to write it afterwards.”
“You’re a writer?” Terrie reached for a basket of fresh lemons. “Grab the sugar on the top shelf over there, please.”
Amber followed Terrie’s instructions. “Yes, I write romantic fiction mainly.”
“Nice. Are you published?”
“Ah, yes. I was on holiday with my uh, now ex, a kind of celebration with my royalties when I met Brim.”
“I recently read a few books by Amber Anderson. Kaden’s been rather overprotective since we fell pregnant and not letting me work out in the yards. He bought me a Kindle and I’ve been ploughing through book after book. Do you know her?”
A thrill of pleasure ran through Amber. “Uh, that’s me. Amber Anderson.”
Terrie squealed in excitement, and Amber found herself gripped into a hug. “You’re Amber Anderson! I love your stories. Those hot tiger shifters, phew!” She let Amber go and fanned her face. “If I didn’t have a sexy dragon husband to help me out when I get horny after reading them, I’d combust.”
Amber laughed and at the same time, she felt her cheeks heat.
“I’m glad you like them. Most of it came from my imagination. I never really knew sex could be that good, well, until Brim.”
“Dragons sure know how to please in the bedroom and beyond.” They both giggled. “Let me guess, you’ll start writing dragon stories now.”
Amber eagerly nodded. “Kind of hard not to; I’ve got so much first hand research. Heck, when I first met Brim, I thought he stepped off the pages of one of my stories. I actually asked him to be my hero! Everything’s been a dizzying blur after that.”
Terrie’s body shook as she laughed. Amber couldn’t help but join the hysterics, and it took a while for them to calm down.
“Let’s finish this lemonade before they bring back the army.”
Amber, still grinning, felt really good. A new man who is a dragon, new friends, and so much in her head, she wanted to write about which would keep her busy for years. All they had left to do is fight off a demon army, and save the world.
* * * *
With the lemonade set on the table along with plates of cake, the first of the makeshift army started to gather.
A slim, wiry man with dusty brown hair strode in, followed by a taller man, both dressed in blue jeans and black t-shirts. Amber was startled by the taller man’s stark white hair. He also had pointed tip ears and lavender coloured eyes.
Terrie climbed to her feet to greet them.
“Terrie, my love, you’re looking positively radiant. Oh, is this your famous, homemade lemonade?”
Terrie laughed. “Of course, Darren, I always keep it on hand for you.”
“And me.” The white haired man came in to hug Terrie and glanced down at her swollen belly. “Good god’s woman, you’ve swallowed a planet.”
Darren rolled his eyes. “She’s pregnant, you twit.”
“But she’s huge.” The white haired man gestured to her stomach with both his hands.
“Darren, I think you need to switch Slazz to decaf.” Terrie didn’t look offended, she grinned.
The slim man with dusty brown hair, hazel eyes, and a grin slapped the back of Slazz’s head. Slazz glared and growled, flashing white and pointed sharp teeth at Darren, but he took no notice.
“Way to go, Slazz. Don’t insult the woman with lemonade, you don’t know one end of a kitchen from the other.”
“Of course I do, love, with you bent over each surface, maybe I should try getting you pregnant.” Slazzamar didn’t even try to hide his suggestive tone.
“TMI, Slazz, TMI.” A blush crept over the handsome, young man’s cheeks.
Terrie laughed. “C’mon, meet Amber. She’s mated to Brimstone. Amber, this is Darren and Slazzamar. If you haven’t already noticed, they're a couple.”
“Uh, not to sound rude, new to all this paranormal stuff, but—”
“What am I?” Slazz grinned. “I’m the baddest mother-fucker this side of any realm,” Slazzamar boasted, with a wicked gleam in his purple eyes.