Page 14 of Omega Captive of the Golden Dragon (Alpha Dragons #3)

CAYLEN

I woke stretching my body, feeling good. After making my bed in front of the hearth, I’d not had any more nightmares.

Varik was not in his usual napping place on the couch.

I got up and, still in my pajamas, went to the kitchen to grab some juice.

A bunch of drinks and food had just been delivered fresh yesterday.

Varik had allowed me to drive the truck down the driveway and load up our deliveries.

It got me outside, which I loved despite my breath turning instantly white.

As I came out of the living room and turned toward the dining room, I saw Varik standing before the table, watching me as I walked up.

I stopped about a foot from the table, my jaw going lax.

Awe couldn’t begin to describe my reaction to what was before me.

The table was filled with little golden sculptures.

Dozens of them. They were incredible. Little houses.

Trees. Trains. People sitting or standing as if they’d posed in person for Varik.

Flowers in pots with tiny bees at their centers.

Trees dangling delicate leaves on haphazard branches; they had trunks with actual roots.

There were little stars and planets, even a dragon or two. And a wolf.

“You said a couple weeks ago you wanted to see what I’ve been doing.”

I couldn’t breathe but I managed to get out one word. “Beautiful!”

I took another step forward until I was leaning over the table. “Can I touch?”

“Yes.”

I ran my hand down the back of the wolf.

Even though I hated all wolves now, this one was shaped in a special way.

It sat with one paw raised, head tilted, the eyes slightly downcast. It looked lost. But also reaching out as if it had maybe found something but was unsure. The piece spoke directly to me.

Every sculpture on the table had a unique quality. So much emotion had gone into these little figures. They glowed in the light as if they had souls.

Laid out next to the figurines was a series of pendants.

Moons and trees caught in fine, delicate circles.

Until now, I had forgotten Valcor said Varik did goldsmithing as well as sculpting.

Beside the pendants was a box with a black velvet insert.

It contained six gold rings, all wide bands with individual carvings.

One had vines. Another, moons and stars.

They gleamed like galaxies caught in the night.

“This is a lot of work.”

“Many months’ worth. Valcor will be happy to get new stock. There are customers waiting.”

No surprise there. I figured there were buyers always in the wings for these gorgeous works. The words came before I could stop them. “I love all of these.”

“Very nice of you to say that.”

“It’s not just me being nice.”

“Now that I’ve showed you, no need any longer to skulk by my studio door.” He turned and headed back toward the studio.

“I—I wasn’t?” But I had been. I couldn’t help it. He was in there so many hours each day.

The door closed leaving me alone with all the wonderful golden creations.

It was a warmer day than usual by a few degrees. Time for me to explore. I grabbed the purple parka, scarf and hat Valcor had given me, plus the cool boots, and suited up. I took the stairs two at a time, eager to get out and tromp around in the pristine snow. Maybe I’d even build a snowman.

I hit the first-floor landing and skipped toward the front door as much as my heavy boots would allow.

“Why are you dressed like that?”

I whirled around, nearly tripping and falling backward.

“I’m going for a walk. I need some outdoor exercise.”

“You can’t.”

“Why not?”

“What if someone sees you?”

“What if they do?” I asked. “I don’t have any reason to hide. Plus, you’ve got all that security. Lasers and cameras. No one can touch me.”

“But they’d know you live here.”

“I guess that’s okay with me. They wouldn’t care, right?”

He hesitated, frowning. “I suppose not.”

“You said I wasn’t a prisoner here.”

“You’re not.”

“Then I can leave any time?”

He took a deep breath, seeming to hold it.

“Plus,” I added. “I’ve already been out in the truck at the gate. I don’t think there was anyone around for miles. The delivery guy had already left. But even if someone did see me, they wouldn’t care. Besides, you shift out here to clear the driveway.”

Slowly, his chest deflated. “Only at night.” His eyes took on a faraway look as they sometimes did when I guessed he might be communicating with Varikan. “You could be kidnapped,” he stated. “Omegas are in demand.”

“Are all dragon omegas in danger, then? They can’t walk freely in your country?”

“I just know it’s not safe.”

“Okay, then. I promise not to leave the barriers of the yard.”

“Come with me. Let me show you something.”

Varik led me to some stairs. They were partially hidden at the edge of the dining room. When he turned on the light I saw the staircase was short and wide with pictures along one wall. As we descended, I looked at the paintings. They were mostly landscapes. And very well done.

When we came to the bottom of the stairs, Varik opened a door. At first, I was apprehensive. What if this was a trick? Was he luring me down here only to lock me away now that I’d expressed my desire to go outside?

The door opened onto a basement room, but it was at a part of the house that was built on an incline making it appear like another first floor.

The windows were large, all curtainless, and letting in a ton of sunlight.

A view of snow-covered land and sleepy winter woods beyond the gate gave a startling contrast to the interior, which was all browns and golds.

The room held a lot of exercise equipment.

“You have a home gym.”

“You can exercise to your heart’s content here. Any time,” he said. “It’s safer.”

I ran my hand down the metal of one sleek machine. “Okay. Thank you.”

“Problem solved?”

I shook my head. “I still want fresh air.”

He got that look in his eyes again. Talking with his beast. He glanced about the room, then at me. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”

“What? You will?”

He nodded once, then strode past me mumbling something about getting his coat.

I followed him back up the stairs and waited by the front door.

In a minute, he returned wearing a long white coat and scarf.

His beautiful golden hair had been gathered under a white cap.

I couldn’t help but notice he’d blend in with the landscape.

Anything he could do not to stand out, even to a world empty of other humans, he had mastered.

He stepped ahead of me and opened the front door. It led to a wide porch. Beyond was a glittering world of ice crystals and snow. The cold air had a fresh tangy undercurrent. I breathed out white clouds. It made me euphoric. I jumped down the steps and immediately fell into drifted powder.

Varik shouted. “Caylen!”

I turned over in the softness and looked up at him, laughing. “I’m great. This is already fun!” I started to wallow in the snow.

Varik must have thought I was trying to get up because next I was being lifted by my jacket and onto my feet.

“Are you all right?” he asked. He brushed at my shoulders and sleeves.

“Great! That was fun. The snow is soft from the flurries yesterday.”

“Yes, well, be careful. Do you have gloves?”

I grabbed them from inside my jacket and waved them at him. “In my pocket.”

“Your hands will get cold very fast.”

“I want to build a snowman.”

He stood with his white-gloved hands clasped in front of him looking as if I’d demanded he strip naked and run about the yard.

“I’ve never done it before,” I said. “Have you?”

He shook his head.

“But’s let go for a walk first. Your house looks beautiful from out here.

” I led the way around the porch to the windows I now realized looked in on the gym.

We passed the garage where the driveway was still fairly clear from a few nights ago.

He’d done it while I slept. I’d been disappointed not to be able to watch him shift and spit fire. It had to be an incredible sight.

In the backyard, we trudged up to a grove of pines. It smelled like Christmas. When I looked up, I saw the faint green crisscross lines of the lasers protecting us from the sky. Since dragons could fly, the dome of extra security made sense.

I expected Varik to be more nervous. But he was focused on what we were doing.

In some places, the snow was deeper than I expected, and I sank quite deep. He patiently lent me a hand each time I fell. Not once did he fall. Long legs had an advantage.

When we came back to the porch, I immediately got down on my knees and started shoving snow into a big pile.

“Is this the snowman?” Varik asked.

“Yes. The base should be a big ball.”

He got down on his knees and began to help. In no time, we had a mountain of snow from which to begin to sculpt. I reminded myself he was a sculptor. Maybe this would be more of an ice figure than a traditional snowman.

Varik began to pat the snow at the base to create a hard base. I did the same from the other side. When my snow became lumpy, I added handfuls of fresh powder.

Varik’s palms skimmed the ice to shape the figure. He gave the snowman a hint of legs and a waist. Yep. This was going to be a good one.

We piled ice on top to make him taller, then Varik padded the chest and used a stick to carve arms crossed at the sternum.

After a while, it was hard for me to reach the upper part of our collaboration.

I stood back and watched as Varik shaped a neck and head.

Then he took off his gloves and with his bare hands sculpted a nose, mouth, eyes and ears.

We ended up with a three-dimensional rendition of frozen guy facing the driveway.

“That looks incredible. Lucky I had a professional sculptor with me to build something so pretty. But aren’t your hands freezing now?”

Varik looked down at his slightly reddened fingers. The start of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Maybe a hot drink to warm up?”

“Sounds great.” I couldn’t believe how friendly he was being. Maybe I wasn’t such a burden after all.

When Varik turned away, I quickly grabbed my phone from my pocket and took some pictures of the snowman.

Without questioning myself, I sent them straight to Valcor.

I’d only gotten one text from him so far asking me how I was doing.

I’d answered succinctly that I was “just fine.” These pictures would say a lot more than that.

He’d know right off that I hadn’t made the snowman by myself.

When Varik turned to face me at the top of the steps, I dropped my phone in my pocket and rushed up. One eyebrow was raised as if he’d seen what I’d done, but he said nothing.

We went straight to the kitchen where Varik got out chocolate shavings and put on a pot of milk to boil. We were having real, homemade cocoa.

I stood a few feet away, gazing up at him as he worked. He’d taken off his cap and his bright hair streamed down his back. His features were sharply firm but with an elegance that made him look exotic, a handsome alpha you’d never forget.

He had to stay hidden. If people saw him, they wouldn’t forget him. They would talk, gossip. Make assumptions and hurt him all over again.

Air shook in my lungs. It had been selfish of me to ask him to go outside with me. He had a right to be safe. To live the way he felt most secure.

I stepped up. “Thank you.”

He glanced my way. “For what?”

“I won’t ask you to go out again like that. We’ll only go in the truck. Or at night.”

He stared at me for one second longer than was comfortable, then turned back to the cocoa on the stove.

“You’re welcome.”