Chapter 1

1

J en

I’m stone-cold sober, which is unfortunate but necessary since I have a big day tomorrow. Huge!

It could be the day I die.

I’m no longer buzzing from the wine I consumed earlier. I was enjoying the fun banter and the warmth running through my veins. It helped me relax. Helped me forget. I’ve done that too much lately, allowed myself to relax, to enjoy the moment. I’ve allowed myself to forget, and it’s wrong. I need to face my responsibilities. I need to get home. Cold, hard reality is setting in.

I could die tomorrow. What then? I’m not worried about myself.

The same thought keeps running through my head, and it won’t stop. I have this terrible feeling that something bad is going to happen to me, and I can’t shake it. There’s a chance that I won’t make it through the mind-bond attempt. So far, several people have died. We have to face dragons. Blood-thirsty, fire-breathing, untamable dragons. From what I’ve heard, they’re killers. Every last one of them. They’re wild and unpredictable, liable to lash out for no reason. And by lash out, I mean kill. Incinerate. Flatten. Murder.

I shiver as I open the door to the bungalow, even though it isn’t cold outside. Hunter walks out ahead of me, turning as soon as she’s through the entryway. She’s the last to leave our little reunion that could very well be my farewell. My last dinner. Arghhhh! I need to stop.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Hunter says, sounding happy. She looks happy, and I’m glad for her.

Then her words register. “Why?” I snicker; it’s coming from a place of nervous energy rather than out of humor. “I hate to tell you this, my friend, but you’ve already mind-bonded a dragon. You won’t be joining us tomorrow. Not only did you mind-bond, you’re a… What did you call it?” I frown.

“A Seren.” Hunter smiles.

“Yes, that. You have the ability to bond with multiple dragons at once.”

“Trust me, it isn’t as fun as it sounds.” She levels me with a stare. “I’ll see you at breakfast before you leave for your attempt.”

I shake my head. “There’s no way I’ll be able to eat a thing.” I feel slightly ill from all the sushi I consumed. I haven’t eaten that much…in a very long time. It might be my last supper… No! I need to stop that kind of thinking. I’ve always been a positive, glass-half-full kind of person, and I’m not stopping now.

I will get home.

I will live.

“You’re coming to breakfast, and you’re eating something, even if it’s just fruit. We have a great selection of fruit on the island, the likes of which you’ve never seen before. Besides, you need to keep your strength up; you’re going to need it.”

My eyes widen. “For in case I need to run or to fight.”

“Never run!” Hunter narrows her eyes on me. “Never show aggression to a dragon, either. You know the rules.”

I suck in a deep breath. “I do.” I nod. “There will be no need for running. I will stand my ground.”

“Exactly. You need your strength because mind-bonding can take it out of a person. Especially the first few times you do it.” She grins at me.

I sigh. “I don’t want to mind-bond, Hunter. I love being here on the island. I love the adventure. I love how I’ve met new people and made new friends, but I have to go home. I can’t stay.”

Hunter’s gaze softens. “Your mom needs you.”

“And my little brother. I can’t just abandon them.” My eyes prick with tears. “I just can’t.”

“I know.” Hunter puts her arms around me. “It’s shitty how you have so much responsibility at such a young age.”

“It is what it is,” I tell her. “I’ve had so much fun. I’ve loved being here more than I thought I would. I loved meeting you and becoming your friend…but…I have to leave.”

Her eyes start to glitter in the moonlight. “That’s so freaking sweet.” Her shoulders slump. “I really hope you get to go home, but I will miss you if you do.” She makes a sad face for a few beats.

Or if I die.

I shake my head, trying to dislodge the thought. I can’t die. I’m needed back home.

We hug for a few seconds before pulling apart.

“Let’s not speak of goodbyes just yet because we’ll see you at breakfast,” Hunter says, giving me a look that tells me she’s coming to fetch me if I don’t listen.

I nod a few times. “Yes, I’ll be there.” I watch as she walks away, turning to wave like a crazy person.

I wave back, my mouth pulling up at the corners, even though I don’t have too much to smile about.

I go back inside and get ready for bed. Ten minutes later, I’m crawling under the covers. There is no way I’m sleeping tonight. I’m too wound up.

I consider turning on the television but decide against it. Instead, I choose to read my latest romance novel. Thankfully, I downloaded a boatload of books onto my Kindle before leaving the Mainland. I turn out my sidelight, fully expecting to finish the last couple of chapters of my book and even start the next one, but I don’t.

Against all odds, I fall asleep within minutes. Worrying about imminent death must be tiring.

I’m woken up when a hand is clamped over my mouth. I’m confused, disorientated, and panicking. I kick my legs, dislodging the sheets, and throw out an arm. The glass of water I placed next to my bed earlier smashes on the floor. Whoever is there grabs my wrist, keeping a hand tightly over my mouth.

I try to scream and continue to kick wildly. My eyes are wide, but I can’t see much of anything.

“Get her under control,” someone whispers so softly I can barely hear them.

The person holding me down grunts.

I’m on Draig Island. I’m supposed to attempt a mind-bond in the morning. What the hell is going on? Is it a prank? It doesn’t feel like a prank. It has to be one. This can’t be real. Maybe it’s an initiation. Training. Something! Surely!

Another set of hands grabs my wrists and ties them together. A third person does the same to my legs. There are at least four of them…I think.

“Not a word or I will knock you out,” someone says into my ear. Then he sniffs at my neck. He makes a noise I don’t like. It sounds like he enjoyed the smell of me, which is weird and seriously ick. What a creep!

I struggle against my bonds, but it doesn’t help. The hand moves away from my mouth. I try to scream, but a wad of fabric is stuffed into my mouth before I can make so much as a peep.

What is going on?

What is this?

I think I’m being kidnapped. I throw my head forward and bash it against his head. It hurts when my forehead connects with his. Even though it is pitch black, I see stars for a few seconds.

“Don’t!” he growls under his breath. “You’ll only hurt yourself.”

Unfortunately, he’s right. My head throbs a little. Then I am being thrown over his shoulder like a sack of dirt. My bound arms dangle down his back, and I moan into my gag when I discover that he is naked.

Why?

What the hell!

What is going on? I yell into my gag, making as much noise as I can. It isn’t much. Not nearly enough, at any rate. I’m on the edge of all the bungalows. Away from most of them. One of the ladies told me I was lucky to be on the edge of camp because I wouldn’t have to hear Skylar and Fang’s noisy sexcapades.

Lucky? Huh! Being far away from everyone else is hardly lucky. Not at this moment. Not when I’m being abducted. Then I’m being carted away to god knows where by god knows who. Why would they even want me?

It feels like we’re moving fast. The men are almost completely silent. It’s very dark, but I think I can make out two shadowy figures behind me. That means that there’s at least one ahead.

I fight and squirm. I try to get my hands free, but I can’t. Whatever they have tied me with is too tight. It’s digging into me, rubbing my skin raw.

I eventually give up. It isn’t helping. Even if, by some miracle, I managed to get my hands free, what then? I wouldn’t be able to get away. There are too many of them. They’d recapture me immediately.

I decide to save my strength. I might need it.

Might! I will need it. I’ve been abducted by a bunch of men. I hate to think what their intentions are. I shudder at the ones my mind settles on. None of them are good.

No!

No!

Crap!

I dangle over his shoulder, my head feeling like it might explode after a while. We walk for ages. It has to be miles and miles over what feels like some rough terrain.

They don’t stop. Not even once. They don’t check on me either. My bladder starts to protest, but I work hard at ignoring it. Thankfully, I decided on sleeping shorts and a T-shirt, or my ass would be hanging out. I’m grateful for the small wins.

We pass through sections where the canopy isn’t as dense. I catch glimpses of the men who have me. It isn’t enough to tell much of anything. Based on their silhouettes, they’re big. I don’t think they’re human. Humans aren’t this big, and they couldn’t keep up this grueling pace.

I’m shocked when we eventually stop.

I hear what sounds like something being opened. A door, maybe. I want them to put me down and untie me, but at the same time, I’m also worried about what will happen when they do.

“Let’s get off this island,” one whispers. He sounds like he’s up ahead. “It’ll be dawn in an hour,” he continues. “We’ve made good time.”

“An hour is a long time,” the one carrying me rumbles. He reaches up and clasps a hand over my ass. “I say we play with the female. We can each take a turn. No one ever has to know.” He squeezes my left butt cheek hard enough to hurt.

I groan and wriggle, trying to get away from him, even though it’s an impossible endeavor.

Please, no!

Please!

“No one touches her,” the same one in front says in a no-nonsense voice.

“Why? She’s right here. A female. She smells good. I want her.”

“I agree with Rocky,” another one says in a whiny voice. Rocky must be the guy carrying me. “We can make it quick. We won’t hurt her.”

“You heard my brother…it’s a no,” the guy closest to us says in a deep voice.

“Why?” the one carrying me says. “We will still hand her in. She’ll be fine.”

“We were told not to harm so much as a hair on her body,” the one in front says.

“Listen to Igor. We’re all getting paid handsomely for this female. We need to follow orders, or we’ll end up banished to the jungle,” the one behind us says; it’s Igor’s brother.

“They will never know. The female won’t say anything, or I’ll cut her tongue out.” He squeezes my ass again, harder this time. I think I might have a hand-shaped bruise on my butt. I yell into my gag, but it’s muffled.

Then I squirm, trying to get away from his groping hand.

“See, she wants it,” the moron right at the back says. “I’m hard. Rocky is right…she smells good.”

“Shut up!” the guy in front – Igor – snaps. “No one touches the female. She is worth a lot of money. She is untouched, a virgin. It needs to stay that way. I don’t want to hear anything more on the subject. Now, let’s go!”

A virgin? What nonsense is this? I’m not a virgin. I think they might have kidnapped the wrong woman. What will happen to me when they find that out? Will I be tossed out? Given to these guys as a plaything?

I hope not. I whimper into my gag, trying hard not to cry.