Chapter 14

14

O ctavia

I wake up in much the same position as last time. I'm straddling Creed.

When did that happen?

That's not how I went to sleep. I fell asleep sitting up against the rocks. I think Creed did, too. I would expect to possibly wake up with my head on his shoulder. That would be reasonable…but on his lap?

Holy moly!

Not this!

I lift my eyes, too afraid to breathe, let alone move. He's asleep. His eyes are closed. His chest is rising and falling in a rhythm. My breasts are mashed against him. My hands are flat on his chest, my cheek, too. I'm plastered against him. He's warm and comfortable, and I'm panicking yet again. Of course I am. How am I going to get out of this without him noticing?

Shit!

Shit!

Shit!

Maybe if I'm really careful. Maybe if—

His body tenses, and I realize that he's stopped breathing. His hands close around my waist.

Crapballs! Creed is awake.

So much for him not noticing. I pull away and make a face. "Sorry," I mutter. My cheeks are feeling hot. I clamber off him.

"It's fine. You must have needed warmth," he whispers.

I nod and make a noise of agreement. "Yes, that had to be it," I whisper back.

Only it was warm last night and humid, too, after the rain. I didn't need Creed for warmth.

"More comfortable, too, since the ground is hard," he adds.

This is so awkward, which feels weird after Creed opened up to me last night. I felt like we were…friends after that. Although, it's kind of hard to be friends with someone you slept with. It wasn't just okay sex, either. It was mind-blowing sex. Maybe that's why it feels so strange.

"So, you got some sleep after all?" I blurt.

"Yes, I got a few hours. After the rain washed our tracks and our scent away, I figured it was worth the risk." He rolls his shoulders and then does the same with his neck. "We need to leave in a few minutes, so do what you need to do."

"Okay. I just need to brush my teeth, and…you're welcome to use my toothpaste."

"Thanks."

Five minutes later, I get onto his back. Creed starts running at speed right from the get-go. I hold on for all I am worth.

I can't help but think about our conversation. I feel for Creed, but he served his time out here in the jungle. He needs to get back to his life. He's hiding from his problems instead of facing them. I know he hurt someone badly. Nearly killed him, but I think things are different out here. Dragon shifters are different from humans. I know that Creed has killed for me. I should probably be afraid of him, but I'm not because I know he's a good person. I can feel it. He's just a little bit lost. My heart goes to him. I could hear how sad he is. I think he still has feelings for Aspen.

My chest tightens at the thought. I feel…jealous. Yep. I felt it last night, too, which is stupid since we had sex once. Quick, really great sex, but there wasn't any emotion involved. We were like animals going at it in the jungle. Quick, sweaty, one-time sex doesn't give me the right to feel jealous. I have no right to feel any kind of connection to him, for that matter. It's not happening again. Hopefully, I will get to go home soon. We'll never see each other again, which is fine. I really hope Creed stays in the city. That he meets someone really nice. I see him having a family, living in a beautiful house that he'll build himself. There'll be a couple of kids running around the yard. In my mind's eye, I see a couple hugging each other close… Only I'm the one in his arms. It's me.

No!

What is wrong with my brain? It's not going to be me. I scratch the thought entirely from my head. I'll think about something else. Anything else.

Creed stops suddenly.

Damn!

It can only mean trouble and so soon after leaving our campsite.

I grip him tighter. His gaze turns upward. The canopy and vegetation aren't nearly as thick as they have been.

Shit!

I don't hear or see anything out of the ordinary. Only, the birds stop chirping. Everything around us goes silent. You could hear a pin drop. Creed carefully puts me down, putting a finger to his lips. He ushers me to the nearest tree trunk, pushing me against it.

It doesn't take long for me to hear them…dragons. They are circling above us; their wings create gusts of wind that shake the leaves around us. They're that close. Creed's eyes narrow as he scans the sky, assessing the danger above. He presses himself more solidly against me, caging me in.

I can barely breathe as that all-too-familiar feeling of panic takes hold of me. When I look back and see fear in Creed's eyes, the feeling intensifies. My hands start to shake, so I press them harder against the bark of the tree. My breath is coming in gasps. I need to be quiet. My chest tightens, and my heart starts to race, threatening to burst out of my chest. I can feel my pulse throbbing in my temples, and my hands continue to shake against the bark.

My gut clenches. It feels like there's a swarm of bees inside me. Inside my stomach, inside my veins. It's hard to just stand there as quietly as possible when those creatures are close enough to cast shadows over us.

One of them screeches, and all the hair on my body goes up. Creed tenses behind me as the massive dragon lands somewhere behind us with a crash.

We turn as the creature goes up on its hind legs; it screeches, its slitted eyes narrowed on us. My blood turns to ice. I would scream, but I am momentarily frozen in place. They've found us. My heart sinks with dread.

Creed turns, keeping his back to me. We watch as three more dragons land around us. One of them growls, and smoke wafts all around it. I smell the strong scent of sulfur.

I'm reminded that they are fire-breathing, bloodthirsty creatures. Not that I could forget. I make a whining noise; it seems to come from somewhere deep inside me.

The closest dragon sniffs the air and then sniffs again.

"Stay right there," Creed tells me in a voice that is altogether too calm and controlled. "Whatever you do, do not run. Don't so much as move."

I make a noise of agreement, unable to take my eyes off them.

One of the dragons takes a step forward, its eyes fixed on Creed with a predatory gleam. It lets out a low growl that reverberates through my bones. I can see the muscles rippling beneath its shimmering scales, which are bright turquoise, turning a darker blue on its horns, wings, and tail. Just like all the others, it has red patches on its torso. Just like the others, it is terrifying.

Creed doesn't move, his stance unwavering as he meets the dragon's gaze head-on.

The ground seems to vibrate with each step it takes as it stalks toward us. I expect Creed to shift, but he doesn't. He stays right where he is, a protective hand on my hip.

The tension in the air is palpable as the dragon gets closer, its hot sulfur-laced breath washing over us in waves. I feel Creed's muscles tense beneath my fingertips as he stands his ground, looking the picture of calm. I can't tear my eyes away from the dragon's slitted pupils, which seem to bore into me.

Just when I think the situation couldn't get worse, another shadow falls over us. A massive, ebony-scaled dragon lands with a resounding thud beside the others, its presence commanding and powerful. This new arrival is bigger than the others and radiates authority with every movement it makes.

Craaaap!

I whimper softly, unable to contain the fear coursing through me. These dragons, they're unlike the others I saw. They exude an aura of primal power that sends a shiver down my spine.

I'm in deep shit!

Make that we're in deep shit. Four to one. Creed can't possibly fight them off. I wonder what he plans to do. Creed remains resolute, his jaw clenched. Still not flinching or changing in any way.

I'm not sure what he will do against so many of them. He can't protect me. He can't possibly win. We're doomed.

I swallow thickly, rubbing my stinging eyes. I refuse to cry. I won't give in. I need to be strong. I need to think, to find a way out of this. The problem is that I can't think of anything. My mind is blank. If there is one thing I have learned about myself since coming to this island, it's that I'm not great under pressure.

The turquoise and blue dragon is still the closest. He ignores the newcomer and steps closer as he starts to shimmer. Within seconds, the dragon is gone, and a man stands in its place. The man is big and covered in tattoos. His hair is black and shaggy. His eyes are dark, too. He is almost as muscular as Creed, and at around six and a half feet, he is almost as tall.

"Well, well, what have we here?" he says, grinning. "Let me see the human."

"No," Creed says. "She is on her way to the city and will return to the Mainland. You can all leave. She does not want to be mated or bred."

The shifter sniffs the air. "You marked her with your seed. I can smell it even in my human form. You got to fuck her, but the rest of us are no good. Is that it? Do you think you're better than us? You've always acted like it. Building a house and marking your territory. Is that what you're doing now?"

Creed doesn't say anything for a few long moments. "The female isn't mine, she—"

"Is available to claim, then," he booms. "I claim her."

The newcomer roars loudly. Another dragon screeches so loudly that it hurts my ears.

"The human is not available to be claimed. She does not wish to be claimed or mated. She wants—" Creed tries to say but is cut off.

"I will change her mind," the shaggy-haired guy says, trying to leer at me. "Let me see her. Come out from behind him, little one. You are safe with me."

Safe? Hah!

I don't think so. Alarm bells go off. I roll my eyes. Safe, my ass.

"No!" Creed says. "She will do nothing of the sort."

"Since when are you in charge?" he snarls.

"I don't want you or anyone else. I want to be left alone. I want to go home!" I shout. "Go away! You're scaring me." I push myself against Creed's back.

"That isn't going to happen, little one. You are too precious to us, like gold and jewels. I am strong. I will protect you and provide for your every need. You will be happy. You will warm my bed, and in return, I will give you great pleasure and many whelps to fill your belly. You will—"

You will.

You will.

You will.

What a wonderful life I'd have with this asshole.

The big black dragon growls menacingly, big globs of saliva drip from its maw. Smoke wafts all around us. There are cracking noises and within half a second flat, the creature has shifted.

He is a beast, both in his dragon and his human forms. My eyes pop out of my skull, just looking at him.

"You can't claim her. She is mine!" the newcomer says in a voice that is too deep to be human; he beats his chest with both fists, reminding me of a caveman. The guy has blond hair and a big, golden beard. He's huge, just as big as Creed, maybe bigger in stature. His eyes are a bright blue. They're cold. I don't like him one bit.

"I was here first, Tank. You can fuck off. I already laid claim," the shaggy black-haired guy says.

One of the other dragons shifts his weight. The other snarls, sounding upset.

Tank roars, sounding like a lion. He shifts back into his dragon form. So does the blue one. They go at each other in a fury of claws, scales, and fire. The ground shakes beneath their weight as they clash, sending shockwaves rippling through the jungle. Creed stands protectively in front of me, his eyes fixed on the battling dragons.

Tank and the blue dragon are locked in one hell of a struggle, each one unleashing their full power in an attempt to overpower the other. Claws rake against scales, teeth gnash, and fire erupts from their gaping maws in bursts of searing heat.

"Listen carefully," Creed says to me, keeping his eyes on the fighting beasts. "If I am forced to shift, you need to move away to a safe distance. Stay near enough for me to keep my eye on you, but not so close that you are in danger. Try not to run. You will trigger the hunting instinct. If you are caught… Just don't do it. Rather, stand your ground."

"Like we were taught to do with grizzlies?" My voice is shrill.

"Yes, just like that. They won't hurt you on purpose. They want you alive."

On purpose.

Crap. This is bad.

I nod too many times. "O-okay. I c-can do that. How are we going to g-get out of this?" I'm freaking out.

"I don't know."

No! No!

I had hoped for something. Even a crazy plan is better than no plan. I need to come up with one, and fast. I'm still getting nothing from my panicked brain.

The black dragon tears the wing off the blue one and then leaps onto him, ripping into flesh and bone. It isn't long before the blue one lies still in a puddle of blood.

The ebony beast shifts. He is covered in blood. It drips from his mouth and beard. His hands are dripping, too. There are splashes all over his chest and legs. It's a gruesome scene.

"Who else dares challenge me? The female is mine," his voice booms.

One of the dragons roars, but when Tank turns and glares at him, he cowers.

"You are welcome to challenge me, but know that I will show no mercy. The price you will pay is death."

Creed steps forward. "You can't have the female."

"Be careful! I take that as a challenge," the bearded guy says.

"So be it," Creed replies.

"No!" I say. "Don't do it." I don't want anything to happen to Creed.

"If I win, I get to keep the female," Creed says.

"No! Don't do it," I beg again. "Please go away!" I shout at the guy. I know it won't help. I should save my breath.

As expected, the huge brute laughs. "You won't beat me, but, if by some miracle, you do, she will be yours, but only until the next male comes along. I hope you have a lot of fight in you. You should have claimed and marked her properly when you had the chance." He sniffs. "You should have bred her properly, too. You must know that seed is supposed to go inside a female, not all over her. Your scent is not enough to keep me from her."

He looks at me with cold eyes. "You are mine now; you'd better get used to it."

"Never," I spit.

"The female does not wish to be claimed," Creed says.

"Hopefully, she changes her mind, or it will be hard on her," Tank says. "You will learn to accept your fate," he tells me.

"Are you insane?" I ask him. "I'll fight you."

"I like a bit of fire in my females. We will work well together." He grins, looking evil. That's when I see it, his erection. It's huge. His cock is hard and thick and jutting from his body. "You should prepare for me, female," he says. "There will be no foreplay."

Creed lunges forward, shifting as he moves. The bearded asshole follows suit, and they clash in much the same way as the previous fight – the one with the blue dragon. As I run to find cover, I note that a bloodied body lies in the spot where the broken dragon had lain moments earlier. The guy with the shaggy black hair is dead. The smell of his blood is thick in the air, making me want to gag. There is no time.

I need to get away from the commotion without going too far. I dive behind a tree, hearing crashing, smashing, and screeching behind me. Creed and the black dragon are locked in a fierce battle. I don't have to look to know it is happening.

Once it is relatively safe to do so, I carefully take a quick peek at them.

Through the foliage, I see the two immense dragons locked in combat, their roars echoing through the jungle. Creed's bronze scales gleam in the morning light as he dodges a flurry of razor-sharp claws. The black dragon goes for Creed with a menacing growl. They clash, and trees are uprooted, and rocks are shattered by their sheer power. The ground trembles beneath them.

I'm still too close. I dash to the next tree and then the next, trying to stay far enough away, praying all the while that Creed will be okay. That he won't be hurt…or worse.

Just as I turn to watch them fight, something grabs me and yanks me up with such force that my chin hits my chest. I scream as I disappear through the sparse canopy. I look up. A dragon has me in its claws. Below me, the ground races by, and I let out another panicked scream as the dragon ascends higher into the sky. The wind whips at my hair and clothes, stinging my skin, and tears stream from my eyes as I try to process what is happening. I'm being carted off by one of them. It's brown and red. Not as big as some of the others I've seen, but big enough to be freaking terrifying.

Its grip around my waist is firm, but the jungle is so far below us that I feel sick to my stomach. If I fall, it will be over for me. I grip its scaled talon, closing my eyes. I need to stay still. It can't drop me. What will happen when it lands? What does it want?

Unfortunately, I can guess. It's what all of them want. To claim, mate, and breed me. My stomach twists, and I gag. Nothing comes out.

"Creed!" I scream. "Help!" I pray he hears me, but I think I might be on my own.