Chapter 5

5

C reed

This is worse than I suspected. A human female has crashed on our island. On the completely wrong side of the island, at that, and she doesn't believe in the existence of dragons. What do they do with the Tributes at Draig? It is clear that they're not inducting them like they should be. She doesn't believe in dragons. Hah! I want to laugh at that notion, but I don't. This is certainly no laughing matter.

I can set her straight and prove to her that we do, in fact, exist…or I can leave it alone, at least for now. Since I need her calm, I choose to go with the latter option.

Octavia will learn the truth soon enough.

That dragons exist. That we are every bit as big and bad as you would imagine and that she has plenty to fear out here in the jungle.

"What you should do with me?" she repeats what I just said, putting her hands on her hips. "What do you mean by that? And what is your name? I told you mine; it's only right that you tell me yours." She's covered in white ash, making her hair look lighter than it is. It also makes her eyes seem so much bigger…they're bluer, too, with hints of gray. They're quite pretty…just like the rest of her.

Although tiny, she's definitely all woman. My eyes are drawn to her chest for a few moments. She's wearing a tank top. It pulls tighter over her ample breasts, which have no place being on a woman this small; at least, she's small compared to a dragon shifter female. I've never seen a human before, so I wouldn't know. Compared to my almost seven-foot frame, she's tiny.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare? It's like you've never seen a woman before." She folds her arms over her chest, clearly covering herself. I need to keep my eyes on hers. I don't want her to think I'm some sort of creep because I'm not. I need her to trust me and to do everything I say, or she's not making it out of this alive.

"My name is Creed. You've crash-landed on Mistveil Island. The reason I'm looking at you so strangely is because you are the first fe…woman I have laid eyes on in years. Just over three, to be exact."

"Why is that?"

"Our women live in the city. There are none out here. None for miles and miles."

She frowns, looking at me like she doesn't quite believe me. "Why? That doesn't make any sense."

"And yet, it is the truth. It's why they all want you. Why you can't stay here, lest they find you."

"You're not making any sense, Creed. Where are the women? Why are there men living out in the jungle all alone?"

"Most of them are not out here by choice; they've been excommunicated. That is why they want to mate and breed you…why they want to keep you. Women are rare and highly sought-after on Mistveil. They are unheard of out here in the jungle." It doesn't matter that she is a tiny female or that she is highly breakable. A human might even hold more appeal.

Her eyes widen, and she gasps, all the color draining from her face. "You can't be serious. You're saying that to…to…scare me."

"Why would I lie? Why would I want to scare you for no reason?" I keep my voice low, my senses on full alert. "There are very few women on Mistveil. It's mostly men on this island…even in the city. Women are sought-after, fought over, and very often shared."

"Shared?" Her mouth falls open. "As in…?"

"Yes. I'm talking three or four men to one woman. Sometimes more, if the female can take it. I'm talking about the civilized side of the island. It's the Wild West out here. I'm not sure what would happen. It isn't safe for you. You should not have come."

"I'm not here by choice. I was forced to go to Draig Island as a Tribute."

"You should have stayed there," I tell her.

"I'm beginning to realize that now." She worries her lip with her blunt, white teeth. "I need to get off this island and back to the Mainland."

"Yes, you do, and as a matter of urgency."

"Will you help me, Creed? I'm not sure I'll manage on my own."

I grunt. Getting involved in all of this is the last thing I want or need. I hate how every instinct inside me is telling me to help her…to protect her. She isn't mine. She never will be. I feel this way because of instinct. I'm driven to mate and to reproduce. Living alone in the jungle isn't normal or healthy for a male in his prime. I need to ignore these instincts, but at the same time, I can't just leave her to fend for herself; she wouldn't last two seconds out here.

Hell, she probably won't make it even with my help. It's something I have to keep firmly in the back of my mind. This female is as good as dead.

Fuck!

"Please," she whispers; her big eyes are pleading.

"It's not like I have much choice in the matter. You won't make it without me. I have a couple of conditions."

"Okaaay… What kind of conditions?" She narrows her pretty eyes at me, looking skeptical.

"You shouldn't care what they are. You should be agreeing to just about anything I ask of you, Octavia. I will be putting myself at great risk to help you." I clear my throat. "Make that, I am putting myself at great risk. If they catch me with you, they'll kill me to get to you." I use my thumb to point behind me, somewhere near the door. "They'll kill me for keeping you from them in the first place. They'll tear me to pieces."

She licks her lips, looking stricken. "I'm sure it wouldn't be that bad," she mutters. I know that she's trying to make herself feel better, but she's wrong. Dead fucking wrong.

"You're right. It would be worse," I rasp.

"Okay," she whispers, nodding once. "What are your conditions? Sex had better not be one of them." She shakes her head, her eyes going wide. "That would be too much like selling myself to get off this island, and I'm not that desperate."

Yet.

The word comes into my head unbidden. She's not too desperate yet, but she will be soon, at least once she realizes what we're up against. Then, all bets are off the table. Lucky for her, I would never ask that of her.

I roll my eyes. "That isn't one of the conditions, so you can relax."

"Good, because I won't change my mind. It's non-negotiable."

I snort out a laugh. "Sorry to have to tell you, sunshine, but you're in no position to negotiate about anything."

She starts to open her mouth to say something, but I cut her off. "I won't make you have sex with me. Not now or ever. I'm not into forcing women. You're tiny…probably too small for me, anyway."

"Too small?" She snorts. "What does that mean?"

"I'm big and strong. I might break you."

She gives me an amused look.

"What?" I ask her, frowning.

"Not that I ever want to have sex with you, because I don't, but I'm stronger than I look."

"If you say so, human."

She cocks her head, looking at me like I just grew another pair of eyes. "Why would you call me that?"

"Because you are one. Forget about it. Can we move on to the important part of the conversation now?"

She nods.

"Good. I need you to do as I say without question and as soon as I ask it of you. It doesn't matter what it is or when I ask it, you do it. You act quickly and quietly. Got it?"

"I have to do anything you say." She sounds skeptical. "As in, anything?"

"Anything, Octavia. Unless you agree to this condition and then stick to it, I can't help you."

She nods. "I agree, as long as you don't ask me to step off a cliff or to walk through a fire." She lifts her eyebrows.

"Who knows? It might just end up being something like that. You need to agree, regardless."

She gasps. "You can't be serious."

"I am! I'm deadly serious. You need to know that whatever I ask of you will be in your best interest. It would be to help you, not to hurt you or to hinder you in any way. My goal will be to get you to Mistveil City, and then I'm out." I lift both hands. "You'll be on your own from there. That's if we even make it. The odds are stacked against us."

"This is really bad, isn't it?"

She's finally catching on.

I nod. "I'm not going to lie to you. It's bad."

She pushes out a deep breath. "I swear to do everything you say as soon as you say it. Thank you for helping me. I appreciate it." She gives me the ghost of a smile. "You're a good man, Creed."

Only, I'm not a man at all…I'm a monster. It's something she'll find out soon enough.