Island of Dragons (2 page)

Dear M. Tanner,

T
he terms are perfectly agreeable and we have booked you a flight to the Galapagos for Saturday morning. A guide will greet you as you land.

Eagerly a
waiting your photos.

Miley smiled then went to seek out Charles. People started to wonder what was up as she confidently strode down the hall, but Miley did not care. She could very easily explain everything in a meeting later, when she got back, and, other than that, it wasn’t their business anyway.

Miley knocked once before she pushed open the door. “Ms. Tanner you can’t…” the secretary screeched.

Miley did not listen. She continued inside ignoring receptionist.

“Miley… uh…” Charles stuttered out as a blond lifted her head up from between his legs on the far side of the desk.

“Miley? I’m Jill,” The blond scolded before she realized Miley was standing there.

“I am glad you finally moved on Charles.” Miley snickered “Anyway, I’ll take the client. In fact,
I will be flying out first thing Saturday morning. Oh, and I get the corner office, right.”

“That’s Peter’s office
,” Jill giggled dumbly.

“Not anymore
,” Miley rolled her eyes at the idiot.

“The one with all the windows
,” she smirked her tone just begged him to disagree, it would be amusing.

Charles’ head slightly nodded “Anything,” he straggled out. “This client’s very important, I can’t lose them.”

“I figured. Well, I guess I’ll make plans to leave,” Miley told him. “I expect that raise and that bonus to reach my checking account before Saturday, or I guess we can forget the client,” Miley shrugged as she went out the door. Just for good measure, she left the door wide open and turned her head back to say, “Oh, by the way, Jill, you could do so much better than sucking his pencil.”

The secretary gasped and Miley was sure she nearly shit her pants as she continued down the hall. Many of the wondering faces turned toward her in shock and surprise as they tried to gather around Charles’ door and catch a sight of Jill between his legs.

Ever since Toby’s cheating, Miley could not help but feel hatred for most men. Charles was not an exception.

It was Saturday morning, and sure enough, a big fat bonus, along with a pay raised check, hit Miley’s bank account. She
could not help but smile at how generous Charles turned out to be; a five grand bonus along with her already hefty pay raised check was something to not complain about.

Miley’s flight had been scheduled for Saturday. She was still extremely busy but took the day off Friday so she could shop and pack. She hadn’t been on a trip since her honeymoon with Toby, so most of her things needed to be upgraded.

Miley had shopped, finding a black and pink suitcase, two new swimsuits, and a few spring wrap dresses. She already owned plenty of outfits, but she figured it would be good to get something new that would work well with the sunshine of a tropic island.

Miley knew she wouldn’t need much in the lines of cold weather clothing so all she brought was one sweatshirt. One always need to be prepared, right? Miley had decided on sandals and a pair of tennis shoes for her shoes, and she packed her bag with all the hiking gear she could think of.

The magazine company had told her the guide would provide her with cooking supplies, a tent, food, and blankets; all of which would be hard for Miley to take on the plane. Other than that, Miley had packed her clothing, notepads and pencils, her camera and lots of extra charged batteries. She also packed her ipod and solar charging dock for everything.

Miley’s bag was packed and she was ready to go by eight pm on Friday. She had her big suitcase packed with all of her clothing and the other items she thought that she would need.

The taxi arrived early and Miley walked out to greet the man with a smile. “Hello. How is traffic today?”

“It’s just like any other day in New York. Let’s just get movin’ so that we don’t get stuck in it
,” he scoffed.

“Of course,” she said then slid into the back seat of the yellow cab while the driver placed her bags in the back.

The drive, like any other, came with its complications. People encroached on the roads; cars were all over, but the cab arrived with plenty of time. “Thanks,” Miley cooed as she grabbed hold of her two bags and tugged them away.

The airport was
as if she had remembered it, huge. Miley pushed her way through the crowd until she came to the pre-bought-ticket booth. “I have a reserved ticket. Miley Tanner. One to the Galapagos Islands,” she told the woman behind the counter.

“Yes. I see you here. One luggage, one carry-on,” she said typing rapidly. “First class. Prepaid.”

“Yes, that’s it,” Miley smiled.

“Can I see some identification and passport?” she asked.

“Sure,” Miley murmured scrounging in her purse where she had stored them.

“Thank you,” The ticket woman said sounding as if she had plugged her nose to reply. “Okay. Thank you, Miss Tanner. The plane is AirGul, down that way to gate sixty-five. Its flight number 140 and it boards at 9:05.”

“Thanks,” Miley muttered as she pushed her ID and passport back into her purse along with the lonely ticket. She looked down at her watch and then up to the clock for confirmation. She had forty minutes to get there. Deciding she would get a latte before her flight, she took off toward the food court.

Miley made her way down the corridor while she sipped gingerly at her drink. When she finally got to the gate, she sat down on the benches and waited.

“I received an email from Geography Decoded Magazine,” the man said to his alpha.

“Well, that’s great
,” He smiled to his second in command. “What did they say?”

“They said thank you for the tip and there is a person on their way to discover what secrets lay there
,” the man smiled devilishly. “They’re sending someone to investigate the island, take pictures, and hopefully he will catch sight of one of them.”

“Perfect
,” the other man beamed at his second in command. They had long since been looking for a way to destroy the other clan, and this was the perfect attack. Nobody would suspect it was them.

“Your plan is going to work perfectly
,” the man chuckled. “Now. Let us see how this plays out. Maybe we can get the alpha female after all.”

“What do you want me to do about the person… the magazine company wanted me to guide him,” the beta asked nervously.

“That’s more than obvious Victor,” the alpha snorted.

“Pick him up at the airport and drop him off at the island. When the bags are tossed off the boat hightail it out of there.”

“Yes alpha,” the man nodded.

“Great
,” the edges of the alpha’s lips rose slightly. He was hoping that they would send someone and not look at the tip as a hoax. “And when does this man arrive?”

“Well, I received a confirmation from the magazine, he’s arriving tomorrow. I guess his flight was leaving New York in the United State on Saturday as I understood it.”

“Good, you’re free to go now,” The alpha chuckled darkly. He was evil. If he had to expose his own kind to rid himself of the clan stronger than his then… so be it.

“And Victor…” the alpha’s called stopping Victor from leaving.

“Yes, alpha,” Victor said quickly turning toward his alpha.

“I want to have a meeting with all the clan tonight, six pm we’ll have a potluck,” the alpha told him.

As the Alpha prepared for the pending clan meeting, he could not help, but feel the tension building around him. Everyone seemed to have shown up, and it was great. Clan members were anxious to hear his news. Yet, he could feel that many were beyond nervous.

“Hello, everyone!” the alpha boomed over the crowd.

“Alpha,” Victor bowed his head as he approached, taking his place beside the podium. “Everyone has come to hear the announcements.”

The alpha nodded down to his second in command. “Thank you everyone for coming. I know you all have questions, but I will direct questions to Victor later. I have devised a plan. We have contacted a magazine
to explore the Isle of Myst,” gasps erupted around the room and the alpha sighed.

The group
did not really know what to think. They were worried about being exposed. Their homes were secluded, hidden in the jungles of South America.

“They will be sending a photographer.”

More gasps. Really people, the alpha groaned, but then continued, “If our plan works well… the McBride Clan will be exposed.”

Everyone began to murmur worriedly. The alpha could hear their complaints and worries. His speech had lasted nearly a half an hour, and his stomach was rumbling. The alpha made his way to the head of the line and filled his plate up with the best of the treats on the table.

Once dinner was done, the alpha made his way to the ocean’s shore. “Take flight with me?” he called out hearing multiple roars behind him. Many of the clan had already shifted and were awaiting him. The alpha smiled. “Soon we will not need to worry, we can claim the Isle for our own!” he called.

He could feel the creature within him weaving around his body anxiously. It crept up from the markings, similar to a tattoo sprawling across his arm, chest, and back, until it finally burst from his skin. The spirit form took flight, swirling around him as alpha lifted his head to the sky and sucked in a deep breath. “Take me,” he commanded. Not even seconds
later, it burst through him, shifting his body to become the creature, his true form.

Massive wings thumped through the air. They lifted up the massive beasts attached to them. It was a unique and beautiful sight, if only there was anyone here to watch. The only ones watching the beasts take flight were their human counter—
parts, which had seen the sight many times.

One of the beasts roared, alerting the others that they were to turn around and hover over the island. Before they landed, the biggest and strongest of the beasts chuffed, tilting his head. His second in command turned his head in the direction of which his alpha tilted his head. A sacrificial ceremony was about to take place.

One of them was expected to come and kill the woman on the platform. She was to die with a purpose. She would be providing the safety of the surrounding villages, and the people living there.

It was the choice of the alpha that tonight he would do it. It was a risky task, which only experienced warriors took on. The massive grey green beast broke away from his group letting his beta direct the clan back home.

The villagers were all locked safely within their homes. They were terrified. Petrified even; afraid the beast would eat them as well. They did not dare look out the windows because rumors about the beast instilled such fear… they wouldn’t dream of catching sight of its ugly, terrifying form.

The night was getting late, and the dragon was assured the sacrifice would be drooping against the hefty ropes they would have tied her with. If he
did not get there quickly, blood would be shed from cuts the ropes would produce. That was just something which really had no purpose; there was no reason to spill the blood.

As the whoop of his massive wings sounded through the air, the sacrifice looked up, fear evident in her eyes.

She was just as beautiful as any of the others had been. This one was young though, probably only seventeen years of age. Flaming red hair and petrified emerald eyes. Torches surrounding the platform flickered and wavered against the dragon’s wing-created-wind. The girl’s eyes bulged and soon the ear piercing torturous sound of her scream rang through the air.

The dragon’s razor sharp claws dug into the old wooden platform, stopping its body’s motion. The wood groaned and protested beneath his weight. The dragon rolled his eyes. Humans really underestimated his weight and size when they had built the altar. The sacrificial woman had passed out, and she was slumping against the ropes. They dug into her tender, pale flesh.

Shifting his weight carefully, the dragon tried not to wave his tale which caused the platform to creak relentlessly. He hovered on three legs, lifted up the fourth, and swiped the rope with it, catching the girl’s tiny frame before she hit the hard wood.

The dragon shifted the girl’s body so that he could grip her tight enough but without causing any harm. The dragon wings lifted its body twenty feet into the air with a single flap. He lofted himself away swiftly through the air as the sun began to rise; he needed to be back to his home before the sun rose. His grey green scales would stick out like a sore thumb against the blue background.

The girl’s body dangled helplessly from between the dragons talons as he flew. He pushed himself fast until finally the clearing beside the beach where he had left his things came into view. Swooping down low, the dragon arched himself backward so that he could land more with his hind legs than his front.

“Isn’t she a pretty one,” someone said from a seated position behind the dragon.

The dragon turned his head and nodded. “She is a stunning one. Quite young though, maybe we could trade her,” His words were thickly laced with a heavy Latin accent, and he knew that the girl wouldn’t understand if she was awake.

The dragon placed the girl down and strode toward the edge of the sand. The man stood from his spot and strut toward the dragon, wanting to check out the girl. He had left his clothing over there.

The massive beast ducked its head and curled its spine as the metamorphism took place. His body cracked and crumbled, shortened and changed. Within no time, he laid there stark naked, the man of his other half.

Standing up, he grabbed hold of his clothing, pulling them on piece by piece. The dawn was warmer now, yet the thick moisture from the earlier hours still held. Once dressed, he rejoined the other man.

One knelt before the girl, eyeing her. They would take her to the women’s cottage; they would check her wounds, from the ropes she had been confined with. The girl’s head twitched and her eyes fluttered opened as one of the men lifted her up.

She was confused, it was understandable. She
did not understand. The dragon should have eaten her, not delivered her here.

Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and Victor began slowly, “You are ours now and you will never return to your home.”

It was finally beginning to click. These men were the legendary shape shifters which her people feared. “Are you going to eat me?” she whimpered.

The alpha chuckled. “We might.”

“Please don’t kill me,” she cried trying to scurry away.

An evil grin passed over the man’s lips as Victor lifted the girl up. She kicked and screamed.

“Oh my god, my family,” the girl cried out as the man chuckled evilly.

“Do not worry. They have given you and next month… another.” The girl’s scream echoed through the jungle, but nobody would hear her. They were miles from her old village.

“Your screams are useless.”