Island of Dragons (4 page)

Knocking on the wooden door of Diesel’s office, Grant prepared for conflict. “Who is it?” Diesel snapped. He
did not like to be disturbed this late at night.

“Alpha, its Grant,” Grant called to his alpha from the far side of the door.

“What do you want?” Diesel demanded.

“May I come in?” Grant asked cautiously. Jessica allowed him in the house, but she
did not authorize anyone into the alpha’s office.

“Come in, come in.” Diesel grunted.

Grant pushed the door open and stepped inside quickly. Letting out an impatient sigh, Grant spoke. “Alpha, a woman was spotted by the river today,” he rushed.

“WHAT?!” Diesel asked.

“Yes, sir, I believe she is human. The clan member who spotted her was too afraid to approach. He said he hadn’t ever seen her before,” Grant urged.

“Set out a perimeter search. I want to know where she is now. We will have a meeting to alert the clan,” Diesel said with authority.

“Yes, alpha.” Grant nodded.

Grant stepped from the office and began to speak with the night staff. Diesel pushed from his chair then followed him out.

“Set out perimeter monitors guarding the village. We don’t know what she is doing here. I want to know where she is, and I want her watched. If the girl causes trouble, I’ll intervene,” Diesel told him then continued to his library.

It had been years since they had visitors on their island. Main island residence never visited here. They were too afraid of the consequences.

It was nearly dark when Diesel brought the McBride clan to order in the meeting room of his home. It was the biggest home on the village and was where every clan member was welcomed if there was a threat.

“Hello, everyone,” he called above murmuring voices.

The room fell silent. The clan members’ respect was impeccable. “I have called this meeting tonight because a stranger has been spotted wandering around by the river.”

Murmurs and chatter began and he continued. “Currently, we are assessing the threat. I would like to have everyone be aware of things around them. Do not talk to anyone you don’t know! Do not get caught shifting! I am putting a ban on shifting within the outer limits. Only shifting within the village and designated safe zones until further notice. When we have found the person… she will be watched. If necessary we will take her into custody and question her. But until then, everyone be safe,” Diesel told his clan.

After the meeting, Diesel released everyone to their homes. Already being late, he walked up to Grant, yawning. “I am going to bed. If there is any urgent news, make sure I am woken,” he told him.

The perimeter guards shifted into their beautiful cryptic beasts. One after another, creatures appeared where men once stood, each brandishing a different beautiful color; there was a creature for nearly every color of the rainbow, but these were warriors. They wore stern cold looks.

Their features weren’t important to them, but their strength, stealth, and concentration were key. “Do not get seen!” the guard leader called out.

“Yes, sir!” The warriors answered.

“Our alpha, Diesel, has asked us to search the perimeter and scout for a woman. They are suspecting her to be human.” A tall golden colored dragon spoke. He was the leader of the perimeter patrol group.

“Sir.” A smaller yellow and golden colored dragon stepped forward.

“Yes, Derek?” the leader asked.

Derek cleared his throat and shifted his weight as he stood slightly taller. “Do we leave in teams?”

“Well, son,” The leader began to reply with a tone which signified that he would have held a proud smile. Derek was his prodigy, his son, the one who would soon take over his own patrol party. “That’s a good idea. Look after one another. The woman has posed no threat so far. Keep your distance. We are only scouting for where she is staying.”

When the small speech was concluded, the beasts took flight while others wandered the forest. They had excellent night vision, and would use the night to their advantage.

Throughout the night, eight of the magnificent creatures combed the island. They had searched a third of the land by the time morning came and still hadn’t found her campsite.

Assembling in the small clearing once again, they reported their findings to the leader. “We found no signs of her, sir.”

“We will keep the clan on high alert. If anyone spots her, I want to know immediately.” The leader said, sighing.

Their alpha wouldn’t appreciate this at all. He might even be furious, but there was nothing the patrols could do if they could not find the woman.

The next day, Miley crawled out from her tent; once again, birds alerted her of the morning. She changed her clothing, putting on a bikini and a simple spring dress. Miley searched through the supplies Victor had left her and sighed.

“Well, at least he left me some food and water
,” she groaned. She would definitely complain to the magazine company about their shady guide.

She combed the photos in her camera and decided that she really had to start to break through the outer shell of the island and explore the jungle. She had concluded this was a pretty big island and that she would probably get many complaints if she only showed up with pictures of animals and sand.

After eating an apple and a breakfast bar, Miley grabbed hold of a backpack and wandered over to the tent. Unzipping the tent, Miley dumped everything onto her sleeping bag. Then meticulously, Miley packed the items, which she thought would be necessary to carry along with her. She packed some food and water bottles, a pad of paper and pencils, her solar charging dock for her camera, her mp3 player, and her knife; along with anything else that seemed important.

Miley slipped on a pair of sandals, and then lopped the backpack over her back and the camera strap over her neck; she let out a breath and walked straight for the trees.

Miley pushed and shoved at the brush and walked straight into the canopy. After what seemed like forever of huffing into the trees, Miley began to wonder how bad of an idea this really was.

She
could not see a path back in any direction, and a tear escaped her eyes. Miley had walked for hours. There was nothing more she could do but continue on her aimless mission through the trees, hoping to eventually emerge on the shore somewhere.

Thankfully, after another few miles, Miley had come into a clearing. It was a good place to rest; a section that was bare and dry. She pulled the backpack off her back and set it down on a rock. Her stomach rumbled and, now that she was lost, she really
did not know if she should eat or ration what she had.

Sighing, Miley decided that she needed to eat a bit and drink some. She pulled one of the water bottles from her backpack and cracked it open. Tipping her head back slightly and gulping down a small bit, Miley sighed. Why had she been so stupid to wander into the canopy without the help of a gps marker to get back to the shoreline, or a map, or …Well… it was an uncharted, undocumented, unexplored island she reminded herself.

Tears flowed freely now down Miley’s cheeks. Would she ever get home again? Would she starve to death on this island, or would she die of dehydration?

Darkness began to fall and Miley shivered slightly. How stupid had she been to not bring warmer clothing? She hadn’t brought a sweater, no jeans, and nope… not even a blanket.

Searching for something that she could use to start a fire with, Miley whimpered when she came up short. She hated her life. Why had she decided to go on this stupid trip anyway?

Her parents would be so ashamed that their daughter was so stupid. They had never encouraged her love of photography. They had wanted her to do something better in their opinion, like marry Leon, who
did not like her love for photography either.

When Miley refused his proposal, after finding him in bed naked with her sister… she rebelled and flew out to New York, taking the job at Siegel on a whim. Her parents wouldn’t release her trust fund until she turned twenty-one and returned home or married the man of their choice. Now, she seriously contemplated her sanity.

So…contemplating her sanity, cold, afraid, and alone, Miley curled into a ball and covered herself with a few big leaves she had pulled from the lowest branches of trees that she could find.

The next night, the perimeter patrol set out again. They set out as soon as the night would cover them from sight. Searching by foot
did not really get them far, so instead of wasting their energy in that way, the group rested and waited until it was dark once again.

“This time I want to have the focus on the shore line. That is where we should have started. I want each group to fly out in their specified direction toward the ocean. We will fly around in each direction until the entire shore line is covered. If you do not spot anything by the time you meet up with another dragon, take to the inner island, and focus on the parts of the island which we haven’t covered yet.” the leader told his patrollers.

“Yes, sir!” the dragon patrollers barked back.

They removed their articles of clothing and shifted with ease, letting the night’s crisp air waft over them as they did so.

The patrollers had met in the village center tonight, each having said goodnight to their families. Once their partners had shifted, the teams headed out. The village sounded like a massive wind tunnel as a multitude of dragons took flight flapping their massive wings and lifting their colorful bodies into the night air. A chuff-like sound from their leader alerted them to take their leave of the village in search of the woman.

Derek, the young patrol leader’s son and his partner, Max, a massive creamy orange dragon took off to the east while two others headed to the north, south, and west. Derek and Max were usually partners, best friends, yet both were focused and strict warriors.

Together the two flew, their wings nearly touching as they swept through the sky. Each with their heads tilted downward searching for a sign that a visitor was below. Once they reached the beach, they turned right flying toward the next group’s location.

Max’s chuff alerted Derek. Derek turned his head toward his friend with a quick nod; the two dragons dropped to the ground. They had found a camp.

“I’ll shift and search the tent,” Derek whispered to his partner.

Max nodded and stood guard while Derek shifted and pulled on a pair of shorts he had tucked in a pack around his calf. It was specially made to expand with the growth of a dragon’s leg.

Derek carefully stalked forward. He knew Max had his back and would make sure that nobody snuck up on him. The camp site seemed to be abandoned. Nodding his head over the tent, Max suggested Derek check the inside. Slowly, Derek reached for the zipper.

The zzzzzziiiiiiiiiiiippppppppppp of the zipper was like the sound of fingernails on a chalk board. It ripped through the night, and Derek cringed. He
could not be any quieter. Yet, when he pulled open the tent’s flap, he was surprised not to find someone within.

“It’s empty,” he called over to Max.

Max cocked his head. “Really?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Derek said breathily as he stepped inside. Calling out again, “and it’s cold. Nobody’s been here in a while,” he told Max as he felt the sleeping bag and stepped out.

Zipping the tent back up, both guys wondered where the woman could be. “It’s definitely a human girl. The stuff is a female’s for sure, and the bed’s scent is human,” Derek said.

“Well, should we go looking for the girl or should we go back and alert the alpha?” Max asked.

“I’ll look for the girl. You go back and update the alpha, then see if he would mind if you come out and join in the search,” Derek said.

“I don’t know, Derek… You don’t know what the human’s capable of, she could be dangerous,” Max told his friend sincerely.

“Max.” Derek shook his head. “I can easily shift and take out any threat. Besides, it’s just a human girl. I’m sure she’s like any other,” Derek assured.

Derek watched as his friend took to the sky. Then, letting his sense of smell guide him, Derek sucked in a deep breath and took to the jungle.

Shifting as he landed, Max tugged on a pair of shorts and hurried toward the alpha’s house. Dawn was coming and he was still anxious about his friend’s decision. Yet, Derek was his superior, and Max followed orders to a tee.

He stepped up to the alpha’s home and knocked. Footprints on the other side of the door quickly alerted Max that someone was coming to answer him. He sucked in a breath and stood tall, confident.

“Ah… Max.” Jessica smiled; she was the head of the staff at the alpha’s home and held the position proudly. If she did not want to let a clan member in … they did not come in.

“Jessica,” Max said with urgency. “I need to speak to the alpha,” he told her.

“Oh, of course, I assume you have news of the patrols?” she questioned as she held open the door allowing Max to walk in.

“Yes, ma’am,” he told her.

“Well, you know the way.” Jessica smiled. It wasn’t uncommon for a patroller to come to the alpha’s house; they were usual guests for dinners and meetings, so it was certain that Max would know the way.

“Thank you,” Max said as he continued through the house. Walking the hall until he came to Diesel’s door, Max
did not need to knock, the door was wide open.

“Ah. Max, news of the patrol?” Diesel asked sitting up slightly.

“Yes, alpha,” Max replied.

“Well, go ahead.” Diesel urged.

“Derek and I found a campsite. The bedding was cold, and it seemed to be vacant for a while.”

“Well, then.” Diesel grinned. The threat was over then. A campsite cleanup wasn’t that bad.

“It is definitely a human, and all the items suggest the human is a woman. Derek set into the jungle to track her, while I returned to inform you.” Max rushed to say.

“Oh” Diesel replied. Taking in the man’s anxious behavior, Diesel raised an eyebrow “And I am sure you are anxious to assist in the search?”

“Yes, alpha.” Max shifted his position.

“Thank you for the update. Please inform me if you find the woman,” Diesel told him. “Now go ahead and meet up with your partner.”

Max sighed in relief before swiftly turning and making his way down the hall. As he exited the house, Max was already stripping his shorts, folding it into his calf pack, and shifting.

Warrior dragons were teamed together and linked together through magic. Max’s feather light wings flapped, lofting himself up into the air. Without hast, he followed his connection, quickly making his way to his partner’s side. He
did not expect for Derek to be so close.