by Zoe Chant
But instead, the business had thrived. It seemed that Isaak Vallas was a smart investor, and had pulled the business out of its tailspin.
Josie could count the number of things she knew about finance and shipping on one finger, and she’d mostly skimmed the admiring articles all flattering Vallas’s business sense. She’d felt a mild flicker of curiosity after reading an article noting that Isaak Vallas had more recently become extremely reclusive, but then she had moved on, looking for something that might help her get access to the island.
Her only interest in it came from the fact that one of the Croatian fishermen she’d become friendly with said his son, who was working in the Greek islands now, had told him he’d sighted the white speckled kingfisher on Calauria.
Maybe it was nothing but wishful thinking on her part. But she was getting nowhere in the seaside mountains in Croatia. All she was doing was burning through her grant money and wasting her time. What did she have to lose? At worst, it would be another dead end, another baseless rumor. But at best...
“Hey, pretty lady! Need a ride out to the islands?”
Josie stopped in her tracks at the sound of the heavily accented but nonetheless perfectly fluent English. Glancing up, she found herself looking into the weathered face of a man in his forties, smile lines around his eyes and mouth, his dark hair streaked with gray. He was grinning at her and gesturing toward the small boat docked nearby. “I can take you out – much cheaper than getting a yacht. More comfortable too.”
Josie couldn’t help herself from smiling – he was clearly being ironic, as his boat was small and obviously a little rickety. Still, she did need a ride, and he had said it was cheap.
“Sure,” she said, adjusting her equipment bags on her shoulders as she approached him. “As it happens, I do.”
“Of course, of course.” He grinned at her, before reaching out to take her bags, glancing curiously at the unusual shapes and the ‘FRAGILE’ stickers. “Heavy. Are your dancing shoes inside?”
Josie couldn’t help but laugh. “No – it’s all equipment for my job. I’m an ornithologist. I study –”
“Yes, birds.” The man nodded, and Josie grinned, shaking her head at herself. Well, that’ll teach me to make assumptions!
“Which island do you need, miss?”
“Calauria,” she told him as he helped her into the boat.
The man paused suddenly, looking at her sideways. “No, I don’t think so,” he said after a long moment. “Maybe you mean a different island?”
Josie shook her head firmly. “No, it’s definitely Calauria. I know it’s not a tourist island, but I’m here for work. I have permission from the Vallas family to be there. I can show you the letter from their lawyers, if you like.”
The man frowned. “It’s not safe there.”
Josie knew that some Greek islands, far from the beach paradises that a lot of people envisioned, could be surprisingly rugged. But she was used to that, and had studied topographical maps and aerial photos before deciding to make the trip. She’d definitely done field work in rougher places.
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Believe me – I’m a professional. I’m used to rugged terrain.”
“It’s not the terrain,” the man said, his voice quiet. “But it’s not safe.”
Josie felt irritation rise up inside her.
Why am I not more of a people person? she asked herself in frustration. If only she was more charming, more personable, she could probably coax him into taking her. Maybe wiggle her hips a little and use her feminine wiles to persuade him. But that had never been her, and she could only be herself: kind of awkward, and a lot impatient.
“I need to get out to the island,” she said again. “I can pay you – I can even pay you a little more.” Her gut twisted as she made the offer, but she knew she didn’t have much choice.
The man paused, studying her face. “No. It’s not the money. It’s... something else.”
Josie frowned. “What do you mean?”
The man hesitated. “It’s not for me to say. But will you be there alone?”
Nodding, Josie felt a thrill of fear run up her spine. “I will, but... I’ll only be on the north coast of the island. I’ve been told not to go up to the Vallas family’s private villa.”
The lawyer’s letter had been very clear on that point, Josie recalled. She was, under no circumstances, to go up to the villa that sprawled across the south side of the island. That was for the Vallas family’s private entertainment only. The public – or a nosy ornithologist – was not invited.
Again, the man hesitated, seeming unsure. “Are you sure you need to go there?”
“Completely sure,” Josie said instantly. “I promise you, I do know what I’m doing.”
It grated on her to have to justify her professionalism to anyone, but she tried to remember what she’d just thought about being more personable. Being friendly wouldn’t kill her.
The man hesitated a moment longer. “Okay,” he said finally. “I’ll take you. But... my brother. He runs deliveries to Calauria every three days. Food, supplies, this kind of thing. If you want to leave, go to the dock and wait for him. Any time. He’ll take you back to the mainland.”
Josie wanted to ask what on earth was so mysterious and dangerous about Calauria, but in the end, she decided to bite her tongue. She didn’t need to give the man second thoughts about taking her.
She glanced out across the ocean as the man busied himself untying the boat from the docks, before starting the motor. They took off slowly, navigating their way through the other docked boats – and then they were away, the wind whipping through her hair and the salty tang of seaspray on her skin.
Josie could have laughed out loud – Finally, finally!
Despite all the discouragement she’d experienced in her search, Josie couldn’t help but feel her spirits lift as the boat made its way out across the dazzling ocean. She knew she shouldn’t get her hopes up yet again, but she couldn’t help it. The sun was shining, and she was in one of the most beautiful places on earth.
She couldn’t help but feel she was on the brink of something wonderful.
Josie realized that, without thinking about it, she had once more begun touching her grandmother’s ring where it sat on her finger.
Please, she thought as she twisted the ring, please don’t let this become just another wild goose chase.
Chapter Two
Isaak
Green eyes.
Green eyes glowing in the dark.
Isaak Vallas turned as he felt the creature’s stare upon him. He already knew what he’d see – the same thing he’d been seeing in his dreams every night for the past six years.
The glowing green eyes of the monster that had haunted him for his entire life.
Of course, he’d had the dreams before that, too – but they’d been much less frequent, and much less vivid. All he could remember of the dreams of his childhood had been a flash of green eyes in the darkness, a slow spool of smoke rising from beneath.
The dreams had been unnerving enough then. In fact, they’d almost seemed like they weren’t dreams at all. It was impossible to explain, but, somehow, Isaak knew that dreams was the wrong word for what was happening.
Dreams weren’t real. Dreams were just nonsense produced by tired brains.
But the monster in his head... that was real.
Isaak clenched his fists, staring at the glowing eyes of the creature. Fear coiled in him, the same as it always did. But he refused to back down. The only way he could survive, he knew, was to confront the beast.
What do you want? he asked, forcing himself to speak without fear.
You know what I want. You know me...
Isaak could feel himself beginning to tremble.
It was always the same: whenever the creature came to him, it would insist that he knew it, and that he knew what it wanted.
It had been getting worse and worse lately. When he’d been a child, th
e visits had been only occasional. But as he reached adolescence and then adulthood, things had started to get worse.
Much worse.
And then, his parents had died.
Nikos and Adriana Vallas had adopted him when he had been five years old. He had been found abandoned as a baby on the steps of the orphanage and had been raised there, sleeping in dormitories with the other orphaned and abandoned children, attending kindergarten and receiving all the care and love the over-worked staff could give them.
He hadn’t imagined how much his life would change when Nikos and Adriana had adopted him. They had never been able to have children of their own, even though they desperately wanted them. But instead of seeking a surrogate, they had decided to do something to help a child in one of the over-crowded orphanages.
They had chosen him.
Isaak didn’t know why – only that they had always treated him as if he was their natural son, and lavished him with love and kindness. And he, in turn, had adored them. He realized he would probably never know who his real parents were, but the love he had been shown by Nikos and Adriana had gone some way to filling the hole he felt in his chest when he thought about them.
And then, suddenly, they had been gone too. Their car had come off a treacherous bend in a road one rainy night, and they had been lost.
He had only been nineteen years old when they died, and his unnerving experiences with the monster inside him had only just begun to become more frequent.
Maybe the two things were connected. His grief for his adoptive parents had been more painful than he had known how to deal with. At first, he had simply wanted to lock himself away from the world and never come out.
But he had quickly realized that he wasn’t alone.
The monster was there inside him at every moment, just waiting for the chance to come out. Being alone only seemed to increase its powers.
He hadn’t been able to stay secluded from the world for long, anyway. With his father’s death, he had inherited the shipping business Nikos had built up from nothing thirty years ago. Isaak had known there were problems, but he hadn’t appreciated the full extent of them until he took charge. There was too much infighting amongst the executives, and the men Nikos had trusted had turned out not to be worthy of it.
Isaak had cleaned house ruthlessly, and gotten rid of the men who’d been cheating his father. After that, it had been a matter of hard work, diligence, and putting into practice all the lessons his adoptive father had taught him about business. Over the next six years, Isaak had re-built his father’s company, turning it around and getting it back in the black.
During this time, he had shoved the monster aside through sheer force of will.
But it had still always been there, lurking at the back of his mind.
Isaak would often wake, panting, his sheets soaked through with sweat, the vision of a green-eyed, fire-breathing beast, its wings spread wide, still dancing before his eyes.
The sleepless nights accumulated.
Until finally, he hadn’t been able to take it anymore.
The company was on its feet, and the smart investments he had made ensured its safety – as well as his own financial security.
He had no dependents. He had once dreamed of having a family, perhaps of adopting an unwanted child the same way Nikos and Adriana had adopted him.
But now he knew he would never escape the monster.
A family – a life – wasn’t possible.
The only thing he could do was close himself away, before he lost control completely.
Before he lived out his worst nightmare, and hurt someone.
His adoptive father had purchased the small island of Calauria back during the halcyon early days of his business, flush with his first millions.
Later, he’d seemed to realize what an incredible extravagance it had been, and the family had rarely spent time there, choosing instead to rent it out to the very rich who wanted to holiday in seclusion.
But to Isaak, it had seemed the perfect place to isolate himself. There would be no one there but him. No one he could hurt, if he ever lost control of the beast.
Now, the only person the monster could hurt was him.
Getting up out of bed, Isaak scrubbed his hands through his dark hair, trying to clear his head.
Behind his eyes, the monster still lingered, teeth shining in the darkness.
You know me, it insisted. You know me, because I am you...
Isaak clenched his fists.
I am not you, he told it, gritting his teeth. Crossing the room, he put his fists down on the marble of his bathroom sink, staring into the mirror in front of him. He looked pale and haggard, his eyes – green like the beast’s – shadowed with sleeplessness.
But he refused to give in.
I am not a monster, he thought. I will never be a monster.
Turning on the faucet, Isaak splashed cold water over his face.
I am Isaak Vallas.
The day was warm when he opened the enormous glass doors that led out onto a stone terrace overlooking the ocean. Once, hundreds of years ago, the villa had been a monastery, but it had been converted into a luxurious home long before his father had purchased it. Still, an element of austerity still clung to it, and Isaak liked it that way. It reminded him of why he was here: to try to conquer his demons.
And I will do it. I swear. If it takes the rest of my life, the monster won’t overcome me...
Taking in a deep breath of warm summer air, Isaak began to make his way down the stairs that led from the terrace to the lower parts of the villa. A lap pool jutted out from the rocks on the story below his bedroom, and Isaak swam at least one hour there every day. Physical activity helped to take the edge off when he woke feeling particularly bad, and today...
... Today he felt terrible.
He felt almost as if he hadn’t slept a wink, despite the fact he knew that wasn’t true. It was just that every time he closed his eyes, he could see the creature there, lurking...
... And today, it seemed especially restless.
Pulling his light linen sleepwear up over his head, Isaak stretched his sore muscles, preparing himself for a hard morning’s swim. The movement would shut out the demon’s voice in his head, and give him, hopefully, an hour’s peace.
He was preparing to dive in when he heard it: the sound of a motorboat drawing near.
Pausing, Isaak went to the edge of where the pool jutted out over the mountain, looking down into the small bay below.
He had all of his food and whatever supplies he needed brought out from the mainland every three days, but today wasn’t a scheduled delivery day.
No one else ever came here.
They knew to stay away.
Over the last four years, rumors had sprung up about this island – and about him.
That he had gone insane, and now roamed the island like an animal.
That he was some kind of bestial madman, whose isolation had driven him crazy.
And maybe they’re not wrong, Isaak thought grimly.
But he pushed the thought away as quickly as it had come. Whatever evil lay inside him hadn’t taken him over – yet.
Looking down into the bay, Isaak could see a small boat making its way from the mainland, an arc of white foam trailing after it through the bright blue of the water.
He watched as it came in to dock at the landing of Calauria’s small bay.
What could they want? Could there be some emergency on the mainland?
Isaak glanced up, but he could sense no danger. Everything was clear and calm – the perfect summer’s morning.
He moved closer, eyes narrowed as he watched the two figures in the boat begin to disembark.
Or – one of them did, anyway. One remained right where they were, shaking their head as the other stepped up onto the landing, seemingly carrying several large bags. The second figure – a woman, he could see now – stepped up from the shadows of the landing and into a shar
d of bright golden sunlight.
Isaak sucked in a breath, staring.
Her hair was a cascade of wild auburn curls, her skin burnished. Her summer shorts hugged the lush curves of her hips and thighs, while her t-shirt did nothing to hide the bountiful swell of her breasts.
His heart thudded against his ribs as he stared at her, unable to tear his eyes away. Isaak had known that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen the moment he laid eyes on her. But it wasn’t just her beauty that was holding his gaze.
No – it was something far more than that.
Something about her held a desperate, indefinable allure that he couldn’t resist.
Something that sent his heart juddering in his chest, and seemed to pull at his very soul.
Never before in his life had he responded to anyone the way he was responding to this woman.
But... what is she doing here? Why is she here?
No one should be coming to the island at all.
For a moment, Isaak felt a chill in the pit of his stomach.
Could she be a reporter, come to pry?
The Vallas family was well-known, and not just in the world of business. His father had regularly appeared in the newspapers, and his mother had been famed for her philanthropic works – works that Isaak had continued after her death. He had not only continued the charitable foundations she had started, but, after he had turned Vallas Shipping Inc.’s fortunes around, he had even been able to increase their funding and reach.
Reporters had circled like vultures after his parents’ deaths, trying to find out whatever they could about him. He had felt unready to be thrust into the limelight, and had focused on work to deflect attention as much as possible – though that was an understatement.
He had buried himself in work, sometimes forgetting to eat or sleep.
Eventually, the reporters had left him alone.
But this woman didn’t have the look of a reporter. Isaak wasn’t sure why, but he knew he had nothing to fear from this woman. She wasn’t here to harass him or try to dig up his family’s secrets – or his own.
