Awakening Storm

by Larissa Emerald

  But if she was honest with herself, those reasons were just part of why she’d signed up for the show six months ago. Now, more than ever, striking out on some outrageous adventure would do her good. She needed something new in her life, some excitement. She needed to prove to herself that she was strong and resourceful and her own person. Her ex-fiancé kept saying she couldn’t make it without him. But he was wrong.

  And if she peeled back her feelings further, she wanted to do something reckless for once in her life, like stare death in the face and having survival be all that mattered.

  She shook her head. That’s how much someone could crush you.

  Then there was the million-dollar prize she’d win if she managed to return alive . . . That would certainly lift her worries about making her business work.

  She took a deep breath. “Okay, Mr. Savage. Let’s go.”

  He flashed his trademark smile. “Great! We must leave immediately,” he said, following her to the entrance while the camera crew trailed behind.

  “And we will. However, I believe I need my passport,” she said with a wink. “Which is at home.”

  He laughed. “Ah yes. That’s right.”

  She traipsed into the parking lot with Savage and the cameramen following behind her. Terri, Joy, and some of their students followed, too, and they hurried forward to line the walk.

  “Be careful,” Terri called out.

  Rhianna raised a playful eyebrow. “Hey, I’m a second-degree black-belt. I know how to handle myself.” She pulled her shoulders back. Before she’d moved to Auburn, she’d even volunteered at a college in Bellevue, teaching a women’s self-defense class.

  Terri tugged a hand through her hair. “Yeah, but still . . . Anything can happen.”

  “Have fun,” one of her students shouted with a wave. The others joined in.

  “I will!” She blew kisses to them with both hands and then slid into the back of the designated black SUV.

  Her hands shook a little as she settled into the seat and watched her support group fade from view out the window, wondering if she’d ever see them again.

  * * *

  Aidan’s stomach growled, and he glanced at his watch. 6:42. He’d gotten home later than he’d expected and now was late for an inner tree meeting with his brothers. Crap.

  He turned and hurried up to the main house, Takeshi at his heels. Moving through the kitchen, he grabbed a peach from the fruit bowl and exited into a passageway on the other side of the room, which led to the tree.

  At the subterranean entrance to his Divine Tree, Aidan paused for acknowledgment of his inner tiger and eagle. A drop of sap penetrated his extended wrist in recognition, and he scooped up Takeshi as the tree allowed them entrance.

  “Benison,” Custos welcomed.

  Aidan nodded. “Benison.”

  “Your brothers have been summoning you,” the Divine Tree went on.

  Aidan sighed. He wasn’t used to rushing. There were few things that required urgency when one lived alone on an island. Still, he hurried to meet his brothers, heading down into the catacombs deep within the tree. Custos had already engaged his special link with the other ten trees throughout the world, each of the brothers appearing on a screen so the others could see him.

  “It’s about time,” his brother Venn said when Aidan came into view of the group.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting,” Aidan apologized.

  Ian, another of the Hearst brothers, chuckled. “Had your nose is some book, did you?”

  Aidan had expected the ribbing. He, more than any of his brothers, enjoyed math, science, and philosophy. Which seemed strange since he was married to this island off the northeastern coast of Japan where his Divine Tree resided. But by studying every book he could get his hands on—and there were a lot with the age of computers—the world had opened to him.

  He may be confined to an island, but it had all the comforts of any modern establishment, and then some. His delegato was his connection to the outside world, and he did a fine job of getting him everything he needed when he couldn’t build it himself.

  “I just returned from my journey to the mainland,” Aidan explained.

  “You left your tree unguarded?” Venn asked.

  Aidan shrugged. Each of their Divine Trees was positioned in a special place with some near rare portholes into another universe, and as Guardians, they were to protect the trees of life from any intruders. He folded his arms over his chest. “There hasn’t been anything happening here. No sign of anyone who shouldn’t be here. And things have been quiet with Theodora. I’m sure Custos would know if anything was up.”

  Venn pressed his lips together and shook his head slowly, clearly disappointed in Aidan. But they didn’t understand what it was like to be all alone at all times.

  Nonetheless, worry seeped into Aidan’s chest. He swallowed. “What? Has there been action with you guys?”

  “If you were on time, you’d know we’ve already been through that,” Lachlan growled.

  Aidan clenched his teeth. Had he known his brothers were going to be so testy, he might have skipped the meeting altogether.

  Ian sighed. “There has been much going on in all the worlds, Brother. Even if there is no clear danger at present, it may be the calm before the storm. With the Age of Atonement—”

  “I know,” Aidan interrupted. “We must be diligent.”

  “So then why were you traveling to the mainland?” Ian inquired.

  Takeshi barked, as if he knew Aidan was about to mention him.

  Brandt’s mug came closer to one of the screens, filling the entire thing. “What was that? Did you get a new pup?”

  Aidan smiled as his brother’s all leaned toward their screens. “That’s why I was on the mainland.”

  “What breed?” Lachlan asked, his earlier frustration falling from his voice. Then they all started asking him questions. They knew how hard Aidan had taken the loss of Sora, and it meant a lot that they were trying.

  “Akita,” Aidan answered, picking up Takeshi again and showing them.

  “Uh, umm, very cute.” Ian cleared his throat. “Now can we get back to our meeting?”

  Takeshi barked again and wriggled out of Aidan’s arms, only to start pulling on the leg of his pants. Aidan laughed and then shrugged.

  “I guess that’s a no,” Ian said, resigned. “Well, keep your eyes open and reach out should anything change.”

  “I will,” Aidan promised. “Be careful, Brothers.”

  They each nodded in turn, and Custos disconnected them one after the other.

  “Now,” Custos grumbled, “get that creature out of my tree.”

  •

  Rhianna braced herself against the onslaught of the next gust of wind that beat against the helicopter. It had been two days since she’d left the States, and now they were flying to the deserted island of Tsuriairando, in the heart of the Dragon Vortex.

  “Be ready,” Hedai, the chopper pilot said over his shoulder. “I want to get in and get the hell out. These haunted waters are cursed.”

  “That’s what all the locals have told me,” she admitted. The reason for their unease was clear: no one traveled willingly to this area. Too many people didn’t come back.

  “Because it is true, Miss,” he said.

  Suddenly the helicopter pitched off its mark by several feet. The pilot swore in Japanese and circled around, making adjustments on the descent. Below, the waves slapped against the sandbar that jutted off the south end of the island. She was to be dropped off here. Evidently, it was the only section of solid ground devoid of trees and dense vegetation.

  “Are you sure you want to head out today? Can you handle the weather?” asked the chopper’s copilot, Steve, seeming far more concerned about her welfare than the TV show’s director and host had been.

  She flicked a glance at Savage, who was sitting beside her. “I’ll be fine,” she answered, adjusting the waterproof GoPro on her head. The camera and a satellite tel
ephone would be her only connection to the team and the outside world once they dropped her off. She inhaled deeply, her heart tripping in her chest.

  Three weeks. Alone. To discover if the boogeyman actually existed in the Dragon Vortex.

  Savage placed a firm hand on her shoulder. “People will tune in and watch because they want to feel connected; they want to be there. They want to feel what it’s like to be on an island, alone, in a place where so many have died.” He squeezed her shoulder harder. “Give them a good show.”

  She nodded, the nervousness growing in her stomach.

  The helicopter wobbled from left to right as it descended farther. Rhianna clenched her hands into fists, anticipating the touchdown; she wished she could see out the door. At least then she’d know how close they were. Finally, the landing skids settled lightly onto the sand, and the sinking feeling in her stomach let up. She exhaled a sigh of relief. That was far more controlled than she’d expected.

  Steve slid open the side door of the helicopter. The wind came rushing in, striking her face and whipping her hair out of the bobby pin it had been secured with. When she swiped her hair away and resecured it, she got her first view of the island.

  Swiss Family Robinson come to life. It reminded her a little of New Zealand. She’d like to go there someday, too . . . if she survived this.

  Savage slid to the edge to help her out—and so he’d be in view of the camera.

  “Okay. Out you go,” he said.

  Her heart hammered faster, but she chased any doubts from her mind. She scooted to the edge of the chopper and quickly climbed out. Her feet sank into the sand as water gushed across her shins in waves, exacerbated by the helicopter’s gusts.

  Savage thrust a canvas supply satchel toward her. “Here’s your survival bag.”

  Her arm sagged as she accepted it. “My goodness, it’s heavy.”

  “It includes the extra batteries for your electronics and a solar recharger, so keep those dry in the waterproof bag,” he ordered. “You won’t get any replacements, so take care of them. And you’ll need to ration your food.”

  She nodded. Another wave of apprehension washed over her. Man, she hadn’t recalled those details from the briefing. What else had she missed?

  As he dipped back inside the chopper, Savage yelled, “Oh, and remember, if you need help, you can contact us via the Sat phone. We’ll be stationed on the yacht not far away but, you know, out of the danger zone. We should get your GoPro video via Livestream.” He gave her a thumbs-up.

  She returned the gesture, indicating she was all set.

  Then she ducked her head and hustled away from the chopper, following the sandbar. When she was clear, she stopped and glanced back. It rose and flew away. She stood transfixed, watching it disappear out to sea.

  Even through the whir of the wind, she could hear her heartbeat thudding in her ears. She swallowed hard.

  Too late for second thoughts, Rhia.

  The program was more of a reality-show expedition about why people disappeared than a show that would actually allow her to die, she reminded herself. She would be one of the few who did make it out of the Dragon Vortex.

  Eventually, she noticed the lap of the surf against her legs. The waves were rough, sending sets of whitecaps rolling over the sandbar. She turned and tromped along the sand to the shore, her running shoes creating a sucking kerplop with every step.

  Reaching the shore, she took stock of her location. From this vantage point, the sandbar was easy to spot, but judging from the dense vegetation up and down the coastline, she doubted that would be the case when she was traveling from the opposite direction, from the inland out. She’d have to remember that when she was making her way back here to be picked up when the twenty-one days were over.

  She chewed her lower lip. The sky was full of nasty-looking clouds, making it impossible to determine the placement of the sun to get her bearings.

  She couldn’t help but wonder if visibility had anything to do with why the victims went missing.

  * * *

  Takeshi’s bark engaged the sound-activated alarm clock, which automatically set off the machinations of the morning. The vibration of the drum triggered a rise of a lever, sending a metal ball rolling along a track until it knocked a swinging gate against a switch that filled a coffeepot with water, then an arm set it on the stove. And so it went, like a finely tuned assembly line.

  As he got out of bed, washed his face, dressed and traipsed into the kitchen, the rhythm of clicks and clacks of moving objects created a backdrop and illusion of being busy. The sort of noise one really didn’t have when living alone on a deserted island. But the system he’d created filled that void.

  It wasn’t the same as having someone to snuggle with when he woke up in the morning, of course. And Takeshi traipsing across the bed certainly didn’t count.

  Aidan slid a fried egg from a pan onto a plate and gave a second one to the dog. “Hmm, I seem to be getting up earlier since you arrived,” he grumbled to Takeshi. He hadn’t realized how laid-back he’d become with the pup’s predecessor.

  His lifestyle allowed for total flexibility. He spent his days inventing things and tinkering with machines. Just last night he’d been working with a piece of copper, honing it to create a funnel to help channel more water from the waterfall into the turbine to generate electricity at a higher rate. His home on the island had to be self-sufficient after all, being that it was so remote. His delegato also presented his inventions to the world, which earned Aidan sufficient income to expand his innovations and interests.

  After he’d eaten, he climbed the staircase from his living quarters to the aboveground solarium. It was situated on the peak of a mountainous rise from which he could see both sides of the island on a clear day, plus the canopy of the sacred oak tucked in the valley below. He inhaled a deep breath, gazing out the windows, and frowned at the fog enveloping the island.

  “It will clear,” he predicted to Takeshi. “Come, I’ll show you the island.”

  The pup lifted his chin, his tail wagging like the blade of a mixer, and followed as Aidan led the way to an outer deck. He decided to introduce his tiger form to begin with so he could stay close to the pup. The eagle would come later.

  Takeshi sat very still as Aidan changed from man to cat, tilting his head as if not quite sure what to make of the transition. When Aidan strode closer, the pup jumped back with a yip. Takeshi darted left and then right. Aidan slowly circled around him, and then initiated a game of back-and-forth play. Soon the pup was trotting between Aidan’s strong, powerful legs, weaving around and brushing up against him, his curiosity clearly outweighing his fear.

  When Aidan thought the connection was strong enough for the pup to stay with him, he led the way down the mountain and into the thick forest. Come, he instructed with his mind. Let’s be free.

  * * *

  Rhianna gave a huge sigh as she took in the thick foliage. Everywhere she looked, there were trees. The reality was a little daunting for a city girl who had gone on only a handful of outdoors excursions, all of which had been in her college days. Washington had tall, stately trees, but none of the places she’d visited shared this thick, wild growth. Her parents had been the types to save everything they earned, so taking extravagant vacations had been out of the question as a child, even though they lived in one of the most gorgeous states on the planet.

  Knowing she had to find shelter before the rain started, Rhianna found an opening in the enormous, tightly packed trees. She picked her way through and found that there were several open areas where she could make camp. Later, she would explore and find a more permanent spot for a home base, but for tonight, she chose a group of fallen trees near a wide, overhanging ledge.

  She was preparing to take a closer look when a dog’s bark ripped through the wind. She turned toward the sound but saw no one. She could have sworn it had been a dog...

  She flinched as her satellite phone rang. She pulled it from the
satchel and answered it. “Rhia here.”

  “Hi, sweetheart,” Savage’s sugary voice greeted her. “Just double-checking the equipment.”

  “It’s working. Thanks,” she said, grateful that he was checking on her.

  “Good. Good. Then I’ll—”

  “Savage, wait,” she interrupted.

  “Yes?”

  “This island is supposed to be uninhabited, right?”

  “That’s right.”

  She paused as she considered telling him about the dog she’d heard, but then thought better of it. When she had researched animals on the islands, there had been no mention of dogs, but that didn’t mean there couldn’t be wild dogs or some other animal. And she didn’t want to seem like a wuss less than thirty minutes after landing.

  “Well, good luck,” he said before the phone went silent.

  “Thanks,” she whispered to herself, then clicked the “off” button.

  Another dog bark echoed in her ears. This time she was sure of it. They have to be wild, she thought with a shiver. And probably hungry.

  Slinging the backpack over one shoulder, she trudged deeper into the tree line and up beneath the ledge she’d found earlier. She dropped the pack with a heavy sigh. “Not hauling that sucker around any great distance,” she mumbled.

  It was medium size, like the ones people used for mountain climbing, orange on top and dark gray on the bottom, with a few side pockets. It might not have looked like it, but it weighed a ton. She checked the side pockets and found a lighter, knife with a sheath, and a small flashlight. The latter she’d have to use sparingly. She wondered if they’d included extra batteries for that, too. Turning on the beam of light, she opened her pack and searched through it. The additional GoPro equipment was on top, and she quickly located the solar charger and batteries, including some smaller wattages.

  Rummaging deeper revealed some meal bars and a few bottles of water—those weren’t going to last long. At the very bottom, her hand struck something hard and metal. She wrapped her hand around it and pulled it out. Her breath caught when she saw what it was.