Awakening Storm

by Larissa Emerald

  Dillon fisted his hands. If the money weren’t so good, he would not be doing this show. “You’re a heartless bastard,” he muttered.

  Sean raised an eyebrow at Dillon. “Remember that. And don’t cross me.

  * * *

  She was heading the wrong direction—inland instead of out to the sandbar where she’d been dropped off.

  Dammit.

  Aidan paced in a tight circle and then paused to stare at Takeshi, who looked up at him with his big, dark eyes as if to say, Well, aren’t you going after her?

  He turned and followed her, grumbling to himself as he went. She couldn’t make it easy and flee the island. No, she gathered her things and headed inland instead.

  Aidan walked after her, not sure how he could force her to leave. He could hear her traversing the forest floor, with the snap of twigs beneath her slight weight, and her delicate cinnamon scent wafted to him on the breeze.

  At the same time, the voice in his head was whispering how dangerous it was for her to be here. Every moment she remained increased the probability that she would never escape this island, never escape Theodora.

  A dull, sinking sensation settled in his stomach at the futility of it all. His days were usually pretty much the same. He tinkered with his inventions and kept watch against evil shit trying to get to his tree. Aka the mysterious and demonic creatures of the Dark Realm.

  The terrain dipped downward before it rose again, and Aidan continued to follow Rhianna. A chain of mountains circled the inner valley, and she took the course of least resistance along the base of the mountains. They were coming to the center, where the ground was soft and slick with moisture. Nearby, a stream flowed, washing over boulders and fallen tree limbs. As he walked, he began to notice the paths he’d worn through the forest. He hadn’t realized he’d done that, but he supposed it made sense. It also made it easy for her to travel without resistance.

  And led her straight to the most critical spots on the island . . . such as where he lived.

  * * *

  Rhianna came to a clearing where the sky opened up over a small pond of translucent blue-green water. The place was magnificent, a fairy-tale abode. At the far side of the pool there was a wide arched bridge of rock. It was cave-like, yet around twenty feet or so inside the space, it opened up again with an enormous hole in the ceiling, where the sky shown through. A waterfall spilled through the opening, creating a drumming rhythm as water gushed into the pool. The setting was architecturally brilliant in its interlocking curves and structure and texture. A miracle only Mother Nature could create.

  “So beautiful,” she whispered. Her eyes widened as she took it all in.

  For several minutes, she stood there watching the water turn to white mist as it poured into the pool. It almost seemed magical. She inhaled the earthy fragrance, so different from the ocean on the coast.

  She didn’t want to move lest she break the enchantment of this fantasy place, and she desperately wished the camera allowed for zooming in and out. But it didn’t. She’d had to move to get a closer look. Finally, she cleared her throat, “This seems like one of those spectacular finds for National Geographic. My words won’t do it justice, folks. But as you can see, this place is enchanting.”

  A strange resistance washed over her. Part of her didn’t want to share this place with an audience, a selfish desire to keep the stunning locale to herself. But it wasn’t exactly to herself, she realized. Aidan had probably been here. He could even be following her now.

  She set the GoPro aside and breathed deeply, taking in the moist air, and then exhaled with abandon. A giggle bubbled up and echoed off the grotto. This was what freedom and secrecy and a mixture of recklessness and delight felt like. She was in her own world now.

  Giving into the spell of the place, she glanced about, making sure she was alone. Then, stepping behind a plant with large tropical leaves, she stripped off her clothes. After another quick look around, she dropped into the water.

  The ground immediately fell away. The pool was deep and warm, like a hot spring. It was heaven after spending the night on the damp, hard ground. The water felt more buoyant than any pool she’d ever experienced, too; it must have a very high salt content. She dove deep and kicked back to the surface. She floated on her back and gazed up through the trees overhead.

  Soon, her attention turned to the waterfall. She wondered if there was a cave behind the falls. She’d heard of that. Curious, she swam beneath the stone arch. As she popped up on the other side, a shadow fell, blocking the sun. Her heart pounded in her chest. If something happened, she was completely on her own.

  As she came closer to the waterfall, another space in the rocks opened above her. Water poured over a ledge into the pond, spraying over her head. It was ice-cold, a sharp contrast to the warm water of the depths. She gasped as she inched closer to the slapping white foam, peering through the flowing sheet of water.

  Geez, that’s cold.

  She shivered and swam backward. Maybe she’d investigate the waterfall more later.

  She rotated into a sidestroke and savored the rise in temperature as she traveled back to the warmer side of the pond. A long sigh escaped her lips as she looked around. Up on the rocks where she’d left her things, a movement caught her attention. She began to tread water and squinted to see into the shadows.

  OMG. The tiger!

  The effing tiger stood over her belongings. She tensed, sunk beneath the surface—hoping he wouldn’t notice her—and came up again sputtering. With her heart thumping in her throat, she swam in reverse, putting more distance between them. God, she hoped tigers didn’t like to swim.

  As if the big cat understood her dilemma, he lumbered along the path to a large rock. He sat, looking back at her, seeming to give her space. But Rhianna didn’t trust the animal. Her breathing quickened as she imagined the damage those huge claws could do. Could she retrieve her clothes and ease on out of here in one piece?

  As if he were disinterested, the tiger turned and moved to the other side of pond.

  Slowly, she floated toward the rocks. She climbed to the ledge, all the while keeping a watchful eye on the tiger. He was near enough to make out the black irises and golden-green rims of his eyes. He lowered his head, restrained, and turned away.

  With controlled movements, she slid on her panties and bra, shirt, pants, and shoes. The tiger almost seemed as if he were asleep. Almost. She wouldn’t have faith in that assumption, though. It was too risky.

  Carefully she hefted her satchel and walked backward, toe to heel, to maintain her balance on the slippery rocks. The tiger lifted his head and cocked it to the side.

  Nope, he wasn’t sleeping.

  The pounding in her rib cage increased. So close and yet . . . No, she would just keep on walking, slowly and calmly. She needed to find a shelter where the tiger wouldn’t bother her. But was that even possible?

  As if a humongous tree had fallen, a boom echoed through the forest, and the ground shook.

  What was that? An earthquake?

  Rhianna swept her gaze around the area. She didn’t notice anything unusual . . . at first. Then her attention settled on the tiger again. As she watched, the cat morphed into a man, and her jaw dropped, letting in much-needed oxygen. The gorgeously tall, well-built specimen of manliness she had met earlier, seemed every bit in tune with the tiger he’d sprung from, but he wasn’t gazing back at her. Instead, his expression was twisted with fury as he stared off to the side of the pool. Suddenly, a woman magically marched right out of a slab of rock.

  Rhianna rubbed her eyes. What the hell was going on? She wanted to get the heck out of there, but her feet wouldn’t budge. Her body trembled, curving in on itself in a protective stance. He . . . he had changed right before her eyes into Aidan Hearst. And then another stranger just appeared as if out of thin air? It wasn’t possible. But if it was . . .

  Oh god. Had he been watching her swim naked the entire time?

  She flinched at
the notion. However, given the situation, it seemed an absurd thing to worry about right now. She cast it out of her mind and refocused. Something way weirder was going down.

  •

  Aidan kept his eyes on Theodora as the mountain moved and shifted and she walked out of her world and into his.

  Well, fuck. Rhianna’s time was already up.

  There was only one place she’d be safe—his Divine Tree. He burst into a run toward her. Her eyes grew wide as he approached her, and he reached out to grab her hand and tug her with him.

  His strong fingers enveloped hers. “Come,” he commanded.

  She narrowed her gaze on him, and the next thing he knew her other arm had come up and shoved his arm out of the way. Then her leg swung around like a fan, struck him in the side of his head. He went down, flipping over in the process and landing flat on his back. She stood above him looking strong and mighty fine in a defensive karate stance, shooting daggers from her eyes at him.

  Staring up at her, he was shocked by the precision move. As air returned to his lungs, he let out a painful gasp. He lifted his feet, rolling higher onto his shoulder blades, then snapped his legs downward while going airborne. With a jerk, he landed on his feet. “What the hell are you doing, woman? I’m trying to save you.”

  “You . . . you just transformed into a man from a fucking tiger. What are you?” she bit out.

  “We’ll get to that when you’re safe.” He tried to keep his voice even. But he wouldn’t brook any argument, and he wouldn’t give her a choice. He took her hand again and pulled her after him. It was either she moved her feet willingly or he’d carry her.

  “My things,” she said, dismissing his commanding demeanor and dragging her feet.

  He kept going. “You don’t need them.”

  “Yes, I do. I need my video equipment. This is exactly the sort of thing I was sent here to document,” she said adamantly.

  Just then, Theodora hurdled balls of energy at them that burst into flames just off to the side of where they stood. The heat of the blast scorched across his legs. Rhianna yelped, more out of shock than injury, given she didn’t seem wounded. But still, Theodora’s aggression infuriated him. She seemed angrier than usual. What had happened to instigate the change?

  “Don’t interfere, Aidan,” Theodora growled.

  They raced along a narrow path that circle the pond and cut into the space where two mountains met. At the back of the opening, a tunnel took them between the ridges, a tight hallway that led into another opening on the other side. In this valley, his Divine Tree stood proud and tall with its branches stretching wide and touching the ground.

  When he came to the hidden opening and hurriedly acknowledged the tree, he entered, taking Rhianna along with him. Inside the great oak, he paused, breathing hard. This was the first time he’d brought someone inside the tree. And Custos had let them in. Good. Good. In retrospect, there had not been time to reflect on whether the tree would allow her entrance. His breath slowed. But he’d had little choice. It was imperative they escape Theodora.

  Once they were safely inside the tree, he released her hand. She rubbed the blood back into it with her other hand. Then took in her surroundings. She slapped her palm against cheek and then ran it up over her forehead in awe. “Holy shit.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t have time to prepare you for this.” He watched her reaction. This was normal to him, but he supposed it would be shocking to the average human.

  “Prepare me? I don’t think that’s possible,” she said in awe.

  He allowed her a minute to take in the sanctuary of the tree. He hadn’t stopped to admire its beauty in a long time, and he tried to see it as she would. The endless paths of smooth golden wood glowed. The way it seemed so much bigger from within. The magical quality it elicited. He watched her face as she took it all in. Somehow he thought she saw with more than just her eyes...he sensed an extra ability, perhaps. He couldn’t allow her to stay in here. The tree and its secrets were sacred, after all.

  “Let’s go,” he said. “She can’t get you in here.”

  “Who is she?” She gave him a piercing glare.

  “I’ll get to that.” He led the way down to a hallway that led to his quarters, allowing the pup to follow at will. He explained as they walked. “Theodora is a siren of sorts. She’s a misplaced Valkyrie warrior with magical powers. She rules over an alternative universe and captures people and traps them within it. As far as I know, she possesses the only means of entering that world. To get in, she must take them over or let them in. And if they go, they don’t come back.”

  She halted, shaking her head. “Wait a minute. What are you talking about? What alternate universe? That’s the stuff of science fiction,” she said in disbelief.

  “I assure you, there are many strange things in this world you don’t know about,” he said.

  She grew quiet, seeming to think it through. “I came to the Dragon Vortex on a quest: to figure out what had happened to all those people who never returned after coming here. Maybe this alternate universe has something to do with that,” she said, despite the skepticism on her face.

  “People stay away from here for a reason, honey. You should have, too.” His voice had a sarcastic bite to it.

  She bristled at his use of ‘honey.’ As if to herself, she said, “I wish someone had told my great-grandfather that.”

  “What?”

  Her dark-brown eyes locked on him. “He was from Sendai, Japan, actually closer to Nabekura Castle. My research indicates, he came to this island around 1922, and then no one heard from him again. My grandfather came to the States sometime after that and married. Go a little further down the line, and here I am.”

  He nodded ever so slightly and considered his lack of ancestry for a moment. Since he was immortal, his line went very far back in time. Yet the mind still plays weird tricks sometimes and makes it seem like yesterday.

  Inside his home, after navigating a few hallways and turns, they came to the main living area and the kitchen. The bar was over to the right against the wall. She marched over to it, popped the stopper on a bottle of his best Scotch, and poured herself a glass.

  “Okay,” she said. “Start from the beginning. Tell me the story of Dragon Vortex.” She angled the glass to her lips and took a sip.

  He couldn’t blame her. He supposed what she’d just witnessed would shake anyone out of their boots. She’d earned a drink.

  Her eyes met his over the rim of her glass, held, and then she tipped back her head and downed the rest of the liquor.

  Only the moisture in her eyes, gave a hint that the drink burned on the way down. He poured a glass and followed her lead.

  Then she collapsed into a nearby club chair of tufted glove leather. She gazed at him from beneath long, lush eyelashes. The look in her eyes was raw, confused, and weary. His gut twisted. No matter what, her world would never be the same again.

  * * *

  Her head spun at the unbelievable shit that was happening. The tiger had transformed into a man before her eyes, and an odd creature—she didn’t want to call her a woman because she seemed incongruously beyond mere mortal—had materialized out of nowhere.

  She thought of her Pilate class and friends at home with longing. She remembered Terri’s hug and admonishment to be careful and have fun. Rhianna gave a sad laugh. This was neither.

  Aidan—if that was truly his name—poured her another shot of whiskey. The thought that she should be drinking sake instead played through her befuddled mind. Even so, she drank a swig of the amber liquid in her glass. Not the whole thing this time, but enough to savor the warmth of it trickling down.

  He chuckled, causing her to lift her head to look at him. “I thought women preferred wine or mint juleps or something,” he said.

  She shrugged. “Not this one.”

  “So I see.”

  “Okay . . .” She blew out a deep breath. “What kind of rabbit hole have I fallen down?”

&n
bsp; He frowned.

  “You know, Alice In Wonderland? She chased a rabbit down— Oh never mind.” She shook her head , then took another sip and sighed. He had a definite Scottish accent, so maybe he would familiar with classic books. But he did live far from civilization on an island. Had he always lived here?

  “I try to keep up with the rest of the world, but—”

  “Never mind.” She waved a dismissive hand as the alcohol began to loosen the tight rein she held on her emotions.

  He dipped his chin to his chest.

  Had she somehow hurt his feelings? A tightness twisted beneath her breastbone at that, but why did it even concern her? She was the one in this bizarre situation.

  When he looked up, air rushed out of her lungs. His gaze did something to her. Those hazel eyes with those thick lashes made her want to listen to him, believe him. Even through her anger and anxiety, a warmth nudged her tummy. She tried to shoo the sensation away.

  Finally, he spoke. “Prepare yourself,” he warned her. “You’ve stumbled upon something no one knows exists. The tree we entered is called a Divine Tree, or tree of life. I am its immortal Guardian.”

  She barked out a laugh without meaning to. It didn’t matter how handsome he was, this was absolutely ridiculous. “Immortal? Like you don’t die? And you guard the tree of life?”

  “Oh, I can die. But only under certain circumstances. Otherwise, no.”

  She tried to absorb the information, tried not to dismiss it instantly again, but she shook her head. “And you’re telling me you can somehow shift into a tiger, too?”

  He nodded. “And an eagle.”

  She straightened. He was a double shape-shifter? She squinted at him. “How old are you?” she asked, not totally prepared to hear the answer.

  “My body doesn’t age like yours, so it doesn’t really matter. But . . . I was born in 1094 AD.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She opened her mouth, then closed it. She fought a gasp, trying to pretend she could handle it. “That’s a helluva long time ago.”