Dragon's Choice

by Juniper Hart

  “This is the first I’m hearing about it,” Ali countered. “So it can’t be that big of a deal.”

  Tara scoffed. “She knew you’d say that,” she argued. “That’s why I’m telling you last minute—so you can’t back out. You have to come tomorrow night!”

  “She can have a party like a normal human being,” Ali replied. “There is no way in hell I am going camping, and you cannot make me. It’s not happening.”

  “What are you going to say to her?” Tara challenged, eyeing the stunning brunette with annoyance. “That you don’t want to break your nails?”

  Ali scowled at the assessment and narrowed her blue eyes dangerously. “Tara, do I ever ask you to go to karaoke?” she asked, her voice low.

  “Of course not! I hate karaoke,” Tara answered, and Ali nodded at her.

  “Now think about how much you hate karaoke and multiply that by about fifty,” she said, “and you will maybe be in the ballpark of how much I loathe camping. I am not going!”

  Tara grunted and threw her hands up in exasperation.

  “All right!” she retorted. “You can tell Penelope yourself. You can break her heart and miss the event of the century.”

  Tara spun to leave her friend on the sidewalk, storming off in anger.

  Ali watched her walk away, groaning inwardly.

  The event of the century, she thought bitterly. It’s a death sentence weekend, is what it is.

  She tried to see the virtues of such an affair, but she could not see past the idea of being away from the sanctuary of her room at the sorority house.

  Whatever happened to celebrating our twenty-first birthdays with limos, bar hopping, and then blackout drinking? she thought mournfully. Suddenly everything has to be so much more complicated than it needs to be. Damn you, Penelope, and your outdoorsy shit!

  Despite what she had told Tara, Ali knew she was going on the trip. The backlash from not going would be far too great.

  I will never hear the end of it. They are on my case about enough crap as it is. I have to go.

  Gritting her perfect white teeth, she made her way down Folsom Street toward the Kappa Pi Mu house on Pine Street.

  It was a beautiful summer day, and Ali had been looking forward to relaxing on the picturesque campus with a good book, but her mood was shattered by the unexpected appearance of Tara and her wretched camping announcement.

  Her long legs were glowingly tan beneath a pair of white capris, and her dark hair fluttered in the slight Colorado breeze. Ali, though, could see no beauty in any of it.

  I guess I’m going camping this weekend, she thought miserably.

  There must have been fifty people at the campgrounds when Ali arrived with Tara and Christine.

  Tents had been haphazardly pitched, and even though it was not quite noon, bonfires had already been started.

  “It’s like Coachella out here,” Ali grumbled, and both of her friends laughed.

  “It’s going to be huge,” Tara agreed. “There are going to be twice as many people here by nightfall, you’ll see.”

  Great, Ali thought, annoyed. Too many people, sleeping on the cold, hard ground, and freezing to death. Sounds like a party to me. Not to mention the mosquitos. There’s always mosquitos.

  She wisely held her tongue as they unloaded the trunk.

  “I’ve got beer!” Christine announced, and Ali’s hand shot out to be the first in line.

  “I thought you might want this,” Tara chuckled, handing her a can from the cooler.

  In spite of her resolve to be grumpy, Ali had to admit that the charged energy of her surroundings was infectious: people milled about, joking and talking. She supposed this wouldn’t be all that bad.

  She knew a great deal of the people there, but she couldn’t see Penelope anywhere.

  Taking a swig of her can, she pulled a duffel bag over her shoulder.

  “Where should we set up?” she asked, and Christine pointed toward a clearing where there seemed to be less people. “Works for me,” Ali said agreeably, although if what Tara had mentioned was true, their somewhat secluded spot would be overrun by nightfall anyway.

  I must look for peace where I can find it, she vowed.

  Men and women called out to them in greeting as they trekked toward the far side of the field, lugging their tent and cooler along.

  Out of nowhere, a mass of energy thrust itself onto Ali’s lean frame, almost toppling her to the ground.

  “You came!”

  Barely catching her footing, Ali grabbed onto Penelope and balanced herself upright, grinning at the over-the-top greeting.

  “Of course I came,” she replied begrudgingly. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

  Tara and Christine snorted in unison, but Ali ignored them. No matter what they said, they knew she was a friend above all else.

  And if I have to sacrifice my comfort for a couple nights, so be it.

  “Happy birthday, Penelope!” she cried, hugging the pixie-faced redhead. “But promise me next year you’ll do something indoors?”

  “Oh, ye of little faith,” Penelope chortled, linking her arm with Ali’s as they walked. “You’re going to have an incredible time. Mark my words.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Ali challenged, dropping her baggage at the site of their tent. “How can you be so sure?”

  Penelope smiled enigmatically and glanced at Tara and Christine, who had fallen behind and out of earshot.

  “I have a feeling,” she murmured. “There’s a rumor about this mountain, but you already know it, don’t you?”

  Ali felt warmth coursing through her body as she studied Penelope’s face.

  “Are you talking about…?” she trailed off, and her tiny friend giggled, gazing toward the peak just beyond.

  “They’re supposed to roam around on nights of the full moon,” Penelope whispered, and Ali cocked her head to the side.

  It was the same conversation she and her sorority sisters had had at Kappa some time ago—Sylvie had fed them this weird story about shifters and mates and their duty as members of the sorority—but she still wasn’t sure how much she bought into it.

  “Guess what tonight is?” Penelope continued, making a spark of nervous excitement bolt through Ali’s spine.

  “Is that why you planned this insane trip?” she asked, her brow furrowed in disbelief.

  Penelope nodded enthusiastically.

  “So, keep your eyes open, ladies!” she sang loudly. “You never know who you’re gonna meet!”

  She danced away, leaving Ali to stare after her, shaking her head.

  I don’t know about all that, she thought, laughing to herself. But maybe if I met one guy while I’m here, it wouldn’t be a total waste.

  She smacked her arm as a fly landed on it and grimaced.

  It was already starting.

  The festivities grew with each passing hour, and the crowd was having a blast.

  By mid-afternoon, Ali had caught a decent buzz, since she still hadn’t eaten, but Christine seemed to notice her pale face and decided to whip up a meal.

  “Slow down on the beer, Ali!” Tara cried. “It has to last until Sunday!”

  “We can drive to the liquor store,” Ali replied lightly. “I know it feels like we’re in the middle of nowhere, but civilization isn’t far off.”

  “Oh, Ali,” Christine sighed. “C’mon, go mingle! Some guys are playing volleyball over there. Check them out for me and let me know how they rate.”

  Ali scoffed but inadvertently found herself looking toward where a group of her peers had begun a volleyball tournament. She shrugged, slightly tipsy, and wandered off to watch the gleaming muscles in the sunshine.

  Ali had to admit that she was not having a bad time: she was among her friends, after all, and there was liquor. It felt more like a party than a camping trip, what with no one sitting around the fire singing “Kumbaya.”

  Still, she kept fighting with the bugs, and the more she drank, the more she needed to
use the non-existent washroom.

  “Go into the woods!” Tara had exclaimed, exasperated, and Ali had shuddered, eventually having no choice but to follow her advice.

  It wasn’t that Ali was a princess; far from it, actually. Although she looked the part—with her pin-up model’s body and insanely pretty face—she was more of a homebody than anything.

  If given the choice, she would stay in and read or watch an old movie, instead of trapezing through the jungle like Tarzan, looking for a spot where she could urinate.

  Ugh, I hope I brought enough bug spray, she thought as she plopped down on the grass next to a girl from her political science class.

  “Hey, Ali!” Suzanne chirped. “Great party, huh?”

  Ali tried to look enthusiastic as she nodded in fake agreement, but she was sure her expression fell flat. Suzanne didn’t seem to notice.

  “We’re going on a night trek up the mountain at nightfall,” she continued. “The view is incredible. You want to come?”

  Ali almost snorted, but then she stopped herself.

  Are there less bugs on the mountain? she wondered.

  Even if there were, it was still hiking, and Ali did not do hiking.

  “Maybe,” she replied evasively. “Come find me when you’re ready to go.”

  Suzanne seemed happy with the response and nodded, turning back to watch where her boyfriend was spiking the volleyball into the ground.

  Ali cast Suzanne a sidelong look for a moment and then glanced at her long-time beau.

  Suzanne and her boyfriend Greg had been together for almost three years, having met as freshmen at school. The pert blonde was attractive enough, with her big blue eyes and easy smile, but Greg was devastatingly handsome, and Ali had always found the two an odd match.

  I think I would be better suited to Greg than Suzanne, she thought almost bitterly. What the hell is wrong with you? Ali chided herself. Has it been so long since you’ve had sex that you’re lashing out at other people for no reason?

  Her own words shocked her as they bounced around in her mind. They were uncharacteristically nasty, and Ali suddenly felt uncomfortable sitting beside the kind girl at her side. Suzanne had always been nice to her, despite the fact that they weren’t really friends, only classmates.

  “I think I need to eat something,” Ali mumbled, standing up abruptly.

  “Okay,” Suzanne said cheerfully, waving as Ali wandered back to find Christine and Tara.

  I need to eat something and stop drinking, she thought, shaking her head, before I say or do something I regret.

  “You’re back already?” Tara asked, looking up sharply as Ali approached.

  “I need food,” she confessed. “Maybe a candy bar, too.”

  Her friends laughed, a look of relief passing over their faces.

  “Sorry I’ve been so grumpy,” she muttered, blushing in embarrassment. Her friends grinned simultaneously.

  “Nah,” Christine piped up. “You hate this, we get it. You’re a good friend for coming.”

  “Here,” Tara said, thrusting a veggie burger into her hands.

  Ali nodded eagerly.

  God, I’m starving, she thought, swallowing a huge bite and exhaling deeply. I’m going to eat this and take a nap.

  She voiced her plan aloud.

  “Probably a good idea,” Tara agreed. “We’re probably going to have a big bonfire tonight.”

  Ali gobbled down the rest of her food and rose to stumble toward the tent, her lids growing heavy already.

  She had overdone it far too early.

  No harm, no foul, she thought, unzipping the tent and falling face first onto her sleeping bag.

  In seconds, she was fast asleep.

  When Ali awoke, her surroundings were pitch black, and she sat up on her sleeping bag, groggy and disoriented.

  It took her a minute to get her bearings.

  In the distance, she could hear the party going strong, though it suddenly seemed very far away from her.

  Ali fumbled around in the dark, trying to locate a flashlight, but she had no luck.

  Oh, this is just great, she thought, leaning forward to open the tent. No one had the foresight to leave me a flashlight. I could get eaten by a raccoon out here. Or worse.

  She could barely make out the outline of the bonfire ahead, but at least she knew which direction to take in order to find light.

  A feral howl caused her to jump.

  It sounded much closer than Ali would have liked, and goosebumps prickled her skin as she clawed her way out of the tent.

  Just surge forward and don’t look back, she told herself. The coyotes are more afraid of you than you are of them.

  She wondered if the howl she had heard was from a coyote.

  A shudder ran through her, and Ali began to sprint toward the party, her breath coming out in short, panicked gasps.

  “You shouldn’t run. They will chase.”

  Ali screamed and whirled, her fists up to block her face the way she had been taught in self-defence.

  Someone had spoken into her ear, even though there was no one to be seen around her. Ali had never been more scared in her life.

  In the darkness, she saw a set of glowing yellow eyes peering out at her, standing a few feet away.

  She did not immediately see a body attached to those eyes, and she momentarily forgot how to breathe, her knees shaking.

  “Who are you?” she managed to choke out. and suddenly, his body was perfectly clear as he stepped forward.

  Suddenly, the glowing yellow eyes moved closer, and the young man they apparently belonged to made his way out of the darkness, a grin on his face. Ali blinked, and the boy’s eyes were no longer glowing, nor were they yellow. Instead, they were a gorgeous shade of amber.

  “Alex,” the boy said, still grinning. “Who are you?”

  She swooned with relief, and Alex was suddenly at her side, catching her arm as she tried to regain control of her emotions.

  “What did you mean, they will chase?” she finally managed to gasp, pausing to look at him speculatively.

  Alex grinned at her, and Ali’s pulse began to race once more as she examined his broad jawline and wide mouth.

  He is stupidly handsome, she thought, but there was something else about him… something she could not put her finger on. Whatever it was, it was making her nervous.

  “I was only teasing you,” Alex told her.

  Ali nodded her head, though she didn’t think he was being honest. Why don’t I believe him?

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around,” Ali said, attempting to regain some of her lost dignity. Alex’s smile seemed to widen even more.

  “Oh, I’ve been around,” he assured her, though she didn’t know why his tone was so… playful. “Here,” Alex continued, offering out his arm for her to grasp. “Hold on to me and I’ll take you back to your friends. Unless…”

  Ali cast him a sidelong look.

  “Unless what?” she demanded, her eyes glancing at his body. He must work out. Look at that chest!

  “I can take you somewhere to see the full moon in all its glory.”

  Ali paused. “Somewhere like where? I can’t exactly just go with you.”

  It didn’t matter how handsome he was, he was still a stranger to her. Just because he had introduced himself didn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous.

  Alex chuckled and shook his head. “A gorgeous trail that leads up the mountainside,” he said. “You’ll feel a little closer to heaven up there, I assure you.”

  It’s a full moon. Didn’t Penelope say that’s when all the creatures come out? Ali thought. She was ashamed at her sudden nervousness.

  “Is that where you take all the ladies?” she asked, only half-joking.

  “Only the really special ones,” Alex replied, and Ali had to laugh at the line. Still, he waited for her answer before changing directions.

  “All right,” she agreed. “But we can’t be too long, or this is going to turn in
to a search and rescue if they discover me missing.”

  “No one will notice,” he assured her, clasping her graceful palm in his hand. It was a lot bigger than hers, securely wrapping around her fingers.

  My, what big hands you have, Ali thought, eyeing him as they walked toward the mountainside.

  It didn’t even occur to her to be afraid. She had been worried as she fumbled through the darkness, but Alex had put her at ease, making her feel safe and sound. Well, as soon as she had learned he wasn’t an apparition.

  “Are you a college student, Ali?” Alex asked, and the question surprised her.

  “Yes,” she answered. “Aren’t you, Alex?”

  Ali and Alex. Alex and Ali, she thought. I like the way that flows.

  He laughed dryly.

  “No,” he replied shortly. “I’m not.”

  They continued to walk up the side of the mountain in relative silence, and between the towering pines, Ali caught sight of the moon, hanging low on the sky, bright and beautiful. And full.

  Well below, she could make out the throng of party goers dancing, though she could hear nothing.

  As they continued trailing up, the silence that came with their gained altitude was peaceful.

  “Are you glad you came up here?” Alex asked her, stopping to take in the view himself.

  Ali found herself nodding, even though he wasn’t facing her, and she stepped toward him as if needing to be as close to him as possible.

  “Yes,” she told him. “I’m glad you brought me up here.”

  Am I still drunk? she wondered. Why am I on a mountainside with this strange man, desperate to have him touch me?

  She had no answer to her questions, but she tugged softly on his palm, like a small child looking for attention.

  Alex turned back to her, his amber eyes glittering.

  “Do you want me to kiss you?” he asked, and Ali swallowed, nodding numbly, holding his gaze.

  Alex slowly moved closer, his fingertips caressing her cheek as he leaned forward to brush his mouth against hers.

  A thousand icicles prickled her spine, and she gasped at the sensation, her eyes still wide and watching as his amber irises pierced into hers.