Chapter 9
Harlow
I sit as close to the blazing fire as I can manage without actually setting myself alight, my knees pulled up to my chest. The flames offer the only light in this pitch-black jungle, and every strange sound from the darkness beyond makes my heart jump.
Drake left a while ago to “find food,” which apparently involved disappearing into the maze of trees and vines and into the pitch darkness.
He assured me that his senses are far better than mine because he isn’t human.
I throw another log onto the fire, watching as sparks spiral up into the canopy above.
The crackling wood is comforting, but it doesn’t drown out all the weird noises coming from the jungle.
There’s hooting and screeching and other weird noises.
Every shadow seems to move, and I keep imagining pairs of glowing eyes watching me from the darkness.
A particularly loud screech makes me jump, and I curse under my breath.
“Just birds…or bats…or…” I whisper to myself. “Nothing that wants to eat me.”
Hopefully.
I shift even closer to the flames, feeling the heat on my face.
The fire is my lifeline right now; without it, I’d be completely blind and utterly helpless.
I’ve never been afraid of the dark before, but this isn’t normal darkness.
This is the kind of darkness that hides predators and poisonous creatures.
After setting up our meager camp, Drake warned me about spiders, frogs, and beetles.
He told me that it isn’t just the big creatures with teeth and claws I should be worried about, but the little critters too.
Oh, joy!!
Another rustling sound, this one closer, makes my heart race. I grab a thick stick from the woodpile next to the fire, holding it like a weapon, even though I have no idea what I’d actually do with it if something came at me.
“I don’t like this one bit,” I mutter to myself, and then nearly jump out of my skin when a figure emerges from the tree line. I scramble backward, raising the stick with both hands.
“Whoa!” Drake’s voice cuts through my panic. “It’s just me.”
I lower the stick, my pulse racing.
“You scared the shit out of me,” I snap, trying to hide how relieved I am to see him. “You could have warned me that you were approaching.”
“I made a ton of noise so you would hear.” He steps into the firelight, carrying something in his hands. “I found dinner.”
For a moment, I can only stare at all of his naked skin and how good he looks in the firelight. Then I catch myself and avert my gaze, squinting at what he’s holding. It looks like a large rodent of some kind, about the size of a small dog, with coarse reddish-brown fur.
“What is that?” I make a face.
“It’s an agouti,” he says, setting it down near the fire. “A rodent. They make good eating.”
The animal looks like a cross between a guinea pig and a squirrel, and I wrinkle my nose.
“You want me to eat that?”
“Unless you’d prefer to starve,” he says with a shrug. “They’re a staple food source in the jungle. Clean, healthy protein.”
From his other hand, he produces several oval-shaped fruits with brown, hairy skin.
“I also found these. They’re called cupuacu. They’re actually quite rare. A tasty treat, for sure.”
My stomach growls loudly at the mention of food, betraying just how hungry I am. I haven’t eaten since my pathetic attempt at breakfast this morning, and that feels like a lifetime ago.
Drake walks over to the water’s edge, taking the dead creature with him. When he returns, he has the meat cleaned and cut into strips, which he skewers on sharpened sticks. His hands are covered in blood.
I wrinkle my nose.
“How do you know how to do that?” I ask.
“I’ve been living on this island my entire life,” he says, arranging the skewers over the fire. “You learn things. Survival in the jungle is a must. Since I can’t shift at will, I’m just as capable in my human form.”
The meat starts to sizzle and pop over the flames, and despite my initial revulsion, it actually smells incredible. Rich and savory, like the best barbecue I’ve ever smelled. My stomach growls again, even louder this time.
Drake hands me one of the fruits.
“Eat this while the meat cooks.” He disappears again, and I hear the splash of water. When he returns, his hands are clean and wet.
I turn the strange fruit over in my hands.
“Pull it open and eat the flesh inside.”
I do as he says. It doesn’t look appetizing, but my hunger overrides my skepticism. I start to eat and groan.
“Chocolate and pineapple.” My voice is filled with wonder. “They’re delicious.”
Drake cracks a half-smile.
“Oh, wow.” I take another bite. “This is amazing.”
“Good,” Drake says, tending to the meat on the fire. “You mentioned earlier that you don’t want to stay on the island. That you were hoping to return to the Mainland.”
His tone is casual, but there’s something in the way he says it that makes me think he’s going somewhere with this. I finish the last of the fruit pulp and wipe my fingers on my shorts.
“Yeah,” I say. “I want to go back home. I was hoping I wouldn’t bond with a dragon so I could get out of here. I have a lot to get back to.”
He makes a noise that tells me he is listening.
“I had just landed my dream job. Then there’s this guy,” I continue. “We’ve been friends for years, but I’ve always liked him more than a friend, but it never worked out for us until recently. We’d just started dating right before I got called up as a Tribute.”
Drake glances up from the fire. “Oh, so you have a boyfriend.”
“Miles is… He… No,” I sigh. “I mean, not technically. We decided to put things on hold until I got back, but he’s waiting for me.”
Something moves across Drake’s face – the same skeptical look Jordyn always gets when I talk about Miles, and it irritates me.
“What is that look for?” I demand.
“Nothing,” he says, but his tone suggests otherwise. “It’s just…well…either you’re together and he’s waiting, or you’re not together and—” He gives a one-shouldered shrug that irritates the shit out of me.
“We are together,” I interrupt, feeling heat rise in my cheeks.
“Miles is waiting for me. We have something real, something worth going back to. Our relationship is based on years of friendship as well as mutual respect. It’s so unfair that after all this time, we are finally able to be together, and I got called up. ”
Drake nods, but I can tell he’s not quite buying it. Why does no one understand that what Miles and I have is special? Because it is special. He is waiting.
“I had my whole life planned out,” I continue, my voice hitching a little as I think about everything I’m going to lose.
“My dream job, Miles and I were going to see where things went…and now everything is ruined. I’ll be stuck here for years, training and then as a dragon rider.
It’s not what I want…I assure you. This is a complete disaster. ”
Drake turns one of the skewers, the meat now perfectly golden and crackling.
“What if I told you there was a way to make your return to the Mainland happen?”
I lock eyes with him. “What do you mean?”
He has this look on his face.
“We need to keep the fact that we bonded a secret. No one will expect it to have happened, so they’ll be none the wiser.”
My heart starts beating faster. “Okay…and then what?”
“When it comes time for you to attempt bonding with the dragons, you need to pretend that we’re not already bonded. Act like you’re trying to connect with them, but of course, you won’t be able to because you’re already bonded with me.”
The plan starts to form in my mind, and I feel a surge of hope.
“So, my attempt will be seen as unsuccessful…”
“And you’ll be sent home,” he finishes. “We can both move on with our lives.”
I don’t need time to think about it. This is perfect. This is exactly what I need.
“Yes,” I say immediately. “That’s brilliant. Maybe us bonding wasn’t such a bad thing after all; it’s going to be my ticket home.”
“I’m glad you’re on board.” Drake pulls one of the skewers from the fire and hands it to me. “Be careful; it’s hot.”
The meat smells so good, and my mouth waters as I take the skewer.
I’m skeptical about eating what looks like a jungle rat, but I’m too hungry to care at this point.
I try not to think about it and take a tentative bite.
My eyes widen. It’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted – tender and juicy, with a rich, gamey flavor that’s nothing like anything I’ve had before.
I take another small bite, and I let out a deep groan of pleasure.
“Sooooooo good.” I lick my lips.
Drake’s eyes flash dark, and his jaw tightens, his gaze narrowing on my mouth.
“Eat more quietly,” he growls, his voice rough. “You’ll attract all kinds of unwanted attention if you keep making sounds like that.”
I glare at him across the fire. The man is so damned grumpy. He doesn’t have to be so rude about it.
“Sorry for enjoying my food,” I mutter, taking another bite in pointed silence.
Drake turns his attention back to his own skewer, his movements sharp and agitated. His whole body is tense, like a coiled spring ready to snap. He looks pissed off, and I’m not sure why.
I roll my eyes and take another bite, holding back more sounds of enjoyment so as not to anger Mister Tall, Dark, and Grumpy.
I can’t wait to get back to camp. Actually, scratch that – I can’t wait to get back to the Mainland. Back to civilization, back to my apartment, back to everything normal and safe and familiar.
We have our plan, and now all I have to do is stick to it.