Chapter 4
An Even Worse Second Impression
Maya easily scaled down the rest of the side of the house and stepped safely onto a small patch of soil between beautifully manicured shrubs and flowers.
She looked up and saw that Cosmo was no longer in the window.
A smile spread across her face as she thought of him upstairs trying to figure out a way to escape now that he didn’t have anyone to distract him.
Sorry, Cosmo, but as you’ve made me face something I would rather ignore, so too must you face something unsavory.
She stepped onto a neat little patio and moved gracefully around a barbecue and table with an umbrella and chairs as she headed toward the hedge maze.
If what Cosmo had said was true, there was a couple in the house that was going to try to get her and the storm dragon to become mates.
Something they both agreed was a horrible idea.
That’s not how this works, Maya mused as she stepped into the maze.
She didn’t bother to pay attention to the direction she was going because it didn’t matter.
When she was ready to leave the maze, she would be able to meander to an exit with little to no trouble.
Being able to navigate through anything physical or mental had never been a problem for her.
It was only when people were involved that Maya started to have issues.
As she made her way through the beautifully maintained hedges, her eyes moved over the little ornaments and flowers that were meant to enhance the romantic feel of the place.
She wanted to focus on those to see if she could figure out how they helped create a romantic mood, but her thoughts were troubled by her conversation with Cosmo.
People are not meant to interfere with the process, so why is there a couple here, pushing the island’s victims together?
That should negate the entire process since it makes this place no different to the machinations of the court.
How is this even being allowed? This has to be a violation that will have a negative impact on how the island is perceived.
She felt her eyes start to shine as a huge grin blossomed.
And that is something I can definitely use. I’ve got you bastards now.
Maya put her hands behind her back, certain that she finally had a way to get off the island without having to deal with anyone trying to force her into a relationship.
“My, but you look like the dog that got into the fridge.”
Maya turned and saw the tall blond walking toward her. Keeping in mind what Cosmo had said about him, she fought down her initial retort to his words. Instead, she said, “If Cosmo didn’t give such a glowing review of you as a person, I would be inclined to take offense at your choice of words.”
He stopped and looked at her with his brow creased. “What was offensive about it?”
“Besides comparing me to a dog, your words suggest you think I’m doing something shady.”
He gave a slight bow. “I do apologize for causing any offense. It was not my intention. Just, the way you grinned reminded me of one of my cousin’s puppies, all wiggly and—” He shook his head and cleared his throat.
“I am sincerely sorry. All I meant to convey was that you have the look of someone who has discovered a situation that you plan to use to your advantage.”
Maya paused, realizing that was exactly what she felt she had found with the revelation that people were trying to manipulate couples on the island. “If that is true, then you are correct. Apollo, right?”
He smiled. “Yes.” He then moved over beside her and leaned down. “Would it be offensive if I inquired about this exploit that has you smiling so impishly?”
“Impishly?” She started back, her head whipping around to look at him. “You must have me confused with Cosmo.”
The way he smiled caused her to blink a few times as a strange sense of calm spread through her. “I don’t think there is a person alive who would mistake you for that big oaf. And, to be fair, you did just admit that there was something … conniving behind your smile.”
Maya sighed and looked around them, wanting to make sure no one else was near them.
While she had many talents, sensing the presence of other people was not in her repertoire, something she had never previously seen as a detriment.
Then again, she had never plotted before.
Planned, yes, but nothing that could be classified as plotting.
And what she had in mind most certainly would be called plotting.
Then she looked up at Apollo. “You are tall.”
He gave her a look, then said, “Compared to many, I suppose I am.”
“You must be over six feet tall, which is well over the average height for shifter males, and is markedly greater than the average height of shifters in general.”
He smiled. “You make a good point.” Apollo then held out his hand, gesturing away from the house, and said, “Would you like to stroll as we talk? There are a few things of interest in the maze.”
Suspicion lurked in the back of her mind, but Maya figured it would be best if they didn’t stand in one place too long.
Especially if there were people present who were actively trying to force unwilling people into being mates.
She planned to ask Apollo if he could see anyone, but as she stepped up next to him, Maya smelled something faintly familiar.
“Oh, right, you are a distant relation to Noel, aren’t you? ”
His smile was genuine as he looked down at her. “You are correct.” There was a brief pause, then he said, “You don’t tend to remember much about others, do you?”
“Not unless it is necessary. People are not my strength, which is a large reason why I partnered with Naomi. She has all of the skills I lack, and I have all of the skills to make sure that things get done.”
“Ah,” he nodded knowingly, but the look he was giving her set Maya on edge. Then his choice of words proved she was right to be wary. “Are you sure you didn’t partner with her so that you had someone to mistreat?”
“I do not mistreat Naomi. She has a few weaknesses that cause—”
Apollo shook his head. “Justifying your cruelty does not change the nature of the words, Maya. She has no need of your criticism if you cannot do it without being constructive.”
Feeling defensive, Maya picked up her pace as she shot back, “What do you know of our relationship?”
He easily caught up to her, as his strides were markedly longer. “I know that in the short amount of time I’ve seen you interact, you have been short, rude, and downright vicious towards her. Do you have any idea—”
Cutting him off, Maya stopped in front of Apollo and looked up at him. “The more you talk, the more inclined I am to believe that Cosmo is either an idiot or a liar.”
Apollo frowned. “Perhaps he is both. But I notice that you did not disagree with my assessment.”
“What’s the point?” Maya asked, her tone edged with bitterness. “You’ve made up your mind about me. That’ll teach me to ever listen to morons or to give anyone a chance. Unlike the last couple of times, though, I’ll make sure this time that fucking lesson sticks.”
Turning on her heel, she headed away from the shifter she would now only think of as that blond.
“Wait!” His tone was completely different, and there was a strangeness to it, as if he was speaking through an unfamiliar emotion. While that resonated with something in Maya, she wasn’t about to continue conversing with him. Not after he had repeatedly insulted her.
Maya sped up, turning at the first bend.
She heard the pebbles behind her moving in a way that sounded like he was running to catch up to her.
Holding up her hand, Maya used one of her least favorite abilities.
She created a portal, then walked through it without hesitating, and the resulting headache started forming in both temples before she had finished stepping out on the other side.
However, it did exactly what she had wanted it to as she was on the other side of the maze, far from the house, the couple, and most importantly, all of the guys who might inflict further pain on her.
Stumbling a little, Maya tried to get her headache under control as she walked quickly across the field on the other side of the maze.
The bed and breakfast was at the dead end of a road, leading to a little village she never wanted to visit.
The field was expansive, but she thought she heard the sound of lapping water, suggesting there was a body of water not too far away.
There would be people there, she had no doubt, so she wanted to be gone before reaching it.
All she needed was to prevent the headache from getting worse, then Maya felt that she could escape without having to talk to another soul.
To her horror, Maya heard someone shouting behind her. Nope. I don’t care who is trying to catch me, I will not stay here a moment longer. I don’t care what I have to do to get away.
For the first time in a long time, she focused on shifting.
The excruciating pain was immediate, and the scar on her stomach stretched and burned as she willed her body to change.
It was never easy because the pain made her body want to recoil and snap back into a safer form; the mental block didn’t help either.
That was why she hadn’t even tried to shift since her adolescence.
This was a last resort. She stumbled a little as she felt her feet become heavy, and her hands turned iridescent and scales formed on them.
When she fell forward, Maya knew that she was over halfway through the transition. All she needed to do was to will her body to finish the change, ignoring the pain. Soon she felt the wings painfully sprouting out of her back, and she moved them feebly, hoping they would work when she needed them.
“Wait! Please, Maya, you can’t—”
Maya’s long neck snaked around, and she immediately spotted that blond running toward her.
Before he could finish whatever he was saying, she snapped her long, dark tail.
It struck him in the side, sending the blond shifter flying off to the side across the field, like a ball hit by a bat.
Turning her attention in front of her, Maya began to run.
It felt unnatural and she had no connection with her body in this form, but she did not care.
Lumbering forward, she flapped her wings and jumped in an effort to get off the ground.
The jarring sensation that went through her when her body thudded against the soft moss and soil was annoying, but she pushed herself harder, willing her body to pick up speed.
She remembered the freeing sensation and what it felt like when the wind whipped around her, and she implored her body to listen as she moved forward.
Behind her, she could hear a voice, muffled and pained, but Maya ignored it as she finally started to pick up speed.
Her limbs moved more in unison and her wings flapped with smoother motions.
She could hear something heavy moving behind her.
Her senses were telling her that it was another dragon, someone who would have no trouble stopping her if they were to reach her before she got off the ground.
Trying to remember what she had learned as a child, Maya attempted to calculate the winds and how they may affect her.
Turning a little, she thought she was running into the wind, although she couldn’t honestly say for certain.
It all just felt like air moving around her.
Lowering her head and trying to make herself more aerodynamic, she jumped as she made a powerful downstroke with her wings.
Her body felt lighter, and Maya noticed that the ground was getting farther beneath her. A feeling of ecstasy pulsed through her for a second, quickly followed by fear. She had no idea how to fly for any distance, and her wings were already starting to feel tired.
As she pulled her legs up and tried to keep going, Maya worked to make her body more aerodynamic.
She quickly realized that the movement was too much for her body, and pain ripped through her stomach.
The rush of being in the air was replaced by the feel of gravity dragging her down.
Unable to keep control over her form, Maya’s body shifted back to her human form.
Balling up as she fell, it was all she could do to try to keep the pain from consuming her.
I guess this is one way to go. Rhys will finally have competition as the cautionary tale for those who end up here but don’t work for it.
This would be humiliating if I actually cared what anyone thought of me.
So maybe Rhys has it worse because he still has to live down his choices.
I just have to live with my choice for a few seconds, then my corpse will be someone else’s problem.
Instead of thinking about what was coming, Maya retreated into her memories, seeking comfort in what she was sure were the last moments of her life.