Island of Dragons (9 page)

Miley was surprised and yet not at all surprised when she opened the front door to two men sitting on the porch. “Where do you think you’re going?” Cain questioned.

For a
moment, Miley paused in her steps and hesitated in her thoughts. Was she guarded because she was a prisoner or because of the strange attacks?

She figured she would at least try. “I am going to see Diesel
,” she said semi-confidently.

Cain nodded his head slowly. Miley was sure he was going to refuse her. “
Okay, I’ll bring you to him. He said it was okay when you decided to come and visit him.” What? Why hadn’t she thought of that earlier?

Cain stood “Well, are you coming?” He asked.

“Yep,” Miley said quickly hurrying forward.”

As they walked toward the house, Miley felt as if she needed to fill the silence with conversation but was too nervous. Instead, she walked along side Cain in silence.

“Right this way.” Cain said softly holding out his arm for Miley to precede him.

Miley stepped inside the large
home, took in the fresh smell of baked goods, and moaned slightly. “Lunch is being prepared,” Cain smiled.

“It smells good.” Miley commented.

“Sure does.” He replied with a smile. “Here we are.” Cain said holding up his hand to knock on the door.

With a few swift knocks of his fist, Cain smiled down at Miley reassuringly. “He’s going to be happy to see you.”

Miley wasn’t so sure about that. She knew he wouldn’t be happy. He would probably scold her for bothering him, yet he said they had to talk and she desperately wanted to know what he was thinking about.

“What is it?” Diesel hissed out and Miley flinched slightly. Though it wasn’t quite the flinch she thought she would have, it was more of a shiver of excitement that was beginning to build inside her.

“It’s Cain. May I come in?” Cain called out.

“Proceed.” Diesel huffed.

When Cain smiled down at Miley once again and reached forward to open the door, Miley sucked in a breath. “Wait,” she whispered.

“No, it’s alright.” Cain chuckled.

“What if he …” she begun, but never got to finish.

“Miley?” Diesel’s voice was happier than a moment ago. “What brings you?”

Miley smiled softly. “You said we could talk.”

Diesel’s head turned slightly and Miley then realized he wasn’t alone. Sitting were Miley
could not quite see at first was the man from the water, Orion. “Of course. Ri, could you give us a few minutes?” Diesel asked.

Orion nodded and stood up walking toward Miley before pa
using for a sniff. “Mesmerizing,” he murmured.

Miley sucked in a nervous breath and backed up slightly. A growl from the far side of the room made her lose her
nervousness, turn her head away from the man, and settle her attention on Diesel. His shoulders were tensing along with his body. “Get out.” He said through gritted teeth.

Miley slowly backed up and Cain chuckled. “He’s not talking to you dear.” He pushed gently on her back “Go on. I’ll be out here when you’re finished.”

Miley stumbled forward and quickly turned her head to catch sight of Cain and Orion disappearing behind the door. “Come here” Diesel said huskily. “I won’t hurt you.”

“I don’t know…” Miley muttered. “Right now you’re kind of scaring me.”

Diesel’s eyes flicked shut and he sucked in a breath, slowly releasing it through his nostrils. “I don’t like anyone taking what’s mine.” He huffed.

Miley
did not quite understand that. She frowned and looked at him with furrowed brows, “What’s yours?”

“Sit down?” He asked.

“Answer me.” Miley groaned.

Diesel snorted. “Let’s go for a walk.” He said after an exaggerated pause and pushed his chair back to stand.

“Why?” Miley groaned.

“We need to talk so we’ll walk and talk, more rela
xing outside. Easier to talk,” he said with a tight smile.

Diesel reached Miley’s side and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Do you mind?” He questioned.

“Uh…” Miley sputtered “no.”

“Great.” He grinned.

The two then began to walk out of the office and out of the house into the island breeze.

The sun was high in the air and it warmed the island. “What’s yours?” Miley asked anxiously.

“There are things about this island that you just don’t know…” Diesel dragged out.

“Like what?” Miley questioned.

“You’ll find out in time.” Diesel sighed. Switching topics, he looked at her with a small grin. “I like you.” He breathed out.

Diesel may have been a great leader and a grown man but he had never said those words to a woman before. He had never liked any of the woman whom were sacrificed before and he
never really had known any of the local main-land-er woman either.

It had been a long time since Diesel even felt the love that he felt for Miley. Yes, he
has not known her for long but she dug right into his heart and made a nest there.

Yes, she wasn’t like him, but there wasn’t any woman that could be like him. This woman was different though. Something about her that he felt connected too. Something that made him want her all to himself.

Yes, there was once mates… but that also died along with the lack of female dragon births years ago. Miley had stopped in her tracks and was staring at him. The man was lost in thought. “Are you alright?” she asked.

He snapped out of his thoughts and turned to her, with an enormous grin on his face he purred. The look made Miley’s nerves go all over. She slowly backed away from
him, which caused Diesel to growl. “I want you.” He growled inhumanly.

“Diesel you’re scaring me right now.” Miley cringed slightly backing away.

Diesel took in the steps that Miley took and he continued toward her with larger ones. As Miley’s back bumped into something hard she yelped and anxiously felt behind her. A tree. Crap.

“I always get what I want,
” Diesel said in his beautiful accent and Miley could not help but feel as if she was going to melt inside.

Before she could say anything Diesel entrapped Miley with his arms and the tree behind her. “Kiss me.” He told her.

“Diesel,” Miley mumbled.

Noticing her reluctance, Diesel seized the moment, leaning in quickly and capturing her lips in his own.

Diesel purred as his lips moved along Miley’s. It took a moment but she did respond happily, melting into his chest and kissing him back.

When Diesel finally pulled away, Miley sucked in a breath. One hand went up to press against her tender kiss swollen lips and the other reached out and slapped him hard across the face.

Tears streamed down Miley’s face. She had felt taken advantage of and it unsettled her. There was never a man who she had been even remotely liked this much and now she wasn’t sure what to do with herself.

Had he taken advantage of the opportunity and kissed her? Or was she desperate for that kiss as much as he was? She was so conflicted.

As Miley ran through the small village, alarms sounded above her. They were terrifyingly loud, almost like a tornado siren, and it hurt her ears. Her hands slapped over her ears and she tried to block out the noise.

“Miley!” Diesel yelled. He had stood there stunned
, but as soon as the sirens began, he knew he needed to get to her and protect her.

“Diesel?” She called back, knowing that he
could not hear her.

He caught up with her in no time. Wrapping an arm around Miley’s tiny
waist, he pulled her into his chest. “We got to go!” He yelled into her ear.

The noise was deafening and blocking out most of what she heard,
but Miley did not protest as Diesel led her away.

“What’s going on?”
she cried out.

“Intruders!” h
e shouted back.

“What?” Miley questioned. She figured she must have heard the wrong thing.

“Alpha!” someone shouted and Diesel turned quickly to face the owner of the voice.

Miley screeched and Diesel sighed, tug
ging her tighter. “It’s okay.” he murmured. “Jonah, what’s going on?”

A tall beast stood before them, his wings
erect, and his body semi ridged. He bowed down slightly and lowered his head as he began to speak. “An intruder has been spotted on the north beach. He says he’s looking for someone but we know he’s from the Dugan Clan. We can smell it.”

“Have him detained.
I will be there shortly to help with questioning. Thank you Jonah” Diesel nodded his head respectfully, “you’re dismissed.”

The mammoth beast scrunched down and before Miley could even take a breath it was up in the air and gone. She was left stunned and afraid. Did she really just see what she thought she had saw?

Diesel was walking with her tucked into his side. She had run toward a place she had not quite seen before and he was now leading her toward it. Beneath their feet formed a small foot trail beaten path worn away over the years by continuous use.

Ahead of them lie the ocean but before that was a spectacular sight. Massive stone structures of near replicas to the
giant, which had flown away before Miley’s very eyes. “What is this place?” Miley stuttered out.

Diesel stopped and dropped his grip on her as he slowly walked toward the statue and turned around sharply on his heels. “Don’t lie to me…” Diesel grit out through tightly clenched teeth, “Is the intruder searching for you?”

Miley sucked in a breath and stared at the man before her. Diesel was intimidating, his back straight and his shoulders broad, he towered over her easily. She looked down and shook her head slightly.

“I would assume.” Miley sighed.

Diesel growled. He was trying to find the words to say but it was just so hard to do. “Are you part of the Dugan Clan!” he nearly yelled.

Miley cringed at his tone and looked up abruptly, “what are you talking about?” She questioned.

“I know you’re not mated and I know you’re human, but are you …,” Diesel groaned. He sure hoped she wasn’t going to be joined to someone, he liked her and for some reason she settled his dragon. “Are you betrothed to someone from the Dugan?”

This time Miley laughed “What? Getting married, you have to be kidding.”

Diesel growled again this time rushing toward her, his arms reached out and he gripped her waist as he brought her back against the rocks of a nearby statue. He pinned her there. “What are these people looking for you?” he growled out.

“Diesel…” Miley said calmly. “You have kept me locked up in your beautiful village for how long now?” She paused trying to figure out the time frame. “The man who dropped me here was sure to come looking for me eventually
,” she shrugged.

Diesel’s expression changed from straight up pissed off to confused and curious. “Who brought you here, Miley.”

Miley let out a breath and gently pushed at Diesel’s chest, freeing up some breathing space. “Can we sit?” She asked quietly.

Diesel nodded his head and followed Miley over to the lower rocks for a place to sit. “I was asked to document the island, photograph creatures,
and take notes on what this island has to hidden here. I am a photographer; a magazine company called me and paid for the trip. Victor,” Miley was interrupted by a deep rumbling growl in Diesel’s chest and she shuttered as she looked up into his eyes, there were the most brilliant shade of purple she had ever saw, scary and not human.

“That bastard!” Diesel roared.

“I know he left me here,” Miley sneered.

“You have no idea…” Diesel groaned.

“What was that creature?” Miley questioned, quickly changing the subject.

“A dragon,” Diesel replied nonchalantly.

Her vision blurred and Miley wavered slightly. She was sure it had been a dream, a hallucination caused by the deafening noise she had heard earlier.

“Just like those from the Dugan,
” Diesel continued.

Miley
could not see him. Her vision had turned to a quickly narrowing tunnel and before she could fully hear his next sentence, everything went black.

“Well, that was a very human reaction.” Diesel said as he rubbed a cool
washcloth against Miley’s forehead.

“Diesel?” Miley mumbled.

“Yeah, I’m right here. I take it you have never seen anyone shift in the Dugan Clan?” he asked.

“I don’t have a
clue what you’re talking about,” Miley groaned as she reached up to rub her face.

“I have to go and interview our prisoner; Cain make sure sh
e’s steady before she stands up,” Diesel demanded. “Keep an eye on here, I’ll be back later.”

Miley blinked and turned her head slightly watching Diesel’s muscled retreating back as he walked away. She wished desperately she could run her fingers across the taught muscles there.
However, she had mixed feelings. What if he turned out to be a cheater, just like Toby?

“You know drool isn’t very attractive…” Cain laughed.

“What?” Miley replied flabbergasted.

“He likes you too but right now he’s confused as to why you’re here. It would help everything if you would just
tell us why you’re here, Miley,” Cain said taking the towel from Miley and handing her a cup of water.

“I told him,
” Miley scolded, she was confused.

“Nobody knows about this island and those that do are afraid to come here.” Cain scoffed. “We know you’re lying about something.”

“I am not lying. I was abandoned here after I was promised a big raise and really good royalties on my photos. I should be home now and wallowing in my newly found riches!” Miley hissed. It was practically true at least. She would be at home and wallowing but not in riches… more like sorrow and heartache.

“You know
, you humans are all the same!” Cain snapped. “I don’t understand how you all could be so money hungry!”

“Money hungry
!” Miley snapped. “What would I possibly be looking for here money wise? This island is so secluded I doubt any of you make a living.”

Cain had been nice enough before
, but now he was just pissing her off. There was no money here to be hungry for. “Wait… humans?” Miley questioned once she registered what Cain had said. “You are human!”

A deep laughter erupted within Cain and he turned sharply to walk toward the door. “If I was human, I wouldn’t be living here.” He told her as he slowly disappeared.

That made Miley question everything. Everything Diesel had said earlier, the ‘dragon’, now even Cain, all of it was confusing; everything she had known about the world was crashing down around her.