Dino Island 2

by J R Hogan

She rolled her eyes. “Do you really think it would have made a difference if I stood up to Melvin? If it weren’t these four, he’d just have taken a different group. And he would have gotten away with it in any case, because no one is going to believe what really happened. You’re attached to these women. I get it. But every person eventually exits this life and leaves behind a tortured friend or lover who silently comes to understand that no one will comfort their suffering.” She touched my arm. “Mark, there are some things we can’t control, and some things we can. Success is measured in our ability to understand what opportunities are reachable.” Her face turned to pleading. “You’re in a truly remarkable place. What do you expect will happen if you spend this opportunity chasing four college girls simultaneously?” She took my hand. “You don’t belong with them. Together, we can unlock the mysteries of this world. Be brilliant, not naïve.” She stood on her toes to kiss me.

  I placed a hand over her mouth to block her. Her eyes opened wide. We stared at one another with nothing but her glasses between us.

  She stood down.

  “You are, of course, free to pursue your own interests as you best see fit,” Chastity said in a professional tone as she smoothed her lab coat and avoided eye contact. She folded her arms and turned away from me, looking out at the horizon.

  “Chastity, I-”

  She shook her head. I stopped talking.

  “Can you do me a favor, Mark. Don’t worry, it’s a professional favor.”

  I glanced up at the setting sun. The sky had just turned from red to orange, and the gentle sea breeze was just the right temperature to turn warm air into cool gusts. I looked at Chastity and wondered how I would have reacted to her kiss if I’d never met the four women.

  “Yes. Of course. What do you need?”

  She turned around, her eyes low. “We’re going to have to sleep together tonight.”

  My mouth froze.

  “The six of us will have to camp in the same location if we want to maximize protection from the raptors. I imagine that you already have a system in place.”

  “Ah,” I stammered, “yes, of course.”

  Chastity nodded. “Today has been pretty awkward for me, Mark.” She put her hands on her hips. “I don’t think the girls going to be enthusiastic about my presence. But the reality is that I’ll be easy prey for any nocturnal predators if they don’t let me in.” She drew her lips into a thin line. “Do you think you could put in a good word for me?”

  I nodded slowly. “Sure, I think – I hope they’ll understand. It’s a reasonable request.”

  “I’m glad that you think so,” she continued in her forced professional tone. “By the way, only three of them were standing by the campfire when we walked over here. I’m pretty sure the fourth has been listening to us the entire time.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  TOC

  I felt dizzy. Was she lying? Perhaps mistaken? Had I said anything extra stupid?

  “Someone is here right now?” I asked, trying to hide my discomfort. “Where?”

  “Oh, I’m pretty sure she’s gone by now. Honestly, Mark, how do you never notice when the women in your life are getting close to you?”

  I tried to think of a reasonable response, but once again produced only silence. “Um,” I began after several false starts, “you’re saying Daisy heard everything we just said?”

  “I can’t track every detail of your life for you, Mark, and I’ll admit that I haven’t tried to memorize their names. The skinny little thing that’s been so moody around you – she wasn’t with the others when you came back from – hunting – and someone certainly followed us in the trees. Make of that what you will.” She shook her head. “Mark, I feel completely humiliated. If you wouldn’t tell the others what… almost happened here, I would be greatly obliged.”

  “Of course,” I answered immediately. “I’ll try to smooth things over with them. It only makes sense that we should sleep together tonight.” I winced at my own wording.

  Then I headed through the sand toward our camp. Along the way, I tried to imagine what the other women would think about Chastity sleeping alongside us. I attempted to envision a scenario in which the suggestion went over well.

  I found none. The prospect had seemed so practical while speaking with Chastity. But each step closer to the fire amplified my sense of unease. Yet I couldn’t go back on my offer: I’d made a promise, and would see it through.

  Sarah, Ling, and Jessica were preparing dinner when I drew closer. If there’d been any conversation prior to my arrival, it had ceased by the time I was in earshot. Ling and Sarah smiled knowingly at each other while Jessica drank me in with her wide, green eyes. “We missed you,” she offered in a soft voice as she played with Ling’s knife in her hands.

  “Ah. Yes – thank you. I, ah, had a proposition for you ladies,” I began.

  Ling raised an eyebrow.

  “I don’t think it’s practical for Chastity to sleep alone. There’s been far too much raptor activity. But there could potentially be some tension if she joins us tonight.” I shuffled my feet in the sand. “Do you think that would be an issue?”

  “Why would that be an issue?” Ling asked as she plunged a butcher knife into a raptor flank, the blood oozing around her blade.

  Silence hung thick about the four of us, but I was certain that I shouldn’t speak first.

  “It’s fine,” Jessica announced coolly. “She’ll sleep at the farthest end. I’m sure she won’t mind keeping a close eye on the jungle for us.”

  “Who’s going to want to sleep next to her?” Sarah asked, a look of discomfort on her face.

  Ling ripped the knife through the meat, tearing a hole.

  “I’ll do it,” Jessica continued in an even voice. “I’ll sleep next to her.”

  “But it’s your night to…” Sarah turned red and cut herself off.

  Jessica sheathed Ling’s knife. “It’s my night to spend as I wish, Sarah, and I prefer to keep everything where it belongs.” She smiled; it looked half-genuine. “Maybe Chastity talks in her sleep, and she’ll finally reveal something honest.”

  I nodded slowly. “Do you think Daisy will be okay with this?”

  Now there was a hell of an awkward silence.

  “Well,” I announced brightly, “you ladies have done an amazing job getting our camp ready. Why don’t you relax while I cook up dinner?”

  • • •

  We ate in silence. My lack of conversation, at least, was simply an issue of being ravenous. Despite having the relative civility of cutlery and a plate at my disposal, I took the raptor meat in both hands and sunk my teeth deep into the flesh. It was smoky and rare, deeply primal, and spoke to the baser region of my spirit that was slowly emerging from somewhere hidden. I understood that it had always been a part of me, and that a lifetime of social norms had taught me to suppress it. But now I was looking into a blood-red sunset, chewing dinosaur meat by the mouthful, and feeling even hungrier for the four most alluring women I’d ever met. While they were all objectively beautiful, our shared experiences had changed my longing for them into a drive so strong that it intimidated even me.

  Chastity finally emerged from the tree line just before the sun dipped behind the horizon. She walked silently, still in her lab coat and heels, until she was in our midst. We made no acknowledgement of her presence, nor did we part for her to have a seat. She peeled her dinner from the hanging chunk of meat that dangled over the open flame, wincing as it singed her fingertips. Then she dropped the too-hot meat onto a plate she yanked from a nearby stack, sat down, and ate alone.

  Ling smiled, the juice running down her chin.

  • • •

  “Do you think Sarah and Daisy should share the tent?” Ling asked.

  I had opened my mouth to respond when I realized that it wasn’t a question. “Of course, Ling.”

  Our bedtime routine had become much more sophisticated with the
arrival of my grocery haul. In the glow of the candlelight, I brushed my teeth, flossed, used mouthwash, scrubbed my face, rinsed my shirt in the ‘cleaning’ stream, changed socks and underwear, then headed to lay out on the tarp I’d brought in my camping bag.

  “You can come over to this sleeping bag with me!” Jessica announced with true cheerleader pep as Chastity stood up from the stream, rubbing her dripping face.

  “Oh,” Chastity replied in a flat voice. “I thought that perhaps I would sleep on this side,” she suggested, pointing to my spot.

  Jessica continued to smile brightly.

  Chastity lowered her arm, frowned in defeat, and followed Jessica, still clutching her briefcase.

  “Oh, and I can hold onto your .45 ACP,” Jessica pressed in the same tone.

  Chastity smiled condescendingly. “No thanks, I’m fine. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to accidentally hurt yourself.”

  Jessica cocked her head to the side. “And I wouldn’t want you to get hurt by the raptors when you’re sleeping in the jungle all alone.”

  Chastity froze.

  I could feel her looking at me, but the only thing in my eyesight was the beautiful night sky.

  The standoff lasted several more tense seconds.

  But Chastity was always the prudent chess player. I’m certain that she ran every possible scenario to completion in her mind before realizing that she had been beaten. Delicately, she opened the briefcase, removed her weapon, hesitated, and handed it to Jessica. Her shoulders slumped almost imperceptibly.

  I came close to feeling sorry for her.

  “Got room for me on the tarp?” Ling asked.

  Once again, I almost spoke before realizing that I wasn’t being offered a choice.

  The sky was painted with a thousand unknown constellations waiting to be named. I found myself lost in the roadmap of faraway stars, each with its own planets hosting potential worlds of worlds. I melted into the notion of vastness as the steady hiss of crashing waves mixed with the reflection of the dying firelight.

  My eyes bulged from the teeth on my ear.

  “Ling,” I whispered, “it’s not, ah-”

  “I know, Professor,” she whispered. “Jessica and that woman are on the far side of the campsite, with Sarah and Daisy taking the tent between us and them. I’m just here to make sure that our guest keeps her hands off of what doesn’t belong to her.” She slid her hand down my bare abs and gave my dick a strong squeeze as I gasped. “We’ll draw straws again soon.” She kissed my cheek. “Good night, Professor.”

  Ling bit my ear once more, rolled over, and was silent.

  I gazed hungrily at her curvy profile, her nearly naked form glowing in the firelight. For a moment, I wondered if she would be willing to forgo all rules.

  Then I closed my eyes. I was craving her touch, but couldn’t have it right then. She had done this to me on purpose. I could feel her grinning.

  I turned onto my back, once again staring at the night sky.

  The constellations, I realized, had been given their stories by anxious people whose minds refused to quiet themselves long enough for sleep to catch up.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  TOC

  “Keep your hands off of me!”

  “You can’t keep your hands to yourself, I don’t see why I should have to!”

  Shit. I hadn’t yet opened my eyes, and the day was already three steps ahead of me.

  I checked my crotch, breathed a tiny sigh of relief at the lack of morning wood, and sprang to my feet.

  Ling was jabbing a finger into Chastity’s chest as Jessica moved in behind the taller woman.

  “Is she telling the truth?” Jessica asked as she stopped just behind Chastity.

  Ling had a rare moment of hesitancy.

  Chastity looked to me with a face of pure smug. “Everything changes when backs are turned.” She looked down at Ling. “I imagine the sleeping arrangements were your idea? Interesting how the girl who runs around in her underwear thought it was best to spend the night next to Mark.”

  Ling put her palms on her hips. “My clothes were ruined by raptor guts. But I’m warming to the idea of walking around with a little blood on my hands.”

  “Ling, what happened?” Jessica asked in a light voice.

  Ling took half a step back. “I – I barely touched him, Jessica. I only bit his ear twice.”

  Chastity couldn’t hide her grin.

  “You know I still get a turn before we cycle back again, right?” Jessica pressed.

  Chastity wheeled around to stared at the cheerleader, gawked, then narrowed her eyes at me. She didn’t speak; the wheels turning in her head told me everything I needed to know.

  She understood that Jessica was in control, and that I wasn’t going to stop her.

  Part of me was slightly abashed. But a bigger part glowed with warmth.

  I was lucky, no matter how much I tried to deny it.

  Chastity brushed her lab coat. “Everyone else gets a turn. I see,” she whispered.

  “What’s that?” Ling snapped.

  “I said that Mark found something yesterday and needs my help.” She stared at me without blinking.

  My guts froze.

  “You and Blondie went on an expedition yesterday, correct? And you found something that you’ll need my help to address.” She folded her arms.

  I tried to swallow, but my mouth had somehow gone dry despite the humidity. “How did you know what we found?”

  “Three reasons, Mark,” Chastity explained as thought she were giving at lecture. “First of all,” she stepped out from between Ling and Jessica, “we’re in a jungle filled with dinosaurs.” She flashed a condescending smile. “It’s not that hard to predict that you came across something dangerous.” She walked toward me, striding confidently even as the tips of her heels sank into the soft dirt. “Second – you didn’t announce what you’d found after returning from your-” she glanced from me to Jessica, then back to me, “session. That tells me you felt it was necessary to time your findings with delicate care. Why take such steps, unless you had unpleasant news?” She stopped in front of me, looking up and smiling. “And the third reason is that you answered me with ‘how did you know?’ Mark, next time you’re trying to hide something, don’t underestimate the intellect of those who have a history of controlling your feelings.” She glanced down at my crotch so quickly that I wasn’t sure if I’d imagined it, then folded her arms and turned to face the others. “Want to tell them now, Mark?”

  “Tell us what?” Sarah asked as she approached from the direction of the water. She walked just ahead of Daisy, who kept her eyes focused on the sand in front of her as she moved. Both girls walked with a free and light gait; that, combined with their wet hair and dry clothes, told me they had probably been swimming naked together in the morning sun. I turned to Chastity and saw that she was staring at my crotch as though expecting something to happen.

  I cleared my throat.

  “Mark was just going to explain how I’ll be helping you with something,” Chastity announced with a smile.

  The words died in my throat as all five women looked at me.

  “Or was I mistaken?” Chastity continued, feigning surprise. “I can help you in ways that no one else can. Aren’t you going to make their safety your top priority?”

  I turned away from her and sighed. “Yesterday, Jessica and I found a group of Troodons that are becoming increasingly aggressive. They’re not individually as dangerous at the Spinosaurs, but as a pack, they could provide the worse threat we’ve faced yet. And they’re much, much more intelligent.”

  Sarah grabbed Daisy’s hand without looking away from me.

  “But we’re smarter. And the intelligent thing is to act before they do. We’ve stayed one step ahead of every dino so far, and we’ll do it again this time.”

  “Which is why Mark would like my assistance in protecting you girls,” Chastity i
nterrupted.

  I gawked at her. She’d phrased it with the precise move of a master chess player. I could have denied it if Chastity had said, ‘Mark asked for my assistance,’ because that wasn’t true. But she was right; if our safety was on the line because of her actions, I certainly expected Chastity to put herself in harm’s way to protect the other four. She’d given the right facts with the wrong tone and removed my ability to refute her.

  The light in her eyes told me all of this in a moment’s sliver, and I had no response.