by Zoe Chant
Which is exactly why I’m here, Stefan reminded himself as he shifted back into his human form. Because it’s the last place anyone would look for me.
Despite the sun’s rays, up here on the cliffs the wind bit into the delicate skin of his human body, making him shiver. Reaching down, he began pulling on the clothes he’d hidden by a tree before shifting – a white t-shirt, a flannel coat with sheepskin lining, and beat-up old jeans that had seen better days. If anyone saw him here in the woods, they’d just assume he was any old hiker, out for a day’s walk.
Locked back away inside his human body, his dragon snorted angrily, flaring its nostrils and flexing its long claws. It was frustrated: its freedom had been all too brief, and it knew instinctively that it’d be a while until he allowed it out again.
I know, and I’m sorry, he said as he began to hike back through the trees, away from the cliffs. But you know why things have to be this way.
The dragon snorted again, puffing out hot breath and a little smoke. It was pissed.
Stefan did his best to ignore it, but carrying an angry dragon around inside him wasn’t exactly easy, even at the best of times. Make that an angry, lonely dragon, who hadn’t been around its own kind in years.
And then there was the fact that, as he was all too aware, his twenty-fifth birthday was fast approaching: the cut-off date for a dragon to find their mate.
The dragon knew it too – and every passing day felt like a noose tightening around his neck.
Stefan shoved his hands deep down into his pockets as he walked. It’s impossible, he thought. It didn’t matter how lonely he was – or worse, that it meant his line would die with him. The knowledge tore at his heart. But he also knew he couldn’t risk it.
Finding his mate would only place her in danger. And he had vowed that he would never do that.
The same ones who had killed his family and destroyed his clan wouldn’t hesitate to do the same to him, if they ever managed to find him. And needless to say, his mate, and whatever children they had, wouldn’t escape the slaughter. The blood feud between the Novak dragon clan and the Lukich dragon clan wouldn’t end until one line was completely and utterly destroyed. The only reason he was still alive today was because Erik Lukich, the head of the enemy clan, didn’t know where to find him.
It was the reason he was alone here, and the reason he didn’t dare spend too much time in his dragon form. If they were to find him, then his clan really would be dead and gone for all time.
Not that it would make any difference, if you don’t find our mate, his dragon snarled at him, its eyes glittering.
Stefan swallowed. He knew the dragon was right. One way or another, there would soon be nothing left of the Novak Clan.
I know, he told the dragon, as he clenched his fists. But can we really put our mate in so much danger? You know what would happen if they found us…
The dragon lowered its head, anger simmering. I’d tear anyone who tried to hurt our mate apart.
It was true. Stefan knew that he would fight with every ounce of strength he possessed to protect his mate. But sometimes, that wasn’t enough.
His own family had tried to fight – and one by one, they had been killed. He was only here because he’d been young enough for his mother to hide him – he had been too young and small for anyone to expect him to fight. His mother had brought him here, and told him not to come out until she came back for him.
Only, she never had. Stefan had never seen her again – not since the day she’d hidden him in a cave right here in these woods, along with the small part of the Novak Clan’s hoard she’d been able to sneak away with.
Stefan was deep within the cover of the trees now, far off any path that went through these woods. He knew the way by heart – he didn’t even have to stop to look for landmarks anymore.
The sound of running water soon reached his ears, and one of the small rivers that ran through here came into view. A waterfall cascaded over the mossy dark gray rocks in front of him, totally obscuring the entrance to a small cave.
Ducking beneath a low-hanging bough, Stefan slid his body between the flowing water and the slippery rocks, and into the darkness of the cave beyond.
The light was low, but Stefan, thanks to the heightened senses of his dragon, could see well in the dark. Anyone who looked at his eyes right now might have noticed their unearthly green glow as he called on his dragon to guide him through the darkness, but there was no one here to see.
As he rounded a slight corner, he found what he’d come here for.
His hoard. The Novak Clan’s hoard – or what was left of it, anyway. What had once been one of the largest collections of gold and jewels in the world was now little more than a small mound – still priceless beyond measure, but only a meager portion of what it had once been.
Even in the dimness of the cave, the gold gave off a gentle glow, the jewels glittering in what little light could break through the curtain of water and find its way to the back of the cave. Sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds of every hue; the crowns of long-dead emperors and kings; golden boxes studded with precious stones; jewelry that had once been worn by queens and high priestesses.
Lifting a delicate gold and diamond tiara in his hands, Stefan looked down at it, running his fingers over its surface. Though the metal was cold, he felt a thrill of electricity run through him at the contact: this was how dragons recharged themselves after long periods of activity. Contact with their hoards made them strong, and gave them renewed vitality. Most dragons slept with their gold, drawing strength from it in the night before waking, their energy restored, ready to spread their mighty wings and take flight.
But in this case, this wasn’t why Stefan was touching the tiara. It was the piece he had once imagined that he would crown his mate with, before he’d realized just how impossible that had become.
He alone couldn’t hope to fight off the entire Lukich Clan. Which was what he’d have to do if ever they found him. And he’d realized that, if he wanted to keep his mate – wherever she was, whoever she was – safe from harm, it would be better for her if he never found her.
Not that there’s much chance of ever finding her, he thought to himself with a wry smile. It wasn’t like his mate was going to come walking through the woods and into his arms.
It was better this way, he tried to tell himself as he gently placed the tiara back down with the rest of his hoard.
His skin felt warm, the proximity to his treasures making him tingle from head to toe. Despite the amount of energy flying had taken up, he felt refreshed.
Stefan’s dragon, however, usually soothed when in contact with its precious collection, still seemed agitated. It flexed its talons, snapping its jaws and extending its wings, glancing about as if searching for danger.
What is it? Stefan asked it, mildly irritated. Use your words, for goodness’ sake.
I don’t know, the dragon replied, its voice drifting back to him – part of him, and yet, also somehow separate from him too. But there’s… something. Something different.
Stefan paused, glancing over his shoulder to the entrance of the cave. Is it dangerous?
Not sure yet. Maybe. But… then again…
The dragon’s voice drifted away from him as it tucked its wings close to its body, lowering its head to rest on its claws.
It closed its bright green eyes, and Stefan realized it was done with talking to him.
He felt unsettled. Danger could mean only one thing: the Lukich Clan. But the dragon hadn’t seemed convinced it was danger that it was sensing.
Its senses would be stronger after spending time with the hoard, Stefan reasoned – but the unease wouldn’t leave him.
What could it be? he asked himself as he settled back against the pile of gold, his eyes fixed on the entrance to the cave.
Chapter Three
Holly
“Oh – damn!”
Holly stumbled for what seemed like the hundredth time tha
t day as her foot caught on an unearthed root hiding amongst the undergrowth.
There was no denying that the forest was beautiful, but it was hardly user-friendly.
Luckily, she’d found a sturdy walking stick by the door of the cabin, and she wasn’t in any danger of falling flat on her face.
After a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs on toast, Holly had decided that if she was going to truly appreciate her time out in nature, she’d better go hiking. She’d made herself a packed lunch, threw a book in her bag, and set out to explore one of the many trails that wove through the deepest parts of the forest.
She hadn’t been sure whether to expect a lot of other hikers to be around given the beautiful weather, but so far, she hadn’t seen anyone. The forest was completely still apart from the wind moving the branches of the trees, and the occasional rustle of what could be squirrels or beavers or martens or woodrats, for all she knew. Occasionally, she heard the soft cry of what she thought might be an owl, but she wasn’t familiar enough with the sounds of the forest to be sure.
Don’t owls only come out at night? she wondered as she walked. She’d spotted a large, illustrated book of wildlife back in the cabin, and she decided it might be worth her while studying it when she got back. Maybe grab a pair of binoculars from the shelf and do some dedicated bird watching. It seemed like a nice, calming way to spend her time.
Just then, Holly’s stomach let out a soft but determined growl. She’d been walking for a couple of hours now, always being careful to stay on the marked path – and it was definitely time for some lunch.
Glancing around and wondering where she should sit, it came to Holly that she could hear the sound of a babbling stream from somewhere nearby.
It would be lovely to sit and watch the water rush by her while she ate, she decided. She knew she shouldn’t stray far from the path, and she decided that if she couldn’t find the stream within a couple of minutes she’d make her way back.
As it turned out, the stream was only a short way off the path – beautiful, crystal-clear water tumbled over dark rocks, winding through the bright green of the undergrowth. Everything was still and stunning around her, and, sighing happily, Holly sunk down onto her backside, pulling off her pack and reaching for her bottle of water.
Despite the hole of loneliness she still felt in her heart, out here she seemed a million miles away from all her problems. It didn’t seem possible that just a few hours’ drive from here was the little home she’d shared with George; the dirty, busy city where she’d driven to work every day. It almost seemed impossible that two such different places could exist on the same planet, let alone in the same state.
Pulling out her sandwich, Holly munched contentedly. She’d fried up a minute steak and some onions, and slapped them between two hunks of bread with some ketchup and mustard. Not fancy food to be sure, but the kind of thing she liked – and which would make sure she had enough energy for the hike.
Feeling refreshed after her meal, Holly sat, simply watching the water as it flowed past her. Her job had either been utterly crazy or utterly boring, with nothing in between, and it felt nice just to sit, knowing she had nowhere to be, no one about to come crashing into her office with some emergency that needed fixing NOW.
Maybe this’ll be good for me, Holly thought, doing her best to believe it. Maybe I can stop and think, re-evaluate my priorities, think about what I –
Her train of thought was abruptly cut off by the sound of something large and heavy crashing through the undergrowth from the other side of the stream. Holly jerked her head up to see a huge black bear emerging from between some saplings, its heavy paws – with enormous claws – settling on the bed of the stream as it lowered its head to drink.
Holly sat frozen. She wasn’t silly enough to have come out here without reading about how to deal with bear encounters, but knowing and doing were two very different things.
The bear lapped at the water, long tongue darting in and out of its mouth. It didn’t give any indication that it was bothered by her presence, nor that it had even noticed her. Holly decided that, for the moment, it would be better if things stayed that way, and stayed where she was, hardly daring to breathe.
But things couldn’t last.
Finished with its drink, the bear raised its head once more, its small black eyes now focused firmly on her. Maybe it was just curious, but Holly wasn’t sure she wanted to take that chance.
“It’s okay, bear,” Holly said in her best soothing voice, slowly getting to her feet. “I didn’t realize this was your watering hole. I totally get it if you don’t want to share, so I’ll just be on my way.”
The bear sniffed the air loudly, nostrils flaring. Holly swallowed as it stood up slightly on its hind legs, grunting and licking its lips.
And its teeth. Its long, sharp, surprisingly white teeth.
“Okay, bear, I’m going,” she said. Her hand was on the bear spray in her pocket, but she didn’t want to use it if she didn’t have to. She was, after all, the intruder here. This was the bear’s home, and she was the one who’d come stumbling into it. “Let’s be friends, okay? But I know when I’ve worn out my welcome.”
The bear showed no signs of backing off. It dropped down onto its forepaws again, splashing water over its thick fur. Then it slowly began to advance.
Holly bit her lip, trying to slow her breathing. Don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic, she repeated to herself as she slowly backed away. The bear can probably just smell your food. He’s just curious. He doesn’t want to hurt you.
Maybe it’d met other campers and hikers who’d fed it, or else had easily raidable backpacks or food stores. Maybe it thought Holly was an easy meal ticket.
Maybe I should rephrase that, she thought to herself.
Whatever it smelled in her backpack was an easy meal ticket. Not Holly herself.
The bear is not going to eat me, she told herself. That would be silly. And more trouble than it’s worth.
On the other hand, Holly thought wryly, there would certainly be some good eating on her – she’d hardly make for a light snack!
The bear grunted again – only now, it was more of a growl, revealing its teeth again as it lowered its head. Apparently it had decided that Holly needed a little more convincing to give up whatever delicious treats it smelled.
It was getting impatient. It wanted its food now.
Oh my God, Holly thought, finally feeling her panic break loose as the bear began to run, splashing across the stream toward her. She felt the can of bear spray in her hand and she whipped it out of her pocket, uncapping it clumsily.
“I didn’t want to have to do this, bear,” she said, raising her shaking hand.
But before she could press down on the button, her feet tangled in a tree root, and she came down heavily on her backside.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, Holly’s brain was screaming as she scrambled to recover herself, hearing the bear clear the water and come crashing through the undergrowth on the other side.
Holly closed her eyes as a dark shadow suddenly fell across her. She waited, wondering if this was it, and the next thing she’d feel was the bear’s nose against her skin – or its teeth.
When neither of those things happened, she slowly opened her eyes, frightened of what she might see when she looked up.
But there was no bear looming over her.
There was no bear at all, in fact.
Instead, standing a short distance away from her was a man.
Holy… holy hell.
Holly blinked, scarcely able to believe her eyes.
A man didn’t really even begin to cover it.
It was a broad-shouldered, deep-chested, tall, tall man, his fist clenched by his side, eyes blazing. From this angle, Holly could see him only in profile – but that was more than enough for her to see the squareness of his jaw, the perfect angle of his Roman nose, the tousle of dark hair that fell over his forehead, and the brilliant green of his eyes.
And then there was the fact that he was facing down a charging bear.
Swallowing heavily, Holly forced herself to look away from her mystery savior. The bear, which had been merrily charging its way toward her just a few moments ago, had now stopped dead in its tracks. One paw was raised in almost comic indecision, as if it had stopped mid-step. Its facial expression – if bears could have facial expressions – was uncertain.
The man, despite his size, was still smaller than the bear. And the bear was, well, a bear, Holly thought, her breath catching in her throat.
But there was something about this man – whoever he was – that exuded strength – strength, and power. Power that could stop even a bear in its tracks.
The bear grunted a little, sniffing, taking a step back.
Suddenly, its easy meal no longer seemed so easy. It was clearly weighing things up: but Holly could see it wasn’t interested in pursuing this anymore. Whoever this man was, he had made the bear think twice. And on second thoughts, it had decided this probably wasn’t worth it.
Giving one last grunt, the bear backed away, its teeth still showing, but its heart clearly not in it. Once it had crossed back over the river, Holly watched as it turned, its massive hairy backside disappearing into the thick ferns it had emerged from.
Her chest burning, Holly let go of the breath she’d been holding.
“Oh my goodness,” she said, shaking her head. Her heart was thumping in her chest. She looked up again at the man who had saved her, only to find him looking down at her with his beautiful, bright green eyes. Oh, my.
“Are you all right?” he asked, and Holly felt a shiver pass along the whole length of her spine. His voice was deep and rich, like dark treacle. She licked her lips.
“I’m fine,” she said, shaking her head. “He just gave me a scare, that’s all. I’m sure he didn’t want to hurt me.”
The man nodded. “Well, maybe not. But it’s best to play it safe with bears.”