by Donna Grant
Annita’s gaze had moved to the rock Yaya had sat upon. That day had changed the course of Annita’s life more than what Chara had told her parents. Just thinking about it brought a smile to Annita’s face. She missed Yaya terribly. Her grandmother had been one of the strongest women she knew, but she had also been one of the kindest.
Lying on her back to float beneath the sun, she thought back to that day…
“How long will you go before you ask the question?” Yaya demanded.
Annita halted in the water as waves rolled past her onto the beach. “What question?”
“The one you’re afraid to ask.”
Yaya’s dark eyes held her grandaughter’s mercilessly. Annita wrung out her hair and walked the last few feet out of the water to sit next to her grandmother, then pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
“It’s okay, γλυκιά μου, my sweet one. You’re scared, as anyone would be.”
Annita glanced at her grandmother. “Not you.”
Yaya snorted loudly. “I’m afraid of a lot of things. The difference is that I don’t let that fear control me.”
“That sounds easier than I think it is.”
“I never said it was easy,” Yaya replied with a smile. She put her arm around Annita and pulled her close. “If anyone can do this, it’s you. But there can’t be a step forward without asking the question first.”
Annita took a deep breath and swallowed. The question had rattled around in her mind for months, screaming to be let loose for her to gain answers. But fear had held her back. Until now. If Yaya thought she could do it, then she would. “What did Chara mean when she said my destiny was the dragon?”
Yaya leaned her head against Annita’s and looked out at the sea. “My sister has always had the gift of seeing into the future of others. She spoke about things none of us understood from the time she began putting words into sentences. Chara’s gift was something she didn’t want at first. She fought it with everything she had, and it nearly ruined her life. Finally, one day, I found her on this very spot crying as she screamed to the heavens, demanding to know why this was her life.”
“What happened?” Annita asked.
“Nothing. As you’d expect. I didn’t say anything to her. Instead, I sat with her much like we’re sitting now. She cried, and I held her. A long time passed before her tears dried. She told me that she had two options. She could make the things she saw in her mind go away forever by taking her own life. Or, she could embrace her gift wholeheartedly. She feared the latter more than taking her own life.”
Annita frowned. “Why?”
“Because there is power in the Sight. She had seen things she didn’t want to see, and she knew that would continue. There would also be others who tried to use her. I told her to follow her heart, and that whatever she decided, I would support. I told her I didn’t want to lose my sister. I promised her that I would help her carry whatever burdens she had. We made a pact that day. And I’ve kept my part of it.”
“Is that why you’re here now?”
Yaya lifted her head and smoothed away a wet strand of hair from Annita’s face with a smile. “No, γλυκιά μου, my sweet one. I’m here because you need guidance, and I can help you. You’ve asked the question, and I will answer it. First, let me say that Chara knew of your birth years before your parents had you. She also knew you would be the greatest of our line.”
“I don’t want to be great.”
“Sometimes, that’s out of our hands,” Yaya stated with a shrug. “The truth is that, one day, you will find a dragon.”
Annita shook her head. “But dragons aren’t real.”
Yaya simply smiled, an expression filled with patience, love, and wisdom. “Oh, but they are. Very real. They used to live on this island.”
“What? I’ve never heard of that.”
“Just because you’ve never heard of it doesn’t mean it isn’t true,” Yaya cautioned.
Annita nodded, accepting that as truth. “What am I to do with this…dragon?”
Yaya pulled her close once more. “That, γλυκιά μου, is something only you will know.”
“You mean Chara didn’t tell you?” How could Annita get a part of an answer, but not the rest? This wasn’t fair at all.
“She saw what she saw. Chara told your parents the same thing she told me, which is what I just shared with you.”
Annita rolled her eyes, feeling more annoyed and frustrated by the moment. “Did Chara say when this would happen?”
“No. It could happen tomorrow, or when you’re eighty. But it will happen.”
Annita had replayed that conversation in her head many times in the following years. No matter how many different ways she asked Yaya the questions, she got the same answers. On the day her beloved grandmother passed, Yaya had held Annita’s hand and reminded her not to let fear rule her.
That had been six years ago. And there wasn’t a day that Annita came for a swim that she didn’t look at the rock where they’d had their conversation and think of Yaya. Yaya had certainly left her mark on the world and on all those she loved.
Annita flipped onto her stomach and dove beneath the water to continue her swim. She had explored various caves around the island, including many surrounding her family’s property. While it was nice to remain below water for long lengths of time thanks to the oxygen tanks, she still preferred to swim on her own.
There were several routes she took. Today, she opted for the longest distance to head to her favorite cave. Annita cut through the water swiftly, navigating the currents and rocks easily. Finally, she reached the outcropping. She stopped and smiled up at the large opening of the cave.
People often asked if they could dive the cave, but her father’s answer had always been no. No one but the family swam or dove the caves. It was how it had always been, and it was how it would remain.
Annita had entered the cave in different ways over the years, but her favorite was with her head above water using the breaststroke. She was able to see the play of light reflecting off the pool and shining upon the ceiling of the cavern. The bright turquoise water and white sand were spectacular, but the real treat was the cave itself.
The opening led one to believe the space within would be large, and while it was, it was just the beginning. The cave continued with another opening above the water. Annita swam to the edge of the rock and pulled herself up. She sat there for a moment and closed her eyes, letting the calm of the place settle around her.
At sixteen, she and her older sister had spent an entire day exploring the cave. It went on and on, opening to caverns of different sizes until it ended in the largest one of them all. Annita had wanted to stay and explore, but her sister hadn’t liked it and wanted to leave. Since no one had known where they were, they’d returned to the house.
But Annita had returned on her own often after that. Sometimes, she explored at her leisure. Other times, she remained in the main entrance, listening to the water lap at the rocks. No matter how hard she looked, she found nothing. But she couldn’t stop the inner voice that kept urging her to search again. After all, Chara had said that she’d find a dragon, and Chara had never been wrong.
As old as Crete was, Annita believed that she would find some artifact from the past. She still held out hope. Maybe it would be today.
She smiled to herself and let one leg dangle in the water. Maybe it was the fact that her sister was now married with a child of her own, but Annita couldn’t stop thinking about the prophecy Chara had told her parents. In all the years since the declaration, neither her mother nor father had said anything to Annita about it. The one time she’d mentioned it, her parents had quickly changed the subject.
Her mind cleared, and Annita found herself drifting off to sleep. She was in that strange realm between wakefulness and sleep where she could’ve sworn she heard Yaya say her name. It was the urgency in her grandmother’s voice that snapped her eyes open.
/> She remained still, listening to the cave around her for several minutes. Slowly, she sat up and looked into the water, but there was nothing there. Still, she pulled her foot out just in case. Then, she looked around the cave. The moment she glanced at the opening, she stood and faced it. Her head tilted to the side as she peered into the darkness.
Something was different today. She didn’t know what, only that it was.
Annita took a tentative step toward the cave, fear taking root. She stopped and squared her shoulders. She knew these caves like the back of her hand, just as she knew the waters around her home. There was no reason for her to be afraid.
“Fear doesn’t rule me,” she told herself and started walking.
Within five steps, darkness reigned. She paused long enough to search for one of the flashlights she’d stored throughout the cave. She flicked it on and held it up so it shone ahead of her. The deeper she walked, the more unsettled she became, almost as if she could sense something was about to happen.
Annita’s heart pounded against her chest, but she kept walking, pausing to check each cavern until she reached the last one. Right before she looked inside, she had the insane urge to turn around and run as fast as she could back to the water.
Instead, she held steady and imagined that Yaya would’ve smiled at her. With that, she took one step into the cavern, then another. And another. On the fourth step, she stumbled to a halt when the light fell upon a large, beige head. Her heart felt as if it fell to her feet when the animal opened its eyes and zeroed in on her. Then it lifted its long neck, the head swinging toward her as it climbed to its feet.
Annita could hardly believe what she was staring at. A dragon.
Before that fact could even register in her mind, the beast was gone. In its place stood a man so stunningly handsome, so mind-bogglingly perfect that she thought she might be going insane. She caught a glimpse of a naked body with hard muscles. But just like that, it was gone, too, replaced by clothes suddenly appearing on his body.
“Who are you?” she demanded.
He raised a brow the same deep red as his hair as bright blue eyes stared at her. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”
She parted her lips, trying to place his accent. He spoke impeccable Greek, but there was a hint of a brogue. However, she could care less about that. She had witnessed a dragon. A dragon! Just as Chara had predicted. Annita didn’t know what to make of it. Or who he was.
While she tried to sort it all out in her mind, the man/dragon asked in English, “What are you doing in my cave, lass?”
Chapter Two
Royden couldn’t believe the human had surprised him. He had arrived at the cave in the early morning hours, just as the sun came up. Having swum to reach the cave, he’d decided to rest for a few hours and soak up the fact that he was back in the land he’d once ruled.
What he hadn’t expected was the arrival of a mortal—nor her beauty. And damn, was she beautiful. Tall, with large breasts outlined by her two-piece bathing suit, dark hair drying into waves from her swim, and a golden glow to her skin as if she’d been kissed by the sun.
Her pale brown eyes were mesmerizing as she stared. She had been startled to see him, but it hadn’t been fear that he saw when she realized he was a dragon. He’d shifted to his human form quickly, hoping the small beam of her flashlight hadn’t highlighted too much of him. But even his shifting and clothing himself using magic hadn’t seemed to upset her. It was almost as if she had…known he was there.
And damn if he didn’t want to discover more about her.
There wasn’t time, however. Royden had snuck away from Dreagan for this quick errand without telling anyone. He’d intended to be back at the manor in Scotland before anyone was any wiser. If only the human had stayed away, he could’ve searched the cave as he wanted, then left at nightfall to start his journey home.
“Who are you?” she repeated, this time with authority in her voice.
Royden didn’t want to like her, but he did. It took serious courage to stand up to a stranger in a cave, much less one who had used magic. He’d probably have to get Guy to come and wipe the mortal’s memory of him. So much for no one at Dreagan knowing he was gone. Shite. This wasn’t turning out as he’d hoped.
He threw her question back at her. “Who are you?”
“Annita Dragoumis. This is my family’s land, and you’re trespassing.”
There was something about her bossy tone that went straight to his cock. Which was the last thing he needed. “I willna be long. I just need a few hours.”
“For what?”
He sighed, doing his best to keep his patience. “I’m looking for something.”
“Sure you are. The fact remains that you aren’t supposed to be here.”
Royden was finished playing games. He knew he was in for a world of problems now that a mortal hadn’t just seen him in dragon form but had also seen him shift. He needed to turn the tables on her and quickly.
“You’re in a dark cave with a man you doona know, and you’re issuing demands?”
Her eyes narrowed. “You aren’t Greek.”
“No’ in the least,” he stated.
For a heartbeat, she stared at him as if trying to figure out his accent. “Welsh?”
“Now that stings, lass.” Though he was impressed that she knew English.
“Scottish,” she said with a smile. “You’re from Scotland.”
Royden bowed his head. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s time for you to leave and forget you’ve seen me.”
Annita shook her head of dark brown hair. “I can’t do that.”
She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind or stand up to an unknown man in a cave, and she could speak fluent English. Who was this woman?
Royden shifted as his balls tightened. “You doona have a choice.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” She made a sound in the back of her throat. “You see, my great-aunt was a Seer, and she foresaw something of my destiny.”
Royden stilled. All he could hope for was that the great-aunt hadn’t seen him in this cave. Because if she had, then there was a good chance the woman had known Annita would find him.
Annita smiled, nodding. “That’s right. She foretold I’d find a dragon. That I’d find you.”
“I’m no’ a dragon.”
“I know what I saw.”
He took a step toward her. “Do you now, lass? It was dark. That torch you’re carrying doesna have a long beam of light. You could’ve fallen and hit your head, which addled you.”
“I was meant to find a dragon, and I did. You. I didn’t fall, and my head is not addled.”
Royden could push things and see if he could frighten the mortal, but he found he didn’t want to do that. If only he could get her to run away in fear. Isn’t that what humans generally did at the sight of them? Why was Annita different?
“You don’t know what to do with me,” she said.
Royden ran a hand down his face. “Leave. Please.”
“No.”
“What do you want from me?”
Annita shrugged. “I don’t know.”
He raised his brows in surprise. “It was foretold you’d find a dragon, but you don’t know what to do with one?”
“I thought you weren’t a dragon,” she replied with a grin.
Royden blew out a breath and looked away. He usually had no problem talking his way out of a situation. What the hell was wrong with him? It couldn’t be just the pretty face staring at him? No, he had to admit the truth. It was the fact that he was back home after eons of being away. This was the very cavern where he and his brother had played as younglings. It’s why he was here now. Long, long ago, his brother had buried a claw from their grandfather in this cavern. Royden was here to find it. He wanted that one memento of his life that the Others—a group of Druids and Fae who had combined their magic to fight the Dragon Kings—couldn’t take from him.
He looke
d at Annita, noting her almond-shaped eyes and full lips set in her oval face. “Why have you no’ run away?”
“This is my home.”
“The cave?”
She rolled her eyes. “This land and the house upon it. Why should I run?”
“Because I could do you harm.”
She thought about that for a moment and shrugged. “Harm could come to anyone at any time.”
“While that might be true, lass, people doona usually stick around to find out. If they feel a situation is dangerous, they get out.”
“I don’t feel this is dangerous.”
He gave a bark of laughter. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Me, too,” she answered with a frown.
They stared at each other for a moment. Royden knew he should find a way to either make her leave or depart himself, but once again, he didn’t want to. He was baffled by his predicament, but at the same time, he was enjoying it. It was quite the conundrum.
“I’m Royden,” he told her.
Her lips turned up in a smile. “Now that we know each other’s names, perhaps you can tell me what it is you seek. I might be able to help you.”
“I thought you wanted me gone.”
She looked away for a moment, shrugging. “Yeah. I am supposed to want that.”
“It’s okay to change your mind.”
“And you? Have you changed your mind about wanting me to leave?”
Royden chuckled and nodded. “I do think that might be the case.”
Annita turned away, biting her lip. She walked a few paces, then stopped and looked at him. “I think I’m a pretty good judge of character, and I don’t feel as if I’m in danger with you. That could be because I’m not, or maybe I’m in more danger than I’ve ever been in my life. Which is it?”
“You want me to answer? What if I’m lying?”
Her brows lifted briefly. “I don’t know.”