Monster Girl Islands 2

by Logan Jacobs

  Or maybe this had always been inside me, and it had just been locked up and hidden by the mundane, boring events of my life back home.

  Now that we had a partial game plan, George and I headed back to the palace to tell the women. We had no idea how long this excursion into the jungle would take, and I wanted to make sure they’d be okay while I was gone.

  We opened the large doors to the usual din of the palace, and I instantly felt at home. I loved the way this place made me feel. It was a warm and calm sensation, and I smiled as I listened to the mixture of voices from all of the women combined with the sounds of my children.

  Arrick and Marella dashed past George and me, and the dragonlings weren’t too far behind. They were all clearly involved in some sort of elaborate, intricate game filled with running and laughter, and I shook my head at them in amusement.

  Careful, young ones, George warned them gently, but we both knew none of the kids heard. They were too caught up in whatever they were doing.

  Being a father had reminded me of the innocent excitement of childhood in the most amazing way. It was almost like I’d become a kid again through my own children, as backward as that seemed.

  “Have you made good progress on your boat?” Talise asked as she wandered up to George and me.

  The light from the open windows behind me fell across the healer’s soft, pale skin and lit up her wondrous eyes in a way that seemed magical. Which, of course, wasn’t much of a stretch at all considering all the discoveries I’d made since I first got here.

  Even so, I couldn’t help but smile widely at the healer as she approached. There was nothing stressful enough to take away my joy whenever I saw one of the women I loved.

  “I’ve definitely learned some things,” I chuckled. “Number one being that bamboo is great for our huts, but I need some stronger wood for our boats.”

  A small frown crossed Talise’s features at my words, and it was endearing how even my smallest inconveniences made the healer unhappy.

  “Oh, no,” she sighed. “I am sorry, Ben. Is there anything I can do to help? I’m afraid I don’t know nearly as much about building as you do, but maybe I know some material that might be of use.”

  “Actually, yeah.” I nodded. “Is there anything strong but still flexible growing in the jungle? I need something that won’t get destroyed if I drift over a sharp rock or encounter a storm.”

  Talise’s frown deepened as she thought, but Jonas came up behind her with a light smile on his face.

  “Ben, I may know just the plant you need,” he told me as he proudly put a hand on his granddaughter’s shoulder, “but it is deep in the jungle and not easy to find. You will need both dragons to help you carry it back.”

  I glanced over at George, and I was slightly worried it might be too soon for Nixie to leave the babies.

  Do not fret. George shook his head. They are surrounded by family, and they are bonded with your children. It will be perfectly safe to leave them.

  Jonas simply nodded, as if he could hear George, too.

  “Alright.” I shrugged. “If you say so, I trust your judgement, buddy.”

  “The tree you will need to cut down is not very tall, about a hand’s breadth taller than you, Ben,” Jonas explained. “It has a bright green trunk, like that of a sapling, but the wood is thick and hard, with a small grain. There will be no leaves on the tree at this time of year, so it should be slightly easier to find. I have seen a gryphon try to tear this tree apart and have no luck, so I believe it will be what you are looking for.”

  “Did somebody call a meeting without me?” Mira teased as she also happened upon the group.

  Well, I knew I couldn’t have Nixie without Mira, and to venture into the unknown of the jungle, again, I would definitely want the warrior woman by my side.

  “Are you up for another adventure?” I asked her with a grin.

  Mira narrowed her eyes at me in mock offense before she flipped her jade-green hair over her shoulder.

  “My king, when have I ever said no to you?” she asked with an arched eyebrow. “Or to an adventure?”

  I grinned in response. I knew that would be her answer.

  Jonas shared the description of the tree with Mira as well, and we gathered the supplies we would need for this journey. We collected some tarps and vines so we could gather up pieces of the wood and drag it back, and Mira and I both took our sea-glass swords with us, but I also thought it would be a good idea to have a makeshift saw made out of the stuff. Dragon made sea-glass was the strongest material I’d ever come across, so I knew it would be the perfect thing to make a tool out of.

  “Ben!” Hali exclaimed as I walked into the kitchen in search of food for the journey.

  “Hali!” I smiled at her with an equal amount of excitement.

  “I heard you are venturing into the jungle once more, in search of boat materials,” the cook said as she sidled up to me and wrapped a soft, warm hand around my bicep. The small touch sent a shockwave of electricity straight down my spine and right into my dick.

  I really wanted to fuck her brains out.

  I’d been trying to push down the urges for a while, since I was worried that if she was pregnant, the village would be out of its cook. Not to mention Hali had started to learn archery and swordsmanship from Darya and Zarya, and she was pretty damn good at it.

  I definitely felt more comfortable with her around and able than pregnant and laid up, but it was hard to keep my hands off these beautiful women sometimes. I had a perfect view right down her cream shirt and to her breasts from this angle, and the pert, round melons seemed to tease me even more.

  “I am.” I nodded at her, but even those two words seemed to be a struggle for me since I was occupied by the thought of running my tongue over her nipples.

  Hali apparently knew exactly where my mind was, and her smile grew wider as she stroked her fingers in tiny circles over my arm.

  Gods, she was a tease. The moment I destroyed those orc fuckers, I planned to rip her clothes off and make crazy, sweaty love to her for days.

  “I was wondering if you could do me a favor,” the cook replied coyly.

  Instantly, I knew what she wanted.

  “Let me guess,” I chuckled and winked.

  “Well, other than that,” she purred.

  “You want me to see if I can find some more of those fruits, don’t you?” I snickered. “That’s the only other thing you could want from me.”

  “Would you?” Hali leapt up in the air and clapped her hands together. “I’ve been dreaming about them! I could make the most delicious creations with them. I want to make it into a jam and bake some into the coconut bread.”

  “That sounds delicious,” I groaned, and my mouth watered at the very thought of the fizzy, sweet jam on some of the fluffy bread.

  “Good!” Hali’s smile grew even brighter when she saw how much joy I felt.

  This was what every man deserved. Loving women who became happier when their man was happy. I was so damn grateful Jonas had pulled me through that portal when he did.

  “Ben!” Mira called out as she wandered into the kitchen, but she stopped and giggled when she saw Hali and me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but we should be going before the sun reaches high in the sky. Afternoon is never the right time to start a journey.”

  “Of course, be off, and bring me my fruit!” The redhead tried to scrunch her face and look serious, but she was too pretty and giggly for it to work.

  “After you, milady,” I told Mira as I held open the door to the kitchen and gave her a silly little bow, like noblemen did in the movies.

  Mira, of course, had no idea what I was referencing, and she sidled past me with confused golden eyes.

  “But, Ben, I am not a ‘milady,’” she informed me seriously. “I don’t even know what that is! Is it like a fucker of mothers?”

  “No,” I laughed. “It just means you’re … well, I’m not exactly sure. It’s just a nice th
ing to say, where I come from.”

  “There are so many strange sayings where you are from.” Mira shook her head. “I would like to know them all one day.”

  “Ohhh, Mira, there are a lot,” I informed her with a grin, “but, I accept the challenge. I shall educate you!”

  The laugh that came out of the warrior bounced around the courtyard like wind chimes, and I relished the moment. Her eyes were bright, her tanned skin glowed with an inner warmth, her jade green hair was shiny in the sunlight, and she looked happy. When I’d first met the sarcastic, strong warrior, there had been such a heavy air of sadness about her that I would have never thought she could look so joyful, but now she did, and I’d brought this joy to her.

  Now, I just needed to bring this happiness to all the other islands, full of scared people whose lives had been decimated by those orc fuckers. That was why this boat was so important.

  Hello, dear ones, Nixie suddenly chirped as she crossed the courtyard. Her large pink body sidled up next to Mira, and the pink dragon thrust her giant head under Mira’s strong arm, the way a dog does when it wants attention.

  Which Mira, of course, immediately granted her dragon companion.

  Are we ready? George asked as he joined his mate beside us.

  “Ready.” I grinned and adjusted the pack strapped to my back. “Let’s rock and roll!”

  “Why are we rolling rocks?” Mira questioned as she looked up at me with a frown.

  All I could do was laugh and shake my head at the beautiful warrior. Her endearing confusion would never grow old to me.

  We made it deep into the jungle rather quickly, and thankfully we didn’t encounter any crazed, blood-thirsty beasts. The jungle was hot, humid, and quiet around us as the sun arched through the sky, and by the time evening had fallen, I was fairly sure we couldn’t be too far from the trees Jonas had described. He’d told me there was a small grove of them nestled on the far side of the mountain.

  “Let’s make camp here,” I told the group.

  They all stopped instantly, and George used his long tail to make a clearing in the dirt while Mira and I gathered wood and debris for the fire. Then my warrior woman went off in search of some birds to roast for our dinner.

  I created a cone of sticks in the center of our new clearing and piled the debris into the middle so I had some tinder to spark up the flame with. Then I pulled a flint rock out of my pocket and pulled off my belt. I scraped my steel buckle against the rock, and a spark lit up the dry leaves I’d gathered. I quickly bent down to blow lightly on the small sparks, and then I scooped up the tinder so I could blow more air under it. Once it began to flame in earnest, I set the fireball onto the pile of wood and focused on getting the smaller pieces lit.

  Soon, we had a flickering fire that cast heat far enough to keep us all warm.

  “I come bearing four dinners,” Mira announced as she proudly held up the already plucked birds.

  George and Nixie took three, while the warrior and I split the last one. We roasted it over the fire, along with some carrots we’d taken from the kitchen, and before long, we had a delicious, warm meal.

  Despite our full bellies, though, the jungle still made me a little nervous, even if I wouldn’t have admitted it to any of them. It had become even clearer that we had no idea what kind of creatures occupied it, from gryphons to one eyed, dinosaur looking mother fuckers.

  For all I knew, this jungle could be like the one in Journey to the Center of the Earth. We could wake up in the morning to a T-rex encounter.

  “You seem deep in your thoughts,” Mira mused quietly as she rolled out a thin mattress for us to sleep on.

  George and Nixie had already fallen asleep on the other side of the fire.

  “Just curious what else we might encounter.” I shrugged. “Any mythical legends of dangerous creatures you want to tell me about?”

  “I cannot think of any.” Mira shook her head. “But our ancestors did not wander into this jungle unless it was to seek solace in death. We do not know what is out here.”

  Her large golden eyes weren’t scared when she told me this. It seemed more matter of fact to the warrior, like it was just a part of life.

  This made sense, though, I supposed. Most of the ocean back home was totally unexplored, yet people still played and swam in it without a care in the world.

  “Let’s get some sleep,” I told her. “I want to be up at the crack of dawn.”

  “Crack of dawn,” Mira mumbled as she tucked her head against my chest and threw a leg over me. “I like that phrase.”

  Unfortunately, she didn’t like the phrase as much in the morning, since we damn well woke up at the ass crack of dawn … to a giant, birdlike screech that rumbled throughout the jungle and carried across the entire island.

  And it was a very familiar screech I hadn’t heard since that day on the beach in the middle of the storm season.

  “Shit!” I gasped as I bolted upright in bed and looked around wildly.

  Mira, George, and Nixie had equally freaked out expressions on their faces as we all stared up at the sky, which was barely visible through the cover of the jungle trees.

  We all shared a look that was cut off all too soon when a giant, cracking sound emanated throughout the jungle.

  It was the sound of trees being felled by a giant, winged creature with an angry red eye and an inordinate amount of anger issues.

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” I groaned as Mira and I leapt up and grabbed our weapons.

  We couldn’t see a damn thing thanks to the thickness of the jungle trees, and the world was still steeped in a pre-dawn gloom. So, I moved on instinct and leapt up onto the nearest tree with low branches. Then I quickly scrambled up the trunk so I could peek my head out of the thick, moist leaves that blanketed the treetop.

  Sure enough, I saw exactly what I thought I would. The same bird-pterodactyl creature that had gotten away last time soared over the treetops right above us, and its evil red eye was fixated on the jungle as it searched for something.

  It’s looking for you, dear one, George rumbled. You killed its companion, and now it’s searching for revenge.

  As my dragon’s words echoed in my mind, that horrible red eye found me, hidden amongst the green leaves, and what I could swear was a sick grin twisted the corners of its beak.

  This was probably just my imagination, but the ugly beast sure as hell let out a long squawk before it snatched up a thin palm tree in its giant claws and hurled it in my direction.

  I instinctively ducked, but I knew that wouldn’t do much good if the tree slammed into me. Thankfully, having only one eye seemed to majorly affect the beast’s aim, because the tree landed about twenty yards in front of me and took down a section of the jungle filled with green leaves and twisting vines. I even heard a lion like roar echo out of the fallen trees, and I was pretty sure the one-eyed beast had just taken down some of those big cats we’d run into last time.

  Good. I’d love for my enemies to just take each other out.

  “Nice aim,” I shouted as I taunted the beast, and I laid my hand on the hilt of my sword, ready to draw it out when needed. I wanted to make the monster angry enough to stop throwing trees and come snatch me up in its grasp. This way, we could fight one on one, and I didn’t have to run the risk that my friends would get hurt in the fight.

  “That’s good,” Mira grunted as she suddenly appeared next to me, and she clung to the tree trunk with one hand and wielded her sea-glass sword in the other. “Anger the beast again. We will take him down together.”

  “Do you want to meet the same fate your buddy did?” I hollered across the treetops.

  For a moment, the monster just sat there and beat its wings to hold itself in place. Even if it couldn’t understand my words, though, it sure as hell got my meaning.

  “Come and get me, fucker,” I muttered under my breath. “Let’s fight.”

  Suddenly, the one-eyed dinosaur creature dove through the air
and straight at us. Mira and I both moved on instinct, and we ducked away from its claws as they tried to slice us to bits.

  Then its long tail flew over us last, and I grabbed my one opportunity. I reached up and clamped my hand around the long, scaly appendage, and I was lifted up and into the air as the beast flipped around to try and attack us once again.

  The creature’s giant head whipped around when I gripped its tail, and the monster squawked in aggravation. Then it started to snap its tail back and forth in an effort to shake me off.

  I had an iron grip, though, and I held on with all of my strength as I was flung through the air. The wind sung in my ears and blew my hair from out of my face, but I forced myself to concentrate, even as the beast got angrier and whipped me faster and faster.

  Once again, I’d managed to hitch myself a ride on a winged monster as it traveled up into the air, but I was decidedly less nervous this time around.

  Because I knew its weak spot. That ugly red eye just needed one good stab with my beautiful sword, and then the beast would be done for.

  I came up with a plan quickly, and then I glanced down to find Mira.

  “Get its eye!” I yelled at her.

  We were about ten feet above the treetops, but I could see her nod her head vigorously.

  Okay. Good. Now, I only needed to figure out how the hell I’d manage to force this monster into a compromising position.

  I swung myself up and over its tail so I could straddle it like a thick log, even as the reptilian freak whipped me around. The monster felt me move and tried to snap me up in its ugly beak, but just like a dog that chases its tail, the creature couldn’t reach me.

  Proud of this fact, I started to slide myself carefully up its back, and the monster stopped midair when it sensed me move, almost like a deer in the headlights. I wasn’t sure exactly what its plan was, but I didn’t have much time to try and guess. I had one shot to get this beast down to Mira’s level.

  As I reached its back, though, I glanced at its thin, beating wings.

  Wings it needed to fly.

  Now, I knew what I had to do.