Rhianna braced herself against the onslaught of the next gust of wind that beat against the helicopter. It had been two days since she’d left the States, and now they were flying to the deserted island of Tsuriairando, in the heart of the Dragon Vortex.

“Be ready,” Hedai, the chopper pilot said over his shoulder. “I want to get in and get the hell out. These haunted waters are cursed.”

“That’s what all the locals have told me,” she admitted. The reason for their unease was clear: no one traveled willingly to this area. Too many people didn’t come back.

“Because it is true, Miss,” he said.

Suddenly the helicopter pitched off its mark by several feet. The pilot swore in Japanese and circled around, making adjustments on the descent. Below, the waves slapped against the sandbar that jutted off the south end of the island. She was to be dropped off here. Evidently, it was the only section of solid ground devoid of trees and dense vegetation.

“Are you sure you want to head out today? Can you handle the weather?” asked the chopper’s copilot, Steve, seeming far more concerned about her welfare than the TV show’s director and host had been.

She flicked a glance at Savage, who was sitting beside her. “I’ll be fine,” she answered, adjusting the waterproof GoPro on her head. The camera and a satellite telephone would be her only connection to the team and the outside world once they dropped her off. She inhaled deeply, her heart tripping in her chest.

Three weeks. Alone. To discover if the boogeyman actually existed in the Dragon Vortex.

Savage placed a firm hand on her shoulder. “People will tune in and watch because they want to feel connected; they want to be there. They want to feel what it’s like to be on an island, alone, in a place where so many have died.” He squeezed her shoulder harder. “Give them a good show.”

She nodded, the nervousness growing in her stomach.

The helicopter wobbled from left to right as it descended farther. Rhianna clenched her hands into fists, anticipating the touchdown; she wished she could see out the door. At least then she’d know how close they were. Finally, the landing skids settled lightly onto the sand, and the sinking feeling in her stomach let up. She exhaled a sigh of relief. That was far more controlled than she’d expected.

Steve slid open the side door of the helicopter. The wind came rushing in, striking her face and whipping her hair out of the bobby pin it had been secured with. When she swiped her hair away and resecured it, she got her first view of the island.

Swiss Family Robinson come to life. It reminded her a little of New Zealand. She’d like to go there someday, too . . . if she survived this.

Savage slid to the edge to help her out—and so he’d be in view of the camera.

“Okay. Out you go,” he said.

Her heart hammered faster, but she chased any doubts from her mind. She scooted to the edge of the chopper and quickly climbed out. Her feet sank into the sand as water gushed across her shins in waves, exacerbated by the helicopter’s gusts.

Savage thrust a canvas supply satchel toward her. “Here’s your survival bag.”

Her arm sagged as she accepted it. “My goodness, it’s heavy.”

“It includes the extra batteries for your electronics and a solar recharger, so keep those dry in the waterproof bag,” he ordered. “You won’t get any replacements, so take care of them. And you’ll need to ration your food.”

She nodded. Another wave of apprehension washed over her. Man, she hadn’t recalled those details from the briefing. What else had she missed?

As he dipped back inside the chopper, Savage yelled, “Oh, and remember, if you need help, you can contact us via the Sat phone. We’ll be stationed on the yacht not far away but, you know, out of the danger zone. We should get your GoPro video via Livestream.” He gave her a thumbs-up.

She returned the gesture, indicating she was all set.

Then she ducked her head and hustled away from the chopper, following the sandbar. When she was clear, she stopped and glanced back. It rose and flew away. She stood transfixed, watching it disappear out to sea.

Even through the whir of the wind, she could hear her heartbeat thudding in her ears. She swallowed hard.

Too late for second thoughts, Rhia.

The program was more of a reality-show expedition about why people disappeared than a show that would actually allow her to die, she reminded herself. She would be one of the few who did make it out of the Dragon Vortex.

Eventually, she noticed the lap of the surf against her legs. The waves were rough, sending sets of whitecaps rolling over the sandbar. She turned and tromped along the sand to the shore, her running shoes creating a sucking kerplop with every step.

Reaching the shore, she took stock of her location. From this vantage point, the sandbar was easy to spot, but judging from the dense vegetation up and down the coastline, she doubted that would be the case when she was traveling from the opposite direction, from the inland out. She’d have to remember that when she was making her way back here to be picked up when the twenty-one days were over.

She chewed her lower lip. The sky was full of nasty-looking clouds, making it impossible to determine the placement of the sun to get her bearings.

She couldn’t help but wonder if visibility had anything to do with why the victims went missing.

* * *

Takeshi’s bark engaged the sound-activated alarm clock, which automatically set off the machinations of the morning. The vibration of the drum triggered a rise of a lever, sending a metal ball rolling along a track until it knocked a swinging gate against a switch that filled a coffeepot with water, then an arm set it on the stove. And so it went, like a finely tuned assembly line.

As he got out of bed, washed his face, dressed and traipsed into the kitchen, the rhythm of clicks and clacks of moving objects created a backdrop and illusion of being busy. The sort of noise one really didn’t have when living alone on a deserted island. But the system he’d created filled that void.

It wasn’t the same as having someone to snuggle with when he woke up in the morning, of course. And Takeshi traipsing across the bed certainly didn’t count.

Aidan slid a fried egg from a pan onto a plate and gave a second one to the dog. “Hmm, I seem to be getting up earlier since you arrived,” he grumbled to Takeshi. He hadn’t realized how laid-back he’d become with the pup’s predecessor.

His lifestyle allowed for total flexibility. He spent his days inventing things and tinkering with machines. Just last night he’d been working with a piece of copper, honing it to create a funnel to help channel more water from the waterfall into the turbine to generate electricity at a higher rate. His home on the island had to be self-sufficient after all, being that it was so remote. His delegato also presented his inventions to the world, which earned Aidan sufficient income to expand his innovations and interests.

After he’d eaten, he climbed the staircase from his living quarters to the aboveground solarium. It was situated on the peak of a mountainous rise from which he could see both sides of the island on a clear day, plus the canopy of the sacred oak tucked in the valley below. He inhaled a deep breath, gazing out the windows, and frowned at the fog enveloping the island.

“It will clear,” he predicted to Takeshi. “Come, I’ll show you the island.”

The pup lifted his chin, his tail wagging like the blade of a mixer, and followed as Aidan led the way to an outer deck. He decided to introduce his tiger form to begin with so he could stay close to the pup. The eagle would come later.

Takeshi sat very still as Aidan changed from man to cat, tilting his head as if not quite sure what to make of the transition. When Aidan strode closer, the pup jumped back with a yip. Takeshi darted left and then right. Aidan slowly circled around him, and then initiated a game of back-and-forth play. Soon the pup was trotting between Aidan’s strong, powerful legs, weaving around and brushing up against him, his curiosity clearly outweighing his fear.

When Aidan thought the connection was strong enough for the pup to stay with him, he led the way down the mountain and into the thick forest. Come, he instructed with his mind. Let’s be free.

* * *

Rhianna gave a huge sigh as she took in the thick foliage. Everywhere she looked, there were trees. The reality was a little daunting for a city girl who had gone on only a handful of outdoors excursions, all of which had been in her college days. Washington had tall, stately trees, but none of the places she’d visited shared this thick, wild growth. Her parents had been the types to save everything they earned, so taking extravagant vacations had been out of the question as a child, even though they lived in one of the most gorgeous states on the planet.

Knowing she had to find shelter before the rain started, Rhianna found an opening in the enormous, tightly packed trees. She picked her way through and found that there were several open areas where she could make camp. Later, she would explore and find a more permanent spot for a home base, but for tonight, she chose a group of fallen trees near a wide, overhanging ledge.

She was preparing to take a closer look when a dog’s bark ripped through the wind. She turned toward the sound but saw no one. She could have sworn it had been a dog...

She flinched as her satellite phone rang. She pulled it from the satchel and answered it. “Rhia here.”

“Hi, sweetheart,” Savage’s sugary voice greeted her. “Just double-checking the equipment.”

“It’s working. Thanks,” she said, grateful that he was checking on her.

“Good. Good. Then I’ll—”

“Savage, wait,” she interrupted.

“Yes?”

“This island is supposed to be uninhabited, right?”

“That’s right.”

She paused as she considered telling him about the dog she’d heard, but then thought better of it. When she had researched animals on the islands, there had been no mention of dogs, but that didn’t mean there couldn’t be wild dogs or some other animal. And she didn’t want to seem like a wuss less than thirty minutes after landing.

“Well, good luck,” he said before the phone went silent.

“Thanks,” she whispered to herself, then clicked the “off” button.

Another dog bark echoed in her ears. This time she was sure of it. They have to be wild, she thought with a shiver. And probably hungry.

Slinging the backpack over one shoulder, she trudged deeper into the tree line and up beneath the ledge she’d found earlier. She dropped the pack with a heavy sigh. “Not hauling that sucker around any great distance,” she mumbled.

It was medium size, like the ones people used for mountain climbing, orange on top and dark gray on the bottom, with a few side pockets. It might not have looked like it, but it weighed a ton. She checked the side pockets and found a lighter, knife with a sheath, and a small flashlight. The latter she’d have to use sparingly. She wondered if they’d included extra batteries for that, too. Turning on the beam of light, she opened her pack and searched through it. The additional GoPro equipment was on top, and she quickly located the solar charger and batteries, including some smaller wattages.

Rummaging deeper revealed some meal bars and a few bottles of water—those weren’t going to last long. At the very bottom, her hand struck something hard and metal. She wrapped her hand around it and pulled it out. Her breath caught when she saw what it was.

A gun? Why would she need a gun?

Okay, the producers obviously knew this would be a dangerous expedition. The premise of the show revolved around the idea that she might come face-to-face with whatever was responsible for so many people vanishing, never to be heard from again.

A rumble of thunder sounded, and she glanced around at the growing dark clouds. First things first, she had to build some shelter or else she’d be drenched. She shoved everything back into the backpack except for the knife.

Rhia worked a circle outward as she gathered sticks and branches. She brought them beneath the rock shelter. When she’d accumulated a pile about four feet high, she pulled the knife from its sheath, cut the longer branches down to usable campfire-sized pieces, and assembled them into the shape of a teepee. Even though she hadn’t had much personal experience in the wild, she’d seen enough television programs to know what she needed to do.

But it wasn’t quick—or easy. The leaves and branches were damp and didn’t catch fire right away. She tried over and over and over. At this rate the lighter would soon be useless. In every survival program she’d ever watched, they’d pounded home the necessity of a fire: to boil clean water, to keep warm, to ward off predators.

She thought of the dog she’d heard earlier and redoubled her effort.

Finally, a leaf caught. And then another and another. She sat back on her heels. Yes!

She inhaled and exhaled in a rush of excitement. She’d done it! Whew.

Carefully, she added more kindling to the fire. As she watched it burn, she realized just how much wood it would take to keep it going. At this rate, all she’d be doing the entire month was collecting wood. That wouldn’t work.

She needed time to meditate and tap into the energy and spirit that was her great-grandfather. Then, given a closer proximity to where he’d disappeared, perhaps she would discover his fate.

On her next wood scavenging trip, she found a long, straight stick that would make for a decent spear in case she needed protection. She took it back to camp. The question was, did she have what it took to use it if the time came? Or the gun, for that matter . . .

* * *

In his tiger form, Aidan halted well within the dense forest and listened. A woman’s voice floated to him on the rustle of tree branches. Alarm slammed into his chest, humans on his island never turned out well.

He growled softly to Takeshi, who paused several yards beyond Aidan and also raised his ears.

What on earth was a female doing on his island?

Aidan shooed the pup in the opposite direction. He wanted to move in for a closer look at the woman, yet at the same time, he couldn’t risk the pup darting out and becoming friendly. On a sigh, he transformed into his human body and scooped Takeshi into the crook of his arm. Yes. The best plan would be to remain hidden until she left.

The pup yipped.

“No.” Aidan whispered the command.

“There are not supposed to be dogs inhabiting this island.” Her voice held a pleasant tone, not really fearful but not sure of herself, either. She seemed to be trying to convince herself that she’d just been hearing things.

Takeshi wiggled to get free, and Aidan stroked the pup from head to haunches. “Sorry, I can’t put you down.” His stomach clinched. He was wary of this woman.

Needing to know more, Aidan worked his way through the shrubs until he achieved a partially unobstructed view. He cautiously peered between the greenery, ready to dart back at any second. Takeshi must have read his hesitant stance, for the pup grew still.

The female stepped from the foliage and stood in profile, with one hand on her hip, the other holding a large walking stick as she gazed out to sea. Her scent drifted to him, and he inhaled a long, appreciative whiff. She smelled of cinnamon and spices mixed with her own sweet fragrance.

She was the only new fragrance he detected, though. Which confirmed she was out here all alone. But why?

Her hair was the color of mahogany and barely touched her shoulders; it was actually much shorter than his own. She wore a camera strapped across her forehead, and she sported exercise clothes—form-fitting pants that hugged her legs to her calves and a tank top of black, peach, and sea green swirls.

Was she an adventurer of some sort? He’d seen the helicopter fly over a short while ago, yet he couldn’t fathom why anyone would drop her off here. To the world, this was an uninhabited island. One where people disappeared. The Japanese natives were very superstitious about the island, creating tales of dragons, hence the name Dragon Vortex.

He watched as she gathered sticks and branches for a stockpile of firewood. Her graceful movements were intriguing. He had few opportunities to observe people, or interact with anyone for that matter, except when he did so via computer. A yearning stirred inside him as she went about her tasks. The sway of her hips, the reach of her willowy arm, the angle of her chin as she seemed to consider her next choice . . . Liquid heat spread through him.

Without warning, Takeshi slipped through his grasp, launched from his arms, and bolted in her direction. Dammit. He lunged forward several steps and stopped short of revealing himself as Takeshi entered her camp.

The female’s head snapped up. She froze, studying the pup, and her eyes grew round with alarm even as a smile pulled the corners of her mouth upward. “I knew I heard a dog.”

Without hesitation, Takeshi bounded over to her.

She gasped and drew back several steps. “Are you wild?”

But the pup simply sat at her feet and then sprawled on his belly.

She observed him for a few more seconds. She knelt, then stretched her arm out, presenting the back of her hand to him. “Why, you’re just a puppy. How did you get here?”

Takeshi rose and nuzzled the woman’s hand.

Traitor.

Aidan retreated farther into the shadows. He couldn’t possibly get his dog back without revealing himself. He sighed. The goal was to get the woman to leave without discovering the Divine Tree. But he’d also have to wait until the pup decided to return to its owner.

The dog pushed his way onto her lap. She sat back on her bottom and crossed her legs, laughing. It was a delightful sound—warm, inviting, gentle. In all his loneliness, it was definitely a sound he could get used to.

But why is she here? he asked himself again. His brother Ian’s words rang back in his ears: Even if there is no clear danger at present, it may be the calm before the storm.

He clenched his teeth. Could this female be part of that coming storm? Or the cause of it?

She reached up and flicked on the camera. “Look what I found. I thought I’d heard a dog barking earlier. He’s such a sweetie.”

Why was she filming here? Who was she speaking to? The camera made him uneasy...as if the secrets of the island were going to be revealed.

With a warning flaring inside him, he went into protection mode as he transformed into his eagle.