Aidan kept his eyes on Theodora as the mountain moved and shifted and she walked out of her world and into his.

Well, fuck. Rhianna’s time was already up.

There was only one place she’d be safe—his Divine Tree. He burst into a run toward her. Her eyes grew wide as he approached her, and he reached out to grab her hand and tug her with him.

His strong fingers enveloped hers. “Come,” he commanded.

She narrowed her gaze on him, and the next thing he knew her other arm had come up and shoved his arm out of the way. Then her leg swung around like a fan, struck him in the side of his head. He went down, flipping over in the process and landing flat on his back. She stood above him looking strong and mighty fine in a defensive karate stance, shooting daggers from her eyes at him.

Staring up at her, he was shocked by the precision move. As air returned to his lungs, he let out a painful gasp. He lifted his feet, rolling higher onto his shoulder blades, then snapped his legs downward while going airborne. With a jerk, he landed on his feet. “What the hell are you doing, woman? I’m trying to save you.”

“You . . . you just transformed into a man from a fucking tiger. What are you?” she bit out.

“We’ll get to that when you’re safe.” He tried to keep his voice even. But he wouldn’t brook any argument, and he wouldn’t give her a choice. He took her hand again and pulled her after him. It was either she moved her feet willingly or he’d carry her.

“My things,” she said, dismissing his commanding demeanor and dragging her feet.

He kept going. “You don’t need them.”

“Yes, I do. I need my video equipment. This is exactly the sort of thing I was sent here to document,” she said adamantly.

Just then, Theodora hurdled balls of energy at them that burst into flames just off to the side of where they stood. The heat of the blast scorched across his legs. Rhianna yelped, more out of shock than injury, given she didn’t seem wounded. But still, Theodora’s aggression infuriated him. She seemed angrier than usual. What had happened to instigate the change?

“Don’t interfere, Aidan,” Theodora growled.

They raced along a narrow path that circle the pond and cut into the space where two mountains met. At the back of the opening, a tunnel took them between the ridges, a tight hallway that led into another opening on the other side. In this valley, his Divine Tree stood proud and tall with its branches stretching wide and touching the ground.

When he came to the hidden opening and hurriedly acknowledged the tree, he entered, taking Rhianna along with him. Inside the great oak, he paused, breathing hard. This was the first time he’d brought someone inside the tree. And Custos had let them in. Good. Good. In retrospect, there had not been time to reflect on whether the tree would allow her entrance. His breath slowed. But he’d had little choice. It was imperative they escape Theodora.

Once they were safely inside the tree, he released her hand. She rubbed the blood back into it with her other hand. Then took in her surroundings. She slapped her palm against cheek and then ran it up over her forehead in awe. “Holy shit.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t have time to prepare you for this.” He watched her reaction. This was normal to him, but he supposed it would be shocking to the average human.

“Prepare me? I don’t think that’s possible,” she said in awe.

He allowed her a minute to take in the sanctuary of the tree. He hadn’t stopped to admire its beauty in a long time, and he tried to see it as she would. The endless paths of smooth golden wood glowed. The way it seemed so much bigger from within. The magical quality it elicited. He watched her face as she took it all in. Somehow he thought she saw with more than just her eyes...he sensed an extra ability, perhaps. He couldn’t allow her to stay in here. The tree and its secrets were sacred, after all.

“Let’s go,” he said. “She can’t get you in here.”

“Who is she?” She gave him a piercing glare.

“I’ll get to that.” He led the way down to a hallway that led to his quarters, allowing the pup to follow at will. He explained as they walked. “Theodora is a siren of sorts. She’s a misplaced Valkyrie warrior with magical powers. She rules over an alternative universe and captures people and traps them within it. As far as I know, she possesses the only means of entering that world. To get in, she must take them over or let them in. And if they go, they don’t come back.”

She halted, shaking her head. “Wait a minute. What are you talking about? What alternate universe? That’s the stuff of science fiction,” she said in disbelief.

“I assure you, there are many strange things in this world you don’t know about,” he said.

She grew quiet, seeming to think it through. “I came to the Dragon Vortex on a quest: to figure out what had happened to all those people who never returned after coming here. Maybe this alternate universe has something to do with that,” she said, despite the skepticism on her face.

“People stay away from here for a reason, honey. You should have, too.” His voice had a sarcastic bite to it.

She bristled at his use of ‘honey.’ As if to herself, she said, “I wish someone had told my great-grandfather that.”

“What?”

Her dark-brown eyes locked on him. “He was from Sendai, Japan, actually closer to Nabekura Castle. My research indicates, he came to this island around 1922, and then no one heard from him again. My grandfather came to the States sometime after that and married. Go a little further down the line, and here I am.”

He nodded ever so slightly and considered his lack of ancestry for a moment. Since he was immortal, his line went very far back in time. Yet the mind still plays weird tricks sometimes and makes it seem like yesterday.

Inside his home, after navigating a few hallways and turns, they came to the main living area and the kitchen. The bar was over to the right against the wall. She marched over to it, popped the stopper on a bottle of his best Scotch, and poured herself a glass.

“Okay,” she said. “Start from the beginning. Tell me the story of Dragon Vortex.” She angled the glass to her lips and took a sip.

He couldn’t blame her. He supposed what she’d just witnessed would shake anyone out of their boots. She’d earned a drink.

Her eyes met his over the rim of her glass, held, and then she tipped back her head and downed the rest of the liquor.

Only the moisture in her eyes, gave a hint that the drink burned on the way down. He poured a glass and followed her lead.

Then she collapsed into a nearby club chair of tufted glove leather. She gazed at him from beneath long, lush eyelashes. The look in her eyes was raw, confused, and weary. His gut twisted. No matter what, her world would never be the same again.

* * *

Her head spun at the unbelievable shit that was happening. The tiger had transformed into a man before her eyes, and an odd creature—she didn’t want to call her a woman because she seemed incongruously beyond mere mortal—had materialized out of nowhere.

She thought of her Pilate class and friends at home with longing. She remembered Terri’s hug and admonishment to be careful and have fun. Rhianna gave a sad laugh. This was neither.

Aidan—if that was truly his name—poured her another shot of whiskey. The thought that she should be drinking sake instead played through her befuddled mind. Even so, she drank a swig of the amber liquid in her glass. Not the whole thing this time, but enough to savor the warmth of it trickling down.

He chuckled, causing her to lift her head to look at him. “I thought women preferred wine or mint juleps or something,” he said.

She shrugged. “Not this one.”

“So I see.”

“Okay . . .” She blew out a deep breath. “What kind of rabbit hole have I fallen down?”

He frowned.

“You know, Alice In Wonderland? She chased a rabbit down— Oh never mind.” She shook her head , then took another sip and sighed. He had a definite Scottish accent, so maybe he would familiar with classic books. But he did live far from civilization on an island. Had he always lived here?

“I try to keep up with the rest of the world, but—”

“Never mind.” She waved a dismissive hand as the alcohol began to loosen the tight rein she held on her emotions.

He dipped his chin to his chest.

Had she somehow hurt his feelings? A tightness twisted beneath her breastbone at that, but why did it even concern her? She was the one in this bizarre situation.

When he looked up, air rushed out of her lungs. His gaze did something to her. Those hazel eyes with those thick lashes made her want to listen to him, believe him. Even through her anger and anxiety, a warmth nudged her tummy. She tried to shoo the sensation away.

Finally, he spoke. “Prepare yourself,” he warned her. “You’ve stumbled upon something no one knows exists. The tree we entered is called a Divine Tree, or tree of life. I am its immortal Guardian.”

She barked out a laugh without meaning to. It didn’t matter how handsome he was, this was absolutely ridiculous. “Immortal? Like you don’t die? And you guard the tree of life?”

“Oh, I can die. But only under certain circumstances. Otherwise, no.”

She tried to absorb the information, tried not to dismiss it instantly again, but she shook her head. “And you’re telling me you can somehow shift into a tiger, too?”

He nodded. “And an eagle.”

She straightened. He was a double shape-shifter? She squinted at him. “How old are you?” she asked, not totally prepared to hear the answer.

“My body doesn’t age like yours, so it doesn’t really matter. But . . . I was born in 1094 AD.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She opened her mouth, then closed it. She fought a gasp, trying to pretend she could handle it. “That’s a helluva long time ago.”

“Yes, it is.” He leaned an elbow against the bar. “Except age is irrelevant to me. I’m essentially the same as I was when I was charged with the duty of Guardian.”

Everything about this situation was hard to believe. From being on the island to listening to his rich voice with a hint of a Scottish accent—she needed to learn more about that—to these incredible tales he was spinning. It couldn’t actually be true.

Could it?

But with what she’d witnessed with her own eyes, something inside her knew what he said was somehow possible. Even though she couldn’t comprehend how it could be, and as much as she wanted to deny it, she was in the presence of an immortal shape-shifter.

Unable to sit any longer, she rose and moved randomly about. On the wall above the bar hung a clock comprised of large metal gears. It looked custom designed with its intricate overlaid metal pieces, and she wondered if he had made it. She admired the work and glanced around, wondering how he had gotten all these magnificent decorations to this remote island.

Then she shook herself as the magnitude of everything she didn’t know slammed into her. She moved back to the chair, ready to hear all the wretched details. “All right, give it to me. Tell me the whole story.”

He stared at her, his jaw set firm, his tone dry. “I was sent here as a Guardian of the Divine Tree. There are many beings out there that will do anything to get their hands on the secrets of the universe, which the tree holds, and it’s my job to see that doesn’t happen.”

“Wow. That’s a weighty responsibility.” She smiled, but then it abruptly faded.

He nodded once. “Very.”

“And the . . . the woman chasing us?”

“Theodora. She rules over Riam, an alternate universe to ours. She won’t just let you go.”

Rhia furrowed her brow. “But why would she even want me?”

“Think of her as a ruler in the Ancient Roman Empire. She kidnaps people to be her subjects, her gladiators of sorts. And the more people she rules, the more entertainment she gets. Plus somehow her power grows.” He held Rhianna’s gaze, his voice warming. “And you’re clearly a fighter. She will most definitely be interested in you.”