CHAPTER ONE
ALEXANDRA
I did not know what was going on or why they were taking us to their boat. But as I lay against his strong chest, I felt safe for some reason. He was so big and strong and it had been a long time since I felt a man’s touch, even though this being was technically not a man and was some sort of alien dragon. His scent was so masculine, and it overwhelmed me. It was a delicious scent, but it was having a strange effect on me. I felt my body growing aroused! What the hell? I thought. I should not be aroused by this creature that just swooped down and took me, abducted me. But yet in my body was betraying my mind no matter how hard I was fighting it. It was an odd sensation.
“Alexandra, what’s happening?” Camilla said with a shaky voice.
“I think we are being abducted by aliens, Camilla.”
That was the beginning of something I never thought could happen to me. It was the moment my roommate Camilla and I were saved by two dragon shifters from a boat that had drifted out to sea. What were we doing on a boat? It’s complicated. It all started a few months after graduation.
“This is going to be the best trip ever!” Camilla shouted as she bounced across our apartment at Berkeley.
“Yes! I am so glad that we decided to do this. A trip to Cancun is just what we need to give ourselves as a graduation gift. College has been way too intense. Now we need to celebrate and release our stress,” I said packing my suitcase.
“Margaritas and fish tacos. That's all I can think about. I can't wait to swim in the warm ocean, instead of the cold ocean we have here. It is going to be a tropical paradise,” Camilla said as packed.
“That sounds good to me. I want to go snorkeling. I want to see the pyramids. I want to go for a run on the beach. I am so glad that we are going for an entire week,” I said.
“I know; this is our last summer together, Alexandra,” Camilla said with a frown.
“Don't talk like that. Just because you are moving all the way to the East Coast does not mean that we won't see each other often. I will take as many trips to New York as I can. And you can visit me in San Diego. I promise we won't drift apart,” I said giving her a serious look.
“You say that now. But work gets in the way, relationships get in the way, busy schedules, it is bound to happen. It makes me sad,” she said.
After becoming best friends in college, we had become like sisters. So I decided to invite my best friend and roommate, Camilla, on a college graduation celebration vacation in Cancun, Mexico. It had been two months since we’d graduated and it was getting hard for us now that the time was growing nearer to start our own separate lives. We had shared everything together and were like sisters. I was excited to start my new life off as a marine biologist in San Diego, and Camilla would be working in banking in New York. So this trip was our one last chance to have a blast.
“Let's talk about that after the trip. You are being a major downer; maybe we can just pretend that for now, we are not moving across the country, and we are just two girls on a trip to Mexico for some fun in the sun,” I said.
“I can agree with that. What do you think about this bikini? Is it Mexico worthy?” she said holding up a yellow string bikini that barely had any material.
“I think the question is, is Mexico worthy of that bikini,” I laugh laughed.
“I am going to pack a swimsuit for every day we are there. I plan on spending a lot of time in the water,” she said.
“So do I,” I said.
“Yes, I know how much you love the water, Miss Marine Biologist,” she teased.
“Are you almost done? We have to be at the airport in two hours, and you know how traffic is,” I said.
“Yes, yes almost done,” she said jumping into action.
I was very excited to swim in the Caribbean of the Yucatan Peninsula. I craved crystal-clear water and white sand. After my two-year project in San Diego, I hoped that I could be transferred to a Caribbean-like tropical paradise to study marine life. It was what I preferred. I could be surrounded by crystal-clear water and beaches for the rest of my life and be very happy. It was what I wanted, but I would have to work for it. Just two years in San Diego in training, and then I could try to be transferred. It was something to look forward to.
“I am ready!” Camilla shouted. She sat on her suitcase, and I zipped it up for her.
“I will call a car,” I said. We smiled and hugged each other. We were trying not to be sad, but it was hard considering we were starting the beginning of the end of our close friendship.
Six hours later, we were checking into a luxury resort in Cancun. It was a long stressful travel day, but we had finally arrived. We could not wait to explore, but it was already night time, and we were very tired. We opened the door to our suite.
“Look at that view!” I shouted as I moved across the room and looked out the glass sliding doors and flung them open. I ran out onto the balcony. It was a perfect view of the ocean as the sky turned orange as the sun went down.
“This is incredible!” Camilla joined me on the balcony. We ran back into the room and shouted in excitement as we looked at the amazing amenities of the room.
“Alexandra! Forget the view; would you look at this massive tub?” Camilla shouted.
“What should we do? It's a little too late to hit the beach. We can hit the pool?” Camilla asked.
I opened my suitcase on the bed and began to shuffle through my clothes.
“I am starving. What do you say we get ready and have dinner and drinks in the resort restaurant? It is right on the sand. Then we can walk on the beach and check it out afterward to digest.”
“That sounds like a perfect plan to me. I am tired after today; this is low key enough for now. And I'm sure I'll get a second wind after a few margaritas in me,” Camilla said.
We got dressed in strappy sundresses and strappy sandals. I chose a white sundress that went well with my tanned skin and brown hair. I wore my hair down; it was past my shoulders, but not too long. Camilla wore a yellow sundress that went well with her blonde hair and blue eyes. Then we left our room and went to the swanky beach restaurant.
We sat down and ordered some appetizers and a pitcher of margaritas. It was still a little light out, but barely. It was an absolutely beautiful setting. I thought to myself that I could sit on a beach and have dinner every day for the rest of my life and be extremely happy about it. This life suited me very well.
“So did you see anything you like so far?” Camilla said to me, and I knew exactly what she meant.
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. Any boy-toys to play with while we are on vacation?” she said looking around.
“You know that I am not interested in such a thing. I just want to have a fun girls’ week on the beach. I don't need a man around to have a good time,” she said.
“Yes, as you have proven before. How long are you going to spend every night at home?” Camilla asked.
“That’s not true! I don’t spend every night at home; sometimes I go to the library to study” I said.
“That does not count,” she said.
“Oh, and I also go to the gym some nights,” I laughed.
“You are going to end up an old maid or a spinster one day,” she said.
“You know that I don’t like that word. Do you know what entree you want? I’m ready to order. These appetizers aren’t doing it.”
“Ready?” our waiter said, coming over to our table.
“Yes, I will have the lobster enchiladas,” I said.
“I will have the same,” Camilla said.
The waiter nodded to us with a dashing smile and left.
“Oh, he’s cute. Look at his butt in those tight pants,” Camilla whispered.
“Camilla! I think you have had too many margaritas already,” I said.
“Nope, just getting started. And he was cute, and a local.”
“Calm yourself. We have all week,” I teased her.
We ate dinner and finished that pitcher of margaritas. Then we had a walk on the beach just to get our bearings of what the place was like. We made it back to our rooms and quickly went to bed. We were completely exhausted and wanted to get up early to go snorkeling.
The next day, it felt like our vacation officially started. We woke up early and had a nice Mexican breakfast on the balcony of our hotel room. Then we went snorkeling for a couple of hours and lounged around all day on the beach. We had dinner in our room because we had plans to hit the club. We ate quickly as we got dressed and then made our way to the dance club on the beach.
“Yes! I cannot wait to go dancing!” Camilla shouted over the loud music as we walked into the club. It was full of people drinking, dancing, and mingling. I was ready to have a good time as well. I did like dancing.
“Want to dance with me?” a hot young guy asked Camilla. She smiled and said only if you have a friend to dance with my friend.”
“Camilla!” I said embarrassed. The young man tapped his friend on the shoulder and whispered in his ear. The other guy was just as attractive. They were locals, Mexican beach boys that were tanned and perfectly fit from swimming every day, maybe even surfing.
“Will you dance with me, señorita?” he said to me. I smiled and took his hand. I looked at Camilla and narrowed my eyes at her. She had a big cheesy grin on her face. Both of the men led us out onto the dance floor. They knew how to move in this mix of salsa and pop dancing. Before I knew it, I was having a great time. We had tequila and danced into the night. Two hours later, I knew that I was very drunk and wanted to get back to the room. I had to pry Camilla away from the club, but eventually we found ourselves walking down the boardwalk back to the hotel. It was right next door. We passed a pier.
“Look at those boats! Let's take one!” Camilla said.
“Are you crazy? We can't steal a boat,” I said to her.
“It is not stealing. It is borrowing. Everyone is asleep. We will just take it for a quick spin and bring it right back. You know how to drive a boat; you practically live on one,” she said.
“No, let's get back,” I said. But Before I knew it, she was running down the pier. She jumped into a boat. I ran after her. I did not yell her name as I did not want to get anyone's attention. I jumped into the boat.
“Look, keys,” she said digging out keys from a drawer.
“We can't take this boat. Come on, let's get back to the hotel room,” I said.
“Oh come on. Just a quick spin down the beach and back. This is our last summer together. Let's make it one we remember,” she said. She looked at me with that sad face that always got to me.
“Fine, just down the beach and back,” I said taking the keys from her. I went out to the deck and untied the boat. A few minutes later, we were pulling away from the pier and down the beach.
“Woohoo!” I shouted as the wind went through my hair. Camilla was jumping up and down next to me. We spent an hour on the water, and before I knew it, we were far from shore. My accuracy was not so good with so much tequila in me.
Then there was a puttering noise.
“What was that?” Camilla said.
The engine shut off.
“Shit,” I said, turning the key and trying to start it. I looked at the gauges.
“Oh no. We are out of gas.”
“Oh my God!” Camilla said. “What do we do now?”
“I guess all we can do is wait to be rescued? I don’t really know.” I said feeling very nervous that we would never be rescued and we would die at sea. It was a fitting end for a marine biology graduate like me, I thought. Fitting, or ironic.