Donald
Anthony arrives and after brief introductions, we’re off. He doesn’t recognize the plant, but he seems to know the way to the center of the isle, so I follow him with Natalie planted firmly on my back. It takes about twenty minutes. We pass mountains and trees and creeks and lakes on the way. Finally, we land in a clearing and after shifting, we look around for a moment.
“Have you ever used this plant before?” He asks.
“Once,” I tell him. “Long ago. I wasn’t the one who acquired it from the island. If I had, I’d be able to give us a better idea of where to look.”
One of the physicians who taught me how to use everything around me used to carry it. He’d grown up on Dragon Isle and had discovered the book I’m now carrying with me. He’d found it in the basement of some dusty mansion and had read it cover-to-cover. When he realized there was a plant that could help with extreme viral illnesses, he immediately started carrying it with him.
“What’s the book say?” Natalie asks, nodding toward the volume. “Does it say if it grows like, near the water? At the base of trees?”
“It’s got dark blue leaves,” I tell her. “And a bright pink flower at the center. The leaves are what we want.”
“Blue leaves?” She raises an eyebrow. “That shouldn’t be too hard to spot.”
“You might be surprised, little human,” Anthony chuckles. “There are many colorful plants in this part of the jungle. Identify blue leaves when they’re next to blue flowers or dark green leaves can be tricky. We shouldn’t waste time talking about it, though,” he says. Let’s go.
So we go.
*
We walk for hours in the heat of the jungle. Dragon Isle is known for its beautiful plants, luscious beaches, and extreme privacy. It’s also hot as fuck, and I’m more than pleased when Anthony suggests we stop for a break. We didn’t pack a lot of food with us, but we each have a couple of pieces of fruit to munch on. The three of us find a spot beside the creek, take off our shoes, and dip our feet in the water.
“So how long have you been on Dragon Isle?” Natalie asks Anthony.
“Forever, it seems like.” He smiles at her. He’s still naked after his shift, save for the boots he brought with him. It should be silly, but somehow, it just seems like a normal part of shifter life. Personally, I brought along my clothes because I’m not really in the mood to wander naked through the jungle. You never know what kind of bugs or creatures there are crawling around, and I don’t feel like getting bitten. Not right not.
Somehow, our clothing or lack thereof doesn’t bother anyone, and I realize that I like this about Natalie. Many human women would be uncomfortable with the nudity that often comes in shifter communities, but she just takes it at face value. Some people wear clothes and some don’t. It doesn’t bother her either way, and that makes me feel more comfortable.
As a physician, I’m used to seeing people naked at all stages of life. While I haven’t thought much about finding a mate, I know I’ll need someone who doesn’t get easily jealous or upset about this. I’ve met doctors across the globe who have struggles in their marriages and relationships because one person has jealous tendencies and the other isn’t sure how to be supportive and reassuring.
“What do you do on the island?” Natalie asks. “I mean, what’s your job?”
“I run a dungeon.”
I turn to the dragon. He’s watching Natalie carefully and his eyes are twinkling. Ah, yes. He’s a troublemaker. Typical fucking dragon. He likes to tease and play, just like the rest of us, but I’m too curious about Natalie’s reaction to say anything at all.
To my surprise, she doesn’t seem shocked or appalled. She just smiles.
“Like a sex dungeon?”
“Like a sex dungeon.”
“That sounds like a very interesting job, Anthony. Or,” she wiggles her eyebrows. “Should I call you ‘Master Anthony’?”
He laughs loudly and as much as I don’t want to laugh at her silly joke, I find myself snickering.
“Where did you learn about BDSM and sex clubs and dungeons and masters?” I find myself asking Natalie.
Now she does blush and she shrugs. “A girl’s gotta read,” she mumbles.
“There’s nothing wrong with sexual curiosity,” Anthony says. “My family and I run the club together now. Gabriel, my best friend, and I share a mate. The three of us teach classes, host special events, and run the club on dungeon nights.”
“Is that right?” Natalie asks.
“If you two are ever interested in attending a class or event, I’d love to have you. Everyone is welcome,” he says. “But we do cater to shifters: dragons, in particular.”
“I might be interested,” Natalie says slowly, and I see her eyes light up. So the little human is a bit of a minx, is she?
“And you, Donald?” Anthony turns to me, a silent question hanging in the air.
Am I ready to provide for her?
Am I ready to give her everything she needs?
Am I ready to love her?
“I would be honored to accompany Natalie to a night at your dungeon,” I tell him.
“Excellent,” Anthony says. He rubs his hands together and grins, almost evilly, and I have the feeling we may have walked into some sort of weird dragon trap. Anthony has the look like he’s just secured fresh meat for the dungeon and he’s about to corrupt us. “What type of class would you like to attend?” He asks. “We have advanced rope techniques, elements of submission, beginner…”
“Beginner would be fine,” I say firmly, rolling my eyes.
“Yeah,” Natalie swallows hard. She darts a glance at me and then looks back at Anthony. “Beginner would be good.”
“We have something next month,” he says with a smile. “I’d love to have you out again.”
I shouldn’t be excited at the prospect of coming back to the island with Natalie. We’re only just starting to get to know each other. The truth is that we’ve been apart for so many years and we’ve both changed a lot. We do need some time to get to know one another.
Still, the idea of making plans a month out doesn’t seem to bother her, and I kind of like that. Maybe things are going to be okay between the two of us, after all. I really haven’t been considering finding a mate. I suppose I’ve been too busy running from my past and trying to make up for past deeds to even consider dating seriously, but something about Natalie makes me feel like if the two of us really are mates, then everything would be okay.
“Hey,” she suddenly says, interrupting my thoughts. “Look!”
My eyes move to where she’s pointing, and I can’t believe it.
“You’ve found it,” Anthony says.
And she has.