1 Part 1

"Damn! They said it was going to rain today. How in the hell are you supposed to squeeze two drops of rain out of those wispy clouds!" Muttering out loud Autora shook her weary head and stomped away.

The soles of her smooth black boots crunched on top of the drying grass The ground so dry that each step caused a puff of dust to swirl up lazily before resettling. You'd think it was the middle of the summer in a desert with how lifeless everything was. Shading her eyes behind the length of her hand she looked past the 'Welcome to Alaka'i Wilderness Preserve' sign and stared up at the peak of Mt. Wai'ale'ale. This was supposed to be the one place located outside of the continental US with the most annual rainfall.

The edges of her fingernails were ragged from teeth marks along with teal paint chipped away carelessly. Black strands fell around her face and across her sweat slicked neck as they escaped the ponytail she had thrown up on her way out of the hotel room that morning. Dropping her hand to her side she knew none of this made any sense. All the while she had the strangest feeling of being watched and it made her skin itch. She kept walking though trying to escape it. Before her the sunlight was glaring off the golden hood of the rental truck she had parked down the road.

Twirling the keys on her fingers, she almost jumped as a giant lizard scurried out from underneath the driver's side. The sound of the keys must have frightened it. It was hiding in the shade trying to escape the abnormally bright sun that raised heat waves off the pavement. She could almost hear its leathery scales sizzling as it disappeared into the brown and crackling brush. Whatever was going on couldn't be natural. She opened the door and angled her long limbs into the stifling cab, flipping on the a/c as soon as the key turned releasing a throaty rumble.

Escaping down the road Autora drummed her fingers to some Imagine Dragons, chuckling internally at the irony of the name. She had thought this would be a simple stop on a beautiful island, sort of a mini vacation from her normal stuffy office job in upper Manhattan. Seeing no end in sight however to this unbearable heat wave she'd have to go farther in her investigation. Looks like a trip up the mountains was in order.

The report from this area her boss had dropped onto her desk two days ago hadn't mentioned that there were any clans she needed to get permission from to be able to wander this island. So she packed a set of bikinis, some comfy clothes, and her favorite boots before boarding a red eye flight that same night. Her first day went by in a blur after renting a truck, checking in, then taking a luxurious dip in her en-suite whirlpool. That next morning she woke up to sunlight filtering across her bed. Her morning stretch had her spine popping and her toes cracking. She hadn't relaxed like that in a long time.

It felt like a lifetime since she had woken up. Soon enough the edge of the mountain greeted her in her windshield. A loud grumble seemed to shake the truck startling her eyes into looking for the approaching storm clouds then realizing too late that it was her own stomach. Slapping the offender she in no uncertain terms told it to shut the hell up! Breakfast had long since been forgotten in the heat of the day. The small pack she had thrown into the passenger seat lay flayed open much to her surprise. Searching her memory and coming up blank she could only guess that whatever was watching her back there had no qualms about snooping.

Shrugging her shoulders, while storing the information for later, she spied a smashed granola bar and ripped into the flimsy packaging scarfing it down like a starving person in one bite. Her incisors punched out as she ravaged that small morsel of food. Biting back a growl of irritation she took her eyes from the road for a second to hunt down the king sized package of candy she knew she had thrown in to her pack that morning. With a triumphant whoop she looked back up to the road, bag of candy in hand. That whoop turned to a loud curse as she spun the wheel as hard as she could to the right. In the second it took her to find it and then look back out her window triumphantly a large green shape had filled her sight. Her swerve to avoid it came to a screeching halt down at the end of a short ravine filled with dried out trees. One trunk was buried into the hood and passenger door.

Groaning she fluttered her eyes as her vision swam red, her arms pinned in front of her making them feel as if pins and needles were poking her. A shiver ran down her chest and back. An acrid smell burst through her nose and made her cough before the cerulean shape occupied her vision once more before they closed and she lost consciousness.

Watching the small truck veer off the road the creature winced when the metallic screech of locked up brakes and metal on wood finally came to a stop. Stalking forward it peered down the small ravine at the twisted metal remains surrounding the thick tree trunks.

A small billow of smoke started lifting from around the hood. A shimmer surrounded the creature as it swiped its huge talons and tore off the door just as it saw the girl blackout over the steering wheel, her arms pinned between the dash and her body. Talons turned into hands as it plucked her from the cab as the rest of the truck caught on fire.

The creature communicated to its leader to dispatch a team to put out the blaze before it razed this side of the island. Mentioning his unconscious prize he ignored the rise of concern and shut off his link.

A steady thrumming pulsed beside her head, wincing she tried to raise her hand to the ache in her temple but felt resistance. Tugging her hand harder a deep throaty voice spoke into her ear shocking her into stillness.

"We'll be there soon. Your hurt pretty badly so I'd suggest you just sit back and enjoy the ride cailin dathuil (beautiful girl)." The speed of air around her increased after the voice ended making her wonder how much further they had to go.

Flashbacks of the large winged shape burst behind her throbbing eyes. There wasn't much she could do at this point, being not only captive but in incredible pain. Stilling in the voices grasp she merely waited. Hurting too much to even try to process what cailin dathuil was or how to get away.

A sharp tingle stole over her from head to toe making her wince from the intrusion. She knew that feeling. Magick.

Her eyes shot open with a hiss. Her first look thru bleary eyes was off a dimpled chin surrounded by a shaggy chestnut beard a few days shy of being groomed. It flowed up to a pair of strong lips pressed flat in anxiety, the angle of the nose suggesting a few fights over a lifetime. Her head hung too low to see the voices eyes, she shuddered to think of what color would match that deep voice.

Pushing aside the thoughts rambling thru her addled brain she struggled to look around without the voice noticing her perusal. The sound of rushing water greeted her first, the damp smell of moss and heated rocks accompanied it. Then came the voices, first at a distance and then an angry buzzing. Closing her eyes she opened her ears to sort through the confusion.

"What has he done?"

"Where did she come from?"

"Are we safe anymore? Should we seek out a new lair?"

"Eryavin said we would be safe here!"

The voice seemed to studiously ignore the others and strolled further into the cavern. The man's heartbeat picked up the closer it reached its destination. She expected to feel a cold slab underneath her when they stopped moving, but not the warm soothing feel of an underground hot springs. Startling her she pressed into her captor's heat when she realized they both were in the water. Belatedly she thought of her clothes as they sunk deeper into the water. The cleansing smell of sandalwood and eucalyptus lingered in the air.

"What are we..." was all she got out before the voice dipped her under the water and held her.

Her preservation for life kicked in as she screamed under the water, her arms and legs thrashing despite his hold on her. While reacting she failed to notice the absence of pain and the clearing of her vision. From above the water the voice looked on in amazement. Scales rippled across her pale creamy skin. Not only that, but the coloring had him gasping in surprise. They were a pearlescent pink with an edging of red.

How was it possible? There had never been anything like her before. It wasn't conceivable. The clans didn't mix. Ever. Especially not hated enemies like the silvers and reds. The abrasions on her arms and cheeks disappeared and the gash above her brow washed away along with the dried blood. She was a sight to behold even if her temperament was causing water spouts to erupt around them and sending it over the lip of the pool. She was marvelous.

Pulling her sputtering face out of the water he smiled down at her before she reached out with a clawed hand and swiped at his face wanting to knock it off there. "Why the hell did you do that you dick?! Stop man-handling me and let me go! Now!" Releasing her she fell into the water with an undignified splash, a strong peal of laughter echoing above the water. She re-emerged and glared at him as water steadily dripped down the bridge of her nose and from her thick dark eyelashes.

Lost in the depths of her rage darkened eyes, like lightning at midnight, he didn't see her fist until it made contact with his nose. A sickening crunch swallowed by a grunt of pain doubled him over making him an easy target. Jumping on top of him she shoved him under like he did her. She didn't realize that the water had healing properties. Grabbing her around the legs he pulled her underneath the water with him, her screams of outrage like sweet music to his ears making him grin widely showing off his lengthened teeth. Shoving her hands against his shoulders she kicked out and landed a good blow to his gut before they both erupted from the water.

If looks could kill he would be dead ten times over. The sight of her mouth falling open in surprise just as his had earlier. The deep bronze of his skin illuminated the green like a burnished copper. Reaching up he went to swipe a strand of her hair that lay curled and plastered across her cheek. She batted his hand away with a snarl. Unafraid he went to do it again, snapping her teeth she went to bite his fingers. Throwing his hands up in defeat he chuckled.

"Alright, alright! Calm down sweet cheeks. I won't hurt you."

"Well then what the hell do you call almost drowning me? Your version of a friendly greeting?"

Shaking his head he swiped the chestnut curls from his face sending a spray of water to halo around him. "This is the thanks I get for snagging you out of your burning truck, and getting you healed? Not drowning, healed."

His friendly smile made her seethe even more. A frown creased her brow as small pieces started falling into place. This guy had rescued her from her truck and also had the same shade of scales that the creature had that made her crash in the first place.