Dragon's Claim: A Shifter Romance

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It didn’t take Maggie long to find her way to the mountainside where the legends said that dragon’s caves were located. The stories that they had been able to collect in their preliminary research were very clear about the distance from the town and the elevation of the caves. She and Jackie had attributed that to a precautionary element in the stories. Warning children that there were dragons in the caves outside of town did seem like an excellent way to make sure that they stayed away from them.

The hike from the nearest road was about a mile of beautiful trails, but she didn’t see another soul. She didn’t even see any evidence of people—no foot prints or remnants of campsites. There wasn’t even any of the litter that usually bothered her so much when she hiked through lovely areas such as this.

When she spotted the first cave, it was easy to see why the locals would go to such lengths to keep their children from them. The dark mouths of those caves would have been just as appealing to children as they would have been terrifying to parents. The thick growth of trees made it hard for her to take in the area as a whole though. It was then that she saw the perfect tree just next to the cave. The branches of the tree, she knew, would give her the perfect view of the whole terrain.

Though she heard Jackie’s words of warning in her head, she couldn’t resist. She dumped her backpack at the base of the tree, strapped her camera to her back, and began her climb. The tree was sturdy and the climb went relatively quickly. Soon enough, she was on one of the highest branches, taking in the entire mountainside. She took pictures at every angle, lost in the beauty of her surroundings. She was feeling particularly smug when she finished, having made the climb easily and quickly. When she was roughly half way down the tree though, she heard a snap that changed everything. She was shifting her weight to a new branch when the sound told her that it had given way. Though she tried desperately to hold on to the branch above her, her grip soon gave way and she fell to the forest floor, hitting the ground hard and losing consciousness.

When she came to, she was staring back in to the most handsome face that she had ever seen. The man staring down at her had dark hair, a bit longer than she would have expected to see in rural Tennessee. His eyes were the deepest green she had ever seen, nearly the color of jade. It took her a moment to realize that he was cradling her head in his lap. His expression, full of concern, relaxed a fraction when he realized that she had regained consciousness. His face was still full of worry though, and she was too dazed by the strange situation in which she now found herself to speak first.

“Are you all right?” he asked as he looked down in to her eyes.

“I think so,” she said, though her voice came out a bit shakier than she would have liked. He didn’t look as though he fully believed her, but he did appear to relax a bit.

“Let me help you up,” he said, placing his hand on the small of her back as she sat upright. Once he was sure she wasn’t going to fall over, he stood and slowly helped her to her feet. She thought for a moment that she had survived her fall unscathed, until she attempted to put weight on her left foot. Her ankle buckled under her and the stranger’s arms shot out and pulled her close to him, balancing her against him so that she wouldn’t fall. The second that her body collided with his though, the pain she felt was replaced by an electric current like she had never felt before. She was so startled that she gasped aloud. She would have been embarrassed if he wasn’t staring back at her as though he had felt it too. His unblinking eyes met hers and it was as though he was trying to understand something deeper about the moment that they were sharing.

“Damn, my ankle!” she yelped.

Her words seemed to pull him from his thoughts as he bent to look at her ankle and said, “That looks bad,” as he helped her back to the ground.

“Jackie is never going to let me live this down,” Maggie said in exasperation.

“Jackie?” he asked thoughtfully.

“Sorry,” she said, realizing just how silly she must sound. “I’m rambling. I’m Maggie. Jackie’s my roommate. She warned me to be careful.”

“I’m Vitor. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” His eyes seemed to dance as he spoke.

“I thought no locals came up here?” she said bluntly. The pain made it hard for her to hold her thoughts inside.

“Oh they don’t,” he said with the oddest smile on his face. He almost looked proud of the fact.

“You’re not a local?” she asked.

“Let’s just say that I’m the exception to the rule,” he said with a warm chuckle.

“If I had a nickel for every man who has told me he’s exceptional...” she said with her own evil little grin.

“Are you teasing me?” he said in absolute shock. His jaw dropped in surprise.

“I was trying to,” she said, c*****g her head to the side.

“I think I like it.” He laughed as a smile spread across his handsome face.

“Hasn’t a girl ever teased you before?” she asked in surprise.

“Most find me quite intimidating,” he said, his expression suddenly intense.

“Well, maybe the pain is dulling my senses, but I don’t feel that way,” she murmured, leaning against him.

“I’m strangely glad of that,” he said, looking down at her as though he had never quite seen anyone like her before. He seemed to be trying to read something more in her expression as his eyes lingered on her face, causing her thoughts to jumble.

“I’m not really sure how to respond to that,” she said plainly.

He laughed aloud and said, “Well, at least you’re an honest one.”

“I do try to be,” she said, laughing herself.

“Come on, let’s get you home. I take it you’re new here. Where are you staying?” As he spoke, he stood and she ached at the loss of contact with him.

“We’re renting a house on Pine Ridge, just outside of town,” she said, glad she remembered the address in her rattled state.

“Ida Milner’s rental house?” he asked, a look of surprise on his face.

“Yes, that’s our landlady,” she said, confused by his reaction.

“A wise woman,” he said, nodding his head, clearly lost in his own thoughts.

“I haven’t had the chance to meet her yet, but Jackie adores her,” she explained, trying to understand what she was missing.

“And what brings you and Jackie to the backwoods of Tennessee?” he asked suddenly.

“We’re folklorists,” she said, unsure how he would react. People usually assume that it’s a fake career. It usually didn’t bother her, but she was oddly invested in him thinking well of her.

“Fascinating,” he said with what seemed like sincerity to her.

“Not to everyone.” She laughed, relieved with his reaction.

“That really doesn’t answer my question,” he said with a calculating expression as he helped her to her feet.

“Well, did you know that this part of Tennessee is the only place in America with dragon lore?” she asked bluntly before wincing in pain as she got to her feet. Had she not winced, she would have seen his green eyes glow for just a fraction of a second before he once again regained his control.

“No, I hadn’t realized that,” he muttered as he wove an arm around her waist to stabilize her.

“Well it’s true, and it is absolutely amazing to have that kind of phenomenon in cultural heritage. We want to study how the tales developed, how they took root here, of all places,” she said, suddenly distracted from her pain by her excitement for her work.

“And have you had much luck finding answers?” he asked, his face expressionless.

“Well, our preliminary research didn’t turn up many. I just got into town yesterday, but Jackie hasn’t had much luck getting anyone to open up to her about the stories,” she rattled on as he began to help her down the trail. With him supporting her weight with ease, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as she thought it would be.

“A pity,” he murmured.

“You wouldn’t want to be interviewed, would you?” she asked as he paused to let her rest a moment.

“I think we can arrange that, but you really should rest for a few days. That ankle looks nasty,” he said, unsure why he had agreed. He knew in his heart, though, that he was enjoying his moments with her too much to allow it to end so soon.

“Thanks,” she said, giving him a smile that took his breath away. Soon after they arrived at her jeep, he helped her into the passenger seat and got behind the wheel without saying a word. She closed her eyes and braced for the pain of the bumpy mountain road as he drove her toward town.

“How does it feel?” he asked, a little concerned that she had done real damage.

“Like I fell out of a tree,” she said bluntly. She opened her eyes then, realizing that she had been a bit terse. “Jackie will give you a ride home after you drop me off. Thanks again,” she added.

“Oh, it’s no trouble and she won’t need to do that. It is a lovely day for the walk,” he said, reaching his hand across to brush her hair from her face.

“It’s miles!” she exclaimed.

“Not as the dragon flies,” he teased.

“Funny. Is that an expression around here, from the legend?” she asked, putting on her folklorist cap.

“Perhaps only in my family,” he chuckled.

“Do you have a big family?” she asked, intrigued.

“Not anymore. My ancestors came here from Europe with the first settlers in this region and thrived for a bit, but now it’s just my brother and I,” he said as his expression darkened.

“Does he live here too?” she asked innocently.

“Only when he needs to,” he said without further explanation.

“A wandering spirit,” she said with approval.

“Something like that,” he said with a forced smile.

“This is our place, here on the right,” she said, suddenly realizing where they were.

“I’ll help you in,” he said as he parked. Quickly, he was at her car door and lifting her from the seat. She expected him to put her down and help her walk as he had before, but he instead carried her toward the porch as though she weighed no more than a doll. He opened the door and sat her on the couch, though he did so with a bit of hesitation that she cautiously hoped meant he did not want to let her go.

“Thank you again,” she said, smiling up at him and hoping that he wouldn’t leave right away. For the first time in her life, she was glad that Jackie wasn’t there to greet her when she got home. She enjoyed her time alone with him.

“It’s been my pleasure. I can’t remember a time when I have had such an enjoyable conversation,” he said, a bit guarded.

“Well, I do hope we can continue it soon,” she said with an encouraging smile.

“Perhaps I could visit you as you recuperate. Surely you’ll be confined to bed for a few days with that swelling,” he said, reminding her of Jackie’s scolding earlier.

“I would really like that,” she said, a beaming smile on her face. “Stop by anytime. I’m sure Jackie is going to lock me in my room for trying to climb that tree. You can help me stage a jail break.”

“It would be my honor,” he said with a wink that made her quiver.

“I’ll see you soon,” she said breathlessly.

“Yes, you will,” he said as though it was a vow.

It was then that she heard Jackie coming up from the basement. When her friend saw the state she was in, she dropped the scrub bucket in her hands and stared at her.

“Oh, hi Jackie,” she said guiltily.

“Maggie? My God! Are you okay?” she said, rushing to her.

“I’ll be fine. I should have been a bit more careful though, you should have warned me,” she said in an attempt to lighten the moment.

“Would you like a black eye to go with that sprained ankle?” Jackie said with a smirk.

“I’m really fine. Vitor here was kind enough to help me home,” she said with a smile.

“Hello, thank you so much for taking care of my little daredevil,” Jackie said, seeming to notice the man in the room for the first time.

“Does she put you through such worry often?” he asked in commiseration.

“Oh, I don’t think there are enough hours in the day for me to tell you all the worry she has put me through,” she said, smiling and looking back and forth between her friend and the new man in her life.

“You must be a very good friend,” he said in appreciation.

“I like you already, Vitor. You seem like a very perceptive person,” she said as she shot Maggie a smug look.

“You can both stop talking about me as though I’m not right here,” Maggie muttered, annoyed.

“I must excuse myself, ladies. Maggie, I do hope you feel well soon. Would it be an imposition if I came to visit tomorrow?” he asked as though she might actually tell him no.

“No, it wouldn’t be an imposition at all. Drop by anytime,” she said with a smile.

“I’ll see you in the morning then,” he said with the most genuine smile she had ever seen.

“I look forward to it. Sorry I ruined your day today,” she said with a look of guilt.

“You didn’t ruin anything. In fact, I think life around here just got a bit more interesting,” he said as he walked out the door.

“How did you meet a guy in the middle of the mountains?” Jackie asked in disbelief.

“He heard me yelp when I fell out of the tree,” she admitted.

“You fell out of a tree?” Jackie gasped.

“I needed to get a better view,” she shrugged.

“You’re so lucky that it was your ankle and not your neck,” she said.

“Oh, it doesn’t even hurt that much,” she said, trying to play down her agony.

“It’s the size of a cantaloupe!” she scolded.

“Anyway, he heard me yell and he came out of nowhere,” Maggie said trying to change the subject.

“It’s so weird because Ida said no locals go there because it’s the dragon’s lair,” she said with feigned fear.

“Maybe the people of her generation don’t. The reaction of younger generations may be less superstitious since they have less faith in the story’s validity,” Maggie pondered.

“Only you could spout theory while your ankle is nearly broken,” Jackie said with a smile.

“Oh, it’s not broken. I would have heard it if it was,” she pointed out.

“You’re ridiculous.” Though her words were harsh, her expression was one of amusement.

“I’ll ask him about it when he comes tomorrow,” she said determinedly.

“You’re going to have to take it easy for a few days. This is the ugliest sprain you have ever had,” her friend ordered.

“It’s not that bad. See, I can stand on it,” she said, pulling herself to her feet only to be hit by a wave of pain. “Ouch!”

“Lay down and get some rest. I’ll go get you something to eat,” she said fondly.

“What would I do without you?” she asked with true appreciation.

“Let’s hope you never have to find out,” Jackie said with a knowing smile.

They spent the next few hours in the living room, Maggie furiously scribbling notes in to her research journal about her first impressions of the caves and the town. It was the middle of the afternoon when they heard a strong knock at the door.

Jackie answered it to reveal a woman of around sixty, with a short grey bob that framed her lively face. “Hi, Ms. Milner,” she said warmly.

“Hello, Jackie dear. I came to see how you girls were settling in.”

“Oh, we’re loving it here. This is my research partner Maggie. Maggie, this is Ms. Milner,” Jackie said as she gestured to the couch.

“It’s so nice to meet you! The home is lovely. I’m so sorry that I can’t get up. I took a bit of a fall earlier,” she apologized.

“Not here I hope. I had the stairs fixed before you girls moved in,” Ms. Milner said with concern.

“Oh no, I was climbing a tree to get a better view of the village from near the caves and I lost my balance,” she said as she blushed with embarrassment.

“However did you get yourself home on that ankle?” their landlady asked.

“A nice guy came along at just the right time. His name is Vitor,” she said, adding, “He seemed to know you.”

“Vitor? Really? Interesting,” Ms. Milner said with a smile.

“He was a real lifesaver,” Jackie chimed in.

“Yes, well he isn’t like any other man you’re likely to meet. Our families have been connected for ages,” she said with an expression that didn’t hide how much it pleased her that Vitor had behaved in such a helpful way.

“He said he might stop by again tomorrow,” Maggie said before she thought better of it, adding to the gossip of a small town.

“I like to hear that. He’s been a bit of a loner his whole life. I’m glad he is planning to spend a bit of time with you,” the woman said with a knowing smile.

“There seemed to be something really special about him,” she said, sensing that this woman would know exactly what she meant.

“Oh my dear, you have no idea. Well, I need to get home. Do take care of yourself. Goodbye dears. Call if you need anything.” As she walked out, she gave them both a wink.

“Thanks again, Ms. Milner,” they called after her.

“Did you think that seemed weird?” Maggie asked.

“A little,” Jackie admitted.

“Maybe the old lady planned this all along, one of us getting closer to Vitor,” she said, always a fan of a conspiracy theory.

“How could she have planned that?” Jackie laughed.

“Who knows? Old ladies have mad matchmaking skills.” She smirked.

“If she plans to find us both husbands, then she will be sorely disappointed,” Jackie observed.

“Agreed.”

“Let’s get you upstairs. We’ll get you settled in bed with your ankle elevated and you can tell me where to put your things as we unpack,” she said.

“Sounds like a good plan to me. If I’d known you’d unpack for me, I would have thrown myself from a tree yesterday.” She chuckled.

“Keep talking like that and I will make sure you fall out of another tree before the night is over,” Jackie said as she helped her up.

*