Page 47 of Blue Arrow Island (Blue Arrow Island #1)

Root system of plant indicates adaptation to mineral-rich soil with high metal content. The flower structure does not give specific indications about a pollinator relationship.

- Excerpt from the journal of Dr. Randall McClain

There are vines everywhere. They twine and wrap through the air and around my legs.

My waist. Ranging in shades from the lightest green to a dark pine, some sturdy and thick and others lithe and deft.

There’s one winding around my neck, poised to go into my open mouth.

I can’t close it, and I can’t scream. I’m helpless; frozen as the vine slithers past my lips.

I wake up with a jolt, gasping. Sweat coats my brow even though I’m in an underground room, Olin asleep on the bed beside my chair.

At least he was asleep. I just woke him up.

He sits up, his brows lowered in a look of concern.

“Sorry,” I say sheepishly, standing. “I had a bad dream.”

His concern slides away. I reach for the pitcher of water on the table beside his bed and pour him a cup of water.

When I pass it to him, he drinks it. There’s also a small bowl of rice and a cup of fruit juice on the table.

“Do you think you can eat a little?” I ask him. “And drink some juice? Ellison said you should have a little bit every couple of hours.”

He nods, looking groggy.

“There’s a pencil and paper here if you need to say anything.” I pass him the cup of juice.

I survey him as he sips it. He’s been wasting away at Rising Tide, his hair thinner and his cheeks hollow. It hurts to know I’ve been here, eating my fill every day, while he’s been starving and suffering.

Sitting down on the end of his bed, I tell him what I’ve learned since I last saw him. His eyes widen when I mention McClain and genetic engineering, mirroring my own feelings when I found out.

“I wanted to be here when you woke up,” I say softly. “But I have to get back to searching for the flowers. You’re in good hands with Ellison. Please just rest and heal. Switching off the aromium makes you tired and weak. I’ll come check on you when I get back.”

He nods, leaning against the pillows at his back. The warmth in his gaze reminds me of my mom. I don’t have a brother, but I think the tenderness I feel toward Olin is how I would feel for a brother if I did.

I kiss his forehead. “You’re okay now. I’ll see you later.”

On the walk out of the Sub, I twist my neck to one side and then the other, trying to work out the stiffness from sleeping in a chair. I reach the Sub’s exit, squinting against bright morning sunlight.

“What time is it?” I ask the guard stationed at the entrance.

He looks at his watch and says, “Almost seven a.m.”

I can’t believe I slept in that chair the entire night. Going on and off aromium like we have been isn’t just getting harder for Marcus. I’m feeling it too.

I push the button on the side of my radio. “Aphrodite to Ares. I’m at the meeting point.”

A few seconds later, his deep voice responds over the radio. “Copy, Aphrodite. I’m at the switch point.”

That’s the spot at the shield perimeter where we meet to activate our aromium in the morning and turn it off in the evening. My aggravation flares because Marcus has no business having his aromium on again.

I don’t even bother with a shower. I change into clean clothes, wash my face, brush my teeth and braid my hair, winding the braid into a thick knot at my neck and securing it. I’m seething the whole time, playing out the conversation Marcus and I are going to have when I reach him.

He knows there’s a pissed-off woman heading his way. He wouldn’t leave without me, would he?

Even though I shouldn’t, I grab my radio and press the button, barely containing my mood as I speak into it. “Aphrodite to Ares. I’m almost on my way. Your ass better be there.”

“Copy, Aphrodite.” Amusement laces his tone. “My ass will be here, along with the rest of me.”

I strap on my weapons, grab a stun stick already set to respond to my thumbprint, drink some water and refill my canteen. By the time I set off, I’m about to boil over.

That won’t work once my aromium is on. I can’t have vines choking the life out of Marcus, no matter how angry I am.

Deep breathing it is. I reframe Marcus’s decision in my mind. It’s careless and self-destructive, but that’s not how he sees it. He’s stubborn to the point of defiance, and he’s in charge here, so he’s used to his word being the final one.

I’m calmer by the time I reach him. He’s somehow glowering at me and arching an amused brow at the same time.

“Morning, sunshine.”

Stella is waiting with him. She avoids eye contact with me as she quickly activates my aromium and power walks back toward camp.

Smart. She doesn’t want to get caught in the middle of a dustup between me and Marcus.

I sigh, reminding myself to stay cool. “Morning, stubborn asshole. All set to go?”

His expression darkens. “Oh, I’m the asshole? I had to search the fucking camp for you last night when you didn’t come to bed.”

“Did you have to though?” I exhale long and slow, making myself stay as calm as I can.

He stalks toward me, getting so close I can feel the heat of his body towering over me. “I was puking my guts out and looking everywhere for you, and you’re flippant about it?”

My pulse pounds; not because I fear him, but because I want him. Aromium is clouding my judgment and emotions.

“You won’t listen to me about the aromium.” I hate the way my voice catches. “You don’t trust me to search without you overseeing me.”

He shakes his head, a storm raging in his eyes. “I trust you with my life. I just want to protect you.”

“I want to protect you, too. But you won’t let me.”

He shakes his head and looks away. “I don’t deserve your protection.”

I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. “I can’t do this right now. Not with the aromium on. Unless you want to risk vines cutting off circulation from your dick until it falls off.”

“I’d prefer to keep my dick attached.”

“Then let’s go.”

“Next time you’re too pissed to come home, can you at least send someone with a message?”

“I didn’t do it on purpose. I fell asleep in the chair by Olin’s bed.”

The muscle in his jaw tics with annoyance. “Oh, I know. Took me more than an hour to find you there.”

“What’s with the tone?”

“Who is this guy to you?”

I roll my eyes, my jaw dropping. “Are you serious? He’s my friend. He saved my life.”

“Can you blame me for asking?”

“Yes. I can and I do. If you haven’t noticed, I sleep in your bed every night. When you’re not being an obstinate dickhead ... I like you.”

He narrows his eyes. “It’s a little deeper for me than that, and I don’t share.”

I’m horrified by the way my nipples harden, a tingling sensation farther down signaling I’m wet over not just his feelings for me, but also his possessiveness. I’ve never been one of those women.

“He’s just a friend. You know how I feel about you. Do you honestly think I could have you and then want anyone else?”

He looks away. “I knew you were mad at me, and I ... wasn’t feeling very reasonable.”

We start walking, side by side. The jungle air is already thick with humidity, the caws and calls of the animals a familiar backdrop that no longer scares me like it did when I first got here.

“I’m staying out until the flowers are found,” he says. “So I don’t get sick from turning the aromium off every day.”

I let that sink in for a few seconds. “I’ll stay out with you. But what if yours bonds and it won’t go off?”

He shrugs. “Then I have to hope McClain can make a stabilizer.”

“Marcus.” I put a hand on his arm and he stops, tension tightening his expression.

I pull my hand away. “It’s likely we’ll never find this flower.”

“I know. But I’ll regret it if I don’t give this everything I’ve got.”

Unease churns in my gut. He takes my hand and leads me to a rock formation that’s about ten feet tall.

There’s a space just large enough for us to both stand in, and he backs me into it, cupping my face in his hands.

His shoulders shudder and his hands shake, his gaze so dark and hungry it takes my breath away.

“I don’t know if touching you will help or hurt, but I’m dying here.”

He lowers his mouth to mine, the warmth of his mouth making me forget the sharp rocks poking against my back. I moan and wrap my arms around him, my worry disappearing as he kisses me harder.

I press my hands against his back, urging him closer. He nibbles my lower lip and I bite the tip of his tongue. We’re groping at each other’s clothes now, the aromium in my veins surging with something that feels ... right, somehow.

“I need you,” I say, whimpering as he cups my ass and lifts me, allowing him to reach my neck with his lips.

His stubble brushes over the sensitive skin on my collarbone as he kisses my neck. I breathe in his leather-and-saltwater smell, desperate for more of him.

His hand goes to his waistband, where he fumbles with his button and zipper, pulling down his pants. He deftly handles mine next, and then his hands are on my bare ass. He lowers me onto his erection, both of us groaning with pleasure as he sinks into me.

“Fuck.” The warmth of his breath sends a shiver over my skin. “I can’t breathe without you.”

My cry is strangled, because I know we have to be quiet. He’s so deep inside me, his hands digging into my skin and my nails sinking into his back.

“Yes,” I whisper in his ear. “Don’t stop. I need you so much, Marcus.”

My words spur him to move faster, the pain of his punishing thrusts sending me spiraling so high I quickly combust, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes as my orgasm blasts through my body like a bomb detonating.

For a few seconds, I’m broken into a million pieces of floating bliss, and when they knit back together, I’m a more complete version of myself.

He cries out, holding my hips and grinding into me. I feel him coming, his whole body tensing and then going slack.

After setting me on my feet, he steps back. His lips are parted in an incredulous look.

“What the fuck?” he whispers.

I put a palm on his chest. “I feel it, too.”

The pull of the aromium is quieter now. I don’t even have the words to describe the state of satisfaction I’m in. It’s like the aromium has been calling me toward something every second it’s been active in my body, and I finally gave it what it wanted.

“I’m more ... myself.” He runs a hand over his jaw, disbelief in his tone as he refastens his pants. “More than I have been since I first turned the aromium back on.”

“Me too.” I quickly fasten my own pants, not liking that his back is exposed to anyone who might come by. “We have to get moving.”

He stops me with a hand around my wrist. “Hey ... you good?”

“More than good.”

His lips tug up into a grin. “Wish we would’ve done that sooner.”

I stretch up on my toes to kiss him. “We can always make up for missed opportunities.”

Several hours later, we’re searching as close to the Rising Tide camp as we’re willing to get when a snowflake lands on my cheek, immediately followed by one on my arm. I look up.

“Oh shit.”

This time, the dark cloud is inside the jungle instead of high in the sky. It’s a floating haze in the trees above us, heavy snow descending from it.

“Marcus,” I murmur, a sense of dread falling over me.

He stands beside me, his expression masked by thick sheets of enormous snowflakes.

“Virginia must be in a rage over losing those fours,” he says near my ear. “They’ll come on fast and hard.”

“I can’t see. How will I know if I’m fighting them or you?”

He’s silent as he considers. Then he shakes his head. “I don’t know what will happen if we split up. This cloud can follow our heat signatures, but I don’t know what it will do if there’s only one person to follow.”

“No splitting up. We stay together.”

My breath clouds in front of my face, thoughts of fighting a bunch of Tiders while I can’t see making my worry spiral. One-on-one, I could hold my own. But a dozen of them against the two of us, when none of us can see? I’ll be too worried about wounding Marcus by accident.

“I’m not doing so great with controlling my emotions,” I murmur.

“Don’t.”

I huff my annoyance. “I’m trying, but it’s h?—”

He cuts me off. “No, I mean don’t control them. Call out to the vines with your mind. If there’s a way to help you, they’ll find it.”

“But what about you? I don’t want them to hurt you.”

The faint sound of a woman’s sharp voice makes me reach for my knife. Virginia. A bullet is too quick and merciful for her.

“They’ll respond to your feelings,” Marcus says in my ear. “Don’t send out anger. Send fear. Ask for protection. Do it right now. I can’t see and I don’t want to hurt you.”

He presses a quick, firm kiss to my temple. It’s the first time I’ve heard worry in his voice. I wrap my arms around myself and close my eyes, the giant icy flakes on my skin and clothes making me cold even though I’m in a hot rainforest.

Help me. Protect me. Help me. Protect me.

I ignore the approaching voices, focusing only on sending the message out with my mind over and over.

The keening howl of a wolf sounds close by. A chill races through me and I feel a rumble in the ground beneath my feet.

“Watch yourself! They have guns!” a man yells.

I think it’s Pax. More voices follow, but they’re drowned out by a whooshing sound, vines arriving and whipping around my feet in a big circle.

Something zings past my head, missing it by just a few inches. I think it was a spear. I crouch, knife in my shaking hand, as the vines rapidly build a cocoon around me. It’s like a small igloo, the snowfall stopping once I’m fully encased in darkness.

For a few minutes, I can’t hear anything but the vines cutting through the air, more layers being added to my protective enclosure. Then it stops. Everything is muffled, but I think I hear the metallic clang of a knife hitting another one.

A man’s deep, primal cry sounds, and somehow, I know it’s Marcus. He sounds like hell itself, unleashed fury descending on anyone unfortunate enough to be within his reach.

There’s snarling. The clacking of an animal’s jaws. And voices. Long minutes pass as I listen to the fighting, helpless.

The thwack of something hard against my shell of vines makes me jump.

“The fuck?” a muted voice says, hitting it again.

There’s a squelching noise, followed by a thud that I think is the drop of a body.

There are so many voices out there. Marcus is all alone to defend himself. I want so badly to call the vines back so I can help him, but something stops me. It’s a feeling deep inside me, soothing my fear and telling me to stay where I am.

You’re safe now. We’re here.

My eyes widen with disbelief. I’ve sent mental messages out to the vines a few times now, and they always show up. But now, somehow, they’re communicating back.