Page 2 of Song of the Dragon Rider
The woman let out a short, humorless laugh. “Wow. You really are a piece of work, aren’t you?” She shook her head and began pacing, muttering to herself. “This doesn’t make any sense. You look exactly like her, but you don’t act like her. And no tattoos? What the hell is going on?”
“What’s going on is that you’re wasting my time,” I said sharply, my tone dripping with disdain. “Bring me someone in charge.Now.”
Angie stopped pacing and turned to face me, her expression hard. “Fine. I’ll get the doctor. But don’t think this conversation is over.”
“It never started,” I muttered.
Once she stormed out of the room, I released a shaky breath and leaned back against the pillow. My hands trembled as I gripped the blanket, my mind racing. This wasn’t the Northern District. It wasn’t even Elaria. Wherever I was, it was foreign and unnatural—a place I didn’t belong.
The hum in the room filled the silence, and my eyes wandered to the glowing rectangles perched on stands around the room. One of them displayed numbers—a time, perhaps? Another emitted a soft beeping sound that made my head throb. These strange devices and alien surroundings mocked me with their incomprehensibility.
I glanced at the door Angie had disappeared through, my lip curling. Who was she to speak to me that way? To question me as though I was the one at fault? If I ever managed to return home, I would see her scrubbing floors for the insolence she dared show me.
But the thought of Elaria sent a pang of doubt through my chest. What if… What if I couldn’t go back? No. I shoved the thought away. That was unacceptable. This world, with its glowing devices and brash women, would not defeat me. I was Arya Ryder, daughter of Lord Zacharia, and I would not be cowed by anything—or anyone.
If I had to tear this strange place apart piece by piece to find a way home, I would. Let them call me difficult. Let them think me demanding. I would bend this world to my will, just as I had bent the people who tried to stand in my way.
I was no one’s victim. And I wouldnotbe broken.
1
CAT
Iwas going to kill him.
I wasn’t one to have murderous intents… I mean, not unless you were Fernando, my cheating ex-boyfriend who, hell, I never even had the chance of breaking up with. But damn, I wanted to kill Damien. I’ve never wanted to kill someone as much as I wanted to kill him. I wanted to flay him like a fish and serve him to my neighbor’s cat Marvin.
I huddled in the corner of his bedroom, feeling the warmth of lava trapped within the walls as I trembled, still drenched from my dip in the river and the torrential rain I endured to reach the riverbank. My hair was in disarray with strands pulled out of my once neatly crafted updo. The thunderstorm – my one chance to return home – had long since passed. I bit my lip to keep the tears at bay. I refused to cry. I didn’t want to show him how much his actions hurt me. Not that he cared. All Damien cared about was keeping me captive in this goddamn volcano he called a home.
The acrid tang of sulfur stung my nostrils, though I was gradually becoming used to the smell. The space was dimly lit with flickering candles that gave this place a spooky vibe,especially because there was no way out unless you had wings. If I wanted to leave, my only option was to have Damien fly me out through the mouth of the volcano.
After he pulled me out of the river, Damien shifted into his half-dragon form and flew me to his island. The instant he did, I knew I would no longer have the freedom I’d been granted when I first arrived in Elaria through the portal that straddled this world and mine. I no longer had the luxury of pretending to be Arya, the spoiled Ryder brat. Those pretenses were stripped from me the second Damien threw me onto the riverbank, gasping for air.
Now, my mind raced to figure out what to do, how to fix this mess, and how to get back home. This wasn’t my world. This supernatural world with dragons, witches, and vampires didn’t belong to me. And if I stayed any longer, I would go crazy. I already felt my sanity slipping away by the second.
I glared at the imposing stone door of his bedroom. Long, skinny taper candles placed all around the room threw long, quivering shadows across the walls, their flames dancing as if swayed by whispers of the dark secrets this place held. Each flicker seemed to pulse with my rising anger, reflecting the turmoil inside me.
The walls, lined with frozen lava, retained a warmth that was a stark reminder of the fire that once flowed here—fire as fierce as the fury burning within me now. I hugged my knees tighter to my chest, the fabric of my damp clothes clinging uncomfortably to my skin. The sulfur-tinged air was a constant, pungent reminder of the volcano’s dormant power. It mingled with the damp earthiness that clung to my skin since my ill-fated swim, creating a heavy, almost suffocating atmosphere.
From somewhere within the depths of the volcano, I heard footsteps approaching. Each step was a clear, deliberate sound that echoed ominously through the halls. My heart hammeredin my chest, not in fear, but in fierce, defiant anger. As the door creaked open, I lifted my chin, meeting Damien’s dark gaze with fiery intensity.
Damien paused at the threshold with an unreadable expression. The candlelight played across his features, softening the hard lines of his face and casting him in a more vulnerable light than the fearsome dragon form I had last seen. But I wasn’t fooled.
“You can’t keep me here.” Somehow, I managed to keep my voice steady despite the quiver I felt inside. “This isn’t my home. Elaria is not my world!” I screamed. Lunging to my feet, I clenched my fists at my sides and fought the overwhelming urge to punch him.
He stepped inside and closed the door behind him, the soft thud sounding final. “I know this is hard for you to understand, but you can’t leave, Cat. You belong with me.” His voice was a blend of frustration and pleading, but the man was obviously unhinged.
“No, I don’t!” I countered, my voice rising. “All I want to do is go home!” Reaching for the nearest object, which happened to be a candle holder, I hurled it at his head. He easily ducked out of the way and it slammed against the wall. The bastard. “Get me out of here,now!”
Damien moved closer, the scent of rain that lingered on his clothes mixing with the natural musk of his dragon heritage. He stood in front of me and dipped his head to the side to meet my eyes. “I pulled you from that river because I can’t lose you.” He gripped my upper arms and gave them a shake.
My hoarse voice rang out as I screamed and tried to rip out of his grasp. “Let mego! Don’t touch me! Get away from me, asshole!”
“Cat, stop!” Wrenching me to his chest, he wrapped his muscled arms around my back and trapped me against him. “Relax!”
I struggled in vain against his iron grip. “No! I want to go home! Please!”
His proximity was unsettling, not just physically but emotionally. The warmth from his body contrasted sharply with the cool air of the room, and his scent—a complex blend of earth, smoke, and something uniquely Damien—filled my senses, making it hard to focus on my resolve.
