ISLAND ILLUSIONS (#2 PARADISE ISLAND duology)

--two--

At the camp—Miles had started calling it that in his head—everyone was gathered around the fire, gazes absorbed by the flames and the food roasting. Miles couldn't quite tell what that food was, but a pungent meat scent reached his nostrils the closer he got. Who had gone out and hunted something to eat, and had they seen him sneaking off after Kera? And where had they found anything worthy of being called meat? Miles didn't recall coming across any deer or rabbit or other game, and he hadn't eaten meat since he was on the good side days ago.

He tried to make it seem he was coming from his cabin, which was luckily near the path leading away from camp. He crouched and climbed onto the front steps, then yawned and rubbed his eyes, pretending to be only then waking up and showing up to join everyone.

Vick, seated the closest, spotted him first, turning to give him a nod of acknowledgment. He wore gray sweats, his hair ruffled, his eyes slightly rimmed with red. Not much different from the manner in which Miles usually found him after a night of drug-induced partying.

"You're back," he said, voice low in his throat as he gestured at a log stump next to him, for Miles to sit on.

Miles squinted at him. "Back?" He scrunched his nose, acting as if he didn't understand him. "You mean awake, yeah?"

"No," said Vick, frowning as he refocused on the fire. He poked at the meat dangled over the flames with a sharp-ended stick. "You left. So you're coming back."

"What are you talking about? I was in my cabin." Miles gulped, realizing he hadn't played this situation out.

He should have entered through the back of the cabin and exited through the front door to maintain the illusion. Instead, he'd walked past the place and feigned walking down the steps.

Busted.

"Don't bother, we know the truth." Vick used the stick to motion at Jessa, who was stalking up to Miles. Streaks of plum-colored veins ran up and down her bare arms, and a similar shade scintillated in her eyes. "She told us."

By she, Miles understood immediately that Vick meant the ruler. The omnipotent, all-seeing, all-hearing being who oversaw this island in place of its supposed gods. The monster who slipped into Jessa's body at will, possessed it to transfer cryptic messages, then left Jessa on the verge of death to recover from how the being ripped at her insides and messed with her brain.

She's here, and she knows I left? Fuck.

"I've been watching," said possessed-Jessa, her timbre treacherous with seduction. That same raspy, raw but rich voice the ruler seemed to employ when using Jessa's body. She sent a hand to her hip, her arm curving into a perfect C.

C for cunt, yeah? Because that's what this thing is.

Miles reigned in his rage, reminding himself that his inner thoughts might be too apparent to someone as powerful as the ruler. He'd ditched Kera for being too obvious, for not hiding her intentions well enough; if he didn't calm himself down, he'd have abandoned her for nothing.

"Yeah?" Miles folded his arms over his chest and took a step back, trying to avoid the heavily charged aura that Jessa dispersed around her. That intoxicating aroma of persuasion, of forceful feelings he didn't understand, of blood thirst and lust piercing into his heart. "So, what did you see?"

"All of it." Jessa offered him a lopsided smile that, under other circumstances, he might have found cute. Almost innocent, almost sexily so. But he knew better, and only turned up his nose at her pretty features and perfect posture. "I can't travel far in my misty form, but I was able to keep an eye on you. I saw your following of Kera, her conversation with that teacher, the teacher's death, and your confrontation. I must say, I wasn't sure how it was going to go for a few moments, there. I'm surprised, but pleased."