Hidden Captive: Dragon Enchanted, #2

By Sophie Stern

One mage. One dragon shifter. One ruthless journey.

Time is running out for Felix. The witch is dead, but he's still trapped on the island she dropped him off on 30-odd years ago. Every time he tries to leave, he feels himself growing weaker. Even being with Tabitha isn't enough to refuel his energy, and Felix fears that by the time they find his true essence, it may be too late.

Will Tabitha be able to find the source of Felix's energy before it's too late?

Or will he be doomed to be a captive forever?

Find out in Dragon Enchanted: Book 2. Please note: this is the second book in DRAGON ENCHANTED. In order to enjoy the story, please read the first book before buying this one. It is called HIDDEN MAGE.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sophie Stern
• Release date: Apr 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201018474

Book preview

One mage. One dragon shifter. One ruthless journey.

Time is running out for Felix. The witch is dead, but he's still trapped on the island she dropped him off on 30-odd years ago. Every time he tries to leave, he feels himself growing weaker. Even being with Tabitha isn't enough to refuel his energy, and Felix fears that by the time they find his true essence, it may be too late.

Will Tabitha be able to find the source of Felix's energy before it's too late?

Or will he be doomed to be a captive forever?

Find out in Dragon Enchanted: Book 2. Please note: this is the second book in DRAGON ENCHANTED. In order to enjoy the story, please read the first book before buying this one. It is called HIDDEN MAGE.

For my readers.

Prologue

(From the epilogue of DRAGON ENCHANTED: Hidden Mage)

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU’VE found them? Declan Monster looked around the room at his brothers and mother. The four of them were sitting in the tiny treehouse home where Declan spent most of his time.

I mean, Brian said, tapping the map on the counter in front of them, I found the group of islands Dad was exploring when he disappeared.

Raya’s breath caught. Declan, Brian, and Christopher looked over at their mother. They knew she’d spent years searching for Felix. He’d disappeared when he was just a little boy, and they were in their 30s now.

Still, she’d never given up hope.

The three brothers knew that their mother had never stopped searching or hoping that Felix would be found. It was only recently that they’d learned they even had a brother, though. At Brian’s wedding, Raya had revealed that Felix not only existed, but that he was still lost.

Dad went to the Mages of Kunzite. Mom told us that, Brian said, looking at the map in front of him. They live here.

Lived, Declan corrected his brother.

They were killed about six months ago, Christopher said sadly, shaking his head. Declan swallowed hard at the thought. They suspected the witch who had kidnapped Felix had been responsible. At least, that was their suspicion.

She was a very powerful witch indeed, and she was capable of covering her tracks. That was evident in the fact that Raya and her husband had not been able to actually kill or capture the witch. Mom had told them the witch’s name – Ursula – and the three brothers had taken things from there.

The Monster brothers weren’t exactly known for sitting around and letting the world pass them by. They ran one of the biggest security firms in the country, and money wasn’t an issue when it came to getting things done.

They’d learned that when you weren’t afraid to flash your money around, that also meant it was easier to get what you wanted in a shorter amount of time.

Right now, what they wanted was to find their brother.

Right, Raya nodded. Declan reached for his mother’s shoulder and touched her gently. He was worried about her. Admitting that Felix existed had taken a lot out of her. She had revealed to her sons that their father had gone missing not on a hunting trip, as she’d always told them, but while he was hunting for their brother.

Dad had never stopped searching. He’d met the witch once. That was how he’d learned her name was Ursula. He’d fought with her, struggling, and he’d stolen the necklace that contained his brother’s essence. Raya had worn the necklace ever since, and as long as it glowed, they knew that Felix was alive.

There’s a group of islands to the north of Kunzite, Brian continued speaking. There are three islands grouped close together. Nobody goes there.

Why not? Declan asked.

Christopher shrugged.

Weather’s bad, he said. Also, there’s nothing there.

Or is there? Declan looked closer at the map Brian had spread out for them to see. If the Monster brothers were correct, then Felix could be on one of those islands. It had been years since Dad had disappeared, and the chances of Felix still being alive were probably low.

The necklace didn’t lie, though, and it still glowed.

Only, Mother had been worried about it. The necklace had started to fade about six months ago, and she was worried that something was wrong with Felix. After she’d told the triplets – Brian, Christopher, and Declan – about the necklace, they’d immediately started searching for the Mages of Kunzite and for answers.

They’d been too late to save the mages, but they might not be too late to save their brother.

Hang on, Felix, Declan muttered, looking at the map. We’re coming for you.

1

Tabitha

Being a witch on the world’s most isolated island wasn’t really what Tabitha had in mind when she was planning her what I want to be when I grow up speech in 7 th grade. Instead, she thought she’d become a powerful mage who saved the world. She figured she’d do something academic, like train other witches. Sitting on an island was never part of the plan.

Yet there she was, sitting. She was trapped, stuck on an island with Felix. There she was, walking around picking up seashells and splashing in the shallow waves. It wasn’t the life a powerful mage should have had, yet somehow, it didn’t seem nearly as horrible as she imagined it might be.

Maple Syrup! Tabitha called, running along the beach. Her mate’s little pet cat came running along, leaving tiny pawprints in the sand as they made their way up and down the beach. Every day, Tabitha came to the beach to try to clear her head.

What was she missing?

There had to be a way to break Felix off of the island.

She’d always loved exploring new places and seeing new things, and losing herself on the island had been, in many ways, an incredible vacation from reality she hadn’t even known that she’d needed. Spending time with Felix and his cat had been calming to her. His love wrapped around her like a spell she’d worked hours or days to memorize. He completed her.

And she wanted to save him.

The island itself was littered with abandoned buildings from when Ursula, the terrible witch who had cursed Felix, had been around. Some of them had books and others had tools. Felix and Tabitha spent most of their time exploring the buildings, as well as the caves and hollows scattered across the island.

Tabitha was always looking for ways to find more information about the curse. She hadn’t learned much about curses when she was one of the Mages of Kunzite. Their people had focused on good spells. The mages had wanted to find ways to heal the world and to protect the weak. They hadn’t wanted to destroy people.

Now Tabitha wished she’d had more training when it came to spells of darkness. The reality was that Felix was stuck: cursed to live out his days on this rock. Tabitha was here, too. She wouldn’t leave. She would be his mate until the very end of time.

Maple Syrup meowed loudly, looking over at Tabitha.

You’re right, she sighed, glancing around the beach again. We should get back to Felix. The beach didn’t hold any answers. She wanted it to, of course, but it didn’t, so it was time to go.

The two of them turned and started heading back to where Felix was relaxing. He was spread out on a large picnic blanket in the grassy hill beyond the beach. They didn’t have chocolates or strawberries or any of the lovely things you might normally eat on a picnic, but there were some berries and there was water and of course, there was a very naked Felix.

As if sensing she was no longer welcome, Maple Syrup took off running.

Where’s she going? Felix asked, looking toward the place where his cat had disappeared.

Who knows? Maybe she saw a mouse.

A mouse, huh? I think she’s eaten all of the mice on the island.

There could be more, Tabitha said. She plopped down on the blanket beside Felix. Propping her head on her hand, she looked over at him. He was nice to look at, and she had a feeling she’d never grow tired of just looking at him.

What?

What? Tabitha blinked innocently.

You’re looking at me like you want to eat me up, he accused, but his eyes were twinkling. She knew this didn’t bother him in the least.

Maybe I do, she shrugged.

Maybe I want you to.

Is that so?

He nodded, smirking at her. His eyes held a challenge. What was she going to do? They were all alone with no one to see them or catch them. They could do anything at all, and she wanted to.

Felix was naked already. He’d flown them to the beach in his dragon form. Now that he was able to change into a dragon at will, Tabitha noticed he’d been wearing clothes less and less frequently.

She would never complain about that.

She reached for her shirt and tugged, pulling it up and over her head before tossing it aside. Her pants followed and then her underwear. In a matter of seconds, she was naked and straddling him.

Oh, yes, Felix reached for her hips, tugging her down toward his own body. This is exactly what our picnic needs.

Sex?

Incredible sex, he murmured, and then he was kissing her. He tasted like happiness and berries and contentment. He tasted like adventure.

Tabitha hadn’t been a virgin when she’d met Felix. She hadn’t been shy or scared when it came to her own sexuality. She had, however, found that with Felix, the sex just kept getting better and better.