Sea Storm: Children of the Waves Read online

  “No shit!”

  Zek tilled his head to the side and stared at his half-brother. “But you know the fact you age, tells me you might have already met your bride.”

  “Or, I could be more human than one of The Children.”

  “There are no rules with the human offspring of demi-gods.” His youngest brother could stay underwater longer than any human he knew, and he could move objects with a thought. He wondered if Cyrus could orgasm, a conversation they’d never had.

  Zek grinned. Most of the males of their kind were horny as hell once they hit puberty. They had no trouble actively ‘searching’ for their brides, just to be sure, but only sex with your bride or mate could bring you to orgasm. While Zek had never been one to troll for his mate, partly because he’d already met her and knew it, Cyrus loved women. Except his intent had nothing to do with the search for a mate. Or maybe it did, and his youngest brother hadn’t realized it.

  “True. Now what about the ceremony we weren’t invited to?”

  “Well, technically no invitations are required,” Zek told his half-brother. “Xav is already mated but perhaps, he’ll have a ceremony for the Children, so the tribes can gather and celebrate. We’re going to have to make a trip to the depths in a couple of days.”

  “Coolio. How about that investigator? Thought you said you heard from them.”

  Zek leaned forward, ignoring the question for the moment and rested his elbows on the desk. “Seriously, you’ve been an adult male for the last hundred years, it’s probably time for you to find your mate, too.”

  Cyrus leaned back and raised his hands up in surrender. “Nah ah, not me, man. I’m not committing to one woman. I know you’ve explained it and all about the need to find our mates. But, like I said, I’m not sure I’m like you in that respect. For one thing, I can’t stay down below as long as you all. That first time, I needed one of the medallions to make it to King’s City. Besides, I aged until about twenty-five, never paused in my growth. So, if I did find my bride, I didn’t know it at the time. Also, it would’ve been about a hundred years ago. She’d be dead by now.”

  “Not necessarily. Not if she were one of the Children.”

  Cyrus frowned. “I know I spent a lot of time at sea. But up until I met you, I didn’t know such a thing as the Children of the Waves existed. Mermaids and shit, all bedtime stories. And it’s not like I’ve lived underwater. I just knew I could spend hours in the water and had no trouble doing so.”

  “Still, you got past puberty without a hitch. And you enjoy being near the water. It explains the job you have and your ability to handle the ocean depths. All part of Poseidon’s blood. So no wonder, you’ve been a sailor for most of your life.”

  “Well, I enjoy being the chief maritime engineer for your company, Oceanus Enterprises. It’s nice having a bro who owns a fleet of ocean liners.” Cyrus grinned.

  “That’s true.” Zek found Cyrus quite by accident or perhaps, Fate intervened when he needed to hire someone to oversee the engines. “But it’s great to have you here, man,” Zek continued.

  They both loved spending time in the life rejuvenating waters of the sea. The main reason the corporate offices were on an island and the French doors from his office and the home they shared were mere steps from it.

  Finally, he decided to raise the subject and the question he’d been dying to ask. “Among our people, the males—well—ah we can’t…” Zek coughed. “That is to say, we can only orgasm with our brides.”

  “What?” Cyrus sat up straight in the seat he’d been lounging in.

  “Oh, we have sex.” Zek chuckled. “But only one woman can bring us to orgasm. Our bride.”

  Cyrus laughed. He laughed so hard his eyes teared up.

  Zek growled. “It’s not fucking funny.”

  “Sorry, man.” He snorted. “Sorry. It’s okay. Ah well, I ah, don’t have that problem. Wait. So you mean you’ve never…”

  Zek growled again.

  This time Cyrus held his hands up and just shook his head. “Okay, okay, ah then, we have to get you good and well laid, my man.”

  “Are you saying…?” He held up his hands. “Never mind. Like I said, there are no rules for the children of gods, especially when one parent is human. Perhaps, your mate is human and merely hasn’t been born, yet.”

  “Well, unlike Xav, I’ve got no throne to lose, so if she wants to come along in another hundred years or so, then maybe we can talk about it. For now, tell me about this detective. You said he had a lead.”

  Zek glared at him, he didn’t want to wait a hundred years, much less another one. Without thought, his hand rose to rub the medallion he wore around his neck, an unconscious and common gesture for him. The thing hadn’t been removed from the spot on his chest since being placed there twelve years ago. He’d known for a while, his mate dwelled on land. He’d moved to the world of the landwalkers ten years ago, because of it.

  The sea witch, the seer among his people, who guided his brother to find his bride, had also confirmed for him, his own bride walked the land. She’d foreseen on one of these islands, their paths would cross again.

  Unlike Xavior, Zek had known when he’d found his bride the first time, but he couldn’t follow her. And unlike Xav, he actually knew his bride’s name. Didn’t seem to help though, cause damned if he’d been able to find her since. From the time of the explosion, she and her family disappeared.

  He’d worn the necklace since the day she’d placed it there herself. Tracing the letters with his finger, worn from so many other tracings. But the name remained ingrained into his soul. Hali. Even her name meant sea. All of this he possessed, but he didn’t have her. She’d come of age now and his restlessness for her only got worse. Still, if Xav could find his bride, he had hope. Hali existed out there somewhere.

  So, Cyrus got it partially right, he did need to get laid but only one woman would do. But he’d go through the fires of Hades before he admitted such a thing to his younger brother. Either of his brothers. He turned his thoughts back to answering Cyrus. “He’s actually a she, and yes. I got an email from her; she’s got some new information.”

  “Wait.” Cyrus frowned. “Shaw’s a woman?”

  “Yep. Shawnah Linch. She’s chasing a lead Hali’s family might have been a part of the witness protection program. Which makes sense as to why I’ve never been able to find them. And the way you can get information today, makes it easier for anyone with the right kind of access to get information from the Internet.”

  “Well, that’s great, bro. How close is she?”

  “She’s pretty sure she knows who Hali’s family was. It’s just a matter of trying to track where the government hid them. Which I know won’t be easy. If they were put into the witness protection program, it was for their safety. So, we have to be very careful. I don’t want them put in any danger, if they still even are. Anyway, Shaw’s following up on the information she found. She’s going to call as soon as she knows more.”

  Chapter Three

  “Yeah.” Ezekiel listened to what his investigator had to say. It would just take a little more time and money to break down the security walls, surrounding the information he required. He had the money and the connections and he knew where to look now. Time to call in some favors. “Thank you,” he said into the phone. “I’ll wire funds into your account. Email me the rest of your report.” He hung up and raised his gaze to his brother.

  “Well, did she find her?” Cyrus asked.

  “Closer. Her sources confirmed the family went into the witness protection program. Hali’s father used to be an accountant who worked for a firm handling the money for a drug cartel. He gave testimony before a grand jury, indicting some higher ups. The Justice Department made the arrest but before he could give testimony in court, the cartel found out about him and tried to kill the family. The government got lucky and still made a case against the cartel and they ended up behind bars.”

  “Seriously?”

 
“Yeah. I saved her life.” Zek never told anyone about how he’d met Hali, he told Cyrus the story now.

  “Wow, dude!”

  “Yeah. Anyway, it’s from that point when the family disappeared. But now, I understand why. I need to contact some people who can get into those files at the Justice Department. That’s were the information is hidden and as far as my investigator can go.”

  “Well, sounds like a plan to me. When do you want to leave for the depths?”

  “I’m thinking tomorrow night.” Zek’s cell rang again and he glanced at the number flashing on the caller ID. “It’s Xav.” He picked up his phone again and grinned, then put it on speaker before he laid it on his desk, so Cyrus could listen in. “Cyrus is here, so you might as well talk to him, too.”

  “Cori and I will be there some time tomorrow. She’s going to need your help to plan our wedding. It’s in two days.”

  “What?” Cyrus exclaimed.

  Zek laughed. “I’ll do my best.”

  “I’m counting on it. She’s going to need clothes, we’ll need some sort of clergy person, and a feast for ten, which would include all of us on the island and her parents. I’ll email you the details about her parents. I’m making arrangements for them to get there the morning of the wedding.”

  “Oh, Jerry might still be here. So, I’ll make it for eleven.”

  “Perfect. I’d love to see him.”

  Cyrus glanced at Zek then the phone and frowned. “I thought you guys were already married.”

  “By our laws,” Xavior explained. “But I want Cori to know she’s mine in all ways.”

  “All right. I’ll have the helicopter here to take her over to the mainland to shop for her wedding dress, or I can have things flown in too, and I’ll alert Marta.”

  “You all can discuss that when we get there. Oh, and one more thing…Aaron will be on his way to the island shortly. He’s bringing Cori’s best friend with him. She was on the ship with her and they’re very close. Cori hasn’t said a word to Des, that’s her friend’s name. She wants to explain things herself. And she wants her friend there, when we get married.”

  “Hold up,” Cyrus interjected as he leaned forward toward the phone. “Is she planning on telling her friend about us?”

  “No, not about the Children, but that she’s getting married. She knows Zek and I are brothers. Cyrus, I’ve told Cori about you, but I wasn’t sure you’d be there, so introduce yourself to Des and be nice.”

  “Oh, I’m always nice to the ladies.”

  “Not that nice! This is my mate’s best friend. Behave. I just want you all to make her feel welcome until Cori can get there and talk to her.”

  “Okay,” Zek agreed. “And what does she know about Cori’s rescue from the sea?”

  After Xav filled them in on the story Cori told Des, Ezekiel hung up the phone and stared at his brother.

  “Let me tell Marta we’re having guests shortly, and what’s going on. She’s going to be thrilled,” Cyrus offered.

  “Okay, thanks,” Zek agreed, knowing Marta would be happy about Xav getting married. She and her husband were two of the humans they trusted with their secret. He’d saved Henry, her husband’s life. “I think I’ll go for a swim.”

  “I’ll catch up to you. See you in the depths.”

  After she packed up her and Cori’s things, Des found Aaron again in his room. She’d already spoken to Cori by phone and felt a lot better. “Everything okay with your friend Xav?”

  “Yep. Told you Cori was fine,” Aaron said and smiled.

  “She sounds like it, but still.” Des stopped smiling. It all seemed really odd. Two days ago, during the height of a storm at sea her best friend, Cori Daniels had been swept overboard and Xavior, Aaron’s friend, dove in after her.

  “I still don’t really get how either one of them survived, literally out in the middle of the deep blue sea.”

  Aaron shrugged. “A miracle for sure.”

  Des nodded. Cori’s account on the phone earlier confirmed she and Xavior had been very, very lucky. A fishing boat caught out in the storm managed to rescue them. Des knew such things could happen. She gave thanks to whatever god looked out for them that day.

  Cori sounded fine. Excited even, and claimed she had a surprise for her she didn’t want to talk about over the phone. Des suspected it had something to do with the man who’d dived into the ocean after her. Nothing sexier than a hero who also happened to be a chick magnet, it made him doubly hard to forget. She could empathize.

  However, Des frowned recalling the rest of the conversation. “Is Xav seriously sending a private plane to pick us up and does his brother own an island? Where they’ll join us?”

  Aaron grinned and nodded.

  What kind of folks were these people who had planes at their disposal and owned an island? Des didn’t really want to continue on the cruise. It’d lost its appeal, but her life had taught her caution. She’d been frantic when she couldn’t find Cori and the sirens had gone off on the ship. Thank God, Aaron managed to catch up to her and let her know what happened. He’d been a lifesaver, taking care of everything.

  It was one thing to flirt with guys on a boat full of other people. She glanced over at Aaron. Yep, just as handsome as the first time she’d seen him. Like Xavior, panty-soaking gorgeous. While she could drool over their looks all day, neither man really drew her to him. Aaron tried flirting with her and when a striking specimen of the male variety did that, she flirted back. That’s all. Although, she’d gone on this cruise with Cori to have a vacation romance, her heart remained detached. “Thank you for helping me, Aaron. For everything.”

  “It was all my pleasure. Xav and I have been friends for many years. Much like you and Cori, I think. So of course, I’d help a beautiful woman in distress.” He winked. She grinned back at him. For all her flirtatious ways even Cori, her best friend since senior year of high school, didn’t know the truth about her. No one did. She wasn’t some sexual siren. Oh, she could flirt with the best. She loved men, she just never took them home and she’d only slept with two men, once in college and another a year ago. But she never allowed herself to enter into a real relationship with a man. She might have to answer questions she couldn’t. Hell, she wasn’t even really who she claimed to be. Yet, at twenty-five, and even though twelve years had past, neither she nor her family could lay claim to the truth.

  After the phone call, the next hour rushed by. Getting from where the ship docked over to an airport didn’t turn out to be too much of an ordeal with Aaron handling things. Des called her folks to let them know she left the cruise, so she could join Cori. Her parents always worried about her. They were shocked when she told them what happened to Cori, but were glad when she also told them Cori was safe. Des kept it vague, not telling them their true destination, only that they were headed to an island off Grand Cayman. They assumed one of the Little Cayman Islands.

  When she and Aaron arrived at the airport, they quickly boarded the plane. After a glass of white wine, Des lay back on the comfortable leather chair and closed her eyes. The next time she opened them, the plane landed on the ground.

  Aaron led the way off. A 1964 red Impala sat parked just a few paces from the bottom of the steps. They walked over to the car.

  A man in a blue Polo shirt and jeans stood beside it and opened the door for them. Someone else followed behind them with their bags. But she focused on the car. She loved this car. Her dad always wanted one and it looked almost brand new. An interesting choice. Des climbed into the backseat and Aaron with her. “Nice ride,” she commented.

  “This is great. Zek sent us one of his favorite toys.”

  Who the hell was Xavior Oceanus and his brother? They rolled like this? She turned to Aaron, she needed information and he seemed a good source. “Private jets, private islands. Who the hell is Xavior?” He hadn’t really answered her when she asked before. She wouldn’t be put off this time.

  Aaron chuckled. “He’s well—for want
of a better word, sort of a prince.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “What?”

  “Oh, his kingdom no longer exists but make no mistake, he’s from a long unbroken line of royalty and there are still people who look up to him and depend on him. His brother Ezekiel, Zek, actually owns the cruise ship we were on. He owns the line.”

  The driver opened the door and got behind the wheel.

  Aaron paused for a moment as the car took off. “The island we’re heading to is owned by Zek. The family is loaded.”

  “Wait—we’re not staying here?” They’d landed on the second largest of the Cayman Islands. “I thought we’d wait here for Cori and Xav, then head out to his brother’s island after they got here.” She assumed one of the smaller islands dotting the area.

  “No. The car’s just taking us to the other side of the terminal where we’ll catch the helicopter over to the island, or we can take the boat if you prefer. They do like to spoil guests.”

  Des stared wide-eyed at him. No kidding, this family had a lot. She could still remember the last time she and her family were exposed to people of unbelievable wealth. Didn’t end so well and made her a little wary. But so far, nothing indicated Xavior or his brother were anything like the people her father had once worked for. “Do you work for Xavior and his brother?”

  “You could say that. I’m Xavior’s bodyguard.”

  “Wow!” Des grimaced. “Does he need a bodyguard?” She wondered if Aaron was armed. What she really wanted to know was why Xavior needed a bodyguard, but if the man had the kind of wealth she’d seen evidence of, then perhaps he did.

  “Yes.”

  Clearly, the extent of his response seemed vague. For all his carefree ways, an air of awareness surrounded him. He always scanned the area around them but acted like he didn’t pay any serious attention to anything. At first, she thought he just slyly checked out the women on board ship. But she soon realized he barely scanned the women; he seemed more focused on their surroundings.

  He guided them through the crowded areas of the craft with ease as well as when they got to shore. Avoiding the reporters waiting for them when they disembarked.