Sea Witch: Children of the Waves Page 4

  Once he claimed her, they were unsure what powers she might lose or what might change with their joining. Most times, maidens lost their power of divination. This was something they couldn’t risk, their king still needed it. Not until the white witch was vanquished, or her daughter was safe. Since they needed to be able to find the bitch to destroy her and they couldn’t, he would make do with the latter. Finding the child. He prayed to Poseidon the daughter would be more like her aunt. With as hard as it had been these last few years to keep his distance, having her here with him, being able to touch her…He could think of no worse torture to his soul. Yet, he would change nothing.

  His gaze roamed over her petite frame. She only came to his shoulders, but her curves would fit perfectly against his angles. “Not that I don’t love what you’re wearing.” By the gods did he ever, he had to force his dick not to swell when they stepped onto shore. Mentally, slowing the blood flow traveling through his body. Something he never realized he could do until he tried. Then again, no other woman could do to him what just the thought of her did. Make him hard. “You’re going to need to get some other clothes. And I’m having a car delivered to us. We can go into one of the many stores lining the street, running along the beach road and pick something up for us to wear before the car gets here.” He hadn’t bothered to bring any clothes appropriate for land with him, but at least he had his human forms of identification. Anytime he headed toward the surface, he carried it with him.

  She glanced down at herself and frowned. “I guess you’re correct. And it would be less of a drain on my powers if I didn’t have to create clothes, too.”

  He frowned, the need to protect her strong. “Are you sure you’ll be all right? On land.”

  She smiled at him. “Yes. We will not be here long.”

  He took her hand. “Come on then.” He led her toward the shops in the area, but continued to ask questions. “But the farther from the sea we get, the weaker your powers?”

  “Yes, but the girl is not far from here. She might not realize it, but like all of our people, she has an affinity to be near the sea. She draws her powers from there.”

  “Which she is unaware of, or is she?”

  “She may know she is different, capable of things others are not, but not the source of them. I might have muted her powers, but that will only work for so long. As she gets older, she will only become stronger.”

  “Where did you hide her anyway? How?”

  “I asked the dolphins to talk to the land animals.”

  “What? They can do that?”

  “Yes, some dolphins can communicate with other mammals.”

  “Wow! That isn’t common knowledge.”

  “No, but our king should be aware of it. He has the strongest affinity with the creatures of the seas. My dolphins led me to a church off the coast and a priest who helped me. I am sorry I lied to the good man and told him the child was mine, that I could not raise her. Since at the time, I appeared to be no more than fifteen, he understood. I also asked for him to place her in the right home. I made him promise me she would not be placed inland and remain near the sea. He did as I asked. I have watched over her by viewing for her ever since.”

  This woman truly amazed him. He couldn’t feel more blessed, the gods had chosen her for him. Even then, like the bastards the fates had always been, it came with a hitch. They’d dangled his perfect woman before him, then put her out of his reach.

  They continued to talk until they entered the nearest store. Sienna walked all over the store touching the vast array of garments.

  Aaron smiled at her delight in feeling the fabrics and examining the clothing, pleased he could share this experience with her. The first of many, he hoped. He helped her choose a few things, everything he picked for her fit perfectly. He led her to the cashier who’d stepped away for a moment, but he pulled out the credit card he carried on him whenever he visited land.

  She touched it. “Is that the plastic used on land to barter for items? Instead of currency, cash.”

  “Yes. It’s an American Express credit card.” Aaron held it out to her, so she could examine it. Watching as she rubbed her fingers over the raised numbers.

  They didn’t have a currency, in the way of landwalkers. Each of the Children by human standards were very wealthy, the sea provided everything for them. They all worked together for the benefit of every one, or in theory tried to. Each child was unique and used their gifts to help the other. All had a place in their society that best suited their needs and abilities. The ones, who wanted more or didn’t feel they quite fit, were also the ones most likely to venture onto land. At least that’s the way it should’ve been and once was. In truth, it hadn’t been that way for a very long time.

  Tabatha counted on the discontent among the other tribes, especially among ones who haven’t found brides.

  More of the Children were restless, unsatisfied with the sea and curious about the modern age on land. There had been more fighting among the tribes in the last several decades. Discord had only grown. Some wanted more than they had from others. Instead of asking for help or getting it, they took what they wanted by force if necessary.

  It was also one of the reasons the White Witch had been able to seed even more conflict and resentment among the people. Thank Poseidon, Xavior had found his bride and now, sat on the throne. It helped to quell much of the fighting, but not the sense of dissatisfaction among them all. This would only take time and for it to happen, they needed to do something about that bitch of a witch.

  “Are they all black like this one?” she asked, handing it back to him.

  Her question focused his attention on her once more. “No. They come in other colors. This is just a special one from this company.” He finished making their purchases, then they changed, and he got a text letting him know the rental car had arrived. Walking out to the street, he spied the driver waiting for them in the company uniform, standing in front of the red Ferrari 458 Spider he ordered. He loved fast cars and signed the documents accepting receipt.

  Sienna ran her hand over the body of the car before getting in. “This is a beautiful car.” She glanced at him when he got behind the wheel. “You can drive?”

  He laughed. “Yes, Zek taught Xav and me. Would you like to learn? I can teach you?”

  She smiled. “I’d love to, but another time, perhaps.”

  Her response gave him hope, and he returned her smile. Taking her hand, he kissed the palm. “Which way?”

  “South. Keep going and I will direct you.”

  “South it is.” They’d only been on the road for a few minutes when he continued his questions. The ones he didn’t want to ask in the store for others to overhear. “So, Shawnah is a witch too, like her mother?”

  Sienna nodded. “Yes, but also like myself. Have no fear. She does not wield the dark powers of her mother. Her soul at birth shone brightly.”

  “Thank Poseidon for that!”

  “It is why her mother wanted her.”

  “You said you had a theory about who the father is?”

  “I believe he was a landwalker, but not quite human. Part of the sea, but also he carried a trace of magic from the old gods in his blood. Perhaps part witch. This is how Tabatha was able to get pregnant, and he could possibly have been her second mate. I’ve never been able to get very clear views of Tabatha.”

  “A male witch? Is such a thing possible? I thought they were all female.”

  “No, there have been males, just very rare. As rare as second mates.”

  “What happened to him?”

  “She killed him.”

  “What the fuck! Then he couldn’t have been her mate. No way, could you kill your mate.”

  “Tabatha will destroy anyone who gets in her way of obtaining Poseidon’s throne and ruling the Children and ultimately, the landwalkers too. Her mate would have never allowed her to sacrifice his child. A child she only created with the intention of taking her powers. She would h
ave only been able to do a transfer by killing said child. So yes, she had no trouble killing the father. Even her mate.”

  “She’s crazy. Is she that powerful?” He shook his head. “Forget I asked. I know she is. I was there and saw the monstrosities from the dark depths she brought forth and now, controls.”

  “While she can draw such things, her control over them is limited. And the more she draws them to our world, her control lessens. Her control of the portal she created to bring them across will also fail. Leaving our world vulnerable to things that should never see our depths. I fear as soon as she is healed, she will try again. Gathering an army at her back, perhaps even our king with the powers of the Trident cannot hold back. Which is why we must get to my niece now.”

  “And she can defeat her mother?”

  “Not alone, but she can help Xavior. Between the three of us, we can put a stop to Tabatha once and for all and do what Poseidon should have done in the first place. Strip her of all of her powers, instead of merely confining her.”

  “But your niece is unaware of her heritage, untrained.”

  “Yes, that’s true. Still, doesn’t matter, her powers are a part of who she is. Most of it, once awakened will be instinctual. I will guide her for the rest.”

  “What’s her name anyway?”

  “Shawnah. As you know, I delivered the child and hid her, convincing Tabatha the babe died at birth. Over the years, I’ve viewed the child, so I know she is safe. Happy and content.”

  Shawnah sent off the final invoice to Ezekiel Oceanus. There was something very odd about this case. All her senses were firing off about it. Odder when the client told her to cease all further inquiries, just as she’d made some real headway. Even though she felt pretty sure she’d figured out what had happed to Hali Snowden.

  Hali and her family had been placed in a witness protection program. She’d found out the details of the first placement. They’d been moved two more times. With just a little more digging, she would’ve been able to find those locations and eventually, track the woman down. A gift she had, this ability to locate people. Almost like a sixth sense.

  It wasn’t the only ‘gift’ she possessed. She had a heighten sense of her surroundings…always. However, recently she felt this unease, like she stood at the cusp of a major life changing event. Something she couldn’t ignore, she always followed her instincts. It was only when she didn’t—she ran into trouble.

  This feeling she knew in her gut was also linked to her dreams. They’d begun when she was about thirteen and stopped right after high school. She tried to talk to her adopted parents about them, but they never understood, thinking it to be just teenage hormones and her brief brush with death, so she stopped. Learning to keep the thoughts to herself. Now, the dreams were back in stark vivid color.

  One summer, she’d been caught in a riptide and dragged out deeper into the sea. She went so deep, she wasn’t sure which way was up, but she hadn’t panicked, she realized she could breathe. Even though she wasn’t taking in oxygen. Then a guy appeared out of nowhere, grabbed her hand, pulling her to the surface and helped her to swim shore. What no one realized, she didn’t need any help. It was when she first became aware she could hold her breath underwater longer than most people—the deepest parts of the ocean held no fear for her—only fascination.

  In fact, the man who saved her shouldn’t have even been able to do what he’d done. How did he even find her and he didn’t wear a wet suit or oxygen tanks? She’d been underwater for a good ten minutes already. He should’ve drowned. Yet, neither of them did. After he got her to shore, her parents and the lifeguard surrounded her, but when she looked around for him, he’d gone.

  She dreamt of him ever since. Yes, he was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. The image she judged all others who’d tried to enter her life by. None lived up to her hero. In her dreams, they swam side by side, always going deeper into the water. Deeper than any one should’ve been able to swim without the aid of oxygen, to a place that shouldn’t exist. A city beneath the sea. At least, she thought it was a city, she could barely make out structures in the distance, but that’s exactly what they were. Not a natural occurrence. Something someone or something built.

  Shawnah always felt this affinity with the water, not just loving it, but being able to stay under longer than anyone else she’d ever met. She’d since learned to scuba and found she didn’t need a tank; a few times she’d even tried to find the city in the dreams. Something deep inside her, telling her it was real.

  As many people as she’d been able to track down as a PI, there were two things she’d never been able to find, the city in her dreams or the man. Although, he might have been in his early twenties, it was twelve years ago, so he would be older now. Probably married with two kids and a beer belly. Well, there was also a third thing, always eluding her—the identity of her birth parents.

  She’d been able to track down the church where she was left and the priest who’d arranged for her adoption. Despite this, the story he’d told her only led to dead ends. No one in the area was aware of a young girl fitting the description the priest had given her, or along the coastal cities, she’d also searched. Oh yes, she looked, but instinct told her she wouldn’t find her answers there. Shawnah glanced toward the water and saw the speedboats out in the bay. She loved the water, growing up she spent hours there. Her place of solace.

  “What secrets do you hide?” She’d asked that question more than half of her life, and had yet to figure it out.

  Shaking her head, she cleared it for the moment. Opening another document, she pulled up her list of ongoing cases and moved the Oceanus file over to her in-completed file folder, since she never found the woman. Her stomach growled. No surprise, since she’d skipped breakfast, opting for a latte and it was well after lunchtime. Grabbing her purse, she left the office space she rented on the floor. There were several other offices there like hers. Small sole-proprietor businesses. She took a few steps to the door next to hers and knocked.

  “Come in.”

  Shawnah opened the door and spied her friend, Olivier. Eating a salad and working while having her lunch. Her wedding was in two months, and she was determined to lose five pounds. “I see you’ve already gotten something to eat and you’re busy.”

  “Sorry, hon. I need to finish preparing for a case tomorrow and still have a ton of work to do. Raincheck?”

  “You got it.” Shawnah closed the door and walked down the hallway, past the receptionist desk, waving to Donny as she passed by.

  Donny acted as sort of a receptionist slash concierge for all of the businesses on the floor. Signing packages in and making sure no one wandered around the floor in and out of their offices.

  Not having anything on her schedule until later, she had a good hour to grab something to eat. Making her way down to the marina, her condo was just on the other side of the channel, so this was a favorite place in the neighborhood to dine. Since it was after the lunch crowd left, the restaurant barely had anyone in it, so she decided to sit outside, closer to the water.

  Chapter Six

  “Turn here, here! She’s close.”

  Aaron did as Sienna asked and drove below the speed limit down the road. It wasn’t very busy, so not much traffic behind him. Good thing it was two lanes, so cars could also go around him. He had no idea exactly what Sienna had in mind, once they found this person.

  “Wait! Stop. We have gone too far.” Sienna closed her eyes and laid her head back against the headrest.

  Aaron wasn’t sure if she were in pain or just in a trance. “Let me find a place to park.” He glanced around. “This is the business district, lots of offices, shops and restaurants. It might be best if we go on foot from here. Are you going to be okay?” He worried about her being on land. Even with all of her powers, he knew this couldn’t be easy.

  Her essence—her powers were drawn directly from the waters of life.

  While he found the world of the landwa
lkers very beautiful and familiar, it must appear very alien to someone bred of the sea. It didn’t matter to him though. He would be in whichever world she needed to be. As the king’s personal guard, he had to spend much of his time in the depths anyway, and he suspected that’s where his bride would need to be.

  She opened her eyes and stared at him. “I will be fine. I tried focusing on our connection to help me find her.”

  “Okay, hang on a second. I see a parking spot.” He pulled into the space and then got out of the car, running around to her side to help her out. Taking her hand, they stood on the sidewalk. “Which way?”

  A horn blasted at them and Sienna flinched.

  He placed his hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, just a car horn.”

  “There is so much—noise here.” She shook her head. “It is difficult with all of these energies I am picking up, to separate hers entirely. Come, I think this way.”

  Turning right, they walked back the way they’d driven for about two blocks. Heading around the corner, they strolled another couple of blocks over, until they came to the marina. After continuing along the dock, they eventually ended up right back at the car.

  “I am sorry. It is all a little hazy. I know she is nearby.” She glanced up and down the street at the pedestrian traffic. “I think I just need to rest for a while and then do a viewing, we can try again later, or tomorrow to find her then.”

  He wasn’t exactly sure what she needed to do on land to have a viewing. His father explained it to him once, since he sometimes had visions, but nothing as clear as what Sienna could do. She could view future events as though it occurred right before her. Or so, he’d been told by his sire. It is also why she was so respected and revered amongst their people. When she spoke all listened. “All right. Do you need to return to the sea?”