by Cheree Alsop
Chapter Seventeen
Alex was amazed at how many surfers were already riding the waves. The water rolled, twisting and turning with more force than he had seen the night before. Whitecaps touched the tops of the waves, throwing spray on the surfers who waited for the perfect moment.
“Here goes nothing,” Cassie said. She took off her shirt and shorts like the other girls so she could go out in the swimsuit she had worn beneath.
“We put everything under the umbrella,” Vanessa told her, pointing to the rainbow-colored one Travis was busy burying in the ground.
Siale set a stack of towels beneath the umbrella with her shorts and tank top. Cassie and Tennison followed.
Alex pulled off his shirt and tossed it with the rest of the clothes. Silence settled over the group. Alex turned slowly, suddenly aware that everyone was staring at him, at his scars. He wondered if surfing had been the wrong decision. Siale was wearing a black swimming suit that covered up most of her scars. Her friends acted as though they were used to the others that showed on her arms and legs. With his shirt off, though, most of Alex’s could be seen.
“Dude,” Reko said quietly.
Alex reached for his shirt. Jerry’s voice stopped him.
“It’s okay,” the human told the others. “He’s a samurai.”
“A samurai?” Brooks asked; he glanced away from Alex’s scars as if just looking at them hurt.
“Yeah,” Jerry continued. “Alex is a warrior fighting for the peace of the past, the old ways when one’s worth was judged by his or her character, not race. The world would be a superior place if the population as a whole could embrace the unparalleled ways of Alex’s samurai.”
The crash of the waves filled Alex’s ears. He looked at the ocean, unable to meet the expressions on his new friends’ faces.
A hand touched his shoulder. “If we don’t head out now, we’ll miss the best of them,” Brooks said. The boy handed Alex the surfboard he had carried over. “Let’s get out there.”
“Come on!” Mohawk said. “To the waves!”
Excitement flooded the group. Surfboards were picked up, the awkward silence forgotten. Siale’s arm slipped through Alex’s as they made their way to the water. Alex smiled at her and held her close with his free hand.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you, too,” he replied. She tipped her face up and he kissed her.
“Come on, love birds,” Reko called. “Afraid to get your feet wet?”
Siale laughed. “I can out surf you any day, Reko. You know that!”
He grinned. “Prove it, Wolfie!”
Alex stared at her as the others ran into the waves. “Wolfie?”
“Yeah,” Siale said with a big smile. “It’s what they used to call me before it became against the law to be a werewolf.” She shrugged. “I’ve kind-of missed it.”
Alex chuckled. “It’s cute, Wolfie.” He kissed the tip of her nose before they both stepped into the ocean.
“This is amazing,” Cassie said from a short distance in front of them. She and Tennison were already on their boards paddling to reach the deeper water.
Alex wasn’t sure how he felt about being out in the depths where he couldn’t see what was below the waves. At the lake back in the forest, he knew there weren’t things like sharks and jellyfish. The ocean was different, something vast and unknown. His instincts were quiet, not giving him direction either way.
“Come on,” Siale said, climbing onto her board before her feet couldn’t touch. “You’ll love it.”
Alex followed her example. He used his hands to pull through the water, propelling him after the others. They dove beneath the breaking waves, maneuvering the noses of the boards under the water and diving down so that the waves washed over them instead of forcing them back toward shore. It took Alex a few tries to get the hang of pushing the back of his board down when the wave passed so that the board would angle him up again, but soon he was keeping up with the others without a problem.
Once they were past the breakers, the fun began. For a while, Alex just rode the ocean sitting on his board. It was amazing to watch his friends paddle for the big waves, guessing which would break. Jerry and Mohawk caught the first one, disappearing from view as the water pushed them along. The smiles on their faces when the wave broke and vanished toward the shore was enough to tell Alex how it felt.
“Come on,” Reko said to Siale.
Up to the challenge, Siale paddled out behind him, intent on a rolling wave that pushed Alex back as he watched from the top of his board. He laughed when Reko’s footing slipped and he plunged into the wave instead of riding it. The human came up grinning as if he guessed the ribbing he would get when Siale came back.
Alex’s vantage point gave him a great view of Siale. She pushed up and centered herself on the board with her knees bent and arms out for balance. His breath caught when the wave pushed her forward, catching her board along the water and propelling her forward as though she glided on glass. It was perfection and grace in a single frame, an image he wished he could hold onto forever.
Siale held out a hand and let it trail in the wave that towered beside her. Alex swore he could make out the familiar melody of her laughter, but knew such a sound would be swallowed up by the crash of the waves around them. With her hair swept back and her body swaying with the force of the water, she looked as though she belonged to the ocean, a part of it instead of detached and floating above. The smile on her face when the wave finally broke was enough to make Alex’s heart skip a beat.
He put a hand to his chest, realizing that though the feeling was there, his heartbeat was still steady. The fact that he owed his healed heart to Drogan drove the happiness from his mind. He didn’t know how to stop the man responsible for all of the pain in his life. The fact that Drogan shared his blood as his half-brother made his stomach twist in a knot.
“Hey, Alex, the next one’s yours,” Brooks called.
Jolted from the dark direction of his thoughts, Alex stared at the human. Brooks paddled his board closer. The beads in his long black hair clacked together when he sat up. “You don’t hide your thoughts very well.”
Alex fought back a wry smile. “You mean I don’t look cheerful?”
Brooks chuckled in return. “Only if cheerful means you look like you wished a shark would swallow you up. In that case, you’re doing great.”
“Sorry,” Alex told him. “Don’t worry about me. Go enjoy surfing.”
Brooks shook his head. “Look, man, the ocean is a place to forget about everything else.” He waved an arm to indicate their surroundings. “You’re away from the land. The worries of that world don’t exist out here. It’s one of the reasons so many people are drawn to the ocean.” He gave Alex a knowing look. “You can’t surf the waves if you’re concentrating on anything else. You have to get free of your thoughts and let your mind be clear. Focus on the heartbeat of the ocean, the swell, the fall. Let it work its magic.”
At that moment, Mohawk fell off his board with a dramatic scream.
“Magic?” Alex repeated, failing to hold onto his dark mood.
Brooks laughed. “Hitting a note that high is magic.” He tipped his head in the direction of the waves. “Come on. Let’s give it a try. Do what I do.”
Alex followed Brooks. He saw Cassie and Tennison paddling after a wave. They fell short of catching it, but both of them were smiling as though they were having a great time anyway.
“Go, Alex!” Siale called.
Alex lifted a hand in reply, then grabbed his board again when he almost fell off. He paddled harder to catch up to Brooks.
“Okay,” the human yelled over his shoulder. “Get ready! Feel the roll of the ocean. Two more waves and it’ll be ours.”
Alex followed the boy’s eyes to the ocean behind him. The water was pushing up a swell.
“That’s the one,” Brooks called. “Follow my lead. Paddle toward shore until you feel the wave catch your boar
d. When you feel yourself sliding, pop-up and stand.” His voice rose as he shouted over the rushing wave. “Try to stay in front of the break. Good luck!”
Alex paddled as hard as he could after Brooks until he felt the wave grab his board the way the human had described. The swell began to fold and Alex’s board slid down its face. He put his hands on the board as he had seen the other surfers do and pushed up to a standing position.
It wasn’t hard to balance. With all the years of training in combat, Alex felt comfortable standing on the board with his knees bent and arms out. What alarmed him was the feeling of the wave behind him, ready at any second to swallow him board and all into the murky depths below. Instinct kicked in and Alex leaned back, giving more weight to the power of the wave. The nose of his board rose as he steered his board.
Exhilaration filled him, forcing out any other thought. He realized the truth of Brooks’ words. Riding the wave, there was nothing but the wave. He reached out a hand like Siale had done, and his board shot out from under him, plunging him into the water.
It took a moment for Alex to figure out which way was up. He felt the pull of his board on the cord around his ankle, drawing him toward the surface. He kicked out and his head broke to the fresh open air. He took a deep breath and looked around.
Brooks was sitting up on his board close by. “You did it!” he exclaimed.
Alex laughed as he paddled next to the human. “For half a second.”
“Trust me, Alex,” Brooks replied. “Most people don’t get half a second on a wave their first try, or a dozen after. You did great.”
The feeling of peace that had filled Alex during the wave stayed with him as they made their way back to the others. They went after more waves, rode the ocean, and talked about what lay beneath the surface.
“I’m telling you,” Reko insisted. “There’s a shipwreck around the reef. I saw it on television. We should go there sometime!”
Brooks nodded. “We will, sometime.”
“You always say that,” Reko protested.
Brooks motioned toward the waves. “That’s because I like it out here more than chasing shipwrecks. You keep your treasure. I’ve already got mine.”
“Brooks, you’re such a romantic,” Clarice said, pushing her wet blonde braids behind her shoulders.
Brooks’ eyes widened when he realized she thought he had been talking about her. “I’m, uh, I meant, I just...”
His voice died away when she leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek. Unsettled, both of their boards flipped, dunking them in the water.
Brooks came up sputtering and Clarice laughing.
“I’m kidding,” she said, splashing him. “Everyone knows your love is the ocean. A girl would only ever be second, and I deserve much more than second place in someone’s heart.”
She climbed back on her board and paddled toward the waves. Brooks clambered back onto his surfboard with much less grace. He stared after her, his expression a bit lost.
“Girls, am I right?” Reko asked, bumping Brooks’ board with his foot.
“Yeah, girls,” Brooks repeated, but he sounded a little less sure.
Mohawk nudged Vanessa and they both smiled knowingly at each other.
“Should we call it a celestial dawning?” Jerry asked.
“A morning,” Brooks explained at Cassie’s confused look.
Tennison nodded. “Definitely. I’m about to fall off this board my muscles are so tired. How do you guys do that every day?”
Brooks chuckled. “It takes practice, and don’t pretend you couldn’t continue for hours. I know how you werewolves are.”
Tennison grinned. “You got me.”
“All the same, I could definitely take a break,” Cassie said. “I think I fell off every wave in the ocean.”
“The waves are never-ending in their response to the beck of the moon and the kiss of the waiting shore,” Jerry replied.
“I think she was being ironic,” Brooks told him. The human shook his head. “Irony’s lost on him entirely.”
Cassie smiled at Jerry. “I think it’s wonderful. I could definitely surf every morning, or attempt it at least.”
“We’ll keep practicing,” Tennison promised. “You’ll eventually get it.”
“Either way,” Cassie replied. “I’m just happy to be out here.”
“Welcome to surfing,” Reko told her. “Now it’s in your soul forever.”
They paddled to shore, riding the waves and letting them push the boards forward. When his feet touched the sand, Alex picked up his surfboard with a feeling of accomplishment. He pulled on his shirt with the others and followed them inland.
“You’re sure quiet,” Siale said.
Alex gave her an embarrassed smile. “Sorry about that.”
“What are you thinking about?”
He shook his head. “For once, nothing. Nothing at all.”
She nodded. “I understand that completely. I’ve missed it.” She waved her hand to indicate the city in front and the ocean behind them. “All of it. It’s a part of me.”
Alex ran a hand down her back, smoothing her hair. “It might be hard to leave.”
“Let’s just stay forever,” she said with a hint of longing in her voice.
“Maybe we can surf for the rest of our lives,” Alex replied, feeling the same draw for such a simple life.
“It wouldn’t be a life poorly spent,” Jerry said from behind them.
Both of them looked back, surprised to see him following them.
Alex winked at Siale. “No, it wouldn’t.”
Chapter Eighteen
That night, they helped Jassa prepare spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner.
“I think I know why they say vampires are allergic to garlic,” Tennison said, holding the potent-smelling herb as far away from him as he could.
“You’ll notice that we don’t have a problem with vampires here,” Mick replied.
“You have a point,” Alex told him. “Maybe we should use more of it.”
“No, thank you,” Tennison said with a grimace. He put the lid on the container and set it into the refrigerator, shutting the door with a bang.
Behind his back, Cassie took a bite of one of the pieces he had just spread. When he turned around, she gave him a big kiss. Tennison kissed her back for a second, then his face twisted. He pulled back and stared at her.
Cassie laughed. “Like my new lipstick?”
Tennison shook his head. “At least I won’t have to worry about you getting attacked by vampires, either.”
Cassie giggled and wrapped her arms around him. “I love you, my garlic-sensitive boyfriend.”
Tennison laughed and hugged her back. “And I love you, my stinky little girlfriend.”
“Aw, what a cute couple,” Mick replied. He rolled his eyes with a grin.
“Let’s get this food out there before the troops mutiny,” Jassa told them.
The other werewolves in the kitchen picked up the pots of spaghetti, sauce, salad, and garlic bread. Alex followed behind with two jugs of red juice and a container of parmesan cheese under each arm.
The tables were already two-thirds full of werewolves. Jassa said that with the full moon coming in the next few days, the warehouse would fill up even more. The fact that the warehouse was a safe place to phase away from the dangers of Extremists or hostile humans appealed to families as far as a few hours away. Alex was grateful Red had created such a place.
“I can’t have butter,” a woman with red hair and a green sweater said. “It doesn’t mesh well with my figure.”
“I would stay away from the bread,” Siale recommended with a warm smile as though she was familiar with the woman’s needs, “But Jassa used coconut oil and salt in the spaghetti, so you should be fine.”
“Thank goodness,” the woman replied.
Alex was in the middle of pouring her a generous helping of punch when a bellow rang through the warehouse.
“Alex
Davies!”
Alex took a steeling breath. He set the cup back down, careful not to drip any punch on the woman’s khaki-colored pants. He turned slowly.
“How dare you?” Boris demanded from the steps that led to the warehouse floor. He stormed down them with the fury of an entire wolf pack. “This is my city. You have no right—”
Red stood in Boris’ path, barring his way to the tables and Alex.
“Boris, you know the rules. There’s no fighting here. If you have a dispute, you can take it outside. It’s up to Alex whether he chooses to follow,” Red said, his voice level and firm.
“But he shouldn’t...”
Five other Alphas left their places at the tables and stood behind Red. Even angry, there was no way Boris could reach Alex.
His blue eyes, the same color Kalia’s had been, flashed with rage. “I’ll be waiting in the alley,” he growled, his gaze locked on Alex. “You better follow.”
Boris stormed back outside and slammed the door shut behind him.
Everyone looked at Alex. The carefree atmosphere of the warehouse had vanished, leaving only discomfort. The scent of Boris’ wrath lingered above the aromas of tomatoes and pasta. The children who had been playing found their mothers and fathers, climbing onto their laps with the confused worry of the young confronted with an unknown situation.
Alex handed Tennison the jug of punch. “Take over, will you?”
“Alex, you don’t have to do this,” Siale said, touching Alex’s arm.
“I do,” Alex replied. “I understand what he’s gone through. Please don’t follow me out.”
Siale shook her head. “You can’t ask that of me.”
Aware that everyone was watching them, Alex put his hand over hers. “Siale, I need you to trust me. If I don’t take care of this now, Boris can cause problems here for the rest of the summer. It’s better not to draw it out, and he’s easier to work with if he doesn’t have an audience.”
“We’ve got your back, Alex,” one of the Alphas said.
The others who had stood with Red nodded.
“One word and we’ll take care of him,” another called.
Words of agreement rose from the other werewolves.
