The Shucker's Booktique

by J. C. McKenzie

  She reached down and peeled off her sandals to climb down to the water. Staying in Lobster Cove represented hope, and at the same time delusion. Staying here meant constantly wishing for things she couldn’t have—Lon, her aunt’s return, a life where she could be her own person. She needed to say goodbye to those dreams and move on, get back to real life and make some peace with it. Maybe even forgive George.

  She stepped into the water and walked in until the cold water hit mid-shin. The waves crashed before they reached her, but the push of the ocean still pressed against her calves.

  “I don’t know if you can hear me,” she whispered.

  No one answered but the hungry seagulls.

  “My ex has returned and wants me to go back to Lewiston with him.”

  The wind howled, flinging her hair back and away from her face. Another monstrous wave crashed, and she staggered back a few steps. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. No. She needed to do this. For closure.

  “I’m going to go with him. I…I just wanted to say goodbye.” She owed him that much. With a crash of thunder, a sheet of rain fell hard. In two seconds, Willa’s clothes were soaked. She tilted her head up to the sky and revelled in the downpour of water against her face. Maybe this was Lon’s way of saying goodbye, too.

  With a deep breath and one last look at the churning dark ocean, Willa turned around and walked back to the booktique.

  ****

  Lon didn’t question why his feelings were so strong for Willa. As a water sprite, he went with the flow; as a supernatural being, he accepted things that went beyond normal explanation. He’d wanted Willa from the second he saw those amber eyes and scattering of freckles. If he lost her, he’d sink to the abyss and carry out the rest of his existence in solitude, drifting with the remnants of whale carcasses.

  He heard everything Willa said and watched helplessly as her once bright purple and gold aura faded, receding like a hermit crab into its protective shell. With each word she spoke, he became angrier and angrier, until his entire being vibrated. So livid, his brothers swirled around and played in the energy emissions rolling off his essence. How could she even think of leaving Lobster Cove with that vile man? Did the kiss they shared mean nothing to her? Did she not feel the force between them?

  How deep did her denial go?

  If Willa left, she’d slip back into her old patterns and she’d be lost to him forever.

  One thing for sure, he wouldn’t float in the jetsam and watch the woman he loved walk away from the cove and out of his life.

  He railed with the ocean and rode the waves hard, calling his brothers to join him. The storm bordered the strength needed to take physical shape, but it wouldn’t be enough. He needed more. He absorbed the energy from his brothers and the strong undertow, and hailed the God of the Sea to lend him power. He needed to see Willa, if it was the last thing he did. If his energy drained while on land, not even an existence in the abyss would be an option. He’d be lost.

  Without Willa, he’d be lost anyway.

  Again, and again, he flew through the roll of the waves and crashed against the hard rocks. His brothers beside him wailed at his anguish.

  Not enough! Still not enough.

  Then he felt it. A surge of unspeakable power rising up from the depths of the abyss. The Sea God had heard his plea. His energy flowed into Lon as the wave crested. Every fibre of Lon’s essence sang and his human body crashed against the rocky shore.

  “Ugh.” Lon grunted against the rocks, and took a moment to catch his breath. The waves slammed against his legs and floated his body farther toward the sea wall, and the direction Willa had left.

  “Okay, okay,” he said. “I’m up.” He pushed off the rocks and scrambled to his feet. He felt weak; weaker than he ever had in his entire existence. The transformation sapped most of his life force, even with the power boost from the God of the Sea.

  “Thank you,” he told the ocean. His brothers squealed in response. Thunderous clouds pooled overhead, and a boom of thunder rocked his body. He didn’t have time to waste. He needed to find Willa before he lost all his energy. He staggered to his hidey hole and again found new clothes. Who kept leaving them?

  He shrugged and threw them on before heading toward Willa’s place. With heavy limbs and feet, each step felt like the air was molasses. Halfway to the booktique, he stumbled and caught himself against the wall of a store.

  “Here,” a voice sang behind him. “Let us help you.”

  Lon started and turned to find two willowy women, each with blue eyes and wispy white-blonde hair. They wore light, almost translucent blue dresses. He’d never met them before, but they looked familiar. “Who—”

  The beautiful women smiled. Another gust of storm-force wind funneled down the street and blew around them. Their hair danced and their skin glowed.

  “Wind sprites,” he mumbled.

  “Yes,” they said in unison. “We’re here to help you.” Without another word, they ducked under his arms and bore the majority of his weight, despite being half his size.

  “Why?” he asked. Did it really matter? They were helping him get to Willa.

  “You need your strength to save our sister,” the one on his right said.

  “Sister?”

  They both nodded.

  “Willa’s a wind sprite?” And then he placed their familiarity. The eyes. Though the wind sprites beside him had different colouring, the shape and intensity reminded him of Willa.

  “No,” the one on his left answered. “She’s a descendent of one.”

  Wind and water sprites had always been compatible with one another. His immediate connection with Willa made more sense now. “Did you leave the clothes?” he asked. Only ten more yards existed between him and Willa. He was going to make it!

  The wind sprites nodded. “The birch dryads helped us. They like her, too. And her mom.”

  Her mom? Now that made no sense, but he didn’t have a chance to question them further. He stared at the heavy oak door of the booktique.

  “Good luck,” the wind sprites chorused.

  He turned to thank them, but he was too late. Their garments floated to the ground and thin white wisps spiraled in the air. They circled Lon a couple of times, providing him with more energy before they swirled away into the night in another gust of ocean air.

  He took a big breath in and turned back to the booktique. With his energy draining every minute, he didn’t have the luxury of waiting. His heart thudded in his chest. There would be no return trip to the ocean. Now or never. If Willa wouldn’t have him, he’d truly be lost.

  He grabbed the handle and pushed the door open.

  ****

  Willa threw her clothing into the suitcase with force. Having dropped everything to run to Lobster Cove to help out, she’d arrived with very little. Since then, she’d accumulated enough clothes to need a second suitcase, but when she searched for her aunt’s cute little carry-on, the one with the purple flowers, she couldn’t find it.

  She let out another big sigh.

  “What’s taking so long?” George called up the stairs to her.

  “Still packing!” she yelled back. Same as ten minutes ago, and ten minutes before that. Did he have a timer on?

  “Well, hurry up!”

  Willa rolled her eyes and turned to throw the last shirt into her luggage. Staring at her full suitcase, a strange numbness travelled across her skin. All she had to do was reach out and close the hard-shelled case. Then, she’d be ready to go. Her feet grew roots into the old wood flooring.

  She lifted her arm and leaned forward, but an invisible weight burdened her limb and it fell lifeless to her side. She breathed in and out. I’m doing the right thing. She reached out again to close the suitcase with her other arm, but it fell back to her side unsuccessful, as well.

  She couldn’t do it.

  She couldn’t leave this place.

  She couldn’t leave Lon.

  “Willa, for fuck sakes, what�
��s taking so long?” George bellowed. With each word, she heard him stomp up the stairs until he entered her room. “It never used to take you this long to pack before.”

  Before. Before she met Lon and everything changed. “I can’t do this,” she said. Her realistic future with George faded away and left her…elated! Like she’d been wearing shoulder pads of solid lead only to have the sun melt them away.

  “Just throw the fucking clothes in the case, Willa. Simple.” His tone turned darker, and his body tensed.

  “No. I can’t do this.” She turned and waved her hand back and forth between George and her. “I can’t do us.”

  George’s eyes narrowed. “You’re changing your mind?”

  She nodded.

  “And what if you change your mind again, after I’ve left? Just pack the clothes, Willa. We’ll talk about this on the drive home.”

  Willa’s muscles tensed. He never used that tone unless he was pissed. She shook her head, “I won’t change my mind on this. I don’t want to spend another minute with you. Get out! Leave. And never come back.” She deserved more in life than this asshole. Lon had shown her that. How could she have been so blind? After she got this jerk out the door, she’d go to the beach and demand Lon show himself. They should be together. Even if she had to dress in seaweed and live on a life raft, they’d find a way.

  “You little bitch!” George shook. He took a menacing step forward and raised his arm to strike her.

  Willa’s breath hitched. He’d never hit her before. But if he did now, he’d prove her right. Screw him! She clenched her jaw, straightened her back, and prepared to fight.

  “Touch her and die,” a stormy voice crashed through the room.

  Lon!

  A surge of energy flowed through Willa’s body and wiped out her tension.

  She stepped to the side and beamed at Lon.

  George stiffened before turning to see the newcomer—a large, powerful man, ready to pommel him to death.

  George looked insignificant compared to Lon. Her ex’s gaze darted back and forth from her to Lon. His brain probably calculating the likelihood of outcomes. Judging from the rage streaking across Lon’s face, none of the possibilities were good for him.

  “Fuck this,” George muttered. He shouldered past Lon and stomped down the stairs.

  Willa held her breath until the front door slammed.

  ****

  The tension from Lon’s shoulders eased with each step the sea slug took toward the front door. Thank the Sea God Willa’s ex didn’t want to fight. Lon didn’t have it in him, but when he saw the man raise his fist to Willa…well, it would’ve been a good way to go.

  Willa’s wide amber gaze turned to him, and a different emotion flooded his body. Hope. She’d decided to stay. He’d heard the words she shouted at George. Each affirmation of hers propelled him forward.

  Now that the immediate danger had left, however, the adrenalin drained from his body. His heavy, lethargic body. At least he got to see her one last time before…before he dissolved into nothing. At least he got to hear her stand up for herself and take that much needed step to independence.

  Her breathtaking aura sparkled with power.

  She was safe. And she was here.

  His heart hammered in his chest as everything around him slowed down. Could she hear it? Did she know it beat for her?

  Willa moved toward him with light in her eyes. He stepped forward with a smile, and crumpled.

  ****

  Willa lunged forward and caught Lon before they both crashed to the ground. His weight fell heavy against her and pinned her to the floor.

  “Been here.” She laughed when she caught her breath, and smoothed his back. The flowing energy unique to him travelled up her arm and embraced her heart. The sense of home flooded her body. “I’m glad you came.”

  Lon’s chest rumbled, but no laughter came out. “I heard…everything,” he said. “Everything. I…I don’t want to be without you.”

  His words touched something inside her chest. Not her heart, not her core, nothing physical, but something else, something more, as if his words twined around her very being, her essence, her soul. “I don’t want to be without you either.”

  Her eyes stung and she let the tears fall. Lon pushed up on shaking forearms and used his trembling thumbs to wipe them away. His smile sweet and tender. Yet, something was wrong. Why did he look so weak?

  She glanced outside. Wind? Check. Rain? Check. Thunder? Not for a while. Same with the lightning. In terms of East Coast storms, the one outside was mild to negligible.

  She turned back to Lon’s stormy eyes. The understanding scooped out her heart and left her numb. “There’s no storm.”

  Lon nodded, a bare twitch of his chin up and down. His arms trembled against hers. “Took…everything. All gone.” He collapsed on top of her and she felt more than heard his deep sigh, a labored breath of contentment. She cradled him in her arms and started to cry again.

  No! This couldn’t be happening. She’d finally kicked George to the proverbial curb, and Lon saved her from a sure-beating. She should experience euphoria, but the one thing she craved most was being ripped away.

  Icy fingers wrapped around her thudding heart and tugged. “I don’t understand. I don’t know what’s happening. Don’t leave me! Please, don’t leave me.” She hugged him close and inhaled his salty scent. “You make me whole.”

  “Need…” he whispered.

  She stopped rocking him and ducked her head forward.

  “Need,” he repeated.

  “Anything,” she said. “Take whatever you need.” Please, keep breathing! Please.

  “Need to bond…to you. Need you,” he whispered. His trembling hand reached up to her face, but it fell back to his side without contact. “…love you.”

  Warmth flooded her body. He loved her! She gripped his cheeks and gently pushed his head back to stare into the depths of his gaze again. His lips twitched into a smile, but the waves of energy from him weakened. The wane of his power left her cold and numb. Thunderclouds stopped circling in his irises. They changed to a dull slated gray. Her heart hammered in her chest.

  No. No! She needed him.

  “Bond to me then. Do whatever that means, whatever that entails. Anything with you is better than a life without you.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

  Lon’s mouth moved into a fuller smile under her lips, and her body tingled as a wave of warmth moved through her body to his, as if their very kiss pulled energy from her body. Then he angled his head, opened his mouth and deepened the kiss.

  It ended too fast.

  His lips grazed her as he mumbled something foreign. He whispered it, over and over again, and finally she caught what he said. “Semper tuus ero.”

  Despite flunking high school Latin, the meaning of the words soaked into her essence: I am forever yours.

  The window of her bedroom flew open; gusts of strong ocean wind blew into the room. The mirror on the wall crashed to the floor, the lamp beside the bed shattered. The rain soaked all her stuff, but she didn’t care. She stared into the deep stormy pools of Lon’s eyes. They clouded, like the sky outside gathering before thunder.

  Before, such clouds signalled impending doom. Now, the sight sent shivers through her body and warmth saturating her bones. The swirling gray danced around and hypnotized her, drawing energy until Lon glowed.

  “Say these words.” Lon’s voice rumbled. “Semper tua ero.”

  “Semper tua ero,” she repeated. I am forever yours.

  She gasped as the wind and rain bore down on her through the window. The power of the elements surged into her body and steeped her with energy until she hummed with power, both floating and heavy at the same time. It flowed through her veins and poured into her soul.

  Her vision flashed white and orange like a lightning strike.

  Then, the crushing force softened, weakening, but not leaving her empty. It flowed out of her body and in
to Lon. Light flooded his skin, making it glow with a surrounding halo of blue, white and silver.

  His ink-black hair framed his face and emphasized his pale skin and “otherness.” He was the most beautiful thing she’d ever laid eyes on.

  Every cell of her body vibrated with energy, and she knew Lon’s vibrated in unison. Intense heat radiated from every contact between her skin and his.

  “Is it done?” she asked.

  Lon’s smile turned wicked. “Almost.”

  ****

  God, she was magnificent. Her purple and gold aura intensified, shimmering with potency. Her skin sparked against his, a magical nudge to complete the bond.

  Lon grinned. This would be the best part, and the part he’d enjoy doing again and again until they were too old to move.

  He smoothed her crazy chestnut hair, now frizzy from the elements, away from her face. He loved the wild look of her. Natural and radiant. Her body pressed against his with each breath. Her hands caressed his back. Did she mind the weight? He hoped not, but he propped himself up on his forearms to look at her and follow the smooth line of her body from breast to hip. His. All his.

  He wanted to take things slow, but the sweet smell of her skin and fast beating heart drowned his senses. His gaze sought hers again. “Our lives are bound together.”

  She bit her lip and nodded.

  Her aura flashed with intensity and he reached back to take her hands in his.

  ****

  Willa’s heart swelled as Lon’s full lips met hers. He kissed her while he swept her hands above her head, pinning them there lightly. Her breasts pressed against his chest. So good! His every gesture soft, as though he asked permission.

  Heat raced through her body, zinging from each touch and contact. Warmth rushed from her core and wetness pooled between her legs.

  His gentle hands trailed up her arms to cradle her face. He studied her mouth as if she held all the answers. She didn’t. But god! This was more right than anything in her life! Alive. Her body had awakened, as if in slumber until Lon.