Displaced

by Sofia Grey

  I was so focused on watching my lover, I failed to see the other Taniwha until it rose from the water. Right in front of the boat.

  ****

  Chapter 8

  Matiu emerged from the ocean with a low growl, water cascading from his scales, all teeth and flashing claws. For a second, I was frozen. In his native form he was lethal, the most deadly of monsters, and the most feared creature of the deep. He was also magnificent.

  I’d dreamed of meeting him again, longed to see him with every fibre of my being, but not like this.

  His powerful tail crashed down, close to TJ’s boat, sending a massive wave that rocked the small craft. Water poured over the edges and soaked the people huddled inside. The weather changed. A jagged bolt of lightning ripped the sky apart and hail clattered down, as though poured from a giant bucket.

  Not like this.

  Screams rang out as the boat tossed, helpless, the yellow jackets tangling together and separating again. The backwash from Matiu’s tail threw the boat on its side and several yellow jackets dropped into the churning ocean.

  Never like this.

  It had happened faster than I could react. A heartbeat later, I assumed my native form and rose up, the waves parting in my wake. I stood between Matiu and the sinking boat. I would not let him harm them.

  “We are guardians, not aggressors. Why are you doing this, Matiu?”

  “Stand aside, Henare.”

  My old lover before me, my new lover behind. Could I be more torn? “You should not be doing this. They are innocent.”

  I heard screams. Sobbing. Pitiful cries for help that rang out over the noise of the storm. I couldn’t hear TJ’s voice, and fear gripped my heart like an icy fist.

  Matiu snarled and flicked his spiny tail again. It snapped around like a whip, and caused another wild surge of water to smash into the helpless passengers. Into TJ. “He knows about the Taniwha. You told him. I am here to deliver judgement.”

  “Don’t do this, Matiu. There is no need for judgement.”

  “I spoke to him.” Matiu spat the words out. “Your boyfriend. He told me he has rituals for the Taniwha.”

  The cries were subsiding, but I daren’t look, couldn’t risk taking my eyes off Matiu. “He leaves offerings. You are casting judgement on someone for observing the ancient ways?” I advanced. Fury filled me, and I spoke through gritted teeth. “You are mistaken.”

  “I told you, Henare. Stand aside.”

  The wind intensified and the waves flew higher, whipped by the gale. More deadly by the second. I stood my ground and gazed into Matiu’s coal black eyes. “I will not.” The longer I could hold him back, the more chance TJ— and his passengers— had to escape.

  “It’s too late.” There was a note of triumph in his growl. “They will have seen us now. They cannot be allowed to speak of this.”

  “It’s dark. They will be confused by the water.” I tightened my muscles and flexed my claws. “I will not allow you to do this.” I hurled myself at Matiu, and lashed out with razor-sharp talons, swiping a hairsbreadth from his chest. Taniwha were created for fighting, but I didn’t want to damage Matiu, just to drive him back.

  He roared his anger, and the sea trembled. He didn’t scare me, but I was afraid for TJ. I charged into Matiu’s body again. Over and over, we crashed and hammered into each other, dodging the flailing claws and vicious teeth, both of us trying to achieve dominance. There was nothing I could do for TJ. I had to concentrate my entire focus on Matiu, and wait for the moment I could take him down.

  I pushed him back, a step at a time, until his tail could do no further damage. His fury grew, and I knew he would make a mistake. I just had to be patient. With every second counting, putting the innocent people in more danger, patience was far from my mind. I had never been so angry. I had to hone that anger, focus it precisely and use it as a weapon.

  There were just faint cries behind me now, and I had to act quickly. I hesitated, took my eyes off Matiu for the briefest moment, and half-turned to look over my shoulder.

  He shrieked, and ploughed into me, in a move that would have knocked me over had I not been waiting for it. Twisting out of his reach, I used the momentum to wrap my tail around his legs and pull him to his knees.

  His shock was visible, especially when I pinned him down, with my claws to the vulnerable skin on his throat. “Yield, Matiu. Let them go.” He resisted. As I’d expected. I squeezed tighter with my tail, immobilising him while I dug my claws in deeper.

  “You would choose that weak human over me?” His choked words cut me to my core.

  “This is wrong, Matiu. Don’t make it even worse.”

  He struggled, and I dug deeper with my tail, the barbs scraping under his scales. He’d been my lover, my closest friend. The last creature I would ever hurt. “Yield,” I hissed to him.

  His defiance was absolute. With a strength that surprised me, he twisted and almost pulled free, but I clung on, my talons shifting into a death grip under his chin. Our one vulnerability. “You are mistaken, Matiu.” There was only silence now from the stricken boat. I swallowed down my fear for TJ, the despair flooding my veins. This had to be finished.

  I squeezed hard. Cut off his breath.

  I couldn’t do it. Not even for TJ. I would never be able to live with myself.

  Kicking Matiu hard, I pushed him under the waves. He’d be conscious within seconds, but that was all the time I needed. I turned back to the yellow jackets bobbing in the churning water and counted only two. Holy Tangaroa, where were the rest? Not TJ. Please.

  As gently as I could, I used my tail to sweep the terrified passengers toward the shore and into calmer water. Toward the others that had already made it to the shingle beach. And there, was TJ.

  My knees shook, but it was relief making me dizzy. He carried a woman out of the water, placed her on the ground near the others, and then turned and ran back to the waves, heedless of his own safety. I did a rapid count of yellow jackets. All there. The last two swept into the shallows and splashed with weak movements, to stand upright with TJ’s help.

  I stepped back, hiding behind the storm, and went to face Matiu.

  He surfaced, water pouring from his scales, his teeth bared and deadly. If I’d thought him furious before, that was nothing compared to the rage flashing in his eyes.

  “I spared you.” My voice was frigid. “You will spare TJ in return.”

  The fury left him, replaced by uncertainty. “They may have seen us.”

  “Then punish me. Let me pay.”

  “You’ve been paying already. For my mistake.” He sounded broken. “We can’t talk here, Henare, and I need to speak with you. I’ve found a way for you to return. To be reinstated.”

  ****

  Chapter 9

  Could it be possible? Could I return to my realm, my family, and my life? My lover? Thoughts tossed and danced in my brain, sparking like fireflies on a warm evening. What of TJ? And why was I even thinking about him? He was leaving in a matter of days anyway.

  I shoved aside the strangely empty feeling in my chest, and sought my voice. “I would like to see you in your human form again. I’ll wait on the other side of the island for you.” The part where no humans ever set foot. The enormity of this threatened to overwhelm me, and I struggled to retain control. “Tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow,” he echoed. We stared at each other for a long moment, and then he slid beneath the waves and was gone. As though he’d flicked a switch, the sea calmed, the rain stopped and the wind eased. The passengers would put it down to a freak storm. After all, as far as they were concerned, the Taniwha were the stuff of legends.

  Behind me, a whooshing noise heralded a brilliant crimson flare being fired into the sky. Now the sea was quiet, a rescue party would be here soon enough and TJ would be able to leave.

  I might never see him again.

  Fear cramped in my guts. I relived the never-ending moment when I thought he’d drowned, before I’d seen him o
n the land. What was it about TJ Morgan that had me tied up in knots? I was just lonely, but that would soon end. Until then, I would continue to watch over him, to make sure he returned safely to the mainland.

  Blowing out a calming breath, I shifted to my elemental form and hovered, as a spray of water droplets, close to the shingle. I watched as TJ applied first aid skills, and I wondered where he left Butch when he came to the island. Dogs would not be allowed here. Perhaps he stayed with Elizabeth.

  TJ limped away from the others, visibly in pain. He’d saved those people, while injured himself, and my heart swelled with pride. He sank onto the sun-bleached remains of a tree trunk, and gazed into the darkness, before sinking his head into his hands. Unable to keep my distance, I drifted closer. He’d never see me in the dark, never wonder why a cloud of water vapour hung in the air. The darkness was no barrier to my vision, and I feasted on his beauty. The soft, silky hair. The sharp, determined chin. Those sultry lips. My lover had been perfect.

  I longed to comfort him, to hold his hand, and take his mouth in a punishing kiss. I would miss him. He’d brought a light into the darkness of my cursed life, and he would always hold a piece of my heart. As though he knew I was there, he lifted his head and gazed in my direction. Exhaustion drew lines on his face that I ached to smooth away, but it was the despair in his eyes that tore at me.

  The rescue vessel was swift to arrive, and efficient at loading all the passengers. TJ was the last to climb aboard, after one last look behind him. Maybe he was saying good-bye to the island?

  I knew the crossing would be quick and safe, but I accompanied them to make sure. My last sight of TJ was as he hobbled into the boathouse.

  ****

  The tiny beach was inaccessible either on foot, or by boat, and made a perfect place to meet Matiu, well away from any spying eyes. I waited on the ribbon of sand, impatient and anxious at the same time. His words rang in my head on a constant loop: I’ve found a way for you to return. What had happened to change things? Were the old rules relaxing? Or had he found a loophole?

  It didn’t explain why he’d been trying to kill TJ.

  No matter how much I burned for this chance to return, I needed to understand what Matiu had been thinking when he attacked my lover. I stared at my feet. Not my lover any more.

  I felt his presence before I saw him. Turning slowly, I gazed on Matiu’s human form for the first time in three hundred long, pain-filled years. Shaggy blond hair, so bright it was the colour of sunlight, eyes of the deepest green, and a smile that lit up the world. How had I survived so long without seeing him? Like me, he was beautifully, hungrily naked, his muscles toned and skin a pale gold. Soft hair adorned his chest, and I stared, greedy at the sight before me.

  Matiu strode across the sand and clasped my arms in his warm hands. I blinked, as his scent filled my nose, wet sand and sea spray mingling in an irresistible combination. Slowly, with all the time in the world, our lips met and then slid apart again. A nervous kiss, both of us unsure about its reception. He tasted the same as I remembered. I knew he would feel the same too, if we came together. If? Surely I meant when?

  Standing there, our hands on each other’s shoulders, the years rolled away. There was nothing to say. I just wanted to enjoy this moment.

  Matiu broke the silence. “I cannot stay long. I have petitioned mighty Tangaroa on your behalf and he is willing to grant clemency, if you plead your case. Things are different now.”

  Clemency? My heart swelled to bursting. Matiu must have worked hard for this opportunity, probably waited for many years. Excitement bubbled in my veins and I almost forgot how to breathe.

  “When?” It came out as a whisper.

  “Full moon.” Matiu’s smile was sweet. “Two weeks. You must stay here and in isolation until I come to fetch you.” His fingers dug into my bare skin, reminding me of the thousands of times we’d touched each other. “You will be with us again soon, Henare.”

  Another thought of TJ broke through. There would be no chance to bid him good-bye. Isolation and reflection were essential parts of the ritual before seeing Tangaroa, a way of cleansing the spirit, and if I didn’t take this opportunity it may never come again.

  “Two weeks.” I nodded. “I will wait here for you.” After three hundred years, a couple of weeks would be nothing.

  I’d imagined that if Matiu and I ever reconciled, we’d be starving for each other, unable to restrain ourselves. It was only after he left— a quick press of the lips later— that I realised I’d not been hard for him. He’d been soft too.

  ****

  My nights were spent circling Kapiti Island, and the days faded into a blur of sunshine, as I waited for the two weeks to pass. I couldn’t keep TJ from my thoughts. Every time I thought I’d achieved a state of calm meditation, I’d remember his smile, and the raw hunger in his eyes. Even when I was restored to my full status, I’d not know what happened to him. Taniwha were not supposed to interact with mortals, and I guessed that’s why Matiu had been so concerned.

  My last— and only— meeting with Tangaroa had been when he declared my exile. When Matiu turned his back on me and refused to stand by my side. I wondered how long it had taken him to engineer this meeting, what price he’d had to pay? And if we could ever truly go back to those days of innocence?

  It was the night of the full moon, and I was ready. In the final seconds before the sun disappeared, Matiu appeared on the sand. At last. I couldn’t hold back my anticipation and I clasped his arms, eager and focused. “What happens now?”

  His smile warmed me inside. “I will escort you. The court is in session and you will get your chance to petition for reinstatement.” I thought he would kiss me, but no. He probably didn’t want to disturb my already shaky composure. I followed his lead and took elemental form, arrowing into the sea and heading for the depths, for my realm. My home.

  I was permitted to take robed human form in the Sea God’s lair, and I gazed at the myriad of similarly attired Taniwha that bustled around the courtrooms. Tears pressed at the back of my eyes. Soon, I would see my family again. This would be my life once more.

  Standing to one side, Matiu and I waited for my name to be called. I had so many things to ask him, I didn’t know where to start. One question pulled at me, and could wait no longer. “Matiu, why did you think I’d revealed our secrets to TJ? You said you’d spoken to him?”

  My lover flicked me a curious glance. “Yes. I met him at a gathering, and he commented on my tattoo.” Like all of us, Matiu wore a Taniwha design inked into his skin. “He talked openly about you, Henare. It worried me that he knew too much.”

  “He didn’t deserve to die. You should have spoken to me first.”

  He huffed in annoyance, a gesture once familiar to me. “There was no time. He told me he’d be leaving soon.”

  The reminder dug into me like a sharp knife. “What were you doing there anyway? Have the rules relaxed to allow Taniwha to mix with mortals?”

  “By the Gods, no.” His voice was shocked. “Nothing’s changed like that.”

  “So what has changed? You said things are different now.”

  “My status.” He sounded surprised at the question. “I occupy one of the senior positions in the circle now.” He paused. “That’s how I was able to petition for you. It took a long time, Henare. I worked hard for this.” It was a subtle rebuke, and I hastened to reassure him.

  “I cannot express my gratitude. The years have been long without you. To know that I can return is an honour, but to be able to be with you again is a gift beyond measure.”

  “Ah, about that.” Matiu’s attention was fixed upon the wall opposite. “I have a mate now. And young of my own.” He glanced at me, and then his gaze skittered away again. “There are some beautiful females here, and all eager to meet you.”

  I had the strange sensation that I was holding one conversation while Matiu was engaged in a completely different one. Holding up my hand, I stalled his words while I
sought my tongue. “I thought we would be together? You said things had changed.”

  “Not like that.”

  A chill descended upon me. “Explain.” I had to force the word out.

  “We’ll have to be discreet this time.” Matiu kept his voice low. “Not get caught.”

  Bitterness filled my throat, choking me. “So when I plead for clemency, I have to take a female mate?”

  “You don’t have to. But it would make things easier. Smooth it over.”

  It felt like a slap in the face. I stared at Matiu and put the jigsaw pieces together again, but making a different picture this time. “You brought me back, but I have to pretend. Live a lie.”

  “You would still be here. We could see each other. By the Gods, Henare, haven’t you missed me?”

  I had. Yes. But not any more.

  “Tell me again about TJ. You just happened to meet him? What are the odds of that?”

  “Shhh.” He flashed me a warning glare.

  I had no intention of staying quiet. “And if Taniwha are not supposed to mix with humans, how many rules did you break to talk with him?”

  A new story was building up in my head. One I didn’t like at all. “You saw TJ with me and sought him out. Am I right?” The dark flush on Matiu’s cheeks made my stomach clench. “How long had you been watching me?” His lips pursed, and he wouldn’t meet my eyes. “You were jealous? That’s the only reason you wanted me back?”

  “If I can’t have you, I don’t want…” His hot retort foundered.

  I had to get out of there. I couldn’t go through with this. “I loved you, Matiu.”

  A soft bell sounded, and then a voice boomed my name.

  “Stay, Henare.” Matiu grabbed my arm, and then released it equally quickly. “I’ll make time for you.”

  “Not like this.”

  “If you don’t plead to mighty Tangaroa now, you won’t ever have the chance. You will be exiled forever.”

  “I thought I already was.”

  My name rang out again, and I knew what I had to do. This was my one opportunity to change my life. I’d be a fool to waste it.