Steal the Sun: (Book 1)

by Stephanie Kelley

  Sky Sesi, his mother, had been an English teacher. When words failed Kenai he always pulled quotes from the literature his mother had taught him. His mother and my father had been kindred spirits. She taught high school English, my father taught English literature to college students.

  Kenai’s bi-coloured eyes said differently as he looked away, his attention taken by the thunder clouds on the horizon. He was the ever vigilant sailor.

  Silence filled the cab of the truck. Only Zom’s whining kept the situation from being awkward. Kenai had never had a full time love interest before I left town. I didn’t know how deep things really had gone for him with River, but I could commiserate with the heartache.

  “It is what it is. I told her to stay away, that my life was dangerous, but River being River,” his voice trailed off as he scanned the empty harbor.

  “She showed up.”

  River was as wild as her namesake and did as she pleased. I could only imagine the sparks that flew between them.

  “Last I knew she was asleep beside me. Wasn’t unusual for her to be gone before morning. I didn’t think anything of it.”

  “I’m sorry. Any leads?”

  “Just me.”

  “I don’t believe for a moment you killed her.”

  “No?” His voice cracked. “Because Bear and Dez seem to think so. Maybe I did. I don’t know anymore. Things don’t seem to be as I remember them.” He paused and I sat up straighter. He toyed with his knife. His eyes still focused out the window as he ran the sharpened edge along his palm and wrist. Anything more than the feather weight pressure he was applying and he’d be bleeding out in the front seat. “But right now I’d be more concerned about fishboy than my dead Juliet.”

  I followed his gaze out the window to find Caleb's hand on the small of Koda’s back. His damn blond mane braided to keep it out of his face making him look more reminiscent of a Viking than before. Zom was rumbling before I could react.

  “So the little dog doesn't like the fish.” I muttered as I rubbed the dog's ears. “Good boy.”

  Kenai snorted. “Czar likes the fish a lot more than he likes you.”

  That gray and white dog of hers was trotting along behind happily waving its tail. Traitor.

  “Think she’ll trade Czar for Zom here?” I opened the door. Zom ran for Koda, barking and vocalizing at Caleb. Kenai spouted harsh curses at me as I hopped out of the truck. I flinched more than I expected as I landed on my bad leg, but it held.

  A sneer passed across Caleb’s face as he saw my disheveled look. My jeans that were still coated in my blood were duct taped together over my bandaged leg. I pushed up the sleeves of my thermal to my elbows. They hadn’t bothered to re-bandage my forearms. Angry red wounds raced down both arms from where the loup garou had dug those nasty claws into me. The bite on my shoulder was still tender and there was nothing I could do for it right now.

  “I see someone got to you, Ravenwhite.” I could hear the amusement in Caleb’s voice as he looked over my arms. “Looks like someone took care of getting a bit of payback for me.”

  Koda backhanded him on the chest for the comment. When he turned his head to look at her I saw parallel red slashes on his neck. Someone had tried to give him gills.

  “You’re not much better.” I felt the slightest bit jealous someone had gotten to him before me.

  “I'm fine.” His eyes darting over my shoulder as Kenai slammed the door to his truck.

  “You don’t look like it, fish.” Kenai was annoyed and didn’t bother to hide it as he shoved on his hoodie. “Dez come looking for you?”

  There was more tension between Kenai and Caleb than I expected, the air popped and fizzled between them. “It was a Collector passing through town. Turned out they were looking for something a little more exotic than me. You should be fine, Seal, since we're the both sea shifters.”

  “Fin and fur are not the same, finfolk.” I heard the disgust in my own voice as the old world slang word for his kind rolled off my tongue. I wouldn’t stand to be grouped in the same category as him. His trickster nature appalled me on a base level.

  I watched the pleasant mask Caleb wore slip at the insult.

  “Watch yourself, pup.” His already gravelly voice became grating. Names still cut deep if you're old enough to remember them. “You’re about to cross and I’m not sure you want to.”

  “You’ve got your hand on my girl. I’m not sure I care too much what line I’m crossing right now.”

  Fishboy smirked. “So I do, Seal. I didn't realize she was property. Been a long time since your family line felt so entitled.”

  Koda rolled her eyes and tried to walk away, but his finger tucked in her waistband, keeping her from leaving his side. He slipped an arm around her waist to make sure she stayed. Despite Koda’s elbow in his ribs, he didn't let her go.

  The tingling from the healing wounds, my mark on her neck, him not letting her walk away, it all made my made me feel crazy. I was either brave or stupid. I didn’t know which. I just wanted her beside me.

  “And what exactly do you know of my family line, fishy? Cause from what I know of finfolk on land, you’ve either pissed off your Queen Melusine and she's banished you, or she's got you working the sheets for gold. Either way, fish, I’m not sure you have anyone's best interest at heart but your own.”

  Caleb's laugh was hollow. “You’re just so damn sure of yourself aren't you? Just like your sister.”

  “I am nothing like my sister.” I never in my life expected to say those words. Never with such venom.

  “No? You're certainly not your ancestors.”

  “And what do you think you know of my family?” I snapped. Our family name had changed through the years since we’d been hunted. And with the name changes, we lost a little bit of tradition with each reincarnation of the family. That much I had known. My parents had told us what they knew, but it was far from complete.

  “I’ve been around since your great grandparents seven generations back were still part of the royal court. They took the name Corbin to protect themselves when they came on land from those that remembered who they were.”

  “You don’t expect me to believe that do you?” I had to fake it. I wasn’t sure if he was lying or not. My father’s records hadn’t gone back that far the last time we spoke about the family history.

  “I was there, Seal.” There was a snarl to his voice now, he didn't care for my doubt. “I was there when they had to establish a life on the land. I put myself in danger to help them get away”

  “You expect me to believe that you were willing to help my family at your own expense?” Anger was starting to bubble up in me. Just how old did he expect me to believe he was?

  Koda struggled against Caleb's hold as he held her tighter. He didn’t even seem to notice her fighting against him as his blue eyes slipped to a pale lavender.

  “Rhys Corbin would not be happy to see how far his successors have come, denying what they are, what you are capable of being. So you don't get to go call me finfolk.” His voice held a sharp edge, keen and ready to cut me, as he stepped into my personal space. “Your ancestor could call me that. But you, no. Not you, pup. You're a pale shadow of what your species used to be. You’re an even paler shadow of what your family used to be, despite what your sister tries to tell me when I’m in her bed.”

  I had to lunge to pull Koda off Caleb. Kenai grabbed for Caleb. The merman actually had the decency to look embarrassed as he held his hands up to fend Koda off the best he could while Kenai pulled him back.

  “Have you been behind any of this? She used Rory, did she use you, too?” she yelled at him as I held her by her waist. Kenai must have told her about Willow’s involvement in things while I was passed out.

  “She’s not behind any of this, despite what you might think. I would be in Seattle by the rising tide to give her Hell if I even thought she was trying to harm you.” Caleb shrugged out of Kenai’s hold and wiped the blood from his split lip. “Da
mn it. I forget how hard you hit.”

  She struggled against me, but it was half hearted. I wasn’t ready to believe him.

  “Then who told you it wasn’t the Amaroq?” Kenai reached for his knife as he gave the huskies a hand signal for the dogs to stay in a ready position. I hadn’t even noticed he’d been so quick to give them the stand down command when Koda had punched Caleb.

  My skin itched as it tried to shift to fur. I shoved the urge down, nails dug into my palms to try to focus on the pain. I let Koda go when her hand came to rest on the fur on my bare forearm. Those dual colored eyes met mine, she was just as confused as I was.

  “Holy shit.” Her voice was barely as whisper. “Your eyes are blue, Rhen.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Rhen

  Blue? My eyes had never been blue in my life.

  “Whats going on?” Caleb held his arms in front of his face. His skin took on an iridescent sheen in the light from the street lamp. I wasn't alone in fighting a shift. “What in the name of Triton is going on here?”

  “I see you added fish to the menu.”

  I spun to find myself within paws’ reach of the loup garou. It was alive and had gotten the drop on us. The wolf was still bloody from where Kenai had shot it, the hole still in its shoulder, fur peeled back from Zom’s attack. We’d killed it for God’s sake. How was it here?

  “What is that?” Caleb asked as he positioned himself beside me, in front of Koda. The merman’s skin was starting to show scales running up the side of his neck. He’d have real gills soon. I tried not to give him brownie points for protecting her as we collectively took a step back out of its reach.

  The loup garou’s breath should have been condensing in the air like ours, but nothing came from its mouth with each labored breath it took. It wasn’t alive. Did Cy do this?

  “Fishy fishy, I smelled you when I ate the elk. You have more meat on your bones than I expected.” The loup garou teased as it sat on its hindquarters. “I may need to consider a fish course to go with Dinner.”

  Hell, I’d forgotten he'd lost a crewman to this thing. Made wanting to kill it more imperative.

  “So that thing killed Julian. Good job bringing it here, Seal. Now it's got two of us.” The edge in Caleb’s voice was blunted by a bit of fear. How many things had he encountered in his life had been able to make him shift? It still couldn't quite force Caleb or I to shift, but it was certainly giving us both a run for our money. From the corner of my eye I saw Caleb’s jaw twitch with effort as the start of spines ran up the outside of his forearms.

  “Such a reunion.” A voice came from the other side of the street and I had my answer.

  “Cy.” Kenai hissed, his hand going to his knife as he eyes found the owner of the voice.

  “Who invited Mister Green?” Caleb questioned as his now lavender eyes cut over towards the safety railing and street lights.

  The dogs snarled despite their command for silence.

  “Turns out your buddy here wasn't done. I thought you needed better acquainted.” Cy turned his attention toward Kenai. “You really shouldn’t be here.”

  “I go where my blood goes.” Kenai’s voice rang true across the harbor.

  A corner of Cy’s scared mouth turned up in amusement. “I haven’t heard truer words in millennium. This isn’t your fight, Starboy, your darkness is elsewhere.”

  The loup garou howled. The glass rattled in the street lamps.

  The wind howled back.

  I felt the tug of the storm on the horizon, the seductiveness of the chaos trying to slide along my fur slicked skin.

  “See, it agrees.” Cy was too smug for my liking. He sat there on the handrail watching us, his scared skin shimmering olive green as the light danced.

  “Of course I agree,” the loup garou snarled, its gaze focused intently on us. “I’m hungry. I want Lamb.”

  The loup garou batted us out of the way with a single swipe of its large paw as it lunged for Koda. Kenai and I were knocked on our asses. Caleb was tossed into the nearest vehicle.

  That thing dragged Koda by her vest toward the harbor railing. The huskies lunged, biting at its legs. The loup garou brushed them off as if they were flies.

  “Take a step closer, Dinner, and I’ll puncture her jugular. Decisions, decisions. She’d bleed out before any of you could get to us.”

  I hauled myself up to my feet. I took a step forward and my leg gave out.

  True to its word, the creature slowly closed its jaws on her shoulder. Koda reached for her knife on her thigh. What could she possibly do against this monstrous beast that we’d already killed once? I froze in my crumpled state.

  Terror gripped my heart as she screamed at the pain of its teeth sinking into her shoulder.

  Cy sat on the rail flanking the creature, content to watch as Koda stabbed the wolf in the lungs and ribs through the open wound in its belly. I was helpless as it shook her like a dog shakes a chew toy. It began to lick the blood that soaked her vest.

  The hammer of Kenai’s gun clicked back as he readied a shot. Caleb moaned as he picked himself up. I didn’t even know if the merman had bothered to carry a weapon, or if it would matter if he did.

  “Come on, Sonny, the seals see everything in the harbor. You know what to do.” I knew that voice and panic rushed through me. I did not need to be hallucinating right now. I pushed him away, tried to shut down the hallucination.

  “Got a plan, Ravenwhite?” Caleb asked quietly as he stepped beside me. His skin was even more iridescent, with scales showing at his wrists. He’d snagged a tire iron out of the back of parked truck. I prayed he wouldn’t stab me in the back with it.

  Kenai took a step toward the loup garou. It slashed a back paw at him. The claws shredded the front of his hoodie, but hadn’t made it to his chest.

  It flicked its tail toward him as I yelled for Kenai to back up. “Last warning food.”

  “The three of you stay right fucking there,” Koda wheezed as it put a paw on her chest.

  “That’s the last thing we’re going to do Kody.”

  “Oh give it up sonny. I’m over here.” I gave in. I scanned the area and found old Mr. Romans leaning against the railing in a shadow.

  “Shhh, they don't need to know I’m here.” Mr. Romans said as he held a finger to his lips. “Greenie catches wind of me I won't be able to be topside anymore. I know this looks bad, but you can save her.”

  I shook my head, he couldn’t be here. He couldn’t be real. He was just another fucking ghost. I couldn’t do this, not with Koda pinned beneath that monster. I didn’t have time to be crazy. What was next? Koda’s father showing up again? Hell was this what he meant by they both needed me? Kenai and Koda? How was I going to save them both?

  “Get your head in the game, seal, even your sister fights better than this.” Caleb snapped as he took a step up beside me, his knuckles whitening beneath their green iridescent shimmer.

  “Shut it, fish.” I didn’t have the patience to deal with him. Not right now as I tried to get to my feet.

  Harsh words in a language I didn’t understand passed Caleb’s lips. I followed his gaze to see heat a mirage rise off Kenai. These weren’t just from the falling rain. These were full on silver shimmer like you would see in a desert mirage or from a shifter. It had to be from the loup garou. I’d seen it before when we’d killed the wolf the first time, but this, I didn’t understand. The Sesis were human.

  “Kenai? You with us still?” I barely managed as I tried to focus on Koda and the loup garou again.

  He nodded, his eyes never moved from his sister. I didn’t know what to do.

  “How about you just do something, Sonny?”

  Shut up. Get out of my head.

  “Come on, sonny. Think of the things I didn’t show you in the dream because you decided you’d had enough of me. All that history your father told you. All those stories your grandfather told you about revenge on sailors who harvested seals. You may be a lover, but
it's in your blood to fight those who threaten you and yours, especially your woman. You’ve already been gone seven years, I’d say you’d paid enough dues.”

  It took everything I had not to snap out at Mr. Romans, or the hallucination of Mr. Romans. Or whatever the hell he was. I couldn’t listen to him and watch Koda be in danger. Something had to give.

  “You know what to do, Rhen.”

  Caleb said something as I looked away, frozen in place. Koda yelled something that vaguely sounded like profanity as Kenai took a few slow steps toward the monster again despite his slashed clothing.

  Caleb joined in the stalking and before I could open my mouth, the loup garou swiped at both of them, sending them back on their asses before turning back to Koda. It grabbed her by her vest and shook her hard this time. She dropped her blood slicked knife to the pavement as he tossed her back on the ground. Thank the stars she was still moving a few labored breaths later.

  Cy laughed.

  “You mortals never learn. And you, Starboy, I’m not going to warn you again. Back off.” Cy bit with unexpected venom as he hopped down from his perch. But Kenai stood there, unfazed.

  The waves were starting to whitecap in the harbor as my emotions began to run amok. The terror that sat in my stomach made me want to puke.

  “I was nice to you all summer.” She yelled in its face. “I know who you are you freak! Taking pity on you, letting you stay at my bar before the mines were open and all you wanted was to go after shifters.”

  I watched as it laughed in her face. Koda landed a punch square on his nose. We heard the sickening crunch of bone like twigs snapping. I cringed. So did Caleb. Koda had taken care with the punches she'd landed on us, I knew that for certain now. The loup garou was unphased as blood began to drip from its snout onto her.

  “Come on, Sonny boy, you gonna just stand there and watch, frozen in place? Some hero you turned out to be.” The ghost was walking toward Koda. My fingers tightened at my sides as electricity ran up my spine. It was still trying to make me shift.

  “I should run it over with my truck.”