The Sea Witch's Redemption

by S. E. Smith

  That had left her following Ross, and now she was torn. Watching Ross from across the room, she had seen his immediate reaction when Dr. Field and a woman walked into the restaurant. Knowing what she did about the good doctor, Tonya had dismissed Ross’s sudden interest in the man. It had to be the woman.

  Her theory had proven to be correct. The moment Dr. Field had gone to the bathroom, Ross had been out of his seat and heading for the woman. Now, it could have been because she was beautiful, but there was something off. She knew what a guy interested in a pretty face looked like and that wasn’t the expression on Ross’s face. No, he was so intensely determined, it was like he needed to talk to her, and he clearly didn’t want Dr. Field or the other man to know he was there.

  Her first thought was the woman might have been a jilted lover. The flash of fear on the woman’s face and her defensive posture could have been due to a relationship gone bad. Tonya had read that Ross’s father had been an abusive bastard. A lot of times the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, but as far as she knew, it didn’t match Ross’s M.O.

  Galloway could have been stalking the woman. It would explain why he had been sitting outside Lightcloud’s house. She huffed in aggravation. At the rate she was going, she would end up with more questions than answers.

  Her frustration grew when she saw the woman talking to Ross, and it was clear that Ross was earnest and apologetic and… well, he was more than nervous… he was afraid, she decided. His mannerisms, posture, and expression held an edge of real fear. It could have been because of the two men that she’d come here with, but the way he watched her every move gave Tonya the feeling that it was the woman who made him apprehensive.

  Her eyes narrowed when the woman picked up one of the shells on the table and handed it to Ross. Tonya would have loved to have ripped the sunglasses off the woman’s face. She really wanted to see her eyes. Eyes told a lot about a person.

  “Do you need anything else?” the waitress asked Tonya, distracting her for a moment.

  “No, just the bill,” Tonya replied in a curt tone.

  The waitress gave her a leery look and nodded. “I’ll be right back,” the young girl said.

  Returning her gaze to the woman, she grimaced when she saw Ross disappearing out the back entrance, and wavered between following him or waiting. Deciding she could catch up with Ross, she focused on the couple. It was obvious that the three of them were intimate. The constant touches of both men, the smiles the woman was giving them, and the answering looks in the men’s eyes all spoke of an intimate relationship.

  Tonya shook her head. More power to the woman if she could handle two men. Personally, Tonya wasn’t sure one was worth it. Most of the men in her experience were shallow, immature, and demanding. Adopting a dog would be easier and more rewarding. Adopting a cat was perfect; they only asked for minimal attention and came potty-trained by nature.

  She breathed a sigh of relief when the woman rose. The larger of the two men started to rise as well, and the woman scowled down at him and pointed her finger. A smile tugged at Tonya’s lips when the man grumbled but sat down.

  If the woman could handle a fierce ex-Army Ranger with a look and a point of her finger – not to mention two men at the same time – Tonya was going to rule out Ross and physical abuse. She rose to her feet when the woman passed by her.

  Following her to the Ladies’ room, she turned to the sink as the woman entered one of the stalls. She studied herself in the mirror. Running her fingers through her shoulder-length, dark brown hair, she pulled out the lip balm from the front pocket of her jeans and applied a thin layer to her lips.

  She was just replacing the tube of lip balm when the toilet flushed and the door to the stall opened behind her. Her gaze ran over the woman’s face. She had removed her sunglasses and Tonya caught a glimpse of the woman’s unusual dark green eyes. Moving to the side so she could get to the sink, Tonya gave the woman a friendly smile.

  “Beautiful day out. I’m so excited that it has finally stopped raining,” Tonya commented.

  The woman returned her smile with a cautious one. “Yes, it is very beautiful,” she replied.

  “I’m not from around here. Do you have any suggestions about what I might find interesting?” Tonya asked, turning to look at the woman. “Oh, sorry, I’m Tonya, by the way,” she added.

  The woman shook her head apologetically. “My name is Magna. I’m afraid I don’t know much. I’ve only been here a few weeks.”

  “Oh, where are you from? I’m from New York,” Tonya shared.

  A warning bell went off inside Tonya as she finally put her finger on what it was about Magna that had felt off from the moment she had come out of the stall. It was like Tonya was seeing her, but she wasn’t really seeing her – which made absolutely no sense. Sometimes her instincts were helpful, and sometimes, they really weren’t, but Tonya was interested to see a look of confusion cross Magna’s face. “Is New York far from here?” she asked with a hesitant smile.

  “You don’t know where New York is?” she asked in disbelief. Magna was clearly foreign, but what were the odds that she wouldn’t have a vague idea of the location of a place so famous?

  Magna’s smile wavered, and her eyes became wary. Tonya felt like kicking her own ass. She could almost see Magna withdrawing from her.

  “I have to return to my companions,” she said, slowly stepping toward the door.

  “I didn’t catch where you are from,” Tonya said, reaching out to stop Magna from leaving.

  Magna paused and frowned. She shook her head and looked at the bathroom door.

  “My home is far away from this world. I hope you have a wonderful day,” Magna said, pulling open the door.

  Tonya absently nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Magna’s reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall above the sink. A line of dark blue tattoos lining Magna’s throat caught her attention, but when Tonya turned her head and looked at the woman as the door closed, she didn’t see them.

  A shiver of unease ran through Tonya. Rubbing her hands along the sides of her jeans, Tonya bit her lip as she remembered something. She pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and leaned against the wall. Doing a Google search to confirm, she paled and shook her head in disbelief. She lifted her hand and rubbed her suddenly aching brow with her fingers.

  “CIA handles fucking space aliens?” she whispered, wondering how on earth she could have forgotten that little tidbit of information.

  She straightened when the door opened again and two giggling teenage girls stepped inside. Grabbing the door, she exited behind them. Weaving her way through the tables, she paused at the entrance to the patio. The table where the three had been sitting was empty.

  “Damn,” she muttered, realizing she had a lot more homework to do before she called it a night.

  Magna laid out on the lounge on the deck and laughed as Wilson retrieved the toy she had thrown, brought it close enough to be just out of her reach, and lay down, happily gnawing on the toy. She was exhausted from their day and glad to be home where she could remove her shoes and return to wearing one of Gabe’s shirts. A smile curved her lips as she remembered Kane’s reaction when she emerged from the bedroom.

  She moved her arms over her head and stretched. Her body was still tingling from what had happened next. A soft moan slipped out when the soft material of the shirt rubbed against her sensitive nipples.

  Closing her eyes, she captured the memory and held it close. Maybe someday she would collect a hundred shells – no a thousand – and inside each one she would store a memory of the men so she could relive the feeling of their hands and mouths on her again and again. She wanted to hold them close to her heart, so they could replace the nightmares. She drew in a deep, contented breath as she remembered Kane’s words when she’d stepped into the kitchen wearing nothing but Gabe’s shirt.

  “Do you have any idea how much I want to rip that shirt off of you?” Kane had groaned, his gaze ru
nning down her body and causing a swift wave of fire to ignite inside her.

  Gabe had chuckled, his eyes alight with mischief. “Too late, I already did that,” he replied.

  She’d shaken her head in mock irritation. “Neither you nor I will have any more clothing if you two rip all his shirts,” she stated, placing her hands on her hips.

  Kane had looked at Gabe with a raised eyebrow. Gabe grinned and shrugged.

  “I can go topless,” he volunteered.

  “Oh, you two are impossible. Is sex with me the only thing you two think about?” she’d demanded with a toss of her head.

  “Yes!” both men answered at the same time.

  “Then, what are you waiting for?” she’d asked with a suggestive smile. “An invitation?”

  She probably shouldn’t have turned her back to them and lifted up the shirt to reveal she wasn’t wearing anything under it. She’d barely made it into the dining room before they had her bent over one of the thick padded chairs. Her lips curved as she relived what had happened next, and her fingers moved down between her legs.

  Shortly before dinner:

  * * *

  “Did I mention that I love the way you two think?” she moaned, watching as Gabe removed his shirt.

  “Did I mention I’m calling your ass?” Gabe responded, tossing his shirt to the side and reaching for the button on his jeans.

  “I want her mouth,” Kane muttered, unzipping his pants.

  “I always wanted to try it on the dining room table,” Gabe said in a thick voice.

  Kane released a strained chuckle. “I’m just glad you didn’t choose a cheap one,” he replied, moving around to the front of the chair.

  Magna’s lips parted on a gasp when she felt Gabe’s strong fingers reach around and grip the front of the shirt she was wearing. Buttons went flying, revealing her unbound breasts. She cried out when Kane pinched her nipples at the same time Gabe slid his fingers inside her vagina.

  “Hot damn, but she is ready for me,” he groaned, pulling his fingers out and aligning his cock with her moist and ready channel.

  “Slide your mouth around me, Magna. I want to watch Gabe take you from behind while you are eating me,” Kane ordered.

  Magna groaned and her body arched at the memory. A soft sigh escaped her and her eyelids fluttered open. Her face flushed when she realized that Gabe and Kane were standing on each side of the lounge, their eyes glued to her hands.

  “I was thinking about earlier,” she admitted, giving them both a weak smile.

  “Why didn’t you tell us?” Kane demanded, his throat moving up and down when she pulled her hand away from her clit.

  Her cheeks flushed a rosy red when Gabe released a soft growl as she closed her legs. Sitting up, she pulled her shirt down over her hips, and gripped his hands when he held them out. She gasped when he pulled her into his arms.

  “I didn’t want to interrupt what you were watching,” she confessed.

  “Yeah, well, next time, interrupt us. I’d much rather watch you come than see some sweaty guys kick around a ball,” Gabe informed her.

  She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Well then, I’ll have to make sure I come in next time and see if you are interested in watching me instead,” she teased, playing with the hair at his nape.

  “I think it is time to do a little watching,” Kane said with a grin.

  “I think we are into some major Overtime,” Gabe retorted.

  “Overtime? What is overtime?” Magna asked.

  She wasn’t sure she wanted to know after the two men looked at each other and grinned. Two hours later, she couldn’t even think anymore. She had been so thoroughly loved that she didn’t even notice falling asleep.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Several days later, Gabe stood at the counter of the local hardware store. He needed a few items for the house and his boat.

  Gabe listened half-heartedly to the gossip Fred Albert was sharing. Fred had owned Fred’s Hardware, Marine, and the Five and Dime for the last twenty-five years. His wife Mildred had once told Gabe that when Fred died, she was going to have him stuffed and put in the window. Personally, Gabe wasn’t sure the woman had been joking.

  “I heard the Coast Guard found Ross’s boat today anchored offshore,” Fred said as he rang up the items. “They think he must have gotten tangled up in one of his nets and fallen overboard.”

  “Why do they think that?” Gabe asked, glancing at the front of the store where Magna was looking at some garden statues.

  The man shrugged as he bagged the items he had just rung up. “One of the nets was missing,” he said. “Shame. Ross’s mom died just a few weeks or so ago and he had her place up for sale. I heard he was going to sell everything and move to Hawaii.”

  “Yeah, a shame,” Gabe nodded distractedly.

  “I need to get the other bolts you ordered,” Fred added. “They’re in the back.”

  “No problem, I’m in no hurry,” Gabe commented, glancing over his shoulder when the door opened and a woman in her mid-thirties came in. “I forgot I needed some rope for a bow line as well. Mine is getting a little frayed.”

  Magna glanced up when the door opened. She had been admiring a small statue of a mermaid that would look cute on the back deck when a woman carrying a bundle of papers came in. The woman took down a picture in the front window and replaced it with another one. Curious, Magna walked over to see the picture on the front of the papers.

  A soft gasp escaped her when she recognized the intense eyes of the male who had shot her. The woman, hearing her swift intake of breath, turned to look at her. Magna stumbled backwards when the woman took several steps closer.

  “Do you know him?” the woman demanded. “Do you know where he is? Have you seen him?”

  Magna forced her eyes away from the paper in the woman’s hand and up to her face. The woman’s dark blue eyes refused to allow her to look away. Unable to stop the automatic response, she nodded.

  “Where? Where did you see him?” the woman pleaded. “When? Please. I need to find him. He is the only family I have left. Please.”

  Magna searched for Gabe’s huge form. The desperation in the woman’s eyes was too much for her to ignore. That same look haunted her dreams at night. Eyes of the men, women, and children she had turned to stone. The eyes of a parent pleading for their child. Her mother and father’s eyes as she turned them to stone.

  Licking her lips, she nodded toward the door. The woman sucked in a breath and nodded in reply, then hurried to the door and opened it. Magna followed her out, making sure the door closed behind them. She looked up and down the sidewalk to make sure that they were alone. Still afraid, she walked a short distance away until she reached a narrow alley between the buildings, far enough away from the door to the store that they would not be disturbed.

  “Who is he to you?” she asked the woman.

  The woman gripped the papers tightly against her chest. “Mike is my baby brother,” the woman replied in an earnest voice. “We… He’s all I’ve got. If you know anything, I would appreciate your help.”

  Magna could see the grief in the other woman’s eyes. “What is your name?” she quietly asked.

  “Ruth Hallbrook,” Ruth immediately replied. Magna watched Ruth turn over one of the papers and look at the picture of her brother. “No one knows what happened to him. He left me a message, but it didn’t make any sense. He said he had met someone and that I would probably never see him again. That isn’t like Mike. We promised each other after our folks died…. I can’t… I can’t think of him being lost or gone forever. I need to bring him home.”

  “What if he doesn’t want to come home?” Magna asked in a quiet voice.

  Ruth drew in a deep breath, staring at Magna. “Why wouldn’t he…? You know where he is, don’t you?” she asked harshly, her eyes widening in disbelief and anger.

  Magna lowered her gaze. “Yes,” she responded, looking up when Gabe came out of the hardware sto
re. She could see the slightly wild expression in his eyes. The emotion was almost identical to the look in Ruth Hallbrook’s eyes. “Gabe.”

  His head immediately turned toward where she and Ruth were standing, and as he walked over to the alley, he looked into her troubled eyes before his gaze moved to the papers in Ruth’s hand. She grimaced when he released a muttered curse before he nodded in understanding.

  “How about we get a cup of coffee?” he finally said with a sigh.

  Ruth looked back and forth between them before she nodded. “Where?” she asked, lifting her chin in determination.

  “My place,” he replied in frustration. “You can follow us. Kane should be home by the time we get there.”

  “How do I know…?” Ruth started to say, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

  Magna turned and touched Ruth’s arm. She gave her a reassuring smile. Helping Ruth would also help herself. Releasing as many demons as she had would take time, but deep down she hoped that someday she could set them all free.

  “It will be alright,” Magna promised. “I… owe your brother a great debt.”

  She could feel Ruth’s skeptical eyes on her and Gabe before she gave them both a brief, sharp nod. They walked toward Gabe’s truck. Ruth had parked next to them.

  Magna climbed in the truck when Gabe opened the door for her. She watched him hurry around to the driver’s side. He opened the door and climbed in, then stashed the shopping bags behind their seats.

  “I hope you know what you are doing,” he said, inserting the key and turning the ignition.

  Magna looked at him with a haunted expression. “How did you feel when you thought I was gone?” she countered, waiting for him to answer. She continued when he didn’t say anything. “Mike Hallbrook is the only family she has left.”

  Gabe looked at her, then at the car waiting for them to pull out. He reached over and squeezed her hands. She smiled when he shook his head in resignation.