Mystic Realms: A Limited Edition Collection

by Nicole Morgan

As he turned away with a grumble, she reached out with her power once more.

  Thank you.

  Chapter Five

  The ocean’s pain woke her. She gasped. It like it was a physical blow to her stomach. She rolled over with a whimper, breathing through the pain until she had it under control. She’d only ever felt something like this before in areas of high pollution and never anything as intense.

  Something was very wrong. She rose with a groan. Seven days of Nicolas’s training and she felt like an old woman. If it could move, it ached. But did he take into account her sore, tired body? Nope, he seemed to push her just a bit more every day. He’d come back that second day with an exercise routine. Running, push-ups, burpees, and sit-ups were now a part of her daily routine.

  It was torture. Pure and simple. She was pretty certain he was a sadist. He had to be. There was no other reason for him to make her life a living hell.

  You could quit.

  And give him the satisfaction?

  Besides, she had the feeling he wouldn’t let her. If she was even a few minutes late, he would turn up and pound on her door until she got up. She’d never seen the sunrise so many times in her life as she had this last week.

  But despite the fact that he was a sadistic drill sergeant who she fantasized about murdering at least five times a day, he was turning out to be all right company the rest of the time. In the evenings after dinner, he’d turn up to sit beside her on the deck. At first, it pissed her off. It was her private space. She could leave, of course. But she refused to be driven away from her thinking spot. And after a few days, she’d realized that he wasn’t pissing her off like she thought he would. They’d sit in peace and quiet, sometimes talking but mainly there was silence. And it wasn’t awkward. He didn’t think he had to fill the quiet with words.

  She might almost be coming to like him. Almost.

  The blast of a siren made her jump. Shit! She needed to get up on deck. As she was doing up the buttons on her shirt, something hit the ship, and it rocked, sending her flying to the other side of the room.

  Oh shit. That couldn’t be good.

  She left her quarters and raced up the stairs. When she rushed out onto the main deck, people bustled around her, yelling. She sprinted up to the upper deck where she knew Seb would be and she could hopefully get a better view of what the hell was going on. There was only a light breeze, the conditions were calm, so what the hell was rocking the ship?

  “What is it? What’s going on?” she asked Seb. Cristos leaned over the edge, peering down at the water below them.

  “Here it comes again!” Cristos yelled.

  “Brace yourselves!” Seb yelled, his face tense and pale. Whatever was going on, he was having to expend power to protect the Mazu.

  She jumped over towards Cristos, needing to see for herself what was going on. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw a long, dark shadow sliding through the calm waters below. It was headed straight towards them. It collided with a bang. She clung to the railing as the Mazu tipped once more, groaning. Whatever that thing was, it was strong. But why had it had decided to attack them?

  “What is it?” she yelled again, looking back at Seb.

  The Mazu sped up, and she knew he was feeding it power as the wind certainly hadn’t picked up any. A number of the crew were positioning themselves by the railing on the lower deck, large spears held in their hands. Somehow, she thought that wasn’t going to be much help. Whatever this thing was, it was huge. And determined.

  “What is going on?”

  She looked over as Nicolas appeared on the upper deck.

  “Get below,” Seb snarled at him. “It’s not safe up here. You too.” He looked at her.

  Nicolas just gave him an incredulous look while she ignored him.

  “What is it?” Nicolas asked, moving beside her as Cristos rushed over to the other side.

  “Looks like some sort of sea monster,” she replied. “It’s maybe fifteen feet long and four or five feet wide.”

  “Why the hell is it attacking us?”

  “Food?” she replied.

  “There’s easier prey out there than us.”

  “Incoming,” Cristos screamed.

  She raced to the other side, Nicolas beside her. As she leaned over, she felt him grab the edge of her pants.

  “Careful,” he warned. “You don’t want to fall in.”

  The thing attacked again, sending her flying into him. Cristos lost his footing and ended up clinging to the rail just to keep from landing on his ass. She found herself plastered against Nicolas, who somehow managed to keep him footing. He wrapped one arm around her, holding her tight. And now really wasn’t the time, it really wasn’t, but she felt her body stir as she came into close contact with him.

  What the hell was it about him that made her legs melt and her heart race as though she’d run a marathon? Or spent the morning doing one of his demanding training sessions.

  A scream pierced her haze of arousal, and breaking Nicolas’ hold, she turned back to the railing, watching in horror as Pete bobbed around in the water.

  “Man overboard!” Cristos yelled.

  “Seb!” she called back frantically, knowing Pete didn’t stand a chance in the water with that thing. Seb stared at her, looking so pale and drawn she knew he didn’t have much left in him until he collapsed.

  “Go,” he told her.

  “Atlas, come,” she screamed as she climbed the railing.

  “Wait, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Nicolas grabbed for her, curling his hand in her shirt.

  “Let go.”

  “You’re not going in there.”

  “I have to. Seb!”

  The other man turned to Nicolas. “Let her go, now!”

  “I’m not going to let her just jump into the ocean with that thing in there, she’ll die.”

  “No, I won’t. But Pete definitely will,” she said desperately. “Nicolas, please, trust me.”

  He stared at her, and she didn’t think he would let her go. Not that she blamed him, he had no idea what she could do, who she really was.

  He looked out at the ocean then back at her. “Someone else can do it.”

  “No, Nicolas, they really can’t.” She was kind of surprised he wasn’t offering to go himself. “Please, Nicolas. Trust me. Pete needs me, or he’ll die. There are things you don’t know about me but I can do this. I promise I’ll be safe.”

  He let her go. “Nothing better happen to you.”

  “It won’t.” A surge of happiness filled her that he was so concerned.

  She jumped off the railing, straightening out, so she dove cleanly into the ocean. At once, the water welcomed her. It was like coming home to an old friend. She let the ocean just surround her for a moment, comfort her. But she couldn’t take her time. She had to get to Pete. She burst up to the surface, spotting him about a hundred feet away, his arms flying around wildly. He wasn’t the best swimmer, but she figured his panic was making things worse.

  She dove under again and called the currents to push her along, wanting to get to him quickly. She rose just beside him, wrapping an arm around his chest. He turned with a yell, attempting to dislodge her. She found herself dunked under the water. She needed to cut through his panic. She let him go and swam under to appear in front of him.

  “Pete! It’s me, Kaley!” she yelled at him.

  “Kaley.” He stopped floundering, and instead tread water. “I thought that you were that damn monster.”

  She didn’t point out that if she was the monster, he’d probably have died a horrific death by now.

  “You gonna get me out of here?” He looked frantically below him, searching for the creature.

  “Well, I’m not here to get my hair done,” she told him. She checked herself as he gaped at her in fear.

  “Now, isn’t the time for jokes, girly.”

  “Sorry. Come on. Let’s get out of here.” The truth was, the ocean might feel like home to h
er, but even she felt nervous in here with that creature roaming around. She could feel how upset the ocean was with this intruder. It wasn’t welcome here, and it had scared away the ocean’s other living creatures.

  A warning filled her mind. Shit!

  She grabbed Pete and kicked her feet, guiding them towards the ship. But they weren’t moving fast enough. She could feel the creature getting closer.

  “Hold on!” she screamed, wrapping her arms around Pete as they shot into the air on a geyser of water. She looked down with a cry as she spotted the creature’s face below them. It followed them up, snapping its teeth just inches from their feet. Panic filled her, how long was it? Then suddenly its snake-like body smashed back into the ocean. Half a dozen spears followed its path, failing to pierce the thick scales that covered its body.

  She smashed onto the lower deck, her body screaming with pain, the air rushing from her lungs. She just lay there in a pool of water, trying to catch her breath. Beside her, Pete spluttered and groaned. “You gotta work on your landings.”

  “So much,” breath, “for,” another breath, “gratitude.”

  God, she was going to be black and blue tomorrow, and this was on top of the punishment she’d been taking from Nicolas this week.

  “Kaley! Kaley!” Nicolas’ face suddenly appeared above her. He knelt and ran his hands over her.

  She groaned with pain.

  “What is it? Where are you hurt? Did he get you?” His touch turned more frantic.

  “I’m not hurt.”

  “What? What do you mean, you’re not hurt? I can see you’re in pain.”

  “If you’d stop touching me…” fuck, it even hurt to speak “…it wouldn’t hurt so much.”

  He immediately pulled his hands back. “It didn’t get you.”

  “No. I’m just sore from the landing.” She really wanted to lie still for the next hour or so. Unfortunately, there was too much to do. She slowly sat, biting back her whimper.

  “You need to lie still. What if you’ve broken something?” he urged.

  “Nothing’s broken.”

  “You’d have felt it anyway, way you were running your hands over her,” Pete told him as Shorty and Jono helped him up. “How come no one’s so worried about me?”

  “’Cause you’re old,” Shorty told him. “And ugly.”

  “And you smell,” Jono added.

  Pete smiled. “Ah, it’s good to be loved.”

  “I’m fine, Nicolas. Like Pete said, I just have to work on those landings.”

  He gave her a sharp look but didn’t say anything as he held out his hand to her. She took hold, letting him pull her up. She could see the questions in his eyes, but she didn’t have time to answer him right now.

  And the longer she could put off having to tell him the truth about her the better.

  “I need to see Seb.”

  He stepped back and followed her as she moved as quickly as she could to the stairs. God, she hurt. A few of the men called out to her in thanks. She nodded. There was no time to stop, and they knew that. That thing wasn’t going to give up. Not until it had feasted.

  She reached the upper deck, and Seb turned, running his gaze over her. “You good?”

  “Fine. But we’re not going to be unless we get rid of that thing.”

  “Wow, tell us something we don’t know,” Cristos replied sarcastically.

  Nicolas growled behind her. It was a menacing noise that made Cristos freeze, staring at the man behind her in clear fear. “Don’t speak to her that way.”

  Cristos visibly swallowed then turned away.

  “Keep watch, Cristos,” Seb told him before turning to me. “What is it?”

  “I don’t know. It’s not natural. It’s something that’s been introduced, and it’s not welcomed by the ocean. She wants it gone.”

  And she wanted Kaley to get rid of it. Kaley licked her lips nervously. She couldn’t speak to the ocean, not exactly. But she got feelings from it, emotions. She could feel when it was happy or scared or in pain. And right now, both of those last things applied. “It’s eaten or frightened away all other ocean life.”

  “You think someone placed it here? How?” Nicolas asked.

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. All I know is that it’s not going to stop. And unless the wind picks up, I don’t think you can outrun it, Seb.”

  He swayed a little before righting himself. “So what’s your solution?”

  “I kill it.”

  Shock filled Nicolas, quickly followed by swift denial. “No!”

  He didn’t know what the hell was going on. He didn’t know why the normally overprotective Seb had let his sister dive into the ocean while they were being attacked by some sort of sea monster and he definitely didn’t know how the ocean had seemingly thrown her back onto the ship on a wave of water.

  But he did know this. She was not getting back in the water. He’d fight the damn monster himself before he allowed that. Not an easy task when he’d sink as soon as he entered the water.

  She glanced over at him impatiently. “You don’t get a say in this.”

  “Like hell, I don’t. You’re not going back in there. It will kill you. I won’t allow it.

  “You don’t get to allow or not allow,” she shot back.

  “Incoming,” Cristos screamed.

  Nicolas threw himself over her as the ship rocked again and she fell to the deck with him plastered on top of her. It was probably an unnecessary move, but he figured if he was pinning her down, she couldn’t jump off the side of the ship again. Hmm, maybe he should keep her under him all the time. It was one way of keeping her safe. She wriggled beneath him, and he pulled back slightly but kept his hips pressed against hers. Despite the very real danger they were in, his body stirred from being so close.

  This is not the time.

  “Get off me.” She pushed at him, but couldn’t dislodge him. He was strong, and he was determined. She was not going to endanger herself.

  “Not until you promise you won’t do anything stupid.”

  “I won’t do anything stupid.”

  His gaze narrowed. That was too easy. Maybe he needed to be more specific. “I want your promise not to dive back into the ocean to fight that thing.”

  She sighed. “I have to.”

  “You go in there, and it will kill you.”

  “If I don’t try, we’re all dead.”

  “Get off her, Nicolas,” Seb ordered.

  He snarled at the other man over his shoulder. Mine. Fuck. He shook his head, taking a deep breath. He needed to control himself better than this.

  “Nicolas? You okay?” she asked.

  He stared down into her gorgeous brown eyes.

  “I cannot lose you,” he whispered.

  She frowned slightly. He rose, knowing he couldn’t lie on her all day. Although it was a strong temptation.

  “She’s not doing it,” he told Seb flatly.

  “She’s the only one with a chance of killing it,” Seb replied, shocking him.

  “Look at her! She’s tiny. She has no chance of killing that thing! What is wrong with you? She’s your sister, you’re supposed to protect her.”

  “You think I don’t know that? You think I wouldn’t rather get in the water and fight this thing? But I can’t. She’s the only one with a chance.”

  “No.” He crossed his arms over his chest, his word final. He didn’t give a fuck what any of them said. He’d pick her up and fly away with her before he allowed her back in the water.

  “Look, I guess it’s nice that you’re worried about me, although a little odd that you think you get a say in what I do. Not that it surprises me, you’ve always tried to boss me around. But you don’t get a say. I don’t answer to you.”

  “You will,” he replied ominously.

  What was he talking about? She stared worriedly over the edge of the ship. That thing would be back soon, and Seb was looking weaker by the minute. She didn’t have time to stand here an
d argue with Nicolas.

  “You’re paying us to deliver you to Costa Rica, that doesn’t mean you own us. And you can’t tell us what to do.”

  “I don’t give a shit what anyone else does. If they want to throw themselves overboard as a human sacrifice, then that’s on them.” He pointed at her. “But you are doing no such thing.”

  She threw her arms into the air. “Why am I even wasting time arguing with you? Seb?”

  Seb nodded. “Go. Be safe.”

  “No.” Nicolas grabbed her arm. “No.”

  “Seb!”

  “Let her go, Nicolas or I’ll have my men tie you up and lock you in your berth.”

  “You can try,” Nicolas growled ominously. “She is mine. And no one harms her.”

  His? What the fuck?

  She saw the incredulous look on Cristo’s face, but Seb just looked pained.

  “She’s not yours yet,” Seb said.

  “It’s coming back!” Cristos screamed.

  “Seb can’t keep us safe much longer,” she told Nicolas urgently. “I can do this. The ocean will protect me. It will help me. Nicolas, let me go!”

  “No!”

  “Atlas!” she screamed. “Attack!”

  She felt awful since he was only trying to protect her, but she couldn’t waste any more time arguing. As Atlas sprang at Nicolas, digging his teeth into his arm, he loosened his hold. She quickly took advantage and jumped off the edge. His scream of outrage filled her ears before she entered the water, diving down.

  Atlas dove in beside her, quickly morphing into his dolphin form. She grabbed hold of his fin, holding on as he swam towards the huge sea creature, which was a few feet away from the ship.

  Atlas sped by it, and it turned, striking out with those sharp teeth. Holy shit! Atlas sped away then rose, letting her take a gulp of air. She could stay under the water for longer than a normal person, but she still needed air eventually. So did Atlas. She ran her hand over his rubbery skin.

  “Good boy.”

  She watched as the ship rocked again, taking another blow. Shit. She’d hoped it would follow them, but it seemed to be fixated on the Mazu. So maybe she needed to take the ship out of the equation. Even though she hated the idea of being out here alone, at least she would know Seb and the others were safe.