by Bianca D'Arc
Besides Grace and Jetty, Sirena recognized Jetty’s mate, Drew, and his parents, Grace’s mate, Jack, the Alpha bear, John, and his mate, Ursula, as well as her sister, Mellie. There were a few others she didn’t recognize, but she soon realized that the bears weren’t in charge of this particular meeting. No, this was all up to Mrs. Legine, the priestess. She sat at the focal point of the room, and all eyes turned toward her when she began to speak.
“Thank you all for coming,” the priestess began, her voice calm, but filled with conviction and power. “I think you know why my husband and I came to town. We thought we were just going to have a nice visit with our son and new daughter-in-law and attend their mating celebration. Instead, I’ve discovered something I cannot ignore. Neither can all of you.”
Mrs. Legine looked down at her hands as her face went pale. She didn’t seem ready to go on speaking, so the Alpha stepped in, his tone measured as he addressed the older woman.
“This has to do with Sirena’s treatment? She looks a lot better than she did just yesterday. I’d say you’d worked another miracle, Mrs. L.”
The priestess looked up at John, and her expression was tight.
“I broke a connection with the leviathan. Although she was injured by one of its servants, the magic that was drained from her was going mostly to feed the leviathan itself. It was still draining her. When I walked into the clinic, I found the doctor and his patient engaged in a screaming contest. Since I don’t think that’s his normal bedside manner, even though he is a polar bear, I surmised that something was influencing him. It wasn’t a stretch to realize the leviathan was making him act that way. It was feeding off the anger through its minion’s connection with Sirena.”
Everybody at the table frowned, sending Sven dark looks. Sirena wanted to reach out to him, but wasn’t sitting close enough to touch him with her hand, so she used words instead.
“It wasn’t his fault,” she tried to defend him.
“The hell it wasn’t,” John growled. “He’s the doctor. He’s supposed to notice things like that.” John’s accusatory tone and condemning gaze zeroed in on Sven. “How did you not see this?”
Sven felt anger build, but tamped it down. Now wasn’t the time to argue with his friends.
“I had Gus check her out,” Sven told them, trying not to sound defensive, “but he couldn’t see whatever it was that was keeping her energy low. He thought she was free of the creature’s taint.” Some of the anger in the room dissipated at his explanation. Thank the Goddess.
“And the sad fact is, the leviathan’s connection was something your shaman couldn’t see,” Mrs. Legine added. Sven watched the expressions around the table change to concern. “It kept draining her energy and prevented her healing.”
“So why couldn’t Gus sense the connection?” John wanted to know. As the former unit leader and Alpha of the group, he had to keep up with his people’s abilities and weaknesses. The fact that Gus had missed something so big was important to understand.
“I discussed this with him as soon as I left the clinic,” Mrs. L told the group. “To me, the evidence suggests he couldn’t see it because he’s male.” John frowned, and the others seemed equally stymied by the news as Drew’s mom continued. “I learned a bit about the creature when I saw the way it was connected to Sirena.” She paused, looking at each face gathered around the table. “I’m sorry to say, the leviathan is female. Which means…it can reproduce.”
“Is that where all the smaller creatures came from?” John asked shrewdly.
“No. Not those. They seem to have come through from some distant realm with their leader, and will go back with it if we can banish it once again. Neither the leviathan, nor its smaller companions, belong in this realm. The thing is—if the creature gives birth here, in our realm, then the offspring will have a permanent connection with our oceans that can never be fully broken. If it gives birth before we can banish it, we’re in even worse trouble than we are now.”
The mer at the table looked almost distraught. It was Sirena who spoke first. “Does Nansee know?”
“I spoke to her privately just before I came here,” Mrs. Legine replied, speaking directly to Sirena. “I thought she needed to know first, since it’s your people who will be in the most danger if the worst happens.”
Sirena nodded respectfully at the priestess, and Sven couldn’t fault Mrs. L’s logic. The mer were screwed if the leviathan unleashed its offspring on the world’s oceans.
“The energy the creature used to keep its hooks in Sirena was female in nature, which is why your male shaman missed it. Not his fault. He just isn’t equipped to visualize something so opposite to his nature,” Drew’s mother said, with a philosophical shrug. “Now that we’re aware of the problem, I think, more than ever, that this new town needs a priestess—or a contingent of them—living here permanently. This town has only been in existence a short time and already you’ve garnered attention from Others, not all of whom are friendly. In fact, I’d say there’s a big ol’ bullseye on Grizzly Cove because of all the powerful magical energy concentrated here in the form of your people. It’s a target, but it’s also your greatest strength,” she went on. “You boys were trained to face all obstacles and overcome any foe. You’re powerful, both as men and as bears, and you’ll need to organize your defenses once again if you want to keep your town free of outside interference. The question is, do you fight for your right to live your lives in peace, on your own terms? Or do you disband and count Grizzly Cove as a failed experiment?”
Sven was surprised she’d even bothered to voice the question. To him, at least, the answer was obvious.
“We fight, of course,” he said, looking around the table for support. Only John was frowning. One by one, everyone noticed.
After a pause, where he looked like he’d swallowed something distasteful, John spoke quietly.
“This is something we need to bring before the full council. Everyone needs to be heard and be allowed to make their own decisions based on the available information.”
Mrs. Legine was nodding. “You’re a good Alpha, John, but you need to move fast. The leviathan needs to be banished regardless, and it needs to happen soon, before it gains enough energy to reproduce.” Drew’s mom stood as if she was preparing to leave them. “In the meantime, I’m going to set some wheels in motion and call in spiritual reinforcements. Better find a place for them to stay, because I’m going to get some of my sister priestesses to come here and help us fight this thing.”
She didn’t wait for an answer, just marched out of the room, her mate with her. Drew’s mom was on a mission, and the town was about to gain some more powerful new residents if Sven was any judge of her ability to make things happen.
Chapter Nine
“Well, I guess that’s it for the meeting,” John said, looking as nonplussed as everyone else in the room. “Not sure what else we can plan for defense until Mrs. L does her thing and we know what we’re working with.”
“What do you say to a barbeque at our place for dinner?” Urse invited everyone with a smile.
Sirena was impressed by the open and friendly manner of all the bear shifters, magic users and mer in the room. The community spirit seemed to be alive and well in Grizzly Cove, even with all the problems they’d been facing lately. She couldn’t wait to be well enough to explore the town and the waters of the cove. She might not be up to hiking in the woods just yet, but she certainly felt well enough to accept the Alpha pair’s generous dinner invitation.
Most of the group also accepted, except for Jetty and Drew, who had promised to spend time with Drew’s parents. Sven was agreeable, and after a quick consultation to be sure she knew she could leave if she was feeling tired or unwell, Sven ushered Sirena out to his car again.
“Is there a liquor store in town?” she asked him as she buckled her seatbelt.
“Why? Are you a closet drinker?”
She looked up at him sharply, only to find he was teasi
ng. His blue eyes danced with merriment, and she couldn’t help but smile in response. He was easy to laugh with, she was discovering, which was something she hadn’t expected of a bear shifter. She’d always thought they’d be really intense at all times, but she’d been wrong.
“No. I just thought it would be nice to bring a bottle of wine or something. I hate to show up for dinner at someone’s house empty handed.”
He seemed to think about it for a moment, then nodded as he started the car. “We don’t have a liquor store as such, but I have a few bottles at my place. You’re right. It’s only polite to bring something. I guess, being bachelors for so long, some of us have forgotten the niceties of polite society, but I wasn’t raised in a cave, and I know Urse would appreciate the gesture.” He pulled out of the gravel parking lot and headed down the street, toward the clinic. “Thanks for reminding me of my manners.”
She hadn’t meant to be a nag or anything, but the unexpected chance to get a glimpse of where Sven lived kept her silent on the subject. Instead, she quietly thanked him. “I can pay you back once they get the bank up and running. Thanks for going out of your way.”
He pulled into the small lot next to the clinic, and only then did she notice the rocky path leading up the side of the hill into the woods. Sven’s house must be up there, though it wasn’t visible from the parking area.
“It’s no trouble, and you don’t owe me anything. I’d invite you up, but it’s a bit of a climb, and you should still be taking it easy. I’ll be right back.” He put action to words and hustled out of the car and jogged up the path, disappearing into the trees.
Night was falling in earnest as the overcast day grayed into the dark of night. The woods were gloomy, but Sven reappeared a few minutes later, carrying two wine bottles. He wasn’t jogging this time, she was glad to see. No sense shaking up the wine, right?
He rejoined her in the car and asked her to hold the bottles while he drove. They were chilled to the perfect temperature, she noticed, enjoying the coolness of the glass against her palms.
“Do you have a wine cooler?” she asked, surprised by the notion. But how else could she explain the perfectly chilled bottles?
“You don’t have to sound so surprised.” He shook his head, but there was a small grin on his lips as he answered he query.
“Sorry. It just…” She collected her thoughts and tried again. “I just didn’t take you for a wine drinker.”
“I developed a taste for it when I was in medical school. Most of the guys are beer drinkers, but a few of us like the finer things in life. When Zak gets his restaurant open, you’ll see. That boy is a genius in the kitchen, and he has an in with the Maxwell Winery through his silent partner. Only the best vintages for our Cajun bear.”
Sirena was impressed. Everyone knew how sought after Maxwell’s wines were by humans and Other alike.
She looked at the labels on the two bottles he had handed her. Sure enough, they were Maxwell vintages. A burgundy and a pinot noir. Sirena looked forward to tasting them both, but they were expensive bottles.
“I’m definitely paying you back for this. These are some fine bottles of wine,” she said, still examining the labels.
“No way, Sirena. You don’t owe me a penny. I want to share these with friends, and I count you among my friends now.” She turned to meet his gaze, but he stopped her protest. “Don’t argue. This makes me happy, and I can always get more wine.”
She couldn’t really argue with that, and the way he’d said they were friends had started a warm glow in her center that made her bubble with joy. She hadn’t felt that in a very long time, if ever, and she didn’t say anything, preferring to bask in that strange, happy feeling while Sven drove them the short distance to John and Ursula’s house, which was set back in the woods.
The house was lovely, what she could see of it. Sven ushered her around to the side of the structure where a large deck attached to a spacious kitchen via a sliding glass door. Everyone was already there, and they greeted Sven and Sirena warmly. Urse came forward and thanked them both for the wine.
Sirena felt a little like a freeloader, taking credit for Sven’s wine, but Urse didn’t give her a chance to object. She took the bottles and handed them off to her husband, making sure Sirena had a good seat at the table from which she could watch and participate in the gathering. Sven sat beside her, rather than going off with his friends, which made her feel better. Of course, Grace was there too, and Urse had thoughtfully seated them side by side, so Sven started a conversation with Jack, Grace’s mate, while Grace and Sirena had a chance to catch up.
It wasn’t too long before delicious aromas started wafting from the large grill off to one side of the deck. John was presiding over the smoking metal monster with the help of a couple of his friends while his mate went around pouring wine or handing out cold beer bottles. It was an impromptu gathering, which was all that much nicer for its spontaneity.
“You’re looking a lot better, Sirena,” Grace said quietly. “I was really worried about you there for a while.”
“I know. I was worried myself,” Sirena admitted. “But Drew’s mother is pretty amazing, and whatever she did, it did the trick. Sven tried so hard. He’s been really great through all of this. He even brought in his shaman friend, Gus, who is more than a little spooky.” The girls shared a chuckle.
“Gus totally has this otherworldly vibe,” Grace agreed. “But he’s nice. On the whole, all the bears I’ve met here have been welcoming. Even the gruff ones, like Georgio.”
“I haven’t met him,” Sirena said, sipping the wine, which was proving to be as excellent as its reputation.
“He doesn’t come into town much. He was badly injured overseas and still has a few physical problems, but he’s a heck of a nice guy when he’s not being a grumbly bear.” Grace sat back, enjoying her wine now that the main course was almost finished. The women were all done, but the men were still eating second or third helpings of the expertly cooked steak, ribs, chicken and fish John had laid out. “Georgio even let me use his therapy pool when I first came here,” Grace reminisced. “You know, you should probably get in the water tomorrow or whenever you feel up to it. A shift will sort you right out. At least it did for me. I swam for a half hour or so at Georgio’s, and I felt like a new woman after. But you don’t have to use a pool. The cove is safe now, thanks to Urse’s magic spell.”
The idea had a lot of merit. “I’ll talk to Sven about it. He’s got to know a spot where I won’t be observed. I think I’m at the stage now where a shift and a swim might be just the thing.”
Sven didn’t really mean to eavesdrop on the mer ladies’ conversation, but the idea of taking a swim with Sirena in her shifted form took hold of his imagination and wouldn’t let go. Shifting often helped heal wounds—when done at the right time, of course. Judging by the way she was looking, Sirena was probably already at the stage where a shift would help her progress instead of hindering it.
And for his part, Sven hadn’t had a moment to himself in days. He hadn’t gone polar, as his friends jokingly called it, in too long. A little dip in the cove in his fur might be just the thing, but they had to be cautious and do it where they wouldn’t be seen by any casual passersby. The road was open to all sorts of traffic now, and there was a chance—however small—that humans could be passing through at any time.
After dessert had been passed around and conversation had settled into low murmurs, Sven turned to Sirena during a lull in her near-constant chatter with her friend. “We can go for a swim later, if you’re feeling up to it.”
She turned to face him. They’d been seated next to each other throughout dinner but hadn’t really had a chance for a private word until now.
“You heard what Grace said?”
Suddenly, he felt defensive. “Whoa. I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I heard her talking about Georgio’s therapy pool, and you both got a little loud at that point. I think everyone on this side of the table heard that par
t of your discussion.”
Sirena shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “I wasn’t accusing you of anything. Our conversation wasn’t intended to be private.” She gave him a gentle smile that made his insides go a little haywire. “I’d like to try for a swim, if you think you know a safe spot.”
“I’ve got the perfect place.”
An hour later, Sven pulled into the driveway of a construction site on a stretch of beach they’d recently set aside for a boathouse. The cove waters were deep enough in this spot to put in a boat ramp, as well as a community building that would serve several purposes.
“What is this place going to be when it’s finished?” Sirena asked, eyeing the half-built structure in the dark. There were work lights around the construction site for safety reasons, and the bare bulbs burned all night, providing dim light here and there throughout the site.
“Up front here will be a gift shop with Grizzly Cove shirts and memorabilia for the tourists. Guide books to the galleries and other offerings too, once we get a few more businesses open. Sort of a visitors’ center for newcomers to get the lay of the land.”
They walked up the steps onto the decking that had been completed. The first floor already had floorboards, if not all the walls, but the project was moving along quickly.
“There’s the boat ramp.” Sven pointed to one side of the deck, where concrete had been poured during low tide to form a hard surface trailers could navigate easily. “And back here is the part your people will like best, I think.”
He led her back around the main part of the building to a set of stairs leading down into the water. Alongside the stairs was a kind of slide—similar to the boat ramp, but made out of something smoother, more slippery, and graded on a more subtle angle.
“What’s this?” she asked, looking at the arrangement with a dubious expression.
