by P. Jameson
“What did she do?”
“Cursed them of course. Became the witch they thought she was. She tricked them into building a boat, promising to bless it and in return, them. They rowed to the middle of the lake, eyes greedy for whatever blessing she would bestow on them. But instead, she used her power and cursed them to an eternity at the bottom of Lake Sapphire… as Mer.”
“Mer?” Doe held her breath, waiting for the rest.
“Oh, there are lots of names for them. Mermaid, mermen, merpeople. Half human, half fish. Lots of us just call them Mer for short. But legend has it, they live in the lake. After they were cursed, their gods looked down on them in pity and sent the serpent to guard over them until they could find a way to break the witch’s curse.”
Merman. It was crazy, but the legend explained why she’d seen Mansen with a tail. She must have known about the lore before she ended up in Sapphire Lake, and her subconscious was holding on to the detail.
Doe let out a breath of relief. Nice to know she wasn’t losing her mind. Not completely.
But something niggled at her.
The memory she’d experienced when she touched Mansen’s scales. Him on a ship. Dressed in ancient garb, carrying an ancient shield while a colorful storm raged around him. It sounded like what Miggs described.
Doe brushed it aside.
“But you haven’t heard the best part,” Wilma warned.
“Oh?”
“What’s the best part of any story, eh?”
“I don’t know… the end?”
Wilma waved her off. “Oh, you won’t hear the end of this one. There is no end. Not yet.”
“Oh.”
“The love story, of course. That’s the best part.” Wilma wiggled her fingers at Miggs to continue.
“Tamsin wanted the men to learn how to love something more than any treasure. So she made it where they would be able to leave the lake and return to human form for three days every moon-cycle. If they found the one that their heart could love, the curse would be broken and they would be allowed to remain on land with their mate.”
“So there was hope,” Doe murmured.
“There’s always hope,” Wilma gushed.
Doe didn’t agree, but it was a nice thought.
“If you stick around Aurora Falls for very long,” Miggs continued, “You’ll notice how busy it gets around the full moon. The naturalists will tell you it’s because of the moon’s energy reacting with the crystals to bring a thriving tourist community to the town. But others will claim it’s the Mer waking and coming to land to search for their mates before the moon calls them back to the water.”
“Yesterday was a full moon.”
Miggs grinned. “It was.”
Three days. Doe couldn’t help counting backward to see how many had gone by since meeting Mansen.
The scale tattoo.
The tail she saw when she was dying.
The way he talked about finding her… the gods gave you to me.
The way he promised to care for her… like she was his. His mate? Is that what he thought? Did he believe in the town legends.
Did she?
Doe shook her head. She needed to focus. It didn’t matter if the Mer were real or not, if Mansen wanted her or not. None of it mattered if she couldn’t escape the thing she was running from.
Protection.
It was something she’d spent a lot of time seeking. Maybe that’s why she went to the lake. Maybe she’d been so desperate she was willing to believe in a mythical creature that could help her.
God. Was that who she really was?
“You said the serpent protects the Mer.”
Miggs nodded. “He keeps humans from finding and destroying the Mer and the treasure buried in the lake.”
“But the lake is mined for gems, you said.”
“Yes. The Hunk-a-month Club takes care of that.”
The men who come around once a month. Men like Mansen.
“It’s why they’re only in town for a few days. They’re off working the rest of the time,” Wilma added.
Doe narrowed her gaze. “Are they?” she asked, only half-joking. “Or are they stuck in the lake for other reasons? Reason like, say… a curse.”
Wilma lifted her eyebrows in surprise. “Ha!” She turned her gaze to Miggs. “This one belongs here, you know. With theories like that, she was meant for this town.”
Miggs nodded her agreement and the sky cracked with a bolt of lightning that had them all jumping. Seconds later, rain showered down on the store in heavy sheets.
“Aw, now,” Miggs groused. “Will you look at that? The lake doesn’t need anymore water. This storm is bound to raise the banks by a foot or more.”
Wilma tsked, staring out the window as the wind whipped the trees in warning.
“At least it looks like it will pass soon. I always feel sorry for the tourists who brought shorts thinking July was a warm month ‘round these parts.”
“If the silly things would check the website before they come they’d know to bring a wool coat and a rain coat.”
“And several layers of flannel and thick-soled boots. Might as well not shave either.”
“Not your beard or your legs. What’s it matter anyways?” Miggs scoffed. “But no, they come into town with these windbreakers and leggings and expect to stay dry and toasty.”
“Don’t forget the leather gloves. The thin ones that won’t do a thing to keep your hands warm in this weather.”
“Like the stranger we saw earlier.”
Wilma laughed, shaking her head. “Wasn’t he a piece of work. All thin jeans and leather jacket.”
Doe went still inside. “What stranger?”
“A new face in town,” Wilma said. “Not a tourist. I can spot them a mile away through a thick fog. No, this guy is here for other reasons. Looking for something, if you ask me.”
Doe’s mouth went dry as fear wrapped ugly claws around her throat. No.
“It’s odd, isn’t it?” Miggs rambled. “Two new mysterious people in our little town in the last few days. So exciting. So much to untangle.”
“I wonder if the two are connected somehow, hm.”
They must have noticed Doe’s terror because Wilma, put a hand on her arm and squeezed. “Doe? You okay, hun?”
“What does he look like,” Doe managed, “this stranger?”
“Long hair, like Fabio—you know him, right? From the romance novels—but darker. Eyes that don’t have any sparkle to ‘em. Tall, strong. Wearing all black and no smile. Rena, she’s into crystal healing and all that natural care, she said she got bad vibes from him. Whatever that means.”
Doe lost her breath. Felt like she’d pass out. She bent in half, pushing her head between her knees and sucking in air to keep steady. “It’s him,” she choked. “He’s here.”
Run, run, run.
She had to go. Now. Right now.
There was no time to say goodbye to Mansen. There was no time for anything. She had to make her head stop spinning and move one foot in front of the other until she was out of the shop, out of the town, out of the country… whatever it took. She had to go farther and faster. She had to beat him, be one step ahead.
It was the only way to survive.
“What’s him?” Miggs asked.
“The stranger. It’s him. The man from my nightmares.”
Wilma frowned.
“He’s looking for me. I remember him now. He’s here, in this town for me.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” Miggs asked carefully.
Doe nodded, still not finding enough air to make her head stop twirling. “Very bad. If he finds me… if he finds me I’m dead.”
The two ladies exchanged worried glances.
“I’m sure that’s not true. I mean, you’ve got Mr. Quietandbroody around to keep the bad guys away.”
“No,” Doe argued, her voice growing panicked. “Hunk-a-Month Club, remember? He’ll be leaving soon.”
&nbs
p; Sure, Mansen promised he’d protect her, but it was hard to believe possible when he was only around town a few days a month.
“Now, now.” Wilma crooned, patting Doe’s back. “We’ll talk to Sheriff Holmes and get this settled. Things will be fine. You’ll see.”
“No, no…” Doe shook her head, tears already rolling down her cheeks. Nothing was fine. Nothing was ever fine. But the last two days without her memory had been really close to it.
She would miss having the chance at a new beginning. That’s what it felt like being Doe. Being with Mansen. She’d been free for such a short while. But now, it was time to be strong and do what needed doing.
It was time for her to leave Aurora Falls, like she’d left every other place in her log. Her heart broke with the idea that she wouldn’t see Mansen again, not even to say goodbye. He’d been ready to fight for her. She had felt it in his tender kiss and the way he’d held her through her shaking last night.
He’d saved her, stayed with her, promised her safety…
But now, all she could do was run.
Doe sniffed back her tears and straightened her shoulders. She looked past Miggs to the straw hat with a mermaid embroidered into the brim. “I need that hat, please. And…” Doe snatched a scarf from a nearby rack and a pair of huge sunglasses that would cover most of her face. “And these. I’ll send money when I get settled,” she said as Miggs passed the hat over.
“No worries. It’s on the house.”
“Wait, where are you going?” Wilma asked as Doe quickly began braiding her hair.
“I have to go. Gotta get far away from here before he finds me.”
“But what about your man? Your memory? You need to rest. What about Sheriff Holmes, he’s opened up a full investigation. You can’t just leave, honey…”
Wilma was still arguing as Doe tucked her braid under the hat, donned the sunglasses and scarf, and pushed out of the store into the blistering rain.
She didn’t stop to wonder where she’d go. Done this too many times before. Instinct guided her down back alleys until she followed a trail that wound toward the edge of the lake. She planned to reach the main highway, and then hitchhike to the next town. There, she’d regroup.
But she didn’t make it past the edge of the lake before someone dressed in black appeared in front of her in the rain. Doe turned to run, but the man snatched her from behind and dragged her into the trees before she could even get a scream out.
It was over. She was dead.
And for the second time in three days, she left her body and soared to the sky to watch.
This time, she remembered everything.
Chapter 10
Mansen found Jase in the most unlikely of places. The Sheriff’s Office. With the most unlikely of persons. Huran. They were standing outside the small building, in deep conversation with Sheriff Holmes. The three of them spoke in low tones and didn’t even hear Mansen approach.
“The hell is this?”
“Oh, hey,” Jase drawled, not even looking guilty. “There he is. The asshole of the hour.”
Mansen narrowed his gaze at the human. “Why are you here? And what’s your problem?
“Remember when you left me at the Wench with that blond beauty last month?”
Vada. Would he ever hear the end of this?
“You still mad about that?”
“Mad?” Jase laughed, glancing at Huran. “Mad, he asks. No, asshole. I ain’t mad. But say, did you happen to know she has a sexy little tattoo on the small of her back?”
Mansen stiffened, a sense of foreboding flooding him. “No. Wasn’t aware of it.” That part was truth. He didn’t know what Vada’s mark looked like. Only one person would.
Shit.
Jase nodded, tossing out a shit-eating grin. “Yep. A fancy, girly thing with rainbow colors that shimmer in the light. Sound familiar?”
“Nope,” Mansen lied.
“Scales, you bastard.” Jase’s expression turned more serious than Mansen had ever seen it. “She has scales. Just like you. Just like Huran. Just like a swath of other people in this town.”
Thunder boomed from the sky as a dark storm approached. The lake would fill tonight. Just in time for his return.
Mansen ran a hand down his face. “Okay, look—”
“No, you look. I touched that thing… that fucking beautiful thing…” Jase’s eyes glazed over before he snapped back to the present. “And do you know what I saw when I did?”
“I have a few guesses.”
Again, Jase addressed Huran, and Sheriff Holmes kept suspiciously quiet. “Oh, now he wants to be helpful.” Huran shrugged and Jase turned back to Mansen. “I saw my woman dressed like fucking Xena, chopping off men’s heads with a sword. Just… blood everywhere, heads rolling. That’s what I saw. And sexy as the Xena thing is, I have to admit…” Jase pressed a palm to his own chest, cocked his head, and gave Mansen a look as serious as death. “… she scared the living hell outta me.”
Huran snickered and Sheriff Holmes cleared his throat. Mansen didn’t dare a response.
Jase glared at Huran. “Don’t you laugh, asshole. Have you seen my woman? She will cut a bitch.”
Huran laughed him off. “She ain’t yours yet.”
Jase narrowed his gaze. “Only because I can’t find her.”
Mansen frowned. “She didn’t come out of the water?”
Huran shrugged. “No one knows. I’m looking into it now.”
“You’re going to help me find her,” Jase demanded, pointing a finger at Mansen’s chest. “You owe me.”
“Owe you for what?”
“Getting me into this situation.”
“Owe you? Don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy every bit of what she’s put you through.”
Jase pressed his lips together. Huran snickered again.
“You don’t know me. Maybe I wanted a nice, sweet woman for my future. Like a librarian. Huh? Ever think of that.”
Mansen raised an eyebrow, and Jase gave up the argument.
“Yeah, okay. You’re right. Vada’s got me shook. But you still owe me.”
Mansen scoffed. “How do you figure?”
“For the clothes I brought to the clinic. Your ass would be walking the streets naked without that.”
“I would’ve called Huran.”
“I wouldn’t have answered,” Huran cut in, and Mansen shot him an annoyed look.
“I don’t owe you shit,” he said to Jase. “But I might soon, because I need your help.” He glanced at Huran and Sheriff Holmes. “All of you.” They were the three on land he trusted most. Now he hoped they would do what he couldn’t when he returned to the water.
The idea of leaving Doe for the water-cycle turned him inside out. A war raged behind his sternum. Stay, stay, stay. But he couldn’t. When the moon drew him back to the water, he had to go. There was no living on land for his kind until they were mated. Over the years many had tried and died for their effort.
Jase crossed his arms. “Let’s hear it.”
“My female is in danger. She’s running from someone she can’t remember.”
Huran shrugged. “You could kill him.”
Sheriff Holmes’ thick eyebrows lifted his forehead. “Hello. Sheriff here. You can’t talk about killing people like it’s normal.”
Huran regarded him with a blasé set to his lips. “It was normal once.”
“Yeah, well. That was before my time, son.” Sheriff Holmes calling Huran son was funny since both he and Mansen were centuries older than the man.
“I can’t kill him anyways,” Mansen interjected. “Not yet, at least. Doe doesn’t remember who he is. But she’s afraid he’s coming for her.”
Jase frowned. “You believe her?”
“I won’t take any chances. Not with her. She’s mine.”
Huran straightened, realizing the seriousness of the matter. Jase didn’t understand fully, but he would soon. If Vada was his mate, as it seemed, his heart was about to take on
e whirlwind of a ride.
“I was afraid of this,” Sheriff Holmes muttered. “Seen it time and time again. You boys get crazy when you fall in love.”
Huran tossed him a haughty glance. “It’s not our fault. Sometimes a woman just makes you lose your damn mind.” Jase nodded his agreement. “Besides, the females keep us steady. Otherwise you’d have a bunch of rutting males wreaking havoc on this town and its tourists. You should say thank-you, really.”
Sheriff Holmes rolled his eyes, and Mansen noticed the dark clouds of a storm rolling in. There was always a storm before the moon called them back. It was as if Tamsin was pouting, gearing up for a tantrum until they were back in the lake where she wanted them.
“The moon will call me back to the water soon, and I won’t be here to keep my elska safe.” Saying it out loud made Mansen cringe. A man should be always vigilant with what was his. Because of his curse, he had no choice. “You three will keep my mate safe. Understand me?”
Jase smirked. “I think what you meant was ‘will you three keep my mate safe?’ with a ‘pretty please’ at the end.”
Mansen narrowed his eyes at the human. “No. What I meant was ‘if you don’t keep my mate safe while I’m gone, I will have your heads,’ with a ‘got it?’ at the end.”
Jase’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh. Oh, I see. You weren’t asking, you were telling.”
“Right.”
Sheriff Holmes opened his mouth to say something but was stopped by the sound of his cell phone ringing. He stepped away, lifting the phone to his ear.
“What do you want us to do?” Huran asked, meeting Mansen’s serious gaze.
“Whatever it takes. See that she’s safe.”
Jase turned serious too. “Okay, I get it. I’m in. I’ll help. But I want something from you too.”
Mansen regarded the human. Jase tried to hide his emotions behind casual humor and snark, but the look in his eyes was all panic and worry. His mate was missing.
“Name it.”
Jase looked to Huran and back to Mansen. “Help me find Vada.”
Mansen stared the human up and down. He was sturdy, strong. With a laid-back personality that meant the vibrant shieldmaiden wouldn’t offend him. He was a good male for Vada.
