Sea Witch: Children of the Waves (4 page)

Chapter Four

The journey to Ezekiel’s island didn’t
take long, not with Aurora in a rush to get there and moving through the water
at only the speed one of the children of the waves could enjoy.

They had no choice but to keep up with
her. Neither of them would allow any harm to come to the king’s sister.

Sienna had also sent a couple of her dolphins
ahead to alert Ezekiel and his bride they were on their way. A few others swam
around them, making sure no demons from the depths would approach them
unawares.

Breaking through the surface, they could
see Ezekiel’s dock, as well as the house. Zek and his bride were already
standing at the water’s edge waiting to greet them.

They treaded water and waved to the
couple. Sienna touched Aurora’s arm to stop her from swimming forward.

Aaron paused and glanced back at them.

“Now, Aurora,” Sienna urged. “Take half
of the potion now.”

Aurora removed the bottle she’d placed in
her bag as they watched. Making sure she drank half of it.

Sienna did not want her to try taking any
less. “Good. Now, remember take the last dose in one week. If you don’t, your
skin color will try to change back to normal, and you will be in great pain
until you do.”

“I will. Promise.” Aurora raised her arm
to stare at her skin. “How long before it works?”

Sienna smiled. “By the time your feet are
out of the water, you shall have a normal Caucasian-like complexion, perhaps
one exposed to a little sun.”

“Too bad, I can’t have a nice bronze tan
like you, but that’ll have to do.” Aurora turned and waved again, toward her
brother.

“Are you going to come and say hello,
meet Zek’s bride?” Aaron asked.

Sienna shook her head. “No. Not yet,
there is someone I need to find, something I have to do and I will need to
conserve my energies. But tell them I wish them the blessings of the sea.” She
would need to reserve as much of her powers as she could, for she would need
every once.

Aaron nodded. “All right. I’ll go with
her and speak to Zek for a moment, but then I’ll come back.”

“Aren’t you staying?” Aurora asked him.

Aaron merely stared at Sienna as though
waiting for her to speak, the decision was hers. The time had come, and he
sensed it.

“No. He is not, he will help me find what
I need to close the portal,” Sienna stated.

He turned to Aurora. “I’ll accompany
Sienna now, and then return with her to get you in two weeks.”

“Okay.” Aurora hugged Sienna and then
Aaron, whom was like a big brother to her. “Thank you.” Turning away from them,
she swam toward shore.

“I’ll be right back,” Aaron said and went
after Aurora.

Sienna remained in the water with the
dolphins swimming around her, leaping into the air playing. She smiled at their
antics. It might be one of the last times for a while any of them would be able
to enjoy a peaceful moment like this. Death stalked them all, by way of the
creatures of the dark in their world. Watching the people now on the shore
embrace each other, she felt a pang for the things missing in her life. Such as
a family of her own. Tabatha’s path had been set before she was born, and her
sister dearest never had a desire to change it. As Sienna’s own fate had been
set to counter the evil the White Witch would bring. Including the sacrifices
she had to make. But by Poseidon, she could not have done things differently,
Tabatha needed to be stopped. For all their sakes.

She watched as Aaron returned to the sea,
swimming back to her.

Each graceful movement of his arms rising
out of the water demonstrated his power and domination over the sea.

Her heart pounded against her rib cage,
rushing more blood through her veins. All of these years, he was the powerful
male she yearned for, but could not have. Not yet.

Once he reached her side, they both
looked toward the shore and waved one last time.

Without a word to him, Sienna dove back
down to the depths, knowing Aaron followed at her side. The feeling rippling
through her at his nearness was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. She
needed to quell the allure, the instinct in both of their bloods rushed hot to
mate. Holding their natural instincts at bay did not come easily. Especially
now, since they were both fully grown and in their prime. Yet, they must. There
were things to do first to ensure the safety of all of their people before they
could appease their own needs.

She had misled him though, as well as
everyone else. They were not returning to the depths. What she required to
close the portal would not be found there. They were headed to a place on land
called Miami; she would need Aaron to help her locate her niece. It was time
for the child, young woman now, to reclaim her birthright. Time for her to know
who and what she truly was.

For the good of all, at the time, Sienna
had bound the child’s powers at her birth, but as the girl grew, so would her
powers. Soon, if not already, they’d begin to manifest themselves. The girl
would have many questions and no one to answer them. Sienna must be there to
teach and guide her. Only the powers born of her blood could counter what her
mother had done.

“Where are we going?” Aaron finally asked
her.

“To find my niece.”

“The child?”

“Yes. She’s matured now, and it is almost
time.”

“Matured?”

She did not turn to glance at Aaron, but
from his tone she could tell he was frowning, she smiled.

“But, she’d have to have found her mate
to age. Do you know where she is then?”

“I have a general sense. If I get close
enough, I can find her. I have always had a general sense of where she was and
her wellbeing. I arranged to hide her with a human family when she was a babe.
She does not know she is a child of Poseidon.”

“Wait—you’ve left the depths
since…”

She knew he spoke of when they first met.
“Yes, but less than a handful of times.”

“I don’t understand, then how has she
matured?”

“She has met her mate. I made sure they
would cross paths when she was young, so she would not stop aging.”

“You knew who her mate was?” His voice
sounded curious, rather than angry she had divulged such to him.

“Yes. That had always been clear to me.
It is not always, but since it involved one of my blood. Yes, I knew.”

“Who is her father?”

This time, she frowned. “Tabatha hid that
from me, but I have my suspicions, it would explain how she was able to
conceive without the male being her mate or perhaps he was.”

“What do you think she did? Some sort of
spell?”

“Without a doubt, but I also suspect the
male carried witch blood, too.”

“And what of your niece? She’s a witch of
the sea, is her mate one of the children?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Who?”

She shook her head and this time stopped
swimming. She needed him to understand and hoped once more, he would trust her.
“I cannot reveal that to you, yet. In time, beloved. Be patient with me just a
little longer.”

“Always. So, what does this mean for us?”
he asked

This time, she did look directly into his
eyes only to see his gaze rested on her. The heat in his burning brightly for
her to see. “Soon, beloved.”

“By fucking Poseidon, it damn well better
be.”

He took her hand then, she did not pull
away and they continued to swim in the direction her niece’s energies drew her
to.

Shortly, they arrived at a deserted beach
and made their way to shore. She spun an illusion over her appearance. Aaron’s
was fine. He looked like any other human with a tan, someone wearing long wet
swim trunks, who’d just walked out of the ocean. But glancing up and down at
him. Perhaps not like any other human.

He appeared too perfect for that.

Her mate had silky blond hair that hung
down to his ass, not an uncommon length amongst their kind. Six feet three
inches of pure masculine perfection stared back at her.

She revealed her true age on land and
away from their people, a female, who as a human, would appear anywhere from
twenty to twenty-five. In reality, add a couple hundred years, of course. She
wore a coral-colored bikini with a short matching sarong, not unlike what
landwalkers would wear. However, she did have to create the illusion on land
for her skin to appear more coconut brown, less bronze, but left her hair the
vibrant red of its natural color in the thick dread locks brushing against her
ass. Anyone seeing the color would merely think it from a bottle.

“You’re beautiful,” Aaron stated. Awe
laced through his voice. He raised his hand to push a few stands of her hair
the wind blew across her face.

Sienna leaned into his caress. “So are
you.”

Their bodies automatically seemed to
gravitate toward each other. Between one breath and the next, they were in each
other’s arms. Mouths joined, bodies pressed against each other. She opened her
very soul to him and he drew her into his. Her first kiss, their first kiss.

Lost.

She was losing herself in his kiss, his
embrace and she almost didn’t care.

The sound of a seagull overhead made her
glance up. Yanking her rudely out of the web of desire his presence wove and
setting her back to their task. Reluctantly, she ended the kiss. Holding onto
his muscular arms, she stopped him from pulling her back to him. They both had
to be strong. “I am sorry. I cannot do this alone.”

“I have waited so long for you, Sienna.
Knowing who and what you are to me, so near—yet unable to see you,
acknowledge our bond. I have missed you every day of my existence.”

“And I you. But it is not our time yet.”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “I
guess I knew that, but I hoped.”

“Just a little while longer, beloved.”

“You keep calling me that.”

Raising her hand, she touched the side of
his beautifully sculptured face…the years treated him well. Shaping the beauty
of a young boy into that of a man.

He had a cut strong jaw line, large sea
green eyes, eyebrows that feathered out at the sides. He’d also grown into the
promise of those muscles and then some. He turned to kiss her palm.

“Because that is who you are to me,” she
finally replied.

“My bride.”

She placed her fingers over his lips,
shaking her head. “Yes, but not yet. Come, we don’t have much time. I cannot
maintain this illusion for long. The farther from the water we have to travel,
the more of a drain on my powers.”

He frowned. “Very well, I will wait…a
little while longer. Where are we going, and what is the child called?”

“She’s got an office here in Miami.”

“Do you know the address?”

“No, but blood calls to blood. She is of
my line. I know when she is nearby.”

“Is it far from where we are now?”

She frowned, closing her eyes, tapping
into the bonds connecting her to her niece by blood. “She is not nearby. If we
have to walk the land it might take a couple of hours, less if we ran, but that
would attract the attention of the humans.”

“Would you be able to direct me in a
car?”

She smiled. “I have rarely been on land.
It has been a few years.”

He smiled and kissed the knuckles on the
hand he didn’t seem to want to let go.

“I have never ridden in a car, but I know
what it is. Yes, I think I will be able to do that.”

“Okay.” He carried a waterproof backpack
and removed it from his shoulder. “Let me make a phone call.” He pulled out
what she knew was a cell phone.

While she might have rarely visited the
land, she was well aware of modern technology as well as the history of the
landwalkers. All of the children were. They had to be if they wished to
survive. They even had access to the human internet, but they had no need for
cell phones. Not when some could communicate with sea creatures as well as the
fact they were all telepathic underwater. Some to a greater degree than others,
and some even had the ability while on land. She on the other hand, had no need
for the internet. All she had to do was look into a water mirror and gather any
information she needed of current events, as well as future events affecting
her people. Her visions manifested itself within the mirror.

Chapter Five

Aaron hung up the phone. He knew Miami
quite well and called a car rental service he’d used in the past. After all,
he’d accompanied both Xavior and Ezekiel here many times in their quest to find
their brides. He couldn’t be happier for them, knowing they’d both accomplished
their bride quests.

Glancing at the woman who waited
patiently at his side, he hoped soon to be able to claim his own. So beautiful.
He thought so when he first laid eyes on her as a youth, and she was even more
so as a woman.
His bride.
Fuck, he’d
waited for damn long, but he understood duty all too well. They both held a
duty to their people, even before each other.

How two sisters could be so different was
a mystery, only the old gods could answer. One who only thought of her people
and how to protect them. While another only thought of herself and destruction.
As hard as it was for him to accept all these years, he did, because he knew
Sienna was right in doing what she did. She needed her powers…their king needed
her. But it had been damn hard. Knowing who she was, but she could not be his.
Having to pretend all of these years. At least, they were together now, and
hopefully, it would all be over soon.

Once he claimed her, they were unsure
what powers she might lose or what might change with their joining. Most times,
maidens lost their power of divination. This was something they couldn’t risk,
their king still needed it. Not until the white witch was vanquished, or her
daughter was safe. Since they needed to be able to find the bitch to destroy
her and they couldn’t, he would make do with the latter. Finding the child. He
prayed to Poseidon the daughter would be more like her aunt. With as hard as it
had been these last few years to keep his distance, having her here with him,
being able to touch her…He could think of no worse torture to his soul. Yet, he
would change nothing.

His gaze roamed over her petite frame.
She only came to his shoulders, but her curves would fit perfectly against his
angles. “Not that I don’t love what you’re wearing.” By the gods did he ever,
he had to force his dick not to swell when they stepped onto shore. Mentally,
slowing the blood flow traveling through his body. Something he never realized
he could do until he tried. Then again, no other woman could do to him what
just the thought of her did. Make him hard. “You’re going to need to get some
other clothes. And I’m having a car delivered to us. We can go into one of the
many stores lining the street, running along the beach road and pick something
up for us to wear before the car gets here.” He hadn’t bothered to bring any
clothes appropriate for land with him, but at least he had his human forms of
identification. Anytime he headed toward the surface, he carried it with him.

She glanced down at herself and frowned.
“I guess you’re correct. And it would be less of a drain on my powers if I
didn’t have to create clothes, too.”

He frowned, the need to protect her
strong. “Are you sure you’ll be all right? On land.”

She smiled at him. “Yes. We will not be
here long.”

He took her hand. “Come on then.” He led
her toward the shops in the area, but continued to ask questions. “But the
farther from the sea we get, the weaker your powers?”

“Yes, but the girl is not far from here.
She might not realize it, but like all of our people, she has an affinity to be
near the sea. She draws her powers from there.”

“Which she is unaware of, or is she?”

“She may know she is different, capable
of things others are not, but not the source of them. I might have muted her
powers, but that will only work for so long. As she gets older, she will only
become stronger.”

“Where did you hide her anyway? How?”

“I asked the dolphins to talk to the land
animals.”

“What? They can do that?”

“Yes, some dolphins can communicate with
other mammals.”

“Wow! That isn’t common knowledge.”

“No, but our king should be aware of it.
He has the strongest affinity with the creatures of the seas. My dolphins led
me to a church off the coast and a priest who helped me. I am sorry I lied to
the good man and told him the child was mine, that I could not raise her. Since
at the time, I appeared to be no more than fifteen, he understood. I also asked
for him to place her in the right home. I made him promise me she would not be
placed inland and remain near the sea. He did as I asked. I have watched over
her by viewing for her ever since.”

This woman truly amazed him. He couldn’t
feel more blessed, the gods had chosen her for him. Even then, like the
bastards the fates had always been, it came with a hitch. They’d dangled his
perfect woman before him, then put her out of his reach.

They continued to talk until they entered
the nearest store. Sienna walked all over the store touching the vast array of
garments.

Aaron smiled at her delight in feeling
the fabrics and examining the clothing, pleased he could share this experience
with her. The first of many, he hoped. He helped her choose a few things,
everything he picked for her fit perfectly. He led her to the cashier who’d
stepped away for a moment, but he pulled out the credit card he carried on him
whenever he visited land.

She touched it. “Is that the plastic used
on land to barter for items? Instead of currency, cash.”

“Yes. It’s an American Express credit
card.” Aaron held it out to her, so she could examine it. Watching as she
rubbed her fingers over the raised numbers.

They didn’t have a currency, in the way
of landwalkers. Each of the Children by human standards were very wealthy, the
sea provided everything for them. They all worked together for the benefit of
every one, or in theory tried to. Each child was unique and used their gifts to
help the other. All had a place in their society that best suited their needs
and abilities. The ones, who wanted more or didn’t feel they quite fit, were
also the ones most likely to venture onto land. At least that’s the way it should’ve
been and once was. In truth, it hadn’t been that way for a very long time.

Tabatha counted on the discontent among
the other tribes, especially among ones who haven’t found brides.

More of the Children were restless,
unsatisfied with the sea and curious about the modern age on land. There had
been more fighting among the tribes in the last several decades. Discord had
only grown. Some wanted more than they had from others. Instead of asking for
help or getting it, they took what they wanted by force if necessary.

It was also one of the reasons the White
Witch had been able to seed even more conflict and resentment among the people.
Thank Poseidon, Xavior had found his bride and now, sat on the throne. It
helped to quell much of the fighting, but not the sense of dissatisfaction
among them all. This would only take time and for it to happen, they needed to
do something about that bitch of a witch.

“Are they all black like this one?” she
asked, handing it back to him.

Her question focused his attention on her
once more. “No. They come in other colors. This is just a special one from this
company.” He finished making their purchases, then they changed, and he got a
text letting him know the rental car had arrived. Walking out to the street, he
spied the driver waiting for them in the company uniform, standing in front of
the red Ferrari 458 Spider he ordered. He loved fast cars and signed the
documents accepting receipt.

Sienna ran her hand over the body of the
car before getting in. “This is a beautiful car.” She glanced at him when he
got behind the wheel. “You can drive?”

He laughed. “Yes, Zek taught Xav and me.
Would you like to learn? I can teach you?”

She smiled. “I’d love to, but another
time, perhaps.”

Her response gave him hope, and he
returned her smile. Taking her hand, he kissed the palm. “Which way?”

“South. Keep going and I will direct
you.”

“South it is.” They’d only been on the
road for a few minutes when he continued his questions. The ones he didn’t want
to ask in the store for others to overhear. “So, Shawnah is a witch too, like
her mother?”

Sienna nodded. “Yes, but also like
myself. Have no fear. She does not wield the dark powers of her mother. Her
soul at birth shone brightly.”

“Thank Poseidon for that!”

“It is why her mother wanted her.”

“You said you had a theory about who the
father is?”

“I believe he was a landwalker, but not
quite human. Part of the sea, but also he carried a trace of magic from the old
gods in his blood. Perhaps part witch. This is how Tabatha was able to get pregnant,
and he could possibly have been her second mate. I’ve never been able to get
very clear views of Tabatha.”

“A male witch? Is such a thing possible?
I thought they were all female.”

“No, there have been males, just very
rare. As rare as second mates.”

“What happened to him?”

“She killed him.”

“What the fuck! Then he couldn’t have
been her mate. No way, could you kill your mate.”

“Tabatha will destroy anyone who gets in
her way of obtaining Poseidon’s throne and ruling the Children and ultimately,
the landwalkers too. Her mate would have never allowed her to sacrifice his
child. A child she only created with the intention of taking her powers. She
would have only been able to do a transfer by killing said child. So yes, she
had no trouble killing the father. Even her mate.”

“She’s crazy. Is she that powerful?” He
shook his head. “Forget I asked. I know she is. I was there and saw the
monstrosities from the dark depths she brought forth and now, controls.”

“While she can draw such things, her
control over them is limited. And the more she draws them to our world, her
control lessens. Her control of the portal she created to bring them across
will also fail. Leaving our world vulnerable to things that should never see
our depths. I fear as soon as she is healed, she will try again. Gathering an
army at her back, perhaps even our king with the powers of the Trident cannot
hold back. Which is why we must get to my niece now.”

“And she can defeat her mother?”

“Not alone, but she can help Xavior.
Between the three of us, we can put a stop to Tabatha once and for all and do
what Poseidon should have done in the first place. Strip her of all of her
powers, instead of merely confining her.”

“But your niece is unaware of her
heritage, untrained.”

“Yes, that’s true. Still, doesn’t matter,
her powers are a part of who she is. Most of it, once awakened will be
instinctual. I will guide her for the rest.”

“What’s her name anyway?”

“Shawnah. As you know, I delivered the
child and hid her, convincing Tabatha the babe died at birth. Over the years,
I’ve viewed the child, so I know she is safe. Happy and content.”

Shawnah sent off the final invoice to
Ezekiel Oceanus. There was something very odd about this case. All her senses
were firing off about it. Odder when the client told her to cease all further
inquiries, just as she’d made some real headway. Even though she felt pretty
sure she’d figured out what had happed to Hali Snowden.

Hali and her family had been placed in a
witness protection program. She’d found out the details of the first placement.
They’d been moved two more times. With just a little more digging, she would’ve
been able to find those locations and eventually, track the woman down. A gift
she had, this ability to locate people. Almost like a sixth sense.

It wasn’t the only ‘gift’ she possessed.
She had a heighten sense of her surroundings…always. However, recently she felt
this unease, like she stood at the cusp of a major life changing event.
Something she couldn’t ignore, she always followed her instincts. It was only
when she didn’t—she ran into trouble.

This feeling she knew in her gut was also
linked to her dreams. They’d begun when she was about thirteen and stopped
right after high school. She tried to talk to her adopted parents about them, but
they never understood, thinking it to be just teenage hormones and her brief
brush with death, so she stopped. Learning to keep the thoughts to herself.
Now, the dreams were back in stark vivid color.