“Do you need help with anything else?” Mike asked.
The giggles behind Marina told her that the girls knew exactly what was going on—well, at least the older ones. Even Geoff was looking at her funny. With a slight growl of annoyance, Marina glared at the children watching and listening to them so intently. Of course, all that did was make them giggle harder.
“Mr. Bow, let’s go fishing,” Marina called.
In a flash, the bow flew through the air to her outstretched hand. Turning, she tossed her long braid over her shoulder. She had only taken a few steps before she stopped in her tracks.
“Would you… Would you like to help me catch some fish for dinner?” she asked, looking at Mike over her shoulder.
“Of course I’d love to help you! What kind of man turns down the offer of a fishing trip with a beautiful witch?” he teased.
“A smart one if he doesn’t want to have to clean the wiggling, disgusting things,” Mr. Bow retorted.
A surprised look appeared on Mike’s face before he burst out in a deep, rich laugh that sent a wave of need through Marina. How could a man’s laugh make her want to strip him out of his clothing and do wild things to him? She softly groaned when she heard the laughter of the children again. Focusing on where she was going, she strode across the encampment toward a path that led down to the river.
“Marina,” Mike said, following her down the winding path. “Marina, wait.”
Marina stopped. She held her back stiff and her head high. Turning on her heel, she faced Mike. Confusion, frustration, and another emotion she didn’t understand warred inside her.
“What is it?” she demanded.
Mike drew to a stop in front of her. Lifting his hand, he gently pulled free a long piece of straw that had become tangled in her hair. He held it up, twirling it between his fingers.
“This…,” he said before bending down to brush a kiss across her lips. “And that.”
Her eyelids lowered to conceal her confusion. Once again, she felt a need rising inside her—a need to touch him, to kiss him, and to be close with him in a way she had never been with a man before. Her magic reached out to wrap around him. She could see the spirals of her aura curling outward.
“Mike….”
Her voice faded. She honestly didn’t know what to say to him. How did she explain the rush of emotions filling her whenever she thought of him when she didn’t understand them herself?
“I know, Marina. I feel it too,” he said, cupping her cheek and bending down to brush another kiss across her lips.
“Fishing—that is what we are supposed to be doing, correct? Or were you planning on using Mike’s worm instead?” Mr. Bow dryly commented.
A wave of embarrassment swept through Marina, and she lifted her bow and shook it. “I should use you as firewood,” she threatened, holding up her bow so she could glare at it. “How Mother ever allowed Father to give you to me is beyond rational thought. You are completely incorrigible!”
“My personality comes naturally, of course. All elder trees are born with a dry sense of humor,” Mr. Bow retorted.
“I’m so sorry,” Marina said with an apologetic grimace to Mike. “I really have no control over what Mr. Bow says.”
Mike chuckled. “I can imagine having Mr. Bow can make life very interesting at times,” he replied, stepping next to her and threading his fingers through her hand.
“You have no idea,” she mumbled.
A shiver ran through her when he lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. She briefly closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. For just a little while, she wanted to forget everything else but them.
“Fishing, Marina. It will be dark soon,” Mr. Bow reminded her.
“I know, Mr. Bow,” Marina reluctantly said, releasing the breath in a sigh and pulling back from Mike.
Chapter Ten
The river was shallow along the edges before gradually deepening in the center. Large boulders, washed down from the mountain over time, created small, still pools. The water was crystal clear here, which made it easier to see the fish that liked to school in calmer waters.
They worked in silence. Mike watched in amazement as Marina stood on one of the boulders and pulled the bowstring back. A glowing arrow appeared. She held steady—watching and waiting—before she released the bowstring.
Mike decided that it would have been magical just to watch Marina without Mr. Bow. A golden string was attached to the arrow, and she would pull in the fish and toss it to him. Using the knife Geoff had given him earlier, Mike cleaned the fish, filleting and placing them in woven baskets of vines that Marina had created. Each fish was almost twice the size of the Wild Alaskan Salmon he used to catch in Alaska, and they quickly filled two large woven baskets.
He had finished up the last one when an unusual sound caused him to look up. He froze with his hand in midair. Across the river stood a huge, hairy creature that looked like a cross between a miniature King Kong and a water buffalo. Shaggy, dark-brown and black hair covered its body. From the neck down, it looked and walked like an ape. It had a long snout and horns that curved along its skull, which looped around on either side, ending in sharp points.
The beast raised its head and sniffed the air. A feeling of unease swept through Mike when the creature lowered its head and stared at him. Drawing in a deep breath, he kept his gaze on the creature.
“Marina… We’ve got company,” he softly called.
“I know,” she replied.
Mike’s gaze flashed to Marina where she stood on the boulder, grinning. He turned back to stare at the creature that was now wading through the water. Mike took an instinctive step backwards when it reached the middle of the river.
“I don’t know if I should freeze, run like hell, or pinch myself,” he said.
Marina’s laughter filled the air. It was warm, sexy, and made him think of all kinds of things, which he shouldn’t be at the moment. From the corner of his eye, he watched her squat and slide down off the boulder. She walked to the edge of the water and waited.
“Come here, my friend,” Marina murmured, lifting her right hand.
Mike watched in disbelief as it finished crossing the river and slowly waded up to the rocky edge. The water ape, as he decided to call it for lack of a better name, stopped and lowered its head to Marina’s hand. It sniffed her palm before licking it.
“What’s it doing?” Mike asked in a curious voice.
Marina looked at him over her shoulder and smiled. “The River Beasts love fish. They are normally solitary creatures and usually only come down from the trees to feed. This one must have been close by and smelled the fish you were cleaning,” she explained.
“Oh… Kind of like an overgrown koala, only—not,” he replied.
“I don’t know what this koala is, but they are normally very gentle creatures for their size,” she said, scratching the River Beast’s forehead. “Could you bring the remains of one of the fish to me please?”
Mike gingerly bent down and picked up one of the discarded remains of a fish. He straightened and slowly walked toward the River Beast. The animal had a head the size of a semi cab and stood close to twenty feet high. Holding the fish out, he was surprised when the creature reached out with one hand and pinched the tail between its finger and thumb.
He released the fish when the River Beast lifted it up. The creature paused to gaze down at him for a moment before it tilted its head back and opened its mouth. The carcass of the fish disappeared in one bite. Mike stumbled to the side when the River Beast slowly moved past him toward the pile of fish remains.
“Hey, don’t…,” Mike started to protest when the beast paused by one of the baskets.
“It’s alright. He won’t take the fish in the basket. He knows we need them,” she murmured.
He turned his head when he felt Marina touch his arm. She gave him an encouraging smile before nodding toward the beast. Sure enough, the creature turned its head back to the
pile of remains. The ground shook slightly when the River Beast suddenly sat down on its haunches. Reaching out, the creature slowly began eating the fish carcasses one at a time.
“It has been tough on them since the Sea Witch created her Hellhounds. Over the past year, I have found the remains of three River Beasts,” Marina said in a sad voice before she shook her head and looked up at the sky. “It will be dark in little over an hour. We better get back to the encampment.”
Mike nodded. He watched as Marina walked over to the creature. She gently stroked the River Beast before murmuring something to it. A smile lifted the corner of his mouth when the creature snorted and picked up the last fish. He stepped to the side when it walked by him, heading once again for the river. He followed the creature’s departure until it disappeared into the forest on the other side.
Turning, Mike noticed that Marina had picked up one of the baskets and was waiting for him. He walked over and picked up the other one. They walked back up the path to the village in silence, each lost in their own thoughts once again.
* * *
Nearly an hour later, the smell of fresh grilled fish and rich soup filled the air around the village along with the happy sighs of sated children. Marina was impressed that Mike helped her and the older children in preparing plates for the younger children first. Only when everyone else had finished eating and begun to settle down did Marina and Mike prepare a meal for themselves.
With an uncertain smile, Marina motioned for Mike to follow her as she stepped out of the hut. Out of habit, her eyes scanned the area to make sure everything was as it should be. The older children were cleaning up and softly talking while the younger ones were already beginning to settle down for the night. The weight of the Sea Witch’s spell drained the energy of the youngest children more quickly than the older ones.
Marina could feel the spell pulling on her own body. For a brief moment, her gaze met that of her brother. He was lying near one of the outdoor fires with Charlie curled against his side. Geoff gave her a worried look. She smiled in reassurance. She knew he was still worried about Erin. Satisfied, he laid his head back down.
“There is a place not far from here that I like to go in the evenings. It is close enough to the encampment that I can hear if anyone needs me but far enough that we can talk in private,” Marina murmured.
He inclined his head, letting her know that he heard her. Marina wove her way through the small encampment and headed toward a path that cut through the rocks on the opposite side from the other path that lead down to the river. They both walked in silence until they emerged through a narrow gap onto a wide ledge that looked down over the island. From this vantage point, a person could see almost all of it.
“Wow!” Mike exclaimed in a hushed voice. “This is… incredible.”
Marina chuckled and motioned for him to sit beside her as she sat down on a flat rock. There was a light breeze, and she lifted her head to draw in a deep breath of the fresh air. Despite her exhaustion, she couldn’t help but appreciate the beauty of her home.
“Try one of these,” she suggested in a quiet voice, nodding to a large green seed. “The liquid inside is very refreshing and good for the body.”
Mike picked up one of the green pods. He studied it for a moment before taking a bite. She smiled when his eyes widened in surprise before he devoured the nutritious pod.
“This is delicious!” he exclaimed, reaching for another one.
“They are and thankfully plentiful if you know where to look,” she replied.
Marina balanced her plate on her lap. From where they sat, they had a perfect view of the valley and the coastline. They ate in silence, watching as the twin moons rose and illuminated the valley far below. Along the coast, the waves breaking against the rocky shore and the sparkle of bioluminescence algae made the water look like it was a river of blue stars.
“Tell me about your world, Mike,” Marina quietly encouraged, not looking at him but staring out over the valley. “What is it like? What… is your life like there?”
“It’s different,” Mike admitted. He turned so he was facing the unusual woman sitting next to him. “The things you talk about belong in fairy tales in my world. I’m a detective for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. I was investigating the disappearance of two women that vanished in the past two years….”
Marina turned to look at him when his voice faded. She studied the wave of expressions that crossed his face as he looked down at the plate in his hands. A dark frown creased his brow. He placed his empty plate down on the rock next to him and stood up to walk over to the ledge. Marina placed her plate on top of his and stood up. She silently walked over to stand next to him. He was staring out across the Isle of Magic.
“What is it?” she asked, tilting her head.
In the distance, she could barely make out the towers that were part of the palace. They rose high above the trees like a shadowy hand reaching for the moons. A shiver ran through her, and she wrapped her arms around her waist. So much joy had once belonged there. Now, only sorrow and evil lived within the once magnificent stone walls.
“I wonder…,” he whispered, his voice faint as if he were deep in thought. “I wonder if they found a way to your world.”
“Who found a way?” Marina asked, confused.
“The two women I was investigating…,” he replied, his voice fading again.
“There have been no strange women here. If there had been, Isha would have told Father and Mother. Word of such an event would have spread quickly,” she said, biting her lip and frowning. “But… Isha did mention something.”
He turned to face her. He reached out and gripped her arms in a light but firm hold. Immediately, she could feel the burst of energy rush through her. The force of it was so powerful that for a moment it took her breath away, and she forgot what they were talking about.
“She mentioned…,” he asked when her voice faded.
She looked up at him. “I heard Isha talking to Father and Mother about how Drago, the Dragon King, had awoken. It must have been about two years ago. Isha said that the Queen believed good things would happen. The dragons were magnificent to behold and none were more powerful than Drago. I was not much older than Erin when Drago disappeared. It is said that he was so grief stricken by the loss of all his people, that the Isle of the Dragons disappeared into a mist of sorrow. There were only two things that Father said could awaken the Dragon King—one was the return of his people, and the second was someone trying to steal from the dragon’s treasure.” A bemused smile curved her lips. “Isha said a strange female had stolen something of extreme value; she had stolen Drago’s heart. Isha told Father that the King and Queen sent a gift of peace and congratulations.... And shortly before the Sea Witch took over the Isle of Magic, I was talking with a friend of mine from the Isle of the Sea Serpent. Karin told me that the Sea King had taken a bride who stood up to the Sea Witch—a strange female from another world with hair the color of fire coral.”
“Hair the color of fire coral…. She had to be talking about Jenny Ackerly,” Mike whispered, staring down at her in amazement. “It has to be them. Carly Tate had a thing for dragons. Everyone I interviewed talked about her obsession with them. Jenny Ackerly has red hair. They must have found a way to this world somehow.”
“You mean, the women came from your world as well?” Marina asked, her lips parting as hope began to flare inside her. “If they did, perhaps if you talked to them, they would talk to their mates. They could convince Drago and the Sea King to help us! The power of both the King of the Dragons and the Sea King would surely be too much for the Sea Witch. Mike, you have to talk to them. You have to ask them for their help,” she begged, clutching his arms. “Please… for my people, for my parents, and the villagers… and the children. You have to help us.”
Chapter Eleven
Marina’s plea for help deeply touched him. The discontented feelings with his life that he’d been wrestling with fo
r the past few years had disappeared since he first saw her. Hell, discontent was one word he wouldn’t associate with Marina. His body came alive when he touched her, making him feel energized! Even the strange colors that swirled around her were now flowing around him as if they were melting at his touch.
His left hand moved up her arm, as if it had a mind of its own, to thread through the thick braid at her neck. He splayed his fingers against her smooth, pale skin. He heard her slight, quick gasp of breath as he captured her softly parted lips with his own.
Once again, the moment their lips connected he felt the familiar explosion deep inside his gut that spread outward, slowly engulfing him in the fiery whips of its flames. He closed his eyes and swore he could see a brilliant burst of light as if a star had just exploded and opened up before him, spiraling outward in a mass of colorful gases forming the galaxies. The intensity behind this kiss was beyond their growing physical attraction. It was as if the silver threads that made up the fabric of the universe were weaving around them and piecing two halves of a soul together as one.
So this is what magic feels like, he thought in a daze as a jolt of energy poured through him in one explosive burst after another.
He groaned when Marina’s lips parted under his, sending a shattering wave of fire through him. A shudder ran through him when she tentatively touched the tip of her tongue to his bottom lip. His body reacted like a school boy getting his first kiss behind the bleachers—only magnified a thousand times.
Marina moaned softly when he slid his other hand down her arm and around her waist to pull her closer. Sliding the hand gripping her neck around to her jaw, he tenderly caressed the strong line as he deepened the kiss. He knew he wasn’t going to last long when one of Marina’s hands slid down his chest and the other wrapped around his neck to hold him against her. A shudder ran through him when her hand slipped under the hem of his shirt to his heated flesh. Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers and drew in a deep breath.