by Anna Lowe
“Damn it.” Never again would she read books about vampires before going to bed.
She went to the door and looked out at the beach. No one there either, and nothing awry. All of the bad images had been in her head. She grimaced in the direction of her phone, still lying on the bedside table. Some of the blame lay there, because another text had appeared the previous night.
My patience wears thin, my pet. Will you come to me, or shall I come for you?
She’d shivered just reading it.
Dinner, Thursday night, a second text had said, as if the lunatic had answered his own question. As a sign of my generous nature, I will allow you to name the time and place we meet. Pack light, my pet, for your new life. I will provide everything your heart desires, just as you shall give me everything I desire.
Jenna glared at her phone as if it had composed that crazy message itself, and then looked out over the sea. The faintest hint of pink creeped over the dawn sky, spreading slowly.
“Damn it.” There was no way she’d get back to sleep after that nightmare, so she yanked on a bikini and cover-up, strapped her knife to her lower leg, and set off along the beach. Furiously at first, then a little more calmly as she tuned in to the sights and smells of an awakening island. The surf set a steady rhythm on her right, while light and warmth built on her left, the direction of the sunrise. Dewdrops sparkled like diamonds on giant leaves, and birds started chirping their morning songs. Koa Point was a Garden of Eden, and she was the sole inhabitant. So why did she feel as if a serpent was hiding out there, ready to bite?
She forced herself to swing her arms instead of hugging herself tightly while she paced.
Everything is okay, the universe seemed to sing. Everything will be all right. See how beautiful the sunrise is?
Every breath of fresh air and every extra beam of sunlight helped her internalize those words. She paused, trying to think rationally.
The stalker’s messages were getting scarier, though no more specific. Was the man bluffing, or was he really closing in? She didn’t relish the idea of showing the texts to Jody and Cruz, but what choice did she have? On the other hand, she hadn’t received any little gifts, not at the guest cottage, nor at Teddy Akoa’s surf shed. Maybe that meant the stalker didn’t know where she was.
Still, the message was creepy enough. She turned one way then another, undecided. Jody and Cruz would probably flip out if she told them. She stared at the dawn-lit sky, trying not to peek southward, where a second option lay. Connor. She could ask Connor. Maybe he knew how seriously to take anonymous texts.
Then again, her stalker wasn’t Connor’s problem, and he seemed to have enough issues of his own. Did she really want to burden him with another one?
She looked up at the last, faint stars, wanting to scream, What do I do?
But there was no advice, just a twinkle that reminded her the stars were millions of light-years away. Connor, on the other hand, was just a short stroll along the coast.
She thought it over a minute longer before telling herself she would decide what to do along the way. With slow, ponderous steps, she picked her way over the rocky point that marked the boundary of both properties. A few minutes later, she emerged on the tiny patch of sand that made up Koakea’s beach and perched on a boulder there, still undecided. The ocean remained a sparkling blue expanse, void of answers, and her wish for an easy solution came to a crashing halt against the sharp cliffs that rose up on the next stretch of the shoreline.
A sea gull cried and disappeared over the cliffs. Connor lived up there somewhere; he’d recently moved from the plantation house to his own place. A place he hadn’t invited her to visit, so…
Her chin dropped to her chest, and she looked at her feet. Maybe she had been imagining there was more between them than really existed. And the texts — could the danger be a product of her imagination too?
She pulled off her cover-up and walked to the edge of the water, squeaking at the first chilly touch.
“Weenie,” she muttered, forcing herself knee-deep. The water wasn’t cold. That was just fear, making everything seem worse.
She stood quietly, letting her hands play over the water, thinking. Wondering what to do.
“Oh!” she squeaked as a fish splashed the surface a few yards away.
One silver flash and it was gone, leaving a circle of ripples in its wake. Ripples that spread wider and wider while her gaze stayed in the center, because a shining something remained. Was that what she had noticed before?
From one angle, she saw a glint of gold. From another, it was a shimmer of alabaster, barely peeking out from a clump of seaweed. But if she angled her head even more, it disappeared altogether.
In a series of halting steps, she waded a little deeper, trying to keep the shiny spot in view. But it teased her, playing hide-and-seek under the shimmering waterline, just as it had done before.
Jenna cupped her hands around her eyes and held her face so low, a ripple of water splashed her nose.
“I see you,” she whispered at the shimmering something.
But what was you? Was it the same thing that had caught her eye a few days earlier, or something else?
“Easy to find out,” she murmured. All she had to do was dive in.
Water had always been her escape, her private place. A quieter netherworld where her thoughts and imagination could roam. And having a strip of water to herself as the sun rose was a rare treat. She waded one step farther, took a deep breath, and dove, happy to leave her worries behind. That mysterious something glinted again, and she started stroking toward it. But diving changed the angle of the light, and she lost sight of her goal. Every time she popped to the surface, the shiny object seemed a mere arm’s length away. Once she ducked under, it hid among the rocks and pebbles of the ancient fish pond.
Well, fine. What did she care anyway? A sea turtle was peeking around the collapsed corner of the rocky wall, so she swam over, following it out into open water. Several more turtles were feeding out there, and she watched them, finally feeling like the miserable night was finished and a good day had begun. The turtles were slow and ponderous but majestic at the same time, and she nearly forgot to come up for air from time to time. Then she treaded water, paddling in a slow circle to absorb the beauty of the scene. The rising sun. The emerald mountains of West Maui. The golden splash of beach. The pure blue sky.
She stopped when her gaze turned to Connor’s cliff. Was he still in bed? Had he been up all night?
Her body warmed as she remembered the last time they’d touched. But those thoughts would make her hungry for him, so she turned and dove once more, putting the outside world on mute and immersing herself in the quieter, underwater realm. The nearest of the turtles was a few yards away, gliding along with lazy movements of its feet.
For another few seconds, the scene remained bucolic and serene. But then the turtle whirled and shot off to one side, sprinting for its life. The other turtles zipped out of sight too, going into hiding. An entire school of tiny silver fish changed direction and zoomed away. A parrotfish rushed by, its bulging eyes telling her to get to safety too.
Jenna paddled backward, searching the water for some sign of what had scared them off. Then she surfaced and looked around.
A gull was wheeling lazily over the water nearby, but a second later, it, too, hurried away.
“What the…”
There was no reason to panic, just an inexplicable urge to flee. When the theme music from Jaws started running through her mind, she turned back toward shore. It took everything she had to take slow, even strokes. If that was a lurking shark, moving quickly would only draw it in.
On the next stroke, she peered over her shoulder but saw nothing. Not on the surface anyway. But the sense of unease built, and red alarms flashed in her mind, ordering her to get out of the water, fast.
Her flutter kick grew faster as she imagined a high seas predator biting her from behind. A shark? An orca? She didn’t wan
t to picture what it might be. Following the turtles had taken her a few yards out, and the distance stretched to a mile in her mind.
Smooth strokes, she ordered herself. Take it easy.
But instinct hollered even louder. Get the hell out of here! Now!
Rounding the corner of the rocky enclosure didn’t make her panic dissipate. If anything, it increased until she was in a full-out sprint for shore.
“Jenna!”
Even with her arms whirling at full speed, she caught a glimpse of Connor rushing down the beach. Her imagination got to work, picturing the scene from his point of view. Was he seeing her barely ahead of a giant fin? Were the colossal jaws already opening, ready to drag her under as a meal?
The next time she glanced up, the shore was only a few yards away. Her panic must have showed, because Connor started splashing into the water, calling to her.
“Jenna!”
Was it the water in her ears, or was his voice muffled? The outline of his body was distorted as well. Was Connor really that long? That big? He lifted his arms, and his steps grew short. His neck stretched and stretched, and—
Jenna pulled up in mid-stroke, because that wasn’t just Connor running at her any more. It was a greenish-brown dragon, launching itself over the water, coming straight for her with a wide-open mouth.
She dove, ducking under the grasp of his outstretched claws, and drove herself toward the beach. The air pressure over her back rose, and a muffled whoosh sounded overhead. Jenna lost all sense of direction until her palms skidded against pebbles. When her feet hit the ground, she scrambled through the shallows and threw herself on shore. Even there, she scuttled backward, looking at the water in fear.
“Connor?” she whispered, watching the massive dragon hurtle out to sea, barely a foot above the waterline.
Was that really him? What was he doing?
The blue-on-blue scene of sea and sky was broken by a roar and a churning ball of fire.
Jenna fell back on her ass, unable to string together any thought more coherent than Connor…dragon…fire…
She squinted at the water but couldn’t see a thing. The dragon circled, looking down. Angry sparks erupted from the creature’s mouth as it turned in one direction after another in pursuit of…what? Shadows or a genuine foe?
Jenna held her breath, half expecting a massive squid to erupt out of the depths, wrap its tentacles around the dragon, and drag it underwater. But the surface was unbroken except for tiny wind-driven waves, giving no hint at the secrets that lay beneath.
Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, but a second later, she yelped. “No!”
The dragon was coming straight for her. She ducked, covering her head. Even if it did pass a good fifteen feet above, that still felt too close.
She watched, dumbstruck, as the dragon touched down on the scrubby tongue of land that led to the beach. It folded its wings neatly, flicked its tail, and shook its head much like a dog would. When it turned and looked at her, she nearly ran. But then she saw its eyes — brilliant eyes the color of jade — and her pulse skipped to an entirely different beat.
Slowly, she got to her feet and wobbled a little. That was still Connor in there, right? Or did he forget who he was — and who his friends were — when he gave way to his dragon side?
“Connor…?” She meant to call out, but her voice was a mere whisper in the silence that ensued.
His eyes never left her as he shifted back to human form, and she was so mesmerized by them, the rest was a blur.
“Jenna.” His voice was all growly as he ran to her. The second he came close, he took her by the shoulders and hurried her away from the water. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” Her hands fluttered over his arms, shoulders, and chest, making sure it was really him. The armored plates of the dragon’s front were now the broad panels of his chest. The muscles of his arms — sinewy in some places, bulky in others — all had their counterparts in his dragon wings. And his eyes were exactly the same. Breathtaking. Fascinating. A deep, soulful green.
“Um…” She started, then gave up and hugged him fiercely. Closing her eyes, because comfort came from his warm touch. His arms closed around her just as tightly, like she wasn’t the only one who never, ever wanted to let go.
How long they stood there hugging, she had no clue. Only that at some point, her chest rose with a shaky sigh. She rested her cheek on his chest, staying close as she looked out at the water.
“Did you see what it was?”
Connor shook his head slowly. “I didn’t see a thing.”
She frowned. “I didn’t see it either, but…”
“But you sensed something,” Connor said.
She nodded. “Yeah. I just felt it. Something coming at me.”
They both turned and looked over the water, but no matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t find a hint of anything awry.
“Maybe a shark?” Her voice shook a little.
“Didn’t see a fin.” His voice was tight, and the glow of his eyes changed back and forth from comforting malachite to furiously cool green depending on whether he looked at her or the water. His brow knotted with concern as he patted her down. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Every limb was shaking. Her heart was pounding. Her eyes were so wide, they hurt. But aside from a few coral scratches, she was all right.
“I’m okay.”
Which was an understatement because, wow. Connor had been a dragon just a minute before. All that remained of his secret was the long, swirling dragon inked into his right arm.
A drop of water trickled from her dripping hair to him and slid slowly down his chest. She swallowed hard, trying not to picture him wet all over like a…a…
She blanked on the word for a moment, but then it came to her. Like a merman.
Without thinking, she pressed her hand against his chest, feeling his heart pound as hard as hers. Her eyes couldn’t help but wander up and down his frame, and—
“Oh.” She blushed and looked up quickly. Definitely not a merman. Just one-hundred percent, rock-hard, naked man.
He grinned. “Side effect of shifting. Sorry.”
Her cheeks had to be a blazing red, judging by the heat. Not that she took a shy step back or turned away. She stayed right where she was and let her hand wander to his hip.
“Nothing to be sorry about, except maybe buzzing right over my head. A little warning next time, okay?”
His smile was the most beautiful thing she’d seen all morning, putting the sea, the craggy mountains, and even that perfect Maui sky to shame.
“I’ll do my best.” His voice was all husky, and after a minute, his grin turned into an intense look aimed squarely at her lips.
Her chest rose on the next couple of breaths, and she leaned closer, tilting her head. Her eyelids dropped to half-mast, and her breath caught.
Kiss me, she wanted to beg. Kiss me.
Connor’s eyes were begging too. Which was unusual, because everything he did, he did decisively, taking the lead. But there seemed to be some invisible sign over her head, proclaiming her taboo.
“If I want you, and you want me…” She trailed off there, suddenly second-guessing herself.
“I want you, believe me.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
He snorted and shot a cryptic look over his shoulder. “With shifters, there’s always a problem. Unwritten rules.”
She cupped his face and turned it back to hers. “Well, guess what?”
A tiny grin spread over his scowl of frustration. “What?”
“I’m rewriting them.”
She kissed him, just as deep and hard as he’d first kissed her that night at her cottage. Within seconds, her body was on fire with an intense craving that went far beyond normal human arousal. Did all shifters have that effect, or was that destiny? She struggled to kiss and think at the same time. Moments ago, she’d been terrified. Now, raw, sensual energy flowed through her
veins. His lips claimed hers, and his taste took over her mouth as if marking her with a firm Mine!
Her mind spun. Mates… Shifters have mates.
Connor pulled her closer, deepening his kiss.
Dragons have mates…
Her hands slid from his hips to his firm ass, barely controlled.
I just knew, her dad always said about her mom.
Connor’s chest heaved as he gulped a breath of air. He dove into the next kiss, consuming her. She whimpered and pressed closer, mashing her breasts against his chest, aching for him to touch her everywhere.
We just knew, Jody had said, going all dreamy-eyed when she talked about Cruz.
Jenna let her hands rove lower, one around the back, the other around the front, driven by a desperate need to touch him. To love him. To possess him the way she wanted him to possess her.
Did mermaids have mates too?
His hands slid along her sides, teasing her breasts. When one thick thumb nudged a nipple, she arched. Nearly gasping, she was that wound up. Was it morning? Noon? Night? She’d lost track. All she knew was that she wanted him.
The side of her palm came into contact with his thick shaft, and she just about dropped to her knees for a taste. But before she could, Connor growled and gripped her hand.
“Hang on,” he rasped, guiding her hands back to his face.
Jenna opened her mouth to protest, but he covered it with one more burning kiss. When he broke it off, he held her hands tightly against his chest. “We can’t do this. Not now. Not here.”
She wanted to scream. “I’m rewriting the rules. Remember?”
He smiled and shuffled back an inch, tipping his head toward the path to the plantation house. “Any second now, Joey is going to come running along, and…”
She groaned and drooped against his chest.
“…but later…”
She popped up again, bright with hope. “Later?”
Connor nodded. “Tonight.”
She shook her head. “Tonight is too many hours away.”
He liked that and showed it with another wide grin. A childish grin, full of innocence and delight. “You have work, and so do I.”