The House Lost at Sea

by R. J. Blain

  I wanted to take a nap in the safety of the cove, but Ricardo urged me back to shore, much to my dismay.

  By the time we returned to the House Lost at Sea, thunder rolled, incessant and deafening, and while being indoors muffled the sound, the building shook. I chuckled at the cracks of lightning, doubting even a direct hit could do anything more than inconvenience the structure, which had withstood the centuries without nature winning a single battle in their long-fought war.

  Ricardo smirked, carrying his equal share, with more spring in his step than I found appropriate.

  I blamed my still-healing skull, which would reduce me to a tired mess for at least a few more weeks.

  I returned to the dining hall and dumped all but the scrolls on the table. “Here’s proof I can do as I claim. Consider this a down payment for your future work and tentative alliance—and payment for taking a member of your crew.”

  Taking a few moments to spread out the pieces, I itemized them in my head, assigned values based on what she could get on the market, and finally said, “This is easily worth two million dollars to the average buyer. However, they may be worth more to you than that. All of these things were taken in joint efforts between my captain and the Black Scourge. Most were my shares, but some were retrieved from the Calico after she sank. I think you’ll find them in decent enough condition.”

  Greed lit the woman’s eyes. “These were taken by both crews?”

  “I thought you’d find them interesting, and it’s just a fraction of the treasures I’ve amassed over the years.”

  “She’s a bit of a dragon,” Abrahan announced. “I’m surprised she doesn’t pile up those gold coins of hers to sleep on.”

  “Coins do not make a comfortable bed.”

  Abrahan crowed his triumph. “So, you’ve tried it!”

  “Who wouldn’t? When you’ve got that many coins sitting around, it has to be done at least once. I don’t recommend it, but you’re welcome to get poked in uncomfortable places by coins if you really want.”

  Lucretta narrowed her eyes. “How much wealth do you have?”

  “Enough to pay you a salary for the rest of your life and not miss a single coin.” I held up the pair of metal tubes, each one six inches thick and stuffed full of pages. “This is what you want, and this is why you’re going to do as I desire.”

  “What are those?”

  “The original blueprints for the Terrier and the Calico, right down to the species of wood used for every last plank, the formulas for the tars and sealants, the style of rope, and even the fabrics and coatings used for their sails. Both captains kept a copy of it. I salvaged them when the Calico sank, for my captain was wise and stored them in a watertight container. I’ve cared for them over the centuries, so they’re still legible, the paper is sound, and every last one of the ships’ secrets are here for your curiosity.”

  Lucretta’s eyes widened, her mouth dropped open, and the color fled from her cheeks. “The original plans for the ships? You have the original plans?”

  I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t snap at her for something beyond her control, waited until the urge passed, and sighed. “These were among my captain’s most prized possessions. I have many of the prized possessions of most of my crew, reclaimed from the sea and kept in my care. These are but two of those things.”

  Why was letting go so hard? I popped the cap off the tube containing the Terrier’s design plans and eased the thick sheaves of paper free, yellowed with age but intact and in as good a condition as the day they’d been drawn. Circling the table, I smoothed them out in front of the Black Scourge’s descendant one page at a time until every room, every plank, every inch of the once proud ship surrounded her. “You’ve seen the Terrier’s shell. You can confirm the truth of my words.”

  “We have some sketches of the ship, which helped us identify the wreckage. I’m beginning to believe our sketches are a crude attempt to copy these. My family lost our originals.”

  “Likely sank with the ship. You might be able to find the case, but if the seals broke, the plans would be ruined. If you take me to where you found the wreckage, I can look for you. I know what I’m looking for.” An uneducated eye could easily overlook the box. I doubted it had survived, but it cost me nothing to look.

  Ricardo knew what to look for, too, and I cast him a glance.

  “They were destroyed in the wreck. The captain burned them so they wouldn’t be used.”

  Of course. I shook my head at the waste. “I would like a copy made for my reference, but the originals can be yours.

  “For all this, you just want me to work at unveiling the nature of your curse so you can break it if you please? And go on treasure hunts with you?”

  “Yes.”

  “What guarantee do I have that you’re not just trying to trick me?”

  My brows shot up, and I wondered just how—or why—Ricardo had put up with such blatant idiocy. “You’re joking, right? There’s millions on this table, the prints of your ancestor’s ship in front of you, and I’m asking for some honest work in exchange. Once a year, we’ll have a gathering, you and I—and two of your crew—to discuss your progress. Money is not an obstacle for me in this venture.”

  “And what will you be doing while I’m trying to break your curse?”

  I smiled, stealing a glance at Abrahan and Ricardo. “I’m going to show Abrahan the world and look for treasure, of course. I’ll do whatever I please with Ricardo, which is a great deal. I’ll keep Abrahan busy and teach him about life outside of the prison of modern civilization, and as for Ricardo, that is none of your business.”

  “You’re going to what?”

  “Hunt for treasure.” Hunting for treasure sounded like the sort of vacation I needed, conquering a new stretch of the world, one untouched by my past, although I’d drag the most prized part of my history along with me for the ride.

  “Are you insane?”

  I pointed at myself. “I’m hundreds of years old, and I transform into a man-eating tiger shark. If you were expecting sanity, you’re the one who’s crazy.”

  Ricardo snickered. “I’m as old and as crazy as she is, and I’m in full agreement with her. We came from a different age, Lucretta—one you don’t understand for all you’re proud of your heritage.”

  “Very well. Where are you going to search for this treasure?”

  “I’ll probably look for the myths with a little bit of truth hidden deep in jungles where only the insane or an immortal would go. I’ll probably scout it with Ricardo, determine if it’s safe for others, and bring Abrahan on the second venture if it seems a conquerable challenge for a mortal.”

  “Count me in, then you have a deal.”

  I blinked. “Pardon?”

  “Count me in on those treasure finding expeditions. I’ll bring two of my crew, we’ll handle our yearly meeting on one of these ventures. You find us treasure, we’ll split the risk of the second venture, equal shares. We’ll work on the curse at the same time. If there’s more than one venture a year, very well—we have more than one meeting a year. I’ll even pitch in on possible expedition targets.”

  The Black Scourge’s descendant wanted to go treasure hunting in potentially lethal locations? I frowned and turned to Abrahan. He held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Don’t look at me, Captain. I signed up when you started talking about exploring hidden jungles. I can’t blame her for wanting to catch that kind of crazy.”

  I drummed my fingers on the tube containing the Calico’s plans, shook my head, and set it in front of Lucretta. “Very well. Should I find some interesting hidden treasure in some inaccessible and potentially lethal remote location, I’ll make certain to let you know.”

  “Then we have a deal.”

  I pulled Abrahan’s knife from my pocket and drew a thin scratch across my palm to seal the deal and saw Lucretta had done the same. A slow laugh built in my chest, and I clasped hands with her, shaking my head over the ludicrousness of sealing
a deal with a woman I should have considered a living devil and my enemy.

  But then again, thanks to her greed and ambition, she’d given me a gift I could never repay. She wouldn’t get Ricardo back; I’d fight her to the death over him, and I would not repeat the mistakes that had cost me so much. In the meantime, I would focus my attention on what mattered, reclaiming what I’d thought gone forever. “We have a deal. We’ll see you in a year, Lucretta O’Malley, after I bring you a vessel capable of taking you all from this island.”

  Judging from her expression, she’d hate me for life, but I didn’t care.

  I’d already claimed everything I needed from her, although I’d keep my word should I be unable to avoid the siren’s call of treasure and adventure.

  About R.J. Blain

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  RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.

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  When she isn't playing pretend, she likes to think she's a cartographer and a sumi-e painter.

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  In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Should that fail, her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until she is satisfied.

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  RJ also writes as Susan Copperfield and Bernadette Franklin. Visit RJ and her pets (the Management) at thesneakykittycritic.com.

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  Chapter One of Hypnos: Seeking the Zodiacs

  Following the devastation of World War III, nuclear radiation has spawned magic, ranging from nuisance koppa oni plaguing the Golden Gate to masters of the elements. It falls to the FBI's supernatural quads and their supervisors to protect those who can't protect themselves.

  * * *

  But when a mysterious force storms through a busy shopping center and fells everyone in its wake, Olivia Abrams and her team of special ops must find who is behind the attack and why before the entirety of San Francisco succumbs to its powers.

  An upstart hunk of a police detective invaded my office, waved his badge in my face like I cared, and barked, “Where were you last night?”

  As it took a lot of balls for a local cop to storm into an FBI resident agency and start asking questions without even an introduction, I refrained from encasing him in a bubble of water and drowning him. I was tempted to drench him so I could admire him for a while, however. Beneath his black suit, white shirt, and prissy black tie likely lurked a lean man.

  If his face was any indicator, a lean, gorgeous man.

  The good upstart cops countered their donut intake with gym time, and my invading cop seemed to have forgotten to pick up his share of the donuts on his way to the gym.

  I smiled, leaned back in my chair, and enjoyed a few more moments of admiring the view. “Well, this is a memorable start to a Monday. Do I intimidate you, or do you always start questioning sessions so abruptly? I will say that was a nice entrance, Officer. You got my attention. I’m sure you would’ve unsettled most suspects.” I leaned forward and closed the folder closest to me to hide the case file I’d been reviewing. “You have the advantage.”

  The cop closed my office door. “Paper pushers are hardly intimidating.”

  “What did I do to deserve the abrupt treatment? If I missed a blind date again, I might be sorry for once in my life. I had no idea Oakland had such nice police officers. Detective?” I relaxed in my seat and kept a close watch on him through half-lidded eyes. “There must be a lot of women committing crimes for a chance to be arrested by you. Alas, I missed our date because I was stuck here working. That’ll teach me to skip out.”

  “I assure you there was no blind date.”

  “Well, that’s a pity. A blind date would’ve been better than critical case reviews.” I rose from my seat, circled my desk, and held out my hand. “Lee Jing Chi. How can I help you, Officer?”

  To unsettle, disturb, or otherwise gain the advantage over those who came to my office uninvited, I employed my mixed heritage. Americans like the spunky cop considered me inferior, but the men couldn’t help but stare, especially when I wore a pencil skirt and posed on my desk. The instant my legs came into view, most of them forgot about their petty prejudices.

  He locked onto my bare calves, shook his head, and forced his attention to my face. Licking my lips counted as unfair play, but most who came storming into my office ultimately objectified me anyway. Tweaking the cop’s nose would amuse me until I sent him packing.

  Unlike most, the cop shook my hand without trying to break my fingers. “Raymond Davis, Oakland Police, Detective.”

  “I’d guessed you were with the Oakland police from your badge, Detective. Alas, I missed our date because I was here working. You can verify that with the security desk downstairs. I’ve been here since two.”

  Detective Davis released my hand. “In the morning?”

  I turned enough on my desk to give the files pestering me a venomous stare. While my four-man quads were responsible for the monitoring and policing of the supernatural, we also got to deal with money laundering and other financial crimes that fell under the FBI’s jurisdiction. When the supernatural did the money laundering, the files were flagged as critical, resulting in an unwanted call at one in the afternoon on a Sunday.

  I hoped I’d get to go home before Tuesday.

  “In the afternoon. I’m hoping I can go home in the next hour or two—”

  Someone knocked at my door, and I kissed my hope of leaving today goodbye. “Enter.”

  Of all the quads I managed, Luke Doloman’s team drove me crazy. The quad leader visiting me meant trouble, and it wasn’t the fun type of trouble. “Detective, if you’ll excuse us for a moment?”

  Luke’s eyes widened. “Hey, Ray. I haven’t seen you since the koppa oni infestation on the Golden Gate. What are you doing here?”

  “I’m questioning Miss Lee Jing Chi,” he replied.

  I smirked as the cop likely had no idea if Lee or Chi was my family name. Technically, neither was, but I’d have fun revealing I was American born and raised, much to my mother’s dismay.

  She’d insisted on giving me a proper Chinese name despite my tendencies to take after my American father.

  “Is she finally being booked for overworking?”

  If Detective Davis did the booking and the pat down, I’d be quite happy with the interruption to my day and a chance for some rest. All I’d have to do was drench a few cops to get into a specialized cell, then my rest and relaxation would be quiet and undisturbed. Alas, there was no rest for quad managers. “What do you need, Luke?”

  “There’s a problem, boss.”

  Detective Davis’s mouth dropped open. “She’s your boss?”

  “You came here without knowing that?” Luke tossed his head back and laughed. “You poor bastard. She’s going to eat you for dinner.”

  “Luke,” I warned. “What’s the problem?”

  “Adrianna’s quad hasn’t checked in, and they’re an hour late. They aren’t answering their phones.”

  A different day, a different problem, and when working with a bunch of unwilling supernaturals who’d rather have safe desk jobs, I had a list of reasons why the quad wasn’t answering their phones at least a mile long. Unfortunately, my job was to make sure all quads reported back in and find out what had happened to them when they didn’t turn up after a shift. “Take your quad, call for backup if needed, and I expect
an update every twenty minutes.” I reached across my desk and snatched my phone. “Activate the trackers on your phones before you leave, and should you call in for backup, make certain they do the same.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Good luck, Ray.” Luke bolted from my office and slammed the door behind him.

  I considered my phone, judging the situation to figure out the best way to get rid of the detective so I could do my job. A call to the security desk would get the detective out of my hair for a while. “Well, so much for going home in an hour. Enough playing. I’ve a quad to locate. Tell me what you think I did, why you think I did it, and what sort of alibi information you need so you can head off and do your job. Any other day, I’d just love to play games with you, but a missing quad is too important for time to be wasted unnecessarily.”

  “A koi statuette of importance to the Chinese, according to its owner, was stolen last night.”

  I stared at him. “And this has what to do with me?”

  “You have the required magic rating—which is a rather rare rating in case you need a reminder—needed to pull off the robbery, and you have motive,” he announced.

  I blinked at him, returning my phone to its cradle. “I do? What the hell am I going to do with a fish figurine? If I want a paperweight, I’ll order one online.”

  “It’s Chinese.”

  “And?”

  “You’re—”

  “Chinese-American. I’ve never been to China in my life, my Cantonese is so bad it makes my mother cry, and I’m a special agent in the FBI. Why would I wreck my career over some dumb fish?”

  “The dumb fish is worth over five million dollars.”

  Okay. Five million dollars could sway a lot of people, but I wasn’t one of them. “Why would anyone buy a fish for that much? Is it made of diamond or something?” I snorted, slid off my desk, and returned to my seat. “I can send you a copy of my schedule and authorize security to send you copies of the hallway security footage proving I haven’t left the floor all night. Would that be sufficient proof for your needs, Detective Davis?”