by S. E. Smith
“If you don’t close your mouth, it might get stuck that way,” a deep voice drawled.
Magna snapped her mouth shut and carefully turned her head, dragging her gaze away from the lush vegetation outside the window. She looked into a pair of vaguely familiar brown eyes. A flush heated her cheeks when she realized that there were actually two sets of eyes glued to her. She brushed back a strand of her long hair.
A confused frown creased her brow. “You did not take my life. Why? Why did you not kill me whilst you had the chance? Your king will not be happy that you have kept me alive, unless…” Her voice faded as the fear she thought was gone rose once again to choke her.
She clenched the soft covers in her fists. Tears burned her eyes, but she blinked them away. She deserved no pity and no mercy for her actions. No one would believe that she had been forced to do such heinous things. No one could understand the power of the alien creature unless they experienced it first-hand.
Just the thought of the creature impelled her to search her body once again to see if any of the creature remained inside her to fester and grow. Her heart beat with such ferocity at the thought that she couldn’t breathe. Her hand shook when she laid it against her chest. She could feel nothing but the empty void and a choking fear. There was nothing inside her that reminded her of the alien creature.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw both men rise from the two chairs near the door and walk toward the bed. She tried to slow her panting with a deep, calming breath. She pushed away the choking panic. She would never live in fear again.
She followed Gabe with her eyes. She held herself rigid when he sat down on the left side of the bed while Kane walked around the bed to sit on her right, effectively caging her between them.
Her mind swirled with confusion and suspicion. Her eyes narrowed, and she pursed her lips, glancing back and forth between them, wondering which one would strike out first.
A soft growl of indignation slipped out before she could stop it. She didn’t know what game they were playing or what magic they must be using on her, but whatever it was, it was driving her crazy. Her body suddenly felt like it was alive in a way she had never experienced before. The burning in her shoulder suddenly moved down between her legs. She wiggled under the covers at the uncomfortable sensations. She snapped her head to the left when Gabe spoke.
“Why do you think we should have killed you?” Gabe asked in a deep, deceptively calm voice.
Magna’s chin trembled as she fought back the tears threatening to escape. “I am the Sea Witch,” she confessed, raising her chin. “I have caused many horrors over the centuries. I stirred the Kingdoms to war. I… tried… I tried to take Orion’s… the Sea King’s son, Dolph, under my control. I… I turned the people of the Isle of Magic, including their beloved queen, to stone and threatened to kill their king. I deserve nothing less than death. I only beg that you do it swiftly and with mercy, for I had little control over my actions. If you don’t kill me, Drago will, regardless of whether I was in control of my body or not.”
“Who is Drago?” Kane asked, his tone matching Gabe’s. He leaned forward and slid his hand along her chin, gently turning her face toward him.
It had been so long since she’d felt the comforting touch of another. Yesterday, the men had acted like they had no idea who she was. While she held the memory of their touch close to her heart, she’d also thought they would not have done it had they had known her identity.
The fact that Kane’s touch was tender caused her chest to hurt. She didn’t try to stop the single tear that fell from the corner of her eye and rolled down her cheek. Instead, she swallowed and forced the answer to his question past the ache in her chest.
“He is the Dragon King,” she whispered, unable to look away from Kane’s intense blue eyes. He moved his hand from her chin to lightly rest on her collarbone. “Drago’s was the first Kingdom that I… that the creature inhabiting my body ordered me to attack. Most of the dragons were taken within the first few hours, caught in their nests along the cliffs. The beast… He knew dragon-fire was the most dangerous of all to his species. That is what gave me the idea for the Starburst spell. I needed a spell that would burn hotter than a dragon’s fire. The only thing that does is a star. It took me over a century to develop a spell that would work. I had to be careful. If it went wrong, it could destroy all the worlds. Not even my father’s people who live beneath the oceans would have survived.”
She started in surprise when she felt a warm hand tenderly lift the fingers of her left hand off the bed. He didn’t raise it far; she suspected he was being careful because of her wound. She gasped when something cold and wet suddenly pushed against their joined fingers.
“Damn it, Wilson,” Gabe muttered in aggravation as he released her hand and started to push the pup away.
“No,” Magna protested. She winced as she stretched out her hand until her fingers hung over the side of the bed. “What is he?” she asked in wonder when she was rewarded with a tongue across her fingers.
Gabe stroked the furry head of the beast with an affectionate touch that belied his gruff voice. “This is Wilson,” he replied. “He’s a six-month-old eating, pooping, chewing machine better known as a puppy.”
Magna couldn’t keep the delight out of her eyes as she moved her fingers along the puppy’s jaw. Her gaze flickered to the bottom of the bed where another beast, slightly larger and obviously older, placed its paws up on the end of the bed and looked down at her. Its tail moved back and forth, and its large tongue hung out crookedly from the side of its mouth.
“That’s Buck, Wilson’s dad,” Kane explained with a chuckle. “It would appear you’ve been adopted.”
She looked back and forth between the two furry beasts and the two men. Her face flushed when she realized that all of them were looking at her. She wasn’t used to being around others, at least those who were curious about her instead of filled with fear or the desire to kill her. The strange warmth she’d felt earlier spread inside her until she felt light-headed.
She looked at Kane. “I would like to get up. And… I am hungry,” she requested in a hesitant voice.
Kane looked at Gabe. She could almost hear the silent communication between them. She waited in silence. She would not beg. She had done enough of that over the centuries with the alien creature.
Kane rose to his feet. “I’ll help you. I want to check your sutures. Gabe is a much better cook than I am. You’ll be filling out in no time,” he teased.
Her lips parted in surprise, turning to look at Gabe when he stood up. She saw an easy grin curve his lips, and he nodded. “I’ll make some of my famous soup. She’ll be eating out of my hand after she has a taste of it,” he replied with a wink at her. “Come on, boys. You two probably need to go out as well.”
Closing her mouth, she watched in dismay as Gabe and the two beasts left the room. She bit her lip to prevent an unexpected cry of protest from slipping out.
She wanted him to stay. Confused by the feelings coursing through her, she started in surprise when she felt the cool air of the room as the bedcover was pulled off. Kane moved closer to her, and as he carefully helped her sit up, she turned her face toward him, and looked up at him with uncertain, pleading eyes. “I do not understand all of this,” Magna whispered in a barely audible voice.
Kane uttered a short, rough chuckle. “I can promise you, neither do we,” Kane replied in a slightly hoarse voice before he cleared his throat. “Listen, you may be a little unsteady. You lost quite a bit of blood. I’ll help you to the bathroom. It might be best if you wait before taking a shower. I’d like to check your sutures, make sure everything looks alright.”
She nodded, thankful for Kane’s strong arm around her waist as she rose to her feet. The feel of his rough clothing against the bare skin of her arm was strange, but it was the warmth of his hand against the material of her tattered gown that sent a wave of longing through her. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would
be like to feel his and Gabe’s hands sliding over her.
“Why do I want this?” she whispered out loud.
Kane looked down at her as they walked slowly into the guest bathroom. “Why do you want what?” he asked in a strained voice.
Magna looked up at Kane in confusion. “I wish to feel your and Gabe’s hands on my body,” she replied. “I have never felt this need before. I do not understand why even the thought makes my body warm in places that I have never felt before.”
She saw Kane swallow as he carefully turned her around. His gaze flickered over her shoulder for a moment before returning to look down at her. Magna started when she felt Gabe’s warmth suddenly pressed against her back. Tilting her head, she looked over her right shoulder. Kane’s hands were on her waist, while Gabe’s hands cupped her hips.
“Gabe,” Kane cautioned in a tight voice.
“I know,” Gabe growled, even as he pulled Magna back against him. “I came to see what kind of soup she wanted and heard her. You aren’t the only one feeling the heat, Magna. Just be thankful you are hurt, otherwise, my lovely mermaid, you’d have more than my hands on you.”
Magna took in a swift breath, her body melting against Gabe as her hands tightened around Kane’s arms and she pulled him toward her. Her lips parted as she stared up at Kane. A shiver of… desire ran through her body. She wanted these two unusual men.
“Shit,” Kane muttered as he closed the distance between them, capturing her lips with his in a barely controlled kiss.
Gabe’s grasp on her hips tightened, and he groaned. Magna was vaguely aware of the fingers caressing her skin. Her lips instinctively parted for Kane’s heated kiss. She moaned when his hands moved up to her breasts. She strained against them, seeking more when he began to pull away.
“I want more,” Magna whimpered before she winced when she moved her left arm too high.
“And that is why we can’t,” Kane muttered. He glanced up at Gabe who was pressing a hot kiss to Magna’s neck. “Gabe…”
Magna giggled when she heard the sound of exasperation in Kane’s voice. She tilted her head so that Gabe could continue pressing his lips against her skin. She sighed in regret when Gabe reluctantly pulled away.
“You started it,” Gabe complained in a gruff voice.
“Yes, you did,” Magna teased, surprising herself.
Kane scowled at both of them. “No, you did,” he accused, the scowl on his face destroyed by the grin he was trying to hide. “Let me check your wound. Gabe will feed you, then we need to talk about a few things.”
Magna nodded, fear beginning to replace the happiness and excitement that she’d felt just moments before. She waited until Kane and Gabe stepped away from her. A shiver ran through her as the cool air of the room replaced the warmth they had provided. She gave Gabe an uncertain smile when he wrapped a large, thick cloth around her shoulders.
“Very well,” she murmured, lifting her chin.
Gabe started to turn away, but paused and looked at her with a frown. “I forgot to ask you what I came in here for. What do you like to eat? I mean, do you eat regular food or something special?” he asked with sudden concern.
Magna’s eyes softened at his look. “I eat just about anything. It has been so long since I ate anything that actually tasted good, I’m not sure it would matter what you prepare,” she admitted with an uncertain smile.
A frown creased his brow at her response. “I have some more salmon in the freezer. I’ll make that and some eggs…. That is….” He stopped and looked at Kane standing behind her.
“She should be alright,” Kane assured him. “I could eat some of that myself.”
Gabe rolled his eyes. “You’re lucky I like to cook,” he growled and stepped out of the room.
Kane chuckled and winked at Magna. “He knows I’m a lousy cook. We’d be living on peanut butter and banana sandwiches if he didn’t cook,” he shared with a wry grin.
Magna nodded, though she had no idea what manner of creature peanut butter was. She walked over and sat down on a small bench seat against the wall near the bathing room. She bowed her head and listened to Kane as he examined her shoulder. He talked about Gabe with affection, telling her funny stories about when the they were in the military together. Her gaze roamed around the small room, pausing on the long bank of windows. They opened onto a large deck and would be easy to access the path down to the water should she need to escape.
She looked up, startled, when she felt his fingers on her chin. He was staring into her eyes with an inquiring look of concern. She gave him an uneven smile.
“All done. The wound is healing faster than I expected,” he said in a quiet voice. “Do you need any help getting cleaned up?”
“No, I can care for myself,” she replied with a shake of her head, not sharing the fact that her wound would be healed already if she could return to the water now that the metal was no longer in her.
She blinked when Kane didn’t remove his hand. Instead, he cupped her cheek. Magna knew she shouldn’t respond to the light caress, but she was starving for physical contact.
“Magna, everything will be alright,” he promised. “Gabe and I, we’ll help you.”
Magna’s eyes filled with tears and, though she tried to prevent it, one escaped to slide down her cheek. She didn’t answer. All she could do was nod her head. She couldn’t help but think that Gabe and Kane didn’t understand the scope of all the horrible things that she had done, despite what she had told them. It was only a matter of time before they learned that what she’d said was true. When they did, she knew they would feel differently about her.
Keeping her gaze locked with his, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his in a brief kiss. She pulled back and moved to the side as she stood, then turned her back, and stepped into the room. With a wave of her hand, the door closed behind her but not before she heard his startled hiss.
Leaning against the door, she closed her eyes. Her body was trembling, and a hint of a smile curved her lips. She lifted her hand to touch them.
She decided right then that it didn’t matter whether she had died and the Goddess had given her mercy by casting her here or if she was alive and was allowed a brief reprieve. She would grasp every second she could with both hands and hug it close to her heart so that no matter what happened, she would have these memories to take with her.
Straightening, she stepped away from the door and gazed around the room. It wasn’t large, but the room was made warm and comfortable by the light wooden cabinets etched with designs that looked almost like they were telling a story, and smooth, dark wood under her feet. She walked over to the sink and ran her hand along the polished marble.
She looked away when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her long hair looked limp and lifeless. Her dress was torn and stained. Dark shadows under her eyes and a gaunt, pale face finished off the image. In the brief glance, she saw more than she wanted to – the ravages of the alien creature’s mark upon her.
A startling feeling of rage intensified until she felt like screaming. Gripping the torn material around her injured shoulder, she ripped it away from her body. She released the ruined material, and the gown pooled around her ankles. She stepped out of the crumpled material.
A large enclosure revealed a shower. She pulled open the glass door and stepped inside. Despite Kane’s caution about taking a shower, she needed to feel the water against her skin.
It took her a minute to understand the mechanics behind the faucet, but soon, warm water flowed over her weary body. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back. It felt so good. It wasn’t the same as the ocean, but it still gave her comfort.
Ten minutes later, she felt refreshed. She had washed her body and hair, not an easy task with her injured shoulder and dried off – with a little help from her magic. Unfortunately, even the tiny bit she conjured to create a simple wind spell left her so weak she wasn’t sure she would make it back into the bedroom.
&nbs
p; “Magna…,” Kane’s voice faded when he saw her holding onto the door knob. “Damn it, I knew I should have gone in there with you, especially when I heard the shower.”
The towel around her started to slip. It took her a second to realize it wasn’t just the towel slipping, but herself as well. Strong hands carefully tucked the towel around her body before she was lifted off her feet. She would have protested, but that would have taken more energy than she had at the moment.
“I will be fine in a few minutes. I shouldn’t have tried to cast a spell when I was already weak. I knew better,” she said with a touch of self-disgust.
“You shouldn’t…. What kind of spell?” Kane asked in a slightly uneasy voice.
She looked up at him when he gently set her down on the edge of the bed. She saw him direct a cautious glance toward the bathing room. Once again, that feeling of anger grew inside her, leaving a bitter taste.
“A simple one. It would not have harmed anyone. I needed to dry off. I cast a dry wind spell. The spell worked, but casting it left me weak,” she said, her voice growing softer by the end as she wondered if it was smart to share that information.
“Oh, just a simple dry wind spell,” he lightly replied, glancing at the bathing room door again before he looked down at her.
“Yes,” she responded.
Looking down, she wrapped her fingers around the blue shirt lying on the bed. She looked up again when she heard Gabe utter a long string of heated curses from another room followed by excited barking. An expression of indecision crossed Kane’s face.
“I need…,” he started to say, returning his attention to her.
“I can…,” she said at the same time.
“I’ll be right back. Stay here,” he instructed.
Magna lifted her chin. “Am I a prisoner?” she asked, glancing at the door before returning her attention to him.
“Are you a…? Where the hell did that come from? Of course you aren’t a prisoner! I should go rescue Wilson before Gabe decides to give that damn pup to me!” Kane exclaimed with a crooked grin.