by Bianca D’Arc
Drew nodded. “I bet. And I’m sorry you had a bad breakup, but I’m glad you kicked the jerk to the curb. I could go kill him for you, if you like.”
Chapter Four
Was he serious? He looked awfully serious.
“No, it’s okay,” she was quick to say. She didn’t want him killing anyone and going to jail for her. “I put it behind me, but it’s funny you called him a jerk. That’s my little name for him. Dirk the Jerk.”
“His name is Dirk?” Andrew’s expression was far too calculating for her comfort.
“Yeah, but it’s really okay. I don’t want him dead.” At least not anymore. “And I do my own killing, these days.” She chuckled. “I’m part of a hunting party that fights predators near the pod to keep the rest safe.”
“You’re a warrior.” He seemed surprised by her revelation.
“Didn’t Grace tell you?”
“No. She’s only shared a little with her mate, but he’s kept quiet. They must’ve told John the few things he needed to know to trust her. We all understand about needing to protect our people’s secrets, and we generally respect each others’ privacy.”
She thought about that for a moment. “Things are easier in the ocean. We don’t have to dodge humans and their laws much. Living on land, surrounded by them, and the possible threat of them, is hard.”
“But you lived on land for a while, right? You lived with your folks and your ex,” he prompted.
She sighed. “Yeah. I grew up on land. I didn’t flee to the ocean until after…”
“After you broke up with Dirk the Jerk,” he supplied, finishing her sad thought.
“I totally ran away from my troubles,” she admitted. “It was cowardly, but the ocean has a way of washing away all your troubles, you know?”
She looked up at him, hoping he’d understand, and she saw more than she bargained for in his eyes. He nodded slowly.
“I know. Why do you think I’m always out on my boat? I crave the peace of the water, but you must know the ocean in ways I could never experience. I envy you, in a way.”
She hadn’t expected that.
“What are you trying to forget?”
She saw him withdraw at her direct question, sitting back in his chair and looking down at his empty plate. She’d pushed him too far, too fast. For a moment, she considered reaching out to him. Apologizing. But he stood from the table before she could make a move toward him and headed for the sink with his empty plate.
“It’s complicated,” he allowed, at least giving her the courtesy of some kind of answer as he rinsed his plate and then tucked it into the dishwasher rack. “A sad story for another time. Right now, I think it’s time to call Jack and Grace and see if they’re ready to come up for a little air so you can see your friend.”
He pulled a slim phone from his hip and hit a few buttons, then held the device up to his ear. She could hear it ringing, and then, a deep, male voice answered. The earpiece was set loud enough that she could hear both sides of the conversation, and she smiled as the men traded insults before Andrew got down to business. When the man on the other end of the call relayed Jetty’s arrival, she heard the undeniable squeal of Grace’s delight in the background.
Well, that answered that question. He wasn’t lying about Grace, and judging by the rest of the men’s short conversation, she and her friend would be reunited within the hour. Things were moving right along. If everything continued to check out, she’d be able to give the green light to her people regarding the safe harbor offer, but she was still reserving judgment. She would have to meet the Alpha and see more of the town after meeting with Grace.
One bite at a time. That was the only way to eat a whale.
The visit with Grace was all Jetty could have wished for. Grace was glowing with happiness, and it was obvious her bear shifter mate was equally besotted. As the day dawned bright and beautiful, Grace and Jetty sat on the deck of Jack and Grace’s house, looking out over the water. Andrew took Jack a short distance away, to walk along the beach for a few minutes, letting the ladies have a few private minutes to themselves.
“I wish you could find the kind of happiness I have, Jet,” Grace gushed, truly in love. “Jack is the best man I’ve ever known. He saved me on more than just the physical level.” At this point, Grace’s gaze went dark. “The leviathan had its hooks into me on a magical level. I kept trying to go back into the water, right back into its clutches. It was calling me. I’ve never been so scared in my life, but Jack saved me. He figured a way—with the help of the local shaman—to join his magic to mine. We’re truly one now, and I’ll never leave him. I love him so much, Jet.” Grace’s eyes lit from within with the shine of true love.
Jetty was convinced. Between the way Grace gushed over her new guy and the way Jack looked at Grace, the love clear in his open expression, Jetty knew they were meant to be. She hugged her friend, truly happy for her. Finding a mate that matched your heart and soul was every shifter’s dream.
Grace insisted on coming into town with Andrew and Jetty later that morning, to introduce her around and show her the sights. Grace had loaned her more presentable clothing, and the four of them took two vehicles—Andrew’s convertible and Jack’s SUV—down the rough road that led to the apex of the cove, where the town center was laid out.
Grace seemed to be having fun showing off her friend to the people they met as they strolled along Main Street, visiting several art galleries, a souvenir shop, and finally, the much acclaimed bakery. The town’s famous bakery was everything Jetty had imagined, and then some. Two of the sisters who owned the place where there and seemed genuinely happy to meet a friend of Grace’s. Jetty liked the way they teased Jack and Grace about their newly mated status. It was clear Grace had made good friends in this small town.
They all ate lunch at the bakery, spending an hour and more nibbling on delicious sandwiches and pastries and sipping rich, hot coffee. It was truly one of the nicest meals Jetty had shared with anyone in a long time. She missed this camaraderie, living in the ocean. She missed the simple act of dining out was good friends, talking and laughing.
Life under the waves was great, but it was harsh as well. One always had to be on guard against predators, and communication was more difficult. Oh, Jetty had friends among her hunting party, but it was different underwater. Even her relationship with Grace was different in the sea.
They were much more at ease on land. Able to spend time just enjoying each other’s company, without having to be on the lookout at all times. And the company was pretty fantastic too. These bear shifters were polite, funny, and very easy on the eyes. In fact, Jetty hadn’t met one person yet, who wasn’t tall, athletic, and very attractive.
Living in Los Angeles, she’d been surrounded by beautiful people. Actors and actresses always tried to look their best, and it felt like the prettiest people from around the country all went there, trying to break into show business. It had been hard to compete with some of the bombshells that populated the city. Not that Jetty had low self esteem. She knew she was fit and reasonably attractive, in the mer way…but Dirk the Jerk, and so many of the men she had dated, seemed to want perfection.
Sure as hell, Jetty knew she wasn’t perfect. Not by a long shot.
Not that she really wanted to be some plastic, picture perfect version of herself. She was who she was, and she had begun to really like herself over these past years spent in self-discovery, in the ocean. Things were a lot simpler there.
They were just about finished with lunch, when the little bell over the door to the bakery tinkled, indicating a new arrival. The men greeted the newcomer—a powerfully built man with an extremely commanding presence. Introductions were made, and before she realized it, Jetty had met the Alpha bear.
John, as the Alpha insisted she call him, joined them at the table, and more coffee was poured and snacks refreshed. It looked like she was about to have her meeting with the Alpha bear right then and there, which was just as well
. Everything Jetty had seen of Grizzly Cove had impressed the hell out of her.
Just this one final thing to tick off her list and she’d have made her decision—in favor of accepting the bears’ offer of safe harbor. All she had to do was go back and tell her hunting party, who would then send messengers to the pod. But first, she had to lay out a few things for the bears, so they’d understand the full meaning of their offer.
Drew was listening intently as Jetty got down to business with John. Everything that had happened so far felt really positive. He thought the town had done its best to impress Jetty. And he knew Grace was thrilled to have her friend here. Grace’s enthusiasm was obvious and would go a long way toward convincing Jetty that the offer of asylum was real and honest.
Talking with John was the logical next step. He was glad when the Alpha showed up. With any luck, they could get this all wrapped up before dinner, and Jetty would be convinced to come back and stay here while the danger lasted out in the ocean.
If Drew had anything to say about it, he would do his best to convince her to stay much longer than that. Maybe forever. And that wasn’t such a scary thought, the longer he was in her presence.
He almost suspected… No. It couldn’t be that simple. Nobody found their mate so easily.
Did they?
“So you see, John,” Jetty was saying as the conversation turned serious, “my hunting party is just a small part of the larger group.” Drew noticed Grace nodding at Jetty’s side, and he tuned into the conversation once more. “The hunting party is one of several that guard and provide for the pod. Our pod consists of a few dozen families. The singles of suitable age and ability form the hunting parties. So the terms need to be made clear. Are you offerings safe harbor to just my hunting party, or will you extend it to the pod?”
“When you say families, you mean children? Mothers. Fathers. Aunts. Uncles. Right?” John seemed to be thinking hard, a frown marring his brow.
“Grandfathers and grandmothers, too, though the mer population has always skewed more toward the female. Males of any age are few and far between,” Jetty told them.
John grunted, his bear showing through in the sound. The idea of more females in the area would appeal to all the single men, so that was a plus as far as Drew could see.
“We can’t leave them out there to fend for themselves against the leviathan,” Jack said, holding hands with Grace. “Not when concentrating our people here is what lured it. We’re responsible.”
John looked at Drew, seeking his opinion without words. Drew nodded. They’d always been about protecting the innocent. That was their mission. Always had been. Drew knew the rest of the unit would feel the same.
“It’s what we do, John,” Drew said. “Our mission has never changed. We protect. It makes our bears happy.”
“Yeah,” John allowed, sitting back in his chair. “I think we won’t get any argument in extending the invitation to the entire pod.”
Relief flooded Grace’s expression as she put her free hand over Jetty’s and squeezed. Jetty smiled, but still looked cautious.
“Thank you, Alpha. It means a lot that you and your people would be willing to do that for us. There are just a few details we need to work out before I can go back and give them this great news.”
“Details?” John asked.
“Yeah, like what are they going to wear on land?” Drew thought, starting to warm to the logistical problems. “And where do they come ashore? We have a pretty steady flow of tourists nowadays. We can’t have mermaid sightings drawing crackpots up here. It’ll have to be discreet.”
Jetty laughed at his crackpot joke, but nodded. “If there could be some sort of structure…like a boathouse or something, where we could surface indoors and clothes could be stored.”
“That’s perfect,” Drew replied, already thinking of possible locations for such a building.
“And we need at least one of the shops to begin stocking more women’s clothing. And a bank branch would be awesome too. Our people have ties in the banking industry since we tend to pop out of the water all over the place and need funds in the local currencies. We could probably arrange for a satellite branch to open up here, if you all agree,” Grace put in, surprising the heck out of Drew. She was being a lot more forthcoming with information about her people now that Jetty was here.
The women went on planning, and John made a few phone calls to get more of the unit to join them. It looked like this was going to be an all-out effort, and it was important to have all the guys on board from the beginning. One by one, the key individuals arrived at the bakery for an impromptu meeting. Tables were pushed together and coffee served as the planning began in earnest.
As Jetty was introduced and the situation explained, every single guy agreed with the plan. Drew was proud of his buddies. Not one of them even entertained the idea of leaving those mer out there, in danger. Before long, a plan was devised, and work would begin at sunset. The basic structure of the boathouse would go up overnight, with all the guys pitching in. Some of the other things would take a bit more time, but the important point was that things were being set in motion.
Through it all, Drew watched Jetty interact with his friends. The single men mostly found her attractive. Some flirted. Some even issued invitations, which made him want to growl, but she just smiled and remained noncommittal with them all, which made him feel a little better. If she was going to accept an invitation, he preferred it was one of his.
He was planning to throw his hat in the ring—for better or worse—before he’d let her swim away. His bear was having a hard time with the idea that they had to let her go, though he knew she had to communicate what she’d learned to her people. The furry side of him growled at the knowledge that she would have to leave. It wanted to stop her. It wanted to keep her. All to himself.
It was way too early in their relationship—if they even had a relationship—to be thinking things like that. Drew knew his thoughts were a little too possessive. A little too emphatic. A little too primitive. But there it was. Caveman Drew, at your service.
It didn’t make a whole lot of sense. He was fighting instincts he didn’t fully understand. Animal instincts. The bear was clawing at his insides, trying to get at her, but not to hurt her. No, the bear just wanted to be near her. To rub up against her and stand between her any possible danger.
When the meeting finally broke up, it was nearly dinnertime. They’d spent all afternoon in the bakery, having a marathon planning session. A lot of good points had been raised, and a lot of really solid plans had been set into motion. All in all, Drew was really pleased with the outcome of the day.
The only thing that would make him happier was if he could convince Jetty to stay with him just a little longer. It was selfish, he knew. Every minute she delayed her departure was a minute her people were still in danger. The sooner she spread the news of Grizzly Cove and the welcome that waited here for the mer, the better.
But he’d only just found her. The more he was around her, the more he wanted to be in her presence. He would follow her into the depths of the ocean, if he could. Barring that extreme, he’d try to enjoy the few moments they had left to their fullest.
He couldn’t really do that in a crowd. Rather than stick around after the meeting, sharing small talk with his buddies, Drew ushered Jetty out the door, right along with Grace and Jack. Drew stood impatiently as the two mer women said their goodbyes, hoping to avoid any more delay in returning to his home. He had plans, and they were running out of time. She had to leave, but before she did, he wanted to make it clear to her that he was interested. More than interested, actually.
The kiss they’d shared had awakened his primitive side, and the bear wanted her. The human side of him wanted her in his bed, in his life, but the bear wanted to protect her. Always.
But he also didn’t want to scare her off. It was going to be a delicate conversation. One he’d never had with any other female. Jetty was special. More spe
cial than she knew.
Jetty was glad when the meeting broke up. She had been very impressed by the bears’ willingness to help her people. Their planning and logistics expertise was very apparent, and she felt content to leave preparations in their hands. Grace would oversee things and guide them in the right direction, if necessary, but Jetty had great confidence, after talking with them all at length, that they would create something very special here. As they had, in fact, with their entire town.
Grizzly Cove was pretty amazing. She’d really enjoyed herself today, which was something she hadn’t anticipated. She’d figured one town was very much like another, and after LA, a small artists’ colony on the rugged part of the Washington coast wouldn’t be all that interesting. Boy, had she been wrong.
The place was idyllic. A peaceful slice of Americana dressed up in shifter style. Oh, it wasn’t obvious that the town was full of shifters. They still had to keep a low profile. Humans could wander through at anytime, after all. But the pervasive feeling of the place was one of acceptance and peace. It was like nothing she had ever experienced outside the ocean before.
Certain parts of the Pacific had that same feeling, but they weren’t as plentiful as they once had been. The oceans were being damaged in places by pollution and human traffic on the surface, in their giant container vessels, crisscrossing the earth’s oceans at will. Humans were everywhere nowadays—even in the deeps.