“Promise?” I shook my head, not sure what she wanted.
“That everything will be okay. Do you promise?”
Yes. I would do anything in my power to keep her safe. “I promise.”
She tucked her head back onto my shoulder and exhaled slowly. Even though years had passed, she still trusted me. Still believed that I wouldn’t let her down. Now I’d made her a promise. I hoped I could keep it.
* * *
The End. . . for now.
Thanks for reading “Underground Magic”.
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About the Author
D.D. Miers is an ardent book lover, coffee enthusiast, and die-hard romance fan. When she's not writing, she can be found snuggling on the couch with a good book in hand, planning a Harry Potter themed party, or dancing very badly to music. She currently resides in beautiful Southern California with her wonderful husband, a crazy toddler, and the many different characters in her head.
Elements
Michelle Hercules
Elements © copyright 2017 Michelle Hercules
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All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Elements
When Mother Nature decides to exact revenge, you’d better move out of the way.
Nothing heals a broken heart faster than a summer holiday in Ibiza. According to Kenzie's best friends, anyway.
What was meant to be a carefree party aboard a luxurious yacht turns into a dangerous affair when Mother Nature decides to have a party of her own. Fighting for her life, Kenzie will cross paths with mythical creatures she’d never dreamed of.
Caught in a tug of war between supernatural beings, will Kenzie's life ever be the same again?
Author’s Note
Thank you so much for purchasing the Heroines & Hellions boxset. Your support means the world to all the authors involved in this project.
Before you dive into Elements, I would like to let you know that the following story is not the one I had originally planned for this set. Due to unforeseeable circumstances, we had to publish Heroines & Hellions earlier than we had planned.
Elements is a short story, but I do want you to have the story I had planned for the set. To receive your free e-book copy, please complete the form in the link below. This is not a trick to get you to subscribe to my newsletter. I will only email you when my book is ready to download.
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https://www.subscribepage.com/heroineshellions
Elements
The minute I stepped outside, I felt immediate relief. Techno music seeped through the door's gap and followed me, but the sound was muted. Loud bass tones made the walls pulse as if alive. I put my hand over my chest and could still feel those low-frequency waves in my heart. The multitude of voices that blended together in a chaotic symphony was now nothing but a low murmur from the yacht's deck. A tiny smile formed on my lips. Camille's classical music obsession was beginning to rub off on me.
A rare, cool sea breeze kissed my skin and brought goose bumps to my naked arms. I stared at the full moon's reflection on the serene ocean and took a deep breath. A soft giggle reached my ears, altering me to the fact I was not alone. A quick scan revealed the silhouette of a couple laying on a chaise lounge on the yacht's bow. I averted my gaze when I heard the clear sound of a zipper being undone. I had no voyeuristic intentions tonight. Since coming to Ibiza with my best friends a week ago, I had seen my fair share of boobs, dicks, and people having sex in public.
I walked in the opposite direction, knowing my moment of solitude wouldn't last. Within minutes, either Tammara or Amber would come looking for me. This trip was about making me feel better, after all. Nothing cured a broken heart faster than having the time of your life on the party island. So they had said. I doubted a quick tryst with the sleazier version of a young Antonio Banderas was going to help me.
I leaned against the rail and a memory of Peter and I in happier times came unbidden. We had just been nominated Prom King and Queen. Peter placed the crown on my head before he kissed my cheek. He looked at me with profound adoration and I had to glance down, unable to stand his intense stare. I had never felt more beautiful than I did in that moment. A hot tear burned my skin and I shook my head to disperse the memory. Peter was out of my life for good, and I had better start accepting that.
A loud splash below was a welcome diversion. I leaned forward in an attempt to see what had come to the surface. Something fluorescent blue caught my eye, and as I tried to think what kind of fish it could be, the yacht began to rock.
"There you are." Tammara came into view, stumbling her away over to me. She had in her hands two glasses of champagne.
Her soft, ginger curls were matted against her head, her eye makeup smeared. Even if she hadn't been dancing like there was no tomorrow, the crazy, humid Spanish weather would have done the deed. She offered me one of the flutes, but the sudden rocking of the boat and her current less-than-coordinated state, made the glass slip through her fingers.
"Shit!" She looked down at the broken mess and pushed the big pieces of shattered glass away from her six-hundred-dollars shoes. "What's the deal with all this rocking?"
"Don't know." I faced forward and away from her scrutinizing gaze.
"Boy, you're a bag of sunshine today, aren't you? Paco was looking for you."
I sighed loudly and let my shoulders slump, hoping she would take the hint. "I can't deal with the Pacos of this world tonight."
Through the corner of my eye, I saw Tammara shake her head and take a sip of the champagne. She closed her eyes and savored the golden liquid, almost moaning in pleasure. After a moment, she offered me her glass. "Here, you need this more than I do."
I glanced at her offering and felt tempted, but the rocking motion of the yacht had already twisted my insides. "I'm good."
"God, Kenzie. If I knew you were going to be such a Debbie Downer on this trip, I wouldn't have brought you."
"I didn't ask you to bring me." I couldn't avoid the bite in my reply. Tammara's words had stung, but I knew she meant well.
A strong wind came out of nowhere and the yacht lurched sideways. My stomach hit the rail hard, and on instinct, I clutched the cold metal to avoid going overboard. Tammara was not so lucky and stumbled down without grace. She still managed to hold on to her champagne glass though. That required skills.
"Son of a bitch!" She tried to scramble back up, but the boat swung the other way, making her slide across the deck.
"Tammara!" It was hard to see with the sudden, fierce wind blowing my long brown hair everywhere. Strands turned into vicious whips, beating against my face and invading my mouth.
I lost my balance when the yacht tipped at a forty-five degree angle. I fell hard against the wood floor, and a sharp pain shot up from my tail bone. There was no time to grab on to anything before the thick wall of gray water came rising over the side of the boat, slamming onto the bridge with a thunderous crash. The power of the wave threw me across the deck and all I could do was flap my arms around, trying to find something to hold on to.
I fell into a hole and my hand hit some k
ind of metallic cylinder. I swiped my hair off my face, and realized the metal object was part of the hot tub's ladder. I wrapped both arms and legs to it like a damn spider monkey. The yacht continued its unmerciful swing and I stretched my neck, trying to find my friend.
"Tammara!" I could barely hear my own voice through all the noise of giant waves bashing against the yacht.
The wind kept howling in my ears and the nausea was overwhelming. I bit my lower lip until I tasted blood. That did the trick, and for the moment, I didn't have to worry about losing my dinner. I searched for Tammara once more. She was still somewhere on the deck; she had to be.
It seemed half the guests had made it outside and were now clutching at anything to remain aboard. I hoped Amber had been smart enough to be among them. You didn’t want to be trapped inside in case the boat sank.
The lights on the yacht began to flicker, and a moment later, they went out completely. I called out to Tammara and Amber until I lost my voice. My heart hammered in my chest and tears mingled with the salt water. I pictured Mom, Dad, and Camille, hoping that I would be able to see them once more.
I looked up at the sky, expecting to see angry, stormy clouds that would explain such a drastic change in the sea. The sky was blessedly clear, the full moon now mocking me with its beauty.
All at once, the yacht dipped down at an impossibly steep angle, pointing almost straight down. An ominous, rogue wave advanced toward the boat. I had seen The Perfect Storm. I knew there was no surviving that. I braced myself for the impact, aware I would have to let go once the boat capsized. The wave curled over the top of the bridge and came crashing down. I was ripped from my safe spot and it was all darkness and unbearable pressure for a moment. I was inside a vortex of foam and didn't know which way the surface was. Water filled my lungs and panic began to overtake me.
Through the gloom I saw the fluorescent blue light again. It hovered only a few feet from me and it wasn't a fish. It had the shape of a man. Impossible. He raised his hand as if reaching out and the whirlpool around me stopped. I stood paralyzed, not knowing if I was hallucinating or if I was already dead. The apparition vanished a second later and my body screamed for air. No, I wasn't dead. Not yet.
Following the faint moonlight that penetrated the water, I swam to the surface. A surge of hope permeated through me, giving my muscles extra strength. But out of nowhere, some kind of net appeared and I became tangled in it. I struggled to break free, but the more I fought, the tighter those ropes wove around me. They were attached to something heavy, maybe the yacht, and they dragged me down. The moonlight grew fainter and fainter until there was nothing but blackness. Big bubbles of air escaped my mouth and nose as I sank lower in the sea. My lungs burned. My vision slowly dimmed and I knew it was the end.
Something warm and powerful enveloped me and the tightness of the ropes vanished. Air filled my lungs and I gasped for it greedily. The water that had been smothering me until that moment was gone. I knew what my eyes were showing me, but my brain refused to believe it. I was in some kind of air bubble deep down in the ocean and I floated inside, like I was in a zero-gravity room. I poked the transparent barrier and my index finger went through without any resistance. A gasp escaped my lips as I quickly pulled my hand back and watched the hole disappear.
The vast, deep sea surrounded me, but it was no longer dark and oppressive. There was a glow that turned the water the most beautiful azure color. My heart rate spiked, and with difficulty, I swallowed the lump in my throat. I had spent half of my life in the ocean; I had heard my fair share of legends of the sea and had dismissed them as fairy tales like any sane person would do.
"How dare you attack one of my wards?" A strong female voice reverberated inside the bubble, her timbre beautiful and frightening. Was she talking to me?
In the blink of an eye, the fluorescent man reappeared with a petite girl with long, flowing hair. They floated without effort, their skin changing tones in a fluid motion, never remaining still, like water. The man was tall with broad shoulders. I couldn't make out any more details, but they were breathtaking. It hurt my eyes to stare at them too long. It was akin to staring at the sun.
"We do not answer to any Entity. The water is our domain," the man answered. I didn't understand how I was able to hear him, but nothing about tonight made any sense.
"Water might be your element, boy. But I am not an Entity. I am Iemanjá, Queen of the Sea. Never forget that."
I felt the change in the water in my bones. The walls of my bubble vibrated. I hugged myself, wishing this were all a nightmare and I would soon wake up. With wide eyes, I saw the couple being surrounded by a whirlpool, the vortex spinning so fast they vanished inside. A blue light erupted from within and the whirlpool dispersed.
The man's skin had lost its mesmerizing sheen. He looked almost human and his features were clearer. He was young, maybe my age. His hair was blond, neither long nor short. His muscles were well defined like I had suspected. He had a perfectly symmetrical face with a strong jaw and a chin dimple. In my world, he would be the type of guy girls crushed on. But he wasn't part of my world. I didn't even know what he was. The only certainty I had was that he was responsible for tonight's tragedy. He was a threat.
"There were poachers on that vessel. They deserved to be annihilated," the girl said in a small voice.
"Your grievances against the humans are not my concern. That girl is not to be touched. She is an Indigo and under my protection."
Both the young man and girl stared at me and I’d never felt more vulnerable in my entire life. They had tried to kill me. I was only breathing thanks to the benevolence of a disembodied voice that sounded as stable as tight rope.
"We don't follow the orders of the Guardians. It's not our concern if Indigo or Crystal people perish while we avenge the planet."
As soon as the young man uttered those words, he clutched at his throat like he was been choked to death.
"Stop it, please, Queen Iemanjá. Cassio didn't mean to offend you," the girl wailed.
"I do not tolerate defiance. He will die for his insolence."
"No, please. I will do anything. Don't kill him. I beg you."
"Are you offering me a bargain, child?"
"Leelah, don't promise her anything," the young man managed to say at great cost.
Leelah looked at her companion before she faced forward again. "Yes. I am."
"Very well."
Cassio leaned forward and braced his hands on his bent knees. Despite my repugnance toward those mysterious beings, I couldn't help but to be fascinated at how they were able to breathe and speak under water. As I child I dreamed of being a mermaid. I settled on becoming a professional surfer when I learned that mermaids didn't exist.
"Since you and your brother attempted murder against the life of one of my protégés, you will now be responsible for her protection for as long as she lives."
"That's preposterous! Elementals do not protect humans. It's against our nature. They're destroyers, our enemy." Cassio stood straight, defying once more someone who was clearly more powerful than he. He didn't possess a learning curve apparently.
"Be quiet, Cassio," Leelah said. "Please forgive my brother's outburst, Queen Iemanjá. My brother is not known for his intelligence."
Cassio glared at his sister and I fought the urge to laugh. I must be going crazy already if I could find humor in my current predicament. I wished Tammara and Amber were here. Thinking about them made my heart squeeze painfully in my chest. Were they even alive? My eyes burned and I wiped the rogue tear away quickly. I could not show weakness.
"How are we going to protect her in the human world? We can't be away from the ocean for long," Leelah continued.
"You are in luck, my dear. Kenzie has an incredible affinity with the water. She spends most of her time in the ocean. You will assume human form when she's away from it."
"What? Live out there? With them?" Leelah said.
"Yes. Those are my conditi
ons. It's either that or your precious brother dies."
Leelah glanced at Cassio, who had murder written in his pale blue eyes. His deadly gaze was zeroed on me, of course. I wanted to open my mouth and protest. Convince the queen I didn't need or desire protectors. Especially protectors who wanted to feed me to the fish. But I couldn't bring myself to utter a sound. Fear had made me mute. It was clear the mercurial queen was not to be contradicted.
Leelah seemed to take a deep breath, despite how absurd the notion was. There was no air to intake under water. "We agree to your terms."
"Good choice, child. As insurance that you will follow through with my demands, I want your brother to give Kenzie his Merculi medallion."
Cassio's face paled as he brought his hand to his throat. His fingers wrapped around a medallion that had been invisible until that moment.
"But that will mean he'll be bound to her for eternity, even after she dies."
"Yes, I know," the queen answered.
Me? Bounded to a non-human murderer? Things kept getting better and better.
"Over my dead body," Cassio said through clenched teeth.
"That can be arranged."
"No. He'll do it," Leelah said.
"Leelah, you know I can't. My medallion is spoken for."
"Azzura will understand. It's your life or the medallion. And if she doesn't, she isn't the right one for you."
Cassio looked down, still clutching his precious medallion. His furrowed brows made deep creases in his smooth skin. His jaw clenched and it seemed like years passed before he squared his shoulders. He swam to me with the grace of a dolphin and the killer instinct of a shark. My knee-jerk reaction was to get away from him. I kicked my legs and hovered backwards but stopped short when I remembered the bubble didn't provide any tangible barrier.
Heroines and Hellions: a Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Page 94