Currents Run Deep

by Shelley Munro

  “Asia? Asia! Are you here?” Hell, if they’d hurt Asia he’d never forgive himself. He grabbed the phone and rang Asia’s cell phone number. His panic eased when she answered. Low music, a piano and the wail of a saxophone were audible down the line.

  “Hey, Asia. It’s me. You almost finished there? Ready to get hitched?”

  “I’ll meet you at the courthouse in half an hour.” The excitement in her voice brought a smile, albeit brief. He hoped he wasn’t putting Asia in danger by marrying her. They could always postpone the ceremony until another time. No, dammit! He wanted Asia by his side, he wanted to sleep with her and wake up with her in the morning.

  “Half an hour,” he confirmed. “Don’t be late.”

  “It’s fashionable for the bride to arrive late,” she teased.

  “After the morning I’ve had, I don’t think my heart could take it. In fact, if you’re late I think I’ll put you over my knee.”

  “Ooh! Be still my heart,” she cooed. “Is something wrong?”

  Roman laughed, seeking to reassure her. He didn’t want her to change her mind either. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  * * * * *

  Asia checked her watch. The bride was supposed to arrive late, not the groom.

  “Yes, well. I’m sorry, dear,” the marriage registrar said. “I have ceremonies scheduled for the rest of the afternoon. You’ll have to reschedule.”

  Asia gritted her teeth and tried to hold the tears at bay. He’d changed his mind about marrying the enemy. Her family had tried to tell her.

  Stop it! Wait to hear his explanations before jumping to conclusions.

  “Thank you. We’ll reschedule.” She forced a smile on seeing the sympathetic expression on the elderly gentleman’s face. He thought Roman had changed his mind. The marriage registrar felt sorry for her.

  She had to get out of here before she did something stupid like cry. Asia hurried from the courthouse into the sunshine outside. She made it halfway across the square outside before the first tear ran down her cheek.

  She waited at home by the phone for the rest of the afternoon, her mood swinging from tearful to furious and back again. Roman didn’t come. He didn’t call.

  Chapter Seven

  “For the last time, Helena and her brothers have taken over the island! Don’t you care?”

  Roman stared at his brother before averting his gaze and looking at the landscape below. They flew over an open expanse of ocean, heading due south to Auckland Island. Asia was going to think the worst, and he had no way to contact her.

  “Of course I care,” he snapped. Maybe if he took care of this mess, he could fix things with Asia. If she’d talk to him. “I thought they’d disappeared.”

  “They’re back. She’s wearing a flashy ring and telling people you’re getting married, that she’s acting on your behalf. Any of your friends who deny her story have disappeared. I don’t know whether they’re dead or are incarcerated somewhere. People fear her because she’s shown she’s not afraid to kill those who oppose her. You should have been here to stop her. You shouldn’t have left and given her the opening to seize control.”

  “I was the only one who could safely negotiate the sale of the treasure without giving away the location of the wreck. I would have been here if I could.” Roman didn’t see why he needed to explain himself to Gene. Surely his brother knew he had the interests of the tribe at heart.

  The two brothers glared at each other, the taut silence full of resentment and irritation at his brother on Roman’s part.

  The helicopter landed on the far side of the island, away from the village and prying eyes. They waited for Tom, the pilot, to secure the helicopter and join them for the drive into town.

  “Tom, let us out on the outskirts of town so I can show Roman how bad things are here,” his brother instructed.

  “You’re being paranoid, practically kidnapping me and sneaking me back on to the island.” Frustration simmered through Roman. Asia would hate him. Hell, he was probably on her family’s hit list now for leaving and breaking her heart.

  “Well, I don’t understand what was so important that you couldn’t come back,” his brother muttered.

  “I was getting married, dammit!”

  Both Gene and Tom turned to gape at Roman. The vehicle veered toward the edge of the cliff.

  “Watch the road,” Roman barked.

  “I thought you were just sleeping with the woman, stringing her along,” his brother said. “You never said it was serious. You haven’t been away for long. Who is it? Not a human? That will really go down well.”

  Tom glanced across at them again before concentrating on the winding road that cut along the edge of a cliff. Curiosity flitted across his face. Roman could practically see his ears flapping.

  The truth had to come out eventually. “Asia Bolino.” Roman waited for the fallout.

  “Asia? I don’t believe the name is…” His brother’s mouth dropped open, his eyes bulged. “Bolino? Fuck! Roman, have you lost your mind?”

  The vehicle went precariously close to running off the road.

  “Perhaps you should pull over,” Roman said. “Then you can both have your say about the state of my mind.”

  Tom stopped the vehicle. “Bolino? As in a member of the Transients?”

  Roman gave a curt nod.

  “The enemy,” the pilot muttered. “That’s all we need to add to this little war we’ve got going down here.”

  * * * * *

  Roman thought his brother had exaggerated. It was worse. Helena’s people patrolled the town armed with weapons. Shark mercenaries and Helena’s orca supporters were on most corners, and they had to take a circuitous route through the town to avoid a confrontation. It seemed they’d put a curfew in place and the main part of the town appeared quiet and empty. The lamps that lit the square near the council building weren’t burning, either shot out or switched off. The atmosphere was one of fear and distrust, and the few orcas he saw darted out of sight after catching sight of them. Gene was right. The fear and mistrust on their faces when they saw him told Roman they believed he and Helena were one and the same.

  His brother put a hand on his shoulder, offering silent support. “Helena has taken over the council chambers. It would be best if you went to your cottage. I will pass the word to those loyal to you.”

  Roman took exception to his brother’s orders. “I’d rather confront Helena now.”

  “Wait until the morning. See how many orca are still loyal to you,” Gene said gruffly.

  Roman gave a curt nod, seeing the wisdom of the suggestion. When he arrived at his cottage, it felt as if he’d been away for years. He prowled the interior, worrying about Asia. For the first time in his memory, the fate of his people was secondary to his personal life. Somehow he had to get back to Asia, to reassure her of his love. The night passed slowly while he debated alternatives and the quickest way to return to Asia.

  The next morning, Roman spent an hour listening to complaints about Helena and her brothers, his anger steadily building with each new revelation. The trio had done their job well, sowing the seeds of mistrust and shifting loyalty from Roman to them. But there were still a few orcas on the island who thought as he did. If they were to survive and prosper, they needed to put money back into the island’s infrastructure.

  The treasure wasn’t going anywhere while Helena held the village at gunpoint. They needed to keep to the terms of the contract he’d arranged while on the mainland. The village needed the money for improvements, for a better life for all the inhabitants. How did he start to repair the cracks that had appeared in his tribe? No doubt becoming involved with Asia would make things worse.

  He dragged his hand through his hair and leaned back in the wooden chair. It creaked in protest. Tendrils of pain curled through his temples in the start of a headache. Fresh air, he decided. The legs of the chair thumped onto the tiled floor, and he stood abruptly.

  Five minutes later he str
ode from his cottage, openly defying Helena and her brothers. If they wanted a confrontation they could have one. Thoughts of the female orca brought a scowl. She was a loose cannon. A kook.

  Roman stomped down the cobblestone road and turned left to the beach. He kicked off his leather sandals and left them where they landed. The sand was cool beneath his feet. A strong wind blew, ruffling his hair and sending the waves crashing into shore. A snort escaped. Fit his mood perfectly. He checked his watch and thought about Asia. Picturing her in his mind soothed the rough edges of his irritation.

  Asia was the one good thing to come from this entire mess. He hoped she would forgive him for leaving without a word. Roman ceased his stomping and slowed to an amble. A seal barked, setting off the nesting seabirds on the nearby cliff.

  Roman caught a flash of color in his peripheral vision. A gun fired. The seals barked again in agitation, shooting off the rocks into the safety of the water while the seabirds took off in a mass of squawks and a flurry of white feathers. Another shot sounded.

  Closer. Then a third grazed his cheek. Roman leapt for cover behind a rock formation, his pulse racing. Hell. Where were they? He couldn’t see anyone. His hand went up to his face and came away with a trace of blood. Cautiously, he explored the wound. Not too bad, but it stung like the devil. He dabbed at it with his shirt before peering around the rock. He still couldn’t see anything, but the seabirds had settled again, which indicated the intruders had backed off. Roman waited a little longer and ventured from cover, ready to leap back behind the rock at the first sign of danger. Nothing happened. But he didn’t intend to make himself an easy target. He darted from rock to rock, heading for the copse of gnarled trees not far from the beach. Once there, he ran rapidly from rocks to dried grass-like toitoi bushes until he reached the village. It seemed Helena had relaxed her rule. Several orcas went about their daily business in the main thoroughfare, and Roman decided it was fairly safe to move openly with everything looking so normal.

  “Ah, Roman.” The feminine voice was low and gloating. “You’ve decided to show your face.”

  Roman turned slowly to face Helena. The orca was stunning, very beautiful with long dark hair. A thin plait emphasized the strand of white at her temple while she’d poured her curvy body into a tight black polo jersey and black jeans. A pair of black boots completed the outfit. The woman was confident. Arrogant. Greedy. If she had her way, the treasure would go into her pockets. The orca had an insatiable thirst for material possessions, as evidenced by the ostentatious ring on her left hand.

  “Helena. I thought you’d left the island.”

  “Had an accident?” she cooed, ignoring his comment. “Darling, you’re so clumsy.”

  Two could play that game. Roman shrugged. “Nothing life-threatening.”

  Helena’s two brothers moved up to flank her. They presented a united front with almost identical expressions of amusement on their faces.

  “Tell us the location of the treasure,” she demanded.

  “So you can loot the wreck.” Roman shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

  “It’s possible you might change your mind,” Helena cooed again.

  Roman didn’t like her reaction. Too controlled, and not a hint of her normal fiery temper. “I don’t think so.” If orcas believed they intended to marry, she’d planted her poison well.

  “Not even if you learned we have your girlfriend?” one of Helena’s brothers asked.

  Asia? But how did they know? Wait. If they were responsible for the phone calls and attacks in the mainland, they would know about Asia. He stared, keeping his face impassive to conceal his panic. They’d need to keep quiet about Asia’s importance to him because the islanders would learn they’d been lying about him and Helena. A possible way to wrest back control.

  Gene stepped from the nearby building to stand beside Helena and her brothers. Shock roared through Roman. His own brother. Hell, he hadn’t seen that coming.

  “You should never have become involved with a Transient, Roman,” Gene snarled. “You’re a traitor.”

  * * * * *

  Roman stared through the bars covering the grubby window, his fear for Asia making his stomach roil. He didn’t care what they did to him, but he couldn’t bear the thought of Asia dragged into the middle of his fight with Helena. They were lying. They had to be. Asia’s family wouldn’t allow them to harm her. He paced to the door, and even though he knew it was locked, he attempted to open it again.

  Sparse light entered through the small window, enough for him to see from one side of the room to the other and know it was secure. A generator hummed in the distance. Roman stalked the perimeter of the room, searching for a way to escape imprisonment. Finally, he dropped to the concrete floor and sat with his back pressed against the damp wall, trying to subdue his fear. Like an insidious beast, it writhed inside him until he tasted it. Smelled it.

  He had to face the truth—he was stuck here to await Helena’s decree regarding his fate. And there was nothing he could do to help Asia.

  Roman jumped to his feet. Dammit, he refused to give up. There had to be something he could do. Think! He glanced up and froze, his eyes widening. A hole to access the roof. A slow smile curled across his lips while he debated the best way to approach his escape attempt.

  The grate of a key in the lock pulled him from his contemplation. Roman sauntered closer to the door, every inch of him alert. Perhaps an easier way? He tensed ready to grab any opportunity presenting itself.

  The door creaked when it opened. A male with a thickset body slid through the gap and glanced over his shoulder before partially closing the door. Roman recognized the helicopter pilot.

  Tom handed Roman a plate. Raw fish. Despite hunger pangs, Roman ignored the food. “What’s happening?”

  “They’ve summoned everyone in the village to a meeting. Hurry, we don’t have much time. We have to get you out. You’re the only one who can stop this madness. They’re expecting me back as soon as I deliver the food.”

  “They’ll know you let me out.”

  The orca paused for an instant. “That can’t be helped. There’s no other alternative. We have to get you off the island.”

  Roman sorted through the scenarios available to him. He could swim, but that would take at least two days and he couldn’t take much in the way of luggage. Damn, he needed to deliver the treasure to take the heat from Helena’s argument. Without the treasure there was less leverage. Obviously, Helena hadn’t discovered he’d shifted the treasure to a new location. Two others knew, and Roman hoped they were safe and still held the same views as him. They needed that treasure for the good of the tribe. “I don’t suppose you would fly me to the mainland?”

  The pilot’s dark eyes twinkled with excitement. “An adventure,” he said. “Hell, yeah. I’m in!”

  “If Helena learns of your part in my escape she’ll make your life difficult,” Roman warned.

  Tom snorted with contempt. “She’s a greedy bitch who gets off on power. She’ll ruin the paradise we have here if we let her.”

  “Good. Here’s what we’ll do to buy some time. See the access hole up there? Hoist me up, and I’ll escape through there. Then leave and lock the room. Go back to the meeting and pretend everything is all right. I’ll meet you over on the other side of the island by the helicopter.”

  Tom wasted no time in carrying out Roman’s suggestion. Roman pushed the access cover out of position and squeezed through. He signaled to Tom before sliding the cover back, but leaving it a fraction off center. Hopefully that would leave the pilot free of suspicion. It would be a difficult feat to get up to the access hole on his own, but not impossible for someone of his body strength. Making his way quietly through the crawl space between the roof and the ceiling, he slid the next exit hole he came across aside.

  A body moved in the far corner of the room. “Who’s there?” a deep voice rumbled.

  Elation poured through Roman. He recognized the voice. Victor,
one of his friends. “Roman. Care to break this joint?”

  Within seconds, Victor knelt beside him. “Good to see you, mate.”

  “Anyone else in here we should liberate?”

  “Yeah, Weed and Smith are here somewhere. Helena and her kooky brothers locked us up last week when we started to ask too many questions.”

  “Ah,” Roman murmured, giving his mate a wicked grin. “Just the orcas I need to kick some ass.”

  * * * * *

  “I told you the Resident Orca was a lowdown pile of useless shit,” Luca snarled. “Good riddance, I say.”

  Asia bit back of a retort, knowing that was what Luca wanted. More of the same. As if she didn’t feel low enough already. Roman had walked away without a word. Intelligence from the rest of the tribe had informed her of Roman’s return to Auckland Island. Asia believed them despite the hurt engendered by his abandonment. They had no reason to lie.

  “Aren’t you going to say anything,” Luca prodded.

  “Piss off. Leave me alone.” Asia turned her back on her brother and walked into the apartment bedroom. Grabbing a bag, she tossed underwear inside before yanking open the wardrobe.

  “What are you doing?” Luca demanded.

  “Packing.”

  “You’re not going to him?”

  Asia fumbled the bottle of shampoo and conditioner she’d retrieved from the bathroom. Heaven help her, but she wanted to go to Roman, even if it was just to punch him in the nose for hurting her so much. “I’m going to the beach for the weekend. I’m tired after rehearsals this week.”

  “I’m going with you.”

  Not if she had anything to do with it. Asia threw a toilet bag inside her larger bag and zipped it closed. “I’ll drop you off at home before I leave,” she said firmly.

  “I’ll ring mother,” he warned.

  She stared at him in disbelief. “You’re gonna tell on me like you did when we were kids?”

  “I’m worried about you. We all are.”