The others helped the rest of the mermaids dry off and soon, there were hundreds of naked, blue-haired merladies lining the beach. Most barely remembered what it felt like to walk on human legs.
The two that had tricked Charlie danced toward him, playfully. He was ecstatic to have the chance he needed to speak with them again. They had a third sister with them, a different sister than the one he had saved from the netting.
“This is real sister,” one of the ladies told him.
“She needed saving,” the second added.
“The mean one... not real,” the first one said.
“Took our sister.
“Held her captive,” they took turns explaining.
“Mean one. Not real. Not one of us.”
“Looked wrong when came to us.”
“Wrong?” asked Charlie. This is what he needed to confirm.
“Yes. Fake. Not one of us,” they kept repeating, but they did not seem to know how to explain further.
“Wanted ring,” the mermaid pointed to Charlie's finger.
“Used our sister. Took her.”
“Said would kill her.”
“If we did not do.”
“We are sorry,” they spoke as if using one voice.
“It's okay,” said Charlie, once again. “You did what you had to do. When it comes down to it, family is the most important thing there is.”
“Yes. Yes,” the three sisters agreed wholeheartedly. “Cannot live without sisters.” They giddily rejoined the rest of the group. Michael stood near the front, next to Emily, fear in his eyes that he was about to lose her.
One of the sisters that had tricked Charlie walked up to Michael and stroked his smooth face.
“We say thank you now. You help save us. Sister returns to you.” She shook her head, as if confounded, adding, “She prefers walk. Not swim.”
Michael just stared in awe, befuddled by what the merlady was saying.
She pulled a necklace over her head, and removed the shell that dangled from it, holding it up to Emily's mouth.
“Sing,” she instructed Emily.
“Into the shell?” questioned Emily.
The merlady nodded yes.
Emily sang softly into the opening of the shell.
A bluish light came out of her mouth and found its way into the shell. The merlady smiled and held the shell up to Emily's ear.
“Hear?” she asked.
“Yes, I do,” Emily replied, a huge smile on her face.
“We save for sister,” she said. “One that wants swim. Not walk.” She put the shell back on her necklace and secured it around her neck.
“Is that it?” asked Michael, still not understanding. “Are you human again?”
“Yes. Totally human, not mermaid,” Emily replied cutely.
Michael picked her up and swung her in a wide circle. He put her down pleading, “Can we please make it at least an entire week before something else life threatening happens to you? My heart needs a break.”
Emily laughed. “I'll do my best. I promise.”
Michael turned to the merladies. “Thank you. Thank you very much.”
“You save us. We save you.” She leaned in, kissing Emily on the cheek. “We miss sister already.” She pouted, but then grinned widely, turning to run back into the ocean. She disappeared under the surface in seconds. Her flippers shot up into the air, splashing as she dived down, her figure dissolving into the shadows.
Each merlady did the same, kissing Emily goodbye and then diving back into the water. Soon, all that remained on the beach were drying bodies of dead bloodsuckers.
Melinda skipped over and grasped Emily’s hand, happy she was going to be okay. She wanted to hug her, but the bloody bits still covering her clothes were now drying and smelling.
Melinda patted Michael's shoulder. She did not need his empathic abilities to feel the large doses of relief and elation pouring out of him.
“I don't know how you enjoy this stuff, William,” noted Melinda a moment later. “I know it’s your fav thing and all, but I cannot imagine living on a diet of only blood.”
“Don't diss it until you try it,” he replied proudly, although instantly regretting his choice of words. “That is actually not funny in the least.”
“Awe. It was funny, William,” laughed Melinda, adding in a teasing voice, “You're permitted to make jokes, you know.”
Jokes yes, he thought. But picturing Melinda on a diet of blood, never.
Mr. Jordan sauntered up to them, then.
He had been walking the beach, looking over the devastation, collecting blood samples for his research.
“I will bid thee farewell,” he said. He stepped closer to Emily. “Thrilled you are still amongst us in the human world my dear. Thrilled!”
She nodded in his direction, smiling.
“Thank you, Mr. Jordan,” said Michael. “Thank you for trying to help. I'd still love to talk more about your work sometime.”
“Sure enough, young man. I'll be in touch.” He nodded politely and headed back toward his car.
Through the beach entrance, they heard the beep beep beep of a truck backing up.
“The cleaners,” said Charlie, rubbing his hands together. “Our work here is nearly done.”
A large truck came to a stop, with the words, “Demon Isle Cleaning Service” painted on the side.
A young man around Charlie's age hopped out of the cab. Charlie met him, holding out his hand. The young man grabbed it, shaking it. “Charlie Howard. It is never a pleasure to see you,” the young man sparred jokingly.
Charlie pretended to hit the young man in the arm. “Yeah, afraid we left you a doozy today, Josh.”
“Someone's gotta do it!” an older voice called out. “And the pay ain't bad either.” An older, scruffy looking man walked around the front of the vehicle.
“Where you want me to start today, Dad?” Josh asked him.
“Let's survey the scene. Always survey the scene first,” he reminded his son. His voice was kind but gruff, as if he had smoked one too many cigarettes.
“I'm on it,” the young man said eagerly. “Catch ya later,” he said to Charlie, passing by, opening the back of the truck.
“I'll owe ya beer,” Charlie shouted after him.
“Ha, from the looks of this mess, you'll owe me a six pack.”
“Ah, he's a good kid,” the older man said. “Glad he finally decided to come into the family business.” He added, “I'm thinkin’ on retirin’.”
Mack joined them. “I didn't picture you as the retirin’ type, Earl Skidgel.”
“There comes a day in every man's life when he realizes he'd rather be fishin',” he spoke, his eyes dancing. “'Sides, I been doing this on forty years.”
“Well, this Isle is indebted to you,” said Charlie.
“As I said, someone's gotta clean up this heeah supah-natral messes get left behind.”
They all laughed and Earl joined his son at the back of the truck.
“I'm gonna stick around, wrap things up here,” said Mack. “Why don't you guys go ahead and take off. Been a pretty long day.”
“Mack, lately, every day has been a long day.”
“Ain't that the truth!” she agreed, wiping her brow.
“I'll just fill in the Skidgel's on the beach barrier before I go,” said Charlie. “It will start to fade in about an hour.”
“Good. Good. I'll check in with you guys later, then.” She headed back out to check on her deputies.
FIVE
A short while later, after cleaning up, the Howards sat in their kitchen having a well-earned dinner of pizza, which had been delivered a few minutes previously. Michael had driven Emily home so she could have dinner with her father, but could only be talked into letting her out of his sight upon her insistence that she was headed straight to bed after dinner.
William sat at the table, drinking his usual mug of animal blood.
Melinda was having a hard time e
ating as her evening date with Riley edged closer. But she did not want Michael to catch onto her feelings so she did her best to ignore the butterflies swimming in her stomach and nibbled on a slice of pizza.
During dinner, Charlie explained in more depth what had happened to him earlier that day, and what the mermaids had told him that evening.
“What do you think it means?” asked Michael.
“Honestly, I'm afraid to say it out loud,” Charlie answered, glancing at William.
“It does have all the signs of a shapeshifter,” William agreed, saying it for him.
“But you killed...” Melinda stopped and then said, “even if somehow you didn't, you've got the ring now.”
“Let's just lay it on the table,” Charlie finally caved. “It's possible I may not have killed the alpha werewolf.”
“What or who did you kill then?” asked Michael.
“I don't know. I remember thinking that the wolf I fought behind Eva's house seemed different. Not as in control. More savage and wild. And it didn't speak to my mind. At the time I just assumed the ring was blocking it or the alpha had broken the connection.”
“So it was a set up?” asked Melinda.
“I don't know, maybe?” Charlie said. “What I really don't get, is how this shapeshifter knew I had to take the ring off voluntarily.”
“Voluntarily?” questioned Michael.
Charlie threw him a confused look. “I told you this last night,” he said. “Remember, Nina told me it could only be taken off voluntarily. It’s a built in safety feature.”
“Well, that’s good to know, but it’s the first time I’m hearing about it. I was with Emily last night.”
Charlie opened his mouth to speak and then closed it. “It wasn’t you,” he finally got out. “I don’t believe it.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Michael.
Charlie explained being at Nina’s and speaking to someone he thought was Michael. “It looked and sounded just like you,” he explained, feeling completely weirded out by the situation. “The Michael I spoke to last night even told me Melinda explained where Nina’s house was located.”
“I did,” Melinda squeaked out. “Michael had left for Emily’s and I was sitting on the front porch before bed. He came up the driveway a bit later and asked me if you’d come home. You hadn’t and we talked about where you might be. He left. I didn’t give it a second thought.”
“This is super freaky,” Michael muttered.
“And unfortunately seems to confirm that the shifter still lives,” added William, frowning.
“Does anyone else have a major case of the hee bee gee bees now?” asked Melinda, goosebumps rising on her arms.
No one spoke for a moment. The fact that the alpha werewolf slash shapeshifter was still alive sucked. The fact that it had successfully impersonated one of the siblings, gave them the mega creeps.
“We have much to be cautious about,” William spoke evenly.
They each looked at him, hopeful he would shower them with words of wisdom, or somehow sooth their concerns.
“In light of recent events,” William continued, “the warning from the Guardians, the arrival of the Deanes, and now potentially still having the alpha werewolf on the loose... I’d like to make some changes.”
“How do you mean?” asked Charlie.
“I’d like to begin with battle training.”
“We've learned how to battle,” said Michael, shaking his head.
“No. You have not,” William disagreed. “Yes, you do know many of the spells, but in a true battle, you would each fail.” His words were cutting, but true. “I do not wish to sound dismal, but if it comes to it, I would rather have you hate me and live, then die because I did not tell you the truth. Real war is brutal. Something none of you has yet experienced.”
“What is it we don't know, William?” asked Melinda, confident she was not ready for a real fight.
“Many things,” William said. “I want to train with each of you, and once I feel you're ready, you will dual each other.” His tone was quite serious. “I may even call upon some experts in this area, to assist me.”
“Okay,” agreed Charlie. “You've never led us astray before, William. If you think we're not ready, then I guess we had better get ready. You're the only one here that's ever been in any real battles.”
William nodded sternly, in approval. “I also believe we need to reassess our security here at the mansion. It suddenly feels, lacking...”
“I’m afraid I agree with you on that one, too,” said Charlie. “We can’t chance the shifter getting in, or the Deanes.”
A quiet awkwardness fell over the table.
On Melinda’s part, she felt oddly uncomfortable sitting in her own home, reeling over the fact that it might not be as safe as she’d always thought it was.
Charlie was eager to get started. He wanted to implement new safety precautions as soon as possible.
Michael just tried to keep his own feelings separate from his siblings, already feeling the same, but also mixed with gratefulness that Emily was unharmed and still human.
William was pleased. He had decided it was time to make some changes, to reaffirm his place in the Howard’s lives. He was their mentor. Their protector. This is how it had been and this is how it would remain.
“Oh, William,” Charlie spoke after a few minutes. “I got so sidetracked today that I never got the chance to tell you. I've got an idea I want to run by you. Maybe a way to track the thing that took Dad. Maybe at least find out what direction it went after leaving the Isle.”
“Really?” said Michael, perking up.
“I'm not sure of course. But I think it's worth a shot.”
“We can start right away if you like,” said William. “We can discuss possible new security measures as well.”
Charlie nodded in agreement.
“Do you guys mind if I sit this one out?” Melinda asked.
“Yeah. It's no problem, Sis. We can handle this,” said Charlie.
“Plans?” asked Michael.
She knew he was using his empathic ability to search out her feelings.
“Thought I might go out for an evening stroll. Maybe grab a cup of decaf before Grace closes up the cafe. And maybe catch a movie,” she lied, needing an excuse as to why she’d be home so late. She didn’t want them to worry or wonder where she was, or ask questions she wasn’t ready to answer. “I just need to clear my head a little.”
“Okay. Well, have fun,” said Charlie.
Michael was eying her distrustfully, and opened his mouth to speak when William came to her rescue.
“Michael, could you reheat my blood mug. I still cannot figure out how to use that confounded microwave.”
“Oh, yeah, sure. No problem.”
William darted by Melinda, his mouth turning up in the slightest of smiles.
“Thank you, William,” she whispered so softly that only the vampire could hear. She slipped out of the house before anyone could ask any more questions.
##
Anthony Jordan stepped into his house. A short while later, he heard his daughter’s jeep pull up the driveway and waited by the front door for what he knew would be an indignant entrance.
She stalked up the stairs, each step heavier and louder than the previous, plowing through the door letting it slam shut behind her.
“Don't ask me how my day went!” she said with a crazed look in her eye. Her white hair flailed around her head in a fury, as if acting out her emotions. She showed her father her hand. “No ring, all you need to know.”
She poured herself a whiskey and let her anger fly.
“I almost had him. Those stupid mermaids! They almost had that ring off his finger and they went and messed it all up!” She took a deep swig, breathing out heavily, after. “That ring is causing me a ridiculous amount of grief! It’s blocking me from his mind. I can’t tap into his thoughts anymore.”
Her father just waited, pati
ently, to be sure she had finished.
“A blow, no doubt, but my day went a little bit better,” he spoke softly, but in a tone that would pique her curiosity.
She sighed in an irritated manner.
“K. I'll bite.”
“First, I spent the day living in the world of the Howard Witches. I saw awhile ago that you had failed, as the ring was still on Charlie's finger.”
“And how is this a good day?” she asked bitterly, wanting him to get to the point.
“I found out some very interesting news today.” He poured his own shot of whiskey before continuing. “The Demon Isle power source does not give the Howard's their abilities. They would be witches regardless of its existence.”
“Their powers are not tied to the source... they came out and actually told you that?” she replied, her eyes lighting up.
“The young man, Michael. I made up some drivel about plant research, wondering if the power source affected the local plant life and he just offered the information freely.”
“You are good, Dad. I'll give ya that.”
“So are you, my dear, it just wasn't your day, today.”
“Hasn't been my day since we came to this freakin’ place!”
“Things are looking up, regardless,” he reminded. “If their powers are not linked to the Isle, they can be taken. And once they are powerless...” he nodded knowingly.
“Then we can win,” Eva muttered.
“Then, we can win,” he repeated exultantly.
##
Melinda sat outside the Wicked Muddy Cafe. They were about to close and Grace had sat down with a cup of decaf for both herself and Melinda. She was a little nervous about Grace meeting Riley, but had the feeling Grace would understand why she was meeting him here, rather than at home. She did not dare tell her brothers she was dating someone. Grace, however, was tickled to death that Melinda was dating and could not wait to meet the boy.
While they waited, Melinda asked Grace if she’d had any more Deane sightings.
“Not since this mornin’. What did you guys decide to do about ‘em?” she asked, genuinely curious.
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