Must Love Mermen (Sable Cove Book Two)

by R. E. Butler

  “Take one of those seasick pills.”

  “That’s a good idea, I’ll pick some up. See you soon.”

  “Bye, love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  Zia carried Flora and the diary out of the study with Cassian and headed to the cottage shed. He pulled a wooden crate from under the workbench and helped her fill it with supplies. The materials to build the greenhouse were getting delivered the following week, and she was looking forward to helping her mate put it together.

  By the time they reached home, the sun had set and the water was calm and smooth. She suggested they go for a walk on the beach. They took off their shoes and left them behind. Flora followed along with them, her little paws making cute prints in the still-warm sand.

  “This has been the craziest few days,” Zia said. “I mean, not only did you rescue me, but I almost died and discovered I’m part witch, and now I’ve got a familiar.”

  “And you unearthed a generations’ old family secret.”

  “Right. I still can’t believe it.”

  “How do you think your dad will take it?”

  “I don’t know. He’s not easily ruffled, so I expect he’ll take it in stride. It’s definitely a surprise that a fairy from that generation would have a one-nighter with a warlock, though. It would definitely have been a scandal.”

  “She was smart to keep it to herself, I’m sure. She might have been kicked out of her family if they found out.”

  “That’s what I was thinking.” She stopped and faced the water. The waves moved on the shore, echoing in the night. The lighthouse illuminated some of the water, acting as a beacon for travelers. It was a truly beautiful, special night.

  “I changed my mind,” she said.

  “About what?”

  She turned to face him. “I don’t want to get married in the gazebo in my parents’ back yard.”

  “Oh? What did you have in mind?”

  “I want to get married here. Not on the beach, but on the dock. You and me and a minister at the end of the dock, with the water all around us. I think it should be at night too. It’s so beautiful on the water at night.”

  He gave her a kiss and smiled down at her. “That’s a great idea.”

  “Now we just have to convince my family to move their plans for a big party here.”

  Before she could say anything else, he said, “Not it!”

  She gave him a light shove on the shoulder. “Thanks a lot!”

  He grinned. “I’ll do anything for you, love, but I won’t tell your parents that you’re taking away their party plans to get married on a wooden dock.”

  She thought for a moment and then said, “We can tell them after dinner on Sunday night. If Nonni’s right, they’ll be happier when they’re full.”

  “I’d like to handle dinner for them.”

  “Sure. What did you have in mind?”

  “Something traditional, but it’s a surprise.”

  “Oh, I like surprises. But my favorite are the sexy ones. Like when you hopped in the shower with me yesterday.”

  “They’re my favorite too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The next day, Cassian dropped Zia off at the rescue to spend time with the witches. Flora prowled around the waiting room, sniffing all along the baseboards before settling in a patch of sunshine streaming in the window.

  Kinsley sat with Zia on the carpet near the window while Delaney and Hadlee gathered supplies for Zia’s first attempt at spell casting. Zia told her about the visit with her grandmother and the shocking news.

  “You must be relieved, though,” Kinsley said.

  “Definitely. I understand why my great-great-grandma kept a secret, I just wish she hadn’t had to. That she’d been able to follow her heart.”

  “It would be nice if everyone could do that, but life doesn’t always work out that way,” Kinsley mused.

  Zia nodded, smiling as Flora rolled to her back and stretched, her black fur glistening in the sunlight. “If she hadn’t chosen me, I might not have pursued things.”

  “You mean you might have just chalked it up to mating with Cassian?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t give up.”

  Zia was glad too. Her whole life she’d only been a fairy. Now a whole new world was opening up for her.

  “We’re ready,” Hadlee said as she came into the waiting room with a box.

  Delaney followed. They joined them on the carpet and unpacked the box.

  “This is a spell journal,” Delaney said, handing a leather-covered book to her along with a pencil. “You can treat the book however you’d like. Some witches write every spell they try, whether they’re successful or not, in their books. Some only write ones they can do successfully.”

  “What do you guys do?” Zia asked as she opened the book and looked at the blank, unlined pages. The paper was cream-colored and thick.

  “We all write in every spell, whether it’s successful or not,” Hadlee said. “I also write at the back spells that are more difficult that I’d like to try in the future. Some of the big spells take a lot of preparation or can only be done during certain times of the year.”

  “I had no idea,” Zia mused. “Fairies don’t conjure like witches do.”

  “I think your fairy power will be helpful with your spell casting,” Kinsley said. “It might mean you lean more toward nature spells over other types.”

  “Right,” Delaney said, setting a tall pillar candle in an iron holder and placing it in the center of the circle. “We’ve got a candle book for you to look through. We picked red for the candle today because you’re going to try to light it with your magic, and red is for fire.”

  Zia looked at the candle and then at her new spell book. “I think I’d like to write it in the book first.”

  “Sure,” Kinsley said. “Here it is from my book. You can copy it and then we’ll go over the pronunciations.”

  Zia put her book on her knee and opened it to the first page. Using the spell Kinsley had written, she copied it into her book and then looked at it. It was only three words.

  “How can so few words do something like start a fire out of nothing?”

  “Bigger spells have more words,” Delaney said. “But lighting a candle doesn’t need a big spell. You’re not trying to start a pile of logs burning with a spell, just light a little wick.”

  “Ah.”

  They went over the pronunciation of the words until she could say them without stumbling.

  “Okay,” Kinsley said. “You want to focus on the wick and see it lit in your mind. See the yellows and oranges of the flame, the way it smells when it’s burning, the wax dripping down the side. When you can see it clearly in your mind, speak the spell.”

  “Just once?”

  “Yep,” Delaney said.

  She glanced at the kitten, who was staring at her upside down. “Should I hold Flora?”

  “Not this time. Try it on your own,” Hadlee said.

  Zia nodded. She stared at the candle and the unlit wick, picturing in her mind what it would look like when it was burning. Then she spoke the words, “Nuncs alaart fiersa.”

  She felt something within her bloom for a moment and disappear, and the candle didn’t light.

  “Try again,” Delaney said.

  Zia tried a second and then a third time. On the fourth time, she focused on that little part of her that felt different than a fairy, that felt more magical. She spoke the spell, and this time the candle sparked once and then died.

  “Oh! But I did it for a second,” she said, elation filling her.

  “Yes, you did, but it didn’t stay lit,” Hadlee said. “Pick up Flora now and try it.”

  She lifted the little black kitten into her arms and smiled down at her sweet face. “Help me out, kits.”

  Flora blinked and her whiskers twitched.

  Zia looked at the candle and imagined it lit again as she touched that magical place
inside herself. This time, when she spoke the words, the candle blazed to life.

  And stayed lit.

  “Holy crap!” Zia said.

  The witches cheered. “We knew you could do it,” Delaney said.

  Zia lifted Flora so she could kiss her. “Thank you!”

  She put the kitten down on the carpet and watched as she stalked toward the candle.

  “I guess I can’t cast a spell without her though. Does that mean I’m not...enough of a witch to really be one?”

  “No, not at all,” Kinsley said. “It’s your first time. We grew up nurturing our powers and casting spells from a young age. You just waded into this because of your mating, so you shouldn’t expect to be awesome right off the bat.”

  “If you choose to work on learning about your abilities and casting spells, your power will grow,” Delaney said. “Like learning how to play the piano or knit, it’s all about time and dedication. The power is there, it just needs to be nurtured.”

  “And we’ll obviously help,” Kinsley said. “You can join us for the winter solstice and help us cast some spells. Our powers are magnified on those days, and yours will be too.”

  Hadlee put a book in front of her. “This is a spell book. It’s got a lot of stuff you’ll never want to bother with, but it’s where you can get the basic spells we like to cast—protection for a home, blessing for a baby, finding something that’s lost.”

  “That’s Hadlee’s favorite spell,” Kinsley quipped.

  “Oh?” Zia asked with a chuckle.

  “I lose my keys a lot.”

  “And your phone,” Delaney said.

  “That too. So I use that spell frequently.”

  They encouraged Zia to read the spell and candle books and work on the candle lighting spell a little bit every day until she could light it without holding Flora. Once she mastered the basic spell, she could move on to another basic one.

  “Don’t worry if spells don’t come easy to you,” Delaney said. “You’ll get there.”

  Zia hugged all three women. “Thank you so much for everything.”

  “You can repay us by getting that greenhouse set up and growing some unique plants for our spells,” Hadlee said.

  “You got it,” Zia promised.

  Delaney left to go home to sleep with her vampire mate. Zia stayed with Hadlee and Kinsley and helped with the familiars until Cassian came to get her. She felt buoyed by the simple spell she’d been able to cast, and excited for the new adventure on the horizon.

  Cassian kissed her and opened her car door. “How did it go?”

  “Awesome! I cast a spell!”

  “I knew you could.”

  She grinned. His faith in her was everything.

  On the drive back to the lighthouse, she told him what happened and how Flora helped.

  “Well, anything I can do to help you, let me know.”

  “I will.”

  They spent the afternoon working around the lighthouse, clearing the space and prepping for the greenhouse. She couldn’t wait to get it set up and be able to work the soil again and use her fairy powers to encourage the plants to grow.

  “Tell me your favorite fruit,” she said as she hopped up onto the counter next to the lighthouse computer. Cassian finished typing and then gave her a smile. “Apples.”

  “Really? Nothing exotic like pineapple or dragon fruit?”

  He leaned back in the chair and put his hands behind his head. “I guess I pretty much like any fruit, but apples have always been my favorite. My grandparents’ home had an old apple tree in the yard, and I loved to climb it and grab apples for my friends. Being at their house was one of the better memories of my childhood, so apples make me happy.”

  “Aw, that’s so sweet. I like apples too, but mostly in juice form.”

  “I can make you an apple pie you’ll love, I bet.”

  “Oh? I’d like to see that—you baking, that is. Will you wear an apron and nothing else?” She wiggled her brows.

  He laughed and reached for her, pulling her into his lap. The chair swung lazily in a circle. “Whatever my sweetheart wants.”

  “Damn skippy.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Sunday morning, Cassian carried a load of firewood to the edge of the beach and dropped the logs. He brushed off his hands and looked critically at the pile, wondering if he had enough for his needs. Deciding he’d get one more armload, he turned and nearly ran over Zia, who yelped when they bumped into each other.

  He grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. “Sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t know you were there. Are you okay?”

  She smiled as she righted herself. Flora was pouncing on butterflies in the grass near the edge of the beach. “Yep, I’m good. I’m practicing my ninja skills, that’s why you didn’t hear me.”

  With a laugh, he kissed her. “Well, you certainly caught me by surprise.”

  “I came to ask if you needed any help.”

  She’d already asked him once, but he’d turned her down and he was going to again. What he was planning was something he needed to do all on his own.

  “You’re very sweet, but no thank you.”

  “Are you sure?” she leaned to the side and looked at the pile of wood behind him.

  “I’m positive, but I love you for offering.”

  “My parents are going to be here around three. Mom just called and wanted to know what she should wear for dinner.”

  “Did you tell her what I said?” He’d told Zia that he was cooking a traditional merman feast for her and her parents, and they were going to eat around the bonfire on the beach. It got chilly at night, so he suggested everyone dress warmly.

  “I did. She wanted to know if warm meant casual, and I said yes. It’s a good thing she called, otherwise she might’ve shown up with a parka over an evening gown.”

  He smiled at the imagery. Her parents were as fancy as any merpeople he’d ever met, but where they differed was how kind and sweet her parents were. His own family wouldn’t have been happy to meet Zia because she wasn’t a mermaid. Her parents had welcomed him into the family immediately.

  He would make a meal for them tonight, something to honor them and his beautiful mate.

  Zia pecked his cheek. “Okay, I just wanted to check. You look pretty sexy out here, hauling wood and stuff.” She wiggled her brows.

  He caught her around the waist and drew her close, dropping his head to her neck and placing a kiss on her pulse. “I’d love to take you to bed right now, sweetness, but I have to go hunt. I have no idea how long it will take, and I don’t want to be late.”

  “Aw, denial!” She wrinkled her nose and then giggled. “You’ll make it up to me later.”

  A statement, not a question.

  “Over and over again. I promise.”

  She kissed him and cupped his face, her eyes shining with happiness. “Be safe.”

  “I will.”

  He reluctantly released his hold on her and watched as she picked up Flora and headed back to the lighthouse where she was using the stockroom to get plants ready for the greenhouse. After gathering the second load of firewood, he dropped it on the pile and went back to the lighthouse to grab the wheelbarrow he’d filled with large stones. It took him an hour to dig out a fire pit and line it with rocks, but when he laid the wood in it and stepped back to see his work, he was really pleased with how great it looked.

  He’d borrowed some caution tape from Venice and set posts in the ground around the firepit and looped the bright yellow tape around the prepared area. There weren’t any people hanging out on the beach at the moment, but he didn’t want anyone thinking they could use it.

  One more trip back to the lighthouse for his gear, one more kiss from his sweetheart, and then he headed down to the water on the other side of the docks where he had a little more privacy. He stripped from his clothes and set them on the dock, then anchored two large mesh pouches across his chest and moved them to his back. He had a knife in a
sheath on his waist and a short spear in his left hand.

  He rolled his neck and exhaled deeply, then strode into the water. Once he was deep enough, he sank under the surface and shifted into his merman form. With a powerful stroke of his tail, he propelled himself away from the shore. Searching with his enhanced senses, he began his hunt for food for the meal. He searched for fish first, finding striped bass and triggers, and even a Spanish mackerel. Once he had the fish on a string set-up he’d brought in one of the bags, he journeyed back to the docks and put them in the live well in his boat.

  Back in the water, he swam out to a reef and put several lobsters and crabs in the bags. The last item on his list was clams, which he dug up on a sand bar along the coastline, just outside of the cove. He couldn’t believe how successful he’d been with his hunting, but he’d been a male determined to put on the best traditional meal he could.

  He put the crabs and lobsters in metal traps tied up to the dock, and hung the clams from a mesh bag, then used the outdoor shower, drying off and dressing quickly so he could make a run to the grocery store before he started cooking. By the time he had set up the spit over the fire, cleaned and prepped all the seafood, and put potatoes in a cast-iron skillet on a grate over the fire, he heard a short blast of a boat horn and looked up to see her father piloting a boat toward the dock.

  Cassian put down the container of butter he was drizzling over the potatoes and hurried to help bring the boat to dock.

  “Nice to see you again,” Cassian said as Olive handed him one of the lines and he tied it off to the cleat.

  “You too,” Athene said.

  “How was the trip?”

  “Good, though we ran into a little bit of a rough patch, but we survived,” Athene said.

  “It was nice to get out in the fresh air,” Olive said. “And the motion sickness pills did the trick for me.”

  Cassian helped her onto the dock. “I’m so glad to hear it.”

  “Oh, look at the lighthouse,” she said with awe in her voice. “It looks even more majestic up close.”

  Zia called out for her parents as she walked toward the dock. She hugged them as they both stepped from the dock onto the walkway. “I’m so glad you’re here. Did you have any seasickness, Mom?”