Dark Tide (A Mated by Magic Novel) (11 page)

Maya’s chest tightened as the wave washed over them. Her harness kept her from being swept overboard.

Exhausted, she cleared the water away as the boat righted itself and the dark clouds dissipated.

Where was Josh?
He’d been right there with her. She’d felt the warmth of his hands, then nothing.

After wildly searching the deck, she turned to the ocean for some sign. He had to have gone over.
No.
Not after all they’d gone through. She wouldn’t lose him now. She unlatched her harness and climbed to the top of the railing. Taking a deep breath, she dove.

For the longest time, air met her face. Then, at the water’s edge, she split the waves to soften the impact.

Around her, the angry ocean churned. Using the last of her energy, she calmed it, swimming deeper.

Her gut told her it was hopeless, but still she continued. He was here. Damn it. She felt him.

She swam, following nothing but a small tingling that edged her forward in the direction her heart told her to go. She used the connection to him as a beacon. When she veered off path, her heart rate increased and urgency sent her to the right or to the left.

Her chest ached, needing air. Her body was weak. But she continued into the dark depth.

A tiny island of calm in the midst of the raging sea, she searched and swam. She could feel her dad’s power in the water as well. How long she searched, she had no idea. It could have been seconds, hours, or days.

Then she felt it–his life force. He was close. The water, their channel to each other. Her ears pounded, and self-preservation almost took over but she would not allow it. She needed her mate.

A spark of his essence hit her. There. She saw him, just before a wave crashed down, making him sink below the water.

The power needed to calm the ocean had left her long ago. With no other option, she swam toward him, arms aching.

He sank, appearing as if he’d just given up.

Damn it
. She grabbed him under the shoulders and kicked like mad. At the surface, she used her talent to form a bubble around them.

Pale as a ghost, he didn’t move. She put her ear to his mouth. No breath.

Not losing a second more, she turned him onto his side and whacked him on the back with both fists until he coughed and retched out seawater.

When she was convinced he was breathing normally, she fell back, totally spent. Together they lay in silence, exhausted beyond the ability to talk. They rode the tumultuous ocean waves, tossed about in the small membrane.

With every last ounce of strength, she held onto the orb, knowing her dad would find her.

Josh lit a flame, and the air in the bubble seemed to come alive, in oranges and reds.

She closed her eyes, concentrating on one thing. Staying alive.

Suddenly, she was hit with a sense of vertigo and opened her eyes. They floated high over the ocean on a draft of wind, and then dropped onto the surface of the ship.

She forced her lids open but they refused to move.

“Maya, let go of the bubble,” commanded one of Josh’s sister-in-laws. Must’ve been Zoe, the partial healer.

The bubble popped when she released her power and liquid pooled under her body.

She bathed in a soothing energy balm, then asked, “Is it over?”

Josh’s brother Jack answered, squatting close beside her. “They’re all in custody. It’s done. We have control.”

With her eyes opened a tiny slit, she reached across for Josh’s cold hand and it tingled ever so slightly. “He’s going to be okay?”

The healer said softly, “Yes. Thank you for saving him.”

The other brother’s voice cracked as his shadow blocked the sun, “We can never repay the debt to your clan, but damn it, we’ll try.”

Other hushed voices slipped in and out around her, but she ignored them and let the healer force her to sleep.

Josh woke at the sound of Jack’s voice and wondered when the bedrooms at the shore house had been redecorated to steel gray. His stomached rolled as the room swayed. He was still on the barge. Slowly the events of the last few days trickled into his muddled brain.

Maya. She’d been magnificent in the fight. Then, like a mermaid, had swum to save him. In a bubble? He dismissed the thought. That part he’d probably dreamed.

She was clan leader material all the way. Someday she’d rule the water clan and take her rightful seat on the Council, with someone just as powerful at her side.

He grimaced at the thought of someone else taking what he had claimed. But she needed someone to love her, someone who could give her everything she needed, not drag her into the depths of the ocean, not someone needing to be saved.

This was a pattern with him. As the oldest of the Fialko brothers, he should’ve taken control of the family business. Instead, he’d floundered when it became obvious that Jack was the most powerful of the three. Josh was just getting it all back together when the whole nightmare with Nicole had happened.

The bed jostled and he opened his eyes. Jack hovered over him, relief flooding his eyes.

“Damn. It’s good to see you awake. We thought we lost you for a moment.”

Using both hands to steady himself, he sat up and grinned even as his throat tightened. The estrangement of the last year hung thick in the air between them.

“I’m sorry,” Josh muttered.

Jack raised an eyebrow. “About what?”

The lamest apology known to mankind tried to exit his mouth. “It wasn’t right. Taking off. Not letting you know where I was.”

“Agreed.” His brother studied the ceiling, clearly as uncomfortable as he.

Josh cleared his throat. Jack wasn’t going to make this easy.

“The past year has been one hell of a mess.”

“Yeah. It has.” Jack punched him on the shoulder, as he did when they were kids.

And just like that, Josh knew it was going to be okay between them.

With that hurdle crossed, his thoughts raced to the moments before he had lost consciousness and his heart pounded. “What about Maya? Is she okay? She was really spent.”

Jack stood and nodded. “Zoe’s with her. She says she’s doing fine.”

He relaxed somewhat. “Good. And is it done? Did we get the Russian bastard?”

“No.” Pacing, the Fialko flame centered in his eyes. “But we’ll get him.” He paused, then asked, “How the hell did you get mixed up in all of this?”

“I’m not even sure. I was staying on a remote island just off the coast near Brisbane. All to myself. Dad said Dan had always given us an open invitation so I figured, why not?”

A nod indicated he should continue.

“The first freak storm happened nearby. It was big by local standards, but probably didn’t even hit the world news. Maya was concerned, and so we investigated. That led us to Dr. Williams, a yacht party, and a bunch of lousy Russian wind clansmen. What the fuck, Jack. I thought you had a treaty with them.”

The fire in his brother’s eyes lit. “I do. When I get my hands on him, it’s going to get ugly. I will take everything he owns, legally. The Clan Council will back me.”

“Hold on. Won’t murdering other high powered witches get him the death sentence?”

“If proven in court,” Jack exhaled slowly, and the orange extinguished.

“Shit. After all this, you’re not going to kill him outright?” Josh felt his own paranormal energy ignite. This just wasn’t right.

“Only if I have to.” Jack’s brow’s furrowed, daring him to say more.

So Josh did. “Maya…”

“Maya will follow directives if she wants to keep her father’s seat on the Council.”

“What do you mean? Fuck. Dan’s gone?” Josh lay back, stunned.

His brother ran his fingers through his hair and nodded.

“Shit.” He knew how much Maya’s father meant to her and his heart broke for her. She was going to fall apart.

“She saved your sorry ass,” Jack’s somber expression softened.

“Yeah, I know. Tell me. Was there some kind of weird pink bubble?”

“Not pink. It was lit with your orange flames. Smart. That’s how we spotted you...”

A moment of awkward silence followed.

They both spoke at once, “She–”

“She–”

Jack held up his hand. “Me first. I know things have been rough for you. And I’m really sorry. The whole family is...well, obviously we want you back in Jersey. But Maya is a treasure. If you need to stay here in Australia, with her, we’ll understand.”

Josh moaned. His family always jumped in when it came to mating, and he was tired of their meddling. If he and Maya were going to take it to another level, he had to do it without them.

“It’s just sex. Nothing more.”

“Wow. Thanks for sharing.” Maya must’ve been just outside the door. She had poked her head in for only a second, face beet red. Then, she rushed away and he was sure he heard her sob.

Jack turned to him, fuming. “You’re a fucking idiot. You know that?”

“I do.” He jumped out the bed, threw on a pair of sweats nearby, and borrowed a t-shirt.
Shit
. He had to explain.

Choking back tears, Maya fled into her father’s room on the third level. His suitcase lay open on the small bunk bed with a family picture, taken last Christmas, lying on top. Finding no sign of where he might be, she headed through the maze-like hallways. She needed to find him. Talk to him. He always knew the right thing to say.

Not wanting to run into Josh again, she found a way up that avoided the infirmary. She knew they’d made no promises, but still, when he’d spoken so crassly about their relationship, it’d made her stomach churn. She thought they meant
something
to each other. He could’ve said friends with benefits. That, at least, would’ve sounded a bit nicer. Instead, he made her feel used.

Once topside, she was greeted by a beautiful blue sky day with a warm breeze. It was hard to believe the deadly storm happened just yesterday. She exited onto the long runway and passed about a dozen bundles lined up along the ground, wrapped in what appeared to be black plastic with zippers and a small white tag. When it dawned on her that they were body bags, she shuddered. So many lives lost. And there were no doubt more, taken by the sea, lost forever.

Suddenly fearful, she grabbed the arm of the next witch that passed her. “Have you seen my father, Dan O’Connor?”

The man in a white uniform pointed at one of Josh’s brothers, holding a clipboard, pen behind his ear. “Ask him.”

She raced to him, past a line of helicopters, one overturned. “You’re Jace, right?

His eyes shot up to hers, then searched the deck, looking around almost desperately. “I thought Zoe left word you weren’t to be disturbed?”

“I was feeling a lot better. She said I could get some air.” That wasn’t exactly true, but the idiot that she was, she’d wanted to find Josh and check on him.

Jace sighed and his hand rasped across the dark stubble on his chin. He was so similar to his brother that for a moment, the small gesture broke her heart.

Impatient, she grabbed his clipboard, searching the scribbles. “My dad? Have you seen him?”

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the name written in script.

“I’m so sorry, Maya. He’s gone.” Jace shook his head slowly.

Behind, Josh must’ve followed her up to the deck. His strong arms caught her as she fell.

He growled at his brother, “You couldn’t have waited?”

“She needed to know. Time doesn’t change a thing. You should know that better than anyone.” His voice held the edge of something deeper and broken between the two.

Suddenly Maya knew what she had to do. She dashed to the railing. If her father fell overboard, he could still be alive.

A flaming wall halted her dive, then firm hands circled her waist.

“He’s not there Maya.” Josh pulled her clinging fingers away from the railing.

“He’s not dead.” She cried and kicked at him as he held her.

Why was he stopping her? Didn’t he know? Her father couldn’t be gone. He wouldn’t leave her. Not now. He had to be out there.

“No Maya. He’s there.” Jace pointed to one of the horrid black bags.

“I don’t believe you.”

Her elbow caught him in the nose. He cursed and clamped her arms tight.

With a nod to Jace, he said, “Go ahead. Show her.”

Slowly, she dragged her feet to where the bags sat side by side.

Jace knelt over one of them and unzipped it.

“Oh God, no.” At the sight of her father’s pale lifeless face, her knees hit the metal deck. Her first thought was for her poor mom. She’d be devastated. Then her brothers and her younger sisters.

“I need to call my family. They need to hear it. From me.” No more long rides in the speedboat. No more happy Sunday meals with his awful puns. No more dad.

Jace zipped the bag closed, and the shell that had been her father disappeared within.

“The Council leader already called them while you were sleeping.”

“They had no right. You should’ve woke me.” She pinched herself, hoping it was just a terrible nightmare, that she would wake and this had never happened. “Where’s my family?”

“Safe House. Gregor is still at large.” Josh stood, watching her intently.

When he tried to help her up, she shook him off. He didn’t deserve to be near her. Not after what he’d said about their relationship.

“How? How did it happen?” Ignoring Josh, she spoke only to his brother.

Jace glanced at Josh, to perhaps save him from what she needed to hear.

“Tell me.”

“When you jumped overboard to save Josh, he…” Jace rubbed his temples and took a deep breath. “He was already spent from the fight. He used the last of his strength to help calm the waters for you. Most likely his heart gave out.”

A soft sob choked her.

“Maya,” Josh placed a hand on her arm and she flinched.

Coldness wrapped around her heart. Her father died saving her because she jumped overboard to save a man who just wanted to fuck her. How cruel was fate?

Ice as hard as steel settled into her chest, making her strong. She was a leader now and needed to act like it. She would weep later.

Gritting her teeth, she stood and asked, “Where’s the rest of the Clan Council?”

“They’re in session. Alex is testifying.”

“Take me to them.”

“No. You need to rest.” Josh started to touch her, but dropped his hand when she glared at him.

The ocean grew choppy, the boat swayed and she hissed, “Back off. I will do
what
I need to do and
when
I need to do it. Just tell me where they are!”

“Okay. I’ll take you.” Jace glanced at his brother, both looking miserable.

Tough on them.

She followed them below deck and into the long room, where empty seats were covered in black cloth. All eyes turned to her, and the testimony stopped as she carefully folded the fabric and took her father’s seat.

She’d known she’d sit here someday, but perhaps in thirty years if she was lucky. Her eyes stung and she swallowed hard over the lump in the back of her throat.

Steeling herself once again, she stared at Alexandra Williams, and said, “Please continue. As the next strongest in my clan, I will take my father’s vote unless anyone contests.”

She leaned forward and waited for each member around the table to nod their assent.

“Fine then. I would appreciate it if you could catch me up on the proceedings.”

Terra, Jace’s wife, stood and moved her laptop to the center of the table. Then she reached for her mate’s hand who squeezed it and gave her a reassuring look. The intimate gesture caused Maya’s eyes to water. Surely, she deserved as much. She vowed right then and there to settle for nothing less.

The blonde earth leader cleared her throat. “Here is the replay so far.”

Maya listened intently to the playback of Alexandria’s impassioned voice from the speaker. “Please. You must save my daughter. He took her. I had no choice.”

There was no question that Gregor Uragan had kidnapped Alex’s daughter and coerced her to cooperate. A weak woman, she hadn’t even attempted to get help. But because of her actions, many were dead, including her father. Alex’s daughter, however, was innocent of all and should not pay the heavy price of becoming Uragan’s whore. Knowing his reputation, he would never give her up.

The clan president, Lord Baltimore, pounded the gavel when the audio stopped and separate conversations took place. “Please. One at a time.”

His gray eyes pierced the assembly. With a build like a marine and matching crew cut, he appeared more like a general. “Let’s begin by creating a task force to get Alex’s daughter back to her studies. Volunteers?”

Jack Fialko stood. “I have a castle in Romania, less than a day’s drive to Rome. Uragan has broken my clan’s treaty, as well as the one with my wife’s family. There is no greater disrespect to this assembly. I will use all my resources to bring him to justice.”

Palms slapped loudly on the table, with the clan’s ancient gesture of approval.

A Danish earth talent stood, well known for being a pacifist and asked, “Can we trust you not to murder him?”

All of the Fialko clan stood at once shouting their protests, the gavel pounded repeatedly on the table until they all sat back down except for Jack.

His eyebrows raised and he took a moment before speaking calmly. “I will allow you this insult one last time, Geoffrey, then I will place a formal complaint. The man’s life is safe with me. However, during capture, should he put any member of my team in danger, I will not hesitate to kill him. Now. Who is with me?”

His two brothers with their wives stood. Four others that Maya didn’t recognize did as well. Maya pushed back her chair and rose slowly, glaring at Josh.

He leaned over and grumbled something under his breath to his brother Jack, who looked up at Baltimore and asked, “A short side conversation, if you will?”

Maya remained standing, but the strain of the last few days was taking its toll. She put her palms on the table and leaned forward to appear strong, but in actuality, to stop herself from falling over.

Jack’s family sat, then he looked in her direction, “We don’t believe she is strong enough.”

Outraged at their audacity to question her, she had to take a moment before speaking. Her face heated, heart raced, and her ears burned.

“My father and my clan leader died. It is my right and my responsibility to join you. You will
not
prevent it.”

Baltimore chimed in, “She’s correct. You will either bring her tomorrow, or wait until she is well enough. Are we all in agreement then?” He looked around the room at the nodding heads. “Very well. I will expect a plan in my inbox in the morning. Chang? Angel? Do you agree to review?”

A middle-aged woman with a small mole on her chin nodded, as did an Asian man sitting across the table.

Maya sat back in her chair, feeling Jack’s heated gaze on her, but she refused to look back.

Baltimore took gravel to the table once again. “I will email everyone a secure sight where I will keep you all updated. I suggest we adjourn. In favor?”

The room responded in agreement and Maya’s aye joined the others. 

Baltimore sighed and scratched at what had to be two days’ growth on his face.

For the first time, Maya noticed how weary the whole Council appeared. Dark circles lined most of the eyes, and some were nodding off.

She waited until all had left, including waving away Josh, before dialing her mom’s number. Then, she wept with her whole family on a conference call, head and elbows on the table.