Chapter Four.
Willow.
H er eyes fluttered open and then closed against the bright light. That stung. There was movement, and Willow heard curtains being drawn. She cautiously opened her eyes again.
“Hello,” a woman announced, and Willow blinked.
“Where am I?” she asked as she touched her stomach and found it sore.
“Somewhere safe.”
“That’s not very reassuring,” Willow said dryly as she pushed herself gingerly upright.
“I imagine not. Don’t move too much. It took a lot to heal you, and I won’t be happy if you rupture something,” the woman scolded.
“What’s your name?” Willow asked as the lady plumped the pillows under her to support her sitting up.
“Maeve. How are you feeling, child?”
“Child?” Willow snorted. The stranger appeared only a decade older than her, and she was also stunningly beautiful.
“Problem?” Maeve demanded, and Willow shook her head.
“You speak as someone more mature than your years. My name’s Willow.”
“That I am aware of, but it did not answer my question. How do you feel?” Maeve chided.
“Sore. I thought I got shot, but there’re no stitches. My stomach hurt really badly, and I was so tired. Jeez, did I mistake tiredness for blood loss?” Willow groaned, feeling stupid.
“No, you were, and it was a battle to save your life.”
Willow pulled her top forward and peered down at her belly. A frown crossed her face as she saw the closed wound.
“I’m sorry, Maeve, this looks several weeks old. Have I been in a coma?” Willow asked, slightly panicked.
“No. I and one other healed you. Don’t ask how or why. Mind your manners, say thank you, and be grateful you’re not wandering amongst the recently dead.”
Willow blinked. Damn, that was straight talking. But something was off. Maeve spoke a little like Poseidon. Her eyes widened, and she craned her neck, looking for a window.
“What are you doing?” Maeve demanded with a hint of exasperation.
“Searching for a window. Are we under the sea? Is this Poseidon’s home? Wow, how is he keeping the ocean back?” Willow babbled, and Maeve snorted.
“Does this look like an underwater castle or building?”
“I’ve never been in an underwater city before, so how would I know?” Willow retorted, even as she felt foolish.
“And what is this Poseidon?” Maeve asked, but Willow caught the glint in her eye. Willow’s answer mattered to Maeve, but she couldn’t fathom why.
“He is someone I’ve met on a ship or two. He helps sabotage them, but he is very rude and needs a kick up his ass,” Willow stated firmly.
Approval shone in Maeve’s eyes for a brief moment before Maeve shielded it. It confirmed that Maeve knew Poseidon.
“Ah, he’s a code name for somebody, a friend of yours. Well, he wasn’t very brave leaving you to get shot,” Maeve said, attempting to distract Willow.
Willow recognised the effort and wouldn’t allow Maeve’s attempt.
“No! It wasn’t like that. Poseidon was not on board when I got injured. And he is no ally of mine, rude as he is!” Willow exclaimed and winced as she tugged at something inside and struggled to sit bolt upright.
Maeve strode over and helped her back into a sloping sitting position.
“You are still healing. Please don’t undo all our hard work,” Maeve scolded.
“Where am I?” Willow whispered, pale-faced.
“Safe, that is all I can tell you for now,” Maeve answered and pressed on Willow’s shoulder to make her relax.
It wasn’t working. Willow began to get agitated and struggled against her hand.
“Am I a prisoner? Did Poseidon kidnap me or something?”
“I thought you said he wasn’t there?” Maeve asked.
Willow looked up at Maeve wide-eyed and shook her head. “I’m not telling you anything. Not until you tell me.”
“Child, you are safe; rest assured of that.” Maeve sighed.
“When someone refuses to tell you where you are, that is the complete opposite of safe,” Willow cried, edging towards the other side of the bed. Her gut screamed at her that something was seriously wrong.
“Stay still, or you will reinjure yourself,” Maeve warned, worry clear in her voice.
Willow ignored her and scrambled off the edge. A sharp hiss left her lips, and pain shot through her stomach, but she backed away from Maeve with her hands held up to ward her off.
“Willow!” Maeve called softly. She moved around the bed, and a frightened cry flew from Willow’s mouth.
Willow watched Maeve carefully as she spotted a window and began sidestepping towards it.
“Stop,” Maeve ordered.
Willow blinked as numerous things happened at once.
The door was thrown loudly open, and a towering man entered with a dark scowl. Her gaze landed on some windows finally just as the curtains slammed shut. But not before Willow caught sight of a dark, starlit night with a bright moon.
What stunned her was the twisting towers of what appeared to be a sprawling castle. Or she hoped there was a castle because she could see several spiralling towers. And finally, her legs gave way as her strength waned, and she slumped to the ground.
“Maeve, what the hell is she doing out of bed?” the man growled, and Willow’s head snapped up.
Despite her confusion, there was something familiar about that angry tone.
“Poseidon?” Willow murmured.
She focused solely on the guy in front of her. She’d seen Poseidon as a handsome merman with an emerald green glittering tail, long blond hair, and strong features. Then she’d seen him as a monster, with a fish face and tentacle, and now… was he a human?
“Do I appear a God?” the man snapped.
“You sound like him,” she murmured, her eyes closed.
Something damned strange was happening, and she longed to understand but didn’t have the energy.
“I agreed she could stay if you kept her quiet and malleable. If she is fit enough to get up, she can return to her yacht,” Jase snapped.
“Jase, shut up. The girl’s rightfully frightened and worried. She’s still hurt, and I think she has pulled some of her injuries.”
“Then she should have stayed in bed,” Jase snarled, and Willow opened her eyes.
“Someone tell me what is happening. Because I know you’re Poseidon,” Willow demanded, but her voice broke, and her demand came out wispy.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Jase cursed and strode over to where Willow sat on the ground.
Willow flinched, but he picked her up, and she noted how he did so carefully and carried her to the bed. Maeve yanked the covers back, and Jase placed her inside them.
Willow stared at the towering stranger and the beautiful woman.
“I’m unsure what’s happening, but something is. And I know you’re Poseidon. You look and sound different. But that level of hatred and contempt in your voices is identical. I will find out what you are hiding,” Willow promised as sleep wafted over her. She struggled to stay awake, but she last heard Jase exploding.
“I warned you all she was a danger. We need to place her back on her boat and cut her off,” Jase roared.
Willow cursed silently as she realised she’d still not discovered where she was.
◆◆◆
The next time Willow opened her eyes, Maeve was gone, but a man sat by her bed reading. Her gaze widened as the devastatingly handsome guy with piercing blue eyes looked up and held hers captive. A hand brushed a few dark brown locks away from his face, and a small smile crossed his lips.
“Hello, Willow. It’s nice to see you back with us,” he said, and his voice was smooth and rich.
“Are you my next jailor?” Willow demanded.
The guy smirked. “My name is Vladimir, and this is my home. You are a guest here, or believe me, you would be in my dungeons. Do you need any pain relief?”
Willow eyed him suspiciously. “I’m okay, and there’s no pain, just a slight discomfort.”
“That’s good. It means we can send you back shortly,” Vladimir said.
“Where am I?” Willow asked as she sat upright. She was gratified to feel no pull this time. And, strangely enough, despite him being a stranger, Willow didn’t sense he was a threat to her.
“You are in my home. But it is more than that. This is a safe haven for people disliked because of what they are and what they do. Persecuted individuals seek safety here, hence why Maeve and Jase couldn’t disclose your whereabouts. Doing so would expose us to potential killers. Do you understand, Willow? They don’t merely wish to harm. They would torture and then murder us in horrible ways,” Vladimir said.
Willow’s eyes narrowed at the tone of his voice. There was a deep grief there, and guilt and shame swept over her. This was a shelter of sorts, and she’d been brought here to heal, possibly endangering those who lived here and hid from the mean people who wanted them dead. And she had been here making demands.
“Jase is someone who protects those here,” Willow guessed, and Vladimir nodded.
“Yeah, Jase is a warrior,” he agreed.
“Could my being here endanger everyone?” Willow sought.
“Well, Willow, admitting your presence here could be dangerous. There are those out there who would think nothing of torturing you for the slightest piece of information leading to our whereabouts,” Vladimir confirmed.
“Your name is Russian. Are you talking about the Russian mob?” Willow asked, and Vladimir smiled.
“That I cannot comment on,” he replied.
And that answered her question. Vladimir, at least, was hiding from the Bratva. Who else was seeking refuge from serious criminals? But one thing bothered her.
“I’ve seen Poseidon in both his forms. Merman and monster. There was also a mummy riding a whale when they rescued me,” I stated.
Vladimir smiled kindly.
“You were shot; who knows what you saw. It could have been a hallucination from the shock of your injury. Your brain may have witnessed many sea creatures and superimposed images over them. Or your head couldn’t cope with the trauma, and you sank into a fantasy to explain what was happening. But nobody sailed in to rescue you on the back of a whale, I can assure you of that,” Vladimir said kindly but firmly.
“In other words, keep my mouth shut,” Willow muttered.
“Not at all. But if you start spouting stuff like Mummies riding whales, the men with white jackets may come for you,” Vladimir warned.
Willow shuddered. That was the truth, and Vladimir had boxed her into a corner. It wasn’t a nice sensation. But he was correct. If she told everyone what she had witnessed, she’d be carted away and locked up in a psychiatric hospital. But she knew what she’d seen, and nobody could convince her she’d imagined it.
Vladimir held her eyes, and she understood he was aware of the creatures she’d seen. He couldn’t quite hide it. But he was asking something of her. What was her life worth? Being healthy and alive, or knowing the truth about Poseidon? If she pushed, then she was devaluing her own life.
“Just tell me I’m not mad,” Willow whispered.
“You’re not crazy, Willow, but neither are you ready for the secrets that reality withholds from you,” Vladimir said, rising to his feet. “Tonight, someone will escort you home. We won’t speak again, Willow, so know I wish you well. When you sleep next, you’ll awaken back on your boat.”
Vladimir paused by the door. He looked at her with an unfathomable glance.
“Should we meet in the future, there will be no returning to your current lifestyle. Actions would be taken. Please bear that in mind. I will not compromise the safety of anyone here for someone who’d spit on our generosity or courtesy. Healing was both of those for you,” Vladimir stated and slipped out.
Holy Hell. Vladimir had put in her place, Willow thought. They’d now protect him against her, and she meant him no harm.
Somehow, she knew deep down that Jase was another aspect of Poseidon. She was completely puzzled. Were they aliens or monsters? Maybe even mutants. There’d been a lot of nuclear damage in recent years.
Willow tried to smother a laugh. She was living in a science fiction novel, surely. Mutants and aliens! But then, what was the explanation? Because Willow didn’t care who told her what, she knew what she’d seen and filmed. But she would keep their secret because she understood persecution. Despite only just waking up, she felt tired, and her eyes slowly closed.
◆◆◆
Willow woke in her bed on The Swallow’s Nest and wondered how the hell she had got there. She was dressed in what she’d been wearing earlier, shorts and a tee. Gingerly climbing out of the bed, she noted the gentle rocking of the waves and knew she was near land. Disorientated and bewildered at what had happened, Willow walked unsteadily to the wheelhouse. As she got on deck, she blinked and realised she was moored in a cove.
There was no sign of the castle she assumed she’d been in, and she wondered how the hell they had moved her around. Had she been drugged and flown here? Willow reached the wheelhouse and stared at an envelope propped up against the wheel. Reaching out, she tore it open and pulled a letter out.
Dear Willow,
In total, you have been missing three weeks. Your cover story is you were attacked. We left the bullet holes on The Swallow’s Nest alone. In desperation, you headed into a storm, lost communications, and then your navigation. You believe your attackers went down in the storm.
Your boat was sluggish to obey rudder commands, so you drifted until you ended up on this tiny island. Searchers have been seeking you and have given you up as lost at sea. But a plane will fly overhead later tomorrow and spot the SOS you made on the beach. You’ll be rescued. The rudder has been damaged, and your electronics blown to secure the veracity of your tale.
There is food and water on the island, which would have helped you survive, and obviously, you stayed on the boat for shelter. There is nothing that would put your story to question, and we have ensured that the story you tell will be believed. Of course, you can tell the truth. Still, considering our efforts to make you look shipwrecked, you may find yourself with that white jacket quicker than expected.
We wish you the best of luck in your endeavours,
V.
“Wow,” Willow whispered. “I’ve been missing three weeks?”
Her hand crept to her stomach and touched where the bullet had hit her. The letter didn’t mention the injury.
Willow glanced at her flat belly and realised the wound would be noticeable. She’d have to say she dug it out and looked after herself.
She went into the bathroom and she pulled the first aid box out where there was a course of twenty-eight-day antibiotics. Willow counted out twenty-one and threw them into the water. She went to empty all the fresh food and drink out and discovered Vladimir or whoever, had already taken care of that.
Even worse, as she glanced at the beach, she saw some of her clothes hanging out to dry and a large stone SOS. Willow stumbled back downstairs to her cabin and almost shrieked when she saw her reflection. She was as white as a ghost with huge bags under her eyes. Her veins were translucent through her skin, and she shuddered at her hair’s mess. The hell, she was being rescued with her hair resembling Medusa!
Her thoughts momentarily flicked to Jase, and she wondered if he’d seen her like this. Then she shrugged him off. She’d never see him again. But she gave his team credit. This was professional.
Sitting on the deck under a scavenged tarpaulin created to give her shade, Willow let her thoughts drift.
The main question was who had attacked her, and would they try again? Whoever it had been had hired professionals. Those three yachts had targeted her with precision, and it hadn’t been with piracy in mind. No, they’d intended to kill her and sink The Swallow’s Nest. Which meant she couldn’t file her plans. It was required, but she did out of courtesy and in case she hit trouble. The searchers would have a designated area to search.
Not anymore. She’d taken her chances with the ocean, and that brought her to the next puzzle. No doubt, the sea life protected her that night. The two whales had easily snuggled up to the sides of her boat, not letting anyone near and seals and dolphins had crowded around too.
She had never seen creatures act like that. It had been completely puzzling. Even more so when they appeared to be trying to communicate with her. This whole situation was full of events that shouldn’t have happened but had.
Then, there was the final perplexing thing. Poseidon and his mummy friend. Willow hadn’t doubted her eyes, although she thought she was going crazy. But she knew what she’d seen. A sea monster, aka Poseidon, and an Egyptian mummy. A freaking mummy riding on the back of an orca whale. At the time, she’d been terrified and panicking about being shot at, but now calmer and safer, she didn’t doubt her mind.
So the question remained: What were they? They weren’t human or mystical. They were real and… hunted?
Was there more of them?
Vladimir had commented that his home was a sanctuary, a safe place for those seeking refuge. But what if it wasn’t the Bratva Vladimir was running from? What if Vladimir was the mummy or another creature? If she had the internet, she’d go online and do some research—and then Vladimir’s warning hit her.
Willow might be being watched by those hunting them. Internet searches could lead them straight to her. And Willow didn’t have the information they would demand.
Nothing was worth opening her up to those types of people. Vladimir had made them sound very unpleasant indeed.
Yes, she already had a target on her back; why make it bigger?
Willow settled down and grumpily accepted she’d never have the answers she wanted. There was no doubt that Vladimir and his friends didn’t want anything to do with her, so Willow would respect their wishes. But that little part of her nagged; she craved answers, and they held them. It was very annoying when they wouldn’t give her them.
A splash caught her attention, making her look over the boat’s side. She saw two turtles playing and smiled. A loud squee caused her to jump, and Willow gazed wide-eyed at a bottle-nosed dolphin.
“Saviour of Babies,” the dolphin squealed, and Willow blinked.
That had not just happened.
“Returned. Seas. Safe waters. Saviour of Babies,” the dolphin clicked and clacked, and the turtles looked up at her.
“Is knowing. Is She. We come greet,” one of the turtles answered, and Willow’s eyes widened.
Okay, she’d lost her mind in between the attacks and being shot. Because there was no way she was listening to a dolphin talking to her.
“Swim, swim!” the dolphin demanded, and Willow sank down to the deck, laughing her head off. Holy shit, she’d imagined everything.