SeaChange (28 page)

Jake and Heidi rotated with Steve and Brad in six-hour
shifts manning the controls. After the first two days, they were sure that if
necessary, any one of the four of them could manage single-handedly. The
merfolk soldiers had set up a watch rotation, so at least two men were always
up on deck and two or more dolphins were in the water. Heidi figured that was
less a necessary watch function, and more a function of them needing to spend
time in their flippered forms. Even the queen swam alongside the boat for part
of each day. About halfway down the Baja peninsula, they stopped altogether for
several hours, mid-ocean, so that all the merfolk could shift and swim. Only
Jake did not, and Heidi could see the longing in his eyes.

“Maybe after this is over, you can ask Dionysus to reverse
the spell on you, as well,” she suggested. It was early evening, and they’d
reach Cabo sometime the next morning. Heidi and Jake sat alone on the bridge,
within sight of the mermen sentinels, but not within the range of casual
hearing. Jake had been staring out at the waves, that wistful look on his
face—again.

He turned to her and smiled. “I’m not worried about it,” he
lied.

“Don’t try to fool someone who’s got an inside link,” she
reminded him, shaking a finger in front of his nose. “I can feel it when you
lie to me, Jake.”

“You know,” he teased back, rubbing her lip with his thumb. “I’m
not so sure this bond is always going to be a good thing. Promise to never ask
me if something makes you look fat?”

Heidi laughed. “Promise. I suspect though, that once we get
the hang of it, we’ll be able to shield when we want to. Otherwise, Christmas
is going to lose a lot of its excitement.”

“I’m looking forward to spending Christmases with you,
Heidi. And birthdays. Maybe even anniversaries.” He tucked a strand of her hair
behind her ear.

“I know,” she whispered. She started to say more, maybe even
agree with him, when the radar started to beep. “Oops. Ship coming in.”

“I’ll go make sure there aren’t any merfolk in the water,”
Jake said, striding from the bridge. “We’ll talk later.”

Heidi was sure they would.

Jake didn’t come back right away, even after they’d passed
the other boat—a catamaran full of teenagers heading north. Heidi was still
worrying about what to say to him when Wen came onto the bridge.

“We’re testing the communicators,” he told her, handing her
one. “Make sure this fits properly and that the settings are right for you.” He
sat down in the seat Jake had vacated.

Heidi took the headset and clipped it over her ear. “Testing
one, two…”

“I read you, H. How’s the volume?” Steve’s voice was
perfectly clear over the device.

“Maybe just a little loud,” she told him.

“How’s this?” The volume of his voice went down just a
touch.

“Perfect. And I’m coming through okay on your end?”

“Absolutely fine,” Steve replied.

“Good then. Over and out.” Heidi handed the headset back to
Wen. “Works like a charm.”

“Thank you for agreeing to coordinate,” Wen told her. “Miguel
and his three men are meeting us, so you’ll be overseeing them as well.”

Heidi shrugged. “It sucks, but Jake is right. I’m not a
trained commando.”

Wen’s smile was elusive, but Heidi had learned to read his
normally stoic features. Wen was probably as overwhelmed by the constant crowd
of merfolk as she was. “If you had been trained, my dear, you’d have been a
formidable opponent. If we had a little more time to get you ready, I wouldn’t
hesitate to trust you at my back.”

“Thank you.” Wow, coming from Wen, that was a
huge
compliment. Heidi couldn’t help but preen a little. “You trained both Jake and
Steve, didn’t you?”

Wen nodded. “And a number of others over the years.”

“And you’re from China, originally, aren’t you?”

“That’s right.” He lifted one neat black eyebrow. “And…?”

“I just wondered how you ended up working for the Americans
in World War II.”

“Ah.” Wen shrugged. “Actually it was before that. I came to
your country during what’s now called the Civil War. I’ve lived mostly in San
Francisco, as you might guess.”

“Is it considered impolite to ask what you are?” She’d racked
her brain, trying to figure that out. “I know you’re not aquatic, like Jake.
You’re not a wizard like Steve, not exactly. But you definitely have a lot of
power, and you’re more than one-hundred-and-fifty years old.”

“A little impolite, if we were strangers,” Wen answered. The
corners of his almond-shaped eyes crinkled just a little in amusement. “But I
think you’ve earned the right. Look closely.”

Heidi watched as the air around him seemed to shimmer, like
heat waves rising off asphalt on a hot summer day. His shape didn’t change—his
body stayed perfectly still in the captain’s chair, dressed in black trousers
and a gray button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

His skin however, did alter. Where before his complexion had
been a smooth golden tan, now it seemed to roughen, forming what looked like a
scale pattern. His face lengthened and his eyes widened, then glowed a vivid
shade of gold. His pupils though, took on the greatest change. They narrowed
and elongated until instead of circles, they were thin vertical ellipses.

Projected behind him, whether in the air or just directly
into her mind, she didn’t know, was a larger image—that of a large, smiling
golden dragon.

“Ho-ly shit,” she whispered. Heidi blinked and the image was
gone. There was just Wen sitting in front of her, smiling. “So you don’t
teleport like Steve. You fly.”

He nodded. “I also have the ability to become invisible to
the human eye. Unfortunately, I can’t cast that on others. My actual magical
power is somewhat limited.”

“Gee, I can see where that would be such a hardship,” she
teased. “Must suck being
just
a dragon.”

“Actually it has a lot in common with being a covert agent,”
he admitted somewhat grimly. “Both are pretty much solitary existences, living
in the shadows.”

Heidi raised one eyebrow. “Not a lot of dragon family
reunions, then?” The fact that Wen was here, just out of regard for Jake, would
have endeared him to her even if he hadn’t helped rescue Brad. For that, she’d
be his friend for life.

“Not of the Asian variety, anyway. We’re very territorial,
and damn near extinct. The Celtic dragons are a little more social, and they’ve
survived into this millennium in greater numbers, from what I hear. But the
only other Chinese dragons I know are in Tibet, Hong Kong and one up in British
Columbia. And no, we don’t tend to get together on a regular basis.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I know I’m not a dragon, but once
this is all over, if you ever need a place to hang out, somebody to talk to,
maybe a home-cooked meal, you’re welcome, wherever I’m living. Consider
yourself invited.”

Wen smiled openly then. He glanced down at the ring on her
finger and his eyes actually twinkled. “You would have made a most magnificent
dragoness. Delos is a very lucky man.”

* * * * *

Cabo San Lucas was beautiful.

Though the marina area was horribly crowded and touristy,
there were still elements of the Mexican fishing village it had once been,
along with a decidedly tropical flair. Heidi had never been this far south and
she really wished she had more time and energy to enjoy it.

Unfortunately, they only stayed in the town itself long
enough to top off the fuel and water tanks and buy fresh fruit and tortillas at
the market. Myrrine and Marcos accompanied Heidi and Brad on the shopping expedition,
while Jake stayed back with the boat. Heidi had to admit, it was fun seeing the
human world through the queen’s eyes, even if it was just a small snippet. She
understood that Myrrine had spent less time on the fringes—say the Catalina
beach resorts—than many of the younger merfolk, so she was more than a little
overwhelmed by the crowds, the explosions of color in the market, and the sheer
volume of the conversation and music that filled the air. She did pick up a few
skirts and tops, along with some rope sandals. Finally, she purchased a
gorgeous pearl necklace for Leta, to ease the sting of being left behind.

To Heidi’s surprise, the queen insisted on buying one for
Heidi too, the same style as Leta’s but in natural black pearls. “You’re my son’s
mate,” she said, when Heidi objected. She glanced pointedly at the ring Heidi
still wore. “I’ve waited a long time for another daughter. Indulge me.”

A lump formed in Heidi’s throat. She hadn’t expected that
kind of sweetness from the queen. And she felt like a fraud. Things between her
and Jake were still so far from being settled. “But we haven’t…” She broke off,
having no idea what to say.

She almost fell over when Myrrine put her arm around Heidi’s
shoulder and squeezed. “I know you haven’t decided on anything. But believe me
when I say there will never be another woman in his life like you. The kind of
bond you share—it doesn’t happen more than once in a lifetime, and only rarely
then. I loved my husband dearly, but we were never linked like you and Che are
after only a few weeks. Even if you decide not to stay together, let me enjoy
having an extra daughter while I can. The fact that you love him is enough for
me.”

Tears leaked out the corner of her eyes as Heidi let herself
be hugged by Jake’s mother. “Thank you,” she sniffled. “Your son is a pretty
amazing man. You did a good job. Leta too. She’s got a little growing up to do,
but she’s a great young woman. She’ll be a big asset to your people as you
adapt to living among humans.”

“I think she will,” Myrrine acknowledged. “Though perhaps if
I hadn’t made so many mistakes as a parent, neither of them would have felt the
need to run away.”

“But if they hadn’t, you wouldn’t be where you are today,
with the resources to lead your people into a whole new life,” Heidi reminded
her.

Myrrine squeezed her arm. “You are right. I also have an
exceptionally perceptive daughter-in-law. Thank you for that.”

That night they moved the
Folly
out into the open
ocean, headed toward the blank spot on the map where
Isla des Delfínes
was supposed to be, though using the GPS system, they stayed well out of radar
range of the island itself.

While Heidi, Jake, Darius and Brad set up the fishing gear
on deck, just in case one of the pirate boats happened to spot them, six of the
mermen, led by Marcos and Niko, went out in dolphin form to do reconnaissance.
So did Wen, though not in the water. Heidi hadn’t shared Wen’s revelations with
Jake yet, but she had the feeling Wen wouldn’t mind if she did.

One other thing that Steve had figured out, and Jake had
confirmed via email, was that since they’d been told about the island by
Dionysus himself, the aura of forgetfulness wouldn’t apply to them. That was
handy. Steve had even come up with a counterspell that would work short term
for Wen and the others who hadn’t been in the god’s presence. When Miguel and
his men arrived just before dawn in a pair of inflatable boats dropped by a
cruiser well away from the
Folly’s
position, their team was complete.
Now all they had to do was collect information tonight, then go in under cover
of darkness the following evening.

Heidi immediately recognized the three men who’d been
involved in the raid on the drug dealer’s hacienda. She introduced them to
Brad, who was happy to have the chance to thank them in person for the rescue.
Since they didn’t even blink at his miraculous recovery, just as they hadn’t at
the mention of shifters, werewolves, or wizards that night, Heidi figured they
were part of the supernatural community as well. Sometimes it felt like she and
Brad were the only two normal, mundane people left in a paranormal world.

Oh, I don’t know about that, Freya
, came Jake’s voice
across their mental link.
You’re a psychic who talks to dolphins and is
mated to a merman. How normal is
that
?

Just shut up and finish cooking the bacon
, she
thought back as she dumped a skillet full of scrambled eggs onto a platter. The
troops were gathering for the day’s final strategy sessions, Wen had returned
from his reconnaissance flight, and the merfolk scouts, he reported, were
nearly back to the boat. With a crew this size, it required a good bit of food
to keep them running. And since most of the merfolk didn’t know how to operate
the appliances, that left those who did on permanent kitchen duty, though to
everyone’s surprise, Myrrine had donned an apron and taken charge of the
dishwasher, after making Jake show her how to use it.

Once the scouts had returned and everyone had been fed, it
was time for the debriefing session in the main salon. Niko had taken a digital
camera in a waterproof bag around his neck, so they had some actual photos to
supplement their handmade maps, which Heidi had printed and passed out to everyone.

“Most of the activity seems to be in the actual temple
grounds,” Wen informed them. He handed Brad the memory stick from another
camera, which Brad promptly uploaded to his laptop. A few seconds later, the
printer was spooling.

Wen continued. “The buildings in the temple area itself were
originally stone, based on actual Greek architecture rather than the Spanish
colonial on the mainland. They must have imported the tile for the roofs, but
it has held up remarkably well.”

“The village was not so lucky,” Marcos added. “Most of the
buildings were wood and stucco, and have fallen into ruin. Two seem to still be
in usable condition—a warehouse on the docks, and what was probably a tavern or
inn, also right by the marina.”

“There was activity there, so we couldn’t get too close,”
Niko added. “I saw three large yachts moored in the harbor. One is on the list
you gave us of those missing and presumed to have fallen to the pirates last
year. There were also a few smaller fishing vessels and the four fast craft you
called ‘cigarette boats’ tied near the warehouse.”

“I recognized two of the men working on the docks,” Marcos
continued. “Ajax and Yannis. Both followers of Phaeton.”

There was a long silence as everyone digested the fact that
the rogue merfolk were actively involved in the piracy operation.

“Did you get any idea how many people were working or living
on the island?” Jake asked. “Are there women and children living in the village
as well, or just the pirates?”

“I saw women in the temple compound but no children,” Wen
answered.

Marcos nodded. “The same in the village, I think. One or two
women—primarily wh—uh…” He broke off when he glanced at the queen. “Errr—camp
followers.”

“I am familiar with the concept, old friend.” Myrrine
chuckled. Then she turned to the others. “I doubt all of Phaeton’s faction of
merfolk are living there. There are a few families among them, and I don’t
think even they would expose their children to such men.”

“Also, there weren’t enough buildings occupied to account
for that number,” Niko agreed. “I wouldn’t think there are more than twenty
living in the village.”

Wen picked up the map drawing of the temple compound, which
was a walled area roughly the shape of a fat plus sign. If you stood on the
beach and looked up at the compound, the vertical bar was divided into two
sections, a big open entry courtyard for gatherings and the garden surrounding
the temple itself. At the top of the vertical bar, the temple sported a tile
roof supported by heavy stone columns. Since it had no actual walls, odds were
no one was living in that. The side areas held the living quarters for the
priests and priestesses, along with other functional buildings. On one side was
the kitchen and laundry building, a refectory—mess hall, Jake had called it—and
a guest house. On the other side was a house for the high priest and priestess,
a bigger one for the other clerics, and a dormitory for novitiates.

“I’d guess about fifteen living in the compound, perhaps
twenty,” Wen said. He pointed at the high priest’s house on the map. “This is
definitely the best structure remaining. This is where we’ll find the
leadership. It’s a two-story house, maybe twenty by thirty, so not too big. I
think it has three bedrooms upstairs and an open great room below. It looks to
be occupied by three men and one woman. Lots of doors and windows, though, so
we won’t be able to block exits.”

Then he pointed at the dormitory. “This one is virtually
destroyed, as is the kitchen. The refectory is a pavilion, not a true building.
No one is living there. The guest house and the priest quarters both seem to be
occupied, though about half of the priest quarters is missing its roof. I’d
guess maybe two or three rooms remain usable, plus a gathering area. There are
six upstairs bedrooms and one below in the guest house, but it looks as if only
three are occupied. One of them by a mage. I suspect this is where your rogue
merman has made his headquarters.”

“The map doesn’t have a great sense of scale,” Heidi noted. “How
far from the temple to the town?”

“A mile perhaps,” Marcos answered. “Far enough that, without
vehicles, it will take some time for them to get from one to the other if an
alarm is raised.”

“They have some three-wheeled recreational vehicles,” Niko
interjected. “I counted six of those at the village.”

“And three at the temple,” Wen added. “We should disable
those before we go in to the buildings.”

“My men can do that,” Miguel offered. “The Zodiacs can land
first, then while we’re taking out the ATVs, the merfolk can come ashore, put
on pants, and arm themselves.” The Mexican agents had brought two inflatable
boats with them, which solved the problem of the mermen carrying their firearms
while they swam. He pointed to a spot on the map. “We’ll land here, where the
vegetation comes right down to the beach, then hide the boats in the grasses.”

Jake added another comment. “Dionysus believes, and I think
he’s correct, that if we capture the leadership of the operation, most of the
underlings will scatter, removing the threat. So we should be able to hit just
the temple compound, and if we’re careful, the village won’t even be alerted
until it’s too late.”

“I should be able to put up a sound barrier around the
temple grounds,” Steve offered.

Heidi eagerly jumped into the planning, still regretting
that she wasn’t going to be in on the actual operation. But somebody had to
stay behind and coordinate—she understood that. She just hated that Jake was
heading off into danger without her.

By midafternoon the planning was done. Most of the men were
resting, or watching TV in the salon. Steve had gone into his cabin to
construct his silence spell, while Wen and Miguel went over the weapons one
last time, loading them into the inflatable boats. Jake was in their cabin,
checking over his rebreather and diving equipment. He’d go in with the boats,
but just in case something came up, he wanted the equipment available to get
himself off the island. Miguel and his men had brought their own gear, which
was stowed in the boats as well.

Heidi perched on the bed, anxiously watching his every move.
It was a little nerve-racking, but he understood her concern. He’d be every bit
as freaked out if it had been her heading out tonight.

Finally, he finished packing his gear bag, zipped it shut
and set it beside the door.

“Yes.”

Jake leaned back against the door, crossed his arms and
looked at her, lifting one eyebrow. As usual, he was bowled over by the simple
fact that this magnificent creature actually cared about him. Somewhere in the
last day or so, they’d both gradually figured out how to shield their thoughts
from one another. While he could feel that she was troubled, he couldn’t
exactly tell what she was talking about. “Yes, what?”

She bit her lip, then took a deep breath, fisted her left
hand and held up her knuckles. “You said if I ever decided I wanted it to be,
this could be my engagement ring. I made up my mind. The answer is yes. You
come back to me in one piece tonight, I’ll marry you.”

Jake’s heart skipped a beat, then started racing. “You don’t
have to do that. You know it won’t make any difference. Just knowing you’re
here, knowing you love me, gives me plenty to live for. I promise to be
careful, Heidi.”

Her gaze softened and she smiled. “It’s not that. At least, I
don’t think so. I’ve just been thinking about the future, and how piss-poor it
looked without you in it. I know we’ve got plenty of problems to deal with, but
I don’t care anymore. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you,
even if it means I grow old and you don’t.” She dropped her shielding, and he
was suddenly swamped with her emotions—mainly sincerity, and a love that was
deeper than the Marianas Trench.

Fuck, how had he ever gotten so lucky? Jake crossed the room
in two quick strides and dropped to his knees beside the bed. “You’re sure?”

Heidi nodded, leaned over and kissed him briefly. “I’m sure.
Will you marry me, Che?”

“With all my heart,” he vowed, looking into the depths of
her eyes. “And I’m not going to let you grow old alone. There’s a simple
solution to that. Next month, I just stay out of the water at the full moon.
Poof, I’m a human, and we live out our human lives together.”

“You can’t do that,” she protested. “Your people need you.”

He shrugged. “I can still help them adapt. I figure I’ve got
another good fifty years or so in me. That’s plenty of time to get them started
down the right path. By then, Leta will be more than ready to lead.”

Heidi nodded cautiously. “Okay. I’m still not convinced that’s
a good idea, but we can talk about this later. After tonight, everything could
change.”

For the better or for the worse—she didn’t have to tell him
that. He cupped her face in both hands and kissed her gently, sealing the
bargain.

“You know, I’m not going to let you back out of this
tomorrow,” he teased. “Before we leave tonight, every damn person on the boat
is going to be invited to the wedding.”

Her grin was adorable. “Oh hell, they all thought we were
engaged anyway. I don’t think any of them believed us when we said it wasn’t an
engagement ring. Not even Brad. And don’t get me started on your mother.”

“My mother is delighted at the prospect of having you for a
daughter-in-law,” he said. “And Leta will be absolutely over the moon.”

“She’ll get a kick out of being a bridesmaid, I imagine,”
Heidi said. “Wonder if Brad will look good in a dress?”

Jake laughed. Who else would she want beside her but her
closest friend? “I don’t think he’d forgive us for that. But if you want him as
your attendant, I don’t mind. Our wedding can be as traditional or as
untraditional as you like. As long as it’s
soon
.”

“Soon is good.” She leaned over and kissed him again, harder
this time. “For now, though, the wedding planning can wait.” Her hands slid up
under his T-shirt and splayed across his back.

Yes
, Jake thought as he kissed her back and reached
behind her to unclasp her bra. Planning could wait. Right now there were more
important things to do.

* * * * *

By the time the inflatable boats and the dolphin flukes
disappeared into the darkness, Heidi had nearly bitten a hole through her lip,
trying not to cry. She and Brad sat in the bridge of the
Folly
, which
they’d moved in closer to the island, but just out of view of the cove. Their
computers and communicators were on, while Myrrine and Darius waited below.

“Looks as if I might have a date to your wedding,” Brad said
with one hand over the mouthpiece of his headset. “Carlos and I are definitely
going out after this is over.” Much to Brad’s delight a few of the mermen had, in
fact, turned out to be gay. But none of them was single. One of the Mexican
agents, on the other hand, had been returning Brad’s interest, it seemed.