Kiiara saw Poseidon’s eyes widen a split second before his body burst from the ocean.

“Get to the boat, now!” he growled, and his body soared by hers and landed on the tail of a four-headed sea serpent. Hain was standing on its back with Poseidon’s trident in his hand.

A dolphin nudged Kiiara, and she grabbed on to its fin. It didn’t take long before she was to the boat. Unfortunately, there were no stairs for her to climb aboard and she panicked, fearing she was about to get caught in the middle of an epic battle.

Before she could call out to the God, the dolphin leaped from the water, taking her with it. When its body was level with the boat’s deck, it thrust its tail and hurled Kiiara to safety. Poseidon had to have given the creature instructions to pull that move off. It would have been exhilarating if she weren’t anxious about Hain’s intention. With her heart hammering in her chest, Kiiara scrambled to the edge to see what was happening between Poseidon and Hain.

“You! What are you doing here?” Hain roared, and the sea serpent swiped its tail, sending Poseidon into the ocean.

Kiiara looked in the clear, blue water, searching for signs of Poseidon. Eyes roaming frantically, she scanned, and her hands clutched the sides. She didn’t see anything, but the calm sea suddenly turned to fury. Massive waves formed, lashing out against Hain and the monster. It was as if liquid limbs batted the crazy merman.

Kiiara was forced to scrabble for purchase on a nearby handrail when the boat tipped. Water crashed over the side and sent her sliding. Salt water burned her eyes as she shuffled on all fours back to the metal pole and held on for her life. She imagined she looked like an octopus wrapped like she was.

Without warning, Poseidon launched from the sea, riding a giant wave. He had never looked more like the God of the Sea than at that moment. He exuded confidence and power, and her stomach knotted at the fierce expression on his face. She was fiercely grateful she wasn’t the source of his rage. If she wasn’t mistaken, Poseidon was going to obliterate Hain. Kiiara’s heart clenched for a moment, thinking of Hain’s children left fatherless until she recalled how Hain had left his family and caused them untold pain already.

The roar of the ocean drowned out nearly everything else as it crashed against the four-headed dragon. Poseidon jumped from the wave and tackled Hain. Rather than falling into the sea, the two rolled around on the creature. Poseidon’s fists landed in Hain’s face, causing red blood to flow before Hain shot a bolt of blue energy from the trident into Poseidon’s side.

Kiiara’s heart stopped when she heard Poseidon’s deep voice cry out in pain. For the first time, she feared they would lose this battle. It had never occurred to her before that Poseidon might not win. He was an invincible God, more than capable of handling one minor merman.

It became hard to decipher who was doing what as they tumbled on the serpent’s back. Blue energy shot wildly from the trident, and one blast sailed past her head. Wood flew into the air behind her as she watched the fight unfold. It seemed Hain had the upper hand as another blast found its target in Poseidon’s side. Blood dripped from a cut near the Sea God’s left eye and poured from a wound in his right side, but he was still the more frightening of the two.

Hain closed the few feet between them rapidly, and fists were once again flying. They both went down, and shots echoed before Poseidon stood, holding Hain above his head. Kiiara could see the trident lying at his feet, and prayed it didn’t fall into the ocean.

“You will never acquire my powers!” Poseidon roared and brought Hain’s body down across his knee with such force Kiiara could hear his bones snap over the noise of the angered sea.

Hain crumpled and rolled off the giant creature and into the ocean. The serpent hissed, turning all four heads Poseidon’s way. Three of the heads boxed Poseidon while the fourth grabbed the trident. Poseidon wrapped his hands around one neck, and Kiiara watched as he twisted the reptile’s neck until it went limp. One down, three to go, she thought, as the other heads shrieked in pain.

Kiiara thought her heart would explode from her chest. She couldn’t watch, but she couldn’t look away, either. Poseidon had to defeat the monster, and it seemed he couldn’t use his power over the sea and its creatures in the process.

Another head lunged and made contact, biting Poseidon across his middle. He cried out and fell to the beast’s back, and Kiiara screamed when she saw more blood spurt from his side. “Noooo!”

She scurried as far to the edge of the boat as she could to try and see better. Poseidon wasn’t moving. She screamed again as her mind shattered, and her vision blurred.

Please be okay, she silently prayed as her breath caught in her chest, and she struggled to release it. Her skin prickled and her head pounded as she watched for any sign of life in the powerful man she’d come to care far too much for. Finally, Poseidon rolled to his side, telling her he was alive, and she exhaled her relief.

Another wave crashed against the serpent, distracting the beast. Poseidon lunged and grabbed another head. Prying its jaws wide, Poseidon didn’t let go until the head split into two and the second head met its demise.

Kiiara felt the tide turn in their favor when Poseidon charged the serpent holding his trident captive. As soon as his hand wrapped around the staff of the gold weapon, the brightest blue light she’d ever seen pulsed from the weapon, and the trident began to vibrate.

Lightning surged from the weapon, and Poseidon swung out, beheading the last two serpents with one swift move. The beast slipped beneath the ocean, and the dolphins leaped from the water in jubilation. Two swam to Poseidon’s side, offering the god their service.

The ocean calmed, and the boat steadied. Kiiara got to her feet and jumped up and down. “Hell yes! You kicked ass. I knew you would win. The sea is your house, Poseidon,” she shouted, pumping her fist in victory.

He met her gaze and smiled. God help her, she loved the Greek God and was eager for him to know it, whether he felt the same or not. She couldn’t hold it back any longer.

“Poseidon,” she yelled as loud as she could but then his smile quickly vanished, and he frantically pointed behind her.

Confused, she turned around and saw Hain stalking towards her.

* * *

Poseidon’s heart dropped to his feet when he saw Hain appear from nowhere. He’d been so distracted by Kiiara’s victory dance and excitement that he didn’t see Hain climb aboard the boat.

“If you scratch one fucking inch of her body, I’ll rip you to shreds!” Poseidon roared as he charged forward, gripping his trident while riding the tails of two dolphins.

When he leaped to the deck of the ship, Hain lunged and grabbed Kiiara around the neck in a chokehold. She was facing Poseidon, and Hain used her body to block his. The fear glimmering in her eyes tore Poseidon’s heart in half. He was the God of the Sea and was powerless to save her at that moment.

Hain reached behind his back, and Poseidon glimpsed a flash of silver before Hain placed a blade to Kiiara’s throat.

“Yield the power of your trident to me,” Hain barked, pressing the knife into her skin. Blood trickled from her neck, and Poseidon’s stomach dropped to his feet. The ache in his chest was painful, and his breathing was coming out in rapid puffs.

Holding up a hand, Poseidon tried to hide his fear and anxiety as he motioned calmly. “Hain, be reasonable. I cannot give you its power. The trident must accept you of its own accord. I will give it to you, but that’s all I can do. Here, take it. Just release the woman,” Poseidon offered and hoped Hain didn’t hear the desperation to his plea.

“Don’t you dare give him the trident,” Kiiara murmured on a choked breath. “Go to hell, you piece of shit,” she gritted and thrust an elbow into Hain’s stomach.

Hain bent at the waist but didn’t release his hold on Kiiara. Poseidon charged, but before he could reach them, Hain brought the blade above his head then plunged it through Kiiara’s chest. She slumped to the ground in a heap, and blood flowed from her wound.

Poseidon roared, unleashing his fury and shouted to the Gods. Lightning struck across the sky and sheets of rain punished the sea as thunder boomed through the heavens. Poseidon gripped the trident, sending all his strength to the weapon allowing it to gather before he hurled it at Hain. The blue energy pierced Hain’s skull, and Poseidon was there in the next instant, ripping what remained from Hain’s shoulders. Poseidon tossed the flesh and bone to the ocean, then threw Hain’s body overboard.

Poseidon slumped to his knees, gathering Kiiara in his arms. Blood poured from where the knife lodged in her chest. Her eyes were closed and he didn’t detect any signs of life.

Pulling her close, he cursed himself. Why didn’t he tell her how much she meant to him when he had the chance? He wanted to tell her he loved her more than life itself and that his existence meant nothing without her. She was his everything.

Salty tears filled his eyes, and he looked to the sky as rain pelted his face. “Noooo!” he cried out in denial, and silently prayed his immortal life would end. He didn’t want to go on without her. Life with her was vibrant, full of color, laughter and love. The future was grim without her.

A yellow glow caught his attention, and his heart stopped in his chest. Eyes wide, he glanced at Kiiara’s slack face and cocked his head to the side. The heavy weight lifted from his shoulders and the future looked up…if he got this next part right.

A hand wrapped around the hilt of the dagger as his heart and mind cleared of anything, but his love for Kiiara. Emotion bursting from every cell of his being, he took a deep breath and let it out.

“The Gods bless this woman who is pure of heart and soul. Her beauty and integrity will bring hope and meaning to many,” which was more than he could say for his fellow Gods and Goddesses, “she is my light. I cannot live without her. She has earned her life,” Poseidon declared with pure intent.

Vibration at his chest had him releasing his hold and looking down to Kiiara’s chest. The weapon glowed, enhancing the detail of the handle. It was encrusted with metal snakes, and the pommel was a yellow cabochon. It was Tavi’s sacrificial dagger.

Hain must not have realized its power when he stole it from her. Poseidon watched as light emitted through the handle and spread down the blade and across Kiiara’s chest. Poseidon reached down and jerked the knife from her flesh and Kiiara bolted upright, clutching her chest and panting.

The wound to Kiiara’s flesh healed instantly, and Poseidon grabbed her in his arms, squeezing as hard as he could.

Kiiara hugged him back, whispering, “Will you please tell me what the hell just happened?”

Poseidon laughed and clutched her tighter. His Kiiara was alive. Better than alive, actually.

“What started as a nightmare has become a dream come true. I don’t know how to tell you this,” Poseidon muttered and pulled away. He brushed the soaking hair from her face as he met sky blue eyes that melted his heart.

“You can tell me anything. Just say it,” she implored and he lightly touched his lips to hers.

“You’re immortal,” he declared, and lightning cracked, illuminating the sky overhead.