A sense of foreboding darkness rained over Vivian’s nerves. She gulped. Magic. That was the only explanation. Who would cast a weather spell this dangerous to keep her from getting to Sea Cliff Island? Surely neither Marietta or her mother would do anything like this.

Her family might not approve of her methods, but they would never try to harm her or even stand in her way. The only person who would do something like this was Harold. He must be watching her somehow, trying to keep her from casting the summoning spell.

All at once, her heart dropped to the floor, and a massive lump formed in her throat. He knew. Panic quickened her blood and her breathing came in short quick gasps. Laurence gave her a worried expression but was too busy turning the ship around to do anything.

“We have to keep going. Aren’t we close? I need to get there.”

“The island is just beyond that sheet of rain coming our way at a hundred miles an hour,” he rumbled.

He cranked the wheel, turning the little ship back in the direction they’d come. Waves rolled under them, tossing the ship up and down on the churning water.

“Shit!” Laurence yelled. “Put this life vest on.” He threw an orange life vest at her before he buckled one on himself. Waves lapped hard and fast against the ship’s stern. Vivian hurried to the bench and held on for dear life while Laurence gritted his teeth and steered the ship away from the storm.

The boat was knocked hard from behind and pitched forward. Vivian watched as the sea came crashing toward them. Black, bubbling water rushed through all the seams in the ship, flowing toward them.

Laurence grabbed her hand and pulled her through the torrent. His big hand gripped her wrist as water smashed her in the face. She choked, sputtering and coughing. As she gasped for air, Laurence flung a life raft off the side of the wildly tilting ship.

There was no time to think. A massive wave pitched the ship on its side as they jumped into the water. Laurence disappeared in the darkness and rain. Vivian slapped against the writhing water, trying to stay afloat.

An arm grabbed her around the waist, and Laurence paddled them toward the life raft that bobbed on the violent water.

“Grab hold!” he yelled over the din. Vivian grabbed the slick rubber, grasping and pulling herself up as Laurence heaved her the rest of the way. He pulled himself out of the water with incredible strength, toppled into the life raft, and fell on his back, panting.

They watched as the ship sunk into the churning black water. Laurence’s face was a mask of shock and disgust. Vivian’s heart broke for him in that instant. All that mattered to him was gone.

He lay back and put his hand to his forehead, his chest still heaving. As soon as the last trace of the ship disappeared below the stormy sea, the rain cleared. The clouds parted and the sky became bright azure blue.

Vivian blinked up into the sunshine. Magic. Her ex-husband Harold’s magic. She leaned back on the raft as it bobbed on the gentle waves, in total shock and at a complete loss. Laurence looked stricken, but his expression soon changed.

He began looking around, inspecting their position, gazing at the sun and the direction of the waves. He pulled a paddle from a compartment in the life raft and began to move them through the rocking ocean waves.

“The island is that way, less than a mile. I’m sure of it.”

Within a few minutes of Laurence paddling, an island came into view. It was like a green beacon shining in the vast landscape of sea. Vivian shivered, soaked and weary. She wanted to cry, but didn’t have the strength for that.

Thank God for Laurence and his knowledge of the ocean. If it had been someone who didn’t have his experience or bravery, she was sure she’d now be dead.

He pulled them ashore over the last of the waves lapping against the beach. He directed her out of the boat as they reached the shore. Vivian stomped through the breakers, her clothes weighing on her as the water dragged her down.

Finally, she reached the shore and collapsed in the cool damp sand. Laurence dragged the life raft up the beach to a dry place, above the high tide line. He put his hands on his hips and surveyed the area. Vivian watched him, barely able to move.

“Come on. We need to get a fire going and get these clothes off, or you’re going to get hypothermia.”

He pulled her to her feet and she followed him, shaking violently, above the high tide line. He began to pull his clothing off. First the jacket and shirt, then the rubber pants. He’d lost his boots out in the waves.

Vivian stood there, holding herself as she shivered, her teeth chattering. She watched his taut muscles flex as he removed the last of his clothes, down to his boxers.

“Take them off, lady, or you’re going to be hating life. Can you heal yourself when you’re nearly dead?”

“No,” she said, her teeth knocking hard in her mouth. Her shaking fingers tried to grip the zipper on her jacket and pull it down. Laurence frowned and unzipped it for her. He removed the rest of her clothes as if she were a child, leaving her in her bra and panties.

“Should take those off too, but they’ll dry quick enough. We need a fire. I’m going to get some dry wood. You stay here and try to keep warm.”

He moved off into the dense forest beyond the shore and Vivian sunk down into the sand. Still shivering like a leaf in the wind, a tear fell down her cheek. Now she knew for sure what lengths Harold would go to. She had to send him away to prevent him from doing it again, or she would never be free of him.

Laurence came back a few moments later with a big load of sticks and arranged them in a pile in the sand. He began rubbing two sticks together, holding one down with his feet as he twisted the other between his hands.

“You’re going to start a fire like that?” she asked, her voice chattering.

“Got any better ideas?” he said, looking up at her darkly.

Vivian pointed her finger at the pile of sticks and muttered one of the most elementary spells witches learn as children. The pile burst into flames. Laurence raised his eyebrows at her and drew his lips to the side of his face.

“Why didn’t you say you could do that in the first place?”

“You didn’t ask.”

They moved closer to the fire and soon became warm and dry. Laurence constructed a frame out of sticks and placed it over the fire for their clothes.

As they waited for their things to dry off, Laurence continuously went to the woods to gather logs and sticks for the fire. When the sun tilted toward the western water, their clothes were finally dry.

Vivian put hers back on, but Laurence pulled out of his sandy boxer shorts, revealing his impressive manhood. Vivian’s eyes shot wide open at the sight, and then was confronted with something even more impressive as he began to shift.

“What are you doing?” she asked, shocked

“We need food and water. I’ll be able to find it more easily in bear form. Stay here.”

“No way. I’m not staying here alone.”

“Have it your way. Carry that water jug that washed up on shore.”

Laurence shifted. His body contorted, rearranging as fur grew from his skin and his face became elongated. Before her stood a massive grizzly bear, the size of a small truck. Her heart instinctively jumped as fear and adrenaline pumped through her veins.

He approached her, sniffing the air around her before his nose nearly touched her crotch. His big black nose and wet mouth sucked in her scent. Vivian stood stock-still, frozen in place until the bear pulled away.

Its black eyes seemed somehow contemplative as the animal turned and ran into the forest.