Over the course of the next two and a half weeks, life began settling down into a pattern. Magna helped Gabe out on the boat during the day, and the nights were spent in his and Kane’s arms. She was grateful that there had been no sign of Ross yet.

She hummed under her breath. The daily swims, good food, and incredible nights were having a positive effect on her both mentally and physically. Mentally, she felt stronger, healthier, and happier than she had since the night the alien creature took over her body.

She would be the first to admit a large part of her healing had come from Gabe and Kane. Their tender caresses, teasing, and acceptance was helping calm the nightmares she still had. Though at first, she had been afraid to share the horrors of the things she had been forced to do, worried that it would turn the men against her, that fear had died when Kane had shared some of the things he and Gabe had gone through overseas. She had become ever more certain that they truly cared and wanted to help her, and she had hesitantly shared some of her memories with them. When it became too difficult to speak, she had shown them through a memory spell.

After each event, they had held her. Sometimes they would talk about it, sometimes they would merely hold her while she cried. Other times, they would sit on the deck and stare at the ocean in silence or go for long walks with the dogs until she was ready to store the memory away.

The good food, exercise, and loving had also physically benefited her. She was no longer frail and skeletal. Laughter, something she had missed, came more easily each day. It was hard not to laugh between the antics of the dogs – especially Wilson – and the two men. She was gaining weight, the dark circles and gaunt look had disappeared, and she could use her magic again without feeling exhausted. For the first time in centuries, she was happy.

A startled laugh escaped her when Kane wrapped an arm around her waist, and pressed a heated kiss to her neck. It was Saturday morning and he was off for the weekend. Thankfully, the doctor who had been on vacation had returned yesterday, so he would have more time to spend with them.

He had been asleep when she had quietly crawled out of bed. Poor Gabe had been woken up an hour earlier by the two dogs, and whispered to her to go back to sleep while he took the dogs for a run. She tilted her head and pressed a kiss to Kane’s cheek when he peered over her shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Kane asked.

“I am trying to understand the directions in this book,” she said with a sigh. “I used a spell to translate it so I could read it, but it still doesn’t make much sense.”

She made a face at him when he chuckled. The food she was making looked nothing like the picture above the recipe. She was trying to make pancakes from scratch. There was flour, sugar and eggs all over the counter from where the mixer had flung the ingredients in the large bowl she had found in one of the cabinets. So, now she knew that you should not raise the tool when the blades were still moving.

“Let me help you,” he murmured, brushing his lips along her shoulder where the oversized t-shirt had slipped down. “Can you turn it back to English?”

With a frustrated sigh, she waved her hand over the page. The words shimmered and floated off the page before settling back down into a pattern and sequence that he recognized. He read the instructions, and saw that she had placed all the ingredients into the large bowl like she was supposed to. It looked like it was the mixer that was causing her problem.

“Here, let me show you how to use this,” he offered in a quiet voice, motioning for her to pick up the handheld mixer. His hand enveloped hers, and he covered her thumb. Together they pushed the button until it moved to the first line. “Start like this, moving it in a slow circle.”

Warmth spread through her as he gently moved her hand with his. He slid his other hand around her waist, pulling her close, and she shivered with need. She liked cooking like this. A satisfied smile curved her lips when the mixture in the bowl turned into the creamy liquid shown in the pictures. When all of the ingredients were mixed, he slid the button down until the mixing tool turned off.

“And that, my beautiful mermaid, is how you use a mixer,” Kane said in a husky voice.

“If you keep showing her how to use my kitchen appliances like that, she’ll be laid out on the table with us eating her up,” Gabe said dryly from the door.

“Or I could be eating both of you,” she said before her eyes widened in amusement. “What happened to you?”

She fought the urge to laugh. Gabe stood on the thick mat in front of the door leading outside. A small, but growing, pool of water dripped from his body. It took a moment for her to realize that there was a light rain coming down outside. A giggle escaped her when both dogs suddenly shook, sending a shower of wet droplets all around them and pulling an irritated curse from Gabe.

“Wilson decided he would take the scenic route this morning,” Gabe muttered with a crooked smile. “I need a shower.”

Her lips twitched at the blatant invitation in his eyes. Shaking her head, she held up the spoon and grinned. It was hard to resist him when he looked at her like that, but she knew what would happen if she ended up in the shower, and it wouldn’t be breakfast.

“I’m cooking,” she stated proudly. “A thing called pancakes. They sounded very interesting.”

Gabe’s lips drooped and he gave her a pouty look. She had fallen for it once already. Remembering what had happened when she did caused a heated blush to rise up her neck.

“Kane can cook them,” Gabe said with a twinkle in his eyes at her red cheeks.

“No…,” Magna started to say when she felt a little push from Kane.

“Go on,” Kane said with a grin. “I’ve got this. You need a shower, too. You’re covered in flour and egg yolk.”

Magna swallowed at the predatory look that came into Gabe’s eyes.

“Gabe,” she whispered in anticipation.

Something told her she was about to be well and truly loved, again. Her cheeks weren’t the only thing that started to warm up when he took a step closer to her.

“You’re all mine this time, Magna,” he said with exaggerated wickedness. He glanced at where Kane was rolling his eyes. “Don’t be in a hurry to cook them. This might take a while.”

Kane raised an eyebrow and returned Gabe’s look. “If you take too long, I might just join you.”

“Doesn’t taking the dogs for another run sound like more fun?” Gabe teased, grabbing Magna’s hand.

She barely had time to glance over her shoulder at Kane, worried he would be upset. Instead, he winked at her with a genuine smile and turned away, murmuring just loud enough for them to hear that ‘unlike some people’, he knew better than to go running in the rain.

Gabe scoffed and called back, “Just give us a head start!”

Magna giggled as Gabe pulled her along behind him down the hall to his bedroom. Her heart raced when he firmly closed the door.

“I don’t mind if Kane comes in, but those damn dogs are going to have to wait to get any attention from you this morning,” he growled, pulling her around and pressing her up against the door.

The sound of clothing being torn pulled a startled squeak out of her. He kissed her until she was breathless while he pulled the remains of the old t-shirt away from her body. Her hands ran up his chest to the back of his head as his lips moved to her jaw and he cupped her breasts.

She half-closed her eyes. This is way better than trying to cook, she thought with a sigh.

Gabe knew he should probably go easy on her, but he wanted her so damn bad. He and Kane had talked about the need to go slow, to give her time, but all of their best-laid plans disappeared out of his mind the second he put his hands on Magna. Hell, if he had his way, they might never get out of the bedroom.

His hands moved over her body with precision, removing their clothing until there were no barriers between them. Pulling her into the bathroom, he turned on the large shower. Once again, he was thankful he had taken the extra step to install a hot-water-on-demand system in the house. It heated quickly and stayed hot indefinitely. No worries of being in the middle of making love, only to get a cold shower!

He guided her in, gritting his teeth when her hands wrapped around his cock and stroked him. He looked down, enjoying watching her touch him. A light hiss filled the shower when her finger ran over the tip before skimming around the head of his cock.

He reached down and gripped her wrists when she moved to cup his balls. If he didn’t stop her now, he would be coming like a schoolboy watching his first adult movie.

“My turn,” he stated.

“Why is it always your or Kane’s turn first?” she complained with a delightful pout.

Gabe leaned down and pressed a hard kiss to her lips. “Your pleasure will always come before ours,” he swore.

“Always?” she asked, her eyes shimmering with emotion.

“Always,” he promised. “Now, turn around and grip the bar.”

She looked at him with a confused expression for a second before she turned. Gabe knew if he didn’t have her look away, his efforts to hold on long enough for Kane to join them would be doomed. Alone time with Magna was wonderful, but this relationship was about the three of them. Gabe was wishing now that he hadn’t teased Kane so much. What if he really did take his damn time with those pancakes?

Picking up the bar of soap, he lathered his hands and began a full out assault on her body, determined to bring her to a peak over and over. His hands ran over her shoulders and down her arms before retracing their path and moving to her breasts. Only when she was panting and rubbing her ass against his crotch did he move further down. He paid close attention to her smooth womanhood. He had guessed that after all she had been through, grooming wouldn’t have been a top priority, so the hairless state had to be natural, but he had asked her a while ago, and she’d told him that the women of the sea people did not have hair between their legs.

Her hips rocked with his hand movements and soft moans escaped her as she bent her head forward. His hands slid to the rounded cheeks of her gorgeous ass. He reverently ran his fingers along the valley between her cheeks. Curious about how she’d respond, he guided her to bend over more.

“Put your hands on the bench,” he requested.

Magna released the bar and placed her hands on the bench. The move opened her up to him. Soaping his hands again, he ran them over her buttocks, kneading them. A smile of pleasure crossed his face when her hips lifted. She was a natural.

His fingers moved deeper until he rubbed against her tight rosette. A shudder ran through her, but she didn’t resist. His cock throbbed. He wanted to take her ass while Kane buried his cock in her pussy. Where the hell was he?

“Take her.”

Oh thank god, Gabe thought as his head jerked up and he noticed Kane standing outside the shower door, staring hungrily at Magna. He could see from Kane’s damp hair that he had taken a shower in the other bathroom.

Then he hesitated. “She isn’t ready,” he replied in a tight voice.

“What am I not ready for?” Magna groaned, rubbing against his hand.

“Both of us,” Gabe replied.

“Yes, I am,” she groaned, tilting her head back.

“She is ready. Look at her, Gabe. She wants you,” Kane said.

Gabe looked down. Magna was rubbing her ass against his hand. The vision of them taking her at the same time burned inside of him. A shudder ran down his long frame.

He bent and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Go with Kane. I’ll be there in a moment,” he said, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

“Not long,” Magna insisted, looking at him over her shoulder.

“Not long,” Gabe promised.

A satisfied smile curved Kane’s lips. He opened the door to the shower and helped Magna out. Wrapping a towel around her, he led her into the bedroom. He knew that Kane would get Magna ready for the two of them, and Gabe would be able to hear everything that was going on in the other room. He quickly washed and rinsed, his body thrumming with desire.

Turning off the shower, he pulled the towel off the rack and dried his body, then opened a drawer, and pulled out the lube and a condom. He cursed when he saw his fingers tremble.

Walking into the bedroom, he paused halfway to the bed, watching as Magna slowly impaled herself on Kane’s cock. Kane’s hand rose and he played with her breasts, bringing her to a peak and holding her there.

“Lean forward, baby. Kiss me,” Kane encouraged, motioning for Gabe to climb on behind her. “Kiss me while Gabe gets you ready.”

“Yes,” Magna murmured.

Gabe tore the condom package open with his teeth and removed it from the envelope. Fitting it over his cock, he drew in a deep breath. He was so excited; his cock was extremely sensitive and his balls were beginning to hurt from the tension. Flipping the top of the lubricant, he squeezed a little onto the palm of his hand before coating the condom. He climbed on the bed and positioned himself behind Magna. He caressed her ass. Once again, he felt her rock back against him.

“You are about to feel fuller than you’ve ever felt before, sweetheart,” he warned, his hand sliding down between her buttocks.

“Gabe,” Magna panted, her head turning so she could look at him over her shoulder.

“Focus on Kane, honey. Relax, enjoy, and focus on him,” Gabe gritted out as he aligned his cock behind her.

He slowly rocked his hips, letting her adjust, listening to her quiet pants before he felt her body open and accept him. The feeling of fullness sent a ricocheting wave of pleasure through him. He could feel every movement when Kane began to rock his hips. Gripping Magna, he controlled the rhythm, moving in opposition to Kane until they were in sync. Magna’s cries grew louder and more wild the deeper and faster they went until she stiffened.

“Damn, Gabe,” Kane groaned, his body stiffening as he thrust upward. “Oh, Magna. Oh, baby.”

Sweat broke out on Gabe’s forehead while he waited for Kane’s orgasm to finish. Magna’s body was still locked between them. He could feel her pulsing around Kane. With a loud groan, Kane pulled free.

Gabe leaned forward, his fingers biting into Magna’s hips as he rocked faster and faster. Her loud pants turned to begging as her body reached the precipice again. Her saw her fingers dig into Kane’s shoulders and felt her tightening around his cock as she came. The tight squeeze was his undoing and he emptied the tension of his aching balls in a continuous pulsing wave that drained him.

It took him several minutes to gather enough strength to pull out of her and slide off the bed. Magna had collapsed on Kane who was holding her tightly against his body. Gabe gazed down at her peaceful face for a moment before he turned to the bathroom.

“I’ll clean up and get a washcloth and towel to clean her,” he said.

“Gabe,” Kane softly called after him.

He looked over his shoulder, pausing in the doorway to the bathroom. “Yeah?” he said.

“I love her. I’m never letting her go,” Kane informed him.

“I love her, too, man. She’s ours,” he replied before he disappeared into the bathroom once more.

The sound of the rain hitting the roof of his truck made Ross glad he had canceled taking his boat out today. He sighed as he stared out of the windshield of his truck. The rain had picked up over the last hour. The dreary weather matched his mood. There didn’t appear to be any chance of him getting close to the woman. Hell, she seldom left the house. The only time she did was to go out on the boat with Gabe.

He unconsciously patted his front pocket, looking for his cigarettes before he sighed as he remembered he had tossed them out. The last couple of weeks had been brutal, but they had also made him realize that he was still human, no matter how hard his dad had tried to beat that out of him when he was younger. He’d had a lot to think about in that time, and even more to do. His thoughts turned to his mom and he released a sigh of regret.

While they had never been close when he was growing up, he realized their distant relationship had been because of her fear of his dad, rather than a dislike of having him as her son. He realized now that she had tried to protect him the only way she knew how, by letting him run free and keeping him away from the house as much as possible.

Once again, he wished he hadn’t promised his mom that he would quit smoking. He might be a lot of things, but there was one thing he had sworn he would never do; he would never break a promise he had given. A man was only as good as his word. If he didn’t give it, that was one thing, but if he did… if he did, he needed to live up to it, no matter how difficult or painful the promise was.

Leaning back, he closed his eyes. He had only made two other promises in his life. The first had come the day his dad had died and his mother was crying. He had been twelve years old when he laid his hand on her shoulder at the cemetery and promised her that he would take care of her.

That was the day he had started to grow into a man who would never have to live in the shadows of fear and brutality again. He had worked down at the docks and anywhere else he could for the next two years. At fourteen, he started taking his dad’s old fishing trawler out at night.

He had kept his promise to her until two weeks ago. For years he had stopped by her house three times a week – two days a week for dinner and one day to do any work she needed done. Now, there was nothing left but empty memories and guilt that he hadn’t seen how sick she was sooner.

He swallowed as he remembered Kane and one of the new doctors in town coming out of her room after quietly talking to her. He had been waiting in the corridor outside her hospital room. Rising, both men had nodded to him in greeting, but he could see the resignation in their eyes.

Walking into her room, he had been shaken by how fragile she looked against the pristine white sheets. She hadn’t cried, just nodded to him to come sit by her. She had looked tired, and her eyes had silently searched his face.

Sitting down in the hard chair that he’d pulled up next to the bed, he had held her hand, something he hadn’t done since he was a child. It still tore him up when he remembered the sadness and pain in her eyes.

“I’m dying,” she had whispered.

“How… How long?” he had asked, thinking in the back of his mind that it wasn’t right for a thirty-year-old man to want to cry. “How do you know? Surely….”

His mom had shaken her head and leaned back against the bright white pillow. “I found out six months ago when I went to Portland,” she said tiredly, closing her eyes. “I haven’t been feeling too good for a while. The cancer had already spread.”

“There are other hospitals,” he started to argue before pressing his lips tightly together when she opened her eyes and stared at him in resignation.

“Maybe if they had caught it in time,” she whispered. “It is all over my body, Ross. They wanted to do things that would give me a couple of extra months, but I wanted quality, not quantity. I’m in a good place. You’ve made sure of that. You’ve worked so hard for so many years. I don’t… We’ve never had much, but I’ve put money back for years and kept up on a life insurance policy. I wanted you to have something, just in case. I want you to know I love you, son. I always have. You were the one thing in my life that I did right. I don’t ever want you to think otherwise. I’m proud of you, Ross. I always have been. You’ve grown into a good man, despite….”

Ross opened his eyes, remembering how her voice had faded. He had to give his mom credit. In all her life, she never spoke bad about anyone, especially his father.

He stared blindly out of the window. It still shook him that after all these years of thinking he had been taking care of her, she had secretly been looking after him. His fists clenched and he looked down at them, trying to lock the grief back in the closet he had pushed it into.

She had slipped into a coma that night and died three days later. He had sat by her side, talking to her. For the first time in his life, he shared his dreams, talked about his fears, and hoped that she could hear him. The funeral had been yesterday afternoon. Only a handful of people had come out in the rain to say goodbye, but he hadn’t cared. He had been there and he had kept his promise. Now, there was nothing tying him to the small town. Nothing but an unusual woman who he just wanted to know whether she was real or not before he left.

Picking up the card the funeral home had created, he looked down at the picture of his mom when she was young. The second promise he had made had been to himself. He had sworn that he would never hurt a woman the way his dad had hurt his mom. Deep down, he knew that Magna didn’t want to be found. He had seen the fear in her eyes when he had grabbed her arm. It had been more than being exposed as some strange creature. There had been a deep sadness in her eyes that he had recognized in his mother’s eyes.

Drawing in a deep breath, he pocketed the obituary and leaned forward to start his truck. There were some things in life better left unknown, he reluctantly decided. Perhaps, she was one of them.

Putting the truck into drive, he slowly pulled out from where he’d been parked along the edge of the road down the hill from Gabe Lightcloud’s house. A new sense of peace, one he had never felt before swept through him. He would put his affairs in order and start looking for a new place to live. He had always fancied living on an island somewhere in the world.

Somewhere warm, he decided as he drove away.

He drove by a dark sedan, unaware that he had been the focus of a quiet surveillance. The woman behind the wheel watched him drive by before her gaze turned to the house on the side of the mountain. A frown darkened her brow and she pulled up her phone to access the address. Several minutes later, she had accessed the database at work. Gabe Lightcloud, former Army Ranger, decorated war hero, worked for the government at the United States Fish and Wildlife Department. No arrests. Yet, he was definitely someone of interest, she thought as she watched the white SUV that had been following Ross Galloway for the past couple of weeks. What did the CIA want with Ross? Missing persons within the United States were usually handled by the FBI. Nothing that she had researched had shown Ross to be an international threat – hell, the guy had never been out of the country before.

She watched as another SUV came down the road and turned up the drive. She recognized it as another vehicle of interest to the CIA agent, because it belonged to Dr. Kane Field.

Tonya Maitland reached into the passenger seat next to her and pulled up the report she had on Asahi Tanaka. It felt strange for her to be following one of the government’s agents. Granted, it was her job as an investigative reporter. In her mind, they all worked for the same cause – to keep the people safe.

“What is the connection? Mike Hallbrook said Ross Galloway wasn’t behind the disappearances, yet, he has the attention of the CIA. Not only that, we now have a decorated military hero and a local doctor with military experience involved. Curious, very, very curious,” Tonya murmured, starting her car and doing a U-turn.

She paused at the bottom of the hill. Tanaka was turning left, which meant he was returning to the motel. Deciding that she had a better chance of learning something from Ross, she turned right and headed toward town. Glancing at the clock on the dash, she decided it was about time to offer him a cold beer.