The rains from last night had cleared and the sun was shining. Magna grinned as she walked beside the two men along the brightly colored shops lining the street. Kane had talked Gabe into taking a day off so they could go shopping together. She knew her excitement was as much about seeing her new world as it was about buying anything. This was her first trip out among the residents.

Gabe had not been happy when Kane decided that she needed more clothes. He had argued that he was perfectly happy with her not wearing any at all. Kane had not been impressed with Gabe’s reasoning. Gabe on the other hand said that if she insisted on wearing any clothes, his shirts worked just fine. At that point, Kane had dragged Gabe into the kitchen.

“I want to take her places,” Kane argued. “She can’t do that wearing your shirts.”

“What kind of places do you want to take her to? She goes out on the boat,” Gabe retorted.

The sound of Kane gritting his teeth had Magna wincing. He only did that when he was really upset. Standing in the passage between the kitchen and dining room, she had bit her lip to keep from pleading with Gabe.

“She deserves more,” she heard Kane finally respond in a quiet voice. “I want to take her to dinner, to the movies, and show her some of our world. She deserves that, Gabe. She was held a prisoner long enough. I don’t want her to ever feel like that with us.”

Gabe’s face had tightened into a stiff mask before he released a long breath and his shoulders slumped in resignation. She knew he was afraid for her, and that knowledge warmed her heart.

“You’re right,” he muttered, running his hand over the back of his neck. “It’s just….” his voice faded when he saw her watching him.

“It’s just what?” she asked, gazing back at him.

His face softened. “What if someone realizes that you aren’t human?” Gabe muttered.

She smiled, knowing that wouldn’t be an issue now that she was strong again. Walking over to him, she wound her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, tightly holding her against his broad frame. A moment later, she felt Kane’s warm body pressed up behind her, sandwiching her between them. She released a contented sigh. This is what it felt like to be loved. Tilting her head back, she looked up at him with a serious expression.

“I can use a glamour spell,” she assured him. “No one will be able to tell I’m not human, I promise. I have also been watching your magic box so I know how people speak in your world, not that I am likely to talk to anyone. Your world and mine are really not all that different,” she added with an excited expression.

A half hour later, they had departed. She had barely been able to contain her fascination with Gabe’s truck and how it worked. Then, there were the roads and the houses and the lights and the…. Well, the list had gone on and on, drawing laughter from the two men as they competed to answer her questions as fast as she asked them.

Gabe had pulled up in front of a long row of storefronts. People milled about, enjoying the beautiful weather. She glanced up at the sky, shielding her eyes. Above them, seagulls swooped down, hoping to find a tidbit of food that someone had dropped.

“Here, try these,” Gabe said.

He was holding out a pair of the dark eye shields similar to what he and Kane were wearing over their eyes. She giggled when Kane suddenly placed a bright yellow hat on her head. The combination of the eye covering and the hat made it easier to see everything.

“Thank you,” she laughed, tugging down the hat on her head to make sure it didn’t blow off.

“Where to next?” Gabe asked, his tone a little more relaxed than it had been when they first arrived.

She knew why. So far, the spell she had cast had worked beautifully. They were on their third shop and not one person had given her more than a dozen looks – all because of who she was with, not because of who she was. The girl at the last boutique had been very vocal about that!

It was a good thing that Magna had sworn she’d never use her magic for harm again, or the girl would have ended up with a very large pimple on her nose, though if she had touched Gabe’s arm or tried to hand Kane the little piece of paper one more time, then all bets would have been off. The thought that she could be jealous and petty amused her because she had never thought of herself as being either before.

She grinned at all the bags both men had in their hands. She had an assortment of new outfits, including lingerie.

She sighed. Everything would have been perfect if she didn’t have the darkness of all the things she had done in her previous life hanging over her head. If only she could know being here had reversed her spells, then everything would be perfect.

“What’s the matter?” Gabe asked, immediately sensing the change in her mood.

Magna shook her head. There was nothing he or Kane could do to help her. It was something she would either have to come to terms with or find a way to resolve. She leaned against Kane when he wrapped his arm around her waist.

“I know what she needs,” Kane said with a crooked grin. “Food! I’m starving.”

Her face lit up. “Food does sound wonderful,” she admitted, glancing at some of the buildings that overlooked the water. “Can we sit outside? Perhaps near the water?” she asked with a hopeful look.

“I know just the place,” Kane said, turning to hand the packages to Gabe. “Why don’t you take these back to the truck while Magna and I get a table down at Luna’s. Afterwards, we can grab an ice cream.”

“Okay,” Gabe grumbled, trying to hold onto the slippery bags. “I want a beer.”

Kane chuckled. “I think we both deserve one after all this marathon shopping,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes as he pulled her down the sidewalk.

She looked over her shoulder, watching Gabe walk away. She immediately missed his comforting presence. With a loud sigh, she turned and followed Kane. They walked up the hill to a set of colorful buildings. She watched as the cars passed by them, wondering where everyone was going. This world was different from her own in so many ways. The isles where everyone lived were small enough to make it across on foot in just a few days. They did not have the massive metal machines, but used a simpler rail system that connected each town, both above and below the water on the Isle of the Serpent. Once they reached their destination, most residents used push carts or their sea dragons to carry the larger items.

She tilted her face again. It truly was a beautiful day. There was a light breeze coming in off the water that kept the temperature just right. She didn’t understand why the people here did not just walk to their destinations. It hadn’t taken long for them to reach the nondescript building and the walking felt good after being cooped up inside.

“It doesn’t look like much, but they have good food,” Kane promised with a reassuring smile as they walked through the doorway into the dim interior. He turned when a waitress came up to them. “We’d like to sit outside, please.”

“Sure,” the young hostess replied with a bright smile. “Follow me. It’s such a beautiful day, I don’t blame you.”

They followed her as she weaved around the tables set up inside and out onto a large, covered deck situated outside.

“Your waitress will be with you in just a moment,” the young girl said.

“Thank you,” Kane replied, sliding into a corner spot.

A moment later, another girl came out, placed the menus on the table, and gave them a brief review of the specials for the day. Magna wanted to roll her eyes when the young waitress kept smiling at Kane and didn’t even bother to acknowledge that she was sitting there.

“Two lagers on tap and a water with lemon. We are waiting for one more,” Kane said.

“I’ll bring them right out,” the girl replied with another bright smile before turning away.

Magna shook her head and peered over her sunglasses at Kane. “I should have put a glamour spell on you and Gabe, too. Do the women of your world all act like this around men or only you and him?” she inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Kane chuckled. “They are jealous.”

She gave him a skeptical look, and he smiled. “Trust me, you have nothing to worry about,” he promised. “I need to go to the restroom. Gabe should be here any minute.”

She smiled sardonically. “I can take care of myself for a short time,” she teased with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I will wait for Gabe and our drinks.”

She tilted her head when he leaned over and brushed a kiss across her lips.

“I’ll be right back,” he promised.

He made it almost halfway to the door before he worriedly glanced over his shoulder. She shook her head in amusement. She had been waiting to see how long it would take for him to glance back. He had made it almost three seconds longer than the last time.

Both men had been very protective of her all day. She had told them no one would be able to tell she was different. She had perfected that art during the years she had been under the control of the alien creature.

She pursed her lips together when a wave of depression hit her despite the beauty of the day. A part of her knew the guilt she was feeling came from having her strength back. As strange as it sounded, knowing that she was powerful enough to undo some of the damage she had committed was causing an internal conflict that she wasn’t sure how to resolve. If she could just return to her world long enough to see if her spells had reversed, she knew it would help.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t realize that someone else had approached the table. She blinked at the shadow blocking the sun. The smile on her lips wavered before fading. Instead, of Gabe or the waitress, another familiar face stood next to the table. It was the man from the water.

“Hello,” Ross said, stuffing his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

She pushed back against the choking fear. Her gaze moved over his face, trying to gauge what he wanted. He looked tired and there was a faint air of uncertainty about him.

“Hello,” she finally said.

A Few Minutes Ago:

---

Ross looked up and froze. Kane and Magna were walking through the restaurant. He couldn’t believe it. He was sitting at a table in the back corner where it was darker, so they didn’t see him when they walked by.

He had finished signing the papers down at the realtor’s office thirty minutes before and had stopped in to grab a bite to eat before he went down to the docks. His gaze followed them as they went outside. A few minutes later, Kane came back in and headed to the restroom.

Realizing this might be his only chance to get an answer to his question, he slid out of his seat and made his way outside to where the woman was sitting by herself. Swallowing, he stared at her. She looked different – healthier and happier than he remembered. His mind went blank when she looked up at him and he saw the fear. For a moment, it reminded him of the look in his mom’s eyes when his dad had come home drunk. Pushing the memory away, he finally spoke.

“Hello,” he greeted in an uneasy voice.

He watched as she raised a nervous hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His eyes moved over her face down to her neck. The markings he had seen before were gone, and he could have sworn she’d had thin scars along each side of her throat as well.

“Hello,” she responded quietly, a slight tremor in her voice.

He glanced back at the doors before refocusing his gaze on her face. “Listen, I don’t want to frighten you. I know I came off too strong. It’s just… things are different now. I don’t really care who you are or why you are here. I just need to know if what I saw was real. I want to know… just for my own peace of mind. I won’t tell anyone else,” he said in a hesitant voice. She bit her lip and continued to stare up at him in silence.

The silence extended another few seconds before she drew in a breath. “Yes,” she whispered.

He took a deep breath. “Where are you from? How?” Ross muttered, raising a hand to rub over the back of his neck.

Her eyes softened as she continued to watch him. He knew he looked tired and rough. He hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in over two weeks.

“The world I come from… It is different from yours in many ways. It is very beautiful, but I am happier here,” she finally said, looking down at the shell lying on the table. Picking it up, she nibbled on her lip again as she studied it.

“Why did you leave?” Ross asked. “I mean, this isn’t a bad place to come to, but why would you leave a world that you obviously loved?”

She looked up at him and a sad smile twisted her lips. “Some things are best left unknown,” she responded quietly, gripping the shell in her hand before holding it out to him.

He reached out and took the shell from her, turning it over and over in his hand. He’d seen this same type of shell before. He didn’t know what it was called, but it was common in the area.

“What’s this?” he asked, looking back at her face with a puzzled expression.

“A gift,” she murmured before her head turned and she looked back toward the door. “Gabe and Kane are coming.”

He grimaced and slid the shell into his pocket. He knew with the two men there, he wouldn’t learn anything else. Hell, if Gabe discovered he knew anything, he might be wearing concrete-filled boots and feeding the fish before he had a chance to ask another question. Deciding it was better to retreat, he gave her one of his famous crooked smiles before nodding his head in farewell.

“Thank you for telling me. I… I wish you happiness, mermaid,” he said.

“As do I you, Ross. Good luck on your journey,” Magna replied in a soft voice tinged with an emotion he didn’t understand.

Ross paused as he started to turn, a frown creasing his brow, before he nodded again and walked away. He slipped out the back exit along the docks. For the first time in two weeks, he felt lighter.

A smile curved his lips as he fingered the shell in his pocket. A quick glance up at the sky showed clear skies. He had planned on talking to one of the guys down at the docks who was interested in buying his boat, but instead, he decided he would take it out one last time.

Today is a beautiful day to be out on the water, he thought, feeling good.

Magna watched as Ross walked away. A sense of remorse swept through her. Perhaps there was a darkness inside her that wasn’t part of the alien creature. She glanced down at the small pile of shells that decorated the center of the table. Picking up another one, she stared at it. She had cast a spell on the one she had given to Ross. The next time he picked it up, he would think of her, and when he did… she shook her head.

She pushed down on the guilt threatening to choke her and gazed out over the water. This human would be another dark mark against her soul that she would have to live with until she could find a way to make it right.

She looked up when she heard familiar laughter, and she forced a smile to her lips when she saw them threading their way through the tables toward her. Behind them, the waitress followed with their drinks and a tray of food.

“Food’s on; I ordered inside. I hope you don’t mind,” Kane said with a grin as he slid into the seat next to her while Gabe sat in the one on the other side of her.

“I thought I saw Ross,” Gabe murmured, glancing at her in concern while the waitress placed their drinks on the table.

She reluctantly nodded. “He came to say hello,” she admitted, picking up her glass of ice water and taking a sip.

She could feel both men stiffen at her softly spoken words. They both remained quiet until the waitress had finished serving their food. She knew the moment the woman was gone, they would demand to know what Ross had wanted. She wouldn’t lie to them. She owed them more than that.

“What did he want?” Gabe hissed under his breath, his eyes flashing with fury.

Her gaze softened. “You don’t need to worry. He just wanted to know… He just wanted to know if what he saw was real,” she clarified.

Kane leaned closer to her and picked up her left hand, holding it in his. “What did you tell him?” he asked in a quiet voice.

Magna turned her head and stared into his eyes with a sad smile. “I told him ‘yes’, that I was not from this world,” she murmured.

Gabe’s breath exploded past his lips in a long hiss. “That’s it, we’ve got to go,” he growled, starting to stand. “We can grab the dogs and be on the road in less than an hour.”

Magna reached out, gripped his forearm and furiously shook her head. “No,” she said, begging him to understand what she was about to tell him. “I… I took care of it. He won’t be a threat to us.”

“Magna, what did you do?” Kane asked in a quiet voice, sending a warning glance at Gabe, who was slowly sitting back down. “How do you know he won’t be a threat?”

Magna bit her bottom lip as tears filled her eyes. “I put a spell on the shell I gave him. The next time he thinks of me, he’ll be whisked away,” she admitted in a soft voice.

“Whisked? The only way you’ll be safe is if you send him to another world!” Gabe muttered, running his hand down over his face.

Magna nodded. “Exactly,” she responded, her voice filled with regret.

“Magna,” Kane said, reaching out and turning her chin so that she had to look at him. “Where are you sending him?”

“To my world,” she answered in a voice that was barely audible.

Gabe’s soft chuckle startled her and she pulled free of Kane’s grasp to stare at him in shock. The sound grew until both men were laughing. She scowled, unsure of what they found so funny.

“This is not funny!” she snapped, clenching her fists. “Did neither of you understand what I just said? What I have done?”

Gabe picked up his beer and took a deep gulp of it before he set it back down on the table and grinned at her. “Yeah, we heard you. It was a hell of a lot better than our plan.” he said, grinning at Kane.

“And what plan was that?” Magna demanded, folding her arms and glaring back and forth between the two men sitting on either side of her.

“Take your pick,” Kane said, picking up a chip off his plate and waving it. “It was either kill Ross, grow a set of fins, or live on a deserted island somewhere. I’d much rather Ross have to deal with it. Besides, he won’t go unless he thinks of you, right?”

“Yes,” Magna said in confusion.

“Then, it is up to him whether he stays or goes,” Kane said with a nonchalant shrug, popping another chip into his mouth.

“Well, you’ve also got to remember that he’s been saying for years that he wanted to get the hell out of this area. I’d say he is about to get his wish,” Gabe added with a raised eyebrow.

Magna’s eyes widened and a slow smile grew on her face. “He did?” she asked with a hopeful expression. “Then I was not bad to give him the spell?”

Kane leaned over and brushed a kiss along her cheek. “No, I’d say you’ve given him a gift he’ll never regret,” he informed her, glancing over her shoulder at Gabe and winking.

“Definitely,” Gabe said around a mouthful of food.

Magna picked up her sandwich and looked at it, suddenly hungry again. Maybe she was looking at this wrong. If Ross wanted to leave, but had been unable to do so, then her granting him his wish was a good thing, she reasoned.

“So, we are going for ice cream after this?” she asked before taking a bite of her sandwich.