Karin hurried after Daide, scattering seeking magic in a broad swath. What came back to her was so unbelievable she started over. And ended up with the same impression.

Before she could ask Poseidon anything, he sputtered, “They have no right here. None at all. I shall simply order them home.”

“Who?” Daide asked, managing to appear ready for anything and puzzled at the same time.

Karin sucked in a tight breath, hoping to hell she was wrong. “It’s Kelpies, isn’t it?”

“What are they?” Daide cut in before Poseidon could ruin her day with his reply.

The king of the sea nodded, his expression grim and bitten off. “Yes. Kelpies. Hybrid Satan spawn. They have no right here,” he repeated as if that explained everything.

“Other’s rights never stopped them before.” Amphitrite’s words were lined with fury—and fear.

Daide stomped a few feet closer to Poseidon and tried again. “What. Are. They?” He left a space between each word, as if that might encourage a response. “Surely, you all wouldn’t be so spun out about an Australian sheep dog.”

“Not dogs,” Karin said, recalling there was indeed a breed some idiot had named after the Scottish water sprites. She took a measured breath. “They’re shape-shifting water spirits that live in the lochs and pools of Scotland.”

“Shifters? Like us?” Daide broke in.

“No. Nothing like us. They appear as horses, but they’re able to adopt human form, except for their hooves, which don’t change. Almost every sizeable body of water in Scotland has a Kelpie myth attached to it. They lure humans and eat them.”

“You missed a few key points,” Poseidon muttered. “Like how they can be snared and their power harnessed.”

“Eh. I never believed those parts.” Karin looked the sea god dead in the eyes. “I’m surprised you do since they involve Christian symbols like crosses.”

Sadness flickered behind Poseidon’s eyes “Crosses predate the imposter god, and you know it.”

“So they do, but the tales of harnessing a Kelpie in horse form with bridles adorned with the cross don’t.”

“Do you know how many are out there or what they want?” Daide cut into what was turning into a philosophical argument that was doing nothing but wasting time.

“They never want anything good,” Karin said flatly.

“A lot of them, but it gets worse.” Amphitrite answered Daide’s initial question and set her mouth in a thin line. “Kelpies can’t move the sea, so they must have teamed up with something even darker and more malevolent than they are.”

Karin had never retracted her magic, so she urged it to greater sharpness, searching ley lines for clues and coming up empty-handed. “Maybe the Cataclysm added to their power?” She bit her lower lip, thinking.

Leif and the lead whale Shifter loped close. “We’re returning to the sea,” they said in unison. “All of us.”

“It’s where we belong as well,” Amphitrite said. “Perhaps we can reason with them.”

“At the very least, we’ll figure out what we face.” Leif dragged his blue-gray hair back from where it hugged his tall form.

Magic with a dull, dark bite blasted Karin. A quick peek through her third eye showed glowing ley lines drawing closer to one another as if girding for battle. The metallic taste of blood alerted her she’d bitten through her lip. Still relying on her psychic view, she spun, hands raised to concentrate her magic.

“Don’t leave yet.” She aimed her words at Leif and the whale. “Whatever was out there is headed our way.”

Glass first cracked and then shattered as two of the dining room windows blew inward, littering the floor with shards. Karin’s nostrils rebelled as the reek of death and rot mingled with musk in a scent too horrible to inhale, yet enticing at the same time.

Daide moved next to her. Determination to launch whatever countermeasures were necessary streamed from him, and she blessed his steadfastness. Not many men would have the courage to stand fast in the face of Kelpies.

He snorted wryly. “For once, I was inside your head. It’s not courage, darling, but ignorance. Hard to fear something you only heard about a few minutes ago.”

Poseidon pushed in front of all of them and stood tall. “Show yourselves,” he cried, following the English with the same command in Gaelic.

A shadowed place slid between two ley lines, and Karin switched to her normal vision in time to see a tall, swarthy figure emerge. Straight black hair fell to the man’s knees, covering his nakedness. Beautiful as any Vampire, his skin glowed with a warm, inner light. Dark eyes with obscenely long lashes glittered from beneath perfectly formed brows. A square chin, full lips, and chiseled cheekbones drew her, but Karin recognized enchantment in the thing’s pull.

“Don’t waste your magic on me,” she snarled, showing her incisors much as her wolf might have.

“Where are the rest of you?” Poseidon sounded as friendly as a feral cat standing guard over a kill.

The Kelpie gestured vaguely toward the ship’s wall and moved toward them, its feet making clomping noises. When Karin glanced down, she wasn’t surprised to see hooves. She’d had one run-in with a Kelpie in horse form when she wasn’t much more than thirteen. The animal had been stunning, the most perfect horse she’d ever seen. Its mane and tail flowed behind it, coal black but reflecting all the colors of the rainbow. When she’d darted forward, intent on running her fingers through that glorious mane, it turned to hissing, writhing serpents, and she’d sensed foul magic.

Magic it had shielded when it was luring her. Karin knew the myths and stories. She’d summoned power of her own to protect herself and run the other way.

“Begone!” Poseidon thundered. A glowing driftwood staff circled with hammered bronze materialized out of the ether, and he banged it on the deck beneath them for emphasis.

The Kelpie laughed, a musical trill that sent shivers of longing down Karin’s spine. No wonder the creatures had such success luring women to their doom. Always male in human form, Kelpies were notorious for sniffing out virgins and deflowering them—prior to the carnage that came next.

“Ye doona command me nor my kind.” The Kelpie’s brogue was so thick as to be almost unintelligible.

Karin resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Last thing they needed was a pissing contest between two power-mad males. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

“Aye, and what do you want with us?” Amphitrite added.

The Kelpie’s gaze bounced between them. “Who knows why we ended up here. We’ve been trying to get home for ages, which answers your second question.”

Karin’s eyes widened as understanding struck home. “But we’re not going to the U.K.”

“Details. Ye could. And now, ye are. Keep in mind, Shifter, ’tis your ship we’ve need of, not ye nor your companions.”

He angled his head, and Karin felt his power envelop her, thick, slimy, and compelling. Cursing herself for a fool for not warding herself at the front end, she blasted him with power. When her magic ran up against a perimeter he’d been smart enough to erect, sparks flew.

The Kelpie winced but clearly wasn’t hurt. The momentary distraction gave her the opportunity she needed to build her own ward. It might not be enough to quell the longing burning through her, but at least it was something.

“You will leave now.” Poseidon directed his words at the Kelpie and stood tall. His staff clattered against the deck a second time.

“I think not.” The Kelpie sashayed forward, its hooves yielding a swaying motion that emphasized the roll of its hips.

The tip of an erection poked through the curtain of hair surrounding him, and Karin fought a wave of lust so intense all she could think about was wanting to see more of that cock. Deep within, her wolf growled, and its presence strengthened her, held her back from something she’d regret forever. Once you touched Kelpies, they had power over you. She wasn’t certain how deep their hold would extend, but nor did she want to find out.

Clearly intuiting the Kelpie’s intent, Daide raised his chin and his hands. Magic, primitive and unfocused, shot from his fingertips and collided with the Kelpie’s ward. “She’s mine.”

The Kelpie shrugged. “Women come cheap. They always have. Someone aboard this vessel will appreciate my attentions.” He brushed a hand over his crotch, and the slice of cock disappeared, proving he’d displayed himself on purpose.

Karin felt disgusted with herself. She was far from a blushing, virginal maid to be sucked in by tawdry tricks.

The dining room door slapped against its stops. Viktor and Ketha burst into the room. “Who the fuck are you?” Viktor shouted, skidding to a halt in front of the Kelpie.

“Damn my eyes,” Ketha hissed. “Get back, Vik. It’s a Kelpie. Bastard. Fucker. What in the goddess’s name is he doing here?” Light flared from her hands as she shot magic its way.

“Let’s do this right,” Karin yelled. “Women. To me.”

Ketha ran lightly to her side, followed by Moira, Tessa, Zoe, and the others. Magic slammed into her as they joined their power, weaving it together.

“We want you off this ship,” Karin announced.

“Immediately,” Viktor added in a tone that could have etched glass. He’d put a bit more space between himself and the Kelpie at Ketha’s command, but not much.

The Kelpie bared squared-off teeth, reminiscent of his horse form. Any semblance of his unnatural beauty fell away, and he appeared fell and threatening. “We’ll sink your puny excuse for a ship. All we require is passage to the nearest port in the British Isles. Hell, it could even be Ireland, though ’twouldn’t be our first choice.”

“And why not?” Zoe inquired caustically. “Sure and ye’ll not be finding fault with my native soil.”

“Damned stiff-necked Shifters,” he growled. “We’re practically kissing cousins, and—”

Rage boiled over at being compared with Kelpies in any version of reality. Karin checked the integrity of their shared magic and heaved an enormous ball dead center at the demon spawn. Shifter enchantment sputtered and crackled as it raced up and down the Kelpie’s ward. Visible cracks extended around the creature, but his ward held. Barely.

Ketha began to chant, low and urgent, in Gaelic, to potentiate their power. The Kelpie’s stench changed as he understood they were playing hardball with him. He turned, attempting to leave, but he was mired by their magic. Trapped where he stood.

“We must kill him,” Poseidon urged.

“Canna we bargain with him? His life in exchange for—?” Zoe never took her eyes off the Kelpie.

“Nay,” Amphitrite broke in. “His kind never keep to their end of barters. If we kill him, maybe the others will leave.”

A crafty gleam formed in the Kelpie’s dark eyes. “They won’t. They’ll retaliate if ye take my life.”

The light around him began to change, developing rainbow-hued coloration. Karin understood he was trying to shift. His power was far more potent in horse form since it was his native manifestation. The edges of his body took on a blurry, insubstantial aspect.

She ground her teeth. They didn’t have the luxury of time to discuss the fine points of killing versus bargaining. She didn’t want to make a mistake, but once the Kelpie’s transformation was complete, who knew what damage he’d do to Arkady? Even absent magic, a 1500-pound horse was a far more dangerous adversary than a 200-pound man.

Ketha’s chant turned low, feral. Karin joined in with her, as did the other nine women. What few humans were still in the dining room had clumped together in a tight knot next to the back wall. She wanted to tell them to flee to their cabins but couldn’t divert an iota of energy away from the power surging around her, turning the air electric with its potential.

The Kelpie’s warding developed a high-pitched, oscillating hum, pulsing right before it shattered and fell to the dining room floor in uneven bits of gray and black. The reek of frantic Kelpie twisted Karin’s stomach into a disgusted knot, and she swallowed bile. Death, rot, and decay trumped the musky seduction smells from earlier.

She took a deep breath and stared at the creature. At least they’d stymied his efforts to shift. He spread his hands, palms upward. “Let me leave.”

“Give me one good reason to offer you clemency?” Viktor stomped closer.

“You’ll soon outrun our ability to swim.” The Kelpie tossed his head defiantly. The only thing missing was a whinny. “We reside in Bay of Islands.”

“How did you end up there?” Poseidon pushed between Viktor and the Kelpie.

A pained expression flickered across his high cheekboned face. “None of us ever figured that out. One fine day we were at home in Britain. The next, we floundered in unfamiliar waters. It took days to swim to land. Ye must take us with you. If ye have another few ports of call afore ye see us home, we’d not get in the way of that.”

“No.” Viktor crossed his arms over his chest. “If you’d done things differently, requested to come aboard, and stated your problem, I might have made a different decision.”

“I don’t trust Kelpies,” Karin said.

“Aye, nor do any of the rest of us,” Zoe tossed in. “You’ve done a damn fine job of ruining my wedding day.”

Black flashed around the Kelpie, and he dove for Viktor, who was closest to him. Winding strong arms around him, he drove him to the floor. The men grunted and heaved, each trying to get the upper hand, while Karin hunted frantically for a way to leverage the magic still pointed at the Kelpie without harming Viktor.

Daide and Recco shouted their fury and jumped on the squabbling men, punching and grabbing handfuls of the Kelpie’s long hair. Karin would have shouted a warning about not touching the creature, but it was far too late for that.

“What’s that myth about touching them?” Ketha hissed.

“Gives them power over you,” Zoe replied.

“Once he’s dead, the geas no longer holds sway. Here’s a project for me.” Poseidon leapt into the fray, staff swinging.

Grunts, shouts, and curses filled the air. Maybe because he had magic on his side, Poseidon landed blow after blow. The solid crunch of a bone breaking was followed by the Kelpie shrieking in pain.

Poseidon herded Viktor, Recco, and Daide off to one side to give Karin a clear shot at the Kelpie and yelled, “Now,” in Gaelic.

Karin didn’t hesitate. She gathered every whit of magic from the women and drove it straight into the creature’s heart. Its cries turned to the tortured sounds of a dying horse. Indeed, its human form turned wet and glistening, and a shaggy, black stallion took shape, hooves churning and eyes rolling back with the whites showing all around them as it thrashed in death throes.

“Jesus Christ and all the blessed saints.” Boris detached himself from the group of humans.

“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d never have believed it.” Ted joined his partner.

“How the hell will we get him out of here without cutting him up?” Viktor was breathing hard, and blood tricked from a gash running down one side of his face.

“Won’t be a problem,” Poseidon said. “Magic returns to itself.”

After one last pathetic scream, the horse quieted. Poseidon barked a few words in a form of Gaelic so old Karin couldn’t interpret it. The Kelpie shimmered, shuddered, and broke into ribbons of iridescent brilliance. Rising as a unit, they streamed through one of the broken windows.

“Is he still alive?” Daide asked.

Karin shook her head. “According to legend, he’ll turn into seafoam.”

“The important thing,” Poseidon said, “is the others felt his death like a sharp blade in their chests. Still, I must meet with them. Tell them this ship is forbidden.”

“Would you like reinforcements?” Leif leveled his gaze at the king of the sea.

“Thank you, son. I’d very much appreciate your support.”

“We’re all coming, then.” The lead whale joined Leif. He bowed in Zoe’s direction. “Best wishes on your nuptials, lady.”

“Thank you. Please return when you’re done and eat with us.”

“We shall.” Poseidon nodded, and the air grew heavy and slick with magic as he, his consort, and the fourteen sea Shifters teleported out of Arkady.

Karin exhaled sharply. “Of all the creatures we might have run into, Kelpies were last on my list.”

“Mine too,” Ketha muttered. “Below last, actually.”

Viktor turned to leave, but Ketha caught his arm. “Where are you going?”

“Out on deck to offer what support I can with a high-powered rifle.”

“Nice thought,” Ketha said, “but you can’t shoot them.”

“Not with the iron and silver-laced shells?” He raised a tawny brow. “They were pretty damned effective with the Witches.”

“You might have a point there, but I’d just as soon have you out of harm’s way,” Ketha retorted. “You can’t touch Kelpies. Once you do, it gives them power over you.”

“Mmph. He wasn’t doing much mesmerizing when I punched him.”

“It’s because three of you were bashing him,” Karin said. “Four if you count Poseidon. Given enough time, he’d have cleaned your clocks. Maybe not the sea god, but the rest of you.”

“What should we do about dinner?” One of the McMurdo scientists spoke up.

“What else?” Karin retorted. “We can’t let all this food go to waste.”

“Will those things come back?” Boris asked.

“I don’t know,” Ketha replied, “but Karin’s right about our supper.”

“The cake survived.” Recco angled his gaze at it.

“We’ll take it as an omen,” Viktor said. “I’ll run up and let Juan know where we’re at. I’ll take him and Aura a plate while I’m at it.” He angled toward the kitchen with Ketha by his side, murmuring softly.

Karin looked at Daide. Aside from a darkening bruise across one cheek, he’d emerged unscathed. “You were brave, but foolhardy,” she chided.

He shrugged. “That description fits ninety percent of men. Feel like dinner?”

“Let’s take a short walk, first.”

“Lead out, Madam Doctor. Where are we going?”

“The main deck. I want to make certain our sea kin don’t require assistance.” She also had something to say, and she didn’t particularly want an audience.

They trotted up one flight of stairs holding hands. When they got to the closest door leading to the broad open expanse of the anchor deck, she stopped. “I owe you an apology.”

“For what?” He drew his dark brows together.

“My attraction to the Kelpie. Seduction is how they’ve survived all these years, but it’s no excuse.”

Daide dropped an arm around her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I’d have killed that thing before I’d have let him anywhere near you. My coyote and I were ready.”

Warmth flooded her heart until it wanted to crack wide open. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Deserving has nothing to do with anything.” He wound his arms around her and kissed her forehead. “One of these days, I want a list of every single supernatural being with rules for how they pose a danger.”

She leaned into his embrace, loving the feel of his body plastered against hers. “I’ll get right on that, but it won’t do you much good without me to tell you which things are which.”

“So, see?” His lips tracked across her forehead and down one cheek, leaving a trail of heat behind. “You have to stick around. Save me from myself.”

It took all her willpower to break away from their hug. “Come on. I’ll start the tutorial while we’re outside. If things turn to shit, it will happen fast, and I need to be there.”

He pulled one of many storage lockers open and handed her a thick parka, helping her into it before he selected a larger one for himself. “I’ll pay closer attention if I’m not shivering.”

The only thing she wanted to pay attention to was him, but the Kelpie had kinfolk out there in the sea, lots of them judging from Amphitrite’s comment. If the legends about them were true, they’d be out for blood.