Dagger (Brothers of Element Series Book I)

"If you feel you are willing to fight me for the right to mate with her..."

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER PHE'LAN kept his eyes on the couple in the ocean. His cinnamon complexion was easy enough to disguise at night, but the white and gold hair kept him in the shadows. He sank deeper into the reed grass beside the large, red-painted house at the end of the beach. He used the empty home to watch the human female at night. He would make her his soon enough. 

King Dagger held the soon-to-be queen over the platform of the pier outside of her home. She deserved a man, not a Bartholomew. The ocean breeze tossed her gentle scent over the beach. She held the ocean beneath her skin: not fully human and not a shifter. She was the future and he would be a part of it, not King Dagger. He needed a new plan.  

"I underestimated his desire for the human," he admitted to Azul, who stood beside him. "He has placed young Her'lion to watch over her. In this decision, I would say he made a wise choice. The bull shark is fearless and faithful." 

"And both Her'lion and Desmond are loyal to the king. Her'lion will never leave her alone."  

"Someone will be posted outside of the queen's home. This I can guarantee," Azul said, his weathered, cedar skin blending in with the night sand. The killer whale lay flat on the ground. He would stand out before the red house. 

"You are correct," Lieutenant Commander Phe'lan agreed. "King Dagger has taken both my sisters, and seeing as he has no sisters, I will accept the queen as compensation from him." 

Azul said, "Tomorrow, give the king a reason to leave the zone. I will see that she is brought to you." 

The lieutenant tilted his chest out and saw the king lying atop the queen over the platform. His neck tightened, and his fists clenched along his body. He needed to take her soon. 

"When is she scheduled to arrive-the arrival dinner?" Azul asked, breaking the lieutenant's cloud. He angled his body inward, peering at the man on the ground. 

"It was communicated to me that she would arrive tomorrow." He stared at the man for a short moment, then said, "Get word to the Pacific; have Christophe drag the Washington shore. Send Er'gion from Alaska to Hawaii." 

"Thought Er'gion was in the Pacific?" 

"He goes where I need him," he said. "He is the best in the caves at night with the tourists and vacationers."  

"Mauna Kea is dormant. Shall we hit Mauna Loa?" 

"No, the tourists are heavy in the dormant volcanoes right now; they will be caught off guard. The older shifters go there when the polar bears come down to Washington to hibernate." 

"Renting their homes?" Azul said, his tone mocking.  

"Do not laugh; Blade, the Pacific King, is a very rich. Had I thought of it first, I would be making those signature credits. Some families rent their homes out to polar families for a season while they spend time in the volcanos." 

"Why?" 

"Many have older families in the Japanese and Russian territories." 

"King Blade... he owns this?" 

"The Bartholomew's own seventy-five percent of all the oceans around the globe-outside of the Indian Ocean." 

"How are you familiar with the Hawaiian Islands? You said you were from the Indian Ocean?" 

"I vacation," Azul said. "How will dragging the shore and Er'gion in the volcanoes help capture the queen, the human queen?"  

"If Blade sends his top men, then Dagger will be obliged to cover his brother's ocean and send men to help. The queen will be unprotected." 

Azul's light charcoal coloring gave him a ghostly appeal, a dying moon at night. He gave a scathing scowl, then said, "How is Er'gion going to avoid notice by the tourists?" 

"Have you never seen Er'gion?" Phe'lan inquired. 

"No, I have not. I hear he is-different."  

"He could pass for human at night. He has ridden the human helicopters." 

"And no one noticed?" 

"One did, but he took care of that." 

"And Christophe, what will dragging the shore accomplish?" 

"The anglers are bringing in their haul. The young sharks cannot resist the humans that close; Blade's security will have their hands full keeping the sharks off the shores. Too much marine activity brings the coast guard out. Er'gion will have fewer eyes on him." 

"I will make the arrangements," Azul said. "Shall I remove myself from the elimination challenge?" 

"Has the human female peaked your interest as well, my friend?" 

"She has." 

"If you feel you are willing to fight me for the right to mate with her, then no, stay. I always enjoy a good fight." 

"How long have you known the king?" 

"Too long." 

Both men hung back, moved down the beach, and slipped beneath the ocean and out of sight. 

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Dagger watched as she said her good-byes and came to stand before him. "It's going to be light soon. What time will you come back?" she asked, setting her duffle on the kitchen table. He held up a hand. 

"One moment," he answered her concerned tone and then addressed the voice in his mind. "Yes, Desmond." 

"The queen is in danger." 

"From?" 

"Two reports that Lieutenant Commander Phe'lan will try to kidnap her this night. He has come to her on the pier more than once the last month." 

"Where is he now?" 

"Her'lion and Fer'nal caught him at the end of the beach. There was another. He got away, staying on land. They have escorted the lieutenant to zone fourteen. He watched you two on the pier from the ocean. Without him harming the queen, we have nothing to charge him with. He has committed no crime." 

"Inform the clan to prepare for the eliminating ceremony." 

"She has agreed to your proposal then?" 

"She has." He crossed the small room and peered out over the beach. "Desmond, you drink coffee, do you not?" 

"Yes." 

"Is it possible to acquire-" He read the label on the can on the counter. "-Maxwell House coffee?" 

"It is."  

"Have some placed in my home along with a brewer." 

"She has gotten to you." 

"Be careful, old man. My cage has been rattled enough today." 

"She will be a good queen. We will be ready. Carina will be excited." 

Those haunting gray eyes watched him from across the room as he closed the connection. 

"Were you speaking to someone in your mind?" 

"My security. I will explain later. It is not safe for you to remain on land." Crossing the room, he crowded her to the kitchen table. 

"What's happened?" she asked. 

"Have you been visited by another tiger shark?" 

"A lighter one, yes. I call him Reflex." 

"Do not attempt to explain. He tried to kidnap you tonight." 

She flattened a hand over his chest, eyes wide. "Reflex is a shifter as well?" 

He blew out a breath. "His name is Lieutenant Commander Phe'lan. I will deal with him later. We must leave tonight. Get your suit, I will assist you."