Most, he wanted to touch her and rid her of this terrifying Ari-man, even though she was a powerful taniwha.Why she didn’t attack the man and remove the trouble he brought to her life?Was this man a taniwha too?
Perhaps the taniwha had grown into a powerful tribe during his absence.
Tawera didn’t know, and his vexation at his lack of conversation grew each day.The occasional thought reached her, but the transmission was inconsistent.
Nyree strode from the bedroom, now dressed in a formfitting shirt and leg coverings.As usual, she’d arranged her straight black hair in a braid, and it hung down her back, bouncing with each rapid step.
“Okay, George.I’m off now.”She flashed a grin and hustled from the room.Seconds later, the door slammed, and he was alone.
George.Again.One of the many Nyree puzzles that plagued him.
His chest tightened again, this time in dissatisfaction—how he craved the ability to communicate aloud.Since she’d rescued him from the sea, he’d become used to hearing her speak the English language.Rawiri and other senior members of Tawera’s tribe had declared him stupid to learn thepakehawords, but he enjoyed new challenges.Now, he was glad of his skill since she didn’t speak Maori, despite her obvious—at least to him—heritage.
Tawera sighed.Perhaps this was another test of his mettle, and he’d never speak with Nyree man to woman.Despondency nipped at him, and he focused on the view outside the window.He had the birds to occupy his mind, which was more than he’d had before.
Without warning, a familiar prickling started in his chest, the old awareness taking him by surprise.The moon.It was approaching its full cycle.Another week before it waned again.
If he’d been in his two-legged state, he’d have shifted to a dragon and gone for a long flight, or when he and Aroha were together, he’d make love to appease his taniwha and maintain his control.He had no idea why this recognition was occurring now when his taniwha had remained inert since the curse had entrapped him.It had to be the woman’s presence.
Ah, so many questions and not a single answer.
“What are we doing today?”Nyree asked Carolyn.
“How about dusting the next museum exhibits on the list?We have a cruise ship arriving at eleven.I’ll get you to cover the shop today, and I’ll do the whaling station tour.”
“Righto.I’ll start the dusting now.”Nyree collected the basket of cleaning materials from the storage cupboard and set to work.A tingling awareness of the moon prickled in her chest.It was full in three nights.Tonight, she’d sneak out and fly.
Given her frustration, she’d need to use her vibrator too.Weird.Typically, her almost daily flights would nullify the edginess of moonlust.
Oh, well.At least Nyree didn’t have a roomie to ask inconvenient questions.
As she pulled out a duster and carefully stepped into an exhibition of polar explorer memorabilia, her mind slid to her mother’s email.What the devil was Ari playing at involving her mother to get her to return to him?Toward the end, everything she’d done had upset him, so why would he want her back?
Control?More of her money?Nyree snorted in disgust.Both probably.
A reconciliation.She shook her head.Not happening.He’d never change, no matter his promises to the contrary.
Disgusted with the man all over again, Nyree shoved him from her mind and focused on the exhibition.A job here allowed her to get close to history, and she loved the novel way of learning.She studied a framed copy of Ernest Shackleton’s bold, handwritten signature, the pair of woolen mittens, and the gabardine jacket that he or his expedition members had worn with a sense of awe.
At eleven, she stored her cleaning basket and prepared for the deluge of visitors.It was fun greeting the cruise ship passengers.Most were older since it was expensive to get to South Georgia and Antarctica.Soon men and women, most dressed in matching cruise ship-issued orange jackets, descended on her shop.
“Do you have a boyfriend?”a woman and one of her first customers asked.“My son is around your age.”
“No boyfriend at the moment,” Nyree said with a smile.“I’m too busy to look.”
“You must get lonely here,” another woman commented as she handed over a pile of postcards and a T-shirt to purchase.
“Not really.”Nyree maintained her smile as she rang up the items.“We have a community of scientists, along with my coworkers.I do lots of walking and take photos, and this week, we’re busy with ship visits.”
The woman shuddered.“As much as this place is beautiful and interesting, I’d hate to live here for months on end without seeing friends, having a latte, or going to the local mall.”
“I don’t miss shopping, and it’s an opportunity to save my wages.”
The woman shook her head in clear doubt and gave way to the next customer.Nyree spent ten minutes running around after the elderly couple since they wanted to send postcards to their grandchildren and buy gifts for their children.
“We’re on a retirement trip.I’ve always wanted to visit since my grandfather worked here at the whaling station,” the thin and spare husband said.
His plump wife tsked.“We prefer seeing the whales swimming around in the ocean, but those were different times.”
