“My memories, I think I’ve been hypnotised, and badly so,” Mitch cried as he grasped his head.
Diar knelt beside him, but Mitch knew there was nothing that could be done. Sealgair Uilebheist were trained to resist mind manipulation. The Uile-bheist were alleged to control minds, and so it was part of their training. The pain let Mitch know someone had screwed with him. And Mitch had no doubt it was Ericks. Mitch screamed as he fought against the darkness, and a memory emerged. A waif of a spirit who stared at him with hatred. She had a name. Banshee.
Once Mitch breached the dam with Banshee, it was like a cascade. Fragments of images burst like a waterfall, piecing together, and Mitch gasped as he tried to catch his breath. Mitch was vaguely aware of Diar supporting him as he struggled against the tide. So many different creatures, and they all hated Mitch, but none harmed him. He’d fought for Jess to be safe, and now, as his memories were restored, he realised they’d exploited her.
None had actively said they were interested in Jess. No, they used Jess as a weapon to gather information. The files he’d meant to give to her were in their hands. Mitch wasn’t too bothered, except he still had no way to contact Jess. He could almost sob. How the hell would he locate her?
“Give me your mobile,” Mitch demanded of Diar as he slumped in Diar’s arms. Diar hesitated and then passed it over. Mitch punched in Ericks’ number.
“I know what you did. Your hypnosis didn’t work. I was bred stronger than that. Now you owe me, asshole. Send those files to Jess,” Mitch ordered and cut the call. He collapsed back against Diar as he succumbed to a migraine.
Poseidon/Jase
He dived deep; he had an inkling that Ness would be hiding in the lake’s deepest part. There were crevices and caves down here, and if Ness wanted, she’d be hard to find despite her size.
“What do you want?”Ness suddenly snapped in his head.
“Come out now,”he replied.
“Is that an order, King of the Seas?”Ness demanded.
“Nessie, don’t make me come in after you,”Poseidon warned.
Ness snorted disrespectfully, and Jase smiled as she threatened him.“I’ll squish you.”
“Doubt it. We had a guest, and I thought you might want to know. He brought you a gift.”Poseidon waited and felt Ness’s curiosity.
“You can’t help but meddle,”she hissed angrily.
“Oh, but it was such a beautiful present, you wouldn’t have wanted us to say no,”Poseidon taunted, and Ness growled.
“What was it?”
“Come home and find out.”
“I’m happy down here,”Ness stated, but Poseidon knew she wasn’t.
“Don’t make me drag you out by your ear, madam!”Poseidon threatened.
“What ear?”Ness demanded as she surged upwards from the rocky bottom of the lake. Damn, she’d blended in so well Poseidon hadn’t seen her. Ness sent him spinning away, and Poseidon reached out and slapped her hind as she passed him. She gracefully spun and tackled him, wrapping her long neck around him. Loch Ness stared at Poseidon face-to-face and opened her maws in a smile.
“Too slow, fatherhood has made you soft,”Ness teased.
Poseidon chuckled and shifted onto Uber-Merman. He slipped free of her loops and slapped Ness’s flippers with his tentacles before diving under her. Ness laughed and dived after him.
For ten minutes, they played, sending great water spurts into the air and creating whirlpools. When they rose to the surface, several others had come down to watch, smiling. Ness shifted, and Jess jumped on Uber-Merman’s back and dunked him. He grabbed Jess with a tentacle and flung her across the surface. Jess shifted into the Loch Ness Monster and landed with a huge splash, drenching those on the shore.
As Uber-Merman approached, Ness shifted again, and Jess allowed Uber-Merman to drag her to the shoreline.
“Feel better?” Jase asked as he shifted.
“Yes. I needed a release, not to sulk and grieve at the bottom of the lake. What were you trying to tell me?” Jess demanded.
“Mitch visited Leon and handed him a flash drive. It literally contained everything on the Hunters. Mitch gave it to you, why?” Jase demanded.
“He wanted to prove that he was different from his family. Mitch kept repeating that he wasn’t like them. He thought I was a Saviour. But I couldn’t tell if Mitch knew I was a Shifter or not,” Jess replied.
“I don’t think he did. Leon knocked Mitch out and brought him here,” Jase said. He noticed Jess jolt and then settle. Whatever she was feeling, Jase watched her bury it.
