Unnaturals (3 page)

`Yes, sir.'

`Good. You're in charge, Max. Talk to you in two weeks.' Mason snapped the phone shut and dropped it over the side of the ferry. His anger vanished as the mobile disappeared into the bubbling wake.

`That's a good sign,' Ruth said, joining him and taking his hand. `What did Max want?'

`Just checking up on me,' Mason sighed and hugged her. `I made it clear we're not to be disturbed. The Fund can survive without me.'

`Uh-huh.' Ruth's tone and body language said she didn't believe him. Mason leaned over and kissed her. She kissed him back and Mason picked her up in their hug, making her squeal and wriggle.

`Will you two behave?' Wilson said, joining them. Mason held Ruth against him as she pulled her bikini top back into place. Wilson rolled his eyes at them. `If this is what you're going to be like on the island I'm going to have to warn Sally about turning up unannounced at the villa.'

Ruth patted him on the face. `She's not as shy as you think, Wilson. We spent a lot time together when you were in hospital.'

`And?' Wilson asked, eyes narrowing at his mother. Mason chuckled quietly.

`Well, her mother doesn't talk to her about sex that much.'

Mason had to bite his lip at the look of horror on Wilson's face.

`Jeez, Mum. You talked about sex with her?'

`Of course. She asked me.' Ruth touched his arm. `Sally needed someone to talk to, Wilson, and I wasn't going to let her down.'

`Oh,' Wilson mumbled, looking out towards the approaching island. Mason could see him thinking about what his mother had said.

`Wil, Sally cares about you a lot and she isn't like other girls. She wants it to mean something when she decides to be with you. Besides, I was flattered she came to me for advice.'

`It's weird talking about this with you two, but thanks, Mum.' Wilson smiled and fidgeted as he leaned against the railing, scanning the beach as the ferry slowed its approach.

`So. You and Sally,' Mason asked quietly. `Are her parents okay with her being here?'

`Sal's dad not around and her mum is with her on the island,' Wilson said, taking his shirt off. `And she's cool with us. We get along great and she doesn't ask questions. I want you to meet her once you and Mum have settled on the island.'

`Done,' Mason said, taking Wilson's shirt as it was thrust at him. `What are you doing?'

`Going to Sally.' Wilson winked, and ran downstairs. Mason looked over the side just as Wilson dived in.

`He's a good swimmer now,' Ruth said holding onto him as they watched Wilson swim with ease to the beach. `And that would be Sally.' Ruth pointed. Mason followed her direction.

`Holy crap. That's Sally?' The tall girl who leapt onto Wilson as he reached the beach wore blonde hair down to her waist. `She's not the skinny kid I remember.'

`They're a beautiful couple, Mason. I can't believe Wilson found her, but they did meet here on the island. Just like us.'

`Yeah.' Mason watched as Wilson took Sally's hand and they ran towards the resort. `I've missed out on so much.'

`Well, then.' Ruth pulled him away from the railing as people began to move downstairs. `This holiday will be your chance to catch up. Come on.'

`Right behind you,' Mason said, following her.

`And make sure your bag is zipped up,' she said as they lined up to disembark. She elbowed him and Mason looked down. A pistol butt showed through the zipper of his backpack, the only luggage he'd brought to the island. `I thought you said you weren't going to bring anything?' she whispered.

`Old habits.'

`Hmm.' Ruth eyed him over her shoulder as Mason tucked the pistol away. It was instinctive for him to carry weapons, though he had tried to leave them behind.

`Yes, I know,' he muttered at the look she gave him. `I just hope you packed enough clothes for us.'

`One dress and a few bikinis for me,' Ruth said with a wicked smile back at him as they followed the line of people down the ramp.

Mason grinned back. Ruth was planning on not needing much in the way of clothing. His heart quickened as the sand grew closer. The island always did it to him. Their best memories had come from here and he wanted to create a lot more good ones on this trip.

`Hunter.'
The whisper came into his mind the instant his foot touched the sand. He couldn't breathe. The world around him slowed.

`Mason?' Ruth's hand tightened on his as he stood blocking the ramp. People muttered behind him. `Mason, what's wrong? You've gone white.'

`Move, buddy,' someone muttered and Mason moved off the ramp. Everything snapped back into focus.

Ruth pulled him away from the prying eyes he could feel on his back. `Talk to me,'

`It's nothing. Just a flashback,' he lied. The voice had been real and he knew it.

`Bullshit, Mason,' Ruth dug her nails into his arm. `Don't do that. Don't lie like that other thing inside you lies.'

She was right. `It was her, Ruth. The voice from the funeral.'

`Here? Now? I didn't hear it.'

`She said "Hunter", that's all.'

`Hunter?' Ruth stood close against him. `You sure it wasn't one of them? Are they close?'

Mason closed his eyes, absorbing the sounds and scents of the Island, seeking out the cold wrongness of a Bloodells in a place he knew well. `No. Not here.'

Ruth's blue eyes greeted him as he opened his. `Say it again.'

`There are no Bloodells on the island.'

She smiled. `So it's just that voice then? The one that helped us?'

`Yes, that voice.' He smiled back, tension fading. `Do we still have an audience behind me?'

`A few. Why?'

`No reason.' Mason scooped her up in his arms and moved off towards the resort.

`Mason, careful.' She laughed, arm around him. `My sarong nearly came off.'

`Mmm.' He kissed her cheek. `Couldn't have Mrs Douglas flashing the locals now, could we? Oh wait; you did that last time we were here, didn't you?'

`Oh come on, everyone knows that beach is...' she paused as Mason carried her past people in the resort. `You're a tease, Mr Douglas.'

He grinned back at her. `Learnt from the best, I did.'

`Very funny. The villa's over that way.' Ruth pointed towards a villa surrounded by trees on the edge of the resort. `I've organised fresh cooked prawns and booze to be in the fridge. Just like we used to do.'

Mason couldn't stop smiling as he carried her towards the villa they had always used. Their island home.

Wilson reached for her and missed.

`Ha! All muscle and no speed.'

He pushed himself harder, watching Sally's hair flicker just out of reach. She is fast, he thought with a grin. The squeak of feet in the sand quickened and he closed the gap. `Got you!' He grabbed her hand, ready to pull her in close.

`Reckon?' She turned and shoved her leg in front of his.

He didn't let go as he fell, twisting to land on his back in the sand. `Still got you.' He caught her as she fell on top of him, the scent of her hair tickling his face.

`Only because I let you,' she said, nose touching his. `And yes.' Her lips touched his.

Her sweet taste caressed him as he kissed her back. `Missed you.'

`Of course you did,' she said, pushing herself up and sitting across him.

`What are you doing?' He stared as she took her bikini top off.

Sally smiled at him. `We're alone on a beach. And you're probably the only guy I know who would have to ask that question.' She lay back on top of him then pinned him down.

`Plus, I want a tan like yours, no lines. And you still need practice, because you really suck at kissing.'

`Thanks,' he said, aware of how good it felt to have her nakedness pressed against him. He took a deep breath, trying to control his excitement. He had to be careful.

`You're doing it again.' She nipped his neck.

`Doing what?' Wilson gasped as the sensation of her teeth on his skin sent a flare of blood downwards.

`Trying to slow everything down. The breathing thing. Your eyes lose focus for a second, like you're elsewhere.'

`I…' A presence prickled his skin. They weren't alone. It had followed him to the island. Sally was in danger. Wilson forced his anger down.

`Wil?' Sally shifted on him.

The sense of her naked skin moving on him was lost in the flow of adrenaline to his bloodstream, the taste bitter in his mouth. `We're being watched.'

`So?' Sally didn't look up but he felt her goosebumps tighten against him. `It's not some old creepy dude is it? Wait, how do you know?'

He held a finger to her lips. `I just do, trust me.'

Sally nodded and let his arms go. `I can't see anyone.' She sat up and looked around, tying her top back on.

Wilson waited while she stood up. The delay was itching at him. He had to stay calm in front of her. `It's probably just another couple.' He scanned the trees as Sally took his hand again.

A shadow shimmered and slipped behind a dead tree. He refocused. The shadow had shape. Purple eyes flashed for a second, highlighting an outline of a thin face. Not a Bloodells.

Sally touched his shoulder. `Wil, you're scaring me now. I can't see anyone. And it's gone so quiet.'

`Yes.' He took a deep breath. Sally was with him and if the Unnatural attacked he would have to kill it, in front of her. `Come on, let's get some lunch.' He hoped it would leave without him having to threaten it like he had at the house.

`I'm worried,' she whispered, clinging to him. `This is freaky. It's like all the birds have gone. Even the bugs.'

`It's probably nothing. Let's go eat.' He began walking away. The shadow didn't move. Wilson glanced around for a weapon. He spotted a weathered branch not far from him on the high tide mark.

`You lie like you kiss,' Sally whispered, her grip on him tight. `Something spooked you enough to stop kissing me.'

`It's nothing, Sal. I just overreacted.' He put his arm around her and judged the distance between him and the branch. If their watcher moved, he would not hesitate.

Sally stopped, squeezing his arm hard. `You can't keep pushing me away when something gets weird, Wil. I accept what happened last year was terrible and I can't understand what nearly dying was like, but I've been here for you. Staying with you in the hospital and listening to you scream in your sleep. I came here to the island so we can be together, to be with your family. Let me in, Wil.'

He looked at her. Blue eyes full of life held his gaze. How much could he tell her?

`Okay, okay.' He kissed her on the cheek and began walking slowly, her hand in his. `The nightmares I don't think I can ever talk to you about.' Wilson shuddered as unwelcome memories threatened to surface. He felt her hand squeeze his, but no questions came. `I guess it freaked me out back there. At the funeral, just before it happened, everything went quiet like that. Like something was watching us, from the shadows.'

`You thought something bad was going to happen to us?'

`Yeah.' He glanced at her and at the trees up on the dunes. The shadow had vanished from the tree, grass moved farther up the dunes and he spotted it slipping away. Good.

`Do you want to go and find Mr D?'

`No, I don't want him getting worried. Besides, I'm hungry.' His stomach rumbled.

`Ha,' Sally snorted, bumping him with her hip. `There's the Wil I know. Always hungry.'

`Yep, starving actually.' He pulled her into his arms, her face close to his. `Are we cool about what happened back there?'

`So far,' she said, kissing him lightly. `But from now on you're going to spend all day not thinking about the past.'

`Done.' Her smile was infectious and he couldn't resist tugging at her bikini string.

`Oh, now you're interested.' She pulled away and rescued her top before it fell off. `I thought you were starving? Make your mind up — food or making out.'

`Could we do both at the same time?'

`Maybe.' She bit her lip and he raised an eyebrow. She winked at him. `Gotta catch me.'

`Crap.' Wilson bolted after her, her long legs his focus, the shadow forgotten for the moment. He would deal with it later.

 

Birdsong and insect life resumed in the trees of the island. Liquid purple eyes half-closed, she lay on the forest floor, panting, her glamour shimmering.

The soft scales covering her body reflected the colours of the forest around her.

`He saw me this time.' She shivered in the heat; no one had seen through her glamour before. `The boy actually saw me. Curse this collar.' Her body took shape as her gift faded, her hands nearly touching the collar around her neck. `Not good — getting sloppy with this on. If he can see me, the father will as well. Kill me for sure.'

She used her claws, digging them into the tree to pull herself up.

`I need to feed,' she whispered, touching the collar around her neck. Its iron touch burnt against the scaled flesh of her neck.

`
No. Find them.
'

She growled at the cold touch of the command in her mind. Her lip curled as she looked at the blood on her fingers. Bark flew as she tore at the tree in frustration. `Bitch!' she spat and moved towards the scent of the one she was compelled to find.

 

Ruth sat back in the deck chair listening to Mason bustling around the villa's kitchen. He had always liked to prepare meals. Something about it made him happy and she liked Mason happy. She liked it a lot.

`You opened the wine yet?' Ruth tapped the plastic wine glass on the table.

`Yep, just getting the prawns out.'

She smiled, closing her eyes. It had been a very long year, but now it was much better, more than she could have planned. She stretched. Mason was hers again. The darkness that had taken him from her was no longer in control. Even better, her year-long abstinence had yielded truly amazing results.

`These are just great.' Ruth opened her eyes as Mason placed a plate full of cooked prawns in front of her. He smiled, already munching on one. `Gotta be fresh off the trawler?'

`Yep, just like we always did for the holidays.' Ruth tapped her wine glass again. Mason was busy peeling another prawn. `Anybody would think you hadn't eaten one for yonks.'