Avenging

By Holly Kelly

Two thousand years ago, King Triton witnessed the slaughter and total annihilation of his merchildren. He vowed then and there to never again father a child. Powerful and eternally youthful, Triton was no stranger to seduction. But his resolve was unwavering—until he met Nicole. Unable to resist the human woman, he found himself swept up in her arms. When he finally came to his senses, he abandoned her to return to his refuge in the sea.

Twenty years later, he comes face to face with his daughter. Triton is both thrilled and frightened to learn he's a father. Meeting the child he never knew fills a void in his life. But at the same time, he once again finds his heart at risk. Even more terrifying, he's forced to admit he's still in love with Nicole. Gathering his courage, he leaves the sea to seek her out. But the pain he caused is not easily forgotten. And mending broken hearts should be the least of his worries. The elements are in commotion, threatening the utter destruction of mankind. And much to the sea god's surprise, the human woman he loves may be the key to saving them all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CTP Publishing
• Release date: Apr 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781634220859

Holly Kelly

I’m a mom who writes books in her spare time: translation—I hide in the bathroom with my laptop and lock the door while the kids destroy the house and smear peanut butter on the walls. ;) I was born in Utah but lived in Salina, Kansas until I was 13 and in Garland, Texas until I was 18. I’m now back in Utah–”happy valley”. I’m married to a wonderful husband, James, and we are currently raising 6 rambunctious children. My interests are reading, writing (of course), martial arts, visual arts, and spending time with family.

Book preview

The burning pit of hell would be too good a place for her husband. Sitting on the bank of a river with her back against a tree, Coleta held back tears as the horror of the situation assaulted her and sent waves of pain and nausea through her. He tried to kill her. The man who vowed to love and cherish her tried to murder her. And what had she done to deserve it? She’d dared to argue with him. Was that truly something worthy of death?

She listened for her pursuer. He would be coming soon. She had stopped to rest five minutes ago. Slipping out from behind the tree, she fought to stand on trembling legs. Looking down, her heart pounded at the sight. She’d been so desperate in her escape that she neglected to assess her condition.

Her blouse was ripped open, revealing an open, gaping puncture on the upper part of her left breast—the site where her husband had plunged a nine-inch carving knife into her. Blood flowed from the wound—branching down over her stomach and soaking her jeans. Sickened by the sight, she covered it with what fabric was left of her shirt. She only made it a few steps before her trembling legs gave out. Collapsing into the rotting leaves, she gasped at the wave of pain that swept over her. When the searing pain weakened to a deep throb, she wept softly—realizing she would probably die. It was miles to the main road, and even farther to the nearest town—a town with no hospital. A wracking sob shot pain through her body and made her stomach cramp.

A shout in the distance drove fear into her heart. She dragged herself behind a bush, preferring to die alone in the woods to facing her husband.

Horse hooves pounded the ground as a familiar booming voice called out, Coleta!

She let out slow, controlled breaths as she sat, unmoving in her hiding place.

The horse let out a snort as the pounding came to a stop. Coleta! I know you’re there. I’m sorry for what I did. I admit I overreacted. Please, let me help you!

The sound of rushing water filled the air. Something was happening. Could it be a flash flood? Curiosity overrode her fear as Coleta peeked around the bush. The river swelled as a man’s head broke through the surface. She stifled a gasp at the sight of the muscled man. He held a trident in his right hand and had a tailfin instead of legs! The water washed back, and the tailfin disappeared, leaving the man standing on sandaled feet. Coleta trembled, her thoughts churning in confusion and shock.

Triton, Coleta heard her husband say, with venom in his voice. What business do you have here, sea-god?

You have overstepped your bounds, Ares. I don’t care if you wage war among the humans, or even among the gods on Olympus, but when you stir those in my domain to war amongst each other, you have to contend with me!

Ares? Did this man just call my husband Ares? And my husband called him Triton? I must be dreaming

Are you threatening me? Her husband’s booming voice shook the ground. Coleta pressed her hands against the ground to steady herself. She hissed shallow breaths and crawled carefully forward to get a better look. Her heart leapt with the hope that perhaps this Greek sea-god could save her. If he knew what her husband did, would he help her? Would he care?

For now, the sea-god’s eyes were locked on her murderous husband and his eyes were locked on Triton’s in return. They stood, feet braced apart and weapons raised—Triton with his trident and her husband with a sword. They truly looked like Greek gods—Coleta shook, trembling uncontrollably. She clamped her mouth shut to keep her teeth from chattering. Her stomach rolled. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly, trying to keep from vomiting.

I’m warning you, Triton said. Stay away from the sea.

Or what? her husband answered.

Or you’ll have a battle on your hands.

Ha! Do you really think you can win a fight against the god of war?

Triton stepped forward, the ground rumbling with every step. No, I don’t think… he narrowed his eyes and smiled, …I know.

For a moment, Coleta considered calling out, but her fear wouldn’t allow it. Her heart pounded when she saw her husband’s eyes. She’d never seen so much hate, not even when he tried to take her life. His eyes literally burned with it. Your arrogance will be the end of you, sea-god, he said.

And your stupidity will be the end of you. This is my last warning. Another breach and it will be war between us. At those words, the river swirled around the god and he disappeared in a watery vortex.

Coleta’s eyes widened at the impossible sight. As soon as the god was gone, she looked at her husband and found he was looking back at her. Her blood turned to ice.

Attempting to scramble to her feet, the world seemed to whirl around her. Strong arms clamped around her chest. Pain flared, making her gasp. This was impossible! A moment before, he’d stood twenty feet away from her. Now he had her in his arms.

Awe, Coleta, he said and shook his head. You weren’t supposed to see that. He gestured to the river. Looking down on her injury, he blew out a breath. That knife really left a mark, didn’t it? I’ll bet it hurts.

Coleta tried to push him away, but exhaustion weakened her. She would have collapsed in a heap on the ground if her husband hadn’t been holding her.

Or was he?

Things became so surreal that she didn’t know what was real and what was her imagination. Perhaps she was hallucinating. She had experienced a great deal of blood loss. For all she knew, she’d passed out and was having a vivid dream. That had to be it! She couldn’t possibly be married to a Greek god. What Greek god of war would want a human girl?

W—what are you going to…? Her voice cracked, and she couldn’t seem to finish her question.

What am I going to do with you? He smiled. Is that what you were going to say?

She didn’t answer him. She was much too afraid. She hoped she was dreaming. More than anything, she wanted to wake up from this nightmare and find herself safe in her loving husband’s arms.

Ares leaned forward, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, As you wish, my darling.

And then she woke up.

Many years later

Most men would give their left testicle to be in this situation. Triton rubbed his temple in an attempt to ward off a headache. Since when did he get headaches?

Deep blue hair swirled around him in a flurry as a stunning Nereid face came into view. She floated in the sea, a beautiful image of a woman with lush curves and a smile seductive enough to convince an entire crew to abandon ship and happily die at sea.

Pleeease, Your Majesty. Her lyrical voice floated to him through the seawater. I swear, I’ll not ask anything of you ever again.

Her hand traced across his muscled chest and down his abs—her caress warm against his skin. Just let me bear your child, she said—her eyes wide and pleading.

He grabbed her hand. Your offer is tempting, he said in the most patient voice he could muster, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass.

Her lips turned down in a pout.

Now, if you would please tell me who summoned me? he asked. I’m extremely busy.

A green figure haloed in wispy tendrils swam around him from behind, brushing against his back. A face with a beauty that could rival Aphrodite turned toward him. Oh, that would be Ione.

Her voice rang out, shrill. Ione! King Triton is here for you. This Nereid may be beautiful, but she was no siren. The harshness of her voice grated his ears.

At the mention of his name, the sea around him filled with a kaleidoscope of colorful, fluttering Nereids, each with a unique but enchanting face. The sea filled with their sweet scent, as the currents of their movement brushed over him. They smiled widely, their eyes inspecting every inch of his body. At one time, he would have enjoyed the attention, but that was before.

Let me through! The order came from a child-like voice, but the face of a woman emerged. Please sisters, this is serious!

At least this Nereid seemed to have a head on top of her long, slender neck. The others were, well, they were typical Nereids—flighty, childlike, and seductive.

Your Majesty, we have a serious problem.

What is the problem?

Humans.

Triton’s mouth turned down. They’ve found you?

Ione’s head bobbed up and down, her swirling, pink hair waving with the movement. They sent their metal contraptions down here.

What have they seen?

Everything! One of them even traveled through Deiopea’s house!

Where are the humans now?

They’re headed back to land. If you move quickly, I think you can catch them before they reach shore. She pointed westward. They went in that direction.

Triton wasted no time. He flew through the sea. Closing his eyes, he allowed his other senses to lead him. He could feel the humans several miles ahead. They were almost in view of land, and they were chatting with others on shore—speaking of forbidden things, revealing the secrets of the sea. This would be no easy job. Word could spread quickly among humans, especially news of this magnitude. He’d be cleaning up this mess all day.

He could feel several sharks move in, drawn to their master. They were quickly left behind though because Triton wasn’t simply swimming. His god powers propelled him through the sea much faster than he could swim. Within a couple of minutes, he reached the ship.

First things first, he needed to disable their communication. He did that with the wave of his hand. Sparks flew and the humans shouted. Now he had to get the ship far away from shore. He needed time to work on erasing all traces of forbidden knowledge. It wasn’t as simple as it might seem. The human mind was a web of tangled thoughts, memories, and emotions. He could simply sink the ship and drown the occupants—years ago, he would have. But life had taught him how fleeting it could be, and one should cherish every moment. So instead, he chose a nobler, albeit more arduous task.

Drawing his power from the sea, Triton cloaked himself and the ship from view as his body grew. He could feel power flow into his muscles, bones, and organs. Every part of him grew in perfect synchronization. His tail fin split into two powerful legs. His head reached the surface just as his feet touched the sea floor. And still, he rose higher—the wind breezing cool across his exposed skin.

The humans scrambled along the deck, terrified. Their screams meant nothing to him. In a few minutes, they wouldn’t even remember they’d been frightened at all. He continued to grow, but his power waned. The farther into Zeus’ domain he was, the less power he had. This was the same for all gods who ventured into each other’s territories. All except for Zeus. He was the one exception to this rule, and it was probably the reason why he was king of all the gods.

When the water reached his waist, he stepped toward the ship. The humans shrieked. Don’t be afraid, he said. His voice rumbled like thunder. I won’t hurt you. Several humans jumped overboard. Triton flashed them to the lower decks of the ship, mid-fall. The rest scrambled below deck. One gray-haired man with a flowered shirt stood, frozen in place, gaping at him. Triton tucked the ship under his arm—it dug into his hip as he stepped forward, each stride a mile apart.

Walking for about five minutes, he made it about a hundred miles before he stopped. He gently placed the ship back onto the water’s surface. Then he allowed power to flow out of him as he shrunk down. It took mere minutes to be himself again—well, himself with human legs. Climbing onto the deck of the ship, he stepped toward the man who had remained outside.

What’s your name? Triton asked the man.

The man swallowed, his eyes locked on Triton’s face.

I mean you no harm. What’s your name?

Collins, the man answered in a shaky voice.

Well, Collins, are you in charge around here?

I…I…

Come on, grow a little backbone. I asked you a simple question.

He gave a barely noticeable nod. Who are you? he whispered.

My name is Triton.

The man’s eyes widened and his face paled.

You had to know I was a god.

I didn’t know gods existed.

Triton frowned. Yeah, you and every other human on this planet. Now, please answer my question. Are you in charge of this vessel?

Yes.

I’m assuming you are a scientist, am I correct?

Yes.

Who have you communicated with—other than those aboard this ship?

The man’s heart rate spiked as he answered, No one.

The lie irritated Triton. You can either speak the truth, or I can drag the truth from you. It will be much more tolerable for you if you voluntarily tell me.

I…what are you going to do with us?

As I keep saying, I’ll not harm you. I’ll simply erase your memories. You’ll have no recollection of me or the Nereid village.

The man’s eyes lit with excitement. Nereids! Those creatures were Nereids? Are you sure they weren’t mermaids?

At that word, Triton’s anger rose. No, and you will not say another word.

The man’s eyes widened in shock as his mouth flapped open and shut silently—unable to make a sound.

Triton was through being nice. Closing his eyes, he thrust his consciousness into the man’s mind. He knew what this felt like. It was unpleasant, a violation. Collins tried to fight against it. But he had no power to resist. Well, this was no swim through the coral fields for Triton either. He had to search through this man’s mind, wading through good memories and bad, happy thoughts and depraved ones, joys and depression. Then he found what he needed, a thread, a memory of an image on a screen—a Nereid floating, smiling. Triton followed that thread to all the memories it touched—eliminating them as he went. Collins spoke to his wife, to the college that funded his research, and his brother living in Hawaii.

Triton sighed. If everyone on this vessel spoke as freely as this man had, he would have a harder time containing this than he initially thought. And by gods, if anyone had put a video of it on YouTube…

When all relevant memories were suppressed, Triton gladly pulled himself out of the man’s head. He would leave the man in a stupor until he finished with the others on board. He frowned, sensing them below deck.

One down, who knew how many more to go.

Eleven hours later, Triton sank into a chair in a restaurant in Hilo. He hadn’t bothered to notice its name, but the food smelled tantalizing, so here he was. Being away from the sea for the last few hours had been draining. His limbs felt weak, and exhaustion weighed him down. But still, he hesitated to return.

Nicole was here, on this island. He could feel her presence, his heart aching from the memories. Meeting their daughter, Sara, stirred up his emotions. Emotions he’d suppressed for the last twenty years. He still loved Nicole—loved a human. Actually, he’d never loved anyone else—human or god. And he’d tossed her aside. He’d been so blind. He actually thought Aphrodite had meddled with his emotions. But if that were true, the spell would have faded long ago. And the truth was that he loved Nicole just as much now as he did the day he left. Every look, every touch, and every laugh he’d shared with her was seared in his brain.

Hello, my name is Stacy. I’ll be your waitress tonight. A young, blonde-haired woman with bright eyes smiled sweetly and handed him a menu. Is there something I can start you out with? We have some amazing appetizers.

This woman radiated happiness. Triton basked in the warmth of her glow.

I’d love an appetizer. What would you suggest? he asked.

The calamari is excellent. We also have the deep-fried tortellini—that’s a customer favorite.

I’ll have the calamari, he said, taking in the fact that he sat in an Italian restaurant.

And what would you like to drink?

Water will be fine. Seawater would be best, but then, there was no way he could ask for that. Humans became ill drinking the sea. Triton, on the other hand, would get a burst of energy if he could get even a small glass.

Okay. Do you need some time to decide what you’d like to order?

No. You know what? Surprise me.

Her face lit up. Sure.

Minutes later, he took a bite of some kind of seafood pasta dish. It tasted delicious—crispy on the outside, and warm and flavorful on the inside. It had been a long time since he’d eaten human food. The last time was with Nicole. He shook his head at the memories. She had the personality of a typhoon—reckless, unpredictable, and exciting. Oh, and she had a knack for driving people insane. And her beauty? As stunning as any goddess. Even more so.

He needed to see her.

The thought shot through him, nearly paralyzing him in fear.

Yet, he must. He couldn’t go on another day not knowing if there were a chance—albeit a slim chance—that he could recover some of the happiness he’d felt with her. But first, he needed to recover some of his strength.

He didn’t wait for the waitress to bring the bill. Dropping a hundred dollars on the table, he stepped toward the door. The waitress looked up from pouring a glass of water for another customer. Her brows furrowed at his approach.

Money’s on the table. Sorry, I’ve got to rush.

Oh, okay. Thank you. She gave a hesitant smile.

Triton stepped out into the fading twilight. The various scents of humans, car exhaust, and briny sea carried on the wind, which blew warm over his skin. The sea lay five miles away. Close, but not close enough. Humans surrounded him, their eyes glancing at him. It would be difficult to transport to the shore unnoticed. If only there was a phone booth close by. He cracked a smile when he thought of the Superman movie Nicole had forced him to watch years ago after he took care of some fools who dared to put a hand on her. She didn’t even realize he held back while he fought them—an incredible feat in and of itself. What he’d wanted to do was tear their limbs off. But he couldn’t possibly do that in front of a nineteen-year-old woman. Instead, he simply broke a few noses—and perhaps a few other bones. And left them unconscious and bleeding on the ground.

For the next week, Nicole had called him her superman. When she realized he had no idea who this Superman character was, she forced him to watch the movie. She’d be surprised to know that his powers surpassed Superman’s—ignoring the fact the movie character wasn’t real. He doubted she called him her superman now—not after he’d abandoned her, leaving her pregnant and alone. If only he’d known she was pregnant…

Triton strode toward the sea, basking in its welcoming presence. The closer he got, the more his body craved the ocean, and the power it would restore. In minutes, he stepped into the surf. He closed his eyes and greedily sucked the power of the sea into his body—his strength restored. As he dove under the surface, his clothes dissolved and his legs stretched and morphed into a fin.

The sea-god was back in his domain, and for a moment, he considered returning home. But he couldn’t.

He had unfinished business with a human woman.

Are you for real? The behemoth stepped forward, his snarling lips curled in disgust. Nicole could see him shaking in anger beneath the crisp Armani suit.

She straightened her spine and narrowed her eyes. Yes. I want you to leave immediately.

You do know who I am, don’t you?

Yes, you’re the idiot who thinks because you have a few coins to rub together, you can treat my staff like your own personal slaves.

Your staff?

Yes, my staff. I’m Nicole Lamont.

Oh really? I’ve been asking for you. I have a complaint to lodge. I think a person of my—

Out.

But…

I said out! she shouted.

You aren’t the only wedding planner in Hawaii. You’re making a big mistake. I can make life very difficult for you.

Nicole pulled out her cell phone and dialed.

Who are you calling?

The police. You are now officially trespassing.

But I haven’t changed out of the tux yet.

I’ll bill you for it.

Oh no, you won’t, he said and stripped out of his clothes, obviously not bothered by the wide window at his back.

She raised an eyebrow.

Nine-one-one, what’s the nature and location of your emergency?

Yes, I’d like to report a crime. A monster of a man is not leaving my store, even though I asked him politely, twice. I——oh! Oh, please no, don’t hurt me! Send someone quickly. I’m at 6514 Kinikilani Street. Hurry, he’s taking off his clothes! She held back a smile as the man’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. She should have been an actress. Why she chose to become a wedding designer, she’d never know. Although, being married six times practically made her an expert.

Are you in fear of your life?

Yes, I’m in fear for my life. Please, please send someone, and make sure they’re armed. Her voice quaked, sounding as if she were on the verge of tears.

The rich boy practically ripped his pants as he yanked them off, mumbling profanity. Clothed only in his boxers, he took off toward his Bentley, parked illegally just outside. Seconds later, his tires squealed as he drove away.

Nicole had a smile on her face when she picked up the discarded suit. She felt a hand on her shoulder. The scent of peppermint and lemon accompanied a warm voice in her ear. If you didn’t have the chief of police wrapped around your finger, you’d be in big trouble for what you just did.

I didn’t lie.

You feared for your life? Lea raised an eyebrow.

Nicole shrugged. You never know when you’re going to die. That is a constant, albeit small, concern of mine.

Lea chuckled. You know I love you like a daughter, but your tongue is going to get you into trouble one of these days.

Nicole smiled. So you keep saying.

Lights flashed outside the window. They get faster each time you call, Lea said. I swear, you defy the laws of natural order.

This is the police! a voice from a megaphone called out. Drop any weapons you might have and put your hands up.

Lea frowned and raised