Scars: Skull Point Alliance Book, #3

By Emery Cole

Skull Point Cay is dying. The island's suffering from natural catastrophes and the inhabitants are scared.

It's up to the Skull Point Alliance of witches and shifters to come to the rescue and discover what is stealing the island's magic and at the same time destroying the wonderful habitat that has been enjoyed for hundreds of years!

Join Quick, Vivienne, Maze, and Rissa on another adventure as they save the beloved Skull Point Cay island!

• Language: English
• Publisher: EmCo
• Release date: May 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393769132

Book preview

1

Quick

Something was wrong. Quick noticed immediately. He wasn’t sure if it was because the sea birds weren’t around like they usually were, or that there was no breeze on the beach like there always was.

For being early morning, only a few dedicated sun-worshipers and joggers were on the beach. He walked along the water’s edge that skimmed the flowing tide on the sand.

After twenty some years here, it was hard to remember life before the island. Unfortunately, he would never be able to forget his life prior to the island’s prior holder, Adriana Devereaux, finding him and Maze when they were kids on the run as fugitives. Wanted for murder.

Now that was all history thanks to Maze and their new NOPD contact Rissa Belgrande. He was cleared of all wrong-doing.

Quick looked down at his feet that were once at the water’s edge, but the water was gone, and there was only sand.

What the hell? He looked toward the ocean and saw the water being sucked away like someone had pulled the plug in a tub. He’d never seen that before. His shifter instincts shouted to get the hell out of there. Death was coming.

Then a gust of wind knocked him on his ass.

Him, a big, strong shifter, pushed over by wind when there wasn’t even a breeze. He put the two strange events together. His heart faltered with sudden fear and adrenaline.

He let out a howl that would echo across the island. Warning. Prepare for danger!

He turned to those on the beach, staring at him. Get everyone to the caves. A tsunami is coming!

2

Vivienne

In her dream, Vivienne sat with her great-aunt Adriana on the island’s beach, enjoying time together. Vivienne treasured these moment after years of having no family to turn to and being on the run from Ricardo, a damned warlock who wanted her dead.

Adriana had so many stories about Vivienne’s parents when they were young.

Still in the dream, Vivienne asked Adriana, What is it you wanted for the island?

Adriana smiled. When I inherited the island from my great-grandmother many years ago, my mission was to help those who needed it. Adriana looked at her. Now that you’ve been here for a bit, what have you decided to do with the island?

She had given that a lot of thought. Quick showed her all the wonderful elements the island community offered. Food, shelter, medical facility, beach, education. She couldn’t have put together a better place to take care of others.

I’m going to carry on your mission and continue to help those in need.

Adriana nodded. That’s my girl. I knew you were the right one for this job.

Adriana’s statement baffled Vivienne. Even though she was in her mid-twenties, she had no experience with shifters and very little experience with her own magical kind.

She chewed on her bottom lip. I don’t know about that, she said. I was pretty much like royalty in the coven, I was spoiled, didn’t have to work for anything.

That may have been true, Adriana said, but what about the last ten years?

The past ten years had been hell, starting with her parents being killed in a car accident. Her uncle Frank had taken over the coven and wanted her dead. She had no idea why until she came to the island and discovered its magic and that it needed an heir to run it—her.

Vivienne sighed. I’ve learned a lot in the past years. Mostly how to survive on my own. I mean, I suddenly finding myself on the streets with nowhere to go… She’d been in New York at the best magic school when it all went to hell with her coven in New Orleans. One second, she was in class with her friends. The next she was on the streets with a bag of her belongings.

I hate that your uncle is such a bastard. Dumping a kid on the streets like that. I wish I could get my hands on Frank Bonaparte. I’d rip his balls off and feed them to him.

Vivienne gasped. Aunt Adriana, I can’t believe you just said that. Her hand covered her smile.

You haven’t heard half of what my late husband heard. She laughed. He used to get on me all the time for sounding like a sailor. Sometimes you just have to talk tough to get others to listen. Adriana looked over the waves softly rolling onto the sand at the base of their lounge chairs on the deserted beach. But when it came to my magic, he was speechless.

Turmoil and worried rolled in Vivienne’s stomach. That was something else she was worried about.

Adriana turned to her. Vivienne, I know you were sixteen when Frank had you expelled. How much magic had you learned by that point? Her face was scrunched up in disgust at the mention of Frank’s name.

Good grief, Vivienne thought, even in dreams the woman could read her mind. Adriana laughed. Of course, I can. It’s your dream. Now tell me.

I had learned how to cast some spells and make a few potions, but—

That’s good, Adriana said, with a little more training, you’ll be able to run the island. Now what about the ‘but’ part?

Vivienne cringed in her chair. This wasn’t good. See, thing is… I met this guy…

Ahh, Adriana nodded, Ricardo. How does he relate to your knowledge? Did he train you? Adriana’s brows rose high on her forehead.

Vivienne imagined being the apprentice to someone so evil wouldn’t be good.

No, not at all.

Adriana let out a relieved sigh.

Just the opposite, actually.

Explain, Adriana asked.

Vivienne thought back to that time so long ago. I was working as a waitress at a bar. Guys hit on us all the time, as well as puked on our shoes. I was too busy trying to find a roof cheap enough to put over my head, so I gave the male population no mind. Then one night, my eyes were drawn to a stranger standing by the door. His lips were moving like he was talking to someone, but he was alone. It was so strange.

He was fishing, Adriana said. It’s a chant used to find someone in a crowd and draw them to you. She sighed. The bastard probably scried to find your general location then searched you out. Sorry, go on. I need to know how much you were together.

Vivienne didn’t like the sound of that. Could Adriana disinherit her now Could she kick her off the island? Would she be homeless again? We weren’t together much. Something about him gave me the creeps.

Adriana smiled. You have good instincts. Go on.

Yeah, well, I told him I didn’t want to see him, but he wouldn’t leave me alone. I had to quit my job and find a different one to get away. After that first night, he put a locating spell on me, I think. That was the only explanation how he found her so quickly when she barely stayed in one place for a few days.

Adriana groaned. That bastard. So every time you used your magic, he knew instantly where you were.

Vivienne nodded.

Let me guess, you stopped using magic altogether.

Vivienne nodded again. She hated having to do that, but it was her only choice. Why would he hunt me like that? she asked. Frank ruled the coven. I never would. I had no money. What did he want from me?

He must’ve known who you were. Adriana shifted in her chair to face Vivienne. Ricardo was a close childhood friend of my older brother. As friends do, they spent a lot of time at each other’s homes—

Wait, Vivienne said, Ricardo is your age? But he looks just a few years older than I do.

Glamour, child.

Oh, right. That was so not good. How could she have forgotten something so basic?

Adriana added, Be wary of what your eyes tell you. It’s not always the truth. Back to Ricardo, though—

I was raised knowing I would inherit the island when the time came. So oft times, the island was mentioned around the house. I guess that’s how he heard about it. Anyway, long story short, he pretended to want to bind with me, which was scary for me, being as young as I was.

What’s binding? Vivienne asked. She was frustrated knowing so little about her culture.

You probably hadn’t heard that term. The practice isn’t done anymore because of its tendency to lead to trouble. Adriana paused for a moment. Binding is a step, or ten, past marriage. The two witches carry out a ceremonial chant that combines their magics into one that’s shared between them.

You lost me, Vivienne butted in. "How