Ocean's Portal

By Shiloh Darke

Danielle is a successful author. She has been writing about a man from myth and legend for so long, she has very nearly let herself believe he is real. But she knows better. Dream lovers are just that—dreams.

When one day, she’s brought face to face with Sorna and is forced to rethink that theory, he is everything she has dream

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gypsy Shadow Publishing
• Release date: Mar 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781619504707

Shiloh Darke

What to say about myself? Gee... I'm not sure. I'm a wife, a mother, and even a GRANDMOTHER... But call me MiMi! I LOVE to tell stories! It is just about my favorite thing to do. Ever since I was a little girl, I've LOVED a good romance. But not just ANY romance. No way! I have to have adventure, excitement, danger, thrills and chills as well. What's the point in just a regular old, PREDICTABLE romance? If I can tell halfway through the book what is going to happen, where's the fun in that? As if you can't already tell, I love to read about as much as I love to write! I read romance, mystery, horror, fan fiction (Mostly Harry Potter or True Blood) and anything else that catches my eye. I also write stories for younger readers age 14 and up; YA novels under the pen name of Rowan Shannigan. I'm working on my second novel in the first series I've started under that alias. Check it out at http://feeltheawareness.weebly.com if you are interested. Same CRAZY kind of stories, just a little less intense. If you don't try it, you don't know what you're missing!

Book preview

Contents

Copyright Page

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 5

Chapter 10

Chapter 14

Epilogue

About the Author

Ocean’s Portal

by

Shiloh Darke

All rights reserved

Copyright © March 7, 2016, Shiloh Darke

Cover Art Copyright © 2016, Charlotte Holley

Gypsy Shadow Publishing, LLC.

Lockhart, TX

www.gypsyshadow.com

Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

No part of this book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Gypsy Shadow Publishing, LLC.

ISBN: 978-1-61950-470-7

Published in the United States of America

First eBook Edition: March 22, 2016

Dedication

To all the people out there,

Who dream of special lovers.

The ones who do magical things.

Magic is often overlooked,

But as long as we can read good books,

Chances and hopes will eternally spring.

Prologue

The Beach was a private one. Because of that, no one was there in the middle of the night—a fact he was grateful for. It suited his purpose much better. You shouldn’t be here! He told himself silently. It is a grave risk you are taking, just to catch a glimpse of her. Even as he chided himself, he pulled himself even closer to the water’s edge. The moon was not out tonight, so the beach was dark except for what little amount of light was given by the stars.

The risk was minimal, anyway. A total of five houses were set back some distance from the pure sands of the beach. They were big, luxurious places, serving as weekend homes for their owners. Which meant they were empty. Or at least most of them were.

One house was almost always occupied. The entire back of the house was open to his view. Lights were on. His keen sense of hearing vibrated with the softly playing music. He could even differentiate the sound of her voice from the rest as she hummed along softly with it.

Slowly, he lowered himself down on his belly and stared with longing at the woman who sat at her desk, oblivious to his scrutiny, typing away happily at her computer. Longing surged through him at the idea of holding her close. He had been coming to steal glimpses of her for years now. His mind had wandered into her dreams before as he had searched to form a bond.

It was recklessness on his part. He should have been satisfied to continue his research below. He could never have her. She was a land walker. No one in his realm had brought one of them down in so many generations now, it was unheard of anymore.

Of course there were not many of his kind who dared to breach the surface and breathe the air anymore either. There were so many pollutants in the outer world now, they knew it was only a matter of time before they all had to go back.

A tightening gripped his heart for a moment at the thought. He had never been to his home world. He had been born in the Oceans of Earth and had always believed within its depths was where he would raise a family and die as an old Aquarian.

Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts from his mind and turned his attention back to her. Slowly, he felt his mind reaching for hers. He had never attempted this when she was awake before. He wasn’t sure of the outcome. Instead, he had always visited her in her sleep.

But he had stayed away for so long now, he felt an almost unbearable urge to feel her waking thoughts and hear her inner voice. Hesitantly, he reached his mind for hers. To his surprise, her subconscious heard and recognized his inner voice and he immediately began hearing her thoughts.

Now, I can’t forget to go by Rachel’s and drop off the house key, so she can water the plants and feed Tiberius for me while I’m away. Her thoughts were focusing on some kind of trip she was getting ready to take. I’d better leave a little extra money on the counter just in case she needs to get more cat food before I get back. Poor baby is going to pout at me hard when I get back from this. Three days away is longer than what he’s used to— She trailed off, and he watched as she slowly looked around, as if she felt she was no longer alone.

Hello? she called out and waited as though someone were going to answer her. Then she shrugged and laughed at herself. Danielle, you are positively insane! she muttered out loud. Then in her mind, she whispered, although you fantasize about it, the Merman—Sorna—is not going to just come knock on your front door and announce himself.

Feeling her thoughts and knowing a part of her actually wished it was so had him dragging himself out of the water before he could stop himself. Once out, he turned and stared down at his tail, willing it away.

He was out of practice. It had been awhile since he had been in the City-caves. Instead, as he warred with himself and his true desires, he had stayed in the waters. Because of that, his legs were taking longer than normal to come at his call. But hearing her desires… Those thoughts in her mind made up his. He would begin her conversion. Then he would take her just beyond the reef and they would stay there until she was able to breathe through the water without his aid. Then, she would go with him. They would be together… Finally.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts and calling his legs, he didn’t hear the approach. Before he knew what had happened, the net was thrown over him and someone injected something into his neck.

"Good night, freak! Have a nice nap." He heard the words, spoken in a gruff baritone. He blinked several times to try to focus so he could clearly see his abductors, but the lethargy was already setting in and he knew there was little to no point in fighting it.

His mind was still attached to hers. He felt her moving out to her balcony and sent a gentle push, to dissuade her. No, don’t come out. Stay safe, my beloved. They cannot see you. He sent the message so weakly through their bond he was unsure if she’d even hear it. Then the darkness took him, and he knew no more.

Chapter One

Danielle autographed the inside cover of her latest novel, The Mermen of Cascadia, with a flourish, and smiled brightly at the last fan. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I relished writing it!

The woman returned her smile and held the paperback to her chest with a blush. Oh, I am sure I will! I’ve read all the others in the series. I just wish this one wasn’t your last on the subject. You just have a talent for making them so real!

She shrugged. I know, but I figure this is book number five… It’s time to start a different fantasy for the fans to eat up. I promise the next series will be just as mouth-watering! She had been writing about the Mermen of Cascadia for over eight years now and if she was truthful, she was reluctant to let them go as well. But that was exactly why she had to.

It had been almost four months, then another two months with no more dreams of him. Truth was, the recurring dreams had been what had motivated her to create the series. She had fashioned each book after her dreams and secret desires for those dreams to be real. But, of course all good things must come to an end. The dreams had stopped. It was time the books did too.

Honestly, it was time to move on. Hell, she couldn’t even see herself getting in a relationship with a real man because they just didn’t measure up to the men with powerful tails who now ruled the Oceans of her dreams.

As the lady left, Danielle took a deep breath and released a sigh, flexing her hand a few times as she did. She was twisting her wrist in a circular angle when her publicist walked up. She laughed at the look Carla gave her and muttered, "I think my hand is out of shape! I’m so used to typing everything out on computers these days, if I have to write more than just a few things with a pen, the muscles