I remember a hurricane. It shouldn't have happened. It was supposed to be sunny and clear skies. That's why it was just the two of us. But the third night we were there, while I was in the shower, a horrible hurricane came through. It destroyed the house, ripped trees off the isle and flung them around, turning the boat into kindling.
I remember falling, trying to run, slipping and cutting my legs as I fell into the glass from a broken window. I was trying to find someone. Someone who could keep me safe. I couldn't see them but they had to be here somewhere. He promised. The ring on my finger felt so heavy.
I remember a flash of lightning but I couldn't hear the thunder, even though the lightning was striking on the shore. The waves crashing only left a feeling of dampness on my skin as my nightgown whipped around me. I was standing at the window frame when the back of the house was crushed under a tree falling. I cling to the wall as best I could, but it wouldn't be safe for long.
I remember trying to stand, falling out the window frame because what was left of the house shook violently again. I landed hard on my side on the ground out front. The wind was knocked out of me and I tried to move. All I managed was to roll down the slight hill for what felt like forever.
I remember looking at a dark sky, full of lightning and dark clouds, unforgiving. And my necklace, giving me a coven and a family, felt like a collar given to a prize animal.
My eyes fluttered closed and I don't remember much after that. Vague jostling, the occasional glimpse of my surroundings. I felt someone pick me up and put a hand on my throat. And I felt their chest shake, almost like they were laughing. After that, I didn't feel anything again for a long time.
Then, finally, I felt pain and knew I had been sent to hell. It started at my fingertips, though. This piercing, icy cold. Numbness? All I knew was the receding of the fire that had burned my mind and my sanity, burned my eyes into apparent blindness for I didn't know if they were open or shut. That same fire was getting worse in my chest though. Building and climbing to a fiendish hellfire that would turn me to ash.
I remember nothing. A vague echo of the blinding pain I had been in before being overwhelmed by my senses. There was a sudden realisation of immense physical pressure on me but knowing I was unaffected. I opened my eyes and saw a world completely foreign to me. There were small glowing things, floating by, while large glowing things swam around and hunted. Turning even more, there were squids that were as long as a bus and had flashing bioluminescent dots in their heads. It was amazing. Seeing the ocean unencumbered and at a depth no one could access? Seeing, naturally, what all the animals around me saw? In real time? It was magnificent. Eventually though, I got hungry. Or thirsty. An undeniable urge to hunt. So I swam to the surface to see where I was. It didn't take long to realise that I hadn't been thrown to far from where I think I had my honeymoon.
I looked at the gaudy ring on my hand and tugged the ugly necklace from my throat and studied them for a moment. I knew the gems were valuable, but I didn't care for the settings and I genuinely hate diamonds in general. I knew I had some easy cash in my hands now. Pocketing the stones while letting the settings sink, I swam to shore.
After climbing out of the ocean and walking up the beach on slightly unsteady legs, I made my way to the public showers and cleaned off before going to a jeweller. Or trying to, at least. Turns out glittering brightly in the sun after getting out of the shower is a problem. And so were the three dead bodies in the shower as well.
Once the scent of brine had left, nothing covered the aroma that the humans had given off to the newborn.
The Brazilian coven showed up fairly quickly though. They have informants for this reason. The coven leader, Rafael, was rather concerned about a young, apparent female newborn was left completely unattended and walked into the continent from the ocean. He and his three eldest discussed what they would do. Sami was all for taking his team and trying to find her, while Su wanted to wait and see what would happen before interfering and Jakob? Well, Jackie was always a bit odd. They wanted to go, alone, to meet this newborn and attempt an agreement. However, when the news of the three dead she left, we opted for Sami's methodology. Rafael sent Sami, his best negotiator, her mate Lija, the one with power of situational reactions, and their chosen childe, Marg, who could manipulate crowd mentality.
They quickly returned with a terrified, enraged American who seemed to have had a traumatic changing.
"Hello. I am Rafael. Do you know your name?" The man leaned forward, resting his chin on his heavily adorned palm. His red eyes were examining the girl with concern.
"Isa? Isabel? There was a bird of some kind. Maybe Crow or something? I woke up under the water," she looked innocent and confused. Very young then, likely not even twenty.
"Do you remember anything else? Who you were with, what you were doing?" One of the others, a young man with golden hair and orange eyes, drawled at her.
"My honeymoon. It was supposed to be clear skies and sunny all week we were there. My husband was supposed to be there but I don't think I ever saw him during the hurricane. It was awful, the cabin was destroyed," she had a distant look in her eyes as she slowly reached for her hair. "I remember wearing a rug and a necklace. I hated them and the way they made me feel, but they had precious stones in them. I was going to try and sell them."
She finally looked at the person who asked her the question and a whisper of forgotten curiosity flashed in her mind before a migraine assaulted her senses and she collapsed.
An argument between her and a copper haired child demanding she do as he says.
A light, floaty feeling forcing her to comply.
A flash of angry golden eyes curtained by bright gold curls. A shadow of disdain curling his lip over his canine.
A tugging in her chest as he rounded the corner while the copper haired nuisance dragged her away to do his bidding.
A smug smirk on a black haired pixie while tugging the man away from her. Forcing an even bigger separation.
A haunting giggle as the trees ripped from the ground and flew through the air. Seeing a small figure motion for a larger one to come after her.
A whispered apology before feeling teeth slicing flesh.
A maniacal smile.
Then, finally, following the tugging of my heart. Through the water to this area.
"Jas- What happened Jas? You're here, finally. You're here," she collapsed onto him, sobbing tears that would never fall.
"He came back without ya. Said you'd died in a hurricane that wasn't supposed to happen. Alice decided to comfort him, and I went hunting. I knew you were alive. Some part of me refused to let you go until I knew you were alive or not. I got here about a week ago, I was trying to find you but you kept drifting around the cost. And then yesterday, you came ashore. Rafael and his coven have taken me in. And I think I want to stay here," his orange eyes smiled at her, happier than she'd ever seen them.
"We could just be Jas and Isa. None of them ever have to know, right?" The brunette with piercing red eyes looked up at him, question on her face.
"We absolutely can. We can disappear with Rafael, as long as you'll have us and maybe a couple others, my friend?" Jas turned to the ravenet man, a smile on his face and mischief in his eyes.
"Why of course, my friends! The fun we can have together and with your other coven mates will be exemplary," the manic smile of the other man made everyone laugh. Three days later, the last of their new family showed up and things were peaceful and fun as the four could make it for their new family. It didn't take long to train Isa how to protect herself, and then Rafael's coven was the most protected because it has four of the best fighters in its midst, who are all loved and respected by the coven as a whole. And there were many scattered across South America.
Never cross them, least the dark of the ocean be a mercy to you.