Chapter Four

Amby stared at the coffee maker for five minutes before she gave up and got an iced coffee from the fridge.

Ohno came in without waiting for her answer and brought a tray with him. "Here's your breakfast. I have included coffee. Did you get any sleep?"

"Two hours, maybe three. It's going to be a rough day."

"Oh, was it me?"

She chuckled. "No. It was the blue omega who sent me here. He wanted the footage of my performance, so I had to do some editing and then send him the footage."

Ohno cocked his head. "Does he know about your schedule?"

"Yes, but he was up with one of the babies, so he wanted a distraction."

"Ah. Does he and his mate have many?"

"He and his alpha have one only. His omega also has one, and she was probably up as well." She sipped at the coffee and started on the high-protein breakfast.

"So, he's an omega?"

"Yup. He kept himself single for years so that he could work on his media empire, but when Olivia moved in with her alphas, he was in love. The two omegas formed a relationship, and Ford finally agreed to have a pack of his own. Four alphas and two omegas." She swallowed. "Well, they are big cats, so it is a pride."

He smiled and sat across from her. "That is an interesting situation."

"It is the same situation that my cousin is in, but it has worked out differently here."

He shrugged. "Alohi is adorable and sweet, but I don't see him as someone who can choose a path for himself. It is a good thing that they got the other alpha for her. She and he radiate power when they walk together."

"Well, Kekoa is the father of the baby she's carrying. That's a little obvious."

Ohno sat up. "She's pregnant?"

"Yeah. She didn't say, but I know her, and she's starting to curve. The way he was touching and hovering around her means Kekoa suspects or is sure that it's his."

She shrugged and kept eating. When her meal disappeared, she sat back and finished her coffee. "Thanks. I was too tired to work the machine."

"Would you like another cup?"

Amby knew her face was pathetic when she looked at him. "Please?"

He laughed, got up, and kissed the top of her head. She blinked in surprise. She hadn't imagined the kiss last night.

She listened to the hiss and burble of the coffee maker, and a cup was brought over to her a moment later. "Thank you."

It was nice and hot, but she gulped it down as soon as she blew on it enough to cool it.

He set a bag on the table. "There are water bottles, juice, snacks, and some meat sticks."

"Okay." She yawned and went to get her equipment pack.

She made sure everything had a charge, including her phone, and came out to see Dorian drinking a cup of coffee.

"Oh, morning."

Dorian grinned. "You are up. That's a first. Most of the time, women are trying to get me into bed."

"I am sorry. I want you up against a rock wall."

He raised his brows, and Ohno laughed.

She held up her arm. "Also, this thing is rigged, so it isn't coming off."

Ohno said, "Is that what you were asking Violet about?"

"Yup. It's a fun prototype. It won't come off until I have either smashed it off or gotten what my body is looking for. Don't make that sleazy."

Dorian walked up and looked at it. "Well, it has a band on it already."

"Yeah, it can take up to four, according to Violet. I think she wants to test it for a more open market."

Dorian nodded thoughtfully, reached into the pocket of his windbreaker, and pulled out his black cuff.

He slipped it on and got it near her cuff. A silvery black band appeared next to Ohno's, and she winced. "Yeah, my assignments are a bit of a setup."

He grinned. "This is going to make today a lot more fun."

He touched the top of his cuff and jolted when he looked at her.

She flapped her free hand. "Yeah. Trust me. I know. So, can we go? Or will the water run out?"

He chuckled. "Right. Of course."

She eased her hand away from him and clutched her media bag.

"I will grab your little snack bag, and we will walk to the ferry area. We are taking a hovercraft, and they aren't allowed in either village. Too many people and the occasional goat." He put a hand on her mid-back and steered her toward the door.

She smiled. "See you later, Ohno."

"Don't forget about your dance class this afternoon."

"I won't. It's on my list."

Dorian walked with her down the pathway, around the manor, and toward the ferry dock.

"So, were you excited to get an assignment to the islands?"

"Yes, and no. I am excited to be doing anything at all. My upbringing was restricted, so this is my first time being free just to be myself." That was as vague but as accurate as she could make it.

A hovercraft was sitting and waiting for them. It looked a lot like the swamp skimmers from the bayous but with a smaller fan. He stowed her tech in the cargo area and tucked her snack pack between the seats. She pulled herself into the passenger seat and buckled up.

He grinned. "You may want to get your camera out. We are about to see views that few people bother to appreciate. I am hoping that this changes that."

She smiled and said, "I think that is the entire point of me being here."

"I do not think for a minute that it is the entire point." He chuckled as he started the vehicle, and they began to move along the path into the hills.

* * * *

Thera got up and stretched. One day in the village and today she actually had to get going on footage. B-roll was essential.

Thera checked the time, and as it was after eight in the morning, she should be able to get a new tripod.

She brought her bashed-up tripod and went to the shop to see if she could get a replacement.

The art supply shop was lit up, but when she pulled the door, it was locked. She slumped. Island time.

Thera looked around and saw a café in the distance. She propped her tripod on her shoulder and got walking.

She heard the door open when she was a few feet away. "Miss? Can we help you?"

She turned and looked at the alpha with inky black hair and the skin of an island descendant. "Yes, I am sorry to be here so early, but I am looking for a new tripod. The baggage handlers beat the hell out of mine."

He blinked and smiled. "This way. If we don't have one in stock, we might be able to repair it."

"Cool."

He chuckled. "Come inside." He held the door open for her, and she slumped into the shop where astonishing artwork and photographs covered the walls. All were based around the island.

"Shit. He should have just gotten you guys to take the stills and B-roll."

There were three men in the room. The one who had held the door, one who was counting some kind of paint supply, and a third who was sitting at a computer.

The man from the door asked, "So, can I see the tripod?"

"Please." She handed the floppy mess over to him.

The man at the computer asked, "Did you indulge a little too much last night?"

"No. Why?"

"Your sunglasses. Most folks don't use them before the sun is bright."

She understood. "My eyes are odd. They tend to alarm people, so the sunglasses ease social interactions."

She was suddenly the focus of three dark brown gazes. Their faces and differences in them didn't look like they were related, but they were all moving as a group. It was odd.

The one who had taken the tripod said, "I can fix it in about an hour. The price is we would like to see your eyes."

"That is a stupid price. I would rather pay cash."

The one by the computer said, "We don't take cash."

"Fine. Card thingy."

The man arranging the tubes of paint said, "We have the right to refuse that method of payment. We do a lot of barter around here. So, we would like to see your eyes in exchange for the repair. Fair?"

She huffed, closed her eyes, and removed her sunglasses. When she looked at them, they gasped. The one with the paint murmured, "Wow. I have never seen truly white eyes before."

She wrinkled her nose and slid her sunglasses back on.

The computer guy said, "So, are they light-sensitive?"

"No, just freaky."

The guy working on her tripod grinned as he straightened the legs and lined up the broken connections. He got a drill and started making holes, attaching patching metal before using a cold rivet to fix the broken spines.

"So, you guys are obviously into the visual arts." She looked at all of the amazing stills and paintings.

The paint guy chuckled. "You could say that. We live in a beautiful place and think people should see it the same way that we do."

Computer guy asked, "So, what are you in the village for? Dressed like that, I am doubting you are trying to get laid."

She wrinkled her nose. "True. I am here to take footage for a friend's vlog so that we have filler for a final movie-length video for tourism."

The repair guy asked, "Are you doing any ocean shots?"

"I want to, but I have to find a charter and remember how to wrestle myself into a wetsuit. I've got the underwater camera." She snorted. "Well, not on me."

The computer guy looked up, smiling. "A charter, you say."

The paint guy pointed to the wall behind her. She turned and then saw the sign with a phone number and email for a charter. With a wry smile, she fished her phone out of her bra and dialled.

Computer guy answered. "Good morning, Daring Charters."

"Good morning, Daring. I am Thera, and I am looking to charter a boat to take me up the coast for the purpose of coastline shots and underwater filming. What are your day rates?"

He looked at her with the phone to his ear. "Show me your eyes again, and we will call it even."

"Unacceptable."

"Then we can't do business. Sorry."

She hung up and started typing.

The computer guy sighed. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for other charter companies. I find that when males start to request something personal, they are usually trying to pursue something. Avoiding the exchange keeps me from feeling that I owe them something."

Paint guy blinked. "What about after you are in a relationship?"

"I will keep you posted. Hey, we can be penpals," she muttered and stared at computer guy. "Really? You guys own all three boats?"

Computer guy shrugged. "Our artwork is popular, and it's a small island. No need for more."

She wrinkled her nose. "Fine. I need a charter for a day. Is one available?"

Computer guy looked at her and nodded. He wrote for a minute on a pad of paper before handing her the slip. "Yes. This is the day rate. I am assuming you don't have scuba gear with you."

She looked at the itemized bill. She looked up. "Done. When can we go?"

He smiled. "Get your camera, and we can hit the water. We are at dock six."

"We?"

"Sure. One to pilot, one in the water with you for safety, and one above to spot for anything hostile."

Paint guy also said, "Spotter also makes lunch."

She held the card out. "Charge it. I want to know if I can hear Ford scream from here."

Computer grinned. He scanned the card and presented a plate. She pressed her thumb in, and he nodded. "Excellent. All done."

The computer chirped, and he raised his brows. "It went through."

"Yeah, I am probably going to end up spending the rest of my time here in a tree, but I knew that Ford was good for it."

Paint asked, "Is Ford your boyfriend?"

She laughed. "No. He's my boss. He has an omega and four alphas. They are a fun family."

"He's an alpha?"

"No, he's an omega who works out. He fell in love with their omega, and they all agreed to move into his place, and now, they have two little girls who are looking to be omegas themselves." She chuckled. "I take videos at family events, or I did, until something happened."

Repair guy flipped the tripod and set it up. "There you go. Works great."

She sighed. "Thank you. Do you need to see the eyes again?"

He laughed. "I would enjoy it, but it isn't necessary. Someone beat the hell out of that tripod."

She paused. "You don't say."

"Well, the blood was gone, but I found some hair and tissue in the hinges. What would cause that?"

Thera coughed. "Uh, humidity?"

They looked at her. She shrugged. "One of the alphas coming for a visit said he wanted to start the party early and didn't care that I wasn't hot. He grabbed, I hit, it broke." Her tone went all high-pitched and breathy as she slid her lenses down her nose and made eye contact. "Thank you for fixing it for me."

Repair guy blinked. "Wow. That was enthralling."

Paint guy chuckled. "Well, if he had bothered to get you to talk like that, he might have just cum where he stood and could have started the party right then."

She shrugged. "I save it for special occasions."

Computer shut his project down and got to his feet. "Let's go. Kayak, get some food. Skaay, make sure the boat is gassed up and the equipment is in place."

Thera blinked. "Your name is Kayak?"

Paint grinned and shrugged. "It beats Orc."

Computer chuckled. "My mom was going through a phase."

Paint smirked. "I was named after where I was conceived. It is impressive if you don't focus on it."

Skaay grinned. "My mother is from the north. She came down here on vacation and never left. Mine is nice and normal for her."

"So, Skaay, Orc, and Kayak?" She blinked.

The three nodded. Orc said, "Go get your equipment and meet us at the dock. Berth six."

"Okay. See you in a few." She tucked the tripod over her shoulder and walked out of the shop.

* * * *

Orc went into the supply room and pulled out two pieces of art: his digital and Kayak's painting. They had been given a glimpse of their mate, and when he looked at the images focused on orcas with bright white eyes, he looked at the others.

"What are the odds?"

Kayak got off the phone with the restaurant. "I think our odds are shockingly good. She's ours, and she's assertive."

Skaay grinned. "And willing to defend herself. That counts for a lot when we run a charter."

Kayak chuckled. "Now, we see how well she can swim and how easily she spooks."

Orc smirked. "Well, then, let's go. I am going to double-check the tanks. So, which one of us wants to scare the hell out of her under the water?"

All three of them lifted a hand.

Orc took his hand out and said, "Rock, paper, scissors."

They stood around until they came to a conclusion. They would take turns. They didn't know how long she was staying, but they knew the other woman's itinerary. The whole island did.

Thera was going to need a few trips around the island.

* * * *

Amby fixed her grip, moved her foot, and pushed upward.

Dorian was near her. "Almost there. Keep going."

"Yeah." She grunted. "That was the plan. How is the drone doing?"

"It's keeping up."

"Remind me to switch the batteries before we descend."

"Yes, Amby. Keep moving."

She grunted again, and her reaching hand hit air. Dorian caught her and pulled her up the last four feet.

He set her down, and she gently scooted away from the edge. She panted and flopped back in an undignified starfish. "So, you do that for fun?"

"I do that for a job. I am watching you for fun." He stood above her and blocked the sun from blinding her. "You need to switch the batteries."

"Oh, right." She groaned as she sat up. "Illu is going to be pissed. I can barely move."

"You are taking dance?"

"Yes, it is on the list."

"I am going to want to see this list eventually. What else is on it?"

"Tomorrow, I get a break by heading to the butterfly gardens. The following day I am snorkelling near a reef."

"What then?"

"I might spend a day with my cousin, and the following day, I have to make plans to leave and return home."

"Why?"

"Because I don't have a job here, and only my first few adventures were covered by the project. We won't know how well-received it is until late tomorrow. That is when my first full day gets posted."

"Where is this being posted?" He pulled the phone out of his climbing vest.

She mumbled the address, and he grinned. "It's further along than you thought. The first dance class is up."

She groaned and grabbed her pack, calling the drone in. When she had it in her hands, she replaced the depleted battery with the new one.

Dorian crouched near her. "How long do you need to recover?"

"Why? Can't I just live here now?"

"First, get the drone up, stand up, and look at where we are."

She released the drone and stuck her hand out to him. "Up?"

He grinned and helped her to her feet. She stood and focused on looking around. "Oh. Wow."

Stretched out in front of her was the entire green, growing island chain. She was standing on a wide, stone plateau that had a spring bubbling and tumbling downward to a wide pool.

"How high did we climb?"

"About six hundred feet. We drove up over fifteen hundred feet."

"Okay. This is where I live now. I am not going to be able to climb down."

"Shush for just a moment, and look at the world around you."

Amby shushed and slowly turned to see that on this island, she was on top of the world. She steered the drone in a slow pan of the world around her and sighed. "So, there is a nice, safe way to get me down, right?"

He chuckled. "Normally, we do a controlled descent, but I will carry you down. Okay?"

She swallowed and got her pack on again. "Um, okay."

Dorian double-checked his rigging and hers. He crouched and clipped her onto him directly.

She muttered, "You have no idea how happy I am that this is on camera."

He laughed, verified his link, backed off the plateau, and said, "I don't mind screaming."

He jumped.

She closed her eyes and gasped like a fish as he sent them toward the ground. She clutched at him and held him tight as they dropped. Air rushed past her, but she kept her eyes screwed shut until they started to slow. The controlled fall and the spray from the water opened her eyes. She looked to one side over his arm as they descended at a safe pace, and then he was standing up. "There. All alive and everything."

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

He froze, and when she leaned back, he held her head, and his kiss was not short and not on her cheek. She felt like she was being consumed by fire from the inside out.

Amby sighed and tried to figure out what she was supposed to be doing. The heat that was stirring in her made her press her thighs together as well as she could given the harness.

When he lifted his head and licked his lips, he smiled. "So, that's what a mate tastes like."

"So, you are the waterfall."

"I am the waterfall."

"How does that work?"

"It can have special properties for locals. They just need to ask."

She wanted to ask more, but instead, she said, "Can you unhook me now? This feels all kinds of weird."

Amby licked her lips softly as he undid the carabineers that held them together. When she dropped to the ground, she staggered back, but she quickly got her footing and smiled. Then, she brought the drone back and got it ready for travel. She undid her harness and dropped it to the ground. She stepped out of it and massaged her inner thighs.

"Do you have time for lunch in the village?" Dorian skimmed out of his harness and folded and stowed them both in the vehicle.

"I think so?" She got into the passenger seat and buckled up.

"Excellent. I am going to spend lunch convincing you to let me see that tattoo."

"It is a mark, not a tattoo. No needles."

He got them moving and chuckled. "Fine. The mark."

"I can just send you a photo of the mark on my back."

"Put your number in my phone." He handed it to her.

She sighed, put her number in his phone, and sent her a test text before she sent the image of her back from her own phone.

He took his phone back and hit the brakes. "This? This is the mark?"

"Yeah. It was the waterfall we were just at."

"Yes, it was. And there is Ohno, and I am guessing at the butterflies."

"So, Ohno is the ray?"

"Sure. When he first transformed, he would give locals rides on him for fun."

"Oh. Well, that's fun, I guess."

"If he swims shallowly enough, you can surf on him."

"So, how do you think he will feel about you telling on him?"

Dorian shrugged. "I can take him."

"In the water?"

"Maybe I should ask you not to mention it."

"Tough. I don't keep secrets." She slowly felt her arms stiffening up. "Yup. I am going to be jacked up this afternoon."

"Maybe Illu will give you a break."

"I doubt it."

"You need to get into better shape."

She muttered, "No shit."

"But you worked your way up the rocks."

"Yeah, but now that I don't have a task, my body is screaming at me."

"Ah. Well, at least tomorrow is the garden. I am surprised you got an invitation. No tourist has been up there in ages."

"Interesting. Well, a boat will take me there around ten in the morning."

"Sensible. It is technically its own island. It has a bridge, but that is closed for now. The water arrival is all we can use."

"Oh. Well, they made arrangements for my transport." She started to roll her shoulders, and they moved a little. Lunch would be the challenge.

She grabbed her pack and nearly collapsed. The drone was light to carry, but lifting it out of the vehicle was agony. She dropped it.

Dorian was sheepish. "I may have pushed you a little hard." He reached past her and got her drone pack.

"I am an idiot and knew I couldn't have made it up the whole way. My training was in a gym with a thirty-foot wall."

"Well, that explained your form. You are a good climber."

"Yeah, but I lack stamina. Can you just carry that to my room at the manor? Please?"

Dorian chuckled. "Of course. Would you like a hot shower before lunch?"

"You don't mind waiting?"

"No. It's fine."

"Right. I just have to set the footage to upload, and then, I will grab my shower."

She got her phone out and tapped it, realizing that her card could send a signal through the door.

She opened the door with a groan and pointed to the table. "Can you put the pack there?"

He nodded, and she asked, "Water, iced coffee, or juice?"

"Iced coffee is good."

She got a bottle and handed it to him. She pulled the drone out of the bag, got her computer out, connected the chip, and transferred the information to Ford.

She didn't even check it; just set it up and headed for the shower while Dorian pulled his phone out and started doing something.

"I will be right back."

"Take your time."

She stripped slowly and finally got down to her skin. She set the head on the shower for pummeling. She held onto the support bar and let the water beat the hell out of her.

Vacations were rough.