And it's infecting Wil as well. I won't let you make him into that.' She saw a flicker of indecision in his eyes.
`That's it, we're out of here.' Wilson grabbed Mason. `If we go, Mum will have to follow us.'
They couldn't leave. She wouldn't let them. Mason was in there. She'd seen him.
`No, Wilson!' Her connection with the earth flared and she understood what she could do. The sand obeyed. They would not leave.
Energy coursed through her. The elements would obey. They would not leave.
`Holy shit.' Wilson jumped back as someone screamed. `The sand. It's become a wall.'
Ruth commanded the sand. A wall of sand formed around the clearing. No one was leaving. `Give me back Mason. Show me the man I love!'
Wind came and her own anger flared as Butcher, still before her, stood defiant. `Show me!' The air roared. Trees cracked but she did not care. Huge water spouts exploded into life, spraying everybody with seawater. The island shook and Darkells women fell around her.
`Mum.' Wilson's voice was lost in the roaring wind. Ruth only saw Mason, the darkness and hate fading in his eyes. He had heard. His face softened and colour bled into his eyes.
`Mason.' She let her own anger go and the island fell silent. Her legs grew heavy. She needed to sit down.
`I don't know if I can do this.' He moved towards her. `It's hard for me to accept that what they offer is real.'
Ruth grabbed his arm before she fell. `I believe what they say, and more. Can you believe too, for me? Can you believe in me?'
His hands held her, warm and soft. Her Mason. She closed her eyes for a second, listening to his heartbeat slow. Ruth felt his hand touch her face and she opened her eyes.
`I believe in you.' He half-smiled and looked past her. `What is it you offer?'
`Treaty,' Nikki boomed again, her hand held out to Ruth.
Ivy nodded at Ruth. `A treaty with the Goddess Darla means that our clans will be joined. What she offers is…' Ivy turned to Nikki. `Magi, Darla, are you sure about this? He's—'
`Treaty.' Ice cold energy crackled and Ivy staggered then bowed her head.
Ruth remembered to breathe.
`The Goddess Darla offers her treaty with the Douglas Clan and her children — us.'
Mason nodded at the women behind Ivy. `How do we know they will keep the treaty?'
`Her word is binding, Mason,' Ivy said looking up. `If Darla makes treaty with you then it is a law we dare not break.'
`None will break it,' Tashia said. She stood beside Ivy, looking every part a warrior, her silver tattoos bright upon her skin.
`Like you, Mason, our clan laws run deep in our blood.' Tashia crossed her arms. `See the truth of my words, Mason. I am flesh and blood before you, not one possessed by another. I know you have the gift. See into my eyes.'
`Aye,' he nodded. `There is no lie in your words. I believe you.'
`So what do we do next?' Ruth asked. She was relieved, but Nikki's alien appearance continued to unnerve her.
`Treaty.' Nikki's hand hadn't moved and Ruth looked at it surrounded by its dark energy. Cold and dark, and offered to them. Mason moved and she moved with him. Wilson joined them, standing quietly.
`Treaty it is, then.' Mason paused, then took the dark hand in his own. `We will honour the treaty. Our word is binding, Darla. The Douglas clan does not break its word.'
`Bonded we are,' Nikki's voice deepened and she stepped closer. Ruth shivered. Cold radiated from the reptilian scales that covered Nikki's familiar face.
`Done. What's next then?'
`Blessing.' The goddess glanced at Ruth, the darkness in her eyes thickening and she moved impossibly fast, burying the dark hand in Mason's chest.
Ruth hauled on the hand, blood spraying across her and across Wilson as he wrapped his arms around her.
Ruth screamed. `No. You promised treaty. Let him go!'
`Blessing.' Nikki smiled.
Tears burnt Ruth's eyes. She could hear Wilson screaming at her but his words were lost to her. How could they do this? She dug her fingers deep into Nikki's scaled arm. `Let him go!'
The goddess smiled and nodded. `Blessing…comes.'
Ruth froze. Mason stiffened. A tendril of black fog raced down Nikki's arm and into Mason before spreading into her, a cold searing presence.
Nikki's face faded into the darkness. `Blessing for you all.'
`Damn it.' Mullet lent against the railing of the Monarch. `Bloody bladder.' He whistled as he emptied it. `What the—?'
The Monarch rocked, making him grab the railing with both hands. `Son of a gun. Waterspouts! Goddamn monster, freaking waterspouts!' He fumbled with his fly as the boat lurched again.
The radio crackled. `Monarch, Monarch, do you copy, over?'
He staggered into the cabin, watching the waterspouts roar past, grabbing the radio. `Jesus Christ, boss. This is the Monarch.'
`Monarch, Monarch, what's going on over there? The weather satellites just went freaking nuts. There's a tsunami and severe weather alert but the radar isn't working.'
`That's a copy on the damn waterspouts. Two big sons of bitches just came out of nowhere.' Mullet fell into the captain's chair as the Monarch lurched again. `And they're hanging around. Damn it, here they come again.' Mullet strapped himself into the chair as the waterspouts raced across the water. `Sweet Jesus, they're huge' He craned his neck, looking up as they passed by.
`Monarch, Monarch. Goddamn it, are you there?'
`Still here,' Mullet yelled, watching as the waterspouts stopped moving. `It's freaking weird. They're just off the bow. Not moving.'
`Mullet, get Monarch the hell out of there!'
`Aye, aye, boss. Oh, shit.' His fingers froze over the engine's preheat buttons.
`Mullet. You there?'
`Nope,' he whispered. Mullet switched the radio off. The waterspouts had vanished and a tall woman covered in silver lines stood on his deck. He reached for the deck lights switch and she vanished.
`Mason needs your help.' Words echoed from behind him.
He didn't move. Hair stiffened on his neck. A long hand rested on his arm. `You'd be one of them, then?'
`Yes.' Her breath brushed cool against his ear. `You owe him, the Douglas, a blood debt.' She squeezed his arm. `Leave your weapon where it is.'
Mullet eased his hand away from the hidden knife.
She
