Page 1

CHAPTER ONE

My phone screamed like a baby whose ears were popping during a plane’s bumpy descent. I tossed it in the glovebox of the golf cart and slammed the door shut. I was the one who chose the new sound; I had only myself to blame. I made a silent vow to change it as soon as I handled the Code Red.

I screeched to a halt at the sand’s edge and sprinted from the golf cart. John Trent had called to report that Helen Jacobson had waded into the water for a swim and disappeared from view. Why the older succubus would choose to swim on a restricted beach, I’d never understand. The problem with an island filled with long-lived supernaturals was that they viewed themselves as invincible.

I found John pacing by a set of beach chairs. He jammed a finger in the direction of the jetty. “She went in by the rocks.”

“Who decided that was a good idea?”

“There’ll be time enough for judgment later—gods willing. Just get in there and save her.”

I ran to the jetty. Water droplets sprayed my clothes as an incoming wave splashed against the rocks. Then I saw Helen ten feet to my right. The geriatric succubus crawled out of the sea foam like Aphrodite from her oyster shell after a hard night of drinking.

“Help,” she squeaked, gulping for air.

I raced over to her. “What happened?”

“Something tried to eat me.”

“Any idea what?”

“Gargantuan, that’s what!”

I helped her to her feet. “Are you injured?”

“Damn thing broke my swimming streak. Does that count?”

I scanned the water. “Can you describe it?”

“I already did. Gargantuan! That means huge.”

“I know what it means.” I wouldn’t be calling Helen to the witness stand anytime soon. “Go sit with John. I’ll see if I can find this thing.”

I kicked off my shoes and stripped off my clothes until I wore only my underpants and a sports bra. If only the gods were kind enough to warn me in advance that there’d be a water-related emergency, I could at least dress accordingly.

I splashed through the surf and dove into the waves. My eyes burned as I opened them beneath the salty water. The Fates had trained me to pursue “justice” on land, sea, and air, but that didn’t mean I was impervious to their effects.

The water was unusually murky, as though the seabed had been disturbed, which made sense given Helen’s description of events. I pushed debris away in an effort to improve the view.

My foot smacked against a hard surface, prompting me to look down.

The hard surface moved.

What the hell?

I maneuvered for a closer look. Black and red patches covered the exterior of⁠—

A giant shell.

I shot to the surface to suck in some much-needed oxygen. Gods above and below. An Aspidochelone. I’d never seen one with my own two salt-burned eyes.

I couldn’t fight this thing. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to. People weren’t typically of interest to them. A creature that large could easily have mistaken Helen for chum.

I started to swim away, but the Aspidochelone must’ve sensed the motion and swiveled to investigate. The subtle movement of the enormous shell pushed me through the water, along with a bevy of fish and debris. Seaweed tangled around my arms and legs, making it difficult to swim. Another sweeping movement of the giant shell propelled me to shore.

Karma bit me in the ass—along with a crab—as I crawled out of the sea foam like Helen had minutes earlier.

I dragged myself to the spectators.