Luke continued, and the power swelled around us, nearly choking me.

“She saw a shark, about fourteen feet. A Great White. They’ve been seen up this way lately as the tuna are migrating further north. Uncommon, but it happens,” he said. The officers nodded; even I could see their minds buckling under his power.

“I didn’t see . . .” I didn’t get to finish the sentence as Luke leaned over and planted his lips on mine, sealing them shut. Again the warmth spread through me like a sweet hot drink circulating though my blood. I couldn’t help myself; I let out a groan and buried my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer. Like a drug I hated wanting, yet found myself seeking out, I couldn’t stop tasting him. There was something in his kiss, something that my body demanded, that I was in need of. The power within me, that I’d felt rise on the beach, responded once more. My blood pulsed as the energy swirled around us.

The cops stepped away, chuckling as they left. Though that irritated me, I still couldn’t seem to release my hold on Luke.

“Love ‘n grief, they bind so quickly do they not . . . Luke?” A deep voice, heavy with an Irish accent, rippled across my senses; Luke pulled away from me. I kept my eyes closed as I struggled to get my rapidly beating heart under control. Slowly I opened my eyes, blinking several times before the humming energy receded back inside of me once more, and I could see my newest visitor.

Where Luke was deeply tanned and fair, the man who stood across from us had hair as black as a moonless night. But it was his eyes that snared me. Violet, a colour I’d never seen in anyone else. And they were pissed. Flashing with anger . . . and was that jealousy I saw flicker through them?

He stared down at me. “If she’d wanted to go with her sister, you should have let her. Ta stupid ones should be allowed to kill themselves off. It leaves more room in the world for ta strong.”

I flushed under his judgment.

Luke shifted his weight and snapped his fingers, his wetsuit shifting and re-arranging itself until it was a t-shirt and shredded jeans. My mouth dropped open. That had not just happened. Maybe the monsters had been the tip of the iceberg of craziness crashing into my life. I shook my head then rubbed my face. This whole day had to be a dream; it couldn’t be really happening. In a few minutes I’d wake up, and Ashling and I would still be in our hotel room, ready to start the day. I shook my head again, and my fingers found the bone handle of my knife.

No, I knew this was happening. I couldn’t deny it. To be honest though, it scared the shit out of me. My fingers flexed, there was some comfort in having a weapon, small as it was, with all that was happening.