Turning the Tide: A Mermaid's Revenge

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Turning the Tide: A Siren’s Revenge

Copyright © 2018by Afton Locke

ISBN: 978-1-68361-207-0

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

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www.decadentpublishing.com

As a writer with the dreaded day job, I often wrestle with career issues. One of these is the effect of work stress on health. I’m thrilled to be part of a series that focuses on healing. Come with me to the magical island of Wiccan Haus to indulge in some hydrotherapy and swim with the mermaids.

I love hearing from readers! Contact me at aftonlocke@aol.com to share your thoughts on this book.

Turning the Tide

After a year of unemployment, Daphne Wells comes to Wiccan Haus to learn hydrotherapy for a new career as a healer. When her assigned patient turns out to be the sexy ex-boss who laid her off, resentment gets in the way of healing.

Giovanni Denaro arrives at Wiccan Haus, desperate to find a cure for the debilitating tension that threatens his high-level financial career. But after some intimate healing sessions, everything loses value except his need for Daphne’s forgiveness.

When a mermaid, filled with her own bitterness, offers Daphne a chance to get revenge on the man who ruined her life, will she dare to turn the tide?

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Also by Afton Locke

Alpha in Disguise

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Hidden Moon

Dedication

To N.

for giving me great opportunities that taught me there are many alternatives to the typical job. After knowing you, I never looked at life the same way again.

Turning the Tide: A Siren’s Revenge

By

Afton Locke

Chapter One

Wiccan Haus

Can I really earn a living at this?

Daphne Wells stood, knee-deep, in a warm mineral pool at the Wiccan Haus, an island off the coast of Maine. The whole place catered to healing, not just these hot springs. When she’d received an invitation for free hydrotherapy training classes, she’d packed her bikini and jumped on the ferry. Time had flown by since her arrival a few days ago.

After losing her job as a financial analyst in suburban Maryland a year ago, she’d take any freebies she could get. Fed up with corporate America, she’d decided to change careers to one that actually helped people instead of screwing them over.

She inhaled crystal-clean air while cool mist from a waterfall caressed her face. This place had a comfortable lodge, a dining room serving health food, and even a beach. It sure beat living in her car or with her bitchy sister.

Cemil, one of the four Rowan siblings who ran Wiccan Haus, taught the class yet another floating maneuver. His long, blond hair looked damp on the ends from helping the students find the right position. So did his white linen tunic. After he waded over to her in the horseshoe-shaped pool, he appraised her with icy-blue eyes, planted his hand on her bare belly, and pushed it down a few inches.

Trust the water, he said.

She gulped, hoping she wouldn’t drown. The nearest underwater bench—naturally formed—lay too far away to grab. Trust didn’t exactly appear on her list of strengths at the moment.

Is he single? She could hear her sister, Loretta, now. To heck with the classes, Daph. Find yourself a man while you’re here. Preferably, a rich one.

Loretta just wanted her out of the apartment so they’d stop fighting over the bathroom and everything else. Do this. Have you tried that? You’re not applying yourself enough. Well, you’d better think of something. I can’t support you forever on my small salary, you know. Daphne barely had a moment’s peace under her roof. It was as if her sister thought failure was contagious and she’d catch it any minute.

In any case, the tall blond did nothing for Daphne. She preferred dark-haired men with brown eyes—intense ones that sucked her in with the force of a whirlpool. The way Giovanni’s had the day he’d interviewed her in his office. He’d gazed at her as if time—or the stock market—had stopped. Of course, later, he hadn’t bothered to tell her in person she’d been laid off.

Cemil sprinkled some droplets on her face. Ditch the negative energy. It will make you sink.

She’d forgotten about the water until some drifted into her mouth, choking her. After recovering, she relaxed and closed her eyes, trusting the arms of the warm water to embrace and shelter her as Cemil had instructed. In fact, he’d repeated the mantra so many times she’d probably be saying it in her sleep tonight. Apparently, what the healer told the client was as important as the physical ministrations. Words had a lot of power.

Embracing water was enough for her. She didn’t need a man. She needed a self-employed career that earned enough to keep a roof over her head. The worst part of unemployment was the maddening boredom. Frequent trips to the library kept her sane. After tripping over a book on the floor about hydrotherapy, she’d actually read it and found it interesting. And, voila, her new career had been born.

Following the floating exercise, Sage, Cemil’s sister, arrived to teach the class which herbs to sprinkle into the water to cure various ailments. She waded into it, her long, flowered skirt billowing around her like a cloud.

For stress, use chamomile, lavender, and valerian. She swept back her waist-length blonde tresses. Trust me, most ailments you’ll see are related to tension somehow.

Daphne grabbed a pinch of herbs from her basket and sprinkled them into the natural pool. Maybe she should grow her dark hair long, too, and exchange her business suits for bohemian clothes.

Next, Sage showed the students how to swirl the herbs so they dissolved. She pointed out simmering them on a stove first worked better. So did holding them under a faucet or jet, when available.

Serena, our hydrotherapy expert, couldn’t be here today. She’s not feeling well, she said. Hopefully, she’ll recover soon.

For the discussion part of the class, they moved to the front part of the hot springs and sat on natural benches formed from the sheer rock sides. Daphne had no idea water was so powerful. In its different forms and temperatures, it could redirect blood flow and heal. Cemil listed the treatments they’d explore—baths, saunas, compresses, and douches, which made everyone snicker.

At the end, he clasped his hands around one knee. Meditate on what you’ve learned today. If you pass the exam, you’ll graduate to the next level, and your test subjects will arrive next week.

Test subjects. Daphne hoped her guinea pig wouldn’t have bad breath and that she wouldn’t accidentally drown him or her. She grabbed a white cotton towel from the nearest towel cabinet and draped it around her neck. Most of all, she hoped she passed the classes so her future would be clearer than the ever-present bank of fog surrounding the island.

***

Giovanni Denaro yawned as he found his way to the Wiccan Haus dining room. How had he slept for two hours in the middle of the day when he hadn’t taken a nap in ten years? Tension tugged his arm muscles, reminding him of its power.

He hadn’t felt the least bit drowsy when stepping off the ferry today. He’d been worried about taking time off work to get his health back in order. After going through security to get into the lodge, which lay nestled between some cliffs and the sea, he’d worried even more.

The flaky lady at the front desk had informed him his cell phone didn’t work here and that the island’s only phone and computer were off-limits to guests. He felt completely severed from the outside world.

Even his room key was low-tech. The custom charm looked like a cross between a rabbit’s foot and a frog’s eye. At least his lodge room had spoken his language. It was designed like a business-class hotel room with a king-sized, sleep-friendly bed. As soon as he’d sunk into it, his mind had drifted. The lodge was so quiet compared to other hotels. What kind of herbs had the staff put on his nightstand, anyway? They must have drugged him. Considering the fact his headache had vanished,