Fathom Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from Leviathan

  About the Author

  Other Books by Bianca D’Arc

  Tales of the Were ~ Grizzly Cove

  Trident Trilogy 2

  Fathom

  by

  Bianca D’Arc

  Copyright © 2022 Bianca D’Arc

  Hawk Publishing, LLC

  New York

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any or by any means, or stored in a database retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the Author.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  www.biancadarc.com

  OFFICIAL BIANCA D’ARC NEWSLETTER

  A Navy SEAL with special powers over water joins forces with a magical thunderbird shifter to defeat an ancient evil, finding unexpected love in the middle of the tempest.

  Traumatized by his last mission in a far off land, Navy SEAL Jim Morrow goes to Grizzly Cove to heal and help defeat a sea monster that’s been plaguing the little town full of bear shifters, refugee mermaids, and Others. Otherworldly and evil, the leviathan has called up an army of smaller creatures from Earth’s oceans to help it get to the magical people it wants so badly to defile. It feeds on magic and the town of Grizzly Cove is a tasty treat it wants to devour.

  Tilly follows her heart and her shifter soul to a place on the Washington coastline she senses needs her special help. She is a thunderbird. A special kind of legendary shifter that does one job, and does it very well. Thunderbirds are harbingers of storms that can wield lightning and fight underwater evil to protect those on land. She is called to Grizzly Cove by the terrible army that has gathered just offshore, though she knows nothing of the bear shifter settlement or its troubles until she gets there.

  When Jim and Tilly meet, they immediately strike sparks off each other. She brings him to life when he thought the light of his spirit had been forever doused. She finds in Jim a wondrous elemental power that compliments her own native skillset. Together, they will fight the leviathan and its servants to the best of their abilities, but will it be enough? And, will they be able to find a way forward as a couple when they come from such different backgrounds?

  DEDICATION

  Special thanks to the folks in my facebook group The D’Arc Side, who have been so wonderfully supportive of me as I go through the grieving process again. I have my up days and my down days, but through it all, my books are my solace that take me away to another place, far from my sorrows.

  Thanks to the Curling Club for taking me in and making me feel at home. I love sprinting with you all and I’ve been writing so much faster with your friendship and encouragement! I count myself honored to be among your number.

  This book, as all my work, is dedicated to my late parents, who instilled a strong work ethic in me and also encouraged my imagination and questioning nature. I miss you guys every single day.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Tilly Tall Trees flew on eagle’s wings out in front of the storm. The wind supported her, carrying her far without her needing to put forth much effort at all. She glided like the thunderbird she was, a harbinger of the storm, bringer of lightning, servant of the Lady’s Light. It was a heady feeling and a big responsibility. It was one Tilly didn’t take lightly.

  She was headed north and a little west, toward the Washington coast, where the storm and her instincts drew her. There was something there… She didn’t quite know what it was, but her thunderbird heart knew it was needed. There was something wrong there that called for her special talents.

  She’d been feeling the pull for months now, but the time had not been right. Something had changed over the past few days. Something big had happened, though she had no idea what it might have been. All she knew was that her instincts were screaming at her that this was her moment. This was the storm she’d been waiting for. This was the right time to go to that special place that her beast heart knew, though her human brain did not.

  Tilly wasn’t sure what she’d find when she got there. She only knew that she had to go. So, she’d packed up her SUV and hit the road. She wasn’t foolish enough to just fly out without knowing where she was going to end up and what amenities she might find at the other end. She knew the general direction she needed to go, so she started driving that way, and when she saw the storm front she’d been waiting for, she parked her vehicle in an out-of-the-way spot and shifted into her beast form.

  The thunderbird had risen into the sky and started her journey of discovery. She would follow the wind to wherever it was leading her, and she would see what could be seen when she got there. Then, depending on what she found, she’d fly back to her vehicle and drive the rest of the way—her clothing and other possessions in tow. First though, the thunderbird needed to find the path and discover what had drawn them to this area.

  She soared on the winds, knowing the rain followed behind. This was going to be a powerful storm, and she would probably have to shelter wherever she landed for the storm before she could fly back to her vehicle. Not ideal, but even though she was impervious to lightning, she still had to navigate back to her SUV. She couldn’t just let the wind take her wherever it wanted on the way back.

  With any luck, she’d find a place to weather the storm and then make her way back when the winds died down a bit. She wouldn’t know until she got there, but she hoped for the best. Until then, Tilly enjoyed the freedom of her shifted form. She could fly higher than most birds. Higher than most eagles, even. Once she had gained altitude, her giant bird form wasn’t as noticeable. It was just nearer the ground that she had to be careful because normal birds were nowhere near her size.

  The Tribes recognized her for what she was. Native Americans had many legends about her kind, and many revered the thunderbird. But regular people would freak out if they saw a giant golden eagle on or near the ground. She flew high enough that nobody could really gauge her size from the ground, carried on the storm winds that were her birthright.

  Tilly glided along, heading ever northward until her instincts told her she was almost there. She saw a dip in the coastline. A cove. And around it, homes blending beautifully into the landscape. She wouldn’t have seen them, if not for her keen eyesight. These were not the homes of regular men. These homes were made by those who wished to complement nature, not conquer it. Curious.

  She flew over the town, sensing much about it. Several beings looked up, including some in the water. Mer. There were merpeople down there. She could see a few from above. This was a very magical place, and yet, her instincts told her there was something bad threatening this peaceful-looking community. Something even farther west. Something kept at bay in the ocean.

  It clicked into place. This was why she’d been drawn here. The thunderbirds were made to fight underwater evil, and she believed that was the problem here. Something out in the ocean was menacing this town, and her animal side wanted in on the fight.

  She flew out over the cove and discovered, much to her surprise, a place of power on the southern point that formed the mouth of the cove. A ring of standing stones that drew her. She had seldom seen the like, though she knew they existed in many places around the world. She circled lower, wanting to get a better look.

  As she flew lower, the storm came upon her more quickly than she expected. She was going to have to land, and it looked like the circle of stones was going to be the place.

  Tilly aimed with her claws and landed on the grass inside the circle, which was a lot bigger than she’d realized. She took a few stumbling steps as lightning danced in the sky. She wasn’t afraid of lighting. It was one of her powers. She could control it and send it where she wanted it to go. It could not hurt her.

  The rain started in earnest a few seconds later, and it was strong. Almost torrential. She hadn’t expected that, either. Today was becoming a series of strange occurrences.

  As she contemplated shifting to her human form, suddenly, the rain stopped falling on her. She looked around and realized the rain was definitely still falling. Just not on her. It was as if something was shielding her, but she was standing in the open, with no perceivable cover over her. It didn’t make sense unless, somehow, the ring of stones itself had decided to protect her.

  No. That really didn’t make sense. Tilly looked around again and stilled.

  There was a man watching her. She sensed he was the one who had kept the rain from drenching her. Why? And ho
w? What was he, a mage? She grew very still. She did not want to be trapped by some mage, forced to do who-knew-what because she’d landed in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  “It’s okay,” the man said. “I’m not going to hurt you. Just thought you’d like some protection from the rain.”

  He stepped farther into the circle of stones, nearing the altar slab that was at the center. Tilly noticed that the stone dried as he sat, and no rain touched him. What was he that he could control the rain to such an extent?

  He sat on the altar and looked up at the clouds. Lightning danced overhead, but she wouldn’t bring it down on him. So far, he hadn’t done anything threatening.

  “I like storms,” he said idly, watching the sky. “I came out here to watch it in peace. I’m sorry if I interrupted you doing the same. I’m new in town. My name is Jim.” His gaze shifted downward to her once more. “I assume you’re a shifter, though I’ve never seen one exactly like you before. I’ve known a few hawks and even worked with an owl one time in Europe, but I didn’t know there were any eagle shifters in Grizzly Cove. If you want to shift so we can talk, feel free.”

  He wasn’t a shifter. That much she gleaned from his words. Tilly didn’t really feel comfortable shifting in front of a non-shifter. Other beings got weird when you showed up naked, though most shifters just took it in stride. Yet, she would like to talk with this strange man. She looked around the empty circle to see if there was any cover she might’ve missed, but there was nothing besides the stones themselves. Hmm. Maybe…?

  Tilly went behind one of the stones, standing just outside the circle, and let the change come over her. He couldn’t see her, but she could be heard. She tried talking to him.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, peeking just her head out from behind the stone. “I’m not from around here.”

  He stood from the altar and started unbuttoning his shirt. She got alarmed until he spoke.

  “Apologies, ma’am. I just assumed you were male. Can’t always tell with birds, you know?” He smiled as he shrugged out of a green canvas fatigue shirt that had buttons down the front. He was wearing a form-fitting tan T-shirt beneath it. “You can wear this if it makes you more comfortable.” He stepped closer to the stone and held out the green shirt at arm’s length where she could grab it.

  Tilly took it, surprised by the offer, though she welcomed it. This Jim seemed a thoughtful man, and his manners impressed her.

  “Thank you,” she murmured.

  He walked away as she shrugged into his shirt, buttoning it up hastily before she stepped out from behind the stone. She tried really hard to ignore the delectable scent of the man that clung to his shirt. Clean, fresh and so very masculine.

  His shirt fell nearly to her knees and hid the essentials. She walked into the circle, her bare feet enjoying the feel of the soft grass beneath them. Though the storm raged outside the ring of stones, inside it was dry and even the wind didn’t penetrate.

  “You’re not a shifter, then?” she asked him.

  He’d gone back to sitting on the altar slab. She stood in front of him cautiously, trying to gauge who, exactly, he was and how he fit in to this surprising community. He claimed to be new in town. Why was he here? Had the wind blown him in, as it had her?

  “No, ma’am. Though I have worked with the men who settled this town in the past. Often, in fact. Big John, the mayor, trained me in strategic planning and analysis. He’s one of the best in the world,” Jim told her, and she heard the honest admiration for the mayor in his tone.

  “I don’t know anything about this town,” she admitted. “I’ve never been here before.”

  He looked at her quizzically. “Then, what brought you here today?”

  She gestured to the sky. “The storm. I’m a thunderbird. I go where the wind takes me.”

  He seemed to think about that for a moment.

  “That must make it hard to plan. You don’t know where you’ll land, do you?” he asked.

  “Not always,” she admitted. “I figured I’d wait out the storm, then fly back to where I started.”

  She wasn’t going to volunteer the fact that she had left her vehicle not too far away from here. She didn’t know this guy and had learned to be cautious with new people. Especially when she still didn’t know what kind of magic he wielded.

  “Thunderbird, huh?” He seemed to consider her words. “That’s a Native American thing, right? I’ve heard the term, but I didn’t know that was a shifter species. I’d have guessed you were an eagle.”

  She didn’t take offense at his words. His tone was merely curious, not judgmental in any way, so she decided to humor him.

  “Oh, I am an eagle. A golden eagle, in fact. But my size and my beast’s spirit make me a thunderbird. I’m drawn to storms. I’m a herald of the oncoming deluge, and lightning is my friend.”

  She held out one hand as a flash of lightning shone overhead. She considered bringing it down to Earth but didn’t want to seem threatening to the man. So far, he’d been calm, and even considerate, with her.

  He looked up at the sky and nodded. “Impressive,” he said simply. “Whereas water is my element.” He held out his own hand, and a ball of water formed out of a tiny column of rain he allowed to fall, floating above his hand, swirling like the blue energy in his eyes.

  She gasped. Was he an honest-to-goodness elemental? She’d never met one before, but she had heard about them. They were said to be beings of immense power over one particular element. If water was his domain, then it made total sense that he could direct it like that.

  “You are a Water Lord?” she asked, her words a whisper of sound.

  He nodded slightly. “And you are a Sky Lady.” He smiled, apparently liking his own play on words. She’d never been called such a thing before. It was complimentary, so she didn’t object.

  A striking thought occurred to her. Maybe he was here for the same thing that had drawn her. Whatever evil was out there in the ocean, it had called to her thunderbird spirit. Perhaps this Water Lord had also been drawn here to deal with it. Since they were having such an open conversation, she decided it couldn’t hurt to ask.

  “Are you here because of whatever it is out there?” She gestured behind her, toward the open ocean.

  “The leviathan,” he said, the word confirming something that she had feared might be true. “Yes. It’s been wreaking all sorts of havoc while me and my brother were busy doing other things. We are finally free to tackle this problem.” His eyes held pain that she didn’t understand, but she was glad to hear that others were working on defeating the evil she sensed in the ocean. “But how did you know about it? If you’ve never been here before, why did you come now?”

  She gazed upward at the clouds. “The storm brought me. One of the things we thunderbirds do is fight underwater evil. We are the natural enemy of the serpent. We protect the People from the dangers in the water.”

  He frowned. “I’ve never heard of that before.”

  “You’re not Native American,” she said, shrugging. “My People know the legends, even if different tribes have different versions. Essentially, we are harbingers of the storm. Some tribes know us as shapeshifters. Some know of our penchant for fighting evil serpents and keeping them away from the People. Some know more of our powers, some less, but when it all comes down to it, there is a grain of truth in all of the various stories.”

  “So, you’ve come here to fight the leviathan?” he asked, his head tilted to one side as if in uncertainty.

  “I was drawn here because my thunderbird spirit sensed something wrong. I didn’t know the problem was called leviathan, but that makes sense. What little I know about that word tells me it is an underwater monster that threatens all people who serve the Light. Now, I understand why I was blown here.” She nodded to herself. It made sense. Scary sense, but sense, nonetheless.

  He was silent a moment, seeming to consider her words. He looked out at the ocean, the storm winds churning the surface into rough seas while inside the circle of stones was calm and dry. His gaze shifted back to her.

  “What was your plan?” He spoke in that same calm voice, but she got the sense that something was very wrong with this man.