AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He knew it deep in his gut.
He looked out at the island and wondered what vision Julianne had seen. What had called to her, promising her a future? He didn’t know, and it didn’t matter.
He just had to get to her before she reached the beach.
The waters were swirling as Wade took off his sword and ripped off his shirt. He was going to get to her, and he was going to save her. Julianne had already saved him. He could do the same for her.
It could cost him everything: the respect of his men, the ship, his life. None of that mattered when he thought about living a life without her, though. Oh, he knew she secretly worried she was in love with him. He knew she fretted that they might not have a house o
ne day. He even knew she daydreamed about having his babies.
Wade knew all of this because Julianne talked in her sleep, and she talked often, and he wondered how the woman managed to keep any secrets at all to herself.
“You can’t do it,” Ray yelled, but Wade didn’t wait another moment. As he dove off the side of his ship, he heard the yells of his crew, but he ignored them. What they thought didn’t matter. Their advice didn’t matter.
Wade Docherty had to save Julianne before she reached that beach.
He would get to her, and he would bring her back, and everything would be okay.
It had to be, because she was his heart, his soul, his reason for living. She was the only reason he smiled. She was everything to him.
He wouldn’t leave her behind.
27
The water was ice against his skin, but Wade ignored it and fought his way through the water. She was ahead of him. He could see her dark hair bobbing against the angry waves. Julianne was a surprisingly good swimmer, especially for someone who was essentially raised indoors. Wade could only suspect it was a magic of the isle, pulling Julianne to her fate.
He could not lose her.
He would not let her be another casualty to the changers.
He would not lose another woman he loved.
Not today, and not ever.
He knew this would kill him. This would be Wade’s final act. He would die trying to rescue Julianne. He would give up everything for her.
When he met her, he was instantly drawn to her. Attraction was an entirely different beast than love, though. Love wasn’t something he was capable of feeling anymore, but Julianne changed all of that.
She healed him.
And she had loved him.
He should have told her sooner, should have begged her to stay somewhere safe on this last part of the voyage, but he knew he could no sooner bear to leave Julianne than she could bear to be left. He needed to find the treasure, but he needed her more.
And he chose her.
He would drown today, lose his treasure, lose his life, but he would not lose Julianne. He would save her. He would rescue her.
And then he caught her.
His hand wrapped around her wrist. The storm raged, but the water seemed almost calm around Julianne. Wade turned toward the beach and saw what Julianne must be seeing: a group of beautiful women calling to her.
Julianne. Their voices seemed clear. Despite being able to physically see the storm, Wade noticed he could no longer hear it. He let go of Julianne’s wrist and the vision disappeared. When he grabbed her again, it reappeared, and he knew this was how the isle stole people.
The ghosts and spirits didn’t need to get in the water to catch people or to trap them. No, they only needed to make their island look better than the stormy seas, and they seemed to do a fine job of it. If Wade hadn’t been warned, he thought it might be easy to lose his head and try to make his way to the safety of the beach.
Only he had been warned.
