Treasure Tides Part 28

"Noooo," Joanna screamed as Grace's hand closed around the gold. She closed her eyes in agony.

Royce, Aaron, and Kurt, who were obligated to move by more conventional means than the immortals, were just reaching the main hall when they heard Joanna's scream.

Infused with a new burst of adrenalin, they drew their weapons and burst in to join the party. They stopped abruptly, struck by the beauty before them. A quartet of Witches hovered just above the ground, surrounded by a blue glow. Joanna, on the other hand, seemed perfectly safe surrounded by ma.s.sive Wolves. It suddenly occurred to the three men that this area might be a tad unhealthy for mere mortals.

Joanna opened her eyes, steeling herself for what she might see. Please G.o.d....her eyes focused on the spot where she had last seen Grace.

Grace, still very much intact, smiled at Joanna and flipped the coin in the air. She caught it again giving Joanna a wink.

"Oh G.o.d, I thought--" Joanna began, overwhelmed with relief. Grace was ok!

"I'm a Royal, and an original, Joanna," Grace saucily explained. "The coin cannot hurt me. It's a little 'back door' you might say, that my halfbrother, Merlin, built in for us."

Vane and Calico Jack, who suddenly seemed anxious to escape, were backing slowly out one of the side entrances.

"Stop right there!" Royce shouted.

Kurt, Aaron, and Royce all had semi-automatic weapons trained on the two evil men. They weren't at all certain they could re-kill the pirates, but it was the best they had to work with.

"Oh... I think not gentlemen," Grace said with a smile. "We have a score to settle--you and I."

With a flick of her wrist, the once regal beauty became a young girl.

"Holy Mother of G.o.d," Stede whispered. "Blackbeard, do you--"

"'Tis her-- the la.s.s-- Sherrie," Blackbeard said in awe.

Vane did not seem so entranced, nor did Calico Jack. In fact, they seemed to be quite shocked as well as frightened.

"It cannot be," protested Vane. "You tricked us! You little bi--"

"Now might be the time for you to shut your b.l.o.o.d.y trap," Calico Jack suggested.

Blackbeard and Stede moved menacingly toward Vane.

"I've got this," Grace a.s.sured them, "although I do appreciate your chivalry."

Grace transformed once again into the elegant woman Joanna knew and loved and turned to Davy Jones. Davy had not moved nor uttered a word since Tammy had ordered Landon to release him. "DJ, you and I have talked about this type of shenanigan," Grace scolded.

"I know, Your Grace...the temptation was so very great this time," Davy-- or DJ as Grace called him-- responded hanging his head.

"I'll tell you what. You take Vane and Calico with you, and I'll forgive this little hiccup," Grace proposed.

Vane and Calico gasped as the fate they had planned for Stede and Blackbeard became their own.

Gesturing to the rest of the room still full of pirate ghosts, "They go to their resting places," she softly decreed.

"But, Gracie, that hardly seems fair," Davy Jones practically whined.

"It's the best I can do, DJ," Grace shrugged.

"What about these two, do I at least get them?" Davy asked, pointing his boney finger toward Blackbeard and Stede.

Joanna smiled and linked hands with the two pirates. She knew Grace had already fallen in love with these two gentlemen as well and would never send them to Davey Jones' Locker.

Landon, still in Wolf form, growled.

"Blackbeard and Stede shall have another chance. They will be given one more opportunity to live life the right way." With sparkling eyes, Grace decreed, "You will not be criminals, no matter how charming you might have been last time. I much prefer you live as the fine gentlemen you truly are." Blackbeard and Stede stood speechless, their eyes awash with tears.

"Thank you, Your Grace," they whispered in unison. Bending low at the waist, they paid their respects to the Royal descendant who had just given them a most unexpected gift.

"Now, Girls," Grace said with a clap of her hands, "let's get this place cleaned up."

Tammy moved to wrap Joanna in her arms as Grace, Lucy and Joyce joined hands and began to chant.

Davy Jones-- or DJ as Joanna would always think of him, Charles Vane, and Calico Jack were quickly dispatched to the Flying Dutchman. The other lost souls were sent to their final resting place -- hundreds of years after their death.

Stede and Blackbeard? Well, only Grace and her girls know where they ended up. As the two salty-dogs disappeared, they each winked and blew a kiss to Joanna, who grinned and returned the favor. Landon growled.

The blue glow finally died down. Kurt, Aaron and Royce congregated in one end of the great hall as Wolves began to disperse. Grace glided toward the mortal men; she suddenly flipped the coin into the air toward Royce.

"I believe you've been searching for that. Please make sure it is returned to its proper location."

"Yes, Ma'am," Royce a.s.sured her. "I alerted the Council on the way to the island. They should be here any moment now"

Grace grimaced slightly, "Well then... that is my cue to leave."

Turning toward Tammy and Joanna, Grace said, "Tammy, you have a lovely daughter. It was my pleasure to meet her."

"Thank you, your Grace," Tammy responded with a bow.

"Joanna will explain our involvement in Royce's unfortunate detainment. I want you to know that I'm sorry-- but I could not risk communicating his location to you. Rest a.s.sured, I did watch over him. If it is any consolation, I believe things have worked out better than we could have hoped for," Grace finished grinning broadly as she thought of Becki.

Tammy frowned in question.

"Your Grace--" Joanna began.

"No dear, just Grace to you."

"Grace," Joanna began again with a smile, "will I ever see you again?" she asked.

"Oh, we shall see, Child," She answered mysteriously. And then she was gone, taking her body guards with her.

The pack had dispersed as soon as the Vampires had taken their leave. Since Landon had recently shifted back into human form, he found himself in an awkward situation. Fortunately, Kurt always carried a pair of shorts and tee-shirt for instances such as this. As Landon made his way across the room toward Joanna, she stepped away from Tammy to meet him.

Landon held his arms open, and Joanna walked right into them. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered. "I guess I am."

"Joanna, we need to talk--"

"No, Landon," Joanna said softly touching his lips with her fingers. "I don't want to talk about it. Please try to understand. I'm not-- I just can't, Landon," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Joanna," Landon growled. "I--"

"Be happy, Landon," she said as she kissed him softly, not allowing him to continue.

Landon watched as she turned to her parents calling, "Mom, Dad, Royce... I'll see you at home." Then she turned toward Landon and disappeared, blowing him a kiss at the last second.

Landon stared at the spot where Joanna had stood moments ago. He sighed and turned to take his leave.

Tammy appeared directly in front him, blocking his exit. "I want to thank you and to apologize to you for my actions when we first met," she offered.

Landon snorted, "They were pretty much like Joanna's. I guess things are just about the same."

"Landon, there are things--" Tammy choked with tears in her eyes.

Landon held up a hand to stop her, "I know. I figured it out earlier, at least part of it. If she ever wants me to know the rest, she'll have to tell me."

"I really am sorry, Landon, and I do appreciate what you've done," Tammy said resting her hand on his arm.

He pasted on a c.o.c.ky smile. "No problem, call me anytime," he offered.

Calling to Kurt and Royce, he said, "I'm going to take off for a few. I'll be in touch."

"Ok," Kurt answered. He knew by Landon's tone...it could be a few days or a few weeks. He certainly hoped it wouldn't be a few years. "Call if you need anything, man," Kurt said.

"Take it easy," Royce called to his new friend. And then inspiration struck, "By the way, I'll expect you at the wedding."

Landon didn't acknowledge that he had heard Royce's request, but as he reached the archway leading outside, he turned a sardonic grin in their direction. "I wouldn't miss it, my friend."

Royce saw Arimus as he entered the great hall. Somehow it surprised Royce when Tammy flew over to greet him with a friendly hug. Aaron pealed his wife out of Arimus's arms gruffly complaining, "Find your own Witch you old reprobate. This one's taken."

Arimus greeted Aaron with a heart-felt hand shake and a slap on the back.

"Your son is doing a fine job for us, Aaron," Arimus confided.

"Thank you," Aaron acknowledged, "I'm proud of him."

"Well, I must be about my business," Arimus announced.

"I believe you are looking for this," Royce said handing the coin to Arimus.

"Yes, it's hard to imagine that something so beautiful could be so dangerous," he said slipping the coin into his robes.

"Yes," Royce agreed.

"Well, on to the next quest. Let's strive for a little more discretion with the next coin's recovery," Arimus abruptly announced and turned to go.

Royce chuckled. It was somewhat of a letdown-- the handing over of the coin, not at all what he had expected. Oh well, as the man-- or rather the immortal said; on to the next.

As they headed to the boat, Royce dropped a text to Becki; Mission accomplished. I'm coming to claim my prize.

His phone immediately beeped with her reply; Your PRIZE hot-shot is ready and waiting. Come and get it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

Thank you for reading Treasure Tides, Book 1 of The Coins. Natie and Sean's story- Treasure Trails will be available in 2013.

The Coins (Future t.i.tles) by Deniece Greene i Treasure Trails i Treasure Trove i Troublesome Treasure i Other t.i.tles- To Be Announced I've fallen in love with Blackbeard and Bonnet Stede, who deserve their own happy endings!

Saved By Grace (Future t.i.tles) by Deniece Greene i Saved by Grace - Edward i Saved by Grace - Stede.

Visit my website: www.deniecegreene.com.

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Twitter: @deniecegreene.