Risen (Haunted Series Book 22)

took off her gloves.  She took the young man’s face in her hands and looked into his eyes, repeating his personal phrase over and over until she was certain it would be second nature to the seaman.
Whit cringed as Mia’s face contorted as she spoke.  He shuddered to think of what his childhood friend had gone through in order to make her want to study the demon language.
When she had finished, she had Seaman Douglas repeat it back to her.  He did it perfectly.
“Anyone else?” she asked, looking around.  “Come on, just think how it would look on your resume, or you could use it in a bar…” she tempted.
The other crewman stepped up.  “I want to say, ‘I’m not your enemy, he is.’”
Mia nodded.  “Can I amend it to, ‘I’m not your enemy, I’m trying to save you?’”
“Yes,” Seaman Brothers agreed.
Mia repeated the procedure with Brothers.
The Feds declined.
“Mia, he knows you’re here.  He sent his beast to kill you.”
“The welcome could have been a wee bit warmer.”
“He wants Sabine.  He needs her as a vessel to leave the island,” Whit informed her.
“Fortunately for us, we got her out, so he’ll have to learn to live with the disappointment,” Mia said.  “Although, it does give me an idea… But first, you guys need to either get on that boat or on those rocks.  They haven’t changed position.  I sense they are part of the island.  I’m going to retrieve Murphy and drop him off there to draw power.”
“Stephen Murphy?” Whit asked, turning a little green.
“Yes.  You can set apart your differences for humanity’s sake, can’t you?” Mia asked.
Whit nodded, not trusting his voice.
Simpson looked at his boss and sensed his discomfort.  Was this Stephen Murphy his nemesis or his Achilles heel?  He rescinded that thought.  This woman was Whitney Martin’s Achilles heel.  He stored the information away.  One never knew when material like this could be used as leverage.
Mia took off, swooped down, picked up Seaman Douglas, and dropped him nearer to the rocks.  He scrambled up and took up a position training the sight of the AK-47 on the beach.
She returned, bringing with her a thermos of coffee and some raingear supplied by the Azure.  “Out, Murph,” she said.  “I’ll wait.”  She walked over and gave Douglas the supplies.
“Thank you,” he said, staring at her wings.  “You’re like Hawk, aren’t you?”
“I think he can get rid of his wings.  I’m stuck with mine,” she said.  “I’m no superhero.  I make too many mistakes to qualify.”
“No, that’s what it is to be a superhero.  Tell me, do you fly into danger to save the innocent?”
Mia looked down at the young man and smiled.  “I’d like to think I do.”
“Then it’s settled.  Who were you talking to?” he asked, pulling on the raingear.
“Stephen Murphy, he’s a ghost.”
“Damn, this just gets better.  What’s his superpower?”
This amused Mia.  She looked over at Murphy who was sitting on the rocks, sharpening his axe against one, waiting on her.
“It’s patience, and his axe.”
“So cool.”
Mia looked out across the beach.  She saw the others starting to make their way over.  “I think I’d better head back to the boat.  Your ship has moved away from the storm or I’d take you to it.  Plus, they may misunderstand what’s flying in.”
“They are an unimaginative bunch, miss.”
“It’s Mrs.,” Mia said and walked over to Murphy.  “Well, old man, do you want to stay here and abuse Whitney Pee Pants or come with me back aboard the boat?”
“As tempting as it would be to torture Whitney, I will stay with you,” Murphy said.
Mia smiled.  “Did I ever tell you how much I appreciate you?”
Murphy grinned.  “Every time you need something from me.”
Mia laughed and waited until Murphy was secure before she took off.
“Incoming,” the first mate said as Mia dropped back on deck.  She almost toppled to the deck when the boat lurched under her.
“Any word on when the captain is going to try for the reef again?” Mia asked, regaining her balance.
“We were able to download information in our last try for the reef.  The last word from the Ross Bell was they upgraded the storm to a hurricane.  They are calling it Kelly.  Your husband has been timing the erratic waves, trying to find a pattern.  The captain is worried that we’ll get hung up on the reef and sink the boat.  No one wants to get trapped on that island,” the first mate told her.
“Makes sense.  I found most of the landing party.  There appear to be three Feds and two Coast Guard seamen still alive.  They have found two automatic rifles.  Long story short, they are going to wait out the storm and, possibly, go after the monster on the island.”
“Brave or foolish, history will judge,” the first mate said, walking away.
Mia went in search of Ted.  She stopped when she found herself alone in a passageway.  “K.  Coast is clear if you want to exit.”
Murphy walked out of Mia.
“What’s your plan?” he asked.
“I’m forming one.  I’ll let you know when I think it’s feasible.  I’m going to consult with Ted and Burt.  Want to come along?”
He looked at her sideways.  “I’m afraid of what’s going through your head right now.  You’re in a very sacrificial mood.”
Mia frowned.  “We’re outgunned here.  Between Hurricane Kelly, the demon-with-no-name, and Lamia, I doubt this boat is going to make it out of here.  I can’t fly for too much longer; the wind is too strong.  Besides, Lamia has me outclassed. Plus, I have a feeling I could end up in demon court if I seek it out and kill it.”
“Why?  It attacked you,” Murphy pointed out.
“Or was it just advancing on the boat, and I provoked it to attack