The Sea Within Read online

  The Sea Within

  Synopsis

  Scientists have sounded alarms about the demise of Earth’s oceans for decades, and now the extinction event is here. As the world braces for disaster, paleobotanist Dr. Elle Graham finds a possible cure. Unfortunately, it’s been extinct for over one hundred thousand years.

  Captain Jackson Drake lives in the past because she can’t stand to face the present after the woman she loved sacrificed herself to save others, a casualty of a world ravaged by superbugs.

  The last person Jackson wants to travel back in time with is another woman trying to save the world at the cost of her own life. When things go sideways on primeval Earth, Jackson and Elle must put aside conflicts and work together to save the mission. Faith in each other just might give them the strength to save the world and rescue a broken heart in the process. But can Elle convince Jackson that the future is worth saving?

  What Reviewers Say About Missouri Vaun’s Work

  Chasing Sunset

  “Chasing Sunset is a fun and enjoyable ride off into the sunset. Colorful characters, laughs and a sweet romance blend together to make a tasty read.”—Aspen Tree Book Reviews

  “This is a lovely summer romance. It has all the elements that you want in this type of novel: beautiful characters, great chemistry, lovely settings, and best of all, a nostalgic road trip across the country.”—Rainbow Reflections

  “I really liked this one! I found both Finn and Iris to be well fleshed out characters. Both women are trying to figure out their next steps, and that makes them both insecure about where their relationship is going. They have some major communication issues, but I found that, too, realistic. This was a low key read but very enjoyable. Recommended!”—Rebekah Miller, Librarian (University of Pittsburgh)

  “The love story was tender and emotional and the sex was steamy and told so much about how intense their relationship was. I really enjoyed this story. Missouri Vaun has become one of my favourite authors and I’m never disappointed.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog

  Spencer’s Cove

  “Just when I thought I knew where this story was going and who everyone was, Missouri Vaun took me on a ride that totally exceeded my expectations. …It was a magical tale and I absolutely adored it. Highly recommended.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Reviews

  “The book is great fun. The chemistry between Abby and Foster is practically tangible. …Anyone who has seen and enjoyed the series Charmed, is going to be completely charmed by this rollicking romance.”—reviewer@large

  “Missouri Vaun has this way of taking me into the world she has created and does not let me out until I’m finished the book.”—Les Rêveur

  “I was 100% all in after the first couple of pages and I wanted to call in sick, so I could stay home from work to immerse myself in this story. I’ve always enjoyed Missouri Vaun’s books and I’m impressed with how she moves between genres with such ease. As paranormal stories go, this one left me thinking, ‘Hmm, I wish I was part of that world,’ and I’ve never read a book featuring vampires or weres that left me with that feeling. To sum it up, witches rock and Vaun made me a believer.”—Lesbian Review

  Take My Hand

  “The chemistry between River and Clay is off the charts and their sex scenes were just plain hot!”—Les Rêveur

  “The small town charms of Take My Hand evoke the heady perfume of pine needles and undergrowth, birdsong, and summer cocktails with friends.”—Omnivore Bibliosaur

  Love at Cooper’s Creek

  “Blown away…how have I not read a book by Missouri Vaun before. What a beautiful love story which, honestly, I wasn’t ready to finish. Kate and Shaw’s chemistry was instantaneous and as the reader I could feel it radiating off the page.”—Les Reveur

  “Love at Cooper’s Creek is a gentle, warm hug of a book.”—Lesbian Review

  “As always another well written book from Missouri Vaun—sweet romance with very little angst, well developed and likeable lead characters and a little family drama to spice things up.”—Melina Bickard, Librarian, Waterloo Library (UK)

  Crossing the Wide Forever

  “Crossing the Wide Forever is a near-heroic love story set in an epic time, told with almost lyrical prose. Words on the page will carry the reader, along with the main characters, back into history and into adventure. It’s a tale that’s easy to read, with enchanting main characters, despicable villains, and supportive friendships, producing a fascinating account of passion and adventure.”—Lambda Literary Review

  Birthright

  “The author develops a world that has a medieval feeling, complete with monasteries and vassal farmers, while also being a place and time where a lesbian relationship is just as legitimate and open as a heterosexual one. This kept pleasantly surprising me throughout my reading of the book. The adventure part of the story was fun, including traveling across kingdoms, on “wind-ships” across deserts, and plenty of sword fighting. …This book is worth reading for its fantasy world alone. In our world, where those in the LGBTQ communities still often face derision, prejudice, and danger for living and loving openly, being immersed in a world where the Queen can openly love another woman is a refreshing break from reality.”—Amanda Chapman, Librarian, Davisville Free Library (RI)

  “Birthright by Missouri Vaun is one of the smoothest reads I’ve had my hands on in a long time.”—Lesbian Review

  The Time Before Now

  “[The Time Before Now] is just so good. Vaun’s character work in this novel is flawless. She told a compelling story about a person so real you could just about reach out and touch her.”—Lesbian Review

  The Ground Beneath

  “One of my favourite things about Missouri Vaun’s writing is her ability to write the attraction between two women. Somehow she manages to get that twinkle in the stomach just right and she makes me feel as if I am falling in love with my wife all over again.”—Lesbian Review

  All Things Rise

  “The futuristic world that author Missouri Vaun has brought to life is as interesting as it is plausible. The sci-fi aspect, though, is not hard-core which makes for easy reading and understanding of the technology prevalent in the cloud cities. …[T]he focus was really on the dynamics of the characters especially Cole, Ava and Audrey—whether they were interacting on the ground or above the clouds. From the first page to the last, the writing was just perfect.”—AoBibliosphere

  “This is a lovely little Sci-Fi romance, well worth a read for anyone looking for something different. I will be keeping an eye out for future works by Missouri Vaun.”—Lesbian Review

  “Simply put, this book is easy to love. Everything about it makes for a wonderful read and re-read. I was able to go on a journey with these characters, an emotional, internal journey where I was able to take a look at the fact that while society and technology can change vastly until almost nothing remains the same, there are some fundamentals that never change, like hope, the raw emotion of human nature, and the far reaching search for the person who is able to soothe the fire in our souls with the love in theirs.”—Roses and Whimsy

  Writing as Paige Braddock

  Jane’s World and the Case of the Mail Order Bride

  “This is such a quirky, sweet novel with a cast of memorable characters. It has laugh out loud moments and will leave you feeling charmed.”—Lesbian Review

  The Sea Within

  Brought to you by

  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.

  The Sea Within
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  © 2020 By Missouri Vaun. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-569-1

  This Electronic Original Is Published By

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Edition: October 2020

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editor: Cindy Cresap

  Production Design: Susan Ramundo

  Cover Design By Sheri ([email protected])

  Cover Photo By Michael Ryan

  eBook Design By Toni Whitaker

  By the Author

  All Things Rise

  The Time Before Now

  The Ground Beneath

  Whiskey Sunrise

  Valley of Fire

  Death by Cocktail Straw

  One More Reason to Leave Orlando

  Smothered and Covered

  Privacy Glass

  Birthright

  Crossing the Wide Forever

  Love at Cooper’s Creek

  Take My Hand

  Proxima Five

  Spencer’s Cove

  Chasing Sunset

  The Sea Within

  Writing as Paige Braddock:

  Jane’s World: The Case of the Mail Order Bride

  Acknowledgments

  This story was written months before the pandemic. There are threads in this novel that seem eerily similar to what we’re experiencing now, but not quite the same. I fought the urge to go back and add details that one could only know from experiencing the rapid spread of a novel virus, but I didn’t. Because this is a story of another time, an imagined future Earth, where humans face still more challenges. Even still, hope remains and even triumphs.

  Special thanks go out to Dr. Kristy Miller who helped me figure out what California was like long, long ago. And a big thank you to Jenny for beta reading an early draft and offering great notes about some of the San Francisco Bay Area details. Local librarian Rachel Icaza pointed me in the right direction for some valuable research. To my other beta readers, Alena and Vanessa, thank you for helping make the story stronger. Evelyn, you are so supportive and endlessly offer insights as I craft characters. I’m so lucky to have you in my life.

  I also want to thank the team at Bold Strokes Books. Rad, Sandy, Ruth, Carsen, and Cindy, you’re an amazing team to work with and I can’t say enough about how you’ve helped me grow as a writer. You guys are the best. Oh…and last, but certainly not least, thank you Michael Ryan for the amazing cover photo.

  Dedication

  To Evelyn

  Chapter One

  Rain pelted Jackson Drake as she ducked under the shallow overhang and waited for the doorman. Actually, the beefy guy was more of a bouncer than a doorman. The Green Club wasn’t a dive, but it wasn’t exactly sophisticated either. This place had more of a clubby vibe. Darkness had descended a couple of hours earlier and it wasn’t much brighter inside. She flashed an ID and handed her soaked overcoat to a willowy young woman at the coat check counter. The woman had to use both hands to manage the weight of the waterlogged overcoat.

  Jackson swept her hand across the soft stubble of her close-cropped hair and shook the droplets from her fingers. Damn, she was sick of the weather. Erratic weather had become a constant. She’d taken an oath to protect and defend. That used to mean from foreign threats; now the weather itself was a threat and the military spent most of its time managing climate fallout, including rescues and displaced people.

  The Green Club was pretty full for midweek. Jackson paused in the entryway and scanned the room. Most of her friends preferred the ease of apps like AltLuv for hookups, but not Jackson. An app couldn’t tell you everything; the subtleties were what mattered to her. The scent of a woman’s hair, the casual caress of fingertips along your arm, and the intangible unknowns of possibility. Besides, to utilize an app or a larger VR space like New Life required building a digital profile, something she didn’t have the luxury of doing. Virtual reality didn’t really work for Jackson. She craved the real thing. The evenings when she ventured out for companionship were rare anyway. When she got to the point where the ache, the loneliness, kept her from sleeping, eating, or became a dangerous distraction, then she knew she had to take action. So, here she was. Out in the real world, where anything could happen.

  Jackson usually liked to play a game with herself. She’d identify the most beautiful woman in the club and challenge herself to win the woman over for the night. Her success rate hovered very close to one hundred percent.

  A small dance floor in the center of the room was packed. It was the only well-lit spot in the club, ringed by small tables and booths around the darker edges of the room. A strobe bounced circles of light across the patrons in random patterns and then, just as quickly, left them in the dark. Jackson waited for her eyes to adjust.

  The music was pulsing, and a woman touched her arm as she slid past in the crowded space. Jackson smiled but didn’t engage. There were other potential candidates, but she was looking for a certain—something. As she rotated her head to slowly sweep the room, one woman in particular came into focus. Her target was at the bar. Shoulder-length dark hair with girlish curves. Her attire was casually elegant. This candidate required reconnaissance. The woman glanced toward the door and she locked eyes for a moment and lingered before redirecting her gaze.

  Promising.

  A middle-aged fashion butch in a dark suit occupied the stool next to the woman, but it would only take a moment to remove that obstacle. Jackson crossed the crowded room, ignoring the women who attempted to catch her attention as she wove through them. Her focus was singular.

  “You’re in my seat.” Jackson towered over the dark-suited butch.

  “This isn’t your—” She rotated, possibly to start something, but then her gaze angled up.

  “Do I know you?” Jackson knew she’d never met the woman.

  “I don’t think so. Listen, I’m sure you can find another seat at the bar.”

  “But this is my seat, and you’re in it.” She wasn’t really in the mood to negotiate. She was aware that the woman seated next to Fashion Butch was watching, but Jackson didn’t look in her direction. This wasn’t about her—yet.

  The butch woman slid from the stool. She opened her mouth to speak.

  “Don’t forget your drink.” It was obvious that it hadn’t been her intention to vacate her seat permanently. She’d probably only stood up to face Jackson, albeit from a much lower elevation. But now that short, dark, and clueless was on her feet, Jackson handed her the drink.

  The woman scowled as she accepted the glass.

  Jackson casually occupied the now vacant stool at the bar as if it had been her seat all along. She waited until the woman walked away and was swallowed up by the crowd before she rotated. The androgynous bartender in a tight-fitting black T-shirt and jeans came over immediately.

  “I’ll take a whiskey, neat.” They started to walk away, and she called after. “Make it a double.” The bartender nodded.

  She sat, faced forward, and pretended not to care who was seated next to her. To her credit, the beautiful woman she’d homed in on said nothing. After a couple of minutes, the bartender returned with her drink. Jackson placed one palm flat on the glassy surface of the bar as she tasted the liquor. She held it on her tongue and exhaled after swallowing to allow the flavor to fill her senses.

  “How did you do that?” The woman’s words had a mellow, sexy timbre.

  “Do what?” Jackson still didn’t turn to look at her beautiful seatmate.

  “It took me twenty minutes to get a drink from them.”

  “I find that hard t
o believe.” Jackson arched an eyebrow and for the first time since taking her seat, made eye contact. The eyes that met hers were hazel, and her expression was soft and warm. Damn, this woman was checking off everything on Jackson’s list. And she didn’t seem to be swooning over Jackson’s aloof, power-butch performance, which made her even more alluring.

  “Jackson.” She didn’t usually give her full name and she wasn’t going to now, but she considered it. Something about this woman compelled disclosure, honesty.

  “Is Jackson a first or last name?”

  “Most people just call me Jackson.” A friendly, but vague response.

  “Eliza.” She air tipped her glass in Jackson’s direction. “My friends call me Elle.”

  Jackson imagined whispering Elle’s name in bed. She closed her eyes, picturing the scene, then nonchalantly checked the small metal coin that rested on the bar next to Elle’s cocktail napkin. The green side was up. Elle covered the dollar-sized disc with her hand.

  Green meant go; that’s the way this sex club worked. If someone was looking then the green side was up. If an advance was unwanted all the holder had to do was flip the coin to the red side. Green meant go, red meant no-go. This was an easy system. No harm, no foul, and no awkward conversations. Red meant the exchange was over. But Elle had covered the coin with her hand knowing that Jackson had already seen that it was green side up. What did that mean?

  Jackson’s coin was still in her pocket. She didn’t really need it if they played Elle’s. Having a coin meant they’d both paid the entrance fee to be there. The fee meant access to the rooms upstairs, the fee meant you were looking for a companion, or at least curious. This particular Green Club was known to be mostly lesbian, so it was Jackson’s favorite. It was a little bit out of the way, but usually worth the trek.