Eina clenched her teeth. If she’d known they would take so long to use their leverage, she might never have brought Leo home. In fact, she was beginning to regret the whole venture. He didn’t deserve to be chained to that tiny little island.
She’d checked in on him last night before leaving to meet the troll. He’d been well on his way to building his shelter from the sun. She still felt guilty about that form of punishment. The ring hung from a delicate silver chain around her neck, a reminder of how far she’d gone to further her sisters’ kingdom. She was in so deep, she wondered if she could ever get out.
Leo probably hated her now. He’d never talk to her in the same open, carefree way. She’d miss that. But sacrifices had to be made in the pursuit of freedom. And she had to do what was best for her colony—even if that meant never seeing a glimpse of that dimpled smile again. The thought made her heart ache.
“I’d better go check on the prisoner then,” she said with a sigh, tucking the bags under her elbow. “Give him the update.”
Cascade shot up in the water, twirling as she went, until her tiny body was eye-to-eye with the mermaid. “How well does a vampire weather storms?”
Eina shot the flighty little creature a confused look. “Pretty well, I suppose. He is undead. A little rain won’t hurt him.”
She nodded and somersaulted slowly. “That is good. A storm went through while you were gone last night. I imagine that if he didn’t blow away, he’s probably quite wind-blown this morning.”
Eina gasped and stared up in the direction of the surface. She hadn’t expected a storm, but they could get nasty this time of year. She’d been too distracted by her desire to impress her sisters to feel the warning on the sea’s currents. And because of that nasty troll, her return had been far later than she’d expected.
If Leo’s shelter had blown away last night, he was a sitting duck for the sun’s rays. He’d burst into ashes as soon as they spilled across his handsome face. She clutched the ring around her neck and exhaled in fright. This was his only form of protection and she’d taken it away. If any harm had fallen to him, it was all her fault. She couldn’t bear to think of what waited for her above on that death trap of an island.
Without so much as a goodbye for her friend, she sped toward the surface, her heart threatening to burst from her chest. She’d been so stupid. How could she play with someone’s life like that? It had become clear several days ago that he wasn’t the unfeeling monster she’d imagined him to be. Instead, she’d turned out to be the monster.
Her whole body shuddered with self-loathing.
Her head burst through the surface of the water not far from the island. One glance at the tiny spot of land made her gasp. A storm certainly had gone through while she’d been away. It looked like someone had taken a giant machete to the sparse vegetation on the island and hacked it to pieces. No sign of the vampire as of yet. But the morning sun had already scaled the sky and targeted the island with its unforgiving rays.
She sped toward the beach, transforming her human legs in record time. Dropping the bags on the beach, she sprinted inland and searched desperately for any sign of Leo. In her heart, she knew he had to still be alive. She refused to listen to the voice in her head that told her she should be looking for a pile of ashes.
“Leo! Where are you? Talk to me.”
Her voice shook with emotion as she searched under the devastation. A few trees remained standing, but most of it had collapsed in messy, waterlogged piles. She stepped on a branch and cried out as it cut deep into her foot. There was no time to examine it. She had to find him.
“Leo!”
A stifled groan came from up ahead. For a moment, Eina thought she’d imagined it. But then it came again and she rushed forward, diving into a pile of trees and brush. She removed a branch and heard a hissing sound as something scrambled deeper into the shadows. Kneeling down to get a better look, she felt sweet relief course through her veins.
Leo was huddled beneath the mess. Gone was the suave, charming man she’d come to know. In his place was a mud-smeared animalistic creature, his eyes wide and unseeing. He hissed again when a ray of sun hit his bare foot and issued a sizzling burn across his pale skin. Eina rushed to readjust the brush so that he wouldn’t be hurt.
“Oh, Leo.” Her voice trembled as she spoke his name. He didn’t seem to recognize her. “It’s me, Eina. I’m here.”
He pushed back even further into the wet mess and the sharp, broken branches scraped against his bare arms and legs. Eina crept in slowly on her knees. She couldn’t be sure what she was dealing with here, but she knew she had to give him his ring back as soon as possible.
“Put this on.” She yanked the ring off her necklace and held it out to him.
He stared down at the ground, shuddering. She crawled closer until she was next to him. The smell of dirt, sea water, and fear hit her nose. She fought back tears as she gently took his hand and placed the small golden band on his right pointer finger.
“Oh, Leo, I’m so sorry. I never should’ve taken it.”
She pulled his stiff body into an embrace and laid his head on her chest. Small sobs wracked her body. All the fear and anxiety of the last few minutes had faded, but in its place she’d been left with emotion too strong to keep in. It left her body in salty tears running down her face and in a gasping, ragged breath. She clung to his shoulders, clutching him tight, as if she were afraid he would never recover.
They sat like that for what seemed like an hour. Eventually, her sobs subsided and she rubbed away the remaining tears. Leo had relaxed in her arms, his chest rising and falling in steady breaths. She’d assumed he’d fallen asleep, so when he spoke for the first time, a feeling of dread shot through her.
“What happened?” His voice was deep and gravelly. She felt him tense, but he didn’t pull away.
“My stupid pride happened,” she replied, fresh tears springing to her eyes. “I never should’ve taken your ring. When I got back this morning and heard about the storm, I raced here to find you.”
He gently disengaged himself from her arms and gazed into her face, doubt flashing in his eyes. “You were worried about me?”
“Of course, I was.” She made a face and swallowed down the lump that had formed in her throat. “I never wanted to hurt you.”
There was a glimmer of understanding in Leo’s eyes. He studied her face for a long moment, his jaw flexing as his mind seemed to work through all that had happened in the past few days. Finally, he looked down and reached out to gently touch the wound on her foot. She inhaled sharply, not sure whether it was the pain of the cut or the feel of his fingertips on her skin that made her react.
“Eina, you’re hurt.”
He pulled away enough to look into her eyes. Surprisingly, she didn’t see hate or resentment there. Only concern for her.
“It’s just a cut.” She swallowed the lump that remained in her throat. “Are you okay?”
“I think I’ll live.” He gave her a weak smile and her heart thrilled at the hint of dimples on his cheeks. “It was touch and go there for a little while, shark bait. But I’m glad you came to my rescue.”
She laughed as tears sprang to her eyes once again. How could she be so foolish? She had no right to hold him captive. He was a man. An undead, immortal vampire, but still a man. She was ashamed of what she’d done. What she’d become.
She had to make things right.
“You’re going home,” she announced, pushing the branches aside so that sunlight streamed through the holes. “Now.”
Leo stood and offered her a hand. She took it and he pulled her toward him until they stood inches apart.
“Why? Have the rest of the mermaids decided to let me go?” His forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Has my brother agreed to your terms?”
“No.” She shook her dark hair and set her mouth in a grim frown. “I don’t care what they decide. You need to be set free. This has gone too far. I never should’ve gamble
d with your life.” Her chin trembled as she looked up at him through her lashes. “I’d never forgive myself if something had happened to you.”
Understanding reflected in his eyes. He grasped her upper arms and opened his mouth as if to say something. Words seemed to escape him. He clenched his jaw and instead pulled her closer until his hard body pressed against hers.
She tilted her head up and gazed at his lips. A series of emotions rushed through her. Shame for her actions, loyalty to the sisters who had raised her, a desire to have her voice heard, and forbidden feelings for the man standing in front of her. She shuddered as the emotions battled for purchase inside of her.
“Eina, I feel like I need to tell you...” Leo seemed at battle with his emotions. His eyes flashed. “I’ve never felt this way before...”
Alarm coursed through her. He was about to say something he couldn’t take back. And with those words, these feelings she was fighting were about to become real. There would be no hiding from them. She couldn’t let that happen. She was loyal to her colony and to her sisters. If he said anymore, those loyalties could go up in flames.
She lowered her head and pushed away from him, instantly missing his touch. “We should go.”
She turned toward the water’s edge and walked a few steps. When she didn’t hear him following, she stopped to look over her shoulder. He stood in the same spot she’d left him, his eyes trained on her back.
“You’d really do this? Give up your leverage. Possibly lose your colony.” He tilted his head to one side. “For me? A monster?”
She nodded and stuck out her chin. It was time to make it up to him. “Yes. And I don’t think you’re a monster, Leo. I’m sorry for ever thinking that in the first place. I was wrong. So very wrong.”
His amber eyes flashed with an emotion she couldn’t pinpoint. He stepped closer and sucked in his cheeks. “You know, if you really wanted to get my brother’s attention, you should’ve stuck to something heroically boring. Like building a soup kitchen for the poor or world peace.”
She gave a soft laugh, pain lancing through her heart. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that now.”
He bit his bottom lip and narrowed his eyes. An idea seemed to be working its way through his head. Lost in thought, he closed the distance between them and took her hands in his. Eina felt a thrill go through her as he rubbed his thumbs gently across her wrists.
“What if it’s not too late?” He gazed down at her navel, not really seeing her. “What if there’s another solution? Something that’s guaranteed to get his attention?”
She shook her head. There couldn’t be anything in the world that would make the King of Vampires forgive her for nearly turning his brother to ashes. Just as she could never forgive herself.
“What could possibly be that heroically boring?” A sad grin tugged at the corner of her mouth.
“Something that promises to be highly dangerous and very smelly.” His gaze searched her face, a teasing smile lighting up his eyes. “Do you trust me?”
A tiny line appeared between her eyebrows as she smiled incredulously at him. She couldn’t begin to guess what he had in mind, but she couldn’t say no to the Vampire Prince.
“I trust you.” She tightened her grips on his hands. “Show me what to do.”
Chapter Ten
Leo wanted to kiss the shores of Monstrana and every tree in sight. Eina had swam them the whole way there and managed to find a secluded rocky shoreline. She transformed to her human legs and followed him through a cropping of trees until a small town came into view.
“Leo.” Eina grasped his arm when she spotted a few people walking on the street. Fear quaked in her voice. “Are those werewolves? Should we be in their town?”
“It’s okay.” He placed a hand over hers and smiled down at her. “No one is going to hurt you. But I have to make a call.”
Her dark gaze flitted to his and instantly, the tension melted from her face. She had a long way to go to trust the supernatural world, but she trusted him. That was a start. He didn’t want to let her down.
Despite the fact that she’d kidnapped him and nearly gotten him burnt to ashes, it was obvious she’d changed her mind about him. The sorrow in her face as she held him tight had told him as much. It had stirred strange feelings inside his vampire soul.
He felt a connection to the beauty standing next to him. It was something deeper than physical attraction. A desperate need to care for her, please her, and have her near. He’d never felt that way before now. It thrilled and frightened him at the same time.
He led her into town, her arm tucked under his the whole time as an added measure of comfort. When they walked into the small gas station on the corner, the cashier behind the counter gave them only the briefest of strange looks from behind his newspaper. He didn’t blame the man. Eina was barefoot in her shimmery dress and he still wore the tattered remains of his tux. They probably looked homeless.
“May we use your phone?” he asked the cashier.
The man didn’t look up from the sport’s section, but pointed over his shoulder. “Sure. Make it fast.”
Leo cradled the phone against his ear and dialed the phone number he knew by heart. Eina bounced on the balls of her feet, eyeing the cashier nervously, as if she expected him to sprout vicious canines and fur at any moment. After three rings, the line picked up and a familiar purr came through the phone.
“Rod? It’s Leo. Don’t tell anyone it’s me. I’ve got something I need you to do for me.”
The cat hissed in excitement and then spoke quietly. “Prince Leo? Where are you? Tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. I’m in Monstrana.” He smiled at the concern thick in Rodrigo’s voice. He’d been the one to insist the cat get his own phone and learn how to use it, thumbs or not. “Miss me, or something?”
“Pssh,” the cat huffed. “Life is much easier when you’re not dragging me to illicit poker games every night.”
“You mean boring, Rod.” Leo grinned. “But listen, I need you to do me a favor. Don’t tell anyone, especially my brother. I want you to grab me a fresh change of clothes and that stack of files Viktor left on my desk last week.” He looked down at Eina’s bare feet and frowned. “Oh, and a woman’s pair of hiking boots, size six.”
“Are you certain, sire?” Rodrigo whispered low into the phone. “Your grandmother’s in a state. Your brother has the entire guard looking for you. It would be a comfort for them to know you’re alive and well.”
“They’ll have to hold on a little while longer, I’m afraid,” Leo said glancing at the mermaid next to him. She was watching him with as much trust as anyone had ever given him. “I’ve got something important I need to do before I can return home.”
He sighed. “If you really think that is best, sire. Where do you wish to meet?”
Leo gave him the location and then led Eina down the street to a city park. She perched herself on one of the swings and he took the one next to her. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Eina kicked her feet at the wood chips below and began to swing.
“Did you know they have these in human parks, too?” She swung her legs, pumping higher. “I got to visit one in Alaska once with my best friend, Cascade. It was the middle of the night, but we still had fun.”
Leo smiled at her and grasped the chains of his swing. “Yes, I did. My grandfather wanted Monstrana to resemble much of the modern world with all the comforts of home for our supernatural residents. I thought it silly at the time, but now I understand the appeal.”
“You’ve been all over the world, haven’t you?” She dug her feet into the ground to stop her motion and face him. Awe crossed her face. “I’ve always dreamed of going to Paris. Sounds like a magical place.”
The left side of Leo’s mouth twitched. When she wasn’t trying to be his prison guard, she had an endearing childlike enthusiasm.
“Seven hundred years gives you a lot of time to travel the world. Not that I ever appre
ciated it.”
He thought about all the times he’d reluctantly gone on his grandfather’s missions to foreign countries and taken every opportunity to shirk his responsibilities. Viktor hadn’t been that way. He was steady and focused in his new role as king, ready to make a difference in the world. Just like Eina. They both deserved better from him.
“Any chance I can convince you to stay with Rodrigo and let me handle this?” He watched her out of the corner of his eye and snorted when she wrinkled up her face in disgust. It was cute.
“Not a chance.” She firmly set her jaw. “Where you go, I go.”
Despite his apprehension, warmth filled his gut at her words. “Very well. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Her lips pressed into a pleased smile and he so desperately wanted to jump from his swing and take her into his arms. He would’ve liked to feel her soft skin beneath his lips, trace the curve of her mouth with his fingertips.
But just as she had pulled away from him on the island, he withdrew his desires and instead focused on the sound of her beating heart. It was a glorious noise, one that he could never tire of. It had brought him back from the depths of his terror when she found him huddled beneath the brambles. Leaning on her chest, he’d soaked in the sound and allowed it to penetrate his panic and bring him back to earth.
They loitered in the park an hour longer before Rodrigo showed up in a sleek black Lincoln car. He hopped out of the back seat, gave Leo and Eina a sideways glance then arched his back in a lazy stretch.
“Your required items are inside. I’ve sworn the driver to secrecy,” he said with a low purr. “He’s frightened that I’m going to use him as a scratching post.”
Leo chuckled. “Glad to see you, too, Rodrigo.”
They piled in the back seat and Leo directed the driver toward Noctis Mountain, where their target awaited. He fielded a thousand questions from his assistant along the way, all of which he answered with a dimpled grin. Finally, the cat gave up with a sigh and turned to Eina.
Something Fishy About Love: Vampire & Mermaid Romance (A Monstrana Paranormal Romance Book 3) Page 6
