by Jaymin Eve
“I promise,” I said. “Unless we see a shark. It’s the one thing which has me wary in the ocean, and I usually bail.”
Xander’s eyes flicked down to my hand, which was curled in slightly at my side, the scar tissue tight tonight.
“You don’t have to worry about anything in the water while you’re with me. I’ll keep you safe.”
Then his face shuttered and he dived below before I could reply. As I followed, I really wished I knew what he was thinking, because for a moment there it almost looked like he cared.
Chapter 7
The moment the water closed over my head, waves pushing me back toward the shore, my night vision kicked in. Out of the water I saw maybe five percent better than most people, but under the water … everything was clear.
Spikes of moonlight lit up the landscape below. Xander took off, going deeper, and I followed as close as I could. Actually, I was pretty sure he was pacing himself, because I would never have been able to keep up with him at full speed. He’d already proven that by chasing me down yesterday.
The further we got out, the more marine life was around and the lighter my heart felt. As my body relaxed, I started to swim more freely. I didn’t call for the dolphins—they wouldn’t hear me from this distance anyway. I sent out my love for them though, hoping they’d sense the vibrations in the water. Water carried emotions and messages. I truly believed that.
A water bubble smashed into my face unexpectedly, and I would have screamed except I recognized the sensation from yesterday. This was one of Xander’s communication bubbles. The exprendo channel.
“Don’t be alarmed,” his deep voice echoed across the space around my head. “But there is a shark close by. Two, actually.”
The moment someone told me to “not be alarmed” was the exact moment I usually freaked out. A firm hand gripped my scarred one, and because I’d been expecting a shark attack, I let out a shriek and yanked myself free. In doing so, I broke the exprendo channel around my head.
Since I needed to breathe, I used the moment to power up to the surface, sucking in a deep breath before diving back below. My legs dangling while sharks patrolled underneath was one of my only irrational fears. Sharks did not usually attack humans; it was really rare actually, but ... I couldn’t help myself.
As soon as I was below again, I scanned the water, searching for the predator of the ocean, and saw nothing except a few butterfly fish, which I took as a good sign. They wouldn’t be hanging around if a great white was close by, so either the sharks were one of the less dangerous species, or they weren’t close anymore.
After another minute I calmed completely and started searching for Xander. He’d told me not to leave his side, and only ten minutes into the swim I’d already lost him.
Something grabbed my injured hand again, but this time I didn’t freak. There was no pain, and I recognized the feel of skin.
Xander.
He held my hand tightly, seemingly not put off by the scars and marks that defined the underside of my palm and wrist. I’d only dated a few times in my life, but more than once I’d had guys deliberately maneuver themselves so they were on the side to hold my “good” hand. I’d even had one say during dinner that I was “really hot, but the hand wigged him out.” His implication was that if I just got it fixed, I’d be perfect, and then he’d be interested.
I kicked his ass to the curb. My hand was not a goddamn flaw, it was a battle scar. I had to believe that, otherwise whatever shaky confidence I’d built would be lost and I’d succumb to the soul-sucking pressure humans felt to always look perfect.
I was not perfect. And that was okay.
Bubbles wrapped around my face again and the water drained out quickly. “I scared them away,” Xander told me, his husky voice bringing my body to attention in more ways than one. He might be a bastard, but he was a damn sexy bastard. Who clearly didn’t care about holding my hand. Because he still was.
“We should head back soon,” he added. “The others will be waiting for us.”
I wanted to protest. I wasn’t ready to leave the comfort of my ocean. Of my Hawaii.
I didn’t say that though, I just murmured, “Yeah, okay. Let’s head back.”
He hesitated, just briefly, then he pulled me a little closer, his features still distorted by the exprendo channels. “I promise I’ll take you swimming in the legreto of House of Royale. You’ll feel right at home. And … when this is all over, you can have one of my houses in Hawaii. You can come back here and live in your own place.”
That was so unexpected that I kind of gasped before slamming my lips together. “Why would you do that?” I choked out. “You don’t even like me.”
Xander pulled me closer again, our bodies only inches apart, drifting in the water together. “You’re part of our team,” he finally said. “I have more houses than I need. And … House of Royale looks after their members. You are one of us.”
A small sliver of disappointment hit me, and for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why. Xander had just offered me everything I’d ever wanted. My own place in Hawaii, freedom to surf and swim and live in my ocean, and yet … his reasoning bothered me.
“Thank you,” I told him, trying not to let that emotion into my words. “That’s probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said or done for me, but I wouldn’t feel right taking it from you.”
I pulled my hand from his, and turning around, broke my bubble and took off for the shore. We’d gone out further than I thought, and I had to surface twice for air before I made it back to the sandy beach. It was still very dark, but the air had the slight crispness to it that only came when nearing dawn.
I dragged myself up the sand, resting against it for a beat. I always did this, centering myself before returning to walking on legs. It was a hard transition. A warm body landed next to me and I turned my head to Xander, amazed to see the bubbles of water around his legs dissipate. He leaned back on the sand, his broad shoulders nudging against mine as he stretched. I felt energy trickle across his skin and into mine. The last of the bubbles faded away—
“Wait,” I whispered. “Your legs….”
They were joined, a fine webbing across the top, binding them all the way down to the feet.
“We’re like your merpeople,” he said, leaning up so he was sitting, or more like resting his weight back on both hands behind him. “I can switch between a ‘tail’ and legs.” I sensed the air quotes around the word tail and realized they probably didn’t call it that.
Before I could stop myself, I reached out to touch it. The bubbles were completely gone now, so I could see everything clearly. Just before I made contact, I realized what I was about to do, and jerked my hand back.
Xander actually chuckled, the sound low and heady, sliding across my senses. “You can touch me.”
Those words shot heat through every part of my body. His laughter cut off then and I wondered if he sensed my need—I was goddamn turned on right now and it was pissing me off, because he was an asshole. I was not one of those girls who thought she could change a man. That was too big a job for me. I preferred not to raise a man-child to try to turn him into a decent human.
Still….
A mermaid tail. It was my dream to be able to live in the ocean, and he was six and a half feet of sexy merman. Of course this would be an aphrodisiac for me.
Xander also seemed to have recovered from whatever softer emotions he’d been experiencing after our swim, and with his tail completely gone, and board shorts somehow back in place, he was on his feet and moving.
I reached his side pretty fast and he shot me a dark look—like he was pissed I’d caught him so quickly. I shrugged. “I have long legs, sue me.”
His gaze dragged up the length of my bare legs, his eyes darkening along with his expression.
“I have no idea what you’re babbling about, human.”
And we were back to the human thing. Before he could say another word, I reached out and wr
apped my hand around his wrist, yanking as hard as I could. That move was about as effective as trying to stop a truck with my hands, but it did get his attention. He halted, swiveling around to face me.
Before he could spit out whatever angry tirade was on the tip of his tongue, I poked him in the chest. He blinked a few times, looking down to where I’d poked. The look of pure astonishment on his face was almost comical. Clearly no one had ever jabbed him like that before.
“Firstly, I don’t babble,” I told him with barely contained loathing. “Secondly, you were glaring at me because I caught up to you so quickly. For whatever reason, you don’t like me. Which is fine.” I pulled my finger back, crossing my arms over my chest. “Not everyone likes everyone else, but you don’t have to be such a fucking asshole about it.”
His lips twitched. Minutely. So minutely I wondered if I’d imagined it. He took a step closer and I swallowed the sudden nerves filling my throat. I wasn’t used to people towering over me the way he did. Our bodies were almost touching; the heat coming from him was like an inferno. Was the heat an alien thing? Or a Xander thing?
“I don’t need any complications in my life…, human.” He deliberately dragged the human part out this time. “The rest of the secret keepers and overlords might have found their soulmate and perfect match in each other. But you and me, we are never going to be anything.”
I laughed. In his face. I couldn’t help it. Who did this arrogant piece of shit think he was?
Again he looked astonished, like I was just shocking him all over the place. The second my laughter cut off, I tilted my head back so that our eyes met. “If you were the last human on earth, I would not touch you.” I enunciated each word with care. “And considering you’re not even human, alien man, then I guess we have nothing to worry about. I’d prefer my kids don’t come out as little green mutants.”
Then, with one final eyebrow raise in his direction, I spun on my foot and hightailed it back to the house. My face was flaming. I was so angry that I wasn’t sure I could contain it. I had this insane urge to punch a wall or something, which was totally not my usual way of handling things. People who lived by the ocean and surfed, especially Hawaiians, tended to just go with the flow. I always thought that was my personality type as well … but I could have stabbed Xander to death and not lost a minute of sleep over it.
Not one minute.
By the time I stomped to the house, my anger had only increased. It might have set in permanently at this stage. Of course, when I got up there, I couldn’t remember the code I had been given last night, so I had to wait for the dumbshit to open the door. Xander breezed by like he didn’t have a care in the world. Meanwhile, I was trying to decide which part of his body looked the easiest to stick the knife in.
Probably the throat. I could just slam it right in and he’d be dead.
Holy shit. I was losing my mind.
No dude was worth going to prison over, even an alien dude. So I would just have to suck this anger down and deal with him until the crisis was over. Back in the main section of the safe house, I could hear the others moving around. I quickly gathered up my borrowed pants again and hurried toward the bathroom. Emma popped out of her room just before I shut the door.
She was dressed in jeans and a white shirt, Converse on her feet. She blinked at the wet state of me; a small smile lifted her cheeks. “Do you need some clothes?” she asked.
I let out a sigh of relief that she hadn’t pressed me on where I’d been. No doubt she could put the clues together and figure it out.
“That would be great, if you have something that might fit me?”
“Callie should have something,” Emma said. “You can start your shower. I’ll drop them at the door.”
Just as I shifted back to shut the door, she added, “There is a new toothbrush and some makeup and other bits and pieces for you in the top drawer. They have these safe houses stocked up.”
Gratitude hit me hard. “Thank you,” I murmured. “I’m really happy to have met you and the other girls.”
Her eyes lit up. “Same. I feel complete now,” she said with a breathtaking grin. “Our family is complete.”
With a wink, she spun and hurried off in the direction of Callie’s room. I took the quickest shower in history, and when I stepped out I wrapped the towel around me and brushed my teeth first. I never used makeup; no point when I was in the ocean so much. Luckily my skin was tanned, my eyelashes and brows really dark, and no one really cared what you looked like when you had sparkly gray hair.
So this was as good as I was getting.
Emma was true to her word, leaving a small pile of clothes on the other side of the door. There was new underwear—with tags—along with black leggings and a white shirt. I shrugged them on, and while the pants and shirt were a little short, baring my ankles and stomach, they fit well enough. I didn’t have shoes, and there was no time for me to grab my Converse, left at the lifeguard station in my bag, so I’d just have to go barefoot.
Going barefoot didn’t bother me. Shoes were useless for someone who was mostly in the ocean. But I did find it amusing that the only pair of shoes I had ever owned were Chucks, and that they also appeared to be the shoe of choice for the secret keepers.
Everyone was in the surveillance room again. Xander, Daniel, Chase, and Lexen appeared to be in the middle of a serious conversation.
“They’re figuring out the best way to get the helicopter out to take us to the airport,” Maya whispered to me when I sidled closer. “It’s noisy, and if Laous is monitoring the airways for traffic, then it’s going to be very obvious.”
She had a point. “He’s probably staking out the airports as well,” I suggested, thinking that’s exactly what I would have done. Why bother hunting us down; eventually we’d come to him.
“We’re not using the same airport as last time,” Daniel said, turning from where he was speed-typing into one of the computers. “We’re taking the boat out first, then a helicopter, then the private plane. We’re going to do everything we can to confuse the trail.”
“He’s going to know we’re heading for Overworld, though, isn’t he?” Callie asked, leaning back against a nearby wall. I hadn’t had a chance to see her this morning until now, and she was very pale. Her lips were almost colorless.
She looked ill, like a bad case of the flu had hit her. Before I could say anything though, Daniel rose from his spot at the table and in two long strides moved to her side. His arms were around her in a flash and Callie sagged against him. She dropped her head onto his chest, and as she closed her eyes some pink came back into her face.
“He will know, which is good because we don’t want him to attack Hawaii,” he said. “But we want to make sure we can get away without any bloodshed as well. This is the dilemma.” He dropped a kiss on Callie’s head, before turning to us. “We can’t waste any more time. Callie has been away from House of Imperial for too long. Her energy is fading.”
“Your energy is keeping her steady, right?” Emma asked with urgency. “Because the plane ride is at least six hours back.”
Daniel nodded, although the worry in his gaze did not lessen. “She will make it. I’m sharing energy with her right now, but … we don’t have time to waste.”
That really shook everyone into action. Lexen got off the phone, as did Xander, both of them declaring that everything was set up for all of our transports.
Then we were off.
I wasn’t sure it was a conscious thing or not, but the overlords kind of shuffled the four girls into the center, spreading out around us. Callie ended up between me and Emma. We both reached out to wrap an arm around her because she still looked wobbly. She leaned on me more than I expected she was comfortable with. As we moved Daniel kept shooting worried eyes at his mate, but she just waved him away when he tried to take her back into his arms.
“I’m fine, you do your overprotective thing keeping all of us safe. My girls have me.”
My che
st hurt then, emotion so strong it was painful. This was what a family felt like. This was what it felt like to be relied on. Being relied on might not sound that brilliant, but it came with the stipulation that I could rely on others as well. Now that … that was my idea of amazing.
The boat was not where we left it yesterday; someone had moved it to a nearby marina. I helped Callie, practically carrying her, until she collapsed against Daniel’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and again this seemed to send some relief and energy through her.
Xander was the driver, comfortable behind the wheel of the marine craft. The engines seemed extra loud in the early morning silence, and in no time we were moving across the water.
Step one was complete. Hopefully the next two legs of the journey would go as smoothly.
Chapter 8
The helicopter was not waiting in a nice, open, easy to access sort of area. Once we were off the boat, we had to cross about two miles through a pocket of forest. I worried about Callie, but she kept up without fuss. I wasn’t the only one shooting her concerned glances; she just wrinkled her nose at us.
“I’m fine,” she repeated more than once.
I was distracted when we reached the helicopter. I’d never been close to anything like it—it was like a large beast, sending plumes of leaves and dust flying as the blades rotated. I didn’t know who the pilot was, but clearly he worked for one of the overlords. Xander maybe, because he greeted him like an old friend.
“Tommy, thanks for getting this all set up so quickly for us,” I heard him say over the racket.
We were all given protective headwear and then buckled into seats. The pilot wasted no time getting us into the air, and I was enthralled by the sight of the land growing smaller below us—while also trying not to vomit since I wasn’t exactly used to flying.
I wasn’t sure how the headsets worked, so I didn’t try to talk. I just let the million thoughts in my head go free. A lot had happened in the last two days, starting with my rescue of Maya in the water. But for some unexplained reason none of it felt weird.
