by Anne Bourne
“What?” he hissed, keeping an eye on Muriel, who did the same inspection of the room as Ephyra had. Gabriel felt something in his breast tighten.
“What are you doing! Do you know this woman?” Marcus whispered urgently.
“I know her friend. The mermaid, okay?”
“You said you lost her.”
“She left me.”
Marcus laughed. “That’s a first.”
“Shut up.”
“I have an idea.” Gabriel went to stand in front of Muriel, who was gazing through the glass as if she’d never seen the ocean before. Or, perhaps, she’d just never seen it from this side.
“I know Ephyra’s a mermaid, I didn’t want to believe it but now she’s in more danger because she left me and might run into people who won’t be as nice as I am.” Gabriel left the threat open ended.
He felt Muriel’s intense gaze, as if she were reading his thoughts. She put a hand to his chest and he instinctively backed away. She smiled up at him.
“What is your name?”
“Gabriel.”
“I think you have more than a kind interest in her,” Muriel said with a laugh.
Gabriel saw his brother smother a grin and a cough.
“I don’t think that matters. You two don’t get the danger you’re in here.”
Muriel just smiled at him and nodded. “I will help you.”
Chapter Fifteen
Ephyra wandered listlessly along the streets, not caring that her hair was tangled or if there was dirt on her face. She had combed as much of the city as she could looking for anything to tell her how to find a champion.
She found herself now wandering back at the shoreline with the waves crashing along the sand. Twilight had set in a dying blaze of light. Clouds marred the fading light and streaked across the sky like phantoms. Ephyra tried not to feel homesick. She wondered if her parents could see her from the afterlife. She wished they were here now to help. Her time was running out and she was upset that all she’d done was fall in love with a man who could never be with her. Had she just thought love? She sighed.
A familiar figure was walking along the beach ahead and Ephyra almost fainted. Muriel? She called out to her but the woman continued walking until she was joined by a tall man with blond hair. Ephyra began to run after the pair, certain it was her friend. People crowded her way as she ran forward.
She forced her legs to go faster but she wasn’t sure-footed enough yet to go very quickly. Ephyra tripped and fell into someone’s arms. She hadn’t even seen the man as he caught her. Something about the way he held her possessively made Ephyra shiver.
“Gabriel?” She looked up at piercing blue eyes that held a hard stare. Gulping, Ephyra glared back at him hoping it would make him back off.
Gabriel didn’t slacken his grip as he pulled her to the side of a grove of palm trees. It was growing darker as he pushed her up against a tree. The hum of insects assaulted their ears.
“Were you ever going to see if I made it out alive?” His voice was cold but Ephyra heard the hurt in it.
“I didn’t want to hurt you. You’d already helped,” she stammered. The pair was long gone and Ephyra sagged against the rough bark of the palm.
“Really. So I risked life and limb to save you for you to leave?” Gabriel leaned in closer and Ephyra could feel his warm breath on her cheek. She twisted sideways but he caught her. His grip burned like fire and he firmly held her without much effort. Ephyra glanced up again at his angled jaw and tight lips. She knew it wasn’t physicality that held her here.
“I needed to get out of the water.” It didn’t seem to appease him; she wondered what could.
Ephyra stilled in his arms as he leaned closer. She could smell his cologne mixed with the headiness of the sea. His white shirt had two buttons undone and she could almost see his heart beating. She certainly heard it. The air was inflamed with liquid heat. It was her turn to feel the breathless out of control fire that she had to acknowledge as passion.
“You kissed me without permission,” he said in a low growl and his lips came within a breath of her cheek. Ephyra felt a shiver go up and down her arms. She turned her head toward him this time.
She was painfully aware of his close proximity, how his chest breathed in and out. It touched hers, skimmed her breasts to make her feel warmth she’d never experienced. There was something in this human body that longed for release, for escape. Ephyra wasn’t sure what.
Gabriel thrust his hips into hers and locked her into place. Ephyra suddenly felt electricity shoot through her skin and between her legs. She saw his eyes roving hers, a wild excitement in them, a restraint he’d been keeping in check. He moved away and Ephyra didn’t like the coolness he left. She unconsciously moved toward him to bring him back and it was all the invitation Gabriel needed.
With a fierce, low groan he plunged onto her mouth, capturing her lips. Ephyra sighed and sank deeper into his body, feeling his muscles tighten. She moved her lips slightly to part them and felt his tongue reaching gently toward her. She was barely aware of the coarse bark of the palm against her back as his body pushed into her. Gabriel’s hands wound more tightly around her and the kiss deepened. Ephyra’s breath was gone, she couldn’t think straight, and her new legs gave out.
Gabriel laughed wickedly as he felt her weight crumble. He followed her to the ground and lay over her. Ephyra reached up to push at his chest but stopped when she felt his pulse there. It was right, it was simple.
“Unnhh.” Ephyra didn’t know what was raging inside her body but it was happening too fast.
Gabriel saw the fear on her face and instantly backed away. He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to snap himself out of the moment. A moment more and he’d have had her on the beach in front of who knew who was watching. He held out a hand to help her sit up. They sat facing each other for a silent minute.
“I don’t know why but I need to be with you. Don’t leave again,” Gabriel said softly.
Ephyra saw him smile through the dim light and the wind leafed through his hair like invisible fingers. The smells of sand, salt, and his cologne framed the perfect picture of his sharp profile.
“I can’t promise that but I’ll always say goodbye,” she said and wondered how much more she wanted to know. It wasn’t simply physical, her emotions felt as if they were in a riptide. She knew she couldn’t encourage this love, Gabriel could never be with her.
He seemed to accept her answer for now and led her toward the quiet ocean front café where Marcus and Muriel sat waiting patiently on the couple. Ephyra gave a shriek and the two hugged each other exuberantly.
“How did you get here?” Ephyra exclaimed and then glanced at Marcus.
“Ephyra,” she said and held out her hand to Marcus in an effort to uphold all human customs. He smiled widely at her.
“I’m Marcus, Gabe’s brother.”
Ephyra could see the Rayner resemblance in the startling blue eyes. Gabriel grabbed the chair next her at the small wooden table.
“I’m so glad you’re all right, my lady,” Muriel rushed ahead, her eyes never leaving Ephyra’s face.
“So, how is this form possible?” Ephyra asked curiously.
“Scyllane, of course. We found the blue moonstone,” Muriel said in a whisper and motioned to the necklace she wore. Ephyra gasped in delight.
“Erebos caught us though, and I’m afraid for Scyllane. I shouldn’t have left her but I needed to find you. We don’t have much time left, he’s destroying the realms and we need you to find the champion,” Muriel said as tears began trickling down her cheeks. She looked down in surprise.
Ephyra handed her a napkin. “It takes some getting used to,” she said gently. “I’m glad you’re here. Has Scyllane given any clues why I’m here? What champion could I possibly fi
nd on land?”
Gabriel and Marcus exchanged inquisitive looks with each other but remained silent, listening.
“Where is Jake?” Ephyra frowned, wondering why her friend would leave Muriel alone with the witch.
“He’s not here?” Muriel sighed. “Scyllane sent him to be with you so I thought you’d know.”
“Wait, there’s another naked mermaid, er, merman, out there?” Gabriel interjected.
“Jake was an orphan who warned my father of an attack. He’s lived in the palace with me ever since,” Ephyra explained. “We have to find him.”
“Excuse me, palace?” Gabriel asked in surprise. Ephyra grimaced. She had hoped he’s miss that word.
“My home,” she said hesitantly. “I’m the daughter of the late king.”
The silence was palpable.
“So you have ranks among mermaids?” Marcus asked abruptly and Gabriel continued to look shocked. Ephyra sent him a plea of understanding in her eyes and he ran a hand over his face, whether from embarrassment or anxiety she wasn’t sure. She could tell her being royalty had changed the way he looked at her but she desperately wanted it not too.
“We have a governing system like you do, but we grow to adulthood in about thirty years and then it slows. Our eldest is over six hundred years old,” Ephyra explained.
“Wow.” Marcus smiled and tapped his fingers on the table.
Ephyra noticed that though Marcus smiled, he seemed preoccupied and expressly interested in her. Sometimes she caught him staring at her as a young shark eyed a school of fish.
“We should find a different place to eat, I’m sorry, this is so backward,” Gabriel muttered and half stood. She placed a gentle hand on his and pulled him back down.
“I don’t need to be treated differently, please.”
Gabriel regarded her for a serious moment and then sighed. Ephyra was relieved that he didn’t move away but she could feel the uncertainty in him.
“So, we’re all on land,” Ephyra groaned. “That doesn’t help anyone in our realm.”
“We need to find Jake, he’ll know what to do,” Muriel said with a nod.
“Well, until such time, I think we should eat and then I need to run,” Marcus said vaguely.
Ephyra saw him glancing around nervously at the other patrons. She wondered what was making Gabriel’s brother so anxious. He seemed to be a polar opposite to his brother.
Then, a large posse of men approached their table and Ephyra felt a shiver go through Marcus.
Chapter Sixteen
The palace was just as he remembered it. Erebos trailed a hand along the alabaster decorations and the rock walls. Twisting halls and high ceilings ornately reined over the rooms. This room was his favorite, though. He entered the large, rocky cavern filled with slabs of stone, chains, weapons, and all sorts of restraining equipment. He was familiar with all of it because each piece had been used on him at one time or another. Now Erebos was the wielder and not the prisoner. He had heard rumors that the recently deceased king and queen banned this room. He shook his head at their stupidity. If the merfolk did not have a healthy fear, there would be no rule.
Erebos studied the witch’s prone body, her head sagged and the old scars covered by new wounds. What a waste. Scyllane was a talented mermaid but she had chosen to betray him.
“I know you have something that will let me find Ephyra. Is it this?” He held up a treasure box with ancient symbols.
Scyllane forced her head up and glared at him. He’d ransacked her cavern and brought her treasures to the torture room. There were several that contained magical powers. He watched her closely to see if anything sparked her interest.
“Then it’s worthless,” Erebos snarled and with a snap the box exploded.
“If it gives you pleasure to destroy my things, may I at least be offered a more comfortable seat to watch?” Scyllane hissed. She strained against the chains that held her like a crab trap. Her magic was waning with her strength.
“So you did bring her back,” a new, male voice interrupted them.
Erebos turned to see Sevag, his brother, entering. His long tail had only half a caudal fin and his scales were odd patches of gray and green. Sevag was truly an ugly beast.
“Of course I did,” Erebos said and clasped arms with his brother.
“Just like old times, huh, Scyllane?” Sevag swam close. Erebos always admired his brother’s penchant for invading others’ space — it stripped their comfort and often produced better results than outright torture. He also knew Sevag had an eye for whatever was his, including his mermaids.
“You’re prettier than I remember,” he whispered into Scyllane’s ear. She turned her head in disgust. Erebos could imagine his breath stunk of rotted fish.
“Lying son of a bitch,” she spat and flicked her tail so that it slapped his away.
Sevag laughed and turned to his brother.
“She still has that spark.”
“Indeed,” Erebos said and continued to sort through her stash of treasure.
“What do you need all her crap for?” Sevag asked as he touched the mirror. He held it up and studied his scarred face in its reflection.
“Humans have the greatest things,” he said giving himself a sharp-toothed grin.
“She uses something to spy on the realms and I need it to find Ephyra.” Erebos held up a glittering staff for Scyllane. She shook her head and the staff splintered.
“That little half-breed princess?” Sevag smiled. “Has she grown, now? I wonder how she turned out.”
“Nicely. I will give her a choice, Scyllane. Surely, you didn’t think I’d kill her without offering something for her life?”
Erebos saw his ex-mate eyeing his brother playing with the mirror intently. She turned to him with a sour expression.
“She won’t be your partner, and you’re wasting your time looking for her,” Scyllane said wearily.
“The lost mermaid princess goes down into legend, and I will be called tyrant? I think not,” Erebos said softly. “She will make history with me or die.”
Sevag lost interest in the mirror and leered at Scyllane and licked his lips. He sidled up to her again and ran a cold hand over her breast. Scyllane shifted, and he knew she was carefully stifling her fury.
“Do you think she’s still fertile?” Sevag asked his brother. He tossed the mirror to the side and Erebos saw Scyllane’s eyes track it.
“I don’t care, and I’m sorry I don’t,” he said. They had planned such a future together until the bitch betrayed him. He could feel her pain, too.
“I’ll check for you just in case.” Sevag leered at the witch.
“It matters not,” Erebos said.
For a moment he thought about stopping his brother. But the painful memory of his wife’s lies had killed his last desire for belief in innocence.
Erebos watched as Sevag took his time groping her body. His touch was gentle sometimes as he caressed Scyllane’s breasts and down her tail. Then in a terrifyingly slow pull he tugged her scales out. Scyllane muffled her screams, not giving him the pleasure. Erebos smiled sadly — she would have made the best queen.
Sevag finally grabbed her tail and peeled away the scales at a small spot. Scyllane writhed to get away, her cries now unleashed. He stuck a finger in the delicate pouch there and laughed.
“I’d hate for there to be more traitorous bitches made,” he said in a cruel whisper.
With agonizing slowness he dug his nails in the inside of her egg pouch. Scyllane screamed. Erebos felt breaking in some part of him he’d thought was dead. He left before he had to watch Sevag pop the eggs that came floating out. He swam hard and fast to get away from it.
Chapter Seventeen
“Marcus Rayner.”
Marcus beamed h
is best bullshitting smile at Perry Sanchez’s dark-skinned face. The drug boss was dressed in a lightweight suit with shiny shoes and three of his men behind him. They wore the same expression: causal, but effective, bodyguards.
“Good evening, Mr. Sanchez. I was just going to call you,” Marcus said with a nervous tick. He stood.
“And who are these enchanting young women? Manners, Marcus.”
Marcus wondered if his boss could detect at first glance how different they were, but he introduced them anyhow. The mermaids nodded at the acknowledgement, but quickly slid their gazes back to their plates. “Can I have word outside, sir?”
Marcus was relieved when Sanchez nodded and bade everyone a good evening before leaving the restaurant, never looking to make sure Marcus followed.
“You have found them?” Sanchez was always direct.
“No, sir. But — ”
“Red tells me you can find mermaids.”
“Umm … ”
Marcus tried to still his nervously tapping toes. The drug boss looked like a praying mantis sizing up his meal.
“But how much will I owe you to forget Red said that?”
Sanchez shook his head, his big hat bobbing. His men chuckled at Marcus’ nervousness.
“How much will you not like me if I dispose of your girl and your partner if I don’t see a mermaid?” Sanchez asked jovially.
Marcus sighed. He had seen the look on Gabriel’s face when he’d looked at Ephyra. There was no way he would convince him to even involve her in a plan with Sanchez.
“All right, tomorrow night, at the bay, okay?”
Sanchez smiled broadly and motioned for his men to move away with him.
Marcus glanced in the restaurant window and saw Muriel. Perhaps it was time to put his charm to the test.
Chapter Eighteen
Erebos finally went back to the torture cavern. He stared at his prisoner for with a heavy heart. He wanted to have Scyllane at his side, to remember the way she laughed at his wit. Instead, she watched him with murder in her eyes.
