by Anne Bourne
“My dad told me he’d seen a mermaid that day and this was his souvenir from the other world,” Gabriel said nostalgically.
“He was right,” she laughed.
Gabriel heard the doorbell ring and left Ephyra to answer it. His neighbor, a petite brunette was on his step. What was her name? He couldn’t remember.
“I thought you’d been back a while,” the woman was apologizing. “I didn’t realize it was just this afternoon!”
“Yep, just got back.” Gabriel felt Ephyra around the corner, listening. He didn’t want her to get the wrong impression.
“Well, I have some dinner in the oven if you want to eat in, say, an hour?” She smiled and wiggled her body closer.
“That’s great, but I’m sorry, I have some unpacking to do,” Gabriel said politely.
Kim, that was her name. Gabriel said goodbye and closed the door. He turned to Ephyra who was trying unsuccessfully to look neither jealous nor anxious.
“Sorry, that was my neighbor, Kim,” he explained.
“She seemed to like you. Will you take her for a mate?” Ephyra asked boldly.
Gabriel stood shocked for a moment and then he understood. Women, even half-human women, had the same tendencies.
“No. I don’t want her as my ‘mate,’” he said and tried not to smirk.
“Oh,” she said and turned away.
Gabriel milked the moment for a few seconds. Hadn’t she been the one to say they couldn’t be together?
“Well, maybe I can show you how humans pick a mate,” Gabriel said teasingly. “Would you like to go on a date tomorrow night?”
Ephyra swung around and her eyes sparkled.
“I’ve read about dates,” she said breathlessly. “They sound complicated. I don’t know if you’d like to go on a date with me.”
Gabriel laughed.
“There’s no one I’d rather go on one with. It’s kind of a human ritual to date first and usually sleep together later, I guess I rushed this.”
“I didn’t know there was a sequence, so it’s like a spell?” she asked.
“Kind of. I just meant that some human women prefer to know the guy they would sleep with beforehand.”
“This sleeping, this is what we did on the boat?”
“Um, yes,” Gabriel said and was very aware of the fact they were alone in his house. He turned and opened the fridge for something to do.
“Sour milk, some eggs, and gross looking salad. I think I should grocery shop,” he said with a sigh. He’d never been much of a cook himself and usually subsisted on spaghetti and frozen dinners.
“What is that?” Ephyra asked and peered into the fridge. She equated the refrigerator to the same kind of cold stones they had back home. It kept some of their food cool as well if they needed but most merfolk lived on live food.
“Big store filled with food. How about I leave you here for a couple hours and I’ll be back with the dog too.”
“Okay,” Ephyra agreed.
Gabriel showed her how to lock and unlock the door and turned on the TV. He smiled as he saw her dozing in front of it. She was already the picture of an American human. Too bad she couldn’t stay that way.
Chapter Thirty
Marcus stared pensively out the third floor window of a random hotel he’d booked under a different name. Rain splattered against the thick glass and he could feel the humidity even inside.
He turned back to Jane and saw her sleeping, her face at peace. Jake entered the room eerily quiet. The merman had been sullen but helpful in staying. Jake had kept an ear out for news of the drug dealers and took shifts guarding Jane. Marcus didn’t fool himself thinking Jake did it as a friend. He was probably just groping for an excuse to keep busy since Gabriel had whisked Ephyra away. It was clear his feelings for Ephyra went deeper than that of an old chum protecting a mermaid.
“He knows,” Jake said simply and went to the large picture window, raising the blinds.
“Who? Who knows what?” Marcus returned irritably.
“Erebos knows the princess is not in the ocean anymore.”
“Wait, princess?” Marcus stopped his pacing. “Ephyra is a princess?”
Jake turned to him slightly.
“She did not inform you.” It was a quizzical statement. “Yes, she is the daughter of two realms, her purpose to unite them. Erebos seeks to destroy this unity. He may be on land as we speak. How far is this place Gabriel has taken her?”
“Chicago is thousands of miles from here, nowhere near the ocean. That was the plan wasn’t it?” Marcus answered, his head spinning even more if that were possible.
Ephyra was a princess, a mermaid princess. He shook his head; he’d betrayed her friend, too. He was surprised she hadn’t struck him down yet.
“The water is rising. It will overtake the land,” Jake said matter of factly.
Marcus started with a jolt and ran to the window. He couldn’t see the ocean very well but the weather outside was normal thunderstorm commotion.
“Do you mind not panicking me like that?” he said darkly and checked Jane.
Her eyes were open and he came to her side.
“Hey, babe, how do you feel?” He tenderly touched her cheek. He felt wet moisture on his hand and saw she was tearing up.
“I shouldn’t have let you do that to her. I feel terrible,” Jane said miserably.
“Shhh, I know,” he soothed. Jake wondered if Muriel could ever forgive him.
“We need to get out of this place, because Jake says it will fall into the waves,” he said and held out a hand to help her up.
Jake gave them a hard look with his golden eyes.
“I don’t know how long Erebos can travel on land. He’ll take the ocean with him,” Jake said cryptically.
“Whatever. I don’t need to understand. What I need is a way to destroy this Egregious,” Marcus raked his hands through his hair in frustration.
“Erebos.” Jake smiled acerbically.
They looked out the window just as sirens started sounding. Jake covered his ears and grimaced. Marcus flipped the remote and aimed it at the TV. The weather station statically came to life and he saw harried reporters babbling about the storm.
“A hurricane warning has been issued for the following counties … ”
“Oh my God.” Marcus sighed. He heard the rain against the glass, only now it sounded like bullets trying to shatter it.
“Let’s get out of here. I’ll call Gabe and let him know that nowhere’s safe.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Dag bounded through the door and instantly circled his home, sniffing and wagging his tail like a humming bird’s wings. The yellow Lab found Ephyra instantly and she nearly jumped off the couch at his exuberant greeting.
“Dag, down!” Gabriel shoved the dog off. “Sorry, he’s harmless but a little excitable.”
Ephyra laughed at the dog’s curiosity, not unlike her own. He was just the thing to take her mind temporarily off the ticking time bomb that was her situation.
“Dag,” she said and the ears pricked up. His blocky face was riveted on hers and Gabriel smiled.
“What does he do?” she asked and Gabriel laughed. He unwrapped the raw steak from the package and opened a bag of frozen vegetables.
“Well, mostly he sleeps and plays with his ball,” Gabriel said fondly.
“So he doesn’t hunt for you or protect you?” Dag thrust his muzzle under her arm.
“Not really. He’ll bark at strangers but I think he’d just show a burglar the way in rather than attack him,” Gabriel joked. “Some people have dogs that do jobs like guarding and search and rescue but I just like Dag for company.”
“Oh, there are different races then,” she said with a nod.
“Sure, dogs come in all sizes and shapes like people or mermaids, I suppose.” He smiled at her and stirred the rice dish he was attempting to make. Gabriel had his cuts of steak ready to grill on his small patio that included a tie out for Dag.
Gabriel watched Ephyra, who watched the dog. He smiled as the Lab made a circle and flopped down on his bed by the TV. Ephyra was enthralled.
“Do you have pets back home?” Gabriel asked from the kitchen.
“Pets?”
“Like Dag. An animal that you just have with you.”
“Not exactly. Most of the sea life I know would follow me if I wanted but then they wouldn’t be living like they’re supposed to.”
“Well, tell me about the kinds of animals you get to talk to,” he suggested.
“I mostly enjoy speaking with whales, except orcas — they’re rather moody. I love the angelfish, butterfly fish, rock beauties … I don’t know what else you call some of them,” she said apologetically. “We try to study human terms and language but it’s difficult with limited resources.”
“I only know some names because of my father.”
“Does your mother also like the sea?”
“She does but I think it scares her, too,” he said ruefully.
“She sounds wise then,” Ephyra said. “Mermaids die all the time from natural causes in the water.”
“So, about land monsters,” Gabriel asked and put the lid on the pot. “I’m really not much help there.”
“I can’t figure it out either. Maybe Scyllane just wanted me to hide from Erebos.” Ephyra sighed.
Gabriel didn’t pry since she seemed apprehensive again. She was probably thinking about how to circumvent Erebos. He wished he were more help.
“We don’t have much time but we have some. We’ll find a way,” he said firmly.
He heard something about Miami on the TV, and Gabriel stepped out of the kitchen to turn up the volume.
“ … have declared a state of emergency. Citizens are advised to evacuate their homes … ” the reporter was saying, a frown on her pretty face.
“What happened? We were just there,” he said aghast. The damage showed trees knocked over, houses decimated and, worst of all, walls of water crashing over the shore.
Ephyra put her hands to her mouth, in shock.
“This is my fault! I have to go back, right now!” she cried and stood. Dag began barking at her and Gabriel shushed him.
“I thought we agreed it wasn’t safe.”
“It isn’t, but the only way to stop him is to surrender,” she told him, fear clouding her eyes. “Maybe I can offer him a bargain. He’ll drown the entire state, Gabriel.”
Gabriel looked at her skeptically.
“Let’s think about this,” he said, trying to calm her. “This is routine for them — residents in Florida are always prepared for hurricanes.” He sat her down and put her hand in his.
“You think is just a regular storm?”
They were interrupted by Gabriel’s phone. He flipped it open and heard Marcus’s voice covered with static.
“ … it’s getting bad here, I think you should bring her back. Jake says Erebos … do you believe … shit … ”
The line went dead. Gabriel sighed. It looked like his happy future wasn’t mean to be.
“That was Marcus. I think you’re right,” he told Ephyra and she looked up at him with soft eyes.
“Dammit, I was stupid to promise I could help you!” Gabriel looked around at his inadequate apartment and stupid meal. How was this helping solve the problem of a warlord hell bent on finding Ephyra?
“Gabriel, please stop,” Ephyra pleaded as she followed him into the kitchen.
He turned to her with bright eyes.
“You’ve helped more than you know. I just have to return to the sea and hope Erebos will accept a bargain.” She touched her lips softly to his.
Gabriel felt the familiar heat and it comforted him. She was all he wanted, royalty, mermaid or whatever. She was more than
Ephyra snuggled closer to him and Gabriel inhaled her scent.
“I’ll take you back.” Gabriel held her for as long as he could. His mind wandered through several scenarios where he either shot Erebos or ripped his head off.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ephyra pushed seaweed out of her way and glimpsed her friend just beyond. She smiled and waved. Muriel just stood silent and sullen. Ephyra felt a shadow pass over her and suddenly tentacles shot out to grab Muriel. They dragged her down into a crevice, her screams bubbling. Ephyra swam hard and dove into the dark hole.
She didn’t see anything but felt the thickness of blood around her, coating her hair and then washing out. There was a shrieking like souls being dragged into the underworld. Ephyra felt a tentacle starting to wrap itself around her waist and screamed before she catapulted out of the crevice.
Ephyra jolted awake and looked wildly around her. The room spun and she felt sheets twisted around her. She breathed out in relief and untangled herself. She wasn’t under the water, but it had been good to feel her form again. Ephyra missed her tail, and the ease of moving around.
She laid back and closed her eyes. Gabriel had taken Dag out for a walk and to drop him off at the sitter’s house again so the house was quiet. They were leaving in a few hours. Ephyra was glad he’d taken her request seriously and even though his ideas were far-fetched, she loved him for trying to find a warrior that could fight Erebos.
Ephyra lost herself in thinking of Gabriel — what it would be like to live with him, to love him. Her body ached almost as much her heart at the thought of loving him. He was different from anything she’d expected. He was warm, kind and unafraid of her. Ephyra grinned as she thought of how she’d first treated him, and how he just waited for her to calm down.
She felt a warm hand on her thigh and a soft voice.
“Here you are.”
Ephyra smiled, eyes still closed, wishing he’d slide that hand higher up her thigh. He’d been slowly showing her the pleasure of her human form. The hand gently stroked her leg and she felt the press of lips against her calf. She wiggled in delight and reached to take his hand.
The hands steadily caressed her legs, exploring every inch of them and kissing them. She groaned as she felt his head hover her stomach. Suddenly, Ephyra felt something wrong. Her eyes darted open to see an unfamiliar face with shaggy black hair and beady black eyes shining down at her. She opened her mouth to scream but a hand clamped over it.
Ephyra tossed and thrashed, trying to throw this man off, but his weight pinned her down. She angrily fought his embrace but he steadily held her until she was still. He took the hand off her mouth carefully and then shifted so that he straddled her.
“Who are you?” she shouted. She desperately hoped Gabriel was close to returning. She scanned the room for a weapon but saw nothing except a book on her stand.
“I recognize you in this form — you don’t know me?” His voice taunted.
Ephyra felt a foreboding that shook her to the core.
“Erebos,” she whispered, ashamed her voice quivered.
His dark eyes lit with a ghostly delight and he smiled to reveal sharp teeth. It was as if the transformation hadn’t quite been completed. Some of the teeth were flat but most of them were pointed. Stringy hair was pulled back into a pony tail but strands escaped around his gaunt face.
“In the flesh,” he said and sat back slightly. She shivered to feel him on her skin, wishing she’d kept the sheet on.
“How did … ” she stopped asking a stupid question. It didn’t matter how he’d found her but what happened now.
“I have spies with both fins and wings, darling. I knew Scyllane was hiding something from me but even she now understands that nothing can be hidden from me.”
“She’s as well as can be, once sterilized,” he responded casually.
“Bastard!” Ephyra cried and thrust fists at him. Erebos caught them and laughed.
Ephyra angrily stopped struggling.
“In case you hadn’t noticed, I can’t go back,” she said icily.
“Then you will either drown or be changed by Scyllane’s good grace.” He gazed down at her and saw her resolve instantly.
“Then I’ll drown,” Ephyra spat.
“Or I have a proposal of sorts, pet,” he crooned. “I will spare your life in exchange for your bond to me.”
Ephyra did a double take and her eyes widened.
“You would choose me for a mate?” she asked, bewildered. “I’m not full blood.”
“I know, but it’d be such a shame to waste this,” he motioned to her. “And my laws will allow several mates at once so if your sons are weak, then I will have others to choose from. Besides, the Coral people will be so heartened to hear you endorse my campaigns that perhaps they will finally stop fighting.”
“They will never stop fighting you,” she said. “I would never give them false hope.”
Erebos looked at her with an amused expression.
“You’re just like your father but with your mother’s beautiful face, you know,” he said and reached out to caress her face.
“Don’t speak of them!” she shouted and tried to sit up again.
Erebos grabbed both her arms and pinned them above her head. His face was inches from hers as he inhaled her scent.
“You have a chance to come home, princess, I suggest you take it,” he said smoothly. Ephyra could tell he was savoring the moment, taking his time like only a confident captor could.
“I have nothing there if you’re the king.” She turned her head away.
Erebos jerked her head to meet his eyes. She tried to disguise her emotions but he was reading them as if they were written on her face.
“You have found someone on land?” he whispered disgustedly. “You think you could be happier here … in love?”
