by Wendi Wilson
“He’s in my home, Delmare. I found him when Coraline reversed the spell and I returned to the sea. He’s been a prisoner there for the last fourteen years.”
“That’s why you ran out.” It’s a statement, not a question.
She answers anyway. “Yes. I had to get to the water before my legs changed or I would have died. I didn’t want to leave you.”
The tingling strengthens, and moves up past my ankles. I groan with discomfort and despite the sound of the waves lapping around us, my mother hears it. She closes the gap between us and places her hands on my cheeks. The tip of her tailfin brushes against my shin and I shiver.
“It’s happening?” I nod. “Kai, get out of the water now. Swim as fast as you can, straight for shore.”
“But, mom-”
“Now, Kailani! Your tail is trying to form. If it does, you’ll be stuck out here. They’ll kill you. Go!”
“Kai!”
I hear the faint call from behind me and turn to see Bryce pacing up and down the shoreline, waving at me. When I turn back, my mother is gone. The tingling is moving up my calves, so I strike out for shore like the devil is after me. It doesn’t take long to reach and once I’m lying on the sand the tingling recedes.
“What happened?” Bryce asks, his voice laced with panic. “Your emotions were all over the place and it took me forever to find you.”
“It was her,” I say, tears pouring from my eyes as I scan the horizon, looking for any sign of her.
“Who?” he asks, plopping down on the sand beside me.
“My mother.”
Chapter Twenty-One
I don’t want to tell Bryce. I promised him I would but as the hot shower beats against my back, I try to think of a way to get out of explaining. What if he looks at me differently? Who am I kidding? Of course, he’s going to look at me differently. My worst fear is that if he finds out I’m not really human, he won’t want me anymore.
I turn the spray off and step out of the shower, wrapping a large, fluffy towel around my torso. Wiping the steam from the mirror, I stare at my reflection. I don’t look any different. If I don’t tell him, Bryce won’t know that everything has changed. I flash a bright smile at my reflection, then let it fall. This will never work.
After dressing and combing the tangles from my wet hair, I open the bathroom door to find Bryce leaning against the bed. My feet carry me forward until I’m pressed against him. My arms wrap around his waist as tears stream down my face.
“Hey,” he whispers, “I’ve got you.”
I pull away and force a tight smile. “Let’s go out onto the deck.”
“Okay,” he says.
He holds my hand as we walk, gently rubbing his thumb across my knuckles in a soothing manner. When we reach the glass doors, Bryce releases me long enough to jog to the kitchen and grab two bottles of water. I don’t move, following him with my eyes, drinking him in. This might be the last peaceful moment between us.
We walk to the rail and stare out at the ocean. Bryce’s patience is unending. He doesn’t say a word, letting me gather my thoughts. I take a water bottle from him and twist off the cap then take a long drink. Even though I was in the ocean less than an hour ago, the thirst is already building to an uncomfortable feeling. I guess I know why now.
“I thought about lying,” I say, still staring at the frothy waves. “I could make something up, keep the truth from you forever.”
“Kai-”
“I can’t,” I say, cutting him off. “I can’t lie to you. I care about you too much.” I look over at him for the first time, lifting one side of my mouth into a half grin. “Besides, you’d know if I was lying anyway.”
“Yes,” he replies, his face serious.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have even considered it. I’m just scared.”
“Of what?”
I swallow thickly. “I’m scared that you’ll push me away. That you won’t…love me.” My voice drops to a whisper with the last two words and my eyes drop to my hands.
“Kai, look at me.” When I meet his eyes, he continues, “That’s never going to happen.”
I sniff as my eyes start to burn again. “We’ll see.”
I take his hand and lead him to the circle of patio furniture in the corner. I take a seat on a bench and pull him down next to me. I try to release his hand but he tightens his grip on mine and nods, encouraging me to speak.
When I say nothing, he asks, “Why was your mom out in the ocean and where did she go?”
“Home,” I say, then bark out a laugh. “Ms. Coraline wasn’t lying. My mom really was home.”
“Kai, you’re not making any sense.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, sobering. I’m feeling slightly hysterical and I don’t know if I can get through this with the way my nerves are jumping under my skin. “Bryce,” I start, remembering a conversation we once had, “can you do something for me?”
“Anything.”
“Do you remember when I asked you if you were making me feel something? You said you weren’t, but that you could. You said you would never do that to me unless I asked.”
“I remember.”
“Well, I’m asking. Can you cast a spell to make me calm? I feel like I’m going to explode with tension and I don’t know if I can get through this conversation feeling this way.”
He smiles, one of the real ones he reserves only for me. “I can fix that.”
“Thank y-”
My words are cut off by his lips pressing against mine. I gasp in surprise and he takes advantage of my open mouth to deepen the kiss. His tongue feels like silk against mine and I can’t help but fist my hands into his t-shirt, pulling him closer. Electricity pulses through my body, intensifying as Bryce pulls me over and guides my knees to either side of his hips.
As my hunger grows, my breathing becomes erratic, mimicking the bees now buzzing in my stomach. I’ve never felt this way before but I like it. I lean forward on instinct, pressing my chest against his, the friction igniting me like lighter fluid on an already raging inferno. A growl emanates from Bryce’s throat, pushing my desire even higher.
I’m lifted up for a brief second before I find myself lying on the cushioned bench. Bryce’s lips never left mine but our positions are now reversed, with him above me and our bodies flush from the chest down. The sudden flip shocks me out of the haze of desire and I freeze, unsure of what is going to happen next.
Bryce’s weight is gone in an instant. I sit up and watch him pace back and forth in front of me, raking his hands through his hair in agitation. I open my mouth to apologize but he speaks before I can utter a syllable.
“Oh, God, Kai. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
“Oh,” is all I manage to choke out, his rejection causing my throat to close with emotion.
“No,” he yells, taking his seat next to me and grabbing both my hands in a firm grip. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Okay,” I say, unconvinced.
“I’m messing this up. I meant to say I’m sorry and that I didn’t mean for it to go that far, right now. I was only trying to get you to relax. Without magic. It was a stupid idea.”
My eyes widen and he shakes his head, releasing one of my hands to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Okay,” he says, taking a deep breath, “let me start again. I thought I’d give you a kiss to calm you down. It was stupid because I should have known that if you kissed me back, I’d lose control. I want you too much and now is definitely not the time,” he waves his arm around us, “or the place.”
I can’t fight the smile trying to form on my face. “I think I lost control first.”
Bryce groans, closing his eyes, “Don’t remind me or I’ll be back on top of you before you can blink.”
A short laugh escapes my mouth and I stare at him. I’m sure awe is etched across my face. “You did it,” I say. “I’m completely relaxed, no magic necessary.”
He smiles at me for a brief moment before his face g
rows serious. “Okay, tell me everything.”
“Say something.”
Bryce’s eyes are trained on the sea, scanning back and forth like he’s trying to find proof of everything I just told him. The sound of my voice seems to break him from the trance. He turns toward me, pain etched on his face. Panic blooms in my chest. What if he doesn’t believe me? What if he does but can’t handle it? What if he pushes me away now that he knows the truth?
“How long do you have?”
“Huh?”
He grasps my shoulders in a firm grip, his eyes wild with fear. “How much longer will you be human?”
“I-I don’t know.”
My panic must break through the haze of his own because he loosens his grip and smooths out his expression. “Sorry,” he says, pulling me into a tight hug. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just need to know how long I have to fix this. I can’t lose you. I won’t.”
The tension in my body eases at his words. He’s not going to push me away. He’s going to stand beside me, helping me find a way out of this horrible situation. I wrap my arms around his waist and hug him back.
“Thank you.”
He pulls away and takes my hand, leading me into the house. We head straight for the sofa and sit down. His knees brush against mine as we angle toward each other. Taking both of my hands in his, Bryce begins to speak.
“Kailani, I’ve been devoted to you since the first time we met and you caught me checking out your butt.” He shoots me a cocky grin, then grows serious again. “I love you. Nothing is going to change that. I’m going to do everything I can to keep you here.”
I nod, a constriction in my throat robbing me of my ability to speak. I swallow, trying to clear it. “Okay,” is all I can manage to get out.
“I’m sure turning someone from one species to another is a heavy spell, one I’m not experienced enough to perform. That’s if I could even find one.” He increases the pressure on my hands. “My parents will be home in a week. Even sooner if I can manage to get a hold of them. They’ll know what to do.”
His conviction is reassuring but I’m still scared. What if I don’t have that long? What if I die from dehydration first? Or stay too long in the ocean and grow a tail? A shudder runs though me.
“What is it?” he asks.
“This is a lot for you to take on, Bryce. Are you sure it’s worth it?”
He straightens his shoulders, causing his chest to puff out. “You’re worth it.”
A small tentative smile lifts my lips. “I love you.”
That is the first time I’ve said it out loud. It feels good to put my feelings into words. Bryce’s reaction makes it feel even better. His eyes drift shut and a moan echoes from his chest.
“Say it again.”
My smile widens. “I love you, Bryce Howell.”
A split second later I’m on my back with Bryce hovering over me, his lips devouring mine. Before I can manage to get my arms around his neck, he’s gone and I’m being pulled back up into my previous sitting position.
“Sorry,” he says, panting.
I shake my head, trying to get my own breathing under control. “Don’t apologize.”
His white teeth flash just before he leans forward and places a gentle kiss on my lips. Pulling away slightly, he whispers, “To be continued,” before pressing his lips against mine one more time.
Standing, he paces in front of me, his eyebrows drawn down. “Okay. So Coraline casts a spell to make your mother human for a favor…one she never collects, as far as we know.” He looks at me for confirmation. I nod and he continues pacing. “Then she makes you human but her price is that your dad will be changed into a merman and your mother will be her slave.”
“Yes, that’s the gist of it.”
“There’s one thing I don’t understand.”
“Just one?”
He doesn’t acknowledge my smart remark. “Why was keeping you away from me so important that she was willing to throw away everything and reverse the spell?”
“She’s evil and she wants me to be miserable?” I offer up.
Bryce stops his pacing and meets my eyes, shaking his head. “I don’t think so. There are any number of less drastic things she could have done to keep us apart. She threw away everything because it was important. Very important. We have to figure this out, Kai. It could be the key to everything.”
“I can ask my mom. If I see her again, that is.”
“I’m sure she’s out there, waiting for you to go back into the ocean.”
“I’m kind of scared, Bryce. I almost didn’t make it out in time today.”
He takes my hand and pulls me up from the couch. Wrapping his arms around me, he squeezes. “I know you’re scared but you have to go back. You know the headache is going to come back. The thirst, the fatigue…it all has to be connected. You’ll just have to be more careful and only stay out a few minutes at a time.”
“You’re right.” I tighten my grip on his waist then back out of his arms. “I’ll go back out tomorrow.” I lift one eyebrow. “But right now I need something from you.”
“Oh, yeah?” he says, taking a few stalking steps forward as I back up.
“Yeah,” I say, laughing as he catches me. He lifts me off my feet and twirls me around.
He stops spinning, letting my feet find purchase beneath me. He trails kisses up my neck to my ear. My eyes drift shut as I exhale roughly.
“What do you need?” he whispers, a suggestive note to his voice.
I pull back so I can look into his eyes. Keeping the eye contact, I move my face toward his, unhurried. Just before our lips touch, I freeze.
“Food,” I whisper, before jerking away and running toward the kitchen.
“Oh, I’m going to get you for that!” Bryce yells.
I run around the center island and stop, my breath heaving and my eyes locked on the door. When Bryce doesn’t run in after me, a pang of disappointment streaks through me. I shrug and turn, intending to head to the sink for a drink.
I bump into a solid wall of chest and arms tighten around me before I can even think about escaping. “Gotcha,” Bryce says, tickling my sides. “Resurgo.”
“No fair,” I whine. “You used magic.”
He chuckles, releasing me and heading toward the fridge. “All’s fair in love and war, right?”
I grin, shaking my head. Walking to the sink, I fill a glass with water and chug it down. Turning, I brace a hip against the counter and watch Bryce as he makes two turkey and cheese sandwiches. He’s humming a song I’ve never heard, his deep voice vibrating from his chest.
He catches me watching and smiles. That’s when I know. We will figure this out. I refuse to let anyone or anything tear me away from him. We belong together.
His smile grows, teeth flashing against tan skin. He can feel my conviction. My refusal to be beaten. My love. I nod, reaffirming the emotions he sensed from me.
“I feel the same way,” he says, walking over to the table with a plate in each hand. “Now, let’s eat.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Are you guys sleeping in the same bed?”
The bite of pizza I was in the process of swallowing lodges in my throat and threatens to go down my windpipe. Coughing, I grab my water and wash it down. Tears trail from my eyes as I breath in and out, trying to regain my composure.
Ana laughs. “Sorry. Bad timing.”
It’s almost too cold to sit outside but I wanted some privacy to talk to her. When I saw her in the lunch line, I led her out to the table in the courtyard. I look over at her huddled next me, the wind blowing her hair across her face. I’ve been trying to come up with a way to tell her about my conversation with my mom, so her question threw me for a loop.
“Well? Are you going to answer me?”
I can’t help but grin. “Yes.”
“Oooh,” she sing-songs, “boom-chicka-bow-wow.”
“Shut up. It’s not like that. Bryce is a perfect gentleman
. He just doesn’t want me to be alone. I have been having trouble sleeping.” My grin fades.
Ana sobers. “Sorry, Kai. I know you’ve been going through a lot.”
“You have no idea.”
She cocks an eyebrow at me. “What does that mean?”
I glance around to make sure we’re still alone. No one else is outside in this weather, so I decide that now is as good a time as any. I angle my body toward hers and lean closer. The grave look on my face lets Ana know I’m serious and she drops her sandwich and crosses her arms over her chest.
“I saw my mom yesterday.”
“What? Where?”
I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. “While I was swimming.” Her mouth opens to speak but I cut her off. “Just let me get this all out, okay?”
“Okay,” she says, mimicking zipping her mouth shut and throwing an imaginary key over her shoulder.
“She popped up out of nowhere and
explained…everything to me. Why she left, where she’s been, what we are.
“You promised!” I exclaim when her mouth opens again. “So…” I trail off, taking another deep breath. “We’re mermaids.”
I stare into her eyes as I wait for her reaction. I see confusion, disbelief, wonder, then acceptance cross her features. “Okay,” she says, drawing the word out.
“I know this is hard to believe. I mean, even harder than believing Bryce is a witch. I can’t exactly prove it to you.”
“Kai, I trust you.”
“Thank you.” My eyes burn with unshed tears as I tell her everything. “That’s why she ran out.”
“What about you? Why are you still here?”
“I don’t know the biology of it but my change is more gradual. I think it has to do with me being half human. I’ve been feeling symptoms of severe dehydration and only getting in the ocean makes me better. But if I stay out too long, I’ll grow a tail and be stuck that way forever.”
“But, if you could be with your mom and dad…” she lets the suggestion trail off, a frown marring her face.
