Suppressed: A Little Mermaid Retelling

by Wendi Wilson

  I grab the knob and turn it to the right until the water is freezing cold. Making short work of the rest of my shower, I turn off the water and step out. The towel feels soft and warm against my skin as I dry off as fast as possible, trying to block out the memory of my fantasy.

  After dressing, brushing my teeth and towel-drying my hair, I hang my swimsuit over the shower doors to dry and leave the room. My face is blank and unemotional by the time I reach the bottom of the staircase. I wander through the house, looking for Bryce, finally finding him in the kitchen.

  “Want some water?” he asks. His back is to me and he doesn’t turn to look at me when he asks the question.

  “Sure,” I say.

  He turns on the tap and fills a glass. I see his shoulders lift and sag back down before he turns to look at me. Color is riding high on his cheeks and a fire is burning in his eyes as he walks toward me, his pace slow and measured.

  “What?” I ask. He’s acting weird.

  “Nothing,” he says, stopping a couple of feet away from me and stretching out his arm.

  I take the glass and press it against my mouth, taking a sip before setting it on the table. Bryce’s eyes are glued to my lips and I see his nostrils flare as my tongue flicks out to lick them. He takes a small step forward before jerking back to where he was.

  “Bryce, what’s wrong?”

  He shakes his head, as if to clear it, and sags down into one of the chairs at the table. I take the seat next to him and lean in, only to have him scoot his chair a few inches away. I straighten, my face heating with embarrassment and tears threatening to form in my eyes. I start to rise, intent on leaving but Bryce’s hand on my arm stops me.

  “Wait. Kai, I’m sorry. Don’t leave.”

  “It’s okay…” My words trail off as I stare down at my lap.

  “Kailani, look at me.” When I raise my eyes to his, the tears spill over and he swears. “Christ, Kai, please don’t cry. I can’t take it.”

  I sniff and scrub my face. “Sorry.”

  “No, please don’t apologize. It’s my fault. I…”

  I wait several beats but he doesn’t finish his sentence. “You what?”

  He inhales deeply and looks down at his hands, sighing. “I don’t want to embarrass you but whatever you’re thinking is probably way worse.” He takes another deep breath and a rush of words pours out on the exhale. “Our-mind-bond-is-getting-stronger-and-I-could-see-your-thoughts-from-the-shower.”

  “What?!”

  The chair legs screech across the floor behind me as I jump to my feet. I feel sick. I might throw up any second, all over Bryce. Then my humiliation will be complete. I turn to leave, to rush from the room and dive into the ocean. Facing a hoard of angry, human-hating mermaids seems preferable to being here, facing Bryce. Before I can take a step, his hand snakes out and captures mine.

  “Kai, please, don’t leave. We should talk about this.”

  I lift my face toward the ceiling, my eyelids fused together. “Can we please not?”

  His grip on my wrist is unrelenting. With a sigh, I reach back with my other hand and pull my chair forward before slumping into it. I can’t look at him. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to look at him again. He releases me and I can see him lean forward from the corner of my eye.

  “Kai. Look at me, please.” I hear a sigh as I shake my head, never letting my gaze leave the table. “We don’t have to talk about what you were thinking but I think we should discuss the fact that I could see and hear it. You obviously weren’t projecting on purpose.”

  “Obviously,” I murmur.

  He stays quiet for a moment. I wonder what he’s thinking. I sneak a quick peek at him from beneath my eyelashes. He’s staring at the floor but his eyes raise to snag mine before I can look away.

  “Maybe,” he says, his tone soft and light as if he’s cajoling a skittish animal, “your mind is more, I don’t know… open when your emotions are heightened.”

  I snort out a self-deprecating laugh at his choice of words. Heightened emotions, indeed. He might as well call a duck a duck. I was hot and bothered. I’ve never had those kinds of thoughts about anyone before and it’s just my rotten luck that the first time I do, he gets front row seats to the show. Looking at him now, I remember the spark in his eyes when I first came downstairs.

  Summoning up courage I didn’t know existed, I ask, “Why did you pull away from me?”

  Lifting a hand to his face, he scrubs it across his eyes and down to his chin. He leans in closer, propping his elbows on his knees. The fire reignites as his pupils dilate slightly and a harsh breath expels from his nose. I sit, frozen, waiting for him to speak.

  “Because what you were thinking, I’ve imagined at least a hundred times. After seeing it through your eyes, I wasn’t sure I could control myself if you got too close.”

  “Oh,” is all I can manage to say before his hands snap forward and grab mine.

  He hauls me forward, up out of my seat and onto him so that I have no choice but to straddle his thighs. Not that I would have made another choice, had there been one. A need, stronger than I could have imagined possible surges through me. As soon as he releases my hands to wrap his around my hips, I thread my fingers through his hair and pull his head forward.

  Bryce’s kiss is possessive, yet his lips remain soft as they meet mine again and again. The hands on my hips drag me forward until my whole upper body is flush against his. He moans into my mouth, a mix of pleasure and pain that intensifies the heat building inside me. I squirm on his lap, not knowing what to do to ease the ache.

  I can feel a shudder run through Bryce just before his mouth softens and his movements slow. He nibbles softly at my bottom lip before pulling back slightly to stare into my eyes. He lifts a hand to tuck a lock of red hair behind my ear.

  “We should stop,” he whispers, “before we go too far.”

  He must feel my body tense because he captures my lips again, kissing me softly until the tension flows out of me. He stands, pulling me up with him and wraps his arms around my waist. We hug, swaying back and forth for a few seconds before he pulls back to look at my face.

  “Just so there’s no misunderstanding, stopping that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. When all of this is over, after my parents cast the spell to make you human again, after we’ve taken care of Ms. Coraline and found your mom, when we can just be two normal teenagers in love…”

  “We’ll pick up where we left off?” I ask when his words trail off.

  His smile makes my toes curl. “Definitely.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Bright, warm sunshine on my face is the first thing I notice as I wake. I blink my eyes a few times in an attempt to adjust to the light. Lifting my head, I glance at the window. We left the curtains open last night. The digits on the clock read 6:18 a.m. It’s early.

  I close my eyes, snuggling into the warmth of Bryce curled around me, his arm draped over my waist and his knees tucked up under mine. I can’t stop the smile curving my lips as I think back to yesterday. We cuddled in his bed, watching television and snacking on junk food and soda. The conversation, the laughter, the kissing… That’s what life is supposed to be like. That’s what I’ve been missing all of mine, cooped up in that mausoleum with the old hag.

  That thought spurs my brain into full function, the pistons firing one after another until I remember. Today is Sunday. Today is the day Bryce’s parents come home.

  “Bryce,” I say, nudging him with my elbow. “Wake up.”

  “Humpf,” is what his muttered response sounds like as he buries his head beneath the covers.

  “Bryce.”

  I sit up and scoot over, then yank the covers off him. Whatever I was going to say flies right out of my head as I get a good look at him. His hair is standing up all over his head and he has a slight stubble darkening his jaw. His bare chest curves and ripples as he stretches and my mouth goes dry. He had on a shirt when I fell asleep last night.<
br />
  “Bryce,” I squeak out in a cracked voice. I clear my throat and try again. “Bryce.” Great, now it sounds unnaturally deep. I close my eyes and groan. They fly back open when he laughs.

  “Yes, Kailani?” he asks, lowering his voice to a deep timbre.

  “Shut up,” I say, swatting him on the chest. “I have a scratchy throat this morning.”

  All traces of humor flee his face and he jumps from the bed. “You’re dehydrated. I’ll get you some water,” he says, running from the room before I can say anything else.

  I nod as he rushes from the room, realizing he’s right. My mouth is as dry as a bone and a throbbing pain in my temple beats in time with my heart. Closing my eyes against the pain, I flip the sheets back and swing my legs over the side of the bed. I massage my temples with two fingertips, hoping to alleviate some of the pain and crack my eyes open.

  Air rushes into my lungs in an almost painful gasp as I get a good look at my legs. The skin is deathly white, dry, and cracked. It looks like the skin is peeling after a bad sunburn, with papery strips sticking out from my shins. I grasp the end of one and give it a tug. It peels up to my knee before coming loose and dangling from my fingertips.

  A thud draws my attention to the doorway. Bryce is leaning against the door jamb in all his bare-chested glory, a glass of water in hand, his mouth hanging open. His eyes are glued to my legs. I grab the sheet and pull it over them, attempting to hide the grotesque shape they’re in. Out of the corner of my eye I see Bryce shake himself and stand up straight.

  “Here,” he says, walking over and handing me the glass. “Drink it all.”

  I press the glass to my lips without a word and gulp it down, refusing to look at his face. I don’t know why I’m so embarrassed. I just know I don’t want him to see me this way. He is so perfect and I have no idea why he would want to be with a freak like me.

  “How long has it been since you last went swimming? Twelve hours?” he asks, pulling me from my dark thoughts.

  I nod, raising my eyes to his. The concern I see in them causes the rhythm of my heart to stutter. I know he’s said the words, told me how much he cares about me but there’s something about seeing the proof positive in his eyes that warms me in a way I’ve never felt before. Until Bryce.

  “Let’s go,” he says, holding a hand out for me to take.

  I place my hand in his and the warmth of his palm against mine shoots tingles up my arm. The sensation of the sheets brushing against my peeling legs sends shivers down my spine as he pulls me up from the bed. Something’s not right. My knees buckle the second I try to stand. Lightning fast, Bryce catches me against his chest before I hit the floor.

  Panic floods me as I stare up at him with wide eyes. “My legs don’t work!”

  Without a word, he loops his arm under my knees and picks me up, cradling me against his chest. I open my mouth to protest but he shuts me down with a harsh look. I throw my arms around his neck as he bounds down the stairs, burying my face in his neck. The pain in my head intensifies with each step he takes.

  Cool morning air caresses my skin as the scent of the sea invades my nose. The water calls to me, tempting me with its icy depths while at the same time frightening me. What if the change happens before I can get out? Last night it only took five minutes for the tingling to take over. What if the change is immediate? I’ll be stuck. With murdering merpeople after me.

  The sound of splashing pulls me from my thoughts and I open my eyes, pulling my face away from Bryce’s neck. He’s wading out into the freezing water, taking me out to a depth where I can submerge.

  “It’s okay,” I say, squirming for my release, “I can go from here.”

  His grip only tightens as he continues to wade out. “You can’t walk, Kai. I’ve got you.”

  “But it’s freezing.” The whiny tone of my voice grates on my own ears.

  His only response is a grunt as he trudges forward. When the water sloshes against my backside, he stops and releases my legs. Wrapping his now free arm around my back, he presses me against his chest. My legs float in the water, my feet not touching the bottom, as he stares into my eyes.

  The pounding pain in my head recedes. The warmth of his chest seeps through my shirt and serves as a delicious contrast to the freezing water swirling around my legs. It’s sexy as hell. All thoughts of mermaid tails and murder flee as his arms tighten around me. I want nothing more than to feel his lips against mine.

  Kiss me. I muster all the feeling I can into the thought, mentally projecting it toward him. I feel more than hear the growl that parts his lips as they swoop down onto mine. He crushes his mouth against mine and my hands tangle into his hair. I can feel his heart pounding against my chest, doubling in speed as our tongues meet.

  Tingles shoot from my head down to my toes as he pours all of his love, his devotion and his worry for me into the kiss. I break away with a gasp, the emotions almost too much for me to handle. Without pausing a beat his lips lock onto my neck, sucking and kissing their way up to my ear.

  “I love you,” he says, his voice rough. “I want you.” Then his mouth is back on my neck, his tongue lapping downward.

  The tingling intensifies, centered in my lower abdomen with waves shooting down my legs. They seem to be working again, and with a mind of their own because they wrap around his waist with a tight grip. I hear Bryce groan, his lips suddenly ravaging mine again. Energy builds inside me, roaring to be expended.

  A burning sensation in my feet brings me back to my senses like a gunshot. How long have we been out here? I don’t know but if the pain in my feet and the intensity of the tingling in my legs is any indication, it’s been too long.

  “Bryce,” I say, ripping my lips from his.

  The urgency of my voice must pierce the lust-fueled fog he was caught in because his eyes clear and his body tenses. Before I can utter another word, he turns and wades toward shore, me still wrapped around him like a spider monkey. As soon as his knees clear the water, he starts to jog and doesn’t stop until we’re up on his deck.

  Lowering me to one of the chairs, he rushes inside and returns a few seconds later with a towel. I watch as he rubs it up and down first one leg, then the other, making sure the towel absorbs every drop. I stare at them in awe, the skin firm, pink and shiny, no trace of the strips of dead skin that were there before.

  “Are you okay?” Bryce asks, wrapping the towel around my shoulders.

  “I-I think s-so.”

  The cold air is seeping through my wet clothes, causing my teeth to chatter. I look up at Bryce and his lips are tinged blue. He must have been freezing out there. The cold water may not affect me but the same can’t be said for him.

  “Let’s go,” he says before I can open my mouth to apologize or thank him.

  He pulls me from the chair and leads me inside, all the way upstairs and into the bathroom. I wait, my arms holding the damp towel tightly around my shoulders as he turns on the tap and cranks the shower to the hottest setting. We wait in awkward silence for the water to heat up, neither of us attempting to make eye contact. When steam billows from the shower, he adjusts the temperature to a hot but comfortable level then turns toward me.

  Pressing his lips against mine in one brief, hard kiss, he pulls back and says, “Hop in and warm up. I’ll go take one in my parents’ shower. Meet you downstairs?”

  I nod, words still failing me, and he walks out, closing the door behind him with a gentle click. Dropping the towel, I rush into the hot spray, clothes and all. They’re already wet and I’m too cold to take the time to strip out of them.

  Once the chills recede and life circulates back into my extremities, I strip down and toss the soggy clothes into the corner of the shower stall. Remembering what happened last time I took a shower, I think about a funny movie I saw once, going over the scenes in my head. I don’t want my thoughts wandering back to what happened with Bryce in the water. With my luck, I’d project my desire to him and embarrass myself aga
in.

  Once I’m clean and my hair is washed and conditioned, I turn off the water. Stepping out, I grab a fluffy towel and wrap it around my torso. Wrapping a second towel around my hair and twisting it into a turban, I open the door and peek my head out. Everything looks clear so I jet across the room, praying that he won’t come in.

  I dress quickly, pulling a hoodie on over my t-shirt and jeans. After pulling on socks and shoes, I run my fingers through my wet hair and pull it up into a pony tail. I take a quick peek in the mirror. Not great but it will have to do. I don’t have the energy to put any more effort in.

  I open the door and step out into the hall. Voices from downstairs meet my ears. Bryce must hear my footsteps because he calls my name as I reach the top of the stairs. I look down and see him waiting for me at the bottom with a sharp-dressed couple.

  “Come on down, Kai. My parents are here.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “So, you and my son are synergetic.”

  I nod, even though Mrs. Howell’s words were a statement, not a question. I haven’t spoken an actual complete sentence since I came downstairs and joined them in the living room. I don’t know which makes me more nervous, the fact that they are Bryce’s parents, that they’re witches, or that Mrs. Howell won’t stop staring at my hair. God, why didn’t I take more time and do something with it? I knew they were coming today. She’s probably decided I’m way too much of a slob to be her son’s girlfriend, much less his fated, soulmate twin. That is, if she can even get past the whole mermaid thing.

  “Mom,” Bryce says, his hand on my knee tightening its grip, “stop staring. You’re making her nervous.”