It’s almost dawn when we get to the pier. We get on the boat and about halfway there, we stop.
I lean into Owen. “This sure are hell would be a good time for you to use this black magic I keep hearing about.”
He hesitates, but finally whispers, “You’re not going to like this, but I can’t think of anything else. Distract them.”
“Why are we stopping?” I ask.
I see that Owen has his eyes closed.
“It’s one of your father’s requests.”
“What is?” I ask.
I see that he is holding the zip-ties again. “That she ends up where she came from and since you love her so much, that you disappear with her.”
I can feel Arianna’s hand latch on to mine again. She is freezing and shaking. I look over at Owen and his eyes are still closed, his lips are moving as if he is saying something, but I don’t hear anything.
I can’t just sit here anymore. I start to stand up, knowing I’m going to distract them and yell at Arianna to jump out and swim, when something hits the boat. We all look around and I take this as my chance to yell, “Jump in the water and go.”
One of the men recovers quickly and I tackle him. We both go over and end up in the ocean. Once in the water, I look around frantically and see that he is nowhere to be found.
The other man is fighting Owen. I see the boat getting hit again, from the bottom.
My first thought is that there is a shark… I look around for any sign of Arianna. She is not too far away from me.
“Help Owen!” she yells. “I’m okay.”
I turn around toward the boat only to see it being hit again; this time, much harder. The man flies over, falling into the water. I can see him from the distance and then he disappears.
‘Shit. We are going to die anyway,’ I think to myself.
I start to swim toward Arianna hoping that I can get to her. I see Owen getting control of the boat and starting to move our way.
I can barely breathe when I get to her. “Are you okay?”
She nods.
“Were those sharks?” I ask her, hoping she knows.
“I—I don’t know.”
“Arianna,” we hear a familiar voice call her name and turn around to see Bram.
I instantly realize why Owen said I wouldn’t like this plan.
“Bram,” she says. “I—I… was that you doing that to the boat?”
He nods. “I had a little help,” he says as he looks over and three mermaids submerge from the water.
“Thank you,” she says, “for helping us, but I—“
He interrupts her. “I know. I understand. I didn’t think I ever would. Actually, I still don’t understand why you would want to be human, but that day, when I saw him fight his own blood for you, I understood that he feels for you the same way I do, only he is lucky enough to have you feel the same in return.”
I grab her hand under the water.
“I’m sorry, Bram. I wish I,” she pauses, “I’m sorry.”
Owen has the boat right next to us now
“How is my father?” she asks.
Bram looks away. “I was trying to get you back here at any cost, but I wasn’t lying about him. I’m sorry. He didn’t make it.”
She lets go of my hand and brings both hands up, covering her face as she starts to cry.
“I told him you’re happy,” he says, “and that you have someone who protects and loves you. He then asked me to promise to let you be.”
She moves her hands away and I put my arm around her.
“He did?” she asks.
Bram nods. “He didn’t blame you. He said that once upon a time he knew someone just like you and deep down, he always knew you didn’t belong here.”
She gives him a confused look, but I know exactly what he is talking about.
He looks over at me, “Take care of her,” he says before he looks over at the other mermaids and they all disappear.
“Wait!” Arianna yells, but it’s too late.
Owen looks down at us. “Come on,” he says, “let’s get to the island for now.”
We help Arianna get on the boat and then Owen helps me, and we go to the place I didn’t think I would ever go back to.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
We get out of the boat and start walking towards the house, when Arianna turns around and stands there, facing the ocean once again. I see the tears run down her face. I turn to call for Owen and he is almost to the house.
“Owen,” I yell, “Call Jones and tell him where we are. We will be in soon.”
I brush my fingers against her cheeks, wiping her tears away.
“I’m sorry about your dad,” I say.
She sits on the sand and I sit next to her.
“Do you regret leaving that world?” I ask her once the silence becomes too much.
She looks into my eyes. “Sometimes I’m not sure you understand just how much I love you. No, I don’t regret it, Blake. Not for a minute.”
She turns to face the ocean again, but I put my fingers on her chin and slowly turn her toward me. “I do understand. If the way you feel about me is anything like my feelings for you, I understand completely.”
“Nice line, bro. You should put that in a book.” I turn around and see Owen standing behind us. “Are you coming in?”
I look at Arianna and she glances toward the house.
She looks away. “I’m not ready to go in there,” she says.
I try to keep myself from thinking about what was the worst night of our lives.
“Did you talk to Jones?” I ask Owen.
“Yeah. He said to stay here. He is going to get Carol and they are going to fly up and meet us here in a few hours.”
“Why does he want us to wait here?”
“Well, besides the fact that we need a car to get back? I don’t know. I told him everything that happened and I heard Carol telling him to ask us to wait for them.”
“Okay.”
“Maybe we can stay in the tree house until they get here.” Arianna suggests.
I smile at her. The tree house was the one place where I always felt safe when I was a kid. It’s the only place not tainted by so much evil because the happy memories are so much stronger than that.
“I’m going to go in and grab towels and dry clothes. I will be back soon.”
Owen follows me in the house and I ask him to let us know when Jones and Carol are in.
When I go back outside to get Arianna, the sun is starting to rise.
“Ready?” I ask, extending my hand to her.
She looks up at me, “Actually, do you mind if we just sit here for a while?”
“Not at all.” I sit next to her and grab the blanket I took from the house and put it over our shoulders.
We sit here, watching the beginning of a brand new day.
Hand in hand we walk to the tree house. I help her up and drop our clothes and blanket aside.
I grab a dry shirt and walk toward her. I slowly pull her wet t-shirt off, allowing my hands to graze against her skin. Memories of the night we met come to mind. Her clothes were wet from her being out in the rain. She was in shock from what had happened to her and I nervously helped her change into something dry. It seems like a lifetime ago.
Here and now, she is a different person; we both are.
I pull down the dry shirt over her head and let it fall halfway down, stopping the hem of the shirt from dropping all the way by grabbing each side of her waist. I pull her toward me, and she gasps before I start to kiss her.
There is a certain desperation in this kiss. I don’t just want her; I have to have her… now. Still kissing her, I lower her to the floor. I stop kissing her long enough to take my clothes off. I grab the blanket and lower myself on top of her, pulling the blanket over us.
My hands roam around all over her body as I kiss her neck, her shoulders, her lips…
I feel her fingernails dig into my back and it drives me even c
razier.
“Blake,” she says, breathless.
I look down at her and for a split second I wonder if she wants me to stop.
We stare into each other’s eyes and she doesn’t say anything at first, she then bites her bottom lip and whispers, “I want you. Now.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
BLAKE
We wake up to the sound of Owen’s voice saying that Jones and Carol are at the house.
I move slowly. Maybe sleeping in the tree house wasn’t such a great idea.
I look down to where Owen is standing.
“Do you mind giving us some privacy? I will meet you back at the house.”
He rolls his eyes and walks back to the house. I’m just thankful he doesn’t ask any questions or make any comments.
We get down from the tree house and start to walk toward the house. Once we reach the back door, Arianna stops.
“I can’t go in there, Blake. I’m sorry.”
“Hey. You have nothing to apologize for. Do you want to go around to the beach? We can meet you there.”
She nods ad I give her a quick kiss before I go in.
Carol and Jones are sitting in the living room.
“Where is Arianna? They ask.
She went out front to the beach.
“Are we ready to go? We just want to get the hell out of here.”
Jones looks at Carol. “Are you sure you want to leave without talking to her first?”
Carol looks distant, but she nods in agreement.
“What is going on?” I ask.
Jones looks at me. “She wanted to meet you here to tell Arianna the truth, but she changed her mind.”
“Oh.”
“Truth about what?” asks Owen.
I approach Carol and sit next to her.
“Carol, please tell her,” I beg.
“She will hate me,” she says.
I shake my head. “She won’t. I know her. Trust me, she won’t hate you. I think she needs this and I hate the idea of keeping this from her. Please tell her,” I beg once again.
She sighs and stands up.
“Would you like me to go with you?” asks Jones.
She shakes her head. “No. I will be okay.”
We watch as Carol steps outside and approaches Arianna.
“Is anyone going to tell me what the fuck is going on?” asks Owen.
Jones takes a deep breath, “Carol is her mother.”
Probably for the first time in his life, Owen is left speechless.
ARIANNA
I’m distracted by the sound of the ocean, when I hear Carol next to me.
“Hi, sweetheart. Can I sit with you for a while?”
“Of course. Are we not leaving yet?”
“Not yet,” she says. “Are you doing okay?”
“Yes.”
“Mike told me that you and Blake got married. I wish we could’ve been there.”
“We wish you could have, too.”
She gets quiet for a while and we both stare at the ocean.
“I’m sorry about your father,” she finally says.
My eyes tear up and I take a deep breath to try to keep myself from crying.
“You know, the black magic that changed your life also changed the life of someone I used to know.”
I give her a puzzled look wondering why she is bringing this up.
“She was a lot like you. She was born in your world; a world where she didn’t belong.”
“You know about me?” I ask.
She nods, still looking at the ocean, and continues telling me this story.
“She once made an agreement with a merman from one of the oldest merfolk family lines around. They say they were the ones who created and carry the magic that got you here today. Anyway, this person married someone she loved and they were about to have a child, when she was offered to make her dreams come true. She was told she could go into the human world with her husband and the child, so she took the offer, but there were holes in the deal and when her husband chose to stay, she got cast out of that world. Her dreams of leaving were made true, but she lost everything in the process… her husband and her child were both left behind. But also, something happened to that merman and his powers were transferred to her. She didn’t understand it and couldn’t control it. She was afraid to use those unknown powers to try and go back. She was afraid it would hurt the ones she loved.”
She looks at me, “Arianna, that child left behind was you.”
“So th-that is my mother’s story?”
She nods. “That is my story.”
“Are you saying—”
“Yes, sweetheart. I’m your mother.”
“I—I don’t understand. What about Jones? And you have a daughter close to my age. How?”
“With Jones, it was a different kind of love. I can’t explain it, and my daughter… your sister… was adopted when she was little.”
I’m trying to process this. It doesn’t feel real that she is my mom and I try to keep the conversation focused on everything else.
“You say that black magic is carried by that family line. How did it get to Owen? And to his father?”
“I wish I could explain it all sweetheart, but I don’t know. Jones took that burden from me and it was too much for him. Somehow, in the human world, it’s easier for it to be transferred to others.”
I feel my heart beating faster and faster. I stand up. “I have to get out of here.”
I turn around and see Blake staring at me through the window.
“Did he know?” I ask.
She nods.
I hold back the tears and run back toward the tree house. I hear her call my name, but I don’t stop running.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
BLAKE
As soon as I see Arianna run toward the back of the house, I go out back and go after her. I see her go up to the tree house and give her a few minutes alone.
“Can I come up?” I ask
I’m relieved when I hear her say yes.
I go up and sit next to her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asks.
I sigh. “I hated keeping this from you, but Jones told me that in confidence. As much as I wanted to tell you, it wasn’t my secret to tell. And you were already dealing with so much.”
She doesn’t say anything.
“You’re mad,” I say.
“It’s just a lot to take in.”
“That is understandable, but you should give her a chance. This whole thing with black magic is still insane to me, but it seems like she stayed away to protect you. She loves you and I know you’ve grown to care for her and Jones.”
“I’m not mad at you,” she says. “I’m mad at the situation. She missed my entire life because of this curse.”
I put my hand over hers and she looks down, staring at it, “Take it from someone who has a horrible parent. Don’t waste this chance. She is here now and she will be here for the rest of our lives, as long as you allow her to.” I pause and smile at her. “A beautiful woman once told me to leave the past in the past and focus on the present.”
That gets a smile out of her.
“Come on,” I say, “Let’s get out of here.”
We walk back toward the beach, where we find Jones and Carol. Carol is upset. Jones has his arms around her and I’m willing to bet she’s been crying.
As we approach them, I can tell Arianna is nervous. I stop walking and look at her, “It is just Carol,” I say. “Just tell her you are willing to leave the past behind and move forward. Things will come together with time.”
Arianna nods and continues to walk toward them.
Jones pulls away from Carol and says something to her. She turns around and looks at Arianna. As I guessed, she had been crying.
Arianna takes a few more steps and pulls her mom into a hug.
We leave shortly after. Jones insists that we don’t go back to North Carolina until after we do something about
dad. We decide to go to Owen’s apartment and stay until the next day, before we drive down to stay with Jones and Carol for a few days.
Once we get to Owen’s, we all sit in the living room while he goes back to the bedroom.
After a few minutes, I hear him call my name.
When I walk into his room, he is sitting on his bed, holding his cell phone.
“Mom wants to talk to you,” he says.
I hesitate. It’s been months since we spoke and I hate the idea of doing that to her.
“Does she know about what he tried to do to us last night?”
He nods. “I’m done leaving her in the dark.”
I grab the phone from his hand.
“Mom?”
“Blake?” she starts to cry. “I’m so sorry, honey. I knew things were bad, but not that bad. I should have done more to protect you when you were a kid. I was such a mess after dad died, I couldn’t see what was happening around me, and then when Molly came around—“
“Mom,” I interrupt her. “It’s okay. That is done and over with. I’m happy now.”
She takes a deep breath.
“Owen told me you got married. Honey, I’m proud of you. I wish I had been there, but at the same time, I’m glad you followed your heart.”
“Thanks mom.”
“I meant what I said, Blake. I’m sorry.”
Feeling uncomfortable with the conversation, I tell her I should get going, but that we will talk again soon.
“I love you, honey.”
“I love you too.”
I give the phone back to Owen and before leaving the room I hear him mention the man who worked for dad, the ones from the night before. Maybe he is right. She should know everything.
At night, we realize just how much Owen’s little bachelor apartment is not very accommodating. We decide to start driving south with Carol and Jones, stopping a few hours later to rest. We go to a hotel where Jones pays for two rooms. Exhausted, Arianna and I leave Carol and Jones to go to our room.
***
I hear my cell phone ringing. I reach over Arianna to grab it and see what time it is. It’s two in the morning and I have a strong feeling this can’t be good.
“Hello?”
Unbreakable (A Mermaid's Curse Book 3) Page 10
