Bethany's Heart (Unearthly World Book 3)

by C. L. Scholey

  “Tiiimmme wwwaaarrrppp.”

  “FinnFinnFinn.”

  “Staycalmstaycalm.”

  Bethany screamed as they shot forward from the hole and began spinning crazily. The vessel plummeted when it hit an atmosphere. Sparks of flame obscured Bethany’s vision as they surf boarded the tides of wind. Finn unsnapped his buckle and Bethany’s; he wrapped her in his arms. They fell and splashed bow down into water. Finn was tossed back into a wall rattling her teeth. Bethany blacked out as the swoosh of pounding waves filled her ears, the pressure was too intense, not even Finn’s body could protect her from the noise…

  Finn watched the bubbles swirl around them outside their small vessel. The craft looped and spun in a swishing water tunnel. Huge animals swam near, rolling, flipping crazily, unable to resist the sucking flow, taking them up into a tornado of ocean. The water darkened with a small amount of light overhead. The warning bleeps of an imminent hull breach penetrated the quiet. If the shuttle collapsed, Finn had no idea how long a human could hold its breath. Finn could for a few hours but he doubted Bethany would be as lucky.

  The shuttle was suddenly spinning faster, rising higher and higher until it gushed from the water in a torrential funnel. Finn was happy Bethany was out cold; he was hard pressed not to lose his breakfast, and Finn hadn’t vomited since he was a toddler. The shuttle exploded from the water. Finn could see the sky. They plummeted back down and Finn’s body bounced on impact. He smashed into the sides of the shuttle with Bethany cocooned in his arms. A wave of water tumbled him ass first to the back of the crumpled vessel. He lay there groaning and dazed.

  Bethany stirred, and coughed as water ran down her face, then settled as the wave sloshed harmlessly around them. Finn gently placed her, face up in the inches deep water, off to the side and looked out the window. He knew he had never been on this planet. A feeling of dread washed over him. The shuttle was destroyed, the hull had buckled. The window was precariously close to imploding with a crack down the center. There wasn’t much hope of anyone coming to their rescue. Worse was the thought he had no idea who survived. Many of his friends had been aboard the main vessel, Blu and Titus. Were they dead?

  Looking down at Bethany, he wondered what hell he had trapped her in. It was a good thing she was a strong-willed female. Gazing at the hellish picture outside, Finn could only imagine her response. Bethany once again began to stir; her eyes fluttered. She rolled and shot up as her face became submerged. She coughed up water and gasped for air. For a second she looked around in terror, until seeing him. Her features became awash with relief. She gazed up at him so trustingly he almost groaned.

  “Finn?”

  Shit.

  Once again—there was a problem.

  Chapter 8

  “What is this place?” Bethany whispered.

  Her fingers had a bone crushing grip on Finn—in the sense she was crushing her own bones against his rock hard skin. The grey-green trees had what appeared to be thick cobwebs covering them, hanging to trail on the ground. So heavy was the substance the naked trees bowed under the weight. The tree branches interlocked overhead making their surroundings dark and dismal. Everywhere Bethany looked was swamp. There had been no foot coverings small enough for females on the ship. Brown brackish water oozed between her bare toes. When she lifted her foot there was the sounds of sucking as the mushy ground beneath her feet appeared loathe to release her. Straight ahead was an open pond of scum-covered water. Finn hesitated and if she didn’t know better he seemed wary.

  “I’m uncertain,” Finn said. His deep baritone was out of place in the quiet eerie silence. “That black hole could have dumped us anywhere.”

  “Is the swamp dangerous, do you think?” she asked.

  “Where I come from this open algae would be deadly. That it hasn’t attacked is a good sign.”

  Attacking algae? Where the hell is he from?

  Bethany gasped when through the deep dark water before them came a motion of movement. Finn stiffened. A bulge in the water’s surface moved forward, stopping only a few feet in front of them. As the apparition rose it shook water from its body sending the spray in all directions.

  The man-creature was almost as large as Finn. The being appeared nude and stream-lined. His thick erection began to protrude slowly from within him until the massive length was fully extended. Bethany noted she was incorrect, a material stretched at his groin, concealing his manhood if not hiding the size of it. Bethany shuddered. His short white hair was plastered to his head. Startling blue eyes glowed back at her. Gills were on either side of his throat near his jawline and disappeared as she watched. His chest appeared to be covered in grayish scales, his hands and feet were webbed. Bethany plastered her body against Finn who soon had her in his arms, his long hair cocooned her.

  Finn was in battle mode; Bethany felt safe enough until the creature hissed. His body morphed, growing larger, not in the way Finn’s did, but his muscles expanded, ballooned larger. Though his body remained the same height he was now twice as broad as he had once been. When he turned slightly, Bethany could see a dorsal fin at his behind as well as one in the middle of his back.

  The creature’s webbed hands and feet were grey glistening claws. When he spoke, his words were that of a bubbling in the back of his throat. Bethany cocked her head. His tone was the sound of an ocean, waves washing onto the sand. His ears bent at the tips and tops rounding out as Bethany muttered aloud, searching her mind for the oddly familiar words he spoke. He said something and a whisper sounded in her head translating the word. He was suspicious, but there was more to it.

  “You have met the Gorgano,” Bethany whispered.

  “I don’t know what you say, except the loathsome word Gorgano is known to me.” The man-creature-fish stared hard at them both. Bethany squealed when water began to swirl at their feet, then calves, then knees. The swampy smell was putrid as it began to claim her body.

  “Stop, you’ll drown us,” Bethany cried out.

  Water rose past Bethany’s waist, climbing and slithering up her sides, belly and back. She felt Finn struggle but he was unable to break the creature’s hold. Finn’s cocoon pulled her higher onto his chest but it was no use. There was nothing he could do, they would both drown.

  “Beth-a-ny, how long can you last without breathing?” Finn yelled.

  “Not long,” she yelled back. “A few minutes tops and that’s pushing it.”

  Finn released her and tossed her away from him. Bethany went flying, her body landed on a thick bed of watery marsh. She was up fast and struggled to get to the creature. Finn’s neck was immersed. Bethany grabbed the creature’s webbed hands.

  “Stop,” she pleaded.

  The creature looked down into her watery eyes; she felt the tears slip down her face in her terror. The creature appeared stunned for a moment. Soon Bethany found herself pulled to the creature’s chest. He was hard, his scales surprisingly smooth. She was pulled tighter and she felt her body sink into him, a soft pillow snuggling her head. She struggled for a moment before water soon slid up her thighs surrounding both her and the creature. Half of her body was engulfed, almost fused to his as the water rose steadily. As she disappeared from Finn’s sight she saw the water which held him captive explode away, releasing him and then, the watery blast sent the old dead trees bending and creaking. The dead trees’ film grey covering flew in the breeze. Finn was gone.

  “I’ll drown, I’ll drown,” she screamed at the creature in panic as water flowed over her, surrounding her, claiming her. “I can’t breathe underwater.” Impassively, the creature caught and held her gaze, his eyes were now sheathed in a grayish film. A swarm of water in the form of tiny bubbles erupted from his mouth and bathed her face.

  Bethany held her breath as long as possible before gasping in air. She knew she was underwater. The creature was over top of her, her breasts were crushed to his chest. She didn’t feel the telltale thickness of him below and guessed for travel he tucked his manhood
away. That was fine with her; the water was hard enough to comprehend.

  The tiny bubbles swirling around her nose and mouth invaded her. They burst with air, filling her lungs. She wasn’t drowning. The creature noticed her staring up at him. His mouth opened to produce more air filled bubbles. Without them she knew she would die.

  Into the air they jumped, rolling under the sky only to land with a splash, sluicing under water. Again into the air, a graceful freefall to torpedo the glass surface. Bethany’s heart pounded until the creepy sensation of his heart thumping against hers touched her breast. Before long she was certain the two hearts pounded in unison. The sound filled her ears; the sweetest air bubbles filled her lungs as she let him breathe for her. They became one.

  Bethany wasn’t certain how long they traveled; when reaching patches of marsh grassland, he jumped. Back into the water, his movements were dolphin-like. In their water cocoon she could see his bottom fin swishing, forming a rudder. The water was suddenly clear and clean. As strange as her situation was, Bethany calmed. If the man-creature wanted her dead she would be already, he would have drowned her in seconds. Bethany marveled at the aquatic sea life swimming alongside or trailing behind. Smallish fish came close to caress the creature then backed off just as quickly. Nothing touched Bethany. When a sea creature came too close to her, a warning sound from her captor’s mouth was enough to send it scooting away.

  Odd sea creatures Bethany had never seen swam close with curiosity. She shivered when she noted spikes on one and tiny needle noses on others that would certainly give a nasty mark. Suction cups on a snake sea creature came too close and in one fluid movement her captor’s dorsal fin turned deadly and sliced it in half. Yellow blood or mucus pooled for only seconds as the dead sea creature was left far behind. The other water life kept its distance after that. Bethany was grateful; her situation was almost too strange to comprehend without adding sea animals.

  A last jump and Bethany felt her feet settle onto solid land. The swirling water abated until gone. She no longer felt his heartbeat; he no longer gave her breath. Bethany stood staring at the creature. He was no longer puffed to a great width. His legs were powerful, his feet webbed at his three large grayish toes. Each toe had two holes on the tips and as she watched, four sharp dark needles shot forward. Bethany squealed when she heard something behind her drop. A small orange blob toppled over sideways and didn’t move. Her mouth formed an O and for a second the strange word he chose led her to understand the creature was dangerous to her.

  Cloudy grey eyelids concealing his eyes opened to reveal a stunning blue. His facial features were regal, high cheek bones, flaring nostrils, murky colored full lips. If he had eyebrows she couldn’t tell. His hair was as white as Finn’s in a silkier way. The hands holding her were firm, webbed and when she studied them closer he had five fingers but the baby finger on each hand was fused to the next finger, giving the appearance of four fingers. His gaze was stern.

  “Do you understand my words, Gorgano female?”

  Bethany took a step back and shook her head violently. “No, not Gorgano female.” She was appalled he would even think such a thing.

  “Then how do you understand me? How do you come to speak my language?”

  Good question.

  Bethany tried to grasp his language in her thoughts; Finn had told her the Gorgano did something to a human brain allowing it to expand with knowledge. “Gorgano mind fight.” Was all she could muster. His tone, his sounds were so complex. She couldn’t begin to make the ocean waves in his language. “One almost killed me on the space ship we had to abandon. It did kill another female.” She pointed at her chest. “Bethany. Bethany human.”

  “Human?”

  “That’s right.” She nodded vigorously.

  “Our worm hole to humans has been closed on Earth for some time. The planet is volatile with unhealthy water. I have seen a human only from a distance, once, and from under water where their image can be distorted. We saved as many of your water species as we could and closed the portal.”

  “Worm hole—in space?” Bethany was certain they’d landed on a planet and hit water.

  “Only a black hole in space can lead to our planet. In our own oceans I can open worm holes. We have no need of space vessels. If a planet has water, we will have a worm hole to it. If a planet has no water we have no use for it.”

  “Are you saying you were on Earth, my planet?”

  “Yes, in a way, we are on everyone’s planet. Our water world is a world within your world, and others. If I choose I can take you to Earth. I can open a portal, but Earth is dead.”

  “We left Earth to escape with the Zargonnii. We were attacked and landed on a planet. We fell into their water or a source of water.”

  “We have various portals everywhere.”

  “Can you take us to the Zargonnii planet?” Bethany filled with excitement.

  “Perhaps.”

  “Who are you? What are you?”

  “Arax of Sitnalta. I am leader of the water warriors.”

  “Sitnalta?” Bethany stood there thinking. “Atlantis?”

  “Atlantis is an alternate world on Earth.”

  “Alternate?”

  “Your Atlantis sunk within the ocean while our Sitnalta slipped from the ocean depths onto the shores. In time my people adapted to breathe air. Why did you come here? Why were you in Tiger Shark area? Are you friend to our enemies?”

  “Tiger sharks? They sound interesting. I’ve never seen one. The Gorgano and Tonans destroyed the Zargonnii vessel. We escaped into shuttles and were sucked into a black hole figuring anywhere we landed was better than being obliterated in the sky. Both of those species want humans dead, especially female humans. It’s because of the Gorgano I can understand you.”

  Arax had his head cocked to the side, obviously having a difficult time determining her words. Bethany tried her best to incorporate the swooshing sounds, the rushing of the waves was difficult to mimic. Dolphin sounds coming naturally to him were next to impossible for her. She never knew a language to be so ‘soundy.’

  “Please take me back to Finn.”

  “Is Finn your mate?”

  Bethany stood feeling stunned. She wanted to go home with Finn; she wanted to be with him right now. She wasn’t exactly certain of the Zargonnii rituals of sex with a human. Mating a Zargonnii female meant nothing more than sex. Having sex with a human man didn’t mean they were mated. Was she mated? Finn hadn’t exactly been specific.

  “Perhaps he is not your mate, but a close friend,” Arax said and grinned. “Come with me little human. Since you are not an enemy, at least you are not threatening enough to cause me concern, we can become acquainted for the amount of time it takes Finn to locate you.”

  “He’s alright isn’t he?”

  Bethany placed her hand against his broad light grayish chest expecting him to be cold and wet, he was warm and hard and dry. His scales were patterned in a unique way, almost resembling a fingerprint. His hair was drying in the breeze. His gills vanished. When he shifted inwards bending her hand at the wrist with his chest, she noted his dorsal fin was gone. He lifted a hand and trailed a finger over her flesh making her shudder.

  “Such a soft little being. Your friend will be fine. If not pissed. I know of the Zargonnii, they can survive many hours under water. The Gorgano are elusive, thankfully their planet has no water.”

  When Arax turned her in his arms, Bethany was amazed at the beautiful waterfall. Skyscraper in height the elegance was covered over in beautiful hunter green moss. Beneath the mountain, the water was filled with beautiful blue glowing stars of phytoplankton. With a wave of his hand the water receded to show a stunning city. Once more Bethany was caught to Arax’s broad chest as he puffed larger. The land beneath their feet gave way to a clear blue stream. Bubbles swirled around Bethany’s head, invading her nose and mouth. The clear blue of the water was stunning. They entered a cave alight with glowworms overhead and pigmented microbe
s. Bethany couldn’t see enough to fill her gaze it was so breathtaking, until they turned down another tunnel. It turned dark and formidable; the murky river was churning dangerously.

  Bethany gasped when they surfaced. Dread washed over her as she took in the sight of many large barred wooden doors. Sounds of suffering reached her ears. She gazed up at Arax as he settled her onto a dry platform. On his command a door was unlocked and Bethany was pushed past the threshold. She was to be incarcerated for no crime. Her anger surged and she spun around to beat at Arax, but he was gone.

  “Wait,” she cried out as the door slammed behind her. She heard the bar slide across trapping her.

  Arax peered into a small square barred opening. “I have duties to attend. I will inform my men you need sustenance.”

  “You know I’m not a threat.” Furiously Bethany slammed her open palms against the hard wood. Arax chuckled and for a moment he looked tempted to unlock the door and join her.

  “Be calm, little human.”

  “Let me out you damned fish on steroids.”

  “When, not if, your Zargonnii comes here looking for you he will see your image inside my jail. If he wishes your return he will obey. If not, you had best get comfortable. At least until the tide comes in. Most creatures who are jailed crave the tide. I’m not so certain your species will appreciate it as much. Unless you are lying.” He winked at her.

  “I’m not lying. Why would you even think that?”

  “Before my father banned our people from opening Earth portals whenever we wished, I heard many stories. Humans have separate bathing rooms where they fill large portals with water. My people can see under the portals.”

  Bethany was aghast. “You mean your people can see through a human’s tub? Your people watched us perform private washing rituals?”

  Arax laughed. “Tubs, Jacuzzis, under their pools, water parks. Toilets—you need just lift the lid and my people can gaze through the water.” Bethany cringed, and felt the crimson blush creep up her neck over her cheeks with the thought of someone studying her ass as she defecated, gross. “I was told humans had wave pools and water parks. A few of my uncles found it amusing to suddenly appear beside a human in one of these parks. They would slip beside them in the water and poof. Admittedly, a few of my people went too far and popped their heads up through sinks when humans filled them to wash dishes, hence the dishwasher, quicker, safer, saner. A few humans questioned our appearance; after all, not all humans were considered insane, drunk or high.