by Jane Cousins
Excellent. Though she noticed out the corner of her eye that Mac McKenzie had a glazed look in his eyes and had lowered his gun. Absently she sent a curl snapping out it his direction to wake the man up from his dazed state. She was going to need all the help she could get to subdue Fergal Chambers if her plan worked.
Moving forward slowly, carefully, she began to sing even more softly, the words barely above a whisper now. The large ball of liquid slowed down even further in response. Bulges started to appear in the liquid. An elbow. A knee.
The natural state for a Merrow was their human form. As she lulled the half-brothers deeper, closer to sleep, they were beginning to lose their ability to hold on to their liquid forms.
This was where it got dangerous. Either one or both could snap out of their mellow state at any moment. All it would take was a loud noise to disrupt her hold over them. Plus, she only knew the one song, and unlike her father’s natural ability, her power over people tended to lessen the longer they were exposed to it.
She was as close to the two as she dared, considering she was thinking of throwing the contents of a bottle of bleach at Fergal. Yami, her poor floors.
Taking a breath, two of her curls rose from the mass trailing over her shoulders and down her back, moving forward, poised to strike, swaying gently, waiting for just the right moment to move. There… expensive Italian footwear, no way was that Liam. A curl struck. Wrapping like a vice around an ankle and tugging hard. The two semi liquid, semi human forms abruptly tore apart. Devon’s second curl struck, wrapping around one of Liam’s upper arms and throwing him across the room.
Devon flinched at the loud crash he made when he hit a wall but she didn’t have time to check on him as she flung the contents of the bleach at Fergal. Whipping her hair back out of the line of fire as corrosive liquid arced threw the air, splattering the floor, one sofa and thankfully, Fergal Chambers.
The Merrow emitted a high pitched gurgling shriek as he flashed between his liquid and human forms, dropping and writhing on the floor in severe pain.
“My eyes…” He flailed about. Turned liquid one last time then seemed to settle back finally into his human form. He scrubbed hard at his eyes even as he hunched over and heaved the contents of his stomach out on to the floor next to him. “Poseidon… my… eyes.”
Devon’s jaw tightened. That settled it, she was definitely having the floors in here stripped and re-varnished before she bought in her own furniture from her place in Sydney. She watched as Mac McKenzie strode through the wrecked room to take charge of Fergal. Devon had no idea how the police would be able to keep the slippery Merrow prisoner once he recovered from being poisoned but that was the local laws problem, not hers. Speaking of problems that were hers… Liam.
Devon spun and headed across the living room, jumping over the wrecked coffee table. She dropped next to Liam who was slumped on the floor, one hand holding his head, his aquamarine eyes tensed with pain.
“Liam. Liam, are you alright?” She bought a hand up but was reluctant to touch him anywhere in case she made his injuries worse. “Where does it hurt?” She surveyed him from head to toe, noting bruises and contusions, his t-shirt ripped at the shoulder. Though she saw no blood there could be any number of life threatening things wrong with him not visible to the eye – internal bleeding, spinal damage, broken bones.
Liam managed to heft himself up against the wall, leaning back against it with a wince. “You offering to kiss my boos-boos better, Princess? Because if you are, I could make a list.” He managed a heated leer down the front of her sweater, where the wool had been caught and stretched in all the chaos, the material gaping open slightly for his viewing pleasure. He might feel like three day old fish left out in the sun, but by The Trident, he was still a man.
Devon reacted without thinking, balling her fist and punching him hard in the shoulder.
“Hey! Ow…. And ow again.” Liam rubbed his upper arm and then his head, he’d moved way too fast. “What was that for?”
“For being a macho idiot. Look at you, you’re one giant bruise.” Devon glared at him, anger eating away at the fear that had gripped her only moments ago, he was okay, thank the depths. If the man could flirt and leer, he’d live. Except now she would have to kill him for scaring her so very badly.
“But did you see the other guy?” Liam quipped.
“You mean the one writhing on the ground over there throwing up bleach, thanks to yours truly? Yes I did.” Snarled Devon, willing her rapidly beating heart to slow.
“Bleach? Good idea.” Liam rubbed the knot at the back of his head. “But did you have to throw me so hard?”
“You needed to be out of the liquid blast zone, and how is it my fault you can’t fly or know how to land gracefully?” She snapped back but even to herself she felt her tone was lacking its usual level of contempt and irritation.
Liam huffed a laugh, then winced again. “Clearly all my fault then. What’s got you so riled up?”
“You could have died, you idiot.” Devon fought the urge to punch him again, casting a quick glare at one of her curls that sneaked around her waist to pet Liam’s leg. Do not baby him, I’m still angry here. The curl slunk back.
“I didn’t though.” Liam felt compelled to point out. Grabbing one of Devon’s hands and slowly unclenching it so he could hold it in his.
Devon glanced over her shoulder as Chief Hughes, another of the McKenzie brothers and two men she didn’t recognise appeared in the living room, the reinforcements were here. Ignoring them, she turned back to watch Liam try and fail to get to his feet. The poor thing clearly exhausted and in pain. Which bought on a fresh wave of anger. “You’ve seen what I can do with my hair. If you’d just stayed out it I could have torn that asshole in two and you wouldn’t be lying here looking like a paint chart for the colour purple.”
Liam sighed, pulled Devon’s hand up to his mouth, bestowing a soft kiss on the back of it. “Devon, I’m okay. Really. I know I scared you.”
Devon took a deep breath, scowled at him, then took another breath. “I’m still mad at you.”
“Of course you are, blame the innocent in all this.”
Devon issued a soft derisive snort.
“Too far with the innocent claim?” Liam grinned. “Look, I know what you can do with your hair. And I in no way doubt your ability to rip a man in two. If you can punch through concrete, anything is possible. Problem is, if you’d tried that with Fergal, you would have got a nasty shock. Along with his ability to get through the smallest of spaces he also inherited his mother’s ability to grow limbs back.”
“What about his head?” Devon glared over at Fergal who was now lying on his side in a puddle of his own vomit, panting, looking both pale and still slightly green. He continued to moan and clutch at his eyes. “Can he grow that back?”
“Probably not.” Liam squeezed her hand to regain her attention. “But if you’d killed him you be in serious trouble… Merrow declaring war on Makura trouble.”
Devon pursed her lips, she understood what Liam was saying was probably true, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. “Fine. Thank you for not letting me kill him.”
“Oh, don’t thank me. I was totally on board with you turning him into confetti, but this way… well, he’ll not only pay for his crimes but our Father will probably disown him. Merrow don’t do tacky things like orchestrate murder plots and if we do… we certainly don’t get caught.”
“There’s only one problem.” Devon looked over as Mac McKenzie now wearing rubber gloves and a distasteful expression on his face leaned over to haul Fergal to his feet. “Once he works all of the poison out of his system he’ll be as good as new, no jail will be able to hold him.” One of the enforcers stepped forward to help drag a limp Fergal out of the living room, the rest of the police following close behind providing back up.
“I was thinking about that whilst we waited for you to come home and he had me in that headlock. The real victim in all of this is
Sienna… Sascha. What if we were to hand over Fergal to her clan, the Louisiana Scaves? They have a lot of burly males, many of whom I’m guessing can breathe green fire and keep Fergal in line. Though I’m not sure I can picture him salvaging ships, it will certainly mean a wardrobe make-over is in his near future.” Liam grinned at the idea. “No more puce loafers.”
“I doubt they’d still take him. Why would they want one of their daughters married to scum like him?”
“Ah, but we have a spare, don’t we. It’s probably the only way my father will be able to keep peace with the Scaves anyway, offer up Fergal to be punished for his crimes along with another son for groom duties.”
Devon shook her head, smiling. “So thoughtful of you to ensure all your half-brothers are safely married off.”
“I know. I’m even surprising myself with this selfless act of kindness. Of course, I doubt a one of them will appreciate my gesture. I am still sacrificing myself on the marital altar, aren’t I?” Liam picked up Devon’s other hand. “You are going to make an honest man out of me, aren’t you Princess?”
“Honest? Let’s not push the boundaries. But I will marry you.” She leaned forward and carefully placed her lips on his.
Liam ignored the pain and kissed Devon, savouring her unique taste of honey with a hint of cinnamon.
Devon broke the kiss and leaned back, eyeing Liam with a challenging look. “I love you.”
Liam chuffed a laugh. “And I love you back.”
“And you won’t try to change me into some pathetic little Miss Mary Sunshine, who simpers and smiles all the time?”
Liam laughed again. “Not when you put it like that, I won’t. I didn’t fall in love with anyone but you Devon. The snarls, the snapping, the threats of bodily harm and death. I adore the fact you never back down from a challenge. Your loyal, wickedly funny, fair, smart, driven and undeniably gorgeous. I will love you to the end of our very long days together. Forget ten years, I’m not sure even a lifetime will be enough.”
Devon smiled. “Well, there’s already enough vomit on the floor in here, so I’ve decided to take everything you just said as sweet and endearing.”
“Shrew.” Liam laughed.
“Merrow.” Devon shot back.
“And what about you? Do you think you can take me on, as is?”
Devon opened her mouth, then closed it abruptly.
Liam felt his stomach drop in fear. “What?” He prayed it was fixable.
“Well, there’s just one little thing… your wardrobe.” Devon wrinkled her nose. “Those dreadful t-shirts with all those disgusting slogans will have to go.”
“No way. You love me Princess, you love all of me, my t-shirts included.”
Devon traced a finger lightly down the side of his bruised jaw. “You wear one of those awful t-shirts in my presence again and I promise you I will rip it to shreds in two seconds flat.”
Liam’s eyes flared with heat. “Promise?”
Devon smiled. “I do.”
“I can’t wait to shackle you to me for life, Shrew. How soon do you think we can make the marriage thing happen?”
Devon laughed. “Pretty quickly I think. I have an in with the locals… after all, most of them are family.”
Liam pulled her into his arms, ignoring his all of his aches and pains. “What do you say we jettison our families and adopt everyone here as our own? We’re going to need babysitters one day, and I’m pretty sure Nabha would be thrilled to help out.”
“I think it might be too late for that. I’m pretty sure, despite my best efforts, that the locals are two steps ahead and have already adopted the two of us. What do you think, can you stand being based in the Southern Sanctuary? I understand there’s a family magical grid we can tap into if we meld, the sex is supposedly spec-”
“You totally had me at sex. In fact, Princess, truth be told, you totally had me the very first day when I woke up in that hospital bed.”
Devon snuggled into Liam closer. They should move, clean up the wreckage, chat to the police about getting Fergal transported to the Scave clan but she was too content right there in Liam’s arms, planning their future. “All I can recall of that day is you drooling.”
“Over the hot doctor who couldn’t keep her hands to herself.”
“I was completely professional that day.” Devon protested.
“You weren’t even a little attracted to me?” Liam enquired.
Devon smiled devilishly. “Okay, maybe a little, but that was only because Nell had applied all that blue gunk and I couldn’t see your face.”
“So you love me for my body?”
“Why else?”
Liam laughed, leaning down so he could plant a soft kiss on Devon’s temple. “When I can move again I’m totally going to make you prove that statement.”
Devon sighed, she’d never felt so content, so happy, as she did right then. “Count on it.”
Epilogue
3 days later…
“We’re married!”
Two hands were thrust forward at the laptop camera and though they were thousands of miles away, separated by a computer screen, the Merrow King and the Makura Queen flinched back. The monarchs staring in twin shock at Devon’s sparkling diamond ring and the band-aides plastered to each of their palms.
Devon settled back onto Liam’s lap, both grinning, both glowing with happiness as they stared at their respective family members and royal leaders. Devon wearing a simple cream coloured silk dress that Riya just happened to have ready and waiting for her yesterday when she’d walked into her boutique announcing she was getting married and needed something to wear. Whilst Liam had on a linen white shirt, white trousers and flip flops, much to Devon’s amusement and disgust.
The conference Skype feature allowed all parties involved to see one another and interact at the same time. Perfect for dropping their little news bomb on the monarchs and rubbing salt deeply into festering wounds.
This was their fourth conference call in as many minutes. The first had been to Liam’s mother who had cried with tears of happiness at the news. Next was Devon’s father in Hawaii. Who had heartily welcomed Liam into the family, bestowing a blessing upon the newlyweds. Then Devon’s mother, who had done little more than roll her eyes and flash Liam a contemptuous glare before disconnecting the call.
Now here they were on their fourth and final call of the day.
“We knew you’d both be thrilled.” Liam grinned broadly.
“And look at you both.” Devon purred. “Practically struck dumb by the good news.”
“You got married?” Her grandmother, the Queen, questioned, suspicion darkening her eyes until they almost appeared black. “To a Merrow?”
“Of course to a Merrow.” Devon replied.
The Merrow King took affront. “What do you mean by that tone? My…” The King almost flinched at the next word, as if it pained him. “…son, isn’t good enough for your grand-daughter?”
“Oh, I’m sure Grandmamma didn’t mean it like that, after all, she was the one who insisted my betrothal contract was made with the Merrow.” Devon widened her eyes and fluttered her eyelashes, copying something she’d seen Nell do copious times. Trying to look innocent was hard work, she’d never given Pollyanna enough credit before.
Several of the Makura queen’s dark curls peeked over her shoulder as if to view the action, impatiently the Queen brushed them back. Straightening her shoulders, her dark eyes studied the couple searchingly. “It was the speed upon which I was commenting, nothing more. So you are married.” The statement seemed to sink in and the queen’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Felicitations are in order I believe.”
“Thank you.” Devon acknowledged with a slight nod.
The Merrow King, his broad shoulders barely fitting in the frame shifted uncomfortably, his blue eyes flicking between Liam and Devon as if he were searching for an answer to a puzzle. There was clear contempt in his eyes when he looked at Liam but Devon could almost
see the dollar signs appearing as he studied her, calculating how best to utilise her in his future money making schemes. Well, they would just see about that.
“You’ll be living in Sydney.” The Queen stated, rather than asked.
Devon looked back at Liam quickly, the two sharing a smile. “Actually, no. We’re relocating to the Southern Sanctuary, in Queensland. It’s where Great-Great-Aunt Nabha settled… the stories she tells about Makura Court life, she’s going to make a great babysitter one day. Don’t worry though Grandmamma, I know how much it troubled you to let me study and live in Australia, so we plan to visit… a lot.”
“Here? At court?” The Queen’s features hardened for a split second. “You’d bring a… your husband, here?”
“Of course. Where I go, Liam goes.” Devon prayed she wasn’t laying it on too thick. “The betrothal contract, that you signed, spells that out loud and clear.”
“That’s a good idea.” The Merrow King butted in. He’d been wanting for decades to get a spy inside the Makura stronghold and he wouldn’t pass up this opportunity, even if it had to be his youngest and least favoured son, doing the spying for him. “Family is important.”
“Yes, it is.” Liam grinned. “So don’t worry Father, I’ll be bringing my bride to visit you soon as well. I know she’ll just love Ireland.”
Devon sent the King her most evil, calculating smile. Pleased when the King turned quite pale for a moment before he forced a smile and nodded.
In the meantime the Makura Queen had rallied. Her imperious glare back in place. Obviously she had decided to deal with a Merrow invader when the time came, rather than worry about it right now. Clearly she intended to focus on the fact that with Devon married, settled in Australia, her throne would remain safe for the immediate future. And she now had a decade to come up with a plan to hold on to her power and keep Devon at a distance. “I imagine you’ll be very busy. Settling into this new life of yours… together.”
