by Devyn Quinn
A little gasp of surprise rushed past her lips. Good God! The feel of his body pressed against hers sent a hot tremor through her. Oh, man, he was big—and strong. For a moment the energy pouring off him threatened to send her internal temperature straight into the red zone.
A thrill of something forbidden and dangerous zipped down her spine. His own breathing accelerated.
Struggling to sit up, she shifted beneath him. His body was rock hard, well muscled, and sleek. He was all man—and damn delicious.
Regaining his balance, McKenzie pushed off her. Regaining his footing, he straightened his uniform. The captain was back to business.
Addison’s checks flushed, but she felt an unpleasant emptiness as he took a few steps back.
“Sorry if that was awkward for you,” she mumbled under her breath.
McKenzie gave her a quick nod. “I think I need to go and check on the damn fool crewman piloting this ship. That was certainly not the way we leave dock.” He spoke in a precise, clipped manner, and his voice sounded more than a little bit strained.
She tried not to smile. Yep. She’d gotten to him. A Mer always knew when a man wanted to mate. The pheromones were practically pouring off him. He was more than a little bothered. “I could use a few minutes to rest.”
The muscles in Mason’s jaw rippled. “Certainly.” He then beat a hasty retreat. The cabin’s door closed behind him with a firm click. He didn’t look back as he departed.
Settling her legs over the edge of the bunk, Addison sat up and shook her head to clear it. The last thing she should be thinking about was getting involved with a human when her species and his were practically at each other’s throats. She hadn’t come all this way to partake in a pleasure cruise.
First we find Tessa, she reminded herself sharply.
Her gaze drifted toward the Mer doll. It was silly but cute. But the note reminded her that it had been a long time since she’d had a steady lover. And it sure was hard to ignore the way her heart kicked whenever she looked at Mason. She didn’t believe in love at first sight. But lust—yeah, the good captain had everything she liked about a man. Every time she was around him, something inside her clenched with need.
She sighed and let herself fall back on the bunk. Sleeping in his bed wasn’t going to make things any easier. Even though the bedding had been freshly made, her acute senses still picked up his unique masculine scent. It tickled her nostrils, unspooling all sorts of naughty images across her mind’s eye.
She forced herself not to indulge. At this point, the best she could hope for was a speedy capture for Magaera and Jake.
“Man, I can’t get off this boat soon enough.”
His senses still abuzz from his brief encounter with Addison Lonike, Mason stomped into the control room. Every man present had a shit-eating grin on his face.
Realizing something was afoot, he shot them all an irritated frown. “Who the hell is piloting this ship?” he demanded. “Knocking everybody ass over heels isn’t the way to leave dock.”
Commander Hawkins shrugged. “Take it easy, Cap,” he replied, grinning and flinging something shiny into the air. “We just wanted to give you a friendly shove in the right direction. It’s been a long time since you’ve had a little shore leave.”
Mason caught the flying missile. Opening his hand, he recognized a familiar brand of condom—ribbed and lubricated, extralarge. “Ha, ha. Very funny.” Without giving it a second thought, he quickly tucked it into his pocket. Out of sight was out of mind. “It’s shit like this that can cost a captain his command. And if I go down, you can sure as hell bet I’ll be taking a few of you funny guys with me.”
Hawkins spread his hands in apology. “Sorry, sir. We just thought you could use an excuse to get a little more friendly with her.” His eyes narrowed slyly. “You haven’t taken your eyes off her since she arrived. And you certainly won’t let anyone else get very damn close.”
Mason blinked in surprise. Had it been that damn obvious? “I was simply trying to be polite,” he said, coughing discreetly into his hand.
Jesus. Was he truly acting like a lovesick pup? There really wasn’t a reason to, either. He had a little black book full of women willing to show a sailor a good time when on shore leave. He could hook up anytime he wanted.
Maybe that was the trouble. Most of the women he’d slept with all fell into the same category: easy, good-time girls who weren’t interested in him for who he was, but for the uniform he wore. And there was a time when he was willing to settle for one-night stands.
But those times had begun to wear thin lately. He rarely picked up the phone anymore, preferring to spend his time alone rather than indulge in another shallow bout of sex with a woman whose last name he didn’t even know. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but he’d recently decided to go without until he figured out the answer.
He had to admit that Addison was definitely a departure from all other women. She was something special, unique. And it wasn’t just because she was a mermaid, either. She was funny, blunt, open, completely without guile or deception. What a man saw was what he got.
And Mason liked what he saw—a lot.
One of the seamen smirked. “If you get any more polite, Captain, you’re going to smother the girl to death. Back off and give the rest of us guys a chance.”
“Yeah,” Hawkins added. “The rest of us want to see what these mermaids are all about. Looks as though they’re not all vicious bitches.”
Mason immediately shook his head. Yes, he was perfectly aware of secret trysts on long assignments at sea, but it was something he refused to indulge in. It was the cost of doing business in a gender-integrated military. And while male and female soldiers were not allowed to be in the same room with the door closed or be “out of uniform” anyplace, people still found a way to sneak off for private time.
It was something he wouldn’t mind doing with Addison. The idea of actually getting her alone again caused his stomach to twist into painful knots. Even now all he could think about was the feel of her sleek body pressed beneath his. She was so close, and so willing. He’d wanted to kiss her and was surprised he’d managed to keep himself from doing so.
But it was neither the time nor place to think about his attraction to Addison Lonike. First and foremost he had a job to do. And that included getting his crew members to act like professionals instead of little boys let loose at summer camp.
“Not going to happen, fellas,” he said behind a stern frown. “You all know the rules. I can’t stop you from eyeing the lady, but it’s strictly hands-off. Ms. Lonike is here serving in an advisory capacity, nothing more. The last thing she needs is to be mauled by a bunch of horny sailors.”
“It would be a good way to find out more about those mermaids,” Commander Hawkins suggested. “There’s nothing like a little naked interrogation to find out an enemy’s secrets.”
The men around him laughed.
Mason didn’t think it was very funny at all, and he suddenly found himself feeling protective.
“Every one of you is aware that this isn’t the time for funny business,” he said, forcing a measure of steel into his tone that made everyone present snap to and pay attention. “Ms. Lonike is here to help us gain the advantage. But if her presence is going to be a distraction, she will be removed.”
One of his crew members piped in. “Our apologies for making light of the situation.”
Mason narrowed his eyes, staring down the control room. “Do I make myself clear?”
Commander Hawkins and the rest of the men nodded. “Absolutely, sir,” his second-in-command answered.
The buzzing of an intercom interrupted.
The commander answered. “Hawkins here.”
“Dr. Bessimer here,” came a crisp female voice. “I’m down in lab two with Ms. Lonike. We’re preparing to give a demonstration of Mer shifting capabilities.” An experienced marine biologist, Elizabeth Bessimer was also a commissioned lieutenant and lead sc
ientist on the ship. Any further study of the Mer species would be done under her inquisitive eye.
Mason squelched a desire to wince. The last thing he wanted to do was see Addison so soon after an embarrassing incident.
Apparently he wasn’t going to have that luxury. There was no way he’d miss the demonstration. When he’d encountered Magaera’s soldiers, they were already in the water, in full Mer form. He wanted to see for himself how the shift from human to mermaid actually happened.
Where were they hiding that damn tail?
“I’m on my way,” Mason informed her.
The commander looked askance. “Permission to accompany you, sir?”
Turnabout was fair play. “Permission denied. Divers and science personnel only.”
A chorus of groans filled the control center.
Mason nodded toward the man piloting the ship. “Ensign Collins, what’s our ETA?”
Consulting his computer, the ensign rattled off the answer. It would take about forty-eight hours to reach their destination.
“Full speed ahead, then,” he said, then added with a small smile, “And this time, no hot-rodding the engines.”
The ensign blushed. “Aye, aye, Captain.”
Leaving the control room behind, Mason wove his way through the ship. The day was clear and the weather perfect for sailing. They should have no problem reaching their destination on time.
This time we’ll be ready, he thought. Two men had come close to losing their lives to Magaera’s soldiers.
A group was gathered in lab two, which boasted a roughly sixteen-by-sixteen-foot observation tank. All that could be seen of it was the wide, flat viewing pane set into the wall.
Mason deliberately positioned himself at the rear of the room, out of her line of sight. His only intention was to observe.
Addison headed toward the tank, stopped, and eyed its girth. “How do I get into this thing?”
One of the divers volunteered to show her. “This is the observation side,” he explained. “The actual entrance is on the other side.”
Addison nodded. “Let’s go, then.”
Expectation buzzed through the divers and scientists. Everyone stepped closer to the glass.
A few minutes later, Addison lowered herself into the tank. She’d changed into a wet suit but wore no other diving gear. She glided beneath the water, doing a few flips and turns.
Pausing only to give onlookers a saucy wink, Addison stretched out and made a slow twirl through the water. The change from human to Mer occurred in the blink of an eye. One moment Mason saw two legs; the next moment he caught a glimpse of bright colors racing like wildfire across her skin. The wet suit melted away, disappearing completely. By the time he managed to focus his vision again, her transformation was complete.
The lower half of her body had completely changed, becoming a beautiful multicolored tail. Now that she was stripped to the buff, everyone could see the elaborate markings that covered most of her body.
The lab around him had fallen deathly silent.
As a diver, Mason had experienced some of the most awesome sights the sea had to offer. But nothing could even come close to the beauty of a mermaid. Her scales shimmered and sparkled like thousands of tiny crystals. All he wanted to do was stand and admire her.
A light shiver moved up his spine. A thrill of purely male appreciation swept through him. This is it. There’s no going back.
Giving her tail a saucy flick, Addison swam up to the window. Extending her arms over her head like a ballerina, she did a series of graceful rolls so they could observe all angles.
Everyone stepped closer, noses almost pressed against the glass. They were practically gawking. No one could pull his gaze away.
“Amazing,” Dr. Bessimer breathed. “Simply stunning.”
A diver named Cox pointed. “Look at the fine scaling over her torso and arms.”
Bessimer nodded. “The pattern is absolutely breathtaking.”
Mason held himself back, watching the people watch Addison. The lab suddenly felt overcrowded, hot, and suffocating. He couldn’t miss the way her flesh glowed in the water, and his hands ached to stroke the satiny smoothness.
As it was, he couldn’t look at Addison without yet another hot tremor passing through his body. Unbidden and unwelcome, a series of erotic images swirled through his mind. Heat began creeping up his neck.
Mason closed his eyes in sheer frustration, forcing himself to exhale. Just thinking about her supple figure was tying him in knots. The memory of his body pressing against hers filtered through his mind.
Slipping out of the lab, he groaned under his breath. This attraction wasn’t good—not good at all. He’d be a damn fool to give in to his lust. He was going to blow this mission if he didn’t concentrate and get his mind out of his pants. Because of who and what she was, messing around with Addison Lonike would be career suicide.
You can’t have her, he warned himself.
Chapter 9
“Everything okay, Captain?”
Mason opened his eyes. He’d only meant to step outside of the lab for a few minutes, just to take a breather.
He nodded. “I’m fine, Ensign,” he said, casting around in his memory to recall the man’s name. Ah, Johnson. Lifting his hand, he rubbed his tired eyes. “Just a little tired.”
Ensign Johnson nodded. “These are exciting times, sir. Imagine, being on the forefront of the discovery of a new species.”
Mason let his hand drop. As a diver and explorer, he had to agree that uncovering the existence of the Mer was one of the most important discoveries of the twenty-first century. Only the discovery of Noah’s Ark or perhaps the Holy Grail would rate on the same scale. Certainly it opened up a messy can of worms, as creationists would want to duke it out with scientists over whether or not the Mer were to be considered an alien or indigenous species. Theologians would chime in with their two cents, of course. Did a mermaid have a soul?
It was almost too much to think about.
“Kind,” he reminded his subordinate. “The Mer are to be referred to as a kind, not as a species.” Already the politically correct language was beginning to fall into place. No one wanted to risk offending what could, in the future, become a major seafaring power.
Ensign Johnson peeked through the small glass pane in the lab’s window. “She’s awesome, isn’t she?” He wasn’t a diver, and therefore wasn’t in on Addison’s demonstration. Not that he could have found a place to stand, anyway. The lab was crammed to the max. If the ship were to sink right now, more than half the crew would probably drown.
But he had to agree with the ensign. It was definitely hard to keep his concentration when Addison was in the next room, water caressing every inch of her tempting curves. Even though her scale pattern afforded her some cover, she was completely nude.
And, God, oh so beautiful.
Mason braced a palm against his forehead. Blood thudded dully in his temples, drowning out sounds of the ship’s engines. She was so close and so naked, and just thinking about tracing his hands along her lithe body was enough to send his libido into overdrive.
“That she is,” he said, making a show of rubbing a small crease between his eyes.
Unable to stand still another second, he tossed a quick salute of dismissal toward his crewman and headed back above deck. He needed a few minutes to himself, just to clear his head.
Out of habit, he headed toward the diver’s platform. Until this latest assignment he’d spent most of his career in the water. It was where he felt most comfortable. Putting on his equipment and sinking below the surface gave him a sense of peace and serenity he just couldn’t find anywhere else. The beauty of the ocean, its mysteries, had always piqued his curiosity. He’d always believed there were yet more discoveries to be made in the endless depths. Technological advances were allowing man to plumb those shadowy depths now, to go deeper and farther than ever before.
Mason stared down into the depths. It actuall
y wasn’t hard for him to accept the existence of a water-bound species. The lore surrounding mermaids had existed for centuries, with many an ancient sailor reporting the sight of sirens in the water. The fact that the Mer were exclusively female seemed to lend credence to the stories of seduction. Tales of mermen were few and far between.
The ship cut through the waves, its diesel-powered engines humming along at a comfortable eleven knots. It had only a sixty-day endurance, which should be more than plenty of time to breach Magaera’s island. Of the crew, twenty-nine members were divers—thirty-one if he counted himself and Addison.
Mason winced. As captain and lead tactician, he was forbidden to go into the water.
His hands clenched. Bullshit on that!
There was no way on God’s green earth that he would send any man into the water without knowing firsthand what he’d be facing off against. With the Mer, no one knew.
And so on their first ill-fated mission, Mason had gone into the water.
At first there was nothing—just a calm, peaceful sea.
But when he and his men ventured inside the magnetic zone surrounding the island, all hell had broken loose. Their equipment began to fail, forcing everyone to the surface. Not that they’d had a chance of staying there. Like sharks gliding beneath the waves, four long silhouettes appeared out of the impenetrable depths.
Mason closed his eyes. A flash of arms and tails punctuated by laserlike beams burning through the water was all he remembered. His life could have ended at any time when he’d gone under the crystalline depths.
The idea of going back wasn’t pleasant. But it was his job, and he intended to do it. At least this time around they were a little more knowledgeable and better prepared.
At least he hoped that was the case.
The sound of footsteps caught his attention.
“Hi.”
Mason turned. “Hello.” Addison was thankful to be back in her clothes. Her red hair curled in damp strands around her face. Free of all makeup, her skin was absolutely flawless. Only the slightest pink flush colored her fair and translucent angled cheekbones, which were clearly a part of her father’s Native American heritage. The figure he’d admired was now hidden by shapeless slacks, a loose T-shirt, and a jacket almost a size too large.
