by Devyn Quinn
Although it took a few minutes, he soon picked up the rhythmic pulse. It quickened and brightened, seeming to imitate the beat of blood through his temples.
Suddenly, he felt a buzzing sensation emanating from the crystal. Faint, at first, it gradually grew in strength until he was sure he felt another presence trying to break through some invisible barrier.
“I think I can feel something.” His voice was strained with anticipation and more than a little excitement.
“Try and concentrate harder,” Gwen murmured softly. “See if you can visualize Tessa.”
Kenneth nodded. Without any further instruction he closed his eyes. He tried to drown out every other sensation in his body, focusing his concentration on only his hand and the crystal thrumming against his palm.
For an instant nothing existed except the vast shadowy cavern inside his own mind. He was no longer conscious of anything except the expanding darkness—an inky black sea rushing in to drown him.
With a brief, tingling shock, Kenneth was out of his body. A strange light glowed around him. He lifted a hand, shocked to see his skin pulsing with a soft slow. The light, it seemed, was coming from within.
Kenneth?
The sound of his name, not spoken but projected, caused him to raise his head.
Far in the distance he saw a glowing figure. As he came closer, it took on form and solidity. Recognition flooded through his senses. “Tessa—”
Suddenly, a shining figure appeared before him. Her face and figure were a little blurred and indistinct, but her psychic resonance was unmistakable.
She looked terrified…
* * *
Having been stripped of her soul-stone, which felt like a violent rape within itself, Tessa huddled in the farthest, darkest corner of her cell. The Mer were not known for providing more than basic necessities for their prisoners. She had a small cot, a couple of thin blankets woven out of some material she couldn’t begin to identify, and sustenance. Past that, Queen Magaera seemed determined to make her incarceration as miserable as possible.
It didn’t even touch the icy monarch’s heart that Tessa was pregnant. As Magaera saw it, she carried the spawn of an inferior, thereby making her children inferiors, too.
Sighing deeply, she shifted her body, trying to find a more comfortable position on the uncomfortable bedding. Since her soul-stone had been taken from her, she had no way to communicate with her sisters; all her senses felt blunted and dull. She had no idea how many days had passed—more than a few, she was sure.
The isolation was beginning to get on her nerves. Even though she could barely stomach the sight of him, she would have welcomed Jake’s company, even if all he wanted to do was gloat. Yes, it was true he was a rat bastard. She wanted nothing more than to rip off his head and use it as a bowling ball. She supposed she’d be willing to let him live, if only for the sake of hearing a familiar voice. The Mer soldiers guarding her cell were all dour-faced bitches, speaking hardly a word when they delivered her food.
Tessa made a face. The food definitely sucked. It was fruit and seafood, and the thought of eating it made her gag. Most people would go nuts over a diet of steamed crab, shrimp, and lobster. But since she’d become pregnant, her olfactory senses were unusually sensitive. To her it all reeked of a fishy odor.
But curling up and dying simply wasn’t an option. For one, she had her children to think about, those two—possibly three?—precious babies she was determined to see born into this world. She also had no doubt whatsoever that somewhere, somehow, Kenneth was looking for her. The man had a will of iron and the determination to move mountains. If there was a way for him to come after her, he would.
Thinking about Kenneth caused her throat to tighten. Did he even have a clue as to how much she loved him?
As if she could use it to project her thoughts, Tessa focused on the stone wall directly across from her. She drew a deep breath and relaxed. Her heartbeat began to settle, slowing into a calming rhythm.
Concentrate, she told herself. Send your thoughts outward.
Closing her eyes, she gradually became conscious of the pulse of blood beating at her temples, of the small interior feelings deep inside her own body. She sensed rather than physically felt the relaxing of her muscles as her conscious self slipped away.
The hours reeled away, sliding from her grip. The darkness around her seemed to thicken.
And then it happened—something no words could describe.
With a brief, tingling shock, she was out of her body. Blurry, indistinct shadows surrounded her on all sides, but she felt no fear. Seconds later she thought she saw a solid figure forming in the strange mistlike illumination.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Kenneth?” A rush of welcome relief flooded through her. Her husband was alive!
Catching sight of her, he motioned for her to join him. “You can come to me now,” he murmured from afar. Indistinct shadows drifted in the distance surrounding him, an endless, barren space of no discernible form.
A strange, tingling sensation washed over her skin. Sharp, intense physical awareness filled her. He looked so real. “I don’t know how.”
He held out a hand toward her. “Think of me,” his voice whispered through her mind.
Tessa moved, gliding, unconscious of taking any physical steps. “I’m trying.” She was afraid that, if she moved too fast, he would immediately vanish, never to be seen again.
Abruptly, and without any transition, she was standing beside him. Warmth and comfort radiated from his strong presence. It didn’t look real, but it felt real, and that was enough for her.
“Where are we?” she whispered, as if speaking more loudly would destroy the delicious illusion.
Kenneth shook his head as a flicker of faint amusement passed over his face. “I’m not sure. Some kind of astral level Gwen’s projecting for us. She can’t sense you through your soul-stone, so we’ve been trying to make contact using other psi-channels. I haven’t got much time. She tires fast.”
Tessa followed his explanation sketchily; she caught the gist of what he was saying rather than the whole. It made sense in a cockeyed sort of way. She had an idea of how astral duplicates traveled on the celestial plane. “Queen Magaera took my pendant,” she confirmed. “She’s mimicking my psychic resonance.”
Kenneth’s jaw tightened. “We figured as much. So now she has control of the sea-gate?”
Tessa nodded. “Yes. No doubt she’s bringing out more of her soldiers as we speak.”
Kenneth paused a moment, as if listening to some faraway voice. “Are you on Magaera’s island?”
“I—I think so.”
He raised his shadow fingers to lay them gently across her cheek. His ephemeral touch was light as a feather. His features radiated a beauty only the eyes of love could see. “We’re coming for you,” he said. “You won’t be alone much longer, I promise.”
A rush of unbidden tears fractured her vision. Her eyes were brimming. “Kenneth,” she said, suddenly desperate to speak the words that had been on her mind through hours uncounted. “You know I love you.”
Pulling her close, he pressed a quick kiss against her forehead, even as his open palm spread against her swelling abdomen. “I know, honey.” Tenderness and concern poured through his faraway touch. “Keep yourself strong, for our girls.”
Tessa reached for him, desperate to pull his strong body closer. But it was no use. The psychic connection was beginning to fray. Without saying another word, he faded abruptly from her sight. Only a gaping black void occupied the space where he’d stood. Then the darkness flowed through her like a thick boiling cloud. The ground seemed to tremble under her feet.
Tessa felt an enormous thrust of power, a great blow that sent her reeling. A hard jolt followed as her body and spirit reconnected on the physical plane.
Aching and desperate to call him back, she gripped the edge of the cot with her fingers. She’d lain for so long in a half curl that her muscles had beg
un to cramp. She suddenly felt unbearably tired, as if she’d run for miles without a break. Her flesh prickled with strange sensations, as if thousands of tiny insects crawled beneath her clothing. Even though the stone cell was uncomfortably cool, she was burning up, perspiration drenching her skin.
Was it a dream? she questioned herself. Or real?
Thinking the encounter no more than a hallucination, she felt blank with despair.
Pain lanced through her. She’d never had a dream, no matter how nightmarish or surreal, that left behind such devastating physical consequences. Her head and heart were pounding; her teeth were chattering. She was vaguely conscious of an intense lethargy and of hunger—of the depletion of energy that was the unavoidable consequence of psi-kinetic exertion.
A thought niggled, demanding attention. She would have sworn on her life the event had actually taken place. Gwen’s powers were growing rapidly, after all.
Tessa pressed a hand to her clammy forehead in an attempt to lasso her racing brain. Too many impressions tumbled inside her brain, and she couldn’t make sense of anything—what was real or unreal.
Only one thing was absolutely certain. She had to believe her family had indeed found a way to communicate with her.
They’re close. The notion warmed the chill on her soul. Such a hope wasn’t much to cling to, but right now it was all she had.
Chapter 18
After the attack in the water, Mason had ordered the Sea Horse to withdraw from its present location. A storm was brewing, and a harsh and heavy wind was beginning to kick up high waves. To keep the ship from accidentally drifting into the perimeters of the dead zone, he’d set a course to move beyond it. The storm would drive them in the general direction of Egypt.
Much to everyone’s surprise, the dolphins continued to follow the ship. Addison had figured that the bad weather would drive the creatures back underwater, where they would be safe and relatively untouched by the wrath of Mother Nature. Instead of diving, one of the larger dolphins continued to launch its massive bulk into the air, making quick graceful arcs above the surface. It would disappear briefly, then reappear to repeat the process.
Addison clung to the deck railing, watching the dolphin perform. “It’s really into it,” she called, trying to project her voice above the wind. It wasn’t too bad now. Later it would be fierce.
“It’s a real show-off,” Mason grated back.
She laughed. He still wasn’t quite ready to admit the dolphins had pulled them out of one hell of a jam. It was as though he couldn’t admit the beasts might actually possess an above-average intelligence. “I think it’s cute.”
Letting go of the railing, she headed toward the diver’s deck. Though the ship lurched more than a little beneath her feet, she easily kept her balance. A Mer always had her sea legs, and the incessant up and down motion of a seagoing vessel didn’t bother her in the slightest. Some members of the crew weren’t so fortunate, and more than one person had retreated belowdecks to ride out the storm. More than a few were violently seasick.
Humans and water don’t always mix well.
Mason didn’t seem to be affected. He matched her step for step. “Where are you going?”
“Back into the water.” She didn’t glance up when she answered. She already knew he’d negate the plan, possibly even try and pull rank. When she’d agreed to accept the position, she’d put herself under the obligation to obey his command. If worse came to worst, she’d simply pretend she didn’t understand him.
The other reason she couldn’t quite bring herself to look him in the eyes hovered in the back of her mind: his discomfort with her Mer side. Even though he seemed to admire her abilities at times, particularly when they were underwater together, the attack by Magaera’s soldiers had brought him back to square one. She could tell by the way he kept his distance that he was struggling with his distrust of the Mer. Did he think she had a dark side that would turn against humans on a dime?
I don’t know if he’ll ever fully trust me. It was a disquieting thought.
That little fact alone put any chance they had of building a relationship into a dead stall. She couldn’t stop being a Mer any more than she could change the color of her skin or stop her heart from continuing to push blood through her veins.
And that was too bad. She really liked Mason. She would even have liked to see what the future might hold for them if they decided to explore the possibilities.
Mason shook his head. “Are you insane? I’m not letting you go down there.”
Addison shrugged. “I’m still in my wet suit and ready for diving,” she said, flashing him a smile that barely concealed her impertinence. “Besides, it’s not as though I’m going to drown. Mermaids and water kind of go hand in hand, you know.”
He grabbed her arm. “What if the dolphins aren’t the only ones following?” he demanded. “Magaera’s soldiers are well capable of keeping up with this ship, too. Those dolphins might not come through a second time.”
More than a little pissed, Addison wriggled out of his grip. “I’ll thank you to unhand me, Captain,” she said, putting a measure of steel in her tone. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m the one you came to for help in dealing with the Mer.”
His hand immediately fell away. “In case you’ve forgotten,” he countered, “I’m the one leading USET, and I’ll make the decisions as to how all team members proceed, including those civilians.” His blue eyes glinted with cool determination.
Addison knew he was in the right, but she refused to listen. “I’m the Mer here, and you don’t tell me what to do.” It was a childish and stupid thing to say, but she didn’t care. The resentments she’d kept bottled up were beginning to boil to the surface, and she didn’t feel like acting as a reasonable adult.
“Either you follow my orders or I’ll put you off this ship at the next opportunity,” he said, biting off each word in a precise manner that left no doubt of his seriousness. “I won’t have your pigheaded ways endangering any member aboard—including you.”
If there was anything Addison hated more than being backed into a corner, it was being given an ultimatum. Of course, she should straighten up and fly right, but she just didn’t feel like it. “I’ll save you the trouble.”
With that, she climbed over the rail and dived into the water.
She hit the choppy waves, then proceeded to propel herself several hundred feet beneath the surface. The clinging wet suit annoyed her as she swam. She quickly shifted out of it, putting on her tail.
That feels better.
Even though she knew Mason would be worried, she felt no compunction to surface immediately. Let him stew a bit, she decided.
Addison tore through the water with strong, sure strokes. When she had to get away from the stresses of living in the human world, she often returned to the sea. She’d never been like Gwen, wishing desperately to be human. She liked being a mermaid. She relished it, as a matter of fact. Where others were ordinary, she was extraordinary.
A flash of shadow caught the corner of one eye.
Addison stopped, whirling around to confront whoever followed her. A weak laugh bubbled from her lips when she saw one of the dolphins. It swam in her wake, expertly mimicking her moves. Not only was it the biggest; it seemed to be the leader.
Even though she didn’t know much about dolphin anatomy, the massive creature practically radiated an overpowering, almost possessive, maleness. From the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail, it had to measure at least seven feet in length. A series of dark stripes wove its way over the dolphin’s leathery skin, as if to mimic a tiger shark. Although unusual, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. To ensure survival, many creatures often took on the characteristics of predators.
Addison stilled her movements, swishing her tail against the current so it wouldn’t carry her away. The dolphin swam closer, closing the distance between them until its long snout was perhaps less than a foot from her nose.
She reached out a ha
nd and touched the dolphin’s head. Its butter-smooth skin was cool beneath her palm. “Well, aren’t you a pretty boy,” she said, sending out her remark on a psi-kinetic level. She doubted the dolphin was capable of receiving her thoughts, but it didn’t hurt to try.
Suddenly, a strange tingling sensation shot up her arm. And then it happened. A series of strange blue-gray sparks whooshed across the dolphin’s body, like fireworks under the water. Before she could even blink, the dolphin had vanished. A humanoid figure took its place.
Startled beyond reason, Addison held out her arms in a protective gesture. She had no idea what had happened, or how. One minute she was giving the dolphin a friendly pet. The next moment she was looking at a very tall, very naked man.
Long silver-blue hair spread out in a halo around a face composed of sharp lines and angles. His eyes were spaced widely apart, the irises a strange silvery color that seemed to glow with a curious radiance. His features were well defined, with angular cheekbones, an aquiline nose, and a wide but oddly sensual mouth. His long lean body, definitely a swimmer’s physique, rippled with pure muscle. Even after shifting, his skin retained the unusual striped pattern. As for any hint of a tail—there wasn’t one.
Her gaze tracked over his chest, following the cobbled path down his abdomen. Heat crept into her cheeks. He was definitely all male.
Addison blinked. This thing couldn’t possibly be real. Her hand shot out, giving him an experimental poke. The flesh beneath her fingers was solid.
Flustered, she opened her mouth to speak, which only resulted in a big gulp of salty water going straight to her stomach. Spluttering, she gagged down the terrible taste and reminded herself to project her thoughts. “Who the hell are you?”
Apparently a connection had been made on the psychic level, for the man-dolphin smiled. “I am Jovon.”
Addison’s eyes widened at the sound of a clear male voice echoing inside her own head. “You understand me,” she said.
