by S. K Munt
‘How about I walk away?’ Ivyanne asked wearily. ‘Then you’ll have nothing to fight over.’ Ivyanne turned on her heel and stomped into the house.
Tristan wasted no time taking after her, gaining ground while Grace rushed forward and helped Lincoln to his feet. He could hear the swearing but he tuned it out.
‘What are you doing?’ Price asked, holding Tristan back with one hand. ‘The queen wants to be alone.’
Tristan looked him dead in the eye. ‘One of us is going to chase her Price regardless of what she wants.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘Do you want Lincoln to beat me to it?’
Price narrowed his eyes, but then sighed and stepped aside.
21.
When Price stepped between Lincoln and Tristan’s retreating back, Lincoln didn’t think twice before he acted-sending out a hand and shoving the other man into the water, out of his way. He was sick of them all thinking that because they were born mer, that they got to dictate how things went down.
He was halfway up the hill when the next person tried. He felt the grip on his wrist, felt himself spun around, and his fist pulled back reflexively and flew forward-stopping only an inch away from Grace’s terrified face.
‘Oh!’ She yelped, her body shrinking into itself.
‘Grace! What are you doing? I almost put your lights out!’ His hand dropped to her shoulder, shaking her. ‘Never ever grab me while I’m mad okay? Garridan’s training us to punch first and then see who the recipient was after.’
She nodded, eyes wide. ‘I’m sorry! I just-I don’t want you to fight him Lincoln!’
‘Because I’ll get beaten down right?’ He growled. ‘Everyone thinks I’m just this big p-’
‘No! Because I don’t want you to get kicked out! I know my great uncle, okay? He means what he says and if you follow Tristan in there, you’re going to come to blows again and you know it.’
‘She’s worth it!’ He snapped.
‘No! She’s not! Dammit Lincoln! I’m trying to mind my tongue and keep my hands to myself but no matter how hard I squint I can’t see how you are ever going to be happy with her. Even if you win! Why have a heart divided when you could have one that’s pounding for you only?’
He sagged, some of the anger going out of him. ‘Grace you promised me that you’d back off.’
‘And you wouldn’t care if I kept that promise, if you were as oblivious to me as you want me to think.’ She took his limp hand in both of his. ‘What uncle Tristan did tonight was underhanded and sly and arrogant and it made me realize a few home truths about my family.’
He crossed his arms, breaking her hold on him. ‘That you all need to be taken down a peg or two hundred?’
‘No. That we always get our way. And you’re my way.’ Grace jumped onto him, wrapping her legs around his hips and arms around his shoulders. His hands were trapped-he couldn’t fling her free without hurting her and when his lips parted to give her what for, the taste of spearmint gum and the wettest, hungriest mouth he’d ever experienced rendered him speechless. Anger at his own vulnerability flashed through him, but had nothing left to burn that Grace’s sweet body hadn’t already set on fire. His lips responded, needing to press against something, need to lap up feminine desire, but as soon as his tongue flicked against hers, she pulled back, panting, smiling in a way that lit her from within.
‘Admit that you want me.’ She whispered. ‘That you’ve thought about it.’
‘Of course I have.’ He muttered. ‘You’re irritating Grace Londeree, but you’re fucking adorable. I wish it was enough to break the hold she has on my heart, but it’s just not.’
‘I know that.’ Grace smiled and dropped to the ground. ‘She has your heart. But tell me Lincoln, if you fail to win her hand, will you consider taking mine?’
He frowned. ‘You want me to make an empty promise?’
‘More than anything else I’ve ever wanted,’ she whispered. ‘Just tell me that you’ll keep me in mind. You were so brave tonight, taking him on. I love my uncle, but I enjoy seeing someone put him on his backside for once. It’ll keep him grounded.’
‘If someone bringing down a plane for the sole purpose of teaching him a lesson didn’t ground him, one punch from me won’t.’ But Lincoln chuckled, bedazzled by her awe. It helped him stand tall, even though Tristan had just torn him down again. He leaned down and kissed her.
‘I’ve kept you in mind since I first saw you sing, Lolita,’ he ruffled her hair, earning another ridiculous grin. ‘I just didn’t want to encourage this kind of behavior by saying it out loud.’
‘Too late!’ She chirped.
‘So I see.’ He turned and walked away, pressing fingers to his lips, all anger eradicated from his system. Let Tristan have his games. Loveridge was going to need a memory or two to make him smile when he was growing old alone.
*
Ivyanne had known that things were going south, quickly, but she hadn’t realized the severity of the situation until she saw mild-tempered Lincoln take Tristan’s feet out from underneath him. It was the beginning of the end.
Ivyanne wiped at her eyes as she stomped up the stairs. She’d never been so humiliated before in her life! She’d seen some of the others laughing over the scene with Sahori once Tristan had emerged from the shadows-but Ivyanne didn’t think it was funny at all. She’d been prepared to gauge Sahori’s eyes out!
I’m as bad as they are! She realized as she rounded the stair at the top of the landing. Mean tempered, jealous, over-dramatic... If my mother saw that, she’d be mortified!
‘Ivyanne hold up!’
Ivyanne groaned when she heard Tristan’s baritone following her down the hall, though she had known one of them was going to be hot on her heels, if not both.
‘If you think this is the time for an apology, then you’ve lied about your I. Q,’ she said, making a beeline for her own stairwell.
‘Apology?’ Tristan chuckled. ‘Hell, I’ve never been so ready to break out the champagne before in my life!’
Ivyanne ground her teeth together. ‘Tristan-go. I mean it. I have nothing but ugly things to say to you.’
‘Ugly? Like mother f-asshole?’ he joked. ‘Or telling me to go to hell? Pretty sure you’ve already laid that on me tonight!’ A hand encircled her wrist. ‘But you didn’t mean them.’
‘Ha!’ She barked, turning her door handle. ‘Shows how much you know!’
‘Ivyanne….’ Tristan’s voice dropped, and the mirth dissolved. ‘Sweetheart... you were crying. You were screaming, and crying-hysterically. Over me.’
Ivyanne froze, her hand on the door knob as the truth in his words hit home. He was right. She had been. The notion of Tristan and Sahori had shredded her. In fact she still hadn’t recovered from the initial jealousy, let alone the anger to follow! What did that mean?
‘What I did was mischievous, I’ll admit that,’ Tristan continued softly, ‘but that doesn’t change your reaction.’ Strong, warm arms enfolded her, one stretching down to her wrist and pulling her hand off the door knob. ‘You thought I was in another woman’s arms and it made you homicidal.’
Ivyanne stiffened. ‘I was angry,’ she said quickly. ‘To think you’d gone that far right where I’d see it. That’s all.’
Tristan chuckled. ‘Lincoln may swallow that because he’s desperate to believe you-but I won’t. I saw your heart break over me tonight-I heard it in your voice. We all did.’ His breath was on her neck. ‘Doesn’t that tell you something?’
‘Yeah.’ Ivyanne said hotly, squeezing her eyes against a fresh round of tears. ‘That the full moon is a son of a bitch.’
Tristan groaned and roughly spun her around. ‘You stupid, ignorant-’
‘Go on!’ Ivyanne snapped. ‘Dig yourself a deeper hole!’
Tristan kissed her fiercely. Ivyanne’s heart jumped into her throat on reflex-but this time, her hand reacted as well. She pushed him back and slapped him-hard-across the face.
‘Don’t!’ She sobbed. ‘Don’t kiss me like this
was all some kind of foreplay!’
Tristan looked stunned for a moment, but then he stepped back into her face. ‘It is all foreplay with us,’ he whispered, his toffee-colored eyes as warm as syrup. He grabbed the hand she had struck him with, and pressed it to his lips, the red mark on his face half of what any other man would bear from the same hit. His strength in that moment was palatable, inside and out. ‘And it’s just leading up to a bigger and bigger explosion every day you deny me.’ He pressed her limp hand against his heart. ‘Tell me, my queen...do you need me to check your windows tonight?’
Ivyanne narrowed her eyes, hating him for making her heart throw itself against her ribcage so violently. ‘No. They will be shut, locked and boarded up.’
Tristan rolled his eyes. ‘Wouldn’t be the first time. But it will be the last.’
Ivyanne arched an eyebrow. ‘The cocky thing is getting old. It was attractive before-now it’s just-’
‘Irresistible?’ he provided. ‘I know. I can see you unravelling.’ He grabbed the hem of her skirt and pulled her against him. ‘You’re mad tonight-I understand.’ His eyes burned into hers. ‘But tomorrow night is the full moon-and you will leave that window open for me, Ivyanne.’
Ivyanne rolled her eyes. ‘Dream on Tristan-your lines don’t work here anymore. Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if anyone ever believes a word you say again!’
Tristan snickered. ‘Well-believe this. I’m going to come to you tomorrow night, and I’m going to make love to you.’ His hands slid down her sides. ‘Actually I’m going to make love to you, then fuck you, then make love to you again. With my hands, lips fingers...’ His hands travelled back up her thighs, hiking up her skirt so his fingertips grazed her skin. ‘When you come the first time and call out my name, I’m going to slip that ring onto your finger. And when you come the tenth time, our bloodlines will be one. I won’t let you out of my arms until we make new life and this ache-’ his hand caressed her sex through her underwear, making her shudder. ‘Yes that one, is alleviated.’
Ivyanne’s skin erupted into a million tiny flames at his touch but one glimpse of his smug, knowing smile refreshed her rage. She shoved his hand away and slid out from under him. ‘You’re not the only one who can take care of that ache for me,’ she reminded him, finding the knob on the door. ‘Or the only one who can do it well.’ She was being mean, but she didn’t care. Tristan had wounded her like no man ever had. She wanted to see an ounce of that suffering reflected in his eyes.
‘Maybe not,’ he said sharply, pushing off the door. ‘But I am the only one who’s still going to make you ache like that, one hundred, two hundred years from now. And you know it.’
Ivyanne glared at him. ‘Good night Tristan.’
‘Good night, Ivyanne.’ He retreated, winking. ‘Better make sure those windows are locked real tight, because I’ll be coming by to check-’ But he didn’t finish his threat. An annoyed look crossed his face, and he dug his phone out of his pocket, hitting the speaker button as he lifted it. ‘Tristan here,’ he said brusquely.
Ivyanne opened her door, turning her back to him. I don’t care how hot this man is! I will have grey hairs in six months if I have to marry him!
‘Why? Who’s this? Callum? Oh hey! Yeah this is me…what’s up?’ There was a long pause. ‘Whoa mate slow down! How do you know Ardhi?’
Ivyanne spun around, curious. Callum? Ardhi?
Tristan’s face was creased with annoyance. ‘How do ….? What? No I’ve …. okay okay…. go, talk.’ Tristan’s hand reached out and grabbed her wrist again. ‘STAY THERE.’ He mouthed.
Ivyanne nodded, wetting her lips. As Tristan listened to whatever the caller was saying, the color started to drain from his face.
‘He’s going to try and…?’ Tristan’s eyes closed, his face contorting, yanking Ivyanne up against him. ‘Over my dead body,’ he whispered, a tremble going through him.
22.
‘Okay kids-listen up!’ Garridan’s eyes drifted around the theatre room, his lips moving silently as he did a head count. ‘You all know the threat, and I’m going to keep our counterattack simple, and safe.’ He gestured to Ivyanne. ‘At ten o’clock tomorrow night, a boat will appear in the bay. Ardhi is counting on it to distract us and we must appear distracted. Camus will go out in the Zodiac and question them as they anticipate, but the moment he hears the shot from inside the house-Arundel and Ivor will capsize the boat and help him restrain the occupants.’
Arundel and Ivor smiled at each other.
‘What shot?’ Adele asked, looking confused.
‘Mine. Or Garridan’s bullet- plugging Ardhi in the middle of his forehead,’ Tristan said grimly, squeezing Ivyanne’s hand. There was a chorus of cries and murmurs from the gathered mermaids. Ivyanne was seated between Tristan and Lincoln. Each was holding one of her hands-and for once neither seemed to care about the other’s proximity which was odd considering they both bore bruises and scratches from their struggle not long before.
Ivyanne swallowed. She didn’t want to picture what Tristan had said. Or Ardhi’s angular and exotically pretty face shattering, nor Tristan being in close quarters with him. But the guard had been locked away for an hour planning their scheme, and Ivyanne had swore that she wouldn’t get in their way again.
‘And how is that going to happen exactly?’ Lincoln asked.
‘Ardhi is going to try and sneak into Ivyanne’s room at ten and is anticipating both her, and the crown, being there when he does. At 9.30, every non-guard in this house will converge in the theatre room, armed and locked in, to stay safe. At 9.45, Tristan and I will sneak into Ivyanne’s room while the lights are out. I’ll hide in her closet, and Tristan will hide in the closet of the spare room, so we’re laying in wait wherever he ransacks first.’ Garridan paused. ‘When we’re in, Ivyanne will enter, turn on her bedroom light and head straight for the bathroom where she’ll turn on the shower. Then, she’ll exit through the door to the spare room, which will be dark, and back out onto the landing, down the stairs where Lincoln and Sahori will be waiting to escort her to the security room where they’ll all be locked in.’ He glared at Ivyanne. ‘On both sides.’
Me, Lincoln and Sahori...the Court, the turned, and the Marked. Protected and useless. Ivyanne thought. But she nodded. ‘I’ll stay put.’
‘Good.’ Garridan sighed. ‘I have no doubt that Ardhi will look for the crown first when he sees that Ivyanne is out of sight. But he will find a guard with a gun instead. After that, the rest of his plan is moot. Another distraction is apparently arriving at eleven to cover for him while he escapes, but Lachlan and Price will be down where the escape vehicle will be arriving, hiding in the trees, and will apprehend them too. Including Sherri.’
‘How many of them?’ Sahori asked, frowning.
‘Three. But of them, only Sherri wishes us ill-will.’
‘What if it’s more than a robbery?’ Grace asked.
Garridan glanced at Ivyanne, then Tristan, then away. ‘Well, Callum believes it is.’
‘But Ardhi said he didn’t want to hurt me!’ Ivyanne protested. ‘He said he was after something worth more, and if it’s money he’s seeking, the crown will do the job! But if it’s a sentimental worth he’s eluding to then your plan is serving one of the two things I love the most up on a silver platter by shoving Tristan in a closet like a lightning rod!’
Tristan chuckled. ‘I’m valuable again? I thought you hated me?’
‘Shut up.’ Ivyanne snapped. ‘My point is that he could be hoping to kill whoever he happens upon.’
‘Which won’t happen-because everyone will be locked away.’ Tristan said. ‘And for the record, he’s not after me anymore. Callum told him I bought a restaurant for Pintang, and Ardhi assumes that we’re falling for each other.’ He nodded towards Lincoln. ‘That’s the one at risk, who he believes you’re still engaged to. Which is exactly why he’ll be locked up tight.’
‘He can come at me,’ Lincoln muttered.
&
nbsp; ‘Don’t even think about it.’ Ivyanne said shortly. ‘This guy doesn’t know Ardhi that well, or his secrets.Who knows what secret agenda Ardhi has?’
‘Callum has a theory about that too,’ Garridan said, then cringed. Ivyanne stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate. His grimace wasn’t making her feel better. After a minute, he leaned forward, his eyes tight with anxiety.
‘Look nothing is certain, but Callum is switching teams on instinct-his own. And I agree. Ivyanne, honey...Ardhi plans on sneaking into your bedroom, armed, on a full moon, with an hour to kill, and has apparently been preparing for this by researching sexual intercourse on the-’
‘Oh hell no!’ Lincoln got to his feet. ‘Don’t even say it!’
Ivyanne’s blood drained from her face. ‘He’s expecting to get laid?’
‘Yes.’ Tristan said softly. ‘And doing so on a full moon means that his ultimate intention is to impregnate you.’
Ivyanne felt something inside her wither and die, and a moan of despair from across the room told her that Pintang was experiencing the same thing, as their flickering, remaining faith in Ardhi’s soul was snuffed out.
‘But..he knows I’m stronger than he is! How could he expect to overpower me without having to kill me and ruin his fun?’
‘No…’ Pintang sobbed from beside Lincoln. He immediately sat and pulled her into his arms, his expression concerned. ‘Oh god…Ardhi!’
‘Ssh…’ Lincoln whispered, cradling her, kissing the top of her hair. ‘Come on Tangy…don’t give him any more tears.’
Ivyanne’s heart skipped a beat. She was so used to comforting Lincoln that she hadn’t realized how good he was at offering comfort. Suddenly, she saw Lincoln not just as a husband or king, but as a father. And then she started missing her own father. And then her anger rose once more.
‘He is so dead.’ She muttered.
‘And I’m the one with the heinous sex drive according to Ardhi…’ Tristan remarked, his tone rueful. ‘Hypocrite.’
‘I don’t know how he expects to pull it off.’ Garridan went on. ‘Catching you by surprise, and alone, is probably key, which we’ve eliminated. So don’t lose a moment’s sleep over this, sweetheart. He won’t get near you.’
