by Joss Ware
His face tightened then, even as he copped a smile. It wavered a bit. “Yeah, so the truth is . . . you’ve been getting your freak on with a much older man.”
She blinked, staring at him, her mind racing. “You sure don’t look eighty years old.”
“True, that. There aren’t too many eighty-year-olds who have guns like this.” Flexing his biceps beneath a tight T-shirt, he flashed that special smile. But it didn’t quite reach his eyes, and she realized he was afraid.
She dragged her gaze away from those smooth muscles and another thought struck her. “So you haven’t aged in fifty years? Are you . . . um . . . are you immortal?”
Fence shook his head, a bit of sadness in his eyes. “No. I know that for certain, because one of us—my best friend—died shortly after we came out of the caves. And I figure I’m fixing to start showing some gray and wrinkles any time now.” He laughed uneasily. “I mean, I’m not going to turn into an old man tomorrow . . . but it seems like my body was frozen in time for a while. And now it’s starting to age again as normal.”
And then he lapsed into silence.
Ana realized she’d been holding her breath, and now she let it out easily. “Well, it was no wonder you knew exactly where to go in that big store,” she said. “And what to look for.”
“Does it freak you out?” he asked.
“Knowing that you’re older than my father? No, wait . . . that you’re older than my grandfather?” she replied, injecting a bit of levity into her tone. But then it evaporated as she continued, “I don’t care about that. You are who you are. And I love you.”
His eyes widened and she realized it was the first time she’d actually said the words to him, even though she’d been thinking them for longer than she cared to admit.
“Ana—” he began, but she interrupted.
“But doesn’t it bother you that I’m half Atlantean? That my race killed your family and friends?”
He was looking at her soberly. “But that wasn’t you, Ana. That was long before your time, and you’ve already demonstrated how far you’d go to keep something like that from happening again. You are who you are.”
Yes. But she wasn’t sure who she was anymore.
At that moment, she noticed for the first time that there were marks—cuts, scrapes, even burns—on Fence’s arms and neck, peeking from beneath his shirt. “Why didn’t Elliott heal you too?” Glad for a distraction, she reached over to tug the sleeve’s hem away from one big bicep to see ugly scrapes and bruises beneath.
“What? These little things?” he scoffed. “That’s nothing compared to what I got when I played football, or when I was first learning to mountain climb.” Then he took her hand, curling his fingers with hers. “Ana, I love you. All of you . . . the way you were, and the way you are now. It doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
She felt tears threaten. If only she could find a way to love her damaged self.
Chapter 23
Ana sat on the beach, staring out into the rushing, foamy waves.
They surged up around her ankles, soaking her seat and sprinkling salty water over her face.
It had been three days since she woke without her crystals, but it was the first time she’d ventured down here to the sea. She’d had to wait for a time when Fence wasn’t around because this was something she needed to do on her own.
A farewell she had to make by herself.
The salty tear trickling down her cheek was the result of grief, not the overzealous sea, and for a moment she couldn’t hold back the sobs. They caught her by surprise, fierce and deep, and she let them come.
She’d had to say goodbye to so many things in her life: her mother, the full use of her leg, the man she thought she’d loved . . . and now the best part of herself.
The part that made her feel whole.
At first she didn’t even want to attempt to go in; it would just remind her too much of what she’d miss. But Ana still loved the sea, and she couldn’t keep herself from taking off her shirt and struggling out of her cargo pants.
Dressed only in panties and a tank top, no longer having to worry that someone would see her crystals, she waded out into the sea.
The rush of pleasure and familiarity struck her with such great force that she thought it would knock her to her knees . . . but she kept herself upright.
And then, all at once, she dove into the water.
The Sea embraced her as She always had, cool and comforting . . . but right away Ana sensed the difference. She felt the heaviness in her lungs after only a few minutes: burning, constriction. The instinctive need to breathe.
She hadn’t even gone far from shore when she realized she had to go back.
For a moment she considered dragging in a long, deep breath and letting the Sea have her . . . but the image of Fence’s face rose in her mind and she popped to the surface.
The slog back to the beach was tedious and seemed to take forever, and she collapsed onto the gritty ground. Her hands shook and more tears threatened, but she blinked them back bravely.
This was the beginning of a new life. With a partner who loved her . . . and who understood her and how her life had irrevocably altered—for he’d lived through something similar.
She no longer needed to fear the Atlanteans finding her and bringing her back. She didn’t have what they wanted any longer.
Ironic, wasn’t it: when she first met Fence, he couldn’t bear to go into the water. And now that they’d found each other, everything had changed.
Something moved in the water, and she saw Fence emerge: tall and broad and dark, glistening with the sea. He looked so delicious, so welcome, that she wanted nothing more than to throw herself at him and feast. Just the sight of that massive chest, so chiseled and firm, made her feel light-headed . . . not to mention the way it eased into lean hips and long, strong legs.
And he loved her.
Yes, this does make up for it. A little.
Well, a lot.
“Hey,” he said, seeming surprised to see her there.
“I went in the water,” she told him, wondering what he’d been doing.
Fence nodded and sat behind her on the beach, pulling her back into the warmth and protection of his damp body. “I would have gone with you.”
“I know . . . but I needed to do it myself. It wasn’t so good,” she said.
“It’ll get easier,” he replied, rubbing his cheek against hers. “I’ve been thinking . . . you know, we’re lucky to have you.”
“I knew that,” she said, a little wavery smile starting on her lips.
He laughed softly. “What I mean is, aside from the fact that you are the craziest, madliest sexy woman I have ever known—and you are smart and brave and you are determined and . . . you manage to stay upright even after I lay my very best kisses on you.”
Ana couldn’t help but laugh. “True. Very true. And don’t forget, I laugh at all your jokes.”
Fence gave that deep chuckle near her ear and sent a shiver of excitement down into her middle. “Very true. But aside from that, you have so much knowledge and information you can share with us—verbally and through your drawings. Even, and maybe, especially now. Now that it feels like . . . well, almost like it’s going to be an all-out struggle between us and the Atlanteans. I get the feeling they’re not just going to stay back in their Raised City.”
She nodded. “You’re probably right . . . although they do have my crystals now, and that’s what they really wanted. Maybe they’ll just leave us alone for a while.”
“Maybe. But I intend to spend a lot of my time out there, watching for signs of a problem,” he said soberly.
Ana submerged a pang of envy and grief that he’d be doing it without her.
She rested her head back against Fence and it settled onto his shoulder. His jaw was right there, and she turned to press a kiss to it, noting that it was rough with stubble. “I’m going to be all right. I got through this before,” she said, gestur
ing to her leg. “And I didn’t even have you.”
Fence squeezed her tightly. “We’re together now. I’ll be here with you, just as you were with me.”
She nodded, then turned her attention to other matters. “What did you find, out there?”
For a moment his arms tensed and she was afraid he was going to prevaricate—keep stuff from her, now that she couldn’t experience it for herself. But he relaxed then and said, “The barrier is gone.”
“Gone?” She sat up and turned to face him, her knee bumping his awkwardly. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“I went to destroy the crystal—and was successful,” he added, then pulled a shard from his shorts pocket. “Brought this back for Quent. But it’s in little smithereens all over the bottom of the ocean now, down in a few holes and hidden inside some cars. They’ll never find the pieces. And the barrier was gone.”
Ana was nodding, looking out at the sea, her mind working. They had her crystals, they didn’t need anything else from her. If her guesses had been correct, part of the purpose of the Goleth stones was to lure her out of hiding. But also, the barrier had been closer to Envy than it needed to be, so the stones could be set up in a protected area in order to cause the tidal wave. “If I had to guess, I’d say maybe they just moved it. Out farther to sea.”
“That’s possible. I’ll be checking further.” His voice was determined and sober.
A sudden spike of fear lodged in her chest. “No!” She grabbed his arm. “No. You can’t go after them, you can’t go to Atlantis.”
His mouth tightened mutinously. “They have to pay for what they did, Ana.”
They should. They had taken the best part of her away. But she was filled with terror at the very thought of Fence going back there, to Atlantis. To a place where they’d know at first sight that he didn’t belong there.
They were Atlanteans. They’d kill without thought.
“No, Bruno, please. They have what they want . . . they’re no longer a threat to me.”
She had that, at least. It wasn’t enough, but she had that. And she didn’t, couldn’t, lose him too.
She shook her head. “You’d never even get close to them. They’re protected. Darian—”
“He’s dead.”
Dead.
A little shift inside her middle told her that despite what Darian had done, she still had some feelings for her first love. It just confirmed that she wasn’t as cold-blooded as the rest of her people.
But that little flicker was nothing compared to what she felt for the man next to her . . . and the very thought of him trying to fight his way into Atlantis to the Crown and Shield made her whole world fall apart. She could not lose him too. “How?”
“I figure they killed him right around the time they hurt you—slit his throat.”
Ana remembered the blood dripping from the Shield’s blade as she approached her. Darian’s blood.
Terror filled her. “Fence—Bruno—promise me, please, promise me you won’t try it. Please.”
He was watching her with soulful eyes, but this time a little warmth came into them. Hesitant, but present nevertheless. “I’ll promise you that if you promise to stay here with me and make some fat, chunky babies.”
What she’d wanted for longer than she could remember. Ana started to smile, then it faded as reality set in. They’d be Atlantean too. They’d have that streak in them, that part of her she hated . . . and yet had loved.
“What is it?” His face had tightened with concern.
“I don’t . . . Bruno, I’m part Atlantean.”
“So what? You’re afraid our baby would grow up to be an evil murdering creature?” He looked and sounded so affronted she almost laughed.
And that was a relief: to feel something warm and light stirring inside her. And when he put it that way, she realized how ridiculous she sounded. After all, she was part Atlantean. And if her father had felt the same way . . . well, heck. Her father had loved her mother. And so had she.
All Atlanteans couldn’t be evil.
“You’re right,” she said, that warmth stirring more strongly inside her. “I guess if you can forgive me for what my family did to yours, then I should be able to do the same.”
“So you’ll stay here with me?” He looked down.
Ana nodded and realized there was no other place she wanted to be.
Even . . .
She looked out over the ocean, the Sea’s beautiful rolling, glistening waves brilliant and beckoning. And then she looked up at Fence.
No, she realized, there was no other place she wanted to be.
“I guess so,” she said. Then, drawing in a deep, shaky breath, she joked, “Though I was really looking forward to introducing you to underwater sex. Guess we’ll have to stick with dry humping, huh?”
He did that deep chuckle that never failed to make her insides tingle. “Well, sugar, you know it ain’t all that dry where I’ve been . . . especially going down on you. It’s like you’ve got your own sweet honey, just waiting for me to lick it all up.” His voice dropped deep and low.
She shivered again, just hearing those words, and smiled a real smile now. “Don’t let me stop you.”
“Oh, you won’t, Ana-sweet. You won’t.” And he reached for her.
Epilogue
Remy heard a rustling in the bushes and, heart thumping in warning, looked up. Dantès went on high alert, his ears upright and tail still.
She’d been on her own for a week, missing Dantès, when yesterday, all of a sudden, he showed up. She’d half expected Wyatt to be right behind him, but the man never materialized. Of course, she’d purposely picked up her pace and made Dantès stay with her so he wouldn’t go back and lead the guy to her.
The rustling stopped and she peered into the deep undergrowth, noticing that Dantès seemed to be alert but not apprehensive, which was a good sign. She should find shelter for the night soon.
She’d lost her gun when Seattle took her, but managed to steal it back out of his truck after Wyatt and Elliott found her. Now, she hefted it in her hand, aware that she had only five bullets.
Each one would have to count.
The crystal had stopped burning and glowing, although it was still warm to the touch and seemed brighter than before the burning incident. Whatever happened to it had been temporary, but Remy didn’t know whether something had permanently altered it.
What she did know was that she had to go back to Envy. There was someone there who might be able to help her. An Atlantean named Ana, who, according to Theo, had become friends with Quent and Elliott and a guy named Fence.
If anyone knew what to do with the crystal, Remy suspected, it would be her. And if she had to get tough about it . . . well, she had her ways.
Grandpa had entrusted her with this crystal, and she would do whatever it took to find out why.
Just as she was about to put the gun down, a shadow emerged from the undergrowth.
Dantès gave a short bark of recognition, but Remy silently commanded him to stay, and he did—despite the fact that he quivered.
She aimed her gun as the silhouette came into full view, and her hand jerked in shock as she recognized him.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded, aware that her heart was pounding uncontrollably. “How the hell did you find me?”
He just smiled his tight, humorless smile and sat down as if he belonged there.
“Are you certain?” Fence asked, trying to keep the excitement from his voice. Ana was on the other side of the door, and he didn’t want to get her hopes up unless . . .
George glanced at Elliott and they both nodded. “I was the one who did it before,” Ana’s father told him. “There’s no reason it can’t be done again. It just took me some time to prepare, and I didn’t want to mention it until I was certain it would work.”
“And if something goes wrong, I’ll be here,” Elliott said. “Actually doing the surgery. There’s no risk.”
&n
bsp; No risk . . . but the biggest fucking gift ever.
“How did you manage it?” Fence asked, looking from one to the other. His heart was growing lighter by the moment.
“Ana’s original crystals came from the Atlanteans, just like these,” George said, showing Fence the small box containing eight conelike gems in it. At the base, each was no bigger than a pea, and hardly as long as the width of his pinkie. “I was the one who adapted the original ones before Ana was even born, so they could be implanted in a demiblood. I even wore several myself for a few months to test them out.” He smiled crookedly. “I had nine months to work on it, you know.”
“But he never let the other Atlanteans know that he’d worn them,” Elliott said. “And that also explains the alteration I noticed in his lungs, when I scanned him. The remnants of the crystals there.”
“But since I’m a pure blood land-person,” George explained, “the crystals eventually stopped working for me, and they drew too much of my oxygenated blood. So this implantation wouldn’t work unless the recipient was of Atlantean blood,” he cautioned. “There are some crystal elements inherent in their genetics now, after so many thousands of years, that makes it . . . well, anyway, you don’t need all the details. These are Kaddick’s crystals. It took me some time, but I’ve prepared them for Ana just the way I did originally, by slightly altering their chemical makeup. This will ensure they’ll be accepted by her body.”
“And you’ll be able to implant them in her again? And she’ll be . . . the way she was?” Fence was exuberant . . . not because he cared whether Ana could breathe underwater again, but because he knew how much she missed it. Because he’d seen her grief, and could only begin to understand the loss she was experiencing.
And . . . there was the whole aspect of underwater sex, too, of course. Motion in the ocean. Navel maneuvers. Slip the sub.
The mental jokes came fast and thick, and it was all he could do to keep from laughing out loud.
“Yes, indeed,” George said. “Ana will be the way she was before.”
