by Autumn Dawn
“For your safety, I’d prefer you didn’t leave your security team when you go out.”
“They wouldn’t have fit in the dune buggy,” she said, unconcerned. “Besides, it was miles from the sea. I couldn’t cause harm there.”
“My concern was for you,” he said sternly. “Olan would love to get his hands on you.”
“If your guys didn’t know where I was, how would his?” she said reasonably. “Plus, Cara and Kira aren’t exactly helpless, and I hear the fire cat is a bruiser.” She tilted her head to reach a bead, and he stepped closer to help.
“I need to make you another appointment with the hairdresser,” he muttered.
“No need for that. I can braid my hair or put it in a tail at night. It’s not like I’m going to spend much time in the water,” Alicia said firmly.
“You belong to the sea. You will be in the water quite a lot. You need it.”
The last bead fell in the sink and she turned to face him. “You forget I was born on land. Humans are from the dust of the Earth, and that’s where I want to spend most of my time. I never need to go back to the palace again.”
He’d thought the same thing at one time, but hearing her say it now irritated him. “You can’t avoid it forever. You are the Sea Queen, and you’ll be expected to show your face.”
She stepped in the shower. “Why? I might be stuck like this, but I see no need to play at a sham marriage. Nothing good has ever happened to me in the water.” She turned on the spray, her mouth set in a tight line.
Anger hit Surge hard. He stepped in the shower fully dressed. “Let me help you. Your back is muddy.”
“I think I can manage,” Alicia said tartly.
“Not as well as with my help.” He found the shampoo and lathered her hair. “I was concerned when you left. It would ease my mind if you took your bodyguards with you next time.”
“You don’t trust my friends?” She glanced at him as the water revealed the bikini’s color. It was dark blue.
“That’s not it.” The water beaded on her breasts, distracting him.
She ducked back under the spray. “Maybe you worry too much. It would be good if your pet monster spent a lot of time on land. I can’t destroy anything that way, and your job will be easier.”
“You’re not a monster. Monsters don’t get to shower with me.”
“Oh what a privilege.”
“Yes.” The bikini string mocked him. It was such a little barrier, one he suddenly couldn’t stand. He pulled and it fell away. “It was in the way,” he explained as she covered her breasts.
“I didn’t give you permission.”
“So get out.”
“I’m still muddy. You get out.”
He reached for the soap, enjoying the slippery excuse to caress her back. “What was that you were drinking when I came in?” he asked to distract her as he knelt to soap her feet. She wasn’t a shrinking flower, and he was confident she’d tell him to stop if she didn’t enjoy his touch.
“Margaritas? It was salty,” she said huskily. She didn’t stop him when he worked his way up her thighs, urging them wider as he went. His hands were shaking.
She was shaking, too.
Easy, he thought. Don’t scare her off.
Surge growled and forgot his agenda as he slowly soaped her bikini bottom, then slipped the soap underneath to wash more thoroughly.
“Surge,” she breathed. She gasped and braced her hand on the tile as his fingers glided into her.
He set the soap aside and cupped her breast as his fingers continued to tease her. Maybe it was the drinks, but she was hot and oh, so responsive. He wanted her.
“Surge. We…this is too…um,” she broke off as he did something clever with his fingers, tweaking the bud between her legs as he pinched the one on her breast. The rhythm washed the protest from her mind, but there was still a tension in her body. She wasn’t ready yet. He could probably convince her, but it wouldn’t make her trust him. Suddenly, that was important.
Mentally shifting gears to handle his frustration, he gently pressed her back against the tile and drifted kisses across her belly and thighs. As a water elemental, he could breathe easily through the shower spray. It felt good; not as good as making love underwater, but pleasurable.
In a blink, he turned to mist, shedding his clothes so the water could caress his skin.
“Surge,” she said uncertainly, grabbing his hair.
“Shh,” he soothed. “I want to kiss you, sweetheart. I won’t do anything you dislike.” He lapped gently, intimately, smiling as her hands fisted in his hair, unsure whether to push him away or hold him there. He draped her thigh over his shoulder, bracing her and giving him better access. Nirvana.
He enjoyed teasing her, loved the way she climaxed until she was weak. He slid up her body, nestling his aching erection on her wet belly. It didn’t take long to come when he pressed her hand against him, sandwiching his hard-on between their bodies. He cupped her bottom and pressed his face against her neck as he cried out, shuddering with release.
A long moment passed before she gently wriggled, signaling she wanted space. He sighed and eased back, smiling dreamily. “Wow, sweetheart.”
She shyly avoided his eyes as she wobbled out of the shower and fumbled with a towel. “I didn’t…that got out of hand.”
He shut off the water and leaned a hip against the counter, unabashedly naked. “I don’t think any less of you,” he teased. “In fact, I’m thrilled you allowed me to pleasure you.”
She blushed and reached for a brush with shaking hands. He slipped it out of her hand and gently worked on her hair, giving her a chance to calm down. He wanted her used to his touch. He wanted it to feel welcome. “I was thinking we could go out to dinner. I know a nice place.”
She blinked at him in the mirror. “You’re willing to be seen with me in public?”
Surge frowned. “I’d love to be seen with you in public. We could see a movie afterward, or I could take you to a concert. Whatever you like.”
She faced him uncertainly. “There’s a fabric shop on the island I’d like to visit, actually. I need material for a landscape quilt I’m working on. I thought I’d set up a sewing space in my room; it’s certainly big enough.”
Her things had been collected from her apartment, but not all of it was unpacked. He was pleased she wanted to take up her hobby; it was good for her. “Certainly. In fact, there are fabric shops at the elemental mall and the palace marketplace. There might be something interesting you haven’t seen before.”
She looked intrigued. “I hadn’t thought of that. It would probably be boring for you, though.”
“I’m a big boy,” he said mischievously. “I can always find a quiet corner for Angry Birds if I need to.”
She snorted. “I’ve never got the appeal of that game. Why are the birds angry, anyway?”
“Well, there are these pigs,” Surge began, following her out of the room as she went in search of clothes.
Kira liked to hang out with Raze in his workshop. It had been difficult to pry him away from whatever secret project he was cooking up with the boys, but she used her wiles to con him into giving her a quick lesson on metal work. She wanted to make some custom silverware for Alicia’s birthday. The poor girl had been through so much, and she deserved to have something special. Besides, Kira could use the practice repeating the silverware pattern would provide. She’d chosen a water design, a pretty water lily, and she was eager to get to work.
She noted the large number of discarded sword prototypes, but didn’t think much about them. Raze was a guy, after all.
“Good,” Raze said, watching her technique. He’d guided her through the first fork and watched her do the next one alone. “Keep the temperature consistent.”
He was called away for a second. She was doing well, so she wasn’t concerned...until she accidently fused two of the tines together. She tried to separate the prongs, but they stubbornly refused to cooperate.<
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“Shoot!” She glared at the obstinate fork, reluctant to mess up almost perfect work. Glancing around for inspiration, she seized an old hunting knife and tried to cut through the soft metal. It didn’t quite work, so she absently infused it with energy, using it to direct her fire like a laser pointer. It worked great, cutting the metal perfectly. She smiled, pleased, and set the knife aside. Finished with one place setting, she absently bundled them together with the old knife to show to Cara.
Cara smiled when Kira showed up at her door. “Hey! How’s it going?” They chitchatted for a while and Kira showed her the silverware. Cara had a real talent for metal and earth work, and she trusted her opinion.
“Pretty good,” Cara said, examining a butter knife. “Would you like a couple of pointers?”
“Please.”
Cara picked up the old hunting knife. “Is this worth anything?”.
“Don’t think so; it looks pretty beat up. It looked like Raze used it as a prying tool.”
“Okay, watch this.” Cara concentrated, explaining as she went how to sharpen, harden and purify the blade. She angled it and smoothed away the dings. While she was at it, she even made a simple sheath, drawing the necessary elements from the soil.
“Nice,” Kira said admiringly, examining the improved product. Of course she couldn’t use exactly the same technique, but she’d seen some things she could practice.
She stuck the knife in the sheath and slipped it in her pocket. It would make a handy reference later. Meanwhile, she concentrated as they discussed modifications to the forks.
“Alicia is really going to like these,” Cara said, “but you might want to make them a bit lighter. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like a heavy fork...”
Alicia sat at a worktable the next day, arranging quilt pieces as she tried to ignore the view. The ocean called to her, demanding she come out and play. She was hydrated, so that wasn’t the problem.
She looked around with a frown, but Coral had helped her organize her fabrics and set up the sewing area. Nothing needed doing.
She still felt Coral was unnecessary. She had a gift for showing up when needed and retreating to the background when not. She’d brought the subject up with Surge, but he’d only said Coral would prove her worth eventually.
True to his word, Surge had escorted her to several fabric shops last night, both human and elemental. She’d geeked out and bought too much, but he’d smiled and told her to buy whatever she wanted when she’d agonized over three different bolts. He was terrible for her self-control.
Not that he’d made a move on her last night. Oh, he’d flirted, but he’d wished her a good night at the sleeping pool and gone to his home office.
Not that she minded.
The ocean tugged at her again. She sent it an impatient glance. Maybe she should practice water jets again. She was getting better, but she had a long way to go before she’d have it mastered.
A mist was forming over the water. The clouds had been moving in all morning, and lightning flashed. She got up to stare at the clouds, uneasy. They swirled, and she blinked as a funnel drilled into the water, forming a waterspout. It was moving her way.
Alicia’s senses flared as she reached out, attempting to probe the disturbance. A flash of white pain made her cry out, reeling as the waterspout swelled.
Alicia looked around in panic as the wind roared, wondering where the best place to hide was. She knew the house shields were designed to withstand hurricanes, but this was supernatural.
Coral ran in the room and shot a look out the window. “Wind elementals. We’re under attack! Reach for the water, ma’am. You need to fight back.”
The wind smashed against the house, making it shudder. Ghostly white forms attacked the glass, screaming as only the wind can. Mouths of white smoke morphed into hellish bodies as the power built.
You will die. We’re coming for you.
Alicia shuddered.
Coral grabbed her arm. “Call the water! The seals can’t help, and the water elementals are outnumbered. Use the sea!”
Alicia closed her eyes and reached for the wildly churning sea. It was furious, eager to fight the invading element. It jumped to Alicia’s will, forming a wall of water that swamped the island, rising to the house foundations, but the wind beat it back.
She opened her eyes and stared at the monstrous faces. She didn’t need Coral screaming at her to know this wasn’t a battle she could lose. She felt rage rise, and with it, a chilling amount of power. She let go, reveling in the glorious power.
“Let’s party,” she whispered. A tsunami rose, swelling bigger than the house, bigger than the island. She would swat the tornado like a pesky fly.
More, she thought, and the wall of water rose higher. She would make it touch the sky.
The wind elementals stopped beating at the cracked glass. They looked at the water and screamed.
Stop!
Alicia ignored the mental command, too power drunk to care. It took only seconds to swell the water, and no one would stop the glorious wave. She would drown the world, and the sea would rule.
Coral tackled her, and Alicia shrugged her off without a thought. No one could stop the Water Queen.
Someone seized her arm, a water elemental this time. He was strong, but he had nothing on her. She snarled at his attempt to seize control, and it lost a little volume. It wasn’t enough to stop her.
Hard arms grabbed her from behind, locking her into an inescapable embrace. Surge wrested the wave from her control, twisting it into a giant hand that swatted the tornado and scattered it, propelling dead and wounded wind elementals far across the water.
Alicia screamed as he wreaked her beautiful creation, but he easily contained her struggles as he vaporized the water, sending it skyward in a huge cloud of cold steam.
Harmless. He’d made her wave harmless.
“Stop it,” he hissed, squeezing her until she was forced to subside for lack of air. As she went limp, reason returned. Dazed, she looked around.
Coral was on the floor. A guard knelt beside her, franticly administering CPR. A vaguely familiar teenager breathed heavily, as if he’d done the first two rounds of a triathlon and was preparing for the final leg. He was skinny, with black hair that brushed his shoulders. His wet clothes were steaming as the young water elemental watched her warily.
Her room was a waterlogged mess, and the window was badly damaged. A piece crumbled as she watched, shattering on the floor.
Surge slowly released her, steadying her as she staggered. It took a few moments before she could speak. The shock was still thick, making it hard to think.
Surge opened a portal. “Take Coral to the medics. Hurry,” he told the guard.
He looked at the boy. “Come, Jace.” Surge took Alicia’s arm and guided her through the portal. She vaguely noted Coral on a doctor’s table, surrounded by emergency personnel. She stopped and frowned, but Surge led her on.
Jace peered at her. “Uncle Surge? She looks kind of out of it.”
“She’s in shock. It will pass,” Surge said grimly. “It could have been worse.”
Jace frowned back at the emergency ward. “I’m sorry I wasn’t much help. She’s crazy strong.”
“I know. It’s not your fault. Perhaps if I’d introduced you earlier, you might have been able to influence her. Find Cayman and tell him what happened. I’ll meet with him soon.” He entered a long corridor, waving off people who wanted to question him. Everyone wanted to know about the near disaster, and rumors were flying. He would deal with it later, after he’d secured his wife.
She’d almost died. He knew it was partially his fault for keeping her at a distance. She’d tried to defend herself and gotten lost in the power. She was nowhere near to controlling it, but isolation wasn’t the answer. He hadn’t expected this kind of a trigger, but that was no excuse. She needed him, and thousands could die if she unleashed again.
He took her to his room in the palace and
ushered her into the ornate sleeping pool. She was shivering violently as her adrenaline crashed, so he heated the pool with a wave. She didn’t even fight at he led her beneath the steaming surface. She closed her eyes and simply floated, completely spent. He watched her for a moment, then stroked her arm and left. He had a mess to clean up.
“My King, she can’t be trusted,” a mer lord said grimly. “She has no understanding of the sea and no control of her power. She’s a child with a loaded gun.”
“Which is why she won’t be leaving my side for some time,” Surge said in a tone that brooked no argument. “She won’t be killed or locked away, not when her only crime was trying to defend herself. The air elementals that attacked her are another matter. I want to know who to kill.”
“It could be a faction loyal to the South Wind,” someone suggested. “They could be working with the Oracle.”
“Find out,” Surge said grimly. “I won’t have my wife attacked in her own home.”
The emergency council meeting boiled with anger and accusations as the lords were brought up to date. Surge let them speak and initiated security protocol. Hours later, he left the room with a raging headache and a deep need for solitude. He went to his room to check on his wife and found her still sleeping, so he took the opportunity to conference call with Raze and Tremor, bringing them up to speed.
By the time he took Cayman’s final report and retreated to his sleeping pool, he was wiped. He glanced at Alicia’s sleeping form and closed his eyes. He’d deal with tomorrow when it came.
Chapter 5
Alicia woke fully conscious of the previous day’s events. She was alone in the pool, so she surfaced and rested with her arms crossed on the rim, thinking furiously. She noticed Surge as he turned away from his laptop, tapping his finger on the arm of his office chair.
