I grabbed Austin by the elbow, gently pulling him back beside me. “We’re here to free you of this plane.”
“No shit?”
Austin lifted one shoulder. “Why would we lie?”
Malakian studied us both for a moment. “Are there conditions to my freedom?”
I snorted. “The soothsayer always has conditions. We are nothing but pawns in her game, but does it matter? Do you honestly want to stay here?”
Malakian shook his head. “No, I miss my powers.”
“So, let’s get out of here.” Before I could see if my teleporting skills worked in the portal, the ground quaked. Small rocks and pebbles jumped and rolled along the bank.
“This isn’t good,” Malakian said.
I stared in horror and mild fascination as the water in the pond churned like a small tornado. Waves hit the bank and came crashing over my boots.
Austin asked, “What is going on?”
Malakian rolled his eyes. “It’s Herman, and he’s the only being here who retained his powers. Talk about life being unfair.”
Herman? That name sounded harmless. The water rushed in the direction of the bridge, causing the mermaids to scream, clinging onto one another. Since my boots were already soaked, I walked ankle-deep into the water, ignoring Austin’s warning. I wanted to get a closer look at this Herman. Whatever was in the pond stopped so fast, water splashed up and over the girls on the bridge. The current changed directions, and whoever Herman was, he headed for me.
Malakian mumbled something and Austin shouted, “Back out of the water. Now!”
I took several steps back towards dry land. “Who is Herman?”
Malakian sounded bored. “Oh, just a sadistic prick who has been on the search for his wife since we got to this hellhole, so far he hasn’t found a mate he deems acceptable.”
A man who I assumed was Herman broke the surface of the water. His hair was red and spiky. The rings in his eyebrows, nose, and lower lip glinted in the sun. Water dripped down his pale skin and scrawny chest. He had no legs, but he made up for it with numerous tentacles.
“You,” he said, pointing a finger at me. “You are the one I’ve been waiting for.”
Dumbfounded, I pointed my thumb at my chest. “Me?”
“Yes, you are meant to rule beside me.”
“Oh yeah, that’s not really going to work for me. I’m already a ruler in my own dimension, and to be honest, I’m not really a team player. More of a riding solo kind of girl, but thanks for the offer.”
His fingers urged me to come forward as he came closer to the bank. “Come to me, my bride, so we can consummate our marriage.”
Eww. Gross. My gag reflexes were in full throttle mode.
“Carmen,” Austin said, “come toward me, now.”
“Well, it’s not every day you meet someone as crazy as you, so thank you for the experience, but if you don’t mind, we have to be someplace, so swim on, little dude.” I looked over my shoulder at Austin, as the water splashed behind me. “Can you believe the nerve of some people? I mean—”
I stopped speaking as Austin’s eyes grew wide. He grabbed me by the wrist just as a long tentacle lashed out of the water and wrapped around my legs, and since Austin refused to let me go, both of us went flying into the water. One tentacle surged from the pond and slammed us both on a rock jutting up out of the water. Austin’s hold on my wrist broke, but Herman’s grip didn’t falter. Oh goodie. He was pulling me down to the bottom of the pond.
Underwater, he said, “I will love you forever.”
I tried to voice my opinion, but I was a demon, not a mermaid. Water filled my lungs. This wasn’t good. In fact since I was born of fire, technically water was my Achilles heel. Just because I was different and enjoyed water didn’t mean I was as powerful as I was while on land. Not Herman, though. Not only was he able to talk underwater, but he had unimaginable speed. As he kept trying to woo me with pretty love words, we continued to shoot to the bottom like a bullet. Since I couldn’t speak when he told me how extraordinary I was, I replied the only way I knew how: I gave him the bird. My lungs ached as he threw me down on a makeshift altar. Being immortal, I couldn’t die, but the intense feeling of taking on water and drowning over and over again was not pleasurable. Four of his tentacles rested over the top of me, stretching me to the table. He picked up a golden dagger.
“You will take a blood oath to me,” he wheezed.
Maybe I needed to convey my message better? That’s when I reached out and grabbed him by the nose ring, tugging hard. He cursed. While he held his nose with one hand, I snatched the dagger from him. With a quick slice, I cut a tentacle from my body. He released me. His roar was enough to cause the water to shift and move, making my departure harder, as I swam against the current. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Austin swimming towards me. Holding onto the dagger, I pushed off the altar. Austin stretched a hand out to me, and I almost touched his fingertips before Herman caught me by my leg. Frognog monkeysucker. He jerked me back towards him. I landed hard on the altar once more, letting out a scream underwater when I saw he had a long blade in his hand, and he was swinging. My Latin couldn’t work if I couldn’t talk. My smoke curled out of me, but through the liquid, the tendrils were slow as a snail, and Herman didn’t have that problem.
“If you won’t be my bride, then you shall be no one’s,’ he said.
I watched in horror as the blade started coming down, and it was headed for my throat. The whacko planned on killing me. This was the most intense relationship I’d never been in. I flinched as a body tackled Herman a second before the steel had a chance to deliver a final blow to me. The momentum shot the blade forward, and it sliced my leg. Blood swirled around me, as dizziness swept over me. I was in shock as I watched my leg detach from my body. Austin ripped Herman’s head off, and the remaining tentacles released me from the altar once more. Blood floated around me as I drifted up to the surface. A strong arm wrapped around my waist. I was so dizzy and out of air, and the surface seemed miles away. I was immortal, so it didn’t make sense I felt like death would be knocking on my door soon. Austin grabbed my face. Slanting his mouth over mine, he pumped oxygen into me. My lungs filled as he kicked us to the surface. The moment our heads broke above water, I passed out.
When I woke, a gentle hand stroked my back. The smell of blood had my nostrils flaring. My body throbbed as I looked down at the source of my pain; I remembered I was missing a leg. There were strings of tendons lying on the rock I was on. I gagged. The smell was about to be my undoing. Strong arms wrapped around me. I whimpered.
“Shh, it’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”
A few inches above the knee and down, everything was just … gone. “Am I?”
“Of course you are. Don’t look at it anymore. Look at me.”
I gazed up at Austin. The pain was unbelievable, but I would not cry. The soft look he gave me pushed me over the edge. I felt one lone tear streak down my face.
His jaw clenched, as if he were the one in pain. “Listen to me. You are fierce. You are a queen. Not just any queen, but Queen of Demons. We will be laughing over this in no time.”
I sniffled. “Yeah, well, it isn’t funny right now. His name was Herman! How was I supposed to know he was going to try and chop me up?”
Malakian stood off to the side. “I did warn you he was sadistic.”
Austin stroked my face tenderly. “It doesn’t matter. You’re okay. That’s all that matters.” He looked at my leg before he let out multiple curse words. “Why is it not healing?”
I tried to peer at my foot, but he palmed my face and shoved it into his chest.
“You were supposed to be able to obtain your powers here, and yet you’re not healing.”
I took a couple of deep breaths, focusing on his spicy scent and not the pain. “Maybe I can use my powers, just not to their full extent. Or maybe I’m just too—” A sob escaped me. I couldn’t even say the word weakened without crying.
“Then we’ve got to get you out of this plane and quick, so you can heal.”
The frantic sound in his voice confirmed my suspicions. He didn’t sound like a man who had planned on leaving me here in this plane. He scooped me up in his arms. “We’re leaving now.”
He jostled me, and I let out a hiss. He made a cooing sound that was as comforting as it was disconcerting.
“Austin, you never planned on leaving me here, did you?”
“No, Carmen. I’m finding it harder and harder to believe that I could—” He cleared his throat. “I won’t leave you here because you don’t deserve it. Just like I wouldn’t have left you in Alaska.”
Malakian came to stand closer to Austin to get a better look at the mangled leg. “I hate to break up whatever this is, but she is still losing blood. A lot. Immortal or not, if we don’t get her out of here soon, she will die here, and it’s a good day’s walk back to the portal. Do you have a plan?”
“We run. If you can’t keep up, you get left. The hell with what the soothsayer wants.”
“I’ll keep up,” Malakian said.
Austin took off at a brisk pace. There was no way he could run this fast the entire time. Each time his foot struck the earth, I wanted to scream. The pain was so sharp black dots rimmed my vision. I buried my head into Austin’s chest and fought a wave of nausea hitting me full force. I was losing my fight to stay awake, and I was grateful for it.
Austin picked up the pace, if that was even possible. “Faster, fish boy, or you’ll be left.”
There was something in Austin’s voice that rang so true. If Malakian didn’t keep up, he would leave him here. What did that say about the Power Eliminator? I would think about it when I woke up. If I woke up.
Chapter Twenty-One
I awoke the moment we crossed through the portal. Pain radiated through me, and I had sweat beads gathered on my brow. Austin laid me gently in the field. His hand pushed the hair back from my face. I peeled my eyes open to see his look of worry. His shirt was thoroughly drenched. Both him and Malakian looked utterly exhausted. I realized this had nothing do with lust, power, or vows. Austin truly cared for me. Something in my heart expanded. His blue eyes quickly took in my body, and I couldn’t miss the look of relief when he glanced at my leg.
Behind him, Malakian stood with his arms outstretched. “Ah, it feels good to have my powers back.”
How in the world he kept his towel on, I’d never know.
I winced as my leg began the slow process of regenerating. Tally came flying in like a crazed mama bear. “What happened to her? I knew I should have gone with you.”
I held up a hand, staving off his slew of questions. “I’m okay.”
Tally flew over to my good leg. He carefully inspected my wound before he shook his head. “I can’t let you out of my sight.” He glanced over his shoulder at me. “And who is the weird guy in the dirty towel?”
Malakian pounded his chest like a caveman. “Freedom, baby.” He gazed around the field. “Water, I need water.”
Austin pointed to a water pump not too far away.
Malakian saluted me. “Bombshell, it’s been nice knowing you. Sorry about the leg. I’ll come to visit you.”
Austin never took his eyes off of me. “And I’ll kill you.”
Malakian shrugged. “Territorial for someone who’s not in a relationship.”
Austin growled, causing Malakian to back away with barely suppressed laughter. We watched as he turned the old pump on, and after a few seconds, water began to flow onto the dirt. Malakian smiled with delight as the water pooled at his feet. What did he think he was doing? And in a towel no less. I watched in fascination. The moment the water touched his toes, Malakian started to morph. His body turned transparent as he merged with the water. There was now a big puddle at the base of the pump. The water sloshed together before it started to flow towards the creek I assumed was used for irrigation. We watched as it, or I guess technically Malakian, rolled right into the creek. I was truly impressed.
Tally flew over and turned the pump off, mumbling something about wasting water before he said, “Well, that was an odd bird.”
“Fish,” I murmured, causing Austin to laugh.
“See, that’s another thing,” Tally said with disgust. “I obviously missed out on all of the action. Now, you both will have all of these nauseating inside jokes I won’t be privy to.”
Feeling drained, I yawned. “I’ll catch you up. I promise.”
Austin gathered me in his arms once again. “I’m taking you back to your world. You will be more comfortable there.” Would I? His arms tightened around me as he commanded, “Sleep, and you will heal faster.”
“Yes,” Tally said, “heal, so you can put your best foot forward.”
Hardy har har.
I snuggled into Austin’s warmth, already drifting back to sleep when Tally settled on Austin’s shoulder. I was going home to rule on the throne I deserved in my shell. Why did I feel so lost when I should be happy?
I woke up in a massive bed with not one, but two legs. The only problem was it wasn’t my bed. I looked around at the room I was in. Generic curtains, artwork, and a staged room. I was in a hotel, but why? I sat up slowly in confusion. On the dresser was a bag full of clothes I assumed would fit me. I was also assuming something was off in the underworld. That could be the only explanation as to why I ended up waking in a four-star hotel instead of my own bed. Today was going to be a clusterduck day. I could feel it. First things first, I was in a desperate need of a shower, so before I dived into the why’s of my surroundings, I was going to enjoy a hot shower. I peeled off the dirty, tattered clothes and left them in a pile as I hopped into the small, tiled shower. After I was done, I took my time getting dressed in a red, off-the-shoulder sweater and tight, black leather pants. I silently thanked whoever picked out my attire. If today needed to be a butt-whooping day, not only did I look the part, but I felt good in leather. I leaned an ear against the adjoining door and listened. I could hear the rustling of papers, but more importantly, I could smell the familiar warm scent I had grown accustomed to. The door separating our rooms was locked, so I gave it a quick knock. A few seconds later, Austin opened the door sans T-shirt. His jeans hung low on his hips, and the first button was undone. He was holding a white box in his hands.
I cleared my throat, and his blue eyes met mine before they traveled the length of me. My stomach tightened as heat swirled in my belly. From the moment I laid eyes on Austin, he had been intriguing, but now I felt a connection and a need. It was a want that scared me and also made me feel things that I had thought I was surely incapable of feeling.
After several moments of us staring at each other, he finally broke eye contact. He looked back down at the box he was holding.
The mighty Demon Queen was nervous. Unbelievable. I just went with the first thing that came to my mind. “Thank you for saving my life in that portal. I can’t believe I almost got killed by an overgrown octopus. That’s super embarrassing.”
He didn’t laugh or even smile. Instead, he walked into my room and sat on my unmade bed and stared at that box he clutched in his hands. For whatever reason, I became a little nervous.
“I’m assuming you picked out my clothes?” He gave a nod but wouldn’t look at me. “Well, thanks for that, too. So, we got the key. You’re going to help save the world.” I walked around the desk and sat on the edge, facing him. “I bet you will have girls falling at your feet. You might even get your own fan page.” Still nothing. “Not really sure why we’re in a hotel. I’m sure there is a great explanation for that.” He gave another nod. “What’s in the box?”
That got his attention. He leaned back against the headboard, and I noticed how drained he looked. “An insurance policy to make sure that I’m motivated. I was trying to figure a way to get myself out of this mess before I found this in your chamber address to me.”
“The box?” I asked. He nodded. “So this insurance
policy I presume is the reason we’re here instead of in my own chambers?”
“I just needed time to think. Weigh my options. There is no way out of this mess without hurting someone.”
“What mess? Maybe I can help.”
He ran a hand over his stubble. “You would help me? I thought you would be kicking me out of your life and planning my death by now.”
“Austin, I only planned your death because you were planning mine.”
“I never once threatened your life.”
“You threatened my powers, and to me, that is the same thing. I’ve lived almost my whole life without my shell … without my powers. It was stifling. Like I couldn’t breathe. I was existing, but I wasn’t really living, and now that I know what it feels like to truly live, I would rather die than go back to just existing.”
He stood up to pace, leaving the white box on the bed unattended. His long legs ate up the distance on the standardized carpet.
“Where is Tally, by the way?” I asked.
“Fool’s errand.”
“Uh, why?”
“We need to talk,” he said, but then he was quiet. Instead, he just paced. I sat there watching him as I tried to figure out what inner demons the Power Eliminator battled. He stopped several times like he was about to share something with me, but then he would just resume pacing again.
“Austin,” I said, but he continued to ignore me. Finally, I got up and blocked his path. “What has got you so bent out of shape?”
“You.” My heart sped up. “You’re not what I thought you were going to be. You’re kind and have a gentle heart, whether you want to admit it or not.”
“Shh, be quiet, will you?” He was going to give me a bad reputation if he kept that up.
He ignored me. “She knew. This entire time she knew. Are we all but pawns to be manipulated?”
If I could stop noticing how insanely hot he was, I think I would be a tad freaked out by his erratic behavior. If the powerful Power Eliminator was extremely upset about something, it couldn’t bode well for me. “Who knew?”
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