by Devyn Quinn
Kenneth barreled in beside him as the three women took the backseat. They collapsed in a heap, almost totally drained. “Drive,” he shouted. “Put the pedal to the metal.”
“Hurry,” Tessa urged, her voice sounding strained to the max. “We can’t hold them off much longer.” As if to second her words, a bullet pinged the windshield. It cracked, but didn’t break.
Blake glanced over his shoulder. A vein pulsed at Gwen’s left temple. She winced as if in pain.
“You okay?”
Lifting a hand toward her head, she stopped short of making contact. “Drive,” she mumbled, eyes going half-mast.
No doubt about it. The sisters were fading.
He had to get them out of here.
Now.
Shoving the key in the ignition, Blake stomped down on the clutch and shifted into drive. The vehicle shot forward, clipping the bumper of a neighboring car as he sped out of the parking lot and hit the asphalt.
A cadre of agents claimed their own vehicles, taking off behind him. The escape was turning into a highspeed chase. It wouldn’t last long unless he could get them off the compound.
Not really sure what he’d do next, he turned a sharp corner and headed toward the runways.
Blake tried to come up with a plan. His heart was pounding so fiercely he could barely think. Fingers clutching the wheel in a death grip, he quickly combed through his memories to bring up everything he’d learned about the compound since his arrival. The A51 facility was less than two miles from the beach. All he had to do was get Tessa and her sisters to the water and they’d be okay.
Easier said than done.
Panic tightened his chest when a couple of cars zoomed in ahead of him, intending to cut him off.
Kenneth’s mouth worked but no words came out.
“Look out!” Addison screeched at the last second.
Cursing under his breath, Blake twisted the wheel hard. The sedan made a sharp right, barely missing the other two vehicles.
More cars moved in behind them, speeding perilously close.
Blake considered his options—they were rapidly going from slim to none. However, pulling over and surrendering wasn’t an option at this point. Not only had he thrown his entire career away with this one impulsive act, he was probably looking at a very long stretch behind bars.
If they let me live, came the grim thought.
Damn it all to hell.
As if to second his thought, thunder boomed, its crashing bass symphony shaking the ground. Lightning cracked and clawed the sky with electric fingers. The rain was making for slippery, treacherous driving. The runway would be coming to an end at any moment. At the end lay a long stretch of nothing . . .
Blake made a quick decision. Whipping the car around, he headed straight for the hot-wire chain-link fence surrounding the A51 compound. Anyone trying to climb the thing would get one hell of a shock.
However, a car going through it at over one hundred miles an hour had a much better chance of success.
Even though he was strapped in, Kenneth threw his hands against the dashboard and braced for impact. “Holy shit!”
“Do it,” Gwen urged from behind.
“Anything to get us out of here,” Addison chimed in.
Without taking a moment to second-guess himself, Blake floored the accelerator. His mind vaguely processed that this might be a bad idea.
No time to think about it.
Speeding ahead full throttle, the sedan crashed through the fence like a sledgehammer hitting concrete. Metal screeched against metal. Sparks flew all around.
The sedan hit a low embankment, skidding on damp, muddy ground. For one heart-stopping moment he feared the mud would get the best of the spinning tires.
“Everyone okay?” he called.
“Yeah,” a chorus of voices answered.
The roar of vehicles closing in from behind warned him he wasn’t the only one who was going to risk the treacherous terrain. Three vehicles—two black unmarked cars and an SUV—sped through the hole he’d left in the fence. A chopper closed in from overhead.
Blake’s heart rate climbed dramatically. Somehow he managed to spin free of the boggy marsh, regaining his traction. A stretch of rain-soaked asphalt appeared in his headlights. He steered onto it, glad to be back on solid road. In less than a mile, there would be a sharp curve and the highway would run parallel to the beach.
His plan had to work. They were running out of time and there was still a chance the pursuing agents could cut them off before he could get Gwen and her sisters to the water.
Close. They were so close.
Seconds ticked with the length of hours as the car ate up the highway. The rain pelted the windshield harder.
One of the drivers pursuing them tried a daring maneuver, speeding ahead and zipping in front of them in an attempt to cut them off. Seeing the chance to take him off the road, the chopper’s pilot swooped in low. Its landing gear scraped the roof.
Blake hit the brakes to keep from slamming head-on into the obstacle. The sedan hydroplaned across the slick two-lane highway, sending them into a long skid.
Blake’s heart leaped into his throat. He fought the impulse to jerk the wheel and slam on the brakes, which would have sent the car rolling. The engine ground, a sound of tearing metal that made his hair stand on end. A bank of red lights flashed on across the dashboard.
The car came to an abrupt and immediate halt.
The other cars pursuing ground to a halt. Several agents jumped out, guns raised. A stray bullet zinged off the bumper.
“Shit.” He cranked the key and prayed.
The engine roared back to life. Thank God the car was American made. Designed for high speeds and performance, this model could take a beating and keep on going.
“We need a little diversion,” he called toward the backseat.
Gwen answered, “I’ve got it.” Pressing her hands against the window, she sent out a quick burst of psienergy. One of the advancing men toppled, slapped to the ground by an invisible rush of blistering heat.
Addison offered a high five. “Good going.”
Shifting into second, Blake mashed the accelerator. Laying down burning rubber, the sedan took off like a bat out of hell.
The chase resumed.
Blake shot a worried look toward the fuel gauge. The needle hovered toward empty. Oh, terrific. It would be a crying shame to get this close to freedom only to run out of gas.
He silently cursed himself for his lack of preparation. Stupid! What he’d done hadn’t only been impulsive, it had been totally unplanned. These people were trusting him to keep them safe, and he was flying by the seat of his pants.
His foot pressed the accelerator. When in doubt, go faster. He had to take it all the way, even if it led nowhere. At this point nobody was in the mood to turn back and surrender.
If they went out in a blaze of glory, so be it.
Kenneth was the first to spot the distant shoreline. “There’s the beach.”
Blake cranked his head to the left. Over the edge of a precipitous drop, he caught a glimpse of white sand. In the distance a shimmering mist danced atop the choppy water, lending it an elusive and unreal quality.
There was no place to pull over.
The only way to reach the water was to go over the edge. The incline was steep and rocky, but they just might make it.
The sedan crashed over boulders and gravel alike, tires crunching against the rocky unstable terrain. The halt was sudden and abrupt. He’d driven the car straight onto the beach. The heavy vehicle sank to the bumper, pulled under by the damp sand.
Everybody abandoned the car, making toward the nearby shoreline. The women splashed into the water.
“Come on!” Addison shouted at her sisters. “We haven’t got much time.” She stopped, shimmying out of the prisoner’s jumpsuit like a snake shedding its skin. A second later she dived, disappearing beneath the waves.
Tasting the strong bite of salt o
n his lips, Blake stopped at the edge. The wind was sharp and strong, fierce enough to push him another step toward the water.
But he could go no farther. Even if he had wanted to, he couldn’t force himself into the churning sea. As his weight sank into the sand and the cold water closed around his ankles, he knew it was the end of the line for him. He’d have to stay behind.
Kenneth waded into the water, almost to his knees. “Damn, I hate doing this.” He came to a sudden stop.
Tessa reached out for her husband’s hand, trying to pull him in with her. “Aren’t you coming?”
Kenneth shook his head and jerked a thumb toward Blake. “I can’t let Whittaker take the heat alone.”
Tessa’s gaze sought her husband’s. “You can’t stay.”
Kenneth laid his hands on her shoulders. “They won’t do anything to me,” he insisted. “I’m human. Besides, when you hit land again, you’ll be calling our attorney. He’ll handle it from there.”
She looked skeptical. “Are you sure?”
Kenneth nodded. “I am.” Pulling Tessa close, he gave her a final quick kiss. “The sooner you get your tail moving, the sooner you’ll be safe. Just remember Magaera’s still out there somewhere.”
“It’s a big ocean. She won’t find us anytime soon.” Tessa reluctantly turned. A splash followed her departure. Shifting beneath the surface, a brief glimmer surrounded her body as she shifted into her mermaid form. And then she was gone, heading out toward the deeper waters of the Atlantic.
Only Gwen remained, lingering in the depths.
Blake cast a glance over his shoulder, gaze searching the top of the ravine he’d driven into. In another few minutes their pursuers would figure out what he’d done. And like bloodhounds on the scent, they would follow.
Blake waved an arm at her. “Go.” The wind tore the words from his lips, carrying them away into the stormy night.
To his surprise, Gwen abandoned the water. Her wet clothes clung to her body like a second skin. The pendant hanging around her neck glowed softly, lighting her features with an otherworldly illumination. A nymph belonging to the sea, she looked mythical and magical.
Blake’s heart lurched in his chest. God, even soaking wet she was utterly gorgeous. A painful knot formed in the core of his heart. It was going to hurt to send her away, but it was for the best. In the water, the Lonike sisters would be safe, out of harm’s reach.
Blake’s breath rushed in and out between clenched teeth. Every second wasted was another their pursuers drew closer. In another few minutes the net would close around them.
A powerful shudder gripped his body. “You should go.”
Closing the distance separating them, Gwen reached out for him. “Come with us,” she urged, taking his hand. She tried to pull him farther into the water. “I can take you under. You’ll be able to breathe beneath the water.” She offered a reassuring squeeze and a smile. “I promise you’ll be safe.”
The image of icy water closing over his head, filling his mouth and nostrils, cut through Blake’s mind. Bad, dark memories rose up, crippling his courage. Like a sparrow with a broken wing, he’d never fly again.
Sometimes the weak have to be left behind.
He gulped, fighting back the rise of panic in his gut. “I can’t.” He shook his head. Fear intensified in his head, growing in volumes until he was sure his skull would crack open. “I just can’t.” It was sheer agony, wanting to follow her and knowing he couldn’t.
Moving an intimate step closer, Gwen wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to him. The contact between them was pure electricity. Her gaze lifted to his. “I don’t want to go without you.” Her voice reached inside his chest and clutched his heart.
Blake was all too conscious of the soft, feminine body pressed against his. His skin tingled as if ants were running beneath it. His blood simmered. Emotions he’d fought to put aside came flooding back, and he didn’t have the strength to deny them.
Tears glimmered in her eyes. A breeze ruffled the damp strands of her hair.
A choked sound came from him. “You have to,” he whispered achingly. “I’m going to have to let you go.”
A shiver passed through her. “What’s going to happen to you?”
Blake stroked a few clinging strands of hair away from her face. Just touching her stirred wild sensations in his chest. The emotions flying between them clouded his reason. “I don’t know.” Nothing good, that was for sure.
Gwen tilted her head back, offering her mouth. “It doesn’t have to be good-bye,” she murmured.
Blake wasn’t sure what to expect when he took possession of her mouth, drawing her into a passionate kiss. For a few precious moments, the outside world around them was forgotten. He desperately wished he could follow her beneath the choppy waves, but a lifetime of fear couldn’t be erased overnight.
Suddenly, the sound of the chopper closing in from overhead shattered the spell of their kiss.
Faster, they needed to move faster. Time’s running out, he warned himself.
He ended the kiss, then took three paces back. She’d become his love, and his life.
But he had to say good-bye, even if it destroyed him.
“You have to go!” he urged, his breaths coming in short, hoarse spurts.
Gwen nodded as the helicopter made another threatening pass over their heads. A spotlight came on, pinning them under its luminous glow.
“Don’t move!” an anonymous voice ordered from above. Sirens screamed, moving closer and closer. The screech of tires on the highway behind them warned of their impending capture. Car doors slammed and armed men began to climb down the side of the steep ravine. The staccato of gunfire filled the air around them. They were clearly aiming for the Mer.
Blake ducked. He expected to feel heat tearing through his skin at any moment. “Get out of here,” he yelled. “Now!”
Gwen’s mouth opened to protest, then closed again. What could she say? Nothing.
Backing away, she hurried toward the water.
And then she was gone, diving beneath the waves.
Watching her disappear, Blake knew he’d done the right thing. Relief washed through him. The women had gotten away.
Weapons drawn, a multitude of agents rushed up from behind. “Freeze, asshole,” one of them shouted with a little too much enthusiasm.
The two men exchanged a glance.
Kenneth just shrugged. “Those Mer will get you every time.”
“Tell me about it,” Blake muttered under his breath.
The entire shore buzzed with activity. The noise level tripled as more backup arrived. The sounds barely registered in Blake’s mind. He’d danced. Now it was time to pay the piper.
His hand rose, and he swiped his thumb along his lips. Gwen’s sweet taste still lingered. A curious sensation passed through him, something akin to a warm breeze caressing him from within.
The frenzied agents rushed closer, yelling a barrage of commands.
He raised his hands to show he was unarmed. The twirling lights of the sirens danced with the mist, throwing choppy shadows to and fro. Everything looked unreal, strangely disjointed. “We’re not going anywhere,” he called out.
Following his lead, Kenneth Randall nodded and raised his own hands. His silent signal was clear. They were in this together.
Expelling a gush of air from his nostrils, Blake stared out over the restless sea. The chase had ended. He knew the agency had ways of dealing with those who stepped outside the boundaries. Frances Fletcher’s not so subtle warning filtered back into his mind.
A block of ice formed around his heart. Tension coiled in the pit of his stomach. This new vision temporarily overtook his senses, bringing with it a rush of unbidden images. It was entirely possible a stray bullet might somehow work its way into the back of his skull.
He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable. The distinct sound of waves crashed against rock outcrop-pings. The damp chill permeating the night air clun
g to his skin, a heavy wet cloak. He drew a deep breath, taking in the salt of the sea. Oddly enough, he felt no fear. Only relief.
Two agents rushed forward, shoving him to the ground and twisting his arms up behind his back. A streak of white-hot pain swept up his arms. “Be still, you bastard!” one of the men snarled in an ugly tone.
They handcuffed his wrists, but he hardly felt the unforgiving metal biting into his skin. The air continued to vibrate with the thundering roar and crash of the sea.
Blake let his body go limp. He no longer had the strength or ability to resist. Now that the real danger had passed, he no longer cared what happened to him.
All that mattered was that Gwen and her sisters were safe.
Chapter 24
Washington, DC
One month later
Gwen sat stiff and uncomfortable in an ornate room, surrounded by dark-suited agents. Tessa and Kenneth sat on her left, Addison to her right. Everyone was stone-faced in the hushed atmosphere.
The silence around them was deafening, and oppressive.
She shifted in her seat. Her navy blazer and blouse felt unusually tight around her shoulders. She reached up, subtly undoing one of the buttons closing her collar around her neck. Ah, thank goodness, she could breathe a little better now.
She drew in a quick breath in an attempt to still the butterflies harrying her stomach. As much as she’d dreaded the notion, testifying before a closed congressional committee hadn’t been as terrible as she’d imagined. Through these last nerve-racking weeks, Kenneth, Tessa, and Addison had appeared before the panel.
Her mind slipped back to the day they’d escaped from the A51 facility. After spending a week in the water—the longest she’d ever worn her tail—all three girls had come ashore in New Jersey, three sopping-wet fugitives on the run. Getting to a phone, Tessa had made a collect call to Kenneth’s attorneys, setting the wheels in motion toward gaining his freedom, as well as beginning the negotiations that would grant them asylum.
Gwen sighed. The process had not been pleasant or easy. But it had been necessary. Once Tessa had opened the sea-gate, she’d unwittingly let the genie out of the bottle. Unfortunately it was one that hated humans.