Flame's Embrace

by Pillar, Amanda

  My body shudders as she slips one of her hands into my back pocket and pulls me closer. Her soft curves fit against my own harder planes like they were made for me, making me feel on the verge of combustion. She moans against my mouth and wraps her leg around me, knocking us off balance.

  I land on the rocky ground with a grunt, taking the brunt of the impact from our fall, but any discomfort is quickly driven away by the weight of her soft body pressed along my front.

  “Oh, my cod. I’m so sorry,” she says, her cheeks heating as she buries her face against my chest.

  I chuckle, my chest vibrating with happy laughter. I reach a finger under her chin and tilt her head up, giving me access to her startling aqua eyes, and quirk a brow at her. “Well, princess, is it just me, or did we seal the hell out of that deal?”

  Laughter spills out of her, causing her body to shake and sending tingles of electricity anywhere our bare skin touches. My head falls back and I groan.

  “Careful, princess,” I growl, before pushing up from the ground. I lift her with ease, setting her back on the rock before brushing the dirt and debris from my clothes.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I shouldn’t have–if ya want to bail, I won’t hold you to your promise. I just—”

  My eyes shoot up from where they’re currently taking stock of my clothes and collide with her worried gaze. “Whoa, what are you talking about? Why would I bail?”

  A blush settles on her cheeks as she pulls her gaze away. “Ya told me to be careful and put me back on this rock. I’ve never kissed a human before. Maybe I didn’t do it right...”

  I groan, rubbing a hand over my face at my own stupidity, and pull her hand into mine. “Look at me, princess.” She shakes her head, clearly still embarrassed and I let out a curse. “Shit. I’m sorry, Maren. I didn’t realize you’d think you did something wrong. You didn’t. That kiss was—” I break off and blow out a breath. “It was the best kiss of my fucking life. So don’t ever apologize for it.”

  She peeks up at me from beneath her impossibly long lashes and grins. “Yeah? Deadset?”

  “Deadset,” I assure her with a grin. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” I say. “But if I had to feel the way your body felt against mine for another second, I might have broken all of my promises. The world is literally burning around us, and yet I wouldn’t care how close the flames crept if it meant I got to keep kissing you.”

  Her breaths come out in rapid pants as I step closer and press a kiss to the tip of her nose. “What do you say we get you home before we start a fire of our own?”

  She laughs like I hoped she would. “Okay, Flint. How do ya plan to get me back to the ocean?” She looks down at her hands in her lap and frowns. “I’ve used up too much of my magic, so I’m afraid I’m stuck in this form for a while.”

  I rub a hand over the back of my neck as I think of our options. My eyes snag on her bandaged feet. My body tenses as I realize there’s no way she can walk. I’ll have to carry her. The thought is equal parts painful and exciting. My dick gives a little nod as thoughts of Maren’s body pressed against mine assault me. Down boy! I shake my head and force myself to concentrate on the task at hand.

  “Oh! I’ve got it. I’m supposed to be clearing the brush between here and a small campground. If we’re lucky, there will be a vehicle or two there that we can borrow. You shouldn’t be walking on those bandages, but it’s not that far. I can carry you.”

  “Um, no. That’s not necessary. This shelia can take care of herself. Thanks, mate.”

  I roll my eyes as I reach for my bag and slide it on my back. “Never said you couldn’t, princess,” I say, running a hand along her arm. Her eyes widen, and before she has time to think about what I’m doing, I cradle her in my arms and take off in a sprint.

  I’m man enough to admit that the hike to the campground takes longer than I would have liked. Carrying Maren has slowed me down a little bit, but mostly it’s my sense of duty to the other smoke jumpers and the people depending on us. I do my best to clear brush as we make our way to the campground, my mind constantly at war with what’s more helpful–me slowing us down to clear brush, or getting Maren back to her father as quickly as possible. In the end, I decide that Maren is the greatest chance we have at stopping the flames ravaging the land. Once my mind is made up, I pick up the pace, making it to the camp near sunset.

  “You sit right here,” I tell Maren, settling her on a wooden chair on the porch of the small office. “I’m gonna have a quick look around and see if I can find us something.”

  “Wait, Flint,” she says, placing a hand on my forearm. “Do you think you can find me some water as well? My feet and magic will heal faster if I’m touching water.”

  I slip my bag from my back and pull off the canteen. “Here, use this for now, but I’ll look for some more, okay?”

  She nods, and I leave her clutching my sole source of water as I set out in search of a ride.

  After a quick search of the grounds, I manage to find an abandoned vehicle. As fate would have it, luck is on my side, because not only are the doors open, but the keys are also in the ignition. It isn’t exactly what I had in mind, but I have a feeling that Maren will like it. I climb into the passenger side, since I forgot the driver sits on the opposite side of the car here, and deposit my bag before sliding behind the wheel. I crank the engine, breathing a sigh of relief when I see the nearly full gas tank.

  I fiddle with all of the levers. Aside from everything being on the wrong side of the car, which is definitely gonna take some getting used to, I manage to figure it out enough to make the quick drive back to the office.

  Maren’s eyes brighten and she bounces in her seat when I pull to a stop and hop down from the cab.

  “You found us a campervan,” she squeals. “I saw one once when I snuck to the surface to see fireworks with my friend Bay. I’ve always wanted to ride in one!”

  I grin at her. “Well, it’s your lucky day,” I say, before scooping her up and carrying her to the correct passenger side of the RV. I reach for the back door, pausing when she frowns.

  I quirk a brow at her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Aren’t we supposed to lie up there?” she asks, pointing to the roof.

  My shoulders shake with suppressed laughter as I pull open the back door. “No, princess. You’re supposed to ride in here,” I say, sliding the door open.

  She gasps as she takes in the interior. “Jiggling jellyfish! It’s beautiful! Are all human vehicles like this?”

  “No,” I chuckle. “This is more like a human house. People live in these, whether it be for the weekend or longer is up to each person.”

  “I’d live in it all the time,” she murmurs with reverence, as I set her down inside.

  “You can walk around in here as long as it doesn’t hurt,” I tell her. “The floors are safe for your feet.”

  I follow after her, explaining what things are as she explores the small RV.

  “Maybe you can sit in the shower with the water on while I drive,” I suggest.

  Maren eyes the small shower with disdain, but when I show her how to turn on the water, she presses a quick kiss to my cheek before closing the door.

  I climb out and slip behind the wheel. With one last look in the mirrors, I pull out from the campground, breathing a sigh of relief once we’re finally on our way.

  The road to the campground is deserted, and for an hour, the drive passes uneventfully.

  “Agh!” Maren’s muffled cry, followed by a suspicious thumping, startles me. “Son of a perch!”

  The van swerves and another bang sounds from the back.

  “Shit. Are you okay back there?” I shout as I direct the vehicle to the side of the road. My pulse spikes when she doesn’t respond, so I throw the RV in park and climb into the back.

  “Maren,” I call, rapping my knuckles on the shower door. “Is everything okay in there?”

  “
Flint?” she asks.

  “Yeah,” I tell her attempting to open the door, but it doesn’t budge. “Did you lock the door? It won’t open.”

  “Yeah, I don’t want ya to come in,” she says, her voice sounding on the verge of tears. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”

  Her words make my heart clench, so I lay my head against the door. “Please, princess,” I whisper. “Let me help you.”

  For a minute, the only sounds are my ragged breathing and her muffled sobs, but then the soft click of the lock sounds.

  “Just–promise not to freak out, okay?”

  The door pops open with surprising force, and my arms dart out just in time to catch her. We both tumble to the floor as the weight of something heavy lands on my legs.

  “What the—” The words are cut off as I glance down and finally catch sight of what’s pinning us down–a massive fucking tail.

  “Whoa,” I say with awe, taking in the tail that perfectly matches Maren’s aqua colored eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” Maren whispers, tears falling down her cheeks. “I don’t have control of my magic right now, but my body will heal faster in this state. I didn’t want you to see my tail.”

  “Don’t apologize,” I say, brushing the tears from her cheeks. “You healing faster is a good thing, and why the hell wouldn’t you want me to see your tail? It’s beautiful, it matches your eyes.”

  She glances up at me through her lashes. “Thank you, but you don’t have to say that. I know it’s probably really weird for you to see me looking half-fish.”

  “I won’t lie and say it wasn’t a shock when I first saw it, but I’m not weirded out by it. I mean, I already knew you were a mermaid. The tail was kinda expected,” I say with a wink. “Do you need help getting back in the shower?”

  Maren bites her lip, her brows pinching, and the urge to reach out and smooth them hits me hard. “Actually, it’s a little small in there,” she says motioning with her chin. “Is there any water out here? Now that my tail is back, I’d be a shell of a lot more comfortable out here.”

  “Do you need to have your entire tail in water?” I ask, glancing around at our options.

  “No,” she says, shaking her head. “I can just put my hand in water until my fins are fully healed.”

  “Okay,” I say slowly. “Then I think I have an idea.”

  I move to pull my legs out from under her tail and finally take notice of the rest of her.

  “Fuuuck,” I groan.

  “Are you okay?” she asks, her tone worried. “I didn’t hurt ya, did I?”

  I chuckle. “No. It’s just—” I break off, clearing my throat. “Um, Maren. Where’s your dress?”

  She glances down at herself and frowns. “My dress was made from minerals in the water. It always dissolves when it gets wet. Is that bad?”

  “No,” I say, my voice rougher than usual. I pull myself out from underneath her and avert my gaze. “Why don’t you just borrow my shirt?” I tell her, pulling my shirt off. “It won’t fall off in the water and will make sure you’re, um, covered.”

  Her puzzled stare meets mine, but she shrugs and slips my shirt over her head. The shirt dwarfs her smaller form, but when I realize she’s wearing my Friends Don’t Let Friends Skip Leg Day t-shirt, I can’t control my laughter.

  “Am I wearing it wrong?” she asks.

  “No,” I say with a grin. “Let’s get you settled on the bench over there. You can put your hand in the sink to maintain contact with the water.”

  After I’ve managed to help her get settled onto the small leather bench that doubles as dining room seating, I plug the sink and fill it with water before getting back on the road.

  By the time we roll into Sydney, Maren’s magic is finally under control. Her legs are back, and she’s sitting next to me in the front. The last hour of our drive passed in a flurry of questions as she did her best to soak up all that she could about what it means to be human. My cheeks hurt from smiling at her never-ending curiosity and enthusiasm.

  “We’re nearly there. Have ya decided what your wish will be?” Maren asks, pulling me out of my reverie.

  My heart races at her words, because I have decided–and I don’t know what I’ll do if it’s a wish she can’t, or won’t, grant.

  Chapter 7

  Maren

  My body is acutely aware that our time together is ending, and I spend the next fifteen minutes gripping my seat in a white-knuckled effort to avoid crawling into his lap. The closer I get to home, the more my heart argues that I’ve already found it in Flint’s arms. I seal my lips against all the pleas that want to spill out. Ever since he refused to tell me what his wish will be, each passing kilometer has felt like a slice to my soul.

  My heart races as Flint finally pulls the campervan to a stop in front of a familiar stretch of sand. I take a deep breath, making sure to lock away all of my feelings of despair, and hop out of the van.

  Flint frowns as I cross to his side. “I would have helped you, you know.”

  “I know,” I say, with a smile that feels brittle. “But I think we can both agree you’ve helped me far more than I had right to ask.”

  He opens his mouth to speak, but seems to struggle. Instead he shakes his head and turns to face the ocean.

  “Let me walk you to the water,” he says, reaching a hand out to me.

  I slip my hand into his, my skin buzzing with the contact, and we walk the short distance to the water in silence. I watch his face as he takes in the waves, and a sense of peace washes over him that I haven’t seen before. I take a minute to watch him. My eyes roam over every inch of him and marvel at how the glow of the setting sun seems to complement all of his features. I realize for the first time that his dark, ebony hair has almost silver highlights when the sun strikes it just right, and his warm hazel eyes have flecks of molten amber. Even the stubble covering his jaw casts shadows that make his face seem more angular. I notice it all, committing each detail to memory.

  When the sun has finally set, and I can no longer delay, I lock my memories of him away and turn back to the ocean. I made a promise to Flint, and the only way I know to honor the feelings I have for him is to get home and fulfill it.

  “Well, I s’pose this is goodbye,” I say, trying to sound chipper. “Have you decided what you’re going to wish for?”

  Flint turns and nods, his jaw tight. “I have.”

  “Okay,” I say, my voice sounding a little sad, even to my own ears. “First, I’d like to thank you for all that you’ve done for me. I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused ya, but you’ll never know how much your kindness has meant to me. I don’t think there’s a human alive who’s more deserving of this wish.” Emotions burn the back of my throat, but I push my feelings down and call on my magic. My hand begins to glow faintly, and I hold it out between us. “You, Flint Atwater, have helped a mermaid in her time of need. For this act of kindness, I grant you one wish. All you need do is ask.”

  Flint’s eyes burn as he finally speaks his wish aloud. “I wish to be yours,” he says, before slipping his hand into mine.

  My eyes widen in shock, but before I have time to scream or ask if he’s sure, my magic flares. Flint’s knees buckle, and he falls to the sand. His back arches as a silent scream splits his lips.

  Panic sears through me, and without another thought I call to the water. A wave washes over us, pulling us farther out to sea. The moment we’re submerged in the water, Flint calms. His shocked gaze collides with mine, and we watch in awe as scales begin to sprout along his arms and legs. I grip his hand, and my magic flares brighter, forcing me to close my eyes.

  When the light finally fades, I open my eyes and gasp. Flint’s eyes are now the same shade of aqua as my own, and a more masculine version of my crown is woven into his dark hair.

  “Holy carp!” I breathe, reaching out with shaky fingers. “You’re my Mate.”

  “Mate as in friend or mate
as in—” Flint’s words cut off, and his hand flies to his mouth. “Holy, shit! I’m talking under water. How the hell am I talking under water?”

  Happy laughter bubbles out of me. “Mate as in mine,” I say, placing a quick kiss to his lips. “And you can talk underwater because you’re a merman now. Thought the tail would’ve made that rather obvious,” I say, motioning to his tail that’s just a shade darker than my own.

  “Holy shit,” he says again. “This is crazy!”

  “Are ya sure this is what you really want?” I ask, worry wiggling its way into my heart. “What about your family and friends?”

  “Hey, none of that,” he says, coaxing my chin up so he can see my eyes. “You’re not taking me away from anything. My parents passed away in a car crash two years ago, and my profession as a smoke jumper means I don’t really have time for friends. I’ve never really had a place I felt like I belonged–except when I was surfing.” He grins down at me. “But maybe that was just you calling to me all along.”

  He kisses me with a tenderness that leaves me breathless, but when he pulls back it’s his eyes that are shining with worry. “Are you sure that you don’t mind being stuck with me? I didn’t know that my wish would force you to be with me.”

  I laugh and snuggle in closer to him. “Don’t be a clownfish. You didn’t do that. Your wish only granted you a tail, the rest was left to fate.”

  “Yeah?” he asks with a lopsided grin.

  “Yeah,” I assure him. “Now, come on, Mate, it’s time to go home.”

  As Flint and I swim, we learn as much about each other as we can. By the time we reach the outskirts of Pacifica, it feels as though I’ve known him my whole life.

  “So, you really rode on a shark?” he asks.

  I nod and laugh. “It was my first time ever meeting a shark surfer, and I was a bit of a chook. I wish I’d taken more time to enjoy myself.” My brows furrow as I realize the Guard isn’t on patrol like they should be. “Something’s wrong,” I tell him.