The Marked Ones (Fairytail Saga)

by Munt, S. K

  You were talking about dumping him not ten minutes ago! Ivyanne raged silently at her. And now what? His looks make everything all better? How fickle!

  And to add insult to her wounded morals, Lincoln was actually blushing from his girlfriend’s attention, his eyes sparkling. He leaned in and kissed Adele gently, and she responded by curving her body around his, getting a cheer from everyone.

  Everyone but Ivyanne. Possession gripped her heart in icy fingers.

  ‘We’ll wait til the line has gone down,’ Tristan said now, leading her away. ‘I’m not that hungry. Besides, I’m a vegetarian, remember?’

  Ivyanne nodded and allowed herself to be pulled down onto a log, but she kept her grip on his hand loose and had to concentrate every bit of energy she had towards not looking back at Lincoln.

  Who’s fickle now? Her sub-conscience taunted as she stared moodily at the gun smoke- red horizon. You wanted him happier and look-he’s happier. You should rejoice-not sulk!

  A warm hand brushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear. ‘I know I come off as over-sexed Ivyanne, but I feel like I need to tell you that I really have enjoyed getting to know you. You’re nothing like I expected you to be.’

  His words brought her focus back to him. She turned to smile at him, moved by his honesty. The truth was, that she agreed. She was nothing like she’d expected herself to be. At that very moment, a part of her she still wasn’t well acquainted with was allowing her to lose herself in Tristan’s eyes. She looked down at their sandy, intertwined fingers, then up at his full mouth, suddenly wishing he’d just kiss Lincoln out of her head.

  ‘What are you thinking about?’ He asked. ‘You’ve gone really quiet.’

  ‘Honestly?’ Ivyanne smiled wryly. ‘I’m trying to work out how much of what I feel for you is withdrawals, and how much is, well, you.’

  Tristan smiled. ‘That’s easy. Has anyone else gotten you hot under the collar? Besides me?’

  The question caught her off-guard. Ivyanne dropped her eyes and bit her lip, feeling like he could see right through her. ‘Not to the same extent.’ She admitted quietly. ‘But yes, I’ve had impure thoughts when you’re not around.’

  To her relief, Tristan didn’t blink. ‘Totally natural hon. It’ll be a bit of both. But let me know if you start thinking about Ardhi more than me, so I know to step up my game, okay?’

  Ivyanne laughed. ‘That’s funny. Before you showed up, I was thinking that he’s probably suffered long enough, and that I should cut the poor guy a break.’

  ‘So you want to date him now?’

  Ivyanne squirmed. ‘No...but I think I ought to try.’ She turned and smiled at him, eager to change the topic. ‘You’re different too.’ Ivyanne finally admitted. ‘I like you Tristan.’

  He raised an eyebrow. ‘Like me, or like me?’ A foolish grin punctuated this and he rubbed at his forehead with a bemused expression. ‘God, I sound like a school girl.’

  ‘Well you don’t look like one.’ Ivyanne teased but didn’t elaborate, hoping that her flirtatious response had communicated her vague feeling towards him adequately enough. She got to her feet and stepped over the log. ‘Anyway this drink is gross. I’m going to get something else.’

  ‘Okay. I’m going to go say hi to Remi-I haven’t seen her since I got here.’ Tristan looked reluctant to leave, but there was a pleased smile on his face all the same. ‘Could you grab me a bottle of water when you get whatever you’re having?’

  ‘Sure.’

  The voice behind her was low and strong. ‘Actually I brought a drink over for you, Ivyanne,’ Lincoln said softly. ‘I think I owe you one. Or twenty.’

  Ivyanne froze, knowing that looking into his eyes was the worst thing she could do at that moment. But unable to resist, she slowly began to turn.

  ⁓

  Please react like Adele. Please lose it. Please please PLEASE. Lincoln thought as he awaited Ivyanne’s verdict on his makeover with baited breath.

  But her reaction was better than he’d hoped, better than even his own when he’d caught sight of himself in his bathroom mirror before coming down. Her wide eyes blinked then glanced down the length of him, then back up again, slowly, as though taking in every detail. When her eyes met his once more, he saw her visibly swallow.

  ‘So,’ he wet his lips nervously. ‘I took your suggestion and went to see Aubrielle. What do you think?’

  ‘You look...’ she appeared to flounder for a moment. Lincoln didn’t need a mirror to assess his transformation-it was written all over Ivyanne’s face. Eventually, she met his gaze dead on and smiled sheepishly. ‘Like the kind of lifeguard who made good girls break rules.’

  The laugh burst out of Lincoln. He couldn’t imagine a higher compliment. She was so flustered in his presence that he didn’t doubt her sincerity. He wanted to pick her up and swing her around with excitement and cover her face with kisses. He felt like he’d been a can of stale fuel, and she had come along as the spark to ignite it. And after the information he’d gleaned from Adele that afternoon about her past, he needed all of the assurance he could get.

  But he held back, wanting to preserve some dignity. Not only did he need to avoid annoying Adele, but it was nice to have the upper hand on both women, if only for a second.

  ‘Really?’ He asked.

  Ivyanne smiled shyly back at him. ‘Knee-knockingly good.’ She paused then added: ‘Ivanna would be impressed.’

  The mention of her sister took a bit of the shine out of the moment, reminding Lincoln, for the millionth time, why he shouldn’t be invested in Ivyanne’s opinion at all.

  ‘Well, thanks-and here,’ Lincoln held out the Margarita someone had handed him. ‘This one’s on me. A thank you, for a good tip.’

  Lincoln felt eyes on him. He glanced to his right and saw the Loveridge guy watching them with a slight frown on his face from across the fire, where he was conversing with Pintang Kayu-Api. Lincoln bristled as even more of his good mood was sucked away. Sleep with my girlfriend then eyeball me for talking to someone you haven’t even landed yet? Lincoln thought angrily. This is my resort buddy. If you don’t want me around, then you leave.

  Ivyanne took the glass hesitantly, smiling up at him, oblivious to their audience. ‘Will I still be glad I took this tomorrow?’

  The flare in Lincoln’s temper was fanned by the frank interest in Ivyanne’s eyes, making him bold. He focused back on Ivyanne-he’d deal with Tristan later. ‘As far as I’m concerned, all bets are off for whatever tomorrow will bring.’

  Ivyanne raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh?’

  Lincoln nodded. ‘I plan on being completely unpredictable from hereon-No one is safe around me,’ Lincoln leaned down and lowered his tone, not letting his eyes budge from hers. She had obviously gone to great lengths to look good enough to eat, and it was making him feel downright predatory. He had no control over his next words: ‘Not even you, Miss Court. You may have created a monster.’

  Ivyanne’s mouth fell open. ‘W-what does that mean?’

  But Lincoln didn’t respond. With a wink and a smile, he forced himself to turn away before she could either shoot him down, or say anything to make him lose his tightly reined control. He could feel Ivyanne’s beautiful green eyes boring holes into his back as he left her. He would have given every cent of his fortune at that moment to know what she was thinking. Oh well, time would show it clear enough.

  ⁓

  ‘...Yeah I really need to go stay with them for awhile again soon. Mum is a great provider-but she’s really not much of a cook. That’s my thing. Daddy says he’ll kill himself if he doesn’t get some of my lasagne soon. Usually when I have time, I’ll make like, nine for him that he can freeze. But it’s harder, now that I have a smaller kitchen….’

  Tristan was only half listening to Pintang. He was watching Ivyanne’s boss with abject fascination as he made a play for what Tristan was rapidly starting to think of as : ‘His.’

  Of course, the first time Tristan had se
en them interact, he’d worked out that the boss had a thing for Ivyanne. What red-blooded guy wouldn’t? And he’d even noticed Ivyanne sparking back. He’d written it off as an act, as mermaids were prone to acting seductively to get their way, but watching her gaze adoringly up into her boss’s face and then inhale the entire contents of her cocktail glass the second he walked away had Tristan’s heart sinking.

  ‘...A man’s heart through to his stomach, isn’t it? Maybe I should cook for you sometime. I have a few vegetarian ideas.’ Pintang paused. ‘You are a vegetarian, aren’t you?’

  Tristan turned to Pintang, and blinked. ‘Huh? Vegetarian? Oh...yeah.’

  Pintang stared at him for a moment, then frowned. ‘Tristan, am I boring you?’

  Tristan felt awful. ‘No.’ He said firmly, turning his body to hers. ‘It’s just that Ivyanne’s drinking. And I don’t want her to get too carried away.’

  As if on cue, Ivyanne tripped over the log.

  ‘Shit.’ Pintang whispered, handing Tristan her can of lemonade. ‘You’re right. I’ll go help her.’ Before Tristan could stop her, Pintang had made a beeline for the princess.

  ‘Since when is a girl too drunk for your liking?’ A hard voice sneered.

  Tristan whipped around, heart skipping a beat when he found himself eye-to-eye with a woman he’d never thought he’d see again. ‘Adele Knightley?’

  She frowned. ‘So you remember my name? Because you definitely forgot my number.’

  Tristan groaned silently. He’d bumped into exes before, but usually, they were polite. In fact, most of them hinted towards a round two. That clearly wasn’t the case with this one. He braced himself for a wave of bitter. ‘It’s good to see you too Adele.’ He said, smiling tightly, trying to block out the memory of when he’d last seen her-as she’d snuck out of his hotel room. ‘Never expected to find you this far from Sydney though.’

  ‘I summer here. In fact, I work here, Tristan. With my boyfriend.’

  Tristan had a high intellect, and it took exactly two seconds for him to calculate her words with her attitude. Adele. Bartender. Lincoln’s girlfriend. ‘Oh...shit.’ The curse escaped his lips thoughtlessly.

  ‘That’s my sentiment exactly.’ Adele snapped.

  ‘You’re with Link?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Does he know…?’ Tristan felt weak at the thought. A feeling that intensified when Adele nodded again.

  ‘Yes, he does. I had to tell him, in case you said something first.’

  Tristan began to scan the party, heartbeat quickening. ‘Will he tell Ivyanne?’

  ‘Ivyanne?’ Adele’s voice dripped with venom. ‘Why would he go discussing such a thing with an employee?’

  Tristan froze, wetting his lips, wishing he could take his words back. But the look he darted in Adele’s direction confirmed that she’d read between the lines. Her face went white.

  ‘You think my boyfriend is into your girlfriend?!’ She demanded.

  ‘I don’t know.’ Were he human, Tristan knew he would be sweating. He caught sight of Ivyanne and relaxed to see that she wasn’t watching them. She was trying to convince Pintang to dance to a boom box someone had turned on, while waving two other workers over. ‘She’s not my girlfriend though, not yet. I’m just trying to date her-so I don’t really want Link rubbing my past in her face.’

  ‘And by date you mean-get her into bed and then never call again?’

  Tristan felt like he’d been lashed to a descending anchor. ‘Adele-you’re the one who told me it was a one-night thing.’

  She scowled at him. ‘Well for the record, never believe a girl when they say that, okay? I’m not the sleep around sort Tristan. I only went to bed with you because-’ She pressed her lips together. ‘Never mind. Just...can you go?’

  Tristan was surprised. Adele had actually liked him? Had she been hoping to rock his world so much that he’d chase her afterwards instead of taking her at her word? Tristan was overcome with guilt, and pity. He only remembered her name because her parents had bought a few shares in his company. She’d meant nothing to him, and he’d believed that she had felt the same. So how many other girls hearts had he stomped on without knowing it?

  ‘Hold on-’ he frowned. ‘Were you with him when you slept with me?’

  ‘No.’ But Adele’s gaze dropped. ‘I’d broken up with him, that morning.’

  Tristan groaned. ‘Well your timing sucks, but I won’t be punished for it. I’m not going, Adele. I’m serious about Ivyanne.’ Tristan inched away. ‘I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, I truly am, but if you and Link are happy, then what’s the harm in me being here?’

  At that moment, Lincoln looked over, and his jaw tightened. Adele followed his gaze, and groaned. ‘Look, I’m asking you to leave out of loyalty to him.’ She whispered, glancing nervously at Lincoln, who was making his way over. ‘If you don’t want him blabbing about us to your precious Ivyanne, then that’s a conversation you need to have with him. I’m not doing you any favors.’

  Tristan crossed his arms and glared at her. She was getting on his nerves. ‘And I’m not leaving. But for courtesy’s sake, please tell him that I have zero interest in his girlfriend, so he can stop shaking in his boots.’

  Adele scowled, clearly offended by the zero reference, and shook her finger at him. ‘You’ve kept your head hidden since Thursday apparently, so if you stay, I advise you to continue doing so, because if your presence here agitates him- I’ll tell Ivyanne myself what a snake her beau is. And I won’t leave any details out of it.’ She smirked. ‘Right down to the champagne.’

  Tristan stepped closer to her, smiling solicitously. He could play hardball. ‘Oh that’s right….how could I forget? You damn near screamed the hotel down when I licked up that little spill. Does Link know how much his woman likes that trick? Because I can write a few things down for him…?’

  Adele inhaled sharply, cheeks flushing, and then turned on her foot, fleeing. Tristan watched her dramatic withdrawal, shocked by her conduct. Adele had been so sweet and dignified when he’d first met her-he’d never anticipated a scene like this!

  Adele turned and intercepted Lincoln. They exchanged quick, quiet words. Lincoln looked up several times, his expression so full of jealousy and loathing that Tristan tensed for a fight. But after about twenty tense seconds, Adele managed to steer him away, stopping only to scowl at Tristan one final time before flouncing off.

  ‘Here’s our princess.’ Pintang exclaimed, arriving at Tristan’s side, holding up a glassy-eyed looking Ivyanne by the waist.

  ‘I heard a splash.’ Ivyanne drawled, squinting out to the sea. ‘Did you hear a splash, guys? It was probably Ardhi you know. And he’s gonna be pissed if he saw me with a drink. Should I call him? I really should, hey?’

  Ivyanne’s expression was so earnest, that Tristan chuckled, despite himself. ‘Why don’t we go sit you down to sober up a bit?’ He asked, steering her back towards the log, with Pintang’s assistance. He hoped no one was paying Ivyanne much mind. It would definitely make people suspicious to see her tipsy drunk after half a beer and a single margarita! ‘If you still want to, you can call Ardhi in the morning.’

  ‘I really should.’ Ivyanne said, allowing herself to be lowered. She rocked for a moment, but Tristan supported her back with his hand. She leaned into him. ‘God...you smell good. Maybe I should just wake up in your bed after all.’ She turned her face up to his. ‘It would simplify things.’

  Tristan’s groin throbbed at the words, erasing his woes, and Pintang sucked in a breath between her teeth.

  ‘Your majesty!’ Pintang hissed, sending Tristan a shocked, cautioning glare. ‘If my brother heard that-’

  ‘He probably did.’ Ivyanne giggled, and flapped her arm over her shoulder. ‘He’s such a stalker. I’m tellin yah-he’s out there, right now, watching us and plotting Tristan’s death.’

  ‘I won’t be laying a hand on the princess until she agrees to marry me Pintang, so wipe that look off you
r face.’ Tristan softened the words with a smile. ‘Besides, a good swim will sober her up.’

  Pintang didn’t look convinced.

  But Ivyanne snorted. ‘I wouldn’t wait for a marriage agreement from me, Tristan Loveridge.’

  ‘Why?’ Tristan asked.

  Ivyanne’s eyes dropped. ‘Because every man who I’ve ever agreed to marry dies!’ And with that exclamation, Ivyanne promptly buried her head in her knees and burst into tears, twisting a knife in Tristan’s heart. For loss of anything better to do, Tristan wrapped his arms around her and let her sob into his shirt. When he glanced behind him, he found himself staring directly at Lincoln Grey, who was watching them all with a look of surprise and confusion on his handsome face.

  14.

  Ardhi swum faster and faster, until his heart was pounding, and his limbs beginning to ache. But he didn’t slow down, not until the submerged rocks around Needle Island began to loom in the shadowy water before him.

  Ardhi steered around the first boulder, pushing off it violently, needing an outlet for his aggression. He didn’t know who he was madder at-himself for giving Ivyanne the benefit of the doubt, Pintang, for telling him that leaving Ivyanne to her own devices was the best idea, which clearly she’d been wrong about-or Ivyanne, who he’d just observed in the arms of not one man-but two-including a god damned human! And with a drink in her hand, to boot! Had she lost her mind?

  There were so many jagged rocks in the inky black water that Ardhi was forced to slow right down. And without the sound of the ocean tearing apart by his ears, or the ability to flick his tail in agitation, his anger welled up inside him, making his eyes sting with tears.

  The entire situation had been a disaster from the very beginning! Ardhi had known Ivyanne for five years before Roan had died. They’d become good friends, and because she was promised to someone, the thought of a romantic entanglement had never occurred to him. Yes, he’d had a few hot and heavy dreams about her, but he’d chalked those up to hormones. In fact, his mother and father had always urged him to consider Grace Londeree as a possible future spouse. But she’d been a kid at the time, so Ardhi hadn’t given it any thought at all. Ardhi was a fisherman and an explorer-not a thinker or a planner.