by S. K Munt
‘You saved my life!’
Lincoln almost wilted with relief. His eyes moved across the room and that’s when he saw Ardhi. The man had the gun and was still pointing the smoking barrel at the bed, his eyes wide with surprise.
‘Where did she..?’
‘Arrgh!’ Tristan snarled, leaping onto Ardhi’s back and spinning him around with his weight. The gun went off again, this time into the floor.
Both Lincoln and Ivyanne flinched, and he turned back to her. ‘I’ll try to get the other gun! But don’t you fucking move, got it?’
This time, Ivyanne nodded dumbly. Lincoln spun away from her again and dropped to his knees, trying to see what was going on while his hand searched under the bed. Tristan was on Ardhi from behind, and the gun was flailing about in the madman’s hand. Ardhi let out a scream and backed into the wall, slamming Tristan between it and himself, a shot exploding the ceiling above them again. Tristan grunted and slipped to the floor, and Ardhi immediately turned and pulled the weapon on him.
‘You give up yet asshole?!’ Ardhi sneered.
‘No!’ Ivyanne’s scream was louder than any bullet. Suddenly, Ardhi was flying backwards, right at Lincoln, caught in Ivyanne’s invisible pull. But his feet collected on the bed rails, breaking her grip, and he landed on his backside on the feather strewn quilt. He was wobbling to a kneeling position in seconds, bringing up the arm with the gun while steadying himself and possibly anchoring himself on the bedrail with his other hand. To Lincoln’s relief, he didn’t turn to attack the girl who had delayed him pulling the trigger-Ardhi’s hatred for Tristan not only rivaled Lincoln’s own, but eclipsed it. It was like he’d forgotten about Ivyanne and Lincoln completely, like Tristan Loveridge’s last breath had become his new prize.
Sensing his only opportunity, Lincoln began to stand, pulling the small knife out of his pocket. The blood was pounding in his head and his ears were ringing, and his heart felt like it was going to explode-but if he didn’t do something, they’d all be killed. He could hear the slap of hands and feet on the roof outside the window, but it wasn’t nearly close enough. The guard would fail.
Tristan was on his feet, the fingers of one hand trailing against the wall to his right, obviously looking for the door handle, while his amber colored eyes glared daggers at Ardhi.
‘I guess if you need that gun, you’re not as powerful as you thought you were.’ Tristan said mockingly. But the resignation in his eyes was evident. He had nowhere to go. ‘You would have been an awful king.’
‘You won’t get to be an awful one.’ Ardhi said hotly, aiming the gun not at Tristan’s head, but his heart. ‘I might not make it out of here-but you and Ivyanne are about to experience what it’s like to have your hearts ripped to shreds.’
Lincoln was only inches from Ardhi’s back, trying to figure out how to strike without making the gun go off. But then Ardhi’s words echoed in his ear, and he felt strangely dizzy.
Ripped to shreds... he thought. Like mine. He wet his lips, his arm feeling too heavy to bring the knife down on Ardhi’s back, as though Ivyanne was still warm and in his arms and looking up at him like he was heaven-sent. How easy would it be-to let Ardhi pull the trigger? He could strike hard and fast, and if that happened to take Tristan out... who would ever know? His conscience and fear battled with his heart for supremacy. Three months ago he would have already flung himself at Ardhi’s back, back that had been a human instinct. He was mer now, and his will to survive and breed was blotting out his desire to do the right thing.
Ardhi cocked the trigger.
‘I’ve always loved you Ivyanne!’ Tristan shouted out as he dove sidelong towards the door, his hand coming down on the handle with a loud smashing motion. ‘Since the pier! Remember that!’
The pier?! Lincoln wondered.
‘Tristan no!’
The scream shook Lincoln to the very core. It was the scream of a girl who had lost both her mother and father, her best friend and now, was about to lose someone else. It was so full of terror and heartbreak than it gave Lincoln the jumpstart he needed. He leapt forward, remembering what Tristan had demonstrated two weeks before, jerking Ardhi’s gun arm up with one hand while wrapping his own knife arm around Ardhi’s shoulder with the other. The gun shot rang out and plaster fell down on them once more, but Lincoln was oblivious to everything except the sickening sensation of the cerated blade dragging brutally across Ardhi’s exposed neck. With his heightened senses, he could almost hear the tearing flesh as the hot blood ran down his own arm.
*
The blood was gushing out of Ardhi’s throat before Tristan hit the deck. He gaped at the gruesome expression distorting Lincoln’s face-the other man had never before looked so primal, but Tristan also knew straight away that it was over. Ardhi’s eyes were rolling back into his head, his body twitching, a strange gurgling noise erupting from his throat. The gun dropped harmlessly from his hand as Lincoln fell back onto the floor, taking the body of Ardhi Kayu-Api with him.
There was a blunt pain in Tristan’s back and he found himself shoved roughly across the carpet. Seconds later, legs were jumping over him, and he curled himself up in a ball to stop from being stampeded. The tick of guns cocking and shouts filled the air as Camus and Garridan charged into the room.
‘Who’s hurt?’ Garridan barked.
‘Ardhi!’ Ivyanne staggered forward, looking completely unhinged. ‘I think he’s dead!’
Garridan tossed his rifle to the side and reached down, lifting the lifeless body by the collar and grimacing. ‘God...Camus help Lincoln up.’
Camus rushed forward and offered a dazed looking Lincoln a hand, hauling him to his feet just as the balcony doors burst open.
‘Weapons down!’ Garridan exclaimed. ‘Ardhi’s dead.’ Garridan lay Ardhi back on the floor and Ivyanne moved forward, kneeling at his side.
‘Oh…’ She appeared to be trembling violently as she gently closed his eyelids. ‘Someone get a sheet or something. I don’t want Pintang to see-’ she shuddered. ‘Oh god. It’s over.. Ardhi...I’m sorry. If I ... I’m so sorry...’
Tristan felt a strange fluttering in his chest. In so many way, he was sorry too. If he’d never chased Ivyanne, a mission destined to fail...Ardhi might still be just Pintang’s slightly temperamental brother. Now, he was a corpse. One of many beautiful mer lives cut down prematurely. It was horrible.
Or, he thought, his self pity overriding his empathy, Lincoln would have drawn his fire alone, Ardhi would have been punished, and I would have swooped in to claim the bride without an issue! The irony almost made him laugh and he decided to go with blaming Lincoln, the human interloper. There really was no speaking for fate. She was as temperamental as any mer.
Garridan rose, staring at Lincoln. ‘Did you do this son?’
Lincoln nodded numbly. ‘I uh.. I-’ he looked at the bloody knife in his hand and dropped it like it was a venomous snake. ‘I guess I cut deep enough... I wasn’t sure that knife would cut deep enough….’ His eyebrows knitted, his eyes lost their focus. ‘Oh.. man... I killed somebody.’
‘You did more than that!’ Garridan pulled him against his chest and slapped his back. ‘You took out the target! Lincoln-you’re a hero!’
Price stepped forward, wet from the rain. ‘He is in shock. The first kill will do that.’ He slipped an arm around Lincoln. ‘I’m going to take him to the bathroom-get him cleaned up.’
Garridan leaned down again, scooping up Ivyanne. ‘Please tell me he didn’t hurt you, your majesty. I thought my heart was going to fail me!’
‘He didn’t.’ Ivyanne whispered. ‘He would have though, if Tristan hadn’t-’ Suddenly she was bucking. ‘Tristan! Tristan is he okay? Garridan move!’
Tristan eyes widened as Ivyanne suddenly leapt onto the bed and raced at him. Her panicked expression quickly turned into a beaming smile when she landed on the floor and hit the ground running, throwing herself at him.
‘You’re not shot!’ A sob escaped her. She
hugged him so fiercely that she stopped all air and blood flow. He often forgot how strong she was, especially when she was flipping out.
‘No your majesty, I’m fine,’ he managed to squeeze out, putting one arm around her hesitantly. He didn’t know if she was hurt anywhere.
‘What are you doing on the floor?’ Garridan asked, looking around as though a threat still lurked nearby.
Ivyanne tugged him to his feet. ‘Being a hero, of course.’
‘Opening the door.’ Tristan corrected her, rolling his eyes at his uncle. ‘Ardhi had me in his sights and I knew that if I didn’t let you guys in-Ivyanne and Link would be next.’
‘That was a brave thing to do.’ Ivyanne whispered, burying her face in his neck.
‘Well.. I was low on options.’ Tristan freed himself from her grip. ‘But Lincoln was the the true white knight in this scenario. And to the victor go the spoils!’
Ivyanne’s eyes drifted towards the bathroom, and she smiled dreamily. ‘A prize I’m still hoping he’ll accept.’
‘He will.’ Tristan backed away from her, choking on tears. ‘I need to pace or something…’ his eyes flicked over her and then away. ‘And you need to cover up.’
Ivyanne glanced down at herself, her lips twisting in a sneer. ‘Damn! I forgot!’ She glanced at Garridan, blushed crimson and wrapped her arms around herself as she backed towards her closet. ‘We’ll talk later okay? About my untimely little announcement?’
‘Sure.’ Tristan said hollowly. ‘Later.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered.
‘I know.’
Garridan looked sick. ‘I can’t believe I let him get her to that state-’ he shook his head. ‘This could have been a disaster! What happened?’
‘I’m thinking you need to ask Ivyanne and Lincoln that.’ Tristan smiled tightly. ‘I was only here for the last couple of minutes so I can’t tell you anything they can’t.’ He moved towards the door. ‘In the meantime, I’m going to go check on the others downstairs, okay? I won’t feel comfortable until I know where Sherri is.’
Garridan’s hand shot out, gripping his arm. ‘Hey…’ His voice was low. ‘Are you okay?’
The moment Tristan allowed his gaze to meet Garridan’s he felt himself break apart. ‘No,’ he whispered. ‘I’m sorry Garridan. Looks like this family has it’s own curse.’ Before his uncle could see him cry, Tristan hurried out the bedroom door and down the stairwell.
*
The alarm sounded that company was coming at 9:59, and Ivyanne had been shoved into the security room-alone-straight away. Naturally, surrendering hadn’t been Sherri’s idea-Dallas and Callum, heroes in their own right, had jumped her when she wasn’t expecting it and frogmarched her to the front door as a sign of good faith. A substantial enough offering-Garridan had let Ivyanne out instantly to handle the situation. He was head of security, but she was still the queen, and Sherri’s fate rested in Ivyanne’s hands.
Garridan had strapped Sherri to one of the kitchen chairs before letting the queen out though, and Ivyanne had walked out to see tears rolling down Sherri’s face as accusations were screamed at her.
‘I didn’t know he was trying to rape you!’ She exclaimed. ‘Seriously! He kept me in the dark about stuff all the time!’
‘I tried to tell you!’ The boy Dallas sang out from where he stood beside Saraya. His appearance was still disconcerting to Ivyanne, but clearly much more perplexing for Saraya, who’d once made him her willing victim. Now she’d have to co-exist with a man she’d once treated as disposable. ‘But you didn’t want to hear it!’
‘You had a knife at my throat!’ Sherri shot back. ‘Like I was going to pause for thought then!’ She looked back to Ivyanne. ‘I swear I didn’t know! It was supposed to be a robbery and nothing else!’
Ivyanne stood back, eyeing the girl, unwilling to believe a word she said. She was about to ask Callum for his opinion, but before she could speak, Ivyanne felt herself pushed aside.
‘But you knew what you were doing when you aimed a pistol at myself and my friend the other night? Didn’t you?!’ Lincoln screamed, towering over Sherri. The veins in his neck were bulging. Ivyanne hadn’t even seen him come in. But he was freshly showered and looked fit to be tied.
‘Are you okay?’ Ivyanne demanded, her concern for him overruling her ire towards Sherri.
‘The hills are alive!’ Lincoln didn’t look at her. He advanced on Sherri and shook his fist in her face. ‘I’ve never believed in hitting women but after seeing the girl I love stripped by another man at gunpoint I think I’m willing to make an exception for the bitch backing him!’
Sherri lifted her chin. ‘Do it!’ She spat. ‘I have no more to live for now than I did two months ago-so do it!’ She glanced at Ivyanne. ‘You’ve all taken what mattered to me anyway.’
‘Which was?’ Ivyanne asked coldly.
‘Him.’ Sherri’s eyes spilled over.
Ivyanne bit her lip, remembering Ardhi’s cry about needing her. Was it possible that the two had been falling in…? She shook her head, dismissing the idea as manipulative mermaid play. Ardhi wouldn’t have wanted her that way, if he’d given his heart to someone else.
Funny stance for a siren to take. She challenged herself. Maybe Ardhi was right and this is all your fault.
‘Go on chicken shit,’ Sherri’s antagonism made her kiwi accent thicker. ‘Shedding humanity is so much fun!’
Lincoln drew back his fist but hesitated, his jawbone working dangerously as Ivyanne watched, holding her breath, deciding to let Lincoln do what he needed to. After all, he was Sherri’s victim more than anyone else.
‘Link…’ Grace’s tearful voice ventured. ‘Don’t…’
Ivyanne looked at Grace, her mouth falling open. But Grace’s eyes were fixed on Lincoln.
‘Why shouldn’t I?’ Lincoln rasped, not looking up. ‘Give me one reason.’
‘Because if you kill her, she’ll always be with you.’ Grace said softly. ‘You’ll never be free of her. She’ll affect every cell in your body forever.’
Lincoln let out a scream of frustration and shoved the chair, tipping it over. Ivyanne jumped. Sherri landed hard on her back with a grunt on the tiled floor, the sound echoing in the silent room. Lincoln screamed again and spun around, sweeping everything off an end table with a terrific crash before falling to his knees and sobbing uncontrollably. Even Grace shrank back.
The soaking wet blonde boy and the curvy girl huddled in the furthest corner looked absolutely shocked. The boy looked away, cringing, and the girl rubbed his back. ‘You weren’t to know,’ she whispered. ‘We were all fooled.’
‘I should have known,’ he said in his broken English. ‘She was too trigger happy. Eager for love, never to talk. But still, I do not care for seeing this.’
‘Ivyanne…’ Tristan whispered, suddenly behind her, drawing her attention. ‘Take Lincoln outside, okay? He’s not ready for this. The shock of killing Ardhi, being imprisoned, the blood... it’s too much for him.’
Ivyanne nodded woodenly and made her way to Lincoln. Behind her, she could hear people talking in low voices as Sherri was put up right again. ‘Keep her conscious, and take her to the security room.’ She said to Garridan. ‘I have some questions to ask her before I make a decision.’ When Garridan nodded, she turned back and knelt beside Lincoln. ‘Link... let’s go outside.’
‘Get off me!’ Lincoln swiped at her before covering his eyes with his arm. ‘Just... just go.’
‘No.’ Ivyanne grabbed his armpit and yanked him to his feet easily. ‘Walk. Now. That’s an order from your queen.’
Lincoln shook her off, but he moved towards the glass doors, wiping at his face. Ivyanne rested her hand on his shoulder and steered him out gingerly, exchanging a look of mutual understanding with the Perfects as she walked by.
Lincoln turned around and looked at her, frowning through his tears as he stepped onto the patio. ‘How are you so together?’ he demanded. ‘You were almost raped and
killed! But you’re so calm!’
‘I’ve been through worse.’ Ivyanne said softly, hugging herself. ‘It’s been a month since mum and dad died Link, but the horror of that... it’s not going to be overshadowed anytime soon. Besides-’ she reached up and stroked his face. ‘Thanks to you, I wasn’t even scratched tonight, and Ardhi’s dead. Now that I know that Sherri’s captured too... it’s pretty hard not to see the blessings first.’ She smiled. ‘You’re a hero Link. And you’ll be a knight-the first in centuries for our kind. I can’t wait until you calm down enough to absorb that.’
Lincoln caught her hand and stepped into her, an ocean of emotions on his handsome face. ‘If I’m such a hero...then where’s my thank you kiss?’ he demanded.
Ivyanne took his face in her shaking hands, embracing her destiny.
*
A sob resounded in Lincoln’s ear as Ivyanne got up on her tip toes and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered, pressing her face into his neck. ‘You’re my knight in shining armor-officially.’
Lincoln was hit by a full-body shudder. A kiss on the cheek from her was akin to a slap on the back. ‘But not your king?’
Ivyanne began to cry. She did so silently, shaking with every individual tear as she pulled the diamond off her finger and croaked out: ‘I meant what I said to Ardhi, Link. Though for what it’s worth, I wish I didn’t. I wish so much that I could tell you otherwise.’
Lincoln’s body was racked with sobs. ‘It’s worth nothing!’ He pulled back, his eyes overflowing, his throat tight and aching. ‘How can this be happening? What more could I have done?’
‘Nothing! You are perfect the way you are!’ Ivyanne wiped her tears off his cheek. ‘But Tristan...he’s perfect for me. He’s underhanded and overbearing and arrogant and...so am I.’
Lincoln’s heart crumbled to dust. ‘How can you say this to me? What about our history?’
‘You mean, the history where I strung you along year after year, divulged nothing, brainwashed you so that you couldn’t function properly with another woman and robbed you of your self confidence before vanishing for years, returning only to fake my death and lead you on as someone new? Oh what a catch I was Link! Giving myself to someone else, almost getting you killed, accepting your ring and then giving it back? That history?’ She sighed. ‘Not my finest moments, Link. The fact that it wasn’t you with a gun to my head tonight amazes me!’