Waterdreamer (The Emerald Series Book 2)

by Kimberly James

  “Upset me?” I laughed. “I’m not upset, Noah. I’m angry.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “It was all for fun.”

  I looked down at his hand. His flesh gaped open in a gory display. If it hurt at all you’d never know by looking at him.

  “You call that fun?” I averted my eyes, fighting tears. Damn it. I wasn’t going to cry at my party. “Was it worth almost losing your hand?”

  “Don’t cry. I’m sorry.” He took another step toward me and he lifted his good hand but it was bloody too.

  “I’m not crying.” I clenched my teeth.

  His mouth tilted on a smile. “I’m not really hurt. It’s mostly just scratches.”

  I raised my eyebrows, not believing him. I refused to let that smile affect me.

  “Okay, I admit,” he said on an expulsion of breath, “the hand does kind of hurt.”

  The skin of his face had grown pale and he swayed on his feet. Liar. It more than “kind of” hurt. He was about to bleed out right in front of me, the idiot.

  “You should get cleaned up,” Athen said when he came up behind me.

  Noah nodded and walked out of the scope of the firelight where he stripped off his pants and briefs, heedless of his nakedness. He jogged into the surf then dove under the oncoming waves, holding his left hand protectively at his side.

  “Here.” Mrs. Jacobs handed me a glass of champagne. “You don’t mind do you, Patrick?”

  ”Just one,” he said, his hand warm at the small of my back.

  I took the glass and downed the whole thing. When I was finished, I looked at Athen, unable to shake the feeling I’d done something wrong. “I’m sorry,” I said. “It just happened.”

  His eyes dropped to the pearl at the base of my throat. “It’s okay, Caris. You belong with us now.”

  Jeb was at my side, his shirt open to the night air. Someone had turned up the music and there was a small group of people starting to dance.

  “Come on,” Jeb said, taking my hand and leading me away from Athen. “You look like you want to dance.”

  I was pretty sure I didn’t, but I let him lead me away anyway.

  * * *

  I’d been ignoring Noah since he returned from his healing session. He hung back, giving me time to calm down, but I could tell he was tired of watching me have fun without him. Sweat trickled down my back and probably stained my dress, but after an hour of dancing non-stop we were all a bit harried and wind blown. It was a look that suited us. My hips swayed between Jeb and Cree, and I was ever aware of Noah’s eyes boring into me from his spot in what was left of the adult crowd.

  “So when are you going to put him out of his misery?” Cree took my hand and spun me around so the hem of my dress twirled around my legs. He’d taken his shirt off and the cobalt eel’s eyes of his tattoo stared at me from atop his rounded deltoids.

  I looked over his shoulder. Noah didn’t look too miserable to me. He was talking to a girl. A woman. A woman who looked like she wanted to lick him. She had big boobs and womanly curves and golden blonde hair that hung past her hips. I kind of wanted to scratch her eyes out.

  “Well, no one’s stopping him from coming over here and apologizing.” Except for maybe that woman. She had to be about thirty. Her name was Karen or Keira or something that started with a K. I turned my undivided attention back to Cree.

  “I’m kind of surprised that more of you don’t have tattoos,” I observed. Cree’s were eerily hypnotic, the two eels entwining their way around his arms from the inside of his forearms all the way to the top of his shoulders. Out of all the guys, he was by far the best dancer. Easy and fluid. Being in the minority, Quinn and Farron and I had been quite busy.

  “Some of us like to actually breathe when we’re in the water,” Jeb threw over his shoulder.

  “Does it make a difference?” I’d never thought about it before, but I guess it made sense the ink would clog your pores.

  “Having a tattoo would be like breathing through a sponge,” Jeb informed me in a flat tone of total disapproval.

  My gaze found its way back to Noah. He smiled and laughed at something Karen or Keira said. I wasn’t the jealous type but she’d stolen enough of my smiles. And maybe, now that I’d had time to think about it, it was possible I’d overreacted. I dropped Cree’s hand. “I’m kind of thirsty guys. I’ll be back.”

  I made my way over to one of the water fountains and filled a glass to the brim. I was reaching for my second glass of champagne when Noah’s scent clouded around me.

  “I don’t like the dog house, Caris. How do I get out?”

  The song on the playlist changed to one of my favorites and my face broke into a smile. I grabbed Noah’s hand and walked backward, dragging him behind me to where the dancing was still in full swing. He shook his head, forming a protest. “I don’t think so.”

  “Oh, come on big man. You want to impress this girl, you gotta show me the Cupid Shuffle.”

  “I don’t really dance,” he said, stumbling along after me, trying to hide a grin.

  “You almost ruined my party. I demand retribution. You’ll bleed for me. You’ll sacrifice your body for me. I just want you to dance for me.”

  “I don’t know this one,” he said, offering one last hope of resistance.

  “Pfft. Everybody knows this one.” He tried to veer us toward the back of the group, but I was having none of that. I crooked my finger at him. “Front and center.”

  I lined him up beside me, and we jumped right in, stepping to the left. Noah said he didn’t dance, not that he couldn’t dance. He had rhythm and he could move, and by the time we were walking by ourselves he’d let loose and I thought, my God, I was so in love with this guy. Even my dad and Mrs. Jacobs joined in and I forgot all about Sterling and knife fights and concentrated on having fun. When the song was over, I flung myself into Noah’s arms, and he held me tight.

  “I’m sorry,” he said in my ear. “It breaks my heart I made you cry. I shouldn’t have let it get that far.”

  “It just took me by surprise.” I reached for his hand, the one that an hour ago was split wide open across the base of his fingers. He still had them all, his skin perfectly smooth now. Perfectly strong. I knew without looking his whole body was healed. I wanted to run my hands all over it just to make sure.

  “And the vow took me by surprise. The whole second thing. You didn’t tell me about that.”

  “It was last minute decision. It’s not always done. But we thought Sterling needed to know we take your place in the tribe serious, that we take the tribe serious. Maybe he’ll go away now and leave you alone. You can’t be that surprised. I told you I’d stand up for you.” He drew back so he could look at my face. “You had to have been a little bit impressed with my performance.”

  The next song that blasted over the speaker’s wasn’t really a slow one, but he pulled me close and we swayed to our own made-up beat, his face so close to mine, his lips brushed my temple.

  “Yes, Noah. I think you’re a god. Happy?” A smile teased my lips. I took advantage of the easy access provided by his open shirt and slid my hand inside, running my fingers over bare skin. Ahh… it was like sinking into a hot bath.

  “Yes. It makes me happy to stand up for you. I meant that vow, Caris. Every word. Even if this, us, doesn’t last, I’ll always hold to it,” he said. There was that word again. Always. It made my chest tight and my breaths come shallow.

  “May I cut in?” Sterling’s voice broke through the bubble of intimacy we’d created. I resented the intrusion.

  “We’re kind of in the middle of something here.” Noah barely spared him a glance.

  “Caris, a word and a short walk before I go.” Sterling turned soft blue eyes on me. “Please.”

  I complied. How could I not? I owed Rena too. Owed it to her to be nice to her brother.

  We strolled a little ways away from the main group, away from the music, just outside the ring of fire and torchlight.

&
nbsp; “You impress me, Caris. Your mother was flighty, but you have a better head on your shoulders. I would have tried harder to convince you to come visit me, meet my family if I had known how talented you are. That was quite magnificent on your part.”

  “It’s a talent that has its uses.” He’d hurt Noah, and for that, I didn’t much like him anymore. I felt the need for him to know that while I now had the protection of my tribe, Noah had mine. “I guess I tend to be protective of Noah,” I said, just short of apologizing for nearly frying him on the beach earlier.

  He laughed appreciatively, tucking a fine-boned hand in the pocket of his trousers. “You are protective of those you love. As am I. I value loyalty to our kind above all, and I don’t suffer traitors lightly. It is a luxury we don’t have. I am not alone in these convictions. If you are as protective of Noah as you say you are, I encourage you to make sure Noah knows his place.”

  I stopped walking, my blood running cold at his words. My throat tight, I took in his severe face.

  “He has formed some troublesome alliances, as did his brother, Jamie. I would hate to see Noah suffer the same fate. For your sake of course.”

  “I don’t understand,” I said, though I thought I did and it made bile rise in my throat and my knees weak.

  “You are either for us or against us. Alliances with a government we are at war with won’t be tolerated. Regardless of your name or your tribe affiliation.”

  “What do you mean war? We’re not at war. What do you know about Jamie?”

  “Oh, but some of us are at war, and it is one we plan to win. As for Jamie, he found himself in an awkward position and he chose wrong and had to be dealt with. A shame. He would have been such an asset. As would you.” He lifted his hand, his finger running down my cheek. “Come with me, Caris. I could use someone like you.”

  I jerked away from his touch, prompting him to laugh. His face was lost in dark shadows, his eyes sparking weirdly. “You are just like her. Always wary of me.”

  His threat congealed in my veins, making my heart beat slow and sluggish. Was he saying he had something to do with Jamie’s death? That it hadn’t been an accident?

  “I think you should go now.”

  He fingered the ends of my hair and his lip curled in disgust. “You should let your hair grow out. This is unseemly for you.”

  I spun on my heel, but before I could take a step, Sterling grabbed my arm, his fingers biting into my elbow. Pain shot down my arm and in seconds my fingers went numb under the pressure.

  “I will. But not before I show you something.” He forced me around so I faced the party we’d left behind. Farther away than I’d realized. My eyes searched the crowd. Smiles and laughter and a genuine sense of revelry flowed through the people gathered. My tribe. My kind. Noah watched from his place at the edge of the gathering, his eyes never straying far from the two of us. I hoped my face didn’t convey my distress, the vow he recently pledged having taken on new meaning. I didn’t want Noah anywhere near Sterling. Not until I could make sense of what he’d just confessed to me.

  “It’s a matter of honor,” Sterling said. “A life for a life. I know what Rena did for you. For him.”

  “What are you talking about?” This had to be a dream. Real life wouldn’t move this slowly. And where had those men come from? They moved amongst the crowd like stalkers intent on an unknown, unsuspecting prey.

  “Whom would you choose now?” Sterling asked as his men continued to stalk and my blood drained from my head when it became clear who they targeted. One set up position close to Noah. Another closed in on Athen. A third stopped behind my dad. “Someone has to pay, Caris. Whom should it be?”

  “You wouldn’t hurt anybody,” I said, but the words were clouded in doubt. He’d taken perverse delight in hurting Noah. I hadn’t wanted to see it. I’d wanted to trust him. Something about him had been off from the beginning. He’d tried to hide it behind his love of family, his loyalty to our kind, and I’d fallen for it, even now doubting his intent.

  “Wouldn’t I?” His voice tunneled in my ear, trapping me in a few precious seconds of disbelief. He was family. He was blood. Was he really asking me to choose?

  My heart seized in a moment of fear. Something must have shown on my face. Or maybe Noah heard my distress. He put his drink down and started walking towards us.

  “The lander I think.” Sterling’s voice lilted with satisfaction. “I can’t let his interference in our affairs go unpunished. You might be mine if not for him.”

  “No,” I said, straining against his hold, calling the sky, the water. Why wouldn’t they answer?

  The night exploded on a series of pops. Seconds passed as my brain identified the sound. Gunfire. People screamed. Fell to the ground. Noah was running now, his mouth forming my name. I wrestled in earnest against the hand Sterling had on me. While everyone instinctively dove for cover, it gave me a clear view of my dad. He was still on his feet, searching the crowd. Looking for me.

  “Daddy,” I whimpered. Sterling wouldn’t dare, not with all these witnesses.

  “Shh.” Sterling’s breath was hot on my cheek. “It’s almost over.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sol running toward my dad. A single shot rang out. Deafening. Life altering. My dad jerked. Even from this distance, I saw the shock widen his eyes. His mouth fell open.

  “Daddy!” He swayed then fell to his knees. The sky opened up, but I was too late. Another pop. Another jerk of his body. Sterling released me and I ran. “Daddy!” I didn’t get far. Noah slammed me to the ground.

  “Daddy!” Noah’s chest muffled my scream. I pushed against him to no avail. He pinned me to the ground, his body covering mine. No, not me. Help him. I turned my head in time to see my dad pitch forward into the sand. He lay on the ground not moving. Oh, God. He wasn’t moving.

  “No.” I was sobbing now, watching helplessly, fingers clawing at Noah’s arms. Athen and Jeb crouched over my dad. Athen raised his head. His face fell when he saw me, his expression somber.

  No. No. No.

  He pointed at Noah. “Stay with her.

  “I’ve got her.” Noah yelled back.

  Athen sprinted for the gulf, followed by Levi and Daniel and a slew of others. Why was it so quiet? All I could hear was my own sobs. And my name. Noah was saying my name, running his hands over me as if I’d been the one shot.

  “Let me up.” I shoved him, and he relented.

  “Daddy!” I bolted off the ground half running, half crawling across the sand. I fell to my knees beside my dad. So still. Impossibly still. Jeb and Mrs. Jacobs had turned him over on his back. His head lolled to the side. I picked it up and put it on my knee.

  “Daddy,” I cried, and the sky cried with me. It fell on his face, his chest, his closed eyes, pooling at the corners of his slack mouth.

  Jeb used his knife to cut the fabric of his shirt away, reveling two bullet holes. Blood pulsed from the wounds. One right over his heart. The other low on the left side of his abdomen.

  “Daddy,” I choked, my hands on his face. So cold already. I soothed his hair away from his eyes. “You’re going to be okay.” I ran my hand through his hair. Over and over. He’d always had the prettiest hair.

  I clenched my eyes shut, raised my face to the sky, cursing it. This was all my fault. The sky was mine and I hadn’t been able to stop it. When I opened my eyes, Sol stood over us, his shirt and chest bright with blood. It oozed between the fingers he held to his stomach.

  “You’re hurt,” I said, still unable to credit what Sterling had orchestrated. Rain fell in sheets, pounding the sand, drowning out the music that still played.

  “I tried to stop him.” Sol’s face blanched as he backed away from me.

  There was no time to worry about Sol. My dad was dying. Why wouldn’t he open his eyes? Hands tried to pry me away from my place beside him.

  “The ambulance is on its way, Caris. You need to let Jeb hold this over the wounds.” Noah’s voice. I fo
cused on it, heedless of the people gathering around now the danger had passed.

  “Give it to me.” I snatched the shirt out of Mrs. Jacobs’s hands and pressed it over my dad’s heart. Surely it still beat. I couldn’t feel it. So much blood. It covered my hands. It seeped into my dress. I tasted it in my mouth.

  “Please daddy, please be okay.” He swam in and out of focus, his face slack and pale. I couldn’t make it stop raining. But what did I care? The whole world should weep for what had been done.

  “Daddy, please wake up.” I begged him not to die. Begged him not to leave me. While Jeb breathed into his mouth. While Mrs. Jacobs held his hand. Until the ambulance came and they made me let go, and they carried him away on a stretcher. No one dared say he would live. No one dared say he would wake up.

  Mrs. Jacobs’s hand fell gentle on my back. I turned to her, my heart breaking in more pieces than I would have thought possible. I hurt everywhere.

  “Call Thomas,” I said, my voice quivering.

  “I already did. He’s going to meet us at the hospital.”

  I clenched my jaw, biting my lip when all I wanted to do was scream. The sky screamed for me. Lightning strobed. Thunder crashed. All that power and I hadn’t been able to help my dad.

  “Caris.” Noah’s hand cupped my face. He forced me to look at him. “We have to get to the hospital.”

  I watched his lips move, concentrating on the words.

  “Breathe,” he said and I did as he told me. “Do you understand? We need to go to the hospital.”

  I nodded, my eyes intent on his face. Slowly I wrestled back control. My eyes pleaded.

  Please make it not be true.

  “He shot him,” I said through the waning rain. “Sterling made me watch while they shot him.”

  “They’ll get him. Athen and the others will get him,” he vowed.

  I collapsed into him. Noah picked me up. He cradled me in his arms and carried me to the car as I held to his neck and sobbed.