From The Deep

by From the Deep (anthology) [lit]

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You have the wrong number.” Asia dropped the phone back in the cradle, shoving aside the insidious fear crawling through her veins. “I’ll go swimming if you give me a massage when we get back. And bring me breakfast in bed tomorrow morning.” She smiled, trying to act naturally. Had it been a wrong number or did someone know something about Roman? She willed the phone not to ring again, and when it didn’t her alarm seeped away. Coincidence. Pure coincidence, she tried to tell herself. It didn’t work.

  “I think I could arrange breakfast in bed. And a massage.” Pure sex and lust sparkled in his dark eyes.

  For an instant she was tempted to seduce him immediately. But then Asia thought about the phone calls she’d received before they left the Auckland apartment to drive north. Hang ups. Not one but four. Alone, they were nothing distressing. Taken together with Roman’s attack, they were altogether more ominous especially since they’d started here. Someone knew and was biding their time.

  “Okay, you’ve talked me into it.” She held out her hand. “Let’s go.”

  Hand in hand they walked out the door and down the footpath that led to the beach. The sky was a deep inky-blue black, and the moon peeped out from behind a bank of clouds. It was as if they were the only beings in existence. The mournful cry of a morepork rang out, piercing her complacency. Orca legend said that the owl-like creature’s warning meaning bad luck to come. Asia shivered with a sudden chill, the hair prickling on her bare arms and legs. Common sense told her that the cry came from a nocturnal predator intent on finding his evening meal, but uneasiness still made her jumpy. The situation with Roman was running out of control and each day, each minute she felt herself drawn deeper into the lie.

  “What happens if I can never change to an orca again?” Roman stopped and placed his hands on her bare shoulders. A crease marred the perfection of his brow. “Will you still love me if we can’t swim together?”

  Asia stared, the knot of shame and apprehension clogging her throat and preventing her from replying straight away. She cleared her throat with a sharp cough. “Of course I will,” she said, her voice emerging not much louder than a whisper.

  “That’s good,” Roman said tightly, “Because I don’t mind admitting that I’m frightened. I keep trying to remember what it’s like to swim as an orca. I can’t remember a damn thing.” His hands clenched around her shoulders, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh.

  “Big, bad Roman Anderson frightened?” Asia winked and attempted to lighten the moment by teasing.

  “Yeah,” he muttered. “Stupid, huh? But if you tell anyone I’ll deny everything. Friends and family.” He exhaled loudly, the sound telling her of his anguish at his loss of memory. Her stomach roiled with guilt. Friends. She hadn’t thought of friends looking for him. Family, yes, but not friends. If she told him the truth, would it help? Roman’s hands dropped away, leaving her feeling bereft. Asia sighed inwardly. In truth, she doubted her actions would differ if she had the time over again. Not when she’d lusted after him for so long. And now she loved him....

  What a mess.

  “I’m sure you’ll rediscover how to shift forms soon. And remember your family. Your friends. Maybe not tonight, but soon.” Asia wished she had the guts to take him to the Transient’s healer. But the healer was an old man, who should have been an old woman, given that he gossiped so much. She couldn’t risk it. While there hadn’t been any bloodshed between the tribes for years, they didn’t speak or acknowledge each other. Currents ran deep between the tribes and it wouldn’t take much to make the old animosity spill over. Asia battled the fractured thoughts of right and wrong, the guilt growing. One fact remained. If she told him the truth and returned him to his family, would she remain safe? She frowned. Was that the reason for the phone calls? Asia shied from her turbulent thoughts to concentrate on the present.

  They crossed the expanse of black sand and paused at the water’s edge. Roman reached for her hand again, and she squeezed it lightly, offering him a reassuring smile.

  “Give me a kiss for luck.”

  “As long as you don’t get distracted,” she murmured.

  “I could.” Roman directed her hand to his straining erection, his white teeth flashing in a smirk. “But just a kiss this time.” He sobered. “I want to do this.”

  A wave swirled around their ankles as they embraced, their lips clinging together. Asia let her eyes drift closed and savored his warmth and the feel of his strength when he pressed against her softer curves. An ache started at the back of her eyes. She gripped his biceps tighter and hung on, wishing that reality would never intrude. But she had to face this and help him.

  They parted and turned toward the open sea, walking into the cool water until they were waist deep.

  “Picture a whale in your mind. Imagine the sleek black and white body, the large dorsal fin, the flippers and the fluke.”

  “Shift. Don’t wait for me.” He sounded almost angry.

  Asia forgave him his testy tone, and merely nodded. She waded a short distance from Roman and shifted smoothly into orca form. As always, a rush of pleasure swept through Asia. She dived beneath the water, using her strong fluke to propel her along. After swimming out to sea for a few minutes, Asia circled back to where she’d left Roman. She cut through the water, keeping below the surface, swimming silently so she didn’t disturb his concentration.

  Please let him manage to shift, she thought, silently willing him on.

  Nothing happened.

  Asia waited for a little longer before swimming right up to him and nudging Roman gently on the arm. When he ignored her, she nudged him again, careful to temper the move so she didn’t hurt him with her superior strength.

  He ran his palm across her back in a long luxurious stroke. The man had magic fingers, she thought, her mind hazing with the pleasure.

  “I can’t change,” he said. “I may as well go back to the house. You stay out here for a while.”

  Asia heard the frustration and irritation underlying his words. There was no way Asia was leaving him alone to brood. She moved closer to Roman, knocking him off balance. Another nudge sent him under the water.

  He came up spluttering. “Dammit, Asia. Cut that out.”

  She maneuvered close to him until he was forced to grab hold of her to maintain his balance. When she felt his hand grasping her upright dorsal fin, she swam out to sea before he had a chance to let go.

  “What are you doing?” Roman sounded grumpy, but Asia kept swimming, taking care not to sink too far beneath the surface of the water. Roman needed air to breathe in his human form, but she wanted him to enjoy the surge of exhilaration when they raced through the water.

  Asia knew exactly when the anger left him. His tight grasp on her dorsal released and the grip of his knees around her body relaxed. She heard his laugh before it was ripped away by the wind. Smiling inside, Asia slowed, swimming more leisurely now Roman had relaxed. Love for this man swelled inside her. She wished she could reassure him that his ability to shift would return. It wasn’t as if he’d hit his head that hard. The swelling had almost disappeared and the bump was no longer tender.

  “This is beautiful, Asia.” Roman smoothed his hand across her back in a firm and pleasurable move. She shuddered, her heart beating faster from his proximity rather than the exertion of the swim. She cut through the inky water, the romantic in her enjoying the glint of the moonlight on the water. It would be so good to swim with her lover in their true forms. Loneliness would never haunt her again with this orca by her side.

  A series of deep clicks reverberated through the water, striking fear in Asia’s heart. She slowed to a stop and listened carefully. There! A pod of whales singing to each other. Strangers. Asia turned and headed back toward the shore, increasing the speed. Had Roman heard? Had he understood? Anxiety circled through her mind. Was it Roman’s family? Asia feared her worst nightmare was about to come true. She’d die at the hand of th
e Resident Orcas. And once Roman heard the truth, would he stand back and watch?

  Asia sped toward the shore using the lights they’d left burning as a guide. Fear of discovery stopped her from vocalizing for direction guidance. She kept swimming until she felt the brush of sand beneath her belly and shifted with Roman still riding her back. They landed at the water’s edge in a tangle of limbs. Reacting with pure adrenaline, Asia grabbed for Roman and tugged his face down for a kiss. Lips slammed together, tongues dueled, noses bumped. It wasn’t a pretty kiss, but she forced everything she felt for Roman into it. Breathing heavily, they pulled apart.

  A lazy grinned tugged at his lips. “What was that for?”

  “I love you.” Asia cupped his face and stared into his eyes. “No matter what, remember that.”

  Roman frowned. “Hey. I’m not going to leave you.”

  Asia gulped. The truth. She was going to tell him right now. She couldn’t live with the guilt a minute longer. “I haven’t told you the whole truth.”

  Roman’s frown intensified, and Asia rushed into speech before she chickened out. “We come from different tribes. Our families are bitter enemies.” Her heart pounded anxiously as she waited with his reaction. They were both still naked and laying with their limbs entangled. Her breasts brushed his chest with each uneasy breath.

  “Enemies.” Roman studied her intently, watching, measuring her every reaction.

  This was it, Asia thought. Regret for what might have been filled her and tears backed up behind her eyes. She blinked rapidly. “Yeah.” It was all she could manage in the way of a reply.

  “I guess that’s why the family hasn’t come around to see us. Are we disowned?”

  “Not exactly,” Asia muttered, averting her gaze. She couldn’t handle looking at him for much longer. The weight bearing down on her chest felt as if it might suffocate her. How did she explain? No matter what she said she was going to lose him.

  “Explain,” he said tersely.

  “We’re not married,” she whispered.

  Chapter Five

  Not married? Nothing she could have said would have shocked him more. Roman started to speak before snapping his mouth shut. Anger built, pressing against his chest, words cramming up his throat until he thought he would explode. Why the hell had she lied? “Why?” he gritted out finally.

  “I don’t know. It’s all so complicated.”

  “We have all day. Try to explain.”

  Asia pushed him away and sat up. She glanced at him uneasily as if she was suddenly uncomfortable with her nudity. Too damn bad. She wasn’t leaving until she explained her mind games.

  She wrapped her arms around her chest and stared at him warily. As he watched, she swallowed. Roman hardened his heart to her misery. She’d lied to him. She was the culprit here and he wasn’t about to let her off without an explanation.

  “Well?” Roman attempted to rein in his temper. He didn’t want her to sulk like his brother--

  His brother! He’d remembered one of his family. Excitement kept him quiet. He concentrated, trying to grasp the foggy memories that danced through his mind. The misty images dissolved the instant he tried to seize them.

  “I ... I’ve seen you in the papers, in the social pages and at functions,” Asia said in a low voice. “I’ve always admired you but because of the feud between our families and tribes there was no way we could meet in the social sense.” Asia darted a glance at him before looking away. Roman kept his face passive and waited for her to continue. She’d lied to him. He couldn’t get past that. Roman didn’t think he liked lies.

  “You came into the nightclub where I work as a singer. You asked me out for a date, and I said yes.”

  “Didn’t I recognize you?”

  She shook her head, her shoulders drooping in abject misery. Roman had the absurd need to draw her into his arms and hold her, to soothe away her uneasiness with a kiss. Or two.

  “No. It’s not surprising really. I’ve spent a lot of time overseas, and I keep a fairly low profile.”

  “Go on.”

  “When I went to meet you, you were being attacked by three men. They ran off when I called for help. Somehow you hit your head. When you regained consciousness, you thought I was your wife. I tried to tell you but ... but you had other things on your mind.”

  Like sex. Roman grimaced. What red-blooded male wouldn’t think of sex when confronted by Asia’s voluptuous curves? He replayed the last few days, trying to remember Asia’s reactions to his questions. She had tried to talk to him a few times, and he’d forced sex on her instead. Not that she’d objected at the time.

  “There’s something else. The strange phone calls I’ve been getting ... I think that someone knows you’re here with me. And today when we were swimming, I heard a pod of whales singing and calling to each other. They weren’t from my tribe.”

  “From my tribe?” Roman asked in a burst of excitement.

  “I don’t know. That’s why I came back to shore. If members of your tribe or mine find us together, it will cause problems.”

  Roman stared at her in disbelief, his brows rising. “Yet you went ahead with our sham marriage?”

  “I thought it was for just one date. Enough to slake the lust. I didn’t expect to fall in love with you.”

  Back to the L word again. “I’m going for a swim. We’ll discuss this later.”

  Roman waded into the water, pictured a large orca in his mind and switched smoothly. Elation tore through him, and he slowed for an instant before using his fluke and flippers to swim rapidly through the water. It had come back to him. Just as Asia had assured him it would. His memory was hazy, but familiar ghosts stalked his mind with increasing regularity. He was sure it was only a matter of time before his memory returned. And as for Asia.... Roman blew strongly, a fine mist shooting through his blowhole, before he dived beneath the surface, letting the cool water close over his dorsal fin.

  Asia watched him swim away with a mixture of pride and apprehension. Now he knew the truth, it was only a matter of time before he left. She stood and ambled miserably across the sands.

  The night had faded and early dawn lay in waiting. Fatigue made her stumble, and she wiped an angry tear off her cheek. No use crying about what might have been. Roman knew the truth. Their sham marriage was over.

  The phone rang as she opened the front door. At this time of the morning it had to be another of those crank calls. She jerked the phone off the hook. “Yes! I have no idea what secret you’re talking about so you needn’t bother me again!”

  “Asia? Is anything wrong?” Her mother’s well-modulated voice drifted down the line.

  Bother. Asia grimaced and rolled her eyes. “Mother. What are you doing ringing me so early in the morning?”

  “Just to tell you we’ve come home early.”

  “Wasn’t the fishing any good in South America?” Shit. Shit. Shit. This was not good.

  “We didn’t make it to South America. Archie ate an octopus. We told him he shouldn’t eat the little orange ones but would he listen? No.” A rich chuckle echoed down the line. “Now he’s learned the hard way. He won’t touch the little blighters again. What are you doing tomorrow? We thought we might come for a visit.”

  Oh, shit. It was worse than she’d imagined. “Ah ... sorry, Ma. I’m rehearsing for a new show. How about next week? I should be sorted out by then.” Probably an exaggeration. Roman would likely leave the moment he returned from his swim.

  “Oh,” her mother said. “Oh, well. We have some domestic chores to take care of, and Archie is still throwing up quite a bit. Next week it is, then.”

  Asia hung up with relief. Disaster averted.

  The phone rang again, and Asia scowled. No doubt her aunt this time wanting her to baby sit. “Yes?”

  “We know your secret,” the disembodied voice said.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Asia hung up and stared at the phone as if it was an orange octopus. It didn’t ring
again, and her breath eased out with a relieved sigh.

  She strode through to the bathroom and flipped on the shower, regulating the temperature to tepid. Asia stepped under the water and wondered what else could go wrong today.

  Asia lathered up with peppermint and green apple soap, then rinsed the salt off her hair and reached blindly for a bottle of shampoo. The shower door squeaked and her eyes flew open.

  “Roman?”

  “I’ve been thinking about us,” he murmured in a husky voice.

  Asia’s heart thudded with apprehension as he joined her in the shower cubicle, closing the door behind him.

  “I don’t condone lying.”

  “I don’t make a habit of it,” Asia said. “It just happened and took on a life of its own.”

  “Okay.” He brushed a kiss over her lips, igniting a flash fire in her body. “Don’t lie to me again.”

  “I won’t,” Asia promised fervently. Was he giving her a second chance? Asia was frightened to ask.

  “I have feelings for you, Asia. I want to see where they lead, despite the problems we might face.”

  Asia nodded dumbly.

  “So we’re agreed? We’ll get to know each other a little better with no lies between us.”

  Asia nodded. “I’d like that. Very much.”

  Roman cupped her head with his hands and massaged the shampoo until her hair was clean. He helped her rinse it before picking up her soap to lather it rapidly over his body.

  “You all done in here?” His gaze drifted downward and lingered on her mouth.

  “I want you,” Asia murmured.

  “You read my mind.” Roman shut off the water and shouldered open the shower door. He scooped her off her feet with a suddenness that made her squeak.

  “The bedclothes will get wet.”

  “They’ll dry,” Roman countered. He dropped her in the middle of the mattress and followed her down. Asia didn’t even bounce before he was over her, kissing her with a fierceness that made her heart pound. Asia caught his urgency and dug her nails into his back. Her legs parted and moisture seeped from her feminine core. Roman wanted to make love to her again.