by M. E. Rhines
Lennox’s eyebrows shot up as his mouth fell open. He held me at arm’s length, searching my face for a lie. “There’s no way. You’re a grown mermaid. How could you make it to eighteen without ever kissing another merman?”
I jerked away from his touch, immediately on the defensive. “There weren’t any mermen around until recently, remember? Not until Myrtle took the throne and some immigrated from Atlantis.”
“But what about humans? You girls used to pull them down by the boatloads.”
“Only if we were fated to be with them. The ocean never paired me with a mate.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, seeming unsure. “Wow. All right. So, you’ve never been kissed. I wish I’d known that.”
I inclined my head, pondering the implication of the statement. Of course, now that he knew my kind only kissed those we felt destined to be with, he would think I expected a commitment. Judging by the way he stammered and kicked at the ground, the thought didn’t sit well with him.
What a squid.
If he thought I was about to make a fool of myself— grovel and beg him to stay with me—he had another thing coming. Lennox could swim away right now and never come back for all I cared. I’d figure out a way home. I begged no one, least of all a dagger-slinging Fin-man with red hair and bloodthirsty tendencies… No matter how muscular or good-looking he was.
“Don’t worry,” I assured him. “I’m not about to get clingy. There’s not a needy bone in my body.”
He laughed, heartfelt and genuine, before drawing me in again. Lennox shook his head, then slipped a finger under my chin, tilting my head back to look at him. “Believe me, Angelique, I never thought there was. You’re the most independent, self-sufficient mermaid I’ve ever met.”
I blinked at him, speechless over his affection for what I had been taught were my most annoying traits.
“All I meant,” he continued, “was if I had known it was your first kiss, I would’ve brought my A-game. You surprised me. I wasn’t ready.”
A tingle of anticipation danced up my spine. As incredible as our kiss was, I couldn’t imagine it being any better. My heart fluttered and I held my breath as Lennox lowered his chin, stopping just before his lips touched mine.
“Let me show you a proper kiss,” he said, his voice gruff and masculine. The deep baritone rumbled in my chest, and my stomach clenched as his lips pressed into mine.
This time, his movements were slow and deliberate. Expert and guiding, his mouth engaged mine, turning my brain and muscles to mush. Giving in to him was against my makeup entirely. Yet, somehow, he managed to convince me to do it without even saying a word.
As much as I hated to admit it, a part of me understood that as long as Lennox was around, I would never be in complete control.
“Are you certain this is safe?” I watched from a distance as Lennox pulled from the water around us, conjuring a river within the sea. Now refreshed and full of oxygen, it took little effort for him to create a steady stream. Once the current widened, I stuck my hand in. The force of the careening river nearly sucked me in.
“Careful!” Lennox frowned as he placed a firm hand on my shoulder, anchoring me in place. “That water is strong. It could pull you away from me before I had the chance to react.”
“If it’s that strong, maybe we shouldn’t ride it.”
The Fin-man shrugged. “Sure. If you want to wander the ocean for months.”
I eyed the magical roadway, gnawing on the inside of my cheek. “I’m just not sure what good it would do us to get there faster if we don’t survive the journey.”
“It’s okay. If you’re scared, we can walk. I don’t mind.”
He waggled his brows at me when I shot him a pointed glare. Poseidon help me, this guy knew exactly what buttons to push. “I’m not scared,” I snapped.
“Of course you’re not,” he said with a wink. “Angelique doesn’t get scared, I’ve figured that much out.”
“Would you stop being so grating for just a moment? I’m trying to come at this with my brain, that’s all.”
“Listen. I’ve done this a hundred times, honest. It’ll feel crazy at first. You’ll feel like you’re going to lose your lunch, but your body will adjust to the speed.”
“It isn’t dangerous, then?”
“The most hazardous part will be when the current collapses. It’ll be like coming to a dead stop when you’re swimming as fast as you can.”
I winced. “That sounds painful.”
“I’ll feel it starting, and I’ll warn you. I promise. When you’re ready for it, you can brace yourself. It isn’t so bad.”
“You won’t let me go?” I hated that I was unable to care for myself. Considering the regenerative powers stored in a mermaid’s blood, my tail would heal on its own even if we didn’t get it tended to. It would take some time, but the tear would fuse itself together. In the meantime, the fork was a sensitive area. A simple flinch of the wrong muscle, and I could find myself nearly incapacitated.
“Angelique, look at me. I wouldn’t put you in a position I didn’t think you could handle. I’ll keep my grip on you, I swear it. I won’t let you go.”
He stood in front of me, human legs planted firm and spine erect with confidence. His assurances wafted against my defenses, drilling holes in the walls I had spent a lifetime building. I believed him. Lennox would not let me get hurt.
“Okay,” I said with a nod. I shook my hands, purging the nervous flutter in my stomach through the motion. Lifting my arms, I beckoned him forward. “Pick me up, tough guy. Take me to your kingdom.”
Lennox snorted, then lifted me in one effortless swipe. My tail dangled over his forearm as he cradled me, my arms wrapped tight around his neck. The water carried most of my weight, but the awkwardness of it still made me shift in place.
“Don’t choke me out,” he teased. “I’ve got you.”
“Right. Sorry.”
We stepped into the current. A tunnel of force surrounded us, sucking us in like a vacuum. My stomach lurched as the powerful water propelled us forward. The world outside our shimmering vortex sped by at a blinding pace, tainted by streaks of color from passing fish and bright coral.
As promised, Lennox’s step did not falter. The weight of our bodies tilted from the strength of the water pushing behind us, threatening to roll, but he caught the lapse and managed to keep us upright until our minds and equilibrium adjusted to the constant propulsion.
“You see?” he bragged. “Nothing to it.”
I shouted over the sound of rushing waves, “I don’t think I would call this nothing. We’re going so fast!”
“That’s the idea.”
“This current will carry us all the way to Finfolkaheem?”
“Not quite. Like I said, we’re going to have to stop. A little farther than midway, I’d guess. I have to concentrate on keeping this thing open and not dropping you. Double the effort. It limits my power a bit.”
Looking around, I marveled at the artificial wonder he created. A force within the ocean, whisking us from one place to the next, all at his command. What an incredible gift and responsibility.
“How are you doing this?” I said.
“Magic,” he explained simply. “You have your sorcery, and we have ours.”
“All the citizens of Finfolkaheem can bend the waters, then? That must make for an awfully turbulent environment when two clan members clash.”
“Sort of. Every Fin-man can manipulate the water in some fashion, though the majority can only create a wave or two.”
“You’re particularly gifted, then.”
His shoulders widened, and he offered a curt nod. “I am,” he announced without shame. “That’s what makes me an invaluable warrior to King Odom.”
“And now, a most valuable delivery boy to me,” I joked, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. A splash of pink splayed across the bridge of his nose, and I relished in it. The big, terrible warrior was blushing. “What about your F
in-women?”
“What about them?” He screwed up his face, as if the simple question perturbed him.
“Can they command the ocean as well?”
“No. Most of the Fin-wives live on our mainland, Hildaland, part of the Orkney Islands. They prefer to marry humans, usually. They aren’t prisoners; it’s their choice which life to embrace. Those who choose to stay part of the clan have a different role. Their job is to secure our wealth, not crusade.”
I cocked my head at him, confused. “You mean, they don’t live in the water with the rest of you?”
“Not once they’ve come of age. King Odom considers femininity a distraction. That’s why most Fin-wives marry humans and not Fin-men. We can’t devote the time and attention a female requires.”
“Because you’re too busy pillaging and raiding,” I added.
Lennox didn’t miss a beat, quickly nodding in agreement. “Exactly. There’s more important things to be done than—”
“Loving the mermaid of your dreams?”
My boldness startled him. The stern expression faded as he let the warrior mask slip just enough to peek behind it. A soft, confused heart beat in his chest. One torn between duty and devotion, allegiance and self-preservation.
When we reached Finfolkaheem, he had a choice to make. Staying with his clan meant never seeing me again once this mess was sorted out. His sad eyes told me it wouldn’t be an easy decision, which ripped into my heart like a fish hook.
It should be an easy choice, no contest.
Not that it mattered. I didn’t care. Did I?
Oh, for Poseidon’s sake. Of course I cared.
If the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t give up the way he made me feel for all the treasure in the sea. Until now, I never fully understood why my younger sister chose to give up her entire world for Eddie. Now that I’d felt the warmth, that wholeness that came from this Fin-man’s existence, I couldn’t blame Pauline for making the choice she did. She made it without hesitation.
So why was it so hard for Lennox to choose?
Reality struck me hard, shocking me into a spiral of self-doubt. All Lennox and I shared was a couple of stolen kisses. While he complimented my brash nature, he never said he had feelings for me at all. Maybe… possibly… probably, this was all in my head. I’d managed to create a fake relationship, feeling enough for the both of us so quickly that I risked making an idiot out of myself.
I wiggled away from him, all too aware that there was nowhere to go. Stuck inside a current or not, I couldn’t swim on my own. His skin, the same skin that moments ago intoxicated me to no end, now itched and burned where it touched me.
“Hey.” He observed me cautiously. “Why’s the dragon coming out?”
“Pardon me?” I asked, still trying to push away.
“You’re wearing your dragon face.”
I blinked at him, completely unamused. “I have no idea what a dragon is, nor do I have any idea what you’re referring to.”
“That’s your uh-oh, run for cover. Angelique is mad face. What’s biting at your tail?”
“Nothing,” I lied, crossing my arms in front of my chest.
He wiggled his arms, tossing me about. “Come on. Out with it.”
Swallowing back a giggle, I swatted at him and ordered, “Stop it! You’re going to drop me.”
“I told you I wouldn’t, and I won’t. What’s the problem?”
“I’d rather not get into it.” Nobody makes me look like a fool.
His chest expanded against me, then collapsed again as he sighed. “All right,” he murmured before looking ahead, inclining his chin toward something in the distance. “Wonder what that is.”
I tore my gaze away from him to find a bulky shadow about a hundred yards ahead. Something gigantic, round, and graceful was in the current with us, hitching a ride no doubt.
“You think it’s a shark?” Lennox asked, almost hopeful. The prospect of receiving an opportunity to fight something made his eyes shimmer and his fingers curl into my skin.
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s too bulky.”
His lips turned downward. “Oh. You’re right. Let’s get a little closer.”
The single shadow multiplied into several smaller circles with flippers extending on their sides. As we closed in, the outlines of their silhouettes crisped. Familiar green and beige flesh peeked through the swirls of blue surrounding them.
“Leatherbacks,” I squealed, my mood lifting at the sight of them.
“Note to self—sea turtles instead of flowers.”
“They’re my favorite.”
“I can tell.”
Lennox inched us even closer until we swam beside them. I reached out to run my fingers along the back of the largest one’s shell. The creature craned his neck, regarding me with only the slightest interest before returning his attention forward.
“We don’t see turtles in my part of the ocean often. It’s too cold for them. They don’t usually travel in groups, I thought.”
“It’s the start of mating season,” I explained. “They must’ve caught a ride on your current to get to their nesting grounds.”
Lennox rapped a knuckle on one of their shells. “You’re welcome, fella.”
“Look at this big guy,” I said in admiration. “Have you ever seen something so majestic?”
“Just once. The day I came up on you trying to rescue one of these guys with your bare hands. You were the most magnificent sight I’d ever seen, wearing that same intense, awestruck look you’ve got now. I love that look on you.”
My face flushed and I gasped, snapping my attention away from the turtle to him. A nearly weightless heart raced in my chest. “What… what did you say?”
“Angelique.” He closed his eyes, took a couple of breaths, then continued. “I don’t know how this is going to end up, you and me. Whether I like it or not, I made a commitment to King Odom to serve him. If I could change it…”
“Why can’t you change it? What if one day you decide to live for yourself instead of Finfolkaheem?”
“I wish it were that simple, but it isn’t.”
I remained silent, running his words through my mind a thousand times. As much as I hated it, now that I’d calmed down I was starting to understand. True, given the choice, I would choose him, but did I really have that option?
My allegiance, my duty, was to Atargatis first and foremost. Pauline and Fawna were never destined for the throne, and they knew it. They had the opportunity to choose a different path. It was easy to walk away from something when no one was expecting much from you.
Though they watched with caution, our clan expected greatness from me. Abandoning Atargatis was not an option.
This Fin-man escorting me across the ocean sought to murder our former queen. Guilty as she was, she was still a representation of our clan’s history. I couldn’t allow Lennox, King Odom, or anyone else to erase such a big part of my people.
“I understand,” I said, quiet and resolved.
“But I can’t deny how I feel for you, either.”
I flicked my tongue over my bottom lip, eager to taste his words. “How do you feel, Lennox?”
“You madden me. You play at my greatest annoyances like a grain of sand in the eye, and you can’t deny it’s done on purpose. Sometimes, I just want to sew your mouth shut.”
“Wow.” I clucked my tongue. “We’re off to a good start.”
Lennox growled, a primal sound that stirred my core, before cupping my chin between his thumb and index finger. “You’re going to let me finish,” he insisted before quieting me with a quick, rough kiss.
The corner of my mouth lifted, involuntarily providing him with a submissive smile. “Go on.”
“But at the same time, I can’t imagine spending forever with anyone else. Angelique, you make me feel alive and challenged. I know it sounds crazy, but you know how the ocean paired members of your clan with humans? I feel like maybe the ocean paired me with you. Like we’
re supposed to be together.”
“Fin-man and mermaid,” I whispered against his shoulder.
“Exactly. The problem is, you have your allegiances and I have mine. I won’t ask you to give yours up; it wouldn’t be fair. I’m not sure I can shift mine, either.”
“So.” I paused, reconciling the situation. Lennox still had no idea just how far my allegiance to Queen Calypso ran. Would he ever forgive me once he found out? “Here we are.”
“I guess so.”
“It’s enough, though, isn’t it? I mean, we can’t have each other forever, that much is clear, but we can enjoy the time we do have. Can’t we? We’ll figure the rest out as it comes.”
Lennox nodded, his expression unreadable. “It’s enough for me if it’s enough for you.”
I snuggled against him, content, at least for the moment, to hear his heart beat. We had passed the turtles by now, and I watched as we drifted farther from them, wondering how we traveled the same current with such different destinations. They used Lennox’s creation to find love, while the further we traveled through it, the closer we came to falling apart.
“Angelique, wake up.”
A boney shoulder tapped my cheek, pulling me from the first bit of sleep I managed to steal during our journey. I rubbed my face, then squinted up at him as my eyes adjusted to the light.
“Where are we?” I mumbled, sleep still fogging up my voice.
“I’m not sure. The current is starting to collapse.”
I sprang forward, nearly leaping out of Lennox’s arms. “Are you out of air? Do you need to breathe?”
“Not quite out, but I am running low.”
“Okay, we’ll get you to the surface. What do we do, just swim out?”
“I wouldn’t advise it. We need to wait for the whirlpool to destabilize a little more; that way, the impact won’t be as severe.”
“Well, do you have time for that?” I flattened my hand against his chest, as if I could feel the oxygen in his lungs through his breastbone. “Will you make it?”
“I’m usually fine.”
“Usually.”
“It’s magic, not science. Sometimes I have plenty of air left, other times it’s pretty close.”