Alaster popped through the hole and slid into the pool like an oversized slug. “It’s about time you started cooperating, Princess.”
“I’m not a princess!”
Colin flipped me around and pulled up my dress, revealing my lacy underwear. “Yup, here’s the mark just as I remember it.”
“Hey!” I slapped his hand and yanked the stretchy fabric down.
Both men laughed.
“She won’t be that feisty for long,” Alaster said to Colin. “You know what to do. I’ll be back by morning with the essence. Pack whatever you want to take with you.”
“Sure, Dad,” Colin nodded, a proud smile on his face.
“Good job, Son.” He clapped Colin on the shoulder before he disappeared down the hole.
My skin quickly adjusted to the tepid pool water and I began to shiver. “I can’t stay in here. I’m going to get sick.”
Colin rolled his eyes and scanned the deck. I hoped it was for a towel. Instead, he found a rope and tied my wrists before he hoisted me out and sat me on the pool ledge. The chilly air sent a shiver up my spine.
“I need a towel.”
“Quit complaining, will you? And why’d you think I was Fin? Are you expecting him?” he asked.
I looked down. “You look like him, that’s all.”
Colin laughed as I continued to shiver. He finally slid out of the pool and threw a towel over my shoulders.
I wrapped up best I could and watched in wonder at his long tail as it swished back and forth. Two spiked pectoral fins protruding from the sides—the ones that had been poking me earlier—and a larger one jutted from his back. His tail fin wasn’t flat like what I imagined a mermaids tail would look like, but shark-like: vertical with a razor sharp on the tip.
“What’s wrong with your tail?”
Colin frowned and studied his backside. “Nothing.”
“But your fin is sideways.”
He howled in laughter. “I’m not a mermaid, Princess. I’m built for power and speed.” He dove under and swam in a swift circle to show how functional his tail was.
I smirked and huddled under the towel, finally warm. If I could distract him, I could run up the stairs on my left and escape.
“So,” he swam over to me, noting I wasn’t impressed, “we can do this the hard way or the easy way.”
I cocked my head to the side. “Or you can let me go.”
He laughed. All evidence where Callahan had punched him had healed. If I weren’t tied, I’d hit him again just to piss him off.
“You’re coming with us, so stop begging. When Dad brings the essence, you’ll be a mermaid once again.”
“Again?” I gulped. “Are you insane?”
“You’re the lost princess and my ticket out of mediocrity.”
“Right.” I struggled against the rope. My wrists rubbed raw under the tight hemp fibers.
“Okay, so… since I can’t sing to you, why don’t you make this easy and kiss me?” He puckered his lips.
“Kiss you?” I pushed him with my foot. “Heck, no!”
His face hardened as he flipped his tail, mumbling things under his breath. After a few uncomfortable minutes, he turned to me.
“I don’t understand why you don’t like me. I mean, I’m witty and attractive. When we first met, you were putty in my hands, and then something changed.”
“Seriously?” I couldn’t help my sarcastic laughter. “Maybe this might be a clue.” I held up my bound wrists. “And the fact you’ve been nothing but a jerk after that.”
“Careful, Princess. I don’t need your permission to kiss you.” He smirked.
“A forced promise is equivalent to rape where I come from.”
“I’m not trying to force you, and how do you know about the promising anyway?”
I hid my bound hands under the towel. The Band-Aid on my ring finger barely hung on at this point.
He swam over, creating a large wave of water that drenched me. I tried to move away. He ripped the sopping towel off of me and found the promising tattoo.
“NO!” He pulled hard on my hand and thrust his face in front of mine. “Who is it? Who?”
I gulped down my fear. “Don’t hurt me,” I said as I turned my cheek.
He gritted his teeth and forced my face to look at him. My heart thumped hard, vibrating my entire body. If I told him, he’d go after Fin. I pushed my lips into a thin line.
Colin’s eyes narrowed. “Fin.” Below the water, large spikes spread from his side fins, sharp and dangerous looking. “Poseidon, I’m going to kill him.”
Colin submerged and darted across the pool. I pulled my feet out of the water and scooted backward. I looked behind me. Here was my chance to escape.
A hand reached up and grabbed my ankle. “Where do you think you’re going, Princess?”
I tried to kick myself free. “It won’t work, whatever you do. I’m promised and stop calling me princess.”
“I’ll hunt Fin down and de-fin him to release the bond,” he said through clenched teeth. “He can’t have you and take everything I deserve. You’re mine.”
He jettisoned his body out of the water and slid us in one fluid motion across the slick cement to the stairs.
“But he’s your cousin.”
“Shhh,” he said and wrung his hands. “I can’t think with you talking.”
“But Fin’s in Flor—I mean Maine.”
“My father isn’t going to hear a word of this. As far as he’s concerned, we’re promised. This mark is mine. And if you say a word, I’ll do something drastic. Do you hear me?”
My throat hitched as his face flashed with hateful rage.
Inside I screamed. Why didn’t I tell Fin the truth? That Colin and his uncle were here stalking me? This whole time I’d thought they only wanted to know where the Heltons were, but that wasn’t the case. They’d been looking for the lost princess, Galadriel. Colin wanted to become promised to her to elevate his position in the mer society—but now that they thought it was me, he’d change me into a mermaid, and claim me for his wife without revocation. I’d be trapped in Natatoria like Tatchi. Fin wouldn’t know. I had to convince Colin otherwise.
“Your song didn’t work because I’m promised. Don’t you see? It has nothing to do with royal blood. But I know where the lost princess is—the one you’re looking for.”
He stopped for a second, his eyes clouding over in confusion. “What?”
“She’s with the Heltons—in Maine.”
“But you have the mark.”
“It’s only a birthmark,” I said, pleading. “Please… let me go.”
“I can’t!” He yelled and leaned up against the wall, thumping his head against the cement bricks. “Don’t you understand? That mark says you’re royalty and I have to become promised to you, otherwise my dad really will kill me.”
Pity filled my heart. This wasn’t his plan after all, but something his dad forced him to do. We were trapped together. Maybe I could use this to my advantage for my escape.
I leaned over and took his hand with mine. “Then let’s pretend.”
He wrinkled his brow. “Pretend?”
“We’ll pretend we’re promised and then later, you can take me to Fin and I’ll set you up with the real princess.”
He laughed as something dark crossed his face. “That’s all good and convenient for you and Fin, but I don’t believe you. You’re the princess that’s missing and you’ll be mine.” He grabbed my chin and pulled me forward. “I can still kiss you. Maybe you won’t be entirely promised to me at first, but it’ll make you want me, and no one in Natatoria will know any different.”
I struggled against his grip, braced for his lips to touch mine. Fin never told me what would happen if another merman kissed me. Would our bond break? Would I be promised to them both? Colin said I’d want for him. The thought made my skin crawl.
There was no escape now.
“Touch her and die!”
Colin swiveled backward, mouth
agape. “What the heck?”
A mirage of Fin hoisting himself out of the porthole filled the blur in my tear laden eyes.
Colin yelled and charged Fin. “She’s mine!”
They collided and tumbled into the pool, creating a giant tidal wave. I struggled to my knees. My eye caught a row of harpoon-like javelins lined against the wall. I crawled to my feet and ran the length of the room to them. I rested the rope against the blade and sawed carefully. Threads began to fray. Once they snapped, I removed the heavy javelin and held it over my head, ready to whack Colin on the head.
I couldn’t see a thing in the churning wall of water. Then Fin erupted with his arm around Colin’s neck. “You miserable parasite!” Fin’s bicep flexed. “Why are you here with Ash? Answer me!”
Colin grunted as his eyes bulged.
“Stop!” I didn’t want Colin’s death on our consciences.
Fin clenched his jaw, then finally released him in a fit of frustration and threw him to the other side of the pool. “You big coward.”
My eyes met Fin’s and I couldn’t breathe. He was here, finally. I dropped the javelin and lunged for the pool edge, diving in.
Warm hands took ahold of my cheeks, bringing my face to the surface. Our lips crashed together and our hands hungrily gripped one another’s faces and bodies. He whisked me to the opposite end from where Colin sulked, and wrapped me up in his glowing warm arms as he whispered sweet apologies for being late, kissing away my tears.
“I’m sorry—I’m so sorry. I’m here. Nothing will harm you again. Did he hurt you?”
I sobbed and hugged his neck harder as he tried to inspect me.
“Tell me you’re all right.”
“I’m all right,” I choked out. “I’m perfect.”
He breathed out a huge sigh and hugged me tighter, kissing my forehead and temple. “I will never let you out of my sight again. Ever.”
“Come on,” I said impatiently. “We need to go before your uncle returns.”
“My uncle is here?” We charged for the porthole, but Alaster sat on the edge.
“Look who’s finally home.” His hand rested on a thin cord feeding up to the ceiling.
A mesh of heavy ropes fell onto our heads and tiny barbs hooked into my skin.
Fin’s eyes rolled back. He sunk down, pulling my body and face under the surface with him. With the little strength I had, I managed to lift my lips above the surface. Through the net, I gasped for air and searched for Alaster. He sat on the pool deck like a big seal, yelling something I couldn’t make out. The water swooshed around my ears making listening impossible. Alaster pointed to us, then slapped Colin across the face. I cringed.
Hidden in the rafters above us, nets hung in various places. Silver barbs protruded around the edges and glinted in the light. Booby traps. My hands tingled, unable to lift the net off of our heads. My ears rang as I fought to keep my eyes open.
Colin dove into the water next to me, drowning my face with water. He removed the net and slung my limp body over his shoulder and onto the deck. My eyes fluttered open, paralysis encasing my body. Alaster appeared before me.
He forced my mouth opened. The thick, sweet liquid slid down my throat. I choked and tried to focus on his face. He laughed before he pushed me back into the pool with his hand. I sunk slowly down to the bottom, my arms numb at my side. Something yanked Fin out of the water next to me. I was alone.
Bubbles escaped from my mouth as the two blurry figures hovered on the edge watching me die—Alaster and Colin. What happened to the princess theory? Were they going to turn Fin in instead? The burn to breathe kept building until I couldn’t wait anymore. This would be it. My dying breath. Finally, I sucked in a lungful of water.
A searing ache tore at the sides of my neck. Surprisingly, the water gushed in. I shrieked, but only pulled in another hungry thick breath. Again, the water rushed across the raw skin on my neck, bypassing my lungs. Relief filled me. I could breathe underwater. My limbs jolted to life and I touched the flaps of skin protruding from the sides of my neck. Was I becoming a mermaid?
I attempted to kick my feet to swim to the surface when my muscles seized. I cried out and arched my back to stop the biting sting. I twisted and turned. Nothing helped. Then heat began to radiate under my skin, growing warmer by the second. I tried kicking again when something tore down the sides of my legs with a scorching hot burn. I sucked in another gulp of the cool water, hoping to stop the pain.
Hot. My body was in an oven, cooking to death. Hot, so hot. Yes, please. Stop. Anything but this. Instead, the fire stoked under my skin and boiled all around me.
My legs itched uncontrollably. I reached down to scratch the skin. My nail beds sliced open and something sharp protruded out, ripping open my flesh. I screamed, but I couldn’t see what I’d done. My eyeballs felt like they were turning inside out, then my ears crackled with a horrific deafening pop. I thrashed in a circle, hoping the rush of water would cool the burn. The bones in my legs crunched and pulled apart with loud pops. I tried to bend my knees; my legs wouldn’t respond. Another seizure hit, snapping my legs together like magnets. I yanked to keep them from fusing. Knives carved their way under my flesh anyway, ripping through me with a vengeance. Something yanked hard against my body, stretching me like taffy. I writhed, unable to stop myself from screaming continually as the fire chewed its way over my skin like a piranha.
Fin never warned me about the pain. Though I’d secretly wanted to be a mermaid, this would have been the deal breaker. I couldn’t endure this. I didn’t care if I’d never see him again, feel his kisses on my lips, fall asleep in his arms.
I wanted to die.
Now.
Please, dear God. Let me die!
But it wouldn’t stop. The pain continued on, ripping and tearing me, forming me into something inhuman. I hated Alaster. I wanted to scratch his eyes out with my new claws. If I survived, he’d experience my wrath like no other.
Another seizure tore at my body. Would this happen every sunset? I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t live with this pain daily.
I keep screaming, crying, begging—I’d give my very soul for peace, but the burning wouldn’t stop. When? When would it end?
Fin, please help me!
37
:::
FIN
Thursday evening, April 21st
Someone slapped me across my face. I moved to retaliate, but my arms hung like deadweights chained above my head.
“Wake up, pretty boy.” Uncle Alaster’s voice sent daggers of rage into my blood stream.
I shook my head. My body was on fire.
“It’s no fun if you don’t stay awake and watch.” His fish breath revolted my stomach.
But my eyes wouldn’t stay open. Something dripped on my lips; I ran my tongue along the chapped skin, licking up a few drops of essence.
The sudden infusion cleared my head. “Where’s Ash?”
Uncle Alaster’s lip pushed up to the side. He looked over at the pool. A small dark figure thrashed around under the water.
“You’re full of surprises, Nephew. How could you leave your sweet little honey all alone? No wonder Colin was having such trouble persuading her.”
I sat upright. “What did you do?”
“Finished what you started.”
A small green fin flipped above the surface of the water—thin and fragile. He’d changed her. She was suffering.
“You son of a bass! When I get out of here—”
“I’d like to see you try—” He dangled a silver key in front of me. “Such poetic justice. My brother provideth, and I taketh away.” He leaned forward and whispered. “But in a few hours, you’ll be dead—either by the poison or by exposure. I wish I could stay and watch your princess try her hardest to save you, but I already know what will happen. Don’t worry, Fin. After you die, we’ll take excellent care of her,” he said with a sardonic laugh.
I struggled against the chains and growled. “You’re noth
ing but pure evil.”
“Too bad my good-for-nothing brother and his beta-wench didn’t come with you. I’ve had so much fun rigging this place for our happy reunion. Won’t your dried carcass be a nice welcome home present?”
I exhaled out of clenched teeth. “You can go to hell.”
“Not before you,” he laughed. “Come on, Colin. I’m sick of the whining and we can’t do anything until the bait dies. Let’s give them their last few hours alone.”
Evergreen (Mer Tales, Book 2) Page 21