by T Stedman
“No-one even knows I’ve been here; it’s just an aggravated burglary. Such bad luck.”
Dante was going to have to think quickly. As powerful as he was with Tia’s power, he couldn’t stop a bullet. And he didn’t want to alert her to his predicament unless he really had to.
The indoor pool … his strength was in the water. He allowed the bloke to get in a lucky shot that pushed him backwards through the double doors that led into the indoor pool. The lights were off – even better. When he reached the edge of the pool, he dodged a swing, twisted and pushed the man over the side and dived on top of him before Stephan could aim his gun.
He opened his lungs immediately and swam low while the man scrambled about in the water looking for him. He struck like Jaws and pulled his legs down into the deep end. He made sure the man’s face remained under the surface and just held him and waited.
The man kicked and fought and tried to roll into a ball, anything to get a hold on Dante. But he was as slippery as an eel and dodged his clawing hands and held onto his leg on and on.
Dante prayed Stephan wouldn’t have the guts to dive in to help his friend. The gamble paid off as the guy’s struggles lessened, until they stopped all together and he hung there as if suspended in the water. His arms and legs were open and his eyes bulged.
Dante kept to the edges of the pool. The fashion of black tiled pools made it look like a black hole from the surface, especially in the darkness. He swam slowly around the edge, watching the silhouette of Stephan as he skulked around the pool slowly, trying to spot him.
When Stephan finally stood still, Dante seized his chance and lunged up out of the water, grabbed Stephan’s ankle and pulled it from under him.
Stephan screamed. His head cracked on the tiled floor even though his elbows hit the floor first. Dante took no chances and dragged him in. He snatched the gun from his hand and put his hands around his throat and squeezed until Stephan’s eyes nearly popped out.
He looked into his brother’s pleading eyes. His conscience warred with his logic. If he killed him he would be justified under Atlantean law. Stephan could be executed after this any way. Instead, he released his throat, picked him up, and threw him out of the water, so he rolled and skidded along the tiled floor.
Dante got out in one fluid move and stalked over to his spluttering, bleeding, pathetic excuse for a brother. Dante pushed him down with his foot and wedged it hard under his chin, almost choking him again. He didn’t speak because he couldn’t but his meaning was clear in his eyes. ‘Get out of my sight,’ and he took his foot away.
Stephan scrambled to his feet and ran out of the house.
Dante leant down onto his knees and took some deep breaths. As soon as his voice came back he would phone the local police and inform them of a terrible armed burglary, where he was forced to defend himself, and a man died.
He flopped down to sit on a sun lounger. What a fucking night!
***
Twenty-four hours later, Tia and Jay walked back into The Bluebell. Jay had had to complete his business in the Balkans before they could come home, but very little had been said between them.
Tia was tired, unhappy and confused. Jay walked in and headed straight for the lift. Tia walked past him into the empty function room, grabbed a full bottle of vodka from an optic and went over to the decks. She plugged herself in and set about drowning her sorrows to a beat for as long as she could stand up, and she was well practiced.
Jay had made no effort to find out what was wrong with her, instead, he entered the lift when it opened, and went up to bed.
Tia finished the vodka by about 4 a.m., turned off the decks and decided she fancied a swim.
She went down to the basement and stepped out of the lift. The smell of chlorine hit her nose. The lights were dimmed as it was the middle of the night, but that suited her and the mood she was in.
Hiccupping, she slithered in off the side in just her underwear.
Briefly she wondered if someone would come in, then thought, fuck it, and opened her lungs and swam. Round and round, faster and faster making her own, personal, whirlpool. She was drunk and maudlin and felt she must be the loneliest person in the world. I have two men – how can I be lonely? Evidently I can.
She would have loved Jay to come to find her and ask her how she felt, just once. Then she contemplated reaching out to Dante with her mind but squashed the thought when she remembered how quickly he had wanted rid of her. No, just like when she was a kid, she only had herself to rely on. Besides, everything was her own fault; she knew it was.
She wasn’t sure how long she had been in the pool but decided it was a good idea to go up to her room before her hangover hit. She didn’t even have a bloody towel.
Her feet splattered over the tiles and into the lift, leaving footprint shaped puddles. God, she must look a sight; pissed alien coming through! Good job no-one was up yet as she was fully transformed and would scare some poor early swimmer.
She let herself into Jay’s room and dropped her clothes on the floor as soon as she got in, knowing it would really annoy him. Then she padded around the bed until she just stood there, just looking down at him.
He didn’t open his eyes but just pulled back the quilt for her to slide in, which she did.
“Fucking hell Tia, you’re wet.” Still without opening his eyes, he leant back and reached down the other side of the bed and produced a towel he must have left there earlier and dumped it on Tia’s head. She huffily put it under it.
Within a few moments she felt Jay’s arms come around her waist and his legs behind hers, red hot with body heat. Soon his breathing became soft and even and she knew he’d gone back to sleep, but she couldn’t. He was making her roast but still, it didn’t make sense. She’d drunk enough vodka to knock out an elephant.
After what seemed like an age, and not wanting to wake up Jay, she remembered the new bath. Stealthily, she got out of the bed and went into the bathroom, without turning on the light, and the loud extractor fan, and began to run herself a tepid bath.
She filled it as full as she dared and got in and fell into a troubled sleep. She dreamed of Jay trapped behind a glass partition where he was shouting but she couldn’t hear him. She really wanted to, but it was like TV with the sound switched off.
***
Jay woke and felt the bed next to him. She wasn’t there. Where the fuck …? He could have sworn he’d felt her get in the bed last night. Where the fuck was she now?
He went into the bathroom, checked himself in the mirror and used the loo. When he glanced over to the new sunken bath he noticed it was full of water.
He flushed the toilet and edged closer, not knowing what he’d find. There, sound asleep, was Tia, just lying there under the surface. Her eyes were half open and fully developed black markings covered her whole body. Fuck. What should he do? Should he just leave her? He could see bubbles so he knew she wasn’t dead, but it was something he’d never seen her do before. In fact, he’d never seen her under water or this transformed before.
He came to a quick decision. He’d go for his run and wake her if she hadn’t woken by the time he got back.
Forty-five minutes later he was sitting in the bar with a coffee and a newspaper, still in his sweats. He was blowing over the surface of his cup when Dante walked in. “Bloody hell. What happened to you?”
After he’d asked the barman for an orange juice, Dante explained to Jay what had happened with Stephan, after he’d put Tia in the car.
“Fucking hell, Dant. You’ve got to start having some sort of protection now.” Jay looked him over and came to the conclusion that apart from some facial bruising, skinned knuckles and, by the way he was standing, a couple of cracked ribs, he seemed okay.
“I had to kill the guy, Jay.”
Jay just pulled a ‘what could ya do’ face. “What happened to Stephan?”
“I just roughed him up a bit and let the little shit go.”
“You know h
e’ll come back at you.”
Dante nodded and hugged his ribs hissing. “I know what you’re saying, but he’s my brother.”
Jay nodded and they both sipped their drinks.
“Did you tell Tia what was happening?”
“I didn’t get a chance mate, after throwing her bag at me, she hasn’t said a word since.”
Dante creased his brow. “I didn’t do anything apart from the breathing thing Jay. You didn’t have a go at her did you?”
Jay didn’t even answer him. He so wasn’t gettting into anything with Dante.
Dante lowered his voice. “You know that I can feel what she feels when she does that to me?”
“Spare me.” Jay said, holding up a hand.
“No, hear me out … She loves you Jay. I know. Why do you shut her out like that?”
“Dante, I’m not doing this with you.” And he went to get down from his stool. Then he hesitated. “Except? When I woke up this morning, she was asleep in the bath. It’s the first time I’ve noticed her doing it. Is it normal?”
Dante frowned while he thought about it. “Do you mind if I come up and see her?”
Jay shrugged. “Come on then,” and they walked out and rode the lift in silence.
***
Dante walked quickly into the room and straight to the bathroom. Jay followed. They both knelt down looking at her under the water.
“She’s still in exactly the same position.”
“Fuck, she’s fully transformed Jay. How long has she been like that?”
“She got in the bed wet about six this morning. That was the last I knew.”
Dante looked at him a long moment while his brain worked. “I’m going to try and talk to her telepathically, okay?” He thanked God they’d recently renewed their bond.
Jay shrugged. “Try.”
Tia, he projected quietly. It’s me Dante. Please wake up. I’m worried about you … I got in one hell of a fight when you left last night. Still he got no response from her. I made you go because I knew there was going to be trouble …. You understand don’t you?
“I’ve never seen her like this.” Jay interrupted. “You know, breathing under water. And her markings have only ever been faint before.”
Dante turned around and fixed him with a hard look. “This is what she really is Jay. This is what Atlanteans are.” He said it forcefully to drum it into him, hoping it would make him handle her differently. He stood up. “What’s going on with you Jay?”
Jay squinted his eyes like he wasn’t sure he understood what he was getting at, and not sure he liked where it was going.
“Do you know how lucky you are?
“I dunno Dant. Why don’t you tell me?”
Dante saw Jay was getting agitated but persevered, even though he knew Jay was spoiling for a fight. “She is one of only five that happens only every five hundred years, or so.”
Jay pulled a ‘what’ face.
How he didn’t smack him one he didn’t know. He took a breath. “She loves you … she wants you,” he said, jabbing Jay in the chest with his finger.
Jay’s smug smile looked back at him. “You sure you’re not just sore because she didn’t want you?”
Dante threw his hands up in the air in exasperation, and almost walked away but turned back. “That’s just it Jay, she does want me. We are a perfect match on every level,” and he held his divining ring up for him to see. “I know she feels it, because when she breathes herself into me and me her, it is a rebounding growing attraction that we can’t help, no matter what we do,” he laughed bitterly. “And she still said no to me Jay. Do you realise how much strength and willpower that took?” Dante smiled, shaking his head; allowing his words to sink in with his friend.
He sighed, gave up and leant down, reaching into the water behind her head and began to push her forward. “Help me sit her up.”
Jay helped and between them they sat her forward. Dante gently rubbed her back, all the time talking telepathically to her.
Suddenly she seemed to become aware and looked around her in fear. She saw Dante and began coughing violently. He continued to hold her arm while he rubbed her back until her lungs were empty and she began taking large painful lugs of air. He pulled her to him.
Jay stood there with folded arms and a frown like he was unsure what he should do or make of it?
Tia, are you okay? Dante projected.
She nodded then grabbed her head. Head’s killing me … aagh. I drank a bottle of vodka last night. I feel sick.
Dante smiled at her. I’m the only pisshead round here.
She pulled him to her in a tight hug that nearly broke his heart. He closed his eyes accepting the embrace as the most special thing in the world.
Jay fidgeted. Dante noticed before he got carried away. “Tia, I’m going … Jay’s here. If you need me – anything at all – you can think me,” and he pointed to his temple. “And I’ll know … or you can just ring me.”
This made her laugh and grab her head again. She smiled and nodded.
Dante stood up. “Come and take your woman Jay.”
Jay came around the bath, swapped places with him and steadied her.
“Look, there’s loads of shit going down at the moment,” Dante said, pushing his hands into his jean pockets. “I’ve got to help Keenan find his bird and strengthen my position. There’s even a rumour that the US government has a Siren, but that hasn’t been verified yet. You two have got to sort this out, okay?”
Jay nodded, then looked at Tia who was holding her mouth like she was going to throw up. She stood up and then began to push them out of the bathroom in case she was sick. They gave her space and Jay walked Dante to the door.
“Sort yourself out with her, Jay.” Dante said.
“I get what you’re saying.”
Dante paused as he went to go out of the door. “Because I will take her off you if you don’t.” And he walked out.
Chapter 25
Dante’s words had sunk in with Jay. Although he’d spent the last few months with her, she’d really taken second place to his work. Her own life had been put on hold and she’d gone everywhere with him, demanding very little for herself. His treatment of women wasn’t that great at the best of times, and of course she was not a regular woman. Dante had rammed the point home that she wasn’t even Human. He supposed that as he’d been around Dante and his family most of his life, he took all the weirdness for granted. But hearing it from Dante, and seeing Tia lying under the water the way she did, it was time to get real and either give her what she needed or pack her off to Dante, who could.
Fuck, Dante’s whole position would be safer with Tia by his side. He really did owe his friend a lot. The least he could do was to stop acting like a kid and man up.
He came to sit next to Tia who was lying on the bed, groaning.
She just croaked, “I feel like shit.”
He laughed and pushed her hair back from her face; her beautiful strange face with its black stripe under each cheekbone and eyes wide and black with stretched pupils and splintered irises, showing nearly no white at all. It was the face that had affected him so utterly from the moment he’d first seen it.
He leant down and kissed her gently on the head. “I’ll make it up to you, Tia.”
She gripped his hand with hers and gave it a weak little squeeze. “I’m just going to have a nap first.”
And he smiled.
***
A few hours had passed with Tia out cold. Jay came and checked on her periodically. Eventually she stirred. Jay was sat just a few feet away from the bed. “Hello, sleepy head.”
She blinked, trying to get her bearings.
“Better now?”
She nodded, sat up and looked around for a drink. He got up and passed her a bottle of water, which she glugged.
“Listen, I’ve been thinking.”
She stopped mid-swallow.
“Would you like to go to Cash’s and see your horse fo
r a while?”
“On my own?” she croaked.
“Do you want to go on your own?” he said, leaning back and steepling his fingers.
“No.” She said, shaking her head, bottle still in her mouth.
“Then we’ll go later today,” he said, coming to sit next to her on the bed. He leant forward and took hold of her chin. “What was last night about?” He said it gently, but waggled her chin a little in reprimand.
Her eyes tried to look away from him but he pulled her chin back so that she couldn’t ignore him. “I promised Dante I would sort things out with you.” His look was genuinely concerned.
“Dante was here?”
Jay sat back. “You don’t remember?”
She shook her head. “I thought I dreamt him.”
He took the comment on the chin, like a physical blow. That she would think Dante came to her in her dreams to comfort her … He sucked it back. “I don’t think I’ve spent enough time with you lately. My mind has been elsewhere.”
She studied his face, offering no argument.
“Will you let me make it up to you?” he continued.
Her eyes welled up and she pulled him to her by his neck. He knew her well enough to know she didn’t want him to see her cry. Despite her efforts he felt her sob. “Hey, talk to me?”
She sniffed. “I’m sorry I went off with Dante.” And sobbed again.
“Shh.” He stayed quiet and willed her to say what was really bothering her.
“Sometimes …” She stopped, deciding against what she was going to say.
“Come on. Tell me.”
“Sometimes I feel like you hate me.”
Jay just stayed in exactly the same position with his face next to her neck. “Go on.”
“I have no clue how you feel. Ever.”
He pulled back and looked intently into her eyes.
“I think you hate me for how things have turned out with Dante.” She looked down, ashamed.
“No, no, it’s nothing like that,” he said and pulled her back into his arms and then arranged her so she could sit in his lap. “It’s just me. I’m hopeless, I’ve realised, with anything to do with demonstrating … feelings.” He blushed and shook his head with embarrassment. “I do miss the way it was with Dante, but that’s not your fault.” He made sure he looked her dead in the eye so she knew it was the truth.