by Maira Dawn
This couldn't be his Intended! The Atlantian tried focusing on her ignorance and lack of grace to lessen his attraction, but it didn't work. The pull continued, the Knowing refused to go away. Instead, he felt his heartbeat quicken. He wanted this clumsy girl more than he had wanted anything in his whole life.
How would he convince the human she belonged at his side under the sea? He couldn't see this going well, not at all. But he had to try. The alternative, well, he didn't want to think of that.
The Atlantian had thought through all the scenarios. Bump into her on land and ask her back to his city? No. Get to know the girl until she trusted him, then spring it on her. She'd probably think him insane and run away screaming. He ran a hand through his hair again.
He hoped the woman understood; that on some level she could have feelings for him too. But, for him, this wasn't going away. He knew what he had to do.
Six
Rogue Wave
Chapter Six
Sonora paddled toward shore, berating herself for, once again, getting further out to sea than she intended. In the middle of her self-censure, a heavy watery weight bashed into her back. It steamrolled over her and slammed her to the shallow ocean floor.
Sonora spun out of control, a swirl of arms and legs. Her flailing limbs scraped the coral. A ribbon of red tinted the turbulent water. The tide changed direction, now dragging her away from the beach. Her heart hammered at her ribcage. She grasped at anything to stop the frenzied plunge toward the depths.
But there was nothing. Only wild water and beads of air gushing through her fingers.
The snorkel ripped from her mouth. Her remaining air would no longer sustain her. Her body screamed for her to inhale.
The surface tossed and turned above her. Spent and trembling, Sonora was near hopelessness. She gave one last push to rise toward the air. She worked against the hammering tide. Every muscle strained. Her lungs begged for a single breath to accomplish what she asked of it. But she was powerless against this small, but ruthless rogue wave.
Sonora stopped fighting, letting the agitated water spin her. Tears left her eyes and mixed with the salty water killing her. She would die here.
Out of the dark, swirling sea came an impossibly large hand. A man's hand, strong and broad with a slight scar running down the back of it. It turned palm-up and opened.
It had to be him. The shadow, the creep. Yet, he offered her help. It was Sonora's only chance at life. She took it.
She reached out. His massive hand closed around hers, and he pulled her to him. His body was solid muscle against her back, the arm she gripped like iron. She should have been frightened, instead she was comforted.
He moved; swimming so fast everything seemed a blur. Or maybe it was just her lack of air making it seem that way. Sonora wrapped her arms around his large bicep. She had nothing else left. Her last breath faded. Darkness overtook her.
Sonora woke with a start to a calmer watery scene. She shuddered at the odd sensation of waking under water. Sonora's hand flew to her face as she took a breath and the regulator clicked and whooshed. She took another deep breath as if to assure herself that she could. Where had the regulator and tanks come from?
Above her, the water still swirled, and pieces of wood and debris floated on its surface. Sonora looked to her left and saw the ocean, and then to her right and saw him. She jerked back and tried to swim away. He tightened his grasp on her arm, and Sonora realized he was the reason she hadn’t floated to the top.
This was the person following her for days now. It had to be him. What do you say to the creeper who saved your life?
He pointed to Sonora and made an okay sign, then nodded his head yes.
Sonora looked at him for a moment. Well, she'd almost drowned, thought she died and woke up with the strange man who has probably been stalking her for who knows how long. But yes, she guessed she was okay. Sonora returned his nod.
The man just looked at her, as if waiting for something. If he’d thought she would throw herself into his arms, he had another thing coming.
Sonora glanced down. Wait a minute! She reached up and touched her mask, then slowly raised her eyes to his face. She put a hand to her head as comprehension burst through her. This man wore no regulator. No, that couldn't be, she must be delirious from the lack of oxygen.
Sonora's eyes drifted from his handsome face to his bare muscular chest. It was still, so very still. Was he breathing at all? How could he be breathing underwater and yet how could he not be?
Sonora tapped her regulator again. Perhaps the scene was wrong. Maybe she was not underwater at all but instead laying on the sunny beach in some kind of unsettled mental state. But the regulator was solid to the touch, and she could hear the rush of air as her breath quickened.
Sonora stared at him, examining him from head to toe. He was huge, at least six and a half feet, if not more. His black hair would have been shoulder length but for the currents that lifted it. His darkly tanned skin looked so healthy, it was almost luminescent. A shimmering tattoo ran up over his powerful bicep and turned to disappear over the back of his shoulder, emphasizing his muscular physique. The symbols were of some kind of lettering Sonora had never seen before. The swimwear on his lower half skimmed his body, and a thin, though Sonora suspected heavy, copper-colored belt circled his waist.
Sonora slowly brought her eyes back up to his. His grey eyes captured and held hers. One corner of his mouth raised in a little smirk, as if he was used to the appreciation he'd seen in her gaze.
And he probably was. He was the most amazing specimen of a man she had ever seen. But Sonora had other things on her mind. During her entire inspection, his chest still had not moved even once. Her eyes grew rounder, and she tensed. What was happening? She couldn't wrap her head around any of it.
The man's grin turned to wariness as if he sensed her unease. Tentatively, Sonora reached toward him. When the man gave her a slight nod, Sonora laid a trembling hand on his chest. He was solid.
Sonora slowly pulled the arm he still held through his callused hand until she could grasp his thick wrist. There was no denying he floated here in front of her.
Rather than soothe Sonora, the knowledge alarmed her. Because how could this incredible, not-breathing man be real?
Seven
You Are Okay
Chapter Seven
Sonora's mind flew through the options. Extreme watersports of some kind? But wouldn't she have heard of that? A scientist studying… studying something? Not a merman, she didn't even want to go there. Besides, mermen would have tails, and he had legs. But that was it. It was all she had. This was just too weird. Well, thank you very much, whoever he was. She must be getting home now.
Sonora tried to tug her arm out of his grip, but the man didn't let go. She started to swim away. He still hung onto her, and she just boomeranged right back to him. A hard pit started in Sonora's stomach. The more he held onto her, the more she wanted away.
She pointed at the hand wrapped around her arm and waved her other hand. Maybe he would understand that. The man stared at her for a minute, and slowly, it seemed almost regretfully shook his head.
Sonora set her jaw, pointed again at her arm, and pushed the middle of his chest. He shook his head again. Sonora's heart sped up. What did he think was happening here? She needed away from him now.
Thinking nothing through, Sonora raised her feet and pushed against his body as hard as she could, twisting and turning. Maybe now he would understand she was serious. Bubbles flew from her regulator. Her hair swirled around her face. The man's eyebrows snapped together, and he once again denied her freedom.
Anger and panic flooded Sonora, and she struggled harder. This time kicking at him and striking at him the best she could, but the water made her efforts no stronger than that of a small child.
The man’s scowl deepened. He made one small tug on her arm. Sonora's legs fell, and her body turned. Her back was to him now. He used one arm to bring her
close to him. With the other, he repeatedly made the "You" and "Okay" signs.
SoSo, he wasn't asking, he was telling her. Well, she wasn't OKokay. She was alone underwater with a non-breathing creeper. That is what he was, a creeper! And she didn't even know how long he'd been spying on her.
Sonora continued to pummel the man in whatever way she could. She tried to gouge at his eyes, but his height made that problematic. The most she accomplished was raking her nails down his face. Sonora kicked at him, trying to stun him with a strike to the groin.
Against Sonora's back, the man's chest expanded. "Stop," he roared.
Sonora froze, the hair on her neck lifting. Had she heard that or felt it? Her body had vibrated with his voice. The sound had seemed all around and through her at the same time.
Air bubbles rushed out of Sonora's regulator, reflecting her fast and uneven breathing. The man signed "You OK" one more time. After whatever that was, she would not argue. Sonora nodded. But she didn't believe it, not for a minute.
The man held her still for a moment, testing her. Then released her enough to move them, not toward Sonora's beloved cove, but to the dark part of the ocean. She couldn't just meekly go along with him! Again, Sonora started to battle, but the man wrapped his iron arms around her until she gave up.
Every drop of energy spent; Sonora had no choice but to allow him to drag her through the water. At least the man was not rough with her despite what she’d been trying to do to him. Even now, he held her limp body with enough force to move her along, but not hard enough to hurt.
But when they reached a sizeable underwater shelf, Sonora’s fear intensified. Floating beside it was a water vehicle. It was somewhat like a motorcycle, dark -blue, with no wheels. Sonora threw a glance toward her beach. How far were they going? She vigorously shook her head.
The man sat her on the bike. Sonora took advantage of the moment and reached up to put a hand on each side of his face, holding him. His gaze jerked to hers and held. The intense stare he gave her sent a shiver all the way to her toes.
Tears wavered, threatening to fall as Sonora shook her head over and over, pleading with the man. "No, no, no, no."
He closed his eyes for a moment, seemingly saddened by her distress but simply signed, "You Okay."
Sonora dropped her hands and hung her head. Why did he keep saying she was OK okay, when it was pretty clear she was not?
When he started to move, she quickly took hold of his arm. But he pulled away, turning his attention elsewhere. Opening a compartment on the side of the bike, he pulled out a small container. He put it to his mouth and took a deep breath, swelling his chest.
Sonora's eyebrows raised. He did breathe! Still weird it was rarely, but he breathed. She tapped the center of his chest. He nodded, smiled, and pointed from her air tanks to her, then the little container to himself. The man released the air he had taken in with a great stream of bubbles and took another breath from the small container.
Sonora's gaze followed the little silver round case. How was it all these things existed, and she knew nothing about them?
Eight
Big Evil Man
Chapter Eight
When the man finished with the small canister, he handed it to Sonora and mounted the bike in front of her. Sonora turned the silver container over and over in her hands, inspecting it from all sides. There was one small button, which she pushed.
It triggered a tiny oval opening and a great blast of air shot out of the container hitting Sonora in the face. She toppled off the back of the bike, spinning in the water like a weightless astronaut.
The man grinned as he grasped her flailing hand and pulled her back to the bike's seat this time in front of him.
Sonora had managed to keep a hold on the little breather during her tumble and reexamined it. She turned the almost microscopic opening away from herself and put her finger to the button again. The man's chest rumbled with amusement, and Sonora shot him a glance. He reached over and plucked the canister from her. Her hands followed his, but before she could grab it back, the man plopped it back into its compartment. Sonora frowned. He treated her like an errant child.
The man pushed a lever on the controls, lighting them up and causing the bike to start. The vehicle built up speed, and the man glanced at her more than once as they glided through the water. It was a strange sensation, moving through the ocean so fast. Sonora turned her face from the water rushing at her and pushed back until the man's body blocked her from going any further. She shielded her face with one hand and held onto his thick forearm with the other.
He slowed the bike a little, letting Sonora get used to the sensation. Once she was more comfortable, she peeked out from behind her hand and looked around. They'd already gone so far. Her heart sank as she scanned the unfamiliar surroundings, she had to be far from the beach.
There was nothing she could do about that. This man was determined to take her somewhere. Maybe she could figure out something about where. Sonora examined the gauges on the bike, tracing the lighted letters with her finger. They were similar to his tattoo, and nothing she recognized. They seemed like some mix of hieroglyphics and letters. Sonora had seen an alphabet a little like it once on a documentary about an ancient people.
Who was this guy? He was off the Carolina Coast, for heaven's sake! Was he American? The signs they'd used were pretty universal. But he'd told her to stop in English.
Sonora startled when the man tapped her shoulder and pointed to the seascape in front of them. Ahead she saw the dark water lit up by a few beams of sunlight scattered through it.
Sonora glanced back at him. He nodded and motioned ahead.
Sonora looked ahead and started define other shapes. Dolphins, a lot of them. Several groups of the mammals moved through the water. Sonora lightened as she watched them tease each other.
The nice-sized pod had at least fifty dolphins. Swimming alongside them, with their unique side-to-side motion, were just as many sharks. It was a myth that sharks and dolphins didn't swim in the same area but seeing such a massive mixture did seem unusual. A couple of grey dolphins broke off the main group, chirping as they came. One of them grabbed up a bit of floating seaweed as it passed by. The man slowed and stopped the vehicle.
The dolphins raced straight for him, and the man gave each a rub down their side from head to tail for their efforts. The mammals warbled and whistled to themselves and to him. He smiled at them, his eyes bright. The man chirped to the dolphins so perfectly Sonora didn't realize it was him until she looked at him, and her eyes widened.
The mammals turned their curious attention to her. Swimming back and forth a few times, they eyed Sonora as they talked. She giggled when they bumped their noses to her and tentatively reached out to pet their smooth, shiny skin. One dolphin threw its seaweed to the man, and for a few minutes, a game of fetch ensued between the man and the animals. Eventually, he whistled, and they raced back to their pod.
Sonora found the whole exchanged interesting. These weren't the first sea animals they had passed. The man hadn't stopped for the others. He knew these dolphins and treated them almost like pets.
He restarted his vehicle, and it seemed like they barely moved before he pointed again and said, "Look!"
The booming, all-encompassing sound moved through the water and Sonora. She trembled and jumped off the bike. It took a moment for him to respond, it'd happened so quick. Once Sonora was away from him, she didn't stop. She swam hard, her arms digging through the water, legs kicking as quick as they could. There was nowhere for her to go, but she had to try.
The two dolphins raced by her, stopping in front of her. When Sonora stopped and turned, she saw sharks patrolling behind her. A chill rushed through her. The friendly dolphins stared at her. There was no happy chatter now. They were as silent as the sharks they kept company with. Sonora had been wrong. These were not playmates, they were watchdogs.
The man uttered a couple of sharp whistles, and the dolphins happily
swam away as if it had all been part of the game. Even the sharks meandered off. He grabbed the back of her air tank and swung her back to the seat in front of him.
The ease with which he'd recaptured her was irritating, and she huffed. Air bubbles puffed out of her regulator into his face. She wished he was getting more than air bubbles. Sonora scowled at him, ignoring his rueful face as she pushed his hand away from hers. He was such a big, evil man. Oh wow, she needed to get better at insults. And he needed to stop talking to her underwater! It freaked her out.
He ignored Sonora's annoyance and engaged the bike again. The dolphins and sharks started to follow them, and Sonora shrunk back against the man. Anger at herself flared. He wasn't her protector. He was her kidnapper. But as much as she wanted to think him as evil, she somehow instinctively knew he was not.
The man's arm came around her as he pointed ahead once again.
In the distance, Sonora saw lights. Not just a few lights as if there were another underwater vehicle but hundreds. She saw hundreds of lights.
Nine
Abominations
Chapter Nine
On land, a dark-haired man stood in the back of the truck, watching without emotion as the body awkwardly rolled out of the truck bed, flopping onto the ground below. He jumped down, following the body out, giving it another hard kick with the toe of his boot to send it over the sharp edge of the cliff.
The blackness of his clothing matched the darkness of the night. An ugly twist settled on his mouth as he wondered why he had bothered trying to be inconspicuous. Everyone in this town was so dense, he could have lined them up for the show, and they still wouldn't have known what was going on.