Even in the limited light, I could see the smile growing on Graham"s face. "So that"s why you came here? You want to take advantage of me, right tart?" He started to laugh.
"Shh! Be quiet or they"re going to come back."
"Don"t worry, I can be quiet. It"s you that might need to control your volume."
"You are such a pig." I dropped his leg to the floor with the intent of hurting him. The guy only ever thought about one thing and that wasn"t very productive in situations like this.
"Ow," he said through his chuckles. "Why did you do that?"
"Take off your pants."
"Patience, Eviana. Good things come to those who wait."
"If you say one more disgusting thing, I"m leaving." I didn"t really want to leave, but I tried to sound convincing. Graham started to wiggle on the floor in an attempt to remove his jeans.
"You"re lying," he finally said. c.r.a.p. I kept forgetting about that little ability of his. "But that"s okay. I appreciate that you came." He jerked his head to the door. "Were you able to control him?"
"Yes. But it wasn"t easy. I think Lucian drugged me at dinner."
Graham kicked his left leg around like something was biting at it, so I climbed over him and pulled the rest of the pant leg off. He was able to finish the right leg himself, but paused before removing the final piece of clothing.
"You may want to avert your eyes, luv. That is, unless this is what you"ve been waiting for." He snapped the elastic waist band of his boxers.
I spun around with a sigh. "Can you change?" I asked the opposite wall, afraid that Graham might be sprawled out on the floor waiting for me turn around.
"Yes, I think so." I heard him slide into the water.
Walking back to the pool I knelt down and hung my head over the edge to see if I could find him. Usually the transition was smooth, but Graham was pretty injured. I worried that he might be struggling underwater.
Just a second after that thought crossed my mind, his head broke through the surface and I felt his lips brush lightly against mine. His hands gently touched my cheeks causing me to momentarily forget who was kissing me.
"Stop that!" I said and quickly sat back down before I asked for more. It wasn"t Graham, per se, it was just nice to feel close to someone in this awful situation.
He laughed and slapped the water. "Come on in, tart." I put my finger over my lip in the universal sign for shut up hoping he take the hint. He winked and gave me an innocent look before dramatically whispering, "Are you coming in?"
I wanted to, but figured that I was running out of time. Plus, it looked like the transformation was helping him like it should. "No. But we have to get out of here."
"I agree, so what"s the plan?" Graham pulled himself up onto the ledge, allowing his golden tail to dangle in the water. The fresh cuts and sc.r.a.pes were healed which would be a positive sign that the internal injuries should feel better as well. His chest glistened in the reflecting light and I did my best not to stare at his merman form. I found myself remembering the night on the beach at Jeremiah"s after we"d fought the ratchets when I saw all of Graham"s human form. It was impressive.
What are you thinking? I chastised myself. There was something so repulsive, yet attractive about Graham that it caught me every single time. Maybe it was his power or the danger a relationship with him could deliver. Whatever it was, I needed to stop these stupid feelings and get on with business.
"Lucian is taking me to meet the Council in three days."
Graham"s interest was evident. "So you"re leaving?"
"I"m a.s.suming it"s only temporary, but I think you and I could break out of here permanently."
I proceeded to tell him about the selkies and water fairies that I"d observed. He agreed that I needed his help with those creatures and promised to try and avoid taking any drugs so that his powers would recover. There probably wasn"t much he could do about the injections, but it was the best plan at the moment.
I told him that I"d come again tomorrow night to discuss more strategy and he seemed genuinely pleased. Before I left, he grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight.
"It was worth it," he breathed.
"What?"
"Saving you. I couldn"t let you walk into a trap. I had to let you know, and even though I"m paying for it now...it was worth it."
I didn"t know what to say so I didn"t say anything at all. He seemed to be sincere, and it"s not the first time I thought I was getting a rare glimpse into Graham Forrester"s soul. There was a real person in there. Someone who could care for others and do the right thing. Someone who would have been a wonderful leader if only he had made different choices. Someone struggling like me.
I squeezed his hand back and walked out of the boat house in silence. The selkie was still sleeping nearby and thankfully his friend had not returned. There was no one there to stop me and no one to fight. I made it back to the house quickly, a little surprised at how easy this had been.
A few more days before I could get in front of the Council meant that I had to come up with an extra plan. My brain plotted and schemed all night long until I saw the sun begin to rise and finally fell asleep.
Seven.
Kain It was completely dark in the room by the time I woke up. Carissa and I must have slept for several hours because my mind was now foggy and weak. I tried to raise my arms overhead, temporarily forgetting about the stab wound. It still hurt but the stiffness was bothering me more. I hated to feel inadequate, and with Eviana stolen out from under us, my injury only added to the insult.
Eviana. We needed to rescue her. I needed to talk to Abhainn. Carissa"s arm rested across my chest so I held it up as I slid out of bed. I felt kind of bad about sneaking off like this, but she looked content and her deep breaths told me she was still blissfully asleep.
I watched her for a few moments, stunned by her beauty. Not only was she perfect on the outside, but Carissa was a good person in her heart. She would be a wonderful girlfriend for anyone, and for some reason she wanted me. A part of me wished that I could completely close off my heart to Eviana, but that wasn"t going to happen. That girl has been the most important person in my life since I was a kid. She still is. And despite knowing better, I didn"t want to ruin my chances with her.
It was already night when I stepped outside on the expansive wood deck. Eviana"s family had lived here for several generations, allowing them the comfort of privacy. The closest home was at least a mile away, and the direct access to the beach was a luxury for our kind. My father and I would visit this house several times a year ever since I was old enough to travel with him. Eviana and I had been promised to each other for most of that time.
I tried not to think about that part. Eviana ran away the night before our wedding and I was humiliated and disappointed to say the least. I wanted to hate her forever, but it just wasn"t in me.
The nearly full moon lit up the sand in an unnatural way. Small waves echoed off the surf sending a hint of longing through me. I"d only been allowed to "swim" in the bathtub these past few days and I was itching to get in the sea. There"s nothing like the exhilaration of transitioning into my other form and leaving all of the perils of the human world behind.
Looking back inside the house, I noticed only a few selkies and protectors. But more were around. Most likely hidden in locations where they could scout for trouble. Lucian had been arrogant enough to attack us at our home once, there was no doubt that he could do it again. I stuck my head back inside to tell Troy that I was going down to the beach to search for Abhainn. The water sprite had been sneaking around here, so I hoped that I"d be able to find him quickly.
The beach glowed like a moonscape and the quietness of the night calmed me. I took a deep breath to smell the air and sea, reveling in the salty yet somewhat fishy scent. It was a reminder of who we were, and now more than ever, I was craving the change. Perhaps I"d be able to find Abhainn better that way, under the water.
Instead, I decided to walk up and down the beach, taking little care to miss the surf. The sprite could use the water to move around, whether that was in the ocean or underground. I called out to him a few times, feeling idiotic for talking to myself, but I had to try. For Eviana"s sake.
It had been two hours before I heard footsteps coming up behind me. They were light and graceful and almost hesitant. I turned from where I was sitting with my ocean view to see who my visitor was.
"Can I join you?" Carissa asked with a smile.
I couldn"t help but return it as I patted the beach next to me. She had a flannel blanket wrapped around her and maneuvered it so that she wouldn"t be sitting directly on the sand.
"Getting some fresh air?" I asked.
"Just wondering where you are." Her voice was less than confident and it worried me a little. "Have you seen him yet?"
Knowing that she was referring to Abhainn, I shook my head. "I don"t know if he"s really here or not."
"You"re worried about her, aren"t you?" Carissa said quietly.
"Of course I am. She"s an important leader and practically my co-ruler. She needs to be here with her clan."
She looked at me for a moment before resting her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her back and pulled her close. "It"s more than that," she whispered.
Although it wasn"t a direct question, I knew what she meant. "In a way. I care what happens to Eviana, but not for the same reasons why I cared before."
Carissa didn"t speak for a minute. I was just getting comfortable with the silence and the feel of her body nestled up against mine when she asked me the real question. "Do you love her?"
Did I? Yes, in a certain way. But did I love her like I wished I could love Carissa someday? "No," I finally answered.
I felt her muscles tense right before she let out a sigh. "Kain, you"re lying."
"No, I"m being truthful. I swear." I turned my body to face her, wanting her to know that I meant what I was saying.
She smiled but it barely reached her eyes. "You"re being truthful in your mind, but that"s not what your heart is saying."
"What are you talking about?"
"I can tell when you"re lying and I can tell how deep the lie goes. You are an honest man, Kain Matthew, but it"s your heart that has betrayed you."
"Carissa..."
"It"s okay, Kain. I think I always knew."
"Knew what?" How could she know how I felt when I didn"t even really know? I"ve been so confused over my feelings for Eviana these past few months that it was almost a blessing for someone else to tell me how to feel.
She nudged my shoulder and then pulled away. "You"ve always been in love with her. Even when you were angry with her. Although I"m not sure how that"s going to help you any with Brendan"s return."
"Oh," I said, not knowing if I should tell her. Carissa looked at me quizzically and I decided that she deserved to know the whole truth. "Brendan and Eviana broke up. He felt the call and he can"t fight it anymore." I guess that was one way to put it. Carissa didn"t need to know about his return and then quick departure after spending the night with Eviana. Besides, I didn"t want to think about that either.
"I see," she finally said. "Well, that does change things." My heart did something funny when I realized where this conversation was going. She turned her head and looked up at me. "Kain, I can"t compete with that." Her finger pointed at my heart. "You are an amazing guy, but it"s just not meant to be."
I wiped a small tear from her cheek and wished that there was something I could say to make this better. "I"m sorry."
She tried to smile again. "Don"t be. But promise me that you will do this right. Don"t let her miss out on the best man she will ever find." She pulled back from me again and wrapped the blanket tighter around her chest. "And you make sure that she treats you well."
I swallowed hard, not really knowing what to say. Thankfully, the moment was lost when we heard the distinct sound of galloping hooves moving rapidly toward us. Why there was a horse on the beach, baffled me for a second, until I realized what was happening.
Carissa and I stood to watch the spectacle. "Is that Abhainn?" she asked.
Sure enough, running down the beach like a Lady G.o.diva reincarnate was the water sprite on top of a large black kelpie. With the way the moonlight peeked out from behind the clouds, the black water horse seemed almost invisible, creating an illusion that Abhainn was flying on his own.
I remembered our ride on those magnificent water beasts when we escaped from Lucian"s cave in Virginia. Carissa and I rode bareback through the night, afraid for our lives but loving the ride in the forest. She briefly grabbed my hand and I wondered if she was having the same memory. The sprite commanded the kelpie to stop just before running into us since we were too stunned to get out of his way.
In one amazingly graceful move, Abhainn dismounted and gave us a gracious nod. "Good evenin" Master Matthew. "ave ye been waiting for me?" His Scottish accent was thick and even more difficult to understand with a neighing kelpie by our side. "Hush, Celopean. Thank ye fer helping me. Ye can go now." Abhainn slapped the horse on the rump and it immediately turned and ran toward the surf.
Carissa and I watched as the black horse trotted straight into the water and disappeared under the first wave that connected with his body. It was like he simply disintegrated into the darkened seas.
"My whole life I"d been told that they were extinct, and now I"ve seen them twice this year," Carissa said. She looked up at Abhainn, who had apparently fed very well because he was larger than me right now. Water sprites had a rather nontraditional diet of humans with a side of more humans. It was disturbing and I tried not to think about it. "I will leave you two alone to discuss matters."
She began to walk down the beach but I had to stop her. "Carissa, where are you going?"
"Just back to the house. Don"t worry, I"m not running away yet." I could hear the pain in her voice and I hated that I was the one that put it there. I should know better than anybody how it feels to love someone who doesn"t love you back. Yet even knowing that, I couldn"t pretend to like Carissa when all I thought about was Eviana. It wasn"t fair.
"Ye"re right lad," Abhainn said, startling me.
"Huh?"
"Ye are right to let that one go when ye feel so strongly fer another." I looked at him in confusion and he tapped his head. "Mind reading. No thought is safe around me."
I cringed remembering some of the thoughts that I"ve had when Abhainn was around. Most were probably focused on Eviana. He laughed.
"Ye might be surprised to know that ye frequent her thoughts as well."
"I do?"
"Aye, but that is a private matter between the two of ye." He looked up at the house and I noticed that his demeanor quickly changed. "I know that she is gone."
"Lucian kidnapped her."
"Well, that is certainly a problem. Am I to guess that is why ye are waiting fer me?"
I nodded and crossed my arms over my chest. "Would you be able to find her like you found the selkies before?" I"d been there when Abhainn and his ratchet girlfriend tracked down the selkies that stole Brendan"s skin.
"I "ave already been looking. She"s not in this country, that much I am sure." If she wasn"t in this country, how were we ever going to find her? "Don"t worry la.s.s. I "ave eyes and ears all over. We will find her, and when we do, I wanna go with ye."
"Of course. I wouldn"t have it any other way." And I meant every word. Abhainn would be valuable in a fight and he and I worked well together. That is as long as we could find her.
"I am expecting to know her whereabouts tonight," Abhainn said as he stared off at the horizon.
"Really?" I asked, finally feeling a glimmer of hope.
"Aye."
"Abhainn!" Daniel yelled. We turned to see him running down the beach, a small flashlight beam bouncing aimlessly against the surf. "Abhainn wait!"
I heard the sprite chuckle and watched as Daniel took in his unusually large size before focusing his eyes. It was a bit unnerving how different Abhainn looked each time we encountered him.
"h.e.l.lo, lad." Abhainn smiled wide enough to expose a mouthful of pointed teeth. "Where "ave ye been hiding?"
"Hiding? What? I"ve been trying to talk to you for the past several nights!" Daniel glared up into Abhainn"s face. "Why wouldn"t you come to the house?"
Abhainn shrugged and shook his head. "Too many selkies for my taste."
I cut in before Daniel could argue more. "Why do you have that?" I asked pointing to the flashlight dangling from Daniel"s hand. We could see very well at night, not to mention the moon was bright when not behind a cloud.