Evermore (13 page)

I stood on the block, water dripping down my legs. The thought that I’d never get to do this again rolled through me. My last meet. The last time swimming with my peers.

My little merling zoomed around in my tummy, bouncing off the walls like a pinball machine. I touched my growing pooch afraid people might see. Did he sense my nerves?

Meredith Hamusek stood on my left, shaking out her arms and legs, already in her zone. After the incident with Meredith’s family accusing me of doping, I wanted to beat her once again to prove myself. But if I did that, the attention wouldn’t be off me.

I looked into the stands. Fin, my parents, Gran, Georgia, Girra and a few other mermaids were on their feet, cheering me on. Tatiana would be so proud of her little fledglings. The starter held up his gun.

“Swimmers, take your mark.”

I bent down, watching the glistening water shimmer below inviting me to play, speaking a language I understood too well.

At the sound of the blast, we were all airborne, then underwater. My heart took off as I began to kick my legs, feeling the water flow up and over me, exhilarating me, making me feel alive.

The past two weeks had been torture to refrain from swimming the speed that felt comfortable. Being here, though, was like crack. My limbs twitched painfully with my effort to slow down.

I looked over at Meredith, her face determined and focused. The last meet, I’d still been human and beat her fair and square. But she couldn’t accept I was better and demanded the test. My arms and legs pounded the water, aching to be let loose. No matter how hard I fought it, I wanted it. I wanted to beat her so badly.

No, Ash.

Another lap and Meredith pulled ahead, and I pinched my eyes shut to block out the overwhelming urge to just swim. I took another breath, though my gills had wanted to make an appearance, and kept going as slow as ever.

When I opened my eyes, there was no one next to me. Had she successfully passed me by? My legs kicked hard as if on their own. My body lifted to cruise across the water from the momentum.

I hit the wall and looked up. The remains of a wave of water left everyone standing on the deck drenched. Mouths everywhere flew wide open. Did something bad happen? I turned around to see the progress of the other swimmers just making the turn. Meredith was only half way across the pool.

Fish poo on a cracker.

A beautiful song erupted through the loudspeakers telling everyone to ignore me. The crowd’s eyes glazed over. I craned my neck to find the source. Fin was standing by the announcer, holding the mic.

“Get in the middle of the pool and act like you’re finishing your lap,” he instructed me. “Now.”

I did as he said, swimming to the center. Meredith made a weird sound underwater when she passed by. She apparently hadn’t heard the song. Once she hit the wall, I finished the race behind her. Meredith pulled her head out of the water and gawked at me.

I leaned over to shake her hand. “Good race.”

She recoiled. “What was that?”

“What?”

“Come on, ladies. Time to get out.” Coach had her hand outstretched for me to grab. I latched on and let her lift me out of the pool. “Great race, Hamusek.”

“You… you passed me,” Meredith said from the water.

“Nope. You won. Fair and square.” I spun on my heels, pulled my drenched towel off the chair, and put it over my shoulders before turning on my internal heater to dry myself off.

Even though the timers insisted she’d won, Meredith kept arguing from the poolside. Fin needed to come and smooth things over with her. Where was he?

“Ash,” Fin called out.

I turned to find him glaring at me.

“What?” I shrugged.

He palmed his hair. “Poseidon, if I wasn’t here.”

“What do you mean if you weren’t here?” I furrowed my forehead.

He continued glaring at me. “Do you know how much I have to do at home?”

“Yes, but I thought you’d at least want to come to one swim meet in my lifetime and cheer me on. Sorry to interrupt your schedule.”

“You were supposed to lose the race.”

“I thought I did.” I gritted my teeth. How could he be mad about this? He sang. Problem over. “I lost track of my place. Geez.”

“Carried away? Your fin showed.”

“What? No, it didn’t.” I laughed incredulously and brushed past him to head to the team area.

Fin grabbed onto my arm, stopping me. “Yes. Your feet finned out and you made a wave. This was more than a close call. You broke the law and revealed yourself out there.”

“Broke the law?” I rolled my eyes. “That’s quite an exaggeration considering my suit is still intact.”

“You don’t need to ruin your clothes to shift your feet.”

I pulled away from him, confused, then grabbed my swim bag. “I didn’t shift.”

“You know what? You’re not going anywhere by yourself. And that’s final.”

My head whipped around. “What?”

“It’s not safe, not in your condition.”

I clamped my mouth shut as my body tensed, knowing I’d explode on him and say something I’d regret later. Instead, I pushed past him and walked to the girl’s locker room.

He followed me. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“By lying to me? I didn’t fin out. I would have felt it.”

Fin’s lips pulled into a line. “You made a wave and drenched everyone. Half a foot of water was splashed out of the pool.”

I dropped my bag and crossed my arms. “Is this how it’s going to be being married to you? Controlling everything I do? Everywhere I go?”

Fin’s expression hardened. “No.”

I walked further into the alcove of the girl’s locker room. “I’m fine. Stop hovering.”

He tried to follow.

“You can’t come in here.” I pointed to the WOMEN sign.

He planted his feet, clearly showing me that he wasn’t leaving after I went inside.

I snatched up my bag and leaned forward, unable to stop myself. “You’re just as bad as the rest of the Natatorians! As Azor!”

He yanked his head backward.

“No. I take that back. You’re worse!” I seethed before I marched inside.

I threw my bag against the bench, holding my tears at bay. Meredith came around the corner. She stopped, and just stared at me. I tried to ignore her, but she wouldn’t stop glowering.

“What?” I finally said.

“What happened to you?”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“The cops thought I’d done something to you when you disappeared.” She walked forward, eyes fixed on me. “They came to my house and arrested me. I was taken downtown for questioning.”

The blood drained from my face, along with the feeble excuse that I was on a mission tour.

“And then today, I don’t know what that was.” Her eyes narrowed. “You have to be doping.”

I shook my head. “No, I’m not.”

“You passed me. I know you did because the time pad recorded you’d beat me by a minute. That’s not humanly possible.”

I looked away. Fin didn’t know he needed to fix the time, too. “I don’t know what you think you saw, but I didn’t pass you.”

“You swam back as if to taunt me. I watched it all happen!”

Her voice echoed in the bathroom, and I cringed. “You won. Can’t you be happy with that?”

She leaned forward, finger pointed in my face. “You’re a cheater, Lanski. Always have been. Always will be.”

I curled my hand into a fist. If she touched me, I’d punch her.

“I’m not a cheater,” I said between clenched teeth. “I beat you fair and square. I have the record to prove it.”

She laughed, a grating, cackling sound that hurt my ears. I charged her, ready to do anything to stop the incessant racket when my talons burst from my nail beds. I skidded to a stop.

Her eyes went wide. “What the heck?”

I put my hands behind my back, but it was too late. I’d done it again. I’d revealed our secret.

“What are you?”

Snagging my stuff, I hightailed it outside, expecting to run into Fin. He’d left already. Knowing I should find him to mind-mojo Meredith, I just stood there, heart racing. I needed air. I needed time alone to calm down. Swiveling in the opposite direction, I headed out of the front gates and plowed right into a man.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” I looked upward at him.

He held onto my arm to steady me, a broad-shouldered guy with dark eyes and shiny, black hair. I might have thought him handsome if he didn’t smell of cheap cologne and cigarettes.

“Thank you.” I wondered why he looked so familiar.

He clamped onto my arm tighter and didn’t let go. “No, thank you.”

Then I was yanked forward and swiveled around at the last second. I opened my mouth to scream, just as he put a cloth to my mouth. Instantly, my gills began to form so I could breathe, but they wouldn’t work if I weren't underwater.

I kicked and writhed as he dragged me behind a row of bushes. Did no one see?

“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be,” he said in my ear.

I eventually took a breath. The pungent smell made my head woozy and my limbs sluggish.

“That’s better.” There was a sick smile in his voice.

When I stopped fighting, he threw me onto his shoulder and carried me to the parking lot. I fought to keep my eyes open. There was a grinding sound of a door opening, and then I was tossed on my back looking up at a dingy white ceiling.

My heart stalled. It was him. The guy. The one that had been stalking me in the white van since I returned.

I tried to fight, to stop him from shoving my legs inside. My limbs remained lifeless as my eyes slid shut. Was he kidnapping me?

“Oh, no you don’t, sea serpent!” a girl yelled, sounding an awful lot like Girra.

There was a grunt, then I was sliding down, out of the van toward the ground. My body flopped over at the last second, and my head hit something hard. Sparkles of light flashed behind my closed eyelids.

“Get back here!” Girra screeched.

An engine rumbled to life, and my body jerked away from squealing tires.

“Coward,” Girra mumbled under her breath. “Come back and fight like a man!”

“Is she okay?” another girl asked. Georgia?

“I don’t know. I need Fin,” Girra said, but I couldn’t open my eyes.

Then I was moving.

“She’s bleeding,” Georgia squealed.

“Tubeworms, I should have scratched his face off!”

“Help!” Georgia yelled.

“No, don’t,” Girra warned. “Just… go get Fin.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Footfalls slapped the pavement, leaving me.

“It’s okay now, Ash.” Girra petted my cheek. “That’s it. Your cut is already healing. Just hang in there. Help is coming.”

I tried my best to stay awake, but couldn’t, cradled in the arms of darkness.

“I’ll crush the buggar,” Badger promised as Mom and Dad sat with Ash and me in the living area of the houseboat. Tatiana stood off to the side, bouncing Nicole in her arms.

“I’m so sorry,” Ash repeated while huddled under a blanket.

My hand squeezed tighter, trying to help her stop shaking as the drugs her captor used wore off.

“This isn’t your fault.” The horror that I’d almost lost her gripped me once again. I wanted to rip things apart.

“I should have not argued, and just listened to you,” she mumbled.

My insides shuddered with guilt. “No. I overreacted.” Why didn’t I keep my mouth shut, not aggravating things, especially in her condition? “It’s my fault.”

Mom leaned forward. “What did he look like?”

Ash’s eyes slipped shut slowly, her neck taut. “Dark hair. Dark eyes. Stunk of cigarette smoke and booze…. I don’t know.” Her body jolted as if she’d relived the near abduction.

Dad, too anxious to sit, shifted his weight. “Do you know him?”

“No,” she said, breathlessly. “But he’s been following me…”

Following her? My jaw hardened. Why hadn’t she told me this before? I withheld my need to pelt her with questions, but my muscles coiled tight. I’d find this basswipe if it was the last thing I’d do.

“I didn’t think anything of it until today. Each time the van had a different logo. A cable company, an exterminator… I don’t remember them all…” she trailed off.

I rubbed her arm, wishing my family would lay off the questions already. “We should probably let Ash rest.”

“No.” She unraveled herself from the blanket and sat straighter. “His van is white and old.”

Dad’s knowing look in my direction hit my gut. He sounded a lot like the same guy who took our picture the night Ash finned out at home after dark.

“Is he mer?” Badger asked.

“I don’t know,” Ash said. “Maybe. He’s very strong.”

“Well, if he’s who I think he is,” Dad said firmly, “he’s human, and was here that night.”

“And he has Ash’s cell number,” I seethed through my teeth.

“I think we should persuade someone to give us this guy’s address.”

“How?” I asked.

“Cellphone records, for one,” Dad suggested.

“It’s a blocked number,” Ash said.

Dad leaned in. “Somebody knows something somewhere. It’s not all anonymous.”

“I’ll handle it,” Badger said. “No one can say no to me Irish charms.”

“Just call off the wedding,” she whispered to me. “We’ll go back to Natatoria, problem solved.”

“No.” I took her hand in mine. “We won’t run because someone found out. He’s just looking to make a quick buck. We just have to be smarter.”

“Fin’s right,” Dad agreed. “This happens sometimes, Ash, and it’s not your fault. But it doesn’t mean we stop living. For now Ash needs to be under twenty-four-hour guard. She doesn’t go anywhere alone. Not until we mind-wipe whoever this son of a bass is…” Dad stopped, clearly holding back what he really wanted to do to this guy, and rubbed his beard. “Is school over yet?”

“One week left,” she said.

“Alright.” Dad nodded “Fin? What’s left to do on the cottage?”

“The electrical is almost finished, then the drywall and the interior,” I said. “The outside is done.”

“Good. Badge, take whoever you need off the main house so they can finish up Fin and Ash’s cottage. I’ll finish painting the outside of the main house and make sure it’s presentable for the wedding, then get the records. Fin, you’ll go back to school and help Ash finish up her finals.” He turned to Tatch. “And where are we with the wedding plans?”

“We’re just about there. We decided to cater the food, ‘cause the kitchen isn’t done. Extra chairs and tables are on order. We’re having sod put over the parking area for the overflow since parking won’t be an issue.” Baby Nicole reached up and yanked on her hair. “Be nice to Mommy.”

“How many extra mers?” Dad asked.

“Oh,” she blew out a breath and unwove her hair from the merling’s grip, “about five hundred.”

“Five hundred?” Dad shuffled back a few paces.

“Everyone wants to come,” she said with a shrug. “And you know the Regent. She gets what she wants.”

“Maybe not after she hears about this,” Dad muttered under his breath.

Ash leaned into me with her fists pressed to her face, her eyes closed tight.

“Desireé can’t know or she’ll call the whole thing off,” I said forcefully.

“Right. I’ll talk to Girra,” Tatchi said. “She’ll keep her mouth shut, considering she wants to have land visitation rights. She’s the only one who saw what happened, right?”

Georgia had been there, too, but I’d already taken care of her memories.

“Saved my life, you mean?” Ash suggested.

“Yes,” Tatchi agreed. “That she did.”

“We need guards manning the property from now until the big day,” Dad suggested. “I think that we should have Jax and Jacob—”

“Are in the wedding party,” Tatchi interrupted. “You’ll need to find someone else on the wedding day.”

“I’ll be doing it,” Badger suggested. “No one will come on this here property without me knowin’ it.”

“Maybe we should cut the wedding party,” Dad suggested.

Tatchi gave him a heated stare. “Do you want to tell that to the Mistress Wynie? ‘Cause she’s been working her fingers to the bone to make their outfits.”

“We don’t have to do this,” Ash pleaded, her hands tugging on the collar of my shirt. “It’s not that important.”

“Now, now, honey.” Mom scooted closer on Ash’s other side and patted her knee. “This isn’t something you could have avoided. He must have known about the mer before he saw Jack on the beach. It happens.”

Her frightened eyes met my mother’s. “You’ve been taken?”

“No… just…” She brushed Ash’s hair from her eyes. “We’ve had a few close calls.”

“This is a wake-up call that we’ve been too comfortable,” Dad warned. “All strangers need to be persuaded off our beach.”

Badger puffed out his chest. “My boys are ready and able. I’ve been workin’ with ‘em and they’re right fine.”

“Okay, Badge. That sounds great,” Dad agreed. “Thank you for doing that.”

“Aye, Captain.”

Dad’s lip quirked up in a knowing smile at the moniker from when he’d been in charge of the guard in Natatoria.

Ash pulled harder on my shirt. “This isn’t necessary. We can postpone it.”

“Ash,” Tatiana said decisively. “Not with the merling coming, we can’t. I am not postponing anything for the likes of some spineless little jellyfish who can’t show his face. We’re family and we’ve got this covered.”

“That’s right, Ash,” Dad said. “You’re my daughter now, and we stand together and protect our own.”

“And if he dare shows his arse anywhere near me, Posideon, he’s goin’ to wish he never messed with the likes of me,” Badger seethed.

“We’ll find him. He’s not going to ruin our wedding,” I promised.

Nicole let out a squeal, wanting to be put down. Tatiana let her free and she crawled over to Ash, pulling herself up on her knee. She blew bubbles and smiled at her. Ash let go of my shirt to stroke the merling’s hair. She then let out a shaky sigh.

Tatch bent down behind her daughter. “And Nicole will be crushed.”

Ash sniffled, her questioning gaze landing on each person in the room. “Are you sure?”

“Are we sure?” Mom folded Ash in a hug. “We’ve all been awaiting this day eagerly, since the moment you two were promised. It’s one you both deserve after what you’ve been through. Don’t let this animal stop you.”

I felt my resolve swell. She was right. We couldn’t let this basswipe stop our day.

“And if I planned all of this for nothing—” Tatiana started, her glare fierce.

“Okay.” She lifted her hands in surrender. “You’re right. We need to stand up to him. Don’t cancel the wedding.”

The group collectively sighed in relief, but my mind was already spinning on how we’d find the guy. He was going to regret the day he messed with the mer.