Sea Storm: Children of the Waves (11 page)

Xav laughed and patted him on the back.
“Knew you could pull this off. Congratulations.”

“What do you mean congratulations?
Shouldn’t he be congratulating us?” Cori asked.

“Yes,” Xav said, “but he and Des are also
to be congratulated.”

“What are you talking about?” Des asked.

Xav glanced back and forth between his
brother and Des, then looked at his mate. “They’re mated. She’s his bride.”

“What!” both Cori and Des screeched at
the same time.

“We’re not married,” Des cried.

Cori wrapped her arm around Des’ waist.
“Come on, let’s get back to the house and change. Then, we’ll all sit down and
have a little chat.” She glanced back over her shoulder and frowned at Zek, who
only shrugged his shoulders at her.

Des didn’t protest though when Cori led
her to the pathway, taking them right to the front room.

“We have plenty of time to sort this all
out,” Cori stated.

“Oh, my God,” Des exclaimed. “I can’t
believe you’re getting married though. How did this happen?”

Before Cori could respond, Aaron stood on
the other side of the door and pushed it open, so they could go in. “I see you’re
back with us safe and sound,” he said and moved out of the way.

“Yes. I’m fine. Ah—are you—is
he…?” Des hesitated.

“Yep,” Zek said, coming up behind her and
placing his hand possessively on her shoulder. “He is.”

Cyrus just then, came out of a hallway to
the right of them.

“So’s he, half anyway,” Zek said.

“Oh, ah—okay. Ah, I’d like to wash
up and change.”

Zek really looked at her and realized she
only wore her sundress and no bra. Her nipples and breasts were clearly
outlined against the wet material. He moved his hand to grasp her arm and
escorted her out of the room. “We’ll be back in a bit.”

Chapter
Eleven

Zek took her to her room but before he
could enter, she turned to him and placed her palms on his chest. A very solid,
very warm hard chest. His heat seeped into her palms, the vibration of his
heart as it beat against his chest, drummed with her own. “I need a minute,
please. This—you, it’s all a lot. I’ll take a quick shower and change,
then meet you back where we left the others.”

He gazed into her eyes and took her hand
in his. Zek kissed her fingers, then with his free hand, he caressed the side
of her face.

She leaned into his touch.

“Don’t be scared, please, Des. I meant
what I said. I will never harm you or allow any harm to come to you. Do you
believe me?”

She smiled. “I know. And I do believe
you. Just give me a little time to process it all.”

“All right. I’ll give you whatever you
need.”

“Thank you. I’ll meet you in twenty
minutes.”

“Okay.” He stepped out of the room and
closed the door.

After he left, Des laid her palms against
the door, missing his presence already. She turned around and went to get her
suitcase. After taking out a change of clothes, she took a quick shower. Not
bothering to do much with her damp hair, after running a comb through it, she
left it in a ponytail hanging down her nape. To do anything more to it she
would need more than twenty minutes.

Even in such a brief space of time, she
already knew what she needed to do. As fantastical as their story was, it appeared
true. So, why not all of it? Like what happened between her and Zek, too. What
happened to them all those years ago, when he saved her life?
He saved her life
. Deciding to trust her
heart, she smiled and opened the door. She found the object of her desire
standing against the wall, waiting for her. He’d changed again into a pair of
white shorts and a green t-shirt. Zek fit clothes in a way that had her wanting
to take them off him.

“Are we all right?” he asked.

Des thought she heard a bit of doubt in
his voice. She stared at this man, or whatever he was. In her heart, she knew
he belonged to her. Touching the side of his face she said, “We are going to be
just fine.” Then, she leaned forward and placed her lips over his.

He put one arm around her waist, the
other about her shoulder and brought her body closer to him. “Mine,” he growled
inside her mouth.

“Yours,” she replied back.

“Yours too,” he stated.

She closed her eyes, so she could drown
in the feel of him surrounding her.

When he moved backward, she followed him
unsure where they were going. Then, she heard a door behind her slam shut. She
opened her eyes, they were in his room and he tugged on her shirt. He raised it
up past her breasts and lowered his head to suckle her through her lacy bra. She
flinched when someone banged on the door she leaned against.

“Zek, come on. We need you man.”

“Go away, Cyrus,” Zek called back. They
both laughed but not for long, when their lips fused together again.

She pulled away knowing they had to face
Cori and Xavior sometime, might as well get it over with. Plus, she wanted to
know Cori’s plans.
Engaged.
Des still
couldn’t believe it. “I think we need to get out there,” she said.

He groaned, then rested his head against
hers. “I know but they can wait five minutes.” He placed light kisses on her
neck.

“Five minutes. I don’t think so. I’ll
need more than five minutes.”

He laughed and planted a full-mouthed
kiss on her neck. “You’re right. I’ll need more than that too.” After giving
her one long lick with his tongue, he stepped away. “Okay, let’s go.” He opened
the door and holding hands, they returned to the main room.

Cori sat on Xav’s lap and Aaron remained
where they’d left him, but now Cyrus had joined them and took the other single
chair.

Zek headed over to the sofa and sat,
tugging her down beside him.

“Everything okay?” Cori asked hesitantly.

“Yes.” She glanced at Zek who took her
hand again and kissed it. “Everything is fine. But enough about me. Tell me how
did all of this happen? How did you guys end up engaged?”

Stupid question.

She saw the way they looked at each
other, with Cori literally glowing. No drug did that. Since she’d seen them
together, they were almost always holding hands or touching. She couldn’t
ignore how her friend appeared happier than she’d ever seen her before. That
made Des glad for her. In truth, if she didn’t have these strong feelings for
Zek, she might have been more skeptical. Maybe she should be. But she couldn’t
bring herself to doubt when she looked upon the joy shining from her friend’s
eyes, whenever she gazed at Xavior.

Cori explained to her about what really
happened back on the boat. How she’d fallen overboard into the ocean and Xav
had dived in to save her. Afterward, he’d taken her to his home under the sea,
where she’d been all this time.

Des suspected she’d left much out in her
narrative. Everything about Xav and Cori, spoke of love and tenderness. The way
he looked at Cori radiated nothing but love. Xav saved Cori much as Zek had
once saved her.

Zek rubbed his thumb over her palm and
she turned to smile at him. For a moment, she couldn’t look away because her
imagination told her the same light emanated from his ocean gaze. She blinked.
Could he be in love with her, too? Had he really been searching for her all this
time? Was she falling in love with him?
Impossible.
But then, so should the existence of these men who claimed to be the sons of
Poseidon. Impossible, perhaps, yet here they stood. A thought occurred to her
and she had to know. “What did Xav mean when he said I was already your bride?”

“Ah.” Aaron grinned and stood up. “I
don’t think we’re needed for this convo. Cyrus, let’s go for a quick walk
around the water’s edge, make sure nothing is out there. We’ll be back in
twenty then I can fly you all to the mainland, so you can get whatever Cori
needs for tomorrow.”

Des watched as Aaron and Cyrus rose.

“Would you like privacy?” Cori asked.

Des glanced over at her friend and
smiled. “No, you guys can stay. You can help me understand. Since I think
you’ve already been through this.”

Cori smiled and wrapped her arms tighter
around Xav.

Zek caressed the side of her face,
capturing her attention. “It means exactly that. Among the Children, male and
female, there is only one who can impregnate a female or make a male spill his
seed. For males that is his bride, for females their mate. It’s the same thing
for either. The one they will spend the rest of their lives with. Mate. Lover.
Best friend.”

“I—I see. But what about love?
Doesn’t that enter into the equation? What if you don’t get along with this
‘bride’ or ‘mate’?”

He grinned. “The gods have decreed you
will love your mate. There’ll be no denying it or getting around it for any of
the Children.”

“But—but I’m of the land, Zek, so
how can you be sure?”

Cori spoke up, “Des, among the sea
people, they live for hundreds and hundreds of years. Xav is about three
hundred years old, but he’d only begun to age about a dozen years ago. They’re
called Children for many reasons, but I think the main one is they only age until
they reach puberty. At which time, the aging process stops for them, until and
unless they meet their destined bride or mate. That one meeting triggers some
sort of chemical process if you will, and kick starts the aging process. They
only begin to age again, look older than fourteen or sixteen after they’ve met
their mates. Then the aging process will slow down, once they reach their
prime.”

Des stared at her friend as she listened
to her fantastical explanation.

Cori shrugged. “Look…I don’t purport to
understand it, but I’ve seen them. That’s where I’ve been all this time in
their underwater King’s City. It’s magnificent. In truth,” she placed her hand
on the side of Xav’s face and he smiled. “We were married in the ways of their
people two days ago. But Xavior wanted to give me a wedding in the tradition of
the landwalkers. We’re going to be married tomorrow night. My parents, of
course, when I spoke to them last night were shocked. But they’re flying out
and will be here tomorrow. The wedding ceremony will take place after sunset to
give my folks a chance to get here. I wanted to invite yours too, but thought
they’d freak. One set of parents freaking was enough. And something else, I’d
like you to be my maid of honor.”

“Ohmygod! What? So soon.”

“He’s waited for me long enough,” Cori
replied. “And come to think of it, so have I.”

Des squealed and jumped out of Zek’s
arms, to embrace both Xav and Cori. “I am so happy for you both. And yes, yes
I’d be honored to be your maid of honor.”

Zek rose and slapped his hands together.
“Great. Now that’s settled I’ll have Aaron prepare the helicopter and take us
over to the mainland. We can have brunch, then do some sightseeing. And you
ladies can do your shopping and afterwards, we can go to one of the nightclubs
and have a little dinner and dancing. How’s that sound? It will be sort of both
a bachelor and bachelorette party.”

“I love it!” Cori exclaimed.

He pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll send
a text to Aaron.” He hit a few buttons, then said, “Okay, done.”

Des peered down at the sleeveless shirt
and shorts she’d put on. “I think I better change. This is way too casual to go
clubbing.”

Zek came over and wrapped his arm around
her waist, then kissed her hair. “You look beautiful, babe. No matter what
you’re wearing. But don’t worry, we’re going shopping first anyway, so just
pick up something then.”

“Okay, good idea, let me just grab my
purse.” She moved in the direction of her room, having figured out the house
set up with its different wings. It didn’t escape her notice either, her room
happened to be directly beside Zek’s.

“I think I forgot something in my room.
I’ll be right back,” she heard Zek say behind her.

She got to her door and barely turned the
knob when a large hand covered hers and pushed it open. Crowding her into the
room and pushing her up against the wall. In the next breath, Zek’s lips and
body blanketed hers. Making her complete. Eventually, they heard the sound of
Xav calling his name. Telling them both to hurry up or the chopper would leave
without them. Reluctantly, they separated. She felt the withdrawal of his heat.
Leaning forward, she kissed his cheek. “I’m really not sure what the hell I’m
doing. I just don’t want to stop with you.”

He kissed her cheek too, then ran his
finger across the area his lips just touched. “Then don’t, because I won’t. Now
get your purse and let’s get out of here or we’re not going anywhere for the
rest of the day.”

As tempting as the thought to spend more
time alone with him, they couldn’t give into this madness. At least not any
more than they both already had. Perhaps, if they stayed among other people,
normal people, she’d place all of this into some sort of perspective. Make some
sense of everything happening to her and around her. Cori mated, marrying a
king tomorrow no less, and she—well she didn’t know what the hell she was
doing. Zek left her to freshen up so she did, but after she walked back into
the main room, she found him standing near the door waiting for her.