The Marked Ones (21 page)

Ivyanne’s eyes widened. ‘Are you serious?
Who?’

He swallowed. ‘Well….it’s actually kind of funny. In an ironic, small-world kind of way.’

Ivyanne pursed her lips. Her eyes were already a more vibrant, jealous shade of green. ‘How small?’

The sound of the sliding door screeching across it’s tracks as someone flung it open caused them both to jump. Tristan immediately tensed-from the moment Ivyanne had told him about Ardhi’s newfound powers and lurking, he’d been expecting a furious Ardhi to arrive on her tail.

But it wasn’t Ardhi. A tall, seething, soaking man with wild eyes crossed the threshold, jaw tight with fury.

‘
Really small.’ Tristan muttered. ‘Kind of like a fishbowl. And here’s the piranha now.’

But Ivyanne hadn’t heard him. ‘
Lincoln!’ Ivyanne’s voice came out in a half-squeal. ‘What are you doing here?!”

Lincoln looked from Ivyanne to Tristan, pain etched all over his handsome features. He said nothing, yet his gait communicated his devastation succinctly. His shoulders lifted and fell rapidly, like he was struggling to breathe-and when he looked back at Ivyanne it was with mortally wounded brown eyes.

‘God,’ he whispered. ‘You are here. With him.’

Tristan glanced at Ivyanne, and inhaled sharply when he saw Lincoln’s horror transform her. She sagged, looking remorseful. The atmosphere between her and her boss was thick with pain, so thick that Tristan felt like an outsider, a witness-of no consequence to either.

She hasn’t got a crush. Tristan thought, everything inside him going cold and numb as he realized just how very alone he was at that moment. She’s in love with him! I’m not even here to her anymore!

Tristan wanted to speak-to break the tension, and reaffirm his existence to the girl who had been warm in his arms just minutes before, and yet he was struck dumb by the knowledge that winning Ivyanne’s heart had just gone from challenging to almost impossible. He wanted her jealousy now,
and her anger. Anything to confirm that she felt more for him than the lamp in the corner.

But Lincoln was the one to break the spell. His gaze landed on the dining table, and the two mud crabs twitching within their bonds. His wide brown eyes went straight to Ivyanne.

‘You stole them?!’ He demanded, incredulous. ‘They’re worth forty dollars each!’

It was such a ridiculous thing for Lincoln to say that Tristan almost guffawed.

‘I put the cash in the register-rang them up as a sale and everything- check it and see!’ Ivyanne said haughtily. ‘I could have just saved you a massive fine, you know!’

‘Okay you know
what?’ Tristan regained the ability to move, and speak and so he jumped lightly to his feet. ‘I’m complaining to your father! You have got to be the worst hotelier in history! I mean seriously-you have no right to barge into my-’

A hard blow to Tristan's jaw caused his head to snap to the left. Ivyanne screamed.

The world tilted for a moment, but then Tristan came back to his senses. Lincoln had struck him-hard. Had he been human, Tristan would have been unconscious from it.

But Tristan wasn’t human-he was as strong as
two. He spun back to face the other guy, his sexual tension turning into raw fury so quickly that everything went a blurry shade of red. He took a step forward, and was about to KO the guy, when Ivyanne leapt between the both of them and shoved Lincoln away.

‘Are you insane?’ Ivyanne cried. ‘Lincoln get a hold of yourself!’ She turned back to Tristan. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Don’t even offend me by implying that this idiot just hurt me in any way Ivyanne!’

She held the boys apart with outstretched arms and turned her face to Tristan’s attacker. ‘Lincoln this is wrong! Think it
through! You have a responsibility as owner here, not to break into people’s room and assault your guests!’

‘I thought it through all the way over here!’ Lincoln spat, his gaze fixed on Tristan over Ivyanne’s shoulder. ‘I don’t
care if he sues me! This asshole has already had Adele before-I won’t let him seduce you too!’

There was a stunned silence. Tristan could actually hear mud crabs clicking in derision as the breath rushed out of him. Talk about being beaten to the punch! The defeated breath rushed out of him.

Ivyanne whirled to face him, and the look in her eyes could have frozen a sunrise in it’s ascent over the ocean. Which is exactly what Lincoln had just done to their blossoming relationship. He didn’t need Ivyanne to speak, to know it.

21.

Ivyanne’s voice was poisonous when she finally broke the silence: ‘You….and Adele?’

‘You heard me!’ Lincoln glowered past Ivyanne and to him. ‘Taunt me about what you were going to do to Ivyanne, huh? Well now that you have, wait and see what I’m going to do to
you!’

‘Just
try it.’ Tristan stepped around Ivyanne, holding her off with one arm. His nose was inches from Lincoln’s. ‘I’ll break your pretty new face, asshole.’

Ivyanne shoved Tristan’s upper arm, her face vexed. ‘D
id you sleep with Adele? When? How?!’

Tristan decided to speak up-it was too late to put the bullet back in the gun. ‘Last year.’ He spat the confession out. ‘We barely
knew each other. It was a one night stand, and I didn’t give it a second thought until she approached me at the BBQ last night and asked me to leave.’ He shot Lincoln a dark look. ‘I was just about to tell you about it when he barged in.’

‘If you were going to fess up, it’s probably only because you were afraid I’d tell her first, like I threatened this afternoon.’ Lincoln countered.

Ivyanne looked up at him. ‘Is that true?’ She asked coldly.

Tristan sighed. ‘Does it
matter? Ten minutes ago, you said you could accept my past, that you understood. Adele is probably the only girl I’ve ever been with who you’re likely to cross paths with. So if you can’t handle that, then this is about the lines you’ve crossed with Lincoln here-not a reflection upon my character.’ 

Ivyanne winced. ‘Cheap shot, Tristan.’

‘You know what our boundaries are. You said it yourself tonight.’ He snapped, his heartbreak turning to anger in a way he hadn’t anticipated. ‘I’ve toed my line-you’re the one skitzing out over a man who’s feelings should be inconsequential to you! Don’t you dare throw it back in my face!’

The guilt, and hurt, contorted Ivyanne’s face. She buried it in her hands, digging her fingertips into her hair, a sob escaping her, the sound cutting Tristan to the quick.

‘Why?!’ Lincoln demanded, reminding Tristan off his presence as he crossed the room, placed his hand on Ivyanne’s shoulder and forced her to uncurl so he could stoop to stare her in the eyes. ‘Why should you have to write me off? What kind of existence are you twisted up in that negates your free will? It goes against every human right there is and I won’t be a victim of it! Nor can I let you!’

‘Lincoln it’s none of your business!’ Ivyanne protested. ‘How many times do I have to say it?’

‘It is my business, because it’s coming between me and the girl I want, and affecting my life. I deserve to know what I’m up against here and I’m sick of you lot lying to me!’

‘Back off pal!’ Tristan snapped, protectiveness for his species overwhelming him as Lincoln belittled what he could never understand. ‘Ivyanne’s entitled to her privacy, and you only think it’s your business because you’re
making it so! I’ll let you curse me out to your heart’s content, but I won’t have you insulting our lives, just because you don’t understand them!’

‘And I don’t care to anymore!’ Lincoln gave Ivyanne his full focus. ‘If you want to be with me then walk away from this loser and
be with me! I just kicked Adele to the curb for you! Now it’s your turn!’

Ivyanne’s mouth fell open. ‘
That’s what you were fighting about? You left her...for me?’ She looked horrified.

Lincoln stepped into her, lifting her face. ‘I swore I would, didn’t I?’

‘If I asked you to.’ She pointed out. ‘Which I didn’t.’

But Lincoln smiled. ‘Your
lips didn’t. Your eyes did.’

Tristan felt like he was going to hurl. ‘Well Link, as smooth as the international date-rape slogan sounds coming from your lips, I think you best stop talking
now.’

Lincoln scowled at him, before turning back to Ivyanne. ‘Is this
really what your oh so protective parents want for you Ivyanne?’ He demanded softly. ‘They’d prefer this player over me?’

‘Actually...’ Tristan beamed, dropping an arm onto Ivyanne’s shoulders and pulling her snugly against him. ‘
Yeah.’

‘Shut up Tristan!’ Ivyanne sniped, shrugging him off. She turned back to Lincoln. ‘And you too Link. I can’t deal with this, not now. Please just go, okay? I’m sorry for what Tristan did, but it doesn’t change anything for you and me.’

‘I don’t believe that.’ Lincoln whispered, looking hurt. ‘I’m sorry to have dragged you into this Ivyanne, but you had to know. You’re upset now, but you’ll come to your senses and when you do, I’ll be waiting for you.’

‘Well you’re in for a mighty long wait man, because her
senses are going to be what makes her ride off into the sunset with me.’ Tristan declared, earning a dark look from the other man.

‘Is that so?’ Ivyanne whirled on Tristan. ‘I don’t even want to
look at you right now, much less ponder leaving this place with you!’ She looked from him, to Lincoln and back, sagging. ‘Actually you know what? You can both get it up for Adele-so why don’t you go wrestle over her instead?’

Tristan’s heart sank. She was jealous all right, and clearly didn’t know how to handle it. ‘I
don’t want Adele Ivyanne, I want you!’

‘Now that you’re
done with her.’ Ivyanne snapped, regarding him coolly. ‘Which is why I’m so pissed. You knew who she was last night at the party, and yet I didn’t have a clue that you’d met her before. You were so completely unaffected by a woman you’d shared your bed with that she barely registered on your radar!’ Her lip curled. ‘Would that have been me tomorrow, if I’d made love with you tonight? Would I have given my virtue to a man who’d forget my existence in the morning?’

Tristan gaped at her. Had she not heard a word he’d said that night, about the depths of his feelings for her? Was his most soul-baring confession about his pain over Nigara and the way she made him feel alive a possible ruse to her? If it was, then she hadn’t attempted to see him at
all. She was too blinded by Lincoln to try.

‘Ivyanne if you’re a virgin, than you shouldn’t be within
five feet of this bastard!’ Lincoln reached for her left hand. ‘He doesn’t deserve you!’

Tristan was in Lincoln’s face in seconds. ‘You know what? That’s
it!’ he gave the other guy a gentle shove-it was enough to knock him back four feet. ‘Get out of my face, and my overpriced room!’ He turned to Ivyanne, more hurt then he’d ever been in his life. She’d made him believe that she could accept him, and yet the loathing in her eyes was unmistakable. It was ironic, but he saw now that she’d broken his trust, and wounded him dearly, more than he had her. ‘In fact, take Ivyanne with you too. I don’t need any of this.’

‘Huh?’ Ivyanne whirled on him, looking startled. ‘You’re
kicking me out?!’

‘You still
care?’ Lincoln demanded of her, incredulous.

‘Yes.’ Tristan snapped, ignoring the other man-he had eyes only for Ivyanne. ‘I’m free with my body-
not my heart. You’ve just frustrated the first and shattered the second. You said you can’t even look at me-so don’t.’ He steered her towards the door, forcing Lincoln out behind her. ‘And don’t come back until you know what you want.’

‘But I don’t
know what I want!’ She cried, as she pivoted, looking bereft.

‘No, you
can’t have what you want.’ He corrected her, beginning to slide the glass door closed. ‘But if you can’t settle for me and leave me with some dignity, don’t bother at all.’ He looked over Ivyanne’s shoulder, in time to see a frustrated looking Lincoln throw up his hands and stride off in the rain. Ivyanne’s eyes followed his gaze, and when she looked back at him, her green eyes were glassy and anxious.

‘Go on. Chase after him.’ Tristan growled. ‘Because if you want me out of your life, that’s the
best way to guarantee it.’

Ivyanne’s face was a mask of desolation. With a cry of frustration, her eyes spilled over and she turned and hurried off-in the
opposite direction to Lincoln. It was the first mercy she’d granted him since Lincoln had shown up, but he was grateful for it.

When she’d vanished from sight, Tristan sagged against his door jamb, staring out into the rain, rubbing his forehead to hold back the tears.
Now what? He thought. Fight or flight?

He stood that way for a full thirty seconds, contemplating his next course of action, before he became conscious of being watched. He lifted his face, and found himself staring into Ardhi Kayu-Api’s glittering gaze. His rival was leaning against a palm tree in the garden next to the abandoned function room, the rain running down his chiseled cheeks, and a triumphant smirk on his face.

‘Did you enjoy that?’ Tristan asked, his voice deadpan even though his muscles coiled for a fight. This was the first time he’d seen Ardhi in years-and the boy hadn’t changed a bit. He still looked like a school-boy with a wicked grudge.

Across the walkway, Ardhi straightened and grinned. ‘Immensely. Two birds, one
big ass rock. I knew I could count on your nature blowing your chances with her, so thanks for proving me right.’

Tristan cocked an eyebrow. ‘And what of
your spineless, vindictive nature?’ He jeered. ‘Do you see a Happily Ever After coming your way? Because I sure as hell don’t.’

‘I’ll be the one to make her happy.’ Ardhi assured him, his smile bright though it didn’t reach his eyes. ‘Of
that, you can be certain.’ Leaving the challenge in the air between them, Ardhi sauntered away.                                        

⁓

Ivyanne was surprised to find herself trembling with exhaustion by the time she beached herself onto the narrow strip of sand in front of her mothers house the next morning. She didn’t know if she was out of practice after two weeks of being as land bound as possible, or if her doomed love life had just wearied her to her bones-but she was definitely sluggish.

Ivyanne pushed her upper body up with her arms and gazed up at her family’s stately though well concealed summer home, panting. The gloomy sky above it cast an ominous energy over the usually romantic looking place (either that or the terror of having this conversation with her mother was clouding her vision) and yet she still felt that twinge of gratitude within her heart, to finally be
home, if only for an hour or so.

Vana appeared at the front door within seconds, rushing out to meet Ivyanne with a large smile on her gracefully sculpted features. Ivyanne noted the strands of white in her mother usually dark golden hair even from ten meters away, and frowned. She’d only been gone two weeks and yet the slight sign of aging in her mothers face were apparent. And troubling. Had Vana slept a wink in her absence? The dark circles under her pale green eyes seemed to attest that she hadn’t.

‘Darling!’ Vana reached her and knelt to a crouch, her white wrap dress flaring out behind her as she embraced Ivyanne’s damp shoulders. ‘Oh my goodness, I’ve missed you so much! I was hoping you’d be by to visit soon!’

Ivyanne glanced down at her legs, noticing that it was taking longer for her tail to dissolve this time. That was usually the way, after a long swim, and it
had taken over to navigate a path home through the Cumberland Islands-fishing boats were out in force that day because despite the overcast sky, the water was still and calm and almost glassy. As a result, Ivyanne had been forced to swerve and dodge almost the whole time.

‘I missed you too.’ She whispered, returning the embrace. The scales were dropping from her legs and being caught by the broken froth of the small waves, but she still had at least a minute to wait until she’d be able to stand. ‘But I’m not here for a social visit, mother.’

‘Oh?’ A look of apprehension clouded the queens’ faded green eyes when she pulled back slightly. ‘Do elaborate dear.’

Ivyanne frowned at her. ‘I’m here to give you a piece of my mind.’ She arched an eyebrow. ‘You’ve been meddling, haven’t you?’

‘Ahh...that!’ Vana chuckled, squeezing Ivyanne again. ‘Give me a nice, tight, angry hug then baby. It feels just as good to me.’

Ivyanne rolled her eyes and returned the embrace. At that moment, she felt the pressure which had been binding her legs together begin to alleviate, until they flopped apart. Ivyanne let go of her mother and worked the bikini bottoms into the right place, tying the ends together and flicking away the flaking scales. Then she got slowly to her feet, shaking her head to un-cloud her vision. Her mother helped her with one hand.

‘Why are you angry at me child?’ Vana asked. ‘Are things not going well?’

Ivyanne tiled her head to the side. ‘Oh don’t you start the innocent act with me too! I’ve had quite enough from Tristan and Ardhi, thank you
very much!’

A ghost of a smile haunted Vana’s face. ‘So Ardhi showed up?’

‘Of course he did!’ Ivyanne allowed her mother to lead her to the front porch. ‘But he wouldn’t have, if you hadn’t encouraged Tristan to follow me there!’

‘Tristan told you that?’ Vana asked, looking slightly surprised.

Ivyanne’s legs were still trembling. ‘That’s not the point, is it? Mum I asked for time-and yet you wound the clock forward on me! What did you say to get him here, huh? Did you bribe him with the crown or something else?’