Tangled Tides (The Sea Monster Memoirs) (5 page)

I bowed politely. "Rumor has it you brought me clothes."

She licked her strawberry lips and pressed against me. Her wings folded backward, covering the bag strapped to her back.

"Clothes? I don't have any clothes," she said innocently, twirling around. "But I could strip out of mine if you'd like." Her talon-like fingers ran along the hook-and-eye closures of her corset top.

"Nix, hand over the bag, please."

She grabbed hold of my wrists and pushed herself against me, whispering against my neck. "You want it? Then take it off me."

"I can't. Your wings are in the way."

A hollow snapping sound echoed behind her as her wings disappeared. The gust of air blew her hair into my face. Locks of shimmering red faded to a human shade of auburn. I slid the bag straps down her arms while she evaluated me with rust-brown eyes. They were much less intimidating in her human state.

"You tricked me, Treygan."

"I did not trick you. Delmar did have a problem with those men. He and I are grateful to you for the storm. You did wonderful work."

Unzipping the bag, I found a pair of tan shorts with more pockets than one person could possibly need and put them on. I held up a blue t-shirt with a red and yellow triangle on the front. The letter S in the middle of the symbol was cracked and fading. "What's the S for?"

"Slimeball." She zipped up my shorts. "This is all backward, you know. Usually I'm
un
dressing someone."

I pulled the Slimeball shirt over my head. "Thank you, Nixie, for everything. You're a life saver."

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "Are you referring to the clothes, the storm, or the fact that I unwittingly provided you with a distraction while you stole that over-hyped human and turned her into one of your kind?"

I could've added a few more items to her list. "Take your pick."

In a blur of red she threw me to the ground so hard it knocked the wind out of me. She straddled me and sat down.

"You choose, Treygan. Share a song, or I tell my sisters what you did."

I closed my eyes, debating which would hurt less, the wrath of Otabia and Mariza, or Nixie taking a part of my soul. A few minutes of pain and my debt to Nixie would be paid. Who knew what the outcome would be if Mariza and Otabia got involved. They knew how to hit where it hurt, and they knew I'd endure any amount of torture to protect my people. Nixie was offering me a reprieve.

"This is very gracious of you," I replied.

"Gracious if you choose correctly."

"My decision was made before I asked you to conjure up the hurricane. I had a feeling you would find out about Yara, and I knew the consequences. What I didn't know was if you would let me choose the memory."

Her eyes glistened with hunger. "You anticipated sharing yourself with me?"

"Payment for the prize."

She squeezed her thighs tighter and pinned down my arms. Rocks dug into my back. "You are a fool for thinking your idea will work. You and your brother are both fools."

"Yes, stupidity runs in our blood." Stupidity and evil.

"It's not the blood you share that makes you fools. That cold blood is your only saving grace. You should stop fighting your heritage and embrace it."

Rage coursed through my veins as I reared against her, but on land sirens were stronger than mer. I barely budged her. How dare she bring my father into this? She knew I despised that part of me. She leaned so close I could smell her metallic breath. "Mmm, yes, struggle, my love. It makes this dance more exciting."

Gray clouds above me became thicker, dropping from the sky and stretching around us like a web. Lightning flashed, sending an electrical current buzzing through my muscles. The change in weather meant Nixie was becoming ravenous. We needed to get it over with.

"Do it, Nix. If you want to enjoy yourself, take the memory I chose for you."

She bit her bottom lip. "If it's not a juicy one, my thirst won't be quenched and the process will take much longer."

"Trust me, it's as juicy as it gets."

She gave one powerful lurch forward. Her body arched as her wings exploded from her back and spread out behind her. The red in her irises returned. Her hair shimmered around her narrow face while she sang a melodic siren song.

I rolled my eyes. "That isn't necessary with me."

"It will hurt more because you're in human form," she warned, but there was pleasure in her voice. Sirens fed on pain—emotional and physical.

The water's edge was several yards away. I could've begged her to do it in the water so it wouldn't hurt as much. Then I reminded myself that the pain would be nothing compared to what awaited me on the Triple Eighteen. Might as well get used to it.

"More pleasure for you, my garnet goddess. Have your way with me."

Her mouth closed over mine and I forced myself to think of the memory I had tried so hard to bury. Bringing it to the surface, I focused on the last time I had seen my grandmother's sapphire eyes, and the fear in them as she died—gruesomely and needlessly—because of me. Just like my mother.

Nixie's teeth sank into my bottom lip. I clawed at the muddy ground as my back bowed, plowing my shoulders deeper into the earth. The pain forced me to tense so rigidly I thought I would snap in half. Nixie moaned in ecstasy while she devoured a pivotal moment of my life—removing it from my mind and soul forever.

H
ow could I possibly act normal when my world was crash-and-burning? Suspecting Treygan had kidnapped Yara was one thing. Actually facing the reality of her as a mermaid had my head all jacked up. How much did she remember about me, or us, or any of her past?

Treygan screwed up everything. Years of planning, wasted. I had lost her. My heart, my soul, the love of my life—we would never have our happily ever after. There had to be a way to fix it. True love always triumphs. Isn't that what fairytales preached?

To add to the misery of my current hell, it had to be nearing ninety degrees outside. The ocean breeze wasn't helping my internal temperature. My blood felt like it might start boiling any second.

Yara ran her hands over the fur of my coat. "I've never felt anything so soft against my skin." Her voice sounded silkier than the layers of fine, white hair she was petting. Her mer traits were already developing. "It's incredible."

I faked a smile. "You look incredible in it."

She stopped walking and squeezed my hand. "You don't have to pretend you're okay with this. I know you're not, and neither am I."

I pushed a damp, blonde lock of hair over her shoulder. Waves of repulsion shot through my arm, but I stopped myself from cringing. "I did like you better as a brunette."

She pressed my palm against her cheek and sighed. "Me too."

How long would it be before she realized my touch didn't feel the same? Could the bond we shared be strong enough to keep her crushing on me? The answer terrified me.

"Jesus, Rownan! What happened to your arms?"

I forgot she would be able to see my scars. Playing dumb would be my best option. "What are you talking about? They've always been like that."

She held my hands in hers, studying the faded lines on the insides of my arms and the bruise from Nixie. "There's like a hundred. What happened to you?"

"Clumsy kid. Lots of accidents."

"How did I never notice them before?"

"You're a mermaid now. Your sight has enhanced. I can barely see them." That sounded good, even to me. Totally believable.

Her new fluid voice went all soft and weak. "Are you grossed out by me?"

I wanted to say yes. I wanted to scream it. "Baby, no, of course not. Have you seen yourself? You're glowing."

"Ugh. I don't want to glow. I don't want to be a mermaid."

I didn't want her to be a mermaid either. I wanted a rewind button so I could go back and do it all kinds of different. I would keep her locked in my arms, surround us with an army, and do whatever it took to keep the merfolk from getting anywhere near her. Why hadn't I done that in the first place? My piece of shit brother had ruined my last chance at having love in my life. "Treygan will pay for this. I promise."

"Yeah, about that, why didn't you tell me you had a half-brother who was a merman? Kind of an important detail considering how much you hate their kind, don't you think?"

"Their kind? You mean
your
kind." I waited for her to respond, but she only gave me the evil eye. At least in human form her eyes were the same light brown they used to be. "I didn't tell you because we don't associate. We share blood, that doesn't mean we share anything else."

"Same mother or father?"

"Father."

"I don't understand. How can you be human if he's a merfreak?"

Sweat dripped down my neck and back. "Long story. I'll explain after we get you home and into some clothes. You must be burning up in that coat."

She fanned herself. "It is hot under here. How can you wear this thing all the time?"

"My blood runs cooler than most." But not without my coat. I would have to think through every word I said from now on—unless I came clean. What would happen if I told her the truth?

"Treygan said I haven't even been gone a full day. Have you checked on Uncle Lloyd? Is he home yet? He got stuck on the mainland during the hurricane. I'm worried about him."

"Haven't seen him."

"Is my house damaged?"

"Definite windburn and water spoilage, but nothing I can't repair. Less than three weeks and you'll forget all of this happened."

Her head drooped and she kicked a shell along the ground. "I'll never forget this. It's like I'm stuck in a nightmare."

"I hear ya." My worst imaginable nightmare had come true. I put my arm around her shoulder and pretended we were a happy, normal couple. Yeah, right. It made me nauseous, but at least I had contact with my coat again.

She stiffened when she saw the house. "The roof! The porch. It's—look at it."

"It can be fixed."

"The house is the least of my worries. We need to check on Uncle Lloyd."

We kept walking past her property. Her eyes lit up when she saw the old man's place. "His is fine! Look!" Same old buttercup-colored dollhouse with gag-me-green shutters and a garden so full of flowers a clan of faeries should have been living in it. You would think after his wife died he would've made an effort to make it look more manly.

"Come on!" Yara's barrel-you-over spirit hadn't changed. She took off running, but I was hella burning up, and running would've made it worse.

"You go ahead," I shouted. "I'll catch up."

Nobody was around so I pulled out a seagarette and lit up. I held my breath for the rest of the walk, letting the ice-cold smoke fill my lungs and cool my insides.

Four minutes later I stood at Lloyd's doorstep and exhaled a cloud of silver smoke. Smoking made me feel somewhat better, but I would have to make sure this wasn't a long visit. Treygan would be right behind us. Yara needed to hear the truth from me. He would take way too much pleasure in telling her my secret. I couldn't figure out why he hadn't told her already. Sneaky, self-centered fish—they always had an ulterior motive.

I took one more drag from my seagarette, put it out on the porch railing, and saved the rest for later. Then I wiped the frost from my lips and debated whether or not to knock on Bastard Lloyd's door.

U
ncle Lloyd was already home. He had removed all the boards from the windows and was polishing the re-hung mermaid portrait. He looked great. Not a scratch on him or the house. After exchanging our usual greetings, I insisted he sit in his leather armchair and relax.

"You had your dialysis treatment, right?"

He grunted, which meant yes and he had hated it.

I sat on the ottoman at his feet and gave his knee a squeeze. "You feeling okay?"

"Some hours are better than others." He picked up a picture of his wife, Liora, from the side table and polished the frame.

Liora had passed away before I ever arrived at Eden's Hammock, but that was before he became so sick. Without me around, he would have no one to take care of him. I guiltily looked away from him.