Deep Betrayal

chapter 5

REUNION



I stifled a shriek and hit the sand as another hand reached around my waist and pulled me under the small metal boat.

For a moment all we did was stare. His green eyes brooding, yet as frightened as my own. His wet hair hanging in dark, twisted ropes against his olive-tanned face. His soaking-wet board shorts pressing against my thighs.

The hull closed in on us from all sides, and the small confines amplified my senses. Even the silence bounced around, echoing in my ears. The smell of patchouli hung heavy in the air. Heat licked up at us from the sand, and his breath was hot against my face.

“Look at you,” he said, and his voice was disappointed.

I pulled the towel closer around me, but he yanked it off—his hands shaking—pressing his lips to my neck, trailing my collarbone. He pulled back and studied me with as much distance as the boat would allow. I counted to five before he let out a small groan, saying, “There. That’s better. It’s killing me to look at you, but I’ve really missed that color. Nobody lights up like you do.”

Instinctively, I pushed him away. How dare he show up, out of the blue, without so much as a lame excuse for his silence. More than that, a shiver of fear raised the hair on my arms. Was he working up my emotions just so I’d be a more satisfying absorption?

I was ashamed of myself for even thinking it—Calder had worked hard to overcome the merfolk’s naturally gloomy disposition and his craving for human emotion—but from the way his hands were shaking, it was clear our separation had set him back a few steps. How far back I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out.

“Definitely better,” he said.

I laughed nervously, wondering what color I might have been when he first grabbed me. Based on the flash of terror I’d had, it must have been pretty awful. Now, despite my attempt to stay mad, he was stoking me into euphoria with his touch. I could only imagine the temptation my emotions presented. Two deep breaths and I hoped I could subdue it, but he trailed his finger across my lips and then put it to his own so I knew I’d have to work harder on that.

“Man, you look beautiful.” His voice was deep and rich like a riverbed.

“Where have you been?” I demanded.

“Around,” he said, combing his fingers through my hair, fixing his warm gaze on my narrowed eyes, drawing me into his spell against my will.

“Yeah?” I said, doing my best to at least keep my tone sharp. I wasn’t doing as well controlling my hands, which lay flat against his hip bones but no longer pushed him away. His long legs tangled with mine. “That’s all you’ve got? ‘Around’? How’s the fasting going?”

A rush of blood flooded his cheeks, making him look, if it were possible, even more gorgeous. “Don’t be mean, Lily.”

“Mean? You think I’m mean?”

“Of course it’s been harder without you,” he said. “A few close calls, but I’ve held it together.”

“Could have fooled me. What were you doing grabbing me like that? I could have been anybody.” As soon as I said it, I wished I hadn’t. It probably hadn’t mattered to him who it was. I probably was just anybody. “Close calls”? I didn’t want to think what that implied.

“You’re right,” he said, drawing his fingers down my sternum. “It could have been somebody who bathed in orange juice this morning. I really should be more careful.” He brushed a strand of hair off my face. “Hmmm. You look confused. I guess I never told you that,” he said. “You smell like oranges.”

He twisted my long hair several times around his hand and held it in a knot at the back of my neck while my hands came up to lie limply against his bare chest. A familiar silver band faded around his neck.

I sighed, giving in to the inevitable. Now that he was here, it was too much work to stay mad. And I didn’t want to be mad. I wanted him. I wanted all of him. All the time.

“You were in the lake?” I asked. My fingers traced the topography of scars that crisscrossed his back and shoulders, my soft stomach pressed against his solid one.

“So were you,” he said.

“You could have been seen.”

“Not likely,” he said, his voice blasé but gaining in intensity. “But I saw you.”

His eyes turned a dark jade green as I tried to remember what should make him sound so accusatory. I might have been able to come up with a good comeback if he’d given me more time.

“Who is he?” he asked.

Crap. “A boy from school,” I said. “An old friend.” I choked on the last word.

“Didn’t look like just a friend.”

For some reason, that really ticked me off. If he cared so much, why hadn’t he come sooner? My anger returned, and I let my words fly at him like hungry birds. “And what does it matter to you? Where have you been for the last thirty-two days? Probably traipsing—”

“I never traipse.”

“—all over God knows where. Meeting up with other mermaids. Or maybe human girls. Pulling a Pavati, I suppose?” It was a low blow, suggesting he was capable of matching his sister’s careless, cruel affairs with humans.

“I’ve been nowhere of importance.”

“Nowhere with a phone?”

“Don’t be mad, Lil,” he said, stroking my arms in long, smooth movements. “You’re muddying up on me.”

“I’m not mad,” I said. It was impossible to stay mad now that he was finally here. I struggled to even muster up a frown. “I’m not mad, but why didn’t you call as soon as you heard?”

“Heard what?” he said, his lips moving up and down my neck.

“About Tallulah.”

He pulled back and his expression was unreadable.

“Tallulah’s body,” I said. “It washed up onshore.”

He shook his head infinitesimally.

“You didn’t know?” I asked.

“That’s impossible,” he whispered.

“It’s true. It even made the local news.”

His face darkened so much I was convinced I could see the color in him. “Oh, God,” he moaned. “Lulah.”

“She was badly decomposed.” I didn’t realize how ugly the words sounded until I heard myself speak them aloud. I’d meant to be reassuring. Only Jack Pettit knew that the remains were those of a mermaid. “Do you think your sisters have heard?” I asked.

“How should I know?” he snapped. “I got my wish. Even if I were at the lake, our minds aren’t connected anymore. I have no way of knowing what they’re thinking or what they’ve heard. Not anymore.”

“Couldn’t you talk to them? Find out?”

“I’m not going back there, Lily. I can’t.”

I hadn’t planned on this. I had no choice but to return. If Sophie was right, I needed to be there for Dad when he discovered the truth. “Well, I’m going home,” I said.

“Lily, no. Please don’t make me go back there.”

“I’m not making you.”

“If you go, I’ll have no choice.”

His words were delicious. I wanted him to repeat them over and over, but rather than ask I said, “I can’t let my dad go back to Bayfield without me.”

“You overestimate your ability to protect him from Maris.”

I blinked. Confused. “This isn’t about protecting him from Maris. I paid my dad’s debt. You said—”

“That will change when they find out you’re not really dead. Going back puts everyone in danger. I don’t blame you for wanting to be with your family, but can’t you make your dad stay here?” he asked.

“He has a job up there.”

“Lily, I won’t let you go.”

“Like hell you won’t.” I rolled over to escape the boat, but he pulled me back.

“Okay, okay, settle down,” he said, his voice soft in my ear. “I don’t want to fight.”

He buried his forehead against my chest. “This is my fault. I didn’t think even a storm could shake her loose, but clearly I didn’t do a good enough job of hiding her body.”

“No one will come to the mermaid conclusion,” I said, trying my best to put his mind at ease.

“Maris will hear of it. If it’s making the news, it’s only a matter of time. They’ll want to finish what Tallulah started.” Calder grimaced. “Going back is a bad idea.”

“Dad is on the verge of experimenting. He’s still trying to resist, but he’s going in the lake soon. I don’t think he should transform … accidentally … without any warning.”

“I was afraid of that.”

“It’s time to tell him,” I said.

Calder drew his eyebrows together, knitting them into an inverted V. “Again. Bad idea.”

“Why?”

“Remember what I told you. Once I changed, I wrote off my entire family. Once he transforms, he won’t be the same.”

“You were only three. That won’t happen with my dad. Besides, not telling him isn’t an option anymore.”

“You’re not seeing the big picture here, Lily.”

“I need to fix this.”

“Fix this? What needs fixing? Quit thinking you can fix everything. I need you to stop and listen to me.”

“Not on this.” Muffled sounds from the beach reminded me of where I was. I kissed him once more. “I’m glad you came back. I thought maybe you changed your mind about me.”

“You should know by now, I never break my promises.”

He was very serious, but I grinned broadly. “I was counting on that. Let me go check on Sophie. You stay here.”

Carefully, ducking my head, I rolled out from under the metal hull. The sun blinded me for a second so I didn’t immediately recognize the dark, silhouetted figure surrounded by sun spots.

“Lily?” Jules asked. She grabbed my shoulders and shook me until my teeth rattled. “Haven’t you heard us calling for you? We’ve been going crazy. The lifeguard has everyone in a line, doing a freakin’ body search of the lake. I thought I was going to puke thinking I’d be the one to step on you. Sophie is bawling! God, Lily, I thought you were dead. I could kill you right now!”

I looked past her shoulder to the people linked at their elbows, shuffling through the water as a single unit. Most of them I’d never seen before. “I’m sorry, Jules. I really am.”

“What were you doing under that boat?” she demanded. Seriously pissed.

“I, uh …”

“Sorry,” Calder said, and crawled out from under the hull. The muscles in his chest and shoulders flexed as he pushed himself to his feet. “It’s my fault.”

“Oh, man,” Jules said.

My sentiments exactly. “Um … Jules, this is Calder White. Calder, this is my best friend, Jules Badzin.” Calder stuck out his hand, and I didn’t have to look at him to know what he was doing. Jules wasn’t blinking, and Calder’s projections were readable in the air. At least to me. Jules, poor thing, was sinking like a stone. How well did I know how that felt. I jabbed Calder hard in the ribs.

“So glad to finally meet you,” Jules said, pushing her hair behind one ear.

Oh, brother.

Walking with Calder back toward the picnic table was a surreal experience. It was like two universes colliding: On my left walked my past, steadfast and normal. On my right walked my hoped-for future, less certain and one hundred and eighty degrees removed from normal. I wondered which one would implode from the pressure of the other. I couldn’t help but notice Jules stealing sideways glances at Calder. I knew what she was thinking without being telepathic.

“Quit having impure thoughts,” I whispered in her ear.

“Oh. My. Goodness,” she said through her teeth.

Calder squeezed my hand. Of course he heard every word. He probably could have heard it from across the parking lot.

Jules ran ahead to tell the lifeguard I was safe. I almost wished I was hurt. It would make this so much less embarrassing if I was bleeding. Maybe I could fake a head injury.

The lifeguard blew his whistle in three sharp bursts and a collective groan came up from the shore. Rob came running, his face pale and sickly.

“Geez, Lily, where were you?” Then he noticed Calder. “Who’s this?”

“The figment of my imagination,” I said, more coolly than he deserved.

Rob pulled me from Calder’s side and nearly suffocated me in a hug. “I thought you were dead,” he said. “Don’t do that again.”

“Yeah, okay. Fine,” I said, laughing a little. “I’m sorry. I should have told someone I was going for a walk.” I pushed Rob off while electricity fizzed in the air behind me.

Rob let me go and stuck his hand out toward Calder, who hesitated and blew a long stream of air from his lungs before taking Rob’s hand.

“Thanks for bringing her back safe,” Rob said.

“I can take care of myself,” I said, which made Calder wince, though I wasn’t sure why.

Scott carried Sophie up the beach toward me, cradling her body in his arms. Her face was red and blotchy, making me feel my guilt more intensely than anything else.

“Honey,” I said as she reached toward me. She was too heavy, and we collapsed on the sand.

“Hi, Calder,” Sophie whimpered, without really looking at him, as if she expected nothing less than to see him walking me home.

“I think I’ve had enough sun,” Colleen said. “Maybe we should call it a day.”

Calder picked Sophie out of my lap and slung her onto his back without any effort. Together we climbed the hill toward the parking lot, dragging our coolers and towels with less finesse than we had hours earlier.

“I don’t think we have room for you in the van,” Rob said to Calder.

“That’s okay. I’ve got a car.”

I looked around for the Impala but I didn’t see it anywhere.

Calder asked, “Ride with me, Lil? Sophie, too?”

I took his hand, and Rob jogged to Zach’s van a little faster than normal.

“There’s something not right with that guy,” Calder said.

I laughed, looping my arm through his. “Yeah, all right. Remind me to tell you the one about the pot and the kettle.”

“Robby’s sad and kind of confused,” Sophie said, watching him climb into Zach’s van.

“Oh yeah?” I laughed. “And what do you know about it?”

Sophie shrugged. “You just have to look at him.”

Calder gave Sophie a funny look, then ruffled her hair with his hand. “Get in the car, kiddo.” He held the door open, and she slid into the backseat of a rusty black Buick. I got in the front and sat as close as I could to Calder.

“You look very pretty, Lily,” Sophie said as she drifted off to sleep.

Calder’s gaze went to the rearview mirror; then he raised his eyebrows at me. I felt the blood rush into my cheeks. “She probably has heatstroke,” I said.