A twinge of pity rose for Ashlyn. This was something the Council had forced her to do. Something she’d always done with her uncle. They hadn’t even given her a week to grieve before sending her back out again. This time with me.
The restless feeling I’d thought I’d exercised away returned, and my mind raced to find a topic that would distract us both.
“What did you think of shopping with Eliana? Was she picking out crazy outfits for you to try on?”
Ashlyn snorted a laugh.
“Yep. It was pretty weird. She kept picking out little girl type clothes for herself but handing me clothes that would make a prostitute blush,” she said.
I chuckled.
“She did the same to me. Did you find anything interesting?”
She glanced back at me with a smile.
“Lots of stuff. Wanna see a picture?”
With one hand, she held the pole. With the other, she reached for the phone in her pocket. The device caught on her shirt and tumbled from her fingers toward the water.
Time slowed as she grabbed for the falling phone.
I started to stand to tell her to leave it as a green-grey arm rose from the water. The webbed fingers clamped around Ashlyn’s arm and tugged. Ashlyn, already leaning forward, lost her balance and crashed into the water with a splash.
Without a thought, I dove in after her.
In the murky depths of the lake, I saw Ashlyn’s struggling form caught by a creature with a tail and a mass of green hair. I grabbed a fist full of the floating tendrils and pulled hard.
The creature screeched, the sound hurting my ears even under water. Releasing Ashlyn, it turned and swiped at me. Its nails raked over the skin covering my ribs, just below my left breast. Pain ignited, burning me from the inside.
As I choked on rage and water, an orange light grew before me, illuminating enough that I could vaguely see the shape of a face through the hair. I drew back my fist and hit hard, the water barely slowing me.
The creature’s head snapped back. Her whipping tail stilled, and she slowly sank. Not taking a chance, I gave her face an extra kick.
Whirling toward the tug on my arm, I drew back, ready for more until I saw Ashlyn. As soon as I faced her, she started toward the surface. I followed, breaking through seconds after her.
“Get out, quick,” I said, pushing her toward a ladder fixed to the end of the pier.
She scrambled up and flopped onto the deck, staring at the sky as she gasped, coughed, and sputtered.
“Are you all right?” I asked, kneeling beside her.
“Fine,” she rasped. “Damn phone.”
I stood.
“I want that phone found and returned now,” I shouted at the lake.
A minute later the device came soaring out of the water, straight for my head. I caught it easily and glared at the placid surface. I wanted to jump back in and beat the shit out of anyone I could find.
“Does it still work?” Ashlyn asked, sounding a bit better.
I looked at the phone, saw the lit screen, and handed it to her.
Her expression grew a little wary as I held it out.
“What?”
She flinched a little at my tone. I hadn’t been able to keep the anger out of it.
“I’m not mad at you,” I said.
She nodded and tentatively accepted the phone.
“I figured. I’ve just never seen your eyes do that.”
“Do what?”
“Glow with flames.”
“That makes two of us. I think we’re done here. I’ll drive you home.”
I helped her to her feet and, ignoring the pain in my ribs, returned her to town.
Once I was alone in the car, I lifted my shirt and looked at the three cuts marring my skin and oozing a dark green slime.
“Fucking mermaids.”
Six
Lightning hit me repeatedly, scorching the skin of my stomach and creating a funnel of agony that sank into my very bones. I lay on the ground, unable to move and struggling to breathe. The dark mists floating around me created a damp film on my skin, adding to my misery.
Another bolt hit. I opened my mouth and screamed long and loud, raging at the skies to leave me in peace. The sound of my ragged inhale changed my surroundings.
The mists dissolved, and I blinked up at my bedroom ceiling. Everything ached. Not just where the mermaid had scratched but all over. My sweat-soaked clothes clung to me as I untangled myself from the damp bedding and sat up.
The bedside clock showed that my alarm had gone off over an hour ago. I was late for school, not that I really cared.
With effort, I stood and thumped down the stairs, making my way to the bathroom. I’d expected my reflection to look like I felt. Instead, other than being sweaty, I appeared fine. I turned on the cold tap and took a long drink. It helped cool the heat that seemed to be burning me from the inside. It didn't help stop the sweating, though. Needing to cool off and get clean, I started the shower then stripped.
Before I stepped into the spray, I checked my scratches in the mirror.
The long oozing gashes from the day before were completely gone. I ran my hand over the perfect skin and wondered what it meant. I’d never healed like that in the past. The few bruises I’d managed to gain throughout the years had healed normally enough, as far as I could remember. I hadn’t bruised often, though, and had never broken a bone or scraped my skin. I’d always thought I’d been naturally tough.
I took my time washing and even more getting dressed. When I finally picked up my phone, it was well into mid-morning. I had seven texts from Eliana, wondering where I was and worried because she’d heard about the mermaid attack. And, I had one from Oanen that was less than five minutes old.
It simply said, “I’ll find you.”
That message sent a shot of warmth through me. Unable to stop my grin, I went out the back door and stood in the center of the lawn, watching the sky.
Oanen didn’t disappoint. As soon as I spotted him, he seemed to spot me. He folded his wings and dove sharply, opening them at the last minute and landing as he shifted. The impressive display of power made my heart pound. The sight of the bare expanse of his…everything, made my knees weak. I could barely keep myself from drooling as he stalked toward me.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I am now.”
He pulled me into his arms and hugged me close. The brief press of his lips against my temple began to heat my insides, and I tried not to think about what he so easily did to me.
“If you wanted to skip out today, you should have told me. I would have kept you company,” he said.
“It wasn’t an intentional skip out. I promise. I overslept and was a little slow to get ready. I just saw all your texts now.”
“I only sent one.”
He released me, and I quickly stepped back, creating enough space so I’d keep my hands to myself.
“Yeah, well, Eliana sent seven.” I grinned. “I think there’s a spare set of clothes in the guest room if you want to stay for lunch.”
After he dressed, we ate a quick lunch I’d made while waiting, then he rode with me back to the school.
“So do we all heal quickly?” I asked just before we reached town.
“Not necessarily. Often it depends on the type of injury.”
I made a noncommittal noise. First my eyes. Now freakish healing?
“What does ‘hmm’ mean, Megan? Did something happen when you went in the lake?”
“Yeah. A fish with an attitude scratched me with her claws. It hurt like a bitch and was oozing dark green slime. And, this morning, the gashes are gone. All of them.”
“Pull over.” His words were more clipped and stern than usual, and I spared him a quick glance. He looked pissed and barely in control.
“Please don’t go griffin mode in the car,” I said. “I really like being able to drive around.”
I quickly slowed and parked on the shoulder. When I stopped, though, he didn’t get out.
“Show me,” he demanded.
“What?”
“Show me where you were scratched.”
I couldn’t stop the stupid grin that pulled at my lips as I tugged up my t-shirt.
“Did I really just pull over because you’re worried about me?”
His gaze stayed locked on the unblemished skin of my stomach.
“Yes.”
The clipped word made me grin bigger.
“I kinda like this.”