She traced his body with her eyes. He could see, in his mind, what she saw, but the vision was colored with her emotions. She didn’t see a monster. She didn’t see a creature driven mad. He plucked the words from her mind: handsome, strong, smooth, deadly. The last word hurt, but she tempered it a moment later, as he heard her think, he looks like a warrior, covered in armor. She sent the image to him, a human with a sword, clad in plates that looked like scales made to protect him from an opponent’s blade.
He tried to shut off the answer following on the heel of her thoughts. He was deadly, but if she knew he struggled to keep his instincts in check, she might run away. Being without her again would push him over the edge into madness. He had to keep her.
Chapter Five
Edythe shivered in the chilly air, and Linc narrowed his eyes. The color of the scales on his face only heightened the blue of his eyes. She didn’t remember him being so handsome. She remembered he was tall and strong, but her memory of his face was hazy. It was wrapped up in so many emotions, she could often only recall impressions.
But he was handsome. The angles of his face were hard. With his lips tilted up in a smile, it softened. His hair was light and slicked back from his face. His scales were smaller there, thumb-sized, and caught the reflection of the water… or the moon when the clouds opened for a moment. When he blinked, a clear lid from the corner of his eye moved swiftly across the lens and then back, before his lids dropped down. He was trying to hide it from her, concerned it would frighten her. His consideration for her feelings was too much, she didn't deserve it.
She sighed. “I owe you an apology.”
Linc looked confused. “For what?”
“For leaving you hurt and staying away. I wanted to come back…,” she began.
“I’m glad you didn’t,” he said strongly.
She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Why not? I thought we were friends!”
A surge of affection swamped her. She felt his amusement at the way her emotions swung unexpectedly; apologizing in one breath then yelling at him with the next.
“You’re right,” she groaned. “I’ve never been very good at talking to people. It’s just—I didn’t want you to think I didn’t want to see you. I did! But you were hurt because of me. I didn’t want it to happen again.”
He wanted to hold her, but he stopped, ever-conscious of his appearance. She needed to put an end to his fear immediately.
“Stop worrying about me.” She took her hands from his and stroked his cheeks with the back of her hands. “You don’t frighten me. Yeah, you’re different. So what?”
You’re mine, she thought but immediately wanted to slap her hand over her mental mouth. God, she hoped he hadn’t heard her. He’d jump right back in the ocean, leaving a wake as he swam away as fast as possible. She couldn’t imagine what she looked like. She wasn’t very fashionable at the best of times, and her curvy figure wasn’t flattered by her now-saturated sweater and jeans.
A denial of her thought resonated through her mind, and she felt her face heat as Linc showed her how he saw her.
She stared at him in disbelief. “I don’t look anything like that!”
“You do.” Linc stepped closer to her. She watched his eyes trace her face, her hair, and body. “Edie, you’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”
“No, I’m not. I bet you have sirens and mermaids where you are.”
Linc met her eyes, his head cocked to the side. “Mermaids?”
“You don’t know mermaids?”
He shook his head, so she sent him the image. He barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “No. No, mermaids.”
“There’s no one else like you, Linc.” Edythe touched his arm. It felt like his scales shivered under his touch, and she watched in amazement as they faded, leaving his skin visible. He was pale in the moonlight. “If I touch you everywhere, will they disappear?” she wondered aloud.
Oh god, I’m on a roll tonight. Can I sink under the water, please?
Linc tipped her chin back, gazing into her eyes. “Why did you come here, Edythe?”
It took her a moment to collect herself and process his question. “I… The town is destroying the marsh, Linc. I was afraid you were here. I didn’t want anyone to hurt you.”
“You came back for me?” He held onto her chin, staring into her eyes, refusing to let her look away.
“Yes.” Of course.
The pupils in his eyes widened, darkening the blue to black. “Yes,” he said, leaving her confused.
“Huh?” she asked inarticulately.
“If my mate touches me, my scales will disappear.”
She swallowed, caught in his gaze. She could feel his emotions; they swamped her, and she came to understand everything. Why he never ran away. Why he continued to stay. She understood he’d suffered years of agonizing pain being separated from her.
From her! A weird, chubby nerd, whose idea of a good time was staring at tide pools.
You were made for me, Edie. She heard him say. The other half of me. I never want to be without you again.
His arms wrapped around her body, and he pulled her close. He was cold, and she shivered. “You’re freezing,” he said.
It was a chilly night, the end of summer. Her waders, which were now full of icy saltwater, only made her colder.