Luke didn’t let go of Garrick. “I’m not obsessed.”
“Bullshit.” Madeline jammed the barrel harder against Mina’s temple. “Talk about men being led around by their cocks. She’s a freaking fish, can you not see that? She’s—”
“Mermaids have incredible power,” Leo said softly. “That power draws others to them. Garrick is like the lost sailors of old. He saw her, wanted to possess a fantasy, and he decided that he would do anything to have her. He was driven by his own greed and lust. Mina did nothing to make him this way.” He paused. “He’s just a fucking screwed-up bastard, that’s all.”
And he was a bastard still held prisoner in Luke’s grasp.
“I will blow her head open,” Madeline yelled.
Slowly, Luke released Garrick. As soon as he was free, Garrick ran to Madeline’s side. He put his hand to his throat, trying to stop the blood flow.
“I’m not obsessed,” Luke said again. He straightened his shoulders and stared right at Mina. “I’m in love. There’s a difference.”
She couldn’t breathe. He was…he loved her?
Luke. My Luke. How had she forgotten him, even for an instant? She could never allow that to happen again.
“Give me the gun,” Garrick snapped. “Now, Madeline.”
Madeline hesitated.
“He’ll kill you if you do,” Leo called out. “That’s his plan, you know. To kill me, to kill Luke. Then to kill you. At that point, he thinks he’ll be left with the lovely Mina.”
“But we’re not easy to kill,” Luke growled the words.
The boat rocked in the water. Mina’s tail seemed to burn.
“Who is your boss?” Luke asked. He was staring at Madeline. “Who gives the orders? And where the hell is the bastard? Because I was told he should be on this boat. Is he hiding? Like a coward?”
“Tell him nothing,” Garrick ordered in the next breath. “Give me the gun—or just shoot the bastards yourself! You’re still using the bullets I gave you, right? You still have them?”
“Yes,” Madeline said. But she didn’t give him the gun. She didn’t aim at Luke or Leo. She kept the gun shoved to Mina’s head.
“Who do you work for?” Luke’s voice was low, deep.
Madeline laughed. “I work for the U.S. government. We know all about the paranormals, and we’re going to use them to make sure we have the best weapons in the world.”
“We aren’t weapons,” Mina whispered because a broken whisper was all she could manage then, thanks to Garrick’s strangulation of her. “We’re people.”
“No, you’re not. Even the vampire’s brother knows that. Rose’s brother was the one to create our unit. Operation Night Switch. ONS. He’s the one who found out about the beasts out there. He’s the one who organized us. He’s the one who told us your weaknesses.”
Vampire’s brother. Rose. The woman in the box. Mina had seen the flash of her fangs.
“Madeline, quiet!” Garrick grabbed for her, yanking the gun right out of her hand.
Finally, Mina was free. Madeline and Garrick were fighting over the weapon so she used that moment to her advantage. Her tail flashed out and slammed into their legs. Both Madeline and Garrick fell hard, tumbling onto the deck. The gun flew from their fingers and skittered across the bow.
Take that, assholes.
“Get her back in the water!” Leo bellowed. “Her tail is burning—she needs to go back in! You get her and I’ll take care of the humans!”
Yes, Leo was right. Her tail was burning. It hurt as if she were drying out or something.
Luke scooped her into his arms and rushed with her to the side of the vessel.
“Stop.” Mina stared up at him. Luke. His face was so hard and handsome. His eyes—I could get lost in them. “I don’t want to leave you.”
He was on the edge of that ship, his arms tight around her.
“I couldn’t even remember you moments before.” Fear flashed through her. “Why? What happened to me?”
His expression was tender as he stared down at her. “That’s the way it is for your kind, love. You know only joy. That’s why you are one of Leo’s creatures. There is no pain or darkness in your world. Mermaids know happiness so the ocean takes away all other memories. No more flashes of pain or regret. The ocean comforts you by only letting you live in the moment.”
Her arms tightened around him. She didn’t like the sound of that. “I don’t mind my pain.” She needed him to understand this. “I would take any pain to stay with you.”
Torment flashed on his face. “Mina…”
“You are joy for me.” As impossible as it sounded, her words were true. The Lord of the Dark made her happy. “I don’t want to forget again. I can’t forget.”
“You’re meant for more than me. I will destroy you if you stay with me.”