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His grin disappeared, was replaced by a look of such intense longing that I shivered despite the water’s warmth. At that moment I wanted nothing more than to bury my hands in his hair and pull his mouth to mine. When I was kissing Kona the whole world faded away, and with everything he’d told me rattling around in my brain, I could use some oblivion.
But right before his lips closed over mine, his hand slid up to my throat. Toyed with the necklace that was still resting there—the one Mark had given me. Though it had been a birthday gift, I knew he’d meant it to be more than that. He’d meant it to be a promise, one I’d done a lousy job of keeping so far.
I closed my eyes and thought of him. Smart, strong, protective. Sure, he was a little moody, a little possessive. But he’d been good to me—for a long time he’d been the only one I could talk to. Cheating on him didn’t sit well with me.
Until I figured out just what Kona wanted—what I wanted—maybe I should concentrate on learning the rules in this strange underwater world and nothing else.
At the last possible second, I ducked out of Kona’s arms and shot through the water, somersaulting every few yards. He lunged for me, but I darted just out of reach, swimming back toward the surface.
I ran into a pod of dolphins that seemed delighted to have me near them. They rubbed up against me, prodded me gently with their pointy noses, spun through the water, and encouraged me to do the same.
I played with them for a while, conscious the whole time of Kona’s heated gaze following my every movement. It made me clumsy, had me tumbling over a dolphin more than once, then laughing as they chattered at me—a series of high-pitched clicks I had no hope of understanding.
They like you. Kona swam closer, not touching me, but still near enough that I could feel his heat.
How do you know that?
They just told you so.
I grinned at him. Are you saying you speak dolphin? I didn’t bother to hide my skepticism.
Selkies speak almost everything, he answered, reaching for me. He pulled me from the loose circle the dolphins had formed around me. It’s one of our gifts.
What about mermaids?
He shook his head. Sorry.
You don’t look sorry. I sniffed disparagingly, then ruined the whole thing by snorting up a large swallow of water. This underwater thing was going to take some more getting used to.
Kona stood by, laughing, as I had a huge coughing fit.
When I’d finally emptied my lungs, I returned to the conversation. That doesn’t seem fair. I want to talk to the dolphins too.
Wave to them. They’ll come back to see you soon.
But would I be here? I wondered as I watched the playful animals swim away. Or would I be back home before they returned for me?
This is your home.
Says you.
Says anyone with any sense. Look at yourself, Tempest. You belong down here.
I glanced down, realized for the first time that I was glowing purple again, from head to foot. We’re a matched pair, I said, nodding to his own silvery glow.
That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. His smile was intimate.
Yeah, but what happens when we don’t fit anymore?
What does that mean?
I don’t know. I shrugged, swam a short distance away. I’m not the only mermaid in the sea.
No, but you’re the only one that I want. He was behind me, his hands on my shoulders, his lips mere inches from my ear.
For now.
For ever. Can’t you feel it, Tempest? We’re meant to be together.
Because of some stupid prophecy?
Because we fit. He grabbed my arm, spun me around. From the moment I first saw you I knew that we belonged together.
That’s crazy.
He cupped my face in his hands. No, it isn’t. Tell me it wasn’t the same for you. Tell me you didn’t recognize me that day. His lips brushed over my forehead. Tell me you don’t feel something for me that you never felt for Mark.
I wanted to tell him just that. I even started to, but in the end I couldn’t force the words out. When Kona touched me, when he looked at me, something inside me recognized him on a whole different level.
Still, I wasn’t sure what it meant. How much of Kona’s feelings for me were because he thought I was the one in the prophecy? How much of his interaction with me was just to keep me in the water, where he wanted me?
I wanted to trust him, needed to trust him. He was the only person down here I had any attachment to at all—save my mother, and it wasn’t like she’d made any effort to find me. But it was hard to believe what he said, knowing that he’d come to shore for the specific purpose of convincing me to become mermaid. How could I be sure this wasn’t just an act?
Come on, Tempest. You don’t really believe that. Kona’s voice tore through the fragile barriers I’d been trying to erect between us, shot straight to my heart despite all the worries I had about him. About us.
I don’t know what I believe. Everything’s so mixed up.
That’s because you’re thinking it to death. Just let yourself feel for a while, let yourself enjoy being down here.
Yeah, but while I’m down here playing with dolphins, time is passing in my real life.
This is your real life.
Once again, says you.
Yes. Says me. Says the prophecy. Says biology.
I’m really more of a chemistry girl myself.
Kona smiled and, for a moment, the water between us seemed charged with electricity.
You can say that again. He grew serious. But look at you. You’re breathing underwater. Your fingers are webbed. You’re talking to me with your mind. Do you really think, after all this, you can just go back to being human again?
His words hit me like arrows, played on my worst fears until it was all I could do to breathe.
I pushed away from him, started swimming in the opposite direction from where we’d come. It was too much. This was all too much and I needed a little time to process.
Kona must have realized that I was on emotional overload, because he didn’t say anything else. But he also didn’t let me swim away on my own. He let me set the pace, and followed behind me as I swam as fast and as far as I could.
I wanted to outrun myself and the decisions I had to make, wanted to think about nothing more complicated than my next chemistry test. But as I swam, searching for a mindlessness that just wouldn’t come, I realized that Kona was right. My life on land had never been further away from me.
I stopped abruptly and Kona nearly careened into my back. What was that for? he demanded, his eyes glowing with a combination of anger and understanding. My indecision obviously wasn’t any easier on him than it was on me.
I know what I want now.
And?
I closed my eyes, prayed I was doing the right thing. Then tossed out the request that had been brewing since the moment I’d first seen Kona’s home, though I hadn’t recognized it until just this minute.
I want you to help me find my mother.
Chapter 21
For a long time Kona didn’t say anything at all, and I was sure he was going to tell me it wasn’t possible. Eventually, though, he nodded. Okay.
I waited for him to say something else, and when he didn’t I asked, suspiciously, That’s it?
What were you expecting?
I don’t know. Some kind of major protest, I guess. It’s not like you’ve exactly been forthcoming about her.