Aquatic Attraction Read online

  Possessive heat flooded Niall’s system, and as he glanced at the wide-eyed men on either side of him, he let out a soft growl. Both men averted their eyes, grabbed their coffees, and headed out of the room, murmuring a good morning to Carlye as they went.

  “It’s no problem at all, baby,” he assured, crossing to her. He wrapped his arms around Carlye, loving that something of his clothed her body, and settled in for a deep morning kiss. When Niall finally came up for air, he grinned. “Now that’s a wonderful way to start the day.” A smile curved his woman’s lips, and he caught her blush right before she ducked her head.

  “How about some coffee?”

  Crooking his finger under her chin, he tipped her face back up to meet his. “Of course. I’ll make you breakfast, take you back to your place to get some clothes, then we’ll head out on my yacht.” He saw her open her mouth to object, but he shook his head. “You work with a company that exploits the riches beneath the ocean. How often do you get the opportunity to see the beauty of it?”

  After giving him a strange look, Carlye nodded. “Okay.”

  “Is everything set for us?” he asked into his cell phone.

  “Yes, Niall,” Branson answered back.

  Niall heard the concern in his bodyguard’s voice and waited. It didn’t take long.

  “I’m sorry to sound like I’m questioning you, but are you certain this is the best way?”

  He smiled, feeling at peace for the first time since he’d seen the photos the day before. “Yes, Branson. This is the right course of action.” Seeing Carlye’s door open, he said, “I gotta go. We’ll be there soon.”

  Niall watched Carlye descend her apartment’s porch steps, taking in the short jean shorts showing off the long tan legs he’d had wrapped around his waist the night before. Damn, that had been wonderful. He hoped he could talk her into a repeat performance tonight. And for the rest of his life. As she approached the car, he lifted his gaze higher, glancing over the yellow halter-top outlining the curve of her breasts to perfection. He hopped out of the car, opened the door for her, and snagged a kiss before letting her get into the car.

  After easing back behind the steering wheel, he reached over and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face that had escaped the ponytail tucked through her matching yellow ball cap. “Beautiful,” he murmured before tasting her lips again.

  He put the car into drive and headed away from the curb. Nearly an hour later, they piled into a small yacht and Drew and Branson eased the large boat away from the docks. Niall wrapped his arms around Carlye from behind as they stood on deck. He rested his chin on her shoulder and nuzzled her neck.

  It took nearly an hour and a half for them to get to the edge of his people’s territory. In that time, Niall alternated between holding Carlye, enjoying the ocean breeze, chatting and laughing with Carlye, and taking her into the cabin below to watch the myriad of fish and marine life in the area through an underwater window. They dined on wine, sliced cheeses and meats. Niall couldn’t remember an afternoon he’d enjoyed more.

  A thump on the cabin door where they were again viewing the marine life caught Niall’s attention. “We’re here,” Drew called.

  “Where?” Carlye asked, climbing to her feet.

  “Come on,” Niall answered evasively. Once they’d reached the deck, he asked Drew to drop anchor and pointed to a large rock formation near shore. “Do you recognize that?”

  Carlye frowned. “Should I?”

  “Think of how it would appear on a chart,” he murmured, resting his hands on her shoulders.

  She cocked her head to the side.

  Niall could almost see her analytical mind cataloging everything in front of her.

  “This is near the edge of the charts, isn’t it? I didn’t realize it was so close to public shipping lanes.”

  “It’s not,” Niall admitted. “We used the currents and made really good time.” And used magic, but that didn’t need to be shared yet.

  “Why did you bring me here?”

  He settled onto a bench seat and pulled Carlye down next to him. It was now or never. “Have you ever heard of Nixies?” he asked.

  Carlye frowned, her gaze dropping.

  Niall could imagine his amazing mate’s brain rifling through files of information.

  “Do you mean water spirits?” she asked hesitantly.

  Smiling, Niall nodded. “Right. Well…”

  “You did not bring me to the middle of the ocean to regale me with those horrid tales did you?”

  He heard Drew choke back a laugh as Niall oh, so eloquently said, “Huh?”

  She rolled her eyes before smirking. “Come on. Can you think of one where it ended well for both the nixie and the human? Between the tale of The Water Snake from Russia and the story of The Three Chests from Finland, it’s a wonder humans ever got past their fear of water and managed to figure out what hygiene is.”

  This time Drew didn’t hold in his laugh. “I really like her.”

  Niall rolled his eyes. Frowning at Drew, he told the man, “Well, why do you think we stopped revealing ourselves to humans. We just couldn’t seem to get along.” Niall turned back to Carlye and grimaced at her confused expression. “I see your point. Although Wetehinen got what he deserved, the manipulative bastard, there’s no way Osip deserved to have his head chopped off, even if how he got his wife wasn’t exactly ethical. He did make the girl extremely happy for the three years they were together. Osip’s kin took revenge on the old grandmother by wiping out the village. They took Osip’s wife and children back into the lake with them and took good care of them. Although Osip’s wife never remarried, the children eventually chose nixie mates.”

  “Ooookay, I don’t remember that part of the story,” Carlye said slowly.

  He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and said, “That’s because it wasn’t written down by the humans.”

  Chapter Five

  Carlye stared at the man, trying to follow him. “I’m sorry. By the humans? You don’t actually believe those stories, do you?” He didn’t have to answer. She could see the confirmation in his eyes as he exchanged a quick glance with Drew. Carlye couldn’t help it. She laughed. “You brought me all the way out here to tell me you’re worried my company’s drilling will harm mythical creatures?”

  Suddenly another thought occurred to her and her chest tightened. She pushed to her feet and strode several paces away before turning back to him. “That’s why you invited me to dinner? And last night?” She felt like her heart had been crushed as she realized she’d been played. Damn! When had I begun caring for him so much? This was supposed to be a fling!

  Niall jumped to his feet. “No, baby, that’s not true. I admit that I went into that meeting looking for a way to get the drilling shut down, at least in this area, but…”

  “You need to take me back. Now,” she commanded coldly. How dare he think she’d let him play her for a fool a second time. There was no way she’d listen to any more of his lies.

  “She needs proof. Scientist, remember?” Drew murmured, coming to stand next to Niall.

  Oh, this ought to be rich. “Proof? You can’t prove this,” she interrupted scathingly.

  “Prince,” Branson yelled, running from the cabin below them. “We’ve got problems.”

  Prince? What the hell?

  Niall’s eyes never left Carlye’s. “What is it?”

  “That!” he yelled, coming to a stop next to them and pointing.

  Carlye turned and gasped, her heart nearly stopping in her chest. From the rocking waves appeared a massive yellow head, at least eight feet in length from snout to crest, on a long scaly neck. When it opened its mouth and bugled an ear-splitting cry, the creature showed off rows and rows of jagged teeth.

  Her analytical brain shut off, and Carlye screamed.

  Niall launched at her just as the creature turned and lunged toward her, jaws gaping. He wrapped his arms around her and took her to the deck, his large body r
olling them sideways and away from the beast’s snapping jaws.

  Lifting his head, Niall’s blue eyes glared. “Branson! Permission to reveal granted!”

  She didn’t know what that meant, but couldn’t contain her shock when the man nodded, shed his clothes, and dove into the sea. “No!” she squeaked, barely able to believe the man had just jumped, weaponless and naked, into the water with the beast.

  Struggling, Carlye tried to rise, but Niall refused to budge. “Stay down, Carlye,” Niall commanded. “Branson will handle this.”

  “How could he possibly…” Her voice died away as another head appeared above the side of the boat. This one was about the same size, but green with six-foot black horns. It didn’t even spare them a glance, but focused on the attacking yellow beast, opened its jaws and struck at it.

  Once the green one drew the other one’s attention away, Niall helped Carlye to her feet, wrapped a strong arm around her waist, and turned to Drew. “Get us clear.”

  “Yes, Prince.”

  The man disappeared below and, seconds later, the boat started moving.

  “Wait,” Carlye cried out. “What about Branson? We can’t just leave him!”

  Niall finally glanced her way, giving her a grim smile. “We won’t. Come on.” He led her down to where Drew steered the boat slowly away from the churning waters created by the battling creatures.

  “What is going on? What are those things? Where’s Branson?” Carlye asked, yanking her arm out of Niall’s grasp and running to her bag. From inside, she grabbed her phone and punched a few buttons. Niall tried to reach for it, but she stepped away and held the phone up to record the creatures. “I’m waiting for answers,” she growled.

  “The yellow sea monster is an enemy of the Briny Nix. If you could see most of it, you’d see an animal that looks a lot like what you humans call the Loch Ness Monster, except with webbed claws instead of flippers. Branson turned into the green sea snake. His kind are protectors of Briny Nix. He’s assigned as my bodyguard while I’m on land. I’m one of nearly a hundred princes in my people’s society.”

  Her jaw dropped, disbelief flooding her system. “A prince? You humans! What…”

  “I think the rest of the explanations will have to wait,” Drew cut in. “Look!”

  Carlye turned and let out a squeak. Two more yellow heads could be seen over the waves, heading in their direction. “Oh, no!”

  “What’s the water’s depth?” Niall asked, his gaze shifting to the still tangling sea snake and sea monster.

  Carlye could just make out the green snake’s coils wrapped around the body of the yellow monster. It started rolling, as the webbed claws Niall spoke of thrashed, trying to slice open the snake.

  “A little less than a thousand feet. I need at least twice that.”

  Drew’s answer had Carlye’s focus slipping from her phone’s screen, where she still recorded the creatures, to the men’s conversation. “What are you talking about? Two thousand feet for what?”

  “To shift.”

  “Do it. Just make sure the keevils are following us and not going after Branson.”

  “Keevils?” Now she was really confused. Her head spun with new information that was too wild to believe.

  “That’s what my people call the sea monsters,” Niall told her. “Don’t worry. We will keep you safe.”

  “I hate to remind you, Prince, but it’s you they want,” Drew pointed out.

  To Carlye’s surprise, Niall grinned and slapped Drew on the shoulder. “But I know that won’t happen. You and Branson are the best, my friend.”

  Drew gave Niall a rueful smile and stopped the boat. “Just keep the engine off, please. I don’t need any additional dangers.”

  “You got it,” Niall said, still grinning.

  “What is going on? Why are we stopping?” Carlye asked, following the men back to the deck.

  Niall wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “You wanted proof, sweetness,” Niall said, kissing her temple. “Turn the video off. I can’t let you tape this.”

  Too surprised that Drew was stripping down just like Branson had done, she didn’t fight when Niall gently took the phone from her fingers.

  He dropped it into a cup holder and turned to Drew. “You be careful.”

  Drew grinned. “Love you, too, Niall,” he quipped before hopping over the edge of the yacht and diving into the water.

  This time Niall allowed her to run to the edge, but she didn’t see Drew resurface. “Where is he?”

  “Just wait, baby,” Niall said softly. “And try not to scream,” he murmured. “You’ll insult him.”

  “What do you mean?” Light shimmered beneath the dark water below them and the waves started to churn, making the boat rock wildly. She clutched the railing tightly, her gaze fixed on the waters below. A moment later, she saw movement beneath the surface, almost as if several creatures swam just out of sight. Several long tentacles lifted from the water.

  She started to back slowly from the railing, but Niall grabbed her wrist.

  “Wait. Drew won’t hurt you,” he assured.

  Carlye looked down again and saw a massive brown body rise from the waves. In the center, a beaked maw opened, revealing a circle of large, curved teeth. “Wow!” she gasped, her gaze snapping up to take in the waving tentacles overhead. She counted eight, and each brown limb was rowed with suckers. In each sucker, a curved hook, similar to the creature’s teeth, jutted out. The tentacles reached almost forty feet in the air. “What is it?”

  “He’s a kraken.”

  “No such thing,” she muttered automatically.

  “Really?” Niall said, pulling his gaze from his friend. “Each Briny Nix has the ability to turn into one creature, except royalty. The guards are often comprised of creatures no longer seen on this earth, since if they were seen they’d be hunted to extinction. They exist. There’s your proof.”

  “Why don’t royalty turn into an animal?”

  Niall’s jaw tightened. “We turn into something else.”

  His hard tone had Carlye turning from the sight of the kraken. “What else?”

  Scoffing, Niall forced a smile. “For centuries, there was massive infighting between royalty. We can grow claws, fangs, and, if in mer-form, turn our tail and elbow fins into razor sharp blades.”

  Chapter Six

  He held his breath, worrying how Carlye would take that information. The screech of the kraken interrupted them, and Niall snapped his gaze toward the ocean, surprised to find the keevils much closer. Long tentacles reached out for the first creature. Drew gripped it with his suckers, the sharp knife-like teeth biting deep into the beast’s thick hide. Wrenching one tentacle free, blood from a gaping wound in the keevil’s back sprayed across the sea.

  Niall grabbed Carlye and pulled her out of the way of the spray. Another three tentacles reached out for the second keevil, but before they could connect, the beast dove sideways, slashing the closest with a hind claw. Drew bellowed and reached for it again, but it sank beneath the waves.

  “Where is it?” Carlye called out, barely heard over the bellowing and bugling of the fighting creatures.

  “I’m not sure,” Niall replied, unwilling to lie to his mate. He watched Carlye reach under a seat and pull out the first aid kit. “Are you injured?” he asked, suddenly worried. He couldn’t remember her falling or getting hit.

  She shook her head and pulled out a waterproof bag. “You brought me out here to convince me to help you stop the oil drilling in the area. Well, you’ve convinced me. These creatures would sink our ships without any trouble.” She tossed her cell phone into the bag and sealed it. “The possibility of losing lives is too high,” she said, tucking the phone into her bra.

  From the corner of his eye, Niall spotted a keevil lunging toward them, ignoring the tentacles digging into its flesh. Niall shoved Carlye out of the way, dove to the side and swung his hand toward the keevil’s neck. Instantly, his fingernails length
ened into two-inch claws, slashing the beast across the tender flesh.

  The beast pulled back, howling in rage. Niall grinned ferally at the withdrawing beast before turning to find Carlye. She stared at his still shifted hand.

  “Oh my god. You weren’t kidding,” she hissed as she started to shake.

  Quickly changing his hand back, he got to his knees and crawled toward her. Regret exploded through him when he saw her crab-walk backward until she ran into a bench. He reached for her, palm up. “I would never hurt you, sweetie.”

  Slowly, she reached out and took his hand. Relief filled him when she flipped it over several times, examining it. She lifted confused brown eyes to his and whispered, “How is this possible?”

  Niall shrugged. “We’re magical creatures, baby. It is what it is.” He knew it wasn’t much of an answer, but he didn’t really have any way to explain it to her without going into a long history lesson about ancient gods. He threaded his fingers through hers. Niall pulled Carlye into his arms, tucked her head under his chin, and carried her into the cabin of the yacht, affording them a measure of security. He loved the feeling of holding his Adelfi Psychi in his arms and kept her on his lap when he sat on a bench. She spoke so softly, he almost missed her words over the ruckus caused by the still fighting creatures.

  “I’m just a job to you. You don’t have to hold me. Now that you know I’ll help you stop the drilling in this area, you have what you need.”

  “That’s not true, baby,” he murmured, kissing her head. “That’s not the only thing I need.”

  The yacht suddenly rocked wildly, nearly throwing Niall and the woman he held to the floor. He kept one hand wrapped tightly around Carlye’s waist while she clung to him and used the other to brace himself against a wall. A look across the cabin had his eyes widening. “Oh, shit,” he yelled. He dove toward the floor, covering Carlye with his body just as the unmistakable sound of breaking glass reached him. Water poured in from the broken viewing portal in the side of the yacht. One of Drew’s tentacles dragged the now limp keevil away from the yacht, pulling its limb from where it had broken the glass, but the damage was done.