Page 13 of Fionn (Starlight Mermen #1 | Starlight Alien Mail Order Brides #7)

Elise

I was treading water, but the waves were growing higher and higher. My eyes stung with saltwater, my mouth was dry, my throat sore. I ached everywhere.

Kelon had ripped off my mask and regulator when I'd told him that I wasn't going to be his wife. It had been swept away.

But now he was gone and I was alone. I couldn't see the island. Nothing but churning waves under a cloudless, searing sky. I had no compass, no way of knowing where I was. Even if the sun wasn't right above me so I could use it as a guide, I didn't know in which direction Kelon had dragged me.

He hadn't said much. He hadn't explained how he'd swam so fast or why he had green paint smeared all over his body. All he'd kept repeating was that I belonged to him. He'd not listened to me.

I was going to have a long, deep talk to the dating agency for allowing someone like him to be part of the process. He wasn't safe to be around women. His views were more than just antiquated. He wanted a woman as his possession, not as his partner and companion. Fuck him.

I took a deep breath and let myself sink underneath the surface again to search for him again.

Nothing. One second he'd been threatening to take me against my will, the next he was gone, pulled under by an unseen force.

I almost hoped it was a shark. But no, that wasn't me.

I never wished bad things on anyone. Not even Kelon.

But he had been gone for at least five minutes now. He wasn't wearing a breathing apparatus - but he had survived our swim earlier, and not just survived, he had set a new speed record underwater. I didn't know how he'd done it. I was desperate to know, but first I had to get back onto land.

I resurfaced, my eyes burning. I wished he hadn't taken away my mask.

I surveyed the water around me once more, searching for a glimpse of land.

No luck. But there was the log that I'd seen from underneath, bobbing on the waves.

Adrenaline was starting to give way to exhaustion.

I wouldn't be able to swim forever. I shot one last glance into the darkness beneath my feet and swam towards the log.

I almost didn't hear the voice among the sound of the waves.

"And where do you think you're going?"

I swirled around to find myself face to face with another man. I knew that velvety voice, although it was grave now, not as light as during dinner. Fionn.

"Yes, that's me."

I hadn't even realised I'd said his name aloud.

So this was what he looked like. Long dark hair that shimmered green, but that had to be a trick of the light.

Everything about him was angular, chiselled, from the square jaw to the almost triangular eyebrows above dark green eyes.

Just like Kelon's, his face had been painted shades of green and turquoise.

Maybe it was a cultural thing? Or had they been taking part in a body paint activity before going swimming?

He reached out an arm, but I shrank back instinctively. His gaze clouded over for a second, then he nodded to himself and withdrew a little.

"I apologise. I didn't want to startle you. How are you faring? Do you need something to hold on to?"

I nodded towards the log which was only a few metres away now. "I'm headed to that log. You can join me, if you wish."

"That is very gracious of you." He smiled. Everything instantly seemed brighter.

I forced myself to look away from him as I swam to the log. It was larger than it had seemed from afar, big enough for several people to hold on to. I grabbed it tight, pushing it against my chest until it was taking some of my weight.

"Ouch!"

A sharp pain shot through my hand.

Fionn was by my side in an instant.

"What is it?" His voice was a strange mix of worry and suppressed anger.

"I think I cut myself on some barnacles. Nothing bad."

"Show me," he growled.

I held out my hand. Water mixed with blood pooled on my palm.

He hissed as if it was him in pain. "I am sorry."

"It's not your fau-"

A wave hit me and I swallowed saltwater. When I'd stopped coughing, I asked him, "Do you know where we are? And how far it is back to the island?"

"Yes, I know, but I am unsure how the distance converts into your units of measurement. Not that it matters. It is too far for you to swim."

Raw indignation rose in me. I hated being underestimated.

"I swim for a living," I snapped. "I can cover any distance you can."

Fionn smiled gently. "I watched you last night. You swim very well indeed, but Kelon brought you far away from the island. You would have to swim all day and even then, it would take a favourable current. You look exhausted already. Your hand is hurt. I would rather you let me carry you."

"Carry me? I doubt that would be much faster." I almost added something along the lines of 'or are you a professional athlete, too'. I didn't like to boast. Only if people underestimated me. Then I was all too happy to show them my medals and titles.

"My species is adapted to life underwater," he began, but I interrupted him.

"Wait a second. My species? What the bloody hell are you on about? You're human, just like me."

He grinned. "Trust me. I'm not."

And then he lifted his hair, exposing his neck. On either side of his throat were gashes in his green skin, moving organically like... gills.

"Kelon had those but I thought..." I didn't know how to continue my sentence without sounding ridiculous.

"It's not just that. Here, feel my greenskin."

"Feel your green... skin?"

"Greenskin. One word. It measures the current, makes us more streamlined, aids in navigation. It picks up the smallest movements in the water, which aided our hunting ancestors."

He touched the algae hanging from his left arm, then invited me to do the same.

"No, no, no. Backtrack a little. Species?!"

Fionn shrugged. "I don't know how best to tell you. The dating agency did not give us instructions on how to have this conversation. Maybe they didn't think it would happen so quickly. And it wouldn't have been necessary if Kelon hadn't-"

"Kidnapped me? Yes. Where is he anyway?"

"Unconscious somewhere in the ocean." His voice was bereft of emotion.

"Unconscious?" I shrieked. "But he'll drown! Or he has already drowned!"

"No. Finfolk can't drown. At least not in saltwater."

I stared at him as if he'd gone completely crazy. Or maybe it was me. I may have been hallucinating the whole thing.

"Elise..." I loved hearing him say my name. "Elise, we are aliens. From another planet."

Crack. That was my sanity breaking into pieces. I laughed hysterically.

Fionn didn't seem to know what to do. "We really are. We've come here in a spaceship because we're searching for females and-"

I couldn't stop laughing. He'd just described every alien romance novel ever.

This couldn't be real. Maybe I was unconscious, having bumped my head on the way into the cave. This could all be a dream.

"I'd quite like to wake up now," I said just before a huge wave hit me from behind.

I was pushed against the log, my head underwater.

I squeezed my eyes and lips shut, hoping it would be over quickly.

But just when cool air hit my face and I breathed in deeply, another wave crashed over me.

The log was ripped from my grasp. I was flailing, up turning into down, and I lost all track of where the surface was.

I reached out blindly, hoping to find the log again - and a warm hand clasped mine, pulling me to the right.

Which turned out to be up.

I broke through the water's surface, gasping and coughing. Strong hands gripped my hips and pushed me up, above the waves, so I could breathe. I sucked in a few shallow breaths, then looked down at my saviour. Fionn smiled up at me.

His skin glistened in the sun like mother of pearl. The long stretches of algae - what he'd called greenskin - fluttered in the breeze as he held me aloft. He treaded water easily even as he had me lifted in front of him.

"Thank you," I rasped. I really needed some fresh water to drink.

"May you let me carry you back to the island now? We can talk on the way. You will have questions."

I stared into his emerald eyes. "You really are an alien?"

"Yes. I am. To you. To me, you are the alien." He smirked. "It's all a matter of perspective."

My head was swirling and it was only partly due to exhaustion.

"Tell me this is real," I asked. "Or better still, tell me that it isn't real and that I'm lying in a coma in a hospital bed. This is too crazy to just accept."

Fionn smiled gently. "Would it help to speak to other Peritans? All the staff on the island know about our true identity. Many of them have had dealings with other alien species in the past."

"Peritans?"

"Ah, that's what we call your species. It's the intergalactic term, even though you seem to have a different word for it."

"Yes. Humans. We're humans."

He grinned. "I will use that term from now on, if it pleases you. Now, can I get you back to the island? I'd rather get there before Kelon wakes up."

His expression clouded over for a moment.

"What is he going to do?"

Fionn's smile disappeared. "Nothing good, I fear."