Page 9 of The Sea Witch’s Son (The Villains of Wolf Hollow #1)
Chapter 8
MELODY
Good morning, little saint.
I stare at the message on my bathroom mirror. It’s written in my favourite shade of lipstick, the same shade I wore when I met Marlin Seaborn three days ago.
He’s been at this all week. The knife under my pillow was a cute start to Marlin’s stalking career. His follow-up act was lying an entire outfit on my bed, so I knew exactly what he wanted me to wear to school the next day.
Red panties and a matching bra were included.
When I didn’t rise to the bait, he took it a step further and started rearranging my bedroom one corner at a time. The ornaments decorating the dresser now sit on my nightstand while my closet has been organized so his favourite items hang above everything else.
The black skirt with the bow is always at the front .
I have no idea how he’s getting inside. I’ve walked the property countless times, looking for a hidden entrance that could give him access to my bedroom. So far I’ve found nothing, not even a tree close enough for him to climb in through my window.
“Melody! You’re going to be late for class.”
Erik’s voice drifts up the stairs and I quickly grab a cloth and wipe the mirror clean. My stepfather has enough to worry about without adding Marlin’s antics to the list.
It’s only a twenty-minute walk to campus but it takes closer to thirty by the time I stop checking to make sure no one is following me.
The walking path winds along a narrow road, offering snapshots of the mansions towering behind manicured hedges and gated driveways. I catch a glimpse of sharp peaks and high towers as I walk along the trail, the divide between the wealthy families and the rest of us separated by a dense forest running along the edge of the water.
A crack of thunder is the only warning I get before the sky opens up and rain pours down. I duck my head and quicken my pace, feeling the thin sleeves of my blouse dampen with every step.
By the time I make it to campus, I look like a drowned rat. My hair is glued to my neck and my clothes are plastered against my shivering body. There isn’t a dry spot on me and with every squelch my shoes make, I send another curse up to the sky.
Slipping inside the closest door, I find myself in a new section of the college. Stone walls branch off into a sports performance room and what looks to be a spectator arena. There’s a few meeting rooms lining the foyer, but otherwise the large glass divider serves as an aquarium for the guys lifting weights on the other side.
Gus and a group of bodybuilders take up the back corner of the gym while a few stragglers look miserable on the cardio machines. I keep my head ducked low as I walk past, trying to avoid unnecessary contact with the muscle daddy before class.
The guy is built like a tank. Layers of muscle upon muscle with the skin tone that boasts an interracial lineage.
The sound of approaching laughter has me making a quick detour into the opposite door. A blast of humidity hits me along with the unmistakable tang of chlorine.
I blink, looking over the railing and down at the pool below. Sleek, strong bodies cut through the water, going round in laps while the rest of the men’s swim team stands off to the side, wearing nothing but the tiniest of swimsuits.
“Impressive athletes, aren’t they?”
I snap my head to the left and find a pair of stiletto boots propped up on a nearby bench. Calista looks at me with an unnerving smile, her teeth bright against the dark colour of her lipstick.
“Though I suppose you’re only here for one of them.”
Her eyes flick down my body, taking in the soaked state of my shirt. I shift uncomfortably, feeling her eyes linger on my exposed nipples.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. ”
“Don’t you?” A smirk teases her lips, “Marlin will be so disappointed to hear that.”
“You’re friends with Marlin?”
“Friends is a very specific word. Old acquaintances might be more accurate.”
Her eyes flick back down my chest and I quickly cross my arms. She gives me a coy smile before looking out over the water.
“I knew Marlin back before he became… well, that .”
I follow her gaze and suck in a breath.
Glistening skin ripples as Marlin pulls himself out of the pool. Water divots drip down the landscape of muscle, the striations in his shoulders visible under the beaming lights overhead. The width of his shoulders taper off into a lean waist and legs that flex with just as much muscle.
I mutter a curse when he turns around. The front looks just as good as the back.
Calista sighs, “It’s such a shame about the hair.”
“You don’t like his hair?”
“It’s so pale .” She shudders, casting a glance at me, “The darker, the better is what I always say.”
Her nails scrape the base of my back, toying with the wet strands. I stiffen and quickly step to the side.
“So, you and Marlin never…”
“Fucked?” She licks her lips, those green eyes locked on mine, “We both have different tastes when it comes to the bedroom. He likes to be in control and I… well, I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise, now would I? ”
I blink, unsure how this turned from a friendly conversation into a seduction.
“I’m not into girls.”
“I didn’t ask if you were.”
Calista leans back with a smirk, letting the flaps of her leather jacket fall loose against her chest. My eyes drop down, studying the bare skin beneath her jacket.
A massive tattoo covers the entirety of her torso, the harsh outline of a serpent twisting its way across her body. The snarling teeth sink into the curve of her breast while a viciously sharp tail disappears into the seam of her pants. The piece is dark and shockingly violent, and it takes me a moment to realize what it is.
A dragon.
“Do you want a closer look?” She gives me a teasing grin, “It can be our little secret. Just a little girl bonding time.”
“I’m good, thanks.”
Calista leans forward and runs a sharp fingernail down the blush staining my face.
“I have a collar that would match your skin tone perfectly. Just say the word and I’ll treat you like the good girl you are.”
I don’t know what that means and I don’t want to find out.
“Uh, right.”
Taking another step away, I turn my attention back to the group of swimmers crowding the pool deck. They look like a bunch of human Doritos, all shoulders and narrow waists while the height ranges from guy to guy .
It’s easy to pick out Marlin because the bastard stands a couple of inches over everyone. Even from here, I can see the ink creeping up his forearm, the tattoo sleeve and slicked back hair adding to the dangerous presence he seems to exude.
Good morning, little saint.
The taunting words echo through my mind as I scowl at the walking slab of marble. To think this man was sneaking around my bedroom, ruffling through my lingerie drawers, leaving notes on my bathroom mirror while I was sleeping...
My pussy clenches at the thought of Marlin picking out the red panties from my dresser.
It’s creepy as fuck and I need to remember that.
“Gus is throwing a party tomorrow night. You should come.” Calista flicks a strand of blonde hair over her shoulder, “I’m sure you could find a dark corner to put that swimmer’s body to good use.”
“I’m not interested in Marlin.”
“Are you sure? Because you seem to be having a hard time looking away from that speedo of his.” She clicks her tongue, “I’ve heard he’s got excellent stamina. Can hold his breath for a really long time.”
“I’m sure the boys love that.”
Calista throws her head back and laughs. The cackle sounds around the open dome, bouncing off the walls and down to the pool deck below. Eight pairs of eyes look in our direction and my stomach drops.
“I better get to class. ”
Hurrying to readjust my backpack, I give Calista a nod and head back the way I came. She calls something over my shoulder, but I’m too busy running out the door to ask for clarity.
I hurry past the sports performance room, desperate to escape the teasing smirk staining my mind. Even when he’s wearing a fucking banana hammock, Marlin still manages to slip into my conscience.
It’s painful and intoxicating and I need to find a way out.
I round the corner and go crashing into a hard body. Panic immediately sets in, and I jerk away, expecting to see those haunting eyes staring back at me.
“Couldn’t find a flowerbed to hide in?” Finley gives me a cheeky grin and my shoulders slump in relief.
“Thank God. I thought you were-
“Marlin? Yes, I believe we’ve already gotten that out of the way.”
My cheeks flush, “I didn’t mean to insult you the other day. I didn’t know what he looked like and then suddenly you were there and I just assumed...”
He holds up a hand, “I’m the one who owes you an apology. My response that day was rude and rash, and I would love for a re-do.”
“A re-do?”
“A re-introduction, to ensure my name is not one you associate with negative emotions.” He clears his throat dramatically, “My name is Finley Reef, although I do get mistaken for Marlin Seaborn on many occasions. We have neither the same hair colour nor the same eye colour, but I choose not to question a pretty girl’s rationale on the matter.”
I bite back a smile, “A pleasure to meet you, Finley Reef. I would apologize on the girl’s behalf, but I’m afraid the confusion was a necessary learning curve.”
He shakes his head solemnly, “Learning curves are the curse of evolution. I would much rather live in the past and relish in my ignorance.”
“The future has always been more appealing to me.”
“We will have to agree to disagree then.” Finley smiles, flashing his dimple.
An unexpected laugh escapes me, the easy presence of his company lifting some of the weight off my shoulders.
It’s concerning, this lightness I feel around Finley. He almost has me believing the dimpled smile is genuine.
Maybe even a little bit trusting.
“I really need to get to class.” Shuffling my feet, I glance over my shoulder, “Florian will probably call me out for being late again.”
“Let me walk you there. I can scare away any voodoo men creeping in the shadows.”
I smile, “You caught me on a bad day. Normally, I can take care of myself.”
“I have no doubt about that.” Finley pauses, flicking his eyes over my damp hair, “Let me at least walk you to the main foyer. These narrow hallways can get confusing if you don’t know the way. ”
“I’m good, thanks though.”
Something close to disappointment flickers through his eyes before an easy smile takes its place.
“In that case, I look forward to being stuck in another corridor with you soon.”
“The feeling is mutual, Finley Reef.”
He gives me one last smile before continuing on his way. I watch him leave for the second time this week, feeling my chest expand with the hope of a brighter future.
Maybe not everyone in Wolf Hollow is so bad.
A shiver hits me unexpectedly. I tug at the material pressed tight against my skin, the dry clothes stiff and unforgiving of my walk in the rain.
The glass doors of the performance room gleam under the florescent lights, its spotless surface offering a reflection of the corridor behind me. I watch the figure slink back into the shadows, his face completely distorted except for the colour of his eyes.
Violet.