Page 20 of Kissing the Kelpie

“Finn! I’m doing as you asked, now hold up your end!”

I don’t swipe the tears falling from my eyes. I allow the little salty drops to roll down my cheeks and onto him. He pulls in one more long, deep breath, giving me hope, before returning to the almost lifeless shallow ones.

“If you die, it will hurt me. Do you hear me? It will devastate me.” I stroke his cheek with my thumb. “You don’t get to cheat me out of the thirty years you promised! I can’t do this without you. I don’t know what to expect. I can’t raise a kelpie on my own.” His eyes close. “Damn you, Finn! Don’t. Leave. Me!” With desperation, I shake him as he continues to drift away.

Chapter 14

“Masha,” Em’s eyes fall on the very still, barely breathing Finn.

“Are you happy?” I ask, running my hand over Finn’s brittle hair. “Is this what you wanted? To bring him to the brink of death?”

Em, back to his normal size, shakes his head, looking sad. “I’m sorry, Masha, but I had to neutralize the threat.”

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” He still doesn’t get that at the moment, he is a bigger threat to me and my unborn child than Finn ever was or will be.

“I’m sorry I didn’t catch him sooner, before . . .” Em looks away, and I wonder if he knows a part of Finn grows inside me at this very moment. He swallows hard, and when he speaks again, he does so with firmness and conviction. “He can’t be trusted, he’s a demon.”

“People say the same about you, but I know better. At least, I thought I did. Now I’m not so sure.” I mutter the last part.

The haunted look on Em’s face is worse than if I slapped him with an iron two-by-four. Who knew words could hurt the big oaf more than punches ever could?

“I know you think you feel something for him, but he possessed you, placed a spell on you that kept you from being honest—”

I shake my head. “No, he didn’t. Hurt, fear, and guilt kept me from being honest with you. I sought you out. I wanted to tell you. I had misgivings. I knew something was off. I suspected there was something supernatural or magical about him, but the way you came at me...” All the anger that lies just under the surface of my emotions bubbles up. “You treated me like I committed treason.” I shake my head. This can wait; Finn can’t. “Emerald Hickory. You can see I’m wearing the chain that controls the kelpie, can you not?”

He nods.

“Save him.”

Em wears a pained look. “I’m sorry, Masha.”

“I’m not giving you a choice. Save him!” The way his green eyes flash, I’m sure he suspects if he doesn’t at least attempt to help Finn, I’ll do something drastic with the vial of blood my grandmother left me. Maybe even create a leshy to destroy him, the way my brother intended to.

“How do you expect me to save him?”

I narrow my angry eyes at him. “You knew throwing him in the spring would transform him.” Wait a minute—his mane was dry. And now, his hair feels like it may break off like a piece of a potato chip. But before, his hair was always wet or, at the very least, damp. It feels like he hasn’t touched water in years. “That’s it, the spring! He needs water!”

Em bends and reaches his arms under Finn. He scoops the almost lifeless man off the ground with ease and mutters in Russian under his breath.

I look over every inch of Finn. If Em hurts him . . . Eww. What’s wrong with Finn’s feet? This is the first time I noticed them. They’re not feet at all. They’re hooves. How did I miss that? I guess my eyes never trailed below his waist.

Thankful that my guardian is doing as I wish, I reach out and touch his arm. Em stills and waits for me to speak.

“Thank you.” I hope he understands that I truly mean it.

*

Em submerges Finn in the spring. I watch his body transform once again, this time intrigued by the process. His legs come together, fusing into a large whale-like tail. His top half looks like the white horse I’ve grown accustomed to, with the exception of his hands—make that hooves. Instead, he has webbed appendages.

Unlike the first time I saw his true form, I stand enthralled, admiring his beauty. Sunlight breaks through the water and highlights his iridescent tail. Colors I’ve never seen before jump out and shine.

Finn’s mouth opens, showing off sharp, shark-like teeth before he sinks to the bottom of the spring. I lean forward, wanting to jump in and help him, but Em’s strong arm stops me.

“What’s happening?”

He shakes his head, “I’m not sure, but the best thing to do is let him be and wait.”

I don’t like it, but he has a point. Jumping in might upset or hurt him. “Okay,” I agree. “I’ll wait.” I sit on the ground, watching and waiting for something to happen.

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