Page 45 of The Chosen One, My Ass

My sweet, loving Ludo.

I promise I’ll have my revenge.

I cannot force my eyes away from her. I think I am crying but my cheeks are already wet from the sea so I can’t feel the tears. Her melody mesmerizes me, so much so that she’s almost finished with her song before I realize she’s singing about me.

Shit.

That can’t be good.

When Beatrice opens her eyes, they are no longer only bright blue; they are glowing. With her voice still in song mode, she looks right at me and asks, “Are you going to join us, Miranda? I’m sure your friends wouldn’t mind if I woke them up to welcome you.”

Before I know what I’m doing, my legs push through the water, bringing me toward the siren. Mazu is going to be so disappointed in me.

“Hello, Beatrice. I am glad you brought that up because why are my friends asleep anyway?” If I’m walking to her, I may as well talk.

She laughs, but the sound that reverberates through the water is not the girlish giggle of Mazu. Beatrice’s is deep and haughty. A Woman’s laugh. And yes, that capital W is on purpose. “Oh, Miranda. I am sure if you stopped and thought about it, you’d know the answer to your own question. What else do you think I could promise two toddler parents that they would want more than anything else?”

I think on this for a moment, all the while my feet swim me closer. “Oh. I hate to admit it, but that’s actually smart.”

She looks surprised by the compliment. “Thank you, dear! So kind of you to notice.”

I nod, “Of course. And Joanna? What did you promise her?”

She smiles a wide, deep, red-lipped smile and runs her tongue along the bottom edge of her top teeth seductively. “Since you so kindly complimented me, I’ll tell you. I didn’t promise her anything. I just told her I had you, and she came running. Once a Guardian always a Guardian I suppose.”

I look around to see if Mazu has yet. I could really use her help here.

Beatrice rolls her eyes. “My sister will be back soon. She’s just collecting my last surprise for you. One more who loves you.”

I swallow hard. It has to be someone from my family then, but who? Jessie knows about me now, but she should be taking care of Tabitha. This bitch wouldn’t call to one of my kids, would she?

Again, Beatrice rolls her eyes. “No, Guardian. I wouldn’t entice your children. What kind of monster do you think I am?”

Damn my loud thoughts.

Okay, not one of my kids. I know Jake wouldn’t put himself in this kind of position. Not after last time.

It has to be George with more information. He learned something I need to know, and my phone doesn’t work under the sea, so he had to bring me the information himself. Which means he knows what he’s getting himself into. And as a bonus, because he trains, once I wake him up, he’ll be an asset to the team. But he’s not here yet, so I need to stay in this moment and not jump ahead.

I look at the cage. Maybe I can get my friends out of here and not have to worry about what George has to say.

“You are trying to figure out how to break them out.” There is no question there. I need to stop thinking so loudly. Shit.

“Not at all. I was trying to remember when I last had a tetanus shot. Do you think you could have found a rustier cage, Beatrice?”

She throws her head back, and I watch her throat bob with the laughter. Why do I want to kiss it? Why do I want to kissher? I’m not supposed to be affected by this shit, but I want her so badly. The desire to hold her sickens me. But I can’t help it.

Her head returns to its normal position, and she locks those blue eyes on me. Eyes that emit sparks of starlight as I stare at them. Those sparks ignite a fire deep inside me that I need to clamp my legs shut to keep under control. I want to run to her, wrap my arms around her lithe waist, and bury my face in that wild, dark red hair floating around her like the petals of a ranunculus.

I shake myself out of this trance. I’m The Guardian, goddamnit. I need to be better than this. Being only ten feet from the cage now, I resume looking for a weakness or latch from where I float while I inquire, “So, Beatrice. I was listening to your song before. Am I correct to guess that I killed your lover?”

She’s not smiling now. Her jaw is set, eyes narrow, brow furrowed with a deep line running up her forehead. “Yes. Ludo. You killed Ludo.”

I stop thinking of the cage and instead think back to who and what I’ve killed. “I’m afraid I don’t make a habit of asking for names before I get in a fight. I’ve never killed a mermaid or merman though. Are you sure I killed him? Is it even really me you’re mad at?”

Her eyes are colder now, shooting blue fire in my direction. “Oh, I am sure, Guardian.” The last word is dripping with vitriol. “And he was not a merman. Mermen are so common, so boring. I am better than that. I needed someone strong. Someone rare.”

My toes touch the bedrock, and I begin to pace in front of the cage as if I wasn’t wading through water at the bottom of the sea. I’m only three feet away now. “Was he a troll by any chance?”

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