She drew back and smiled down at me gently, but I could see in her eyes that she was completely mad. She believed me to be my father, ignoring what I’d said. She stroked my cheek again with that bony finger and then rose gracefully to her feet. Or no—not quite, because when I glanced down, I saw that her feet weren’t fully formed. Her body went down to her knees and then began to dissolve into writhing snakes again. I watched her in fascination and fear, as she drifted across the cave and stood next to Adan, gazing in at him.
“Have you come to visit your son?” She reached through the iron bars and cupped a hand around his chin. “He’s a beauty, isn’t he? Tearloch, my love, speak to me.”
“I’m not Tearloch. I’m your son, Kailar.”
She went on as if she hadn’t heard me. “I keep him here fathoms deep so his bones will soon be wrapped in coral to keep them warm.” She turned to look at Adan. “It won’t be too much longer, my darling. Then your suffering will be over.” She turned back to me, and it was all I could do not to swim away.
She opened her mouth and began to wail, an eerie, keening sound that made me shudder and put my hands over my ears to shut it out. She continued wailing, with a sound like a banshee—like a siren—might make, over and over, and the sound went piercing through my head.
I shut my eyes tightly and screamed out, “Stop!” Her loud wailing cut off as quickly as it had started, like someone had turned a switch. I opened my eyes and saw her staring at me, her eyes wide open and confused, her long hair twisting around her body like serpents again.
She laughed, all evil sounding and shit. “Kailar! Come and join your brother, Kailar. I beseech you. I beg you.”
“Go. Now.” Adan screamed. This time he did move—starting to swim frantically around his small cage. “Don’t ever come back.”
My mind flew broke free and flew back through the corridors, my mother’s wild laughter following my hasty exit.
I promised myself I would come back. I would rescue Adan. Somehow.
I began to swim toward what I thought was the entrance and soon became hopelessly lost. I closed my eyes and leaned against a granite wall to rest and suddenly I was waking up.
I opened my eyes to find Alyx and Kailar both standing outside of the aquarium, arms crossed, feet spread wide, and a huge fat frown on their faces as they both stared at me. I guess I wasn’t nearly so well hidden as I must have thought.
I swam up to the top and floated there with my head out of the water. Alyx went to the side of the aquarium and slid out a ladder that I hadn’t noticed there before. Made sense not to have to climb on chairs and break your neck when you could use one of those.
“What are you doing, Kailar?” Alyx demanded to know, his tone a bit sharp and haughty for my liking.
“Talking,” I snipped.
Kailar frown disappeared instantly. “Who were you talking to? Did you find Adan? Where is he? Is he safe?”
He looked so upset I almost felt sorry for the Atlantean commander. Almost.
“Not your business—neither of you.” I swam to the ladder, willed my tail to change back into legs and then climbed out of the seductively warm and strengthening water. My mind was made up. I was going after my twin, regardless of whether it meant victory or death for me. Of course, there were a few things I needed to do before embarking on my journey. I needed money to physically make the trip. And access to a boat to take me out to sea—I mean, I could swim, but I felt as if time were of the essence when Beathag started talking about Adan’s body being covered with coral. I wasn’t sure that was actually possible, but it didn’t seem like a thing I should really take a chance with.
And there was one other thing I needed to do—and seeing Alyx standing there with his gorgeous muscles and that pouty mouth of his really reinforced my need.
I sauntered over to them both and let my eyes travel up and down Lord Alyxsander. Then without even a glance over at him, I said, “Keion, get out of my room. Alyx, take off your damn clothes and bend over my bed. I’m going to fuck the shit out of you.”
Chapter Seven
Alyx
I had to fight to keep the smile off my face. He was so beautiful, even dripping wet with his skin covered in chill bumps from the air conditioning. He was haughty and arrogant with his anger too—a true prince and royal to his bones, but he wasn’t even aware of it. I had to hide my smile, or I tried to.
He saw it though and his face flamed red with heat. “Don’t you dare smile at me like you find me ridiculous!”
“I’m not and I don’t,” I said quickly, but he wasn’t having it. He stopped about eight feet away from us and struck a pose that seemed to come naturally to him with one hand on his hip, his head cocked, and one foot slightly out to the side. He looked bad tempered, troublesome and sullen, not to mention beautiful. His incredible eyes were flashing, and his body was as naked as the day he was born. I don’t think he had any idea how sexy he was.
But while I was amused and turned on and still figuring out how to reply. Keion reacted quite differently. He got angry. He took a step toward Kailar with his fist clenched. That was a sign of how upset he was over this situation with Adan, but it still made me fly up in anger. I shoved in front of him and snarled at him.
“What the fuck, Keion? Don’t threaten him. He’ll tell us—just give him a chance.”
I glanced back at Kailar, and he was looking surprised. He had never seen this side of my brother before, nor had he seen his quick anger, especially when it concerned Adan. Guilt was riding Keion hard and making him act like an asshole.
“It’s okay, babe,” I told Kailar. “He’s not going to hurt you.”
Kailar lifted his chin and looked even more lofty and arrogant if that was possible. “Oh, I know he’s not. I’m a grown man now, boys, and not one of those children you once intimidated. I’m not that half-dead creature you found at the Unemployment Office either, Keion. Are you thinking you can beat me in a fair fight? Bring it on. I’ll give you more than you bargained for. And don’t even think about trying your magic on me. I have my defenses back now and my own magic. I won’t hesitate to use it.”