Page 26 of Fionn
He pulled the wetsuit down my legs. It landed on the floor with a squelching sound. Good riddance. I wasn't going to wear one again any time soon. And my next trip to the beach would involve a hammock and a book rather than swimming.
"Now the scanner will be able to do its job," Fionn said, but he didn't leave his position behind me. I was secretly glad. I loved how warm and safe I felt leaning against his chest. I could have easily fallen asleep like this.
For some reason, I trusted him. Not just because he'd saved me from Kelon's clutches. He just felt...right.
He sighed. "I don't want to move."
"I don't want you to either," I whispered.
Slowly, he wrapped his arms around me, hugging me. This wasn't sexual. It wasn't so he could feel my boobs against his arms. It was a simple gesture, one of warmth and protection, and I never wanted it to end. His salty scent reminded me of gentle waves rolling over the beach on a summer's day. I smiled as I imagined myself lying on the sand, fully relaxed, happy and content, safe in the knowledge that Fionn was going to watch over me as I slept.
And with that smile on my lips and his scent on every breath I took, I finally surrendered to sleep.
13
Fionn
Her scan results were all within ordinary parameters, save for too much lactic acid in her blood, something the pod quickly rectified. Elise had a few scratches on her face, probably Kelon's doing. My blood boiled as I watched the pod spray a healing salve on the cuts. I would make sure he regretted what he'd done to her.
She was fast asleep when I lifted her out of the medpod. For a moment, I was tempted to carry her into the cabin I shared with my brothers, but it was small and untidy. Besides, the Tidebound was the first place Kelon would return to. I'd checked with Rainse and Cerban. There had been no sign of him yet. It was strange; he shouldn't have stayed unconscious for very long. He would also have been swimming much faster than I had been, carrying Elise, so where was he?
Rainse had said that the atmosphere among the crew was getting darker. It wasn't safe for her to stay on the ship, at least not while Kelon was in power. After what he had done to her, I was tempted to start a mutiny myself. But why would anyone other than my clutch-brothers follow me? We had nothing to offer them...
Or did we?
I carried Elise through the Tidebound and regrouped with my brothers at the ramp. Wordlessly, they walked either side of me, back to the main Peritan building where a group of her kind had gathered.
"What did you do to her?" Paul shouted, barging his way through the crowd. "Put her down!"
Cerban and Rainse closed the distance between us, guarding my flanks. "I have not done anything to her," I said firmly. "She is simply sleeping, exhausted from swimming. I have had her checked over and am taking her to her own bed so that she may rest more comfortably."
Paul's expression softened. "What happened?"
"Kelon, our leader, thought to take her as his female even though it was not her choice. He will be dealt with. If you see him, will you inform me and my brothers as soon as possible? I will call Pam now to see how we shall best proceed."
"If you don't mind, I would like to sit in on this call." Paul didn't look as if he'd take no for an answer. I looked at him with new eyes. He was tall for a Peritan, with thick arms and the look of someone who could handle himself in a fight. Maybe he had not always been a resort manager - or he had been chosen not just for his hospitality qualifications.
"That is agreeable to us. Lead us to her quarters. I want to get Elise comfortable before we call the agency."
Elise woke when I placed her in her bed, but drifted off again as soon as I'd pulled a silky blanket over her. She was smiling in her sleep. I hoped that she would not be plagued by nightmares of what Kelon had done and threatened her with. I could only guard her in life, not in her dreams - no matter how much I wanted to.
We gathered around a small table in her living room. I left her bedroom door open in case she woke confused or disorientated. This time, Paul didn't flinch when I activated my holoband. Pam answered on the first ring.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" She glared at all four of us. The holo projector was not of the best quality and her image was a little washed out around the edges, but her intense stare was enough to make us all feel like finboys being berated by their teacher.
"I called her earlier," Paul admitted. "The agency had to know."
"Yes, we did," Pam snapped. "I can't believe you lost one of your potential matches. You told me you were trustworthy men who knew how to treat a woman. What happened? Where is Elise? I want to know everything or I swear I will jump on the next plane."
"She is sleeping next door," I reassured her, keeping my voice as calm and confident as possible. "She is fine. Exhausted but fine. I will not wake her, but I can show you a video feed if that reassures you."
"She seems to be alright," Paul confirmed.
Pam's expression didn't become any less stern. "What happened?"
I sighed, not sure how best to explain this without her judging us all for one male's behaviour. "She was out for a dive when Kelon took her. Back when we first learned of your planet, his intention was to fly here and abduct some females. When we found your agency and made our arrangement, I thought that I'd managed to persuade him that his was the better way, the right way. But it seems he never believed in waiting to find his mate. Today, he decided to take Elise for himself."
Pam's voice was icy. "And did she consent to this? Did she willingly go with him?"
