Page 50 of The Mating Fire
“So? It’s a rock.”
“It’s not a mere rock, Jared.” She drew in a breath. “It’s the skeleton of thousands of living, breathing organisms that supported other living, breathing organisms.”
He stared. “Harper, this isn’t the ocean. It’s dead.”
“But it once was not! I can’t smash a coral rock to pieces! It goes against everything I stand for.”
Jared looked at the rock, and then back at her. He sat on the ground. “Son of a demon spawn, are you serious?”
At her nod, he buried his head in his hands. His shoulders shook. Was he crying? No… as he looked up, Jared laughed.
He was laughing.
Harper folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t see what’s so funny.”
“You. Wanting to protect a damn rock when there are demons out there who would get their rocks off at a chance to obliterate you.”
Harper glared at him. “It’s not funny. Coral is actually not a rock, but an animal. Coral is made up of polyps, thousands of tiny animals that uses calcium carbonate in the ocean to build its skeleton. Each polyp is soft, but has stinging tentacles in its mouth.”
Something flickered in his dark, intense gaze. Not the disdain of other men who found her ramblings boring. No, something deeper.
Respect.
“Stinging tentacles in its mouth.” Jared’s mouth twisted into a rueful smile. “Good defense. “
Tension left her body. “Yes, it is. Many species of fish depend upon coral reefs for survival off the Florida coast. They hide there as well as forage for food.”
“Like that movie,Finding Nemo.”
“Not exactly. Clownfish like Nemo don’t live in the Atlantic, but in coral reefs, mainly in the Pacific, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. They have a symbiotic relationship with the sea anemones hosting them. The anemones sting larger fish that would prey on the clownfish like Nemo.”
Seeing his bewildered look, she added, “It’s a great defense.”
He rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. “Nemo never had to face dozens of tenth level fire demons who could inflict brutal pain before devouring you.”
“Fire demons?” All thoughts of science, marine biology and logic fled.
“Fire demons. They aren’t the worst, either. It’s the lower-level demons who can sneak up on you and slaughter you before you even sense them. Equally dangerous. Hells bells, I’m an incubus and not even a tenth level demon and I have enough magick to kill you right now because you can’t control your powers!”
“But you can destroy these demons. Correct?”
“You can destroy them yourself if you’d stop wanting to conserve rocks.” Jared glared at her. “Stop wasting time and start practicing. I’m not your damn guardian or your white knight who’s going to protect you, damnit.”
She considered, hating this, hating him for a moment, hating everything that happened to her and the heavy responsibility on her shoulders. Life was much simpler, and happier, when she was alone in the science lab studying geology.
“If you’re so mighty, then you destroy it, Jared.”
The words barely left her mouth when his eyes glowed crimson, his face became menacing. Heart racing, Harper took several steps backward. This was a part of Jared she’d never seen.
Terrifying.
Releasing a loud snarl, he whirled, flung out a bolt of energy at a nearby boulder. It smashed into several tiny pieces, fragments barely bigger than a penny.
Her stomach curdled. Harper swallowed hard. “Guess you do have the power. So why didn’t you destroy the coral?”
Shoulders slumped, he ran a hand through his dark hair. “Because you wanted to save it.”
Touched at his thoughtfulness, she smiled. “Thank you.”
