Page 4 of Seduced By the Mermen
“That’s Stele’s dome?” Marlee asks before I can get it out.
“Yes, it’s so utilitarian it’s barely architecture.” Annabelle laughs.
“Oh, I don’t know about that. It’s got a lot more character and detail than that.” I crane my neck to see around the back. There’s some sort of structure with beams and arches behind it. I kind of like it.
“They’ve got a multi-level reef garden that spirals around the back of the dome. It’s rather pretty,” Eros says. “I’m sure Governor Mason would give you a tour.”
There’s a smack behind me.
“Blair’s not dumb,” Eros says, “and you don’t have to hit me, Golden Prince.”
Annabelle turns and glares. I know that glare. It’s a not-in-front-of-company glare.
And it makes me smile. Because I’ve seen that look on some of my friends’ faces. But never on my own. I would never have given my ex that face. It wouldn’t have ended well for me if I had.
But I’m thinking Eros is giving me a little more credit than he should. Because I... well, I guess Forrest did say they wereinterested in courting me. Courting. There’s a weird tightening in my chest. Nerves, I suppose.
I’m looking at Annabelle when something large rushes by, catching my peripheral vision. “What was that?” I’m back to watching the domes whiz by.
“That’s Mickey. He’s come out to greet us and escort us home. Though he won’t come through the airlock with us. We’re almost to Glyden.”
“Mickey?” I lean closer to the window, and it’s completely blocked by gray skin. I lurch backward with a start. “Is Mickey a shark?” The words squeak out of me. I’m pushing up against Annabelle until every part of me is touching her. It’s not logical, but I’m of an age where I saw Jaws, and way too young. Because no one cared when two eight-year-old girls watched Jaws in my best friend’s grandparents’ basement. We were being quiet, and quiet was more important than our nightmares.
“He is, but he’s trained. He’s actually a big love bug.” Annabelle holds my hand.
Holter turns from the driver’s seat. “Belle taught Mickey to fetch. It’s impressive.”
“He’s a good tracker too,” Eros adds.
“The best.” Annabelle grips my hand. “I was afraid too. And there’s plenty to be afraid of here. But Mickey won’t hurt you.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it.” I ease over.
For the next ten minutes, the window frames the side of the great white’s gills. I focus on the things inside the omada a lot more instead of what’s going on in the water outside. Mostly it’s how much the four males in the vehicle are checking in with Annabelle. I’m sure she doesn’t even notice it. It’s a glance. A touch of her shoulder as they talk about normal things—dinner, plans, shopping lists, and things they want to show us. It’s so normal, I’m absorbed in the bubble of their care. I almost don’t notice the fin of our escort brushing against the window.
“We’re here.” Annabelle sits up tall and leans back, pointing out of Marlee’s window. “This is Glyden. Isn’t it beautiful?” Annabelle bounces next to me.
The dome we’re about to pull into glistens with burnished gold. There’s a dome next to the building, like the one next to the docking building we just came from. The shark—Mickey—peels off and swims away. My anxiety eases as he does. There’s another airlock. I’m ready to cover my ears again from the noise.
“The Glyden airlock is newer,” Castor says behind me. It whirls and whooshes, but not as loudly as the last one back at the port. “We’re one people, but each dome has its own priorities.”
“Sounds a lot like back home,” I say.
“We’re like humans in some ways. Better sometimes, worse others times. But I think you’ll like it here,” Holter says as he exits the airlock. We’re back to being like a boat, and the dome we just entered is like a giant dock or parking lot. “Do you want to take your family through the main entrance or the back way, Belle?”
“The back way. It’s faster, and we’re less likely to run into people who want... well, to stare. Or more. I’m sorry; I don’t want to scare you both.” Annabelle turns to Marlee and then to me. “But people are going to be interested in you, in everything that’s happened. It’s gotten out that both of you have the same gene I do. You’re going to be very... popular.”
I lean ever so slightly forward to look at Marlee. We talked about this a lot on board the Centauri. Whether she wanted to try to leave the Veiled City as soon as possible. While both commanders kept us safe on the subs, it was obvious that she’s fresh meat. Which still has me laughing inwardly. Not for Marlee. My daughter is as beautiful as her cousin. They are vastly different, but both are lovely. I might have been, back in the day. But five thousand years ago, when I was their age, I had no clue. The amount of self-confidence I had could have beenheld in my grandmother’s thimble. It’s how I ended up with the ex after all. And now, now... Now it’s hard to think of myself as popular with men. It makes me want to giggle. And Marlee’s done everything in her power to not be popular with men. She’s tried her best to do everything she can to not end up like me. Maybe that should hurt, but I understand her wanting more from life. A better life.
I reach across Annabelle’s lap and take Marlee’s hand. Annabelle adds her own on top of mine.
“I’m good, Mom. You don’t need to worry about me anymore.” Marlee squeezes my hand. “We’re safe here, Mom. We’re free.”
Free. That’s something that’s going to take a while for me to grasp. Free.
Chapter 3
Alexei
