Breathless: A Little Mermaid Retelling Page 4

  Adrian decided he couldn’t let that happen. He’d protect her from his father’s wrath. Adrian swam after the girl, keeping himself submerged underwater so she wouldn’t see. He wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he figured at least his presence would be enough to ensure her safety during his father’s tantrum.

  Adrian became enchanted by the sight of the girl’s lips, her soft eyelids, and her excited expression as she soared over him like an angel. They moved as one, him beneath the waves and her above them, and for a moment, Adrian felt a strong connection pass between them that went deeper than anything he’d ever experienced.

  Then Adrian made a major mistake. He got too close, and his tail poked out of the water. He turned over, and his face caught the girl’s again. She looked down, and her expression widened in shock. With that vital moment, she tumbled into the sea.

  Adrian panicked. He watched as the girl was tossed around underwater like a doll, helpless against the sea’s power. He knew he had a decision to make.

  If he saved her, the secret of the mermaids would be discovered.

  And if he didn’t… she’d surely drown.

  Adrian wasn’t going to let that happen, not for any secret. So he dove in after the girl even as Moona was screaming at him to be careful.

  He had trouble maneuvering around the waves— his father must be enraged. But he was the son of Poseidon, and he had some power, too. Adrian commanded the waves to calm around him, his magic fighting his father’s. The seas obeyed him, quieting so there was a soft patch of calm amongst the raging ocean.

  The girl’s body stopped spinning in the water, but she’d gone limp. She had passed out.

  He had to get her onto land and get some air into her lungs, fast. It was her only chance. Adrian wrapped his arms around the girl. He was surprised at how light and perfect she felt against his chest, two lost pieces fitting together. It was like her body was made for Adrian… or maybe, Adrian for her.

  It was easy for him to carry her through the water… the easiest thing he ever did. His magic ensured the water stayed calm around him as he lifted the girl high so that her head was bobbing out of the water. He headed to a secret place… his cove.

  There was a small beach tucked away from the others near a cove that had long been forgotten. Adrian had claimed it long ago, and used it whenever he got the chance to come on land.

  Adrian always got excited when he went on shore, but his excitement was currently quashed by worry. He placed the girl on the beach and scooted onto the beach.

  “Come on, girl,” Adrian muttered when her chest didn’t move. He began pumping her heart, doing thirty reps before breathing deeply into her mouth, filling her lungs with needed air.

  She didn’t move. Adrian continued, begging her now.

  “Please, please wake up,” Adrian pleaded, like his own life depended on it. “Don’t leave me now.”

  He wasn’t so sure why he’d grown so attached to this person he didn’t even know. All he was sure of was, if he lost her now, he was pretty sure he’d lose himself, too.

  Finally, on the third try, water sputtered up from her mouth. The girl coughed, spitting up what was in her lungs before she passed out again.

  “Ohhhh, Adrian.” Moona was swimming back and forth anxiously along the shore. “This is bad. This is very bad.”

  “She’s breathing,” Adrian whispered. He was enchanted by her. “Isn’t it a miracle?”

  “Just leave her there,” Moona said. “She’ll be all right.”

  Adrian wasn’t so sure. “I’ve got to make sure she’s okay.”

  “Her friends will find her. They’re looking for her,” Moona insisted.

  That wasn’t good enough. His tail flopped in the sand. He wanted to be the one to save her, not her friends. He didn’t want to leave her side, not when she was like this.

  “Wait for me back at the palace, Moona,” he told her. “I’ll be there soon.”

  “What am I supposed to tell your father?” she hissed. “That is, if he doesn’t chop me up for fish food first!”

  “You’ll make something up.” Adrian pulled himself farther onto the beach, and Moona let out an unhappy sound. She dove back into the sea and swam away, listening to what Adrian had said.

  When Adrian was on his back, lying beside her, he closed his eyes and willed his powers to work. Slowly, his tail split and knit itself into two legs. Adrian stood shakily, and stumbled a few times trying to catch his balance. One thing about being on shore— he wasn’t good at walking. He was sure he looked like a drunken idiot. The magic wouldn’t work for very long. In less than two hours, the pain would be unbearable, and he’d lose the ability to breathe out of water. He’d have to return to the sea eventually.

  But two hours would be enough to get the girl to safety.

  Adrian headed into the cove to get some jeans he had hid in a crag behind a large rock. He put them on, then headed back to the beach. Dawn was starting to rise now. Adrian knelt in the sand, to take the girl in his arms and carry her to safety.

  But as Adrian stooped downward, something happened that he didn’t expect.

  The girl’s eyes opened… and they latched onto Adrian’s for the second time.

  There was no going back now. The strong connection that formed in that moment, Adrian knew, was permanent.

  He’d found his queen. But she was the one person that Adrian could never, ever have.

  Chapter Six

  Isamaria

  There was a boy with a glowing halo above her.

  He was beautiful. He had dark black hair cropped short around his head, which was glistening wet with droplets from the sea. His skin was pale, like the foam that rose over the waves, and he had blue eyes that reflected the water.

  Isamaria thought he was the most gorgeous person she’d ever seen. It didn't help that he was half naked. God, those abs. They looked like they'd been chiseled by the heavens.

  “Hey,” he said softly, and the sound of his voice was like the wave she’d rode— gentle, yet powerful at the same time. “You're awake. I was worried you wouldn't make it.”

  Her head was pounding. Just how much salt water had she swallowed? “I…”

  “Easy,” he said as she tried to get up, and then fell backwards. He caught her before her back hit the sand. “You took a bad tumble through the water. If I hadn't saved you—"

  “Saved me?” The words came out slurred through her lips. This was impossible. No one, and Isa knew, no one, could swim through the storm that had nearly drowned her. An Olympic athlete would’ve been swallowed up like they were a guppy. She didn't care how good a swimmer… or how muscular… this guy was, there was no way he was the one who'd rescued her.

  But yet Isamaria knew… she had to have been rescued. There was no way she’d just washed up on the beach. Not with the way those waves were. She should be floating in the middle of the ocean, and yet, here she was, safe on land.

  The guy grimaced, like he’d said too much. “Never mind. We need to get you to a hospital.”

  “I’m…” Isa’s weak protests were muted when she felt a harsh wave of nausea press in on her, and her stomach rolled. She'd never taken this bad of a fall before. Her entire body was numb. Something could be broken and she wouldn't even know it.

  Isamaria could feel the waves slowly wash over her as they swelled in and out. As the breeze passed her by, she caught the scent of her savior. Salt water and sunlight, a bit of pineapple. Though her lungs were filled with saltwater before, they were working fine now. She took a deep inhale and reveled in the guy’s sweet scent. It was just perfect. Talk about an aphrodisiac. Smelling him made Isa go crazy for him, though she was half out of it and didn't even know his name.

  “Can you stand?” he asked. Isamaria tried getting up again, but her head lolled and he said, “Not a good idea. I'll just carry you.”

  He kneeled down and slipped an arm each beneath her knees and shoulders. The man rose in one fluid movement. Isa felt like she
weighed no more than air as her body drifted through the air, supported by strong arms.

  “What's your name?” she mumbled before she bubbled out of consciousness again.

  The stranger paused for a moment before he said, “Adrian.”

  Isa passed out then, just as Adrian was carrying her up the beach and away from the water.

  She woke up to the sound of machines beeping a short time later. There was an IV in her arm, and her stomach felt worse than ever. There were large bruises she hadn't noticed before covering her arms, and it hurt to move. The numbness wasn't there anymore, that was for sure. That wave really kicked my ass.

  Adrian was sitting in a chair across from her on the right side of the bed. He gave her a reassuring smile, and she felt her insides wiggle

  Not a great way to kick off a first date with a cute guy. Wait, what?

  “Good news, you're going to be fine,” Adrian said, like Isa cared. “They pumped out the rest of the salt water. You’re dehydrated, but mostly okay. You should be able to go home soon.”

  She coughed. “That's good, I guess. I hate to ask you, but do you mind giving me a ride home?” Isa didn't know why she trusted this random stranger, but she did naturally.

  “I don't have a car. I just carried you here.”

  “You carried me all the way from the beach to here?” What did this guy lift when he was working out, buildings? Who could be that strong?

  “It wasn't that far. Besides, I don’t need a car.”

  “Who doesn't need a car in Coral Bay?” she wondered aloud. It was a small town, and everything was far apart.

  “I get around a different way.” He smiled again.

  Isamaria was struck by a sudden thought. “My longboard. I left it at the beach.” Shit. She ran a hand through her hair, certain it was gone now. Her surfboard was demolished too, all in one night.

  “I've got it, along with your stuff.” Adrian held it up, and nudged her backpack with his foot. “I went back and fetched it before you woke up.”

  Relief ran through her. Apparently, Adrian ran marathons, too. “Seriously, thank you. Do you go to Florida State?”

  “No. I'm not a college student.” He laughed, as if the idea was funny.

  “Live around here?” she pressed, hoping it was a yes.

  “Eh…” he rubbed the back of his neck, “not really.”

  So not a local, then… but definitely not a snowbird. Maybe he was from a different part of Florida.

  “What were you doing out on the beach? I thought me and my friends were the only ones out there,” she said.

  “Just visiting. I was swimming.”

  Swimming, last night? In that mess? He was crazier than she was.

  She liked it.

  Isa was so caught up in Adrian’s eyes she hadn't noticed that he’d gone quiet. His skin had changed color, taking on a slight grey tinge. Adrian almost looked… sick. “Are you okay?” she asked, realizing she was concerned for him and actually not bothered by her newfound emotions.

  “Yeah.” He made a pained face and stood up. “I'm sorry. I have to go. I would stay longer, if I could.”

  “You don’t have to do that.” This stranger probably had his own life. But on the inside, Isa wanted to beg him to stay.

  “I would stay, if I could.” Adrian reached down. He took her hand delicately in his and gave it a squeeze, then bent down and brushed his lips over top of it, giving her a kiss.

  The movement sent shivers down her spine, and the feel of his lips against her skin made her entire body go on fire. That one little gesture made Isa want to rip her clothes off and jump him.

  Adrian gently put her hand back down. “See you around.” He turned on his heel. His legs wobbled strangely as he walked out of the room, like an infant learning to walk.

  He needs to see a doctor more than I do, Isa thought. She mused on the kiss. It almost seemed like something a prince would do. But that was stupid. She wasn't Kate Middleton, and Adrian was no William.

  Isa rummaged through the backpack and texted Harbor and Shelly to let them know where she was. No more than fifteen minutes later, her girlfriendsstormed in like they were charging the gates of hell to berate Isa on not calling them sooner.

  “We thought you'd died,” Shelly wept.

  “I don't understand how you could do this to us. We told you not to go out there!” Harbor shouted. “And we missed brunch. You're such a bitch.”

  Harbor's favorite word was bitch. Not that Isa didn't deserve it. She'd driven her friends mad with worry after she’d sunk under that wave.

  “I'm sorry you guys didn't hear from me sooner. I was just busy dealing with Adrian,” Isa said.

  “Adrian?” Shelly’s eyes widened.

  “Yeah. He was a guy who pulled me out of the water,” she said. “He carried me to the hospital.”

  “Oooh,” Shelly wagged her eyebrows. “Like Hercules.”

  “Oh, okay, false alarm, Shelly,” Harbor said with her hands on her hips. “It’s okay we thought Isa was dead, because she was playing damsel in distress in order to get some.”

  “If you had seen how hot this dude was, you would understand,” Isa joked.

  But Shelly took her seriously, and stopped crying. She pulled up a chair to the bedside and leaned forward. “Tell us every detail.”

  Isa confessed to her friends the conversation with Adrian, and how he’d kissed her hand. Isa kept the part about how Adrian had pulled her out of the water quiet. That seemed too private to tell.

  “Have you heard of him before?” Isa asked hopefully.

  “Us? No, don't know him.” Harbor looked to Shelly, and she shook her head. “You sure this guy is real?”

  “Positive. I'm not making it up,” Isa said. Her friends were looking at her like she had swallowed too much seawater— like she was crazy.

  Maybe she was. What if Adrian was just a product of her imagination? But then, how had she gotten to the hospital?

  Harbor drove her back home. Her pushy friend insisted on staying longer, but Isa was able to chase her out after she said for the thousandth time she was going to bed.

  “My dad is seriously gonna kill me,” she muttered as she walked in the door. She opened it slowly, waiting for the impending implosion.

  But it was silent. Only Lupe was there, sweeping the floor and humming along to Selena.

  “Oh, hello, chica,” Lupe said casually. “Are you hungry? I'm making lunch.”

  Lupe didn't know, because she’d never been informed. Her father hasn't realized she’d snuck out, nor had he noticed her absence that morning. He hadn't even known she'd been gone.

  It hit her hard that if Adrian hadn't come by when he did, she could’ve been missing for days and her father would’ve never even started looking.

  Isa shook the tears out of her eyes. “No, Lupe. I'm not hungry.”

  She darted past the bewildered maid and to her room. She slammed the door shut and jumped on the bed.

  A short time later, Isa looked around. Her room was various shades of blue. Scattered all around it was her mermaid collection: there were mermaid plastic dolls, mermaid pillows, posters and paintings of mermaids, stuffed mermaids, even a mermaid bedspread. The current explosion of mermaid items at the mall had done nothing to curb her obsession. She was seriously running out of room to put it all.

  She hadn't changed it since she was twelve. When she was little, she dreamed of being in the ocean, of having a tail and swimming far away. Maybe, if she was a beautiful mermaid, her mother would’ve stayed.

  It seemed stupid now.

  Isamaria turned on her back and stared up at the ceiling. She tried not to think of her father. Instead, she thought about Adrian.

  He wasn't real. Like her fake, plastic mermaids, he was just in her imagination.

  This was her reality. And as much as she wanted it to be a fairy tale, it wasn't, and it sucked.

  Isa closed her eyes and wished for things to be different.

  Ch
apter Seven

  Adrian

  “Come on, Moona. It's just one day. Please, for me.”

  Adrian was in his room at the palace, trying to convince a very stubborn Moona to create a distraction so he could slip away. He’d spent most of the day yesterday just putzing around, swimming from here to there without any sort of destination, then snuck back into the palace late at night when no one was looking.

  He knew the moment his father realized he was back in the castle he’d get yelled at about ditching the party, and harassed about picking out a mermaid for his upcoming wedding. Adrian was in no way ready to deal with that.

  His heart had already chosen for him. And it didn't matter if it was the worst choice ever made in history… Adrian was going to find a way to make it work.

  Now all the guards were looking for him, and Adrian knew if he didn’t get out of the palace fast, he’d be dragged right back to his father. He had to find a way to escape.

  That's where Moona came in. Poseidon was opposed to sea creatures being in the castle, but he’d made an exception for Moona because Adrian was her best friend. If she swam throughout the palace, merpeople would chase after her demanding to know where Adrian had gone.

  And then Adrian would slip right out the back. But there was one problem: Moona wasn't willing to go along with it.

  “You must think I'm insane,” Moona said. “I’m tired of covering up for you, Adrian!”

  This had happened one too many times, and Adrian had never been in this much trouble before. Moona was giving him a hard no.

  “I’ll do anything, Moona, I promise,” he begged. “Just do me this favor. I have to see her.”

  Leaving Isamaria in the hospital bed yesterday had been something that’d nearly killed him. He knew he should be by her side and taking care of her, not in the middle of the ocean arguing with a stubborn manatee.