Trap Read online

  But I didn’t. I stood there, my front pressed to the cold, while Finn warmed my backside. His full lips kissed a line along the lowered edge of my jeans, pausing at my tailbone, where he sucked on the ridge until I moaned, my back arched. My brain wanted me to run, but my body was controlled by my traitor tailbone in that moment. My body lingered, indulging in what it wanted – something lovely. Something delicious. Something succulent. My life had been so dark and harrowing. I wanted a whole minute of candy. Luscious candy with no thought of the ramifications of indulgence.

  So I let my body go down the candy aisle of certain doom for one whole minute.

  Twenty.

  Too Much Want

  It wasn’t until Finn unbuttoned my jeans that my brain took over, running the car off the road to avoid a head-on collision. “No! I’m engaged, and that’s not changing. I told you that I didn’t come here for that. I came here because I knew you’d help me live.”

  “You planned this, didn’t you? To show me the map first. You knew it’d link me to the map, settle in my brain, and then you couldn’t take anyone else.”

  “What are you talking about? Linked you to the map? What does that mean? Is it in Dagat or something?”

  Finn stood, lowering my nightgown and hoodie, and standing too close for the redness in my cheeks to fade. I was too embarrassed to turn around and face him. I couldn’t even face myself. His hand found my hip as he spoke to me, with his other hand on the wall above me, bracing himself and caging me in all at the same time. His voice was quieter now, more controlled. “Sama uses magic that takes time to develop. He’s had decades to study, and the magic he attempts demands too much concentration for a person with a single lifetime to invest in the learning curve. He’s testing you. I’m guessing he didn’t want you to go running to Daddy or your keepers about this?”

  “He didn’t want Von or Mason, no. Made me promise.”

  “This was his way of testing you. The first person you show the map to is the only one who can see it. Then it imbeds in their brain, so they see it every time they go to sleep until they reach the place the map calls them. I can see it just fine using my finger lights, but if Emil came in, he wouldn’t be able to see any trace of it.”

  “So Sama would know if I turned on him.”

  “Sama’s got many faults, but being careless isn’t one of them.” Slowly, Finn reached both arms around me and refastened the top button of my jeans, just to show us both that he owned my button. He stroked the band of my underwear, and my stomach reacted by sucking inward without checking in first with my brain. His hands remained under my nightgown but overtop of my jeans, encircling me in his protection I knew all too well could sour on a hot dime. His thumb traced my navel as if he knew exactly how to play my body so I would dance for him.

  He was not wrong.

  Finn’s voice was low in my ear. “Well done, trapping me to go with you. Now I won’t be able to dream of anything else until I personally take you to Sama.”

  “I didn’t mean to trap you. I mean, clearly I didn’t know that would happen.”

  “Hmm.” He sounded dubious, but I didn’t care. I had my guide. The sooner we could get there, the sooner this might all be over – for better or worse. “I need a few things from my house before we go.” His fingers slid from my stomach to my hand, holding on tight so we didn’t lose each other.

  This would be our last journey together, I was certain. After this, I would be able to let go of the hand that held me closer than I could stay. Part of me wanted to stay, but the rest of me knew it wasn’t enough to get me through.

  Finn led me to the exit and opened the door, clicking his fingers at Emil like he was a dog. Emil hadn’t risen while he was alone in the hallway, and kept his head bowed as he scurried along on his hands and knees behind us. I squeezed Finn’s hand. “Finn, I don’t like this. It’s totally demeaning, and it makes me look like I condone this sort of thing, which I don’t. Let him go back to his normal job. He was good at it. Honestly, he didn’t lay a finger on me.”

  Finn was less grouchy when we were holding hands, so I let us remain together for the time being. “No. You can rule your kingdom as you like. You can make Mason and Von jump for you all day long. This is my land. I was trained the same way my men were. Emil’s grateful to have his head still. That’s all the mercy I’m willing to part with tonight.”

  We passed through another set of doors, revealing us to too many soldiers who stood at attention at Finn’s entry. “This is the Omen, not some random jungle rat Emil brought in. Take a good look so the crime doesn’t happen again.”

  Several sets of eyes registered the shock of letting me be led in bound, passing several checkpoints where no one had noticed who I was. I didn’t blame them. I’d been Vogued for the funeral. Here I had two violent slashes across my cheek from Mariang (the not-so-friendly ghost), and I had dirt on my clothes. I sported several bangs and scrapes from the monkeys, Emil and the stupid fall from the net. I was a mess, but I didn’t care. I cared that Emil was on his hands and knees behind me. I cared that I was some cruel off-with-their-heads queen who would encourage such jackassery. I stopped walking when we reached a vast hallway that was encrusted with sapphires in the gold crown molding, with six guards lining the walls on either side. Keeping my voice low, I leaned on my toes to speak privately to Finn. “I’m not playing around with you. Let Emil up off his knees, or I’ll walk out of your castle on mine.”

  Finn’s green eyes glinted with anger that I would deign to cross him in front of his men. That wasn’t what I wanted to do, but I couldn’t go through with the wicked queen act. I just couldn’t. He snarled at me with a low rumble. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  In response, I slowly lowered myself, my bloody knees almost reaching the gold floor before Finn gasped and jerked me back up next to him. He clicked his fingers at Emil. “You’re dismissed. Go see to King Carter of Hayop. He’s sleeping off some merriment and mistakes at the porting place. See that he gets back safely to his people. Say nothing of the Omen being here.” He raised his chin and looked around the room to his men. “No one saw the Omen here. Is that understood?”

  A resounding “yes, sir!” echoed off the walls, making me jump. Emil kissed both my feet before rising to his, keeping his head down as he bowed to his captain. Finn all but dragged me to the exit, squeezing my hand as I stumbled out of the castle and bathed myself in the moonlight.

  Finn didn’t speak; he was too mad. He simply looped his arms through my backpack and stomped through the sandy beach, not stopping as his feet hit the water.

  Anxiety climbed up in me. I wanted anything but the very same water I’d been molested in and watched Garrick die in. “Finn, wait! I’ll just stay here. There’s no need for me to go into the water. Just get what you need, and I’ll wait for you here.”

  Finn stomped forward with my hand painfully winched in his, not caring that I was starting to freak out as the water quickly rose up my legs.

  “Finn, stop! I don’t want to do this!”

  “You don’t get to choose. This is the way. You wanted a guide? This is where we’re going. You questioned me in front of my men. Soldiers have died for less. You push me to the edge, and now that Sama’s tricked me into going with you, you’re unhappy about the route we’re taking?”

  “Wait, we have to go through the water to get there?”

  “It’s the quickest way. Anything else is a complete waste of time. Trust me to be the guide for once.”

  “I do trust you, it’s just that I...” I glanced around at the water that lapped at my ribs, making me want to recoil from the fingers that felt like they were everywhere on me. “I told you I don’t know how to swim! I don’t like the water, so be cool while I wrap my mind around this whole thing.”

  Finn kept forward, and in the next two steps, hoisted me up. My legs instinctively wrapped around his hips and I clung tight to his neck, pressing my cheek into his soft gills as I held on for dear life. Finn finally ca
me down from his fury and held the back of my head, pressing my body tight to his chest. “You break my heart when you say things like that. I am the water. You say you don’t like it? You’re saying you don’t like me, and I know that you love me.”

  I didn’t respond to this. Of course I had too many feelings for Finn. I wanted to run from them – to run from him – but I was too busy clinging to him to get away from either of us. “Let’s take the long way. Please, Finn. I can’t do the water. I can’t do this!”

  His hand stroked from the crown of my head down my back and cupped my butt. “Listen to me; this is happening, so I wouldn’t spend all your breath fighting it. Put your lips on mine, and I’ll get us there safely, just like last time.”

  I was clinging too tight, the ocean at my back threatening to pull me away from my lifejacket and spin me out into an unmarked grave. “Don’t you dare kiss me,” I warned.

  Finn chuckled, though I couldn’t tell you why. “I’ll just wait for you to beg me. Much more satisfying that way.”

  “That’ll never happen.” My cheek was too afraid to leave him, lest I get swept away, so the side of my face slid from his gills up his throat where my cheek rested against his.

  I shivered when Finn whispered, his lips dragging on the shell of my ear. “My mouth is right here. Why are you avoiding my lips? How do you expect to breathe underwater?”

  I knew he was teasing me, but it was working. There was too much want in the air surrounding us. I had a great many strengths to my name, but when it came to Finn, I was weak. Finally, I turned my head just enough and parted my lips, sliding them onto his and fighting the instinctual urge that rose in me to kiss him. Finn pinched my nose, leaving me wanting as he ducked us under the water and pitched us forward.

  Twenty-One.

  Maudlin Confessions and Maugrin’s Attentions

  I’m not sure how long I screamed, but Finn stopped his missile-like speed about halfway to his house to bring me to the surface. My head broke through to fresh air, and embarrassing as it was, I couldn’t control the quivering my lower lip did. He kept his voice even, so I didn’t permanently go over the freak-out edge. “Hey, I need you to calm down. Our underwater hearing’s pretty clear. You’re alerting the Mermen for miles that you’re here. If you want stealth, maybe screaming isn’t the best way.”

  I felt like I’d endured some sort of medieval water torture, forcing unnecessary truths out of me at random. “When I was in kindergarten, I would steal things out of people’s lunches in the morning when we had free play time. I was so hungry, and I only took the things I knew they wouldn’t like! When I was seven years old, I accidentally spilled water on one of Ollie’s schoolbooks. I got scared and told him Bev did it, and they yelled at each other all night long! I should’ve told him the truth, but I was afraid he’d hate me and leave me with Bev.” Confessions throughout the ages bubbled up in me as more fresh air crawled its way into my lungs. “When I found out Gideon touched Allie, I drove his Cadillac to the nearest church, spray painted “child molester” on the side and put sugar in the tank. It was stuck there for a week!”

  “Easy, sinta. You’re not dying. I’ve got you right here, and I’m not letting go.”

  I tried to let Finn’s words breathe calm into me, but I was stuck on verbal vomit. “I stole Bev’s necklace! It was in her hoard and she never wore it, so I didn’t think she’d notice. I just wanted to look pretty for the eighth grade dance! I swear I was going to put it right back in the tuna can where I’d found it when I got home. She noticed it was gone while I was at the dance and thought Allie took it. I came home and she’d blacked Allie’s eye! I didn’t mean for her to take the blame! I told Allie what I did, and she wouldn’t let me confess to Bev. Said one black eye was enough for the both of us. My sister got hurt because of me! I’m a terrible person!” My chest heaved, and I started to hyperventilate. “I used to... And this one time Judge was... and I tried to help him, but I broke the... My fault!”

  Finn kept one hand on my butt and palmed my chin with the other. “Hani, you have to stop. You’re going to attract too much attention. You can tell me anything you like when we get to my house. Our house.” He watched me nod pitifully and then pressed his mouth to mine again, taking us under. He glanced around, and I could tell by his heart that pounded against mine that he was nervous. He shot forward faster, holding me tight.

  I thought somewhere along the journey I’d hit the peak of my nerves, but apparently there was a whole new level of anxiety my body could feel in any given moment. Cold panic shot up my spine when Finn pulled his mouth from mine and turned his head to the side to yell at someone who I’m guessing had fins. “Back up, Maugrin! You know what happened to the last man who attacked me. You really want to try your luck when it’s one on one?”

  I felt a hand that was certainly not Finn’s push up the leg of my jeans to examine my calf. My fingers dug into Finn so deep, I was certain I’d leave marks.

  Finn reached in his belt and pulled out what looked like a flashlight. With a simple click of the button on the handle, a legit retractable full-sized triton popped from the hilt. He slashed it out in warning before Maugrin had a chance to answer.

  “One on one? I was thinking two on one with this little beauty you’ve got wrapped around you. Where’d you find her?”

  “That’s none of your concern.”

  I turned my head and opened my eyes in the ocean that was lit only by the stars and Finn’s fingers. I made out a thick Merman fin that was green, scaly and looked like it had some sort of fungus growing on the ridges all the way up to his waist. His chest wasn’t nearly as broad as Finn’s, and had dime-sized nipples. He was balding on top, but only enough to star in a Rogaine commercial, not start auditioning toupees. His trout-like mouth drooped at the corners when he spoke, jerking back from Finn’s weapon. “I just wanted to see if you’d share your legs. I meant no harm to you, Captain.”

  I gripped Finn’s waist with my thighs tighter than was probably comfortable. Finn’s voice lost its edge, but he didn’t retract his triton, keeping it aloft between us and Maugrin. “There’ll be no sharing, and you’ll keep your mouth shut that you saw a pair of legs in this ocean if you want to live to see tomorrow.”

  “Keeping the prize for yourself? Looks like Banak wasn’t the only greedy bastard in the ocean.” Maugrin’s eyes darkened with intent. “You should share the bounty before it’s taken from you, Captain. You never know how fast word might travel about your lady’s legs if I’m denied.”

  So quick, I didn’t have time to protest, Finn shot me out in the water behind him and lunged for Maugrin. My arms flailed around in the abyss, trying to hold onto something that couldn’t be grasped in your fist. My legs kicked without direction, somehow slowing my progression downward as panic choked me around the throat. I didn’t understand. Finn had promised he’d keep me safe in the water. He knew I couldn’t swim.

  I watched the fight unfold as I slowly began to sink. Finn flicked his wrist, and the edges of the triton slid out further, making it easy to slash through Maugrin’s bottom half all the way down from waist to flipper. With another slice, he divided the fishy tail in two, shouting with fury that scared me almost as much as drowning. “Now you’ve got a pair of legs to die for. To the bottom of the ocean with you.” Then to shut up Maugrin’s cries of pain and horror, Finn socked his temple hard enough to knock the older guy out. For a few seconds, Maugrin remained suspended in the water, and then started sinking toward me.

  Finn retracted his weapon and shot downward, scooping my floundering body up in his arms just when I thought my lungs might burst. His mouth found mine and he breathed life into me, steadily bringing me to a higher level. I’d hoped he would bring us to the surface, but he shot forward under the water, aiming himself like a relentless arrow that had only one target.

  Twenty-Two.

  Finn’s Fiddle

  I shivered and tried to pass off my hysterical tears as ocean water that steadily str
eamed down my cheeks when Finn unlocked the door to the main floor of his house. My limbs were useless; the adrenaline coursing through my body left me breathless in more ways than the obvious.

  Finn was shaken, I could tell, but it was only evidenced by the rapid thrumming of his heart. Other than that, he was Captain Finn – always in charge and never hesitating from a fight. He didn’t set me down, but carried me toward his round bed I’d promised myself I’d never lie in again. His hands dried parts of me as he walked into his bedroom and laid me down. His fingers swept carefully over my convulsing body as too much of the way too much crashed down on me. I was freezing, terrified and knew I’d made the wrong choice in seeking out Finn to take me to Philip. My teeth chattered, and I wasn’t sure if the trembling was from nerves, or the cold that felt deep set in my bones.

  When I was dry but still shivering, Finn took off my shoes and socks, kicked his own off and climbed into the bed with me. He pulled the comforter up over us and kissed my eyelids, “You’re safe now. No one can get into my house but me. I told you I’d keep you alive.”

  “You d-dropped me in the ocean, you j-jag!”

  I couldn’t believe he chuckled at that, but he did. An affectionate smile swept over his features. “I kept you from getting mixed up in the fight. Maugrin’s an elder in the village. You don’t get to live that long without knowing a thing or two about fighting.”

  “Your s-soldiers are so a-afraid of you. How come Maugrin wasn’t? Why’d he try and t-take me?”

  Finn held my body and rolled onto his back, taking me with the motion so I was lying on top of him, my muscles still locked as fear continued to wash over me. His hands drifted to the backs of my thighs, and he massaged me over my jeans. “Because of these things right here. Legs are a fascination in Dagat. And he wasn’t respectful as he should’ve been because he’s an elder. Makes a man foolhardy to’ve lived that long, escaped death who knows how many times. Makes you feel invincible.” He brought his hand to tap under my chin, tilting it up so he could look into my eyes. “But he went down just as easily as anyone who comes up against me. No one’s invincible, October. Not even you.”