Vivian Arend - Tidal Wave

Alexia splashed water at him.

“Be careful, sweetheart. I have a bigger water pistol than you do.” He kissed her one last time, his lips clinging to her mouth before he backed up to tread water from a short distance away.

She watched closely, but she missed the actual moment of his change. One minute she stared at his sparkling green eyes and beautiful smile, the next—he was a sleek gray dolphin, his head hovering at the surface of the water. His smile had changed appearance but still warmed her heart.

He moved forward, bumping carefully into her side. Alexia slid her hands over his skin, marveling at how soft he was. She took a slow swim around him as he bobbed up and down in the water, her hands brushing his wide torso, rubbing his fins. She treaded water in front of him and stroked his nose and up his sloped forehead, all the while marveling that this was Anthony. She swam to the side to look into one eye, seeing there the intelligence and patience she’d seen in the man.

He lifted his head and dropped under the waves, returning to her side slowly. Alexia reached for his dorsal fin and hung on. The smoothness of his swimming made it easy to cling to him as he kept her head above the water.

Together they flew.

Minutes passed as they swam together. Occasionally Alexia let go and Anthony would circle around and rejoin her, stopping to jump high over her head or flip beside her, splashing her hard with the spray.

Alexia laughed every time he showed her something new. It was like Christmas and every birthday she’d ever had all rolled into one, satisfaction and joy filling her heart.

Suddenly there were more dolphins around her, all dancing in the waves. Anthony shifted back and together they floated, watching the pod play.

“It’s the youth. I teach them at the high school, and there are a few of the younger students here as well. For some it’s their first summer to be able to transform to their dolphin form and they’re pretty excited.” Alexia watched in fascination as the sleek bodies wove around them in circles, chasing and leaping over each other in play.

“They’re so beautiful. Are they part of the pod?” Alexia stroked the flank of one of the dolphins that swam by slowly on its side, showing off with one fin waving in the air.

Anthony snorted and pulled her in for a quick kiss. “Part of your pod, you mean? Yes, we’re territorial so any dolphins you find in these waters belong to Victoria’s pod. Now yours.” He kissed her again, more possessively this time and she was gasping for air when he released her. “He was too young for you.”

Alexia frowned. She must have missed something. “Who?”

He turned her in his arms and snuggled her butt to his groin, letting her feel his erection along the crack of her ass. He rocked his hips and fire shot through her veins. Damn it felt good.

“The dolphin you were rubbing. He’s just a teenager,” Anthony said, his voice deep and dark.

Alexia hid a smile and snuggled closer. Anthony was jealous. “I didn’t even know he was a boy, you silly man.”

She lay back into his arms letting him support her. There must be changes occurring in her body. She didn’t feel cold, even after being in the water for over an hour. Her fingers were still smooth and unwrinkled. In fact her skin was very slick, like there was a protective coat covering her.

Alexia rubbed a hand along Anthony’s thigh and felt the same texture on her fingers.

“Lubricant. We have a higher oil content on our skin to stop the salt water from damaging the tissues.” His fingers slipped along the edge of her bikini bottom, briefly brushing her mound. “Another adaptation is an increase in body fluids. We can safely make love in the water. Full humans have troubles with lubrication and also with the danger of air and water pressure. Our merfolk bodies don’t have those same issues.” His fingers stroked her belly, rubbed lightly up her arms. His body supported her as they floated together on the water’s surface. Alexia closed her eyes to enjoy the massage when a splash soaked them and tossed them underwater. They rose to the surface and she coughed a few times to clear her mouth and nose of the stinging liquid.

“Alexia, come here,” Anthony warned, his hand snaking out to pull her close.

She looked around warily. “What’s wrong?” The teens circled them, a tight protective ring. One of them raised his head above the water and made a series of clicks and chatters, clearly warning of danger.

“Could be a shark, it’s not usual in these waters, although I don’t sense anything close by but the pod. Let me change and go see, I can swim faster that way.” He kissed her quickly. “Don’t worry, you’re safe. If it is a shark, they’re afraid of a dolphin pod. I’ll be back as quickly as possible.”

He dropped under the water, transformed, and Alexia lost sight of him as he swam from the circle. The motions of the youth grew more frantic, more concerned, if Alexia read them right. She tried peering underwater while she held her breath. The longer she practiced the more easily her clear eyelids flipped into place. A couple of the dolphins opened the circle and through the gap a larger body shot toward her. She reached out with her awareness to see what his intent was, what his emotions told her.

Before she could register more than a blur of anger and bitterness, the young male she’d touched before dashed in and she grabbed his fin, letting him drag her away from the path of the new arrival.

A wild chase ensued. Alexia held on for dear life as her ride darted from side to side, trying to avoid the pursuing male. In the flying bodies and splashing waves, she lost sight of details. There was nothing but brief flashes of images, bursts of emotion that brushed her mind. The youth she clung to was determined to keep her away from the larger, older male, driven less fear by for Alexia’s life than a deep sense of commitment to Anthony. Whoever the newcomer was, the youth sensed he wasn’t trying to kill her.

Recognition hit as she caught a stronger trail of emotion. It was Michael who chased them, routing through the pod like a demon-possessed entity. A shock of fear raced through her and she fought down the urge to scream. Her mind suddenly recognized the fact the emotion wasn’t hers. It was a projection from Michael, a false emotion he was sending her way.

She gasped for air each time her protector rose high enough for her to breathe. Her legs and arms were wrapped as far around him as possible to avoid being thrown apart. Anthony reappeared, his sleek body racing toward them. How she recognized him in the group of similar shapes and colors she didn’t know, but she rejoiced he had returned. He slammed into Michael hard, forcing his cousin away. Alexia attempted to watch the action, to reassure Anthony she was all right.

A sharp pain hit her side and arm, and the youth beneath her fell away. She tumbled through the water, a brilliant light surrounding her, cradling her as they drifted toward the bottom. She held her breath, her body shuddering with pain from the hit. Looking upward she watched the pod surround Michael, their interplay clear against the sparkle of the water’s surface and reflected sky.

She needed air but the surface grew farther away, the familiar blue of St. Elmo’s fire pulling her instead to a large outcropping of rocks on the ocean floor. Then she was in Joshua’s arms and he touched their mouths together, passing her life-giving air as he held her close and hid them in a cleft in the rocks.

It took a long time for her heart rate to drop to anywhere near normal, pain and fear shaking her body as she thought through the attack. The adventure had been so wonderful and then so terrifying. She was tempted to throw the medallion back at her Gram as soon as she reached the safety of the surface.