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“I think she means you, Levka,” Arman said. “The shark’s circling.”
“Who isn’t being subtle, Arman?” Levka said privately to his friend. “Could you quit mentioning about the bloody shark?”
“Sorry, but he’s really got my attention. I mean, I really don’t like water, but I like it even worse when a ten-foot-long shark’s swimming in it. I know I’ll heal if he takes a big chunk out of me, but the idea of the pain and suffering, the blood loss, the time it takes to heal, and keeping the whole thing quiet—”
“Kiss me…,” Caitlin said, her telepathic voice weak but more urgent.
“You are making this harder for me,” Levka responded and kissed her cold lips, certain that’s all she wanted, nothing more. He licked her dry lips and pressed his mouth against hers, wishing she’d want to join him, hoping he wasn’t making a mistake if she did want to be his.
Her tongue touched his lips, and he closed his eyes and kissed her harder.
“It’s coming in for a bite,” Arman warned.
“If you can’t keep it from biting, let it get your leg. You will heal at least. But keep it away from Amie and Caitlin.”
Levka leaned over to kiss Caitlin again, to give her what she wanted before he lost her forever. Though his dark heart wanted to force her to accept him. He didn’t want to lose her.
Her lips parted slightly. “You…you…don’t…know…what…” She paused. “…I…am.”
“My angel.”
She shook her head slightly. “A…witch.”
Arman suddenly splashed frantically at the water.
Caitlin bit Levka’s lip hard. Searing pain went through his mouth. His first instinct was to pull away, but her hands grasped his arms, locking him in place. She moved her mouth toward his, her eyes bright and determined. Her tongue flicked at his bloodied lip.
Arman kicked in the water again. “I hit it in the nose, but it’s circling again, not giving up.” He spoke to Ruric this time. “Ruric, make the ship go faster!”
The shark’s dorsal fin skimmed the top of the water near Levka and Caitlin.
“Remember to let it bite you and not the girls,” Arman said, sarcastically, “as you will heal from the wound just fine.”
Caitlin reached up and pulled Levka’s face to hers, and sucked hard on his lip.
“Oh boy, are you in trouble with the league now,” Arman said.
He wrapped his arms around Caitlin in a fierce embrace. “You are mine.”
Arman coughed and sputtered after swallowing a mouthful of saltwater. “The shark’s coming in for another attempt at a bite.”
Levka felt the turbulence in the water, and the way Caitlin stiffened in his arms. But he offered her his wrist so she could have a greater dose of his blood. Trying to ignore the shark, he concentrated on the siren drinking her fill, the one who would be his for all eternity. If the league let them both live.
After several seconds, he pulled her away from his arm, then licked the wound, sealing it.
Her heartbeat was stronger, her pulse still slow though. She clung to him weakly.
“What have we done?” she whispered, her eyes misty.
“Levka will be your teacher and your protector,” Arman said, kicking at the shark’s short blunt snout. The shark twisted away. “You’re now a fledgling, and it’ll take some time to learn our ways. But then again, you have forever.”
Caitlin’s grasp on Levka grew clingier. “What…what are we doing in the ocean?”
He sensed her horror. “I went overboard to save a girl who’d jumped ship because her skirt was on fire. Do you remember Amie from lunch the other day?”
Caitlin looked over at Amie, her long dark hair floating in the water. “Is…is she okay?”
“Sleeping, but I don’t know how badly burned she is.” Levka gave Arman an annoyed look. “I hadn’t expected Arman to bring you out here to me.”
