Making Waves (6 page)

“Okay, I guess.” The panel slid closed and
Angel took a deep breath.

Of air. That was new.

Well, she better get used to it. If her plan
worked, she’d be doing a lot of new things over the next few
days.

-4-

Angel sprinkled some of the remaining
seawater on her scales and tried to rearrange her cramped tail
without jarring the lid above her as the boat bumped gently against
a pylon in port. She didn’t need Logan finding her at this
point.

Thank the gods that they’d been only a few
miles offshore because this really wasn’t comfortable. Not to
mention, poor Michael was so excited about her being there, he
hadn’t been able to stay in the cabin for long. Time after time
he’d walked to her compartment, prompting Logan to finally stop the
boat and follow the boy to see what was going on.

It had been pure serendipity that Amelia,
that nosy pelican, had seen her climb aboard and had followed them.
Good thing, too, that the pelican had a brain. Amelia had stuck
around for the entire trip back, tailgating off the stern, giving
credibility to Michael’s interest in the back of the boat.

The fact that the bird had enjoyed a
selection of Human food was an added bonus and payment for services
rendered. That was Amelia—all about the pay-off.

Logan killed the engine. Footsteps passed
overhead and she remembered the quick sight she’d gotten of his
legs. The muscles in them worked as fluidly as those in a Mer’s
tail. How amazing the similarities between their races, yet Humans
had no idea they shared the planet with her kind.

Not that there was any sharing going on.
Humans were using the planet without a thought to keeping it
healthy. How did they expect to continue living? It was the biggest
concern in the underwater community and where she hoped she could
make a difference. First-hand observation was the first step.
Getting that job she was angling for on the Mer/Human Coalition was
the second.

“Mike,” Logan asked, “what are you doing with
that blanket?”

“Uh… I want to sleep here.”

“We can’t tonight, sport. Maybe some other
time.”

“Awww, please?”

Angel held her breath. If they did, how was
she going to get off the boat? She didn’t think Logan would
appreciate finding a woman in the catch box come morning.

“I have to make some calls tonight, Mike. We
can sleep on board tomorrow night.”

“But I want to do it tonight.”

His exasperated sigh was loud enough for
Angel to hear.

“Not tonight.”

A foot thumped right above her head.
“Please?”

“Mike, I’ve got work to do after you go to
bed. I can’t do it from the boat. We’ll do it another night. I
promise. Besides, won’t Rocky miss you?”

“Fine,” the little boy grumbled and stomped
away.

Angel waited until she was sure they were
gone before raising the lid. Night had fallen and the last of the
seawater in the tub had evaporated, starting the clock on her
tail-to-legs statute of limitations. If she was going to do this,
she’d only have a limited amount of time or she’d be stuck on land
for the rest of her life.

She raised the lid and saw a pile of blue
cloth. Ah, the blanket. Just what she needed. She opened the lid
all the way. He’d dropped a pillow, too. Great.

Angel started to climb out of the catch box
when she heard someone walk by on the dock. Probably not a good
idea to climb out with a tail.

She reached for the blanket and pillow,
pulling them in with her. She’d never gone through this
transformation. Besides being prohibited by The Council to deter
the curious from venturing inland, there’d never been a good enough
reason to risk giving up a part of herself, but getting away from
Harry gave her that reason. So did getting to know Michael.

Angel rearranged the sand dollars on her
chest to a more comfortable position, checked the seaweed ties that
held her shirt together, and flipped her tail, readjusting the lay
of her flukes against the sides of the tub. She tucked the pillow
behind her back and settled the blanket around her tail, patting it
to soak up as much moisture as possible. That was key.

Once she had legs, she’d get off the boat and
head home without anyone the wiser.

Or
…

Or she could use this situation to test out
her idea. If she began with a child, someone who believed in whimsy
and fantasy, with an innocent and pure heart, maybe she could make
a difference. Open his eyes to the plight of the planet
and
open the door for communication between the races.

Her brother, Rod, the current High Councilman
and ruler of their world, wouldn’t exactly be overjoyed if she did,
since he’d forbidden any contact with the Human race for the time
being, but in a life or death scenario, orders changed. He couldn’t
take issue with her for being here, and if she took advantage of
the situation, well, there wasn’t much he’d be able to do about it,
was there?

It might be her only chance to see if her
theory had any validity, and in the process, prove she was capable
of heading up the Mer/Human Coalition Rod was in the process of
staffing. It was worth a try.

Something
thwacked
against the side of
the boat and it wasn’t a pylon.

Harry.

Obviously, this was worth more than a
try.

It was worth her life.

###

Judi Fennell has had her nose in a book and
her head in some celestial realm all her life, including those
early years when her mom would exhort her to “get outside!” instead
of watching
Bewitched
or
I Dream of Jeannie
on
television. So she did—right into Dad’s hammock with her Nancy Drew
books.

These days she’s more likely to have her
nose in her laptop and her head (and the rest of her) at a favorite
writing spot, but she’s still reading either her latest manuscript
or friends’ books.

A PRISM Award and Golden Leaf Award winner,
Judi is the author of the Mer series:
In Over Her Head, Wild
Blue Under,
and
Catch of a Lifetime
; the Bottled Magic
series:
I Dream of Genies, Genie Knows Best,
and
Magic
Gone Wild;
and the Once-Upon-A-Time Romance series featuring:
Beauty and The Best, If The Shoe Fits,
and
Fairest of
Them All
; and, surprisingly enough, an anthology of
psychological thriller/horror short stories, entitled
Off The
Beaten Path, A Terrifying Tales Anthology
, under the pseudonym,
J.A. Fenn.

Check out her website at
www.JudiFennell.com
for excerpts, deleted
scenes, reviews, and contests, as well as the chance to discover a
whole new world!

Connect online at:

Twitter.com/JudiFennell

Facebook.com/JudiFennell

To find out what happens to Erica & Reel,
Valerie & Rod, and Angel& Logan, see their stories:

The Tritone Trilogy

In Over Her Head

Wild Blue Under

Catch of a Lifetime

If you like those, check out the Bottled
Magic series, where your wish is the genie’s command… just make it
a good one!

Bottled Magic

I Dream of Genies

Genie Knows Best

Magic Gone Wild

And for those who like a little fairy tale
with their romance:

Once-Upon-A-Time Romance

Beauty and The Best

If The Shoe Fits (coming soon)

Fairest of Them All (coming soon)