Rising (23 page)

Sara
trembled. She loved this Dagonian so much. Could she really go with him, live the rest of her life in the sea, away from her best friend, away from her mother? Okay, that one wouldn’t be so hard. But the thought of living without Xanthus nearly choked the life out of her. What choice did she have? She loved him so much.

“Okay
,” Sara whispered.

“What are you saying okay to,
Mou?” He looked hopeful.

“Okay, I’ll marry you.
” Xanthus swept her up in his arms and swirled her around in the water. Sara’s laugher bubbled up as she accompanied him on his underwater ride.

“You’ve made me the happiest
Dagonian in the sea, Moro Mou,” he exclaimed just before his mouth took possession of hers, making her tail curl.

“You’re positively glowing,” Gretchen said as she sipped her guava nectar. She and Sara were sitting under an umbrella outside their favorite outdoor cafe. Gretchen was on another healthy diet—no more Diet Cokes for her.

Sara wasn’t ready to break the news to Gretchen yet. Getting married at twenty wasn’t something she thought her best friend would understand. How could she? Gretchen couldn’t know that they only had so much time before Xanthus had to leave forever. If Sara didn’t marry him, she’d be saying goodbye.

“How can you look so amazing this early in the morning?”
Gretchen asked.

“It’s this new sushi diet I’m on. Xanthus has got me hooked. And I’ve never felt better.”
Okay, maybe that was lame compared to marrying her true love, but she had to think of something on short notice.

“Sushi huh?
I like sushi. Maybe I’ll try it. But I was thinking more along the lines of the love in your life. I’m glad you two got things worked out. Shane Adams is doing wonders for you.”

“Would you
please
stop calling him that? I just know you’re going to slip up and I’ll be mortified.”

“Not to worry, sweetie. I’ll behave. You’re not goi
ng to cancel on me, are you? Hal got us tickets to see the new Steven Spielberg movie tonight.”

“
No, I won’t cancel.” And she wouldn’t unless she got attacked by another maniac, which since Xanthus had taken up residence in the apartment next to hers, installed a state-of-the-art security system, new windows, new doors, security cameras, replaced her cell phone, insisted on taking out her garbage, and escorting her out in public, she couldn’t see how a criminal would have the opportunity. She’d never felt safer.

Sara
did some Googling and found out she should be paying much more than she was in rent, considering the updates to her apartment. She tried to bring that up to Xanthus. But he growled at her and told her he couldn’t care less whether she paid her rent at all. Whatever happened to Miss Independence? Well, she was about to become Mrs. Dimitriou.

S
ara still couldn’t wrap her mind around that one.

“Earth to Sara
…” Gretchen chimed in.

“What?”

“I’ve been telling you about Hal and me.” Gretchen smiled.

“Oh
, sorry.”

“I said
, I think Hal is the one.”

“The one?”

“Yes, my one true love. He hasn’t said the words, I love you, yet
, but I think it’s just a matter of time.” Gretchen’s eyes were dreamy.

Sara wondered if that was
how she looked when she thought of Xanthus. “That’s so wonderful, Gretchen.”

“Yeah, he’s amazing. And I’m so glad you have a man you love too.”

“Am I that obvious?” Sara didn’t remember ever telling Gretchen she loved Xanthus.

“It’s very obvious. Just look at how much you’ve changed. You no longer hide under a giant tent. You’re wearing bright colors, clothes that show what a great figure you have, and you always seem to have a smile on your face, especially when you’re thinking about him. I sure hope he knows how lucky he is.”

The waiter stepped up to the table again. “Can I get anything more for you ladies?”

“No, thank you,” Sara said. The waiter smiled at her and walked away. “It’s amazing he’s giving us the time of day, with you sipping nectar and me eating a small muffin with water.

“Yeah,” Gretchen
said. “He very attentive. To you.”

“To me?”

“Girl, he’s got eyes for you.”
Gretchen shook her head. “You really don’t know how gorgeous you are, do you?”

“Xanthus once told me I was much more beautiful than the other women from his home town.”

“You’re more beautiful than pretty much any girl from any town,” Gretchen said.

“Yeah
, right, although my mom’s very beautiful,” Sara shrugged. “And I do look quite a bit like her.”

“You look almost identical.
Thank goodness you don’t have her black heart.”

“I don’t know. I think I’m beginning to understand her better.”

“You’re not going to reconnect, are you?” Gretchen looked appalled.

“
Actually, she called me a little while ago.” Sara was surprised she’d forgotten to tell Gretchen.

“Oh no, honey, why didn’t you tell me
? What happened?”

“
It’s nothing I haven’t heard before. I told her that if she got professional help, we could talk.”

“
How did she take that?”

“
She screamed and hollered, and then I hung up on her.”

“Good for you. You’
re much better off with her out of your life.”

“I know you’re right.
Besides, I’ve better things to focus on.”

Sara
felt goose pimples rise across her arms. She looked over toward the street and saw a tall, dark man wearing sunglasses and a black trench coat that dusted the pavement. He lounged against a light pole. A twinge of familiarity tugged at Sara’s consciousness, but she couldn’t place where she’d seen him before. He removed his dark sunglasses, revealing black eyes filled with hatred. He looked at her and sneered.

“
…like a big, strong man who’s crazy about you,” Gretchen said.

“What?”
Sara asked, distracted.

“
Better things to focus on. What’s wrong?”

“Don’t look, but the
re’s a man standing behind you staring at me. And it’s not a friendly stare.”

“You’re kidding?”
Gretchen said in surprise. She began to turn her head.

“No
, don’t look,” Sara hissed.

“Do you want to call Xanthus?”

“I’m going to take a taxi back to the apartment anyway. I’ll just call ahead and tell him I’m on my way. Besides, I’m sure that man is just grouchy.”

“Al
l right, but I’m not leaving until you’re in the cab.” Gretchen’s brows furrowed in concern.

“You’re acting like a…”
Sara stopped talking when the man began to approach her. Then she made the connection. This man looked and moved just like Xanthus. Although he was shorter and slighter, he was still very tall for a human. Could he be a Dagonian? No… of course, he couldn’t be. She was just overreacting.

The man
didn’t speak a word as he leaned forward, his chin-length black hair swinging forward, brushing a jagged scar on his cheek. She wished his hair covered his eyes too—they were full of revulsion. Sara’s heart pounded as the man slipped a folded piece of paper on the table and pushed it toward her.

The menacing parchment beckoned. Sickness clenched
Sara’s stomach like a giant fist. She really didn’t want to read it.

The
man didn’t wait for her to open it, but stepped around the corner and slipped out of sight.

“You’re right,
” Gretchen said. “He looked like he loathed you. What does the note say?”

Sara’s
hands shook as she unfolded the paper. Her eyes landed on a scrawled message. The one simple sentence glared at her.

I know what you are.

Sara
’s heart pounded in her chest as she took in a ragged breath.

S
he’d been found and now it was over. There couldn’t be a happy ending anymore. Her time with Xanthus had been like a fairy tale, but now the story would be over. How could they hide her true identity when it was already known?

Before
Sara could stop her, Gretchen grabbed hold of the note.

“I know what you are? What kind of sicko is that?”
Gretchen asked, shook her head, and then looked up at her. “Oh Sara, you’re really pale. Sweetie, don’t let him bother you. I’m sure he’s a harmless crack pot.”

Gretchen
looked her over and apparently didn’t like what she saw. “I’m calling Xanthus.” She reached for Sara’s phone.

“No, no,
we can’t call him.”

“W
hy not?”

Xanthus
had tried so hard to protect her. Sara recalled his reaction when she had asked what would happen if she were ever found out. She had asked him if they would kill her. Xanthus hadn’t said no. Instead, he’d said they’d have to kill him first. And that was her answer. If she hung around, she was a dead woman and Xanthus would die first. That was something Sara wouldn’t let happen.

“Sara?”

“I’m fine. Really I am.” Sara sucked in another deep breath and then plastered on her most convincing smile. If Gretchen called Xanthus, he’d come right away, and she needed time to put some distance between them.

“
I’ll tell him what happened when I get to his place. There’s no need to get so worked up. You’re right. That man’s simply a crackpot.”

Gretchen looked skeptical.

“Listen,” Sara said. “I need to get going. Xanthus is expecting me.” She tried to sound as nonchalant as she could.

Gretchen’s
shoulders relaxed. “Okay sweetie. You’ll feel better with him around, anyway. Let me know if you don’t feel up to going out tonight. You still look pale. It might be best if you stay in.”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t think I’m up for going out on the town.”

“No problem
, sweetie.” Gretchen wheeled her to the curb and hailed a taxi for her. A yellow cab stopped and a wrinkled, sunbaked man in a Hawaiian shirt got out. He trotted around to help Sara into the back of his taxi.

“Mahalo
,” Sara said in thanks to him.

“Sure thing
, miss.”

Sara
waved her last goodbye to Gretchen. She wondered when she would ever see her again.
Never
, she told herself. It was not safe for Gretchen to know her. “Where to?” the driver asked as he pulled into traffic.

“To the airport
,” Sara said, struggling to hold back the tears. She had to pull it together. This was no time to fall apart.

Nicole Reanne Lamont didn’t walk into Hilo International Airport. She waltzed in like a runway model in a fashion show. Men had their eyes on her hips as they swung back and forth. To Sara, they looked like gaping spectators at a tennis match.