This is Book 1 of the Arcelia Series.* Book 2 is in the works!
*Can be read as a stand-alone
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Malik Jackson needed help. After being exiled from the ocean, he washed up on the beach covered in injuries and missi...
Author's note: small trigger warning for this chapter! We learn more about Malik's past, including info about the murder, and it's not a good story. Mentions of abuse, and some gore. Proceed with caution if you're easily triggered.
-Pix <3
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~ ~ Xander ~ ~
Words could not describe how livid this situation made me.
Someone took a candid picture of us, and they targeted my soulmate.
Someone knew something about Malik that I didn't, judging by what Helene had said in the basement, and the way Malik reacted to it. The merman all but pushed me away in a mad dash to separate himself from that word. I could feel his panic attack coming a mile away, so I angrily thrust the pieces into the cleaner's hands, ordering her to get forensics to take a look at it, and then sent her out. She tried to say something, but I closed the door in her face, too focused on helping Malik.
He sat on the bed, rocking back and forth as he gripped his curly hair. I had no idea what went on in his head, but I strode over to him anyway, sitting down across from him. "Malik," I said gently, so gently that it surprised me. I thought I'd be exploding with anger by now. Normally, I think I would've broken something, or thrown something, or both. Something about Malik's presence kept me calm, especially when I knew he needed me to be calm.
"Someone is out to get me, Xander," Malik whispered, staring up at me with terrified, teary eyes. The sight absolutely shattered my heart.
"I know there's nothing I can say to make this threat less scary," I reached towards him and cupped his face in my hands. "But I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Everything." Malik nodded his head in my hands. My thumbs glided across his cheeks to wipe his tears. "I need you to tell me what's going on. I wouldn't force you to talk to me, but I need to understand the situation so I can help."
"Okay," Malik took a slow, deep breath, held it for a long moment, and then released it. He repeated this until his eyes stopped streaming tears and his heart stopped pounding out of his rib cage. "What Helene said, it wasn't wrong," he began. "I did kill someone, but- but it was self defense!" He quickly tried to justify his actions.
"I know you're not a killer, Malik. Start from the beginning," I assured him, as I ran my fingers through his dark hair.
"Right, okay.. I was really young when I met Dexter, we were maybe four years old. I became fast friends with him and his twin brother, Damien. Helene joined our pod when we were six, and just like that, the four of us were inseparable. I loved Helene, but only platonically. I didn't know I was gay when I was fourteen, so when we kissed, I told her it didn't feel right. Someone overheard and outed me to the pod. I never found out who, and I didn't care. Through it all, Dexter was there to comfort me.
"We ended up falling in love, and started dating when I was sixteen. When we were eighteen and old enough to leave, we moved to Dunstead to be together without worrying about our pod not accepting us. He turned into a drunk after a few years, and slowly started getting aggressive and hateful toward me. For almost a year, I was trapped. I fought back with a wooden bat one time, and the rest is history. I-I didn't mean to kill him, I-I-I was so fueled by adrenaline and fear..!" Malik stuttered, his voice wavering with emotion.
