The Fear

Chapter 8: Demon Couples At A Beach... What Could Go Wrong?

"Can I see now?" Mordred asked the next week. We were going to the beach with Rhiannon and Rayne, but I'd never worn a two-piece swimsuit. That made me very self-conscious about it.

"No, I look terrible," I whined from inside the closet. I refused to change in front of Mordred or a mirror, and my closet might as well be another room.

"Doubtful!" he sang. I sighed. I had a feeling he was just saying that.

"Promise you will not, under any circumstances, say negative comments?" I interrogated. I heard his annoyed sigh, with the answer I desired. I thought he was lying, since I am just oh so trusting of people. I took my own deep breath and opened the closet doors.

Mordred was sitting on the edge of my bed in black swimming trunks akin to jersey shorts. He stared at me, seeing the exposed skin of my stomach and arms as well as my long legs. Well, the black strapless suit covered little of my smooth skin. And my generous cleavage really helped little. I crossed arms over my chest and gave him a Look, my leg vibrating with anxiety.

"Do I look okay?" I asked. He blinked and stood up, walking to me. His hand clapped on my shoulder and his face was an inch from mine.

"No." When I must've looked crestfallen, he continued. "Jūs atrodyti gražiai." I perked up immediately. He called me beautiful, in my native language.

"Your accent is terrible," I said truthfully. He chuckled.

"You should give me lessons, then. I'll pay in dates." I gave him a push playfully and sauntered to my bed. He held out my daisy dukes and black tote, which I snatched with part annoyance, part flirting.

"That's sounds like an opportune arrangement, my dear sir Mordred of the Round Table," I joked. He just shook his head and hugged me. I returned the affection with a poised smile and we left my bedroom.

Rhi and Rayne were waiting impatiently by the car. My dear green-haired friend looked smashing in her white retro two-piece. Her girlfriend had on a black and white matching design, a lovely complement to her deep skin. Like Mordred, their jaws dropped like cartoon characters.

"And you say bikinis aren't attractive on you," Rayne accused, shaking her head in disbelief. I pouted.

"Never said that. I said I didn't know because I never went swimming in a two-piece," I retorted. She shrugged and Mordred opened the back door for me. I slid in and he closed the door as he buckled his seatbelt.

"Come on, let's swim," Rhi pressed. We'd been at the beach for a few hours already. She wanted me to go in the water with her. I was happily content wiggling my toes in the sand, without getting wet, and secretly feeding off of the unsuspecting humans.

"I'm good. It's a bit cold today," I replied. She raised her brows, putting a hand on her hip. I didn't tell her that I was petrified of being underwater. Yes, laugh away; there was something I feared to.

"Then what was the point of a bathing suit?" she questioned.

"Because I look good," I said evenly. I refused to admit that I didn't like ocean water, either. Mordred's arms hugged me from behind, warm from the sun bouncing off sand.

"That is the absolute truth," he whispered in my ear before picking me up over his shoulder. I squealed and kicked my legs in the air.

"No! No, I'm not going in the water! I refuse!" My protests were feeble from the laughter coming out simultaneously. He ran quickly through the water, stopping when he was waist-deep.

"Too bad, Kat," he said. Mordred then flipped me back over and submerged us both in the salty ocean. My eyes were still open, stinging from their contact with salt and worriedly looking around me. Was I drowning? Mordred looked right to me, his eyes unaffected by the water. He held me loosely by the waist, my rear on his knee. I was safe as far as drowning was concerned; safe from dear Mordred, not so much. I tried to scrunch my face up like a scowl, but it turned into a sour face. He rolled those magical eyes and leaned closer. My first thought, like all teenage girls, was that he would kiss me and it would be the greatest underwater kiss ever. Nope. He grinned and brought us up for air.