Star Blessed

Spies

MERIBELLA

"Again." Meribella held her hands in front of her face, fully prepared to dodge Thorne's next swing, but the water witch was weakly waving her away in defeat. "What the heck? Come on."

"What the hell has gotten into you? We've been going at this for nearly two hours."

Two hours. Had it really been that long? She didn't feel tired enough for two hours to have passed. A phantom ache pulsed in her thigh where cruel fingers had violated her, and she knew where her stamina came from. Never again would she let a man touch her like that. Not without breaking everyone of his fingers until they were useless bits dangling from his hand.

"Your emotions are off the charts, and your aura looks like a bruise," Thorne said, taking a swig from her water bottle. "I can rarely see auras-that skill kind of skipped me."

"All I hear is you running your mouth to keep from getting your ass handed to you. Come on."

"No, B. Not until you tell me what this is about. Did Raff do something to you? You've been off ever since you came back to the house after talking to him."

"No! No, Raff was a complete gentleman. Don't raise your eyebrows like that, he was. He didn't even try to kiss me until he dropped me off at the house."

"Hmmm, seems a bit like putting the cart before the horse at this point, but okay. If it isn't Raff, then what is it?"

"I mean, it is Raff and it isn't." She touched her toes, feeling the stretch in her hamstrings. Sweat splattered on the wood of the deck, but now that they'd stopped moving, her damp skin was becoming chilled in the breeze.

"Can you just spill it already?"

"Why are you so damn cranky?"

Thorne ran a towel across her ebony skin, the elaborate way she patted herself dry an obvious attempt to gather her thoughts before answering. "I'm just a bit tired. Okay? I haven't been sleeping well. I don't know if it's the boat or the dreams or just the worry."

Meribella reigned in her temper. "I'm so sorry. I'm a terrible friend. I haven't even considered what this is doing to you. I've been so wrapped up in myself. Gods. Thorne--I just--I've never had to think of anyone but myself. Shit, I'm no better than my mother."

"Hey, I didn't tell you that for you to beat yourself up. I agreed to get involved in all of this. You didn't force me. Okay? Now, tell me what's got you twisted up like a pretzel and not in the good way."

"There's a good way to be twisted up like a pretzel?"

The teasing light returned to the witch's eye as she nudged her friend. "Oh yes, but I'll let you ask Raff about that one."

The blush she'd been digging for sprung to Meribella's cheeks, and she didn't bother to tell her friend she didn't have to ask. Her overheated imagination supplied the image, but she pushed it away to focus on the important matter at hand.

"Herrin showed up- the dude that's a member of Raff's pack but is actually working for Mac."

"Yeah, I remember the little shit. More weasel than wolf?"

"The very one. He cornered me and told me I was taking too much time to do my job. Then he threatened to hurt my mother. Thorne, what am I going to do? I came here with the intention of figuring out if Raff was guilty, and he can't be. There's no way he's capable of what Mac said, and I can't do what they've asked."

"I was afraid of this, honestly," Thorne responded, twisting the pearl ring on her slender finger as she stared across the ocean, the waves gray and churning beneath the overcast sky. "People like Morgan LeFay and Alpha Mac dangle a carrot in front of you to get you involved in their schemes, but that carrot quickly becomes a stick if you don't do what they want."

"Why didn't you say something?"

"First of all, would you have listened?" She took the silence from Meribella as an answer and continued, "Secondly, asking you was just a courtesy. You were already neck deep in shit the moment Herrin figured out who you were, but you've managed to keep breathing. And you're going to keep breathing until we can figure this out. We can turn this on them."

"It's not just my life at stake anymore. My family... Mac has sent someone to keep tabs on my mom. He's seduced her, and she won't believe me if I tell her the truth. I can't even go to her because it would take me weeks to get around the country again... I have to travel by boat because being too far from the ocean makes me ill."

"Why don't you tell Raff? Can't he send someone?"

Meribella shook her head, her dark hair swishing about her face. Her eyes were round with fear in her face. "He thinks my mother is a full blooded selkie. I'd have to admit that I was human."

Thorne patted her friend's shoulder, the gesture filled with pity. "Maybe that's best. He knows about the threat to his life, and he can keep you safe."

A strangled sob slipped past Meribella's pressed lips. "I c-can't. I need to keep my options open, need to keep him close, and he won't have anything to do with me if he knows the truth." And I'm not ready to let him go... but is it worth endangering your mother's life?

"Well, come on. No use crying about it. You've got time." The witch stood up and opened the sliding glass door leading into the dining area. She motioned for Meribella to follow.

"What do you mean? Herrin made it very clear that I wasn't to drag my feet, and all they have to do is call Chad. One word and my mother is dead."

"And then what leverage do they have against you? They're not going to kill your mother because then you wouldn't be useful. We'll figure something out."

"But," she began, recognizing the truth in Thorne's words, "but you could be hurt. These people are ruthless and vile. How I ever thought they might be the good guys..."

A dark chuckle reverberated in Thorne's chest, and outside the breeze became a tempest. Waves crashed over the railing, swamping the area they'd just used to spar. Her dark brown eyes were molten as power surged through her body, and the ring on her finger smoldered like a flame. "Let them try to mess with me. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

Relief coursed through Meribella at her friend's display. "Remind me to never piss you off."

"Too late. You're lucky I like you." She winked, her eyes returned to normal, before sashaying into the gallery and pulling boxes from the cabinets. "Now, I'm about to be hangry after that workout. What's for breakfast?"

*************************************************

She shook water from her fur, squeaking angrily over the impromptu bath. She'd forgotten how much she despised witches, but this one was particularly annoying. A request would be made-one that would give her the right to plunge the dagger into the woman's heart.

Skittering from her hiding place beneath the sun chaise, she hoped the girls were too busy gossiping about Raff's fine physique to notice the gray mouse racing along the deck. The morning hadn't been a complete waste, and the Fae Queen should be pleased with her report. Thank goodness, because she detested this body and had no desire to return to it anytime soon.

Whiskers twitching, she climbed the pole up to the railing and stole one last look into the houseboat. Meribella was leaning across the counter, her plump lips wrapped around the spoon Thorne was holding out to her. Anger made her tiny heart pulse. She'd cut those from lips from her face for using them to touch Raff. Right after she murdered the witch.

With a squeak that became a piercing shriek, she launched herself over the side, feathers replacing fur and took to the skies.