She avoided that question as well.“I am sorry. I am not trying to pressure you. Is there something else that you would rather do? Are you in need of time on your own?”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to set me up on a date.”I grinned at her conspiratorially.
“A date?”
Damn human terms. There was so much that wasn’t different in our languages that it threw me off that there were still things she didn’t know, or that I didn’t know.“A date—uhm, how else could I explain that? That maybe you are setting it up so there would be a romantic possibility, that we could be attracted to each other.”
Her head shake was too forceful to be anything than utterly genuine.“I would not do such a thing. It is true that I did not have any experience with a male who loves other males. Until you. Now that I know you better, I think I am beginning to see the differences. I do not think Wrell is of the same sexual design as you.”
A spark of disappointment flashed through me, although I’d never picked up on any lingering looks or anything else that would give me any indication he had any gay tendencies at all. But I was in a different culture—one that was taught to hide those tendencies. Maybe I’d been missing them. My gut, and now Lelas, told me I hadn’t been missing anything. Her words replayed quickly in my mind.“Wait a minute, what do you mean you’re beginning to see differences? What differences?”
Her look was genuinely innocent.“I do not know for sure. I would not even be able to place those definitions in my own thoughts to understand what they are. It is just something I am starting to feel or sense. Much like you can tell if someone is in the mood to be friendly or not, you can feel it. I am just becoming more aware of your differences than the mermen here. At first I thought it was because you are part human and demon.”Her gaze traveled over my body.“Those differences are there too. They are easier to see. I am beginning to discern other differences, though I cannot prescribe a name to them. I wonder if those differences correlate to you being a lover of males.”
“So, are you saying that I’m feminine?”
“Feminine?”
“Uh, that I act like a girl, er, a female.”
Her laugh filled my mind.“Not at all! You are very male.”
I nodded in relief. Then her laughter trailed off and her finger rose to her lips.“Actually, now that you put a name to it, that might be part of what I am sensing.”Her inspection intensified, confusion and curiosity mixing in equal measure.“I would not have thought such a thing, but it feels true. That you are a mix of male and female traits.”
I groaned.
Her confused look left her face, to be replaced by another emotion.“Is it an insult of some sort in the human world to be female, or is that the demon side of you?”
“No!”Good lord, how did I get into this? Sonia would have been kicking my ass by this point. I wouldn’t have thought that she and Lelas would have that quality in common, but it seemed there was more of that possibility than I would have imagined.“I think going to see Wrell is a great idea, actually.”I glanced around like he might be hiding just behind my hut.“Did you want to tell me where to go, or are you wanting to come with me?”
A smile cracked her pretty lips.“Do I truly inspire the same look as when you faced the sharks?”
“What look?”
“Fear.”
“Who said I looked afraid when we found the sharks?”
Her smile broadened, affection warming her eyes.“Come. I’ll take you to Wrell.”In a smooth motion, her arms dropped from around her tail as it flicked out to an extended position, and she shot forward with one strong flip.
Lelasled me about a quarter mile outside of the kelp forest till we came to a huge pile of rocks, stacked in such a way I couldn’t tell if it was natural, constructed by mers, or manmade.
“Here you go, my sensitive demon boy.”She kissed me on the cheek, turned, and swam away.
I nearly called out to her or turned and followed. Wrell was nowhere to be seen. I glanced over at the rocks, assuming he was located somewhere inside. Lots of sea life grew over the surfaces. Maybe the plants covered some sort of cave or opening between the large boulders.
Before I started to swim over, I saw him. Startled, I flinched backward.
Wrell’s lips split into an amused smile, his white teeth bright against the mound of sand that buried him.
“Fuck! You scared me to death!”I moved back a few feet. I’d nearly been on top of him.“Lelas knew that would happen, didn’t she?”
His smile broadened in reply. It was ridiculous how handsome he was. Finn’s face flashed through my mind, bringing a pang of guilt, followed by annoyance.Knock it off. You left him, remember? Move on already!
Allowing my gaze to move over Wrell, I realized why I’d missed him. The sand completely buried him, not like he’d just rolled around in it. I had no idea why he’d be buried several inches under the surface.
“How are you feeling?”
A warm feeling passed over me, and he gave a smile and a nod.
