“I told you. Everywhere and nowhere.” He smiles. “Want to swim?”
“No.”
“Sure?” He’s already peeling off his shirt. He places my gathered shells carefully on a rock, and runs into the water like he’s seventeen and human again. "You act like you don't have underclothes on!" He calls from the waves.
The sun is blazing. The humidity wraps around me like a second skin. Why does it feelhotternow? I hesitate… then pull my dress over my head. A swim wouldn't hurt. I can't remember when I've last been to the beach.
The water is almost too clear. Like glass. It’s disorienting. And warm.
“Fun, right?” he calls, swimming lazy circles on his back. "I love it here." He disappears under the water, well, I can see him but he's swimming away from me.
Then Ambrose tugs my leg underwater, and I kick him hard. “Stop.I’m not playing with you.”
“Iamplaying with you,” he replies, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me with him. I struggle, but he holds tight. “I’ll take you out far,” he whispers in my ear. “Drop you off a cliff. You’ll be treading water fordays, cutie. All alone." That dark, foreboding look is back in his eyes. They almost seem to glaze over. A chill races up my spine despite the warm water lapping against us. "One kissand we go back in.”
I can't struggle, he's slowly swimming back, I can see the water getting darker. Panic attempts to rise. “You already got one.”
“I want another.” He rubs his nose against my cheek. "Come on, cutie, don't be mean." His voice is rough, low, flat.
I glare at him, but I’m tired. I lean in and give him a kiss—this one longer, full of venom. He chuckles, and opens his mouth. Our tongue collide, and Ambrose moans, his left hand grips my ass and he squeezes. I nip his tongue, and he takes more, biting my lower lip as he continues to take more from the kiss. If he wants it so bad, he canchokeon it.
"Good girl," He whispers against my lips. "Come on."
We swim back, he's holding my hand, and he keeps holding my hand as we walk back to the castle. The only towering structure for miles around, the only thing I see on this island.
“You think you’re slick,” I mutter as we near the castle.
“IknowI am.” He kisses the back of my hand. "I can see how he liked this. You, in particular, did you make it this difficult for him?"
Snatching my hand away, I snarl. “Is that what you're trying to do? Be Athanasius? I don't care what you say. I know him for who he is now, and I'm sorry for what happened to your sister, I am, but," Jeez…Ambrose won't care what I'm saying. "He will come for me.”
He shrugs. “He’ll try. But by then…” He looks at me with that slow, confident smile. “…you won’t want to leave.”
That night, I fall asleep faster than I should. Maybe it's the ocean air. Maybe it's exhaustion. Maybe it's because—for the first time in a good while—I feltAthyagain.
And then I’mthere.
But it’sdark. So dark it wraps around me like velvet. Cold, too. My breath fogs and hangs before me, and something tightens around my chest like pressure—like I’m underwater.
Wait.Am I? Fuck no! I'm not swimming though, I'm walking, breathing perfectly fine. I try to jump and swim, but nothing. I shiver, blinking into the pitch black. Ahead, there’s a small fire, crackling bright, distant andimpossible. How did I get here? This dream feels too real. I can hear things in the darkness around me and I am scared. My heart is pumping hard, but I can feel a familiar presence. Tendrils of shadow, Athanasius, touching me. Barely.
Something brushes past me. Somethingbig. I freeze. My whole body clenches. And then Iseeit.
A goblin shark, pale and unnatural, glides in front of my face, mouth half-open like it’s thinking about biting. I scream—punch wildly—and duck down, curling into myself. My toes sink intosand.
What the hell is this? I scream again, voice hoarse and echoing. “Athanasius!”
“Use the fear,” an old woman calls from somewhere ahead. “Use it. Grab her now!”
Hands wrap around me. Strong. Familiar. Fierce. I’myankedtoward the fire—and him.
Four arms wrap around me, pulling me into warmth. My feet leave the ground, my body presses against his chest, and his chin drops onto my shoulder, he's shaking. “Rabbit,” he breathes, voice like thunder wrapped in silk. “Rabbit, can you hear me?”
I lift my face. He’ssmiling. That smug, arrogant,beautifulsmile. “Yes,” I whisper. “Where are you? Where am I?”
He cups my cheek. “My home.Ourhome." He kisses me, and this is a kiss I want. My mouth opens for him, and his split-tongue ravages mine, taking, tasting. I want to climb up his body, but he's holding me so tightly. Tears beginto prick at the corners of my eyes before he releases my mouth. "Tell me where you are, Ione. Open your eyes. Let me see.”
“My eyesareopen…” A soft presence brushes against us. Athanasius steps back and I twist slightly and see the old woman—draped in tattered fabric, her hands glowing faintly.
