Chapter Sixteen

 

Chloe

 

I knew we had to be getting close to the shore. The seafloor was rising toward us steadily as we swam, and through the waves overhead, the sky was easy to see.

And after so long of intending to come back, I couldn’t keep my heart from racing at the fact we were almost there.

Zeke finally slowed, and so I did as well. His scales and tail vanished as though washed away by the water, becoming swim trunks and legs.

He glanced to me.

I looked back at my tail, willing it to disappear like his had done.

Nothing changed.

Gritting my teeth, I glared at the cream scales that refused to leave.

“Chloe…”

“I can do this.”

Treading water beneath the waves, he looked away.

I drew a sharp breath, returning my focus to my body, imagining my legs coming back and the scales taking the form of a swimsuit like Ina had told me they could.

A shiver ran through me.

The scales melted away. Instinctively, my muscles obeyed new commands as my tail split and my fin vanished into legs and feet. My skin reappeared, interrupted only where cream-toned scales still covered me like a shimmering swimsuit.

I tensed, suddenly frightened I wouldn’t be able to breathe under the water anymore.

“You’re still okay,” Zeke assured me. “Just relax.”

I looked over to him, and carefully pulled in a tiny breath.

It felt like every other one for the past day.

“Changing is like a spectrum,” Zeke explained. “Lots of levels between human and full dehaian form.”

Taking in deeper breaths, I didn’t respond.

“Come on,” he said, that tight tone returning to his voice.

We kept swimming. The seafloor came close enough to touch. My feet sank into the sand and I straightened, rising from the water.

Noah was running toward us across the beach.

A smile broke out across my face and I pushed past the tide to reach him. Atop the bluff, a house door slammed.

He caught my arms as I came close.

And he shoved me back toward the water.

I stumbled and fell into the surf.

“Hey!” Zeke protested, coming toward us.

Noah ignored him. “Get away. Get out of here now.”

I pushed to my feet as he threw a look over his shoulder. “Noah, what–”

“Go, dammit!” he cried as he turned back to me. His eyes met mine, pain-filled disgust twisting his face. “Get the hell away from me, you scaly, scum-sucking fish. Don’t you ever come near here again.”

I froze, speechless.

“I said go!” he yelled, running at me.

Zeke rushed between us. “Back off, asshole!”

Red light flared in Noah’s eyes and fiery cracks raced through his skin. With a snarl, he hurled Zeke back, sending him crashing into the waves thirty feet away.

“Go or die,” Noah growled at me.

Breathless, I stared at him.

And then I spun and dove back into the water.

The ocean enveloped me and the change sizzled through my body. My tail kicked hard, throwing sea foam back at him and propelling me beneath the rolling tide.

Zeke raced up to me, spikes on his arms and fury in his eyes. “Are you alright?”

I drew a sharp breath, fighting back tears. I shook my head, not sure what to say.

He took my arm. “Come on,” he said with a dark glance to the shore.

I nodded. With Zeke still holding onto me, I fled back out to sea.