Beneath the Earth (Seven Wardens Book 3) Read online

  A splash alerted her to his presence in the pool. Curiously, she turned, expecting a seal swimming in the water. But no, he wasn't a seal at all. He was just as human as he'd been moments before, except that he was now naked.

  The disadvantage of being the only kelpie here was that nobody could understand her. She tried looking at him questioningly, but her eyes kept wandering beneath the surface, and that was plain rude.

  "Why aren't you a seal?" she asked in her kelpie click language, but he just looked at her in confusion.

  She whinnied in frustration. Maybe they should have this conversation later on, when she was human again.

  "Can I touch you?" he suddenly asked, stunning her. What was he on about? That wasn't really a polite question to ask a lady. She wasn't a horse to be stroked. He'd never ask that if she'd been human...

  She flicked her tail and swam away from him, hoping he'd get the message.

  "Sorry, that was impolite!" he called. "It's just that it's supposed to be good luck to touch a kelpie, and I think we could all use a bit of good luck at the moment."

  She'd never heard that before. If it was true, kelpies themselves had to be the luckiest creatures ever. Definitely just a legend, but obviously, Rónán believed in it. Or he was just using it as an excuse. Either way, Macey was intrigued. Flattered, almost.

  Forgoing her pride, she approached him again. When she was in touching distance, she stopped, using her tail and webbed hooves to stay in position. Kelpies may not be the prettiest beings, but they were adapted perfectly to life underwater.

  Rónán stretched out a hand and gently touched her muzzle. No human - or selkie - had ever touched her there before. And not in the gently, admiring way Rónán was. When kelpies met, they rubbed their cheeks together, but this was different. His hand was small on her forehead, running over her smooth scales.

  "You're beautiful," he muttered. "Thank you."

  With one final stroke, he retracted his hand, leaving her bereft of his touch. Maybe she should ask her men to do the same to her the next time she was swimming. She'd never realised how good human touch could feel.

  "We should go back, Cam was busy burning the kitchen when I left," Rónán said with a wink. "I'll let you change in peace."

  He climbed out of the water, showing Macey his perfectly formed arse. Despite her reservations, she was more and more tempted to add him to her men. One more couldn't hurt, right? Even if he wasn't a Warden.

  She shook her head with a whiny, appalled at her own thoughts. She'd only met him yesterday. This was her hormones overreacting for some reason. She wasn't thinking rationally.

  Once he'd left the room, Macey shifted back. She wasn't really ready to be human again, but the magic word had made her change her mind. Waffles...

  As soon as she left the pool, she wanted to jump back in. The urge was still there, not as strong as before she went for a swim, but still very noticeable. That had never happened before.

  She shook off the water dripping from her hair, then put on the bathrobe hanging from a hook on the wall. The house was being very considerate once again.

  Three

  Thick smoke filled the corridor outside the pool room.

  Wait...smoke? That wasn't right, where could it be coming from? Short of Flint accidentally setting fire to himself, there wasn't anything Macey could think of to explain what was going on.

  Shouts and exclamations came along with the smoke and she picked up her pace, anxious to check her men were okay. Maybe they were under attack? But no, that couldn't be right. The house wasn't exactly easy to find for anyone. It seemed unlikely they were being attacked here.

  Even so, she didn't want to risk it, and almost sprinted down the corridor towards the scene of the commotion.

  Thankfully, the house seemed to take her panic into account, and shrunk the corridor so she could get there faster. Maybe she should think of a name for the place as a way of thanks.

  Flames flared up from the side, almost singeing Cam's eyebrows. Macey watched in bemused amazement as Cam and Jared half-panicked and tried to put it out...badly.

  But at least they were perfectly safe. Other than the small fire, anyway.

  "Dare I ask?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

  "He tried to make waffles."

  Macey turned to face Flint, who had appeared beside her. "And you're not going to help?"

  "I don't think adding more flames are the best idea," he pointed out. "Why aren't you putting the fire out?"

  "And miss watching this?" She waved her hand at the two of them who were now hopping up and down and looking like they were in a cartoon.

  A small giggle escaped from Macey. They really were too funny.

  "That's not very responsible," Flint teased.

  "It's only a little fire," she pointed out, the panic having subsided now that she'd seen the extent of the issue. "How did it even start?"

  "I told you, Cam was trying to make waffles."

  "How did he start a fire by making waffles?" Her mouth watered even thinking about the tasty goodness.

  "We have no idea. But anything that involves baking, he just fails at miserably. If Cam ever offers you chocolate cake he made himself, run. It's seriously bad."

  "But he's such a good cook?" Macey's gaze flicked between Cam and Flint. She really wasn't sure what to make of this revelation.

  "Everyone has their faults."

  "But not being able to cook waffles?" She was genuinely shocked. She'd watched people making them in the street, they seemed pretty straight forward.

  "Is it a deal breaker for you?" Flint joked.

  "I don't know, it just might be." She tapped a finger to her chin mockingly.

  Flint leaned in, his breath tickling her ear. "Enough that you want to replace him?"

  She didn't know if he was teasing or not, so turned to face him. He studied her, and she got the answer she needed.

  "None of you are replaceable," she whispered. "Not in a million years."

  "Good to know." Flint tilted her chin gently and tipped her head back. He lowered his lips so they almost touched hers. "But just so you know, we wouldn't be completely opposed to an addition."

  Before she had time to think about what he'd just said, he pressed his lips against hers and took her in a kiss filled with love and affection. There was no doubt this kiss came from someone who cherished her.

  "Macey, will you stop snogging Flint and help?" Cam's slightly panicked tone broke through the moment.

  "Oh no, keep kissing Flint, please," Jared countered. Cam shot him a dirty look, and Jared shrugged. "It's giving me a good top up."

  Macey gave him a withering look. "Will you stop snacking on my sexual tension?"

  "Not even if it was possible," Jared replied. "I was getting some off you earlier, too," he added, a knowing look in his eyes.

  "What help do you want?" she asked Cam instead of responding to Jared's insinuation.

  "Putting out the fire," he pointed out.

  She grimaced, feeling a little guilty about not thinking that one through. Of course he wanted her to put out the fire, she was the one who could do it easily.

  Summoning her magic from within, she created a small ball of water in her hands, before sending it towards the flames with a gentle push.

  Except, there was nothing gentle about what happened then. The ball spun a couple of times, growing in size as it hurtled towards the flames and Cam. Macey desperately tried to pull the water back to her, but nothing she tried seemed to actually be working.

  Instead, she watched in horror as the ball reached the fire, drenching the entire kitchen, along with Cam and the flames. Next to her, Flint began to laugh uncontrollably.

  "I'm sorry," she squeaked.

  "At least it put out the flames," Jared said, struggling to hold back the laughter himself.

  "Why does the kitchen look like a monsoon just tore through it?" Rónán asked, making Macey cringe. She hadn't intended for him to find out about her li
ttle accident, though how she'd thought to keep it a secret with her men around was a mystery.

  "Thanks, I think?" Cam held his sopping wet arms away from his body, his clothes dragging downwards with the weight of the water. "I'm going to go dry off," he added.

  "What happened?" Rónán said softly.

  "I lost control." She looked down at the floor, and scuffed it with her bare foot. "Apparently," she added reluctantly.

  "Has this happened before?" he asked.

  Macey shook her head. "I had decent control before my dad locked my powers. But I've only just got them back..." She did have to wonder if it was something to do with the previous block.

  "Hmm." Rónán appeared lost in thought, and the last thing she wanted to do was disturb him. She barely knew the man, she didn't want to anger him unnecessarily. "I might be able to help," he said eventually.

  "You can?" Her eyes lit up at the prospect.

  "Yes, if you're okay with that?" His earnest expression letting on just how serious he was.

  "It is with me..." She looked around her own men, before resting her gaze on Flint, who was standing closest.

  He shrugged. "It's not our choice, Macey. If this is something you want, then we're okay with it."

  Somehow, that sounded like Flint was talking about more than just some magic practice with Rónán. Macey shook her head. No, that was not something she was going to think about. Three men were enough, right? A girl could only deal with so much testosterone... and lack of waffles. Could Rónán bake?

  "I think we should be near water for this," the selkie suggested.

  "But we just left the swimming pool," Macey protested. "I want some food first."

  She ignored the feeling inside of her that told her to run to the pool and shift again. That feeling wasn't supposed to be there, so maybe if she didn't pay it any attention, it would go away.

  "I'd cook something, but the stove..." Cam pointed to the smoking remains of the cooker.

  “Can’t the house provide us with a takeaway or something?” Macey asked. Her stomach was growling; these men better give her some food.

  Jared chuckled. “That’s not how it works. But I’m sure Cam can whip up some sandwiches, he doesn’t need the hob for that.”

  Cam nodded, already on the way to the fridge which had been spared from the flames. It was quite wet, though.

  There was something wrong with her magic and Macey was determined to find out what, even if she had to ask a selkie for help. Oh, who was she kidding? She wanted his help, his company and his friendship. She’d not known him for long but it felt otherwise. Almost like it did with her three men.

  Maybe it was just her hormones overacting. Kelpies only had their period every three months, but when it came, it was a lot stronger. It made her act like a horny teenager – much to the amusement of her brothers.

  A pang of guilt tore at her heart. Her brothers were still in the Voice’s dungeons and right now, she couldn’t see any way of getting them out of there. At least they now had a better idea of what the Voice was. That had to be an advantage.

  “Egg and cress or cheese and onion?” Cam asked and she forced herself to focus on the present. And on the food.

  “Both?”

  He smirked and got to work. She loved how he made hers first, the vegetarian sandwiches, while the others had to wait for their dead animal version.

  Although she did pity them a little when she took her first bite and they all stared at her with hungry expressions.

  Sorry, boys.

  She shifted almost as soon as her body hit the water. Rónán wanted to have their lesson outside of the swimming pool, but Macey ignored him, the pull of the water too much to resist. Her human mind told her that it was wrong, that she usually had more control, but the kelpie side whinnied happily and dived to the bottom of the pool. Macey missed the loch she’d grown up in, its various shades of green, the kelp at the bottom that would gently tickle her scales when she swam through it, the delicate warmth of the sun rays breaking through the surface.

  Maybe they could put in a little stopover at the loch. Her father may not even know that her brothers were imprisoned… although no, Nessie would have told them.

  Nessie.

  Macey growled at the thought of her aunt who might be more than just that. The kelpie she’d trusted and who may have lied to her entire life. She refused to think of the m-word in relation to her. Macey already had parents and they were her parents, no matter what she’d been told. Her father was the kelpie king and her mother his wife.

  Oops, she thought the m-word.

  “Macey!” Rónán called out loud enough for her to hear below the surface. Macey turned and saw he was sitting on the edge of the pool, his legs dangling in the water. With a grin, she swam towards him and gently rubbed her head against the soles of his feet.

  He laughed and wiggled his toes, giving her the most amazing head massage. The antenna on her forehead waved from side to side as if it wanted to touch his legs.

  “You need to be human for our lesson,” he said loudly, but she refused to resurface. She was a kelpie and she was going to enjoy the water for a bit longer. The solid ground could wait.

  Macey playfully nipped at his leg and he cried out in surprise. Why didn’t he want to play with her?

  She gripped his other leg with her teeth and pulled him into the water. With a splash, he entered the pool, her home. She wasn’t going to leave this place. Why would she ever leave the water?

  Her men could move in with her. Maybe the house was going to extend the swimming pool to make it big enough for all of them.

  “Macey, stop it,” Rónán spluttered, resurfacing.

  Such a party pooper. She was just playing, why didn’t he want to play with her? Maybe he liked it rough?

  She dived lower and pulled on his legs again, making him stay below the surface. Why didn’t he shift and join her? He was so boring as a human. They couldn’t breathe for long in the water, she remembered that much even in the haze that her mind was trapped in.

  Maybe if she kept him beneath the surface he’d shift. Maybe he needed some help with it. Just like young kelpies had trouble shifting into their human form and needed some encouragement.

  Somehow, he slipped from her grip and swam up before she could stop him. As soon as his head resurfaced, he shouted, “I can’t shift! Stop it, Macey! I can’t shift!”

  See, she’d known. He needed help with his shifting.

  He was swimming fast to the edge of the pool, where the ladder was that made it easier to get out. Was he playing with me? Finally. She decided to give him a little head start. With his puny human legs, he wasn’t very fast. He moved them differently from other humans though, as if they were sewn together at the thighs.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Empty the pool!”

  Who was speaking? She took a deep breath and lifted her head from the water to take a look. Jared was standing in the doorway, looking very confused.

  Someone else to play with! She whinnied in delight.

  “Empty the fucking pool!” Rónán shouted again. “She needs to get out of the water.”

  Jared stared at them for another moment, then ran to the wall to his right and pressed a button on the pad that controlled the water temperature.

  A vibration went through the pool and a gurgling sound made her dive again. In all four corners, holes had begun to open and water was running into them, leaving the pool.

  No!

  She swam to the closest one and put one of her webbed hooves on top of it, stopping the water flow. But there were three more. She could feel the water disappearing, and with it, all the energy that sustained her.

  It was happening fast. She needed to think. There had to be a solution. She needed more water, but she couldn’t do that kind of magic in her kelpie form. She needed to shift, and then she could summon more water, and fill the pool again.

  She took in another deep breath, making oxygen run
through her gills, then started to shift.

  It hadn’t been this painful in a long time. Agony tore through her as her hooves formed into fingers and toes, her spine straightened and her scales turned back into smooth skin.

  Macey screamed, water threatening to fill her lungs.

  Suddenly, cool air surrounded her. Was she out of the water? No, even through her tear-filled eyes she could see that she was still at the bottom of the pool… but a large air bubble was forming around her. She spat out the water clogging up her throat and breathed in the fresh air.

  What the waves was happening?

  The air bubble began to move, taking her with it. She was drifting up, as if she was flying, leaving the half-empty pool behind.

  She was set down on the edge of the pool and immediately, four large men surrounded her, blocking her view of the water.

  “Explain,” Jared demanded, his incubus sultriness begging her to tell him everything. Except, she didn’t know what to say. “I…” she trailed off, not knowing where to even start.

  Flint crouched down next to her and slipped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as she shivered.

  “It’s okay,” he whispered. “You can tell us.”

  “I don’t know,” Macey muttered, sniffing as tears began to well up in her eyes.

  “I think I do,” Rónán broke the silence which was already forming around them. Probably caused by none of the men quite knowing what to do with a broken kelpie.

  “Tell me?” Macey whimpered.

  Rónán sighed, before sitting down on the side of the pool, dangling his legs over the side and swinging them back and forth.

  “She was doing what she was meant to,” he said after a few more moments of quiet.

  “I’m not meant to hurt anyone,” Macey protested.

  “No, maybe not you specifically. But kelpies. Your kind’s reputation had to come from somewhere,” he pointed out. “This is where. At least, I think so.”