Chapter Forty-Five: Waking Up

The world shimmered around her like a bright shiny jewel and as she reached out, she realized she was underwater. She yelped as she reached for the surface kicking her legs behind her and froze. That didn't feel right. Holly craned her neck to look behind her. True, she had a lot of important things to worry about like what was going on, where were her loves ones, and where the hell her enemies went.

But this was a bit more important at the moment.

Holly had a tail. A shiny, shimmery, mermaid tail. She flapped it and watched as it flexed back and forth.

What was going on now? She looked around trying to make sense out of everything but there was nothing around her but coral and fishes that darted about. Could she speak to them? "Hello?" she called.

Mermaid princess she must not be for the animals just swam away from her leaving her all alone. Where was everyone? Was this another trick of Sloth's? But the Sin was nowhere to be seen.

"Come here." The voice was harsh and came from high above. "Coral, come," whoever it was snapped his fingers.

Holly scrunched her nose. Who was he calling like that? There were no dogs here and Coral was a weird name.

"Coral!" He snapped.

Holly swiped at her pink locks and froze. Pink? She pulled the hair that bounced in the water and pulled it forward. Not only was she a mermaid, but she had long light pink almost orange hair. Wait. Was she Coral? Her head throbbed. She would have preferred to still be fighting Sloth at this point.

But no, that fight had taken Quix from her. As strong as her supposed defenders were, they hadn't been able to stop the attack on him.

Holly shook herself and bobbed to the surface eyeing the man before her. Tall, in a suit that must cost a fortune, golden eyes locked on her and finding her lacking. Not that she was surprised about that. "Hello?" she tried.

"Coral, I know you're a new addition to my home, but you will come when you're called. Like it or not, you belong to me."

She sure as hell did not! "I'm not this Coral person. My name is Holly, and I don't know who you are or care. I just need to find my friends and get out of here." She paused and glanced down. And figure out how to not be a mermaid. This was going to make life far too difficult.

He sighed and ran a hand through his mussed dark blue hair. "You're always trying new tactics to get me to let you go. I told you, you're my birthday gift and I have no intention of letting you go. You cost a fortune and it's not like I'm abusing you." He gestured to where she was swimming. "Do you even realize how expensive it is to have an aquarium that is built to stretch through half a mansion? You get whatever you wish to eat, even if it is raw fish, gross by the way."

Holly shuddered. Was this some cosmic joke? From raw rats to raw fish? No way. "Sorry you're losing your expensive slave, but I'm not staying here."

He chuckled at her those golden eyes of his shining. "Oh? Are you going to get up and just walk out?" he challenged.

Holly swam over to where the man stood staring down at her. It was the only way she could get out. Maybe the tail would vanish if she pulled herself to solid ground? It was worth a try anyway. She ignored the man as she pulled herself onto the tiled surface and panted. Her tail flipped idly as she gathered her strength. So much for that theory.

"Coral, you're going to hurt yourself," he chided holding a hand out to her. "Come, back in the water and stop this nonsense talk. You promised you would tell me another story like the one you told me last night."

A story? What did this man want a nanny? "I'm not Coral," she responded glaring at him. Maybe if she didn't let her body touch the water it would get the hint and shift back. "Who are you anyway? I can't just keep calling you, you all the time."

His eyebrows gathered together and his forehead scrunched. Oh good, he could think. "It's me, Maxwell, your Master."

"You're not my Master," Holly replied with a quick shake of her head. "I don't know what's going on here, but I'm not about to just submit and be whatever weird relationship you had with your mermaid."

He glowered at her. "What are you talking about, I never did anything improper to Coral. I love her."

Just what she needed. "I'm sorry for your loss then. Though I doubt you actually loved her. If you claimed she belonged to you and you were her Master that didn't give her much of a choice to say no did it? Besides you are a human aren't you?"

Maxwell's hands worked on the knot on his tie. "That's it. I'm coming in after you."

Holly crawled back into the water dragging her tail behind her. She never did turn into a normal human again so that theory was out the window. This was either some sort of surreal nightmare or her magic had really screwed things up.

This man Maxwell put his arms under her arms and under her tail and waded out back to where the depths were before he set herdown. "There." he shook his head sending water flying as he stared. "Please, Coral. Don't fight me on this. I'll never hurt you, you know this. Let me just keep you safe here with me."

His heart thumped against her chest as he cradled her against his body. Holly pushed against him and sunk back into the water. "I'll never give in, just leave me alone." She dived back under the water before he could grab her and swam all the way down to the bottom.

The man didn't follow her. She chanced a glance and watched him cartwheel through the water making funny faces. His hands thrashed around as he bobbed up and down. Uh oh. Holly winced. This man couldn't even swim? Why buy such a big aquarium and wade into the damn thing if he couldn't swim?

She thought about letting him drown. Just turning away and letting things happen without her interference. But even though he didn't seem like a great guy, and he was a jerk, and rude, she still couldn't just let him die. With a sigh, she swam back up and helped guide his body to the sloped side where he was on solid ground again. She rolled him onto his back but his eyes were closed, he wasn't moving.

Wincing Holly opened his mouth and water dribbled out of it. This rich brat was lucky she knew CPR. With a sigh, she pressed on his chest with short, steady, and hard presses before leaning down and breathing into his mouth.

It was on the fourth blow of air that his arms crept around her and held her close before sealing his lips to hers.

Why had she known he was going to try that? Holly shoved away from him and dragged the back of her hand across her lips. "I was saving your life, not making out with you."

"Sorry," the man whispered his teeth chattering. "I misunderstood." he leaned against the wall his eyes heavy. "Thank you."

Was he faking it? "You're welcome," she replied.

"I can't let you go," he whispered as his eyes closed and he fell asleep.

What an idiot. Why fall asleep where you almost drowned? Groaning Holly shoved his body completely out of the water and to dry safety. Why had she been stuck with such a weirdo?

"Master Maxwell?" the man entered the room somewhere from down the ladder.

"He's up here," Holly replied.

"Ah, Coral, thank you."

That voice was awfully familiar. But no, she had to be imagining things. Holly shook her head to clear it and watched as the man crested the ladder. He was dressed in a butler suit but there was no mistaking the braid that trailed over his shoulder as their eyes met. Tears stung her eyes. "Quix," she whispered reaching out to him.

Recoiling from her his eyes fell on his sleeping master. "I don't know who that is, but if you're the cause of him nearly dying, I'll be the one that makes sure you're dumped out in the middle of the ocean somewhere." He paused. "Or I'll just sell you to the highest bidder. You'd appreciate Maxwell far more if you had to suffer a bit."

Wait this wasn't right! Holly wanted to scream at him but the man didn't even look at her as he picked the rich man up. "Then please, if you're not Quix tell me your name."

"I don't know what game you're playing at but you know my name, it's Jon. The security guard of that prince you've been trying to kill. This is your last chance, Coral." His eyes captured hers and while she lost herself in his depths, his were nothing but cold and calculating. "Know your place or I will replace you."

Her love left with the stranger and Holly was left alone as she stared at the strange place. She was grateful for the water that clung to her cheeks as she sunk back into the water and cried.