Chapter 61

Warm musical laughter drifted across the crashing of the surf. She sure didn't sound despondent. The water was too cold for a human to tolerate for long, so he continued to watch. One of the benefits that came from being a gargoyle was better-than-human night vision, so he saw her mink-brown head duck beneath the waves. A brief second later, it re-emerged, and he let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
But wait - something wasn't right. The head that bobbed above the water wasn't the same one that had gone under. Instead of a pale porcelain complexion and long straight hair, this head sported a pointed snout and a smooth, short coat of dark brown fur. What the hell?
The seal gave a short, joyful bark and scampered into an oncoming wave. Remy chuckled as he realized his mistake. It was just a seal, playing in the surf. His laugh died as he realized that meant the woman hadn't resurfaced. He raced toward the water's edge, stripping off his boots and jacket as he went. Merde. Time to get wet.
He was ankle deep in the surf when he figured it out. She was a selkie - a shifter like him. This was the reason Lady Helene had sent him here. Somehow this delightful little surprise was the one who could help him find the missing artifact. A smile crossed his lips. He stood where he was, and watched her while she sported in the surf. This mission just might turn out to be fun after all.
Mari played in the waves, reveling in the feel of the cool water gliding along her fur. She hadn't done this in forever. She'd been so busy finishing up her education that she hadn't taken time for herself. She'd gone to great pains to ensure that being a selkie wasn't the be-all and end-all of her life, that she'd neglected this side of her nature. Her species wasn't the only thing that defined her, not like it was for her mother and sister. Mari was determined to make something of her life.
But that didn't mean she could completely ignore her heritage. Being a selkie came with baggage. The need to change and swim was part of it, so here she was.
She heard a splash out just a ways and she immediately turned. Just a sea gull landing. Whew! She'd been so lost in her thoughts and in the pleasure of swimming that she wasn't paying attention to the water around her. Not smart for someone who looked like shark food. Reluctantly she told herself it was time to head in and get some sleep.
She swam up under the pier until the tip of her front flipper just grazed the sand. Then she closed her eyes and willed herself to change. Her fur split down the middle and vanished, except for the small scrap she always wore on a silver chain around her neck. Human knees and toes touched down on the sand, and her flippers became arms, holding her up on her hands and knees.
"Hello there."
At the sound of a voice, horror filled her head and belly, making her dizzy and nauseous. Her arms and knees turned to jelly and she fell onto her stomach in the shallow water. Someone had seen her! How had she failed to notice another person nearby? She scanned the sand below the pier - there was no one there. She tipped her head and looked up.
Oh fuck! It was him. The blond god from the shop. He was just as gorgeous as she'd remembered. Slowly, Mari pushed herself up until she was still on her knees, but upright. The new vantage point put her face about level with his hips, which was a mistake. His damp jeans were plastered to his legs and outlined a rather magnificent erection.
"Hello, ma belle." A current of laughter ran beneath his wry tone. He took a step back and held out a hand to assist her to rise. "I guess you were in no danger of drowning after all."
Why wasn't he running or screaming? Cautiously, she took his hand and stood. Her wet human form felt the cold midnight breeze and she shivered.
"Come, let's get you warm." He tugged her toward the beach with the hand that he still had linked in his.
What was she going to do? She couldn't kill him, she was pretty sure she didn't have it in her to commit murder. She'd have to just disappear. Unless - maybe she could take him home and get him drunk enough that he wouldn't remember tonight, wouldn't remember meeting a shapeshifter beneath the pier.
He stopped next to her clothes. A man's leather bomber jacket and cowboy boots were strewn haphazardly between her pile of clothing and the shoreline. He pulled off his gray T-shirt and handed it to her.
"Here. Dry off with this so you don't soak your clothes when you put them on."
Still in shock, she nodded and took the shirt, quickly wiping the salt water from her skin. While she pulled her dress over her head, he shook the sand out of her jacket. Then he held it out while she slid her arms into the sleeves.
"Better?"
Mari nodded. "Thank you. I don't even know your name."
"It's Remy. Remy Rocher. You can stop freaking out now, little seal. I'm not going to tell anyone what I saw."
"You-you went in to rescue me, didn't you?" Even his name was sexy. Her teeth had stopped chattering, but she still felt cold down to the bone. Her logical mind knew that it was probably from fear as much as cold.
"Yes." He picked up the cowboy boots and the leather jacket.
"I'm sorry," she told him. "I was so sure no one was nearby. I didn't mean to scare you."
"Just needed a swim, eh?"
Mari wrapped her arms around her waist and nodded. She'd come so close to finishing her degree to building a real life, a real career. What would she do now? She was just as bad as her mother after all. Well, maybe not. At least she wasn't running off, and pregnant.