Craved Mate: Cybermates by Ayers, Candace (good short books .txt) 📕

I would die out here in this water if that was what it came to, but out here in this water was where I’d stay until I found her.

If I found her.

I swam farther and again ducked under, swimming near the sandy bottom, hoping to be lucky enough to stumble upon her by chance.

And I did.

My heart slammed to a stop in my chest. She was lying near the bottom and she wasn’t okay.

I had to move quickly. Every second counted. With every ounce of strength I had, I fought to scoop Mel up, and gripping her tightly, yanked her above water. The waves crashed around us. My mouth, nose, and eyes stung of saltwater. I didn’t think Mel was breathing. I slapped her face, hoping she would suck in a breath of air. She didn’t. She hung there, limp, lifeless.

No... No... No…

I needed to get her to shore. Another wave crashed over us, but I managed to keep us upright. I had to save Mel. Fast.

I focused all my strength on fighting the current and keeping Mel’s head above the water, which wasn’t easy. I kept going under time and again myself. I wouldn’t let her go. I would not let her go!

If this fucking bastard ocean took Mel, it would take me too.

When I finally managed to drag us both out of the water, fatigued by my battle with the sea, my feet sank into the sand, but I quickly laid Mel out on the ground and started CPR. I blew a sharp breath of air into her lungs followed by chest compressions and then repeated it.

Mel was cold. Her lips were blue. Between my breaths and chest compressions, my head rolled back and I let out a pained howl of anguish at the moon before continuing…

…and continuing.

It felt like hours that I’d been giving her CPR. Hours. Her slender body jerked under me and she lurched sideways, choking and coughing up water. My chest heaved and I turned away to flop down on the sand beside us. She’d almost died. She would have if I hadn’t been following her. She’d been seconds from never returning.

Her voice was broken and rough as she sat up and looked at me. “What happened? Mac? Is that you? Are you crying?”

I was, I guess. No, not crying, sobbing.

Wracking sobs of emotion—anger, fear, relief, and gratitude—poured out of me. I couldn’t speak. Instead, I pulled her against my chest and held her. Her heart rate was accelerated, but at least it was still beating.

Her blood sugar. She needed to check her blood sugar.

I sat up with her. I couldn’t seem to be able to force my arms to release her.

“You may need glucose.” My voice sounded almost as much like a bullfrog as hers had.

I carried her over to her pile of clothes and she somehow managed to find her monitor and check her blood sugar while still wrapped in my arms. Then she slumped against me. “Let’s get out of here.”

Yes. Perfect. I couldn’t get her far enough away from the ocean right then to suit me. Hell, I’d be happy to drive her to Kansas.

Standing, I held her in my arms, carrying her nearly the length of the island, back to Rise and Shine B&B.

I carried her up to the porch of the B&B and inside. Penny was at the desk. She gave me a strange look but said nothing. She knew me and I have no doubt she was able to discern that neither Mel nor I was in the mood for small talk or conversation of any sort. I didn’t even ask Mel which room was hers. Didn’t need to. My nose told me. I pushed open the door to her room, kicked it closed behind her, and carried her into the attached bathroom.

I didn’t bother to remove any of our clothes. I just turned the hot water on, and with Mel still in my arms, stepped under the steamy spray. I leaned back against the tile wall and blinked as tears burned my eyes. I’d almost lost her forever.

When she lifted her head and touched a shaking hand to my cheek, I buried my face in her wet hair and choked back sobs.

“You saved me again.” Her voice broke and she wiggled, trying to get down, but I couldn’t let her go. “Mac, put me down.”

“I can’t.” I held her tighter, my nose pressed against her neck, breathing in her scent. She was beginning to warm up. Her heartbeat was strong, but I couldn’t shake the image of her lifeless body from my head.

Seeing her like that, I’d never felt so helpless in my life. I knew how lucky we were. We’d just faced a situation most people would not have survived. Burying my face in her wet hair, I reach a state of calm. “You were gone.”

“I shouldn’t have done that. It was so stupid. I was just angry and frustrated and not thinking. If you hadn’t been there—”

An angry snarl rose from my throat. “Don’t say it. I can’t think about it. I’m barely holding it together after seeing you like that.”

I turned the water off and carried her into the room. I set her on her feet long enough for us to remove our clothing, then handed her a thick, complimentary terrycloth robe, and wrapped a towel around my waist before draping our soaked clothes over the shower rod.

I didn’t say another word as I got us both under the blankets and held her tightly against my chest, pressing kisses to her forehead, temples, and eyelids.

“I’m sorry.” She held me just as tightly. “I’m so sorry.”

I pulled the blanket over us completely, burying us in our little cocoon. I just needed to know that she was okay. And to forget what I’d seen.

Even when hours had passed and she’d fallen asleep, I held her. I knew I’d never be the same again. Tonight had proven how fucked up