“Wait," I call to him. He stops. " I just wanted to say, I like your big fin. I think it's very sexy.” — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“And then Grom says: "I'm already mated to Paca." The realization slaps us each in a different way. Me, with elation Galen,… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Galen places a hand on my thigh under the table and gives it a gentle squeeze. It’s not meant to be sensual… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Galen, he recognized her immediately." "Emma?" Galen breathes. This can't be happening. "No. The stalker." "Wait," Rayna says. " Her? Her who?"… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“And I’m not sure how much time has passed since Galen and his best friend, Toraf, left my house to retrieve Grom.… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Galen sprints to the back sliding-glass door and bangs on it. There's no time for etiquette. He motions for Rayna and Toraf… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Finally, Grom shakes his head. "She's a Half-Breed, Galen." Mom's head snaps toward him. "She's my daughter," she says slowly. She pulls… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“There’s something else,” Grom blurts. He rakes his hand through his hair, something Galen does when he’s particularly frustrated. I find my… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“What about me?" I whisper. "Where do I belong?" "With me," my mother and Galen say in unison. They exchange hard glares.… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Everyone is wondering where the Royal twins are, since they happened to miss Grom's kingship ceremony. At least I had the good… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Mark sitting next to me proves it. I'm moving on. Getting on with my life. Staying in school. Enrolling in college. Cooking… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“So I pulled a gun on him and demanded his wallet.” The soda in my mouth becomes the soda in my nose.… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Galen and Rayna are close." I gasp. "How do you know that? I can't feel them." My heart turns traitor, beating like… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“I should have had Rachel write a note or something before we left. But knowing Rachel, she might have already thought of… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“But maybe my expression isn’t as bad as I think it is. Maybe Galen’s just really good at reading me. Or maybe… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“But I'm pretty sure Mom won't consent to a field trip across the country with my hot boyfriend. Especially not back to… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Toraf runs to his mate. “My poor princess, who did this to you?” he says, tugging gently at a corner of the… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“I think it’s time to go ahead and start, don’t you? We don’t want them to have enough time to make a… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“We could just chill if you want." Emma raises a brow at Rachel. Rachel shrugs her innocence. "Nuh-uh. Don't look at me.… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“She needs to think you're still a couple. And you'll need to be convincing about it, too. Lots of kissing and stuff… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Others may not notice it, because an angry Toraf is truly a rare thing to behold, but Galen can practically feel the… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“ And why can't I have an ignore button like my phone? As I hit it, his calls disappear from the screen… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“When the Archives file out of the room, Galen turns to Emma. She’s ready for him. She holds up her shushing finger.… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“I smack into him as if shoved from behind. He doesn't budge, not an inch. Just holds my shoulders and waits. Maybe… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Galen doesn’t get truly nervous until he senses the size of the Syrena mass coming toward them. Up until this point, he’d… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Her kiss is hungry, as if long deprived. As if they didn’t already spend the morning doing just exactly this, making up… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“I'm not sure if all Syrena have bulletproof endurance or if Galen is particularly blessed with it. Even now, as I lock… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Toraf nudges him from his thoughts. "You know whose advice I need?" He nods toward the gigantic house behind them. "Rachel's." "Actually,… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Satisfied with my plan, I wrap a towel around my head genie-style, then wrap another one around my body. I open the… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“But Emma's just as naïve as Rachel. They both maintain that the more you know about humans, the more you'll like them.… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“How about a rain check?' She smiles, but I know it's not real because it doesn't crinkle her eyes. 'Sure. Some other… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Pick,” Emma tells her. Tira’s lip trembles. She tries to back out of sight, but someone pushes her forward. “Pick…Pick what?” Emma… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Hey, Rachel, it's Emma. Tell Toraf he's off the hook for tonight. I can't make it over there for practice today. Maybe… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“As soon as she releases me, Galen grabs my hand and I don't even have time to gasp before he snatches me… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“But Emma resists all of Galen's reasonings, based on the fact that it doesn't "feel right." Speaking of things that don't feel… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Short of dragging her to the water kicking and screaming-and destroying Emma’s trust in him-Galen made the snap decision to leave them… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Nice shack," I tell him. "Trade you." "Any day." "Really? You like it?" He seems genuinely pleased. "What's not to like?" He… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“The two-man crew of the patrol boat does not speak English. Rachel exploits this as best she can, while still dumping life… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“I'm so excited to meet you, Emma," she says. "Now I know why Galen won't shut up about you." Her smile seems… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“She turns in the doorway. “Oh, and Galen?” “Yes, ma’am?” “Have your mother call me so I can get her number programmed… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“I won't meet his glare. "I guess I didn't care." Telling him I meant to murder his sister probably wouldn't go over very well.… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“He'd live on land and eat cheesecake for the rest of his life before that happened.” — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“The two-man crew of the patrol boat does not speak English. Rachel exploits this as best she can, while still dumping life jackets in… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“When it passes us, the driver tips his cap our way, eying us as if he thinks we're up to no good-the kind of… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Taking both of my hands, he pulls me into the tide. Salt water deepens the lavender satin of my gown to almost black. The… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“But I'm pretty sure Mom won't consent to a field trip across the country with my hot boyfriend. Especially not back to Florida." I… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“Nice shack," I tell him. "Trade you." "Any day." "Really? You like it?" He seems genuinely pleased. "What's not to like?" He stands back… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“And then what?” she says, pulling her hand from Grom’s grasp. “Then Grom will mate with Mom and live happily ever after twenty thousand… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“She needs to think you're still a couple. And you'll need to be convincing about it, too. Lots of kissing and stuff in case… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“As soon as she releases me, Galen grabs my hand and I don’t even have time to gasp before he snatches me to the… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“After all, her motto is "Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
“I’ve never skydived, bungee-jumped, or parasailed. As I remove the headset, I try to calculate the fall and can’t. Maybe my brain is protecting… — Anna Banks Copy Share Image
