Free Wet: Undercurrent by Zenobia Renquist Page A

him.
    Her lips touched his, and a tiny electric discharge jolted them apart. Masato jerked upright, sucking in a mouthful of air and then coughing. Lulu started to rub his back, but he shoved her away.
    Masato snapped, “You should have left me to die.”
    Lulu glared at him. “I’m not like you.”
    He stood and hobbled over to the trunk. “You remember what I said about taking advice when it’s given?”
    Hotsuma said, “Whatever you have planned won’t work, Masato. Lulu set me free.”
    “She let you loose. She didn’t set you free.” Masato opened the trunk and pulled out an all-too-familiar chalice. He waved it side to side. “You didn’t think we just got rid of this once you fell into the well, did you?”
    “What can you do with that?”
    The man pointed the chalice at Lulu. “Grab her.”
    Hotsuma found his body moving on its own. He took Lulu in his arms and held her.
    Lulu wriggled and pushed at him. “Hotsuma, let go. Why are you listening to him?”
    Masato said, “He doesn’t have a choice. You see, Lulu, there weren’t twelve wards. There were thirteen. This chalice is the last. It gives the bearer, the head of the Mizuno family, complete control over the ageman . He has to do everything I say while I hold this.” Masato walked back around the pool to the fallen priest and nudged the man with his foot. “Get up and finish your job.”
    The priest startled awake. He looked around in confusion before getting to his feet.
    Lulu whispered, “I thought you killed him?”
    Hotsuma said, “I only made him unconscious. I didn’t want to kill an innocent man. None of this is his fault.”
    Masato laughed. “You two idiots are made for each other. If you had just killed me and the priest, you would have been free. Sentimentality and compassion is for suckers.”
    The priest started his chanting once more. Hotsuma let his shoulders slump in defeat. Masato was right. Hotsuma should have killed him when he had the chance. He shouldn’t have let Lulu interfere. But he couldn’t place all blame on her. Hotsuma didn’t want to be responsible for killing a member of his family. He let Lulu save Masato so he wouldn’t have to carry that burden.
    He tightened his arms around Lulu and dropped his head to her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
    “So am I.” She turned so she faced him.
    Masato said, “Aren’t you two sweet? You have just enough time for a goodbye kiss. Make it a good one. It’s the last thing you’ll ever feel.”
    Hotsuma wanted to ignore the man’s words, but that would hurt him. This was the last time he would hold her. He wanted to forget everything else and enjoy that.
    Lulu circled her arms around his neck as his lips met hers. Her kiss felt electric and hot. Hotsuma thought it was the passion they felt for one another until the kiss turned painful. He pulled back but still couldn’t release her.
    Electricity filled the room. Masato screamed as some of it hit him. He grabbed the priest by the front of the robes and shook him. “What are you doing? Stop! Stop!”
    The priest shook his head in confusion. “This isn’t me. I… I’m performing the binding spell, as you requested.”
    “You’re doing it wrong.”
    “Something’s interfering.”
    Masato shoved away from the priest and turned his anger on Hotsuma and Lulu. “It’s you. Ever since you came to this hotel, you’ve been a pain in my ass.” He stalked back to the trunk, this time pulling out a gun. “Enough of this shit. You’re going to die anyway, and no one said you had to be alive to do this spell.”
    Hotsuma lashed out at Masato, sending a wave of water at the man to stop him. At the same time, he tried to shove Lulu to the side. The command for him to hold her was still in effect, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t move with her.
    Masato fired the gun as the water hit him. Lulu jerked back and grabbed her shoulder with a cry of pain.
    “Lulu!” Hotsuma cradled her as she went to her