Free Menage a Fairy (A Fairy Novel) by Anna Keraleigh

stomach do a crazy little flip. She ignored it and made her way by his side. “Keep kicking your feet. Make sure you take a deep breath.” She grabbed his hand and bit her lip when their fingers twined. Jayn inhaled sharply and released it only to take another big gulp of air and dive down.
    Wick was quick to follow. His eyes were open, wide with panic, and his wings looked liked they shriveled slightly as the water closed over them. They seemed to darken and their bright color dimmed. Wick kicked awkwardly with his feet, as the wings seemed to contract toward his back. Jayn kicked off the rock and pulled him with her. They were slow going. He had a big issue with each movement and his cheeks were puffed out like a bloated fish. She kept her body calm, although adrenaline was kicking in as they neared that big boulder.
    They were almost there.
    She pulled vigorously, trying to use all her energy to get them through that opening. Wick tugged her hand and she glanced back while swimming forward. Their eyes locked and he closed them before jerking his hand right from hers. He flailed uselessly for a few moments and she switched directions. Her arms came around his sinking body. Wick began to claw at his chest.
    He couldn’t breathe.
    Jayn frantically grabbed him and tried desperately to pull him back down. They could make it. She was sure of it. He came with her, though the flailing was less energetic. His grip was loosening. Jayn’s heart began to beat wildly. Adrenaline pumped through her veins like blood. He couldn’t die. She couldn’t let him die. With a gust of vivacity, she dragged his body further down. They passed the rock and that glorious opening was right there. The light was so bright that there had to be daylight within feet of the opening.
    Wick went limp.
    No! Jayn swam relentlessly. Her body becoming exhausted but she fought it with every ounce of strength in her soul. They were right there. The opening was before them. She shoved Wick through and saw his wide eyes begin to close. No! She held onto the edge of the hole, using her legs muscles to push him completely through. Wick began to float. It had to be the surface. She pulled herself through. Her feet were nearly out of that horrible cavern of water when something slithered along her ankle. It wrapped itself around her leg and tugged. Air shot from her lungs from the force of the jerk and she was pulled back into the cavity. Her oxygen was running low as she turned and grabbed the knife from her sheath. A slimy scaly thing that looked like an octopus was wrapped around her ankle. It squeezed painfully as she brought the knife to it. She hacked into it. Repeatedly she jabbed at it without wincing when the blade pierced her own skin.
    It let go.
    Jayn swam toward that hole. Her lungs felt like bursting as she made her way through the opening. She could hardly tell which way was up as her sight began to blur. Her lungs were on fucking fire. Jayn shoved off the wall and charged. She just hoped it was upward toward the surface.
    There! Was that sunlight? She swam, her arms failing her, her legs felt like weights but she was so close.
    Jayn’s head broke the surface. She took the biggest gasp she had ever taken in her life. Beautiful oxygen filled her lungs and it took several big gulps before her eyesight cleared. She was gasping for breath when she glanced around and noticed she was alone. Where the fuck was Wick? Jayn took a big breath and got back into the water. She scanned the small area and saw a dark blob lying on the bottom of the pond.
    Jayn dove.
    She swam fast toward that blob and the green began to show. It was him. That was Wick. Jayn wrapped her arms around his lifeless form before she pushed off the bottom and propelled them both to the surface. Jayn panted, going under briefly from Wick’s weight. She shuffled them toward the shore, dragging him onto the dirt and hiking him from the water’s edge. “Wick?” she called breathlessly. Jayn