Free Henchgirl (Dakota Kekoa Book 1) by Rita Stradling Page B

still.
    “Definitely,” I smiled, “I’m hoping to play middle more next year.” Yeah, she usually played middle hitter.
    “Everyone can dream,” she said.
    “Some dreams come true,” I said, and then I pointedly looked over at Keanu.
    I knew from her scowl that I was just shooting myself in the foot, but I really could not help myself.
    Thankfully the walk to the beach was short.
    Big beach was just the way it sounded, big. It stretched in a long arch into the horizon, people scattered throughout. The sun glared at us from a still blue sky, but it threatened any minute to dive for Kabikabi, our nearest island neighbor that was deserted except for a few massive estates.
    Several feet from where a yellow life guard hut perched, an aged old sign read: ‘Swim at your own risk.’ It listed the various dangers: shore break, rip tides and sharks. Below that, was a sign that read: ‘this beach is for human use only, no dracon or infected, please.’
    Well, at least they said please. It was only a suggestion, they did not ward the beach, I’m not really sure it was possible to ward a beach. While the ocean was a big moving body of water, a water ward only worked with a fixed perimeter and the ocean was anything but fixed. Most dracons and infected kept their distance from the ocean regardless. A long enough time spent in the ocean would eventually kill a dracon or infected. Swimming in such a giant mass of moving water immediately weakened us.
    The moment our group stepped out onto the white sand, Hunter ran past us, scooped up and sprinted off with Auli. From the way her mouth sucker-fished onto his neck, I decided I could rule out Mele’s theory, I am by far more Mabiian than Hunter and Auli seemed to have no problem with him.
    “Oh, I don’t want to see that,” Keanu said, turning away and facing the ocean.
    “Turn-around is fair play,” I said, then stood on my tiptoes intending to kiss his cheek but I wasn’t tall enough so kissed more his jaw-line.
    The smile he turned on me was so radiant that I was literally stupefied for a second. He said, “You are absolutely right.” In one quick move he scooped me into his arms and charged for the ocean.
    “Wait, wait! I’m wearing my swimsuit under my clothes,” I squealed, actually completely terrified. “Let me down!”
    Running full out for the small shore breaking waves he carried me kicking and at some point laughing hysterically. I knew it was too late when I tasted the salty spray from the waves, then we were both plunged underwater. Only for a second, but since I was laughing, I had to spit out ocean water.
    The water rushed out and so did we; I had to start swimming to stay above the water. Keanu surfaced next to me, popped up, kissed me hard and fast on the lips, and then dove under.
    “Hey!” I said indignantly to no one, but I was smiling. The water was clear enough that I could see Keanu, but when I grabbed for him, he swam away quick and surfaced out of my reach. My stomach clenched as my mind screamed the same thought I had in the truck: ‘he’s not human’. He was too natural in the water, too fluid; my guess was that his soul would merge perfectly into the cerulean ocean.
    Even though I could not really sense any bad effects from being in the ocean, thank goodness I had my dampener on, I started swimming for the shore.
    He had to be human, didn’t he?
    The water rushed back for a wave and I rode the small swell to the shore. Keanu was close behind me, and he wrapped me in his arms before I could wiggle out of my jeans, his hands wrapped around my hips.
    When I looked at Keanu an unintelligible mess of emotions traveled from my head directly into my stomach. If you could believe it, the person whose emotions were the most difficult to read were… my own. I knew, irony, that merciless ass struck again.
    Glacier’s voice seemed to scream in my head, ‘rule one: always stay in control of your target. If you lose power and cannot regain it