The Necklace Read online

  “Well, if you’re sure. I guess we should continue on. But, don’t be too long. I have some samples I want you to look at.”

  Marissa appreciated Jon’s protective gesture and her feelings of animosity toward him lessened somewhat.

  He didn’t have any samples to show her. Since Nyla’s inclusion into the institute, Jon rarely even looked in a microscope.

  “Take your time, Marissa,” Felix contradicted, frowning at Jonathon. “Mr. Kamis, don’t forget the luncheon scheduled for later this afternoon. There will be a lot more interesting things discussed. I would hate for you to miss it.”

  “If I am not there, my associate will be there. Don’t worry,” he said, looking from Marissa to a spot near his right.

  Following the angle of his neck toward the corner of the tank, Marissa noticed two large men standing off to the side. They were similar in build to the golden God, but in comparison they didn’t hold an ounce of the same fascination.

  Mechanically, she glanced back toward the group and the center of her attention.

  He stared right back, his eyes heated with fiery, possessive intent. She could read the emotions blazing from the silver blue depths better than an illuminated street sign.

  Swallowing nervously, she gestured with a wide sweeping of her arms. “Mr. Kamis, if you would please follow me.”

  “Call me, Tylan,” he responded softly, moving forward to stand next to her. “And, believe me, Marissa. I will follow you anywhere.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Would he really?

  Looking at the strange and powerful man, Marissa realized she didn’t doubt it for a second. He looked the type to honor his word.

  If he said he would follow her anywhere than she better be prepared for someone dogging her steps for the rest of her life.

  “That’s settled then,” Felix intervened nasally, motioning to the crowd. “Gentlemen, there are a few other attractions I would like you see before we retire for lunch. Marissa? When your tour is done please direct Mr. Kamis to the conference room. We’ll be there waiting.”

  Nodding robotically, Marissa clasped both of her sweaty palms together, the muffled noise sounding strange to her ears.

  Looking at the surface of the ground beneath her feet, she tried to focus on the blackened bits of gum stuck to the gray pavement, the distant humming of the large industrial-size filter cleaning Nyla’s tank, anything to take her mind off the man in front of her.

  After what she'd just experienced, looking at him seemed like a really bad idea, especially since they were all alone now.

  Fretfully, she moved her stare toward the edge of the tank where she had spied the other two large men.

  One was gone, Marissa assumed with the rest of group, but the other stood leaning against the transparent barrier of acrylic; his face turned toward a frolicking Nyla.

  Today, the mammal seemed intent on putting on a show, her body slicing through the rippling, blue water. Marissa wanted to tell her to calm down. The poor thing didn’t realize her performance was working to seal her own fate. These men were here to evaluate her worthiness as a meal ticket, nothing more.

  At the thought of the institute's desecration of her beloved creatures, a surge of hot anger charged through her. Lifting her head, she peered at the tall, handsome man, mustering all the antagonism she could.

  Her body might be willing to be a traitor, but she still had control of her mind, at least she hoped she did.

  “Well, you’ve already seen this holding tank. There are a few others I can show you. There’s also the aquarium. Follow me, Mr. Kamis,” she gritted, her voice rigid and tight.

  He smiled, the light in his eyes sparkling. “Tylan.”

  Marissa clenched her teeth tighter, remembering her manners. “Tylan, then.”

  Pursing her lips, she moved past him, sending Nyla a silent goodbye.

  Go with King.

  Looking over her shoulder, she frowned at the mammal, before continuing to walk down one of the concrete paths lining the institute.

  Marissa kept her pace quick, hoping he would have a hard time keeping up.

  He, of course, had no problem, his long strides matching her gait.

  “I understand from Mr. Coulter you’ve have been working at the institute since you were a young girl.”

  She cursed under her breath at the talkative Felix, before answering, “I can assure you there weren’t any labor laws broken, Mr. Kamis. I didn’t start working here till I was in college.”

  “Tylan, please,” he countered, pausing for a second, and Marissa resisted the urge to look up at him. “I see. You have a deep affinity for the place?”

  The hostility she’d been feeling for six months bubbled inside her. “Yes, I do care for this place. And I don’t want to see it turned into some damn amusement park.”

  Marissa puffed a long wind of air, knowing her anger was going to far.

  With a few well-placed words, the tall man could effectively end her career. Even Jonathon wouldn’t be able to save her.

  Slowing her steps, she glanced at the alluring stranger briefly. “Look, I’m sorry,” she mumbled, forcing the strangled apology through her lips. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. There’s just been a lot of changes around here lately. I’m still getting used to them.”

  He nodded, a compassionate look in his eyes. “Change is always hard to deal with. You need not apologize.”

  The understated elegance of his voice and manner startled her. Biting her bottom lip, she attempted to ward off the peculiar feelings of desire beginning to run anew in her body.

  “I take it, you’re not in agreement with some of your colleagues’ advice for the institute?”

  “No,” she answered truthfully. “I’m not.”

  Tylan nodded slowly, looking like he understood her troubles.

  His supposed concern didn’t feel right, especially when his presence at the institute was connected with the things she despised.

  Frowning, she attempted to stave off any further questions by gesturing toward a few attractions he might find interesting. “The sculptures you see were commissioned by Marshall Hearder, the original founder of the institute.”

  “Beautiful,” he murmured, his voice deep and rich.

  But, he wasn’t looking at the larger than life replica of the four-eyed butterfly fish.

  Instead, his eyes were fastened on her.

  Good Lord!

  He was standing so close she could smell the musky fragrance of his cologne.

  Marissa’s heart kicked into overdrive, beating rapidly inside her chest. Though her mind rebelled, rioted against the desire, her body was a prisoner to its demands.

  Get a grip! Get a fucking hold of yourself, dammit.

  She didn’t know what in the hell was wrong with her, but she knew this man was absolutely dangerous to her sense of well being.

  Moving back slowly, she put a little distance between them, sighing when a breath of Tylan-free air filled her lungs.

  He smiled, his eyes full of secretive mirth. “Tell me, is it true you are the biologist who discovered the whereabouts of the del …the creature?” he asked conversationally, like nothing had just happened, like electricity hadn’t just arced between them.

  Danger with a capital D.

  “Y-yes, I am.”

  “Interesting that you were able to find the creature. How were you able to do this?”

  Grateful to be able to wrap her mind around a subject that didn’t involve ripping his clothes off, Marissa turned away from the sculpture, continuing down the concrete path.

  “It was a fluke really. A year ago, five pods of dolphins washed ashore within a three-day period. The institute was sent to investigate because a wildlife organization blamed the Navy for the deaths. Pods have been known to beach themselves, but usually one or more of the members are sick, or infirm in some way. Yet, all of the creatures were healthy. Most of my colleagues dismissed it as some kind of random act, but I couldn�
��t. I thought there was something else in the blood, maybe…” Marissa paused, not wanting to bore him with all the technical details.

  “I see. So, how did all that lead to finding the creature?”

  “I convinced Jon … Dr. Nash to let me search for other pods in the area to see if I could find some evidence. But we ended up finding something else entirely.”

  “How were you able to track them? The pods, I mean? Did you use some sort of device?”

  “No.”

  “Then, how did you know where to look?”

  Marissa frowned, looking away. She’d been asked the question numerous times. Usually she shrugged it off. But, for some unknown reason, she didn’t today.

  “I just knew,” she responded softly, guilt knotting her stomach. “And I led the team right to her.” Tears filled her eyes, and she wiped away the moisture, hoping he didn’t see her loss of composure. “I think we'd better continue with the tour.”

  They walked in silence the rest of the way, finally reaching a light blue building on the far side of the institute.

  Marissa hadn’t planned on showing him the aquarium, but figured in her frame of mind it was the best place to get rid of him for awhile. Her moods had been swinging from hot to cold and back to hot since she first laid eyes on him. She needed to get a hold on her emotions—or else.

  Since the institute was closed, the aquarium would be deserted. The interactive tour guided visitors with automated voices and monitors located through the building. All she would need to do was turn on the computer system and let him wander to his heart’s content.

  When they stopped outside the brightly painted building, Marissa reached in the pocket of her tan cargo pants for her set of keys. A strong, ocean gust blew across her face, and she turned her head to inhale the rich, crisp scent. A slight movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention.

  One of the men she glimpsed earlier stood off to the side of the aquarium, partially hidden behind some leafy shrubbery.

  How in the world did he get here so fast?

  She’d taken a shortcut known only to the staff and would have noticed him on the winding trail. Hell! She hadn’t even planned on coming here.

  Frowning, she dismissed the man from her thoughts, figuring him to be an extremely fast walker. Turning back around, she glanced over her shoulder at Tylan.

  He stood close again, close enough for her to smell his rich, pungent scent.

  Desire, swift and fast took hold of her, every tangible thought leaving her brain. All she could think about was becoming one with him as the tingling along her spine became a wave of vibrations.

  Marissa blinked, shaking her head in an attempt to clear the fog from her mind.

  What in the hell is wrong with me?

  Not only was she turning into some weird fish lady, her body was vamping into a poor imitation of a lusty porno star.

  Rushing ahead of him before any more strange feelings of lust bombarded her, she heard his soft laughter echoing behind her as she entered the aquarium.

  “This is very impressive,” he said, once they stood inside the foyer.

  Marissa started at his voice, but nodded in agreement.

  The Hearder Aquarium was very impressive. It had been the highlight of the institute before Nyla arrived.

  It cost over twenty million dollars to construct, housed three levels and a small movie theater at the very top. The tanks, built around and through the entire building, were wall-to-wall and ceiling-to-ceiling, holding over forty million gallons of water and some of the most exotic and rare species of fish and mammals found the world over.

  All of the marine foliage decorating the interior, including the fabricated coral reef on the second floor, represented every known habitat of the ocean. The only one missing was the environment of the deep, dark abyss, which no marine botanist could hope to design.

  The aquarium also boasted an expensive sound system, designed to the give the visitor the most current and up-to-date information. Even Marissa, who wasn’t one to exploit animals or mammals of any kind, couldn’t complain

  “It took almost five years to complete. They started construction when I was sophomore in college, and they didn’t finish until my second year of graduate school.” She sighed, raising her head to look at a Humpback grouper darting away from a Spottail shark. “We hoped it would help the institute bring in more donations, but it ended up being a huge cash cow.”

  Sadness at the changes abounding at her beloved facility brought a mist of tears to her eyes. Turning toward him, she wanted him to see the hurt his greed wrought.

  “I am not the enemy here, Marissa,” Tylan said, his expression understanding.

  Marissa believed him, and mentally scolded herself for weakening.

  She couldn’t trust someone like Tylan Kamis. He was dangerous and provocative.

  Drawing on a reserve of strength, she didn’t know she had, Marissa gestured with wide arms around the aquarium’s interior.

  “Well, I better go get the system ready,” she said, nodding in the direction of the control room. “Wait right here. When the music begins just start walking where the voice tells you to go.”

  * * * *

  Tylan admired the swing of Marissa’s hips and ass as she walked away, her waist length ash-blonde hair swaying with each step.

  The unattractive clothes covering her body could not conceal the beauty and splendor beneath.

  The scent of her was enthralling; it continued to torment his senses.

  He’d never smelled anything or anyone like her, rich, drugging, and wholly addictive. It was the first thing that had drawn his attention toward her.

  Lust and fascination heightened, releasing a dangerous feeling of awareness. His pulse quickened at the visions of the things he could do to her, in and out of bed.

  Just the mere thought of her writhing in sexual pleasure, hardened and lengthened his cock.

  Soon, Tylan cautioned himself, concentrating on slowing the hazardous state in his body, as he watched her retreat behind two large gray doors, placed inconspicuously inside the building amongst the enormous tanks and paintings lining the walls.

  A few moments later, numerous colors of light surrounded him and a booming male voice welcomed him to the Hearder Aquarium.

  Tylan blinked twice, before tuning out the distractions, allowing his focus to re-settle on Marissa.

  He could still feel her sadness, the strong emotions pulling at him. He understood her love for the creatures, her empathy with the lives surrounding her. The wealth of compassion in her soul beckoned to him. Every aspect of Marissa beckoned to him, the pull impossible to deny, even if he wanted to do so.

  He sensed something else in her, also.

  Something he was sure she didn’t even know.

  Why could things never be simple?

  Omea had informed him of the person responsible for locating the delaphin. He had expected to hate the human on sight.

  But he hadn’t expected Marissa.

  Smiling, he realized he now had a new set of problems to contend with.

  Already she thought to escape him, and Tylan laughed aloud at an idea too ludicrous to contemplate.

  She may not recognize him as a warrior, but his worth had been drilled into him long before she was born.

  She didn’t stand a chance.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Marissa clasped the edge of the desk, her breathing slowing to a respectable level.

  Grateful for a moment to herself, she looked around at the various monitors and lights flickering.

  She was in the heart of the aquarium. From here all of the lighting and sound systems could be manipulated with clicks from a mouse or taps to a button. Frowning, she wondered which of the various instruments worked the introductory system for the foyer. It had been a long time since she'd operated the various gizmos beneath her fingertips.

  “Jeeze, where are you when I need you, Robbie?”

  Robert Aragon, Ro
bbie to his friends and family, was the whiz kid, techno-geek who practically lived at the institute. Marissa had known him since he’d been a freshman in college, and she a first year grad student at UCSD.

  He was the one who had put this piece of mechanical wizardry together. He had shown her how to work it once, but she’d been too fascinated with the magic it produced to pay any attention.

  Now, Marissa wished she had.

  There were so many buttons and computers she didn’t know where to begin.

  Pressing anything and everything near her fingertips, she was rewarded when the muffled sound of music echoed through the building.

  Aha! Success!

  Marissa listened with half an ear to the welcoming intro, peering through the clear barrier of the tank as a small cinnamon clown fish and a school of dogtooth tuna passed before her eyes.

  The position of the control room was halfway through the first floor of the aquarium, placed behind one of the tanks, the area protected from the prying eyes of visitors by a large panel of one-way one glass.

  This gave Marissa the advantage of seeing Tylan, without him being able to see her.

  Sighing, she sat down in a nearby chair to wait.

  Her eyes closed, Marissa tried a few meditation tricks to calm her mind.

  Nothing worked.

  All she could think about was the sexy giant walking through the aquarium, and the strange reaction she’d had to him.

  Wearily, she brought her hands to her forehead, massaging her temples.

  The past six months had brought more changes than one person could possibly handle. How she had continued to exist with all the weirdness was amazing. Especially considering it scared the holy frijoles out of her.

  Talking to fish, ice cold baths, weird dreams, and an extreme urge to rip the clothes from her body and fuck a man she just met.

  She couldn’t keep pretending things were normal.

  Standing up suddenly, all thoughts of being an overeager Dr. Doolittle with strange bathing habits left her mind.

  The music in the foyer had come to an end, and she needed to prepare the system for the next leg of the tour.