"I can swim for a very long time," he assured her.
"Pulling me?" she asked. "Because I suspect you'll have to. At least part of the way. I can swim, but not all night and day. And that's the other thing," Sarita added. "What if it does take twenty-four hours or something to get there? You're the one who said five hundred miles was your uncle's conservative estimate of where the island might be. You aren't swimming that far in a night. We'll be swimming during daylight too, without blood for you to top up on. I don't particularly want to be a walking blood bank."
Domitian frowned. "We do not have to make it to the mainland. I am sure we will encounter another island-"
"What if we don't?" Sarita asked. "And what if we are attacked by a shark? What if you're injured?"
He was more concerned about her being injured by a shark, but before he could say so, she added, "Without blood to help you heal, you might be more dangerous to me than a shark."
Domitian opened his mouth to assure her he would never harm her, but paused as he realized he couldn't make that promise. If he were badly injured in a shark attack . . . Well, immortals had been known to lose their heads and attack mortals in that state. The nanos could cause terrible agony and a blood lust when they needed blood. Sarita might be right. He could be more dangerous to her than a shark in that case.
"And then there's my grandmother," she said now.
Domitian focused on her with confusion. "Your grandmother is on the mainland."
"Do you really believe that?" Sarita asked dryly. "Think about it. Dressler wanted us both here for some reason, and he is the one who called and told me that my grandmother needed me. What are the chances that she just happened to fall down the stairs and hurt herself at the exact time when he apparently wanted us here? Hmm?"
Domitian shook his head. That hadn't occurred to him. "But you said she wasn't on the island. We thought perhaps they live on the mainland in the apartment and use the island house as a cottage."
"I said there was no sign that she lived in the big house," Sarita said firmly. "But I was thinking about Grandmother's letters, and according to everything she's ever written me, she definitely lives on the island with Mrs. Dressler and her son year round. I'm pretty sure Dressler is the only one who stays in that apartment in town. They have to be in the little house. There is nowhere else that they could be."
"Okay," he said reassuringly. "We will give that news to my uncle and they can be sure to-Why are you shaking your head?" he interrupted himself to ask, but suspected he already knew why.
"I am not going to the mainland," she announced, proving he had known why after all. "I don't think we'll make it if we head that way. And I'm not leaving my grandmother stuck out there on that island with Dr. Demento while I follow you to my death in the middle of the ocean."
"Sarita," Domitian said patiently.
"I'm not," she said firmly. "But I won't stop you if you want to try it. Your chances are probably better without me to slow you down. You might even make it. And I'll even tell you everything I know about the big island so you can tell your uncle."
"And what then? You will try to make it to the big island by yourself?" he asked with disbelief, and then said grimly, "I don't recall any of the reports I got saying you were suicidal."
"I'm not," she assured him. "And while I'm not a marathon swimmer, I did take lessons as a kid, and I'm a good floater. I can swim, then float for a while to rest, then swim again."
"Sarita," he said, running a hand wearily through his wet hair.
"It's closer than the mainland," she pointed out firmly. "I know I can't make the mainland, but the island is closer. I'm sure I can manage getting there, and I don't even have to build a raft. There are some blow-up lounge mattresses in one of the wicker chests that will do for a shorter journey."
Domitian scowled. "I think you probably could reach the big island, but we would be swimming directly into Dressler's waiting arms."
"We?" she asked.
"Well, I am not letting you swim anywhere on your own. There are sharks out there," he said gruffly.
Sarita smiled widely, but then responded to his comment about swimming directly into Dressler's arms. "El Doctor and his men will be watching for boats, not someone swimming to the island."
Domitian considered that.
"Actually, this might work out better all the way around. After we check the little house on the north end of the island to make sure my grandmother is okay, we can sneak around and find out all we need to know to help your uncle and his Rogue Hunters attack the island."