Merman's Kiss (Merman's Kiss, Book 1) Page 4

  ***

  My eyes open. It’s pitch black. Someone groans next to me. I smell the familiar scent of the ocean and everything comes back. Naked guy, merman, Damarian.

  I see a form and immediately know it’s him. “Hey,” I say.

  “Hello.”

  I press the small light on my watch. It’s only eight PM. We have a long way to go before we can get him back in the ocean. “You’ve been out of the water a while.”

  “Yes.”

  I cross my arms over my chest and shiver. I’m still a little wet. “I guess as soon as the salt water’s gone, you change into a human.” My voice echoes throughout the empty pool room.

  “Yes, I suppose.”

  But we don’t know the rules one hundred percent. We don’t know how long he can go on without needing salt water or if anything else can trigger his need to change back into a merman. If that need arises, I’ll have to put him in the pool.

  Damarian seems a bit shaken. I reach out and rest my hand on his knee. At least, I think it’s his knee. It’s still hard to see anything. “Are you okay?”

  He pauses for a few seconds. “Yes.”

  “I’m so sorry. It looked like it was very painful.”

  “It is all right.”

  “Do you want to dress into warm clothes?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  I turn on the lights. Damarian is all dry, except for the towel and his hair, which is semi-wet. It’s so golden and silky. It practically begs to be worked through.

  After returning to him, I hold out my hand. I’m not sure how well he can walk. He was very shaky in the living room, and I half dragged him into the pool. He doesn’t have a lot of experience.

  He brings his hand to mine. It’s so soft and no longer webbed. I help him to his feet and he wobbles a bit. I smile. “It’s not as hard as it looks.” I take both his hands in mine and lead him toward the door. His steps are labored and shaky, but he’s doing it. “Just a little more practice and you can pull off a human guy.” I laugh.

  His lips tug into a smile. “I prefer the tail.”

  “I don’t blame you.”

  We make our way to the living room. That’s when I hear relentless knocking.

  I freeze. “The door.”

  “Pardon me?”

  Crap.

  I grab his hands and pull him into Mom’s bedroom. I push him down on the bed. “Stay here, okay?”

  “What is the matter?”

  I can’t just leave him here. What if he needs salt water? The knocking continues. I’ll just get rid of the person and hurry back.

  “I promise it’ll only take a minute.”

  Taking a deep breath, I make for the door and open it a crack. Leah stands before me with an annoyed yet worried expression on her face. “Finally! I thought you were kidnapped.”

  My body sags in relief. “Good, it’s only you.”

  “Who else would it be?”

  She pushes past me inside, but I grab her arm. “No, don’t come in!”

  She turns around and raises an eyebrow. “What’s going on? Where’s Angel Guy?” Her eyes sweep me up and down. “And why are you still in your wetsuit?”

  I bite my lip and avert my gaze to my toes. Leah’s my best friend and we tell each other everything. But I promised Damarian I wouldn’t tell anyone about him being a merman. I can’t betray him. But then again, I can’t betray Leah, either.

  Her eyes scrutinize me. “Don’t tell me he actually grew angel wings.”

  I search her eyes, knowing I can trust her. But I don’t have to tell her anything now. Damarian will be back in the ocean tonight, and then I’ll tell her everything. “Hey,” I say, fingering my braid. “Um…”

  “What?”

  “There’s a lot I need to tell you. But I can’t right now.”

  “O…kay?”

  I shift from one foot to the other. “Just trust me, okay?”

  She wrinkles her nose and crosses her arms over her chest. “Hmm, I don’t think I can do that.”

  “Leah, please.”

  She giggles. “I’m kidding! Of course I trust you. So I guess I’ll leave?”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry.”

  She waves her hand. “It’s okay.”

  She walks out the door.

  “Hey, Leah?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Does your dad have any old shirts and pants I can borrow?”

  Both eyebrows shoot up. “What the hell?”

  “Trust me?”

  “Okay. I’ll see what I can find.”

  “Thanks.” I throw my arms around her and hug her tight.

  When she pulls back, she says, “Oh, this story better be good.”

  Trust me, it is. I close the door after her and dash back into Mom’s room. Damarian is not lying on the floor wailing in pain. Good. He’s sitting on the bed, looking through one of Mom’s fashion magazines.

  I step toward him. “I’m going to get you clothes soon. But in the meantime, do you want to eat anything? I’m pretty sure swimming all night and changing into a human, and then changing into a merman and then back into a human has left you starving.”

  He looks down at his stomach. “I suppose.”

  I lead him to the kitchen. He’s still unsteady on his legs, but he’s doing much better that I don’t have to stop every second to help him. I sit him down at the table and open the refrigerator to find some food. What exactly do merpeople eat?

  I look back at him. “Do you only eat fish?”

  He’s running his hands up and down the tablecloth. “What is this?”

  “A tablecloth. It protects the wood of the table and is used as a decoration.”

  He lifts it and examines the table. “We use stone as tables.”

  That’s interesting. What I’d give to grow a tail and swim down there with him. To discover how the merpeople live. “You don’t have any evil octopus witches who can turn humans into mermaids, do you?” I ask.

  He looks at me, startled.

  I giggle. “Just kidding. So what would you like to eat?” I open the pantry and scan its contents. I doubt pasta or rice would go well with the fishguy. “What do you eat in the ocean?”

  “We eat fish,” he says. “Crabs, seaweed. There are those who have an appetite for octopuses and squids.” He says the last bit with a confused expression, probably because of that comment I made before. “Other creatures we find in the ocean as well. But ordinarily, we eat fish.”

  That makes sense. The ocean must be like a buffet to them. “Is it dangerous to hunt?” I ask.

  “Father…” His voice trails off and he clamps his mouth shut, shaking his head. I guess I’m prying.

  I return my attention to the pantry and notice a can of sardines. Perfect. When I wave it out before him, and say, “Sardines,” he grins. “I only realize now how famished I am.”

  I hand him the can and sit down across from him. He looks down at it, furrowing his eyebrows.

  “You pull that.” I point. “And it should open.”

  He nods and drags the can open. His eyes widen like I handed him a gourmet meal. He grabs a few and dumps them into his mouth.

  I try not to laugh, but it’s cute how he devours them. I probably look just like that when I munch on my gummy worms.

  He swallows. “Forgive me for my rudeness. Would you like some?”

  “No, thanks. I’m not really a fan of fish.”

  He stares at me, his mouth slightly ajar. “What do you eat?”

  “There are a lot of things we eat, other than fish. Meat from animals, fruits and vegetables, grains, milk and cheese. Candy.”

  “Candy?”

  I push off my chair and open the cabinet that stashes my worms. I hold one out to him.

  He eyes it carefully. “That is what humans use to capture our fish.”

  I study it. That’s true. But the fish belong to humans just as much as it belongs to merpeople. I’m not going to start an argument, though.

 
“Taste it,” I urge.

  He’s hesitant, but reaches for it and bites down. His eyes widen in wonder when he realizes how gooey it is. “This is quite tasty. I very much enjoy it.”

  “Your kind doesn’t really hate humans, do you?” I ask.

  He swallows the last of the worm, then chews on more sardines. “No. But we are told to fear them to ensure our safety.”

  The more they fear us, the more they’ll stay hidden. His king is right to do that. If humans were to discover that merpeople actually exist, their lives would be ruined forever.

  He scoops the last bit of sardines with his finger. “Do you have more of this?”

  “Sure.” I head over to the pantry and toss him another can. It slaps him in the chest. “Sorry! You were supposed to catch that.”

  “Catch?”

  “Yeah.” I pick it up from the floor, hand it to him, and rejoin him at the table. “Throw it at me.”

  He glances at the can before throwing it. I don’t expect him to throw hard, but he does. I nearly miss it.

  His eyes shine with intrigue.

  “Now you try.” I chuck it at him and he catches. “Good job!”

  He smiles the widest I’ve ever seen.

  “Did your mom ever tell you not to play with your food?” I joke.

  His gaze moves to mine. “I do not understand. We slaughter the fish before we eat them.”

  I lean forward. “How do you do that?”

  He shifts in his seat, studying me. I sit perfectly still as his eyes roam every inch of my face. I guess he feels he can trust me, because he says, “Father along with my younger brother and I hunt for food. As soon as we see an edible fish, we attempt to seize it. There is a location on the fish we must bite in order to kill it. Then we place all the fish in a large oyster shell and bring it home to the rest of the family.”

  “Wow. That’s pretty cool.”

  He raises his eyebrows. “The sea’s temperature is cool. The deep sea is extremely cold and dark. We do not venture too deep unless needed. The king sends a party to explore into the deep sea. It is the only area we have not fully explored.”

  I just stare at him, getting swallowed into his fantastic, magical world.

  “Are you all right?” he asks after a few moments.

  I blink and feel my cheeks boil. “Yeah, fine.”

  Someone’s knocking on the door. Leah. I jump to my feet, tell Damarian I’ll be back in a few minutes, and make my way to the door. My best friend stands there with two shirts and a pair of jeans.

  “Thanks,” I say, taking the clothing and giving her another hug.

  She peers into the house. “All this is seriously piquing my curiosity.” Now she’s on her tippy toes, craning her neck and looking deeper into the house.

  “Tomorrow,” I promise. “I’ll tell you everything tomorrow. Every last detail.”

  She falls back on her feet. “You’re lucky I’m an awesome best friend.”

  “I know.” I gather her in my arms and hug her again, this time tighter. “Thanks again for the clothes.”

  “No problem.”

  When I’m back in the kitchen and hand the clothes to Damarian, he eyes them like I might eye a corset. “I cannot imagine this being comfortable.” He holds the jeans upside down over his chest.

  I laugh, turn it around, and hand it back to him. “Believe me, you don’t want to be running around with nothing more than a towel. Although, I’m pretty sure some girls on the beach would love that.”

  He presses the jeans on his legs. “This substance…it is rough.”

  “Well, that’s jeans.” At least Leah didn’t bring tight-fitted ones. I can imagine Damarian’s reaction to that. “Just go into that room and get dressed. Wear the shirt this way, with the words and pictures on your chest. I’m going to change in my room.”

  He nods and disappears into the other room. I make sure the front door is locked before going up to my room. I fall on my bed and breathe heavily. This is the first time I’m truly alone since rescuing Damarian, and it’s finally sinking in. A merman. Merman. They exist. They really exist. I might be one of the only people in the entire world to know about them.

  I catch my reflection in the mirror. Frizzy, hay-colored hair in two braids. Brown eyes too big for my face. I groan and get to my feet. Next to such a beautiful creature, I really look like a toad.

  I rummage around in my closet and settle on a plain white T-shirt and jeans. When I return to the kitchen, I find Damarian already there. His shirt’s on the right way, so he gets points for that. But the jeans…not so much.

  “The zipper goes in the front,” I say, hiding a laugh.

  He scowls. “I do not appreciate human coverings, but this feels all right.”

  “Okay. Suit yourself.”

  He scratches his thighs, his attention on my jeans. “You wear them as well.”

  “Yep.” I head to the fridge, grab a Coke, and toss him a can. “Stay hydrated, just in case. Do you feel like you might need salt water?”

  “I feel well.”

  “Good. Here.” I reach over and open the can for him.

  He looks mesmerized as the bubbly liquid makes it way down his throat.

  I lean back against the counter and study him. Dressed in normal clothes, he looks like he belongs here. Well, more like in a fashion magazine. Human clothes definitely do him justice.

  He’s studying me, too. “How long before I may return to the sea?”

  I glance at my watch. It’s only nine PM and people might still be at the beach. I hope Damarian can hold out for a few more hours. If not, he’ll have to return to the pool. “Not for a little while.”

  He nods. I can see how badly he wants to go home. Not that he looks like he’s being kept hostage, but he looks lost and confused, bewildered, and most of all, homesick.

  “Come,” I say. “Let’s watch some TV to pass the time.”

  “TV?”

  I grin. “I think you’ll love it.”

  ***

  It’s three in the morning. Damarian passed out while watching a crime show. He didn’t understand how TVs work, and no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t explain it. So after a while, his eyes drooped and he was out cold.

  Sleep hasn’t crossed my mind. Not when I have a merman lying next to me.

  I don’t want to wake him. He looks so young and carefree. I study each feature, burning the image of him into my memory. This is something I’ll take to the grave, after telling Leah, of course. I’m not sure she’ll believe me, but I don’t care about that now. I brush some hair off his forehead. I’ll miss him.

  I shake his shoulder. He stirs, opening his eyes. They cloud with confusion for a second, but then clear. “Hello, Cassie.”

  “It’s show time.”

  “Show time?”

  “It’s just an expression. It means you’re ready to go home.”

  His face washes with relief. He follows me toward the hallway and out the front door. I take his hand and lead him toward the beach. He’s a pro at walking now.

  “I feel a bit ill,” he tells me when we’re almost there.

  My heart races. “We better get you to the ocean.”

  We sprint to the beach. I look around to make sure no one’s here. We walk further inside, to an area where people don’t normally hang out. An area with a lot of rocks. I help him climb up. “You can dive from here,” I say, then bite down on my bottom lip. We’re assuming he’ll shift into a merman once he hits the ocean. But what if he doesn’t? He won’t be able to swim as a human. I’ll have to jump in after him and bring him to shore.

  Damarian pulls at his shirt. I reach for the hem and help him drag it over his head. My eyes dip to his jeans. Those need to come off, too. I raise my hands, but drop them to my sides, heat creeping onto my face. Damarian slips his hands into the waistband and pulls them down, stepping out of them. He’s naked. He doesn’t seem embarrassed. Maybe he doesn’t understand how embarrassing it should be for him to
be naked in front of me.

  He faces the ocean. Clearing my throat and keeping my eyes above his stomach, I step next to him. The waves are a bit strong tonight. I scan around again and sigh in relief when I don’t see anyone. Then I grab Damarian and pull him into a hug. He wavers and almost loses his balance. “Sorry,” I say and laugh. “You’re probably not used to hugs.”

  “Hugs?”

  “Yeah. It’s what friends do to one another when they say goodbye.”

  “I understand.” His hands slowly come around me. My heart pounds in my head and goose bumps crawl over my arms. This feels really good. More than good. I don’t want to let go.

  But I need to. I step out of his hold and look at him. “You’ll be okay?”

  He scratches his neck. “Yes.”

  My vision grows blurry. I run my sleeve across my nose. “Goodbye, Damarian.”

  He stares into my eyes. “Goodbye, Cassie. You are the kindest human I have ever met.”

  That makes me smile. “You’re the most amazing merman I ever met.”

  He smiles crookedly. “And I shall be the only merman you ever meet.”

  I laugh. “Yeah.”

  He faces the ocean, then turns back to me. A hint of fear and anxiety clouds his features. He raises his hand and caresses my cheek with the back of his fingers. My entire body heats up and my cheek burns from his touch. I can hardly breathe.

  He slowly bends forward and the next thing I feel is his soft, warm lips brush across mine. My eyes flutter closed. A second later, he pulls back. My eyes fly open. Damarian backs away, his gaze locked on me.

  Turning around, he dives into the ocean.

  I drop down on the rocks and stare into the water, my heart beating rapidly, my cheek still scorching, my lips tingling. I don’t see anything, only the waves crashing violently. I count a few seconds, hoping he’s changing into a merman. I rest my palms on the rocks and lift off my knees, ready to jump in if I need to.

  His tail pops out of the ocean. The moon shines on it, making it look like crystals. It brightens the ocean. Then it disappears under the water. My heart drops. That’s it. It’s over.

  I’m about to turn away, but something splashes in the water. Damarian’s golden head emerges. My breath catches in my throat. His eyes bore into mine for what feels like hours until he jerks away and dives back into the ocean.