The Tattoo of the Elf [The Triplet Mermen Trilogy]

by Casper Graham

  As he ate and drank, he observed the other patrons inside the coffee shop, attempting not to use his magic to view into their health. With his inborn water magic and the extra healing magic he had been blessed with, he sometimes got into the terrible habit of diagnosing people through their auras. Instead, he focused on their faces and bodies, and also the things they were doing. Since he didn’t have a yoga class scheduled for that afternoon, he could remain in the coffee shop for an hour or two. Then, he would return home and allow his brothers to secure him inside his bedroom with their water magic to prevent him from running around in his siren form once the sun set.

  He could have spent his spare time with his brothers, but he was aware of their busy schedules. Moreover, he liked to have some time to himself. Hence, he was astounded when an old man placed a plate of one slice of apple pie and a cup of steaming hot coffee on the empty spot of the table he was occupying. He glanced at the old man in confusion. There were plenty of empty tables in the coffee shop. He couldn’t understand why the old man had to sit with him. He simply shrugged before smiling at the old man, who pulled out the chair across from him and sat while letting out a loud sigh.

  “I hope you don’t mind me sitting here. I find you intriguing.”

  He grew wary in an instant, but he kept calm and shook his head. “Not at all. This is a public place, after all. You can sit wherever you like.”

  The old man smirked at his slight sarcasm before responding. “I know what you are, merman.”

  He could feel his hackles rising, but he only grinned and picked up his beverage cup before sucking the liquid out through the straw. “I can smell your magic, too, but you’re not a supernatural creature. I’m guessing you’re either a sorcerer, warlock, or wizard.”

  “Sorcerer,” the old man confirmed before cutting a small piece of pie and eating it. “You don’t smell like most merpeople do, though. Not that I’m an expert in that field. Supernatural beings of the water element, especially the ones who reside deep underwater, are the most secretive of all.”

  He decided to ignore the old man and finished with his food and drink as quickly as possible. When he was almost done with his beverage, he could sense something slimy all around his skin. It was crawling all over him as if it was trying to penetrate into his pores. The sensation was disgusting him deep into his very being. Moreover, there was an overpowering stench to the magic he couldn’t abide. He narrowed his eyes at the sorcerer and unleashed his siren magic, permitting it to overtake and use him as a conduit.

  By feeding on his brothers’ pure mermen blood, he was able to ignore the alluring call of the siren from sunrise to sunset because there was light everywhere to drive back the dark magic within him into the deepest corner of his magical core. Regardless, it was alive inside him all the time. He might not be a full-fledged siren, but he could still use the magic. It was forbidden magic, which was a contrast to his pure and light merman magic, and it craved to be utilized, especially when the intention was to cause as much damage as possible. The sorcerer gasped and visibly stiffened in front of him. He sneered at the sorcerer.

  “Those overwhelming sensations of your lungs being filled with water and your heart being squeezed really tightly are my one and only warning to you, sorcerer. Try to use your magic on me again, and I’ll kill you on the spot. Are we clear?”

  The sorcerer nodded. “Crystal.”

  Baltic smirked at the sorcerer and finished the final portion of his food and drink before standing. “I’m so glad we’ve come to such a mutually satisfying agreement.”

  “Of course.”

  Then, he stepped away from the table, but he decided he needed to send the sorcerer a stronger message. He bent forward to get much closer to the sorcerer, feeling a sense of thrill at the sight of the man’s trembling hands.

  “By the way, my brothers and I will be protecting this part of San Francisco. I don’t give a damn what you do in the other areas, but stay out of this particular territory. I promise you’ll die in the most painful way if you piss me or my brothers off.”

  The sorcerer simply nodded. “I understand.”

  “Good. Have a wonderful day.”

  Having said that, Baltic headed toward the entrance and made his way out from the coffee shop. He might have won this impromptu battle of magic, but he couldn’t be certain he was magically stronger than the sorcerer. After all, he had the element of surprise on his side this time around. The sorcerer had obviously not expected a merman to employ such a dark magic against him. Baltic knew he needed to get away as fast as possible and report this matter to his brothers. They needed to be ready for a future attack just in case the sorcerer decided to come back into this area for a second time around in the future. Judging by the crazed glint Baltic detected in the sorcerer’s eyes, he was certain the sorcerer would return. It was simply a matter of time.

  Chapter 4

  Several days passed, and Jefferson was getting increasingly frustrated for multiple reasons. His investigations into the sorcerer met a dead end, none of the previous victims, except for Cecil, was particularly helpful, and he was also unable to return to the public library to find out if the merman he had been attracted to was Drake or someone else. He had too many things to take care of, both in his capacity as a hunter and a healer. He almost sobbed in relief when he detected Gavin’s magical signature causing a slight ripple in the air around the magical ward that surrounded his property. In his current condition, any distraction was better than nothing. He lowered his protective ward in a hurry to allow Gavin entry and waited for his best friend while casually leaning against the back of the couch and facing the front door.

  “Jeff!” Gavin exclaimed, sounding very excited, the moment he entered the house. “I’ve come to share something juicy with you.”

  Jefferson rolled his eyes. “If you’re again trying to over-share the details of your sexual conquests with me, I’ll pass.”

  “What? No!” Then, Gavin appeared rather offended. “Hey, what’s wrong with telling you about my incredible sex lives? Better than living like a monk like you do.”

  Jefferson snorted. “I have enough sex to keep me satisfied. Not that it’s any of your business.”

  “Whatever. I’m not here to debate you on the merit of having plenty of sex versus little to zero sex, the latter of which obviously applies to you. As your best friend, I feel the need to inform you that our dear mutual friend is now off the market.”

  “Ed?”

  Gavin snickered. “No, Merlin’s tits. Of course it’s Ed. For fuck’s sake, Jeff. Keep up with me, will you?”

  Jefferson chuckled in amusement. “Fine. So, you were saying that Ed is off the market—”

  “Mated, Jeff! Mated!”

  “Oh.”

  Gavin gave him an incredulous stare. “That’s it? That’s your reaction?”

  Jefferson shrugged. “I’m elated for him, but I’m wondering what Drake looks like.”

  Gavin smirked at him. “Are you still hung up on that merman you bumped into outside the library?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Great. The three of us used to be ‘the three fucketeers.’ Now, Ed has gotten himself a mate, and I have a strong feeling that you’ll be next.”

  “Whatever, Gav. I’m tired of fucking my way through eternity. I want a mate to go home to, cuddle with, and share my burdens with. Don’t you want that, as well?”

  Gavin scoffed. “Perish the thought. I’m going to be the eternal bachelor. I’ll never fall in love with anyone. I’ll remain single because there are too many hot men and women to fuck out there. You and Ed may love the idea of settling down with just one mate forever, but not me. It’s fine, though. Without you two in the picture, I’ll have more people to choose from. I’ll never be stupid enough to give my heart away to just one mate. Never.”

  Jefferson laughed. “I’m going to remember this moment, Gav. When you fall head over heels in love with somebody, I’ll make sure to laugh really loud at
you.”

  “Then, you’ll have a long time to wait, buddy, because that will never happen to me. I’m a confirmed bachelor for the rest of my existence.”

  Jefferson shook his head. “Never say never.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “Fine. Be stubborn. I’m not in the mood to argue with you. Let’s go into the kitchen. I need to drink some tea. Lavender okay with you?”

  Gavin nodded before slinging one arm over Jefferson’s shoulders as they began to make their way into the kitchen. “Do you have any cookies? I’m a little hungry.”

  “Yeah. I bought some of your favorites when I went grocery shopping yesterday. Have a seat next to the island counter.”

  Jefferson prepared the tea by boiling the water manually on the electric stove and putting a couple of tea bags into the mugs. He opened the pantry to grab a packet of cookies and poured the contents onto a plate while waiting for the water to boil.

  “Have you managed to find out anything about the sorcerer?”

  Jefferson brought the plate of cookies toward the counter and placed it in front of Gavin, who grabbed one and put it into his mouth immediately. “Not much. Cecil allowed me to delve into her mind to obtain the scent of the sorcerer. He fucking stinks of dark magic.”

  “He won’t be the first.”

  “True,” Jefferson conceded before turning around when he heard the hissing sound from the kettle. He switched off the electric stove and poured the boiling water into the mugs before carrying them to the counter. “His stench is one of the worst I’ve ever smelled, though.”

  Gavin scrunched up his face in disgust. “Ugh. All these dark magic practitioners are yucky.”

  Jefferson bit down on one cookie before responding. “Uh-huh.”

  After that, the two of them were quiet for the next few moments, enjoying the cookies and tea. Gavin broke the silence after replacing the mug onto the countertop.

  “I think we should have a celebration for Ed and Drake.”

  “I agree. When?”

  Gavin shrugged. “Beats me. Ed is busy with his mate and the missing merpeople. Has he told you that he managed to solve the case of the siren?”

  Jefferson nodded. “Yeah. We didn’t talk for long, though. I have my own case to deal with. Speaking of siren, something weird occurred several days ago after I had finished reporting to the council.”

  “What is it?”

  “Miranda.”

  Gavin groaned. “Not her again. What did she do or say this time around?”

  “She claimed that I smelled like a siren.”

  Gavin was obviously astonished to hear that. “What?”

  “I know, right? It got me thinking, though.”

  “About?”

  “The merman I bumped into outside the public library.”

  “What about him?”

  Jefferson hesitated for a few seconds before answering. “It’s possible that the merman is Drake’s brother. I’ve forgotten what his name is.”

  “Baltic.”

  “Yes, that’s him.”

  “What made you think the merman could be Baltic?”

  “The timing. I got into a brief physical contact with the merman when I accidentally knocked him down onto the ground. We stared into each other’s eyes for a while. Then, we chatted for a few minutes while remaining in close proximity with each other.”

  “So, what you’re saying is Baltic has somehow imprinted on you? Like in a mate kind of way?”

  Jefferson blushed, but he ignored the heat all over his neck and cheeks. “It’s highly possible, right?”

  Gavin shrugged. “Yeah. I only have one question for you.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Are you willing to pursue Baltic, knowing he will turn into a siren from sunset to sunrise? There’s a reason why almost all supernatural beings keep away from the sirens. They’re wild and unpredictable. You need to be strong enough to resist their enchantment and tame them at the same time.”

  Jefferson finished his tea slowly, taking the respite to gather his thoughts. “Yeah. As crazy as this sounds, Baltic, or whoever that merman is, is the right mate for me. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him. It’s like an obsession now.”

  Gavin chortled. “You need to get laid, Jeff. All the pent-up cum inside your balls isn’t healthy. You know that, right?”

  Jefferson threw a disgusted expression at Gavin. “Seriously? We’ve been best friends for thousands of years, almost like brothers even. Can you not talk about my balls and cum?”

  “Prude.”

  “Slut.”

  “Tight ass.”

  “Better than your gaping hole.”

  Gavin glared at him. “How dare you? My hole is cherry. Take that untrue insult back, you…you asshole.”

  Jefferson rolled his eyes. “Is that supposed to be a comeback? How lame!”

  “Fuck you. Ed will be my favorite best friend from this moment onward.”

  “Ooh, I’m so sad.”

  “Whatever.”

  The two of them stared at each other for a moment before they burst out laughing out loud. Jefferson managed to calm down faster than Gavin and took the opportunity to make a confession to his best friend.

  “On a more serious note, Gav, I haven’t had any desire to go out there and find someone else to fuck. That merman is all I can think about.”

  Gavin gasped and remained speechless for a few seconds before guffawing loudly again. “Holy…holy shit. You got it real bad for that merman. Have you been jerking off to the thought of that merman or something?”

  Jefferson’s cheeks reddened even more, and that was all the confirmation Gavin needed to send his best friend spiraling into another full-blown amused convulsion once again.

  “It’s not that funny, Gav.”

  Gavin glanced at him with tears running down his cheeks. “No. You’re right. It’s not funny. It’s fucking hilarious.”

  Jefferson heaved out a sigh and waited for Gavin to collect himself, which might take a really long time because his best friend was howling in hilarity while banging the table over and over again. When Gavin eventually stopped, Jefferson grabbed some paper towels and handed them to his best friend, telling the water dragon shifter to wipe the tears from his face.

  “You’re ridiculous.”

  Gavin snorted. “Not at all. You and Ed are the ones who are absurd. Why do you want to tie yourself down to one mate for eternity when there are so many sexy men and women out there ripe for the picking?”

  “So, you plan to fuck them all?”

  Gavin snickered. “My dick is massive, but I only have one. I can’t fuck them all. I’ll do my best to do them all, though. I’m an equal opportunist.”

  Jefferson scoffed. “You’re shameless and disgusting.”

  Gavin shrugged. “I can’t help it that I’m so desirable.”

  “Immoral is more like it.”

  Gavin stuck his tongue out. “You’re just jealous of my popularity.”

  “Whatever. Anyway, since I’m at a dead end in my investigation, I think I’ll start hunting down the merman.”

  Gavin chuckled. “Great idea. Or use plenty of lube. You don’t want your dick to chafe and hurt. That will be a bitch to deal with.”

  Jefferson ignored Gavin’s jab and reheated the kettle of water on the stove before pouring the hot water into their mugs once it was boiled. He also grabbed more cookies for them. The only surefire way to shut Gavin up was to ply the water dragon shifter with food and drinks. He needed some peace and quiet at the moment, especially since his mind was filled with images of the beautiful merman his heart and soul were already set on.

  * * * *

  Baltic wasn’t jealous. Okay, he was. A little. He was also delighted for Drake, though. His brother was finally mated to Edwin. He was still a little terrified of Edwin. After all, Edwin had once tried to kill him for being a siren. It was a pure stroke of luck that his brothers had appeared and saved him from death back
then. At the moment, he could only smile at Drake and hug his brother tightly. Drake was obviously over the moon as he talked briefly about being mated and moving into Edwin’s penthouse.

  Baltic forced a smile and waited until Drake was done and had left his bedroom before returning to bed and picking up his e-book reader to continue with his reading. His heart wasn’t in it, though. Besides, his eyesight was glassy and blurry with the tears filling them up to the brim. He ignored the stray tear streaming down his right cheek and put his e-book reader onto the bedside table next to him. He was so engrossed in his self-pity he was startled when Caspian stepped into the room. He wiped his eyes in a hurry and grinned at Caspian, who was gazing at him with a worried expression.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. It’s a wonderful thing, right? For Drake, I mean.”

  Caspian nodded. “Absolutely. You’ll find your mate, too, someday.”

  Baltic snorted in disbelief. “I’m not keeping my hopes up high. I’m a siren half of the day. I have an overwhelming desire to lure men and women to their deaths. I want to enjoy the sights of those stupid men and women drowning in the sea as their lungs are filled with water. I yearn to watch as they die very painful deaths. Someone like me doesn’t deserve a mate, Cas.”

  Caspian shook his head. “You do, Balt. That weresnake broke your heart all those years ago. It wasn’t your fault.”