* * *
Later that evening, Faren floated outside David’s villa, watching him pack his bags. He hurled a pair of shorts across the room and fell to his knees sobbing. He cried out something she couldn’t hear through the glass, and for the next few minutes, he continued to talk to himself.
The heartbreaking display cast her into a deep pool of regret and depression. Had she done the right thing leaving him?
“Faren, are you all right?”
Faren spun around to see Cindel floating behind her.
“I had a feeling I’d find you here,” the younger mer said. “I saw you watching him a few days ago.”
“Oh, I… um… I only watch him.”
“Faren, I know you love him.” Cindel said. “You should go to him. Give him the chance to reject you. You never know, he may not.”
It felt good to have someone on her side. With the biggest decision she would ever make staring her in the face, Faren would have been lost without her sister.
“No matter what I do, someone gets hurt,” Faren said. “I just wish I could make everyone happy.”
“You can’t make everyone happy,” Cindel replied, taking her by the hand. “Make yourself happy. Only you know if the risk is worth it.”
I think it’s worth it, but would you forgive me if I went to prison for my choice?
“Yes,” her sister answered her silent inquiry. “It would devastate me if something bad happened to you, but I’m stronger than you think. Don’t worry about me. Follow your heart.”
“I never asked that out loud. How… how could you…”
“Mother told me an angel came to me when I was born and gave me a special gift,” Cindel confessed. “She told me my ability to read others’ secret thoughts would help me when I needed it most. We made a pact that we would never tell anyone else. She was afraid if the High Council ever found out, they would see me as a threat.”
Faren couldn’t believe what she was hearing. How did Cindel keep this from her all these years? “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t want to be around me. Everyone needs their privacy, and you don’t have that when you’re with me.” When Faren started to speak, she cut her off. “There’s something else I need to tell you.” She ducked her head in mourning.
“You can tell me anything,” Faren said, trying to look her in the eye. “What is it?”
Cindel paused. “I know what you’re going through because… last year, I took a risk of my own.” Her eyes jumped from Faren to the surface of the water and back again. “I fell in love with a human.”
Faren stared at her in shock, unable to speak.
“I didn’t tell you about Timothy because I was afraid you would try to talk me out of seeing him. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
“I could never be disappointed in you.”
Cindel smiled. “I feel the same way,” she said. “That’s why I’m asking you to go to your human and tell him the truth. I never told Timothy the truth, so I never found out if he would have accepted me.” Her eyes welled up with tears. “Since his death, I’ve regretted my decision more than ever.”
Faren took her sister in her arms and let her cry. “I’m sorry,” she said, her own tears streaking down her face. Faren could feel Cindel’s pain with every sob; her entire body shook.
Cindel lifted her head and sniffled. “Do you know what you’re going to do?”
“I do,” Faren said, wiping her eyes. “Because of you, I don’t feel like I’m swimming through life alone. Thank you, little sister.”
“Any time.”
Chapter 6
Secrets Revealed
THE ALARM CLOCK SCREECHED, WAKING DAVID from a sound sleep. “Are you kidding me?” he grumbled, grappling for it in the dark. Beep, beep, beep, beep! He knocked a glass over in his haste; it hit the floor, splintering into pieces. Water soaked the tile and splashed the wall. Beep, beep, beep, beep!
David flipped the small lamp on, cursing under his breath. He picked up the noisy clock and fumbled with the buttons. Beep, beep, beep, silence.
The time went haywire, speeding out of control. 2:34, 2:35, 2:36. David set the clock down and waited for the numbers to stop, but they continued to race. 2:37, 2:38, 2:39, 2:40.
“Cheap piece of crap.”
He sat up and ran his hands through his tousled hair. With a small groan, he reached down to pick up the broken glass. When he saw the bare floor, David got down on his hands and knees and searched under the bed, but all he found were dust bunnies and his missing black sandal.
“I must be losing my mind,” he grumbled when he saw the full glass of water sitting on the nightstand.
David flipped the lamp off and flopped onto his side. He tried to fall back to sleep, but found it impossible with the wind howling and the house creaking. He tossed and turned for what seemed like hours.
Over the sound of the tide, David heard heavy footfalls shuffling through the surf. He lay in bed, listening to them get closer. They picked up the pace; now they were running toward the villa. When they stopped just beyond his bedroom door, David held his breath, but he couldn’t see anything past the glass.
The door opened and something crept into the room. It scampered across the floor and hid in the shadows before he could get a good look at it.
This time, when David flipped the light on, the room stayed cloaked in darkness. He tried again. Click, click, nothing.
The sound of a fish flopping around on the floor startled him. “Bryce? Ryan?”
There was no answer.
David ripped the clock from the outlet and jumped to his feet. Right away, he heard the crunching of broken glass and felt the sharp slivers cutting his heels.
“What the hell?”
Flip, flop. Flip, flop. David jumped, nearly falling on the wet tile. “Come on, guys,” he said, doing his best to stay calm. “I’m not in the mood for this crap.”
He held the clock over his head, ready to smash someone’s skull. “Ryan, if that’s you or Bryce, you’d better come out now,” he threatened. “You really don’t want me to mistake you for a burglar.” Or a sea demon.
“David,” a voice whispered. “I’m waiting for you.” The overpowering aroma of roses and lavender filled the room.
“Faren, why are you hiding?” He lowered his makeshift weapon and waited for her to say something else. “Come out so I can see you.”
“I’m outside. Come and find me.”
The glass doors opened on their own. The curtains flapped in the breeze, and sand blew into the room like a scene from an old horror movie. David walked outside and looked up and down the dark coastline. Even though it was pitch black without the moon and stars to guide him, he could still hear the waves pounding the shore and the sounds of a distant ship; every couple of minutes its horn blared into the night.
When the full moon came out from hiding, David saw the faint outline of a woman’s figure walking toward him in the fog. She stared out at the sea, singing softly.
He strained to see her face. “Faren, is that you?”
The girl didn’t look up, but her voice was unmistakable.
“Faren... Faren, over here!”
Faren smiled when she saw David. With her skirt billowing around her ankles, she met him halfway and jumped into his arms. “Oh, baby, I missed you,” she cried.
David could sense her desperation in the way she held him. Her breath was hot on his neck, and her loving words soothed his anguished soul. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her hair. “I’ve missed you, too,” he confessed. “I love you so much.”
They collapsed on the sand in a passionate embrace moments before the tide came in, enveloping them in salty warmth. David pressed his body against Faren’s and crushed his lips against hers. The ravenous need for her consumed him, white-hot in its fury. His heart raced. He ran his hands over Faren’s shells and down her stomach. But he stopped short when he felt slimy fish scales rubb
ing against his bare legs.
“Not yet,” Faren whispered when he tried to get a better look. “I don’t think you’re ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“The truth.”
The dream stayed with David for the rest of the day. He could still smell Faren’s sweet scent. The taste of her lingered on his lips, and her voice hung in the air like an exquisite afterthought.
“Hey, Dave, are you ready? It’s five-thirty,” Bryce reminded him from the doorway.
David gazed around the room one last time. “Yeah.”
Bryce handed him his small black bag. “I can’t believe you’re flying home today. We still have four days left.”
David slung the bag over his shoulder and tugged the matching suitcase toward him. He followed Bryce into the hall and shut the door. “I just think it would be better if I left now and got my head together for school.” He thought back to the sea demons. “Are you sure you want to stay? We could always find something to do in Miami.”
“No way,” Ryan answered for him on his way past. “You couldn’t pry me off this island.”
A girl giggled from his bedroom. “Ryan, where are you? I’m getting lonely in here all by myself.”
Ryan sauntered into the bathroom and looked back. “I can’t leave Jill here all alone,” he said with a grin.
She set him straight right away. “Julie!”
“Yeah, I can’t leave Julie.” He grinned again and shut the door.
“Bye, Ryan,” David called out. “Call me when you get home.”
“Yep.”
David stepped outside, pulling his suitcase behind him. Dusk built shadows all around him, and the few tourists renting nearby villas lounged on the beach, watching their kids play in the water.
“Come on,” Bryce whined. “Don’t go.” And when David ignored his pleas, “You can’t tell me you’re not going to miss this.” He gestured toward the villa. “It’s like being on the set of Jerry Springer.”
David glanced back once and scoffed. “I’ll see Ryan soon enough.”
The door swung open again and Julie charged outside. “Goodbye, jerk!” she shouted, hurrying past the boys. She carried a pair of sunglasses in one hand and her sandals in the other. Her short dark hair was a disheveled mess.
“And there she goes,” David said. “It’s amazing how many girls leave Ryan’s bedroom mad.”
Bryce chuckled.
When the boys rounded the corner, a small voice interrupted them. “David?”
David spun around to see Faren standing a few feet away with a look of controlled panic in her eyes. “Are you leaving?” She took a step toward him and stopped.
David let go of the suitcase handle, but kept a tight grip on his bag. “I don’t know,” he said. “The girl of my dreams told me to get lost.” Inside, the need to be near her consumed him, but David was afraid she would vanish like a magnificent figment of his imagination if he moved.
“I miss you,” she said with a small smile. “I never should have left.”
Bryce patted David on the back and grinned. “I’ll let Ryan know you’re staying.” He smacked his hands together and hurried off.
David dropped his bag as Faren fell into his arms. “I didn’t think I would ever see you again,” he whispered. He tightened his grip, afraid she might slip away. If this was another dream, he didn’t want to wake up. He listened to the soft wispy sounds of her breath, and he could feel her heart beating steadily next to his own.
“I couldn’t stay away,” she said. “I’m sorry I left, but I thought I was doing what was best for you.”
“I don’t care about that. You’re here now and that’s what matters.”
“I have to tell you–”
“I was serious about moving here,” David gushed. He pulled away and looked into her eyes. “As soon as these two weeks are over, I’ll go home and tell my parents I’m moving here. I’ll be back in no time, I promise.”
“Wait, David, there’s something I need to say. I’ve wanted to tell you the truth from the beginning, but I was afraid.”
“What’s wrong?” He searched her face for the smallest hint, but all he had to go on was her fear.
“We’re very different,” she said. “I don’t know how to tell you this, I...” Faren turned away. “Why is this so hard? I should be able to tell you anything.”
“You can. Whatever it is, I’ll understand.” David took her by the shoulders and turned her around. “You can trust me.”
“Can I?” She got quiet.
“Yes.”
“I’m not human,” Faren blurted out.
David chuckled, but when she didn’t laugh with him, he stopped and took a step back. “You’re serious,” he said, scanning her form for abnormalities. “What do you mean you’re not human?”
Faren took the plunge without further hesitation. “I’m a mer–”
“Hey, Faren,” Ryan called out, running toward them from out of nowhere. “Do you want to go for a swim?” He picked Faren up and made a break for the surf.
“Ryan, knock it off,” David called after him. “Ryan!”
“Oh, come on. It’s not deep.”
“Ryan, put her down!” When he still didn’t stop, David took off after him.
Faren tried to pry his hands off her body. “Let me go!” she cried. When they entered the surf, she rolled into a tight ball, eyeing the water as if it were a snake.
David tailed them into the shallows. “Ryan, she doesn’t like that,” he scolded him. “She can’t swim.”
“I’m just trying to welcome her into our little pack.”
David threw his hands in the air. “Okay, fine,” he said. “She’s one of us now. Bring her back.”
Ryan grunted his frustration. “It’s not even deep,” he repeated under his breath. He started back to the beach, clutching Faren to his chest. “I would have let you go if I knew you were…” Before Ryan could finish his sentence, his feet slipped out from under him, and he fell backward.
David heard Faren scream. He saw the terror in her eyes before her head disappeared underwater. When she popped up again, she folded her arms across her chest and huddled where she was.
Ryan stood and reached out to her. “I’m so sorry, Faren.” She refused his help, trembling.
“I really am sorry. I was just playing around,” Ryan said, reaching for her hand again.
When Faren yanked it away, he got quiet and glanced over at David. “Sorry,” he repeated.
David forced his stare away from the water and waved him off. “It’s fine. I’ll see you later.”
Ryan walked away without saying another word.
“I have one question,” David stated as soon as he was out of earshot. “Where is your body?”
Faren looked down.
“You don’t need to check. It’s not there, I promise.” When she didn’t answer, he pressed the issue. “Faren, what’s going on?”
“When we get scared we blend with our surroundings,” Faren admitted reluctantly, “but it’s only when we’re underwater.”
“We?”
“Mers.”
“So you’re an invisible mermaid. That’s great. Well, I, um, yeah,” he stuttered, thinking of his crazy dream the night before.
“Say something, please,” Faren said with downcast eyes.
David was at a loss for words. It wasn’t as if his mother had prepared him to fall in love with a fish. “Why didn’t you tell me?” was all he could think to say.
“I wanted to tell you. I just didn’t know how.” Her sadness erased her fear, and her tail appeared. “Please, don’t be afraid of me,” Faren begged when David took another step back.
“No, no, no… it isn’t you,” he said. “I just need a minute to adjust.”
“No, you don’t. Your face says it all.” Faren ducked under the water and swam away.
David felt paralyzed from shock. Only when she left did he find the strength to move. “Faren!” he cried
, running through the shallows. “Faren, please don’t go!” When the water was over his head, he kicked his legs as hard as he could to catch up to her. He dove, hoping he could still see her, but Faren was already a tiny spec in a vast sea. “Faren, please don’t go!” his thoughts screamed. “I still love you!”
When he couldn’t hold his breath any longer, David swam to the surface and stared out over the ocean. He couldn’t believe he’d lost her again, and knowing it was his own fault stung twice as bad. He started back to the beach, but stopped when something broke the surface behind him.
“Did you mean it?” Faren swam up and locked her hands behind his neck.
David wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled. “You bet I did.”
Faren pulled him underwater and kissed him. Right away, he knew it was a kiss unlike any other. Her lips were scorching. The heat spread through David’s face and raced into his chest. There, it stewed, growing even hotter. It felt like lava flowing through his veins.
“Breathe, baby,” Faren whispered. Her thoughts were so clear, as if she had spoken them aloud.
David’s first breath was painful; the water burned his lungs. While Faren did her best to comfort him, he struggled against the magic swarming him. His body twitched, and his lungs tried to reject the water forcing its way into his body. It felt like his ribs were breaking; one by one, they snapped and popped. No matter how hard he fought the pain, he was powerless to stop it or even slow it down. The seconds ticked by, hurling David into an ever-expanding wave of torture worse than the last. And just like that, it was over.
When the pain regressed, a sense of euphoria consumed his lips first, traveling through his body like a runaway tide. His skin tingled and grew tight, and the water felt ten degrees warmer. David could feel his heart rate slowing.
When the shock wore off, he saw Faren through a new set of eyes. She had the elegance and grace of an underwater angel. The lavender hue of her fins turned light blue before changing to silver; her flukes were five feet in diameter and edged in black.
Mythos Page 9
