“You told me those powers were weak! That he had never bothered training them?” Titus accuses, looking at me slyly. I take in his pale skin and acute bone structure, sighing to myself, in this light he is attractive, his pallor and the sharp contrast of his eyes, making me needy for his touch.
“Yes, but perhaps they have strengthened after finding something he feels is in need of protection.” I suggest and his eyes widen suddenly, as though reason has managed to successfully navigate through the rage and vent induced high he has been experiencing for what is probably hours in the bowels of the Necrocazar.
“It would make sense.” Solustus interjects, coming forth out of the shadows a little too quickly for my senses to engage with his movement as a fluid entity. His whole body is so acute, sharp even, the way he moves edgy and a little too quick for comfort. His tail mirrors that of a sword fish and his skin is deathly white, draped over his shoulders is a waist coat made from seal skin and slung across his back is a long sword sheath containing his most prized possession. The tail attached to his waist is covered in spines that extend from his back all the way down the dirty grey scales. He has long fingers and uses them to reiterate his point, looking sideways at me as he tries to calm Titus once again.
“His emotional connection to the girl will have given him reason to exert himself more than he usually would against us.” He reasons and places his hand on Titus’s broad white shoulder. Titus looks up at him; his eyes alight with the embers of fury that had raged hot just a few moments ago still dancing in his bottomless black eyes.
“Do not fear, she is young, does not know of her own significance. An easy target for the darkness surely.” Solustus turns and looks at me coldly, clearly irritable at having to calm another of Titus’s rages. I stare back, a cold, hard stare that I can feel chills my insides, letting the darkness consume all worry and doubt in my gut; instead leaving me hardened, an exoskeleton of evil, protecting me from the likes of these men, giving me strength.
“But if Azure knows of her significance, then Starlet must know and by that logic so must Orion.” Titus continues and I move forward quickly toward him, no longer fearing his wrath, I have handled him before, I will again.
“Yes, but my sister will not reveal this information lightly, besides she doesn’t know our plans, she knows only of Callie’s potential, which I am sure she will not reveal.” I say harshly allowing the moving water to vibrate around me with power.
Titus acknowledges my words and turns away from my powerful stare, his long fingers pressing together harshly.
“Recall to me the Prophecy once more Azure.” Titus demands, looking at me with a dark, penetrating stare that sends goose pimples of anticipation up my spine. I regress back into myself, seeking the information he needs.
“Modern mer will finally rise,
Under scrutiny of watchful eyes,
Two Suns will encircle and slay,
But only one can remain.
Beloved one will betray all,
Leading our kind to a deadly fall.
The scythe of Atargatis will bridge the fracture,
Bringing forth a deadly rapture.
The silent vessel hides in sight,
Revealing itself in holy light,
Sacrifice will be its calling,
Followed by a woeful mourning.
The belt will wrap around the scythe,
Leading to this hideous crime,
The vessels end will bring the war,
Coming forth from the oceans door,
Stars and suns, darkness and blade,
The end is near
The game must be played.”
I speak it holding my breath slightly; it is not with ease that I recall this particular prophecy. I hold my breath as his eyes cloud over. Perhaps he will release me, perhaps he will not notice.
“Prophecies … tricky things don’t you agree Solustus?” Titus jerks his head sideways in demented momentum and his body follows in a fluidly jagged swirl.
“I would. You can never quite tell how things will turn out.” He smiles at me. Almost like he knows …
“And that, my dear, is why we don’t follow some stupid Goddess who leaves the fate of her warriors in riddle and ancient scroll. I have implicit instructions from the Necrimad. There is no ambiguity, you see? He has given me two very simple instructions. Track down the scythe of Atargatis, and the vessel to sacrifice with it.”
“Do you know where to find the vessel?” I ask half-heartedly, acting like I don’t care.
“No. That is shrouded, for now.” He smiles wickedly, bordering on psychotic in the abyssal blackness that is left of his soul. That abyss is what I long to wrap myself up in and never return. A total surrender to the shadow.
“I will search through my inner eye. I will search for you.” I vow, longing to please him, to live up to the impossible standards of the madman who I love to hate. To want what I shouldn’t. To find arousal in the most taboo of all things. It proved I was strong. Proved I was invincible. Or at least it did to me anyway.
“Very well, Azure, wait for me in my chamber; Regus, Solustus we have business to conclude.” He orders, still turned from me as Regus and Solustus follow his commands by moving round to face him. I scowl but feel relief, as the scrutiny on my ability to recall my visions dissipates. I am little acknowledged, as though I have not earned my place despite the amount of lashing scars that decorate my pale translucent flesh. It pisses me off so deeply I want to scream and slice into another body with the knife I have stashed in my satchel; I smile to myself remembering that I secretly have more power than they want to admit. My visions allow them to know what the mer are planning. The mer see so very little of how powerful the ocean could be, how they could do so much more than live what half-life they possess. I smile to myself sweetly as I make my way to Titus’ chambers, stroking my stomach roughly with my blue fingernails as I examine my electric blue and black tail vainly. I am sexy and powerful, and one day the others, Titus in particular, will see just how much I am worth. I will make them see. I enter the shadowy chamber fluidly and approach the sheer, jagged rock wall I always find myself drawn to with a dark anticipation. I take the shackles and bind myself to the rock face so I am hanging and waiting, alone in the darkness.
CALLIE
In the light of the moon, which is disappearing over the horizon, Orion and I dress in silence. I stand, picking out something simple and easy to remove from the wardrobe which is full of designer clothes. I place the slinky silk, floor length nightgown over my breasts that glow ivory under the dimming moonlight and leave my feet bare beneath the skirt. Orion places soft denim jeans over his lower half, not bothering with underwear. I examine his silhouette, rugged, hard and at the same time glowing softly as though his flesh is the softest cotton you could ever imagine. The silk on my belly reminds me a little of the sensation of the water over me when I was mer. I look around the room: silk sheets, silk drapes, silk clothing, and silk cushions. Perhaps the sensation is one so familiar that the mer choose it so they remember the feel of the water when on land? Orion steps forward around the large bed and the sky behind him begins to look less navy blue, as it begins to fade pink around the horizon.
“Come.” He commands. I indulge him and let my feet trail across the soft carpet towards the door. Together we leave the site of our first connection and make our way back to the sea.
Down the winding, crooked, wooden staircase that carves its way through the cliff, we descend in the early stage of the dawn. Orion leads the way tentatively, holding my hand and guiding me down each step. We don’t speak, at this moment we don’t need to, everything that we could say would seem redundant compared to the secret symphony we just experienced. The space between my legs aches and I wince a little every time I go to take a new step. Orion smiles sympathetically and I give a mischievous grin back, trying not to worry him with something that is so easily forgotten when I look into his eyes.
We reach the cave t
hat is held up by wooden beams, the glass panel taking up the ceiling shows that the moon has just vanished beneath the horizon and the sun is just beginning to rise over the horizon. We undress quickly, admiring one another under the dull warm light of the rising sun. Naked and alone in the cave, he steps forward and helps me into the pool that sinks into the sea. Arms still around me and water lapping at our waists we embrace the change together, choosing to initiate it this time. I feel the familiar tingling up the lower half of my body and then up my spine. The large muscular tail binds away my weak legs in a rippling of aquamarine sparkle beneath the crystal clear waters, letting me float effortlessly. I feel a slight pinch as the gills upon my neck slit open, but it is gone as quickly as it came and I slip beneath the surface like a ghost. Orion and I immerse ourselves in the cool morning waters, the silky fullness of the breath it brings with it filling me and making me sure once again, that this is where I belong.
As we swim rhythmically away from Lunar Sanctum, Orion turns to me smiling. I am now curious, what now? What do we do until tonight when the moon will be full again? My lower abdominal muscles squeeze deliciously at the memory of last night as I turn to Orion, an unreasonably large smile spreading across my face.
“What are we doing today?” I ask, cocking my head.
“Well, seeing as we didn’t really do much talking last night, I thought I would take you to the hidden city and then I would answer some more of your questions?” He asks, taking my hand beneath the wavy light of the rising sun penetrating the ocean’s surface and making rippling patterns upon his face.
“The hidden city?” I ask feeling confused as to how a city can be hidden.
“Yes, the one built in the early years. It was a gift from Atargatis. We call it Occulta Mirum. I think Saturnus has a more specific history if you’re interested,” Orion explains as we move deeper, towards the floor of this very shallow area of sea. Tiny fish dip in and out of seaweed, not even moving as we pass above them. I watch them with fascination, loving this exclusive view of the aquatic fauna below the surface. We continue to slice through the watery world that encases us as the conversation continues.
“Saturnus? I didn’t meet him last night?” I reply, feeling incredibly inferior; there is so much I want to know.
“No. You see, Atlas was the first mer, closely followed by Saturnus. He set out to prove to Atargatis that he loved her more than any other, and so he has never set foot on land. You will see he has been rewarded for his devotion.” Orion explains, smiling, revealing a shock of porcelain white; I wonder what Saturnus must look like.
“So Saturnus, does he have a soul mate?” I question him with an intense stare, hungry for more information now that the temptation of his touch has dulled.
“That’s the other thing about Saturnus; he has become, perhaps, the exception to the rule. You see, he vowed to Atargatis to prove that he loved her more than any other. So technically she is his soul mate, even though they don’t share a soul.” Orion frowns slightly, his flawless skin creasing, as though pained at the thought of this. I open my mouth a tiny amount; I wonder what my next question should be. I’ve never been religious, but after something as insane as becoming a mermaid has happened to me, I begin to wonder. Does God exist? If a Goddess such as Atargatis is real, are there others out there? What about the darker side to fantasy such as vampires, dragons, and demons? Is it possible that there is a whole world hiding just out of the corner of the naïve, and seemingly unobservant, human eye?
“So is Atargatis a mer?” I wonder aloud, confused as to how Saturnus and her could ever be soul mates.
“Oh no, she lives on another plane of being to us.” He explains, as I look at him puzzled, my mind imploding with a lack of understanding. We continue to swim through the now seemingly empty water and he senses my lack of understanding, continuing with a sigh. It stings slightly, it’s not my fault this is all crazy town!
“You see, Saturnus is unique in the way in which he can get companionship from Atargatis. His faith is what keeps him going and gives him the strength to endure the hundreds of years in which he has been alive. It is of course true though, that he is the only mer who may request an audience with Atargatis in times of great need.” He finishes and places an arm around my waist gently, pulling me beneath his shimmering form so I am swimming on my back and looking up into his eyes. We cut through the water, our tails mirroring one another.
“Great need?” I query, wondering what one could ever be in need of under the water, looking up into the eyes of the one I love.
“Yes Callie, this life … it comes at a price.” Orion makes this statement and he looks fearful at his own words. He places both his arms now around my waist pulling me closer to him as a lump forms in my throat.
What has this beautiful man gotten me into? What do I really know of the life I have been thrown into, the life that will last an eternity? I think back to the myth, mer were created to protect humans from the dangers of the sea. I shudder to think what creatures would require a race as strong as the mer to beat them back.
The dark corners of my mind that I thought were obliterated by the last 12 hours are slowly creeping like a poison through the water, seeping into the parts of my mind housing paranoia and fear. Orion notes my expression and kisses me quickly, deeply, as we continue to race through the warm waters together and he presses his forehead to mine, piercing my eyes with his defiant stare.
“I will never let anything happen to you.” He says a little breathlessly. “Besides you are stronger now than you realise.” He continues and I blurt out the one question that I cannot contain for fear it may eat at my gut, making me hollow inside.
“What do you protect humans from?” I ask, my tone blunt. Orion’s face creases slightly, as though a niggling worry he has had for years has resurfaced.
“Well, there are the psirens as you know, which, though small in number present real threats sometimes. Plus, all manner of sea based demons that we fight. But you have to understand, Callie, these creatures have not caused us problems for over 100 years.” He explains and I sigh, watching small bubbles escape my lips, slightly relieved at the thought that we may have a trouble free existence after all.
The slits in my neck open and close a little more regularly and I enjoy looking up at the surface of the water behind Orion’s grinning face. Removing his arms from my waist, he gives me a competitive look and races ahead. I fall for a moment, left in the sand that he flicks upwards with the royal blue fin he can so powerfully and masterfully work. I grin madly; I like a challenge. Punching into a faster and more gruelling stroke against the surrounding water. I drive through the waves after him, wishing I could move as fast as he can. I catch the beginnings of a riptide out of the corner of my eye and use it to sling-shot me forward, grinning stupidly as I feel the adrenaline spike through me and I catch up to him. He gestures up and we both rise up out of the now calm waves. The sunlight hits my skin and I understand now what Orion meant when he said that we could turn to nothing more than sand under it’s direct rays. I feel my skin drying quickly and my throat begins to burn as I soar through the air before crashing back into the ocean’s depths.
Orion and I swim for a little while longer in silence just grinning, our hearts slowing together from the spurt of competition. I will never be able to swim as fast as Orion I don’t think; his tail is just too skilful. I watch it, envious and fall just a little bit more in love.
We must have been swimming for around an hour when Orion begins to dive much deeper and I follow suit. I wonder where all the other mer are now; surely they must live in this Hidden City too. I don’t think to question it any further as I watch Orion gesturing for me to follow.
I hurry after him, diving deeper and deeper, my lungs expanding exponentially the more I delve. I realise that this is compensating for the pressure building around me. We reach a large stone edifice sticking out of the sand in the middle of nowhere. It reminds me of pictures of Stonehenge that my hist
ory teacher had shown us.
The sand beneath us is stacked into a hill that meets the jutting stone just beneath where the tip of my tail ends and I’m curious as to what will happen next. Orion moves his hand up from his side to stroke my cheek, still holding my hand with the other as he turns to face me. His lips part and I think he may want to kiss me but instead he begins to sing. It is perhaps the most beautiful and exquisitely haunting sound that I could have ever imagined. I had thought Shaniqua’s voice had stunned me silent, but this was something else. Something which reaches deeper, something more personal. Where I had felt the tropical breeze enveloped in song by Shaniqua, in Orion’s song, I saw and felt power, pride and more overwhelmingly, emptiness. It makes me want to cry a river, pour out my soul to him through tears. But I know there is no point, for they would only turn to hard, cold diamonds. He smiles gently, coyly, and then continues with the melody that so clutches at my heartstrings.
As the tune progresses the mood changes. It evolves into something less melancholy and somehow more passionate, full of rhythm and life, and as a twinkle of something I cannot quite recognise passes behind the whites of his eyes, he stops singing, breathless, and kisses me desperately. From within the stone a tiny glow begins to appear in random spots toward the centre, eventually forming Greek letters before my eyes. The light travels fast, melding into the outline of a door.
He releases his hands from where they clutch at the back of my skull; there is no longer a rock edifice beside us.
“Our voices are the key.” He reveals mysteriously with a grin. I turn to view where the rock had once towered over me.
Now, a large bowl within the sand that stretches onwards for as far as the eye can see is visible and dominates my field of vision. Within the bowl is the city, and it is so beautiful I cannot help but gasp.
The Kiss That Killed Me (The Tidal Kiss Trilogy Book 1) Page 19
