Merman's Bond (Merman's Kiss, Book 3)

by Dee J. Stone

  Damarian’s hands are on my shoulders, massaging them. I lean into him, showing how much I appreciate his comfort, even though it’s not helping. The door remains shut.

  “Perhaps we shall attempt again,” Damarian says, reaching to ring the bell. I knock on the door until my knuckles hurt.

  “No one’s answering,” I say, fear entering me.

  “They must not be home.”

  I run my hand through my hair. “I haven’t heard from my dad in days, Damarian. I can’t help but worry. Maybe I’m overreacting, but something smells fishy.” My mouth closes when I see his eyebrows shoot up in surprise and confusion. He sniffs himself. “Sorry,” I say. “Silly expression. I meant to say that something doesn’t feel right.”

  Damarian massages my shoulders again.

  “I’ll check the back door and windows.”

  I do a thorough sweep of the house. All the doors are locked and the windows are shut. It’s almost like the house has been abandoned.

  “Perhaps we shall ask the neighbors?” Damarian suggests.

  “Great idea.”

  We speak to a few of them, and all claim they don’t know where the family has gone. One of them told me he’s pretty sure they all packed up in the car a few days ago and drove off.

  “I guess the most logical answer is that they went on vacation,” I tell Damarian. “Maybe to one of those places that has no internet or phone access.”

  “I am certain they will return, my love. You have nothing to fear.”

  I lay my head on his shoulder. “You’re right. I’m totally overreacting.” I give him a mischievous grin. “How about we pig out on fast food until our stomachs explode?”

  He smiles widely. “I would very much enjoy that.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Voices swarm in my head like thousands of bees. It’s a language I don’t understand. They sound ancient. They start low and then increase, until they’re so loud it causes me to jump up in bed, my heart pounding.

  My room is pitch-black, but I can still see very clearly. The floor has once again been replaced with green, murky water.

  “No.” I rub my upper arms, my voice so shaky I’m worried my vocal chords might snap. “Not this dream again.” I pinch myself, but I don’t wake up. I slap my cheeks. Nothing. “Wake up, wake up, wake up.”

  My eyes catch sight of something moving in the water. I back up until my back hits the wall and I grasp my pillow, ready to use it as a shield. Now it seems like there are many more somethings moving in the water. My heart rate accelerates and I shiver.

  “Wake up,” I beg myself. “Please wake up.”

  A scaly hand sticks out of the water. A bluish, greenish, grayish color. My stomach plummets. It’s the same color as the scales that were on my arms when I fell into the ocean.

  I leap to my feet and back up against the wall as ten more hands shoot out of the water. I flatten myself against the wall as they move closer and closer. “Get away from me!” I yell. “Don’t touch me.”

  Two of them grab hold of my ankles and yank me. When I crash to my bed, another set of hands clasp around my wrists. They drag me off my bed and into the murky water. I see everything clearly now, despite the green tint. It appears as though I’m in the ocean.

  I struggle against the hands, but they have a firm grip. I scream, and my voice echoes throughout the ocean, bouncing against my ears. It’s so deafening that for a second, I’m positive my ears will pop.

  The hands release me. I’m left floating in the water, kicking my legs—no, kicking my tail—but I don’t seem to be moving. It’s like I’m running on a treadmill. I use all my strength to swim to the surface, but it’s useless.

  Something shifts to my right. I look toward that direction, but I don’t see anything. When I glance to my left, I don’t see anything, either. But I know something is down here. Once again, I’m frozen in my spot.

  Could it be the rebels?

  I see a shadow to my left. Just as I move my eyes toward it, something with big yellow eyes charges at me, opening its mouth wide, showing off sharp fangs.

  I vault up in bed, yelling at the top of my lungs. Strong arms wrap around me and pull me closer. I inhale Damarian’s scent and clutch him as my tears seep into his chest. It was just a dream.

  “It is all right, my love,” he says softly. “I am here.”

  “Damarian,” I cry, gripping him strongly. My whole body is soaked with sweat and is shaking pretty hard.

  “You have experienced an unpleasant dream,” he says, his voice still soft as he runs his hand up and down my back. “It is over.”

  “It was the same one,” my muffled voice says against his chest. “The one I had the other night.” I lift my head and look at him. “What does it mean?”

  His wipes my tears with his thumbs. “I do not know, my love.” His eyebrows are creased, like he’s trying to figure this all out but has no answers. “Dreams are only dreams. At times, the children of the sea use dreams as means to communicate with their mates, such as the one we shared when I was held captive by the rebels. But mostly, they are only dreams and have no meaning. Perhaps this is the case for you as well.”

  “Have you ever had dreams like this?”

  He shakes his head, his eyebrows still creased.

  “What does my dream mean, then?”

  He hugs me close. “Perhaps now that you are a child of the sea, your mind may be drifting to another world, exploring the sea. Or perhaps your fears are manifesting through the dreams.”

  He might have a point there. As a human, I’ve had some pretty weird dreams, just like everyone else. Maybe now that I’m a mermaid, I’m having weird mermaid dreams. And it’s possible my fears are manifesting in them because I sure have a lot.

  I nod. “You’re right. It was just a silly dream.” I can’t stress out over silly things like this. A glance at the clock shows it’s nearly eight AM. “My interview is in an hour.”

  Damarian clambers out of bed. “Indeed, it is. I must prepare breakfast for you.”

  “Damarian, it’s okay—”

  He bends forward to lay a sweet kiss on my lips. “It is my wish to prepare breakfast for you, my sweet Cassie.”

  I don’t argue because I know he won’t give in. While he goes downstairs, I walk to my closet and scan its contents. I’ve never been to a job interview before and have no idea what to wear. After throwing aside a few articles of clothing, I settle on a long-sleeved, light pink shirt and black skirt that reaches just below my knees. Hopefully I’m dressed to impress.

  The kitchen smells divine when I get downstairs. Damarian and I settle down at the table to eat. My heart speeds and my knees knock into each other due to my nerves regarding the interview. After we’re done eating, Damarian takes my hand, and we make our way outside to the car. He encloses me in his arms and kisses my temple. “Are you certain you do not wish for me to accompany you?”

  “It’s okay. You’ll go out of your mind waiting for me. I’ll be home soon. You’ll be fine swimming in my pool by yourself?”

  He nods.

  “If you need me, just call my phone, okay?”

  Damarian reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell phone. He scans it quickly to make sure it’s working before sliding it back into his pocket. I bought it for him before he came back to land. I spent a few hours last night teaching him how to use it. To say he’s hooked would be an understatement.

  “Good luck, my love.” He takes me by the waist and gives me a deep, heartfelt kiss.

  “Tell me to kick ass.”

  He stares at me, startled. “Pardon? Does that expression not mean to cause someone harm?”

  I laugh. “Yeah, but it can also mean you want me to nail it.”

  He nods slowly. “Nail it...I believe I have heard that phrase before.” He straightens up and says very seriously, “Cassie Price, may you kick ass.”

  I laugh again and gather him in for another hug. “I love you so much.”

&nbs
p; “I love you very much.”

  I press my hand to my lips and then to his before heading for my car. Damarian waves as I drive off. Now I’m less nervous for the interview. Even if I bomb it, it doesn’t matter—I’ll find another job. As long as I have Damarian who is truly good to me. We’ll figure everything out along the way.

  I make it just in time for my interview. As I’m about to go in, my phone beeps. I forgot to put it on silent. Before I do, I quickly check the text. It’s from Damarian. May you kick ass, my beautiful Cassie :).

  I smile as I’m pumped with a warm feeling. I’m so ready for this interview.

  It goes well for the first half hour, and my body begins to relax. But then I feel…strange. My head pounds and my chest tightens, as though I’m not receiving enough oxygen. I cough a few times, hoping to get my breathing under control, but it gets worse. Sweat breaks out on my forehead and other areas on my body. This feels like when I was thousands of feet in the ocean and was turning back into a human. I can’t breathe.

  The principal of the school stops talking. “Are you okay?”

  I nod, but I’m far from okay.

  “Maybe we should take a break for a few minutes,” the assistant principal says.

  I stand on shaky legs. “I’m sorry,” I choke out. “I’ll just be a minute.”

  I run to the nearest bathroom and press my palms into the sink, leaning over it. What’s going on? Do I need salt water?

  Inhaling deep breaths and letting them out slowly, I shut my eyes and count to ten. My chest burns. When I open my eyes, I cry out and stagger back. The left side of my face, from my temple to my neck, is covered in scales. The same ones from my dreams. The same ones I had at the beach.

  My hand flies to my cheek. Those…things feel like rubber. I rub my skin, hoping they’ll disappear, but they don’t. I glance back at the door. How can I continue my interview looking like this? What the hell are they?

  I turn on the faucet and splash cold water on my face. It burns. My eyes are shut tight due to the sting, and I blindly reach for paper towel, wiping it across my face. It feels like I’m on fire.

  The entire bathroom sways. I think I’m going to faint.

  I feel Damarian enter my soul. Does he sense something is wrong with me? Renewed energy fills my body. The pain fades away, my chest no longer feels like a board, and when I look at my reflection in the mirror, I see the scales are gone. It’s as though I was drowning at sea and Damarian threw me a ring buoy.

  I sigh in relief as I back up against the wall, catching my breath. I’m okay. But what’s happening to me?

  Forcing myself to clear my mind, I check myself in the mirror one final time before returning to my interview.

  I don’t know how well I do because I can’t stop thinking about what happened to me in the bathroom. I drive back home in a complete daze, constantly touching my cheeks to make sure those things haven’t reappeared.

  The door flings open the second I pull up in the driveway. Damarian runs to the driver side as I climb out, concern floating in his eyes. “I have sensed that you were ill,” he says.

  I rub my head that’s starting to thump. “Just a headache.”

  He places both hands on my cheeks and studies my face closely. His eyebrows come together. “You appear ill, my love.”

  My headache is increasing. Taking his hand, I lead him to the house and lie down on the living room couch. Damarian crouches down by my feet. He pulls off one shoe, then the other. “Do you require medicine?”

  I open my mouth to respond, but only a croak comes out.

  Damarian says, “Perhaps we shall swim in the pool.”

  “I…I don’t think that’s the reason, Damarian.”

  His eyes search mine. He looks completely lost. He falls back on his knees, raking his hand through his hair.

  “What’s…wrong with me?”

  He leans forward to rest his forehead on mine.

  “My…body is rejecting being a…mermaid,” I say.

  “No,” he moans. “I refuse to believe that as the truth.”

  “Then what else could it be?”

  He lifts his head to look into my eyes. Then his hand softly moves over my stomach. “Perhaps…”

  “What?” I sit up, but that causes so much pain in the back of my head that my vision grows spotty. I collapse on the couch.

  Damarian puts his hands on my shoulders, rubbing them. “Easy, my love.”

  “I’m not pregnant, Damarian.” That’s what I thought when I first turned into a mermaid. I won’t go through that again.

  “Perhaps we shall return to the sea,” Damarian says. “Father and Mother may be able to assist us.”

  But what about the teaching job? If I get it, I’ll probably have to start preparing for it. I can’t do that if I’m in the ocean. Well, screw it. I probably didn’t get it, anyway. And besides, this is about my health. If something is seriously wrong with me, maybe Damarian’s family can help us figure it out.

  “What about the rebels?” I ask, the image of those hands grabbing my limbs flitting across my mind. What if that was a warning?

  Concern floats in his eyes. “It is unsafe. Perhaps I shall go and seek answers.”

  I place my hand on his. “I need to go. It’ll be okay. We’ll have Fiske, Shoney, and the other sharks to protect us. This is the only way to understand what’s happening to me.”

  He hesitates before nodding. “I do not see another option.” He kisses my forehead. “I shall protect you as well.”

  Chapter Twelve

  At the marina, Leah’s cousin, Ian, rents us a boat. I’m so dizzy I can hardly stand straight. Damarian helps me inside, and I start the engine. I bring us far into the ocean, surveying my surroundings to make sure no other boats are around. When the coast is clear, I kill the engine.

  Damarian caresses my cheek. “How do you feel?”

  My head hurts and I’m still dizzy. “The same.”

  He stands, then helps me to my feet, wrapping his arm securely around my waist. “We shall enter the sea, all right?”

  I nod. I hate feeling weak and helpless, but I’m positive something is going on with me, and I need to find out what it is. Hopefully, we’ll get answers from Damarian’s family.

  He lifts me in his arms, cradling me close to his chest, and jumps into the ocean. As soon as the water hits me, I close my eyes and brace for what will happen next. Will those scales appear on my arms, along with a tail without a fin? Or will I get my mermaid tail?

  When I feel the fiery pain in the lower half of my body, I don’t cry out in agony like I’ve always done in the past. I welcome the pain, embrace it, because having my mermaid tail is the best news I can get right now.

  Damarian’s hands squeeze mine so tightly I lose feeling in my fingers. I hear him groaning as his body thrashes around like he’s caught in a storm. He knocks into me, and it feels like I’ve been hit with a truck. When the pain stops, our tails shoot out of the water. Damarian’s arms come around me. “How do you feel?”

  “Much better.”

  My head no longer pounds, but there is pressure in my ears and my vision is green. I swallow the lump forming in my throat. I hoped everything would turn to normal once I got in the water, but I’m still having some of those weird symptoms. I don’t want to tell Damarian because I don’t want him to worry.

  “I shall call for Fiske,” he says.

  We’re deep enough in the ocean that Fiske can hear him. It only takes a few minutes for him to arrive, followed by the two other sharks.

  “Where’s Shoney?” I ask.

  She is on duty, protecting the Sapphire colony.

  “Has there been an attack?” I ask.

  Fiske shakes his head.

  Damarian positons me behind him, takes my arms and stretches them over his back. He tells me to hold on, then dives into the water. My arms tighten around his neck, as gently as possible so I don’t choke him, as he speeds through the ocean. Fiske swims ahead of us
and the other two sharks flank us on both sides.

  My surroundings pass in one big blur. The last time Damarian swam this fast was when he was trying to get me to land when I was shifting back into a human.

  “You don’t have to rush,” I call to him. “I’m feeling much better.” Which is not a lie. I no longer feel the pressure in my ears and my vision is clear again. He doesn’t slow down, though. I know he’s pretty spooked about what’s going on with me and wants to help as much as he can.

  We stop before two large rocks with a gap between them. The entrance to the merpeople colony. Damarian lowers me from his back and takes my hand. The five of us swim through the opening. As soon as we emerge, my gaze shoots to the many sharks swimming around. Bull sharks, tiger sharks, blue, great whites, and hammerheads. They all turn around and surge toward us.

  I gasp, remembering vividly what happened the last time I was here. If not for Fiske, I would have been their dinner.

  A bull shark, the one who seems to be in charge, swims even closer and studies Damarian. Damarian of the Sapphire clan. Its eyes move to me. You again.

  They are with me, Fiske says.

  The bull keeps its eyes on us for a few more seconds before moving aside. It looks like it has a scowl on its face. As we continue on, I notice the area is mostly deserted. The last time I was here, there were many merpeople from all different clans swimming around. Now I hardly see any, which is most likely due to the rebels. Maybe Kiander and Flora decreed all merpeople should remain in their colonies for safety.

  Damarian gives me a light tug. I didn’t realize I stopped swimming. We head to the cave that leads us to the Sapphire colony. Here, there are many of them around. I soak in their sapphire tails and golden hair, each one of them different from the next. A smile stretches across my lips. It’s good to be back.

  A large great white shark dashes to us. “Shoney!” I throw my arms around her and hug her close. It hasn’t been long since I’ve seen her, but I’m so happy to be with her again. We’ve been through so much together, and she means the world to me.