DANA TELLS ME THAT my lover shows up at the beach every morning. So, I wait until the sun comes up.

She's right. Moments later, I see him come down the rocky path with his eyes on the sea. The wind caresses his curly hair and glues the unlaced shirt against his ripped torso. His scarlet overcoat spread open puts on display how broad-shouldered he is. Mermen are big, but my human is bigger...and scarier. Even if I should fear him, all I notice is the softness in his gaze and the melancholy in his handsome face.

Nervous, I nibble on my lip as he sits on the beach and throws pebbles at the water. The waves unfold before his feet. I hide behind a rock. He's even more handsome with the sunlight touching his tanned skin.

Once the panic fades, I clear my throat and sing. Mermaids are known for their beautiful voice. We enthrall sharks, whales, and many sea monsters with our singing.

He turns around and searches for me. I stop when our eyes meet. Placing my hair behind my ear, I swim closer. He walks towards me, splashing water and wetting his clothes. The surf prevents me from moving forward. He closes the distance, lowers down, and grabs me in his arms.

I'm in paradise.

My human lover takes me far away from the sea. I look back, worried. I need to return. Happiness fogs my reason. He has missed me as much as I’ve missed him.

After seating me on his coat on the beach, he straightens up and removes his shirt. Bending over me, he makes me wear it. The fabric glues to my skin, and I can smell his musky and masculine scent. It feels warm and cozy.

I hold my breath as our eyes meet, and I feel my temperature rise. He kneels, his gaze trailing down my figure. Moving my arm, I touch his face with my fingertips. Speaking is useless. I need him to understand how my chest vibrates when we are together. I take his hand and place it over my heart. He smiles. His hand places mine over his heart. It pulsates against my palm, and I lower my ear to listen. Maybe he understands what I'm trying to convey.

As the sun dries my body, my breathing hitches, and pain shoots down my tail. I convulse and grab his shoulders. It hurts as if my skin is being ripped apart.

When the pain stops, I feel two limbs dig into the sand.

Looking at them, I move my legs and stumble. He holds me and speaks, apparently amused. Yet he helps me stand as I test my new limbs and try to coordinate my steps. Every time I stumble, he catches me. I become brave and try to walk without his help. I'll need a lot more practice if I plan to live with him on dry land.

I only walk five steps before his hands secure my waist. I turn around and lace my arms around his torso. The sound of his beating heart soothes me, and his warmth tingles my skin as delight tugs at my heart.

His hands trail a path down my spine, gently rubbing. He picks me up and takes me to where we were before.

More sounds that I don't understand come out of his mouth. Still, his eyes show his feelings. His hands are kind when they rub my feet. They hurt and feel nothing like my tail. I need to understand how to move them and balance without falling. Looking down, I realize that my legs are beautiful like the ones of the statues we find underwater from long forgotten cities.

I touch the softness of the hair covering his chest. His eyes are on my breasts. I move closer. My fingertips touch the rough hair on his face and draw patterns on his cheek and jaw.

His mouth moves near, and I can feel his breath against my lips. When his lips lock with mine, I close my eyes and surrender to desire. His kiss is tender, and his hands open behind my back while our mouths touch. I feel my head spinning out of control and my heartbeat skyrockets. Still, I don’t want to stop. My body searches for more contact. My hands caress the hard muscles on his chest, and I gasp when his tongue rubs against mine. Heat spreads down my body, and I snake my arms around his neck until my breasts are pressed against his naked torso.

Breaking the kiss, he trails kisses down my neck as his hand cups my breast. I pant and tilt my head back. His lips kiss my throat and his finger rubs my nipple. Heat explodes between my legs, and I long for him to kiss me everywhere.

I grip my hands to the hard rock muscles on his arms and moan when his hand exposes my left breast to the cold air and the tip of his tongue flickers against my nipple. I’m completely undone when his mouth closes around my nipple, and he sucks it.

What we are doing isn’t right. I know that. Yet I don’t want him to stop.

His lips release my nipple, and his hand caresses my right breast. I whimper when he gives the same attention with his mouth to my other breast. My hand fists around his hair and I suck for air.

His hand cups my chin, and his mouth meets mine. Our tongues intertwine and dance as I realize that I’ve never felt this happy before. I want him to consume me. I want to consume him. Noises leave his mouth as he spreads small kisses on my face and lips. He covers my upper body and places his hand against my heart. Blinking, I stare at him. His lips move, but his language is beyond my comprehension. He has kind eyes, and I can feel the tenderness and passion with each of his touches. Does he know we belong together?

“I want to know everything about you?” I whisper, caressing his cheek.

He smiles, and I lean closer to kiss him.

Suddenly, there's another voice behind us. I startle, turn back, and see another man coming our way.

My lover's hands try to hold me tighter, but I escape his embrace. Standing up, I step back and speed to the safety of the sea. I don't know how I make it, but I dive into a wave. My legs turn into a tail as soon as the water touches them. I sway my body, propel my tail, and put distance between the beach and me.

From afar, I turn around and see my lover in the water waving at me. He has shouted before, but I was too afraid to look.

The other man is still, staring at the sea. They exchange words. My lover seems mad.

With my heart in my mouth, I dive in and swim to my home.

The next time I see him, I need to be able to tell him who I am and know who he is. I need to be sure that he won't sell me to someone like my dad has always told us. The merfolk are vulnerable on dry land. The Witch. I need to go to her and ask her what she wants in return for the ability to speak my lover's language.

***

“I TOLD YOU SHE WAS real,” I say to Leonard who still has his mouth hanging open after seeing my mermaid. I clench my jaw and fight the need to punch him in the face for scaring my goddess away.

“Her ta-il. Did you see her tail? And she had legs. I saw her running to the sea.”

A wave crashes against my legs. I push Leonard away as I walk to the beach and the water releases my body. “Why did you have to scream? She was beginning to trust me. I was this close.” I show him my two fingers exacting the distance my mouth was from hers. My body is still tense with the overwhelming attraction. 

“I thought you were flirting with one of the commoners. In fact, I was sure that you had been delusional and the woman you talked about was one of the girls in the village.”

I walk to my coat and pluck it off the ground. She took my shirt. Spinning around, I look at the ocean. There are no signs of her.

What if she never comes back?

I groan. “Why did you come here?”

“I have important news.”

I turn to look at my beta. “Spit it out.”

“Our rescuing ships, they found Julian and more members of his crew.”

“Are they alive?”

“Yes. They are resting in the infirmary. They were dehydrated, but they are going to make it.”

“And my crew?”

Leonard looks at the sand. “Nothing. Julian can fill you in on the details once he's able to speak. Maybe they were taken prisoner by the Vampire King's men.”

“If they were, they are as good as dead. We know that they don't take prisoners.”

Leonard steps forward with an eager expression. “We need to send word to the king and start a conversation. We need to understand why they are attacking us so close to our home.”

“We need to start building more warships and cannons to defend ourselves.”

“I'll increase the patrols and double the guards at night.”

“Please send word to the princess to stay in our uncle's fortress. A royal ship coming in this direction is an easy target.”

Leonard nods. “As you please, milord.”

Sighing, I come to terms with the fact that my sea goddess isn't coming back. “I'll go see Julian. After, I'll talk with the elders to brainstorm about what needs to be done to protect our men and cargo from this new threat.”