Damarian (A Merman's Kiss Novel) (17 page)

Cassie and I sit on her couch after breakfast. She slides onto my lap, locking her hands around my neck, her eyes gazing into mine. “Tell me about your world.”

“My world?”

“Yeah. You know so much about humans, but I don’t know anything about merpeople. Other than they are half man and half fish.”

Of course it is my wish to tell her about my life, but I have been trained since I was a fry how dangerous it is if humans were to learn about us. They would invade our waters and take us, just as they do to all the other creatures in the sea.

She gazes at me expectantly, her eyes so hopeful. “I wish to tell you all,” I say, “but I am concerned—”

“I promise I won’t tell anyone. Not a soul. Not anything living or non-living. I swear.”

I search her face. Yes, I know she will not betray me to the other humans. “We are of five clans. The Sapphires, the Violets, the Emeralds, the Rubies, and the Diamonds. Our tails represent which clan we belong to. I, as you know, am of the Sapphire clan. The Violets are the ruling clan. They live in Eteria, our capital city.”

“Cool. Have you ever been there?”

More times that I wish to think about. “Once or twice,” I lie. “It is most beautiful.”

“So there’s a king and queen? I know we spoke about it a little bit, but I didn’t get a chance to ask you anything specific.”

All this reminds me of the princess and that I have shirked my duty. What is occurring in the sea now? The mating ceremony between the princess and I was set to take place last night. Has she chosen another mate? What if she awaits my return? Will she never choose another mate? But how can I return when Father and the king will force me to mate with the princess?

When I glance at Cassie, I see nothing in her eyes but intrigue. “Yes. King Palaemon and Queen Lamara.”

“So they rule the rest of the clans.”

“Yes.”

Cassie moves closer to me and smiles. “Thanks so much for sharing this with me.”

That is all I wish. To grow close to this beautiful human.

“How many brothers and sisters do you have?” she asks.

The faces of Kiander, Doria, Syd, Syndin, and Zarya enter my mind. The ache in my chest returns, causing the rest of my body to ache as well. But I do not wish Cassie to see me upset, so I blink and laugh it away. “How I miss them. I have only returned.”

“It’s understandable. I miss my mom like crazy, even though I’m sort of glad she’s away.”

My hand caresses her cheek. “Your mother is away?”

“She has a job where she needs to travel a lot.”

“I had not realized. I presumed you reside alone. I am sorry.”

“It’s okay. It’s good for her, and I need to learn to be independent, anyway. I’ll be away at college in two months.”

College. Higher education. Cassie will be away? What does that mean? I cannot lose her. I pull her even closer to my body and lean forward so that my lips are nearly touching hers. “I have three brothers. Kiander, and Syndin and Syd, who are twins. I have two sisters. Doria and Zarya. How I miss Zarya. She very much enjoyed your gift of worms.”

She smiles widely. “I’m glad. Do you have a mom? You’ve only mentioned a father.”

“Yes.”

“What are their names?”

“My father is Syren. My mother is Kiandra.”

“You all have such pretty names,” she says. “I’m sorry you miss them.”

I shake my head and place my finger on her lips. “Please do not be sorry. My only wish is to be with you.” My lips sweeps across her cheek and ear. “Only you.”

Cassie’s heartbeat increases and her body trembles slightly. “Me, too.”

Placing my hands on her middle, I gently push her back so that she leans on the armrest. I move my face toward her neck that appears so enticing. Closing my eyes for a second or two, I lower my lips to her soft skin and slide down her throat. After hearing her moan of pleasure, my lips trail downward, to her upper chest that is not concealed by her shirt. She releases another moan of pleasure. I raise my lips to hers and kiss her. She is so warm and bewitching, her skin so soft and beautiful. Intense sensations pass through me.

I lift my lips off hers. “Cassie, please forgive me.”

She grabs my hand before I can back away from her. “Forgive you for what?”

My fingers clutch my hair. “I feel things. Things I have never felt as a child of the sea.”

She takes hold of my chin and pulls my face, forcing me to look into her eyes. “It’s okay. It’s probably human hormones that you’re feeling. I guess they’re more intense than your merman hormones.” Her hand rubs my cheek. “It’s perfectly normal to feel this way.”

“Do you feel what I feel?”

“Yes.”

“I am not accustomed to this. It is overwhelming. I have desires…”

Her breathing grows uneven. “What kind of desires?”

“I do not know. I do not understand them.”

Her arms wrap around me. “It’s okay. Let’s take one step at a time.”

I press my forehead to hers. “Thank you. You are very understanding.”

***

Cassie gives me a tour of the city. I cannot describe in words how exquisite land is. There is so much to explore and learn.

I taste fish prepared by humans. They are appetizing, but they do not compare to hunting in the sea. These fish have been out of the sea and do not retain the freshness fish have when I eat them minutes after capture.

Once we return to Cassie’s house and I have swum in her pool, we sit once again on the couch. I wear nothing but a towel. She turns on the TV to what she calls a science fiction thriller. I find this story quite mesmerizing. She explains what these robots are. “The human world is quite fascinating,” I say. “I could not have imagined so.”

“Your world’s pretty amazing, too. I’ve always been blown away by whales. They are so cool.”

We smile at one another. Then we are silent.

After a few seconds, Cassie says, “Um…are you tired?”

“Yes, I am exhausted.”

“Let’s get ready for bed.”

She obtains my pajamas and walks me to the bathroom. I do not enter the room, though. I close my arm around her middle and tug her to my chest. I dip my face to hers, capturing her lips in mine. I do not believe there is a limit to how much I can kiss this female. But if I kiss her any longer, I fear things will escalate too quickly. Reluctantly, I release her.

I enjoy my time in the shower, particularly applying the shampoo that smells like Cassie. Once I am done, I find Cassie in her room. She tells me I should not wait for her to finish her shower, but to go to sleep in my room. I am not as exhausted as I was before, perhaps due to the shower. But once I sit on the bed and sink into its softness, my head falls forward and my eyes grow heavy. It is not long before my head rests on the pillow.

I smell her in my dreams. She feels so close yet so far. My legs are slightly lifted off the bed, and then a light object is thrown over me. I am not in a dream. I know Cassie is in my room, standing near my bed, and I know she is watching me. As she turns to leave, I reach for her, and my hand closes around her wrist. “Cassie?” One of my eyes slowly opens.

She lowers herself to her knees before my bed. “I’m here. Are you okay?”

“Must you sleep there?” Now both my eyes are open and stare straight at her.

“W-what?”

“Sleep…here?” I ask.

Her body grows stiff.

“If it is all right with you.”

Her eyes flit over my face as her teeth chew her bottom lip. I know that what I have asked is very monumental.

She nods and moves to the other side of the bed. Her chest expands with a large gulp of air. With a slightly shaking hand, she lifts the covering and slides in next to me. Her leg touches mine, so soft and gentle. I turn to my side so I can look into her eyes. We are so close.

“Hi,” she says, her voice just as shaky as her hand was.

My hand moves to her bound hair. “Hello, Cassie. May I unbind your hair?”

She nods.

Ever so gently, I yank on the objects that hold her hair together. It tumbles down her shoulders, and it is one of the most beautiful sights I have ever laid eyes upon. My fingers tangle in the strands. Her hair is so soft.

Cassie’s body quakes. “Are you cold?” I ask. I gather her in my arms and hold her close against me.

A soft sigh leaves her mouth. “For a guy who lives in cold temperatures, you sure know how to keep a girl warm and toasty.”

I kiss the side of her face. “I wish only to protect you.”

She falls back on the bed, releasing another sigh. I stare down at her, at the beautiful woman I hold in my arms. My heart swells. Her eyes move to me, and we gaze into one another’s.

“Cassie, may I hold you closer in my arms?” I ask.

She nods. I tighten my arms around her, feeling her body molding into mine, as though we are becoming one. I lower my face to hers and take her lips in mine. Her hand clutches the back of my head as my lips move over hers. She pulls on some of my hair, but it does not hurt me. In fact, it only causes my actions to grow a little wild, for I understand how much she is enjoying this.

My hands hesitantly move to her body, and when she does not ask me to stop, I continue. A moan of desire escapes her mouth, and she moves her hands to my body.

“Damarian,” she breathes.

“Cassie.”

She stretches her neck backward as my lips move to her throat. She whispers my name, once, twice, thrice. “What I feel for you,” I say as I press a kiss into the soft skin of her throat. “I do not wish for it to end.”

Her breathing heavy, she manages to say, “Me, either.”

My eyes open to Cassie staring up at me. We have slept in the same bed, she nestled in my arms, her legs intertwined with mine. I have never felt so close to a being before. My heart is swelled with bliss, I worry it may explode.

“Good morning.” She smiles brightly. “How did you sleep?”

“Good morning. I slept very well. Thank you for sharing the bed.”

She lowers her head on my chest. “Can I ask you something?”

“Certainly.”

“The morning I found you washed up on the beach. What were you running from?”

A cold sensation passes through me. Had I not fled the sea, I would have been mated to Princess Flora. I would have taken the crown and been king of the children of the sea. Had I not fled last night, I would endure the same fate.

Cassie rubs my arm. “Sorry. I see I touched a sensitive topic. Do you want to talk about it?”

I release a frustrated breath. “Father and I…we quarrel often.”

“What do you fight about?”

I cannot tell her I am heir to the throne and am promised to Princess Flora. I fear I will lose her. I would not be able to bear it.

“Damarian, please. You can talk to me.”

“We quarreled that night,” I say. “I should not have been swimming in the storm.”

I see the questions gathering in her eyes, but I do not wish to talk about the duty I have forsaken. Would Cassie find me a coward? As I shift on the bed, the blanket rises along with me, leaving Cassie with no covering. She trembles. I remove it from around my body and wrap it around hers, tucking her close to me. “Humans and children of the sea are alike in many ways. I have issues with my father as well.”

“Another thing we have in common.”

I rub my nose against hers. “Yes.”

Just as she asks me if I would like breakfast, the door to her room opens and a female human appears in the entryway. She has hair a similar shade as the tails of the Ruby clan, although it is a much shorter length, at her chin. Her eyes are brown, like Cassie’s, and she resembles her. She must be—

“
Mom
?” Cassie gasps.

“
Cassie
?” Cassie’s mother’s eyes move from her to me, her expression utterly bewildered.

“What are you doing here?” Cassie asks, her cheeks red.

Cassie’s mother stares at us, her mouth opened. Then she steps toward us and stretches out her hand to me. “I’m Joanie.”

I shake her hand. “Damian.”

“What are you doing home?” Cassie asks.

“I feel so bad for always leaving you. So I spoke to my boss and got a few days off.”

I do not understand what she has just said.

Cassie glances at me, then at her mother Joanie. “Um, Mom, can you please give us some privacy?”

“Oh, sure.” With her back facing the door, she walks to the exit. “And you and I are going to have a talk,” she says to Cassie.

Cassie remains still, her cheeks redder than before. I unbind the blanket from around her body. “You resemble your mother.”

“Yeah. You know what this means? You can’t…I mean, the swimming pool...”

At first I do not comprehend what she is referring to. Then understanding fills me. “I cannot shift into my merman form.”

She nods. “I’m so sorry, Damarian. I didn’t know she’d be back—”

“It is all right. Do not fret.” I attempt to smile, but I am not sure I have succeeded.

She wraps her arms around me. “We’ll think of something, okay?”

I nod, though there is nothing but unease in my body. Cassie rests her head on my chest, her hand rubbing circles on my skin. After some time has passed, she says, “Do you feel okay?”

“Yes.”

Her eyes seem troubled.

“What is the matter?” I ask.

“I’m just thinking.” Her eyes seem even more troubled.

“Please do not fret.”

Her eyebrows dip toward her nose, then she sits up. “We can take a boat and ride deep into the ocean where no one else is around. No people, no boats.”

I very much appreciate how Cassie cares about my predicament. But I do not wish to put her in danger. “Are you certain it will be safe for you to be so far out in the sea?” I ask.

“I don’t have a lot of experience in sailing, but we’ll be okay.”

Though I am worried for her safety, I cannot think of another option. I nod.

We are both silent, each caught in our own thoughts. Cassie wraps her arms around her knees and rocks.

After some time has passed, I begin to feel ill. “When are we to head to sea?”

She leaps to her legs. “You’re feeling sick?”

“A bit.”

She takes hold of my hand and leads me out of the room. I am overwhelmed with a scrumptious smell of food. It is similar to the breakfast dish Cassie and I ate at the restaurant. I do not recall the name, only that it resembles a stingray.

“The smell is divine,” I say.

“My mom’s making breakfast. Pancakes.”

Ah, yes, of course. Pancakes.

As we are set to descend the stairs, Cassie stops and studies our clothes. “It might be a good idea to change.”

I return to my room and she to hers. She placed all my garments in the wooden object she refers to as a dresser. I locate suitable clothes and change into them. Cassie and I meet at the stairs and enter the kitchen. Joanie Price stands at the device known as the stove, preparing the pancakes.

Once she catches sight of us, she smiles. “Hey, kids.”

“You’re making breakfast,” Cassie says. Her tone holds shock and awe. I suppose it is not common for her mother to prepare breakfast.

“Yes, I am.” Joanie’s smile widens.

Cassie looks at me. “Um…Damian needs to run. Family emergency.” Her eyes scrutinize my face, most likely searching for signs that I am not too ill. I admit the pain increases every minute that passes, but I do not wish to cause her any concern.

Joanie’s expression shifts from joy to dejection. “I thought we can eat together. Catch up. Get to know one another.”

I do not wish to be a burden to Cassie and her mother. She has told me that she and Joanie do not share a lot of time together due to her job. But the pain is starting to increases at a very fast pace, and I worry I will collapse soon. “I am afraid I must take my leave.”

Joanie lowers a flat-looking spoon onto the counter and steps close to me, her eyes examining every feature on my face. “Where are you from? I’m trying to pinpoint your accent.”

I look at Cassie, dread and fear filling every part of my being. Cassie squeezes my hand as she pulls me toward the door. “We’ll talk later. Okay, Mom? We really need to run.”

Once the door shuts behind us, Cassie says, “We need to work on your speech.”

“I agree.”

She smiles as she squeezes my hand again. She brings me to a different part of the beach, to an area where human vessels float in the water. I understand Cassie and I are to travel in one? The prospect causes me to feel excited, for I have always wondered what it would feel like to travel on such a vessel.

Cassie speaks to a male human, who rents us a vessel. I learn they are referred to as boats. Cassie assists me into the vessel, then awakens the object with a loud sound.

As we sail deeper into the sea, I cannot help but marvel at how fast we are moving. It is not nearly as fast as the speed I travel when I am a child of the sea, but it is quite fast. And it is quite exhilarating, feeling the wind in my hair.

The pain in my body grows more intense, and without my knowledge, my body bends forward toward the waves, yearning to feel the seawater on my skin.

“No, don’t!” Cassie yells.

I am thrown out of my state and startle. We are still too close to the shore, with too many humans around. “Forgive me,” I say. “I have forgotten. The sea calls for me.”

“It’s okay. We’re almost there.”

As we sail even deeper into the sea, Cassie stares down at the water, her expression a little frightened. Perhaps she is worried of the sharks, perhaps she is worried that the boat will not remain afloat so far into the sea. But I will protect her—she has nothing to fear. I will not allow any harm come her way.

The pain is now much more profound. I do not wish to worry Cassie, but I lean toward the sea, hoping it will ease me.

“Feeling okay?” she asks.

“I feel a bit ill.”

We sail a little longer before she stops the boat. She scans the area, most likely looking for other human boats. Then she turns to me. “Are you ready?”

I raise my hand toward her cheek, noticing how it trembles due to the pain. “I do not wish to part with you.”

She covers my hand with hers. “We won’t stay apart for too long. We’ll figure something out. But you need to get into the ocean first.”

Yes, she is correct. I fear I may collapse at any moment. But before I stand on my legs, I lean closer to Cassie and touch my lips to hers. Her hands clutch onto my shirt and tug me toward her body, her mouth opening eagerly to receive mine. Her actions are so vehement that I lose my balance and fall onto her, causing us to tumble to the bottom of the boat. For a moment, I worry I injured her, but her lips tell me she is quite all right. Our lips move over one another’s almost violently, as though we worry this will be our last time.

I do not wish to end this, but I must. I press my face into her luscious hair. “I shall miss you, Cassie. Very much.”

Her hands grab at my arms. “Me, too.”

“I love you.”

Her body grows still for a moment. Then she relaxes and whispers, “I love you, too.”

How glad I am to hear that she shares my feelings. “Meet me tonight,” I say. “At the rocks. I will wait for you.”

She does not hesitate to say, “I’ll be there.”

I stare into her eyes. “I cannot bear to live without you.”

She places her hands in mine. “I feel the exact same way. Tonight?”

“Yes.”

The water calls for me. I feel every part of my body longing for it. I kiss the back of Cassie’s hand before raising myself to my legs. After glancing at her, I dive into the sea. At once, I am assaulted by the pain of the shift. When it ends, my head breaks the surface. Cassie is bent over the boat, her worried eyes on the water. They relax when she sees I have successfully transformed into a child of the sea.

She extends her hand toward me. I lift mine. Our hands connect, and I feel a sensation I have never felt before. Complete. This human is the female destined to be my mate. I am quite certain of it.

“I shall see you tonight,” I say.

“Enjoy your time with your family.”

My family. No, I cannot go back there. As much as I wish to, I cannot. Not if I want to spend all eternity with Cassie. But I am sure Cassie would be upset if she were to learn this, therefore I say, “Yes, thank you.”

I lower my hand and am about to swim away, but then I turn around and lay my hand on her cheek. “Parting with you is so difficult.”

Moisture—tears—gathers in her eyes. “I know, but we’ll see each other soon.”

Now that my head is above the sea, I feel tears gathering in my eyes as well.

She leans over the vessel to place a kiss on the top of my head. “Don’t go meeting other human girls.”

“Never. I do not wish to be with anyone but you.”

The tears slide down Cassie’s cheeks. I rub them away with the fingers of my right hand, then touch my own tears with my left. I bring my hands together, causing our tears to fuse and become one. “I am only a sea away,” I say.

She smiles, though it is sad. “Bye, Damarian.”

“Goodbye.”

I turn around, then look back at her. Our eyes remain on one another before I force myself to dive into the sea.