A sigh fell from her when he pulled away. Ben trailed a finger over her cheek, pushing her hair behind her ear. His gaze dropped to her mouth again.
Pearl wanted more, the need burned within her to never let him go. She flicked away all thoughts of her future as she reached up to press her lips against his.
‘Pearl,’ he murmured against her mouth.
‘Yes?’
Ben stumbled back, taking her with him. They ended up on the couch, Ben sitting while Pearl straddled his lap. She couldn’t stop the waves of pleasure rolling over her. Her mind drifted to what it would be like to stay in this moment forever. It wasn’t a choice for her, but her feelings meant something. Leaving Ben on land would be even harder than taking a human life.
Ben shifted under her and her eyes fluttered open.
‘What is it?’ she asked.
His breathing was heavy. ‘I need to stop.’
‘Why?’
He smirked, rubbing his thumb over her bottom lip. ‘If I don’t, then I might not be able to.’
‘Then, don’t,’ she said, leaning toward him.
‘Is this what you want?’
‘Isn’t it obvious?’
He wiped a hand over his face. ‘I don’t do this, often.’
‘Kiss?’ she asked.
‘Kiss, or you know …’ His smile made her shiver. Her feelings for him were reflected in his eyes. ‘With women I’ve just met.’
Pearl wasn’t sure if he was trying to stop, but she wouldn’t let him. It was her last day on land, and she wanted the full human experience with Ben.
‘I’ve never done this.’ Pearl trailed a finger down his chin, wanting to memorize his face. Each time she tried, she felt the image slipping away. Once she returned to the water, would Ben be a distant memory?
‘If you don’t want to—’
Pearl pressed a finger against his lips, silencing him. He stared up at her. The control she had over him heightened her experience. ‘I want this. I want you, Ben.’
Without another word, he cradled her neck, kissing her again. They were much quicker this time, harder for Pearl to keep the pace, but she did. Kissing Ben was like breathing. Though, it seemed the more they did it, the more he stole the air from her lungs. Her body was warmer than it ever had been, and she had the urge to strip her clothing off.
As if Ben had the same idea, he tugged at the bottom of her shirt before lifting it over her head, exposing her naked flesh. He cupped her chest and, for once since arriving on land, she was more herself than ever. Though she was without her tail, she wanted Ben to know her true self.
He hovered over her and kissed her. The moment burned into her mind as she knew she was about to experience the real human condition. And she couldn’t wait.
Chapter 17
After they finished, Ben transformed the sofa into a bed. Pearl could barely keep her eyes open, so he helped her to the mattress. Her limbs were heavy, and the moment she gave in to sleep, she disappeared into a blissful experience. They slept together, sounder than she had in her life. Ben curled himself against her, his warmth making up for the lack of blankets around them. It was as if they’d make a nest where their feelings and emotions for each other would thrive.
When her eyes finally cracked open, sunlight streamed through the windows. It took Pearl a moment to get her bearings. As soon as she did her world darkened instead. Today was the last day she’d spend on land. It was the last time she’d ever see Ben.
Pearl turned to face him. The corners of his eyes didn’t hold the same crinkle as usual. Instead, he appeared blissfully relaxed. If she fled, she could remember him like this. Their night together would remain in her memory as one perfect evening. Or would his face be overshadowed in her mind by the death of a human by her hands?
Her body trembled, and her nakedness seemed wrong. Last night, she and Ben had molded together as if cut from the same flesh. Now, the differences between them were as stark as night and day. There was nothing she could do to change her future but involving him changed his too.
The heat coming from his body became too much, feeding into the sick feeling in her stomach. Pearl dressed as quietly as she could. Flashes of moments from the night before filled her vision. She lost her balance and bumped into the bed.
Ben made a sound.
Pearl backed away from him, just as the front door opened. Harry blinked at her, slightly shaking his head. His surprise melted away, replaced by a similar look to the one Peter had given her the night before. Harry’s mouth was a hard line and his gaze cut through her before searching for someone else. ‘Where’s Ben?’ He pushed past her, into the living room. ‘Wake up.’
Ben sat up as if someone had doused him with icy water. ‘Harry, what the hell?’
‘Get dressed. Dad is on his way over.’
Ben lifted his pants and pulled his legs through, bouncing on either foot while threading his feet through the holes. ‘How did Dad know we were here?’
Harry stared at the bed both Ben and Pearl had shared the night before.
‘You told him?’ Ben asked.
Pearl peered out the window. The outside world beckoned her. She could easily flee and leave Ben and Harry to deal with Peter. But her traitorous feet cemented to the floor.
‘He asked me where you were,’ Harry said. ‘I called your apartment, and you didn’t answer. I checked in at the office too.’
‘You could have lied, Harry. It’s not like it would be the first time you didn’t tell him the truth.’
‘He was right about this whole situation with Pearl. She’s distracting you.’
‘Enough,’ Ben said, his voice muffled as he put his shirt on. ‘You wanted Dad to be pissed at me; well, you’ve succeeded.’
‘I didn’t do anything. You’re the one letting go of your responsibilities for a fling.’
Ben shoved his hair out of his face. ‘You have no idea what you’re talking about.’
Pearl understood Harry meant her. ‘I should go.’ She needed to go. Now that others in the town had seen her with Ben, she couldn’t walk around unnoticed. If she stayed any longer, she’d never leave. Which wasn’t the point of her visit. Her destiny loomed before her.
‘I’m going with you.’ Ben lifted his wallet and shoved it into his pocket.
Harry grabbed his brother, spinning him around. Even though Ben was taller, there was volatility in Harry’s eyes. ‘Where are you going? I told Dad you would be here.’
Ben whipped his arm away from Harry. ‘You can tell him I left.’
‘You can’t have it all, Ben.’
‘Take the job. I don’t want it.’
Harry shoved Ben. ‘I’m not talking about the job.’
A longing filled Harry’s eyes as he looked at Pearl.
Ben opened and closed his mouth. ‘Don’t start this, Harry. There’s no reason for you to feel jealous.’
‘No, this is it, Ben. This is the last time you’re letting a distraction keep you from our family. If you walk out that door, I’m telling Dad you plan on giving your resignation.’
Ben took Pearl’s hand. As much as he tried to keep it steady, she felt the slight tremble. Change was never easy, but Pearl couldn’t allow him to wreck his family life over her.
‘You should stay,’ Pearl said.
‘No, they can’t bully me anymore. I want to be free.’
‘I’m not free,’ Pearl said. ‘I’m leaving. Today.’
‘What? But last night, after we – I thought you were going to stay.’
‘I can’t.’ The edges of her vision blurred. Pearl gripped the pearls in her hands and squeezed them. She didn’t belong on land.
‘Okay, well at least let me bring you to the train or airport.’
‘I need to do something first.’ If she didn’t get away, she wouldn’t be able to commit the act she needed to. Ben attached himself to her, as much as she had to him. He would try to stop her.
‘I’ll come with you.’
&nbs
p; ‘No,’ she said as firmly as she could. Ben wasn’t listening to her. Tears streaked her face, and she wiped them away. There weren’t any more words. She was wasting precious time.
The door was still open from Harry’s arrival. The crisp fall air filtered into the otherwise stuffy house. Pearl yearned for the scent of the ocean to bring her home. She sprinted from the house, without looking back.
Pearl made it almost to the corner of the sidewalk when Ben caught up with her.
‘Pearl, stop. This is ridiculous. You’re upset.’
‘I want you to leave me alone, Ben. You’re making this harder than it needs to be.’
‘What was last night?’ he asked. ‘Don’t tell me you can do that with someone and not care.’
For him to keep coming after her had to mean he was somehow affected by the pearls. It was the only way a human could make such a quick attachment to her.
But that didn’t explain her feelings for him.
‘I’m as scared as you are, Pearl. Don’t leave without trying to work this out.’
‘Work what out? We’re two entirely different beings.’
‘We’re not that different.’
‘We are. I made a mistake last night.’
Ben flinched.
Pearl regretted the words the moment they left her lips. Ben made her want to stay. To change her life completely. She would never forget him, but there wasn’t a force in the world that could make her stay without destroying her troop’s lives. ‘I have to be somewhere, and you can’t come.’
‘When did you become so secretive?’ He kept up with her pace, unfazed by her walking away from him for the second time. ‘Since I’ve known you, you’ve been open. What changed?’
Last night had changed her. ‘I was lost in your world. It’s not for me. I’m not like your family.’
‘Who said anything about my family?’
Pearl had already told him too much about the turmoil in her mind. Telling him that she’d imagined their life together would make him want to keep her there. The possibility of a life with Ben would make her not want to leave. She needed the ocean air to clear her head. Once her feet were in the water, she would have the reminder of her real life. ‘I was too caught up in all of this. I could never stay here.’
‘Why not? I mean, I’m not asking you to uproot your life from – wherever you’re from – but at least consider there’s something between us. You can’t deny it. Isn’t it worth a try?’
Pearl shook her head, picking up her pace again. Her legs hadn’t ached so much since her first day on land. Had it only been four days ago? It felt close to a lifetime.
A nearby car slowed. The window rolled down, revealing Peter in the driver seat. Elyse sat in the other chair.
It was Pearl’s chance to leave him for good. ‘I’m sorry, Ben.’
With his momentary distraction, she took off down the street. Her feet pounded against the hard sidewalk, and her breathing quickened. She forced herself ahead when all she wanted was to run into Ben’s arms.
Chapter 18
The uneven sand under Pearl’s feet was a warm, welcoming embrace. A couple wandered down the beach together, but they were too far away for her to take them under the water. Besides, she needed time to process what had happened with Ben. If she had woken earlier and left, she wouldn’t have the memory of his fight with Harry or the disappointment etching the lines of his face. As much as she’d tried to hold his features in her mind, the last ones were the strongest.
A tingling sensation rippled across her head. The ocean continued its movements, but a disturbance in the distance drew her closer.
Pearl scanned the beach. There were humans around.
Syrene’s head bobbed against the surface of the water. Her sister had risked herself and the troop by revealing herself in the open. Without their mental connection, Pearl didn’t know what Syrene was thinking. Pearl didn’t need words to tell her how Syrene felt. She had rarely seen her sister’s lips twist like that. And never in her direction. At least not while Pearl was awake. It was as if her dream from the other night had come true.
Syrene had trusted Pearl, but any hint of that emotion no longer rested on her face. Syrene’s shoulders were rigid, almost touching her ears.
‘Sister,’ Pearl said, not moving any closer to the water.
Syrene closed her eyes and slowly opened them again, before reaching her hands outward.
Pearl had to touch Syrene to speak with her in her current form. At that moment, she wished she could keep her distance. Syrene would never understand the bond she’d made with Ben and the humans. When they’d met the first time after Pearl arrived on shore, Pearl hid a part of herself from her sister. If she could show Syrene the feelings she had inside of her, she would have to understand. Syrene deserved an explanation.
Pearl kicked her shoes off and discarded her coat. The water wasn’t warm, but at least she’d have some covering when she could get back to land. A plan hadn’t formed yet, but she wasn’t going to freeze to death before that. The chill in the water cut against her legs.
Syrene moved close to the shore, so Pearl had to kneel to touch her.
I saw you, she sent the moment their skin made contact.
When?
On the human craft. With three of them. Why did you not take one home?
The others would have searched for them. I needed one of them alone.
You had the male alone for some time. The swim wasn’t far. I could have helped.
Why are you not home? I don’t want you to get caught.
I have permission to be here.
Pearl removed her hand from Syrene’s slick arm. Her sister grabbed her ankle, forcing a breath out of her.
I told our mother what you did. She advised me to speak of what I saw to the troop.
Why would you tell her? The ceremony is not complete.
I wanted them to give you another opportunity. I told them the humans held you captive. They allowed me to help you.
Help me?
Syrene dropped her head into the water and then came out again. After being on land, it was strange for Pearl to watch how she used to live. The ties to the water would always be their greatest weakness. After living in both worlds, how could she be restricted to one?
It’s the only way.
What if I don’t want to fulfill the sacrifice?
What about Kaito?
What about him?
Syrene shook her head, enough for several water droplets to splatter against Pearl’s face. The waves were stronger now, bearing down on her. He can’t die because you think you care for these humans.
I do care. Admitting her feelings for Ben, and the life she’d created in the fleeting time on land freed her more than the ocean ever could.
About them? All they’ve done is hunt our food and try to take over our home as well as their land. They don’t respect anything. I don’t believe you want to be one of them. They’ve tricked you.
Pearl didn’t have an answer for that. It wasn’t possible for her to live on land. Was it? Even after Daryah failed, she still came home. What if Pearl never came back to the cove? Would she keep her legs forever? The ceremony needed a sacrifice from a human or a betrothed. Kaito’s kind eyes flooded her mind.
I don’t want to be one of them, Pearl sent.
You do. Our communication shows me more than your words. You know that. I sense your hesitation. Syrene’s eyes flashed. For a moment, black spots filled Pearl’s vision. A creature floated in front of her. Syrene was no longer the young one Pearl had taken under her fin all those years ago. With the flick of Syrene’s tail and a strong grip, she could have her under the water in seconds. The nightmares slithered at the edges of her mind.
Pearl fell forward. An unseen rock or shell pierced her skin. She took hold of Syrene’s wrist. This is my ceremony. My choice.
I won’t allow them to kill Kaito. Syrene sounded like their mother. Both regarded the rules of the troop as if t
hey were unchangeable. It was a dangerous mission to allow any of their females to spend time on land. Pearl suspected the fear surrounding humans was supposed to help get the ceremonies over quicker. She guessed they’d never counted on someone like her.
I’m not going to kill a human.
Sister, don’t abandon us like Daryah.
Pearl was unable to say what her sister wanted to hear.
If you aren’t willing to be a part of us anymore, I can’t communicate with you.
No. We’re still sisters.
Syrene pulled Pearl into a tight embrace. Prove it. Syrene let go of Pearl’s arm and swam away.
The threat rooted in her mind as she pushed to the shore, shakily sliding her feet into her shoes. Pearl pulled the coat around her body and slogged up the beach. Unlike last time she spoke with Syrene, she had only soaked the lower half of her body. If she kept moving forward, the dampness wouldn’t slow her down.
As she walked, she relived the conversation in her mind. By the end of their conversation, it seemed as if Syrene was more scared for Pearl than anything. Her threats against Kaito’s life hadn’t swayed Pearl to murder a human. None of the others stayed on land longer than the ceremony. If she remained on land, would her tail return after the five cycles? If Pearl never returned, they might spare Kaito. She wouldn’t know unless she went back. As much as she wanted to explain herself to the troop, she couldn’t force herself into the ocean. She needed a new plan.
*
Pearl wandered the land close to the water while she thought about her choices. Each time she thought of Ben, she had the urge to seek him out. If she could say goodbye one last time, she could go back home without regrets. Though, not in the way Syrene wanted. The humans were safe from the ceremony. But she wasn’t going to end Kaito’s life either. There had to be a better way. She wasn’t going to end up like Daryah. If they wouldn’t accept her into the troop again, she wasn’t going to be her true self either.
The Sisters' Secrets: Pearl Page 11