Moondancers

by E. Van Lowe

  Chapter Seventeen

  “I… What… Do my parents know you’re here?”

  She shook her head.

  “How did you get back here?”

  “The front door was unlocked, and I’ve been known to move pretty fast,” she said, her tremulous voice sending waves of excitement dancing through me. She smiled.

  The music inside my head, swelled. It was the same sad tune, but I didn’t care. My heart began beating so rapidly I thought it might come bursting through my chest like in Alien.

  I entered, easing the door shut behind me. I leaned against it, trying to strike a casual pose, despite the fact there was nothing casual about how I was feeling. I turned on the light and gazed over at her on the bed. So radiant. So gorgeous. I continued leaning against the door, feeling if I attempted to stand on two feet I just might fall down.

  She’s here. She’s actually here, I thought.

  I didn’t blink for a full minute for fear I’d blink her away. Once I was sure she was really there, a goofy grin slowly spread across my face.

  “What’s the matter with you? Why are you looking at me like that? Have you been drinking?” she asked.

  “No, nothing like that. I’m just happy to see you. You look fantastic.”

  “Thank you,” she said in her shy, sweet vibrato. She smiled, and it was as if the sun had risen in my bedroom. Never before had a smile been so welcome.

  I regained my composure enough to walk over and sit next to her on the bed. My heart was still pounding against my chest, though. I snatched up her hand, raised it to my lips, and kissed it.

  “Don’t,” she said, although she made no attempt to pull her hand away.

  “Thank you for coming,” I said. “Never thought I’d use this corny phrase, but ‘what a pleasant surprise.’” I kissed her hand again.

  The smile on her lips began to fade, and I released her hand for fear she’d run off, and disappear into the night.

  “What’s wrong?” I said.

  “I’m not here for this. I’m here to warn you against trying to do battle with the creature in your friend’s pool.”

  “How did you know?”

  “My mother… She has spies,” she said, averting her gaze.

  The mention of spies stirred my suspicions, but I didn’t want to press the issue. I wanted to take her in my arms.

  “Why did you run off?” I said. It had been on my mind all day. I grasped her hand, again tried to kiss it, but this time she did pull away.

  “The music,” she said, her words coming as a soft whisper.

  “The music in my head. You ran off when I told you about it.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.” She looked at me thoughtfully. “Do you believe in soulmates?” she asked, peering deep into my eyes.

  “I do now,” I said, relaxing. I smiled, and rubbed the back of her hand.

  “The Nereid believe that every living creature has a soulmate. Our souls exist long before we are ever born. Souls meet, and form relationships, which is why you can meet someone for seemingly the first time, and feel as if you’ve known them forever.”

  “It’s because you have known them forever,” I said, following along.

  “Yes,” she replied. She grew silent for a moment. “Sometimes souls meet and fall in love.”

  “Us?” I asked, my tongue turning dry.

  She nodded. “Us. Humans can make being with one’s soulmate so difficult. Often times, humans meet their soulmate, feel the immediate connection, but then allow ego or fear to keep true love from ever materializing.” She took a long breath. “But the Nereid always know their soulmate, because we hear the siren’s song.”

  “It’s the music in my head, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. Usually only the Nereid can hear it. We don’t have egos or fear blocking the siren’s song from being heard. But sometimes the love between two souls is so strong, a human soulmate can hear the music as well.”

  “So you hear the music, too?” I asked.

  “I didn’t at first… maybe because I didn’t want to. But I hear it now.”

  My smile widened, and when it did, her face flooded with pain.

  “I don’t want to ruin your life, Joshua.”

  “We’re soulmates. I love you and you love me. We’ve loved each other since before we were born. Ruin away!” I reached for her, and tried taking her into my arms. She pulled away, getting to her feet.

  “No! It’s not as easy as that. There’s a price.” Her words were once again tortured.

  This time I was listening. I quickly began putting the pieces together. Her running off that morning wasn’t because she didn’t care for me. Lara loved me as I loved her. Our souls had been in love for who knows how long. She ran off because there was some terrible consequence to our love. Whatever she was about to tell me, I didn’t want to hear. And yet I asked.

  “And what is the price?”

  She peered into my eyes as tears welled up in hers. “Petros is my mother’s soulmate.”

  “The satyr?”

  “He wasn’t always a satyr,” she replied, her tears beginning to wash down her cheeks.