“I know, don’t be sorry. You don’t live as long as us without making friends and building up a certain amount of interest and value on certain assets. Being able to cry diamonds doesn’t hurt either.” He clarifies with a shrug, as though the subject bores him.
I feel tired at the thought of his age. The idea crosses my mind, matures and won’t disappear into its depths. I’m never going to die. I’m going to be stuck at 18 forever. I feel exhausted at the thought as and I turn to Orion.
“So are a lot of mer elderly? If this is something that happens when you die?” I ask, looking at him wondering how he met his own end.
“No, the change transforms us into something time cannot touch; we are restored to our prime.” He replies smiling at me while he places trousers under the towel and pulls them up, buttoning the fly quickly. I turn back to the clothes looking at them wistfully, lots of designer labels and yet nothing I’ve seen on the catwalk before. I am overwhelmed and feel my body shake; fighting back tears I bow my head.
“Hey, are you okay?” Orion sounds startled, I wonder if he has ever had to comfort a crying woman before.
“It’s just … a lot.” I sniffle, seeing that my tears are cloudy as they begin to fall into my lap, waiting for the sea water that will make them crystallize.
“I know … I’m rushing this. I’m sorry.” He apologizes, walking around the bed to sit beside me, I feel the mattress sag and I understand how it feels, the pressure on my shoulders weighing my mood down like an anchor.
“I don’t know how to do this. There wasn’t exactly a class for this at school.” I comment and he smiles. “What?” I query.
“I just can’t believe how young you are. I knew you would look young, we all do, but you are only 18. I’m sorry about all this, how it happened. That kiss on the beach,” He pauses looking guilty, like the weight of the oceans water is bearing down on him. “I should have waited; I should have protected you better. Or maybe I should have stayed away all together.” He runs his hand through his hair, something I’m beginning to see he does a lot when he is anxious or guilty. I manage a small smile, my heart still pounding, straining under the weight of so much change.
“Please don’t apologize for the kiss. I didn’t know …”
“What?”
“It could mean so much.” I admit, biting down hard on my bottom lip, enjoying the pain. He blushes.
“Jesus. Callie … I” He is speechless and I don’t know what he is trying to articulate.
“It’s okay, if it didn’t mean the same to you. It was the first kiss I’ve ever had that felt so …”
“No, No … Callie, that kiss, I … there are no words. I just, I wish I hadn’t put all this on you. You are so young, younger than I was when this all happened for me.” He relinquishes this small personal detail igniting my thirst for information once more.
“Well, I’m glad that you enjoyed it too.”
“Enjoyed it isn’t the word … of course I enjoyed it, but it’s more than that, primal almost.” He glances down at me; I’m still clasping the towel to myself.
“Mmm.” I don’t know what to say to that, a bundle of nerves instantly tying together in my stomach, his look is so … hungry.
“I am sorry. I’m sorry you didn’t get the life you wanted. I’m sorry no one told you about what would happen once your human life ended. More than that, I’m sorry if I seem desperate, I … have waited so long.” He looks as though he may cry, when something dark passes beneath his cool irises.
“Orion …”
“We are going to be late … please, can we go to dinner, I want you to meet everyone, maybe that way you won’t feel so lost.” He kisses my shoulder tenderly and I feel the electricity pick up again, travelling down my arm, creating unrest in my fingertips.
“Okay.” I pull myself together closing my eyes for just a moment savouring his kiss. He returns to dressing and I stand again, looking down at my legs and being grateful for them in a way I never was before. The wardrobe doors still hang open so I flick through the clothes inside; somehow staying calm at the fact they are all my size. I select a floor length gown, underwear set, and a pair of shoes that go together before closing the wardrobe door quietly. I look around and notice a door leading off the main room and head over to change, before stopping a foot from the golden door handle and turning with a sudden urge to know more.
“Orion, how did you die?” I ask feeling brave as he stops buttoning his new white shirt and looks up quickly.
“Later, I’ll answer anything you want to know, after this ritual. But we are running late and you are the guest of honour tonight.” He replies, politely giving a gentle smile, his eyes a calm sea of frozen blue.
“Okay, how long will it take?” I ask curiously, wondering how long it would be before I could be alone with him, before I could grill him about the past.
“About an hour, maybe two, depends how hungry you are and how much my sister wants to torture you, etcetera.” He chuckles to himself, and at the mention of food I find myself immediately ravenous, feeling like I haven’t eaten in weeks. I turn on my heel, a knot of anxiety nestling inside of me at the mention of his sister. I turn the golden door handle and step into a huge bathroom. A large egg shaped bathtub is sunken into the floor, which is made of white marble with tiny flecks of glitter ingrained in the stone. There is also a shower, toilet, and basin. I sigh, letting my towel drop to the floor and I wonder why the mer feel the need for a bathtub. You would think they would be sick of being in the water all the time.
My hair is damp, so I dry it as best I can and it resumes its normal style of curly ringlets, tickling my ears. I walk over to a large, floor length mirror, which takes up the entirety of one of the light turquoise walls that remind me of home, looking at myself up and down. Still the same Callie, hair’s a disaster and my eyes are a little too big for my face. I trace the scar over my heart with one finger and then turn around, craning my neck so I can view the scar on my back just below my left shoulder blade. It is ugly and I feel hatred towards the unwanted mark upon my otherwise flawless back. It is then I notice something else, something that causes me to double take. A tattoo has appeared on my lower back just above my buttocks. Ribbons of turquoise and lilac flow together and intertwine in a sophisticated knot. It is beautiful, but I still wonder when this mark appeared on me. I shrug, noting to ask Orion about it later.
I walk over to the cupboard above the sink and open it, I find a hairbrush and some make up inside. I wonder how Orion is so well prepared, the logistics of him being on land three nights a month and having time to prepare all this just seem a little skewed. I brush through my ringlets, wincing every time I snag a knot with the bristles.
I place both hands on the sink, breathing deeply, I can’t seem to catch my breath anymore and the air is too thin, too dry for my lungs to use effectively. I touch my fingers gently to my neck, there are no scars here at least, only smooth, white skin beneath my fingers. I rummage through the makeup bag and find foundation, lipstick, and mascara (waterproof of course) and apply some quickly. Then I turn and get into the underwear, which fits a little too well. The bra and panties are made of a matching violet satin with black lace atop the briefs and bra cups. Then I turn to the dress and pick it up off the marble floor. It too is violet and as I place it over my head, I am beginning to become suspicious of stalking as it fits like a glove. The gown has a slit up one side of the skirt and is strapless. It fits tightly around my breasts, but then flows downward, hugging my curves. Purple silk is pinched in a knot around my chest and the ugly pink scar creeps out from underneath it. I debate trying to cover it with concealer after putting on the black strappy heels but then a knock disturbs me.
“Callie?” I hear Orion’s voice from behind the door and move to open it revealing his broad outline. His face at the sight of me lights up and a sweet appreciative smile spreads between his cheeks.
“You look lovely.” He admits, looking down at the floor as thou
gh embarrassed. I smile now, admiring the view I have of him. He is wearing a tux, and boy can he wear a tux.
“Right back at you.” I beam, covering the disconcerted feeling within as he offers me a hand. We walk from the room, our fingers desperately interlocked, towards the Ritual.
The ballroom in the Lunar Sanctum is, to say the least, impressive. The whole room ends in a stage surrounded by a red velvet curtain. The floor is in the seemingly favoured white marble, but this marble has a gold vine pattern engraved elegantly into each tile that give a mind-blowing macrocosm of gold warmth and shine to the floor. The walls are white and gold, also, with a similar vine pattern creeping up them, the ceiling must be twenty feet high and there are more murals of mer swimming among the waves. A long table is in the centre of the room behind the dance floor that lies just in front of the stage. The table is over flowing with food and a large golden statue of a Goddess with flowing hair and a dress that turns into the waves of the sea, head thrown back smiling, is central to it all. I assume this is Atargatis and I cannot deny that she is stunningly beautiful, her face, though made of hard cold metal, is so full of life and it is not difficult to believe she is responsible for the thriving depths of the ocean. Orion is still holding my hand and he gives it a quick squeeze as I begin to acknowledge the many people that fill this beautiful space, feeling the need to breathe deep, trying to calm the worries rattling inside of my skull. They are all aglow with white light as the windows that span the walls of the hall let moonlight flow in from the luminescent dangling bauble outside, beginning its ascent to the height of the sky. Out of the crowd of colourful gowns and black suits comes a head of platinum blonde hair, bobbing and shoving others out of the way.
“Orion!” the small girl calls and leaps into his arms. He lets go of my hand in order to catch her and rolls his eyes childishly at me as she kisses both his cheeks. I smile shyly as he places her back on her feet and she turns to face me. Her eyes are the same icy blue as Orion’s but these hold not an ounce of his warmth. “Starlet.” she says bluntly, instantly changing from the compassion she had shown to Orion only a few moments before, into icy intensity. She raises an elegantly manicured hand in front of me and I nervously take it, shaking three times gently while not daring to break eye contact.
“This is Callie.” Orion interjects, giving us both somewhere else to look; Starlet smirks at my name, it must seem so simple next to her own. My heart is hammering embarrassingly and my face is flushed red as I examine her intimidating, perfect face. This girl is beautiful, so much so that she makes Chloe look flawed in every respect. Her skin is an effortless tan, and her gown is silk and floor length like my own in hot pink. On her right shoulder there is a small jumping dolphin tattoo, she brushes back her lustrous blonde hair when she catches me looking at it and continues on with the conversation.
“I know, Orion. I’m how you know!” She says exasperated and I look up at Orion quizzically, wondering what the hell she is talking about.
“Starlet can see the future, in bits and pieces.” He explains and it clicks.
“Is that how you knew where to find me?” I ask, looking up at him.
“Yes.” The answer is simple and I want to ask more questions but he cuts across me.
“Would you like to dance?” He asks me, interrupting his sister’s bitchy stare in my direction with his broad shoulders. I turn, noticing that an orchestra has been revealed as the red curtain draws back to reveal the stage. It is small; perhaps a quarter of the size of a regular orchestra, but this makes no difference because they hit every note perfectly as they begin to play a melancholy symphony.
“Okay.” I take his hand once more and he leads me toward the dance floor. The crowd parts before us and he slides his hand around my waist pulling my body close to his.
“Everyone is staring.” I comment as I turn to look around us and catch eyes glancing our way.
“Can you blame them?” Orion asks and I smile to myself. He holds himself proudly, his spine is poker straight as he leads me across the dance floor in an elegant waltz, keeping me willingly trapped within the cage of his arms that connect to his broad chest. The memory of a similar dance drifts into my mind and I wonder how I went from a house party with teenagers to a ballroom with mythic warriors in the space of a month. The music from the miniature orchestra begins to build to a height and Orion speeds up, spinning me around the room like if he stops moving I’m going to evaporate into thin air. His eyes are on me now, as intense as they were when I felt them on the back of my neck in Chloe’s beach house.
“You’re giving me a very intense stare.”
“I’m sorry, am I making it obvious how beautiful I think you are?” Orion questions me, his response leaves me lost for words so I continue to waltz, running my hands through his hair as I put my arms around his neck. I close the gap between us and stop the flow of the waltz, transitioning into a slower pace. I rest my head above his beating heart, my ear against the lapel of his dinner jacket. He leans in kissing the top of my head as I actively ignore the surrounding crowd of people. For a moment, it’s just us two in a warm bubble of music and sensation. The song ends, ending the moment with it and as it passes into the recesses of time, Orion stands up straight and takes a step backward, bowing like all the other men from dancing couples I hadn’t even noticed.
“Another go round?” He inquires as the band begins its next serenade.
“I’m actually really hungry. Can we eat?” I plead, eyeing the table of food ravenously.
“Of course, come.” He beckons and leads me over to the table. I see a seemingly older man tracking me with his eyes, his hair is silver and long, his stare vividly golden, like that of a bald eagle and his face holds three or four scars. This must be Atlas, I deduce, Orion was not wrong about him being weathered by years of fighting as he stands out against the faux youth of the crowd. His body is long, spread out across the chair in which he is sat, limbs lazy like a jungle cat. The face is aged by silver scars that climb like vines across his neck and chin. He looks aged from here, even though he has been preserved like everyone else in the room into something time cannot touch. He sees Orion and me making for the table and gets up from the plush chair he is sitting in. An elegant dark-skinned woman in a lime green dress sits at his side, watching him attentively.
“Attention everyone!” His booming voice reaches out and silence falls over the crowd of people. Orion stops and looks at me apologetically for a few moments. I am frozen to the spot, nervous, wondering what will happen next. “Tonight we are joined by a new face, the first in over 100 years to join our privileged ranks. Please welcome my son’s long awaited other half, Miss Callie Pierce.” He gestures towards me with a large hand and the room turns, hundreds of beautifully youthful eyes staring at me, I feel blood rush to my face, sending me a hideous crimson colour. Orion strokes the back of my hand with his thumb, puts his other hand around my waist, and pulls me into a totally unexpected kiss. It is a business kiss, not like the ones I am so used to that are full of desire and passion, but one purely for show. Suddenly I am irrationally angry. I am not a pony to be dressed up and paraded around like some kind of trophy. He releases me gently and the room bursts into applause, each person raising a glass of champagne that seems to have magically appeared in their hands. I turn from him, not smiling or giving any acknowledgment of affection, feeling used and irritated. The anger inside me dissipates slowly as a rush of people comes forward to greet me. It is like a giant family just as Orion promised; a network of people connected by everlasting life. I spend the next hour shaking many hands, but only a few names stick, a tall man with ivory skin, black hair, and royal blue eyes introduces himself.
“The name is Cole. Cole Masters.” He holds out a hand and his white teeth almost blind me as he beams down at me. I swallow, trying to think of a clever response.
“Well Cole, Cole Masters, pleasure to meet you.” I say smiling up at him trying to be witty. He smirks, giving me a quick wink b
efore heading back into the crowd to mingle. As he turns away I notice his back is broad; come to mention it, I can’t see a male in this place that isn’t stacked with muscle and broad shoulders, they could make a models club I have no doubt, but no one grabs my attention like Orion. His easy charm and grace, mixed with the raw power of his muscle clad physique is second to none, his eyes the crowning glory of his sculptured face. I notice some of the other mermaids checking him out from afar, despite their own partners who have them in a motioned embrace on the dance floor. I notice mermen looking at me too. I wonder if as the son of Atlas, Orion is kind of a big deal. Like royalty maybe? What does that make me? I banish this thought while I shake more hands, women with mint green eyes, black hair, lilac eyes, white hair, men with powerfully strong grips on my delicate palms, and those who have a curious look about them. After I think there can be no more people left in the world who don’t know my name, Atlas and his other half emerge through the crowd. Orion squeezes my hand a little and looks at me encouragingly, I don’t smile back at him, still irritable from the faux kiss.
“Hello young lady.” Atlas greets me, he is ruggedly attractive and I cannot begin to imagine what he must have seen, being the first of his kind. I’m having enough trouble with this and I have Orion to help me.
“Hello Atlas.” I speak, sounding more confident than I feel, and then turn to his partner.
“This is my Shaniqua.” He explains. I do a little curtsy to her and she returns the sentiment, I notice as she raises her head that her eyes are a stunning sea green; they remind me of tropical palm trees.
“I am delighted to meet you.” I produce the sentiment, smiling sweetly; this has to be the oddest social situation experience ever. My skin is crawling with nerves. She smiles back at me and then looks to Atlas who carries on the conversation with polite fluidity.
“We have been waiting for you for a long time Miss Pierce. You must be quite extraordinary.” He muses, taking my hand from my side and placing a poignant kiss upon it.
The Kiss That Killed Me (The Tidal Kiss Trilogy Book 1) Page 16