“The shark attacked, giving the girl time to swim back to the group.”
Nathan once again averted his eyes and his voice hardened. “Saralee’s older sister is the woman who visited you last night. The women couldn’t have been more different: Saralee was blonde, gentle, and caring while Valkar is dark-haired, bold, selfish, and has a heart as black as night. Sirene law decrees that I take my dead wife’s sister as mate, if she’s unwed, as soon as the two-year mourning is over. In six months, I’m supposed to marry Valkar and begin having children soon after. The thought of living out my life with that devil-woman makes my skin crawl.”
He shivered. Then he turned his glance back to me. His voice and eyes softened and his hands clasped mine a bit tighter. “Then you took my breath away that day outside the common room. I literally couldn’t speak.”
I recalled that moment when our bodies collided, how I got lost during that first glance into his beautiful green eyes.
His voice brought me back to the present. “You’re so different from the mermaids. You’re hungry for knowledge, to learn our ways, to contribute to our society even though it’s different from anything you’ve previously known. You have passion for life and live every moment with joy.” His eyes bored into mine with an intensity that made me blush. His lips curled at the corners as though a smile awaited but his words rushed out in a breathy torrent instead.
“When we swim together, it’s all I can do to keep from bringing you here and making you mine...in every way. At first, I fought the attraction, knowing I was promised to Valkar. In addition, you were only supposed to stay until your injuries healed, and our laws forbid us from going to the surface. How can we return you safely?” He moved even closer, pulling me toward him until there were only inches separating us.
“After a while, all I could think of was our morning swim, your smile, the feel of your hand in mine, and I knew I’d found the love I’d always wanted. But how could I act on those feelings when I belong to another? Even if I despise her? The sirene would evict us both, send you away and force me to marry Valkar, or put you to death—all are impossible!” Momentarily, he squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep, shuddering breath.
When he looked once more into my eyes, the raw emotion on his face tore at my heart. I felt his pain, his love, his need for understanding and reassurance. I reached up to touch his face and found myself in his arms, our lips meeting for the first time. His mouth claimed mine, softly insistent at first and then becoming more demanding as our passion flared. We’d kept it restrained for so long that there was no holding back.
Briefly, I wondered if our bodies would meld, woman to merman. Hands, mouths, tongues, that beautiful cleft in Nathan’s chin that I had lusted after from day one...nothing was out of bounds. I found it terribly erotic to slide my hand down his strong, beautiful tail as he wrapped it around my lower body. Holding me close to him with that tail, his hands explored every inch of me and I found a merman makes love in much the same way a human man does.
As I explored his body with eager hands, I discovered a pouch on his belly that blended perfectly into his skin; tail-scales just brushed the bottom edge. It softened and opened and I slid my hand inside. From his reaction, I realized this was a very sensitive area.
Hungry to feel him touching me, too, I unzipped my Lycra wetskin and slithered out of it, tossing the bathing suit and fins aside, as well. Nathan pulled me close, skin on skin, as we knelt in the soft sand, his lips moving hungrily from my mouth to my shoulders, leaving fiery trails in the wake of his kisses.
Although mermaids are physically different than human women, Nathan quickly learned how to pleasure me. But still, I wanted more. We had denied ourselves for so long that I couldn’t wait and Nathan’s passion equaled mine as we lay back in the sand. We soon found a rhythm that further aroused us both and my nails dug into Nathan’s back as his tail whipped up the sand in the small cave.
Afterwards, arms, legs, and tail intertwined, we snuggled, catching our breath and murmuring endearments, our hands gently caressing each other in the afterglow. The sand settled softly around us as though we reclined in a snow globe.
“You have an amazingly gentle and erotic touch, Two-Tails. You make me crazy. That was absolutely amazing.”
“And you figured out how to make love to a two-tails pretty quickly. Are you sure I’m the first human you’ve ever been with?” Even though I had buried my face against Nathan’s chest, the teasing tone in my voice reached his ears.
“Well, there was a blonde several years ago... OUCH!” I poked him in the ribs and he squeezed me tightly in a hug. His whispered reply melted my heart. “There has never been anyone like you in my life.” He tilted my chin up to gaze lovingly into my eyes. “And there will never be anyone else. You are the love and passion that I’ve longed for.”
We lay tangled on the cave floor, completely engrossed in finally expressing our love for each other. Eventually, though, we knew we needed to return to the cavern. I felt that everyone who saw me would know I was head over heels in love. I took his hand and pulled him close to voice my concerns.
“Nathan, how do I hide my feelings for you? Especially now that we’ve been together like this. My emotions are always written all over my face and everyone will know. I’m afraid I’ll say or do something and the wrong person will suspect the truth. I don’t know if I can do this.”
I sobbed as Nathan reassured me. His soft voice eventually calmed my fears. “We’ll go about our routine as normally as possible until we figure out what to do. We always swim at 10:00 and then spend the afternoon with Kalani. The mermaids are out foraging most of the day and they’re the ones who would most likely recognize your feelings. Just try to stay calm.”
His logic made perfect sense—if only I could wear a mask to hide my emotions.
“It’ll be okay. I promise, it’ll be okay.”
I wanted to believe him, but so many things could go wrong. And I hoped Valkar didn’t pay me any more visits. I knew I couldn’t handle that.
Chapter 6
EVERY MORNING, Nathan would come to my cubicle and we’d nonchalantly exit the cavern. Once out of sight, we’d swim quickly to our little cave to be alone. We made love frequently, reveling in discovering every inch of each other’s body, learning how to bring the other as much pleasure as possible, falling more and more in love with each passing day.
Sometimes we’d lie in each other’s arms and discuss what we’d do if evicted from the sirene, how we’d begin a new life together. We tried not to dwell on the possibility that we could be put to death rather than exiled. That was too morbid to think about when we were so joyously in love.
In between discussing potential plans and enjoying our new-found love, Nathan finally removed the cast from my arm. It seemed to have healed perfectly but he wanted me to be careful for a while, to avoid re-injury. With the cast gone and the bruise on my forehead a thing of the past, I was nearly back to normal. I hoped it wouldn’t prompt Tinami and Saya to make a fateful decision.
I had been toying with the idea of asking Nathan to teach me to hunt and forage for food, a skill I would desperately need if banished. Besides, if I was a useful, contributing member, perhaps Tinami and Saya would be more lenient and allow me to stay indefinitely. However, with Nathan’s admonishment to be careful with my now-cast-less arm, I figured I ought to wait a while before bringing it up.
Days, then weeks went by, and we maintained our regular morning swims followed by afternoon seminars with Kalani. I managed to preserve an air of normalcy in spite of my inner turmoil and spending time with Kalani helped since I didn’t have to pretend around her. But one day when Nathan and I arrived for our seminar, she wore a frown and greeted us with an unusually somber demeanor. When Nathan asked if everything was alright, Kalani shook her head and sighed sadly.
“I overheard Tinami and Saya discussing Serena and what should be done. Everyone has noticed the amount of time you two spend together and the dai
ly swims can no longer be labeled physical therapy. They feel it’s inappropriate since you’re supposed to be marrying Valkar in only four months. And Serena’s not even a mermaid. They called your behavior disgraceful. I’m afraid for the two of you.” The worry showed plainly in her eyes and frown lines furrowed deeply into her forehead.
Kalani knew that Nathan and I were in love—the glow emanating from the two of us was unmistakable. But Kalani was too much of a friend and a professional to mention it.
Nathan and I exchanged a telling glance and I knew we needed to be completely open and honest with her. He understood my intent, nodded slightly, and filled her in on our plans, his voice simultaneously determined and anxious.
“Kalani, we value your friendship and love you dearly. We want you to know what we’ve been talking about, the decision we’ve made. We want to leave the sirene and strike out on our own to make a new nest. With time growing short in my two years of mourning, I’ll soon be forced to marry Valkar. And I can’t! She threatened Serena verbally about a month ago and we’re afraid she might act on her jealousy. If she hurts Serena, I don’t know what I’ll do.” Nathan turned to look at me and the love in his eyes made my heart swell with joy.
He continued his plea. “The situation has become impossible—we can’t stay here. Yes, it’s dangerous to leave, but we love each other and it’s the only way we can be together. We feel it’s even more dangerous to stay.” We clasped hands and faced her, desperate. “Will you help us?”
Wringing her hands and leaning back against the countertop with a frown marring her usually gentle countenance, Kalani voiced her thoughts. “Valkar has always been a troublemaker. No one in the sirene trusts her and it would be just like her to physically attack someone who stands in the way of what she wants. We tolerated her for many years because Saralee was so well-liked—kind of like taking the good with the bad. But now the good is gone and Valkar is out of control. She has no positive guiding influence.” She paused then plunged ahead with her deepest concerns.
“You both realize, don’t you, that your chances of survival are minimal with only the two of you to keep each other safe? Serena, you aren’t a mermaid. You’ve never been taught how to hunt, forage, and provide for your family. When you have a child and Nathan has to stay behind to care for him, how will you protect and feed them? There’s safety in numbers and much risk for only two.”
I spoke up, determined, sounding much calmer than I felt. “Kalani, we have no choice. We can’t stay here. I will learn how to provide for and protect my family—because I have to! Please help us?”
Kalani pulled us both close in a tearful hug. “Of course, I’ll help you in any way I can!”
Chapter 7
THEN NATHAN BROUGHT me astonishing news. One morning, as soon as we reached our little cave, he took my hands and sat me down to talk. “My love, I have something to tell you and I’m not sure how you’ll react. I’m...we’re pregnant. We’re having a child.”
He stopped, seeing my shocked expression. I was stunned. Thrilled. Terrified...and totally confused. How...? Well, I knew how it had happened, sort of, but wasn’t prepared for the fact that it had. “How...? When...? What will we...?”
At my stammering response, he explained. “I’ll carry the baby inside a sac behind my pouch for five months. Then, the fetus will slip into the pouch, here...” He placed our hands together on his belly. “... for the last month. After that, it will remain in the pouch but will be free to explore outside as it grows. Eventually, he...she...will leave the pouch altogether.”
My mind was in a whirl and the confusion must have shown on my face. “How does this work, Nathan? How did you get pregnant when I carry the egg? How does it work with mermaids and mermen? I’m completely confused.”
Nathan simplified the mermaid reproduction process and explained so I could understand. “When a mermaid is ovulating, she provides an egg that is extracted from her body into the male’s penis during sex. Lovemaking creates enough suction that the egg is sucked into a tube where it travels to a sac located behind the pouch. When the male’s body detects the presence of a viable egg, sperm is ejaculated into the sac and washes over the egg, fertilizing it. It embeds itself into the lining of the sac where it gains nutrients from the male’s body.”
Incredulity had to show plainly on my face, but Nathan patiently continued his explanation. “When we made love, it must have worked about the same way. Even though your body is externally different from a mermaid’s, the internal parts are evidently very similar. During ovulation, our lovemaking must have created enough suction to extract an egg from your body. Once the egg was deposited in my sac, the process was the same. I provided the sperm that fertilized the egg—and now we’re pregnant.”
My head swam with the news, thoughts whirling in my mind. Was it miraculous or tragic that our bodies had found a way to reproduce in the face of such a challenging situation? How could we leave the sirene and live on our own if Nathan was pregnant? How would I learn to forage, hunt, and defend my family? There was so much I didn’t know about providing and protecting, and yet we couldn’t very well remain in the cavern and have him marry Valkar, pregnant with our child.
Once the news was out, I was sure to be evicted—alone—or, and this thought made my blood run cold, put to death. It was an unbearable situation.
We decided to talk to Kalani that afternoon. Perhaps she would have a suggestion.
After we broke the news, Kalani wept. “I love you both, individually and as a couple, and I can’t see any way this can have a happy ending. I wish I could change things so you could stay here and be my family. I’ll try to think of something.” Her anguished cry tore at my heart.
Nathan and I continued our daily routine, afraid to do anything differently. We swam, made love, and talked. But it was hard to make plans or get excited about our coming child when everything was so uncertain. Any day, I expected to be summoned to Tinami and Saya for my eviction notice... Yet nothing happened.
With all my inner turmoil, I needed an outlet for the anxiety that was eating me up. I decided to broach the subject of learning to hunt and forage on one of our swims.
“Nathan, I’ve been thinking... Can you teach me how to hunt and forage? Now that my arm has healed, I have to do something or I’ll go crazy. I’ll need those skills once we leave the sirene and now is the perfect time for me to learn—when our lives don’t depend on my success.”
He stopped swimming and cocked his head slightly, a small frown creasing his forehead. I could see him processing my request. I held my breath, wondering how he’d answer.
“My dear Two-Tails, I love you for wanting to learn those skills and I agree, now would be the best time. But the mermaids are the most proficient hunters. Even as a merkid, as you recall, I was more interested in shadowing the doctor than in playing hunting games with the other kids. I’d be a lousy teacher even if we had all the time in the world. I’m sorry.”
My face fell and I looked away in disappointment.
He hugged me and we continued our swim. I mentally made a vow to come up with another way of learning the skills I would so desperately need.
Another month went by and during our lovemaking one morning, I noticed Nathan’s belly looked bigger—he was starting to show. Surely someone would suspect why and then all hell would break loose. More stressed than I’d ever been, I felt I could fall apart at any moment. Kalani remarked on my emotional state when I arrived early one afternoon for our seminar.
“How are you holding up, dear? You seem very much on edge.”
Her caring concern set me babbling, the words coming out in a torrent. “Oh, Kalani, if we don’t do something soon I’ll go out of my mind! Yesterday, I was so preoccupied I swam right past my room; my stomach is in knots and I have trouble eating; sleep is nearly impossible.”
I took a ragged breath and continued, jabbering even faster. “Nathan’s starting to show and someone is going to notice and then I’m going
to be evicted and he’ll have to marry Valkar and...and...” I dissolved into a tearful, hiccupping mess, trembling and wailing as Kalani wrapped her bony arms around me.
She made soothing noises and stroked my hair. Eventually, the torrent subsided and I apologized. “I’m so sorry, Kalani. I guess I’ve bottled my emotions up and just needed to release some of the stress.” I felt better for having vented and by the time Nathan arrived for our session, Kalani and I were chatting as though nothing had happened. I didn’t want him to know how I’d fallen apart. It would only worry him more.
Maia visited me one evening several days later and she, also, noticed how jittery I was. At her concerned tone and fond look, I burst out sobbing again. Once the floodgates opened, I couldn’t seem to stop and told her the whole story, holding nothing back. She put her arms around me, but her consoling hug had little effect.
“I feel guilty for bringing you into the sirene to begin with. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be in this mess!”
I wailed back, “Maia, I don’t blame you for any of this. If you hadn’t found me and brought me here, I’d be dead!” and then we realized how ridiculous we sounded.
We traded wan smiles and Maia asked, “What are you going to do? It seems like such an utterly hopeless situation. I agree that your only chance of being together is to leave the cavern, but even that doesn’t seem like a great solution. How will you survive on your own? With a baby?”
At her last comment I recalled my suggestion to Nathan and another idea sprang to life. “Maia, I have an idea. Would you teach me to hunt and find food like you do for the sirene? I’ll need that knowledge once Nathan and I leave and he’s not skilled enough to teach me. It needs to be a mermaid—you’d be perfect for the job! What do you think?”
She thought about it for a long moment. “We’d have to hunt after I get back from foraging with the other mermaids, later in the afternoons. As long as I don’t neglect my other responsibilities, I think it would be fine. You’ll definitely need those skills if you and Nathan go off on your own.”
Saving Serena Page 4