Page 9 of Ensnaring Him

“After worrying that I wouldn’t for the better part of that first day, yeah,” Melodia says making Celestia’s eyes widen in a bit of surprise. “You found…” she stops, looking to Celestia curiously.

“Dane, his name’s Dane,” Celestia says.

“Dane,” Melodia says with a nod, “well, you found him just a couple hours after Serenia found…”

“Duncan,” I tell them as Melodia grins, giggling a bit when Celestia gives her a curious look.

“Does he own a greenhouse?” Celestia asks and I nod, looking shocked. “Dane said his best friends were Duncan who runs a greenhouse and…”

“Dylan who owns a restaurant,” Melodia blurts out excitedly.

“Wait, what?” I gasp, and Melodia nods bouncing giddily. “So, the guys we met all know each other?”

“Seems so,” Celestia states, shaking her head a bit still. “So how did you meet Dylan?”

Melodia fills us in making me grin as she adds, “One look at him and I was hooked. He made me the most incredible food ever and then took me home. He told me Friday night he loved me, fell in love the moment he saw me, which was before I ever saw him…”

“Duncan said the same thing when we were falling asleep Thursday night. That the second he saw me, he knew I was supposed to be his,” I admit with a sigh, my eyes glowing with happiness and the same look is in Celestia’s as well, relieving me even further.

“Dane told me last night he never believed in love at first sight until he saw me. I just…can it really be this simple?” Celestia adds. “I mean, I didn’t tell him I’m…”

“Neither did I,” Melodia admits glancing my way.

“Are you kidding? I didn’t want him to think I needed to be locked up by telling him that, especially not when he’d just…”

“What?” Melodia asks when I pause, a knowing glint in her eyes before I even say.

“Asked me to marry him,” I state, showing off the beautiful ring that’s incredible and somehow just perfect.

“Dylan asked me Friday night,” Melodia tells us, showing off her ring and it fits her entirely.

“Dane asked me last night,” Celestia adds, and Melodia squeals seeing it on her finger.

“Oh, they’re even more perfect than when I saw them…”

“Saw them? What?” I say stopping Melodia’s words and she claps a hand over her mouth, giggling.

“Melodia…what’s going on? You don’t have visions,” Celestia whispers giving her a little glare.

“Dylan found a pearl in an oyster mistakenly sent to the restaurant, took me to the jewelry store to get them to make it into a necklace and we ran into Dane and Duncan when they came in to find rings for you,” she says with one long rush of breath. “I promised I wouldn’t tell. They both were looking at boring diamonds to begin but once I pointed them in the right direction, they didn’t hesitate on which to buy. Dylan wouldn’t let me try on any of them to see if they’d fit. He had me close my eyes and then slipped this one on me, then bought it without me knowing.”

“Well then, thank you for your help. I love my ring,” I assure her, giving her a hug.

“So do I,” Celestia agrees with a grin at us. “But honestly, is this all it took? I mean, I don’t really feel any different. I guess I was just expecting something more like when we got our…legs,” she adds on a whisper as someone approaches our table, thankfully confirming my worries making me feel a million times better about having them to start.

“And you will, the next time you’re in water,” a voice says from the end of the space, and a gasp falls from each of us seeing the woman there. The undeniable glow surrounding her combined with the adoring looks from all of the men in the diner telling us exactly who she is.

“I’ve been in water since Dylan told me. I was in water with him Friday night when he told me he loved me again,” Melodia responds, and Aphrodite simply smiles at us.

“Natural body of water—a lake, river, or the ocean,” she expands. “It’d be more of a curse than a gift if you transformed anytime you were in water, or if it rained. To not be able to swim in a pool, especially in a place like this.”

“So, the next time we go into the water what? We’ll regrow our tails?” Celestia asks and she nods. “And what about the cold?”

“Have you felt even an inkling of it since you met your men, who by the way, are all outside waiting for you to come out, and who all ignored me on my way in here. If I didn’t know their hearts were only ever meant for you, I might feel slighted,” Aphrodite says with a tinkle of a laugh that brings more male attention to her.

“What does that mean?” I question her, completely shocked and yet thrilled with the idea that Duncan could only ever love me.

“Exactly what I said. You were worried it was too easy, that they fell too quickly,” she adds to Celestia who nods, her eyes flowing over to me as well even though I never voiced the question aloud. “It was never the men that didn’t fall in love, my dears. Even when the ancient sirens were given their chance, the men fell in love with them, but the sirens only focused on their need for revenge. Only allowed the coldness of their hearts to rule. Only when a siren allows herself to want love over anything else can she find it. Each of you opened yourselves up to its possibility and listened when it spoke. You could have ignored the pull to go through the park, but you didn’t, Serenia, allowing you to find Duncan. Celestia, you ignored the rest of the crowd pushing you forward, winding your way down a strange path to find Dane. And my dear sweet, Melodia, you ignored all of the men that would have gladly fallen in love with you but opened yourself up when Dylan appeared.

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