Page 24 of Siren Wishes
She looked down at it too, and kissed him.
Then she opened her mouth, “I’m a mermaid Cruiz. I know you might think it’s crazy and that I also am, but I assure you, I’m real. My line and the women in our tribes are called Sirens. And we have magical powers. Mine have been locked away for a very long time after a horrifying incident that I caused when I was young.”
He raised his eyebrow, “Go on.”
She nodded, “I had no idea that I had the powers to control the sea and the weather. Only my father and brother have that power, and even they have to use a trident to help control it. But I do. When I get upset, a storm comes, and no matter what I try, it won’t abate. Luckily, my mother, and sister also have the ability to calm me. They help me control myself when I struggle to do so. I haven't sang in a long time, for fear of causing another storm and more heartache in the tribes. You see, my brother angered me one day and I left to be alone, to sing my anger to the sea. But two mermen heard my song, and they were so affected by it, that they fought a horrible duel and they both died. I witnessed the entire thing and my song became something even my mother hadn’t heard.”
She looked down, shutting her eyes as if remembering the sadness she felt. When she opened them again, the sadness was still there, but she went on. “I truly thought the storm would never cease and if it hadn’t been for my brother and father, it wouldn’t have. My mother and sister had to use all of their magic to calm me and I haven’t really sung since. Not loud enough for anyone to hear me. To be affected by me and my powers. I refused to take anyone’s choices from them, and as such, my magic has been building and building inside me, waiting to break free. It finally did today. After we made love, it couldn’t be contained and I thought my magic affected you and that’s why I left. I didn’t want to make you choose me. That isn’t how mating works. And I was so horrified by that and by my song finally breaking free that I had to leave. I’m sorry Cruiz. So, so sorry.”
He leaned in and kissed her, “Gem, you didn’t do anything to me. I was so shocked at hearing this beautiful melody come out of you that I went still. I heard you sing a little before and loved your voice. It’s so beautiful and perfect, but that’s all. You didn’t take any choices from me, aside from you jumping into the water and me being terrified you were dead. I would rather not choose to see that again.”
He gave a soft laugh and then went on, “I love you Gem. I have from the second I saw you on that beach. I knew there was something different about you and I didn’t care. I love that you are a mermaid, a Siren. It makes you even more important in my eyes.”
“You really mean this?” She asked, vulnerability in her words, and he nodded, “I really mean it. You worried you affected me by your song, but you didn’t. I want to hear it always and never have you be afraid to show who you truly are.”
She hugged him tightly, “You are my mate. I knew you had to be, but I wasn’t truly certain until just now.”
“What does that entail? Being your mate?”
She bit her lip, “Well, you are mine for always, as I am yours. My magic doesn’t affect you, and yet, you will gain other magic when we are officially mates. You see, you come from a special breed of humans that can mate with and live with a mermaid. Or merman. You are called a Protector of the Sea.”
“A Protector?” She nodded and he smiled, “It makes sense now. I knew there had to be a reason I have always been drawn to the ocean. It’s why I was always drawn to it right? Why I love the creatures and to swim in its waters?”
She nodded, “Exactly. You have the birthmark of the Protector. As does Fin. He too will someday mate with a mermaid. One who cannot find her mate within the merpeople population. It is very rare to find a Protector like you, just as it is very rare to find a mate that is a mermaid.”
He laughed, “Well, I wasn’t expecting all of this today when we were looking for that pod of dolphins, but I have to say, I’m not upset with it either.”
He leaned in and kissed her again, and she looked up at him, “I was so worried you know. I never wanted to ever take someone’s choices from them and hated that I might have. You really weren’t controlled by my song?”
He shook his head, “Love, nothing came from your song that made me choose anything but to love you. To know deep inside me that you are the one I was meant to be with. That is all that I needed to know.”
She kissed him and he kissed her back, and they floated in the water, next to his boat, happy in each other’s arms.
He finally pulled back, “How do we become mates?”
She bit her lip, “We need to make love, and I need to sing my song that brings our souls together.”
He raised his eyebrow, “Alright. Where? Here? Or in my bed?”
She shook her head, “It matters not.”
He kissed her again, “It does. Come, I will not make love to you again out here. I want you in our bed.”
She nodded and he climbed up into the boat and she gave herself over to the magic, feeling her tail change back to her legs.
He picked her up out of the water, swung her into his arms, and kissed her again.
Then he put his shirt over her head, and snuggled her in his lap while he pulled the anchor up and drove them back to the docks.
It took them precious minutes to drive the boat back to his house and when they got there, Fin had left once again.
He deflated at that a bit, but he locked the door behind them.
Chapter Seven
Soraya
After Cruiz locked the door, he swung her back into his arms and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
