Natasha
The sky is dark and starry—perfect for navigation. Tonight, I won't get lost at sea, and Roger won't have a reason to bully me at home.
Roger, my adoptive father, likes to point out that I'm not a full-fledged pirate princess yet. According to him, making it home without a map is something every pirate should know.
"I will be home in no time!" I toss my stolen goods into my motorboat and climb in, ready to hit the ocean. I'm not supposed to be parking here, and I better leave before there is a ticket.
"Fuck this man!" A man grumbles from the bridge leading to all the parked luxury boats. Yachts are bobbing on the water surface, and it seems the voice is headed there. "We shouldn't have taken him!"
My curiosity gets the best of me, and I silently watch the policemen carry Hayden Archer into their police ship equipped with sirens.
Most of the world is underwater, and some countries no longer exist, while new islands have popped up here and there—boats are the primary means of transportation these days.
"Agreed—he is one heavy bastard," one of the men complains. They are all panting and sweating in the moonlight while carrying the ridiculously ripped CEO, whose face I would like to forget. "Are we taking him to the headquarters?"
His colleague is quipping for air, probably exhausted from having to carry a beast of a man. "Yes, the boss told us to put an electrical collar on the bastard and have him locked up."
"Yikes! The merman won't enjoy wearing the collar—he won't be able to shape-shift. Come to think of it, how did one of the monsters manage to become a wealthy CEO for a human company?"
"Oh-my-god, who cares?!" The leader of the policemen snaps. He is fitter than the rest, and I find it amusing how he is wearing his branded, dark shades at night. "All I know is that the world is a safer place with this bastard behind bars! Did you hear about this guy sinking an entire cargo ship—he is crazy dangerous!"
Hayden sunk a ship by himself?
"Not to mention enormous!"
My heart ceases to pound, and I realize this island isn't safe.
The policeman has every right to fear Hayden Archer. Mermen are massive whale-like creatures. I shudder as I let the reality of the situation sink into my head. The gala I attended tonight was a close to death scenario—I can't believe I made it out alive with a merman being there among the crowd.
CEO or not, Hayden Archer is a man I don't wish to meet again. I bet he eats the girls he doesn't enjoy having sex with, or worse—drowns them out at sea without them being able to fight back.
Fear swirls through me, imagining Hayden killing people, and I smile in relief when my boat's engine roar to life. I'm getting the hell away from here, and fast!
I have a hideout on one of the islands a few hours from here to get some rest from this crazy adventure. I'm tired and don't wish to spend any minute longer than required around Hayden Archer.
Suddenly there is a splash, followed by the policemen creating drama among each other.
"Hey, you idiot! What the hell did you do?"
Oh no.
I lift my chin at the voices of the policemen, and it's as though someone poured gasoline onto the spark of fear in my belly.
Without needing confirmation, I can tell the merman escaped.
An unnatural glow colors the entire water lime green, and I'm far away from feeling inner peace when a being unlike anything I've ever seen swims right below my boat.
The creature I'm staring at isn't like Scylla—this one wears an expression way too human and intelligent, which stops my heart. Am I observing a man or a wicked monster?
Cold, green eyes and a sullen face that belongs to a man longer than the yacht focuses on me with his gaze so intense I suddenly imagine my boat is made of glass.
There is nowhere to hide.
Hayden is a leviathan, easily big enough to grab my boat and flip it around like a toy to make me drown.
"How the hell do we catch the merman now? The guy shape-shifted into a whale-sized creature!" One of the policemen yells at the other two. "We ain't catching that thing—it's huge!"
"Well then, how about we take the girl instead?!" Another policeman suggests. "Boss wouldn't want us to show up empty-handed, and she was carrying stolen goods out of the event!"
I know I should flee the scene, but I'm frozen to the spot. My fear of monsters has been fashioned into a knife, making every breath come out like a strained cry for help.
And the merman doesn't seem interested in leaving—he is staring at me with hunger written into his features.
"Uh... Hello?" I'm not sure what to say in this situation. "You're a good merman, right?"
The merman is on his back, floating like seaweed without moving his giant, scaled fin. He seems to be observing me for the hell of it, although I'm not sure why, and then he smirks.
A giant fin breaks through the surface, sending the police boat flying while I scream at the top of my lungs. My boat lifts from the water, then flops around like a pancake.
"No!" I gurgle and flail with my arms after I'm thrown overboard. The water is super cold. "I can't -..."
I swallow saltwater while items, canvases, pencils, silverware, and a bunch of other things bobble around me. Swimming isn't a talent of mine, but I'm desperately trying to keep myself afloat since the creature beneath the surface is scarier than a shark.
"Ugh!"
Somehow, I make it to the surface and gasp for air while exhaustion takes hold of every single limb of my body. By now, I've more or less accepted my survival rate is slim to none.
"So tired..."
My eyes flicker, and my kicks become weaker. It's as if my legs are in heavy shackles, and someone is trying to drown me.
"No..." My arms reach for the moonlight illuminating the surface, but I'm disappearing into the wet darkness.
I don't possess enough strength to prevent myself from sinking. My lungs burn from the lack of oxygen, and overwhelming dizziness keeps me from thinking straight. I'm fading, and the world is turning black.
Natasha I'm fading from the lack of oxygen until something strong curls around me, towing me to the surface. The instant I break through the water, I sharply inhale. Cold air enters my lungs as my chest pulls back. I'm not thinking when I grab whatever is holding me—I'm acting on pure instinct. "What the hell?!" A loud, scary voice is yelling at me, and it sounds like thunder and anger. "You can't swim—why the hell didn't you tell you didn't know how to swim?!" I blink salt out of my eyes and stare at a giant wall of flesh before me. An eight-pack of massive, granite abs draped over with beautifully tanned skin is staring me in the face. My cheeks turn molten. Is this person Hayden? I barely have time to ponder before I'm gently moved away from the water by whoever saved me from drowning. Fingers, thicker than tree trunks, pull me closer to the person's carved chest. But the intimacy that generally would make me blush got me fe
NatashaFinding out Hayden is married is a bummer. But what did I seriously expect? That the hot, tall, and insanely broad-shouldered man wasn't already taken?Ugh—don't be foolish, Natasha. Besides, lusting over a merman isn't wise either, considering my deep fear of them. Hayden seems nice now, but that might change.I stand up, brushing my dirty, black hair to one side of my neck. I'm skinny and malnourished from sailing the seas without food for days, but although I might look like a weakling, I'm brimming with confidence.Although, I feel way tinier than usual around Hayden. His fancy suit is eating up my shoulders as I wear it, and his delicious scent is doing weird things to the chemicals inside my brain. My insides are fluttering, and I hand the guy a smile."So, is there a town on this island?"Hayden studies me. "There is... Why?"My fingers rake through my dirty hair. "Well, since you destroyed my beloved ship, I thin
Natasha When I walk outside of the restaurant, I catch Hayden talking with a group of girls. He is speaking animatedly, yet it does nothing to calm down the girls, who appear terrified of him. Their faces are pale, and I notice their legs are shaking. It's with no surprise that I watch the girls disappear into the restaurant, causing Hayden to mutter after them. "Suit yourself..." I step forward, forcing out my voice. "What was that about?" I'm unstable after Hayden threatened to eat everyone inside the restaurant. And Hayden narrows his eyes in delight as if he savors how rattled I must still appear from our earlier argument. I can see his lips curling by the corners, like my state of fright is his source of satisfaction. His expression bothers me because I would like to believe that the smiling guy I got to see a glimpse of on the beach is real. I genuinely hope Hayden doesn't like it when people are afraid of him. But what d
Natasha I'm a virgin. I've never been with a man before, never kissed someone's warm lips, and Hayden is every girl's wet dream—tall, muscular and exquisite, like a piece of art. His long eyelashes and parting lips whispering dirty words into my ears—I'm falling for everything about this man, and I can't do anything to stop it. Regardless of his claim of not being gentle, his eyes speak a different story when he kisses me and shoves his tongue deep inside of my mouth. I'm burning and going down in flames, loving how his enormous hands remove the little cloth covering my breasts. His voice goes low. "You're beautiful." Suddenly I'm naked behind the goddamn restaurant, but I don't care. My heart is beating, wanting and needing this man. Hayden's large, manly hands squeeze my small breasts, and his tongue goes down, warm and wet, against the sensitive little nub. And the man knows what he is doing. For the first time in my life, I lose co
Hayden I'm waiting on the beach. Natasha told me she needed to grab something important from town, and I handed her some gemstones. Electronic money is useless these days, but coins, gold, and jewels work. "Sorry for the delay!" I move to gaze to the pathway leading to the beach, spotting the crazy woman holding three bottles of rum. She is wearing a pirate hat and beaming at me like the freaking sun. Laughter rolls inside my mind; it seems Tide, the merman voice inside my head, has been awakened. I swear to god I'm a psychopath for having a second person inside my head. Vivian read werewolf novels in the past, where the werewolves had their wolf talking to them inside of their head. Well, I have Tide, a merman who looks exactly like me, speaking to me daily. 'Oh, come on!' I can hear the smile in Tide's voice. Usually, he only cares about eating and hunting, but he likes Natasha. 'Admit our mate is amusing!' I eye the black-ha
Natasha My head is spinning, tripping as I squint up at the sun. I have eaten nothing, and I'm paying the price for drinking rum by puking over the side of the boat. Fuck alcohol, and screw God for creating this delicious liquid, toxic in the first place. What is the point if you're going to end up hungover? I only get to dry my mouth on the back of my hand before my knees buckle, and I once again empty my stomach. "Ugh..." There is a bitter taste inside my mouth after I've royally vomited, and I grow dizzy when the entire boat sways from side to side like a fucking carousel. A head emerges from the ocean, and my little ship almost topples over. "Ew!" Hayden exclaims in disgust, and water drips down from his massive torso when he stretches out in the sun like some newly risen water god. "You did not just puke all over my fucking hair!" I lie down on my back and laugh at his expression. The sun is blocked out, and life would be pretty g
Natasha Growing up, I didn't have friends—bearded men and bottled rum surrounded me. My step-dad, Roger, was the captain of our ship, and the men and I were his loyal pirates. Well, I was his daughter, his pride and princess, and not allowed to join in on the sword fighting and robbery. Of course, I never listened and beat my first opponent as a twelve-year-old. Okay, so the man I stabbed my sword into might have been drunk, but I finished him regardless, and not twenty-four hours later, the men on our ship called me the pirate princess. And how do you keep breathing after such a bloody past? I'm an eighteen-year-old—not a girl, but not quite a woman yet, and I've already murdered people. So how do I survive? These days, I drink and try to stay away from trouble. Earning money and buying myself a new crew to murder Scylla is my goal, but when I'm all alone, the faces of the men I've slaughtered in cold-blood haunt me. That is w
HaydenNew Tortuga is ahead of me, but the little one who kept asking, "Are we there yet?" a billion times is now napping in the nape of my neck.I huff a laugh.Natasha isn't a cute sleeper. She has bent one leg by the knee while her other leg whips against my neck while I swim. Her foot keeps kicking me, reminding me of her presence in case the snoring wasn't enough.Still, my heart is cracking open a little, despite my best efforts to keep it closed from Natasha. She doesn't treat me differently when I transform, and that's everything to me. The little one is quickly infiltrating my mind, but I will not open up to her fully until I'm one hundred percent convinced she won't leave me.There are still so many things she doesn't know about me.Tide sighs heavily. 'I understand your concern, but chances are Natasha won't care even if she finds out the things that make us... Well, a merman.'I dismiss Tide's words and crawl up on the bea
John Epilogue Many years later, I still wake up wanting to see my wife first thing in the morning. Kitty Kat and I have been together forever, but something about merman genes and the mate-bond keeps us from aging. We do age, only much slower. Not that I mind—it only means I get more time to spend with the love of my life. She makes it a true blessing to wake up every morning. I peer down at my left palm, smiling at the human who uses one of my fingers as her body pillow. I'm not much larger than I was ten years ago, but since Kat was attacked by a group of dire wolves last year, my resolve to protect her has grown. Kat is prohibited from sleeping without me, and I want her around me all the time, even if she is a loud snoring lady. I find it amusing when she sounds like an airplane, so I haven't told her about it. As I hover above her, I stroke a finger down her petite back, biting my lower lip when she smiles in her sleep. My
Katja I wake to the sound of tropical birds and the blazing sun trying to kill me with its light. I roll over with a groan, only to almost slip down from John's muscular neck. Ah, that's right. I was nuzzling John before we fell asleep, talking about favorite songs and music before dozing off on top of him. His neck, dark hair, and pulse felt warm, and the merman promised he wouldn't move in his sleep, so I stayed. A loud voice yawns. "Morning..." John reaches for me with one hand, and I slide into his palm. His sleepy blue eyes become my beautiful sky, and he breathes a laugh through half-curled lips. "You have bed hair..." John says. His eyes are warm, filled with affection before he kisses me with those lips I can't run away from—not that I want to. A flock of doves swarms my stomach, and I laugh as his soft lips cover my body's upper half. I don't remember ever putting on my clothes after our love-making or when my pants di
Katja My eyes are caught on the moon while my heart is trying to pound through my ribcage. I'm nervous. John is the more experienced one, the older, hot guy who has had his fill of plenty of women. I've seen women throw themselves at his feet, but I can't precisely blame them. John is hotter than hell, and I grow self-conscious of that insight. His large, manly hands are on my thighs, tongue licking me between my legs. I see his dark hair and mountainous shoulders move when I lower my gaze, and my insides throb with need. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I want him. But what if my vagina looks weird or something? A hundred thoughts are racing through my skull. But then an involuntary moan slips out through my parted lips, interrupting me. Oh-my-god, John is the devil—merciless as he sucks my clit! My fingers grab his hair, twisting it, and I can sense John smiling in satisfaction against my skin. "Enjoying ourselves, are we?"
Katja After John has pulled up the shipwreck on the shore, and we have made sure nobody died, I'm left with the giant merman holding me in his massive paws like I'm a delicate treasure. In some ways, I am, at least compared to John. He is absurdly monstrous, but he isn't like Hayden. My sister and her boyfriend are adrenaline junkies, and they are never careful. On the other hand, John is sweet and gentle in a way that makes my insides sizzle like bacon in a frying pan. I lie flat in his palm, turning my head toward his large, brilliant eyes. He is staring at me. I blush, asking softly. "So, are you ever going to change back into a human?" His lips pull into a smile. I try to look away from him―to act like I don't notice the fire in his gaze, but I can't help it. He looks like every fantasy I've ever had come to life, merman perfection with a hint of cockiness to match. His stark blue eyes gleam in the moonlight
Katja A violin, paced and furious, plays a melody of fear through my bones. It's awakening my senses and making me see black. John's lush lips are so close, and there isn't a sign of his kind soul within those dark eyes. Yet I have to reach him. I can't give up. His tongue flicks out, ready to devour me, and I move while held by his tentacle, fighting my better judgment. I know my idea is stupid, yet I do it—I grab hold of his upper lip. He is trying to throw me into his mouth, but I lean in, giving him a peck of a kiss. My eyes close on instinct, and I try to convey everything: love, hope, despair, and the will to be with him through my lips. I know I'm smaller than him and that he probably can't physically feel me, but the emotions within my heart feel so large. I love John, and he needs to know. I think back to the times we bickered in the kitchen and the lustful glances we sent each other. Tears prickle behind my eyelids, a
Katja My eyes are glued to John. His transformation is different this time, probably painful if I'm to judge from his screams. Those tentacles are giant now, and his height is downright terrifying. I don't think I've ever seen a kaiju or a merman so big. John is putting even Hayden to shame. Dark hair hangs over his muscled back, and his tentacles are black with a white underside. He knocks down the tree above me without warning, and I shriek in fright. It falls in the other direction, and I lift my chin. John seems about ready to move, and while I know it's foolish trying to follow a monster rivaling Hayden's size, I can't stay on this island. John's face is darkened, eyes glazed over, and nothing seems to happen inside his thick head. Scarlett has taken control. John is now a threat and danger to everyone on our ship. Since Hayden isn't at home, John will have a simple time battling us. Because let's face it, no one on the ship could
JohnMy chest is warm, and my heart beats an entirely new rhythm. Kat is in my arms, watching me apprehensively. Her lips attempt a smile, but I can smell small traces of fear in the air.I get it—I'm a sea monster, much bigger than Kat and capable of hurting her even by accident. We aren't mates, and there is no reason for her to trust me other than because we used to be close friends in the past.But I wouldn't hurt her, and it hurts acknowledging that idea seems to have rooted itself into Kat's brain.She appears terrified of my every breath, and her face is rapidly turning pale as she absorbs my features.It saddens me. Even with no romantic feelings involved, Kat is my best friend, and I wouldn't hurt her, not willingly. Scarlett wants me to kill her, but I'm fighting the throbbing command within my blood.I focus on the warmth and the butterflies instead. Kat hesitantly lifts her chin to meet my eyes, and I smile."I'm not
Katja"So you don't mind my scars?" John asks while we both stare up at the starry sky. His eyes flicker to mine, and I feel them like a physical weight on my shoulder. "You can be honest with me, Kitty Kat. I won't get offended."What is he talking about?I don't mind his scars at all!I have to tell him, but I'm too shy!A flustered smile spreads over my lips, and I nervously brush my hair behind my ear. I'm experiencing heart palpitations around John. I've never been on a date before, and this must count as one.And knowing this is a date, how am I supposed to stay calm? Being with him is the rush of a lifetime—every time I take him in, I feel my heart skip a beat again. I'm drowning in these warm bubbles of joy.I'm seriously hyperaware of John, and I'm afraid. I don't want to screw things up between us by acting weird, but I'm this smiling, giggling mess around him because nothing can stop the butterflies from swarming my c
JohnI've been with plenty of women in my lifetime. Pretty ones, loud ones, blondes, brunettes, big boobs, small breasts, ladies who won't stop talking, and the kind that makes you laugh. Yes, I was a manwhore in the past, never once settling for one person.I determined love didn't exist; never once did I expect my heart would pound for one person—oh, how stupid I was!A few seconds ago, Kat told me she likes me, and my world did an instant backflip, and now I can't think. I can't breathe. I mean, why? How can a pretty girl like her want to be with a monster like me?I stare at her, take in her features, and wait for the punchline. There must be one! She can't honestly like me—I don't deserve her!And shit, my master, Scarlett, ordered me to kill Kat, and here I am, daydreaming about our future wedding. I can hear wedding bells, and a dumb smile spreads to my lips when I notice Kat is blushing."Aren't you going to say anything?