Hayden
I'm determined to follow the stairs and find Natasha when I enter the hotel. My blood is coursing through my veins, sending a wave of heat over my skin. I want Natasha served on a platter tonight.
Her black hair spread over a pillow, and those nipples in the air ready to be sucked and licked—the mere image makes my cock throb.
My mate is gorgeous. I want to kiss every inch of her skin, worship every part of her body, but I stop in the doorway.
"No... Please don't touch me..."
The weak feminine voice stops my heart. What is happening in here?
My eyes dart around.
In the lobby, a girl sits on the couch, and a group of unfriendly men surrounds her. They are wearing grins and towering over her frail form, speaking in menacing voices.
"So, you're one of those mermaid freaks?" A man shows his teeth in a smile. "I'm such a lucky man since your thoughts and opinions don't matter. When you washed up on the beach, I thought
Scylla / KatjaLong ago, my parents locked me in the basement. They said it was because I'm different from them and my sister.At first, I wouldn't understand their reasoning. I couldn't comprehend why I was treated like a dog. My parents would hit me, spit me in the face, and barely give me any food.It took me a long time before I realized my family feared me, that they were human while I was a disgusting sea monster.It was barely noticeable at first.In the beginning, small patches of scales would appear on my body, and my mother would use a knife to pick them away.I would hold on to the element in the wall and shut my eyes. I cried out into the night as she worked that blade, tormented by the excruciating pain that ran over my skin like a flock of spiders."Scylla! Stop being difficult and let me wash you!" My mother would say, in that voice, which told me she no longer saw me as her daughter. "Stop screaming! You're not making
Scylla / KatjaI'm glaring into the wall, waiting for my food while leaning my back into the soft bed behind me. Hayden threw me into this room, and my butt is still recovering from the impact.Violent man.Suddenly there is a knock on the door, but I don't bother to answer. I'm tied to the bed, eyes barely alive."I'm here to serve you your lunch," it's a man talking, probably some recruit. "I wasn't sure what you like, so I made a buffet. There are various small portions of fish—mermaids like fish, right?"My eyes sting with unshed tears. "I'm not a mermaid anymore."The man is silent. He probably didn't expect me to sound so broken. I'm the evil girl—I bet my emotions are a shocker to him. I bet my sister spread the word that I'm a villain.I hug my knees to my body, biting my lip so hard I draw blood. I'm confused and lonely, not sure what to do. If I escape, where will I go? Scarlett doesn't need a human.Scarl
KatjaA week later, I have embraced my human life. Natasha still hates me, and we are sailing the ocean, heading for Scarlett's domain with the mission to kill her.I'm afraid of meeting Scarlett again. In truth, Natasha is right. Scarlett is dangerous, and I'm not the only monster she is in control of—she has plenty of kaiju pets.And although I've said it's a bad idea to face Scarlett, both Natasha and Hayden are convinced the crew can challenge her."Kat, you're slacking," John is peeling potatoes in the scrub, observing me with a tiny smile over his lips. "Those potatoes will not strip themselves of their skin."I sit down in my chair, sighing. "If you hadn't followed the others to that bar yesterday when we visited that island, the potatoes would be done. I worked the entire night alone while you were busy screwing some woman. You still smell like her perfume."John lifts his attention to me. His arms are bent and resting over his
Katja"I will get some fresh air..." I say and turn around on heels so quick it's as if someone has set them aflame.John's words are circling inside my mind. He doesn't care about me. I'm nothing to him, and those eyes, searing, dislike me with a passion while I'm falling in love with him.I grab the railing, pulling myself up toward the shining sun. I must be out of my mind because nobody on this boat would love a monster! What was I expecting to happen, allowing my heart to pump for John?I hurry the last steps and run past a few crew members. The wind is in my hair, and I step to the side of the boat, royally puking from the anxiety and stress wrecking my body.John doesn't like me.It was all an act.He has been nice to me for the hell of it, pretending to be my friend, and although I deserve it, I'm sad. At some point, I stopped getting irritated seeing his grin early in the morning, and now, I love his face.John is gorg
NatashaWe are sailing the ocean to find Scarlett. I'm trying to get pregnant, and things with Hayden are lovely. Everything in my life is going great, except for a tiny detail that irks me."Throw me more of your money! Don't be shy! If you want to see more of my body, then give me a fifty!"Humiliation burns my cheeks. My sister, who likes to be called Kat, is dancing on top of a table. She is wearing a bra and a pair of black low waist shorts—stolen from me.Hayden raises his glass. "You go, Kat!"I glare at him. "Are you serious?"Hayden flashes me a sheepish grin. We are inside the local bar on Playa island, and the men are crazy, throwing her money as if their lives depended on it."Dance for us, Katja!" A man shouts. "You're beautiful—don't be shy to flaunt it, darling!"Katja spins around the pole and the men whistles in excitement. She might not have any curves, but her moves are great."That's it, b
KatjaI enjoy the breeze outside while Fred, the guy who approached me inside the bar, watches me in silence. He is handsome, all muscular and tall, with a bald head, but I realized he was different from the start.His eyes glow in the dark, and he smells weird.Fred is probably a monster, and the only reason I led him into the forest is so that I could waste his time until Hayden figures out these villagers aren't normal humans but vile creatures themselves."So..." I smile at Fred, showing a glimpse of my teeth. "You got me outside—now what?"Fred freezes and sizes me up with suspicion. "What do you mean?"I roll my eyes. "Don't play dumb with me, Fred. You're not a human, are you? You were watching me too intently inside the bar with eyes said, 'I wish to eat you,' and you were even licking your lips."At first, Fred only stares at me while processing my words. But eventually, his lips turn in a vicious smile, and I'm not an
KatjaThe only person who has ever been a loyal friend to me is dying, and I don't know how to save them!Fuck this shit!I want to help John. I'm ready to battle the stupid, gigantic bird to death. Tears are falling down my face, and I'm in chaos. Every part of my soul wants to fight for the man I love.But someone grabs my arm and pulls me deeper into the forest. I shriek and try to fight the person, but I'm hushed."Shh! It's me!""Natasha? W-We have to save John!" I turn around, crying. "Please."Her eyes travel to the harpy digging its beak into John's back, and her expression turns dark. A hundred thoughts seem to flash in her eyes before sadness washes up to the surface."No, there is nothing we can do to save him..."My lips quiver. "B-But—"The bird screeches, and Natasha tugs on me again. John isn't moving, and the harpy focuses its intelligent eyes on us."SKRIIII!!""We have to go!
KatjaAlmost two months later and we are still sailing the ocean. Scarlett has changed her hiding place and wasn't in her cave. Kaiju has risen from the sea, and Hayden has killed about two of them.I'm closer to Natasha now, although she still hasn't forgiven me for what I've done in the past. But she trusts me enough to know I spoke the truth when I said Scarlett must be the one commanding the kaiju to attack islands and villages.We no longer hunt for Scarlett's blood and have traveled so far she can't find us. Natasha is finally pregnant and beyond the moon. She is excited; we all are, especially merman-dad-to-be Hayden.I constantly watch them kiss and hug each other around me, and my heart squeezes every time. The sweet couple's affection held for one another makes me miss John even more.John.I wipe away a tear and keep peeling my potatoes, pretending that I'm okay even though I'm a mess.I wear John's t-shirts every day, and
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?