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Chapter Seventeen
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2024-10-29 19:42:56"You can't get out—we've reinforced the windows. We're not going to hurt you. Galene." Her panicked whimper escaped, and Stralath slowed the SUV and shifted to the right lane. "We're meeting someone on a private beach—her name is Coco, and we've been friends for decades. I think you'll like her."
"You're crazy—both of you. Are you even a collector? You're a sex trafficker. Oh, my God! I was right." Galene banged on the window, ignoring the pain in her wrist.
The man at the back sniggered, and Stralath shot him a glare.
"I'm the same as you," Stralath confirmed. "Not of this planet."
Silence fell as she dropped her arm.
Not of this planet.
What did that mean? Same as her, how? Did he know of her weird skin—how, during her younger years, it had changed when she was scared. Did he know she was a freak? Like at eight years old, when she'd severed a finger when washing a glass. <
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Covering her naked body was her first priority. Miro Norvegius waited behind the rocks, watching as two humans intimately touched lips. The moonless night didn't affect her vision, and she clamped down on impatience as she eyed the large piece of cloth beneath the lovers. Aside from what they learned in basic training, Miro knew a little of the human world. In the past—as an adolescent—she'd come to shore to search for Zalo after the storm. Unfortunately, Darghelm had followed her and dragged her back to the ocean before she could begin a proper search. Now, as an adult fisheri, Miro knew how to avoid her father's scouts. This time she'd have time on land to search. Perhaps her father and Darghelm were correct in assuming that her sister had died in the sea that day. The ocean was a dark place, and many fisheri had succumbed to rough weather in the past. Massive storms generated high waves, fi
Tidal Souls Chapter Nineteen
Stralath stood by the bedside, watching Galene sleep. The NIRL doctor had injected a sedative that stopped her pain. The almost gray tinge to Galene's lips had Stralath continually checking on her condition. Although her hair was still damp, she now wore leggings and a soft shirt. Why did he feel like he'd contributed to her agonizing attack? And what was wrong with her? Was she sick? With a human disease or a fisheri ailment? Was it curable?She looked so young, curled up in a large duvet. Reaching out, Stralath nudged a silver tendril from her forehead and tucked it behind her delicate ear. On close examination, he could see her differences from humans. Her white-blonde hair shimmered—almost like a prism—and he leaned forward. His hand flexed. "Bobby has arrived."Coco's voice brought Stralath to an upright position, and he rubbed his palm on his jeans. "Good. Good." Stralath folded his arms. "Did he come willingly?""Only because he's scared
Tidal Souls Chapter Twenty
The doctor was back and hovering at her bedside. The ridiculous tale they all told made no sense in a sane world—stories of aliens and mermaids. Galene was both? They all watched her as if she would implode. Stralath seemed to choose his words carefully, and his caution added to her startling terror. In just twenty-four hours, her world had fallen apart.And then the young stranger in the room called Bobby had shown her his deformities, claiming that she had the same? Hell no. Galene rubbed the scar on her wrist, convinced this was all a nightmare. The more they spoke, the quieter she became. And then Coco mentioned cutting into her. The wealthy woman sat beside her on the bed like a concerned mother. Galene barely knew Coco and suspected a hidden agenda. Why would they help her? Nothing in this life came for free."You'll need surger
Tidal Souls Chapter Twenty One
He'd followed her for two days. Had she lost awareness of danger as soon as she'd found her legs? Darghelm sneered at Miro's naivety. Her father had always been overprotective of his daughters, and he'd failed. One child was dead, and the other walked amongst humans—two lost princesses. Miro had begun the search for Zalo. Darghelm could drag her back to the pod—again—but she wouldn't give up. So now he played bodyguard, watching as she caught up on human language and culture. Humans weren't hard to understand or mimic—elemental creatures with lower intellect. Darghelm had walked on land many times. He knew the language and the nature of the enemy. Thanks to his fisheri brain, learning English took only a day or two. He hated humans but liked their simplicity. Darghelm knew Miro's next step would be calling for Zalo. The fisheri could communicate like whales but at a much higher frequency. The average adult human can hear sounds between 20 - 20,000 hertz, and a fisheri's
Tidal Souls Chapter Twenty Two
She'd returned to Oregon. Just days before her exhibition, she'd abandoned her studio to get answers. Sleepless nights had led her back to her parents. And as Galene stood outside the front gate and considered turning away.Perhaps there was a reason for her scars that didn't involve her family. Maybe, her mermaid pod had turned against her during the typhoon? And she'd swum to the beach to escape. Did she have underwater enemies?Galene shook her head at her ridiculous thoughts—she wasn't a freaking mermaid, and Stralath and his team were not aliens. That was bizarre. They were con artists trying to scare her. But, she'd seen that Bobby kid's transformation. And he'd also shown her how he turned invisible—camouflaging himself in a background. She'd done that before when she was a teenager, and it had scared her to the core. But, lately, she'd lost that ability. Subtle changes in her appearance had been the most worrying. Her hair and eyes kept ligh
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Stralath had left the team in California and followed Galene to her family home. Her lack of awareness at the airport had concerned him. She'd commuted in a trance, not noticing she was being followed. Her predatory instincts weren't just asleep; they were comatose. He watched when she reluctantly entered her parent's home, and he watched when she ran from the house.So her father must've been the culprit? The one who sliced away her spores?Sobbing, Galene descended to the beach, and Stralath forced himself to remain in place.Don't go to her… don't go to her…She disturbed every cell in his body, and he despised the attraction. If the vibrios decided to kidnap her, Stralath would watch over her and step in w
Tidal Souls Chapter Twenty Four
“How long will you be gone?” Liam watched Galene pack her paints into a zip-up bag.She swiped the back of her hand over her forehead, feeling drained. She’d pulled an all-nighter, finally completing the canvas collection. All that was left was working in the gallery space and mounting her finished works on the stark white walls. She’d deal with that challenge after her surgery.“I don’t understand. You have tumors?”Galene almost winced at her deception. Liam seemed genuinely concerned and had hovered in her space all morning. She resisted the urge to touch her neck.“It’s just an exploratory procedure. You’ve seen the scar on my wrist—the docs are going back in to make su
Tidal Souls Chapter Twenty Five
Stralath raced up the stairs. The front door stood open, and he charged into the living room. She hadn't answered his calls since replying to his text, and he'd broken numerous traffic laws in the last minutes to get to Galene. He didn't trust humans—one of the most unpredictable species. Voices came from a room down the passage, and Stralath headed that way. The broken door had his pulse accelerating.Galene knelt on the floor in the bedroom, her face pale as she cradled her hand. Her bike lay on her bed, and a vase lay broken on the floor. Stralath zoned in on the second occupant in the room, assessing the threat. A woman with long auburn hair babbled, almost begging Galene."I swear, Kevin's always been quick-tempered, but he has a gentle heart. He's just a kid.""Harper… He's twenty, and he broke down my door and wanted to hurt me.""But, he didn't. He has some social challenges and—""Where is he?" Stralath barked out the
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Galene felt his warmth everywhere… his body heat… his hard chest as he leaned in and nibbled her ear… warm breath on her skin. The hunger was contagious, and she wrapped her hands around his neck and allowed him to explore with his mouth. He nipped her throat before sliding up her shirt—his large hands easily cupping her ribcage. Welcoming Stralath's touch felt like coming home. She lived in a world devoid of physical affection. Although her human parents loved her, she'd also felt like an outlier, grateful for any attention that came her way. She'd never dated at school—the kids had viewed her as the eccentric weirdo and must've sensed that she was different. Aside from Liam, Gelene didn't have any friends and never let anyone close. Until now. Stralath's touch felt like bliss, and she lifted her arms as he pulled off her shirt. He stilled, and she took in his intense stare. His reverence gave her joy, and she watched as he gently traced a finger along her lacy lavender underwear.
Tidal Souls Chapter Forty Nine
“Drusdor and Cleona found Vigtor's land lair.” Coco handed Stralath her tablet, and he scrolled through the footage. "Vigtor has good taste." Stralath approved of the sprawling villa, which offered privacy, surrounded by high walls."Pacific Palisades is a sleepy town in comparison to Los Angeles." Coco rose from her desk and reached for a file. "His sprawling mansion also has good security. How long do you want him under surveillance?""While Vigtor chooses to remain on the land." Stralath passed the device back to Coco, and she handed him the physical file. "He has to decide on the fate of his pod before he swims back to fisheri territory. We'll send over a few obvious drones—let him know we're watching him.""Alien drones?" Coco grinned. "Your favorite toys?" Stralath returned her smile and suppressed a yawn. He hadn't slept well after dropping Gale back home. And he'd then spent the whole day at headquarters. He glanced at his watch—seven in the evening. A NIRL surveillance team
Tidal Souls Chapter Forty Eight
"I need my legs! Hurry." In full panic mode, Galene hefted herself onto the rocks. She couldn't hear the conversation this far off, but she knew from Stralath's aggressive stance that the fisheri were not here to play. "Calm down." Miro crouched beside Galene. "Deep breaths.""Don't give me that zen bullshit! What do I do aside from dragging this heavy-ass tail meat out of the water.""Visualize the transformation.""I'm visualizing so hard my brain is about to explode. Go and help him?"Miro grinned. "Help who? Stralath or Darghelm.”"Being an indecisive bitch isn't a joke." Galene jabbed a finger at the beach. "They're about to declare war.""I won't leave you unprotected during a shapeshift.""Fine." Galene could do this. She closed her eyes and focused on having legs. All she could hear was a buzzing in her ears. Nothing worked, and Galene tried not to freak out. At Stralath's war cry, her eyes snapped open. He would shapeshift any second.Without thinking, Galene rolled herself
Tidal Souls Chapter Forty Seven
Stralath watched from the other side of the fence. Galene now sat in a distant rock pool, and he'd given her space. She'd seemed upset earlier, and thanks to his sharp Mesophinean senses, he'd knew Galene had spoken with her human father. Should he approach her or guard her from a distance? Feeling restless, he scanned the periphery for danger. Stralath sensed dark energy coming from the water, and mind made up, he leaped over the fence and jogged towards the rocky shore. The high tide had filled rock pools and crevices, and Stralath wound his way to his target. Approaching from behind, he paused to take a breath. This lost siren unnerved him, and Stralath had never felt this way before—even with females from his species. "Stop hovering." Galene waved a hand. "I need your help—I'm freaking out."She'd know he was there—her fisheri senses had grown in strength. Stralath swallowed hard and walked to her side."I have a tail." Galene looked mortified. Stealth's eyes widened, peering
Tidal Souls Chapter Forty Six
Kalder watched from his BMW as Galene climbed the low fence, hopping onto private land. The intel he'd received over the past week had confirmed his curiosity. The Norvegious family was now on out of the ocean—all vulnerable to attack by the vibrio pod. Both an injured daughter and her rebellious sibling who refused to swim away to safety. Would that mark the end of Norvegius's rule? And now that Galene had begun to heal, Kalder had picked up on her silent energies. Her invisible siren aura vibrated with the same pure energy as her sister. He wondered if she'd make a full recovery—or would the pale-haired fisheri forever be banished to the land. To Kalder, that was a fate worse than death. He enjoyed spending time out of the water—taking advantage of capitalism. But the salty depths always called his name. Instead of walking along the sand, Galene made her way to the rocky water line, and Kalder decided to take a closer look and would approach her from the sea. He left his phone an
Tidal Souls Chapter Forty Five
“My brother is coming over.”Galene nearly dropped her knife as her gaze shot to Harper. “What? I thought he’d gone back to your parents.”“Relax. Kevin is staying with friends on campus.” Harper closed the fridge and eyed Galene’s sandwich. “What’s with the sudden tuna obsession?”“I’m not comfortable around him.”“Well, he’s not here to see you. You can’t stop me from seeing my brother in my home.”“Fine. I’ll leave. When will he arrive?” Galene felt annoyance at having to evacuate the premises. After a long week, she craved her bed and the familiar.“In about thirty. Let Kevin apologize and forgive him. He’s getting professional help.”Galene’s stomach turned. He scared her on some level, and she’d rather avoid contact. It’s a beautiful evening—I’ll head to the beach.”“You know I hate the smell of fish,” Harper grumbled. “You baked sea bass last night. What’s that?” She pointed at the Halibut defrosting in the corner. “Tomorrow’s meal. I don’t tell you what to eat.”“Yeah—but fis
Tidal Souls Chapter Forty Four
Stralath had underestimated her. Resisting the urge to glance at the siren seated at his left, he focused on Galene's father instead. Now that the NIRL had Vigtor Norvegius sitting across the table, it was time to negotiate the accord. The influential leader wouldn't bow down quickly, and Stralath needed to know what motivated the merman. What did he want to accomplish on earth?Would the fisheri continue to hide from humans? Or were they preparing for the eventual confrontation? A war between humans and fisheri? Who would win? The siren pod was an advanced poisonous species capable of camouflage and telepathy. Unlike humans, they were comfortable both on land and in the water. But, there were far fewer of them on the planet. And they didn't have access to tanks, weapons, and troops. Or did they?"How many fisheri reside in the ocean?" Stralath asked bluntly. He'd already laid out his brutal terms, and Vigtor was not happy. "None of your business." The leader shot back. "Tens of t
Tidal Souls Chapter Forty Three
Galene glanced at her sister as they made their way through the NIRL facility. The building's design worked on Galene's nerves. For a brief, surreal moment, she wondered how she'd ended up in a covert facility, layered with security and surrounded by alien friends and family. What was Miro thinking? The mauve-haired beauty hadn't said much on the trip over.Galene would finally meet dad number one. Would the ruler of the fisheri species embrace his lost daughter warmly? Did she want that embrace? No. Galene wanted to turn and run in the opposite direction. Stralath had given her a choice. She didn't have to meet her siren father, yet she'd agreed to the inevitable. "Vigtor won't take me away, will he?" She asked the question for the tenth time. Stralath touched her waist as he guided her into an elevator. "He'll have to fight the NIRL soldiers and me first."Soldiers indeed—Galene glanced at the two armed men who stood at the rear—guards on every corner. A chill ran down her spine
Tidal Souls Chapter Forty Two
Kalder waited in the shadows. Hoping he'd guessed correctly, he shifted to get comfortable. The soft sand encouraged sleep, and he rolled back onto his knees while scanning the dark beach. This location was where the male fisheri had entered the water eight days ago, and Kalder had scouted the area for days, waiting for his return. Kalder had other vibrio informants stationed along the coast. Some cautiously swam the shallows, looking for the fisheri warrior. Movement within the species always indicated opportunity. The fisheri and vibrio were Calder's target market—fish who would buy his product. Kalder needed pod citizens to choose the land. What a world that would be—a new dominant species who could control the humans and exploit their businesses and resources. Only three percent of all sirens had become land walkers. Kalder wanted a new world for his kind. Imagine catering to land-walking pods—everything from preferred foods to skin products, salt water spas, and pod-designed
