Damarian (A Merman's Kiss Novel) (28 page)

I do not answer, for I do not know what to say.

“I am not surprised,” he continues.

“I am not upset,” I say. “Not as much as I should be.”

“Because I am your father and you have great love and respect for me.”

Again, I have no words.

“I do not deserve it,” he mutters. “Not your love or your respect.”

I slowly turn to face him. He is seated at the table, his face haggard, as though he has not slept in a while.

“Please join me.” He pats the chair next to him.

I do.

He stares at the shell with fish. “It was not my intention to banish you for long. Only for…” He shakes his head like he has too much guilt to continue. “I only wanted you to see what it would be like if you were stranded on land. Away from your family and the life you love. I wanted you to miss being a child of the sea. It was not my intention to hurt you in the manner in which I did, but I did not know how else to tell you…” He swallows. “…how much I would miss you if you were to build a life on land.” He hesitantly lays his hand on mine. “I love you very much, Damarian. You have been my pride and joy the moment you entered this world, just like your brothers and sisters. It hurt me that you wanted to abandon your family, that you chose a human over us.”

“But I did not choose her over you. It was always my wish to have both. It was you who caused me to choose her over you.”

He nods. “Yes, I understand that now. I suppose I was too consumed with the thought of losing you. But it is my wish for you to be happy. I am not happy that you have chosen a human—and I admit it will take me quite some time to grow accustomed to it—but I do not want to lose you.”

Now I stare at the shell with fish. “Would you have the same feelings if Kiander did not take the throne?”

“Pardon?”

“You wish to amend our relationship. You do not want to cause a rift between us. Perhaps now it is more convenient and easier because Kiander took the throne. You received what you wished, for our family to take the throne.”

“Damarian, please look at me.”

It takes a few seconds for me to comply.

“Yes, you are correct that the situation might be different if Kiander did not take the throne. I do not know if I would have been able to watch someone else take it. Perhaps an Emerald or a Ruby. You do not understand what it has been like for me all these moons, the pain I felt in my heart when I saw Palaemon on the throne. It was as though a large piece of stone was lodged in my chest. I do not understand why you do not feel it now that Kiander has taken the crown from you.”

“Perhaps because I am not destined to be the king.”

Father is quiet for a moment. “Perhaps.”

“My heart is filled when I am on land with Cassie. That assures me that it was the correct decision to choose her over kingship.”

“I only hope you are correct, my son.”

We both grow quiet.

“Will you accept my forgiveness, Damarian? I truly wished I had been more sympathetic to your plight. Particularly because I have experienced something quite similar.”

My eyebrows rise. “You have?”

“Yes. You are aware Mother and I grew up with our homes side by side and that it took a while for me to admit my feelings for her. But you are not aware that Grandfather suggested another male for her. One he thought more suitable for his daughter.” He smiles. “I did not yield until he agreed to grant me permission to have me as her mate.”

I feel my jaw hang open. “Indeed, I was not aware of this.”

“I allowed my selfish thoughts and feelings to surpass yours, and as a father, that was unacceptable. Please accept my forgiveness.”

I look into his eyes and see how sincere he is and how much love he has for me. I truly wish to forgive him, but I am certain it will take a while. I do not wish to carry around my anger and betrayal for too long because it will only cause me more heartache and further distance me from him. I lower my hand over his. “I will try, Father.”

Once again, I hear movement by the doorway and turn to see Doria. “You have returned! The entire colony is speaking of this.”

Father rises. “I will see if your mother requires assistance with the fry.”

Doria hurries to sit down in the chair father vacated. “Is all well with you and Father?”

“It is my hope, yes.”

She wraps the bottom of her tail around mine. “I am glad. What of the human? Has she forgiven you?”

I nod.

“I heard her,” she says.

“Pardon?”

“Yesterday, while you were banished, she called to me. She asked me to speak to Father. She said you were miserable and missed the sea and your family.”

I stare at her. I was not aware of this.

“Father was too distraught,” she says. “It was difficult to speak with him. I hurried to Kiander. He told me not to fret for he was already planning to travel to land to unbanish you. I…” She smiles. “I do not find your human quite so vile anymore.”

That causes me to smile as well.

“Will you remain on land? I shall miss you terribly. We all shall.”

“Do not fret. I promise I will travel home as often as I can. And perhaps one day, you will visit us on land again.”

She nods. “Yes, perhaps I will.”

“Do you promise to return with the delectable treat?” Zarya asks.

I lift her toward me and press a kiss on her nose. “Yes, I promise.”

“Do not return with their waste,” Syndin says, once again disgusted. “There is no room for it on land, therefore they throw it into the sea. Such despicable creatures.”

“They are not always despicable,” Syd says.

Syndin’s eyes roll over.

Mother wraps her tail around me. “Please return to us soon. I shall miss you very much.”

“As shall I.”

Father lays a hand on my shoulder. “Do not make any hasty decisions, Damarian. Not until you are certain she loves you as much as you love her.”

He must be referring to mating with Cassie. I know Father still clings onto the hope that my eyes will open and I will realize that I really do not love her. But I do and I will love her for all eternity. I only hope that one day Father truly accepts her and perhaps visits us on land, together with Mother.

“It grows late,” I say reluctantly. “I must go.”

“Do not forget the treat!” Zarya says. “And when you return, I will want to know even more about my new sister.”

I laugh and kiss her forehead.

Once I have said goodbye to everyone, I exit the Sapphire colony. Just as I am ready to leave the entire colony, my movement comes to a halt. I have made peace with my family, but there is still one being with whom I have not reconciled. I do not believe I can embark on the next journey in my life if he still is upset with me.

Instead of swimming toward the Sapphire colony, I make my way toward the Violet clan. Many of them stare at me as I pass, but they do not appear too shocked. I notice a few Ruby, Emerald, Diamond, and Sapphire tails here as well, and I smile. The sea will indeed grow to be a better place to live in.

Neren and Pelina sit on stone chairs near their cave, their eyes bright as they laugh. Suddenly, Neren’s laugh disappears, and his eyes shoot to mine. He has sensed me approach. He leaps off the chair and floats before his mate, as though he is protecting her from me. His eyes hold nothing but fury.

“Do not move any further,” he says.

I am quite a few tails away, but I do as he asks. “Hello, Neren and Pelina. I have come—”

“You are not welcome here.”

“Neren, please—”

“Leave this instant.” His eyes flash with even more anger. “Do not come near my mate or my home ever again.”

I raise my hands, my voice pleading. “I ask you to please listen.”

“Word has reached the Violet colony. I am aware of where you are traveling to.”

I move a little closer. “Please do not put a rift between us, Neren. Let us make peace.”

“I will never make peace with one who associates himself with those who murdered my family.” He takes hold of Pelina’s hand. “If you do not leave my home in the next thirty seconds, I will call one of the sharks.”

As he speaks, a large hammerhead advances toward us. She must have been patrolling near here. She will not hurt me, for sharks are forbidden to harm a child of the sea, but she can force me to leave.

I slightly nod at Neren. “I will leave. But I will not give up hope that you and I will make peace.”

The hammerhead shark swims alongside me as I head for the exit of the colony, her intense eyes never leaving my face. Once I am free of her, I look back at the colony, but I am too far to see Neren. Does he not feel the ache in his chest that I feel in mine? We have been friends for so long—why does he not try to understand that all humans are not evil? Will he ever accept the life I have chosen, or will he and I forever be broken in this manner?

I try to push my thoughts aside as I make my way out of the entire colony. Fiske joins me, and together we travel to land.

***

When I see her standing on the rocks, every part of me fills with glee. No, it is an emotion far greater than glee. It is as though every particle in my being is launching into the air in celebration and exuberance. I do not think anything else in the world could make me happier.

As soon as she sees my head break the surface, she jumps up and down, a large smile on her face. She rushes down the rocks and I rush to the shore. I heave my body onto the sand, and when she reaches me, she throws the blanket over my body. Our arms close over one another and our lips meet in desperation. We roll around in the sand, our mouths never detaching.

I love this human, so very much. I cannot express how much she means to me and how eager I am to have a life with her.

“There is no need to rush,” I whisper into her ear. “We will be together forever.”

Her arms tighten around me as though she never wishes to let me go. “What did your father say?”

“He understands what you mean to me. He has given his blessing.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“I love you so much, Damarian.”

My lips brush against her throat. “My love for you will only blossom in the moons to come. I will always love you, Cassie. For all eternity.”

She stares into my eyes with nothing but love and delight, and I know in my heart that it was not my destiny to choose duty but to choose love.

Stay tuned for the fifth book in the Merman’s Kiss series, coming early 2017!

Chapter One

“Waitress? Over here, waitress,” the four teenage guys call and whistle from table number eight. I sigh and give my best friend Macy a look. She lifts an eyebrow.

“Take them,” I say.

She shakes her head. “No way. I served them yesterday. It’s your turn.”

I can’t argue with that. Those jerks gave her a hard time. “Why are sixteen-year-olds so annoying?” They’re only two years younger than us, but it feels like ten years.

“Believe me, they’re no better at our age,” Macy says. “Just take their orders and leave.”

Easier said than done. I sigh again and tuck my curly auburn hair behind my ears. Time to get this over with. Putting on a fake smile, I head over to their table. “What would you like to order?”

One of the guys, a redhead, scans my nametag longer than it should take. “Hello, Lily. What a nice name.”

I try not to roll my eyes. Did he forget he says that to me every time? “Do you want to hear the special?” I ask.

A blond winks. “I already see something special standing before me. How about you come meet me out back when you’re on your break?”

I tap my foot. “We have many people waiting for a table. Can you please order?”

The guys laugh loudly and eventually order, making sure to sneak in obnoxious remarks, which I ignore.

Screw this job. Except, I can’t. How else am I going to pay for culinary school? When I applied for a job here at Inferno—a restaurant known for serving spicy food—I wanted to work in the kitchen, but they wouldn’t hire me because I had no experience. The only other choice was to be a waitress. I took it because it was better than nothing. The more experience in a restaurant I can get, the better.

The guys laugh and whistle when I return with their food. The blond raises his eyebrows and points his thumb toward the back doors. I pretend he’s wallpaper.

When my shift is over, I go to the dumpster to throw out all the trash. A shadow sprints away. Looks like it was someone dumpster diving. We get that a lot.

I’m about to hurl the garbage into the dumpster when something shiny catches my attention. It’s buried deep inside, and I plow through all the smelly trash to get it out.

It’s a lamp. A golden lamp. Not the kind you’d have in your bedroom, but the kind from
Aladdin
. It looks similar to the genie’s lamp. It’s bigger than a football, and has these swirly designs all over that make it look exotic. Like something from a fairytale. Some kid must have had it for a Halloween costume and dropped it in here. It’s a shame to throw it out like that. It’s really a beautiful lamp, but I’m not going to keep it. I’ve learned to never take something from the trash, no matter how gorgeous it is.

I toss it back in the dumpster, except it won’t fall. My fingers are curled around the end of it, and no matter how many times I try to pry them off, it’s like they’re glued. What the hell? I shake my hand, but no luck. The thing won’t come off. Some kid must have put glue on it as a joke, and lucky me got caught. I’m having such an awesome day.

I look to my right and left. No one’s around. How ridiculous am I going to look when I walk into Inferno with a genie lamp attached to my hand? There’s no hiding it, so I figure I’ll just add this incident to the “sucky things that happened to Lily today” list.

When Macy sees me, she smiles. “Finally time to go home.”

I hold up my hand. “I found this in the dumpster. There must be glue on it or something. Can you help me get it off?”

Her eyebrows knit. “Get what off?”

“The lamp.”

“What lamp?”

I stare at my hand. “The genie la—you don’t see it?”

She gives me a look like I fell from Mars. “All I see are fingers that need to be manicured.”

How can she not see the lamp? Am I completely losing it? I rub my eyes. The lamp is still there.

“Lily, you sure you’re okay?”

No. I’m not sure about anything. There
is
a lamp attached to my hand. I’m not crazy. Am I? “Yeah. Just tired,” I lie. “I need to go home. I haven’t been sleeping well.”

“Have you called your mom?”

“Twice, but no luck.”

Her face softens. She opens her mouth to say something, when I change the subject. “So what are your plans with Andy for tonight?”

Her boyfriend got an internship over the summer with a great company in Boston and is in New York for the weekend. He and Macy barely see each other.

She knows I don’t like to talk about my mom, and never pressures me. We’ve been friends since kindergarten, but after everything that happened four months ago, we’ve drifted apart. It’s my fault, not hers. She’s been trying really hard to be there for me, and I appreciate it. I just can’t deal.

“He’s going to surprise me,” she says with a smile.

“Have fun,” I say.

“Thanks. Are you absolutely sure you’re okay?”

I force a smile. “Totally.”

We hug before I leave the restaurant and walk through the July heat to my apartment. I live in Brooklyn, five blocks away from work. The people passing by don’t seem to notice anything wrong with my hand. Do they not see the lamp, either? I give it a tug to check if it’s real. It is. What the hell is wrong with me?

After throwing my front door open, I go straight to my room for Vaseline. I put some on and try to yank my fingers off the lamp. They won’t budge. This is crazy. I’ll have no choice but to try to smash the thing. In the kitchen, I’m about to slam it down on the granite countertop, when it suddenly flies off my hand and drops to the floor. It rolls around like it has a mind of its own. A second later, smoke starts to shoot out of it. It’s so thick that it fills up my entire kitchen. It has a strong smell of exotic spices.

The smoke enters my lungs and I fall to my knees, clutching my chest and coughing.

“State your wish,” a voice says.

The smoke disappears from my lungs and I can breathe again. When I look up, I see a tall guy standing above me with his arms crossed over his chest. I scramble back. He looks about my age, has long dark hair that falls into his blue eyes and an expression of annoyance, yet respect at the same time. He has golden skin. My gaze dips to his chest. His naked golden chest. He has nothing on except for long, black pants. No shoes, either. My eyes spring back to his chest and my breath gets caught in my throat. He’s beautiful. Exotic looking.

“I said, state your wish.”

I tear my gaze off his chest, my cheeks warming up. “W…what?”

The smoke is completely gone from the kitchen. The lamp is still on the floor, but it’s no longer moving. Did this guy come from it?

“State your wish so I can get out of here.”

I get up. “Wish? What are you talking about?”

He makes a face like he’s done this a million times and is bored out of his mind. “You rubbed the lamp. I’m here to grant you three wishes.”

I back up into the counter behind me. I won’t believe this. I
can’t
. My head spins. “You’re a…genie?” That’s impossible. Genies don’t exist.

“Uh huh. Here to grant you three wishes. So let’s get this over with, Master.”

His chest gleams under the strong kitchen light. As he crosses and uncrosses his arms, his muscles flex.

He sighs loudly. “When you make up your mind, give the lamp a rub.” Smoke appears once again, surrounding him.

“Wait!”

But it’s too late. He’s gone.

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