Chapter Three

Midnight swim as a Mermaid

I pulled into my carport and hopped out of my car. Thankful that it was nighttime, I hastily walked down the sand dunes in front of my house. The cool nighttime wind blasted against my face as I headed towards the ocean. I rubbed my palms against my arms, and I realized how dry and cracked my skin was. It was even starting to flake off in some places. Ew.

It was really rare anyone showed up on the beach in front of my house. My land was privately owned and trespassers were not allowed. But, the beach itself was public, and I’d get the occasional hormone driven teenagers trying to get all hot and bothered in the ocean or on the shore. Luck was on my side as I scanned the coast. There wasn’t anyone in sight.

My shoes were the first to go. I kicked them off so quickly, I wasn’t sure if I could ever find them again. Shoes were easily replaceable and hardly a concern for right now. As I walked closer and closer to the ocean, I continued stripping. I took off my shirt and jeans, leaving me in my black bra and panties. One quick glance around, making sure absolutely no one could see me out here, I slipped off my underwear.

Normally, I would have walked below my pier to strip; there was a small shack underneath that I usually changed in. I had no such time for things like that. The only thing my mind could concentrate on was the ocean and the freedom it promised.

Feeling completely exposed, I hastily jogged towards the gentle waves glimmering in the moonlight. It was easy to forget how the darkness masked my figure to others in the area. To me, nighttime held no change in light. It simply changed colors. My eyes adjusted nicely on their own.

My toes stepped into the cool water as the ocean splashed against my legs. The need to change was so demanding, I completely let go and gave myself over to the ocean. I took off running and dove headfirst into the first wave that approached me.

The cool ocean completely engulfed my entire body, sending a rush of water through my hair. Not holding back at all, I let my body take its natural form. The whole process was completely involuntary, and once I decided that I was going to shapeshift, there was no going back.

My neck was the first thing to change. The all too familiar slits on the back of my neck that once appeared as scars now ripped open, allowing me to take my first breath in the ocean. At the same time, my nostrils pressed together on my nose, allowing no room for water to enter. If anyone saw me in the water, I’d have to say that my flattened nostrils would have been the least startling thing about my appearance. Compared to the rest, it was very minor.

The lower half of my body started to vibrate frantically, changing in an instant. This process has been done many, many times over the years, and it took less than a second to morph. Without looking, I knew my once two human legs were gone. In their place was a long, slender, dark blue fin, pumping furiously through the water and taking me deeper and deeper into the sea. I wasn’t heading for the Coves; this swim was purely for my heath. It has been too long since I’ve been in the ocean, and my control over my human form was starting to slip.

I could have chosen to live like my sister, Tiresias, who prefers to live in her true form twenty four seven, not caring what damage it could do to mortals. Of course we can resist the delicious temptations humans present to us but, it’s extremely difficult and takes years to perfect the act of abstinence. I don’t like having accidents, and I’m usually pretty aware of my surroundings before I shapeshift. There is nothing more desirable than the vibrant energy coming off of humans.

Out of my two sisters, I am the most civilized. From a human perspective anyway. My other sister Kleio keeps up the human façade as well and chooses to go by the mortal name of Chloe. Unlike me, she has no reservations on carrying out our dutiful tasks as a Siren, something I hate doing.

Once a year all Sirens must take the life of a mortal during the Mijoyed to replenish the well being of the sea. The Mijoyed is a formal ritual all Mers are supposed to attend. It’s overly dramatic and showy if you ask me, but Queen Atargatis loves her traditions. The whole thing is supposed to symbolize our strength over humanity and unrelenting revenge for humans polluting the oceans with their trash and horrible oil spills. The sacrifices during the Mijoyed are used to sustain our own way of life. Very hypocritical if you ask me. But, that’s the way it has always been, and as long as Atargatis is in charge, it’s going to stay that way.

I could feel the bluish Crest coming to life against my chest. The blue tattoo is a symbol that connects my sisters and I together. It’s the symbol all Sirens under Queen Atargatis' command wear. Only in human form does it disappear. Now with my true form freed, the Crest shone dominantly against my chest. It had the appearance of a navy blue crescent moon, with the bottom half slightly larger than the top.

I could feel the bond between my sisters and I, letting me know that they are alive, but nothing else. The Crest we wear links us together physically as well as symbolically. The bond is a very loose thing. I can’t feel their emotions, know their location or anything like that. It’s just an indicator that they are still breathing, and by now, they will probably know that I’m in the water.

Since I could feel Chloe’s presence as well as Tiresias, I was mildly surprised. Chloe lived in the mortal world like me. It wasn’t often that she revealed her Siren side. Maybe she needed to refresh herself as well, though I didn’t think her situation was nearly as bad as mine. Chloe and Tiresias were more responsible with their needs.

I could feel my Crest, like any other muscle in my body, but I knew it wasn’t active. The blue Crest had a mind of its own, particularly when mortals were near. If I was irresponsible and wasn’t paying attention, the Crest would flare to life, consuming the first living mortal it finds without my permission. The result is fatal. Deadly and unyielding. This fact, along with many other reasons, is why I choose to avoid my Siren side as much as possible. It was too easy to slip into a cold, unfeeling killer. I wasn’t okay with murder.

As much as I despised being a Siren, I couldn’t ignore the blissful feelings coursing through me as I swam through the ocean. I was alive. The water surrounding me was pleasantly warm, and I took big gulps, taking in as much ocean as possible through my gills.

Nearby fish acknowledged my presence, but otherwise kept to themselves. Most fish simply regarded me another larger fish. As long as they swam in the safety of their schools, they didn’t deem me as a threat.

Having no real direction to go, I simply coursed through the dark water enjoying these rare moments I get. Sure I missed the ocean, it was tied to me as my natural home. But, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. To actually live down here would get depressing very quickly.

I would miss the sun. Feeling its warmth against my skin was a pleasant experience that Mermaids never really get to endure. Tiresias wasted her gift, only coming to the surface to drag an unfortunate human down to the depths of the ocean as she sucked their life from them.

I increased my speed, knowing I would have to head home soon. I wondered idly how fast I was swimming. Twenty? Thirty miles per hour? It felt great to let myself loose and not worry about keeping my shape intact. Knowing it was risky, but not really caring, I started swimming towards the surface. If a human was nearby, believe me, I'd definitely know. Their auras aren’t something I can just ignore.

I pumped harder, nearly towards breaching point. I glided easily through the surface and allowed myself to soar through the air before flipping in a somersault and diving back down. The air was prickly cold. A sharp contrast to the warm water. I sliced back down through the sea, head first, diving down nearly twenty feet.

As a Siren, my skin was hard as granite. The heavy pressure of the ocean did absolutely nothing to me. I alone could dive deeper than most modern machines without feeling any of the pressure of the depths of the ocean.

Lumina, the home for Mers, is in fact located nearly two miles down from the surface. So obviously, the heavy weight of the ocean didn’t bother us much.

Taking in the ocean environment in front of me, I noticed the uneven mounds of bluish gray sand on the sea floor. I saw a few crabs and sea snails underneath me, crawling slowly. It was nighttime, and without the sun the colors surrounding me seemed dark and dull. It was the only time a place so full of life appeared bland. The ocean in the daylight is a beautiful vibrant thing. So many colors. Orange, blue, yellow, red and more.

I passed over a coral reef, a place I knew housed literally thousands of sea creatures no matter how big or small. I continued swimming, watching the reef fade into pure sand, shaped in ripples by the force of the waves.

Soaking in the last bit of ocean water, I relaxed my body, forcing it to turn back into its mortal form. My head broke through the surface, and I inhaled deeply through my nose, feeling the slits in the back of my neck seal shut.

No one questioned my closed gills. To anyone who didn't know what I am, it looked like I had two long scars trailing down the back of my neck. My hair usually covered them anyway.

Not having the luxury of a fin anymore, I started to breaststroke towards the shore, alternating kicking my feet.

I knew without looking that my bright blue tattoo faded, blending in with my skin. For now, the thing that made me so deadly was concealed and dormant.

I approached shallow waters, and I felt my feet touch the yielding shore. I half swam, half walked towards the beach. Once again, no one was on the beach. I stepped forward out of the ocean, feeling completely naked and exposed. Probably because I was naked from my chest down.

I quickly grabbed my t-shirt and pulled it over my head. I saw my panties lying pretty close to where my shirt was and put them on as well. My jeans were really sandy, and I didn’t want to put them on quite yet. I carried my jeans in my arms as I searched for my flip-flops. As I continued walking up the sand dunes, I spotted one.

“Where’s the other one?” I muttered to myself, annoyed. You would think with my eyesight that I wouldn’t have any problem finding my shoe on the beach. That wasn’t the case here.

Aggravated, I gave up on the search and reluctantly headed back towards my house. Those shoes were one of my favorite pairs. Oh, well.

I walked barefooted on the cold sand towards my little white house. It was a plain one-story home with a cute wraparound porch. A couple of old wooden rocking chairs sat in the front. The wind was blowing, making the chairs eerily rock by themselves.

I walked up my wooden front porch, stopping in front of my green placemat to get my house key. I slipped my fingers under the mat until I felt the cold metal of a key. I probably should keep my keys with me, instead of a very convenient and obvious place for a robber to have access to my personal belongings. I wasn’t so much concerned for my safety as I was for my flat screen.

I gripped the brass door handle and opened the door. As I walked inside of my house, I was greeted by my cat Lexi. She rubbed her head against my leg, apparently not caring that it was wet from my swim.

On second thought, she backed away and lightly shook her head as if not realizing that the cold ocean water was uncomfortable. Dummy.

I headed towards the kitchen. I placed my clothes on the counter and pulled open the refrigerator. I grabbed a container of leftover spaghetti and popped it in the microwave.

Lexi suddenly let out a demanding meow, wanting my attention. It was clear that she was hungry too, but she had already eaten today. “You already ate Fatty.” Lexi tilted her head and meowed once more, looking at me like I was an idiot.

Out of habit, I opened my mind to the telepathic energies around me. I felt another distressed presence and turned around.

I walked over towards the aquarium, looking at my orange king betta fish. Lola was idly swimming, her thoughts recognizing me as a food source. Every time I passed her aquarium, she usually thought it meant dinnertime. There was also a feeling of unease to her. Betta fish usually expressed dominate personalities, and they projected their thoughts clearer than most fish their size. Lexi meowed once more, and Lola’s unease grew. It wasn’t exactly fear, but the fish definitely did lot like the sound of Lexi, which can only mean one thing.

Lexi must have jumped on the table again while I was gone. Lexi liked to watch Lola swim, sometimes pawing at the glass. I was terrified that Lexi was going to somehow break the fish tank and eat Lola, and I yelled at her for it many times.

Since I couldn’t exactly communicate with cats, or any land animal for that matter, I didn't think my scolding was very effective. I could train dolphins, seals, walruses, and killer whales without breaking a sweat. A frisky feline on the other hand, I’d fail miserably. They were stubborn creatures.

I sighed as I dropped a couple of pellets in the tank for Lola. The pellets floated in the water, and the betta fish quickly swam towards the food, popping it in her mouth.

“No.” I warned Lexi, who was staring at the tank, her black tail twitching furiously. Her eyes were glued to the aquarium, and her entire head moved as she followed Lola’s path.

I swooped down to pick up the cat in my arms and carried her to my bedroom. Lexi was still young for a feline. She wasn’t a kitten anymore, but she wasn’t exactly a cat yet. She was in that hyper between stage. Her thick black coat felt like silk beneath my fingers. She meowed in protest, but otherwise let me hold her.

I placed her on my bed and shut the door. I ate my spaghetti in silence, feeling tired and wanting to go to sleep. I placed the bowl in the sink and headed towards the bathroom.

I took a quick shower, feeling completely relaxed and sleepy. Fresh water doesn’t bother me nearly as bad as ocean water does, especially after a swim.

After I showered, I was too tired to really do anything else but sleep. I scooped Lexi up in my arms as I carried her to my bed. After she made herself comfortable on my other pillow, I closed my eyes and allowed sleep to consume me.

Reviews

[avant security guard]

liked it--the blue crest--unique

[Strigoikillerr]

Thank you :)

[Daydreamer54]

Anice chapter where we learn more about her sea life. I can't wait to read more and I love the names you came up with. ^^

[Strigoikillerr]

Thanks so much!! I do too ^_^