WATER MATE
Water Mate – Chapter 4
Mystery Mate Series present
By Authoress Kemmy B. Gabriel
[✓]
Finn’s standpoint
I walked around the room I was giving, studying the book in my hands. I had been waiting for years to get a clue and I finally found it. I was convinced that fate wanted me to find the gems, if not, why lead me to the exact person that knew how to get there? Speaking of which, that girl is really odd. I was starting to wonder what my connection with her is all about. Something was missing somewhere and I was going to find out soon enough.
A loud shocked scream made me snap my head to the door, she was falling into my room. I ran to her and caught her before she hit the ground, unintentionally did that. Her face fell on my chest, my hands around her torso. A sudden urge to keep her there and never let go overwhelmed me. It felt like she belonged in my arms, she was safer with me. Heavy breath left my mouth, breath obviously from shock. She held me tighter than I think even she realises, she was sniffing me but I am sure she wasn’t aware.
My lips were only few inches away from her hair, it rich but rather strange scent seduced my nostrils. She smelt very lovely, even if I had never inhaled such a scent before. I shook my head to snap out of it, I was losing it for some human, that is unacceptable.
“Are you alright?” I forced myself to ask. It seemed like neither of us was ready to let go. She was attracted to me because of my kind, mine was something else. Perhaps lust.
“Yeah, thank you,” she whispered huskily, her cold breath hitting my chest and making the hair at the back of my neck and arm bristle up. I could hear her heartbeat drumming at an unusual pace, just like mine was starting to accelerate, the fast pump of blood gushing through the channels of her veins.
My fangs extended as each flow arouse my hunger, igniting a desire to bite her. “What were you doing there in the first place?” It was a simple question, an obvious one. She was walking by and happened to see me through the partly opened door. But I had to get her away from me before I did something that would ruin everything.
“Are you going to answer that and get off me?”
“Please, it’s so comfortable in here,” a loud gasp left her mouth after she said that, a realisation that sent her jumping away from me. Her face was a thick shade of pink, she avoided my eyes and face entirely.
I scoffed and folded my arms, a knowing smirk playing on my lips. Maybe what I needed was just to get her laid and I would forget about her. But doing that was jeopardising the entire mission. But her sisters were there, they could handle it if she is out of the way. She made her ogling too obvious, mouth parted slightly like she was going to drool. I’d never really cared if any woman admired me, but for some reason, I felt hyped up that she liked what she saw.
“Ahem,” I coughed jestingly, it was time to put her out of her misery.
“I…I…er…I was…was…” she stammered, her hands were trembling so much. The poor thing was both confuse and mesmerised. She finally gathered her wit and glanced at my face to see my coy smile. It was amusing watching her battle herself for something so simple. “Stay away from me you pervert!” She shouted suddenly and took off.
Really? That’s the best you can do?
I chuckled, she was a child, a growing child.
Few hours after that unusual meeting, she insisted we gather at the poop deck so she could explain what was to come. I watched as she fidgeted, torturing herself by putting enough space between us, like I cared about what was going on with her.
“The Sea of Fallen Kings is dangerous but if you do what I say, none would be lost. The reason men always die there is because the sea creates illusion. It connects to your soul and mind and brings out your deepest and darkest secrets, fear, desires and problems. Using those, it get the people to kill each other or drain their life force when they let themselves be seduced by their desires. The point is, to get over the sea, each and everyone of you would bind your eyes, you can’t fall for what you can’t see.”
“But if we bind our eyes, how then would the captain steer the ship? We’d be fools driving into danger, sitting ducks.” The first mate protested openly.
“I will,” she replied with clear uncertainty.
“Can you steer the ship?” The loud one asked gigglingly.
“Well no, but it wouldn’t be that hard to steer it as long as I go through at a slow pace, right captain?” She asked, looking at the captain for answer.
“How about I drive?” I asked with an eye roll.
“You can fall for the illusion, how about that?” She looked away the moment she said that, remembering what happened few hours ago.
“Ocean, what am I?” I asked cryptically.
“That doesn’t stop it from affecting you, you are a man after all,” Claudia said with a shrug.
“A perverted one for that matter,” Ocean muttered, but I heard it. I decided to ignore her.
“I’ll drive, the rest of you would cover your eyes and no objections.” I said firmly.
“Humph, your funeral,” Claudia said indifferently. Ocean scurried off immediately, bending her head down to hide her already masked face. I pushed myself off the railing and walked after her, my feet moved on their own.
She walked to her room, muttering incoherent words to herself. I ran forward and blocked the door to her room, causing her to shriek with fright. “Darn it! Not you again!”
“I’ll advice you to stop making a fool out of yourself, I don’t care about what you are thinking…”
She scoffed and folded her arms. “And what exactly do you think I’m thinking Mr. Vampire? What is running through this girl’s head?”
That was something I couldn’t detect.
“You don’t know, and you can never know.”
“That is a completely different topic from what I’m talking about…”
“What do you even want with the gems, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.”
“I pay you to do my work, what I want with it is none of your business.”
“Giving it to someone who would misuse it powers is against everything I stand for,” daring, she was daring me.
Suzanne’s standpoint
“I repeat, it’s none of your business,” he snarled, his eyes had turned red.
“It is and aah…” My back was slammed on the wooden wall in a flash, I groaned as the sharp pain from my back shot through me. He hissed into my face, bearing his fang at me. I know I should have been terrified that a vampire was hissing in anger, but he looked more adorable than scary.
“I am tolerating travelling on this common ship with a bunch of sticky dirty pirates and low life scums, ignoring every disrespectful words thrown my way. What I won’t tolerate is the likes of a human girl challenging me or trying to tell me what to do. I have waited for this day for more than a hundred years, some girl won’t hinder it.”
I watched the every movement of his ruby red lips, the way his tongue swept over his teeth and sent the words flowing like a musical note. His face was so close to mine I could feel every little breath from his mouth fan my face, his fresh lemon breath. My hands twitched to cup his face and kiss him, to have my lips pressed against his possibly honey coated heaven. It was insane! I WAS insane!
“…you got that?” I wasn’t going to let myself stare and embarrass myself again, no way. So instead of letting out that dreamy sigh itching my throat for freedom, or succumbing to the urge to kiss him, I growled animalistically and pushed him hard on the chest – not that it made any difference – to get him away from me.
“Don’t you dare snarl on my face you blood sucking devil,” I warned harshly, “I am not afraid of you and certainly won’t have a being like you use me to destroy others. If my helping you would endanger the world, why then should I help you? You can’t kill me, you do that and you die before you get to the temple, so you definitely need my help. Now I’m going to repeat it again, what do you want with the gems?”
My heart hammered against my chest violently, I was waiting for his attack, his hurtful words or anything. Funnily enough, he only smiled sadly, a distant look in his eyes that were clouded with pain. Finn stepped away from me and looked at his side, that far away look still in his eyes.
“You sound like her,” he said sadly.
“Huh?”
“I need the gems to resurrect my sister, that’s why.”
“Oh,” I breathe, “how did she die?” His head snapped to me, his dark murderous glare had return. “What? Too personal?”
“Let’s play it this way, I don’t try to get in on your personal space and you don’t get into mine. Don’t get on my bad side kid, you might think you know me but trust me when I say you have no idea who I really am. Don’t make me jump back to my element, you won’t like it.” The wind whooshed, blowing into my face as he sped off.
His warning was clear, but I wasn’t going to listen.
~
~
~
“Well sink me! We’ve arrived at the sea of doom!” Captain Leadbeard shouted. “All eyes closed!” The men began tearing off their clothes to tie their eyes and some even blocked their ears.
“Are you sure you don’t want to tie your eyes?” Sandra asked with concern.
“Positive, the dark magic of the sea doesn’t affect me, I know it tricks.”
“And that one?” Claudia asked, jerking her head towards Finn who was taking over the wheel.
“Just leave him,” I sighed, I finally tied the knot well. I pat their shoulders and walked over to the pool deck to join the scallywag. “Ye know, if ye gets hypnotised, I’ll have to whack ye with a plank,” I said jokingly. He rolled his eyes.
“Don’t be a grouch laddy, I swear on my tail that I would watch over ye lacking butt so… Whoa!” I exclaimed. Finn suddenly turned the wheel harshly, sending the crew flying sideway. It was a good thing I was close to him, I held his bicep to stop me from flying too. “You did that on purpose,” I pouted. Damn! He couldn’t see my mouth.
“Stop talking and let me drive!” He shouted angrily. I let go of his bicep and turned my head away, rude man.
The sea was quite dark, the dark blue showed how much dark magic it consumed. I knew that if my feet touched the water, he would find me instantly, his presence was here. Fear began to sip in, my heartbeat accelerated at the thought of him finding me. I instinctively dropped my hood down further, even though my mask was already doing a good job of covering my face. I bent my head down, I was starting to panic for no reason.
The quietness of the sea was so thick a pin dropped into the water would make a loud echo. I roamed my eyes around, dark energy had covered the ship in the form of a black mist. I looked at Finn, his hands were quivering as he looked ahead, he was seeing something. And he was boasting, I scoffed and walked closer to him. I placed my left palm over his eyes to shut it out.
“It isn’t real, it is all an illusion,” I spoke into his ear softly.
“I’m aware, but what I’m seeing is worth seeing. I won’t go to it, but seeing her is worth it.”
“Your sister?” He nodded and sighed heavily. “Should I take off my hand?”
“No, I don’t think I want to see her anymore. Just tell me where to steer the ship to.” He instructed. Who knew a vampire could be so sad.
“Aye aye captain!” I shouted playfully. I placed my other hand on the wheel and assisted him in steering the ship. After a few minutes of slow and steady driving, we were out of the dangerous sea. “That should do it!”
“Now, get your filthy hand off my eyes,”
“Wait, seriously?” I asked incredulously. He yanked my hand off and pushed me away, like I was a disease. The insult was stronger than any I had ever faced.
“Right,” I hissed, “you can untie your eyes, we are out.” I huffed out and stomped towards the sleeping cabins. The guy is just too annoying.
“Hey! You haven’t told me where I’m heading to next!” He shouted after me. I whirled around to face him, pushing my hood back so he would she my glare.
“Well Mr. Strong and Mighty, why don’t you figure that out yourself!”
“Remember I am paying you for your service, now be a good servant and tell your master where next he is taking this ship to.” He had a very taunting smirk on, he was intentionally frustrating me.
“Well sorry master, but I have a strong memory lost so do it yourself,” I threw the map into the air. “Goodnight!”
“Come back here you little…” I slammed the door loudly. Arrogant bastard. I had just made it to my room when he appeared behind me. “You are pushing me, don’t challenge me!”
“You ungrateful imp! You don’t get to talk to me the way you like, I helped you back there!”
“I didn’t ask for your help!” He screamed into my face. “I was just fine with my hallucination before you came and ruined it!”
“Seriously!” I shouted incredulously, throwing my hands up in exasperation. “That wasn’t what you said when you let me cover your eyes! I don’t even know why you are acting up over nothing!”
“Who stated yelling first, you or me?” He sneered. I opened my mouth to scream again, but I knew it was for waste.
“You know what, fine! The next course is Sirens Bay, let’s see you overcome that because I won’t save your sorry butt!”
“Do not insult me mortal!” He barked out, one that made me scream and fall on the floor. My heart literally jumped to my mouth, he briefly showed me his full monstrous face. I placed my hand on my chest as I gasped for breath, he almost gave me a heart attack. “I will not be patronised by a frail being of your kind!”
“My kind, my kind, my kind, can your head ever construct anything else to say?” I couldn’t believe I was still talking. I was usually the less talking type but my spirit refused to be insulted by a mere vampire.
He stared at me in stupefaction, I still had mouth to speak after seeing his face. “This mere fragile human is the one leading you to what your pitiful kind could never find and even if found, can’t get it. You need this weak human or you ain’t getting anything!”
He threw his head back and laughed humorlessly, “is that why you are so confident? Because you really believe I need you? You already brought out the true map, what do I need you for?”
“Oh really? Fine then,” I folded my arms stubbornly. “You are on your own from now on, get yourself there and if my sister’s wish, they can help you. Now leave the room of the human.” I commanded. He rolled his eyes over my body and sneered once more.
“Humans are so pathetic,”
“And vampires are hopeless lost souls,”
“You’ll regret your actions soon enough.” And with that, he was gone in a flicker. I scoffed loudly.
Let’s see you get through without my help.
“Set course for Siren Bay!” I heard him shout at the upper deck. Claudia and Kassandra walked in, they looked amused beyond doubt.
“Wow Suz, I can’t believe he is getting under your skin,” Sandra said amusedly.
“Please, don’t even start. That guy is both annoying and stupid!” I yelled at the top of my voice so he could hear me. “You hear that you blood sucking demon! You are stupid!!!”
“Calm down Suzanne, I have never seen you like this before, what’s up?” Claudia asked with the same amusement as she rubbed my shoulder.
Why was I even severely pissed? I breathe out to calm myself down. “I don’t know what is wrong with me, I act erratically around him.”
“Do you think that maybe – just thinking aloud here – you are his mate?” Sandra asked nervously, “it can be.” We all exchanged look, right before we burst into laughter.
“Nay,” we laughed. Mate? Mermaids don’t have mates and vampires rarely have mates as well.
Rarely, but not impossible.
Shut up subconscious, he is not my mate. I’m not even an ordinary mermaid, remember?
“I’m just going to get my legs soaked, I’m exhausted,” I spoke out to avoid any further disturbing conversation.
“Suzanne, I think Captain Leadbeard is planning something,” Claudia chipped in. “I overheard him saying something to his first mate. I’m not sure, but I think we should be careful.”
“I know,” I smiled. A pirate is a pirate.
~
~
~
I was floating in the sea, my beautiful tail making my swim a natural comfort. This was where I belonged, this was my home. “Ocean,” a voice called musically, that voice I knew so well. I sat on the water, the water acted like a chair for me. “Ocean…”
I looked on over the ocean, like my eyes had microscopic zoom to see anything at any end of the world. There he was, standing on shore and glittering like the star. He held out his hand to me, calling me out to come into his embrace. With one thrash of my tail, I found myself at the edge of the sea. I swam closer to shore where he was waiting for me, smiling with open arms. My tail morphed into two limbs, two slender legs to walk to him.
“Ocean,” he called out again, taking my dainty hand in his. His voice was like an ocean whisper, like a soft evening breeze. He pulled me into his arms and stared into my eyes with so much love and contentment. He was contended with me, contended with having just me and me alone. “Ocean,” he called again, our lip only an inch apart.
“Ocean! Wake up you idiot!” My eyes snapped open, I had been awaken from my sleep. The subject of my beautiful sleep stood at the foot of the bed, shoving my foot harshly with an impatient look. I glared at him through the curtain of my hair, grouched and turned onto my side and buried my face in the pillow, tearing my foot away from his grasp.
“Leave me alone,” I mumbled sleepily, to which the fool yanked my foot rougher. I jolted around with a twist, the content of my stomach swishing because of the sudden motion. “Get lost.”
“I need you up deck, wake up!”
“Ten more minutes,” I murmured huffily. He yanked the cover off me, giving the wind authority to pierce my skin. I huffed in annoyance and blew out some of the hair from my eyes. I pushed myself onto my knees and hands and looked at him over my shoulder. I knew he couldn’t see my face, my hair shielded my face properly.
“What do you want?”
“Something is wrong with the map, I need you to check what’s wrong.”
“I thought you didn’t need the puny enervated human,” I mocked.
“This is hurting my pride, don’t anger me more and stop shoving your ass in my f…” I fell on the bed with a puff. Snuggling back in bed. “Oh come on!”
“Leave me alone, you can’t make me wake up when I don’t want to.”
“Shocker,” he said sardonically and before I knew it, his strong hand yanked me onto his shoulder.
“Hey! Put me down!” He roughly bounced me and headed out to the upper deck. “I demand you put me down! I do not deserve such! My face is exposed!”
“I’m sure the bush you call a hair will protect you,”
“Er, rude!” I shrieked. “young man, put me down! I am a lady!”
“Yeah right,” he climbed onto the poop deck and tossed me on the floor. My ass collided with the floor. I can swear something cracked. I covered my face frantically, using my hair as a shield. “Now, where to?” He asked bossily. He threw the map on my laps.
“If you knew any better, you would know that only the mouth who freed it can see it,” I stuck my tongue out to him, foolish move. I got hair in my mouth. “See? You need me.” I said conceitedly, spitting out my hair.
“Fine, tell us which of the Sirens Bay we are heading to? Siren Bay East, or West?”
“Siren Bay Hades,” I said gigglingly.
“Ocean!”
“I’m not saying until you apologise for being mean,” I said defiantly, folding my arms to exaggerate my point.
“Claudia!” Finn yelled. My eyes widened, he knows her name?
“He guessed,” Claudia chuckled, “and sister, stop playing hard to get and…”
“No, he has to apologise and promise to be nice to me from now on.”
“Ever heard of over your dead body?” He sneered.
“Very well then, let’s keep wandering the ocean, it’ll be fun.”
“Lad, just apologise to the nice lassie,” I nodded in agreement to Captain Leadbeard’s words. Finn ran his fingers through his hair, babbling to himself in a mutter.
“Okay, sorry,” he bellowed out harshly.
“I’m sorry, is that how your mother taught you to apologise?” Sandra asked drily.
“She didn’t teach me how to, but she did teach me how to twist annoying girl’s necks, starting with yours.” Sandra sealed her lips immediately, she was afraid of him.
“Guess what jerk, I’m not afraid of you so I am not shutting up anytime soon. Now let’s try it again, what did you say?”
If eyes could kill, consider me a dead girl. His glare was so intense the crew and captain stepped back. I threw my head to the side stubbornly, showing him that I meant business. He sighed heavily, defeated sigh. “Fine, I’m sorry for what I said yesterday.”
“Is that it?” I asked sneeringly.
“And I promise to be less aggressive and arrogant until I find an opportunity to murder you.”
“Tut Tut Tut, not good enough mister, try that again,”
“And I won’t insult your being, better?” He snarled impatiently.
“I will manage that, just because I pity you,” his hands balled into fists, I was playing with fire. “Now help your queen up and do it gently, like a gentleman,” I demanded coolly. The crew members laughed.
“I swear, after all of this, I’ll kill you myself,” he grouched as he pulled me up gently.
“Until then sweetheart,” I said smilingly, patting his cheek. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it aggressively. I whimpered in pain and yanked my hand away. “You are to head to Sirens Heart…”
“Sirens Heart!” They all exclaimed in shock.
“Whoa, whoa whoa! No one said anything about Sirens Heart! That’s the motherland of sirens!” That was Claudia.
“If you don’t want to go you can all throw yourselves overboard, we are going and that’s final.”
“Confident, confident,” I said whimsically, “I like that. Let’s just hope your confidence is enough to survive the calls of the sirens, you are all seafood.” I laughed. I headed back below deck, letting my mock laughter haunt them.
“And Finn, you look terrible in that pantaloon!” I shouted after me. Everyone laughed again.
“Again, not a pantaloon!!!” He thundered.
Did I say stay away from him? I meant never stop pestering him.
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