Kissed by the Sea- A MERMAID ROMANCE...

Part 1

1

I peeked through the seaweed and watched as he sat on the rocks and opened one of those things that humans use for knowledge; a book.

The young man was in his early twenties; his black hair was pulled back into a short braid and he had a small beard.

His eyes were the deepest blue; they were specced with gold like sun rays and his strong bone structure made them stand out beneath black brows and a wrinkled forehead, where he was frowning in concentration.

He had a small gold hoop in his right ear and a locket I knew was hidden under his open shirt collar.

He was beautiful.

I watched for a little while longer before diving under the surface again; I filled my lungs with fresh water and breathed out, the air above had tasted stale and dry; the oxygen in the water was refreshing and I took a few more deep lungfuls of ocean water before surfacing again.

I winced as the sun hit my ivory skin, it burned slightly but I ignored it and went back to watching him.

He had moved under the shade of a large rock; he had discarded the book and was laying on his back, his hands behind his head and his lovely aqua eyes closed.

His muscled chest rose and fell as he slept peacefully, I cocked my head to the side as I watched him, his toes were poking out of his shoes and I watched him wriggle them; fascinated I swam closer, I knew this was dangerous and I heard the sea-gulls screaming down at me:

"AWAY! AWAY! HEED THESE WORDS WE SAY!"

I shook my head and whispered back to them in their native tongue.

"LEAVE ME BE! LEAVE ME BE! I WANT TO SEE! NO DANGER BE!"

They squawked more warnings but I brushed them off and my eyes widened as I realised the human man was even more beautiful up close.

I swam into the shallows and ignored the stinging pain on my scales where the sun burned me in the shallow water.

I brushed a hair away from my face so I could see better. I leant on my elbows and cradled my chin in my hands.

He turned in his sleep; his face now facing the ocean -and me.

He mumbled something incoherent before continuing to snore softly.

He was frowning and it saddened me; to see such beauty down-cast is surely a sin.

I slowly extended a now dry hand and brushed a loose hair away from his face.

He seemed to relax under my touch and I smiled and began to sing softly.

"I once kissed a man who left me here to drown;

And so I never shall kiss again;

Not even a man from the crown;

He told me that he loved me;

I believed him, yes I did;

But words cannot describe;

The hate that was well hid;

He was a man of riches;

He clothed me in glittering gold;

But I was not his treasure,

No, his heart to me was cold..."

I trailed off as his eyes fluttered open; the world seemed to go silent as his eyes hypnotised me, keeping me frozen in his gaze.

"Mermaid..."

He breathed. His voice was deep and musical, it caused a shiver to make its way up my spine.

I heard the waves calling me home but I couldn't move; I was suddenly freed by the feeling of his dry lips on mine, I scrambled away from him as his tongue tried to seek access in my mouth; I bit him and he yelped in pain as I swam further into the black water; my lips burning from his kiss as I dove into the waves.

I cowered in the mouth of a sea-cave a few metres under the surface.

I could see his blurry silhouette as he leaned over the water from a rock. He didn't move for a long time and I breathed out in relief when his tall shadow no longer dominated the surface; my slender hands were shaking as I ran my fingers through my long auburn hair.

Mermaids weren't meant to go above the surface; it was dangerous. I had asked so many times how the dry-world was dangerous.

I now knew how.

I touched a finger to my lips and my eyes widened when I realised they were slightly swollen from his rough lips, I could still taste him in my mouth, his lips had tasted like wine and salt and another taste I couldn't quite pit my finger on, it was musty and reminded me of the taste of the air when a fire was nearby. Smoke.

Tobacco.

I should have been disgusted with myself, I should have rubbed my lips with clean seaweed and covered them in nice smelling oils but I didn't; instead, I shut my eyes and leaned back against the cool sea-rock, touching my finger-tips to the swollen skin of my lips, it's usual softness corrupted by his chapped lips and scratchy tan skin, the skin on my neck still tingled where his hand had held my face in place, his hand had felt warm and had sent shivers down my spine.

I opened my eyes and sighed, mermaids have long memories; I would never forget this.

His kiss; the kiss of a sailor; no matter how brief; would stay with me forever.