The Mermaid Rising

Chapter Twenty-One

Kia's POV

We had moved over to my bed and I desperately tried to hide the fact that I was weak. The only reason I had offered to sit on the bed was because I could no longer hold my weight.

Thin beads of sweat rolled down my face and I did my best to hide them.

"Ugh, it's hot in here." I lied when he saw me wipe away another layer of sweat.

He frowns.

"The fan is high and the window is open. Are you ok?" He asked and I nodded.

I wasn't hot at all. I was cold. I held back the shivers though.

"It's the poison isn't it?" He guessed but I shook my head.

"No, no. I'm fine." I assured him.

How much longer until I can go to sleep?

"Kia, you're pale." He noticed as he comes closer but I weakly push him away.

"Stop, I said I'm fine." I whisper and start falling to the side.

Before I could completely fall off the bed, Marcello caught me.

He brought me to his chest and held me tight.

"Does your brother know about this?" He asked and I shook my head with all my effort since I couldn't speak.

A growl rumbled in his chest.

My eyes droop but I refused to go to sleep. I didn't want to leave him.

He'll be ok. Just for a few minutes. I tell myself.

No, I can't. He'll freak. I protest.

But then my body goes limp and I'm wrapped in darkness.

My mother and I were walking through the woods, giggling.

"Your father was the best man I ever met. He was always so romantic." She laughed.

I had told her about the time when I saw my father sneak up behind her and pick her up in his arms. He had almost dropped her and she was mad at him for several days until he apologized and took her out to dinner.

We had come out of the ocean to walk around and stretch out our human legs. My mother had invited me and I agreed to go along with her.

"Mom, how do you know when you've met the right guy?" I asked her a she smiled a knowing smile.

"When you love him. If he treats you like a Princess then he's the one." She smiled.

I giggled again and blushed.

"Is that what dad did to you?" I wondered and she nodded.

"Your dad treated me like a Goddess and I love him. The time I knew I loved him was when he punched a guy in the clan because the guy hit me. Your dad and I were only friends then but that was the day I fell in love with him." She explained.

It sounded magical. I wanted to fall in love. I wanted to be just like my mother.

But the moment was broken when a growl filled the air.

My mother stayed calm and turned to me.

"Run, Kia." She ordered but I shook my head.

"I'm staying with you. Dad told me to watch over you." I shook my head and she gave me a small smile.

"Please, Angel. I don't want you getting hurt." She used my nickname.

When I was six and I gave her a rose to say I love her, she said I was an Angel and the name has stuck since.

"But mom, I don't want you getting hurt either." I shook my head and before she could respond, four wolves jumped out in front of us.

They surrounded my mother and me. I felt terrified. There had only been three killings so far from these monsters but I never believed I would encounter them.

They all shifted and the biggest one of all starred at me.

"Poison them and drag them back to the water where they belong." He sneered and the three men advanced on us.

Two went to my mother, pinning her to the floor as I screamed. The other man pushed me against a tree and pulled a syringe filled with pale pink liquid.

"No. No." I yelled.

I thrashed around and he growled, shoving me harder against the tree. The wind was knocked out of me, causing me to go still. He stabbed the needle in my arm and I felt faint.

I said only three words before I fainted, "I'll kill you."