Clash of Tides (A merman story)

ASSAN’S LOWER HALF IS still in the water, and he keeps his gaze on me, with his multi-colored irises gleaming with mischief. The words he just spoke repeat over in my mind like a melody. My mating time has arrived, I muse, wanting to understand their meaning.

Quickly, I part my lips and ask, “What do you mean mating time?” As I sit here, staring at Assan, a part of me wants to understand the undersea world. Even though I know it’s best to forget, to leave, I find my curiosity grows, the more Assan tells me.

Assan swims back a bit, putting a small distance between us. However, he doesn’t move any further. He is staying close to me. At a moment’s notice, he could grab me, or worse, use his control over the water to subdue me.

He quickly crosses his arms over his chest, not taking his eyes off me. It’s as if he is watching me, ensuring I make no sudden movements. Assan has already proven himself in combat, so it’s no surprise I am his prey.

Assan stays quiet for a moment and then closes his eyes. Before I can even move, he opens them again. I can tell he is thinking.

“Have you already forgotten what I told you before when we first met?” Assan questions me as he furrows his brows.

Again, Assan is testing me. I part my lips and answer, “You said…” my voice hesitates, shaking. Images of the first time I met Assan flash in my mind, reminding me of the past. I lower my gaze to the water swirling around my legs. I want to avoid Assan’s sight--he doesn’t need to see the mixture of emotions burning within me.

“Mers do not mate the same way as humans, Elena,” Assan’s deep voice snaps me from my thoughts. To his words, I widen my eyes, thinking, wondering, Does Assan not have the same…”

Do not be foolish, Elena, in my human form, I can assure you every inch of me is a man,” he snarls in my mind, “humph, but in my mer form, I have so much more, he taunts me, in a teasing voice. I lift my sight to the merman before me, watching his lips twist into a playful smirk.

I swallow the gulp in my throat, as I think, So much more…

There are still many things I don’t know, and even if I ask Assan, he won’t tell me. I avoid his sight and clench my now moist dress. A storm is brewing within me, a storm that is longing to be free. As I tighten my grip on the dress, I hear the rush of liquid from the waterfall echoing around us. I want to know the truth from Assan and to tell him the truth. Memories from before are coming to mind: the time Assan started to tell me what is truly happening.

I part my lips to speak. “Before… you told me you needed an heir,” I say, softly while keeping my eyes on the dark water brushing against my legs. At this moment, the chill from the liquid does not bother me. My thoughts are only consumed with pleading with Assan to let me go--to forget about me permanently.

“Those words are true, Elena.” I hear the harshness in Assan’s voice. He doesn’t like me questioning him.

With my eyes focused on the cold liquid, tears stream down my face, and a salty taste lands on my lips, running to my tongue. Everything that I am and will ever be is dependent on Assan freeing me from the undersea world, forever.

I exhale an anxious breath and attempt to hold back my cries. However, anger boils inside me; a kettle about to burst. My first night to gain money for my family ruined, and now this night, ruined. Suddenly, I hear movement in the water, and I am sure Assan is swimming back towards me.

“Why do you need an heir so badly?” I ask through clenched teeth, unable to hold back the rage any longer. “You can find another girl, Assan, why do you keep coming back to me?!” I yell out as I quickly lift my gaze to meet his. He is before me now, watching me with a stoic expression. “You are a prince of the sea. And one day you will be…” The thought of Assan being a king stops me in my tracks.

Despite my feelings, his expression is the same. It’s as if he lets me get my anger out, just waiting for me to finish. Like before, his face lacks emotion. I tear my gaze from his and look at the rocks on my side that are jutting off the edge of land. I part my lips to speak and say, “I am not worthy of you, Assan, I am not worthy of... anyone…”

My eyes sting, and the tears I tried to hide flow as water pouring from a teapot. Next, I can tell Assan the truth, about me, about Joe, about the life I am meant to live.

Slowly, I open my lips, but a gentle touch caresses my chin before sounds escape me. Assan raises my face to meet his gaze. His eyes bore into mine, and for a moment, there is a softness in his mismatched irises. Quickly I try to avoid his sight, but Assan won’t let me; his touch stays on my skin, forcing me to see only him. Even his expression tells me to look at him, to let him see into my eyes.

Assan has knocked my boat off its current, and I need to steer it back.

“Assan I…”

Assan cuts me off. “I almost did… find someone else,” he pauses, as he keeps staring right at me, “I told you before, Elena, I could not leave you there. The thought of…” he stops and removes his hand from my face. For a moment, he avoids my gaze and then looks toward me. “You are stronger than you think you are, Elena. You have survived a Berserker and the Belua. Most humans cannot handle the things you have seen,” he says, monotonously.

For a moment, I think about what Assan said: You are stronger than you think are…

“I am not strong,” I say, barely audible.

I turn away from him, but deft fingers cup my cheek, touching me with the coolness of the water. He maneuvers my head back to look at him, and then says, “You are, Elena. And let me decide who is worthy of me.” His gaze lingers on mine, and under the moonlight, his multi-colored eyes shimmer amongst the darkness.

I want to speak to tell Assan everything. As I open my mouth, Assan’s lips capture my own, deepening the kiss. My heart thumps in my chest. I want to resist him, to stop his actions on my body, but I can’t disregard the feeling growing within me. I am drowning, and with every kiss, I wonder will I ever be able to surface.

His deft fingers stroke my arm, running down to my waist. With his lips still on mine, he slowly lifts me, bringing me into the icy water. Even though the chill liquid splashes against me, I do not mind; my thoughts are on the merman touching me, showing me his gentleness with his lips. He slowly pushes me against the edge of the pool, pressing my body to the rocky wall behind me. The sound of rushing water reverberates around us, mixing in with the animal cries from the forest. My wet hair clings to my face and neck, along with soft scales rubbing up and down my thigh.

Are you enjoying it, Elena? Assan moans, kissing me from my lips to my chin, and then to my neck. His touch prickles my flesh, causing a cold chill to run up my spine. I arch my back; he grips my torso under the water and then hikes me up against the wall. Our noises--the sounds of desire--mix together.

Assan… why do you make me feel this way? I say in my mind. These feelings, these emotions, with Assan, I don’t understand them, but still, they take over me. I slowly open my eyes and stare at the beams from the moon shining down on us, illuminating our dark forms.

“I want you, Elena,” he growls out, breaking the touch on my cool skin. He drinks in my form, looking at me intensely, locking his eyes with mine. Slowly, he circles my lips with his thumb and says, “Tell me you want me.” His voice is demanding and in control. His lips twist into a smirk. I know he wants me – to have intercourse with me – and heat burns within me, warming my core.

Images of Joe, of my life on land, come to mind; I can’t do this. I know nothing of love, and that’s how it must stay.

I place my fingers on Assan’s chest, feeling his firm muscles against my digits. He arches an eyebrow at me as he wraps his arm around my wrist.

“Assan… I can’t,” I say. My voice is weary, and I cannot hide the emotions I feel. I stare at Assan, keeping my gaze on his. There is a slight sadness in his eyes, but still, he stays unwavering. “There is something I need to tell you...”

Assan parts his lips, but I will not let him retort me. I must confess who I really am. “I have a little brother that needs me,” I quickly say, not letting him get a word in; the truth of my life, my position, overwhelms me. Even to myself, I sound weak, desperate for him to forget about me. “I am whore”--the tears flow from my eyes--“I do not have anything to my name, so please, let me go… I need to go,” I choke out. My vision is hazy, like a blur; floodgates of tears will not stop. This is who I am, black, ugly, and a disgrace to those in power.

Assan stares at me; his eyes show confusion; for once, he doesn’t have a quick response.

“Elena…” he starts to say--the shock showing in his eyes--but quickly, he spins around in the water. Soon, silence passes over us; it’s eerily quiet. Assan grabs my wrist, pulling me to him.

“Assan, what…”

“Be quiet,” he says in a harsh tone. His intense eyes form to slits as he looks at the water in the distance. Suddenly, the liquid splashes around us--we are not alone. “Mermaids,” he growls out, baring teeth.

Mermaids! I flick my gaze from Assan and follow his eyes to the point in the water. Bubbles pop on the surface, and my mouth goes agape. Emerging from the water is a head of brunette hair, and slowly, a full form drenched in liquid arises. The mini seashells covering the breasts – with shells of various colors and shapes - shows it is a female; the woman from before, with blue-golden pupils, stares at Assan and me. Now since she is closer, I see one eye is darker than the other, but both have a slight amber tint.

Around her waist, green scales are shimmering in the moonlight, and wet tresses dangle around her face, not sticking to her skin. Even though she has the features of a young woman, her eyes show a depth I have not seen from a mer before.

Quickly Assan swims in front of me and maneuvers me behind him.

Do not move, Assan orders me in my mind; however, I am in awe from seeing another mermaid.

“Nephew, I see you brought the human back. Are you still following your father’s plan?” the woman asks. She smiles at Assan, and then flicks her gaze to me, watching me.

My heart leaps in my throat. Plan? What is she talking about?

Assan filches in front of me--he must have heard my thoughts. The water before Assan starts moving, swooshing in small ripples.

“Nerina, how did you find me?” Assan asks, and I can hear the deadly tone in his voice. Adrenaline rushes through me. Terza told me the mermaids wanted me dead, is this why she is here? And what is this plan she speaks of? My muscles tense at the sight of the mermaid; My surroundings are spinning again, and my head aches with a throbbing pain as I lost in this new world under the sea, trying to solve the mer’s mysteries.

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews on this story! I really appreciate them!