River of Red

XXX

Domitius

The ocean had been raging.
The tide was unnaturally high, the waves too crested, the waters too dark.
I immediately knew something was wrong.
The ocean in Greece was usually nice, green and calm, but today it seems it had made an exception. A storm was raging overhead, the dark clouds had quickly closed over the blue sky soon after the ocean had had a very bad temper tantrum.
Trees blurred around me, the sky a black haze above. I needed to make sure Katrina was okay, even after leaving I felt an undeniable urge to go to her. I knew she would somehow get into trouble with my leaving, but I didn't know how.
The ache in me was that of worry. I had not felt worry for some time, especially long due to my immortal life span. Like a sixth sense, I somehow knew exactly where she was. With no time to wonder how, I pumped my legs faster, and, with great confusion, worried over the life of my little dove. I knew she was alive, but the pain and fear she seemed to broadcast through the air cut through the hazy fog in my mind.
At the hotel the waves crashed upon the concrete slabs of the building. The tide had risen, and covered the white sand beaches with dark, roiling water. Thunder crashed above, and carried a long, scraggly bolt of lightning ahead of it. I could hear the energy sizzle in the air, which made my hair stand on end. The air seemed filled with something unnatural, something forbidden and never seen before. It was certainly a feeling I had never felt before.
The pull seemed to be coming from the ocean, so without a single thought of how wrong it was that she would be in the water, I plunged into the darkness. Tiny bubbles surfaced around me, the warm, coastal waters filled with a tense aura.
I was tugged deeper into the depths. Something about her pain called to me in some strange way, the way I felt her fear and particularly strong emotions, as though she was an extension of me.
It's not right. I thought.
The pain she seemed to feel stopped, and something told me she was in more trouble now, for if she was unconscious and something was harming her...
I pushed that thought from my mind.
The dark water weaved around me, no fish swam my way, due to the dark energy I exuded. Soon, a broken ship flooded my vision. The masts were broken, and the wood having decayed in some places. It was tipped slightly, with fish ducking under cover from the sight of me. On arrival at the ships deck, I noticed that the door to the room to the right of me had been shriveled and crumpled onto the floor.
It was recent.
I could tell since the wood dust was still there, having the crashing ocean and swirling current it would have been washed away if it was older than a day or two.
I cautiously made my way into the small room, I felt she was in there, but I had no idea what had caused her such immense pain. My eyes first landed on a mass of blonde hair swaying with the current. Second, it landed on the soft, peaceful sleeping face, with long dark lashes, tan skin and rosy, pink cheeks. Next it landed on the bikini top I had bought for twenty seven dollars and fifty two cents. Lastly, my eyes landed on something that seamlessly engulfed her legs: an icy blue tail that matched the girls eyes.
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The shimmering blue scales had not faded. She laid on the rocks peacefully, like a normal girl, when actually she was anything but. Her long, wavy hair had long since dried, and it was left salty and soft. Her black lashes grazed her pink cheek in a gentle way.
Tiny, white clouds dotted the otherwise clear night sky. The storm had long since subsided, the girl having yet to awake. I tried not to think too much on the fact that my dove was a mer, and a vampire, I tried not to think of the way she looked under the moonlight. Her intoxicating scent found its way to me in the soft breeze.
I tried not to think of many thing's, but of course I could not help the thoughts that rampages my mind.
How was she a mermaid and a vampire?
How was it possible?
How is she real?
How can she be so perfect, yet so oblivious to it?
Promptly after I had found her in the ship, I pulled her to the shore. The previous three hours had been taken by finding a proper place to lay her. The past two hours had been taken waiting for her to wake.
We were on a small island, shortly after my arrival the seals that had occupied the island hurried away. The rock I laid her on was smooth, solid, and flat. It seemed better than the sand, for it was rough and coarse on the island. Palm and native trees swayed in the slight breeze, which carried a sweet hint if coconuts and mangos along with it. I lowered my body next to hers, no sounds besides that of the ocean and wind. She laid on her back, her hands placed upon her stomach, her...tail...stretched out straight.
I tilted my head to look at the side of her face, her soft jawline round, her lips full and pink, her nose straight and perfect. A rouge wisp of hair landed atop her face, and her eyelid twitched in annoyance. I pulled my body into a sitting position, and pushed the strand of hair from her delicate face. My fingers brushed over her soft cheek, and her eyes opened to reveal two icy blue glowing irises that looked up to me.
Three feeling flashed across her face first; confusion, contentment, and fear.
My hand still hovered above her cheek, and I slowly brought it back to my side. Curiously, she sat up.
And screamed.
Hurriedly, I pulled her face into my chest to block her view of the thing making her fearful.
"Shh, Dove, calm. It is only a bit of a problem. Nothing we cannot solve, though." I gently ran my fingers through her long hair and down her back in a calming gesture. She pulled her head from my chest to look at her tail.
Cautiously, she touched it, wonder on her face.
"How?" She asked me tentatively.
I didn't respond, knowing she knew the answer and that I did too, for she was the savior, the savior was said to have many powers.
I hadn't expected that, though.
She brushed her hand over the damp scales. Slowly, she turned her face to look around, noticing we weren't anywhere public.
"Where are we?"
I remembered this island. I remember the day a volcano spurred to life and, in turn, gave life to this island. It was new, maybe as old as me, the shores not yet soft and fertile as the old islands.
"Thrity three miles off the coast of Kalamaki." I replied, my emotions closed and unreadable. I knew she hated when I closed myself off, but I couldn't help it, as she was a main reason for my constant inner turmoil. She looked away from me, mad that I was pushing her away, but it really was for her only good.
Her attachment to me could only lead to bad things, I just had to hold myself distant before any bad things happened that would make us more attached. I softly set her onto the rock and stood. I carefully buttoned my shirt back up, as the woman I had drank last night wanted a little more than a kiss, not that I could blame her.
My shoes had been lost in the nights events, and the cool rock felt blissful on my feet. I picked my way to the shore of the ocean, and caught the scent, as well as the sound of a certain someone following me.
"Domitius." My name on her plush lips sounded like heavens angels. I never knew those four syllables could sound so wonderful. I momentarily closed my eyes, and took a deep, salty breath to get her scent out of my head.
Opening my eyes, I turned my gaze to meet hers.
"Yes?" I asked casually. I couldn't help but feel the least bit guilty over being so rude and blunt, but it really was for the best.
She stood not five feet away, her hair gleamed in the darkness like a beacon, her blue eyes alight and unnatural.
She huffed, "Why?" She paused to rethink what to say, "Why are you acting like this?"
I shrugged nonchalantly, "I don't know what you mean."
She hissed under her breath, "Don't play games, Domitius. Why are you being such a nard?" She asked with a tilt to her head and frustrated eyes.
I didn't know what a nard was, possibly a new term used to describe bad words. I turned away from her to face the ocean once more.
"I can't." I whispered, pain still fresh in my heart.
I felt her hand on my shoulder, a way to get me to open up to her.
"What?" She asked, but in a tone of voice that implied she did know. An unspoken word brushed past both our ears.
Mary.
Without a second thought, I whipped around to capture her lips with mine. She responded immediately, enthusiastically. She wrapped her small, soft hands into my hair, and I wrapped my arms around her to feel her gentle curves. I deepened the kiss, my hands on her smooth, bare skin. Her hands freed from my hair only to trail down my chest.
I broke way from her, and instead kissed along her jaw. She let out a gasp, even if there is no use for breathing. Waves crashed behind us, the wind pushed her intoxicating scent to wrap around me. My lips found hers once more. Her cool hands started to unbutton my already partially unbuttoned shirt. When she got maybe five buttons down, I pulled away from her to look at her eyes. When I did, they were glazed, glassy, and unfocused.
I then noticed a pair of very long, very tan, very uncovered legs.
She noticed my glance, and when she looked down she stifled a scream. Her cheeks flamed, and her hands flew down to cover her exposed area.
I placed a hand under her chin.
I couldn't help the smirk that rose on my face at seeing such fear for such a mundane little thing.
"It not like I've never seen it before, Dove."
She made an angry noise.
"But I don't want you to see me!" I turned away from her hunched form, and watched the ocean waves slide onto the beach.
"Okay," I paused, "and I think it's time we get back to the hotel."
She made a noise of agreement, but I could tell she was frustrated and flustered. She was embarrassed by the way she looked, I could tell.
What she didn't know is that there was no reason for her to be embarrassed.
She was the most beautiful girl I had ever known.