Blood in the water

CHAPTER 3 - DESCOPERIRI

After that encounter, Alina spent the entire next week going upshore to find Sorin. He was there more and more often, leaving some of his belongings and even setting up a tent he could sleep in. It was fun and easy talking to him; he wasn't some crazy creature trying to hunt her or a human unbelieving of her very existence. Sorin explained that his mother used to tell him stories of all different types of creatures when he was little, so he always knew they were around. On that particular day, the sun had already set and Alina still waited for the man. She had told Dagon she'd be in her room studying, and asked not to be bothered.

Cocking her eyes at the beach, she saw a figure drawing closer, cursing the world for not making correction glasses for mermaids. It was only when the flashlight nearly blinded her, blinking three times, that she settled down. That was the signal they had agreed on for Alina to be sure it was really Sorin there at the beach. She then waited for him to step closer, following the trail of his feet over the rocks that were lightened up.

— You're late — was her way of greeting the man once he sat down and found her figure with the light.

— You don't know what time it is — Sorin retorted with a scoff. — Plus, I had to go the extra mile to get this — he reached inside the brown bag on his hand, revealing a portion of fried chips, which made her heave.

— GIVE ME — she stretched her hands in his direction and had her fingers repeat an opening and closing movement.

— Not so fast, Miss Alina — he spoke in a pompous manner. — First, you'll have to tell me a secret of yours.

— Okay — Alina shrugged. — There's something I've been meaning to tell you, anyway.

— What is it?

— I actually can get out of the water — she bit her lip, unsure of how he would respond.

— No way! Wait... Did you sell your soul to an evil witch? — he frowned as if with genuine concern, and Alina giggled.

— No, but I can do it whenever I want.

— Oh — he said in a beat, tilting his head and rendering her confused.

— What?

— So you are the person who punched me.

— Shit, you remember that? — she grinned in an awkward manner.

— I thought it was just a crazy dream, but then my nose started hurting like crazy. And then I figured it was some random person, cause... You couldn't have come to land.

— Sorry, I panicked. — Alina pressed her palm to the side of her face as her eyebrows became two keyboard slashes. — I went to see you upclose, but you woke up and I just freaked out cause you weren't supposed to.

— I feel like a prey right now — Sorin feigned offense. — And you know what? I'm gonna do what any decent prey would.

Alina smiled when seeing Sorin stand up and jump back out onto the sand, clearly aiming for her to follow. And she had come clean for a reason, right? Closing her eyes, she finally decided to go for it: she threw herself into the water so she could leave behind a wall and he wouldn't see her naked — which, if she was being honest, was just a way to get through with humans, who seemed to make too much of a big deal out of not wearing any clothes. As the man watched the scene, he could swear he saw a big fishtail in the water just as she sunk in it, but it was too fast for him to be sure.

Hidden behind the rocks already on land, Alina pushed to the side one of the smaller ones that served as a door for her hiding place. She reached for a dress that was there and put it on, grabbing a pair of boots as well since she needed somewhere to hide her daggers in. You never know when you're going to run into some crazed-ass mermaid hunter.

Alina revealed herself in the damp yellow dress and with water dripping down her long curls, like she was a tourist enjoying the beach. The man had abandoned his coat and black shirt, and was now left with a white undershirt that revealed strong, muscular arms.

Sorin stopped himself once his vision got lower and he saw her left thigh: there was a small area, maybe the size of a coffee mug stain, that definitely wasn't skin. It sparkled in the sun, and it looked like her tail.

— What is that? — It was when he pointed to her leg, moving his hand closer, that she noticed what he was looking at.

— Well, I used to describe it as "my magic isn't perfect", until one day someone said to me that I shouldn't be considering an all human-skinned leg is perfect. So... That's just the way my leg is.

— Right — Sorin smiled.

Alina looked up at him. His eyes were breathtakingly blue, and she felt like they were piercing through her. To worsen the situation, he emanated an intoxicating scent, ambrosial and spicy. And maybe it was just from being close to a stranger, owing them nothing and yet letting yourself feel everything, but her heart started beating a little bit faster. It was a strange mix of feelings, one that even included a... burning sensation on her leg?

— Ow! — she jumped back, looking down to see what had happened.

— Sorry. — Sorin retracted his hand, which he had let gently brush over her skin, and gave her enough time to see: a small flame was coming from it. Alina held her breath and looked back up at him, startled.

— You're not human.