The Bad Boy And The Mermaid

Hunter

Leslie was barking and growling non-stop when he saw Adrian walk inside the apartment. He literally bared his teeth and growled which was so unusual for Les. He was the friendliest dog I knew, never making a big fuss over the guests. I’d always wondered if Les would casually hand my wallet over to a burglar if he brought his favorite snacks.

“Leslie....Adrian is my friend.” Blue cooed as she kneeled down to pet him.

The stupid dog padded over to brush his cute little wet nose at Blue. She looked at Adrian. “Isn’t he just so cute?”

“Yeah.” Adrian replied.

He joined Blue on the floor; his hand raised towards the animal, an open invitation to the dog growling at him. “Come here...I won’t hurt you.”

Leslie continued to growl. “It’s okay, Les, he won’t steal anything from the house.” I assured the dog.

Adrian threw me a look. “Merfolk never steal anything from anyone.”

Yeah, like you aren’t trying to steal my girlfriend right now.

Heck if I let that happen.

I faked a cough, “Point taken.”

It seemed like no matter how much unfriendly Les was being, Adrian wasn’t going to give up. He kept his hand raised towards him. Slowly Les walked to him and licked a bit of his hand, Adrian took that opportunity to pet him on the head and just like that they were friends. Adrian grinned as Les stared at him and I realized they were doing the same weird communication thing.

“See. I told you. He’s a sweet doggie.” Blue said proudly. “Les and I sometimes bathe together and he lets me shampoo him. And I feed him too, a total of four times a day and guess what...” Blue rambled on excitedly. She totally resembled a kid who was telling her classmate about her very first trip at the zoo.

Maybe...that was exactly what Blue thought this was. Maybe she found this amusing, and I was just another fascinating creature for her. A human.

I imaged Blue growing old and telling her dozens of children a very interesting story. All her children had either golden hair (like Adrian’s) or blue like hers. And she said, ‘My little ones, did you know that when I was young, I went to the land and met this really foolish human boy who fell in love with me. It was hilarious because I really made a total idiot out of him, right, Ade, honey?’

I shook the thoughts away, but I couldn’t ignore how she was acting with him, constantly smiling and giggling. How selfish of me to want to be on the receiving end of those smiles and giggles. My hands were balled into fists but I counted back from ten and slowly the anger began dissipating.

I had to be confident that Blue would choose me over him. Then again, choosing me would mean leaving her world for good. How could I ever make such a selfish request just because I couldn’t let her go? Wouldn’t it be so much easier on her to listen to Adrian, forget about coming here, forget about me and marry Adrian the way her family had planned?

“What is that on your hand?” Adrian was making his way towards me and before I could roll down my shirt sleeves he got hold of my wrist and turned it.

His eyes went wide when he saw it. He saw the red markings that had appeared a few nights ago just below my wrist. I pulled my arm away abruptly. Adrian looked at me and then glared at Blue. “What the hell did you do?”

How had this gone from zero to hundred real quick?

Blue looked between me and Adrian. “What now?”

I hadn’t told her about this because I didn’t want her to worry.

Adrian looked like he could use a bag of ice to cool his head. He was completely scandalized. “You branded him!” He said through gritted teeth.

“She what?” I asked, baffled.

He caught my hand and showed me the red markings that resembled a mermaid’s tail. He traced his finger over it. “This is a mark of a mermaid. Do you know what she’s done to you?”

Blue had miraculously stopped chattering and was looking a bit guilty and avoiding eye-contact. The question was, why?

“What has she done?” I inquired.

“She’s marked you as her own!” Adrian bellowed, as if that was even a bad thing.

Blue had marked me as her own.

Hallelujah!

Maybe I should open that bottle of champagne.

“I don’t know what gibberish you’re talking about. Yes, she said she loved me, and I don’t understand how that is even a problem.”

Adrian yelled something to Blue in a different language sounding like greek. Blue responded with silence.

“Do you know what this mark means?” he asked.

my head. “I don’t

do it on purpose.”

I talk to you

letting what Adrian said get

anything. She wasn’t meeting my gaze and that was proof enough that

your business.” Blue

it is. You’re going to

him from completing his sentence. He placed a

She won’t be here to listen

a job in the

have said a

I did.” Blue snapped. “Again, none

Feisty.

before, and I kind of liked it. Had to admit that she looked downright adorable when she was angry and all I wanted to do was pull her against me and kiss her until all the anger and

“You’ve changed.” Adrian said.

the wardrobe we shared, and pulled out some clothes. Grasping the clothes close to her chest she said, “yes

walking into the bathroom and slamming the door hard behind

settled into the bean bag.

* * *

club, it wasn’t very safe even with Phoenix keeping an eye on her. And I did not trust Alec to keep his hands to himself, what

the balls

leave the car but I locked the door. I touched her soft cheek and leaned in to kiss her. I kissed her mouth open, and my

to distract me from saying what was on my mind. Her fingers flew to my jeans

what

and whatever that he’s about to tell

promise?” She asked

“I promise you.”

never told you about it before.” She apologized. “I was scared about your reaction. I still don’t think that

get it over with. I’ll hear what he has to say and let me be

door for her. She opened the door of the car and

* * *

when I

are you saying?” I

out of his face, “You’re going against nature, you know that right? Mermaids and humans are not meant to be together, and

remember she mentioned the sin part.” I said. “Look,

mermaid marks a human as her own, which Blue has already done by telling you that she loved you. But as you

“What do you mean?”

the mark completes its circle, that would mean you can’t undo it and you’ll

I stop from the circle from

ocean.” He said simply. “Tell her you don’t

I’ll do that. I prefer dying over telling

is tied to hers.” He paused as if he couldn’t imagine of such a thing happening. “If you die, Hunter Brantley, she suffers

“What?”

the circle completes than she’s chosen her soulmate, but you’re a mortal and human lives are very delicate and short. God forbid

that didn’t mean that

a case with one of the other merfolk in our community. The merman fell in love with a woman on land. He almost

happened after that?” I

mark by wiping her memories of him and by

that, I’m sure he didn’t love her

was in danger and he decided that he would rather take away her memories and let her live her life than watch her die. It was painful for him but he let the woman go. She married a human

that’s fucking

said, “Blue is being stubborn, I’m sure she doesn’t even love you but she’s in love with the idea of falling in love with a human. Do

that

at me as just a

couldn’t help myself. “Yeah, she’s stubborn to a fault.” We were actually bonding over our affection over Blue. “If she’s curious about something she doesn’t let it go until finds

called here? The love making humans do. Did

bright red. “Nah, man.

it means it’s not simple?” He

start the sex-Ed speech again. Maybe the mermaids could join a sex-ed classes with me just in case they decided to try the most

later. You can have a