Dating A Mermaid 4l5m30

Sun, sea, and sex.

It’s the perfect holiday combo for fun-loving mermaid, Zarya, so when a semiconscious Adonis almost drowns, she can’t resist saving him. Finding the rare merman would be quite a catch—if only Zarya hadn’t vowed to never get reeled in by one of her kind.

For Cornish boat tour guide Taran Stone, being rescued by a naked goddess is kind of humiliating and sexy as hell too. When he wakes on the beach, and she kisses him, he thinks his run of bad luck is about to change. Until she claims she’s a mermaid. Even more farfetched, she insists he’s a merman.

Despite Taran’s reluctance to believe, their attraction soon shifts towards something magical, but faced with Zarya’s dictatorial mother, Taran’s manipulative Fae boss, and the fate of the merfolk in their hands, will their love weather the storm?

DATING AN MERMAID Love Bites: A Dating Agency for Paranormals, #5 Abbey MacMunn

Published by Tirgearr Publishing

Author Copyright 2021 Abbey MacMunn Cover Art: Cora Graphics (www.coragraphics.it) Editor: Lucy Felthouse Proofreader: Sharon Pickrel

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This story is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, incidents are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to my beta reader, Becky, and to Yvonne Marjot, who suggested the name Taran.

DATING AN MERMAID Love Bites: A Dating Agency for Paranormals, #5 Abbey MacMunn

Chapter One

Help me! Zarya flicked her powerful tail and slowed her pace. The pod of bottlenose dolphins swam ahead, diving deeper into the ocean. Their speed, while impressive, was no match for hers. She smiled. How could she have forgotten the sheer joy it was to swim with them? HELP! There it was again, the voice inside her head ruining her fun. Her smile disappeared. It had been a while since she’d allowed the lure of the ocean to enter her soul, but despite the annoying voice, she was glad she’d come now. Her witchy friend had been right when she’d insisted, ‘A couple of days down in Cornwall will be great, you’ll see. Sun, sea, and sex—what more could you ask for?’ She’d been surprised since Harper rarely took a break from running Love Bites, her dating agency for supernaturals. Business was booming, they had new clients g up from around the world, and Zarya was more than happy to help her friend/boss with the bookkeeping side of things—the reason she hadn’t succumbed to her mermaid form in months. But now she was here, swimming in the warm waters a few miles off the coast, she welcomed the tranquillity the ocean always evoked. Granted, being in the sea reminded her of her duties as an ocean priestess—duties her mother would not let her forget: abide by her law but mainly procreate—but she refused to dwell. Help… The voice was weaker now.

She swished her tail in annoyance. Help who? Then she felt it, the unmistakable tingle along her spine, the quiver in her dorsal fin. The inherent sense of another of her kind nearby. Surely her mother hadn’t found her already. Zarya spun around, searching the murky depths. Her nictitating membrane, like a translucent third eyelid, allowed her eyes to focus underwater. There, to her left, a shadowy figure. Not her sea witch of a mother, though, thankfully. No, the figure was a man. A man sinking deeper into the ocean. Drowning. She glanced upwards to the ocean’s surface. No sign of a boat. She searched the olive-green waters again. No sign of another mermaid anywhere either. So why was her sensor going haywire? With a twist of her tail, she swam a little nearer to the human figure, her mother’s words echoing inside her head. ‘Don’t ever let the humans see you, no matter how much you think they have the right to know of our existence.’ She’d offered her a gold doubloon she found in a shipwreck as if a trinket would change her mind. ‘Have you any idea what the humans would do if they knew merfolk existed?’ Yeah, she knew all right. She’d watched Splash a hundred times, one of her favourite movies, but the humans only acted that way out of fear. If they knew all manner of supernatural creatures had been living in their world since the beginning of time, maybe they’d accept them. After all, most supernatural beings were harmless. Most. Zarya focused. The lone figure sank deeper. To hell with Mother’s warning—she had to save him. The closer she swam towards him, the more certain the sensation along her spine

was. He wasn’t human. The guy drowning had to be a merman. Not that she’d ever met one, not even her father. The few remaining mermen were an elusive lot, preferring to stay away from the pods, only appearing when they had a desire to take a mate or two. In fact, as many mates as they wanted, since the decline in merfolk had left mermaids outnumbering mermen by at least a thousand to one. Now she was close enough to see his face, she noticed his eyes were shut. A solitary bubble escaped from his mouth and headed for the surface. He sank deeper still. Zarya dove, swishing her tail to disrupt the water in the hope of waking him. Which the coral reef is he playing at? She circled him, checking for injuries. Nothing obvious. Impressive body though, large and muscular, from what she could make out with his clothes clinging to his skin. Why is he wearing clothes in the water? More to the point, why in the name of Neptune was he not breathing underwater? She hooked her arms under his, stopping his descent. Please don’t be dead. She shook him, and he murmured. Another bubble escaped from his nose. Not dead then. Yet. Wake up! she urged, utilizing her telepathic abilities, another thing she hadn’t used in a while. Nothing. She shook him again. Long, fair hair swirled around his face.

Still nothing. Zarya smirked. The poor, defenceless, insanely handsome merman needed her help. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it. She curved her tail around his legs, cupped his face in both hands, and kissed him. Not a frantic, get-your-clothes-off-this-second kind of kiss—although if the opportunity arose, she wouldn’t say no—this was more of a kiss of life. Not remotely sensual or sexy as she breathed into his mouth. Hmm, soft lips… Breathe, you dumb guppy. She might have been fooled at first with his human impression, but surely his merman senses would pick up the telepathy. His eyelids flickered then opened. To her surprise, sheer terror swept across his features. He emitted a garbled yell, which resulted in him gulping in water. His arms flayed in all directions as once again he behaved very much like a drowning human. He squirmed even more, wriggled his legs free from her tail, and brought his knee up, which made with her belly and winded her for a second. She let go of him as he kicked and thrashed more, attempting to swim his way to the surface. He didn’t make it far before he tried to take a breath like a human and swallowed half the ocean instead. What’s wrong with him? Has he forgotten how to breathe underwater? His eyes bulged as he swallowed more water. She swam to him, wrapped her arm around his waist, and, using her powerful tail, propelled him to the surface, totally deserving a treasure chest full of jewels for helping him—not that jewels had ever interested her. When she reached the surface, the sun beamed down on her face, unusually hot for June. A quick scan of the surrounding ocean confirmed no yachts or boats in sight.

She shook the infuriating merman again. “Breathe,” she urged, this time speaking out loud. Gazing at his mouth, she had a desire to feel those soft lips on hers again. He gulped and gasped again, this time taking in air, coughing, and spluttering. She helped him keep his head above the surface until he regained enough sense to tread water, still confused as to why he hadn’t morphed his legs into his tail. “Wh… where am I?” He spun around in the water, searching the horizon. “Andrea? Where’s Andrea?” Disappointment niggled more than it should. Maybe she was the dumb guppy, thinking for one second someone as gorgeous as him would not already have a mate—probably three or four. She banished the thought before it took hold. Why should she care if he had a mate or not? It wasn’t as if she couldn’t get any man, merman or otherwise, she wanted—on a purely casual basis only, of course. She certainly did not want a mate, and especially not a merman, because that would mean Mother had won. “Oh God, I have to find her.” He coughed again. “Who are you?” he asked as though he’d only now noticed she was there. Charming. “I’m the idiot who saved your arse from drowning,” she said, her tone flippant. “You’re welcome, by the way.” Nice arse, though. Confusion crossed his features. “I… I must have hit my head or something. Did you… did we… kiss…?” He looked up at the cloudless sky and spun around, searching the seascape. “Err, I think the coast is that way,” he said, pointing to the east. “Can you make it back?” Zarya frowned. “Of course I can.” She flipped her tail out of the water and splashed him. His eyes widened as he backed away from her, treading water frantically. “What the hell is that?” Zarya had always been proud of her tail, powerful and luminescent pearl-grey,

and she could change its colours too, turquoise, teal, navy, the colours of the ocean, but she didn’t appear to be making a good impression on him. Why did he look so shocked? “Wait… am I dreaming?” He peered into the sea, frowning. His breathing was laboured, and he appeared to be struggling to keep his head above the water. “Are you… are you a mermaid?” “No shit, Einstein. They’ll be handing out the secret location of Davy Jones’ locker for that observation,” she told him, now in full-on sarcastic mode. “What gave it away? The tail, or the fact we’re miles from the coast with no sign of a boat anywhere?” He shook his head, the denial and disbelief in his eyes as clear as the cornflowerblue sky above. “Damn! Andrea. I have to find her.” This Andrea chick again. Whoever she was, mermaid or human, she needed her head read if she’d left this Adonis in the confused state he was in. Zarya already hated her. “I have to find her… She’ll kill me…” The merman’s eyes rolled back, and he ed out, sinking into the ocean once again. May Neptune have mercy on her soul. If her mother didn’t thank her for this, she’d never please her. Zarya looped her arm around his waist, and, keeping his head above the water, she swam towards the coast. Her newfound dolphin friends returned, no doubt sensing her distress, and the merman’s too. One dolphin with a scar on his dorsal fin helped her take the merman’s weight. Even with her speed and the dolphins’ help, the guy was dead heavy, and it took Zarya a fair while before she spotted the craggy coastline ahead. He might be insanely handsome with striking turquoise eyes that called to mind a paradisiacal ocean, but he was still a dumb guppy. For the life of her, Zarya had no idea why she hadn’t let the guy get himself out of trouble. Finally, her tail fluke brushed the soft sand of a cove surrounded on either side

by craggy rocks that led upwards to a tree-lined cliff face. She checked for signs of humans walking along the coastal path winding between the foliage. All clear. Zarya waved to the dolphins amid their delighted clicking and whistling sounds as they swam back out to deeper waters. In less than three seconds, she compelled her tail to become legs. Digging her feet into the sand, she attempted to drag the exhausted, semiconscious merman onto land. He was heavy in the water, but on land, the muscular guy weighed a ton. With an unladylike grunt, she heaved him clear of the water and collapsed on the sand beside him. Zarya took a few moments to catch her breath. It was late afternoon and the sun’s rays—still warm for this time of year—caressed her bare skin. With the merman asleep beside her, she told herself the right thing to do would be to stay with him to make sure he was okay. And besides, there was no harm in topping up her tan while she waited, right? She closed her eyes and soon drifted off to sleep. A distant rumble of thunder woke her. A cool breeze tickled her skin. The low sun hovered above the horizon like a giant orange orb. Zarya turned to the merman and gawped, in awe of his beauty. He was still sleeping, or maybe he was unconscious. Either way, it gave her a chance to ire him. A strong jawline, clean-shaven, with chiselled cheekbones that would make any model envious, and yet he retained a certain boyish charm she’d always had a weakness for. Dirty blond hair framed his tanned face. Several wavy strands were bleached lighter from the sun like a stereotypical surfer dude, except merfolk didn’t need to surf. They could ride the waves like dolphins, but much faster. She noted the hair on his forearms, the sun glistening on the fair hairs like spun

gold. Blond. Different. She didn’t usually go for blonds. She normally couldn’t resist tall, dark, and handsome, an alpha male type too, someone who could keep up with her. Bonus points if they knew how to pleasure a woman, which not many did in her experience. Unashamedly, she ired every part of his large frame. One canvas deck shoe was missing, most probably at the bottom of the ocean. He wore beige cargo shorts and a T-shirt with Beaumont Marine Tours embroidered on the front, its cotton fabric almost dry. Shame, she’d rather enjoyed the way the fabric had clung to his torso in the water. Hesitantly, she brushed a curl from his brow and removed a piece of shingle from his cheek, her touch feather-like lest she wake this exquisite and intriguing Adonis. In a flash, his eyes opened, and he grabbed her wrist, startling her. The merman’s gaze swept over her from head to toe, inciting a delicious shiver across her skin. His eyes widened, and he let go of her hand before scrambling across the sand. “You’re… you’re naked.” He averted his eyes, leapt to his feet, and turned away from her. Zarya raised an eyebrow. Typical man. He’d almost drowned—although how that happened still baffled her—and the first thing he noticed was her nakedness. Except he wasn’t a man, not a human anyway, even though he was doing a good impression of one, acting all flustered and kind of cute, as if he’d never seen anyone naked before. Is he a virgin? Could be interesting, but she preferred her men to know what they were doing in the bedroom, or anywhere else come to think of it; in the kitchen, outside, on a beach… She pushed her errant thoughts to one side and focused. He was a merman; nakedness shouldn’t bother him. Zarya stood. She was on the tall side herself, but he towered above her. She took

in his giant shoulders, the way his T-shirt stretched across the muscles on his back, noting the curve of his spine, downwards to his shorts, his backside. Yep, the finest butt I’ve ever seen. Zarya licked her lips, ignoring the image inside her head of what his naked butt might look like. “Are you all right?” she asked. “I’m not sure.” He raked his fingers through his tousled hair, still not facing her. Hmm, now she imagined doing that herself… maybe tugging at his mane as he buried his face in her neck and made mad ionate love to her. She placed a hand on his shoulder. He flinched. All erotic thoughts evaporated in favour of an intolerance that took her by surprise. She pursed her lips. She was an attractive woman. She could enchant any man with her siren’s song if she chose, so why was he behaving like he couldn’t stand the sight of her? More to the point, why did she want him to be attracted to her? “What the hell were you playing at, nearly drowning yourself and forcing me to rescue you?” she snapped. “I was having fun swimming with my dolphin friends and—” “Forcing you to rescue me?” he interrupted, his tone incredulous as he spun around. His gaze flitted downwards. Maybe he did find her attractive. To her confusion and amusement, he took off his T-shirt and held it out to her. “Put this on, would you? How am I supposed to have a conversation with you standing there…” he swallowed, “err, when you have no clothes on?” Zarya purposely flipped her long hair over her shoulder to give him an uncovered view of her breasts while she took in his golden-tanned torso, shaped pecs, and magnificent six-pack abs. Oh boy, he looked like he’d been sculpted by Neptune himself. The guy tilted his chin in a cocky slant. A sexy grin toyed with full, well-defined lips. “Quite finished iring the view, have we?” he asked, his voice deep and

gravelly. Hmm, not a virgin. “No, I could ire all day, thanks. Anyway, I’m only returning the appreciation.” His grin widened. “Put the T-shirt on. Please.” Her gaze met his as she took the tee. She couldn’t the last time a guy had asked her to put clothes on. If ever. Heat spread between her thighs. Okay, she could play this game. Zarya slipped the T-shirt over her head. The scent of the sea mingled with a hint of masculine soap. The tee was slightly damp but warm, and although big, it barely covered the cheeks of her backside. She gave him a sexy wiggle. “There, better?” He eyed her up and down, his gaze intense and desirous. “Hmm, that’s debatable.” Zarya stepped closer to him. She sought his mouth; those lips made for sin. The thought of using her siren’s song to make him succumb to her never crossed her mind. She inched closer and brushed her lips across his, her move hesitant, for the first time in her life uncertain of her ability to make any guy she chose weak at the knees. Instead, it was her knees that buckled. Throwing caution to the wind, she looped her hands around the nape of his neck and kissed him again. A proper kiss this time, not the save-his-sexy-butt-from-drowning kind, a kiss full of ion, of eagerness to know every part of him. He gasped, but his soft lips responded, so much better than the last time she touched them. A few seconds of the most magical, captivating embrace she’d ever experienced. Then he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away.

Chapter Two

I have to be dreaming. Or hallucinating. Taran Stone cupped her shoulders. Her skin was soft and cool like marble. This couldn’t be real. She couldn’t be real. Whoever she was. It didn’t make sense. He’d always been a strong swimmer. Getting rescued by a goddess was humiliating… and kind of erotic, too. Correction: naked goddess, because he couldn’t get that delicious image out of his head, and now she was somehow managing to look even sexier wearing his T-shirt. Almond-shaped eyes framed by thick lashes blinked up at him. A slight frown crinkled her brow. He shouldn’t have let her kiss him. He didn’t even know her name, let alone how they’d made it back to shore. His mind was in turmoil, the events which led to him almost drowning a blur. He searched her face, yearning to know the answers, but all he could think of was the desire to taste her lips again. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured. In a swift move, he snaked his arm around her waist, crushed her body to his, and kissed her, his embrace needy and frantic. She moulded her svelte frame to his and gyrated her hips. Her heat rubbed against him. His cock twitched. With his other hand, he cupped the back of her neck, fisted a handful of her hair and tugged. To his delight, she responded with a sexy giggle. “You like to be in charge, do you?” she said, her voice a throaty rasp. “Only sometimes.” Taran deepened the kiss, then pulled back a fraction, his morals niggling at his conscience. “This is crazy…” he breathed between kisses, “I don’t even know your name…”

“It’s Zarya.” She pressed her breasts against his bare chest, her nipples erect through the thin cotton. “Now shut up and kiss me, you gorgeous merman.” Merman? What the hell? “Taran Stone!” yelled a woman’s voice from somewhere behind him. “Where the bloody hell have you been?” Taran’s eyes widened. He’d know that voice anywhere. He let go of the goddess, half expecting her to dissipate into the air, a figment of his wishful imagination. “Andrea. Fuck.” Zarya’s lips, which a second earlier had sent him crazy with desire, now pressed together in a hard line. “Andrea?” She eyed his boss up and down. “She’s the woman you had to find?” Andrea stormed towards them, her high heels flicking the sand behind her. How she managed to walk in those shoes and still look elegant was beyond him, especially on the uneven shoreline, but he had more pressing matters to worry about. He was in serious trouble now. His boss offered Zarya a ing glance that revealed more than a hint of disdain. She faced him, hands on her hips. “Where the fuck is my boat?” she demanded. The Shih Tzu she carried around in her handbag yapped. It was coming back to him now. Sort of. “I… I can explain…” he mumbled, hating his impression of a pathetic schoolboy. Only now did he realise he was missing a shoe as his toes dug into the sand. “To hell with this.” Zarya flicked her wrist in a dismissive gesture. The numerous shell bracelets she wore clicked and tapped together. She turned on her heel and headed for the ocean, his T-shirt barely covering her arse cheeks. A strange sensation tugged at his spine, an instinctive pull that both confused the hell out of him and enthralled him, one he could not ignore. He’d felt it in the water too, or he thought he had. “Wait, come back…” He went to follow her, but Andrea stepped in front of him, folding her arms across her chest. “Well? I’m waiting. Where’s my boat?”

Taran craned his neck and searched the beach, the sea too, but she was gone. The enchanting goddess had gone. Did I imagine the whole thing? The… tail? He focused, trying to piece together what happened, even before that incredible kiss. An image flashed to the forefront of his mind. That wasn’t the first time she’d kissed him. Then he ed. Maybe not clearly, though, because, for some weird reason, he imagined he’d called her a mermaid. Geez, how much did I have to drink? He rubbed his temples. “I’m sure the Andrea is fine. The stag party crowd got overexcited, that’s all. We were having a laugh, there was a lot of booze, and they thought it would be funny to throw me overboard.” “You’re the skipper. I don’t pay you to get drunk.” Ouch. He deserved that one. He considered himself duly told off. Hell, what if she sacked him? “Sorry. I didn’t expect them to know how to steer the Andrea, let alone leave me stranded in the sea. Miles from the coast, I might add.” He could play the victim, couldn’t he? “If it hadn’t been for Zarya, I would have drowned.” Zarya. An unusual, enchanting name, like its owner. Andrea snorted. “Who? The tart wearing your T-shirt, or should I say my Tshirt? Don’t bullshit me, Taran. How could you do that to me?” He exhaled a heavy sigh. Paying his boss back for any damage the Andrea might have would break into his savings. What little he’d managed to save was whittling away like the sands in a timer, his hopes for making a decent future for himself a distant, ever-shifting dream. He didn’t even want to think what would happen if the stag-do crowd didn’t return the boat. At this rate, he’d be tied to Andrea ‘the dragon’ Beaumont for the rest of his life. That’s exactly what she wanted, too. Granted, he’d thought her attractive in an

independent woman sort of way—they’d even had sex once—but dating his boss was never going to work. How could it when all she wanted was a hen-pecked husband who succumbed to her every whim? He was his own man. His childhood left its scars, but it had made him more determined to make his own way in the world, and if that meant working for Andrea until he’d saved enough money to better himself, that’s what he would do. He had to face it. Andrea owned him. For now. Andrea shook her head. A smile formed across her garish, fuchsia-pink lips. “What am I going to do with you, Taran?” she said, her tone softer now, reminding him of an ever-patient mother. “Come on, let’s get you home.” Taran headed towards the rocks that led to a stepped pathway snaking between the trees. What were the chances he would wake up in the craggy inlet right next to his cottage? Did Zarya somehow know where he lived? Maybe he’d told her. He couldn’t . “Once you’ve showered,” Andrea continued, “I’ll lend you the little orange thing, and you can search for my boat.” Taran bit down on his molars. The woman didn’t know the difference between a dinghy and an ocean liner. He looked towards the setting sun, the burnt orange semi-circle disappearing into the ocean. Thunderclouds loomed across the darkening sky. “It’ll be dark soon, and there’s a storm brewing. There’s no point trying to find her tonight.” Not without a tracker—he’d advised her to get one fitted, but she hadn’t. “I’ll look at first light tomorrow. I promise.” She pursed her lips. “Okay, but you’d better find it.” It annoyed him how she always referred to a boat as an ‘it’ and not a ‘she’ or a ‘her,’ too. “You could try ing the clients from the stag do,” he suggested. Andrea followed him up the steps that wound through the foliage and trees. “That’s your job, not mine. And if there’s any damage to my boat, it will be coming out of your wages.” Geez, at this rate, he’d be the oldest student at university, still studying marine

biology in his nineties, his poor lungs too weak to dive, too old to live his dream of exploring the ocean. Taran trod on something with his bare foot and winced. For fuck’s sake. Could his day get any worse? Made to look like a fool by a stag-do crowd, suffered the embarrassment of being saved from drowning, and now he’d lost one of his favourite shoes. The only good thing that happened was a kiss from a goddess. He glanced out to sea again, but she was long gone. How had she managed to swim out of sight so quickly? What was she, an Olympic swimmer? “What’s the matter?” Andrea asked. He leaned against a tree and examined his foot. “I think I have a splinter. I must have lost my shoe in the sea.” Andrea’s fleeting glance showed no interest. “Good. I hated those shoes.” “I liked them. They were comfy,” he told her, but he had to it they’d seen better days. She rolled her eyes. “If you’re going to insist on wearing God-awful deck shoes, at least buy some designer ones.” “Why would I do that? A shoe is a shoe, isn’t it?” “No, it is not,” she said indignantly. Not wanting to get into a conversation about something he had no interest in, Taran continued up the pathway, taking care where he trod this time. Andrea’s nasally voice droned on behind him. “If I’ve ruined my Jimmy Choos by traipsing across the sand to find you, you’ll owe me for those too.” Taran pressed his lips. The sooner he was back home in the peace and quiet, the better. He turned around and flashed his best charming smile at his boss. “Andrea, you didn’t traipse, you looked as elegant as ever, and you know it.” “Flattery will get you nowhere, Taran Stone.” Her lips curled upwards,

suggesting the opposite. He took her hand and helped her up a particularly high step. “How about I cook you dinner by way of an apology for temporarily losing the Andrea?” It was the least he could do, and he’d do anything to keep his job, but he hoped she would say no. “I have a homemade tuna pasta bake in the freezer. It won’t take long to heat up—” Andrea’s face twisted in disgust. “No offence, but I think I’ll give it a miss. I hate fish.” His plan had worked better than he’d hoped. How anyone could not like fish was beyond him—he could eat fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and never tire of it. “Oh, that’s a shame. Another time?” Might as well try to keep her sweet. That way, if the Andrea was damaged, his boss might not get so mad, and he could keep his job. Provided he could find the Lochin 33, of course, but the only thing he wanted to find right now was the beauty who’d disappeared into the ocean like a mystical mermaid. Mermaid? Seriously? Thing was, supernatural creatures had always fascinated him—especially mermaids. The logical part of his brain said they didn’t exist, but the whimsical side was convinced there was more to this world than what he knew. Maybe it was partly the logical side. After all, ninety-five percent of the ocean remained undiscovered. Why wouldn’t there be all manner of magnificent creatures down there? Including mermaids. Is it wrong to be a little aroused right now? Correction: his cock was going rock hard. Andrea cupped his jaw, bringing him out of his fantasies. “Are you okay, Taran, my darling? You seem distracted. If it means that much to you, I’ll have dinner with you tomorrow night. As long as it’s not fish,” she added with a grin. “No, it’s not that.” Taran removed her hand and patted it like a friend would do. Best not to give her ideas their relationship could be more than boss and employee now—that one-off mistake was bad enough. “Did you hit your head when you fell out of the boat?”

“I’m not sure, to be honest.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose. He had to tell someone, or he’d think himself insane. “I saw something… weird. At least I think I did.” “When?” “When I was in the water. I nearly drowned, Andrea.” Her features showed what appeared to be concern, a first for her. “My poor Taran. Perhaps we should call a doctor?” “No, I’m fine.” “I don’t understand how you could almost drown. You’re the strongest swimmer I know.” “I was miles away from the coast, and I’d been swimming for hours. I must have been exhausted and ed out. I guess I was hallucinating, too, after what I thought I saw.” “What do you think you saw?” “Don’t laugh, but I thought I saw a mermaid.” Andrea’s mocking laughter grated on his nerves. “A mermaid? Have you any idea how crazy you sound? Maybe you did hit your head after all.” “Things are still a bit fuzzy,” he confessed. “They must be because I swear the mermaid turned into Zarya.” Andrea’s expression hardened. “The tart? Are you sure she wasn’t taking advantage of your confused state of mind?” “I don’t know.” If that kiss was Zarya taking advantage of him, he had no complaints. “You don’t know,” his boss repeated, her tone dripping with contempt. “Snap out of your pathetic fantasy world, Taran. Mermaids aren’t real, never have been.” Then why did he suddenly believe they were? “But I know what I saw—”

“Think you saw,” she interrupted, her eyes narrowed. “First you don’t know, and then you do. Which is it?” He couldn’t answer his boss, but one thing was certain, he had to find Zarya. Somehow. Taran took the last of the steps two at a time and headed along the path, never more grateful to see the rundown cottage nestled amongst the trees, his home of sorts. He needed an ice-cold beer and time to process what happened. “Look, Andrea, I’m sorry about your boat, but it’s been a weird kind of day, and I’m beat.” “Weird because you’re still insisting you saw a mythical creature that can’t possibly exist?” Sarcasm made Andrea’s usually attractive features ugly, and it seemed she wasn’t finished with her moaning yet. “If you continue with this ridiculous notion, you can say goodbye to your job.” And there it was. She had him by the short and curlies, and there was nothing he could do about it. “You can’t do that, Andrea.” “I can, and I will. You know how it pains me to play the big, bad boss, but if you tell anyone you saw a mermaid, they’ll think you’ve gone mad. What tourist in their right mind would book a boat tour with a crazy skipper?” She had a point. Maybe he was crazy. He regarded her, going over his options. What options? “I suggest you think carefully, Taran.” Taran opened his front door. “I’m sorry.” He offered a weak smile. “Forget what I said. Of course, mermaids aren’t real. I’m sorry for everything, okay?” What else could he say? Andrea’s shoulders dipped, and she expelled a long sigh. “I know you are.” She touched his arm. “You know I am here for you, Taran. I helped you when you

were a mess, don’t forget that.” How could he forget when she kept reminding him? Anger bubbled inside. “I gave you a job when you were virtually living on the streets,” she carried on, “and I let you live here.” She gestured to the cottage that was so rundown no one else would even consider renting it off her. “Which I pay rent for,” he replied through gritted teeth. “And I pay your wages.” “Which I work hard for.” “Without a job, you’d be back on the streets again.” His mouth dropped open. Surely she wouldn’t stoop so low as to throw him out? Any sympathy he imagined she held for him vanished in an instant, replaced by a stony expression that implied she would. “Without me, you’d have nothing,” she shouted. Her little dog poked his head out of her handbag, bared his teeth, and growled. “And without me, your business would go down the pan,” he yelled back. “I’m the best skipper you’ve got. No one brings in more business than I do, and you know it.” Touché. To hell with trying to keep her sweet. He’d had enough of her constantly belittling him. “Apparently not, since you seem to have lost my boat.” He glared at her. This was getting them nowhere. “I said I’d find her, and I will. In the morning.” He needed a beer more than ever now. The woman would try the patience of a saint. “Find it, and I’ll consider not sacking you.” Andrea peered inside the cottage and tutted. The front door led directly into his messy lounge. The kitchen, a few cupboards, a sink, an ancient oven, and a rusty fridge freezer rested along the back wall,

giving Andrea a full view of what ed as a roof over his head, albeit a leaky one. “And it wouldn’t hurt you to tidy my cottage once in a while.” What right did she have to tell him how to live? He ground his molars until pain mushroomed along his jaw, repeating the words inside his head; I need the job, and I need somewhere to live. “I’ll see you in the morning, Andrea,” he told her, his whole body aching with the stress she always brought on. Andrea regarded him for a moment. Then, to his surprise, she pecked his cheek. Her dog still growled. “Get some rest, Taran. Maybe you’ll be in a better frame of mind tomorrow.” Geez, the woman was giving him neck ache with her mood swings. “Okay, bye.” Finally, Andrea left via another path that led to the clearing where she’d parked her expensive car. Closing the door behind him, Taran breathed a sigh of relief and went to the kitchen. After fetching a beer from the fridge, he sat on his worn sofa, mulling over the day’s events. He downed the beer in a few minutes, relishing the ice-cold liquid as it slid down his throat. Taran stared at the label on the empty beer bottle as though the answers he sought would magically appear, but for the life of him, he couldn’t recall anything that happened today with absolute clarity. Maybe having another beer wasn’t the best idea—after all, drinking got him into this mess in the first place. One thing was certain, though. Zarya, her beautiful face, those almond-shaped eyes as clear in his mind as though she was sitting next to him. He had to have imagined the tail. What on earth had he been thinking, asking her if she was a mermaid? She must have thought he’d gone stark raving mad. Did he imagine she’d called him a dumb guppy, too? Wait, hadn’t she called him a gorgeous merman as well?

Taran shook his head in disbelief. Ridiculous. I am not a merman. Absolutely not. He recalled the way his spine tingled when she’d left him. A curious, exhilarating sensation, one he’d never experienced before, and somehow, it had given him a sense of… knowing? But knowing what seemed beyond his grasp right now. Had she somehow done that to him? Did he know her? Or did she know him and where he came from? Taran leapt up from the chair, his mind crystal clear on one fact now. He had to find Zarya.

Chapter Three

With a thrust of her tail, Zarya dove under the waves and headed for the sanctuary of deeper waters. Taran Stone. Taran Stone. Where had she heard that name before? She swam faster, bearing left so she could follow the coastline to the rocky inlet where she’d hidden her clothes. She tugged at the T-shirt he’d given her. The fabric stuck to her skin, weighing her down and disrupting her smooth, fast strokes. She had half a mind to remove it, let it sink to the seabed like she should have let Taran do, but something stopped her. She swore telepathically. Why should she care where she’d heard his name before? Taran and that Andrea chick were clearly an item, and Zarya might play the field a bit—okay, a lot—but one thing she was not in the habit of doing was stealing someone else’s guy. Even if said Adonis was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Man or merman. Why did it bother her that he didn’t know he was a merman, too? She dismissed the thought and peeked above the water’s surface. Rain pelted her hair, and the wind whipped at the waves. Thunder rumbled overhead, the temperature considerably cooler now, but the change in the weather meant she could sneak safely back to the little two-berth caravan where she was staying with Harper without being seen. Zarya collected her clothes from their hiding place, but for some reason, she stuffed them under her arm and left his T-shirt on instead. A short while later, she opened the caravan door and stepped inside. “About time,” Harper moaned. “A quick swim, you said.” “Yeah, I kind of got distracted.” Harper eyed her up and down. “So I see. Dinner’s ruined, by the way.”

“Sorry, Mum.” “Well, it is.” “Did you try to do magic again?” Zarya was no stranger to Harper’s magical disasters, like the time she accidentally turned an ex-boyfriend into a cockroach. To be fair, the lowlife deserved it after the way he treated her, but Harper had to ask for help from the coven to turn him back. “No, I ruined it on my own. No magic involved.” “That’s something, I suppose.” Zarya fidgeted on the spot. Dinner disasters and magical mishaps were the last things on her mind right now. If she didn’t tell someone what happened, she would burst. “Aren’t you going to ask me whose Tshirt this is?” Her friend grinned. “I know I said this holiday was going to be fun, but wearing some random guy’s T-shirt, who you could only have met this afternoon, is fast. Even for you, Zar.” “It’s not like that. This is different. Taran is different.” “Taran, eh?” Harper waggled her eyebrows. “At least you got this one’s name.” Her friend’s constant jibes over her male conquests didn’t usually bother her, but today it did. “Forget it,” she said, waving her arms in the air, her shell bracelets clacking together. “Forget I even mentioned him.” Zarya tried to march past, but Harper leapt up and blocked her path. “Hey, calm down. You know I’m only joking.” She sighed. “I know.” “Wow, this guy really got to you, didn’t he?” “Yes. No. I don’t know. Like I said, he’s different.” “Different how?” “He’s a merman.”

Harper’s jaw dropped. “A merman? But you said you’d never be interested in a merman because that would be what your mother wants.” “I know what I said.” She picked at an imaginary thread on the embroidered motif of Taran’s T-shirt. “Thing is, I saved him from drowning. He doesn’t know he’s a merman.” “How the heck can he not know? Wouldn’t the fishy tail give it away?” “Merfolk are not fish; we’re mammals,” Zarya corrected. “Anyway, when I found him, he was in his human form and unconscious. So… I kissed him.” Her friend’s mouth opened wider. “Wait, I need alcohol for this.” Harper raced to the kitchenette, grabbed two glasses and a bottle of prosecco. “Tell me all the juicy details.” “Not until I’ve had some food. I’m starving. Shifting always makes me hungry.” “I wasn’t lying when I said dinner was ruined. I burnt it to a crisp,” Harper confessed as she filled the two glasses. Zarya ed her in the kitchenette and opened the fridge. “A snack will do.” She spotted a packet of crabsticks and grabbed them. “Ah, perfect. Don’t suppose we have any popcorn to go with these?” Harper screwed up her nose. “Yuk. How you can eat crabsticks with popcorn is beyond me.” “You should try it. It’s delicious. Do we have any popcorn, or what?” “There’s a packet in the cupboard, but I’m fine with the prosecco, thanks.” Zarya found the ready-made popcorn and tore open the packet. She preferred the kind she made in the microwave, but after the day she’d had, this would have to do. She grabbed a handful and popped it into her mouth, following up with a tasty crabstick. Harper handed her a glass. “Better?” She nodded and took a sip.

“So, tell me about your merman, and don’t leave anything out.” Zarya ate another crabstick while she relayed her strange encounter with the intriguing Adonis. * * * The next morning, feeling a little worse for wear after she and Harper had polished off two bottles of prosecco between them, Zarya traipsed into the kitchenette and switched on the kettle. Coffee. She needed good, strong coffee after the restless sleep she’d had. Taran Stone. His name had filtered through her dreams, dreams of her with him. They were lovers, and Holy Mother of Neptune, he was a magnificent, skilled lover. Zarya fanned her face. Is it hot in here? She fetched two mugs from the cupboard and spooned in the coffee granules. “What’s up with you?” Harper asked as she ed her, rubbing her eyes. “Morning. Nothing’s up. Coffee?” “Please.” Harper squinted at her. “There is something wrong. I can sense these things.” She might have known she couldn’t keep it from her friend. “I had a weird dream.” She poured hot water into the mugs and handed one to Harper. “Let me guess. Your mystery merman, by any chance?” “He’s not my merman, but—” “But nothing. Judging by the colour of your cheeks, I’d hazard a guess it was an erotic dream.” “It was not,” she protested too quickly. A smirk formed. “Okay, it was, but that’s not the point.”

Harper grinned. “You wicked mermaid.” Maybe I’d like to have my wicked way with him. She sipped her coffee, burning her lip on the mug. “Whatever. The point is, I recognise his name from somewhere. It’s been bugging me all night.” “Maybe you’ve met him before.” “No, I’d him if I had.” “You’ll have to find out who he is, Zar. I know he’s with this Andrea woman— who sounds like a right bitch, by the way—but surely you can’t leave it like you did yesterday?” Zarya sighed, the sense of responsibility weighing heavy on her shoulders. “You’re right. I can’t. Weird dreams aside, and I hate to it it, but I’m dutybound to find out why he doesn’t know he’s a merman.” Harper plonked her empty mug on the counter. “Well then, hurry up and finish your coffee, and we’ll look for him.” She laughed at her friend’s enthusiasm. As if it would be that easy. “Whoa there, hold your seahorses, Harper. My head is pounding, and I need at least three coffees before I do anything. Plus, I wanted to do a bit of work this morning.” “Work? We’re supposed to be on holiday, ?” “Yeah, I know, but I have to chase up a few clients who haven’t paid their subscription fees. It won’t take long.” “And what about the merman who doesn’t know he’s a merman?” “Finding Taran Stone can wait. I’m sure that Andrea is more than capable of keeping him company.” “Do I detect a hint of jealousy?” “I don’t even know the guy. Why would I be jealous?” Harper fixed her with a disbelieving stare.

“Okay, maybe I am a bit jealous,” she confessed. “What’s wrong with me, Harper?” “Nothing. The guy obviously got under your skin. Or scales,” her friend added with a grin. “Funny—not. You know I don’t have scales.” She filled the kettle again and then made them another coffee. “Where’s your laptop?” “Over there,” Harper said, pointing to the small table set between two sofa-like seats covered in hideous, floral-patterned velour. Zarya grabbed her coffee mug and took the three steps to the table. She sat on the uncomfortable seat, opened the laptop, and logged into the section of Love Bites Dating Agency. Harper sat beside her. “You don’t have to do that.” “Yeah, I know, but I’m trying to keep my boss sweet.” She waggled her eyebrows at Harper. “You never know. She might give me a raise.” “Ha ha, now who thinks they’re funny? You know you’ve always been more than my employee, Zar.” Harper’s face turned serious. “Without your help when I started the business and couldn’t afford to pay you, Love Bites would never have got off the ground. If you need more money, you only have to ask.” “Hey there, boss lady, lighten up. We’re on holiday, ?” “Exactly why you should put the laptop away.” “No, it’s fine. I emailed a couple of clients the other day, and I wanted to see if they’ve replied.” She brought up the files on the screen. “And I was only kidding about the raise.” Money had never been on Zarya’s list of priorities. She had no need for material things in her life, and she considered herself lucky when Harper offered her a place to stay with her, rent-free in exchange for doing the bookkeeping for the dating agency. It was the least she could do when her friend fought so hard to make her business a success. Where else would she find a boss who had no problem with her disappearing for weeks at a time when duty called in the

ocean’s depths? Her train of thought came to an abrupt halt as she stared at the computer screen. She plonked her mug on the table, splashing the surface with coffee. “I knew I recognised his name from somewhere.”

Chapter Four

Zarya glared at the screen. “Taran bloody Stone.” “What’s the merman got to do with anything?” asked Harper, craning her neck to look at the laptop. Any thoughts Zarya might have had for Taran, erotic dreams or not, vanished in favour of anger. “You absolute snake!” she shouted at the laptop as though it could hear her. She turned the screen so Harper could see the she’d brought up. Her friend read the name and gasped. “Wait, what? That can’t be right. Taran Stone is one of our clients? Are you sure it’s the same one?” Zarya gritted her teeth. “We’ll soon find out.” She opened a window to the Love Bites website and clicked on his profile. Sure enough, a picture of Taran stared back at her. His boyish good looks set off a tingle between her legs. Stop it, Zarya. He’s a liar. “It’s him all right. Look.” Harper let out a wolf whistle. “Wow, he’s hot! Not that I like the surfer dude type, but he has that boyish charm you always go for.” Not the reaction from her friend she wanted. Her anger escalated. Not towards her friend, towards him, Taran Stone. “It doesn’t matter, Harper. He owes you money, and you pay me to do the bookkeeping and chase up late payments.” “Okay, so he owes me for a late subscription fee. He can’t be all that bad.” “He’s six months behind, but that’s not the worst part. His profile says he’s a werewolf. He’s a liar.” “Why would he lie about that?” Zarya harrumphed. “No idea. He most certainly is not a werewolf.”

“Well, you did say he didn’t know he was a merman.” “No, he’s definitely a merman,” Zarya told her. “My fins were quivering like a virgin on her wedding night.” Harper pulled a face. “Eww, whatever floats your boat and all that, but what nautical naughties you merfolk get up to on the seabed is none of my business.” “Urgh, enough with the watery puns,” Zarya said, rolling her eyes. “It’s nothing like that.” “Sorry, Damon’s corny jokes must be rubbing off on me. What did you mean then?” “Merfolk get a sensation when one of our kind is nearby. Like your witchy senses, I suppose.” “Oh, sorry. I thought… never mind what I thought.” Harper grinned, but Zarya wasn’t in the mood for jokes. Her friend peered at the laptop screen again. “What else does Taran’s profile say?” “If that’s even his real name, you mean,” she said, her tone loaded with sarcasm. “He lied about being a werewolf. What’s to stop him from making up a fake bio, too?” “Let me have a look.” Harper moved the laptop in front of her and read for a few moments. “Hmm, he’s had plenty of interest from women, but he hasn’t answered any of his messages by the look of it.” “They won’t be interested when they find out he’s a liar.” “I still don’t get why he would say he’s a werewolf,” Harper said, frowning. “Let me ring Jamie, and I’ll get her to ask her wolf man. With his connections in the southern pack, Grayson is bound to know him. Or if he doesn’t, he might know if there’s been a lone wolf hanging around these parts.” “He’s not a bloody werewolf.”

“Okay, okay. Calm down and humour me, would you?” Zarya stared at Taran’s profile picture while Harper fetched her phone and rang her employee, Jamie. She went into his again in the hope of finding his address. No luck. He’d put down Cornwall, England. Helpful—not. Harper returned. “That’s one thing eliminated. I sent Grayson a pic of your mystery man, and he said he’s not a werewolf.” She couldn’t resist a, “Told you. I looked up his address, but the snake didn’t put one down.” “I could do a locator spell?” Harper suggested. Zarya nearly choked on her coffee. “Err, thanks, but you should give that a miss. No offence, but your locator spell would probably strike him down with lightning.” The thought appealed for a split second. Harper stood with her hands on her hips. “Thanks for reminding me of my inadequate witch skills, but you have a point.” “Any time.” She chewed her lip, deep in thought. The guy might be a liar and a snake, and so maddeningly good looking he could charm open a clam, but she couldn’t ignore her goddamn duty to her mother, the high priestess—in other words, ocean law and order. “I know that look,” Harper said. “What are you planning?” “I have to find him.” “I know. We already established you have the hots for him.” “No, he lost any chance he might have had with me no matter how great a kisser he was. Plus, I would never tread on another woman’s toes.” She crossed her arms. “I do have three reasons why I have to find him, though. One, it’s my duty to tell him what he is. Two, demand why he would say he was a werewolf, and three, he owes the agency money, and since he’s ignored all of my invoices, maybe a personal visit is what he needs.” “How are we going to find him if we don’t have an address?”

“How hard can it be? I would assume he lives somewhere nearby since that Andrea chick was looking for him on the beach not far from here. We could take a walk along the coastal path and see if we can find anything.” “Who said anything about we?” Zarya jutted her jaw forwards. “He owes you money, and I intend to make him pay.” “Woe betide the wrath of an ocean priestess.” “Mermaid,” she corrected. She’d never liked the title, and having to do her duty by finding this errant merman was another reason to add to the list. Her mother already hated her for spending most of her life on land—Zarya only returned to the ocean when she had to. If Mother found out, she knew of a merman who could potentially breed a whole new pod of merfolk, and she hadn’t told her, her mother would never forgive her. “Okay, mermaid. Get dressed, and we’ll go this morning if it’s so important to you.” “It is, but not for the reasons you think. I told you, I’m not interested in people who lie.” Zarya stared at the picture on his profile again, a close-up of his face with an impish grin and windswept hair. In the background was what looked like part of a yacht. “Whatever you say, Zar.” She ignored Harper’s comment. “The yacht could be something to do with Beaumont Marine Tours, the name on the T-shirt. Hold on a sec.” She opened a new window and typed in the tour company name. Up it came, and she clicked on the website. Scrolling through, she spotted him. The same picture of Taran but taken from further away. More of the boat was visible in the picture, not enough to read the name, something starting with A, but Taran’s impressive physique was in full view. Next to the picture was a text box. She read it and snorted. “It says here his name is Taran Stone. At least he didn’t lie about his name.” “What else does it say?”

“Apparently, he’s one of the tour guides. He takes tourists out to see the marine life and such.” Harper leaned in to take a closer look. “He’s pretty good too, judging by the reviews.” “Hmm.” She scrolled further and read, ‘Follow Taran on Facebook.’ Zarya clicked on the button. “What are you doing?” “It won’t hurt to find out more about the guy before we pay him a visit. Maybe we can find out where he lives.” “He’s hardly going to put that on Facebook.” Her friend had a point, but she brought up his page anyway and scrolled the posts. Pictures of Taran on various boats, mainly with the sea or the rugged Cornish coast in the background. She continued to scroll. More pics; Taran having fun at a party, one of a tastylooking fish salad, and another with his arm around a cute little girl. Is that his daughter? What if he’s married to that Andrea chick? She hadn’t seen any pictures of them together, and his profile info said he was single, although he might not have updated it. It also said he worked for Beaumont Marine Tours, and he was a vocal coach for kids. Maybe the girl was one of his clients. To her surprise, relief washed over her. She was sure kids were great for other people, but bothersome little minnows were not on her agenda. Not when Mother insisted she had to produce at least six grandchildren, preferably merboys, viewing her as some kind of merbaby reproduction device. Her mother didn’t even like kids—she’d proved that by the distanced way she’d brought up Zarya and her sisters, prioritising her job over her family. It was no wonder Zarya didn’t care much for starting her own family. Out of nowhere, a vision filled her head of her and Taran strolling hand in hand on a beach. In front of them were two kids playing in the sand, a boy and a girl,

their hair blonde and tousled like Taran’s. As she watched, the girl looked up and called out to her. ‘Mummy, Mummy, look what I found.’ The girl opened her hand and showed her a small stone in the shape of a heart. What the coral reef…? Harper’s voice broke through her vision. “Are you okay?” Zarya blinked, her vision misty. “Huh, what?” She composed herself. “Sorry, zoned out.” “Dreaming of your hot merman, eh?” “No. And he’s not my merman.” Her reply came out far too snappish for her liking. She cleared her throat and clicked off his profile. What did the vision mean? Did she have a heart of stone? Was she ready to condemn the guy because of one lie and because he was late on a few payments? He hadn’t lied about his name, and considering the comments on the Facebook posts, he appeared to be a genuine, well-liked person. “Whatever you say.” “He’s not,” she insisted, closing the windows on the laptop and shutting it down. She didn’t mention the vision of her as a mum, which, disconcertingly, didn’t fill her with horror like she thought it would. Zarya blew out a breath and itted, “Maybe it’s the responsibility, but I can’t stop thinking about him.” “What are you waiting for? Get dressed, and we’ll find the mystery merman.” * * * Zarya tried to stop her fall, failed miserably, and landed on all fours. Luckily, her hands and knees landed in soft mulch, but her shin wasn’t so fortunate. She yelled as something sharp scraped her skin. Harper ran up from behind her. “Zarya, are you okay?” She stood and brushed herself down. “Yep, fine. Watch it. It’s a bit slippery there.” “No kidding. I told you flip-flops weren’t suitable for walking. The brochure

said these coastal paths can get steep in places.” She smiled. Dear Harper. Witchy friend, boss, and now her mum. “I’m fine. I hardly ever get a chance to wear flippies and show off my painted toenails.” She’d done them especially for her holiday. Mermaid dazzle, the name said on the bottle of nail varnish, which made her laugh, but it was a gorgeous, shimmery royal blue. She ired them again and noticed a trickle of blood trailing down her shin. “Damn, I thought something dug into my leg.” Looking closer, she said, “Just a graze, it’ll heal in a minute, but I’m covered in mud now.” She glanced around the wooded path for a large leaf or something to clean the mud off her hands and knees. Nothing looked suitable. “Do you want to go back?” Harper asked. “No, this path has to lead somewhere.” They’d been following the path for a while, enjoying glimpses of the rugged coast and magnificent views from their clifftop position, the sea fifty metres below. It was now early afternoon, and the June sun shone through the canopy of trees, making dappled patterns of light and dark on the forest floor. They’d had to leave later than they’d planned, thanks to a problem with the water supply in the caravan, which resulted in the shower cutting out while Zarya was in the middle of washing her hair, the conditioner still on. They had to wait all morning for the maintenance guys to show up, but her hair had never felt so soft. “We’re not far from where I last saw Taran,” Zarya continued. “If you look down there,” she pointed to a gap between the trees, “that’s the beach where I left him after his girlfriend showed up. She had to come from somewhere, right? Although how she managed this path in her Jimmy Choos is beyond me.” “You don’t know this Andrea woman is his girlfriend.” “Why else would he call out her name in his semi-conscious state?” Harper shrugged. “I don’t know. Do you want me to take the lead now? I’m fed up with seeing your backside, which looks great in those denim shorts, by the way.”

“Does it? Thanks, and thanks for lending them to me.” “Keep them. They look way better on you with those long legs of yours.” “Two compliments? What have I done to deserve that?” “Nothing. It’s just fab to spend time with my best friend away from work, that’s all.” She smiled. “You too, Harper. And since we’re dishing out the compliments, your hair colour is amazing. What is it this time?” “Thanks. It’s rose gold, but it went pinker than I thought.” “It suits you, but you always could get away with any colour in your hair.” Harper linked her arm with hers, and they made their way carefully along the path together. “Let’s see if we can find your merman.” Zarya rolled her eyes. “Argh, for the last time, he’s not my mer—” She came to an abrupt halt. A sound filtered through the trees. “What’s up?” “Do you hear that?” Harper tilted her head. “Hear what?” Zarya listened, calling on her acute mermaid hearing. There, in the woods ahead, a man’s voice, singing in a deep, rich baritone, the most exquisite sound she’d ever heard. A sound so euphonious it had a profound effect on her. His voice seeped into her head until she could hear nothing else, somehow rewiring her brain with an intrinsic need she could not ignore. She had to find out who it belonged to. Zarya floated towards it as though in a trance.

The voice called to her soul, luring her towards… towards what? She couldn’t think straight, couldn’t focus. “Zarya! What’s wrong?” Her friend’s voice barely ed. Nothing is wrong. How could it be wrong when that melodious sound made everything feel so right? “Stop, you’re scaring me.” Tugging on her arm. Who’s doing that? The singing stopped. In a flash, her brain readjusted itself, still a tad foggy, but she had control now. She slowed her pace. She’d been marching through the woods, dragging poor Harper behind her, with no recollection of doing so. “Harper! I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” “I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about. What happened to you?” “Did you hear that voice?” “Not until you dragged me closer to it like some kind of lunatic. I think it came from over there,” she waved her arm towards a cottage two hundred metres ahead, nestled between the trees, “but it was just someone singing. What in the name of magic happened to you?” Zarya gasped. It all became clear, which was more than she could say about her head. “Shit. It’s the Summoning.” “The what?” “Wait, I have to try something first.” She edged towards the cottage, not too close. The sound of a child’s voice filtered through the trees now, repeating the man’s singing, but the girl’s song did not affect her.

The male voice began to sing again, but this time Zarya concentrated, using every ounce of her willpower to control it. She would never allow herself to fall victim to the Summoning. Never. Another step closer, and the familiar tingling shot along her spine, as she’d suspected. It was him, Taran Stone, the merman, and he was in the cottage ahead. His singing stopped abruptly, suggesting he’d felt the presence of one of his kind nearby. She grabbed Harper’s hand and ducked behind a tree. “Mind telling me what’s going on?” “Taran is in that cottage,” Zarya whispered. “He is? How do you know?” “My mermaid sensor.” “Oh right, I forgot. But I didn’t mean that. I meant with the Summoning, or whatever that weird trance thing was.” “The Summoning is sort of like the siren’s song.” “The one you sing to lure guys into having sex with you?” “I do not lure them,” she said indignantly. “I simply persuade them that they’re guaranteed to have a good time with me, that’s all.” “I thought it was only mermaids who could sing it. Can mermen do it too?” “No. Mermen have the Summoning. Most don’t need to use it these days because they have no shortage of eager mermaids ready to pander to their needs.” “As in sexual needs?” “Yes, but it’s more like a mating call. With the diminishing numbers of mermen,

they’re allowed to take as many mates as they want, so they have a better chance of producing more male merbabies.” Harper took a moment to process. “So, is that what happened to you back there? This Taran guy wants you to have his babies?” Zarya snorted. “Not if I have anything to do with it. I lost it for a few seconds, but I have it under control now. If he really doesn’t know he’s a merman, he wouldn’t be aware of what he did.” “Thank goodness.” “There’s one thing he will know, though.” “What?” “That I’m here. Maybe not me specifically, but he’ll be having the same sensation I have zinging along my spine.” “So why are we still hiding behind a tree?” “I needed a moment to get him out of my head.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “I know I said I had to find him, but now we’re here, how do I tell him? I can’t exactly knock on his door and say, ‘Oh, hi, I saved you from drowning yesterday, and by the way, you’re a merman.’ ” Harper squeezed her hand. “If you’re not up to it, we can go.” She glanced towards the cottage. “He hasn’t come outside, so he might not know you’re here.” “No, it’s okay. I have to do this. I’ll be fine, don’t worry.” “We best pay him a visit then.” She grinned. “If you’re sure you’re not going to surrender to his Summoning and jump his bones as soon as you see him.” “I’m sure.” Her tone sounded convincing, belying the turmoil inside. She took a deep breath and marched towards the cottage.

Chapter Five

“Why did you stop singing, Taran?” Lizzy asked, her big blue eyes blinking at him. “Sorry…” Taran trailed off. The sudden sensation shooting down his back distracted him from his singing lesson with his favourite student. The same feeling he’d had yesterday. The sensation increased in intensity, along with the same peculiar feeling of knowing something, but what still eluded him. He frowned. It wasn’t painful, more uncomfortable, as though a hundred tiny points of pressure were tingling along his spine. But what confused him more was the pressure seemed as though it was coming from inside, as if something was trying to break free. That couldn’t be normal. “Did I do it wrong?” Taran scratched his back. It didn’t feel like he had anything sticking out of it. He put it down to his imagination again. He could hardly mention whatever was happening to him to an overly curious five-year-old. She might say something to her dad when he picked her up, and he could lose his pipsqueak of a student—he was already in Lizzy’s father’s bad books for being fifteen minutes late for her weekly singing lesson. In his opinion, Lizzy was a tad young for singing lessons, but he enjoyed teaching her. And God knows he couldn’t afford to lose a student, not when he needed the money his vocal coaching brought in, especially now he’d had to fork out for the damage done to the Andrea. It could have been worse, he supposed. At least the stag-do crowd returned the Andrea. He’d left early this morning to fetch the dinghy, intending to take it out to look for the Lochin 33 as he’d promised his boss, only to find the boat moored to the jetty—with a large scrape across the paintwork. When Andrea saw it, she went apeshit, unsurprisingly, and insisted he got it fixed straight away, threatened he’d lose his job if he didn’t pay—even though it should have been

the clients who paid—but he couldn’t be bothered with another argument. Hence why he was late for Lizzy, and he’d missed his daily morning swim in the ocean too. “No, Lizzy, you didn’t do anything wrong.” He scratched his back again and grinned. “I’ve got an annoying itch on my back.” He wiggled and twisted his arms behind him as he made stupid faces. “You know, one of those itches you can’t quite reach?” Lizzy giggled. “You look like a monkey.” He laughed and made monkey sounds. The girl made monkey sounds too, before erupting into a fit of giggles. Someone knocked on the door. “That’ll be your dad, I expect. I guess our singing lesson is done for today.” “You mean our monkey lesson.” Taran tapped her nose. “Whatever you say, cheeky monkey.” He stood, took her hand, and walked over to the front door. Lizzy continued to make monkey sounds. Oh geez, I’ve done it now. What’s her father going to think? He swung open the door. “Hi, Kevin, sorry about the monkey noises—” His jaw dropped. The enchanting goddess stood before him. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming. He blinked several times. The odd sensation along his spine vanished as quickly as it had started. “Zarya…?” he mumbled, baulking at how strained his voice sounded. He cleared his throat. “You’re not Kevin… I… thought you were Kevin.” He pressed his lips together. He couldn’t make more of a fool of himself if he tried.

Zarya’s gaze bore into him. She swallowed. A woman with pinkish hair stood beside her. “Hi, err, no, she’s not Kevin. Neither am I. Sorry to disappoint.” He wasn’t disappointed in the slightest—more like totally blown away that Zarya was here. Why was she here? How did she know where he lived? Lizzy tugged his arm. “Taran, you’re squishing my fingers.” He tore his gaze away and looked down. He’d forgotten he was holding the girl’s hand. Letting go, he said, “Sorry, Lizzy. Are you okay?” She nodded and pulled his arm again, indicating she wanted to whisper something to him. A car drew into the clearing to the left of the cottage. Kevin. He faced the two women again. “Sorry, would you mind waiting here for a sec while I give Lizzy to her father?” They didn’t answer. “Please wait. You will wait, won’t you?” Could he sound any more desperate? Lizzy tugged his T-shirt this time. He crouched down. The girl cupped her small hand and whispered in his ear. “She’s so pretty. Is she actually a real live mermaid?” He gasped. He could hardly believe his ears. “What…?” She whispered again. “She looks like a mermaid.” Taran offered her a half-smile. Why would she say a mermaid of all things? He straightened. “Come on, Lizzy, you don’t want to keep your dad waiting, do you?” Lizzy looked to her dad and waved. She pecked him on the cheek. “Bye, Taran. See you next week.”

Lizzy stepped up to Zarya and beckoned her down to her level. “Can I ask you something?” She did as Lizzy asked. The girl whispered something in her ear for several seconds. Confusion swept across Zarya’s features, but she smiled and whispered something to the girl. Lizzy gasped, looked at her in awe, and then skipped towards her father. She straightened up and exchanged a look with the other woman. Taran’s curiosity almost got the better of him as he waved goodbye to Lizzy. He waited until the car disappeared down the lane before facing the women. “Sorry about that. Can I help you with something? Are you lost?” The woman with the pink hair glanced at Zarya as though she expected her to speak. She didn’t. An awkward moment of silence followed. “No, we’re not lost,” said the woman. “Sorry, my friend here does seem to have lost her voice, though.” She smiled and held out her hand. “I’m Harper Clarke, owner of Love Bites.” He frowned. Love Bites? The name sounded vaguely familiar. “The dating agency?” she prompted. It clicked. The dating agency he’d ed months ago, but he hadn’t logged on in ages. He couldn’t even why he’d ed in the first place. “Yes, I know it. Is there a problem?” Zarya finally spoke. “You owe us money,” she blurted out. “Your subscription fees haven’t been paid for months.” “Zarya!” Harper exclaimed. She shrugged. The other woman continued, “I’m sure we can come to some arrangement over the late fees, but we’re on holiday. I didn’t want to come, but Zarya insisted.”

With that, Zarya elbowed her friend in the ribs. “I did not!” “Ouch, that hurt.” Harper glanced at him and grinned. “She did. She has something to tell you, don’t you, Zar?” Zarya glared at Harper. “I’ll get you back for this; you wait and see.” Taran grinned. This was getting more interesting by the second. She exhaled loudly and ran her fingers through her long, caramel-coloured hair and faced him once more. “Okay, I do have something to tell you, but I’m not sure how you’re going to take it.” “Is it about the dating agency? I haven’t been on it for ages. I wasn’t aware I was still getting charged for it.” He sighed. “How much do I owe?” At this rate, he could see his university course fund depleting to nothing. “No, it’s not about the agency. It’s about…” She fidgeted from one foot to the other, drawing his attention to her legs, sexy long legs that went on forever in those short shorts of hers. He noticed the mud on her knees too, and blood on her shin. “It’s… err…” She was clearly struggling to tell him something. The least he could do was try to make it easier for her. “Are you okay? I noticed you hurt your leg. I could fetch you something to clean it up with if you want?” “She fell over,” Harper explained. “I told her not to wear flip-flops.” “The coastal path can get slippery in places, especially after the storm last night. With the lovely weather we’ve been having, we were bound to get a summer storm sooner or later.” What am I, a weatherman? He put on his best smile to hide his embarrassment. “How about a cuppa, too? Whatever you have to tell me can’t be that bad, surely?” Zarya ran her fingers through her hair again and didn’t speak. “That would be lovely,” said Harper, filling in for her friend once more. “Are

you sure it won’t be any trouble?” “It’s no trouble. I don’t have another lesson until four.” He stepped back to let them in. Harper came inside, but Zarya hovered by the door. He winked at her. “Come on, I don’t bite.” Did he detect a hint of a smile? She walked past him without making eye . Taran shut the door. “Take a seat,” he said, gesturing towards the worn but comfy sofa. “I’ll make the tea and fetch the first aid box.” “It’s fine,” Zarya told him. “I heal quickly. You should know that.” He frowned. “Why would I know that?” “Have you ever hurt yourself?” He liked the way her words rolled off her tongue, her soft voice kind of mesmerising, but of all the things she could have asked him, why that? “Badly, I mean, not just a cut. A broken bone or something?” “Yes,” he said slowly. She fixed him with an intense stare, one he could not look away from. There was something about her, something familiar, but how could there be? He’d only met her yesterday. Granted, that amazing kiss was one he would never forget, and the vision of her wearing his T-shirt and running away too, but this was something else. His feet fused to the floor. All thoughts of tea and first aid kits vanished from his mind. “Did you heal quickly?” she asked him. “As in, unusually fast?” Her questions were getting stranger by the second, but yes, he did heal fast. Like the time he trapped his hand in some rigging and crushed his fingers. The damage was so bad, the doctor feared he’d lose the use of his hand, but within a

few hours, he’d regained the feeling in his fingers. He put it down to the doc being overly pessimistic with his diagnosis. “Yes, I do heal fast, but what’s that got to do with anything?” “As in, too fast for a human?” Zarya’s gaze never left his. Confused didn’t come close. “For a human?” he repeated for lack of anything else to say. “I think you should sit down for this next bit,” Harper suggested. “Forget the tea.” He sat, but only because his knees buckled. Something extraordinary was going on here, maybe something he’d been waiting his whole life for. “Why would you say you were a werewolf?” Zarya asked, her tone accusatory. Hell yeah, forget the tea. He needed something way stronger. Who were these people? He opened his mouth, but no words formed. “On the Love Bites dating website,” Harper prompted. “You put werewolf on your profile.” It took Taran a few moments to recall what he’d put down. When he’d signed up to the dating agency, it had asked the usual questions—name, age, occupation, etc., plus a question about what supernatural being he was. He’d thought it unusual at the time, but on a whim, he’d typed in werewolf. It wasn’t until he scrolled through the pictures of potential dates and read their profiles that he noticed the women had put down. They were all manner of supernatural beings. An angel, a witch, even a banshee if he recalled correctly. Thing was, he hadn’t even realised it was some kind of cosplay dating website, one especially for those who were into their supernatural creatures and such, but he liked to think he was an open-minded guy. “Yes, I did put down werewolf,” he answered at last. “I think I’d watched a film

about werewolves at the time. It was a bit of fun, that’s all.” “But you’re not a werewolf,” Zarya said. “No, not the last time I looked.” He grinned. All this seemed so surreal. He might as well make a joke of it. “I couldn’t be doing with all the pack politics and stuff, not to mention the teeth, and while we’re on the subject, werewolves are way too furry for my liking.” Harper laughed. Zarya didn’t. She didn’t even smile. To his surprise, she leaned forward and took his hand, her pretty features showing what appeared to be genuine concern. “You’re a merman, Taran.” He snorted. “I’m a merman. Good one. I hate to break it to you, but I’ve got legs, not a tail. And I suppose you ladies are mermaids, right?” He looked to Zarya. “Let me guess, you’re Madison, and your friend is Ariel?” He tried to wriggle his hand from Zarya’s grasp, but she held it tighter. Her grip was surprisingly strong. He stopped chuckling, looked at one woman and then the other. Neither laughed now. “No, I’m a witch actually,” Harper told him, her expression deadly serious. “Zarya’s the mermaid, although her official title is ocean priestess.” Wow, this gets better and better. He didn’t even want to know what the heck an ocean priestess was. They were stark raving bonkers, the pair of them. He spoke to Harper. “Look, I know you said you owned the dating agency, but aren’t you taking this whole cosplay thing a little too far? I mean, each to their own, but—” Zarya dropped his hand, thankfully, since she’d been gripping so tightly she’d stopped the blood flow.

“Cosplay?” She leapt off the sofa and stood with her hands on her hips, glaring down at him, her almond eyes flashing like mini thunderbolts. “You think this is cosplay? I’ve been tying myself in nautical knots, worrying about how you’re going to react, and you think this is some kind of joke?” “Give him a moment, Zarya. It’s a lot for him to take in.” “How can he think this is a joke? I should never have told him.” Harper got up and stood beside her friend, placing her hand on her arm. “He has a right to know the truth. You said so yourself.” Zarya paced the room, the sound of her flip-flops making a mockery of her obvious agitation. “Why did it have to be me?” “Because you found him.” “Err, I’m still in the room,” Taran pointed out, keeping his tone upbeat, because, for the life of him, he hadn’t a clue why Zarya was angry—or worried, come to mention it. Merman. Geez. She stopped pacing and let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, Taran, I know this must seem crazy, but I swear I’m telling the truth. You are a merman. I have no idea why you don’t know, but it’s my duty to tell you.” What did that mean? “No, I’m sorry. You can hardly expect me to take your word for it. You rescued me from a watery grave, ? I’m pretty sure if I were a merman, if they even existed, then I wouldn’t have nearly drowned.” “Pardon me for saving you.” Even with her sarcastic tone, her voice was still like a melody in his ears. “Which you never thanked me for, by the way.” Didn’t he? Maybe he’d been too preoccupied with the salty taste of her lips… the way her svelte body moulded to his as he’d wrapped his arms around her…

He focused. He’d be damned if he’d thank her now with the dagger look she was giving him. Taran glared back at her, a tiny bit aroused. Chemistry sparked like live wires between them. The anger gleaming in her eyes faded. Her expression softened, and for a split second, he imagined he saw a ghost of a smile grace her full lips. Seconds ed, maybe more. “This isn’t getting us anywhere,” said Harper. “Maybe we should go, Zarya.” Zarya didn’t move, her eyes still fixed with his. “Harper’s right. You need time to process what you are.” She paused, combing her fingers through the caramelcoloured tresses again. Why did he find that so sexy? “We’re staying at the caravan park in the next bay, number six. I’ll be there if you need me. For anything.” She paused. “Like… if you have any questions, okay?” Questions? Damn right, he had questions, but this was too much. It was as though this stunning woman actually believed he was a merman. Her friend, too. How could it even be possible? Sure, he loved the ocean, had been drawn to it since he was a kid, and whenever he went into the sea, on a boat, or swimming, the marine life always seemed to find him, which was why he was good at being a tour guide. Several tourists even joked it was as if he had some kind of magical power that called to the dolphins and seals by the way he could coax them right up to the boat, but that didn’t mean… He shook his head. Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. Taran marched over to the door and held it open. “I’d like you to go.” He refused to look at Zarya, refused to acknowledge whatever was happening between them. Yes, she was an enchanting goddess, but this make-believe, fantastical story of hers? He couldn’t comprehend it. “Now.” Zarya and Harper glanced at each other. Without another nonsensical word, they left his cottage.

Taran watched them follow the path, his conscience niggling at how rude he’d been, demanding they leave, regardless of whatever lies they’d told him. Zarya stopped halfway along the path and glanced over her shoulder. Dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves above, catching a distinct glistening in her eyes. For one glorious, frozen moment in time, the world stopped spinning, and he yearned to believe her. His heart pounded in his chest, and his whole body zinged with an unseen force that took his breath away. He shut the door and returned to the real world.

Chapter Six

Zarya didn’t utter a word on their walk home. Not until they rounded the corner to their caravan did Harper offer her words of wisdom. “I think that went well, all things considered.” She sighed, her heart heavy. “Did it?” Harper offered a sympathetic smile. “No, not really. I was trying to be ive.” “You were. You are ive. I couldn’t have done it without you, Harper. Thank you.” “Do you think he believed us?” “No, I don’t think he did by the way he thought Love Bites was a website for cosplayers, but it might explain why he put down werewolf on his profile, I suppose.” “What happened to you, anyway?” Harper asked, opening the caravan door and stepping inside. “The first thing you did was accuse him of not paying the agency fees.” Zarya shut the door. “Well, he hasn’t paid them.” “Yes, but that’s not what happened in his cottage. Did the Summoning thing take over again?” “No, I had it under control.” Which was more than she could say for her other emotions. “You acted all tongue-tied before getting angry and accusatory, and then you turned sympathetic and comionate. I’ve never seen you so worked up or that emotional over anyone.”

“So, I usually behave like a heartless bitch?” “No, I didn’t mean that, but we both know you like to play the field.” Harper filled the kettle and switched it on. “And there’s nothing wrong with that if it works for you, but are you really happy to do that for the rest of your life?” If Harper had asked her two days ago, she would have said yes without hesitation. But now? Right now, after seeing Taran again, maybe her life wasn’t as carefree as she fooled herself that she wanted it to be. She shrugged. “All I know is something is going on between us, Harper. I’ve never felt anything like this before, with anyone. It’s insane. I hardly know him but—” “But he got under your scale… sorry, skin,” Harper filled in. “I get it. It was the same with me and Damon.” She frowned. “No, insta-love is for romcoms and romance novels. It’s not real. It doesn’t exist.” “Says the mermaid who found a lost merman and asked him to believe in the supernatural.” Zarya contemplated. “Maybe you have a point. Not in the love at first sight part, because I’ve never been in love, so I wouldn’t know what it feels like, but there’s something magical drawing me to Taran, something exceptional. It’s like it hurts to breathe, knowing I won’t see him again.” “He will come, Zar. I know it.” “You can’t know that.” “I can. I saw the way he looked at you.” Yeah, she’d seen it too, the heated look that burned into her soul. She’d dismissed it as her wishful imagination. “It doesn’t mean anything.” “It does. I know these things. I’m not the owner of a dating agency for nothing. Find the magic in love,” she said with a grin, quoting the agency’s purposely corny slogan.

Zarya chuckled. She could count on her friend to lighten her mood. “Give him a chance. Taran will come. He’d be a fool not to.” “Maybe,” she said, still not convinced. “But even if he doesn’t, promise me you won’t concoct a love potion or anything else as disastrous, okay?” “No need. If it’s meant to be, love will find a way without any help from me.” “You’re such a romantic, Harper.” * * * Two days later, Taran walked past caravan number five. Number six was around the bend, nestled behind various shrubs and a tall pampas grass. The caravan where Zarya was staying. If she was still there. For all he knew, her holiday could have ended, and she had returned home. He ran his fingers around his jacket collar. Who was he kidding? He knew she was still there—the now familiar tingling down his spine told him so. As it had the day she came to his cottage. The day an enchanting mermaid and a witch who owned a dating agency told him he was a merman. It still sounded fantastical. Still unsure whether he could do this, his steps faltered. The two days since he’d seen Zarya had dragged on and on, his mind full of indecision, of questions he had no logical answers to, and yet something about the way she’d looked over her shoulder at him as she’d left, her eyes glistening with tears, pleading… He couldn’t get the image out of his head. The sound of a caravan door opening behind the pampas grass forced him back to the present. “Taran…? Is that you?” Zarya’s voice.

How could she possibly know he was here? Did she have the same tingling sensation? He added it to the long list of questions he had already. He urged his feet to move forwards. He’d taken no more than half a step when Zarya came around the bend, looking dead sexy in another pair of short shorts. Cracking pair of legs. He looked upwards, taking in her cropped top that showed off her slim waist to perfection, her toned stomach, and smooth, sun-kissed skin… He averted his eyes, focusing on her pretty face, which lit up when she saw him. Before he could even utter a word, she collided with him, looping her arms around his waist. “Taran! I’m so glad you came.” She rested her cheek on his chest. Her soft hair tickled his chin, and her warm body moulded to his, a feeling he ed only too well. The scent of the sea mingled with citrus shampoo, surrounding him with a heady aroma that almost made him lose his mind. “You’re actually here,” she gushed on breathlessly. “I’ve been going out of my mind with worry. I thought I’d never see you again. I thought I’d ruined everything, and you didn’t believe me.” Taran stiffened. It took everything he had to gently peel her off him because it would have been so easy to stay in her arms. So right. So where he yearned to be. “Zarya, no…” His voice cracked. This was not what he’d planned. He hadn’t imagined she would be this thrilled to see him. His mouth dried. Or was it more than that? She looked up at him, the confusion and hurt in her eyes tugging at his conscience. “I…” She took a moment to compose herself. “Sorry, that greeting was a smidge over the top, wasn’t it?” She offered her apology by way of a smile that made his heart melt. “Just a tad,” he said, smiling. “It’s me who should be sorry after the way I ordered you out of my cottage.”

“It’s okay. It must have been a shock for you. I understand.” “I’m afraid I don’t understand any of this,” he itted. She fixed him with one of those intense stares of hers. “Do you believe what I told you?” “No.” He averted his gaze. “Taran, you must have come here for something.” She wasn’t wrong. “I came for answers, I guess, or at least some kind of explanation. I can’t think straight. I don’t know what to believe anymore, but I can’t deny…” he trailed off. How could he tell her about the strange sensation he kept getting along his spine? Although it had stopped when she’d hugged him. She’d think he was mad, and maybe he was, coming here to seek the answers to a hundred bizarre questions buzzing around his head. “It doesn’t matter.” “It does matter. You must have hundreds of questions. Come into the caravan, and I’ll answer anything you want, no matter how weird you think it might be.” Can she read my mind? “All right. Thank you.” It seemed so inadequate, but the weight he’d carried on his shoulders for the last two days lifted a fraction. Taran followed her into caravan number six. She stood in the kitchenette. “Would you like a drink? Coffee, tea?” “I could do with something stronger, to be honest.” “Sorry, Harper and I finished off the wine last night. Would a strong coffee be okay?” “Fine.” He glanced around the tiny caravan. “Where is Harper?” “Having a posh lunch somewhere, I expect. Her boyfriend paid her a surprise visit this morning.” She switched the kettle on. “So, you’re on your own?” He cringed. State the obvious. “They offered to take me with them, but I didn’t fancy being the third wheel.”

She fetched two mugs from the cupboard. “Plus, I’ve no interest in eating in an overpriced, upmarket restaurant when I can cook better food at home.” “I agree. You can’t beat homemade food.” He leaned against the kitchen counter and folded his arms. “I suppose Harper’s boyfriend is a warlock?” Taran said, playing along with the let’s-believe-supernatural-creatures-are-real thing for now. “Or wizard, whatever.” “No, he’s a vampire, one of the good ones,” she replied as though it was the most natural thing in the world. “Oh, that’s okay then because I never know what to call a male witch.” She spun around to face him, a big grin on her face. “I said the same thing to Harper! Apparently, it’s either, but warlock sounds like someone with evil powers, and a wizard always reminds me of—” “Harry Potter,” they said at the same time. They laughed. Zarya opened the jar of coffee and stared into it. Her laughter stopped, and her face turned solemn. “You still think this is a joke, don’t you?” “No, I…” Her features hardened. “If you’re not even open to the possibility that there is more to this world than what you thought you knew, perhaps it’s you who should go this time.” Ouch. She narrowed her eyes. “It’s your call, Taran.” “No, I don’t want to go,” he muttered. “But how do you want me to react? Mermaids, witches, and now vampires? You can’t expect me to believe they exist without proof.” He scrubbed his neck and paced the caravan, but it was so small there was nowhere to go. “I don’t know what’s happening here, Zarya, but I’m drawn to you in a way that scares the hell out of me.” He returned to the kitchenette to face her. “Whether it’s something amazing going on between us,

or something else, I have to know.” The space between them crackled with uncertainty. “I’ll make the coffee,” Zarya said, her movements swift as she opened the fridge for the milk, her shell bracelets clicking together. He noted the small seashells in her hair too, on the ends of several thin plaits peeking through the rest of her tousled waves. They were new, and he’d bet she had the plaits done by the lady with a kiosk on the harbour. Her hand hesitated on the milk carton. “Are you hungry? I could make us some lunch if you want?” she asked, her tone overly jovial. “I bought some lovely fresh mussels this morning. I make a mean linguine with mussels and garlic butter.” It sounded delicious. “I didn’t come for lunch.” “I know, but I’m nervous.” “Why are you nervous?” He should be the nervous one. “Because if you don’t believe you’re a merman, my mother is going to cause a bloody tsunami.” Her mother? Harper mentioned Zarya was an ocean priestess. What did that make her mother? A high priestess? A bishop? For some reason, an image of Ursula from The Little Mermaid popped into his head. What if she was a sea monster? “She can do that?” “No, of course not.” She grinned. “Only Neptune and his descendants have the power to manipulate water.” He wasn’t entirely sure if she was joking, but he’d go with the flow for now. “I think I will have lunch, thanks.” “Great. It won’t take long.” She grabbed the mussels. Taran took off his tatty jacket. “Where can I put this?”

“On the hook over there.” She tilted her head towards the door, watching his every move as he hung it on the hook. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, and he swore she was checking out his backside. Taran spun around. She dropped the fresh mussels on the worktop and cursed. He took two strides back into the kitchenette, biting his cheek to stop his smile. Zarya gathered the mussels together. “Fetch me a saucepan from the cupboard behind you, please. Don’t think you’re going to stand there looking handsome and charming and doing nothing.” He found the saucepan and then flashed her a cheeky grin as he handed it to her. “So, you think I’m handsome, eh?” She grabbed the saucepan, but he didn’t let go, pulling her closer instead. “I… I didn’t say that.” Her rapid breathing and raspy voice betrayed her. He met her gaze and whispered, “You are truly the most enchanting woman I have ever met, Zarya.” He forgot to breathe. Mermaid or not, she’d got to him. Big time. Her lips parted a fraction. Taran inched closer, the need to kiss her full lips overwhelming. Zarya stepped back, pulling the saucepan from his grasp. She blew out a breath. “Taran Stone, are you flirting with me?” “Maybe.” Her expression hardened. Where he’d imagined he’d seen desire in her eyes was now something akin to anger. “Won’t Andrea have something to say about that?” “Andrea? What’s she got to do with anything?” “Everything.” She thrust the saucepan under the tap, then turned the tap on so violently the water sprayed over her.

Taran came up close behind her—not difficult in the cramped space. He turned off the tap, cupping his hand over hers. His body brushed against hers, her evocative scent invading his senses. She twisted to look at him, the miniature shells in her hair flicking his shoulder. “Let go of my hand.” “Not until you tell me what’s wrong.” “You make me nervous.” “You said that before. Why?” She wriggled her hand, but he held it tighter. “Because I feel the same, drawn to you in a way I can’t explain,” she confessed. “But you’re with Andrea. I won’t break up a marriage.” Taran stepped back, letting go of her hand. “You think Andrea and I are married?” He couldn’t think of anything worse. Zarya’s gaze swept the floor. “Andrea is not my wife.” “Girlfriend then.” “She’s not my girlfriend either. Although she thinks she is sometimes. It’s complicated because she’s my boss, but I’m not interested in her. She’s a dragon who treats me and everyone else like shit—you can ask anyone.” A sudden thought occurred. “Not a real dragon, obviously. Unless they’re real too?” He could hardly believe what he’d asked. “Half dragons are, yes. There are rumours that two full-blooded dragons still exist, but I’ve never come across them.” He held up his hands. “Hey, slow down! Can we try to stick to one supernatural being at a time? I didn’t say I believed in any of this stuff yet.” “Sorry, too much information to start with. I get it.” She filled the saucepan with

water, turning the tap slowly this time, then placed it on the two-ring stove. While she waited for the water to boil, she made the coffee. “You called out Andrea’s name the day I saved you from drowning. You must feel something for her.” He frowned. Why the interest in Andrea? It was supposed to be him asking the questions. “I don’t much of what I said or saw, for that matter.” “You said you had to find her. You were quite agitated, as I recall.” “Yes, the Andrea. A Lochin 33.” Her eyes flashed with surprise. “Wait, Andrea is a boat? I never saw a boat.” “No, the stag-do crowd threw me overboard and stole her. I’m a tour guide for Beaumont Marine Tours, which is owned by Andrea Beaumont.” “She named the boat and the business after herself?” “Yep. Don’t even go there. If you think it sounds totally conceited, you’d be right.” “So that’s why I found you in the middle of the ocean, but I still don’t understand why you couldn’t breathe underwater. How do you not know you’re a merman?” He let out a sigh, exasperated with her persistence with this whole merman thing. “Because I’m not. I came here for answers, and you’re the one asking the questions.” “Sorry, we went off-topic. You’re right. I’m duty-bound to find out why you don’t know.” “You mentioned your duty before. What do you mean?” “Help me with lunch, and I’ll do everything I can to help you, okay?” “Sounds good to me.” The mussels and linguine didn’t take long to make, and soon they were sitting on

the uncomfortable sofas with the small table between them. Taran came straight out with it. “Tell me about merpeople. If you want me to believe they exist, I want proof. Everyone knows how the siren’s song would lure sailors to their deaths. There is no end of myths and legends, especially around this area, but no one has ever been able to prove they’ve actually seen a mermaid.” “Okay, for a start, we’re called merfolk, not merpeople, and we have never lured anyone to their deaths. If anything, we used to try to save them from drowning.” “Used to?” “Yes. Merfolk have always lived amongst humans, but now we have to keep our existence a secret.” “Why?” “The humans wouldn’t understand us or any other supernatural beings. They would fear us, experiment on us. You’ve seen the movie Splash, right? Since you made a reference to Madison the other day?” “Yes, I’ve seen it, but I was only joking then.” “And now?” “I’m trying to keep an open mind.” “I believe humans should know of our existence. They’re a lot more accepting of alternative lifestyles these days, but the majority of supernaturals believe the humans would feel threatened and destroy us.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, drawing his attention to a plaited strand that remained in front, its shell-decorated end dangling between her pert breasts. He tried not to look because he’d noticed earlier she wasn’t wearing a bra. “There are a few humans who know, and for the most part, they’re fine with it,” she continued. “Some kids know too, those who are still young enough to believe in magic—like the little girl you were with the other day.”

“Who, Lizzy?” Zarya smiled. “Yes, she asked me outright if I was a mermaid when she whispered in my ear. I told her I was. The kid looked awestruck.” He laughed. “She’s a cute kid. I did wonder what you said to her.” “Lizzy said she thought you were a merman too, but she wasn’t sure.” “She thinks I’m a merman? Whatever gave her that idea?” “Sometimes, young kids can see through the magic veil.” “What the heck is that?” “The magic veil is an invisible shield that prevents the human world from seeing what we are.” He blew out a breath. He had to give it to her; she had this whole story worked out. Unless she wasn’t making it up… “It might be why you can’t see you’re a merman. You’ve been living your whole life as a human.” Taran finished the last of his pasta. Zarya was a great cook, but the whole mermaid thing? The jury was still out on that one. And as for him being a merman? Absolutely not. “I don’t know, Zarya. This is kind of surreal, if I’m honest.” She regarded him for several seconds. “Would you like to go for a walk? There’s still so much I have to tell you.” “I’d like that.” Zarya cleared the dishes and placed them in the sink, and then scribbled a note for Harper. Taran grabbed his jacket off the hook, and they headed out of the caravan. “You know the area,” Zarya said. “Where are the best walks around here?” She glanced at her feet. “Plimsolls. More sensible shoes today, so I won’t fall over

again.” “The coastal path is the best one. It goes past my cottage, as you know, but I don’t fancy going back there.” “Where then?” “How about we go in the other direction, take a stroll along the beach?” “Okay, but no going near the water’s edge. If I get wet, my legs will shift into my tail, and we wouldn’t want to scare the tourists.” He gasped. “Like in that movie?” Zarya looped her arm in his, threw her head back, and laughed. “Relax, I’m kidding, but it was so worth it to see your face.” He rolled his eyes. “Very funny. If you want me to believe you’re a mermaid, you need to try harder.” “Still don’t believe, eh? Even though I rescued your cute arse miles out to sea and brought you back to shore?” Her eyes gleamed with mischief. “What else can I do to prove it?” He pondered as they walked along the path that led to the beach. “Not that I haven’t ired those lovely legs of yours, but why don’t you show me your tail? For real, no joking this time.” “You’ve already seen my tail. When I rescued you.” “I saw something in the water, but I was suffering from concussion. Show me again.” She pulled away from him. “I can’t shift here. What would the locals think?” “There’s no one around.” “Yes, but there might be.” She arched an eyebrow seductively. “You do know I have to get naked to shift, don’t you?” His cock twitched. “No, I didn’t, but things just got really interesting.”

Chapter Seven

Zarya’s pulse rate quickened. “Are you flirting with me again?” she asked, mesmerised by the wicked gleam in his eyes. Taran dipped his head, his handsome face mere inches from hers. “Depends.” “On what?” “If it’s working.” Hell, yeah, it was working, but she wasn’t going to tell him. “You’re not my type. I usually go for the tall, dark, and handsome type.” He raised a fair eyebrow. “I’m taller than you, and you already called me handsome. That just leaves the dark part, but if you want my opinion, blonds are way more fun.” That had to be the corniest thing she’d ever heard. She bit the inside of her cheek. “You’re not even that handsome.” Nope, not falling for you at all. He chuckled as he inched closer. “Shut up and kiss me.” His mouth found hers, his kiss tentative at first, the touch of his lips lighter than a feather. She encouraged him, deepening the kiss. He didn’t need any further persuasion as he flicked the tip of his tongue along her lips, exploring, tasting. Zarya lifted her arms and linked her hands around the back of his neck, delighting in the soft curls tickling her fingers. Taran cupped her cheek while his other hand curved around her waist, his warm fingers splaying on the small of her back, bringing her closer to him. Close enough to feel his hardness nudging her lower abdomen.

ion ignited within. Heat spread between her thighs. She wanted this, wanted him. Her body craved him like no other man, and yet something held her back. He still didn’t believe. She stepped back, her breaths rapid. “Taran…” She swallowed. “I can’t do this. I’m sorry.” “Why not?” He took her hand, his expression full of concern. “What’s wrong, Zarya?” It took everything not to cave. “I made a vow to myself a long time ago to not get involved with a merman, but… I think I’m about to break my promise.” He drew a breath in through his teeth. “You are?” Tears pricked at the back of her eyes as she nodded. “I know how crazy it sounds, but there’s something special between us. We hardly know each other —” “If it’s crazy,” he interrupted, “I am too.” He stroked his thumb along her hand, the action sending goosebumps across her skin. “I felt it the moment I met you, Zarya. Even as I almost drowned, I knew we had a connection. Something profound.” And there it was, the reality in his words, the reason she had to be strong. Zarya squeezed her eyelids shut to stop the tears. Opening them a moment later, she looked at him. “It doesn’t matter. There can never be anything between us. You don’t believe.” The hurt in his eyes broke her heart. “I’m trying to, Zarya. Help me believe.” She nodded, knowing full well she would do anything he asked. Be strong, Zar, be strong. “I will, but no more kissing me like that, okay?” “Why didn’t you enjoy it?” he asked, winking.

Zarya wriggled her hand from his. “You know I did, and so did you.” She made a point of checking out the front of his shorts, his arousal obvious. “But I can’t help you believe with those sorts of distractions going on.” Taran chuckled as he adjusted himself. “Point taken, but I can’t promise I won’t want to kiss you again.” She shook her head as she continued along the path, leaving him behind. “You’re incorrigible, you know that?” she called over her shoulder. He followed, only catching up with her when she reached the sandy beach, its gentle curve sloping into the navy sea. The gorgeous weather had brought out the tourists and a few locals too; families with kids playing in the sand, dog walkers, an ice-cream van parked on the road behind the beach. “Hey, wait up,” he said. “For someone who’s supposed to have a tail, your legs are pretty fast.” She raised a skeptical eyebrow. “See? I’m trying.” He grinned, and her heart swelled. “Fancy an ice cream?” she asked. “Sure.” They headed for the van and ordered. Zarya took off her plimsolls, preferring to feel the sand between her toes as they sauntered along the beach, licking their ice cream and looking like any other normal human couple enjoying the sun and the fresh sea air. Normal except for their conversation. “Tell me more about the merpeople,” Taran said. “Sorry, I mean merfolk.” “Where do you want me to start?” “I don’t know. Where do merfolk live? How do they live, as in, what do they believe in? Do they have a monarchy, a law system? Religion?”

Zarya chuckled. “Whoa there, I can only answer one question at a time, but it’s good you’re curious.” “I am. The ocean, and everything in it, has always fascinated me, but merfolk existing for real? It would be pretty awesome.” “Okay. In answer to your first question, there are merfolk who live in every ocean around the world. Some choose to live on land most of the time, like me, and some only live on land while they care for their young.” “Why do they do that?” “Merbabies are born breathing air, and they have legs like human babies,” she explained. “They usually learn how to shift into their tails and breathe underwater when they’re two or three, then they can return to the water.” Taran stared at the shoreline ahead, not speaking. She gave him a moment, sympathising with how difficult this must be for him. Maybe she was trying too hard. They strolled along the beach in no particular hurry. A family with a couple of kids playing in the sand sat twenty feet away, the breeze toying with their brightly coloured, striped windbreaker. One of the kids, a girl, looked up. Zarya recognised her. “Taran!” she squealed when she spotted him. A brief frown crossed his brow as if she’d dragged him from his thoughts. Then he grinned and waved back. “Hello, Lizzy.” “Look, Daddy, it’s Taran and the mermaid. I told you she was a mermaid. Can I go and see them?” Her dad glanced up from his book with a mildly irritated expression. “Okay, but don’t bother them for too long.” What did Taran call him the other day, Kelvin, Kevin? It didn’t matter. He was

clearly not entertaining his daughter’s mermaid story. Lizzy picked something up from the sand and ran over to them. She stopped in front of her and held out her fisted hand. Zarya gasped as a flashback of her odd vision came to the forefront of her mind, the one with her as a mother, strolling along the beach with Taran. As she was now. What the coral reef…? Lizzy opened her fingers to reveal a small European cowrie shell. “I’ve been collecting shells, look.” Big eyes blinked at Zarya. “What’s your name?” “It’s Zarya.” The girl looked awestruck again. “Wow-wee, pretty mermaid name. I love it.” Zarya half frowned, half-smiled. It was only a name. Taran chuckled. “Yes, it is a pretty name, like its owner, and like that shell.” “I wanted to make a bracelet like Zarya’s, but I can’t find enough shells.” Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked at her. “Can you show me how to make one, please?” Strange, she’d never had much to do with kids, but this bundle of cuteness was adorable. She smiled softly. “I can do better than that.” She took off one of her bracelets and handed it to the girl. “This is my favourite bracelet, but you can have it if you’d like.” “Wow-wee, really?” “Yes. It’s very special, so I’m trusting you to keep it safe. Can you do that?” She nodded solemnly, then, to Zarya’s utmost surprise, the kid hugged her. “Thank you!” Zarya patted her shoulder, feeling a tad awkward but with a warm, fuzzy feeling in her belly.

Maybe being a mum one day wouldn’t be that bad after all. “Lizzy, stop bothering the lady,” her dad called over. Lizzy let go of her, still clutching the bracelet. “It was lovely to meet you.” Zarya crouched down. “You know, if you want to find more shells, you could try looking along the tideline.” “What’s a tideline?” She pointed along the beach. “You see where the seaweed forms a line?” The girl looked and nodded. “That’s where the waves stop before they return to the ocean. Sometimes those waves carry the prettiest seashells, and they leave them on the beach as a gift for someone special to find.” “Elizabeth! Come back over here,” her dad called again. Lizzy pouted. “I have to go now. Bye Zarya, bye Taran.” Taran ruffled her hair. “Bye, cutie pie. See you for your singing lesson soon.” Zarya waved goodbye and carried on sauntering along the beach. Taran ed her. He linked his fingers in hers and smiled. “Someone made quite an impression back there.” “Did I?” “Yes. You’ve made an impression on me too, my enchanting mermaid.” Her heart skipped a beat. “You believe me now?” “I don’t know yet. I believe you have something magical within you. Lizzy saw it, and I see it too. Maybe you’re a witch like Harper, and you’ve put me under a spell.” A flicker of hope ignited inside. He was beginning to believe she was a mermaid.

Whether he was ready to accept his merman heritage was another thing, but at least it was a start. “Holy Neptune, I hope not. Harper’s spells always end in mayhem or disaster.” His mood turned sombre. “How is this going to end, Zarya? Whatever this is between us? You’ll have to go home sooner or later.” “That’s up to you.” She turned to face him. “I don’t have to go home. Harper will understand. If you need more time, I’ll be here for you.” Taran crushed his lips to hers, his kiss needy and urgent, leaving her gasping for air. She melted into his arms, the only place she wanted to be. “I thought…” she murmured between his kisses, “I said… you weren’t to… kiss me like this again.” He chuckled against her skin. “I can stop if you want?” She kissed him back, dizzy with desire. Something hit her back, and a dog yapped beside them, making her jump. Zarya turned around. A Shih Tzu stood before them, growling at her and Taran. The thing that hit her, a ball, rolled across the sand. It stopped in front of a pair of stilettos. “Andrea?” said Taran, letting her go and stepping back. “What are you doing here?” “Taking Smidge for a walk,” Andrea replied as though it should be obvious. “You never walk him. You always carry your dog in your handbag.” Ignoring Taran, she regarded Zarya. “Sorry, do I know you? You look vaguely familiar.” “Hi, I’m Zarya.” “Ah, yes. I didn’t recognise you with your clothes on,” she sneered, eyeing her

cropped top and shorts. “If you can call those clothes. I do hope you’ve returned Taran’s T-shirt since it belongs to me.” Zarya clamped her lips together in case she said something she might regret. She was Taran’s boss, after all, but she understood why he said everyone called her a dragon. Then she saw it. So faint she hadn’t noticed the first time she met Andrea. Her pale green aura. Maybe not a pure-blood Fae, but she definitely had some Fae blood in her. Shit. She knew of a few Fae folk who were okay, but on the whole, they were not good people. She glanced at the dog again and saw its true form too. An al, a dwarfish evil spirit. Double shit. Taran stood in front of Zarya, his move touchingly protective. “Leave her alone, Andrea. She’s done nothing to you.” Andrea snorted. Her dog/al growled. “Nothing? She stole my T-shirt.” Zarya frowned. She heard, ‘She stole my man.’ “I’m sure she’ll return it,” Taran told her. She noted the way he held his shoulders stiff, his arms rigid by his sides. “She’d better, or you’ll be paying for another one.” Taran exhaled loudly. “It’s my day off, Andrea. Did you want something? If not, I’d like to continue my walk.” “Is that what you call it? It didn’t look like a walk to me.” She craned her neck and spoke to Zarya. “You’re wasting your time with this one, love. He’ll never amount to anything. He’s not worth the effort.”

Zarya glared at her and hugged Taran’s muscular arm to her body. “I happen to think he is worth it. Worth far more than the way you treat him.” She pulled his arm. “Come on, let’s go.” The evil spirit dog yapped and growled. She swore Andrea growled too as they walked away from her. Taran waited until she was out of earshot. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have had to witness the delectable Andrea at her finest.” Zarya squeezed his hand. “I know this is none of my business, but why do you work for someone like her?” “I have no choice.” “Everyone has a choice, Taran,” she said quietly, implying more than where he worked. “I don’t. Andrea pays my wages. She even owns the cottage where I live. As soon as I’ve saved enough money, I’m out of there.” Her conscience niggled. She should tell him Andrea was a Fae. She should warn him to stay away from her, but how could she when he still didn’t see the truth of what he was?

Chapter Eight

They walked for miles along the coastline, stopping to ire the stunning landscape, watching the wildlife and the hundreds of sea birds, keeping the conversation light. Day became early evening, and the air turned chilly. A few people remained, but most had left the beach. Eventually, Zarya asked, “Is there anything else you wanted to know about the merfolk?” “Yes. I’ve been avoiding it, I know, but I do want to find out more. Perhaps if you sang your siren’s song, it might help me believe you’re a mermaid.” “I can’t. There are still a few people around.” “If you’re embarrassed, I’ll sing with you if you want.” Taran started to sing, his rich baritone voice carrying across the sand. “No, Taran, don’t,” she urged. He sang louder, inciting grins from a couple nearby. His voice filled her head, calling to her, but she would not let the Summoning lure her into his trap, even if he was unaware of what he was doing. “Stop, please.” She clamped her hand over his mouth, but he held her wrist and pushed it away. “What’s up? Am I embarrassing you?” He chuckled and then sang at the top of his voice. For a few seconds, she listened, in awe of his voice, so pitch-perfect it raised the hairs on the back of her neck. She could listen to him for hours—she had the Summoning under control now— but she couldn’t let him continue.

Others would come. Zarya scanned the sea, her stomach muscles clenching. They wouldn’t show themselves with the humans still here, but she had to be certain. “Taran, you have to stop. Right now.” “Sing with me, Zar.” She shook her head and glared at him, praying he could see the warning in her eyes. “Not here.” To her relief, he stopped singing. A brief frown crinkled his brow. Several people clapped, to which he bowed and said, “Thank you. Thank you very much,” in a superb Elvis impression. Holy Neptune, that charm will get him into trouble one day. Another glance across the horizon put her mind at rest. “Do you mind telling me what that was about?” Taran asked. “Didn’t you like my singing?” “You have an amazing voice, but unless you want every mermaid within five miles to offer themselves to you, you need to keep it down a bit.” “What?” He looked out to sea now. “Don’t worry, even if they did hear you, they wouldn’t come ashore. Not here.” “Why would I be worried? I’m more intrigued by why they would offer themselves to me. Offer what?” “Offer to have your babies.” His jaw dropped. “There’s something you should know about mermen’s abilities,” she told him. “It’s called the Summoning, and you just did it with your singing.”

“What?” “For the last hundred years or so, the number of merfolk has been declining. Mermaids outnumber mermen a thousand to one, so you being a merman makes you a quite a catch, if you’ll pardon the pun.” He didn’t laugh. Clearly, he still couldn’t accept he was a merman. “You said you needed to know more about merfolk, and this is the reality. Mermen are an elusive breed—I’ve never met one before you, not even my father—but the fact is, mermen can take as many mates as they want. The more mermaids they impregnate, the more chance they have of producing male merbabies.” Taran shook his head, anger flaring in his eyes. “Is that why you rescued me, to treat me like a goddamn breeding machine? That’s assuming I believe in this whole merfolk thing, which I’m still struggling with, by the way.” His sudden outburst took her by surprise. “Mermen are free to do whatever they want, whenever they want. They use the pods like drop-in brothels—most mermaids are more than willing to pander to their needs. Mermen aren’t even held able for bringing up their offspring.” “You can’t be serious.” A sadness appeared in his eyes now, confusing her. She imagined some men, mermen or human, would be thrilled to have sex with as many women as they wanted without any responsibility. “Is that what’s going on between us?” His voice cracked. “You’re using me?” Zarya shook her head. “Don’t ever think that, Taran. Ever. I’m here because…” I think I’m falling in love with you. “Because… we have something special.” His intense stare bore into her soul. “I want to believe you, but even if there was the remotest possibility that I was a merman, I wouldn’t want to be. It’s wrong for mermen to treat mermaids like that. It’s like something out of the dark ages.” “I hate it as much as you, but we merfolk are facing extinction. It’s the only way we can significantly increase our numbers. I’m an ocean priestess, which means

I’m duty-bound to tell you what you are, but I swore I would never get involved with a merman because that’s what my mother wants.” She stared out to sea, her heart as heavy as her responsibilities. “She sees me as a breeding machine too, as you put it, and that’s why I only return to the ocean when I have to. The ocean is in my soul, but I don’t want any part of how the merfolk live.” He hooked his finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Oh God, Zarya, I’m so sorry.” “I’m sorry too. I could have saved you from drowning and never told you. Merfolk, witches, Fae—it’s a lot to take in. I should never have got you mixed up in our world.” “Wait, there are Fae too?” She flinched. She’d forgotten she hadn’t told him about Andrea yet. “Yes. I couldn’t bring myself to tell you earlier, but Andrea is a Fae, or at least she’s part Fae, which is why I didn’t know the first time I saw her. They’re not nice people, generally. They can be vain, devious, manipulative, and selfish; merfolk and Fae have clashed for centuries.” Taran shook his head. “Andrea…? No, she can’t be…” He backed away and then paced along the path. He didn’t get more than ten steps before he trudged back again. His distraught expression tugged at her heartstrings. “I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you,” she said. “It’s not your fault.” “I know, but I feel responsible. I mean, Andrea might be one of the good ones, but I thought you should know.” “Thanks, I suppose.” “Perhaps we should head home?” He paused before answering. “No, I don’t want to go home. I can’t face it right now.”

Zarya took his hand. “I understand. What do you want to do now? We’ve walked for miles, and I have no idea where we are.” “I want to forget everything for a while.” His gaze locked with hers. Slowly, his lips curled upwards in a smile. “What I want right now is to kiss the most beautiful, genuine, kind person I’ve ever met.” She grabbed his jacket lapel and drew him towards her. “Then kiss me.” He did, melting her concerns in an instant. Taran was the first to break the kiss. “I know this amazing cove. It’s off the beaten track, only the locals know it’s there, but I’d like to take you.” “Sounds great, Taran, but I should text Harper. She’ll be wondering where I am.” “Who is she, your mum?” Zarya laughed. “No, thank goodness. My mother is a sea witch—not a real one, obviously,” she added. “Can I borrow your phone to let Harper know I won’t be back for a while?” “Sure, but don’t you have your own phone?” “No, merfolk don’t use phones. Even the waterproof ones are no good in deep water. Plus, our tails don’t come with pockets.” To her surprise, Taran burst out laughing. “Hmm, I can see how that could be a problem.” He handed his phone to her, and she sent a text to Harper. * * * Taran wasn’t joking when he said the cove was out of the way. Their journey took them around the coast, winding in and out of rocky coves. The steep hills and rugged terrain made Zarya glad she’d worn plimsolls. She hadn’t seen a road in ages, which meant the picturesque cove probably wasn’t accessible by car, and the walk down the cliff at the rear had been treacherous, to say the least, but well worth it. It was almost dark by the time they got there.

“Wow, this is stunning, Taran,” she said, squinting in the half light. “Or it would be if I could see it better.” From a craggy peninsula, a giant slab of rock jutted at a right angle into the sea, which she imagined would make the cove almost invisible to those who ed by in boats, too. “Yeah, sorry, it took longer than I expected to get here after we stopped at that fish and chip shop.” “I wasn’t complaining, and that battered fish was the best I’ve tasted in a long time.” He meandered around the secluded cove, gathering random pieces of driftwood. “Perks of being a local and knowing all the best places.” “What are you doing?” “I’m making a fire. Now fetch me some of those twigs over there, please.” He offered her a cheeky wink. “Don’t think you’re going to stand there looking all alluring and sexy and doing nothing.” She grinned, acknowledging the similarity to what she’d said to him earlier, and then did as she was told. It wasn’t long before the fire glowed orange and offered a welcome warmth from the chilly night air. Taran laid his jacket on the sand, and they sat side by side in front of the fire, gazing out to sea. Comfortable silence blanketed them, the only sound the gentle lapping of the waves on the shore and the crackling and occasional pop from the fire. The ocean glittered like onyx while the moon cast a silvery, shimmering path to the horizon. After a while, Zarya had a mind to try something. He seems relaxed. It might work. She spoke telepathically to Taran. Nothing. No reaction from him whatsoever. He hadn’t heard her.

She sighed and spoke out loud. “Maybe I’m thinking too hard.” “About what?” “I’m trying to figure out why you think you’re a human. Maybe this isn’t about trying to convince you that you’re a merman. If I knew more about how you grew up, I might be able to piece things together. Tell me about yourself, Taran.” “Okay, what do you want to know?” “First, I can’t understand why your parents didn’t tell you when you were a kid.” “I didn’t have parents. Or at least none that I ,” he told her, his handsome face sombre in the moonlight. “I was brought up in foster homes, shoved from one house to another.” He picked up a smooth stone and held it in his palm, staring at it. “It was hard, I’m not going to lie, but as soon as I was old enough, I left the foster system in search of my fortune.” He harrumphed. “I still haven’t found it. Too busy trying to save for university.” “What do you want to study?” “Marine biology. Like I said before, I’ve always loved the ocean.” He paused and added, “But it doesn’t make me a merman.” A brief frown furrowed her brow. His refusal to believe was getting a smidge frustrating, not to mention that while studying had its advantages, there was only so much books could teach him. He could experience all the ocean had to offer first hand. “Did you ever try to find your parents?” “Yes, I did. Apparently, I was found alone during a thunderstorm, wandering along a beach when I was about two years old. The police tried for months to find my parents, but no one reported a missing child. What sort of parents would dump a child on a beach and leave them there, alone and frightened?” He examined the stone again. “Anyway, social services got involved, and I ended up in foster homes. I moved on, but I was uneducated. I couldn’t get a decent job, and consequently I got myself into a mess, living on the streets and stealing a few morsels of food. That’s when Andrea found me.” What he’d said had jogged a memory of something that happened years ago. Could it be…? She hesitated, uncertain if her memory was correct. “Taran, I

don’t know for certain, but I have to tell you something.” “Tell me what?” “I can’t recall all the details. It happened years ago, but there was a story about a merboy who went missing.” He gasped. “What?” “I was very young, but I my mother telling me never to wander off in case I got lost like the little merboy.” The stone slipped from his palm, landing with a soft thud in the sand. “Do you think it could have been me?” “I don’t know. I’d have to ask my mother. She would know more details.” She took his hand. It was clammy. “His mother was devasted by all s. She blamed herself. There was a storm, I think, and they got separated near the shore.” He looked at her, his eyes filled with uncertainty and anguish, but an unmistakable spark of hope flickered in their turquoise depths too. This captivating, confused merman deserved to know his mother had not abandoned him when he was a toddler, but right now, she couldn’t give him false hope, not until she had all the facts. Even if her mother didn’t know more, Zarya would find the truth for him, her duty as an ocean priestess or not. Her heart ached to ease his pain, but all she could offer him with absolute certainty was her love. Zarya shifted closer to him, then cupped his face with both hands. Miniature orange and gold flames reflected in his enlarged pupils, the muted light from the fire catching the tears that glistened in his eyes. Without a word, telepathically or out loud, she pressed her lips lightly on each eyelid, kissing away his pain. His broad shoulders dipped, and a soft moan escaped his mouth. She trailed gentle kisses along his cheeks until she found his lips. Taran returned her embrace, his kiss tender too as he wrapped his strong arms

around her. He urged her downwards until she lay on the cool sand. Leaning over her, he brushed her hair from her cheek, seemingly mesmerized by the action. She placed her hand on his chest, loving the way the muscles under his T-shirt bunched beneath her touch, and delighting in his gasp as she circled her fingertip over a fabric-covered nipple. His eyes darkened with a desire that sent fire between her legs, and yet he hesitated, his expression full of uncertainty, of a concern that touched a different part of her. “Zarya…?” He swallowed. Zarya answered him with a soft smile. She fisted his T-shirt and brought him down on top of her. Taran kissed her again, this time with ion and urgency, the effect she’d hoped her action would evoke. He continued to kiss her, burying his face in her neck, nibbling her earlobe, and blowing softly in her ear. She squealed with delight as goosebumps danced across her entire body, right down to her toes. She giggled. “Stop that.” He inched back to look at her. “Why, don’t you like it?” His mischievous tone suggested he knew full well she liked it. A lot. The wickedness in his eyes sent signals straight to her core. He nuzzled into her neck again, then trailed hot, fervent kisses along her collarbone, down the valley of her breasts until he reached the bare skin below her crop top. Zarya tangled her fingers in the soft hair at the nape of his neck, yearning to make him go lower, demand that he kiss her throbbing sex, but she didn’t, preferring to revel in anticipation of his touch. His large hands stroked her waist, sliding up to her top until his fingertips skimmed the underside of her breasts. Her nipples peaked against the fabric, aching for his touch. He didn’t disappoint.

His face mere inches from her body, Taran lifted her top, the cool air making her gasp. Or maybe it was him as his tongue flicked across her rock-hard nipple. She took his head in both hands now, encouraging him to give her girls equal attention. Once again, her lost merman didn’t fail to do what she wanted, cupping her breasts in his capable hands, covering one nipple with his hot mouth, sucking gently, circling his tongue until he moved to the other and did the same. She writhed in pleasure and dropped her hands to her sides, confident Taran would give her everything she desired. He continued his delicious caresses as he moved his head lower, his hands on either side of her waist, kissing a line down the centre of her stomach until he reached the waistband of her shorts. Taran touched the fastening and hesitated. His eyes smouldering like molten lava, he asked, “May I take these off?” Zarya nodded, lifting her hips to help him. Instead of whipping her shorts down her thighs fast enough to give her a friction burn, Taran slid them down inch by erotic inch, her knickers too, following with sexy kisses along the entire length of her legs, right down to her ankles. She laid back and parted her legs as his kisses retraced their trail towards their goal, her sex wet and so ready for him. Zarya gazed at the stars, succumbing to the ecstasy only Taran roused in her but did he believe her? Was she about to give herself to him even though he refused to acknowledge his merman heritage? She wanted him to accept her as the mermaid she was with all her heart, wanted him to make love to her knowing the truth, but she couldn’t ignore the part of her that wished for his denial. Because if he denied the truth, denied his true nature, or perhaps even rebelled against it, he could be hers. All hers. If Taran accepted he was a merman, along with the ‘privileges’ that came with the title, she would lose him. He would be free to take as many mates as he desired. And if he could have any willing mermaid he wanted—and there would

be plenty, of that she was certain—why would he choose only her? His gentle kisses skimmed her pubic hair, and her thoughts dissipated like a sea mist. For now, she could imagine what it would be like if Taran was hers, and if that made her selfish, made her forget her duty for this exquisite moment with a merman who was rocking her world, then so be it. Zarya dug her fingers into the sand as the tip of Taran’s tongue circled her clitoris, then he sucked and flicked. His expert touch brought on an orgasm—an embarrassingly quick orgasm. Her body quivered with tiny jolts. Taran held the tip of his tongue against her until she caught her breath, and the spasms subsided, only then inching away to meet her gaze, his eyes glinting with wickedness. “Oh sweet baby clams, that was a bit quick, even for me.” A half frown wrinkled his brow. “Didn’t you enjoy it?” “Hell yes.” She giggled, finding it endearing he would not think he was anything but an expert. “I can do better if you want?” He flicked his tongue along her slick folds. Better than that? Her body responded with another thrilling jolt, but she held him away. “That was bloody incredible, but I came faster than a marlin swimming the hundred-metre freestyle—it’s kind of embarrassing.” “Why on earth would you be embarrassed?” He licked her again. “Never mind,” she murmured, succumbing to his touch once more, the second time even more sensual than the first and slower, her moans of pleasure echoing across the sand. “How’d I do that time?” he asked, that boyish charm so appealing. She urged him upwards. “Depends.” Taran possessed a skill she hadn’t encountered in a long while. The way he’d asked her permission to remove her shorts, his selfless desire to pleasure her first —although she was sure he’d enjoyed it immensely if the noticeable bulge in his

shorts was anything to go by. The other guys she’d been with were nothing more than boys, fumbling their way through the experience as though it was their first sexual encounter, their thoughts only on their own gratification. Self-centred little pricks. “On what?” Taran asked. “If you let me pleasure you, too.” She offered him a sexy smirk as she cupped the bulge in his shorts. “Twice.” He chuckled. “Now, there’s an offer I can’t refuse.” He undid his shorts and whipped them down, clearly not bothered by friction burns. “Be my guest.” “Or maybe three times if you’re up for it.” “Is that a challenge?” “I don’t know, is it?” she replied, her voice a husky whisper. She curled her fingers around his rock-hard cock and moved her hand up and down, intent on making Taran enjoy himself as much as she had. She fondled his balls and took hold of his shaft again, stroking him faster. Taran emitted a groan. “Stop doing that.” His tone lacked conviction. “Why, don’t you like it?” she teased. “Carry on like that, and I won’t be able to hold back.” His eyes sparkled with mischief. “Like you.” She giggled, no longer embarrassed by how she’d reacted to his skills. “Quick is good sometimes.” “I agree—sometimes. But when I make love to you, I intend to take my time.” Heat spread between her legs again. Zarya ignored his request to stop what she was doing and kissed him as she continued the task in hand, so to speak. Taran was right. He couldn’t hold back. With a masculine groan that made an owl hoot in the distance, he came,

trembling as he clung to her and nuzzled his head into her shoulder. After a few moments, Taran shifted to lie beside her, a satisfied grin on his face. “You did that fast on purpose, didn’t you?” “Who, me? No.” He propped up on one elbow, still grinning. “Liar.” Zarya turned to face him, stroking her hand over his chest, down his six-pack, then walking her fingertips towards his pubic hair. He grabbed her hand. “What are you up to?” “I would have thought it was pretty obvious. I promised twice, ?” His grin widened. “I think it was three times, but you’ll have to give me five minutes.” She inched her fingers lower. He let go of her hand. “Mmm, make that two.” She giggled, climbed on board, and gyrated her hips back and forth over his penis until he was raring to go again. Lifting herself, she reached for her shorts, rummaged in the pockets, and found a condom—she always kept one with her for spontaneous situations—then offered it to him. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he ripped open the packet and put the condom on. Slowly, deliciously, she lowered herself onto him. Zarya leaned forwards and buried her face in his neck. She inhaled his intoxicating scent, and right then, she knew this was it for her. He was it. No man would ever compare to what she felt for Taran. Yes, falling for this incredible merman would make her mother ecstatically happy, and no doubt she’d insist that Zarya not waste the opportunity to produce merbabies for her,

but she didn’t care. This was real. Making love, not mating. Taran completed her.

Chapter Nine

Taran’s phone tinged with a text message, waking him. He ignored it, nuzzled closer to Zarya, and breathed her in, the zesty scent of her hair intoxicating as it tickled his cheek. There was nowhere on Earth he’d rather be, lying in the arms of this enchanting goddess as they’d drifted to sleep under the stars. He’d never been happier, never felt this much love for someone. Everything about her captivated him, drew him to her kindness, her patience, and understanding, and he knew this was where he was meant to be. Last night, their lovemaking had been exquisite, a ing of two souls, and he’d given his body and mind willingly to her. His phone tinged again amid the cheerful sound of the birds’ morning chorus, and he cursed silently. Zarya still lay asleep; at least his phone hadn’t woken her. The fire had long since gone out, but the sun offered enough light as it peeked above the horizon, painting the sky in a myriad of pale gold, watermelon pink, and lilac. Gently, so as not to wake her, Taran sat up, reached for his shorts, and fished his phone from the pocket, ignoring the sand that scratched uncomfortably between the cheeks of his bare arse. A few grains of sand in places where sand was not meant to be had been so worth it. Away from the warmth of her naked body, the air was crisp and fresh, but it held the promise of yet another glorious day. A day when there were bound to be plenty of tourists wanting to book a boat tour. He glanced at his phone message and swore under his breath again. As he’d expected, the message was from Andrea. His boss… Was she a Fae, a devious magical being as Zarya warned? Did the whole supernatural world really exist? Logic and reasoning screamed inside his head. It couldn’t be true but in his heart…? In his heart, he wanted to believe because not believing would mean he hadn’t fallen in love with a mystical mermaid instead

of a normal, human woman. What was normal anyway? If Zarya wasn’t a mermaid, were her stories a figment of her imagination? Did her insistence that he was a merman make her crazy? Every fibre of his being ached with the need to know for certain, to demand she showed him unequivocal proof, but he couldn’t ignore the fact she’d avoided it every time he’d asked her. Yes, he thought he’d seen her tail the day she rescued him, but what if that was what he’d wanted to see and Zarya played along, making a laughing stock of his mermaid fantasies, as Andrea had done? Taran read Andrea’s message. I need you at work an hour earlier today. Don’t be late. Curt and to the point as always. He liked being a tour guide, spending the day on the sea, and navigating the coastline while he looked for marine life and impressed the tourists with his knowledge, but what he wouldn’t give to tell Andrea to stick her job where the Cornish sun didn’t shine. What he wouldn’t give to spend the whole day with Zarya. Even his whole life with her. She lay on her side, her breathing soft and rhythmic, blissfully unaware of his turmoil. He observed her perfect face, her thick eyelashes brushing her smooth cheeks, her full lips so kissable. Her hair fanned across the sand behind her. One plaited strand caught between her breasts. He gazed downwards, taking in her svelte frame, the gentle curve of her waist, covered with a sprinkling of sand, and legs that went on forever, right down to her brightly painted toenails. No sign of the cut on her shin either, not even a faint mark. She hadn’t lied about healing quickly. Zarya had a cracking pair of legs, no doubt about it, but could they really turn into a fishy tail? What colour would it be? He couldn’t imagine anyone as

stunning as Zarya would have anything but a magnificent tail that would put an emperor angelfish to shame. Then the realisation hit him. His heart swelled inside his chest until he thought it might burst from his ribcage. Zarya did not have to prove anything to him. It didn’t matter if she was a mermaid or not—he loved her. And mad as he might be, something deep down inside of him wanted her to be a mystical being of the sea. If she was a mermaid—and the thought aroused him more than it should—then everything she told him was true. He averted his gaze from her sexy arse and focused. Now was not the time to be getting a hard-on. What if there really were witches, vampires, Fae, and goodness knows what other preternatural beings living among the unsuspecting humans? If it were all true, maybe he could be the merboy who’d gotten separated from his mother… Ting! Forced from his musings, Taran glared at his phone. Another text from Andrea. “For fuck’s sake, what now?” he cursed out loud this time. Zarya stirred beside him and sat up, her long hair tumbling over her breasts. “Hey, you.” Taran threw his phone on the sand. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, mesmerized by her beauty. “Hi… morning… you’re amazing… you were amazing…” he stuttered like a tongue-tied teen. Geez, his cock was going hard. She touched his jaw and smiled. “It was pretty amazing for me too.” His mouth opened, but no words came. The woman—the mermaid—literally took his breath away. “What? Haven’t you woken up on a beach with an ocean priestess before?” She

raised an eyebrow. Her sexy smile made his pulse quicken. He grinned and found his voice. “No, can’t say I have. What is an ocean priestess anyway?” “It’s kind of like being a mermaid police officer, I suppose,” Zarya said. Taran resisted the urge to laugh as a vision of a mermaid in a police uniform came to mind. Hmm, he found that sexy too. She fake-punched his arm. “It’s not funny. I didn’t choose to be an ocean priestess—I hate the title. I prefer bog-standard mermaid.” There was nothing remotely bog standard about Zarya. “Why call yourself an ocean priestess then?” “It’s my official title. My mother is the high priestess, dictatorial ruler of the entire northern hemisphere.” “So you’re like royalty?” A mermaid princess? Now he was imagining her wearing a crown made of shells and nothing else. Heat rushed to his cock. “It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. I’m duty-bound to do as I’m told. When Mother calls, I have to be there. I have responsibilities—” He stopped her words with a tender kiss. She emitted a soft whimper and returned his embrace. Taran took her in his arms and deepened the kiss, flicking his tongue across her lips. “What was that for?” she murmured, her words breathless, her sweet breath puffing his cheek. “I don’t care if you’re a mermaid or an ocean priestess. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I think I’m falling for you.” An almost inaudible gasp escaped her full lips. “You are?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded.

Zarya cupped her hand over his and moved her cheek against his palm. “I think I’m falling for you too, Taran, but—” “But what?” She searched his face, her eyes questioning. “It’s just…” She swallowed. “Do you believe everything I told you? That I’m a mermaid?” “You have nothing to prove to me, Zarya, but yes, crazy as it sounds, I do believe you.” Her gaze swept downwards, but not before he caught the sorrow in her eyes. Her sadness gripped his heart as if it were his own. “What is it, Zar? Tell me.” “If you believe me, it means you’ve accepted your merman heritage. You can choose as many mates as you want. I’m sorry, but I can’t live like that. I don’t want to share you with anyone—” “Whoa there, slow down,” he interrupted. “I might be willing to believe you’re a mermaid, but I never said anything about me accepting that I’m a merman.” Saying it out loud sounded foreign. “I…I don’t understand.” “The idea that I’m a merman freaks me out if I’m being honest.” “And I don’t?” “No, never, and merman or not, I’m a one-woman kind of guy. What you told me about mermen ‘privileges,’ as you called them, doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest. If anything, it repulses me. I don’t know how you mermaids put up with it.” “We have no choice if we want our kind to survive.” “But what about love? What about living with someone, having kids together, and sharing your lives until you both grow old and grey? Like humans.” “The truth is, I never wanted any of that. I’ll it I was a sailor in every port

kind of girl, and I was happy with that. Until I met you.” He hated to think of her with other men, but everyone had a past, and he couldn’t blame her for choosing that lifestyle, considering how mermen treated mermaids. “And now?” He held his breath. “Now I want all of those things. I want love, I want to settle down, and even though it scares the hell out of me, I think I’d like to be a mum one day too.” His heart skipped a beat. He wanted to sing out loud, tell the world he was in love with a mermaid, aka ocean priestess, but he ed her warning about a merman’s song. The Summoning. But he wasn’t a merman—his singing could not summon mermaids… could it? He stared at the ocean, and his mood turned sombre. “Your story about the merboy being separated from his mother…” He blew out a breath, refusing to fan the flicker of hope that warmed his belly at the thought of finding his real mother after all these years, knowing she didn’t abandon him. “It can’t be me, can it?” She linked her fingers with his. “Look at me, Taran.” He did. Her almond-shaped eyes pierced his soul and made everything right in the world. “I know how difficult this must be, but I will do everything in my power to find the truth for you.” She kissed his lips tenderly. “But only if you want me to. If you’re not ready, that’s okay too. I’m here for you whatever you decide.” “I do want you to,” he croaked. “I think I have to.” “Okay, but not now.” Her smile lit up his world once more. “Right now, I want to go for a swim.” She leapt up, her nakedness in full view, giving him half a mind to ravish her on the sand again. “You can stop those dirty thoughts, Taran Stone.” She waggled her eyebrows and held out her hand. “Swim with me.” He chuckled, knowing full well he couldn’t refuse her. He reached for his shorts. “Wait up.”

Zarya bent down, grabbed his shorts and threw them across the sand. “No, we swim naked.” “We can’t leave our clothes here.” “They’ll be fine. You said not many people know of this beach.” She scanned the shore and the clifftop behind. “Nope, I don’t see anyone, and it’s early. I doubt anyone will be around for ages.” “What about my phone?” His responsibilities loomed like an ugly reminder. “Shit, what about Andrea? She wants me in work early today.” “It’s your choice, Taran. Do you want to go to work for a devious Fae or go swimming with me?” Zarya gave him a mischievous wink. “Naked,” she added with a wiggle of her hips. Since she’d put it like that, he didn’t hesitate to answer, “Swim it is.” “If you’re lucky, I’ll even show you my tail.” Taran stood beside her. “I already consider myself lucky.” Too corny? Maybe, but he couldn’t help himself when he was with her. Grinning, she held out her hand. He kicked sand over the fire to make sure it was fully out, then took her hand. She tugged his arm and ran into the sea, giggling like a kid. Her delightful laughter was infectious as she splashed chilly water at him. Taran did the same. He couldn’t the last time he’d had this much fun —not counting the hours he’d spent making love to Zarya, of course. Before long, Zarya waded deeper into the sea. “Are you ready for a swim now?” “Yes, but I should warn you, I’m a fast swimmer.” With a backward glance and a smile that turned his bones to jelly, she dove into the sea.

Standing waist-deep, the waves lapping against his torso, Taran watched her disappear under the olive-green water. He was about to dive in too, when she reappeared—some distance away. Her laughter carried across the waves. “So, you think you’re fast, do you?” Taran gasped at how far she’d gone. His belly fizzed with anticipation. Without a moment’s hesitation, he swam towards her. He moved fast, but it still took him a minute or so to reach her. Four feet away, he stopped swimming and trod water. “Hey, not fair.” He peered into the water, hoping to catch a glimpse of what he had to see. He couldn’t quite make out the shadowy shape, but he knew it was real. “I think you cheated, didn’t you?” Zarya’s gaze locked on his. “That depends if you’re ready to accept the truth.” “I’m ready, mermaid.” She bit her bottom lip as though hesitant to show him her mermaid form. She didn’t move, or at least her head and shoulders above the water didn’t move. Her long hair floated on the surface, swirling around her, and the early morning sun glistened on the droplets of seawater on her lashes and face, giving her smooth, sun-kissed skin a magical appearance. Taran swam closer, heart pounding, his blood pulsating in his ears. “It’s okay. Show me.” Zarya nodded and closed the distance between them, her movements fluid and graceful. It took Taran less than a second to wrap his arms around her and press his body to hers. Below the surface, he felt her tail against his legs, warm yet firm; powerful too. He didn’t need to tread water now; she kept them both afloat. She curved her tail around him, her floaty fins caressing his skin like silky ribbons. Was it wrong to find it a tiny bit erotic? He gazed into her eyes and cupped her face. “You’re beautiful,” he uttered as he brushed his lips against hers.

She inched back to look at him. “Your turn.” The magical moment ended. He frowned. “What?” Zarya swept a strand of his wet hair from his forehead. “You’re a merman, Taran. Morph into your tail,” she said softly. “Wait, back up there a sec.” He kicked his legs, and she released him. Treading water once more, he said, “Zarya, I love you. I wanted to believe you were a mermaid even before I knew for certain, but you have to believe me—I am not a merman.” Her shoulders dipped under the water. “I thought once you saw me…” She looked downwards, her lashes glistening in the bright sunlight. Seawater or tears, Taran couldn’t be certain. Everything inside of him yearned to comfort her, but he didn’t. Something held him back. Fear.

Chapter Ten

Zarya couldn’t look at him. The certitude in his words echoed inside her head. ‘I am not a merman.’ “Is that what this is about?” His tone was incredulous, accusatory. “You thought if we went for a swim and I saw your true form, I would somehow grow a tail too?” She glanced up. How could he even think that when he’d opened her heart and awakened something magical within her? “No, Taran, that’s not what I thought, and for your information, merfolk don’t ‘grow tails.’ We learn to shift.” Her voice cracked like brittle ice. The fact she had to tell him that confirmed his denial to accept the truth, but… Slowly, she licked the salty sea from her lips as she contemplated. So what if he didn’t believe he was a merman? Would it be that bad? She couldn’t ignore the part of her that wanted him all to herself, not shared with as many mermaids as he desired, but she couldn’t ignore her duty either. Something was preventing Taran from accepting the truth, but what? She searched his handsome face and softened. Whatever demons were troubling him, she would help him conquer them, but not out of duty—out of love. Her heart ached, but if being with Taran until he accepted his merman heritage was the only time she could have alone with him, she would cherish every second. She swam towards him. “Maybe I did hope being in the sea would help you believe, but it’s okay. All this is too much. I get it. You need time.” His lips curved into a slow smile. “The only thing I need is you, Zarya.” Her heart sang as he drew her close and kissed her. Zarya melted into his arms, basking in the moment, banishing all thoughts of how this magic between them would ultimately end.

Something brushed against her tail fluke. Seawater splashed over their heads. “What was that?” Clicking and whistling sounds echoed around them. Zarya spun around and spotted a bottlenose dolphin, and then another. Within seconds, a pod of twenty-five or so dolphins surrounded them, calves too. She recognised them as the same pod she’d been swimming with when Taran nearly drowned. Taran’s eyes widened. “Wow, I’m swimming with wild dolphins. This is amazing.” Zarya noticed the male with the scar on his dorsal fin and swam towards him. “Hello, there. Nice to see you again.” “Wait, you can talk to them?” “Not talk exactly, but I do understand them.” She stroked his marble-like skin. “And they understand us. This is the pod that helped me get you back to shore the day you nearly drowned.” “They did?” “They sensed you were in trouble, like I did. Although, I would have sensed you were near anyway.” “What do you mean?” “You already know.” “I’m certain I don’t.” “You must have felt it, the tingling sensation down your spine?” she prompted. He might not believe he was a merman yet, but she’d bet he’d felt it. “Merfolk can sense when another of our kind is nearby.”

He shook his head, but the look in his eyes contradicted his denial. A couple of dolphins swam closer to him. Taran looked at them instead. “Do you think they’d let me touch them?” Zarya sighed. A classic case of using distraction, so he didn’t have to face the facts, but she could work with that. He’d felt it. That’s what mattered. Taran grinned as one of the dolphins nudged him. “I guess there’s my answer. Hello there.” He held out his hand, and the dolphin nudged it with its rostrum, its nose. Another ed in, and another, circling him playfully, several dolphins underwater, some on the surface. His delighted laughter caught on the gentle breeze. Zarya ed Taran, his sheer euphoria at watching the dolphins warming her heart. “Come on,” she said. “They want to swim with us.” “I’d love to, but I’ll never keep up with them. Bottlenose dolphins are fast, and we’ve already established I swim slower than a seahorse.” With that, two dolphins flanked him, encouraging him to hold on to their curved dorsal fins. He did, and the dolphins took off, leaving Zarya behind. It didn’t take her long to catch up, diving in and out of the water, mimicking the dolphins’ behaviour. Taran emitted an elated “Woohoo!” at the top of his voice. They swam further out to sea, faster and faster, with Zarya keeping an eye out for boats the whole time; it had become second nature when she was in the ocean. Some way off the coast, they slowed, ed by a few Risso’s dolphins, their grey, scarred backs making them easily distinguishable from the dark grey and bluish tones of the bottlenose dolphins. Taran spotted them too. He let go of his dolphin ride and trod water. “I don’t believe it. Are they Risso’s dolphins?”

With a swish of her tail, Zarya stopped swimming too and watched his face split into a wide grin. “I can’t believe how lucky we are to see them. I thought swimming with wild bottlenoses was awesome, but seeing Risso’s dolphins, too? This is awesome!” Zarya grinned back. “They’re rare in these parts,” Taran continued. “We tend to see more common dolphins on the boat tours, and sometimes the bottlenoses—” He stopped midsentence, glancing at his watch. “Shit. I totally lost track of time. I have to get to work.” “I guess we should get back. Harper will be wondering where I am too.” Her friend wouldn’t be worried, though—she’d left her a note and texted her on Taran’s phone—and anyway, Harper would be too preoccupied with her vamp boyfriend, Damon. Her spine tingled. Zarya’s train of thought came to an abrupt halt. It was faint at first, more of a tickle across her skin, then her mermaid sensor kicked in full force with the unmistakable sense of another mermaid nearby. Sudden fear gripped her throat as she spun around and searched the water’s surface. Nothing. Frantic, she dove underwater and peered into the sea, her nictitating eye membrane allowing her to see clearly. Still nothing. Whoever it was, they were keeping out of sight. Normally, another mermaid being nearby wouldn’t bother her, and she’d certainly never been afraid before, but if the other mermaid saw Taran… Taran, be careful! Her telepathic thought called out before she ed he couldn’t tune into it yet. With a final glance into the shadowy depths, she thrust upwards to the surface,

relieved when she spotted Taran amongst the dolphins. “Are you okay?” Confusion swept across his face. “Yes, but why did you disappear? I thought… it doesn’t matter what I thought.” She snaked between their dolphin friends and reached him. He would have experienced the same tingling too, but he was still struggling to accept what he was, even after she’d explained what the sensation meant. All she could do was be patient and be there for him. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have left you.” “Where did you go?” Zarya couldn’t lie to him. “I thought another mermaid was nearby, but I couldn’t find her.” Taran’s lips parted as though he was going to say something, but one of the dolphins swam between them, splashing them with his pectoral fin. “Looks like our friends want to leave us,” Taran remarked, once again avoiding the facts. “I need to get back too. Andrea will be furious if I’m late.” He swam off in the direction of the coast. Zarya bit her tongue and followed him. “Hey, wait up.” With a couple of flicks of her tail, she came up beside him. “If you’re so worried about being late, hold my hand and I’ll take you back to the shore in no time.” He took her hand without hesitation, squeezing it as though for reassurance. “What are you going to do?” “If you thought swimming with dolphins was fast, watch this.” She swished her powerful tail hard and fast. “Hold on tight, and I’ll show you how fast merfolk can go.” Within seconds, she increased her speed and pulled Taran through the water, dragging him behind her. A bemused but thrilled expression slapped on his water-soaked face. Only when she reached the rocky headland next to the cove where they’d left their clothes did she slow her pace and stop, checking the area for any sign of humans. Taran took a moment to catch his breath. “Whoa… that was incredible!”

Taking her by surprise, he planted a ionate kiss on her lips, leaving her gasping for air now. “You’re incredible, Zarya. Have you any idea how happy you’ve made me?” Zarya smiled. She could pretend she was his for a bit longer, couldn’t she? “Likewise,” she whispered, putting her concerns over the mystery mermaid to the back of her mind. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her cheek against his, revelling in the comfort of his muscular arms as he held her tight, their bodies bobbing in the current. Too soon, he pulled back. “As much as I’d like to hold you forever, I do have to get to work.” Yeah, his work. Tour guide for a Fae. She bit her tongue again and swam around the headland. “You best get some clothes on then.” As she rounded the giant slab of rock, she spotted several people, half hidden amongst the trees and foliage to the right of the cove. “Taran, wait.” She pointed to the people. “Over there. I can’t let them see me.” “Not that your tail isn’t the most magnificent thing I’ve ever seen, but can’t you turn into your legs, or whatever it is you do.” Two seconds ed. “There, done.” “Really? That quick?” Taran peered into the water at her legs. “Yes, it takes practice, but it’s as easy as blinking when you know how.” Out of the blue, he asked, “Do you think I’ll be able to do it?” Her breath hitched. “Taran… does this mean you’re ready to believe you’re a merman?” “I don’t know, not yet. What you’ve shown me, these weird sensations I’ve been having… I think…” He ran his fingers through his saturated hair. “I think something inside of me wants to believe. It’s like I’ve been searching for something my whole life, but I didn’t know what it was until I found you. That has to mean something, right?”

“Yes, it does.” “So, what do I do now?” “Give yourself some time.” She placed her hand on his cheek. “Nobody says you have to do anything right now—except go to work for that Fae, maybe.” He clenched his jaw. “Yes, Andrea. How am I going to face her?” “I can’t tell you what to do, Taran. It’s your choice.” “I know. I’ll figure it out. Clothes might help.” He glanced towards the sandy cove, then to the foliage to the right. “Damn. Those people are still there.” “So what? I don’t have a problem running starkers onto the beach to grab our clothes. If they want to look, that’s up to them.” Taran chuckled. “No, it’s not that. It’s Kevin.” She frowned. “Lizzy’s dad. That’s him with the khaki jacket and binoculars. He’s a keen birdwatcher, so are the others. They must have spotted a rare bird or something.” “We could wait until they’re gone,” Zarya suggested. “No, I’ll be even later for work. There’s no way I can let him see me coming out of the sea butt naked. He’ll never let me teach Lizzy again. I’m already on dodgy ground for being late for her lesson the other day.” Zarya thought for a moment, no stranger to having to come up with ingenious ways to either find some clothes or explain why she was butt naked after she’d shifted from her mermaid form. “Forget the clothes for now. I’ll take you back to the inlet by your cottage. Hopefully, there’ll be no one around, and we can sneak up to your cottage and grab some clothes there.” “Sounds like you’ve done this sort of thing before.” “Once or twice,” she replied, holding out her hand once again. “Are you ready?” “But my phone is in my shorts pocket.”

“We can come back for it later. You said hardly anybody visits this particular cove.” “I suppose it will be all right. My keys are in my pocket too, but just between you and me, I rarely lock the cottage—there’s nothing much worth stealing in there.” He took her hand. “Shift into your tail and we’ll get there faster.” “Shift into your tail too, and we’ll get there faster than a pair of sailfishes,” she replied. “What? I can’t…” “I could be wrong, but I think when you’re truly ready to accept you’re a merman, it will happen.” “How?” “Learning to shift into your tail is a physical change, but the ability comes from in here.” She tapped her temple. “You have to concentrate, compel your legs to become a tail. Try it.” “It wouldn’t hurt to give it a go, I guess.” He closed his eyes. His frown deepened the harder he tried. He screwed his eyelids tight, his pained expression tugging at her heartstrings. “Stop, Taran, please, before you give yourself a hernia.” His face relaxed a fraction, and he squinted down into the water at his legs. Those demons of his appeared again, setting his features with the familiar scepticism and denial. Maybe she was asking too much of him to be able to change in an instant. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed you. Like I said, give yourself time.” Holding his hand, Zarya took Taran with her as she swam towards the safety of deeper waters once more, and they made it back to the cove near his cottage without being seen. As luck would have it, no one was around and they headed up the steep path that twisted through the trees, both of them barefoot and naked as the day they were

born. Taran grabbed her hand to help her navigate the uneven ground. “Watch where you step, this part is steep and slippery.” “I know, it’s where I fell over before, arse in the air.” He chuckled. “There’s something I’d like to see.” Taran let go of her hand as if he wanted to see her fall again, then he spanked her backside. Zarya squealed in delight. She was tempted to trip on purpose, to see what he’d do, because outdoor sex was the best, and the tree trunk to her left looked as good a place as any for a bit of upright fun. “Hey, you don’t get to do that without repercussions.” Taran raised an eyebrow. “And what might they be?” She pinched his fine arse and ran ahead. “Catch me if you can, and you might find out,” she taunted. Taran ran after her, his laughter music to her ears. He caught up with her when she reached his rundown cottage. He grabbed her from behind, twisted her around, and crushed his firm body to hers with such force her back hit the front door. “To hell with being late for work. I want you, mermaid. Now.” His cock prodded her lower abdomen, hot and hard and so ready for her. He found out how ready she was for him too as he slipped his fingers straight into her wetness without a moment’s warning. Mother of Neptune! He muffled her gasp with his lips. Teeth and tongues clashed. Her eyelids flickered then closed as she lost herself in the sheer pleasure only he could evoke in her. Taran squeezed her backside with his other hand, and she leapt onto him, wrapping her legs around him, his fiery erection between her bum cheeks, his fingers still working their magic. The force of their actions sent them tumbling into his cottage.

Taran stopped abruptly. “Fuck.” “My thoughts exactly,” she murmured against his neck as she gyrated her hips. “Zarya, stop.” His foreboding tone confused her. He whipped his fingers from her and put her down. What the coral reef…? She opened her eyes, then followed his gaze, or rather his glare, directed at the sofa. Andrea.

Chapter Eleven

Taran glowered at his boss. Andrea sat with her legs crossed, her arm draped over the back of his sofa. A glass filled with clear liquid and ice cubes sat on the table beside her, a drink she’d helped herself to. Despite her casual posture, something evil and calculating in her eyes put Taran on edge. His first thought was to protect Zarya. He positioned himself between the two women, and although he knew Zarya was unfazed by being naked, he reached for a throw from the armchair and handed it to her. Then he grabbed a cushion and held it in front of his erection, which was rapidly going soft, and demanded, “What are you doing here, Andrea?” Just because she was his boss and she owned the cottage didn’t mean she could make herself at home whenever she felt like it. He glanced over his shoulder at Zarya, who’d wrapped the throw under her arms like a towel, her eyes wide, infused with unspoken words. Andrea is a Fae. Be careful. Odd, he could have sworn he heard her warning inside his head. “There’s no need to cover yourself, Taran,” Andrea drawled. “I’ve seen it all before.” Taran returned his attention to the Fae. Because he knew she was a Fae without a shadow of a doubt. Everything Zarya told him was true. The green aura that surrounded Andrea, while faint, was obvious now, and he wondered why he’d never seen it before. Andrea spoke to Zarya this time. “Sorry to ruin your fun, love,” she said, her acerbic tone implying the opposite, “but I need Taran more than you.” She eyed him up and down. “For work purposes, of course.” Again, her tone appeared

contradictory. What is she playing at? More to the point, what the hell was he playing at? How had he put up with the way Andrea treated him? Somehow, finding out she was a Fae—apparently nasty people by Zarya’s reckoning, and he trusted Zarya above anything Andrea had ever said—gave him a sense of perspective. His life up to this point had been going nowhere. He’d been struggling to make ends meet and been at Andrea’s beck and call whenever she clicked her fingers. Not anymore. No, Zarya had given him something he never thought possible. Her love, her understanding, her unwavering patience while he came to with what he was, but above all, she gave him hope for a better future. Perhaps a crazy, fantastical future, but one that filled him with exhilaration. Granted, he hadn’t worked out how to shift into his tail yet, but he knew what he was now. A merman. “Cut the crap,” he told Andrea. “I know you’re a Fae.” Andrea appeared amused by his statement. She didn’t deny it. Icy fingers crept around the nape of his neck. “And you’re a merman,” she sneered. “So what?” “You knew…?” “I knew from the moment I saw you scavenging from those dustbins at the back of my house.” She studied her fingernails as though bored by the conversation. “Kind of pathetic, really.” Taran could barely process her confession. All he could do was utter a gobsmacked, “Why?”

“Yes, Andrea, I’d like to know why too.” Zarya stood beside him. “Why would you help Taran if you knew he was a merman? Fae have hated merfolk for centuries.” “What can I say?” Andrea rose from the sofa and paced around them like a panther stalking its prey. “Taran’s a good-looking guy, and I like to surround myself with pretty things.” Taran shook his head in disbelief. “So I was nothing more than a thing to you?” The Fae paused in front of him to stroke her forefinger along his jaw. “I suppose I felt sorry for you, too.” She fluttered her eyelashes, her blatant lie making his blood boil. He jerked his head away. Zarya harrumphed. “I doubt that very much.” Andrea threw her a glare that would have sent some women running for the hills, but not his feisty mermaid. She jutted her chin and glared back. “Don’t pretend for one minute that you even possess an ounce of comion.” “Despite what you merfolk think of us,” Andrea said, continuing her pacing around them, “not all Fae folk are devious and manipulative. And anyway, I’m only quarter Fae, not like that at all.” Taran didn’t believe her for a second—he’d experienced those unflattering characteristics first hand. “You might have taken me for a fool back then, but not anymore. Tell the truth, Andrea. I deserve the truth after everything I’ve done for you.” Andrea vented an unladylike snort. “Everything you’ve done for me? Have you forgotten how I got you out of the gutter? How I gave you a job and somewhere to live?” She flicked her wrist, gesturing to the cottage. “Which I’m charging you well under the going rental rates for, by the way.” The woman was unbelievable. “No, I haven’t forgotten, because you remind me all the goddamn time. I’ve had enough, Andrea. I quit.”

Taran glanced at Zarya as she squeezed his hand, all the reassurance he needed. “You can’t,” Andrea told him. “If you quit your job, you can say goodbye to your living accommodation too.” He wasn’t surprised she’d try to dangle her hold over him like a carrot. He hated carrots. Andrea came towards him again, and shoved her face mere inches from his. “I suggest you think very carefully, Taran, before you throw away what you have for this…” she sideways glanced at Zarya as though she had a bad smell under her nose, “this… fish. What can she possibly give you that I can’t?” Taran looked at Zarya, his expression sincere as he answered, “The ocean. She gave me the ocean.” Her soft smile liquified his heart. Despite knowing Andrea would have no qualms in carrying out her threats and leaving him homeless again, relief washed over him. He should have done this years ago. Taran faced Andrea again. “You know what, Andrea? You can stick your job and your rundown cottage right up your tight fairy arse.” Making sure Zarya was safe with him, Taran stormed out of the cottage. He’d have to go back for his personal belongings, not that he had much, but right now he couldn’t bear to be near Andrea a moment longer. The contempt on her face, gloating and cruel, would be etched inside his head forever, a constant reminder of what a fool he’d been. How could I have been so gullible? His mind a blur, he marched along the path leading down to the cove. “Taran, wait!” Zarya called from behind. The amused lilt to her sweet voice dissipated his anger in an instant. He halted, then spun around to look at her. Zarya chuckled, then clasped her hand over her mouth.

“What’s so funny? I quit my job, and I’m officially homeless.” “Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh, but did you see the look on Andrea’s face when you told her to stick it up her fairy arse? That was pure gold.” Her grin brought on one of his own. It was kind of funny. “I think I said tight fairy arse, actually.” Then the realisation sunk in, and it wasn’t funny anymore. She touched his arm, her expression now overflowing with concern. “If you want my opinion, I think you did the right thing.” “I know. I just wish I’d done it years ago, but what the hell am I supposed to do now?” She looped her arm in his. “Come with me.” Without another word, she led him down the path, then across the sand to the water’s edge. Taran scanned the ocean, the mid-morning sun sparkling on its olive-green surface. The warm waves lapped at his toes and tickled as though trying to coax him into the water, but he didn’t need persuading. The lure of the ocean, its magic, and its secrets, beckoned to him, a yearning force within his very soul he could not ignore. Zarya let the throw slip to the sand. “Fancy another swim, my gorgeous merman?” Only now did he realise he was standing there naked, having no idea what happened to the cushion he’d used to cover himself. I guess clothes aren’t important at the bottom of the ocean. Taran blew out a breath. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.” Zarya took his hand, her gaze never leaving his as she encouraged him to wade into the water with her. “Take your time. We’ll face this together. Everything will be okay.” Waist deep, he froze. “Will it, Zarya? You gave me the ocean, made me see what

I truly am, but I have nothing to offer you. No prospects, no home. I don’t even have the shirt on my back.” “Those things are immaterial. Being happy and loved is what counts.” He smiled. “You’re right, I know, but I can’t even save for my uni course now.” “Taran, you’re standing in the ocean. Whatever you want to know can be learnt out there. First hand.” She looked to the horizon. “You can still do that marine biology course whenever you want.” “With no money?” “Money doesn’t matter to us merfolk. Our tails don’t come with pockets, ?” He half-smiled. “But you said you spend most of your time on land. You can’t survive without money. Believe me, I’ve been there.” “No, you can’t, but you don’t need much. I get by, helping Harper out with the bookkeeping and stuff for Love Bites, and she lets me live rent-free in her flat.” His shoulders sank. “Harper seems great, not at all ‘double, double, toil and trouble’, but I couldn’t ask her to put me up too.” “I’m sure she would if I asked her.” Taran shook his head. He refused to be a burden on anyone. “Look, Taran, I might choose to live on land, but I’d rather live in the ocean.” “Are things that bad between you and your mother?” “They are when she’s constantly nagging me about producing merbabies for her.” He contemplated how difficult this must be for her, too. The merfolk way of life, their dwindling numbers, how mermen could take multiple mates without giving a second thought to what the mermaids wanted. No wonder she spent most of her time on land.

“Land or sea, only you can choose what’s best for you, Taran. If you want to live on land or in the ocean, it’s doable.” Her eyes shone with an idea. “Or you could do both.” Without money or a roof over his head, he failed to see a way forward. “How?” He had no regrets about leaving Andrea without a skipper for her boat tours, her best skipper, but his conscience niggled about letting his singing students down, especially Lizzy. “You still have your vocal coach lessons. You could hold them in a hall or something. The acoustics will be fantastic.” “That sounds perfect, but won’t my singing attract more mermaids? I wasn’t even aware I was doing that Summoning thing.” The last thing he needed was a load of mermaids throwing themselves at him. There was only one mermaid for him. Zarya’s expression turned solemn, even crestfallen. She dropped his hand and looked away. “It’s your merman right.” He hooked his finger under her chin, encouraging her to look at him. “I might have accepted I’m a merman, but I will not accept my ‘right’ to take multiple mates. I’m a one-mermaid kind of guy, and that mermaid is you, Zarya.” “I thought once you accepted your merman heritage you wouldn’t want me.” He silenced her doubts with a kiss, finding it endearing she thought he would even consider being with anyone else but her. “It’s you I want, no one else.” He kissed her again. “If you’ll have me? I mean, I haven’t even worked out how to shift into my tail yet.” Zarya kissed him back. “I think I can help. Come into the ocean.” She lowered her voice to a sexy rasp. “It’s better down where it’s wetter.” She ran her fingers over his chest provocatively. He arched an eyebrow and grinned. “You did not just say that.” She fluttered her thick eyelashes. “What? It’s from The Little Mermaid.”

“I know what movie it’s from. It’s the way you said it. Only you could quote a line from a singing Caribbean crab and make it sound dirty.” And sexy as hell. Zarya grinned. “So, do you want to find out, or what?” She dove under the sea and then appeared a few feet away. She flicked her tail above the surface, made it curl as though she was beckoning him over. “Are you ready to go, handsome merman now, or do I have to come over there and slap your sexy butt with my tail fluke?” Taran laughed. “You bet I’m ready.” He’d never been more ready for anything in his life as he swam over to her. He trod water beside her. “There’s one thing that’s bothering me.” “What?” “If I turn my legs into a tail, what happens to my… err, fishing tackle?” He was still a guy, after all, and these things were important. She burst out laughing. “You’re about to discover the most wondrous thing ever, and you’re worried about this?” She fondled his cock. “You have nothing to worry about in that department, believe me.” “Okay, good. Glad we got that sorted.” It took considerable effort not to take her in his arms for some watery shenanigans, but he had to focus. “Tell me again what I have to do.” “Think it. Compel your legs to become a tail. Command it.” Taran concentrated, the sound of her soft voice evoking tranquillity within. Then, a sense of power surged through his veins. As though the knowledge had always been there, he brought his legs together. He felt a slight pressure along their length. Taran looked down. His legs elongated, then narrowed at the end until his feet transmuted into a tail fluke. His skin turned the most magnificent shades of golds, teal-greens, and violets. Something within changed too, shining a light into his darkness. This is who I am. A merman. A goddamn awesome merman. “It takes practice,” Zarya said. “It will be difficult. You might not be able to do it straight away—” She stopped mid-sentence as she looked under the water.

He grinned. “What were you saying about it being difficult? Easy as blinking when you know how.” “Taran!” She showered him with kisses, entwining her tail around his. “I’m so happy for you.” “Me too, Zarya. I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you.” You’re welcome. Taran frowned. It was Zarya’s voice, but she hadn’t spoken. Hello, my gorgeous merman. Zarya tucked his hair behind his ear but her mouth still didn’t move. Her voice was inside his head. “What’s… going on?” She spoke out loud this time. “Merfolk telepathy. I tried to talk to you on the beach last night, and when I thought, I sensed one of our kind nearby, but you couldn’t pick it up then. I guess you can now.” His jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.” “Nope. How else do you think we communicate underwater?” Somehow, it made perfect sense. He thought inside his head, testing out the theory. Can you hear me? “Yes, loud and clear, but only use it when you have to.” “Why?” “Because now you have all your merman abilities, I’ll have to tell my mother. She’ll want to meet you.” “Fine by me,” he said, although after what Zarya told him about her mother, the high priestess, ocean law and order, the thought filled him with dread. “If I had my way, I wouldn’t even tell her about you, but there’s a chance she

might know who your mother is.” His heart swelled with hope. He held no animosity towards his mother now. She’d not abandoned him on the beach as he’d once thought. To find her, to finally meet her after all these years was more than he’d ever dreamed possible. Meeting Zarya had made anything possible. “Do you think so?” “Only one way to find out.” With a flick of her tail, she swam out to sea. Taran followed, clumsily at first as he got used to his powerful tail, but he soon got the hang of it. They swam for miles, further into deeper waters, faster and faster, the exhilaration of darting through the water second to none. His ability to switch from breathing air to breathing underwater came naturally too as they dove into the depths and back to the surface again. All of a sudden, Zarya stopped, her head above the water. Taran did too, noting the familiar tingle down his spine. He knew for certain what it meant now. Another of their kind was somewhere close by. “You feel it?” she asked. “Yes.” The tingling increased its intensity. Zarya gasped as mermaids appeared from the depths, propelling themselves to the surface and surrounding them. Fifteen to twenty mermaids circled him, swimming closer and closer, crowding him until he could no longer see Zarya. They touched his arms, his hair, his torso. Several swam below the surface, flicking their fins against his tail. Their overly zealous pawing revolted him. Their excited chatter and evocative suggestions brought on a wave of nausea. “Zarya!” he called out, frantically searching for her. Finally, he spotted her. With a powerful thrash of his tail, he swam towards her,

weaving between the mermaids, shoving whoever got in his way. He reached Zarya, clasping her outstretched hand, but the other mermaids swarmed around them. They grabbed them, trying to pull them apart, both on the surface and underwater. Zarya slipped from his grasp. The mermaids crowded her, threatening her with vicious jibes. “Taran,” she pleaded. Enough was enough. Taran took a deep breath. From somewhere deep inside his chest, he emitted an almighty roar, a force so great it lashed at the sea like a hurricane, churning the surface and eddying around him. The water turned murky. Instinctively, Taran knew what to do. Like Moses parting the Red Sea, he commanded the sea to separate. The waves rose like surging walls, ten, fifteen feet high, forcing the mermaids away from Zarya as they crashed back into the ocean. He reached her again, protecting her with his body, curving his tail around hers. “Enough!” he bellowed to the other mermaids. “You will listen to me.” Some of the mermaids gasped. A few looked terrified. “I choose Zarya and only her.” Taran glowered at the few who dared to look him in the eyes. He lowered his voice, going for firm yet menacing—he hoped. “Leave now before I really lose my temper.” To his relief, the mermaids dove into the sea and disappeared. The sea calmed. “Are you okay?” he asked the only mermaid who mattered, Zarya. “Yeah, I’m fine. You did kind of scare me, though.” “I scared myself, too. I have no idea where it came from. I guess I haven’t learned all my abilities after all.”

“The power you have to manipulate water, I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Zarya. “It means you could be a descendant of Neptune.” Neptune? He couldn’t be…? His stomach cramped. “Whoa, there! I just found out I have a tail and I can move water with my voice. I can only cope with so much.” “You’re coping, believe me.” He smiled. Zarya’s encouragement was all he needed. “I can’t believe you refused all those mermaids for me.” Taran brushed water droplets from her cheek. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” A thought struck him. “Do you think more mermaids will come?” “No, I don’t think so. Mermaids are the ocean’s worst gossips. Word will get around. One thing is for certain though, what you did back there is going to change the way merfolk have done things for centuries.” “I’m under no illusion that this is going to be easy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said, smiling at his enchanting mermaid. “Are you ready to take all this on?” Zarya asked, waving her arm across the water’s surface. “I would take on the ocean and the merfolk for you, Zarya. Hell, I’d even take on Neptune himself as long as you’re by my side.” Zarya’s smile shone light into his newfound world, one he couldn’t wait to be part of. “Always.” “There’s one more thing I wanted to say. Something I should have said the day I almost drowned.” “What?” He cupped her cheek. “Thank you for saving my life.” “You’re destined for great things, Taran. I think I knew that from the moment I

met you. You gave my life meaning, a new sense of purpose. I guess what I’m trying to say is…” She closed her lips and spoke telepathically. Thank you for saving me too.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

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ABOUT ABBEY MACMUNN

Abbey MacMunn writes contemporary, paranormal and erotic romances. She lives in Hampshire, UK, with her husband and their four children.

When she’s not writing, she likes to watch films and TV shows – anything from rom-coms to superheroes to science fiction movies.

Abbey is a proud member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Find Abbey Online:

Website: http://abbeymacmunn.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbbeyMacMunnAuthor1 Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbeymacmunn Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbeymacmunn Tirgearr Publishing: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/MacMunn_Abbey

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