Chapter 7

Caterina POV

He was fast. He moved through the water with such speed and elegance it left me in awe. The sea creatures danced and mingled with him as one of their own. This was one of his powers I realised, he could command the creatures of the sea. A common trait amongst the Mer of old, and would be a valuable tool in our inevitable battle against her.

He didn’t know it yet, but soon we would commence the hunt. I had to ensure he understood his abilities first. But we needed to move with haste. The further she fled, the harder she would be to track.

“So, what can you do?” He appeared before me so quickly I was startled. His movements in the water were almost untraceable.

“What do you mean what can I do?” I quipped.

“You know, what are your… abilities?”

“I am a Siren and you are a sailor, I believe you know of my abilities.”

“I know the myths. I know what I’ve heard from the drunken ramblings of my shipmates and what I’ve read in books. But they are human tales, they can’t be accurate.”

I sighed, I was going to have to tell him eventually.

“I am the heart of the sea, Sailor. She feels what I feel. I am her destined ruler, and as my mate, you are destined to rule by my side, as my equal.”

“Rule? As in, be the king?”

“Yes, think of yourself as the head and me as the heart. Two equally vital components that serve different integral purposes. Do you remember when your ship was nearly wrecked during the storm a few days ago?”

“Yes, I thought we were lost, but it disappeared as quickly as it began.”

“She paid me a visit that day. I responded to her taunts with my power and the sea responded. I was angry, and so, the sea was angry. She wasn’t expecting power of that magnitude from me, that is why she ran.”

“You called her mother?” he questioned, cautiously.

“Indeed. She is my mother, but there is anything but love between us. She murdered my father hoping to claim his power with the throne, but that is not how the sea works. I was born to be the heart and my tethered mate the head. His death triggered my powers and she became determined to keep me for herself. If she could not have the power, then she would access it through me, which worked while I was unmated and weak. But then…. Well, there was you.”

“Why me? I mean… we’ve established that I’m at least half-human. Why would I be destined for you? For this?”

“I do not know Sailor, perhaps whoever makes up the Mer half of you is the key.”

“I think we should… I mean, can we return to the ship? I felt like I couldn’t breathe up there. But my crew will be starting to wonder where I am.”

“We can return, your body was in transition and required the connection to the Sea to complete the change, now that you have embraced her you will be able to occupy the surface once more.”

I held him close and showed him how to channel his power so that the sea would deliver us safely to the ship’s deck. The crew was staring at us with a mixture of shock and awe. Cyrell simply smiled warmly at us from his position at the helm. He could recognise that our tether was complete.

One by one the crew members started to approach us. They each bowed their heads in respect and congratulated Finn.

“We always believed Cap’n. The tales. We knew you weren’t crazy. We always believed you’d find her.” One of the shipmates said, tears welling in his eyes. Finn’s crew were fiercely loyal and devoted to their captain. It was heart-warming to see. He was a born leader, that much was evident.

We celebrated and feasted with the crew as they became giddy on their ale, their bellies full. I laughed as Finn pulled me onto the deck and spun me around before pulling me close. He held me there and stared into my eyes as we swayed gently to the music. One of the shipmates played the fiddle and was playing an ancient lullaby of the Celts, likely learned from their Fae ancestors. I hummed along gently and watched as the crew all drifted into a peaceful slumber. Finn raised an eyebrow at me in question.

“Perks of the job, Sailor…. Now it is just you and I.” I looked up at him from under my hooded lashes and lightly bit my bottom lip. Instinctively I knew this gesture would cause him to react.

He scooped me up and wasted no time, using his speed and strength to lead us to his chambers. The breeze from our rapid movement had barely finished making its way through my golden strands as I felt my back hit the soft mattress. His mouth claimed mine in a devouring, consuming kiss. His hands were roaming all over my body. I arched my back to give him more access and he quickly removed my robes. I could feel his arousal through his pants, as our bodies ground against each other.

Feeling bold, I wrapped my legs around his waist and used my own strength to switch our positions. He looked at me in complete awe as I released his eager member from his trousers and slowly lowered myself, taking in every inch of him slowly as I stretched to accommodate him. I let out a soft moan as I felt a tingling sensation erupt over every inch of my skin, I realised quickly that he was having a difficult time controlling his release and his new power.

The timber panels of the wall cracked and splintered as he hurled us from the bed and pinned me upright against the wall. His breathing was rapid and his voice shaky as he spoke.

“I can’t control it Caterina…. I’m scared I may…. Hurt you….”

“Look at me Sailor” I took his face in my hands as his eyes met mine, achingly aware that he was still inside me but no longer moving.

“You could never hurt me. We are one. Now…. Show me what you’re made of.” I nipped his bottom lip and smirked at him as his eyes widened with excitement.

He was relentless, every thrust came with a surge of power that threatened to bring me undone. I should have felt exhausted, but instead, I was energised. It was as though he was feeding me. I felt my own powers surge and my strength growing.

Suddenly, I was aware of exactly what was happening….

“Sailor…. We have to get off this ship.”