Mermaids are Menacing (Book 2) Complete

32. A Deep Connection

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Its Sunday/monday which means it's a chapter day! Make sure to tell me in the comments when I'm slacking with a deadline, it motivates me to put out another chapter faster. I also accept motivation in the form of ☆'s.
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We dove deep and I held my breath. When we reached the floor, Roka held me in place my head pointing down. There was a dull ache in my eyes from the saltiness but that became almost unnoticeable as time went by.

Stress from lack of air was the goal. Attempting to make my body realize it must adapt to survive underwater. Each day we stayed under a little longer, slowly creeping down to a farther depth.

His hands held mine and he watched me with patience. Despite not growing gills, this practice hadn't been a complete waste of time. I discovered that Sirenaidea have a special way of talking to eachother. Spoken words dont travel under water. They have some screeches for emergency situations but conversations happen in a different way, touch.

Roka calls it "singing". With a touch he can project his thoughts into my head. At first it just felt like a hum, a vibration over my skin. After spending more time together it took on a familiar nature. Like an echo, it had the same sensation that a blink leaves.

I couldn't see through his eyes or hear through his ears but the communication left the same after taste. When he sang I could hear him clearly. He spoke in full sentences, and his voice sounded the same as it did above water.  I could only use brief words and phrases to reply. "Up. no. stop here."  Each thought I sent felt clunky in comparison. The volume in your head is always the same. You can think in words that sound urgent, but you can't shout. 

We held hands under the water. Occasionally flicking a tail to stay in place. I didn't feel the need for air but I could hold my breath for a really long time now.

"Any changes?" Roka sang.

"No." I replied. My tail swished trying to center myself. It was surprisingly good for swimming.

"We may need to try a different method." Roka mentioned.

I tilted my head to the side.

"Your making progress." He assured me with a toothy smile.

I nodded a bit sullenly. I promised Gorza and Ortha I would be back in a month. I didn't want to make them worry that something terrible had happened to me. With only a week left before the date I said I would return, I was anxious.

Then I felt the need for air began to ache in my lungs and in my throat. I needed to hold it in. Grow gills. Grow gills. grow gills. As if I could wish it into existence. But that's not how the world works.

"Up." I sang.

We began to rise slowly. My body could be hurt as well as the little kicker in my belly if we were to speed upwards to fast.

Maybe it was the food, but he was incredibly active these days. Before we had started being intimate he didn't move much, to the point I wondered if he was already gone. Cerastes said most dragon women couldn't hold a pregnancy. If the stress of red eyes or the cold water had harmed him I wouldn't have been suprized. Those things were unavoidable.

But now he was so much more... alive. We ate big meals everyday. More than I thought I was capable of eating. My body felt strong from swimming. The sun was warm, and there was Roka... for company. Its complicated but I am... content.

We surfaced the water in a calm way. No loud splashes.

"Anything?" Roka asked hopefully.

"No." I said disapointed.