Rising Tides

13

She screamed as the bullet tore through her. Blood flowed in crimson rivers around her, and she could hear Rowan screaming her name. Hoots and hollers and jeers could be heard from the ship above them; humans celebrating their victory.

"SARAH!!! NO!" Rowan cradled her limp form against himself, swimming down to the sea floor and searching for a safe place to hide. Sarah made the mistake of swimming too close to the surface and had been spotted by a gang of human hunters on a large fishing boat, and of course they shot at her, thinking she was some kind of large dolphin or whale.

Her body felt like it was on fire. The bullet ripped through her insides and lodged in there deep. There was so much blood that she was choking on it.

"Just hang in there, my love. Just hang on. You're going to be okay." Rowan soothed, trying to stay calm, but she could feel how tense and stiff his body was, how he was trembling and his heart was pounding.

He found an underwater cave and laid Sarah down on the sand, hands pressing hard onto her wound to stop the flow of blood. "Stay with me, angel." He pleased as her breathing grew shallower and she coughed, blood spewing out of her mouth and painting her skin with rubies. "Please stay with me. I promised you I would keep you safe." He pleaded.

It was no use. No matter how hard he tried, the blood wouldn't stop gushing. She could feel herself slipping away. "Rowan, that's enough. It isn't working." She croaked.

"Don't say that!" He shouted, eyes bright with unshed tears. Here underwater, he couldn't cry even though he desperately wanted to. "I won't give up. I'll find a healer and-"

"Sweetheart, I'm dying." Sarah said rapidly, coughing up more blood as it filled her lungs and throat. "There's nothing you can do. You have to let me go."

Her love's beautiful face was twisted in anguish and pain, and she could feel his fear and heartbreak like it was her own. That's how soulmate connections worked. They could feel each other's emotions and read each other's souls like a book. It broke her heart to feel and see his soul so tormented.

"I can't!" He cried, brilliant blue eyes swirling and shifting between shades of green and blue as his emotions roiled inside him. "I promised I would never leave you alone."

"Well, I want you to break that promise, Rowan." Her vision was failing and her heartbeat was quickly slowing down. She didn't have much time left. Ignoring the pain, she surged upward and wrapped her arms tight around her soulmate's neck. Pulling him into a rough kiss. It tasted like salt and copper and painful goodbyes. "Go. Live. Live on for me. I'll see you again someday, I promise, and we'll be together again."

"Sarah-"

"I love you." She smiled sadly as her world went black. She slumped back down onto the sand, tail going still, and breathed her last breath.
 
She woke up in her bed with tears in her eyes.