Tails (Transformations: Book 1)

9

Aria was tired when she got home, that night. Freya had to help her carry the tail in and they got some stares from the other tenants, but the two girls just smiled and kept going. They laid some towels out on the floor of Aria's room and set the tail on top, having nowhere else to put it. Freya sighed as they dropped the heavy thing. "I don't know what my cousins were thinking. I'm going to kill them."

Aria smiled at her. "We both know you don't have a violent bone in your body."

"Sure, I do." Freya poked her ear. "It's right here."

Aria laughed. "That's cartilage!"

"Well, it's violent cartilage." Freya insisted.

"You're ridiculous." Aria told her, shaking her head. "I'm going to take a shower and get to bed."

"Do you want me to tuck you in?" Freya asked, sweetly.

"Good night, Freya." Aria closed her bathroom door behind her. She washed herself and blow-dried her hair as quickly as she could. There was still one thing she wanted to do before she went to sleep, that night. She stepped into her bed room and laid her towel on the bed. She looked down at the beautiful tail, resisting the urge to put it on, again. She picked up the top and pulled it on. It stretched, making it easy to slip into. She had a full-length mirror in her room and she stood in front of it, smiling at how the top looked on her. The scales looked real and seemed to be attached to her skin. It would be easy to believe they had grown right out of her. She wished she had an outfit like that to wear to work, but she was required to use the aquarium gear. She set it on the tail and put her pajamas on, laying down to dream of mermaids, especially cute mermen with sea-foam green tails.

Freya waited until she was sure Aria was asleep, then slipped out of the apartment building. After that day's events, she needed to have a word with her cousin. She found Idun waiting for her just outside the building. She smiled at Freya. "I had a feeling you'd be looking for me, so I came to you, this time." She looked around. "I can't say I like this place, much. There aren't enough trees."

Freya shrugged. "That's a city for you." She looked at her, trying to figure out the best way to start the lecture. "You broke your promise."

"I did not." Idun replied. "I promised not to tell her about mermaids and I did not. I even made sure the others said nothing about them."

Freya paused as she realized Idun was not wrong. "I asked you not to do anything to let her know about the merfolk and you set her up on a date with one of the most dangerous ones."

Idun chuckled. "Kai is as harmless as a butterfly."

"He might not intentionally cause her harm, but a relationship with him would be very dangerous for Aria." Freya told her. "You know that."

"She won't get in a relationship with him." Idun insisted. "She hardly knows the boy and she could use a new friend. Surely, you see how lonely she is with only you for company."

The oceanid frowned, not wanting to admit what she knew. "Aria and I have a perfectly nice life together. Why do you wish to jeopardize it?"

"I don't remember you being so foolish." Idun commented. "You are very attached to this human, even though her life will be much shorter than yours." She cocked her head. "Or do you intend to claim her for the ocean? If so, you may as well go ahead and do that. Why worry so much about merfolk when you have the power to protect her?"

"You know claiming someone is dangerous." Freya replied. "There's no guarantee she would still be Aria if I did that and I cannot bear to change her."

"What is it about this girl that you find so special?" Idun asked, staring at her friend. "She is cute, but is she really so unique that you would live this life and allow yourself to become so distressed, just for a few short years with the girl?"