Her Other Half (Fin Series #1)

Chapter 20-Shifter Call.

GIF above is just of a Mermaid swimming ;P

<><><><><>

After Cam's endearing message from Phoenix's Sea Shifter--Daisy--Luke had immediately offered to give the two Mermen a lift in his truck to the Ocean.  "Step on it," Jarrod urged as soon as he was buckled up in the passenger seat, Cam, Bolt, and Slick having jumped in the backseat, the two Sea Shifters in a canine form of a Dalmatian and a Pug.

Luke nodded and swiftly pulled out of the Aurelia's house parking space and switched to 'Drive' before speeding down the road towards the beach.  Jarrod glanced back at Cam.  "Tell Snowman and the others we're on our way."

Cam pouted.  "Are you seriously gonna be calling him that from now on?"  Jarrod said nothing and turned to face the front in response.  "Who knew you could have a sense of humor in a situation like this?" Cam mumbled, and Jarrod reached back to zap him again as the pink Merman shied away from the angry Weather God.  "Fine, fine.  I'll deliver the message."  Jarrod merely grunted and gripped the dashboard as Luke sped up even further.

"Head for that Cave," Jarrod directed as they approached the sandy area, pointing a finger over at an arch of rock further down where he and Cam had first arrived to this town.  Luke followed Jarrod's directions and then slammed on the brakes once they had arrived.  All three boys and the two Sea Shifters piled out of the truck as Jarrod ran for the Cave, Luke and Cam following directly after him.

As the Waterfall came within sight, Jarrod dived into the pool of water lying in it's wake, his legs immediately forming into his golden tail.  Cam dived in soon after, then resurfaced, the tip of his pink tail peeking above the water just slightly.  "I want to help," Luke demanded, and quickly stripped off his shirt and shoes.

Jarrod sneered over at the Human.  "You can't breathe underwater."

"With this, he can," Cam spoke up, a sudden massive pile of green seaweed held in his hand.  Cameron held the magical weed out to Luke.  "Eat this.  It'll help you to breathe underwater."

"Cam, we can't take a Human with us.  He'll only get in the way and slow us down," Jarrod protested, flicking his tail angrily at his best friend's actions.

"I'll have you know; I was on the swim team, and I'm one of the fastest," Luke argued, and quickly grabbed the seaweed from Cameron's outstretched hands and began chewing on it.  Luke made a disgusted face but continued eating nonetheless.  Once all the seaweed had been devoured, Luke dived into the freezing cold water head first as the two Mermen dived in after him.

Flicking their tails as fast as possible, Jarrod and Cameron passed Luke easily as the Human tried desperately to keep up with them.  Jarrod groaned.  "Help him," he told his Sea Shifter--Bolt--and she immediately turned into a Dolphin and offered her dorsal fin for Luke to grab hold of.  Luke swiftly grabbed onto the Sea Shifter's fin as Bolt tugged him along so that he was caught up with the gold and pink Merman.

"So, where are we going?" Luke asked, bubbles erupting from his mouth as he stared wide-eyed at the fact that he really was breathing underwater.

"We find the others and then seek out Taylor's friends for help," Jarrod replied, having remembered his and Taylor's talk of Twenty Questions when she mentioned the names of her Mer friends down in the Under Sea.  Jarrod's expression hardened.  "Then we find Taylor."

{}{}{}{}{}

I groaned at the pain of my injuries and winced when I tried to move my arms.  I blinked my eyes open only to see darkness surrounding me.  I tugged my arms only to find them bound together.  I tried moving my tail, but it seemed it was bound to my hands as well.  I struggled to free myself from my kelp binds, but a dark chuckle caused me to pause.  "It is useless to struggle, Princess," The Dark One revealed himself from within the shadows of the waters as he swam forward, all eight Sea Shifters trailing behind him.

I pinched my lips shut and turned my head away from him.  He reached out and gripped hold of my chin roughly, forcing me to face him as his dark eyes bore in to my silver ones.  "You'll never win," I ground out, and inhaled the water around me before blowing it back out through my mouth in a powerful water current.

The Dark One was caught off guard at my sudden attack as he went spinning 'round and 'round before finally catching his tail and glared over at me.  "That won't happen again, Princess," he threatened, and I turned my head indignantly away from him.

"Where are we?" I demanded instead, having noticed that even though my hands and tail were tied, I was propped up against a massive round boulder.  The sun could just barely be seen reflecting through the water's surface above us, so we must have been hidden away in some sort of hidden underwater cavern since I still had my tail.

The Dark One chuckled.  "Somewhere your friends will never find you."  I swallowed roughly and leaned back against my rock.

"That's what you think," I grumbled under my breath as he turned away from me, five of the Sea Shifters turning into Great Whites as they swam idly around me, most likely keeping watch on me.  I reached out to them with my Shifter Call, hoping to grab hold of at least one of them.  None of them reacted to my mental intrusion.  All but one.

What is your name? I asked right away, and the Sea Shifter was silent, but I could feel her trying to communicate with me.

I. . .I cannot. . .remember.

I tugged at my binds again so that The Dark One wouldn't suspect me conversing with one of the Sea Shifters despite the pain my injuries still caused me.  Hold on.  I paused in my struggles and leaned my head back against the boulder, closing my eyes as I sifted through the Sea Shifter's blurred memories, hoping to find at least some semblance of who she had been once before.  A blurred image of a blonde Mermaid mumbling a name flicked past, and I blinked my eyes open. Would you like to know your name again?  The Sea Shifter was silent.  I smiled softly.  Your name is Pepper.

Pepper, the Sea Shifter whispered the name to herself, and I could've sworn I saw her body glow a faint dark blue indigo color at the memory of her name.  Pepper halted in her swimming path and blinked as she glanced around once, before her gaze settled on me.  I looked over at The Dark One who was currently further within the cavern, but still in sight as he glanced back at me.   Pepper continued her guarding duty, but I knew something was different even as The Dark One turned back to what he was doing.  I won't let you die again, she finally spoke, and I frowned in confusion at her words.

I leaned my head back again and stared up at the fading sunlight on the surface above.  I closed my eyes and smiled as I began concentrating with all my might.  Looks like it's time to put my Shifter Call to use now.

<><><><><>

So I think five more chapters left or less? :P Just hopefully I can finish this book before the end of the month what with the Wattys almost ending ;-;

Plz VOTE, COMMENT, and/or FAN/SHARE!!! THNX FOR READING EVERYONE!!! ^.^