The Merman's Hold

Chapter 3

Aria's eyes fluttered open, the soft glow of her surroundings slowly coming into focus. Her heart pounded as she struggled to take in the unfamiliar environment – a cave. Her gaze darted around, the walls shimmered with bioluminescent algae, casting an ethereal glow. The air was cool and damp, and the sound of water lapping echoes in the background. This can't be real. Where am I? Panic surged through her chest.

Her breath hitched, quick and shallow, as if she couldn't pull enough air into her lungs. What happened? Her mind raced back to the ocean – the strange force pulling her under, then darkness. Now she was here, alone – or at least, she thought she was.

A ripple broke the surface of the pool beside her, and her gaze snapped towards the water. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the figure before her. He was tall and muscular, his tanned skin gleaming in the soft light, but his yes – those eyes – glowed a piercing blue, sharp and unnatural. Flowing brown hair framed his chiseled features – still damp, she noted. And then, as her gaze traveled lower, she saw it; his lower half wasn't human. A long, iridescent navy fish tail stretched out behind him, flicking through the water like it belonged there.

Her body went cold as disbelief flooded her. "W-what... what the hell is this?" She stammered, barely able to speak. She stumbled backward, her hands pressed against the cold stone floor, her head spinning. No. No, this isn't happening. Her heart hammered in her chest, and her entire body shook. This couldn't be real – merman didn't exist. That was fiction, some kind of fairytale. She must have hit her head, or she was hallucinating. Yes, that had to be it. Maybe she'd passed out on the shore, and this was some twisted dream.

The memories crashed over her like a wave – being pulled deeper into the ocean, blue eyes staring into hers as his mouth pressed against hers, giving her the breath she needed to survive. Her stomach twisted in disgust. She pressed a hand against her lips, shuddering at the memory. He kissed me – no he saved me. She touched her lips, feeling the sting of a small cut, likely from his sharp teeth. Her skin crawled at the thought. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting, she reminded herself, a wave of repulsion washing over her. Her lips still throbbed, bruised form the encounter.

Her panic flared again as Aria realised, she was still in her bikini, exposed and vulnerable. The cool air brushed against her skin, a stark reminder that she wasn't dreaming. She wrapped her arms around herself, trembling as she tried to find any sense of security. But how could she, trapped in a cave with – this?

"Where am I?" Aria croaked, her voice trembling. The words barley escaped her lips before she noticed him moving closer. Her heart pounded so hard it was deafening in her ears. She wanted to scream, to run, but her legs wouldn't cooperate. She felt trapped, her body frozen in place by a terror she couldn't comprehend.

His voice, deep and melodic, washed over her, but she couldn't understand the words. They were foreign, strange. "Elira telan. Fulora Kaelen. Yen fulora?" The merman said, his glowing eyes locked on her.

Aria's hands shook violently as she scrambled backward, pushing herself away from him, her entire body trembling with fear. "Stay back!" she warned, though her voice held little strength. This had to be a nightmare, some kind of hallucination. But no matter how hard she tried to convince herself, the cold stone beneath her hands and the damp air clinging to her skin screamed otherwise. Mermen aren't real. They're myths! This isn't possible!

He spoke again, his tone more measured. "Fulora Kaelen." He pointed to himself the words deliberate, but Aria's mind was spinning too fast to make sense of it.

She shook her head violently, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "No, no, no," she whispered under her breath, her fingers digging into the cold stone of the cave floor. Her nails scraped against the rock, as if clawing at reality itself, desperate for something to make sense.