A Thousand Salt Kisses (Book 1 of Salt Kiss series)

><> Chapter Twenty-Seven <><

Sunset was approaching on Crystal Bay, and we sat on the beach together, looking out to sea. The cliff behind us was now flushed crimson by the sunset. The light must also have caught the crystal beneath the surface, as it twinkled somewhat.

I felt so blissful and chilled here with Llyr; it was like I was in a daze. When it got a little darker, we lay back on the sand and my eyes traveled over his body.

I thought about how badly I wanted him, but Rosie's question kept playing on my mind. Damn you, girl.

"Llyr...?" I began. How am I ever going to ask him?

"What's wrong?" he turned his head and looked at me with an amused smile.

"Mmmm," I began. Great start. "Umm," I continued hopelessly.

He rolled on his back and closed his eyes. "Okay, wake me up when you're ready."

"I just wondered about merpeople and how they... you know?" I said.

"I know?" he asked, his eyes still closed.

"Well maybe you don't know..." Oh no, this was awkward. Maybe I shouldn't ask, I should just wait to find out.

He had now opened one eye and was looking at me, awaiting a full explanation.

I suddenly realized he knew exactly what I was talking about, he just wanted me to say it.

"Like, is it the same?"

"What's it, Crystal?"

"It!"

He began laughing hard.

"Yes," he answered finally.

I hit him on the arm with outrage. "See! You did know what 'you know' was. I hate you."

Don't hate me," he murmured pulling me to his chest and kissing the top of my head. After a while, he turned and faced me. "You know, we were humans once too."

"Really?" I said, somewhat surprised.

"Yes," said Llyr, running his fingers up and down my arm, before it rested somewhere in my hair. "Many centuries ago.  But we're still very much human in the way we do things only we dwell in the sea, and as you may have noticed there are special things that we can do... How we became mer is a long story, but I can tell it to you if you wish?"

"Yes," I said, as I lay in his arms. "Please."  I felt so privileged to be here with him, learning such secrets.

"Well, we originated from a Celtic tribe who lived inland on these very shores," Llyr began. "Our ancestors lived atop a mountain happily; I'm told, nearly two millennium ago. Your country was peaceful at that time; there were no wars. Everybody was happy until one season there was no rain. The lands were scorched, rivers ran dry, and most seriously there were no crops."

"A drought that bad in England?" I asked doubtfully.

"Yes, as you may know, this was unheard of on such a rainy isle," he answered, "and our ancestors were deeply panicked. There was a Shaman in the tribe who put himself into a deep trance so that he could contact the other world and ask them how this could be. He eventually began communicating with a spirit who told him it was Carman, the witch who was responsible for the droughts."

"Who's Carman?" I asked, feeling a bit jittery all of a sudden. I didn't know this was going to be a horror story.

"Carman was a malevolent warrior also thought to be a goddess of all black magic," he replied. "Carman and her sons; Dub, Dother and Dain roamed the lands bringing instant destruction to everything in their path. When they came to our ancestor's tribe, however, the spirit said she had decided to watch them suffer slowly with a hex."