The Mermaid and the Werewolf: Adella’s Tale

On the Run

He got up early the next morning to start getting everything ready. He had a small wagon and was going to put what they could in it. He stepped out of his cabin stretching and what he saw when he opened his eyes he couldn’t believe. In his horse pen there was three horses instead of just one, his 3 chickens laid 14 eggs total when he usually only got one or two if he was lucky. His goat was so full of milk she could hardly move.

He milked the goat and collected the eggs and returned to the cabin to make breakfast for his love. He usually wasn’t so lucky to have this nice of a meal in the mornings. Adella was up and brushing her hair and working it into a braid when he came in the door. She was dressed and this was good, otherwise they weren’t going to get any work done. He smiled to himself as he got to work on breakfast.

They discussed the plan and he thought going up the cost and then inland would be best. She didn’t care as long as she was with him. She began packing things up with him and it was obvious that she had never done anything like this. “Here, let me show you.” He gently took the tools out of hands and tucked them in nice and neat. “There, we want them to take up as little space as possible.” He smiled at her and she nodded.

She was a fast learner and he admired that. She never seemed on the defense or had an attitude like some people had. Everything with her was just easy. He watched her put the boiled eggs in the pouch for later and tucked in some baked breads too. The wagon was full of chickens, a goat, the bed, tools, the pot to cook things, and a chest. He looked around and a sadness flowed over his heart. He had built all this, taken care of all this. She touched his arm comforting him and she looked around with him.

“Well, we should head out. Daylight will get away from us otherwise.” He helped her up on the wagon and then went to walk next to his horse. The other two tagged along behind.

They walked all day and he pulled them off the road into the woods for extra safety. “I think we will camp here.” He looked around and thought there was enough food for the horses and a place to make dinner.

She was tending to the horses, making a pen for them where they could eat grass. She was so focused on the pen she didn’t even see the man standing there watching her with bloodshot eyes looking like he hadn’t washed or slept in days.

“I don’t think I have ever seen eyes that color.” He started creeping up to her and she caught her breath startled. He got a bit closer “Well, maybe I have. Once, long ago. I was a sailor then. Merchant sailor.” He squinted looking at her. He stumbled a bit as he walked away from the tree he was leaning against.

“Yeah, we caught something. Something we saw so briefly none of even believed we saw it.” He smiled a slightly wicked smile. “Half fish, half girl that was very well endowed.” He paused not too far from her looking her up and down stopping at her chest. “I know what I saw.”

Adella started stepping back from him. “Baron.” She called not taking her eyes off this man in front of her. He began stumbling towards her, trying to catch her and she easily dodged him. Then a large body stepped in front of her and she knew Baron was there. She couldn’t see anything but she heard grunting, bones crushing and then nothing. “Did you kill him?”

Baron straightened his posture hearing her voice. His wolf had killed him and he didn’t want to tell her about him. He didn’t want to scare her off, thinking he was freak. “He wouldn’t have stopped. “ Was all he could say back as he was trying to control his wolf enough that he didn’t continue to rip apart a dead body. “He was alone. I will help you finish up with the tie out in a moment.” He didn’t turn around, he didn’t want her to see his fangs and claws. He picked up the body and walked deeper into the forest.

He came back about 10 min later. She was in shock that he had just killed a man. Life at the Abby was just so simple and gentle. The world out here was harsh and unforgiving. He got his wolf under control as he walked in the woods. “I am sorry about that, but he was not going to stop. Men like that are dangerous and it ends up being kill or be killed and like I already said I am your protector.”

“I understand and thank you.” She was a little afraid of what she had seen but she never felt like she was in danger. “I think we are done.” She smiled at him. “What is next?”

“Let’s get the horses in here and then start a fire. It’s getting dark and we need to make supper.” He put a hand on her hip as they walked toward the horses, taking a look around to make sure nobody else was there.

Later that night they crawled into their tent, tired and dirty. It was only their first day of travel and she could feel it in her whole body. She was asleep before she even hit the ground.

In her dream the water swirled all around her, tossing whichever way it wanted to. She had no control. She saw the moon as she got tossed around. She felt something bump her and she knew it was danger. She tried to kick her legs but she couldn’t, the wave tossed her in the air and smashed her into the beach and began pulling her back out to sea. Something was swimming against the pull. For the first time in her life she was able to control her thoughts here and not let fear wake her up. She reached down with a hand and felt for her legs and all she felt was scales not her supple legs but hard scales.

She bolted sitting straight up. Baron had his arm around her responding to her movements by pulling her closer in his sleepy state. She laid her head down on his chest and heard his heart beat, it was steady and soothing. She wondered if she was having a memory or a nightmare? It felt so real, how could she dream up something that she felt before?

The next morning they packed everything up and continued up the coast line and mountain ridge. This is how their days would be for more than 2 months. Baron just felt like they could never get far enough away. Once day they breached another summit and there was the ocean. The huge, blue endless ocean. The afternoon sun was shining and they had to shield their eyes from the reflection. The smell of the ocean was enchanting to her, it made her feel curious about it.

Baron had missed the smell of the ocean. He loved it. “Let’s go for a swim, wash off.” His eyes glimmered at the thought of her naked in the ocean with him. “We will set up camp up here. The tide might be high tonight so we don’t want to be too close.” They went about setting their camp up. They had done so much it was like a dance for them.

Baron held her hand as they walked down the hill toward the ocean. “Maybe we can catch some fish?” He held a small net in his other hand. “Fish would be good for dinner.” Adella nodded her head in agreement but she was oddly quiet as they approached the beach. Her deep fear of water was swirling in her stomach. She had worked through it with creeks and lakes. She stopped just short of the waves crawling up the beach.

Baron took his clothes off and started to make his way into the water giving her playful looks. They he saw her face and became concerned walking back to her. “Are you okay? Do you want me to hold your hand, carry you, what do you need?” His voice was full of concern.

“I can do it.” She looked at the water with conviction.

“Okay.” If Baron had learned anything these past few months is that his mate was tenacious when she wanted to be.

She closed her eyes and listened to the gentle waves lap up on the beach. Nothing like the roaring in her dreams. They were almost calling to her. The smell was so personal to her. Something in her memory started to pull at the string that had been tied shut since she was found on the beach, but it wasn’t quiet there. Maybe she HAD been on a boat and went overboard. She took a deep breath and made her way to let the waves tickle her toes. Then electricity shot through her body, memories flooded back and she fell face first into the surf.

Baron was by her side in a moment and he went to pick her up and his arm wrapped around a tail. A large fish tail. He looked in her eyes and she was afraid and confused. He put one arm under her shoulders and one arm under the huge fish tail and lifted her out of ocean. “Oh my lord.” He looked her up and down. He couldn’t help but notice how beautiful her tail was and how much her hair would shine if it was its natural color.

“What is happening to me?” She clung to Baron.

Baron walked out further in the surf and set her down. Her tail flipped in the water just below the surface to steady her. “Well, I think you just might be the fabled mermaid.” He was in shock, but then again he was a werewolf so they all had their secrets.

“A what?” He let his arm go and let the ocean surround her. Then like popping balloons the memory of who she once was started exploding in her head. She started to remember, the air pods, the partner, her brother Kai, her son. All their faces floated in her minds eye. How could she have forgotten all of them? Like they were nothing to her. Guilt consumed her and she let her self slip under the surface and she sped away, needing time to think.

The bond between her and Baron was hot with her departure, tugging at her heart. She could hear him screaming for her as she swam away. After a bit she stopped and found a rock to rest on. Tears fell from her eyes as she remembered what happened to her. The squid, the whale, watching her loved ones fade into the darkness with terrified expressions on their faces.

Her tail steadied her against the rock and she reached down and felt it.