Love & Fear | Book Two

Ten

This was all too much. I don't think I could handle anymore surprises.

"I-" I paused, looking back at Michael and Emmy, "I need some time to think." Before I could realize what I was doing, I was out of the church and outside into the parking lot, my feet carrying me away.

A thousand questions flooded me as I made my way through town. My cousin lied to me about what she was, I understood why, but I still couldn't believe what she was saying was true. This week has been utterly insane. It was just one thing after another and I wasn't sure I could handle anything else. I needed to think.

I stopped mid step as I realized where I was, my sandals soaked from the saltwater. I hadn't even realized I had made it to the beach I was too deep in thought. As I stared at the large expanse of water before me I noticed how calm I felt, and remembered that just days before I could barely stand the sight of the water let alone stand in it. Without thinking I began to walk, further and further away from the shoreline as the water began to rise from my calves, to my knees and to my hips. Never had I ever been this deep, as the water begins to form larger waves around this area. But just as I was about to turn back, a wave pulled me under, into the deep and dark water.

I held my breath, feeling weightless underwater as I recall I was never a good swimmer, now I was in a horrible predicament. I couldn't remember how to swim and as I laid there in the calm water, I wondered if this is where I would die. Drowning in the expanse of the sea that I was terrified of just days before and the sea that my family loved so much. My lungs contorted, begging me to breath as my heart thundered in my chest but I never moved. Why wasn't I moving? Just as my lungs begin to cave I felt someones hands wrap themselves around my waist and their lips on mine as they breathed oxygen into my lungs. Pulling me up towards the surface.

The cold water pelted my skin as I opened my eyes to see who had saved me, and Michael met my gaze. His face contorted with fear, worry, anger and relief.

"Loretta what the Hell were you doing?" He scolded, still holding onto my waist as my legs wrapped around his tail, "You could have killed yourself!"

I couldn't say anything, all I could do was stare. What was I doing? Why had I gone into the water if I knew I couldn't remember how to swim? What has gotten into me.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice cracking, "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry I worried you, I don't want to hurt you."

"You don't have nine lives Lucie," Michael whispered, brushing my wet hair out of my face, "Come on, let's get you home."

I shook my head, "What am I going to tell my family when they ask why I left?" I paused, "I just need some time to think Michael, everything keeps happening and I need to process everything. I don't know if I can handle another surprise."

Michael nodded, "I know, and I think the best thing we can do is to be honest with our family. I think I should tell them about my species and that we're mates."

"Do you think that's a good idea?"

"I'm tired of lieing. I'd like to start my relationship with you and your family being comepletely honest but of course I want to discuss it with my parents and see what they think. I think your parents would be understanding but I think it might be a bit of a shock to them."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I paused, "Thanks your saving me."

"You're welcome, now, try not to die on me again okay?" He replied, teasingly.

"Okay," I grinned, "I'm kinda starting to get cold now, can we go home?"

"Yes, we can if you untangle yourself from me." He grinned, cheekily.

"Oh right." I felt my face turn red as I unwrapped my legs and clutched Michael's hand for dear life as I fell deeper in the water.

"Just keep kicking your legs and you'll be fine."

All I could do was nod as I tried to follow his instructions. Then Michael dove, pulling me quickly and effortlessly through the water and onto shore. Within minutes we were walking side-by-side together on the beach, both soaked in sea water.

As Michael handed me my purse and walked towards my childhood home, I wondered what would happen when we went our separate ways. Apart of me didn't want to think about leaving Michael to Live in Carthage and the other part of me knew it was going to happen and I desperately didn;t want it to. But I also knew I wasn't going to force him to live with me and I knew I wasn't too sure about living on the coast just yet. But I also knew that I was utterly in love with a twenty-six year old merman and I was never going to let him go, even if we had to be separated for a while.

"Can I stay at your hotel tonight?" I blurted.

Half of me realizing what I was asking would not only anger my parents but worry them as well. And the other half of me just wanted to take a shower and spend as much time with the love of my life as humanly possible. God, I sound really needy right now.

"I don't think that's the best idea Lucie." He said, squeezing my hand as we walked further into town.

"Mmm," I hummed, "I know, I just want to pend some more time with you. I hope I don't sound needy, I just want to be honest with you. And honestly what I'm feeling is insanely intense and I have no idea how to explain it. It's like if I'm not near you I'll die. Well, that was a little dramatic but-" Before I could finish, Michael spun around, pulling me close to him as he kissed me. My hands found their way to his hair as one of his hands cupped the back of my head. I could feel every emotion, every need, every want. I was breathless by the time be broke away, his eyes a brilliant green. The green I knew was because of me.

"I know how you feel" He breathed, as breathless as I was as we made it to the front steps of my parent's home. I want to spend more time with you. I want to grow old with you too Lucie but we can take our time, there is no need to rush anything. If you aren't ready to live on the coast that's fine, if you want to stay in your home in Carthage, that's okay too. But, I'm afraid of what will happen if we stay way for too long."

What will happen if we aren't together?"

"We won't be ourselves. Our soulmate completes us, it's intense and it's beautiful but if your other half isn't there you become a shell of the person you were."

"That- that's awful."

"I know." He paused, "We'll be okay. Three hours isn't that far."

"I had been thinking about selling my house if I overcame my fear. I wanted to live near my family, maybe Savannah, Georgia."

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah, now I kinda want to take a shower. If you want you can take one too and dry your clothes off in the drier. Maybe after we can watch a movie?" I suggested, opening the door to the house and letting Michael in.

"That sounds great."

After we showered and Michael got dressed in his now dry clothing, I sat on the couch in a pair of pajama shorts and a t-shirt. As Michael picked the movie, I watched the porch swing move in the breeze, barely noticing when he sat down next to me as the movie began to play. As he wrapped and arm around me and pulled me close, I felt my eyelids begin to fall as I realized just how tired I was. And as I laid my head on Michael's shoulder I began to drift off into a peaceful sleep next to the man that I loved.

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