A Sirens Future

Impossible Love

Calix stares at me with eyes wide, shocked. I'm shocked too. This is impossible. There is no way that a human can be a sirens soul mate! I turn to Calix in disbelief, even as the fire is crackling inside me, confirming what I refuse to believe. Im stunned again as Calix crushes me to him in a fierce hug. I struggle a bit to move away from him, confused and surprised. What exactly is he trying to do?

"I knew it," he mummers in my ear, still holding me tight.

Knew what? I think to myself. I get my answer before I can even voice the question.

"I knew you were my soul mate, Lyris. I knew you felt the same way about me, as I do about you."

Oh.

Of course. He thinks that I claimed him. And why wouldn't he?! There was no one else around us but the humans in the distance, and it wasn't possible for my soul mate to be one of them. Or, it shouldn't have been possible.

Calix and I have always shared a strong bond. We grew up together, were friends our entire life. When we came of age to be hunters, of course we partnered. The physical things just followed, seemed natural, harmless. Our kind were no strangers to physical intimacy before finding and claiming your soul mate. Calix was extremely attractive, and I didn't mind having his attention or body. But thats all it was to me, though I long suspected that he felt more strongly than I did. I just ignored it and hoped that he would find his soul mate or realize that I had no intention of claiming any soul mate. EVER.

Until now.

"Calix," I started, trying to extricate myself from his arms and think of a way to explain what was happening. He pulled back, only to bring his lips crushing into mine. We kissed all the time, during intimate moments, but this time it felt wrong. I wanted to claw his face, gouge is eyes, sink my sharp teeth into his lips for kissing me. I was not his. The human man's beautiful eyes flash in my mind and I let out a low guttural growl. Calix leans back in surprise, confused by my reaction. I took a moment to calm myself before speaking, but my eyes narrow and my voice comes out in a hushed hiss.

"I need to go home now, Calix."

"Wha-wait!", Calix grabs my arm as I start to swim past. "Our bond Lyris, we have to seal it!"

I turn and stare at him coldly. In the back of my mind, I know this isn't his fault and he has no idea about the impossible bond that has already taken place with the human man sitting on the beach..but all I can see are two multi-colored eyes in my head. I take a deep breath and say as calmly as I can, "Calix, you are not my soul mate, and you never will be."

His eyes widen in hurt, then disbelief, then finally confusion.

"You said Mine, Lyris. I heard you. If you weren't claiming me, then what? Your just messing with me? Your idea of a joke? Its not very funny," he spat, acid dripping from his words at the end.

"No, Calix, its not a joke. But I do need to go. NOW!"

I turn and swim away, part of me not really caring if he follows, and part of me sad that I have now hurt my friend. Only a small part though. Mostly I am seeing two luminous eyes looking at me. I shake my head and swim faster. Trying to outrun those eyes.

The beautiful, gentle eyes of my impossible, human soul mate.