"Come with me, jump!" The mesmerising voice of a merman pierced Clarrissa's ears.
She was holding the rails of her little sailing boat tightly. The ocean waves were swallowing the deck of her boat. The cold seawater was splashing everywhere. Her sailing boat has broken off from the anchor and was about to crush onto the sharp rocks. Clarrissa saw the rocks but was frozen in fear. She thought about her brother who did not come back from dive yesterday.
She hoped he just get stuck somewhere with Triss and is ok. He should be, he is the best diver she ever knew, apart from Aaron. He was always so brave and strong. She had to wait for him. She can't come back without him. He was her everything.
The merman saw he can't wait any longer. Clarrissa was still stuck in the small sailing boat and she probably did not even hear him. He saw the boat is about to impact with the rocks, so he leapt up and two strong hands pulled Clarrissa into the water. She gasped in shock. She held her hands over her face trying to protect it from razor-sharp waves. She felt coldness down her bones and strong hands holding her tightly. He was dragging her through the wild waves somewhere. She just wished it would stop. She wished it to be just a bad dream. A nightmare which will end and a new day will come. The new day she would spend with her brother.
Aaron looked at the chubby girl in his arms. Her pale face was hidden in her hands. Her golden soft hair floated around him like a veil of seagrass. His hands were feeling her flesh like a soft pillow. He felt bewildered and happy. He immensely enjoyed stormy weather and huge waves. It energized his shattered soul. He felt strong and savage. Storms like this made him feel alive. He could gather the strength from the storm in his body and use it when he needed it. That is why he was able to fight sharks and killer whales with one touch. They would never come to him again after that.
He felt the girl needed some air so he resurfaced again with her. "Breathe in!" The mesmerizing Aaron voice told her. It was calm and reassuring. Clarrissa felt the cold wind and gasped some air with her mouth. It felt good, but she did not dare to open her eyes. She felt he is holding her and felt protected. She just did what she needed to and all her being was hanging on his voice.
Aaron tried to be careful with this girl. From the moment he saw her reading a book on the little sailing boat, he wanted to hold her tightly like this. He swished his big tail and grinned. She belonged to him now and he will never let her go.
Aaron assessed the waves, the storm was still raging and the end of it was still far off. He felt Clarrissa getting colder in his hands. Her pale skin started to get a bit bluish and her lips started to turn purple. Aaron knew he needed to get her out of the water fast. He swam towards the cliffs with underwater caves. His tail was moving swiftly as he dragged half unconscious Clarrissa through the water. He had a special place in mind, with soft white sand, where she will be safe till the raging ocean will stop.
Aaron entered the caves rapidly. They were dark and reassuring to him. He always felt good in the dark. He liked to spend his time in the deepest depth between the sea monsters. Even they will not dare to touch him more than once. The sea in the caves was calm. He stopped in the cave with an air pocket."Breathe in!"His voice echoed in the rocks. She did as he said again. He pulled her underwater and swam thru the dark tunnels. He could see well at night. His blue eyes were shining green in the dark. He came to a bigger cave with an air pocket and dim green light. He picked Clarrissa in his arms and pulled her hands off her face. She held her eyes shut."We need to go underwater for a bit, take a deep breath; I will try to resurface often for you."He said. Clarrissa nodded. She was not able to say a word. She will do anything the mesmerizing voice will tell her. She was alive just thanks to him and she knew it. "Breath in!" Aaron ordered her. She took a breath and covered her face again. He pulled her under the water again. It seemed so long to her. She started to feel dizzy, then he resurfaced again. "Breathe in, this is the last bit we dive, we are almost there.", he said when he pushed her up again, we are almost there," Aaron pulled her in again under the water. He was swimming with her to the caves in the middle of the mountain rocks. It was well protected and nobody will ever find her there. She would be also never able to get away from there on her own. She was all his now.
"We are here," he said when they arrived in his cave. He held Clarrissa tight next to him and she breathed the chilling air deeply. It felt a bit sharp in her throat. She still did not dare to open her eyes, but even if she did, it was too dark in there.
The cave was a few meters big, it actually had a few extra rooms and an entrance to go outside into a garden, which was in the middle of the rock formation. It was a spent volcano, so there was a large area with sunshine and plants, and even drinking water. It was like a mini Oasis in the sea. The rooms of the cave were all furnished. Aaron brought most of his treasures here. He liked to chill in here. He also gathered a lot of supplies for females, because he ...
. ..he was planning to take Clarrissa for himself anyway, so he stockpiled a few of his caves with supplies. The storm was just a great excuse to claim he saved her. "How great."He thought and pushed Clarrissa out of the water gently.
Clarrissa felt she is touching something soft and coarse like sand. It stuck to her body. She lay on the white sand on her back and breathe deeply. She felt so cold and wished for a warm blanket. It was pitch black around her and she could not see anything. She reached her hand up. " Aaron, are you here?"
The warm hand touched her hand. "Clarrissa, I'm here, don't be scared. I will take care of you," he said calmly. His voice was so mesmerising to her, she felt her all being drowning in his soft deep words." Aaron, where are we? Are you ok? Thank you for saving me. What happened? " lots of questions came to her mind. "Just rest now," Aaron said calmly.
Aaron knew how to take care of women. He and his sister were taking care of his mother when she fell ill. His mother was a half mermaid, and she was telling them tales of the human world often.
Aaron got out of the water. He could see very well in the dark, but he knew Clarrissa could not. He covered himself in an Egyptian-looking white waist skirt and then he lit up a few candles. Because his mother was half mermaid, he could change into a man, but he could not stay away from water long, or he would get weaker. The ocean was part of his soul, it was the source of his power. The ocean, the storms and the waves.
The warm light of flames revealed a beautiful sandstone room with fabrics, mirrors, cushions and trinkets, neatly arranged in a pleasing manner.
Clarrissa sat down." Wow. Is this your home?" she asked gasping.
"No," he smiled," I have few grottos like this, they are, my places to chill out and rest." He looked at her.
" Thank you for saving me," she said and stared at his muscular legs.
"Any time, we are friends, no?"He smiled.
"Yes, "Clarrissa nodded."You are very sweet to help me."
Aron blushed."If she knew he came to take her with him anyway!" He decided to play it easy on her for now. "Your boat smashed into the rocks," he said gently.
He watched the chubby girl sitting on the soft sand floor. She was drenched in water. Her dress was stuck to her body, revealing the curves even more. She looked so soft. Her long golden hair, hung around her face, still dripping water. Clarrissa was shaking from the cold a bit but was ecstatic she is alive.
Aaron crouched next to her." Clarrissa, "he held her cold hand."You are very cold, come, I might have a few dry dresses here you can wear." he help her to stand up.
"Why would you have dresses here?"She was surprised.
"Ahh, they are after my sister, she got too many so she stashes a few at my places in case she visits. She likes to chill here too."Aaron came up with a perfect excuse. He was so glad to have a sister.
"Wouldn't Triss mind?"Clarrissa asked worriedly.
"Of course not. And I will be getting you new dresses tomorrow," he smiled at her. "Just let me help you."
Clarrissa was happy Aaron is there. She would be not alive if not for him. He opened the big wooden chest and gave her a loose pink tunic dress with a seashell belt." This one will look nice on you," he smiled gently." And a towel to dry." he gave her a big piece of cotton fabric. "I will give you some privacy." he nodded and left to another room.
Clarrissa dried her body and slipped into the tunic. It was very roomy and she wondered, why would slim Triss owned such a big dress. But she was happy it does fit her, so she put the towel on her hair like a big turban and went to see Aaron.