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Days away from his sixteenth birthday, Ashley Martin finds himself being whisked away on a cross country trip to Ravencrest, New York. Little does he know that his family is hiding a secret, and his forthcoming birthday will herald a moment of great change. Song of the Sea: Part 9

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Author's Note: Good news, everyone! Part 10 will be on time, which is probably good considering that this part has the first cliffhanger of the whole story!

*Presses Drama Button*

The picture is of Phoebe Tonkin, so all related copyrights and such belong to her.

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I swam freely and quickly through the lake, enjoying its waters for only the second time. Actually being able to use my tail for swimming beat out simply sitting in a tub any day! There was a special excitement in propelling myself as fast as I could, and the lake seemed like it would never end.

For a moment, I stopped, observing a small school of fish pass me by. I felt a special kinship with them, smiling as they passed by. I swam a little closer, happy that they didn’t scatter as I approached.

Hey, little fellas, I thought to them. I didn’t know if they could understand me, but it felt right to try talking to them. They didn’t seem to be answering me. I expected that, but I was distracted by something else.

One of the fish, near the back, wasn’t doing too well. He was sick. I could feel it. Sympathy welled up in my throat as I watched it slow down some more… and eventually stop. I gasped, gently grabbing the lifeless fish before it floated away.

What’s wrong, honey? I heard Mom ask. She must have been close by.

This fish… it died right in front of me! I cried.

Suddenly, I felt Mom’s hand touch my shoulder. I’m so sorry.

What could have caused this? It was swimming just fine, and then it simply slowed down. I could feel that it was sick, and I couldn’t do a thing…

Not everything survives, honey, Mom gently told me.

But… they’re fish! I cried.

Mom hugged me. I know, honey. All Nereids feel close to fish. It’s in our nature.

I sighed as best I could under the water, and then thought of something. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat seafood…

Just the thought of eating it makes me sick. It makes us all sick, she said simply.

I remember that I would eat seafood at restaurants with my friends because you would never make it. Oh, god…

You didn’t know, Mom assured me.

How can any Nereid survive while living underwater? I asked.

They have to fight past the revulsion and become predators, Mom answered.

There’s no going back after that… is there? I asked.

I don’t know, honey, she said.

I let go of the fish in my hands, giving it back to nature. I think I’d like to talk about something happier.

How does it feel to be in the lake again? Mom asked, taking my suggestion in stride.

Thank you for suggesting it! I didn’t realize how much I needed to do this until I was here, I admitted.

I noticed that you were acting a bit restless and felt that you were ready to enjoy the lake again, Mom said.

And it’s safer now because I can control my form! I cheered, twirling my tail in a circle around me. Although I might regret staying up so late tomorrow at school.

Mom smiled. It’s a necessary evil.

I just feel so free and alive when I’m down here, I said, swimming around some more. Mom’s thoughts could still reach me as long as I wasn’t too far away.

It still feels that way for me, too, even after all these years, Mom agreed.

I’m going swimming here with Max, Jan, and Leslie on Saturday. It’s going to feel so restricting to swim without my tail, I said.

I’m sure you’ll live, Mom said with a lilt to her tone.

I think it’ll still be fun. After all, I’m spending time with my friends! I chimed.

And what about Max? Do you two consider yourselves to be just friends? Mom asked.

I don’t know. I mean, I had a great time with him yesterday, but I don’t know what he’s thinking, I said.

From the looks of it, he likes you enough that he’s taking things slow, Mom said.

Because of the past relationship I made up? I asked.

If he’s still looking out for you because of that, he might be a keeper, she told me.

I still don’t know, and I’m not going to assume that the first guy I date will be the only guy I date, I said.

Give it time, and you’ll know, Mom assured me.

I guess so, I replied, maybe I did jump in too fast.

Mom hugged me. Then it’s a good thing that he’s taking things slow.

I smiled. I guess it is. Being someone’s girlfriend… I never thought that I’d actually be considering it. Especially not this soon.

Mom smiled back. If you’re ever in doubt, just follow your heart. It will take you to amazing places.

I’ll keep that in mind! Meanwhile, I think I’ll enjoy my time left out here with another lap around the lake, I said.

Be careful of the sharks! Mom called out.

There aren’t any sharks here! I called back, happily sticking my tongue out at her.

I heard Mom laughing in my head as I took my last lap around the lake for the night.

`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'’

My first self-defense lesson with Chris Harper was on Friday evening. The first thing I immediately noticed about the class was that over half of us were girls. I also noticed that most of them seemed to be spending more time staring at the guy than paying attention to the lesson. Chris didn’t visibly seem to mind this, but he calmly increased the intensity of the workout whenever girls started staring. Surprisingly, I seemed to be the only girl who wasn’t constantly losing focus. Sure, he was very good looking and definitely stare worthy, but I didn’t feel any compulsion to do so. He caught me by surprise the first time, though. Maybe he was putting out something that made normal humans more interested in him, perhaps similar to the way I smelled like the sea.

As the class ended and the students started to leave, Chris pulled me aside.

“Hey there,” he said.

“Hey Chris,” I answered.

“Thanks for paying attention the whole way through, Ashley. I’m sure you saw some of the girls seemed to be there for me more than the lesson itself,” he told me.

“I definitely noticed,” I replied, laughing a bit.

“Thanks again. I’d better bounce around to everyone else, and Carly wanted me to tell you that she wanted to see you after today’s class,” he continued.

“Okay. Thanks,” I told him, watching him bounce off to another girl and then some of the guys. Meanwhile, I went to find Carly and found her in the front area. I waved to her.

“Hey Carly. Chris said you wanted to see me?” I asked.

“Yeah. Let’s go to one of the empty rooms,” she said, leading the way. I was curious about what she wanted to talk to me about, and a little afraid. Wanting to go somewhere more private probably meant that she wanted to talk about something important. She finally stopped at a room near the back of the building that looked like a small office. Unlike the classrooms, it actually had a door. Carly demonstrated why she chose this room by closing that door. I crossed my arms as she turned to face me again. She looked serious.

“We need to stop walking on eggshells around each other,” she started. I had a feeling about where this was heading.

“What do you mean?” I asked, feigning innocence.

“You know it and I know it. We aren’t human,” she said.

“Was it that obvious?” I asked, letting my guard down a bit. Carly seemed to respond by doing the same.

“You’re strong, full of energy, and you smell like the ocean,” she said.

“And you stuck out because humans can’t really smell my scent,” I added.

Just when it seemed like we would get back into friendlier moods, Carly glared at me again. “Are you a threat to my family?”

A chill ran down my spine. That look scared me. “I’m not a threat to your family or anyone else,” I assured her.

Carly calmed down again and smiled. How quickly she could flip scared me. “Good. So, threats aside, what are you?”

“I’m a Nereid,” I told her.

“So you are new to this town…” she mused.

“The Coven has already contacted my family,” I sighed, “they wanted to make sure we weren’t some kind of threat too.”

“Yeah. We Unseen tend to look out for our own. So, would you mind sharing exactly what a Nereid is?” she asked.

“Only if you promise to tell me what a Were is,” I said.

Carly smiled. “Of course. It wouldn’t be fair if you revealed what you were and I didn’t.”

I smiled back. “Well, as you might have already guessed, I have a strong affinity for the water. I can transform my legs into a long tail, like a mermaid. I can breathe underwater, and my strength and stamina aid me in swimming. I don’t know why I smell like the sea, but it certainly fits me.”

Carly laughed. “I take it that Lake Crowley is your favorite spot, then?”

“Definitely!” I chimed, “I was there just last night, actually.”

“That’s just… wow. I had no idea that you existed,” Carly said, “I guess there are pieces of the world that are unseen even to Unseen!”

“Yeah,” I agreed, “so what about you?”

“We’re Were-Coyotes,” Carly told me.

“Were-Coyotes? To be honest, when I heard the term Were, I thought of wolves first,” I said.

“The movies’ll do that to you. Wolves are around, but they aren’t us,” she said.

“So I’d assume that you can transform into a coyote and have picked up some of its traits?” I asked.

“You’re catching on quickly. We can transform at any time, and the moon never forces us to change. As coyotes, we have enhanced senses, reflexes, strength and speed,” she explained.

“Looks like you’re more suited to fighting than I am,” I mused.

“Yeah. I’ve never heard of an Unseen who is as ill-suited for fighting as you. Any other Unseen would tear you apart.”

“Thanks for the confidence,” I groaned.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure we can find a way for you to compensate for your disadvantages,” Carly said.

“Whoever said that I was going to run off and fight other Unseen?” I asked.

Carly sighed. “You’re an Unseen, Ashley. That makes you a target whether you like it or not, be it from other Unseen or the humans who hunt us.”

“I’ll put that one on the list of cons,” I sighed.

Carly patted my shoulder. “Come on, it’s not as bad as you think. Ravencrest may be a giant target for our enemies, but it’s still one of the safest places for us to be.”

“Let’s see… we’ve got Weres, Witches, and Nereids now. Don’t tell me there are Vampires lurking about, too.”

“I’d be lying if I said there weren’t,” Carly said.

I gasped. “That red haired woman…”

Carly looked concerned. “What red haired woman?”

“She specifically told me that there was blood on my face, as if it were some kind of joke… and then she disappeared, faster than I could see,” I explained.

“Sounds like a vampire to me,” she said.

“So I’ve gained the attention of Witches, Vampires, and Weres, already. Is there anything else I’m missing?” I asked.

“Looks like everyone’s curious about the newcomer,” Carly teased.

“Why? All I’m good at is swimming and looking pretty!” I exclaimed.

“Didn’t you know? Swimming is in high demand!” Carly laughed.

I stuck my tongue out at her.

“Welcome to Ravencrest, Ashley,” Carly said, giving me a quick hug.

I returned the hug with a laugh. “I was also wondering… is one of your ‘traits’ to be very desirable to the opposite sex?”

Carly nodded. “We naturally put out powerful pheromones. They’re nearly irresistible to humans, but Unseen are usually able to look past them.”

“That explains why the girls love Chris so much,” I mused.

“I recall that he had you in a trance at one point,” Carly pointed out.

“But it was only that one time. I can stop myself from needlessly staring now,” I explained. I didn’t want to tell her that it was the first time I’d ever seen a guy as being so attractive.

“Looks like you match other Unseen in that respect, too. I wonder if your sea scent is some kind of pheromone,” she said.

“My Mom hasn’t mentioned it, so I don’t know. I’d hate to think that any relationship I have is due to pheromones and not me…”

Carly shook her head. “Simple pheromones alone can’t carry a relationship, Ashley. Sure, they make the guys more interested, but they won’t stick around if we suddenly develop the personality depth of a 2x4.”

“If that’s the case, I don’t think I need them,” I said.

Carly smirked. “Cocky, much?”

I laughed, “No, not at all. One of my abilities that I didn’t mention is that I can sing a siren song.”

“You don’t eat your victims, do you?” Carly asked jokingly.

“Of course not!” I laughed, “All I do is bring them to me.”

“That is interesting!” Carly chimed. “You’re like a Mermaid, a Siren, and a Nymph all rolled into one!”

“I think Sea Nymph might be more appropriate,” I said.

“Same difference,” she said, waving her hand.

“Fair enough,” I agreed. “Thanks for being so friendly about all this.”

Carly shrugged. “No problem. We Unseen have to stick together. And plus, our little skills make life more fun, don’t you think?”

I smiled. “Definitely. Turning 16 was one of the best things that has ever happened to me.”

Of course, I neglected to mention that it could also be considered to be one of my worst birthdays ever, but I was trying to look past that and think of the positives.

“You are not alone in that opinion!” Carly smiled.

“I’d imagine not. Anyway, I’d better head out before Mom organizes a search party,” I told her, “I’m glad we had this talk. As you said, we needed to stop walking on eggshells.”

“Definitely. I’ll see you on Monday!” she chimed.

“Count on it,” I smiled, heading out of the office. Sharing knowing looks and waves with Chris and Cindy, I made my way back outside and into the Suburban, where Mom was waiting.

“Hey, honey. Stuck around to talk a bit?” she asked.

I nodded. “Carly took me aside and revealed to me that she was a Were-Coyote.”

“She just suddenly told you?” Mom asked.

“Yeah. There’s been this tension between the Harpers and I because we both suspected that we both were Unseen, so she decided to get rid of it. She was also looking to see if we were a threat, just like the Coven was,” I explained.

“You assured her that we weren’t, right?” she asked.

“Of course. But, our conversation brought up another question. Do we put off some kind of pheromone to make guys more attracted to us?” I asked.

“That’s another effect of our scent, honey,” she said.

“Why didn’t you tell me when I first found out about it?” I asked.

“I wasn’t sure if you were ready to know just how built we are for attracting men,” Mom said gently.

“Let’s see… we have beauty, pheromones, and a siren song. I think the odds are stacked in our favor,” I said with a small sigh.

Mom gently touched my shoulder. “Are you afraid that Max’s affection for you isn’t real?”

“A little,” I admitted, “Carly told me that pheromones can’t carry a relationship, but I’m just not sure.”

“Carly’s right, honey. Your pheromones will spark initial interest, but it’s up to you to do the rest. It isn’t mind control,” Mom said, “and if love blooms, they won’t matter.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said.

“You’re welcome, honey,” she said, kissing my cheek. I smiled at her as we started the drive home.

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All too soon, Saturday afternoon came. Max seemed to be enjoying our time on the lake’s beach, since he was able to see me, Jan, and Leslie in our swimsuits. I was weary of wearing a two piece suit, but I felt that it would be a good idea for me to have an easily removable bottom in case I ever had to grow my tail while I was swimming with my legs. It was an absolutely beautiful day, just warm enough for a good swim. It seemed as if Summer was giving off its last hurrah, just before Fall would start to creep in.

“Last one in’s a rotten egg!” Max yelled out as he practically flew into the water. The other girls and I were a bit gentler about things. I practically sighed with pleasure as the water enveloped me. Even without shifting my form, it felt amazing to be submerged. Before I could get swimming after Max, though, Leslie grabbed my arm.

“Not yet, Ash. We need to do some girl talk!” she told me.

I turned around. “What about?”

“You and Max, silly!” Jan said.

“Sooooo, what’s the scoop?” Leslie asked.

“We’re friends. You already know that we’re going out,” I said.

“But what is he to you?” Leslie prodded.

“Right now, he’s my friend. We aren’t rushing into things,” I explained.

“You haven’t even kissed?” Jan asked. I shook my head.

“You’ve been on what? Two dates already? Who takes a girl out and doesn’t kiss her at the end of the night?” Leslie asked.

“That guy over there,” I said, pointing behind me.

“But don’t you want him to kiss you?” Jan asked, aiming right for the tough question.

“I… Um…” I stammered. I didn’t know. I mean, I expected him to as well, but did I actually want it?

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Leslie grinned. I gave her a playful glare. Sometimes, their “girl talk” wasn’t very fun.

“Alright, Lez, we’ve tortured the poor girl enough. Let’s get some swimming in!” Jan declared.

“Way ahead of you!” I called out, already swimming. I had some trouble for a moment while trying to use a tail that I didn’t have, but I was soon swimming like a champ. Now that I was fully in the lake, though, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was something odd about the water. Maybe it does feel better when I’m in my Nereid form. My thoughts were interrupted by water splashing in my face.

“Max!” I cried, hiding the fact that I actually enjoyed getting splashed like that. I was happy as long as I was wet.

“What? You were wide open!” he said, readying another splash. I dunked my head under the water, surfacing when I heard a playful scream.

“Ash, you’re supposed to protect us!” Leslie cried out, shaking the water off of her face.

“I was? I’ll make sure to keep that in mind!” I grinned, splashing her again. Jan was laughing hysterically until Leslie joined the splashing herself. I ducked under the water again and moved behind Jan. I grabbed her legs and pulled her under the water with me, giving her a smirk before we both surfaced.

“Yikes, Ash! You are way too good at swimming. I didn’t even notice you!” she cried.

“You don’t live in California without learning how to swim,” I told her. Suddenly, I was pulled beneath the surface! I didn’t use my strength to break out of the grip of my capturer, surfacing with her when she let go. Leslie frowned at me.

“You’re no fun to dunk. You didn’t react at all!” she pouted.

“I’m used to it,” I said, sticking my tongue out at her. I turned to Max. “So are you going to watch us girls do all the work or are you going to join the fun?”

“I think watching might be more fun in this case,” he said, smirking.

“What? Hoping that one of use will have a swimsuit malfunction while we play around?” Leslie asked.

“Maaaaaybe,” he said, bursting out in laughter. His eyes went wide as I started swimming toward him. He tried to get away, but I caught him in no time. I wrapped my arms around his waist, crushing my chest against his back.

“How about we go for a dive?” I asked.

“I can’t breathe underwater, you know,” he said jokingly.

“Me neither!” I chimed, pulling him down with me. When I finally let him surface, he was taking deep breaths.

“That was a little too long,” he huffed.

“Sorry,” I said. I noticed that we’d gone quite a bit farther from the beach than Leslie and Jan were at the moment. I saw them start to swim back.

“Hey! Getting out so soon?” I called out to them.

“Yeah! We’re starting to get tired, so we’ll take a break for a while,” Jan answered for the pair. I waved them goodbye and then turned to Max.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Not bad. Forgot how much of the workout the water was,” he said.

“It can be,” I agreed, but something seemed fishy. We hadn’t been out here that long. They shouldn’t be so tired. “Why don’t we follow the girls to shore and get some rest?”

“I can stay out here a bit longer,” he assured me.

“But if we girls aren’t going to swim, we’re probably going to tan. Don’t you want to help us put our sunscreen on?” I asked, smiling widely. I saw Max think for a moment, and then he glared at me.

“I swear, Ashley. You seem to know exactly how guys think!” he cried.

“It’s a gift,” I said, smirking, “you ready to go?”

He shrugged. “Might as well. We are a ways from shore, aren’t we?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Our little scuffle there got us farther than I thought.”

“Well, lead the way, Miss California,” he said. I started swimming toward shore, keeping a slower pace so that he could keep up. I heard him splashing behind me as Leslie and Jan reached the shore. They waved at us as they stood on the beach.

I kept swimming, until I saw a look of shock cross the girl’s faces. They covered their mouths with their hands, and then frantically pointed toward me.

It was then that I noticed that I didn’t hear Max behind me. Fearing the worst, I quickly turned around.

Max was nowhere to be found.

“Max?” I called out. “MAX!”

To be Continued...

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