Page 30 of Bewitched By the Siren (The Bewitching Hour #1)
CHAPTER THIRTY
Hali
I swim for my life around the perimeter of the island, careful to stay deep enough that no human would see me. There’s little chance of anyone swimming this late in the year, not with the water being so cold, but I can’t take any chances.
As soon as I see the telltale underwater signs that I’m nearing Mermaid Beach, I swim toward the surface to take a look around and get my bearings.
I see the cliff wall that houses the mouth of the small cave I’m looking for, so I dip down and swim toward it, my heart trying to pound out of my chest.
This is bad. Really bad.
The water is deep and dark inside the cave, but I keep my tail pointing downward as I surface, looking around frantically to make sure the cave is empty.
The only widely known way to get in here is to swim or take a small boat, but people rarely make the effort.
It’s just a cave, small and cramped with nothing of note to see.
But years ago, I found another way out. One well-hidden that doesn’t require getting wet.
Making it the perfect place to hide my emergency stash.
Finding it as empty as I’d hoped, I grip the rocks and hoist myself out of the water, using my tail to propel me upward.
I use a little too much strength, however, and end up shooting out of the water and landing on the cave floor with a grunt.
I writhe and flop forward until I reach the rock wall, then shove my hand into the crevice where I hid a waterproof bag a few years ago.
Pulling it out, I unzip it and jerk out a towel. Rubbing my tail with it in brisk, choppy motions, I breathe a sigh of relief as the tingling starts. Gritting my teeth against the sting of pain, I close my eyes until the transformation is complete.
Standing, I rip the wet dress over my head and drop it to the sand-covered, rocky floor.
Then I pull the clean, dry clothes from the bag.
I pull on the hoodie first, then the matching white sweatpants.
Shoving the wet dress and towel into the bag, I zip it up and make my way toward the back of the cave on bare feet.
I guess if there’s a silver lining to this whole mess, it’s that I was barefoot and wearing a dress when that creep tossed me into the water. I would’ve lost the shoes, and I shudder to think what might happen if I phased wearing pants. Since my legs fuse together…
I can’t even finish the thought.
Finding the crack in the wall that’s just wide enough for me to slip through sideways, I squeeze through it and pop out into another cave. This one has a tunnel that spills out onto Mermaid Beach, and I start to run toward it.
I have to get home. Now. I need to talk to Mom.
That guy was filming me, and he got the whole transformation on video.
He’ll post it online, and even if most people think it’s a hoax, there will be many who flood here hoping to catch a glimpse of the mermaid.
Not to mention the residents of Circe Key who know my face and will instantly recognize me.
We have to leave. Move somewhere else where no one knows us. And no more singing. I’ll just have to find another way to earn money.
Because how else did that man figure out what I am? He must’ve come into the bar and somehow, he realized he was being manipulated by the power in my voice. Maybe he studied the old myths and recognized it for what it was.
There’s no other way. I’ve been too careful.
And what about Brendan? I’ve been trying to avoid thinking of him, but I keep seeing his shocked expression despite my efforts. My mind replays the images of him sprinting toward us and punching the guy in the face to protect me. Of the shock and fear in his eyes when he saw me phase.
He knows the truth, now, and there’s no telling how he’s handling it. I didn’t stick around long enough to find out. But honestly, how does one react when they find out the person they’ve been sleeping with isn’t even human?
My gaze darts around as I make my way through town, looking for threats in every shadow and around every corner. I make it to the other side of the island unscathed save for the ache in my feet after stepping on a few sharp rocks.
When I get to my street, I pause and duck behind a parked vehicle when I see Brendan striding toward his rental car. He’s carrying a suitcase, which he plops into the open trunk before slamming the lid down. As if drawn by a magnet, his eyes find me, and I slowly step out from my hiding spot.
Taking a deep breath, I walk toward him, intent on thanking him for helping me and…explaining everything? How do I even begin? How do I make him understand?
“Brendan––”
“I threw that guy’s phone into the ocean,” he says, cutting me off in a robotic tone with very little inflection. “The video he took is gone.”
“Thank you,” I say, not feeling nearly the amount of relief I should be. “Brendan, listen, I––”
“I have to get out of here,” he says, cutting me off again. “I’m sorry. I just…can’t. I can’t be here.”
“Brendan, please.”
“Call the police,” he says, not meeting my eyes. “Tell them you’re being stalked and were assaulted. Give them his description. When they arrest him, he’ll start talking about merm…you being…different, and they’ll lock him up in a mental health facility. You’ll be safe.”
He pulls open the driver’s side door, then looks back, meeting my gaze for the first time since I approached him. I open my mouth to speak, to say something , but he just shakes his head, and says, “Goodbye, Hali,” before climbing into the car and slamming the door behind him.
He drives away without looking back, and I just stand there, frozen, watching him go until the car disappears around a corner. Blinking at the sting in my eyes, I turn and head toward my house, my footsteps heavy and slow like my legs are made of lead.
When I walk in, Mom’s in the living room with Barb. Taking one look at me with my wet hair, red eyes, and wearing a different outfit than when I left, she tells Barb to take the rest of the day off. That she needs some alone time with me.
“What happened?” she asks as soon as the door closes behind the nurse.
I throw myself onto the chair Barb vacated, then lean over to bury my face in Mom’s lap. She rolls her chair closer and hugs me to her thighs while making shushing noises and softly encouraging me to stop crying and tell her what’s going on.
“Mom,” I gasp through my tears, “it’s over. Everything is ruined.”
“What’s over, honey? What happened?”
“Our life here. Brendan. All of it,” I wheeze out between sobs, and Mom gently grips my shoulders, pulling me up so she can meet my gaze.
“Start from the beginning. You went out for a walk on the beach. What happened next?”
I swallow against the hard knot of emotion clogging my throat, then take a few deep breaths to calm myself enough to get the words out.
“That man––the guy from the beach and the club last night––he attacked me.”
“He what ?” she shouts, her hazel eyes darkening like thunderclouds in the winter sky.
I shake my head. “He rushed me, and before I could react, he picked me up and tossed me into the ocean. I…I phased, and he got it all on video.”
“Oh, no,” she breathes, and I take both her hands in mine.
“Brendan was there,” I whisper. “He…saw me.”
“Oh, honey,” she says, squeezing my hands.
I lick my lips and sniff, forcing some strength into my voice.
“I swam to the cave by Mermaid Beach so I could phase back, and when I got back here, Brendan was loading his luggage into his car. He said he threw the man’s phone into the ocean, so the proof is gone.
He told me to call the police and report the stalking, and when the man starts raving about me being a siren, the authorities will lock him up in an institution. ”
“Well, that’s good, isn’t it? He made sure you’re safe,” she offers, her tone laced with hope.
“He left,” I groan. “He wouldn’t talk to me about what he saw. He just said he had to get out of here and drove away.”
“I’m sure he was in shock,” she says carefully. “He’ll call when he’s ready to talk about it.”
“I don’t think so, Mom,” I say, my eyes filling with a fresh wave of tears. “You didn’t see his face. Once the shock wears off, the disgust will take over.”
“Disgust?” she asks, her confusion evident.
“We…slept together. More than once. When it sinks in that he slept with someone who isn’t human, who’s a…fish…he’ll be disgusted. He’ll hate me for deceiving him. If he doesn’t, already.”
“Hali, stop,” Mom says, pulling me into a tight hug. “You are a beautiful, kind, talented, outstanding woman. Brendan knows how lucky he is to have found you.”
I don’t try to argue with her, but I know she’s wrong. I lied to him. I lied to him and slept with him knowing he’d never touch me if he knew the truth. That my true nature would repulse him.
And then I messed around and fell for him on top of everything else.
Pulling out of Mom’s arms, I meet her eyes and say, “We have to move. It’s too dangerous to stay here.
If that guy doesn’t get arrested, he can still post online about what he saw.
Most will think he’s crazy, sure, but some will believe him.
They’ll come here, searching for the mermaid , and eventually, they’ll find me. ”
“Let’s call the police before we panic,” she says, her voice firm and calm.
“You can report the attack, tell them how he’s been stalking you, and hopefully, he’ll be arrested.
And Brendan was right. If he starts raving about you being a mermaid, the authorities will assume he has a mental illness and hospitalize him.
I think it’s all going to work out, honey. ”
I don’t actually believe she’s right, but nevertheless, I pull out my phone to call the police. I’ll do whatever is takes to try to make this go away. To preserve the life we’ve built here.
The life Mom built for us with her love, her devotion, and all of her sacrifices. I owe her that much.
I owe her everything.