“Did the king...”
“Enough!” I shout, preventing any sillier questions from Leonard. “This is Mirella, the mermaid who saved me. She'll be my wife, and I need you to get the priest to make that happen.”
“Duncan, we can't marry without my dad's permission,” Mirella says as her hand clutches my shirt. Her voice is soft, but I detect a hint of fear in it. “He would be highly upset, and we don't want that.”
My eyes linger on hers as my heart flutters. “I can't live another day without you, my love. Can you send word to your father about our engagement?”
Mirella averts her gaze and scratches her nail against my shirt. “He won't be pleased. It's forbidden to show ourselves to humans.”
My heart sinks. “Does that mean you can't stay?”
She nibbles on her lip, but this time the hotness of her gesture doesn't ignite my lust. She's nervous. All I know is that I don't want to lose her.
Placing her feet on the floor, I turn her to me and cup her face between my hands. “If you want to stay with me... I won't let him take you away. We can get married, and you won't be near the water.”
Leonard sighs, scratching the back of his head. “Great! Now he wants to get married without the elders' approval and without the girl's father's consent.”
“Marrying without Father's consent wouldn't be wise,” Mirella says. “He would cover your land in water and destroy everything with huge waves.”
Leonard snorts. “Is he a god?”
Mirella turns to face him. “He's a demi-god. We are descendants of Neptune. My father is the King of the Sea.”
I tense and watch as Leonard’s eyes widen in concern as he looks at me. “You sure know how to pick them, Duncan. Don't ya?”
Chapter 9—The Lycans’ Island
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF Mirella is the daughter of a powerful demi-god who rules the underwater world or not. She'll be my wife.
I enter my enormous bedroom with vaulted ceilings and a king-size, canopied bed. Red and white armchairs stand in various locations throughout the room, a huge wardrobe is near the entrance to the bathroom, while a marble fireplace with ornate vine-patterned ironwork faces the bed. I only use it to sleep and get dressed. I take care of all my business in the study not too far from the library but far away from the throne room.
After placing Mirella on my bed, I close the balcony doors and pull the curtains shut.
I grab the fur blanket at her feet and cover her legs to keep her warm.
She's moving her head as she's examining the room. “Is this where you sleep?”
“Yes.” I sit beside her. “Are you still cold?”
“No. I'm okay. Thank you.” She untangles her messy hair. “We don't need clothes underwater.” Her head lowers, and she brings her hands up to touch her arms. “My skin is different. It feels restrictive not being able to float.”
“You'll get used to it,” I mumble as I take in all of her beauty. “Do you mind waiting for me here? I'll order my housekeeper to bring one of my sister's dresses. You need to wear more appropriate clothes.”
“What's wrong with the ones I have?”
“They are too revealing... They aren't warm enough, either,” I add. The last thing I want is for her to be in my bed wearing clothes. Yet, I have to be patient and give her time to adjust.
Mirella stretches her legs and giggles. “I can move the small fingers on my feet.”
“They are called toes,” I clarify with a grin. “I'll need to find you some shoes. I don't want you getting hurt.”
“We have time for all of those things,” she whispers as she grabs my arm and stops me from leaving. “I came here to talk to you and know more about your life. The Sea Witch...”
I lean forward and stroke the hair away from her face. “The one who gave you the potion?”
“Yes. I struck a deal with her. But I don't have a lot of time. Soon enough, Dad will know that I'm gone, and he'll be looking for me. I need to make sure that I'm not making a mistake.”
“What mistake, my love?”
Mirella kneels in front of me. Her hand cups my face and she gazes into my eyes. “What's a Lycan?”
“Lycans are shape-shifters that can transform into big wolves, bigger than the normal wolves that exist in the wild.”
Mirella blinks several times. “What's a wolf?”
“Have you ever seen a dog?”
“Like Cerberus?”
“Yes, but with only one head.” Mirella grins, and my heart stops inside my chest. “Lycans can be violent. We only transform when we are feeling threatened. Some of us, like myself, can train on a daily basis to do it when we wish to. There are others who can't control the shifting on nights with a full moon, so they need to be shackled. Our wild side can be scary, that's why my clan lives on this island, far away from the humans.”
“Are the humans afraid of you? Do they hunt you?”
“We keep our existence hidden.”
“Like we do,” she whispers and sits back on her legs. “Is it dangerous for me to stay here if one of you transforms?”
“I have men to track down the rogue shifters and imprison them until they turn into humans. Also, my beast will keep you safe. It recognizes and loves you. It would never let anyone hurt you.”
She places her hand on my chest. “And you, Duncan, do you recognize me as yours?”
Holding her hand in mine, I bring her palm to my mouth. “I want you to be my queen and my companion.”
Her voice sighs my name. “Duncan, Dad won't let us be together if he thinks you can't keep me safe.”
I lean forward, feathering her skin with my breath. “Then we need to prove him wrong.”
My body tenses with desire. I need to hold and kiss her.
Mirella leans her head back before I can claim her lips. “Do Lycans kill mermaids?”
“We only attack if we are provoked. Until recently, I didn't even know that you truly existed.” I lean forward.
Mirella's hand stops me from kissing her. “Duncan, the witch said that mermaids with broken hearts die.”
“I'm not planning to break your heart, my love.” I grab her wrist and pull her to my chest. Slipping an arm around her waist, I speak closer to her lips. “You saved more than my life when you rescued me from the cold depths of the sea. I'll make you my wife and my queen. I'll show you happiness like you never thought existed.”
I lower my lips to hers, waiting for permission. Her eyes shut, and her chin raises as her mouth pouts to receive my kiss. That's all the incentive I need to crash my lips against hers and claim her gorgeous mouth.
Mirella moans and shivers. My tongue darts into her mouth and deepens the contact. Her breasts are trapped against my chest, and my erection is poking against her lower stomach. The fabric of her dress is so thin that it's almost as if there's nothing separating her from me. Yet, I know her skin is ten times softer. As aroused as I am, I recognize that I need to take things slower and prove that I'm serious about my intention to marry her.
***
ONE HOUR LATER, MIRELLA is dressed like a princess, wearing shoes, and one of my sister's winter dresses. She looks ravishing. The maids had braided her long and glossy black hair and decorated it with pearls. Her arm is entwined with mine as I show her my castle. When we step outside of the fortress, her eyes light up as she asks me the names of all the flowers and trees that decorate the gardens.
Everywhere we go, my subjects bow in respect, but I hear the whispers of surprise and curiosity.
Mirella stops walking. “I'm sorry, Duncan. I would love to see more of your kingdom, but my feet are hurting. I'm not used to walking, and if it weren't for your arm, I would probably be tripping.”
Standing before her, I grab her hands. “It's okay. We'll go to the stables, and I'll show you the horses. They are beautiful animals that we use for transportation. I want you to ride with me, and I'll show you the prairies and the village on the other side of the island.”
My mermaid smiles and leans forward, resting her head against my chest. “I wish I could bring you underwater and show you the place I live.”