IV. Treading Oceans in Your Mind

When Edward stepped into his room later that night, a paper bag of pastries in one arm, he noticed a couple of odd things.

The most immediate was that the curtains hanging by the balcony on the other side of the common room had been spread out and duct taped to the wall, leaving no gaps for moonlight to sneak through.

The most obvious was that Edward recognized his ability to read Rikki's mind.

As if in a trance, he stepped into the bedroom, where the curtains had similarly been taped across, and followed the sound of running water towards the bathroom.

"Rikki…"

"You made it," she flashed him a grin from where she crouched beside the bathtub faucet. "Wait, how'd you get in? Did I leave the door open?"

"No, of course not. I dropped by the desk and requested an extra keycard," Edward explained absentmindedly, giving Rikki some extra room and perching on the edge of the vanity stool, setting the pastry bag down on the counter. He watched as Rikki hopped up and picked out a bottle of bubble bath from a shelf full of wash products.

"Hope you don't mind," Rikki said as she dumped the liquid throughout the bath. "I can't remember the last time I washed my hair."

Edward briefly eyed her hair, but other than a couple of blonde curls escaping her braid, it appeared neat and clean in appearance.

"Edward, what's with the weird look?"

He met her bright eyes, expression thoughtful. "Amongst my kind, there are some who have special gifts," he began, simultaneously listening and watching thoughts that weren't her present thoughts. "When I became a vampire, I acquired the abilities of a telepath."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I am able to hear other people's minds."

The bottle slipped through Rikki's fingers, but before it could crash and splatter across the tiled floor, Edward sped to her side and caught it in his hand.

Rikki blinked, watching silently as he capped the bottle and placed it back on the shelf. "...You have super speed too?"

"That's more of a standard vampire ability, but yes," he smiled, keeping in check any boasts about how he was one of the fastest of his kind. She appeared overwhelmed, and already the conversation was being derailed. "But the reason I've brought it to your attention is because I initially thought I was unable to read your mind. I was partially wrong."

Rikki frowned and crossed her arms. "Explain."

"At this moment, I'm not able to hear what you're thinking, but," he grinned, "What I can hear, is the ocean."

She scrunched her nose with an expression of disbelief. "Yeah, so can I. We're literally up the street from the coast."

Edward briefly took note that she also had enhanced senses, before continuing, "Which is exactly why I didn't notice it beforehand. We've been in the water all day. I was confusing your thoughts for my own, but we separated and now that I'm standing before you, I recognize the difference. It's breathtaking."

Rikki's frown dropped for one of curiosity. "What exactly do you see?"

So Edward told her. He did his best to describe everything he could hear and see―a sound of wind billowing across the waters creating ripples and white-capped waves, a purple maze of elkhorn coral, fluorescent blobs of pink sea anemone, a rainbow of tropical fish, patches of glowing algae, prowling reef sharks, a cavity at the bottom of the sea, a nebulous tunnel which opened into a chamber inside the belly of a volcano―

"Stop."

Edward shut his mouth with a click, observing Rikki's pallid face and the way she leaned heavily against the bathtub, dangerously close to the soapy water. Careful so as to not startle her, he reached around her and shut the faucet, before the water could spill over the lip of the tub.

"You know this place?" he guessed.

"Yeah...if this were any other night, I probably wouldn't be so spooked. But it's the place the full moon demands I return to every cycle. The place where I became a mermaid."

Edward's face softened into one of understanding. "You were once human too."

"Got it in one," she tried to smile, but it came across weak. She gave it up with a scowl. "But nights like these are dangerous. It's more difficult to not give into my nature. And returning to the moon pool is always a tossup―it can make me more powerful, but it can also hurt me."

For a split second, Edward was tempted to ask about her darker nature―perhaps to sympathize with her, or maybe to feel better knowing he wasn't alone. Instead he said, "That's unsettling. The same place that would protect your thoughts from me, is the same place that is willing to harm you." What was more startling was the realization that Edward didn't want to see her get hurt. What had started off as mere curiosity was turning into a semblance of affection.

"Mermaids aren't all fairytale," Rikki grimaced, eyes glued to the bubbles of soap water.

He took a hint. "I'll give you some privacy," Edward offered and quietly made his exit, shutting the bathroom door with a click.

But without malicious intentions, he'd lied. Sitting on the edge of the bed, and then laying back with his eyes shut, Edward beheld the ocean through Rikki's eyes. It was a whole new experience. While he had unmatched eyesight, Rikki had sight specifically fashioned to operate underwater. Her color vision surpassed even his own. Colors he had no name for flashed through his mind's eye, as she explored the coral reef near her moon pool. Occasionally, he would catch flashes of her gleaming amber fin and scales.

And then he was back in the cavern with her, floating in the moon pool and watching as the full moon slowly edged into view within the volcano crater far above her, shining down and bathing her with resplendent silver beams―

"Edward?"

Amber eyes shot open. Feeling as though he'd been caught doing something impolite, Edward quickly sat up and met Rikki's curious gaze. She stood in the bathroom doorway, barefoot and dressed comfortably in a pair of biker shorts and a t-shirt, dry blonde curls framing her face, the large paper bag of pastries held carefully in her arms.

"I was just thinking," he said by way of explanation. "Anyway, I have no need for the bed. You're more than welcome to use it." As though to emphasize his statement, he rose to his feet and stepped back.

Rikki rolled her eyes and made a shooing motion with a hand. "Sit back down, doofus. It's too early for bedtime," she snorted, striding over, bouncing onto the bed and crossing her legs, bag balanced on her lap. "Wow, I can't remember the last time I was on a bed. I forgot how bouncy they were," she grinned, and bounced once more with a satisfied hum.

"May I ask why you travel nomadically?" Edward said, sitting back down across from her.

"May I ask why you talk like an old man?" Rikki muttered while picking through her selection of pastries.

Edward's lips twitched into an amused smile. "I hope it's to your liking. I picked one of everything just in case," he answered instead.

"It's perfect. I'm starved!"

Edward realized she wasn't exaggerating, as she dug out pastry after pastry. He'd had this sort of experience with only one human girl, and had assumed Rikki would eat one or two. Instead, she emptied the whole bag.

"Is that a mermaid quirk?" he said, doing his best to phrase it politely.

"What? Having the appetite of a pygmy shrew?" Rikki grinned sharply. "No, that's just a Rikki trait. Don't mind me as I eat you out of house and home."

"Seeing as I have no need for human food, or even a home, I think I'll survive," he snickered.

"And yet, here you are, purchasing a room at a resort which you haven't even taken advantage of! For shame," Rikki tsked.

Edward noticed her rebuke wasn't at all condescending, almost like she wasn't unfamiliar with the sort of behavior. "I needed a place to leave my luggage," he admitted.

"Of course. A fancy and expensive room at a glamorous resort is the perfect place to use as a storage room, as opposed to, oh I don't know, an actual storage room?"

In a sheepish gesture, Edward scratched his nose. "In my defense, it was my sister who booked the room, not me. I obviously have no need for one. But I'm pleased it was at least useful for you."

Rikki looked to him oddly, suddenly quiet, and then asked, "You have a sister?"

"Err, yes. I have two."

"And are they…?"

"Vampires?" When Rikki nodded, he continued, "Yes. All my family is. Not that any of us are related by blood. We've adopted each other."

"Then why aren't you with them?"

Her demand was aggressive and fairly judgmental. Part of Edward wanted to shrink under her gaze with unspoken shame. Mostly, he was irritated.

"And you? Why are you alone?" he demanded in turn.

Rikki recoiled, as though she'd been slapped, and Edward felt like an absolute fool.

"My sisters...have chosen a different path."

In that moment, her eyes seemed so much older, and Edward saw her deceitfully young face with new eyes.

"I apologize. I was out of line," he murmured.

Rikki shrugged. "I was too."

The tension remained, and unsure of how to break it, Edward stood to his feet. "I'll let you get some rest."

"Okay," she agreed. "Thank you for the food. And for letting me crash here."

"Don't mention it," he waved it off and strode back to the common room, shutting the bedroom door with a brief, "Good night."

It wasn't long before he heard Rikki's breath soften and even out.

Edward closed his eyes and dreamed alongside her, as she glided through blue ocean currents alongside chirping dolphins and gentle sea turtles. It was a peace he hadn't felt in a long time.

A/N: I think I'll stick to an alternating POV, so Rikki's up next. And since there's no plot, I'll just keep writing until I lose steam x)

Please let me know what y'all think so far! Until next time!