I could see nothing in the darkness apart from two fangs glint at me in a wicked smile.

Cynthia.

...

Okay, so apologies again for my rubbish chapter but I'm hoping (fingers crossed) this one won't be as much of a disappointment. I figured I'd update as soon as possible as to redeem my terrible chapter. Thanks for all the reviews for my last chapter despite its crappy quality, keeps me going! Anyway, enjoy!

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I flung my arms in front of my face instinctively as I saw the fangs flash closer to me. Two ice cold hands gripped my wrists and pulled them down and pressing them to my sides. My attacker then spoke in a tone that resembled cool water running over smooth pebbles, "Philip, I don't know why you are so afraid." As my eyes became more accustomed to the dark, I could vaguely see Cynthia smirking darkly, her eyes flecked with crimson.

That couldn't be good.

"Let me go." I pleaded trying to wrench my hands free of her hold on me.

Cynthia laughed musically and had it have been Syrena who laughed like that, I would have felt comforted, but seeing the situation I was in, my confidence wavered. Her eyes glittered forebodingly as though she sensed my fear.

"Well, I thought I'd better rescue you from all the fighting up there. We wouldn't want you to get hurt now would we?" She said in a mockingly sweet voice.

I shrugged away a shiver and tried to pull my hands free, "And now you've saved me, so let me go, please."

She edged closer to me, "Well while we're waiting for the battle to end, I may as well lighten up the mood a little. Do you have any stories to tell?"

"No. I would really appreciate it if you could just –"

"Good, because I have tale that I think you may be rather interested in listening to. Do you want to hear it?"

I didn't respond and Cynthia spoke again, "Well, in that case, I shall tell you. It happened a long time ago. A charming young man came across and equally charming young woman and well, they flirted somewhat shamelessly to one another before discovering how much they actually had in common."

I remained silent as I listened, having no idea where this story was going.

"So every night they would meet one another by the sea and talk and laugh until on one fateful night, they finally shared 'true loves' first kiss'. The woman took him to her home to meet her family however they did not welcome him which of course made him feel out of place. He then had to go back to his own home and he swore he'd take her there one day. Her family warned her against it but she did not listen and the next night when she went to go meet him, he was with another woman." Cynthia slid her hand up my arm and fixed it firmly behind my neck. I tried to pull away but she continued telling the story in the same mellow tone, ignoring my struggles, "So she went to confront him about it and she discovered that she knew the other woman he was with. In fact these two women were so close you could have even called them sisters. She was so angry she threatened to kill them both but they both pleaded for their lives and the woman was merciful and granted unto them both a second chance. For a while she and her lover were blissfully happy. That is until she went to meet him again one night and found him with the other woman once again. This time our heroine was so shattered inside and only when the man told her that he had nothing to do with it and it was the other woman that forced herself upon him did she finally decide to keep him away from her home and away from the other woman."

Cynthia drifted closer to me and her body was almost touching mine.

"Please..." I tried to break free of her grasp but she just smiled wickedly again before continuing, "One day she went to meet him by the sands but found him dead. Then she saw the other woman crawling away. You would have thought they had both been attacked and she was the poor, injured survivor. But here's the twist in our story," She coiled her tail around my ankles and paused dramatically, "It was the other woman who was the killer. She did it without regret and without remorse, not even caring for the hearts and lives she had broken and torn." I watched as Cynthia's eyes darkened.

"Why did you tell me this?" My voice broke as I felt her tail tighten around my legs.

"I thought perhaps..." She pulled me closer to her, her eyes red once again, "I thought perhaps you'd be interested in hearing some of my past."

"Your past?" I didn't understand.

"Yes. I was the woman who had fallen in love with the man... Frederick was his name. But do you want to know who the killer in our tale was?" Cynthia's moved her face sinisterly closer to mine and I gulped, trying to get away. I had a feeling I already knew.

"Syrena."

Even though I already knew who it was, my heart sunk horribly as Cynthia said her name. Then something in my mind clicked. "So, the reason you hate Syrena is because you think she did this to your lover?"

"Think it?" Cynthia scorned, "I know it, Philip. I saw it with my own eyes." Her lips came closer to my face as I struggled to escape her iron grasp. Every cell in my body was screaming for Syrena to come and find me. I turned my head just in time for Cynthia's lips to burn against my cheek instead of my lips.

"Cynthia, please get off me. Please, it's Syrena I love. I'm sorry for what she did to you, but I'm sure there has been some misunderstanding somewhere."

Cynthia giggled childishly, "I imagine she wouldn't like me to do the same thing to her what she did to me, would she?" She mused, gripping my jaw with her hand and forcing me to stare at her. I managed to tilt my face away just in time as she tried to kiss me again.

Then she got angry.

"Why do you keep moving?" She spat.

"Because I love Syrena." I was losing all feeling in my legs as Cynthia's tail curled even tighter. "Cynthia, listen to me," I began, looking away from her scarlet eyes, "revenge will not make you feel any better. You will feel cold, dark and empty. I'm not only saying that because I want to be freed but I can testify of its truth. Don't do this, Cynthia. Please..." I felt myself blacking out from lack of blood circulation and I strained to keep my eyes open. I blinked and when I opened my eyes again, I saw two pairs of fangs and two pairs of glittering eyes only one pair was red and the other black.

"Syrena..." I mumbled but she did not look at me but kept her eyes fixed on Cynthia.

Cynthia apparently hadn't seen Syrena and she growled menacingly, "Syrena won't save you now. I've caught you in my net and I'm going to do exactly to you what she did to my Frederick." She laughed humourlessly and opened her mouth widely as she moved towards my neck, her sharp fangs shining.

"Cynthia, let him go." Syrena's voice spoke softly but I had never heard her sound so dangerous.

I squinted into the darkness and saw her glowering and right then she looked more lethal than I had ever seen her before. Cynthia paused and switched her gaze to Syrena who flexed her muscles and easily disconnected her from me. I felt my blood rush and I clutched my head, trying to keep focussed on Syrena who had backed Cynthia against a rock.

"Syrena – he... he begged me to do it!" Cynthia clasped her hands together frantically, "He said – he said he was bored with you and wanted a change. He made me tell him the story and told me he hated you for what you did to me."

Syrena clenched her fists, "Liar. Do you not understand how strong our bond is? I would have sensed something if this were true." She said scathingly.

Cynthia's eyes darted to me and back at Syrena.

"Now unless you want to join the ship we just sank and all the men on it at the bottom of the ocean then by all means stay right here and tell me a whole new thread of lies... Or unless you'd like to prolong your life then in that case I would suggest you get away from us right now."

The sincerity and warning in her words and tone was certainly unmistakable and Cynthia nodded, trying to conceal her quivers, "Before I go... How about you enlighten us with your version of the story?"

I should have known she wasn't one to admit defeat that easily.

Syrena set her jaw before speaking, "I had been away from home, visiting our cousins and on my return I saw a man swimming to the surface. He beckoned me to him. I had no idea who he was but I was young and stupid so therefore went to him. He began speaking to me saying he needed help getting to land. I was naive enough to not realise he had already been kissed and claimed by another mermaid and furthermore by my own sister. So I helped him to shore but he dragged me from the water. I could not walk or move from him and he... he hurt me... and he tried to mate with me but then Cynthia found us and I told her what happened but this man was what you may call a silver-tongue and he managed to persuade Cynthia that I was in the wrong. I begged Cynthia to help me back to the water as she had already learned how to walk and I hadn't but she would not. I tried crawling back but I was weak and could not. Then I saw this man again and he told me he'd had so much fun the previous night, he wanted to do it again. Once again, Cynthia found us and once again I took the blame and once again I was left on the sands until the man returned. I was close to death. I had no food, no drink, and no sleep." I watched Syrena's face become lost in the memory before she blinked and carried on, "But somehow I was ready for him, this time. He came towards me wearing this horrible grin on his face and as he... reached me, I sunk my fangs into him and... Yes, I killed him. I was determined to get back to the tides and as I tried to crawl away, Cynthia found me yet again. I couldn't find the words to speak and I felt a part of me die as I watched her fling herself across his dead body, screaming his name and cursing mine over and over. I have tried apologising but she will not accept it. There really is nothing else I can do."

"Lies!" Cynthia screeched, "All of it! Its lies! See how she seems sweet on the surface but inside she is a killer! Don't think I don't see right through her. I've known her for over three hundred years!"

"No you haven't. You don't know her at all. Because this incident happened so early on in your lives, you've shunned her away and rejected every opportunity you've had to get to know her and for every mistake she's made you just think worse of her. I can honestly imagine how distraught you were on discovering your own sister killed your lover but by doing the same to her you would not feel any better. You would only feel worse."

"That's not true! I can't and won't believe that!" Cynthia shouted again, angrily. Syrena turned and I could feel how hard she was trying to suppress her own fury, "You asked me to share my point of view and I did – if you don't believe it then that's your choice but I would advise you to leave before I lose my temper."

Cynthia opened her mouth to reply but then Syrena gripped my hand, "In fact, don't bother. If you're immature enough to continue this conversation further then it will be us who leave." We began swimming but then Syrena stopped and turned to face her, "Oh, and Cynthia, if you ever lay a finger on Philip again... I won't be so forgiving."

She then turned back around before leaving, pulling me behind her.

...

During the night, I awoke suddenly, sensing something was wrong. I looked about me to see Syrena sitting up and staring blankly out the entrance of the cavern.

I touched her shoulder gently, "Syrena, what is it?"

She looked at me, her eyes sad and dull, "Nothing. I just couldn't sleep that's all." She turned away and continued gazing into the distance. "Why are you awake?"

"I knew something was wrong." I clambered over beside her and I sat down, placing my hand on hers.

She pulled away suddenly, "There's nothing wrong, Philip, go back to sleep."

"Is it something I've done?" I felt a stone drop to the pit of my stomach when she didn't reply. "Syrena?"

"It's nothing you've done. It's just me."

"What does that even mean?" I asked exasperatedly, shuffling closer to her. She turned to me and stared into my eyes desperately.

"What have I done to deserve you?" Her deep brown eyes were pleading as she shook her head in... awe?

"Where did all this nonsense come from?" I asked gently, draping an arm over her slim shoulders.

She bowed her head into my chest and clutched my waist with her arms tightly. "Come now, what is this all about?"

"Well..." Syrena choked back a tearless sob, "I couldn't sleep for thinking about what happened between Cynthia and me. Then I started thinking about everything that I have done that has hurt people and I'm such a – I'm such a bad person! I don't understand how you think I deserve you."

I sighed, "Don't be stupid. If anything, it is I who does not deserve you, Syrena."

I felt her head shake and she breathed, "I am a monster."

Resting my chin on the top of her head, I replied sincerely, "I would not have you any other way. To me, you are perfect just the way you are and you are most certainly not a monster. Monsters... Monsters are beings such as Satan and his followers. But you are something entirely different and much, much, much better. So don't you think otherwise, will you?"

Glancing up at me, the corners of her lips pulled up into my favourite angelic smile and the glimmer her eyes danced, "Do you really mean it?"

"Of course he means it. Now shut up and go to sleep." I heard a grumpy voice sound from somewhere up above us. Syrena rolled her eyes but she was still wearing the smile and I pulled her tightly against my chest and allowed my hand to trace circles onto her back. When she shuddered pleasantly against me, my hand slipped a little lower and I paused just before touching her scales. I was expecting them to feel like fish scales but on the contrary, they didn't feel much different from her skin. She planted light kisses along my collar bone as she twisted in my arms so she was sitting on my knee and facing me. I leaned forwards to close the small distance between our lips and couldn't help notice her eyes suddenly change to the red colour I was all too familiar with.

"Philip, you've stopped breathing..." Syrena muttered just as I unhitched the lump I felt blocking up my windpipe. I realised then that we had never yet made love without an interruption of some sort.

"Syrena... can I... can I take you somewhere?" I whispered, my lips millimetres from hers.

"And where would you take me, Philip?" Her eyes were wide and innocent – but also dark red.

"I – I don't know... anywhere. Just a place we can be... alone for a while."

She slipped her hand into mine, "I like that."

We drifted slowly out of the cavern and I'll be honest, I had no idea where I was taking her or if it was her taking me. All I knew is that very soon I would be truly alone with Syrena. For how long, I did not know, but I would make the most of the precious seconds we had together.

That was when I stopped and faced. I kissed her as my hands slid down her waist where they settled on her hips. She reacted vigorously and wrapped her arms around my neck. I was becoming more accustomed to kissing underwater. It still felt a little strange but just as enjoyable as kissing on land.

Vaguely aware of where my hands were going, I felt a sudden stress on my trousers. Syrena broke away from my lips and looking down I could have sworn she tried to hide a smirk as my hands fumbled about the button on my trousers.

"Why don't I do it?" Her hands easily undid the button and she rolled the trousers down along with my underwear until they were around my ankles, sitting on my feet. Her starving hands tugged at my underwear and her eyes feasted hungrily on what she discovered concealed behind them. Her hand tightened around it and she directed me towards a small slit in her golden scales. I inhaled deeply as I felt my member ease into it.

I had to admit... it was a tight squeeze.

We both arched our backs at the contact and I pulled out. My throat felt dry and my voice cracked as I spoke, "Are you... are you alright?"

She ignored my question and panted, "Again."

I nodded, hoping it wouldn't hurt her as much this time as I slowly pushed up inside her. She closed her eyes and took a sharp intake of breath. "Is this alright?" I asked a little breathlessly and she rocked her hips against mine in reply, her hands tightening around my neck. We were slowly sinking to the ground below us as we attacked one another's lips ferociously. We did not break apart when we hit the floor but carried on our passionate thrusts and the only time I stopped was when I felt something graze my jugular. I blinked and pulled away, shocked. Syrena's eyes were blood red and her eyes were staring hungrily at my neck.

Carefully, I touched the place where she bit me and felt a pleasant sort of sting. She was staring at me through eyes that made me want to submit to her in every way possible. Her mouth opened and her expression was sultry as I moved closer to her again.

Taking her in my arms, I was very aware that her fangs were brushing gently along my jaw and down towards my jugular again.

"Syrena..." I was trying to ignore the carnal nature who was threatening to take over my whole body and to just let Syrena suck my blood like we were savages but just as I was about to push her away, I felt blood ooze from the small wound and I could feel myself giving in to my natural man.

But hadn't I promised that I'd allow her to taste my blood? One side of me told the other.

My other side didn't have an argument to put forward against this – in fact I wasn't sure I had another side to me at that moment. I hesitated before I leaned into her mouth, allowing her lips to enclose the cut and suck gently causing much arousal on both of our behalves. I was very aware of my length prodding her thigh impatiently and I knew she was too.

She began sucking against my neck harder and harder until I felt my eyes rolling into the back of my head – whether from losing too much blood or because I was hitting optimum arousal I did not know but all I knew was that I needed her to stop.

"Syrena..." I muttered weakly into the crook beneath her jaw.

She continued sucking.

"Syrena... I may need some blood for myself..." I told her faintly and she pulled away, wiping her lips with the back of her pale hands. Her eyes darkened to brown and she grimaced, "Sorry... I did not mean to get carried away..."

I was not prepared for her to suddenly stop making love to me and I certainly wasn't just about to let her. That was when my natural man took the reins on both my head and body. He compelled me force my way inside her again making her tense at my sudden change in actions, her eyes liquidising to red once again.

I placed both hands on her rear as I thrusted up inside her over and over.

"Bite me." She said breathlessly.

"Say again." I replied huskily, my hips slowing down.

"I said: Bite me. I've tasted you and now it's your turn to taste me."

Had I been in complete control of myself, the idea would have sounded irrational and absurd – a human biting a mermaid. Now I could understand a mermaid biting a human. It was in their nature, wasn't it?

But all the same, I wasn't in complete control of myself and the dark temptation within me complied to her will and I found myself clasping the small of her back in my hands and pulling her against my bare chest as my mouth fastened around her neck. She whimpered in my ear as my teeth broke the skin and I began sucking.

The taste of her mingled in with the salt water felt like a drug or some sort of illegal substance to me and it definitely affected me in such a way that I felt my head spinning dangerously as I continued drinking her.

My own blood pounded in my ears and I could barely hear her screams of sheer pleasure. She then clamped her mouth on me and we were sucking in unison, our hips grinding together.

I knew that tomorrow we would hurt a lot... but it was worth it. This was how our passion had trained our bodies to act and then as I plunged into her again I could feel my body explode and each nerve ending in my body set on fire. As I released everything into her, she tightened around me and we prolonged the beautiful moment for as long as possible before the comfort and pleasure subsided. I took her hand and it was difficult for us both to find the energy in us to swim to the shore to spend the remainder of the night in each other's arms on the white sands, staring up at the glistening stars.

I woke up early the next morning feeling tender but incredibly elated at the same time and I knew Syrena felt the same way as she picked herself up from off my chest, her skin practically glowing.

Just as I was about to smile at her, her face fell suddenly and she cupped a hand over her mouth.

"What is it?" I asked, sitting up worriedly.

"Oh, Philip... I'm so sorry!"

"What?"

She bit her lip. I shuffled closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "What is it?" I asked again.

"I should have realised – but it's too late now!"

"What's too late? Syrena, just tell me!" I pleaded.

"Well... we have just formed a blood bond... and...Well..." She hesitated and drew a breath, "Philip, please don't be mad will you?"

"Just tell me."

"When we form a blood bond it means we become tied in every way possible..." She looked at me expectantly, obviously hoping I'd understand what she was trying to say. I shook my head, clueless.

"Don't you see? You're going to be like me." She looked at me apologetically.

"Like you? As in...?" Then something dawned on me.

"You're going to become a merman."

Okay I really, really, really hope you enjoyed this chapter. I did proof-read it but sorry for any mistakes and stuff. Again, I'm sorry about my last chapter but I'm still really grateful for the positive feedback I got back anyway so I'm hopingyou'll all like this chapter and maybe give me a few reviews ;D

Thanks again!

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