As soon as dawn came I hurried to Jade's house. I had know idea what Eric had told them, and if he even had glamored them like I asked. Suddenly, I began to worry if I was going to walk into a crime scene with two dead bodies. In the moment I had trusted him, but now I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol which had made me. I rapped at the door, and my heart stopped for a moment when it opened.
Jade stood before me, wrapped in a bathrobe. Her hair was a mess, and by the look of her face I had woken her up.
"Serena, what the hell are you doing here so early?"
My eyes fell on her neck, noticing there were no bite marks. He had healed her as well. A weight fell of my shoulder and I released a breath I didn't know I was holding. Everything seemed to be okay.
"Uh, are you doing okay?" I asked to be sure. "Is Allison here?"
"Yeah," Jade said after yawning. "She's here. And why wouldn't we be okay?"
"Oh," I began to awkwardly motion with my hands, trying hard to think of an excuse, but my hangover and lack of sleep made it very hard. "I don't know. Just had a feeling. Ignore that I was here."
Before Jade could ask any questions I spun on my heel and hurried towards my car. I yelled a goodbye in her way and quickly climbed in. With my hands on the steering wheel I inhaled deeply before exhaling softly. He had actually done what I asked him to do, and this went completely against all my instincts. While I found Eric was different than other vampires I had met, he was still a vampire.
I decided to celebrate this victory by going to one of the bigger pools of water at the back of the house. There were larger lakes around, but I knew there were no gators in this particular one, which was a big plus. I laughed at the irony of it all. I seemed like I was dodging creatures who wanted to bite me everywhere I went.
The sun felt like a safety blanket on my skin. No vampires would be able to hurt me while it was out, and that was a reassuring feeling. Before yesterday night, my life had mostly gone unnoticed from the supernatural inhabitants of Bon Temps, which was limited to Sam (who also happened to be my boss). I had no idea if he knew what I was, but since he never brought it up, I enjoyed working for him.
Wherever I went, and lived, I always took simple and flexible jobs. Over the years I had the notable experience in waitressing, and I didn't dare to do much else. I didn't want my name to be on many permanent records and I didn't want anyone to remember me after I was gone, at least not for many years.
I undressed completely, letting my sundress pool at my feet. I folded it neatly and placed my underwear on top of it. No one ever came here, so I wasn't scared on anyone seeing me. It just felt better when I was all naked, and the swamp had the tendency to ruin fabrics.
My feet were the first to hit the water. It was shallow, but just deep enough to emerge my entire body. The transformation always felt a little uncomfortable, but after so many years I learned to control and appreciate it. My legs seemed to suddenly be glued together, before blending right into each other as if they were made of soft clay. A long tail formed where my feet were, and that was when metamorphosis was complete.
I lifted my tail, watching it glitter in the sun as I bathed in the warm water. Over time, it had gone from a pale white color, to a very light blue, and I loved the way it looked. It was almost perfect, exactly like the ones drawn in children's fairytale books, apart from a scar running diagonally across where my right thigh would be. I never wanted to think about how it got there, but every time I looked at it I was reminded again.
During my entire lifetime I had never met another mermaid before. So far, it seemed like there was only one of my species, and that was me. My parents left me on the steps of an orphanage, and no one knew who or where they were. If anything, they had to be dead by now, and I thought the chance of finding out who they were unlikely.
This was one of the reasons I was so protective of myself. I had met many other supernaturals, but none of my own kind. Shapeshifters could transform into fish if they wanted to, but it wasn't the same. Vampires seemed to only lust for my blood, and I avoided werewolves all together. As far as I knew, I was the only mermaid in America.
After last night, I needed to be in the water. It was a very therapeutic and a healing process, and I felt my hangover washing off within minutes. I wanted nothing more but to really swim, but it was hard finding a place here in Louisiana where there were no alligators, no people, and above all, no vampires. In the meantime, this satisfied my need just enough to cope.
I spend perhaps a little too long just drifting in the water, and the sun was close to setting when I finally forced myself out. I covered my private parts with my dress and shuffled back to the house, getting in just before it was about dark.
I fully expected Eric to pay me another visit. If I knew anything about vampires then it was that you should never spark its curiosity, and I knew I had done so. He wouldn't be able to let this go until I admitted to him what I was—or until he found out personally.
The more I thought about it as I got dressed again, the more I realized that I'd rather tell him than have him find out. The only way he would ever know was if he caught me in the act, and while I was stronger in the water, I wasn't out of it. It always took some time for my legs to return, and considering the incredible speed of vampires, that was too slow.
My mind pondered what would be the best option. He was going to find out sooner or later, perhaps if I just told him he would let me go… And if not, I could always move again. Perhaps to a different continent.
I had to go to work tomorrow, so I hoped Eric would be here soon. My eyelids were beginning to feel heavy as I remembered I hadn't slept at all the night before. The image of the decapitated head was still fresh in my memory, but considering how tired I was feeling I knew I would be able to sleep soon anyway.
A cup of hot chocolate kept me awake. I resorted to reading a book while I waited, and it didn't take long before, like expected, I heard a knock at the door.
I moved quickly, both curious to as what he wanted, and anxious about him being here again. I decided to stay well within the room he couldn't touch me. As long as I was inside, I was safe.
"Well, well, well," Eric said as he unlaced his hands and took a step forward. In the moonlight his skin seemed to almost glow, and his hair was slicked back perfectly as always.
"What do you want, Eric," I said, hoping this wasn't going to take long because I felt the fatigue all through my body.
A light grin played on his lips as he cocked his eyebrow.
"Last night, you admitted you were something else. You are not a human, and definitely not a vampire. You don't smell like a dog, so you're not a werewolf, and a shifter seems unlikely. I have been thinking, Serena. And if my memory doesn't fail me, that doesn't leave many supernatural beings."
His voice was confident, and he sounded like was on to something. I wanted to tell him about what I was personally, but if this was headed where I thought it was, I wouldn't have to.
"So, considering your symptoms, which include a delightfully pleasant voice which has a slight accent, a scent that smells familiarly like the sea, and your ability to control water, I seem to have come to an impossible conclusion. Mermaids have been extinct for years, decades even, yet it seems one is standing right in front of me."
My lips seemed to be glued together as I had no idea what to say. This wasn't the way I had planned it to be, but once again I had underestimated Eric and I promised myself I would never make this mistake again.
"So it's true?" Eric said, his expression growing serious as my silence confirmed his suspicions.
I had been in this position before. He wasn't the only vampire to guess or find out what I was, and the result was always that I moved away to protect myself, hoping I would never have to see them again. It was easier when vampires weren't out of the closet. I could avoid them pretty much any where, and they were much more careful about revealing themselves. But now it seemed like they were everywhere, and another moment like this was bound to happen sooner or later.
"Have you ever met another mermaid?" he asked.
I shook my head. "No, never. As far as I know, I am the only one."
He scanned my body, his eyes resting on my legs. The scar that covered my tail was also visible on my thigh, and it was clearly in sight wearing a short dress. I had never been uncomfortable about showing it before, but now it was in clear sight of a vampire, it was. My fingers grabbed the hem of my dress and pulled it down ever so slightly as I cleared my throat to direct him to my face again.
"You know you are in a very difficult situation, aren't you? You die, the entire mermaid species as far as we know it dies."
"That thought had never occurred to me before," I replied sarcastically. I didn't need a vampire to tell me how much in danger I was. "Perhaps you're also aware that my greatest predator happens to a vampire."
"Oh, I am aware," he replied. "That's why I came here. You need protection."
I chuckled, thinking it was a joke for a second, but as his brows ruffled it appeared it wasn't.
"No, thank you," I said immediately.
"Serena, I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation. You die, mermaids die. Do you want to let that happen?"
"Until a day ago you had no idea that I even existed, so what does it matter to you of I let the species die or not? Nothing changes."
"But now I do know," Eric defended. "And that changed everything. I never thought I would ever meet another mermaid ever again."
I couldn't deny that didn't spark my curiosity. Like I had never seen someone like me before, I had also never seen anyone who had met another mermaid before. I had been alone for so long now I had almost forgotten that once there had been others.
"You knew others? Tell me about them."
His stern face turned into a devilish grin. "Why don't you invite me in and I'll tell you all about her."
I rolled my eyes. While I was dying to find out more, I didn't literally have a death wish. My blood was like crack to a vampire. My scent was sweet like the water they couldn't drink. While he was an old vampire, there was always a chance that he couldn't hold back.
"You know you owe me two favors… You could settle one of them by merely inviting me in, and perhaps the second one by allowing me a little taste."
"And then you'll kill me or hold me hostage as a personal blood fountain. No, thank you, Eric."
"What have I done for you to think so low of me?"
I let go of the hem of my dress which revealed the scar again.
"As you can see I have experience with vampires. I'm not making that mistake again."
For the first time since I met him he seemed to be lost for words, as if he was almost ashamed someone had done this to me. Did he just show compassion? First he actually does what I asked him to do, and now this. Eric kept on surprising me.
Adding to that, he seemed to have picked up the hint I really wanted to be alone and go to bed. Eric took a step backwards and before disappearing into the darkness he turned to me to speak.
"If you want the rest of that story, you'll know where to find me."
A/N: Serena's identity is revealed! I knew some of you already guessed what it was, but I hope you still enjoyed the reveal :) Please let me know your thoughts and I will upload again as soon as I can!