At which point, it seems to laugh at me. My back arches against the onslaught of a pain worse than the fire of the necklace but lasting for only half a second. Water brushes against the spot as if in a kiss before retreating once more.
I'm not sure how long I've been under the surface, but when I come to my feet all three brothers are side by side, looking ready to jump in after me. My lips pull up as they notice the wound. One so severe, I'd known it would leave at least one scar. Without having to examine it for myself, I know all traces are gone.
"Impossible," Zale mutters before turning his stunned expression towards Zanthus. "She took your magic."
His smirk makes my insides squirm in delicious ways. Our unintentional shared secret is about to be brought to light.
"No," he corrects, "we have magic."
Waving a hand at the water, droplets float into the air like a backwards rain, making me laugh. I can feel him using the magic, but it isn't taking anything from me like the healing did.
"So many questions that need answers," Zale mutters.
"Not at this exact moment," I challenge him with a grin, and Zanthus lets the droplets rain back down. I can feel the sensual touch of each one as they roll down my body, and when our eyes lock, I know that he can too. Zephyr has already stripped down to nothing and is making his way to me before I can enjoy the sight. Zale is slower because his eyes track some of the drops down my chest and off the tips of my nipples.
Zephyr locks his arms around me as he brings his mouth down on mine, both our smiles clashing.
"Want to see a real mermaid, little siren?" he asks.
Almost every little girl's dream is going to happen in front of my eyes and I'd be lying if I said my stomach wasn't doing a huge happy dance right now.
At my nod, he winks and dives toward the deeper water. I catch a flash of bare tanned ass cheeks before his head is popping back up. That sandy brown hair is darker from the water and floats around him as he swims toward me. Behind him, I see a fin for half a second. Then he's in front of me. Contentment is written in every line of his body language. If I had to guess, I'd say this curse took a toll on him worse than anyone else, because of how much he revels in his freedom.
Pulling me out of my thoughts, he whips a golden fin out of the water and splashes me. I laugh not only at his playfulness, but also because I could've stopped that and retaliated just as quickly with my newly acquired magic if I wasn't so distracted by the effing merman in front of my eyes. Most of his tail is the same gold of his irises, but there are some spots that are a darker golden olive color. His face is alight with the excitement of showing off.
I reach out a hand to run down the top of his tail, which has me covering my mouth to hide the small giggle. He's. Got. A. Flipping. Tail. Not wanting to bother the few fins sticking out on the sides, I focus my attention on the scales, skimming my hand down them. They shudder slightly as Zephyr groans, and his brothers snicker from their positions on shore.
"They're so soft," I announce to no one in particular.
"Yeah and that's about the only thing soft right now," Zeph murmurs. It takes me back to my questioning with Zanthus earlier.
As if he knows what I'm about to start asking, the latter directs my attention with facts. "The scales serve two purposes in that form. Not only do we have the agility of our aquatic brethren, but they're also our armor."
My brows pull down in confusion as I stroke the soft as feathers skin. They aren't very good for armor being as vulnerably soft as they are.
"Only our mate would be able to make it past the barrier of armor," Zale supplies, sating my worry.
I surprise a laugh out of all of them when after a few minutes, I announce, "I want a tail too."
Zephyr maneuvers his body until I'm wrapped in his arms again and up to my neck beside him. He manages to keep both our heads above the surface without any help from me at all.
"I bet it's going to be the most beautiful tail in all the realm," he insists, making me smile with a brush of lips against his cheek. "Can I keep you to myself for a minute before they try to distract you with their boring plain tails?"
Capturing his jaw in my palm, the tiny bit of scruff there scratches my skin as I reply, "Of course."
We're shot off like a rocket as soon as the words leave my mouth. A laugh bubbles from my chest and I clutch his shoulders tight.
Almost within touching distance of the barrier, he stops and sighs with a smile. "I've never been one to keep great surprises to myself. Do you trust me?"
I nod, and he commands, "Good. Lay on your back and float."
Doing as he says, I feel his fin brush against my bare skin. The responsiveness of my body almost overrides his request. I'm tempted to kiss him until we're both breathless, until I start to see flashes of color outside the barrier. At first, it's a few fish, but they quickly morph into a kaleidoscope of different sea life and colors. Everything from the fish, to tiny seahorses, to a broadly spanned octopus, and even a massive whale that swims by. The calm that slips in my bones has me wishing I could live here just like this. Then I grin, because I do live here now. Underneath these stunning creatures and around even more beautiful males.
"This is my magic," Zephyr tells me, his voice flowing through the water like a warm knife through butter. "If you get mine like you did with Zanthus, you'll be able to control them too."
"Only, mine is cooler," Zanthus says from my other side.
Another smile breaks across my face as I listen to the sibling rivalry over whose magical powers are cooler. The only voice I don't hear is Zale's, but as soon as the thought crosses my mind, I feel a short tug on my right ankle. I don't want to come out of the trance and let go of the beauty still putting on a show above us, but I'd much rather see my other two mates’ tails more.
With a sigh, I let my feet sink into the water, holding myself afloat with my arms.
It brings Zale's face inches from my own. "Hi," I breathe out.
"Hello, damselfish," he replies, softness taking over his expression.
There's one thing the mer in front of me had right more than anything. Questions. We have way more of them than we do answers, especially me.
Starting with an easy one, I ask, "What's your magic?"
He smiles. "Unlike my impatient brother, I happen to like surprises. Guess you'll have to wait and find out."
I start to pout, but he lifts his tail out of the water as a distraction tactic. Of course, it works. His has the same bright seafoam green color of his eyes, and like Zephyr's, it flows down into a slightly darker tint. Reaching out to touch it, I find the same texture, too. If I'm honest with myself, I expected them to be slimy or rough underneath my fingers. The contrast of my assumption and reality is like fire and ice. One of the things I'm most excited to find is that I'm not as appalled as I originally thought I'd be. I mean, come on, most boyfriends come with some kind of baggage, but all three of mine come with fishtails.
Mine. the word repeats as I take in the three of them. Yeah, I like that word.
A hand flashes in front of my face. "Where'd you go, Rubikins?"
The old nickname has me turning a playful frown towards Zephyr. "I don't think I like that one, Zephy."