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“I don’t know, but maybe because you’re alive and they aren’t,” Gideon said.

Aerin went frightfully quiet; any trace of light left her face as tears filled her eyes. If he hadn’t killed her buzz before, he certainly had now.

“I’m not supposed to be alive. I was meant to die with them that day, but I stayed late at the library studying. At the time, I really wanted to become a vet or a marine biologist. I was going to be the first woman in our family to go to university. Then they were gone, and I couldn’t bear it,” Aerin said. “Is this what you want to hear? How I drowned myself off the cliffs. All I wanted was to be with them again.”

Gideon reached for her, but she swatted him again.

“Don’t pity me!” she snapped, but before she could swim away, he grabbed her and used all the strength he could muster to hold her as she fought him.

“I don’t pity you, and I’m sorry for pushing,” he said calmly. “I came looking for you tonight because I was worried. The last thing I want to do is upset you, but you don’t have to hold it together on a day like today.” He understood why she hadn’t told him how she died, and he didn’t blame her for keeping her darkest moment from him.

“You were worried about me?” Aerin stopped thrashing in his arms, and he felt her rest her head on his shoulder.

“I even made you dinner,” he said, relaxing his grip. He couldn’t imagine the grief she had endured to hurt herself. Even though she resented the Sea Goddess for saving her, he owed the ocean for bringing her into his life.

“You made dinner?” she asked as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I can’t remember the last time someone made me dinner.”

“Maybe it’s for the best you didn’t eat it. It was my turn to poison you anyway,” he said, drawing a small flicker of a smile.

“We should go before he comes back,” Aerin said, breaking the tension.

“Right, let’s not piss off the ghost,” Gideon said, nodding, relieved that she was willing to go home. She helped him climb back onto the dock, but when he turned to help her out of the water, she was gone. In the moonlight, Gideon caught a flash of her tail as she dove. He thought about calling after her, but decided she would talk to him when she was ready. He didn’t trust himself around her right now. Some space was best for both of them.

Chapter Twelve

Aerin

Diving at dawn, Aerin let the cool waters wash away her monster of a hangover as she emptied the cages of crabs and lobsters into crates on the marina for Mr. Humphries. After promising a prompt delivery in hopes of making some extra cash for her roof, she didn’t want to let him down, because she had got drunk with a bunch of sailors before making out with her resident vampire.

“You kissed him! He kissed you. You’ve never lost control like that before,” she scolded herself, emptying some fresh lobsters into her net. At least I didn’t drown him, even though the temptation was nearly as strong as her desire to kiss him. Why did he have to be so damn kind and understanding? Why did he have to come looking for me at all? He’s supposed to be a vampire, cold and bloodthirsty, not giving me a shoulder to cry on. I don’t know how I’m going to go back to the house and face him, even if he kissed me back. Was it just out of pity because I was drunk and upset? She grimaced at the thought and wished she could drown away her humiliation. She had spent the night in the cave, sleeping on a hard rock that had left a crick in her spine, but she wasn’t ready to face Gideon yet after she had spilt her guts about her past last night. Wincing at the memory of her throwing herself at him like some feral animal, she distracted herself by diving to make sure the cages were reset for the next delivery.

Still, as much as she wanted to forget, she recalled how enticing he’d looked all wet, his red eyes bright and ferocious as he searched the waters for her in a panic. Her lust for him had been downright murderous. She’d never let her siren call get so out of control; she’d nearly bitten him.

“What the hell were you thinking? You weren’t thinking; it was the whiskey. Damn sailors and their shots.” No more shots, and no more swimming together, she promised herself. Her concern for him losing control was quickly overshadowed by the realization that she might be the one to put him in danger.

Aerin resurfaced to find Miranda’s father, Darius, fishing a little too far from the marina for her liking.

“I didn’t expect you to be out so early,” Aerin said, approaching the small boat. She didn’t want to give the middle-aged warlock a heart attack by springing up at him. Despite her razor-sharp nails and blackened eyes, his eyes held no fear.

“Are you going to enchant a fisherman and drag me into the depths?” Darius chuckled, casting his fishing line out further.

“Careful where you toss that hook; you might catch more than you bargained for,” Aerin warned playfully, but a small fishhook was no threat to her. It would take a lot more than a tiny hook to pierce her skin. The biggest danger to sirens was nets, especially heavy industrial nets for mass fishing. They were so tough that, even with their talons and strength, it was nearly impossible to break free. She had the scar on her ribs to prove it.

“Are you flirting with me?” Aerin rested her hand on the edge of the boat, so it tipped a little toward her.

“Can’t blame an old man for trying.”

“Tempting, but I don’t think Miranda would be too happy about it. Speaking of, the wind’s getting colder. I wouldn’t hear the end of it if Miranda found out I saw you out here for hours and let you catch a chill.”

“What my daughter doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” He smirked, and she rolled her eyes.

“I’ll keep your secrets, but promise me you won’t stay out too long.”

“Cross my heart,” he said, “but I was hoping to catch my dinner. The pixies are playing tricks today, scaring the fish away.”

Aerin noticed his bucket was empty.

“Good luck with your dinner, and I wish I could stay and chat, but I have to get the Humphries before he docks my pay,“ Aerin said.