“I think we should wait.” Raphael said when a bright lighten flashed across the sky and heavy thunder pounded across the sky. It started to rain pretty quickly, it didn't start off slow.

“We'll be fine.” Vanessa said. “We're in the water, the storm won’t hurt us. It's getting really dark to.”

“You sure that's a good idea?” he asked.

“Adalyn told me. We just have to stay down enough.” she said and took his hand. They went into the water and went to the surface. Raphael gave her an uncertain look, but she smiled at him. “It's going to be okay.”

She brought her arms up and dipped back into the water. It was darker than usual, but she could still see thanks to the moon. She could hear the thunder even under the water and she looked up. Raphael grabbed her hand and she looked at him, seeing his confused look. She was getting this bad feeling. So maybe swimming in a thunder storm was a bad idea. Adalyn had told her it was always safe, it was more risky for the people at the top of the water.

Then why does she have this feeling in her stomach like she gets when she watches a scary movie? Something went across the moonlight and she realized it was a boat.

James.

She swam up to the top, Raphael following behind her. When she got to the top, the yacht was a dozen feet away but she could see James running to towards the back and opened a door where she watched him touch buttons and other stuff with a worried look. The yacht boat was rocking allot due to the strong winds blowing.

She knew it was dumb of him to go out here in this weather.

“Vanessa?” Raphael questioned and he grabbed her hand when the wind started to separate them. “We need to go!” he yelled threw the storm.

She looked back at the yacht and knew there was no chance she could help James. She told him not to go out here with a storm coming, but he was too cocky to listen. This isn't her problem, even he's in the safety of his yacht. He'll be fine.

Something hard hit against her back and she was forced under the water. She felt Raphael hand slip from her and the waves pulled them further away. She was flipped around until she was far under the water where the waves couldn't be controlled. She turned around quickly to find Raphael and he was so far away she almost missed him.

When she started to swim near him, she heard this horrible sound. It was running nails down a chalkboard or—the sound of metal. She looked up to see red bright lights and her eyes widen.

What in the hell? She wondered as she swam up to the top. Right before her she saw flames around the yacht and she took in a sharp breathe.

“Vanessa!” Raphael cried behind her, but she stopped herself when she saw James running back to the back of the yacht. He was panicking and frighten, not sure what to do since the fire extinguisher was going to be hardly any help.

James started coughing and he dropped to the floor, holding his chest as he coughed. He'll die from the smoke before the flames could get to him. Without even thinking, she forced her arms out and swam towards the boat. Panicking herself, she reached up with a shaky arm, trying to spray the yacht that was burning but the heavy pouring rain hardly even helped and she was too scared to focus on using her powers.

Another strong wave pushed her down but she swam back up. She grabbed the rail of the yacht, “James! James!” she screamed, hoping he'll hear her. No answer came and she groaned as she pushed herself up. She shook her tail and her legs came back. She climbed to the top of the yacht but the metal was of the rail was hot that she almost let go and fell back into the water.

She immediately started coughing and threw the smoke she looked for James. At the other side she saw him so she ran towards him, slipping here and there on the tile floor but she held herself up. He was laying on his chest and when she lifted him up a little, she felt his chest breathing against her right palm.

She looked around, not sure what to do. She only knew one place where to go, so she went to the edge of the boat. She sat on the edge, feeling fainting but she dropped James into the water. She slid off the yacht and when she landed into the water, she felt much better. She saw James sinking and she swam down, catching.

She swam up to the top, slapping his face to wake him up, “James! James! Wake up—ahh!” she screamed when she was pushed down once again. She started to fell James slip from her arms, but she took a good grip on his arms, pulling her towards him. She didn't know where she was going, but she swam quickly, hoping for shore to come up.

Raphael

Raphael crawled the rest of the way to shore when he got to the bank of the ocean. His muscles were tired from the heavy swimming from the store so he dropped to the sand, breathing hard. He looked down where Vanessa was pulling the guy she saved from the burning yacht to shore on her legs. The storm was finally over and now it was just softly raining.

He watched as she laid him gently on his back and looked scared. She shook his arms and brought her ear down to his mouth. Her eyes widen and she shook him again, more roughly. “James, you have to wake up.”, she said. She laid the palms of her hands on his chest and started pressing down a few times. She was shaking when he didn't respond so she put her hand behind his neck, tilting it back, and opened his mouth. She pinched his nose and hesitated, but covered his mouth with her.

Raphael hands balled into a tight fist, sands balled in there to. He hated the sight in front of him even though he knew she was only trying to save the guy life. He doesn't know why it made him so jealous, something like rescuing someone would never make him this angry. It's because it was Vanessa! Seeing her around another guy made him crazy.

She pulled away and started pressing against his chest. She groaned in frustration and placed her mouth over his again. When he didn't nothing, she started to press against his chest until she stopped and looked at him. She looked at his face and brought a shaking hand up. She moved her hand around a little and he watched as water floated out the guy mouth. He watched amazed at how well Vanessa was handling it.

The guy gasped so loudly he even heard it. Vanessa dropped her hand to make the floating water go away and she bit her bottom lip nervously. She started to crawl away when he turned his head to look at her, “Vanessa?” he questioned before she quickly turned around and ran into the ocean.

Raphael glared at James before going back into the water.

*

“You've been quiet.” Vanessa said as Raphael drove her home. “Are you mad?”

“No.” he said as he took his free hand away from his mouth. He was concentrating on the road rather than relieve her having to kiss James. Well, she didn't really kiss him but her mouth was still touching his.

When he got to her house, he parked. She touched his arm and he jerked, “Raphael?” she questioned.

“You had to.” he said.

“Then why aren't you looking at me?” she asked and he bit his bottom lip before looking at her. “I had to save his life, I would have done it for you.”

“I know,” he said. “You're a good person.”

“Then why do you look so angry?” she asked. “Is it . . . is it because of what I did when I tried to save him?” When he didn't answer, she nodded as she looked down at her hand on his arm. “I see.”

“You only did it to try and help him.” he said and she looked up at him. “I hate it, but I know you were just trying to help.”

She gave him a small smile, “I lift as soon as he woke up. I just wanted him to be okay. He's the one who I talked to back in Lockhart and he told me he was going out there. I told him not to go through but he didn't listen.”

“That's how you knew his name and he knew yours.” he said and she nodded. “We'll never have to see him again?”

“Most likely.” she said, moving closer to him. “Raphael, I was only doing CPR, don't ever think I would kiss someone else just to do it. I would never think of hurting you like that.”

“I know you wouldn't.” he said, forcing a smile to give her. “Just jealous, but I know you never would do that. You're right, it was only CPR.”

“What would you be jealous of though?” she asked.

He grinned, “He got to feel a mermaid kiss.”

He watched as she blushed, but a smile appeared on her face. She leaned up and kissed him. He pressed against hers and turned in his seat to put an arm around her. Her arm went around his neck, running her fingers threw his hair. She pulled away first, giving him a smile, “You were the first to know what that feels like though, remember that. Does that make you feel better?'

“Hmm, by allot actually.” he said, making them both chuckle. “And hopefully the last.”

“Of course.” she said, pecking him.