“He needs to go home, Vanessa.” Raphael said. She looked up at him, “We can’t help him.”

“We can’t help him?” she questioned and he nodded. “Raphael, he’s a merman.”

“You didn’t do it, they did and—“

“And you’re not at any bit curious to why they did?” she asked. She looked back at James who was asleep on hammock in Raphael parent’s backyard. They had brought him back here last night and told Raphael mom he was drunk and needed somewhere to stay. James was stumbled inside because he was exhausted, which is normal. Raphael had put him outside on the hammock since his mom told him she didn’t want him throwing up inside the house.

“He’s going to cause trouble, I know it.” he said. “It’s better we just leave it alone. They did it for a reason and I don’t want to know as long it doesn’t involve me or you.”

“And if does?” she asked. “Raphael, they turned him into a merman. They don’t just do that for no reason and I want to know why.”

“He’s doesn’t even know why.” he said. “He should just go home, my mom doesn’t want any of the neighbors seeing a drunk young man in her backyard. At least go wake him up.”

“Why me?” she asked.

“It’s your royal duty.” he said and she scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest. “You’re more curious than me.”

She sighed heavily before her arms dropped and she walked over to James who was laying awkwardly on the hammock with his head dangling and his arm covering half of his face. She looked up at Raphael, unsure before she bent down a little and poked James arm, “James.”

The arm that covered half his face thrashed out towards her and she jumped back, a strong blowing passed her. James shifted around on the hammock and continued to sleep.

“How’d he get powers and I didn’t?” Raphael asked, sounding kind of jealous.

“Queen Severina must have also given him her blood, like she did with me.” she said. She bent down and touched James shoulder, shaking it, “James, wake up.”

James groaned, “No Loretta, five more minutes.” he muttered.

“It’s Vanessa, wake up.” she said and he did as she said. His eyes snapped opened, his blue eyes looking right up at hers. She forced him smile, “Hey, how you doing?”

He then groaned and he brought his hand up, rubbing his eyes with the palm of his hand, “The sun, make it go away.”

“James, it’s time to get up.” she said. “You have to go home.”

He removed his hand, “Go home?” he asked and she nodded. He scoffed, “I can’t go home. Not with what’s wrong with me.”

Raphael snorted behind her and James looked behind her, but she ignored Raphael, “James, it’s going to be alright.”

He quickly sat up and she stood up, “Did you do this to me?” he asked. He stood up, “You and that woman—Severina, did you plan this?” he accused loudly.

“Shh!” she said. “Lower you voice. And no, I didn’t. We’re just as surprised as you are.”

“Why did this happen?” he asked, panicking.

“I don’t know.” she said. “But James, you need to calm down. No one can know about this, it could be dangerous for us.”

“Us?” he questioned and she nodded. “Oh no, you’re taking what’s is wrong with me back! Take it back, I don’t want it.”

“I can’t take it back.” she said, placing her hands on his shoulders as clouds formed in the sky and the wind picked up. “James, you need to calm down. You have these gifts and you don’t them without even meaning to. Panicking isn’t going to help, so sit down and let me explain this all to you.”

James chest went up and down quickly as he took deeps breath and when the clouds went away, she knew he was better. He sat down on the hammock and she sat down next to him. She cleared her throat, “James, I know it’s scary—it’s scary for all of us.”

“How is this even real? All these millenniums they existed and we never knew.” he said as he looked down at the grass. “Am I stuck like this?”

“You can stay human.” she said and he sighed in relief. “But I don’t think she’ll do it.” she added and he scuffed, looking up at her. “She did this for a reason, she isn’t going to let you go. I know this, she did the same with me.”

James looked up at Raphael, “And you?”

Raphael pointed at Vanessa, “She did it to me.”

James quickly looked at her panicking and Vanessa scoffed, “Accident! And I was saving his life, he should add. I didn’t even know I could give the gift to others.”

“But why can’t you take it away?” he asked. “If you can give this ‘gift’ to people, why can’t you take it away?''

“Because first, it has to be the mermaid who gave it to you, which in your case is Severina. And secondly, I don’t know how.” Vanessa said. “But James, there’s still allot of stuff I need to tell you.”

*

“Hmm.” Adalyn said she looked down at James. She reached down and took his chin in her hand, forcing him to look up at her straighter, “You poor, poor, poor man. All the girls are going to be attacking you.”

“Huh?” he asked.

She looked at Raphael quickly before looking at him, “They were after him, until it was made clear he’s with Vanessa. The girls haven’t been with a man for a long, long time. You’re a merfolk, they’re attracted to you and you’re going to have allot of girls fighting for you attention.”

James chuckled and she shook her head.

“Mermaids are deadly, it’s not flattering.” she said and he quickly stopped, swallowing loudly. She stood up and turned to Vanessa, “I have no idea why she did it. She never said a word about giving the gift to men, never once. Merman are controlling and possessive, they tried to control us and Queen Severina didn’t like. One even challenged her for her throne, even almost started a war between them and us. She turned all the mermen back to humans and killed them when they started telling humans about us. That’s how the Greeks know about, written so many stories about us.”

“So what do we do with him?” Raphael asked.

“He has two and half weeks before he turned.” she said. “I suggest hoping one of the girls come soon so Nessa could talk to Queen Severina.”

Vanessa groaned.

“Right now, he needs to stay in Coasta Sirenas. It’s clear they left him alone for Vanessa so—“

“What?” Raphael coldly said as he stood up and Vanessa had to quickly stand up to pull him back down on the couch.

 “Let me finish! This is what I was talking about.” Adalyn muttered, rolling her eyes. “So Vanessa would have to help him with our—yours way. They wouldn’t have left him alone there, one of the girls would have been there to be there when he woke up or come find him by now. It’s clear you intended to look after him.”

“Why me?” Vanessa asked.

“You are a princess.” she said.

“No I’m not.” she said stubbornly as her arms crossed her chest. “I don’t feel very much like a princess.”

“Well you are.” Adalyn said. “And it’s your job to look after your people.”

“And where do you prefer him to stay?” Raphael asked, his voice hard. “He’s not from here.”

“You’re place, duh. Use your brain Raphael.” Adalyn said, rolling her eyes.

“What? No way, he can’t.” Raphael said as he sat back in the couch. “End of discussion on where he’s staying.”

“Well he could stay here.” she said and his eyes widen. “Ah, I thought so. It’s done, he’s stays at your place.”

“And how do you think my parents would feel about that huh?” he asked.

“You’re not getting out of it just like that.” she said to him. “You know what to do. It’s only until we find Severina and convince her to take away the gift.”

Raphael groaned.

Raphael

He felt Vanessa hand go over his and entwined their fingers, “It’s not the end of the world.”

He looked away from the night sky and at her, “I know.”

The breeze from the sea blew her blonde hair back before she lowered her head and rested it on his shoulder, “Do you think that’s true what Adalyn said? The mermen back then were controlling and possessive?”

“That was a long time ago.” he said. “I’m not like that. I won’t ever be like that.”

Her arms came up and wrapped around his neck as her chin rest on his shoulder, “You did seem to get pretty angry today a few times.”

“I just don’t trust him.” he said as he looked down at the beach where James was standing on the bank of the water. Red golden scales on top of his hand going up to his elbow, fading on the way. If he wasn’t wearing a shirt, he would have scales on his side just like Raphael along with gills. Just like his hands, his scales starting from on top of his feet and faded as they went up to his knees.

“There’s nothing to worry about you with him.” she said. “He won’t tell anyone.”

He chuckled, but humorlessly, “Don’t be so naïve, Nessie. He has a thing for you.”

“James?” she asked. “No, no he’s just someone who shouldn’t have come into our lives. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time pretty much.”

“Nessie, you’re amazedly beautiful.” he said as he looked at her. “I’m surprised you’re with me. You don’t need that enchanting glow for guys to look at you. They look without it.”

“It’s from being a mermaid, they wouldn’t take a second look at me if it wasn’t for being a mermaid to change my appearance.” she said. “You noticed me, but I never would have believed you would go for a girl like me.”

“Your blue eyes caught my attention at first.” he said, making her smile. “Then I thought you were a cute klutz.”

“You made me nervous every time you came around Rita’s, I have better posture now.” she said, chuckling along with him. “Even if James ‘likes’ me as much as you think, I’ll never feel anything for him like I do for you Raphael.”

He grinned, “Good.” He bent his head down and pecked on her lips. He sighed heavily as he put his arm around her and she rested her head against his chest as she leaned against him, “I love you, Nessie.”

She lifted her head to look at him and smiled up at him, “I love you to.”

*

Raphael turned to James as he threw him a blanket, “Okay, so know I only did this because I had to.” he said.

“So this is the part where you tell me you don’t like me, huh?” James asked.

“You’re right, I don’t like you.” Raphael said. “I don’t even know why you showed up here.”

“I was passed out on a burning yacht, did you expect her to just leave me there?” James asked. “Vanessa has a good heart, I bet you wouldn’t have made her leave me there to die.”

Raphael snorted, “Of course not. I just don’t see why you had to come here.” Raphael coldly said. “Vanessa is my girlfriend and if I ever see you look at her like you did this afternoon when you woke up, I won’t go easy on you.” he said as he turned to walk over to his dresser to change.

“What look? I have no idea what you mean.” he said casually. “I’m not looking for bad blood, Raphael. Just to make this whole transformation into a merman stop. I’ll never forget about Vanessa though, what she did for me.”

Raphael turned to look at James, “Just remember, Vanessa is mine.”