A Siren's Choice (Book One in A Siren's Series)

Chapter Seven: The Choice

Callia

What have I done.

I clutch at the roots of my wet hair, pulling on the long strands as those words just keep rolling around and around in my head as realisation dawns on me.

I can't want this. 

I don't want this.

If this is what I must do to complete my last transformation, to achieve my mark, to please my Goddess, to stay with my kind, then I want nothing to do with this.

I want nothing to do with them.

Screwing the consequences, I rise up onto my feet on the boat's slick deck with the storm still raging on around me, I tuck my dark wings safely inside my back. The rain continues to pour down as I leap straight into the air, easily sailing right over the boat's railing. And I rapidly travel through the air and plunge feet first into the tempestuous sea.

Holding my breath, I let the waves push me deeper into the water. 

Opening my eyes, I look around but even with my advanced eyesight all I can see is darkness, so instead I close my eyes and listen. I push past the sounds of my erratic heartbeat, the waves and the storm far above me, and I focus on finding one particular sound in this vast sea.

His heart beat.

Come on. Come on, where are you.

Then I hear it.

Thump-thump-thump.

Ahead of me I hear a heart beating rapidly, struggling. I kick my legs and I swim as fast as I can towards the sound, towards him.

Until I can finally see him.

His back is to me, his arms are outstretched above him clawing at the water, trying to escape, and his legs are sluggishly kicking trying to get to the surface so he can breathe but yet he is sinking further and further down.

I kick my legs harder and faster than I ever thought possible, propelling myself through the water. When I finally reach him, he is no longer moving, my heart fills with dread until I hear it.

Thump... Thump... Thump.

It's faint but his heart still beats.

From behind him, I wrap my arms around his torso and grip my hands together, and I tightly hold onto him. As I start kicking my legs, I let my wings burst from my back so they can aid me in getting us out of the water as soon as possible.

My lungs start to burn from holding my breath for so long as I pump my wings harder when we finally near the surface of the sea. Finally bursting out of water, I am free to breathe air into my greedy lungs as I struggle to lift us further into the sky as the salty water pours off us.

At least the storm has moved on, taking the rain with it, only leaving behind its dark clouds.

I continue to push my wings harder than I ever as I tightly hold onto the unconscious human that is currently weighing me down.

I need to get to land as soon as possible so I can help him, and I know just the place to take him where we won't be seen or bothered by anyone.

I rapidly beat my wings together, flying towards my destination as quick as I can before my adrenaline runs out and my exhaustion overtakes me and we plunge back into the sea.

Goddess give me strength.

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Less than ten minutes later