40- Here I am

The wind blowing in from the bay helped cool his bare skin against the

heat of the sun as he entered the harbor. Daniel carefully brought The Dirty Seagull to

the dock. When it came to a stop, he jumped off the boat and tied it up.

He had barely finished tying the knot when he heard a splash in the water

behind him and took a deep breath. He didn't even need to look back to see that

it was her. By now he could almost feel her watching him.

Daniel might not have fallen under the mermaids' spell, as

the other werewolves had, but that didn't mean he was completely oblivious to their

charms. Antoinette's presence was enough to challenge anyone. When she came

close, it seemed as if the air changed and a new electricity swirled

within him.

As he headed toward the mainland from the island of Syrens Island, he thought he saw

Antoinette on his trail. He couldn't be sure, but almost every time he ventured out to sea he thought he saw her shadow just below the surface of the water, the dark silhouette of her fish form swimming alongside the boat.

Sometimes he put it down to his imagination, but when Antonieta appeared on the dock like that, it only confirmed his suspicions. She was stalking him.

"It's a lovely day for swimming, huh?" Daniel asked.

He glanced behind him. He could only see that Antonieta wasn't wearing her bikini bottoms. He looked away.

"They're going to arrest you if you don't cover up," she said as she stood up.

Antonieta laughed softly.

"I doubt it. I've never been arrested for anything." Out of the corner of her eye she saw her put on the skimpy garment. It was coiled like a ball in her bikini top.

Daniel climbed back onto his boat. There was a shirt lying on the deck.

He pulled it on. Antoinette clicked her tongue in disappointment. The werewolf went down inside to get

his shoes, and the swinging door closed behind him.

Since he had moved to Syrens Island, there was a lot more room in his

old quarters, but that made it much harder to find his shoes.

They had moved all over the place while he was sailing, and now they had plenty of room

to slide under the bed.

Once he had them in his hands, he turned and quickly climbed up to the deck.

He didn't trust Antoinette to wait for him outside without getting into trouble.

When he pushed open the small door that took him back up, he almost ran into

her. She was standing at the top of the stairs, her long hair dripping water

over her tanned skin, her dark eyes sparkling at him.

"Aren't you going to offer me a towel?" —Antoinette asked, her voice velvety.

—What are you doing on my ship? —Daniel asked—. I don’t remember inviting you

on.

—I’m not a vampire —Antoinette said, giving a subtle threatening tone to her words

—. I don’t need to be invited.

—I don’t have any more towels on board —Daniel replied.

He climbed the ladder. When she didn’t move, he pushed her away as he passed by.

He felt the heat of her skin through his shirt and, as he brushed against it, he heard her take a deep breath. However, what frightened him was not that, but the strange growl she made.

There was something inhuman about it, and a certain prehistoric quality to it. It was a slight noise, which

Antoinette seemed to have made unconsciously, but it was enough to give Daniel goosebumps.

—I still haven’t decided what I’ll do with you —Antoinette admitted with a sigh—. One minute I can't wait to devour you, and the next minute I'd rather sleep with you.

"Why would you want to do anything with me?" Daniel asked. He sat down on one of

the seats that surrounded the boat and put on his shoes.

"I don't know," she said, and that seemed to annoy her.

Daniel looked up and looked at her. He squinted at the bright sun, and leaned

back against the seat opposite Daniel. He spread his long legs and leaned his

head back so that his hair hung over the edge of the boat.

"Do you know anything about Orpheus?" Antoinette asked.

"No." He finished putting on his shoes and leaned back.

"Should I?"

"He's a very popular figure in Greek history," Antoinette said. "He's known

for his musical ability and his poetry."

"Sorry, but I don't read much poetry," Daniel replied.

"Neither do I." She shrugged. At least, not from her own.

Afa's Baby and His Mermaid Moon by Mia Antonella C.R - Page 12

But when she was with him, she had practically stopped writing and had left her

music, and she called herself Alan. The "mythology" says that he died after his

wife's death, but in reality he only changed his name and left his old

life.

"So he's like you?" Daniel asked. "Immortal or whatever?"

Antoinette nodded.

"That's right. But unlike the mermaids, who gained their immortality

through a curse, he received his as a blessing. The gods were so

pleased with him and his music that they were so

happy with him that they were so happy with him and his

music."

sica that granted him eternal life.

“And why are you asking me about that guy?” Daniel asked. “What does he have to do with me?”

“Maybe nothing.” Antoinette crossed her legs and then uncrossed them. “Alan and I were very close for a lifetime and reincarnations. He was one of the few immortals immune to

the song of the sea.” It didn't affect any of the gods or goddesses, but many of the

other immortals (humans whose immortality

This time, before she had even reached the door, she saw Ignacio open it and

leave the office.

"Oh... uh... hi!" said Seila, who had a great effort to sound

happy.

"Hi." Ignacio didn't even look at her.

He had started working at the port a few weeks ago. Theo had

told Seila about it, but she hadn't really seen him there yet. In fact,

she had barely seen him since Mia broke up with him, and what she saw surprised her

a little.

The hard work at the port had changed his appearance. His gray work

suit was rolled up above the elbow, the fabric straining against his biceps.

His shoulders looked broader than before. Ignacio had looked toned and

muscled a few months ago, but he hadn't seen him

for a long time. He looked like a real bodybuilder now.

His heavy gloves peeked out of the back pocket of his overalls, and his hands were

cracked and rough. He had only grown calluses from playing video games before, but it had taken a few lives and reincarnations for his hands to look like Theo's.

Ignacio looked away and stared at a barge passing behind them. His hair was longer, almost unkempt, and his mahogany eyes looked

haunted. Seila wasn't sure if it was from working in the sun all day, but his face looked more weathered. Something had changed.

"So how are you... uh, how are things going?" Seila hesitated. "Do you like working

here? My father says you're doing well."

"It's okay." She looked down at the steel toes of her boots and didn't elaborate.

"Well, well." Seila picked up Theo's lunch box. I'll bring my father food.

"I've already eaten."

"Yes?" Seila asked. "Great. Great." She looked around, hoping to

see her father or anyone who could give some life to that conversation.

"How many lives and reincarnations have you been working here?"

"Three weeks."

"That's good, isn't it? It's a good way to save money for college."

"I'm not going to college," Ignacio explained casually.

"What?" Seila leaned toward him, hoping she had misheard his words over

the noises of the port. "You're going to Sundham University, aren't you?"

"No." Seila was confused by this change of mind. Ignacio and Seila had

spent years planning to go to the same college. They were going to study different careers,

but since they were going to move to a new city, they thought it would be nice

to meet someone there. Besides, Sundham was close to home for both of them.

“What about all your plans?” asked Seila.

What about all that meteorology and astronomy stuff?

Afa's Baby and His Mermaid Moon by Mía Antonella C.R - Page 23

“I'm not that interested in them anymore.” She made a face with her mouth,

as she looked at a barge that slowly entered the bay. “I prefer to work

here now.”

“Yeah.” She smiled, trying to make it seem like she accepted him, although, in

reality, she was worried about him. “Well, has my father told you that Mía

is preparing a play?”

“I don't care what Mía does or doesn't do.” —Ignacio blurted out, revealing such fierce hatred that it made Seila shudder.

—Uh… I’m sorry.

—Look, seriously, I should get back to work. —He looked at her for the first time in the entire conversation, but looked away instantly—. I’m glad I saw you.

—Yeah, me too. And if you ever want to spend some time together… —Seila said, but he was already walking away—. You know I’m right next door. You can

come over whenever you want!

He didn’t even bother to turn around to look at her.

Mía had been trying to avoid Seila ever since their conversation on Thursday night.

It had been a day and a half now, and she knew she would have to talk to her

sister again at some point, but she wanted to have at least one morning free of lectures.

She slept late on purpose, and waited until Seila had left for work before venturing out of her room. She then got up and

did some housework. She wanted to be ready to go to the theater rehearsal before

Seila came home from work.

Of course she managed to squeeze in a half hour of “De buena ley,” which

was her most recent vice. Mia had become addicted to television when she

spent a whole month depressed and locked up at home. And even though she had already given up that habit, “De buena ley” was the only thing she still watched.

She took a shower when the program was over. She got dressed, but she had

left the television on. When she came downstairs, tying her hair up in a ponytail,