Chapter 2 Vanessa

The male stares at me, taking a deep breath in my direction. He raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Your scent’s different. So different,” he declares, locking eyes with me. “What are you?” His voice drips with curiosity as his gaze narrows.

My heart freezes at the question. We sirens have stayed far from the surface for thousands of years, to the point where land-dwellers can’t even recognize our scent anymore.

He steps closer, and I freeze, tense, scrambling for an answer.

“You’re definitely not a wolf like me,” he says thoughtfully, sniffing the air again, trying to place me. “A witch like my ex-mate? Nah, definitely not. Human?”

“That’s it!” I blurt out, too quickly. “I’m human!”

That’s what they call land-dwellers, right? Humans. Werewolves and witches exist too, but I didn’t know they were so out in the open like this.

He eyes me again, suspicion flickering in his gaze.

“And what’s the human’s name?” he asks with a playful smirk.

I shift my weight from one leg to the other, debating whether to give him my real name. He’s been kind so far, helping me out. My family’s on the other side of the continent, deep under the ocean. No need to lie about my name here, right?

“Vanessa,” I whisper, half-afraid my name might somehow reach my family and lead them to me.

“Nice to meet you, Vanessa. I’m Romeo Duskbane,” he says, extending his hand. I stare at the gesture, clueless about what it means.

Romeo lets his arm drop and laughs in my direction again.

“Thanks for the help. I think I can go now…” I say at last. I need to get as far from the beach as possible.

I have no idea where to go or what to do. Are things up here like they are in the ocean?

I need to find a place to stay, that’s it.

I start walking away from the male who helped me. But he steps in front of me, and I accidentally bump into him.

“Whoa, sorry,” he says, chuckling. “You said you were lost, right?”

“Did I?” I ask, confused.

“Yeah, back in the cave,” Romeo confirms, furrowing his brow. “Do you know where you’re headed?”

I shake my head, and Romeo flashes a smile that piques my curiosity.

“Then come with me. I know the perfect place for you,” he says, brimming with enthusiasm.

I eye him warily. Why’s he helping me so much? Were my great-grandmother’s stories about land-dwellers exaggerated? Then again, he’s a werewolf, and she never told me bad stories about werewolves. Like us sirens, witches and werewolves lived in danger because of humans.

If he’s willing to help me, thinking I’m human, maybe that means they live in peace now. Either way, I need help.

“So?” Romeo prompts, pulling me from my thoughts.

I nod. What other choice do I have?

Romeo leads me along the empty beach. The sun’s climbing in the sky, but the breeze still makes my body shiver. I glance back at the ocean, my old home, and my heart tightens at the choice I’ve made.

I can’t marry Maik. This is better.

My bare feet feel the roughness of the ground, and it bothers me. The beach sand was so much better.

“Where you from?” Romeo asks, his curious gaze landing on me in a way that makes me feel exposed.

I scramble for a lie, something convincing.

“Far away,” I say, biting my lip. Ugh, I could’ve come up with something better. So stupid.

Romeo smirks, like my answer amused him.

“Far enough to want to escape, huh?” he teases.

My eyes widen at his guess. Are all werewolves this sharp, or am I just terrible at hiding things?

“I’m not escaping, it’s just…” I stammer, tripping over my words.

“No worries. Here in Miravento, you can start fresh and leave anything behind,” Romeo says calmly.

I look around. The city’s waking up. Some land-dwellers step out of their homes, walking the streets or climbing into small moving things. What did my great-grandmother call them again?

“Sorry, but what’s that?” I ask Romeo, pointing at a female slipping into something that moves moments later.

Romeo raises an eyebrow, looking confused.

“A car?” he says, uncertain, like he’s not sure if that’s what I’m pointing at.

“Oh, right, a car!” I say, trying to sound excited. That’s the name! “It’s a vehicle, right?”

“Yeah…” Romeo replies slowly. “No cars or motorcycles where you’re from?”

We use animals—dolphins, rays, or sharks—to travel farther. My family prefers magical currents, but not everyone in the ocean has that kind of power.

“No, we use different kinds of vehicles,” I say neutrally.

“Now I get why you wanted to ditch home,” Romeo shoots back, laughing.

His words make me tense. How does he know so much? I stare at him, shocked, trying to figure out what he wants with me.

“Well, we’re here…” Romeo announces, stopping abruptly.

I look at the place in front of me, curiosity sparking. What is this? I tilt my head, trying to decipher the red signs above the building.

“It’s my bar, called Erethar, like my pack,” Romeo says with pride.

He places a hand on my back, and I jump forward, startled.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you!” Romeo says quickly, raising his hands. “Just wanted to guide you inside.”

Before I can respond, a female steps out of the bar, carrying two heavy black bags. She almost bumps into me. Her short blonde hair is a mess, sticking out every which way, and she’s about my height. She’s got more meat on her bones than I do—I’m way too skinny and probably couldn’t carry those bags as easily as she does.

“Whoa, sorry!” she says cheerfully. Then she spots Romeo and freezes. “Hey, boss!”

“Why are you taking out the trash, Violet?” Romeo asks, serious, grabbing the bags from her. “That’s the omega’s job, or any guy in the bar. Where’s Rael?”

I watch as he sets the bags in front of a big bin filled with others.

“Talking to the drink suppliers, and the omega? No clue,” Violet replies, shrugging. She turns to me, tilting her head. “And who’s this?”

“This is Vanessa. She’s lost and on the run,” Romeo says with a grin, winking at me. “I need you to look after her for a few hours,” he explains.

I stare at him, stunned by his bluntness, feeling a bit shy under his direct orders. Violet doesn’t seem to mind and flashes a friendly smile. Her light brown eyes are soft, and I feel a warmth looking into them.

“Oh, you poor thing… come on, let’s get you something better to wear and some food,” Violet says in a gentle, soothing voice. She steps closer and loops her arm around my shoulders.

“She doesn’t like that,” Romeo says just as I flinch at her touch.

Violet steps back, and I glance at Romeo, giving him a grateful nod.

“It’s okay, sorry. Come on, this way,” Violet says, her voice even softer, leading me into the bar.

“You’re not coming?” I ask, looking back at Romeo.

He shakes his head, flashing a smile.

“Nah, I’ve got stuff to take care of. But I’ll come check on you, promise. Violet’ll take good care of you, trust me,” he says.

I believe him and step into the Erethar bar with Violet.