Filthy Wishes (Mermaid Kisses #8)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Tridenton

In all of the brine and murky depths of Poseidon’s expansive empire, I sulk, as I usually do.

I am twenty-seven years old and beyond ready to find my mate.

She is not of my tribe nor any of the tribes in all of the world’s ocean.

I have traveled extensively, looking for my mermaid, but alas, she has not been found.

It leaves me no other alternative but to think my mate is a human.

It’s rare but not unheard of. I am not looking forward to walking on land, but I must do what needs to be done.

In our underwater castle, sixty or so miles off the coast of Greece, I find my father reading the paper.

You may be wondering about how we live underwater and are able to do things we shouldn’t.

The answer is simply magic. Ancient magic that not only allows us to not realize water is all around us but it also shields us from detection by curious humans.

The depths of the ocean are far deeper than they realize, and more happens down here than even I understand.

“Good evening, Father,” I say, coming into our family room.

We have more formal settings, but we only use them when the occasion calls for it.

Destan Vanne, also known as father, is the leader of our tribe, a king really, but he doesn’t lord it over anyone.

One day this will all be mine, and I hope to rule in much the same way with my mate by my side.

“Why so serious, son?” he says, looking over the edge of the paper.

“I have decided to try to find my mate among the humans,” I say.

“Very well. Are you looking for my permission? You’re a grown merman,” he says.

“Not at all. I am looking for your blessing.”

“You have it. We will love and welcome anyone you bring into this family. Have you had the dreams?”

“Yes. For years now, but I can’t see her face.”

“It will become clearer the closer you get to finding her.”

“I should hope so.”

“Where will you begin?”

“Greece,” I reply.

“Nearby then,” he says jovially.

“I love the countryside there. It seems as good a place as any to start.”

“It is gorgeous. Remember to get your fin wet, even if it’s just for a little while each day.”

“I won’t forget,” I say, shuddering when I think about the pain.

We have the ability to have legs for just two weeks a year, but there are restrictions.

One such limitation is that we must allow our fin to come back for a time each day, or pain, as you’ve never known, will flood your lower extremities.

“Don’t forget to tell your mother and sisters that you are leaving,” he says before going back to his paper. “Oh, good luck, Tridenton.”

“Thank you, father. I will be leaving at once.”

He doesn’t say anything else as I leave to seek out the ladies of the house. They hardly spare me a second glance, but that’s not surprising. Soraya is in an uproar about something, and I don’t have time for that. She’s usually off by herself, so I am not sure what she’s doing home anyway.

We are close enough to the shore of Greece that I am there in less than fifteen minutes. Besides, I am quite a powerful swimmer.

Magic is impressive, I must say. When I willed my legs to come forth, I was also dressed in a pair of swim trunks befitting the weather in Corfu, a large Greek island in the Ionian Sea. Something has drawn me here, and as soon as I step out of the water, I see what that is.

A gorgeous woman with chestnut hair in a two-piece black swimsuit plays on the beach with two small children.

Indeed, they are not her children. She looks barely old enough to be let out alone, let alone be mated.

I find myself walking toward her as if I am being led by an invisible string strung between us.

“Oy! Sir, can you stop that ball?” The little boy shouts from across the beach to me. I stop the ball with my foot and bend to pick it up. Using it as my excuse to go over to her, I walk toward them, ball in hand.

“Looking for this?”

“Yes. Thank you. I can’t keep these kids occupied long enough while their parents take some private time,” the woman says with a British accent.

“I imagine that can be difficult on a beach,” I reply.

“Yes. Well, thank you for returning the ball. We wouldn’t want to keep you.”

“It’s no trouble, really. Perhaps I could keep you company?”

“Of course. I am Sally-Ann. This is Rosie and Tyler,” she says, gesturing to the kids, but they have gone back to their games and are ignoring us.

“Tridenton,” I reply, shaking her outstretched hand. The sizzle of electricity that shoots between us does not go unnoticed by either of us. MATE! The voice in my head screams over and over, and without a doubt, I know it is right. This tiny, beautiful girl is mine.

“That’s an interesting name,” she says, pulling her hand back and staring at it. She doesn’t say anything about it.

“I have interesting parents,” I say, shrugging.

“You must.”

For about an hour, I play with them until her brother and sister in law come back. Sally didn’t say, but I know that to be true since I know the woman, though mermaid would be more accurate, walking toward us.

“Hortencia?” She is a member of my tribe. She lives on land most of the time. Now that she is mated, she can get her legs at will. Another bit of magic I won’t see until my mate’s virgin blood is on my cock...

“Tri? I mean Your Highness,” she says, curtseying. Sally frowns.

“Get up. You know I don’t like that,” I tell her, chuckling.

“Habit.” Her husband clears his throat as she stands.

“Ah, this is my husband and protector, Gareth, and I assume you met his sister already, Sally-Ann,” she says, gesturing to the brunette.

I happen to catch her as she turns around to see what her niece is doing; I suck in a huge breath.

On her back is a large birthmark of a trident.

The trident lets me know she’s a Protector.

My Protector, which makes sense if her brother is one too.

Protectors are born protectors. Due to strong ancient magic, everything they need to know is already ingrained in them at birth.

All it takes is a merperson, though not necessarily their mate, to tell them what they are, and it activates, for lack of a better word.

“We met,” I say, clearing my throat.

“You must join us for dinner. Is this day one?” Hortencia asks.

“Yep.”

“Excellent.”

“What’s so excellent about it,” Sally asks, her voice strained.

“Everything,” I tell her, giving her my best smirk.

Corfu was the right choice indeed, and from the looks of it, I won’t have much to explain to her, given her sister-in-law is who she is. It’s not in our nature to keep things a secret when we’ve mated, even to a human. Simply put, their family becomes our family, and that’s just the way it is.