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Hope this is a good pre-Monday Blues pick me up! 

Song of the chapter is, 'Slow Dancing In a Burning Room' by John Mayer. 

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"So why not just stick around? Why pass it on?"

"I've been stuck this way. I can't die. I could just stick around but if I want to die then I'm going to have to choose someone–or the witches will. It's going to happen whether I want it to or not. It seamed like a good opportunity. That and, well shit they think I killed all those people–it would be easier if they didn't."

"Would she have stayed?"

"I didn't want her too," I said honestly causing him to look at me like I was crazy. Mina and I were crazy. "No–she has a life ya know? I didn't want her to throw it away but, Mina is her own person. I can't force her." I could but I wouldn't do that, not to her. That and I was too selfish when it came to her.

"I didn't think we had a chance and now we do. If we can kill this thing then I'm taking her to Mexico or somewhere that we can actually be together. If I wasn't on a most wanted list the swamp wouldn't be so bad."

"And she–she'll be crazy at first though?"

I nodded as we walked through the brush. "It was hell for me. I won't lie to you. I had no one though. I was alone and had no idea what I was."

"Where did you stay? I mean you had to eat right?"

"Ya," I said with a sardonic laugh while we turned a corner. "Come on I'll show you."

"Show me what?"

"This," I said as I neared it, this thing in me swelling up in anger.

I wanted to rip that door from he ground–blow that tank to bits. When I realized that I had been kept in a tank not more than a ten-minute walk from Mo's shack, I was livid–devastated. I was close to someone who could have helped me and I was close to someone who I could have hurt if I got out.

Brooks paused behind me as I opened the door to it, the stench still there. Those memories never leaving me. They were the demon, not this thing in me.

He walked slowly over, his arm covering his nose before he stumbled back, half spilling his drink. "What–you were there?!"

"They threw me in there," I told him. "Well, I was in a lot of places like that, I honestly don't remember it all feels like a dream. They would throw in fish and sometimes an unlucky person. I couldn't control myself. I couldn't and I wanted to so bad."

"But you're fine now?"

I nodded. I was more than fine now. I had her.

"It takes time and honestly, I would have been a lot better if I wasn't by myself. Brittany would not just have you, but she would have the three witches, and me for a while. I told them I would stay with her, at least until she was under control to help her. It's not like we would give this to her then abandon her."

"Will she even know me?"

"Ya," I said, something cringing in me. I knew Mina then. I saw her face almost every day; there were day's when I thought she was there with me, sometimes those were the worst days. "She's just going to have to deal with the siren. She's still her."

"So what–these cravings?" he asked while I closed the lid. "Like–"

"Blood," I told him. There was no use lying to him, that wouldn't help anything. "And souls."

"Souls?" I nodded and waved for him to follow me back. "Like–are you for real?"

"I wish I wasn't," I said. "That's what the creature has been doing. Brittany didn't die because she drowned, she had her soul sucked out."

"So, she won't–"

"She will crave both," I told him. "But she'll crave your blood more. Nothing else will smell as good."

"Hold on what?! So I'm like her snack?"

"No," I said with an eye roll. "We'll have to work with the witches to protect you. I'm sure they have something." I hoped but really who fücking knew anymore.

"But–you and her? Have you two? Like she's–"

"Still here and not running for the hills," I said with a little laugh. "I don't want–I take that back, her blood is like eating a steak dinner versus junk food. I don't know. I feel more at peace, maybe Brittany would too? Who knows."

"So, ok, so let's say I say yes. Then what? We kill the squid bro, and throw Brittany in a tank? I can't do that to her man."

"We won't have to," I told him as we walked through the brush back to the house. "Again, we can talk to the witches, but–no one needs to be in those again." That was hell. I think I was more afraid of ending up in one of those than I was of anything else.

"They buried Brittany," Brooks said softly. "You realize that–and it's still a big damn 'if' man–but if I say yes then we would have to dig her up. Like–I don't–digging up her grave? That–we will go straight to hell for that!"

"I probably already am," I grumbled. "We'll figure the details out, you just need to decide. It's not just a 'bring her back' it's a bring her back and you're staying in this town with her for a long ass time."

"Wait, ok just stop–" he paused and tugged at his hair before he took a long sip. "Ok. So–she could never leave this swamp?"

"No."

"What happens if she were to try?"

"It's hard to describe, it's like a pull back. I've tried but every time it's like something is pulling me back."

"And she can't leave the water?"

"Not for long amounts of time," I said as we cleared the trees, the house in sight. I walked over to a big oak tree with a swing tied on it and a rope closer to the water. Mo put it up for Mina when she was a kid and she and I used to swing off of it into the water when we snuck out here back then. "Four, five hours tops."

"What happens?"

"You dry out," I told him. "It's like getting super dehydrated like I'm in the desert," I said before I sat on the swing.

"She can't die?"

"No," I said. "Every time I have I just come back somewhere else in the water."

"Do it."

I rolled my eyes. "If I do then Mina will probably kill you."

He looked the house then slowly back at me. "So like, what if you get really beat the hell up?"

"I just heal up," I told him. "Usually as long as I'm well fed."

"Well fed..." he said with a nod, my feet slowly rocking the swing.

"If you don't you go out of control and you could put everyone in danger."

I was quiet while he took another long drink. He was down to watered-down moonshine. I sighed and felt myself relax a little. At least he didn't slam a picture frame in my face, although I could hardly blame Mina.

"She wanted kids," he said quietly. "We were talking just, I don't know it just came up..."

"I don't know but I am going to say probably not," I told him. "Not your own at least."

"What–her family? Friends? Is she just supposed to not see them forever?"

I had no idea what to tell him because that was dangerous. People knowing was dangerous but then again without Mo back then I would be a maniac. Without Nana Jones, I probably would have lost it. Without her, I would have just been a demon.

"The first person I found was Mo."

"The Sheriff?"

"This is his place."

"What?!"

I nodded. "This is Mo's fishing shack. He's had it for years–Mina and I grew up coming out here. It's obviously well hidden so Mo knew I would be safe from people seeing me."

"Dude, the Sheriff?"

"I didn't know who else to go to," I said honestly. "My grandmother, well she makes really good pie but her dementia is bad. I needed someone that could help me with more than pie."

"I'm sorry."

I shrugged. "I knew Mo wouldn't say anything and he didn't, not even to Mina for years."

"She didn't know?"

"I couldn't tell her. I hated myself so much and I thought that I was going to die soon because Mo and I were trying to figure out how to break this–things obviously changed," I sighed out. "If you tell anyone, it has to be people who won't talk. The last thing any of us need is word getting out about swamp 'mermaids' and either Brittany or me or both ending up in a fish tank at some zoo."

He shook his head and looked out at the water. "It's–listen, as much as I want to see her again, I mean how can I make this decision? This isn't about me. What if I do and she hates me for it? How can I make a decision like this for her?"

"I don't know," I said honestly. "You're part of the answer–you staying. It's not just committing her but yourself as well. After ten or so years, no one will probably remember what she looks like but family and close friends if they are still here. She doesn't have to be prisoned to the swamp, not if you do it right."

"It's too bad they think you're a serial killer," he mused.

"Ya," I said tiredly.

He rubbed his face then looked over at me. "I don't know."

"That's ok."

He let out a heavy breath with a nod. "I can't–I need to think about it. I can't just make a decision like this for her–trying to think about if she would want this."

"Ok." He had a point. It wasn't like we were offering to just bring her back over the damn rainbow; although if it was Mina I would say yes mostly because I'm a selfish bastard when it comes to her.

"I need time to think."

"That is one thing we don't have," I told him. "I can give you some time, but not as much as you probably want."

"How much."

"Until morning."

"What if I say no?"

"That's your choice," I said. "We'll figure something out."

"You're not like, going to kill me or–"

I shook my head. "I'll probably erase your memory of this ever happening–" I paused a he looked at me like I was kidding until he leaned back when he realized that I wasn't. "You won't remember."

"Ok, ok," he said more to himself than to me, like he was giving himself a pep talk. "Ok morning. I just–I need to process this. This is like really twisted up, you know that right?"

"Oh how I know," I groaned. "You literally have no idea..."

"Is it worth it?"

My brows furrowed because I hadn't really thought of this as worth it before but now–now it was different. "I would have just been dead," I told him. "I get more time–I have her again. It is now although not very long ago I wouldn't have said that."

"And that flower–like that shit is right?"

"Witches said so and they seem pretty right about everything else," I replied. "I guess if we bring her back then we'll really find out."

"Ok," he said again, more like he was talking himself into something.

"We can take you back. Go home. Go have a drink. Come find Mina in the morning and tell her what you decide."

"You're not afraid I'll talk?"

"If you even think about it I'll fücking kill you," I replied, this growl bubbling up in me. "And no one will find you–you put her in danger," I said, nudging my chin to the house. "Then you might as well take your own damn life because you're going to wish it was you instead of me when I come for you," I added, a part of me slightly snarling inwardly at the thought of someone ever harming her.

I got up and walked back to the house, leaving a white-faced Brooks standing by a tree that I spent more nights than I could count kissing Mina under. She was in the kitchen, munching on the mozzarella sticks–more like she and Moses were devouring them. "Well?"

"Take him back–baby are there no cheese sticks?"

She shrugged with a blush. "Moses had like five."

"It was three and you were taking a dreadfully long time," Moses said before he ate some pizza.

"Right," I replied while I walked over to her. "We should maybe feed him first, I think he looks like he's going to pass out."

"What did you say?"

"The truth," I told her as I leaned on the table next to where she as sitting.

"And?"

"He's going to sleep on it then come in the morning and tell you. Regardless you need to send for me, then take him to the witches."

"Jonah, I was just thinking," she said as she took a bite of pizza, almost like a cute little mouse.

I bit my lip as I watched her, amusing she was–a drug she was. "Mmm?"

"He's collecting souls so that means he has Brittany's? So–I mean will she be soulless if we bring her back and–can you even do that?"

"Shit," I hissed out. "Well, we'll ask those three crazy ass bats. That's their problem to solve."

"What is it?" she asked, standing slowly an stepping between my legs so she could lean on my chest.

"I'm just ready for this shit to be over," I replied, my fingers tucking some hair behind her ears that had fallen out of place.

"I'll take him back."

"Finish eating, he may be hungry too."

"I still need to wipe my house down," she thought out loud tiredly before she rested her chin on my chest.

"I almost wish they would come search this place tomorrow so we could be done with it." Mostly because I wanted to have her on this table without worrying if it was going to end up as some evidence or not. "Ok we'll eat, then you can take him and wipe the house–"

"What about you?"

"I need to start cleaning this place."

"I can come back?"

I bit my lip while something churned in me like a storm. The thought of her traveling over the swamp alone at night was not something that I was about to let happen. Not after everything.

"Let me know when you're done."

"Jonah?"

"Baby it's not safe," I told her. "Please Mina–just, you can't by yourself. It's too dangerous baby."

She opened her mouth like she was about to protest then nodded reluctantly. "Alright, fine," she agreed. She tried to pull away from me but I was never a fan of her being away from me. "Jonah..."

The moment I pressed my lips against her she stopped protesting. It was like I could feel how she melted inwardly–this thing that we did, bond we created–I could feel my finger hum at her closeness, a rush running up through my wrist and directly to my chest.

"Ok, fine, go," I whined.

She rolled her eyes wearing a cute flush on her cheeks that I rather be the only thing she was wearing but, we had guests so I guess we had to be polite. Moses watched her then looked back at me. "So the boy?"

"Maybe," I said. "He took it as well as I guess anyone could."

"Do you think he will?" Diana asked.

I shrugged. "It could go both ways," I said. "At least we have Macy as a backup."

"He won't talk?"

"Not if he doesn't want to die a very slow death." Moses gave me a long look and I just shrugged unapologetically. "No–I won't feel bad about killing him if he does. Not if he puts her in danger which he will if he blabs."

"I can send some of the girls after him," Diana said calmly. "They can keep an eye on him."

"Sounds good," I told her while Moses shook his head. "What?"

"You can't just kill everyone that puts her in danger if you do that then you need to get a pen because that list is a lot bigger than you think," Moses told me. "If anyone suspects she had any contact with you, you will lose her. She will be in a horrid prison, Jonah. You have to be careful."

"Do you think I don't know that?!" My chest rumbled before I blinked hard, letting out a long breath so I could calm down. He was right but now–after what Mina and I did–it was so much easier said than done. If I had it my way she would never leave my side or this shack–if I had it my way we would be long gone by now.

"I'm sorry," I sighed out.

"Eat something honey," Diana said with a tender smile.

"Yes have some carbs," Moses said before he flicked his tongue at me. "Drink something."

I ended up pouring some blood in a coffee cup, which tasted like a shadow of what it used to, and eating a whole pizza by myself. Brooks had the other one and Mina had the nachos. She would have tasted better but I took so much of her from the night before; I was worried that it would hurt her–it probably would. I needed to ask the witches about my blood–about her. I couldn't push too hard with her even though she smelled like a walking fresh cherry pie.

After dinner Mina took Brooks back, leaving me to the shack. Diana agreed to stay and help me while Moses went with Mina; I think he was starting to become her new bestie even if he didn't want to admit it.

I tried to busy myself without her there. It was so strange to not have her here with me after we had spent so much time together since we found each other again. I hated it. I hated the quiet of this shack, it reminded me too much of when I was alone.

It smelled like bleach and I hated that more because it used to smell like her. It smelled like us but now that was bleached away. The place was wiped down but my bedroom and the kitchen. I had the gators help me move some mud around the yard–but I could do the outside later. It would probably rain before the feds got down here–it would wash away everything outside including the good memories we made.

I wanted to go find her but I knew now I had to be more careful. I had to wait for her. She needed to wipe down her house anyway, but Jesus Christ the thought of her on her own in that house, even with the number of shotguns Mo owned, made me anxious. It couldn't' be safe this way. There had to be a better way to keep her safe.

It smelled like bleach so I opened all the windows then got into the bathtub, the shift rolling over me like the water. I hardly noticed it now whereas before it was painful–like hundreds of needles ripping me apart. Diana was swimming on top of the water, her little feet kicking while I laid under the tub, my legs hanging out because my fins were too long. I reached up and tickled her toes–she squirmed then just swatted at me with her tail.

We played a game where I would try to tickle her feet while she swam in circles over me until I smelled something sliding in. I sat up and saw Bert waling towards us, dragging mud into the house. "Dammit, Bert."

"Sorry Jonah," he said, his low baritone voice a sleepy sad that put a smile on my face. "Willie's done." I was out of the tub and into the swamp water before either of them could say more.

Water.

I loved and hated how much it called to me. The water was my siren. It was the only other thing almost as addicting as her. It was amazing how natural it felt to be in it; even after I turned it was the only thing that felt right and for that I hated it. I let myself dry out more times then I care to admit because I hated it so much.

She was waiting for me.

I didn't have to see her to know. I could feel it. I could sense it. I could sense the way her heartbeat picked up I approached–it's like a heat on my skin where she spotted me. But if she could spot me then anyone could so I dipped under the water then surfaced under the shelter of her dock.

There were no humans out right now. The cove was sleepy but Mina always lived on a sleepy cove. Carefully still, I got out and peeked around the side of the dock then waved to her. The lights on the house went off and I heard the door shut along with the sound of her breath hitching. It was like we were kids again–sneaking away in the night without a care in the world but if I remembered the condoms.

"Hi," she breathed out as she crept towards me.

Relief flooded me when I saw her. Moses was around her neck and I knew he would protect her but still–Mina was mine and I hated the feeling that I couldn't protect what was mine. "Hey," I said, my lips smiling as she kissed me, warmth spreading over me like I just walked into my home–she was home.

"Is it clean?"

"Ya, the bleach fumes are a little much," she said with a laugh through her nose with freckles I loved that the moonlight illuminated tonight.

"Ya, I opened some windows at the shack," I told her as we stepped into the boat. "It's clean but we'll have to be really careful."

"So what do we do?" she said. "What can we do?"

"Nothing baby, we just wait."

"I hate waiting." I smiled, Mina was terrible at waiting.

We pulled out of her cove, her sitting on my lap while she drove; I got into the driver's seat first but Mina refused to budge because it was "Her damn boat Jonah Jones". It was strange. It was so like we used to be–for a few moments I forgot how much weight we carried. For a few moments, it was still just Mina and me sneaking off to the shack.

The shack that I had carried her down the hall so her feet wouldn't leave prints. I carried her right to the bed where both of us carried each other through the night only pausing for short moments when I would let her have a sip from me so I could rock her into the night without interruption.

When we woke up she had bright red lips from the blood she had drunk and I couldn't help but think she looked sexy as hell. This thing in me–this siren in me wanted to devour her but she was sleeping and in this moment she was in such a perfect peace that it would be a sin to wake her up.

But when she did I felt no guilt in having her again; not when the sun was making her eyes look almost purple–a strange hazel that I think I wanted to die looking at. After we had to shower off like three times because bloodstains take a little more work to get off–even with them gone it felt like others were there. I didn't feel guilty about killing that witch but having Macy die was weighing on me–we should have been more careful.

Mina was quiet when I took her home and the water was too. Callie told me the cops were all over Macy's house–she was worried but right now they weren't on the water like locust yet, so we had time.

We needed time. If I could I would bribe time and sell them my other nut so Mina and I could just have a little more together–so we could figure this out.

She was almost asleep in my lap when the boat pulled up to her house in the early morning hours–the sun was just breaking and the people of the cove not quite waking. I didn't want to disturb her, she was so tranquil like the water right now; I knew I shouldn't go to her house but I also was a bastard when it came to her. As long as I just remembered everything I touched then it would be ok–I could wipe it all down, siren the damn cops if I had to.

I set her in the recliner then walked to the kitchen. Mo wasn't home which meant he was slammed–either a good or bad thing, I couldn't be sure. I found a box of medical gloves, probably some that Mo brought home, and slipped them on then started to make coffee. At least with the gloves on there wouldn't be any prints.

"Jonah?"

"Ya baby?"

"Mmm."

"Mmm?" Mina never ceased to entertain when she was like this. This perfect place between asleep and awake–dancing on a line easy to slip off of.

"I can help," she yawned out. "You can't–" she paused the yawn again. "Touch."

"I have gloves, go back to sleep Mina."

"Mmm."

I rolled my eyes and made up the coffee pot then made my way back to her. I think I wore her out too much; she was already asleep in the recliner, curled into it with Diana snuggled next to her. I put a blanket over them then kissed her cheek when I heard a knock.

Mina groaned–stirring awake. "Just stay there Mina."

"No–Jonah–"

"Baby stay," I said. I had a feeling who it was but if was anyone that was not Sally or Crawdad then they were getting interrogated then sirened.

But when I got the door I found it wasn't either of those people. It was Brooks.

He didn't sleep. His soul was weary–tired. He had bags under his eyes and smelled like those all natural cigarettes, almost reeked of them actually. I tried not to scrunch my nose when I opened the door; he had his hands in his black jeans–those fitted hipster kind with a gray sweater, the sleeves pushed up his forearms where tattoos were peaking out. One was the face of an old man and on the other arm were these swirling flowers. I would ask about them later.

"Come in," I said as I stepped aside.

"I'll do it."

"What?"

He nodded, his eyes looking far away before he looked up at me. "I'll do it. Bring her back."

"Get inside."

"We're doing this?"

"Ya," I said with a long breath as he walked in. "Ya, we're doing this." 

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