A/N:  Another story :D  One of my favourites, actually.  I started writing this months ago, but forgot about it when I started on An Arrogator's Mate and Elusive Mate.  This isn't a werewolf story, though, despite the "Mate" in the story's title.  This story is a little different and was inspired by a vivid dream - a cave under water, a humanoid being who breathes water and kidnaps a heroine...

Okay *clears throat*  I hope you like it.  I didn't want to reveal too much in the description, because I like to keep my readers in the dark  for a while, for dramatic effect and all that, lol.

Happy reading!

Chapter 1

He was still sleeping.  Thankfully!  I didn’t know what I would’ve done or said if he’d woken up to find me glowing like this.

“Damn,” I mumbled softly, jerking my jeans’ button in place.  The denim was scratchy, irritating the sensitive skin of my legs, and I craved the feel of Encante’s warm presence embracing them instead.

Searching the room for my t-shirt, I spotted it folded neatly on a chair, and with some atypical stumbling, I snatched it up while trying to keep the sheet from revealing my naked breasts.  It didn’t make sense after last night – and so far every night – but I felt too exposed Ashore, conspicuous to too many air-breathing males.  And while I subsisted on men’s desire, it didn’t mean I had to like it.

Still, even though there couldn’t possibly be anyone witnessing my abnormal appearance, I felt eyes follow my jerky attempt at pulling my head through the narrow collar of the uncomfortable, baggy shirt.

Stop being obnoxious, I thought to myself.  You’ve been paranoid for so long, you should be used to it.

I sighed with relief when the material settled against my body, and then looked at my exposed arms with mourning puzzlement.  The bronze skin was damp with perspiration, a tempting aroma for the male species.  From deep within the pores of my skin, a radiance of amber gold exuded from the surface of my body, coinciding with the song of energy pulsing through my body.

In the darkness of the room, I must’ve looked like a damn beacon screaming to come sacrifice me for “the safety of humanity and nature.”

Scowling, I did a quick search for my shoes and found them under the bed.  Still on my knees, I peeked over the mattress at the man tangled deliciously in the floral sheets, his face pressed into the pillow propped up with a bended arm, his mouth agape in dreams.  He had quite handsome with classic features, the sharp lines softened by a brush of stubble along his jaw.  It gave him a kind of roguish look, which was why he’d drawn me in the first place.

The long, black strands of dyed hair hung in his face, hiding those startling hazel eyes.  Not a bad choice for prey, I had to admit.  Maybe too good, though.

I didn’t even know his name, but this man had had more sexual desire for a woman than I’d  expected.  I was an incandescent predator as a result, modelling its inability at stealth.  He’d given me more than enough to feed from to last me the week, and while it boosted the risks a hundredfold, I couldn’t mistake the advantage.  I could’ve gone without the evidence of my meal, but now I didn’t have to make stops like this along the way.

Blinking out of my thoughts, I stood up and slipped my feet into the low-heeled sandals and tried to remember if he’d worn a jacket the night before.  My eyes narrowed on his black button-up shirt.  It had long sleeves and would probably make me look strange, but it would have to do.

I pulled it on, and had to roll up the sleeves so that my hands weren’t totally swallowed by them.  I was careful to let it cover most of my skin, though.  The black material helped, but it was thin, and some of my radiance peeked through.

“What are you doing?”

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the husky voice.  I glanced quickly over my shoulder.  He was awake, having turned over onto his back to squint at me.  A lazy smile tugged at his kissable, swollen lips, and I felt the energy pulse my skin into brightness.  I shifted, discomfited, and hoped that he couldn’t see in the dark.  It was scarcely five in the morning, but the sun was rapidly deceiving the hour.  Another thing that was still foreign to me, having never been visually touched by time.

I realised I’d been silent too long, because he began to get up.  Suddenly in a panic, I rushed to his side.  “I’m late… I have to go.”

I touched his naked shoulder lightly, and he relented by sagging back into bed.  He grabbed my waist, and before I could stop him, he’d pulled me astride him.  His arousal was evident.

He pressed his lips leisurely to mine, and I couldn’t help but give into it.  Men were my weakness, and I loathed it.

“Don’t go,” he mumbled against my lips, his breath coating my senses like a mindless drug.  “Stay.”

My body tingled, and my eyebrows drew together.  How could this man possibly have the energy to  be awake?  More often than not they slept through most of the day, and by then I would be in the next town.

I forced myself to pull away, but he tightened his hands on my waist.  His eyes closed, a cute frown on his forehead as he said, “You were great last night.”

I stifled an eye roll.  “So I’ve been told.”

He seemed disturbed by this, and I realised that I was busy making a huge mistake.  The longer I stayed here, the more questions would arise.  Already I felt that my throat was too dry, my chest too tight.  My skin felt parched, even though I was coated in sweat.  I wished I could stay to at least take a shower, but I’d already stayed longer than I should’ve.  It was a major risk, one that could get me killed.

He opened his eyes, his lips parting as if to say something, but by then I’d already unlocked my senses and started to sing.  The melody rising from my vocal cords was soft and gentle with the touch of a seductive lull.  It was sinfully deceptive, and his eyes widened for a moment before they drooped in a hazy stupor.  My throat burned as I continued to sedate him with my voice, but I forced myself to go on until I was sure he was entirely out of it.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I pulled out of his now slack grip, quickly leaping for the door.  I closed the door behind me and sneaked through the enormous house towards the front door.  He would wake up in a few hours, maybe a lot later, since I’d taken so much energy last night.

I breathed in the cool air as I stepped from the house, enjoying the slightly damp quality of it.  It fed my senses, soothed my skin, but I still craved for home.

The sun was already beginning to peek over the tipped roofs of the neighbourhood.  Dew coated the tropical plants growing randomly around yards like wild gardens, and everything was still, like a frozen world.  Only the sounds of inconspicuous birds could be heard, and beneath all the silence, the sea.

Compelled by the idea of saturating my skin, I started walking down the one-way road.  The symphony of the ocean’s depths called to me, sketching an invisible path in my mind, and before I knew it, I was following it.

The houses were serene in their shadows, hiding its occupants.  I envied them, because home for me was very far away.  How I hated it to be Ashore!

It’s a necessity, I reminded myself sourly.  I wanted to laugh at my own sarcastic thoughts.  It wasn’t that I needed to be here.  In fact, it was because of my own stupidity that I risked myself among the humans, at my own peril against humanity’s hatred.  Just one mistake, just one suspicion… No, I wasn’t going to think like that.

I grabbed for the calm that naturally resided within me.  I needed to do this.  It was the least I could do for Eugene.

He’d been gone for a long time.  Time meant nothing to Encante, which was why I felt testified to worry.  Maybe I was a bit paranoid, but it was all I had to help me survive.  To help us all survive.  Ashore had never been safe, and though our realm walked unattached along its border, humans had always been aware of us.  Hunting us.

It wasn’t like we could waltz around with careless oblivion.  Not all of us were even fit to leave the realm.

I finally broke away from the greenery, the ground softening into dawn-kissed sand, and I kicked off my sandals to feel it caress my feet.  A salt-scented breeze rustled through my hair that was almost white from my feeding, as I walked towards the endless waves foaming at the heart of the beach.  It was completely deserted.

When my toes touched the icy water, I smiled.  I felt my skin absorb the water.  Craning my neck backwards, I stared at the reddening sky.  Some stars still mustered some strength to twinkle through, and I watched them for a while.  I closed my eyes and luxuriated in the feeling of being close - so close – to home.  But I couldn’t go home, because Eugene was still missing, and I missed him terribly.  Honestly, he was the only real friend who understood me, differences in species and personalities aside.  Encantados were like that, but somehow he’d managed to stick to me like glue where others would have already found another friend to play with.  Sure, Eugene could be difficult when he wanted his fun, but honestly, I didn’t expect more - or less - from him.  His species loved fleeting relationships, but he found me worthy of his interest.  Most of the time.

Brooding as deep as I was, I never even recognized the feeling of precognition until I felt it right behind me.  Eyes staring, watching.  Reaching…

I took off.  Really, there was no such thing as fight.  There was just flight for my kind, and I’d been stupid.  Stupid to go out on my own rescue spree when all I had to do is speak my concerns with the Elders.  Because encantados cared for their own, and the Elders would’ve set out immediately to search for him.

My toes dug into the damp sand as I raced forward, following the borders of the waves, feeling him beside me.  It never occurred to me that he could be an encantado, sent to retract me and take me home.  But it did register that it could very definitely be a human hunter, having discovered my presence among them.  Perhaps I hadn’t been as discreet as I’d thought…

Another one!  It was humans, and two more were approaching rapidly from the front, cornering me.  I wasn’t exactly trapped, as I still had the option to go into the water, but I didn’t want to risk confirming their suspicions by letting them see I could stay long under water without coming up for air.  Indefinitely.

I didn’t have a choice, as they were closing in on me.  I whirled on the first one who’d begun the chase.  He was grinning, a baring of teeth, having caught his prey.  But I wasn’t caught, and I couldn’t risk getting killed.  That would be disastrous!

No pressure or anything.

Not completely satisfied with the ending, but I'll see what I can do when I edit...

Vot and comment, please!  Really want to know what you think!