Starving for Love by Nicole Zoltack Read Free Book Online

would not be surprised if she had to give up something precious in order to appease the sea witch. "I need land legs."
    Merlinasea's dragon parts quivered and changed into those of a squid. Her tentacles curled up and clenched as if into fists. "Why?" Her question was almost a growl.
    Sirena's nervousness transformed into anger. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Why does not concern you."
    "Oh, ho, ho. Don't take that tone with me, girl. I can turn you into shark bait before you blink. I have no interest in helping unappreciative ignoramuses." Merlinasea moved as if to swim deeper into her lair.
    "If I tell you why, will you help me?" For some reason she couldn't explain, Sirena didn't want to apologize to the sea witch. Rage built in her chest. She didn't hate anyone, and yet she despised Merlinasea. Not that she had a reason to.
    "If you tell me why, I will consider it." Merlinasea lazily faced Sirena again, her tone bored.
    "Fair enough," Sirena said, hers barely civil. "I promised a boy I would help him. He said a monster ate his family."
    "You plan on going after the zombie?"
    Zombie? Perhaps human-eating monsters were called zombies.
    "Yes," she answered.
    Merlinasea's disapproving look melted away as her lips curled into a vicious grin. Sirena shivered. The sea witch appeared even more despicable than before.
    "Well, will you grant me land legs?"
    "I will — for a price."
    Sirena nodded curtly. "Out with it."
    Merlinasea eyed her up and down. "Your looks."
    Sirena blinked several times. Merlinasea was not ugly, far from it. The mermaid had heard whispers that the sea witch's voice had once belonged to a mermaid, her tiny ears to a selkie, and so on. Which feature of hers would soon grace Merlinasea's face? Her eyes that changed color depending on her mood? Her small nose? Her bow-shaped lips?
    Before she could agree, the sea witch added, "And you do realize you will never be able to return to the sea again."
    "Never?" Sirena gaped. Now that was a steep price. "But selkies can go on land as humans and still return to the sea."
    "Selkies are powerful creatures with magic of their own. Your daddy may have power, but you don't. If you change your fin into legs, you will not be able to return to the water. You will not be able to swim in the oceans or lakes or streams. It would cost you your life." Merlinasea said this matter-of-factly despite having to realize how devastating this was to hear.
    To never sing with her sisters as they did every night before supper. To never dance again with Ula. To never see her sisters again, never see her father again…
    She closed her eyes. The little boy's face appeared in her mind. The utter hopelessness in his eyes, the dejected slump in his shoulders — how could she break her promise to him?
    How unfair life was! Selkies could have the best of both worlds, although the sea was their home — they did not belong to the land. Sirena had met a selkie once. She could only recall bits and pieces of their conversation, but she did remember that the selkie had said that the entire time she was in her human form, in the back of her mind, she always thought of swimming in the sea, being one with the waves.
    "Well, Sirena? Will you slay the zombie?"
    Sirena hung her head. After a long moment, she nodded.
    Merlinasea cackled, her glee at Sirena's decision giving the mermaid pause. The sea witch's hands shone a brilliant orange, her tendrils purple. They wrapped themselves around Sirena's fin. Serious pain filled her, and she hissed. Oh, the burn! Agony, ripping, tearing, destroying… She prayed she would pass out from the pain, but she was not that lucky.

Chapter Ten
    The stench of death surrounded him. He sniffed, breathing it in, soaking it up. This was what he lived for.
    Another sniff. Rotting flesh. Where was that coming from?
    Oh, him.
    A snicker resulted in coughs, and he hacked violently.
    When he quieted after a long while, he heard a faint noise. A