"I can't explain now but if you come to my home I'll answer everything you could ask."

Jadelyn looked up and in front of her was the beautiful siren from last night but with legs and feet. Jadelyn peered over the table admiring the long tanned legs. "Where do you live though? I've never seen-"

The woman held out her hand with a large blue shell in it stopping Jadelyn mid thought. "I saw this and thought of you. Maybe it's silly." She went to pull it away but Jadelyn stood up quickly covering her hand. The two stared at each other for a moment. Jadelyn slowly slipped her hand away holding the shell tightly. "I live up in the lighthouse. Come see me before nightfall." The woman slowly backed away.

Jadelyn watched her go her eyes drawn to her behind and her legs admiring them as she went. She immediately set to packing up her stand. She turned an hour later heading up towards the lighthouse.

On the edge of the town was the lighthouse. Everyone knew of the woman who owned the lighthouse and cared after it. The rumor was she came to the town long ago, a tragic past leaving her scarred, she had never found love and instead fell in love with her work. As Jadelyn made her way up the stone pathway she pondered why the siren lived here.

She reached the large red door and gently knocked on it. The wood was freshly varnished, and clearly cared for. She waited a moment before knocking again. On the third knock the door was opened by a beautiful woman that couldn't be older than forty. There was definitely some resemblance to the siren in her facial structure. She was wearing a pair of pants and large coat due to the sea breeze. Jadelyn shivered from the chill of it. "You must be the girl I was told would be coming. Come in before you get a chill love." She held open the door motioning Jadelyn inside.

Jadelyn stepped inside the tower. She could tell the woman was fascinated with the sea. All around were nautical themed furniture. There were tiny details carved into everything and old tasketries hung from the wall telling stories of mermaids and creatures from the deep.

"My daughter is upstairs. But I wanted a chance to talk to you before her. Come. Sit down." She walked past Jadelyn and took a seat on the couch near the furnace.

Jadelyn eyed her following and sitting opposite her. "You're her mother? But how..."

"How come I'm not living in the ocean? Well I should say I'm one of her mothers. It's a long story but I guess you can gather part of it for yourself."

"I don't understand. But she's a siren isn't she? Like the songs say. And yet she seems so gentle and not bloodthirsty."

She gestured to a tapestry. "Many of the myths involving sirens are exaggerated. I've spent my whole life researching them and the creatures of the sea only to have my life changed when I heard a song call out to me. I know you've heard my daughter's song so you're familiar with the allure." Jadelyn blushed in embarrassment. "A sirens song can only be heard by it's true soul mate. When they turn of age they will be drawn to their partner. And their partner to them through song. I was drawn like you long ago. She called me to the shore and beckoned me to her on the night of the new moon. The next morning, the most beautiful woman lay next to me in my bed. Her touch electric to my skin. Her voice almost hypnotic. But she told me we would only have one night on shore. A siren can only come on land during the day of a new moon. As you understand why my daughter can. But the ocean is truly their home. It calls to them constantly. The true curse is that they can never love someone on land." She gestured to another tapestry. "A sirens song is a claim. A string tied between two hearts that is pulled tighter each night. Once a siren makes a claim her heart is no longer her own. It belongs to the women she has chosen. The woman has a choice, forfeit her life on land for a new life with her true love, or reject her for the life she has. To reject the bond means death for the siren for she cannot bear the pain of a broken heart. They cannot live long without their love returned. A true curse."

Jadelyn sat in shock her mind trying to process everything she just heard. "But if you're human, where's her other mother?"

"I've sacrificed more than my share of happiness to learn this truth." She sighed looking down. "When she left that night, I couldn't bring myself to go with her. I had a life, friends, a family I couldn't leave behind. Something died in me as she swam away that night. I never saw her again. But a year later I heard her song. It was the saddest song I ever heard. Bringing tears to my eyes for a woman I hardly knew. Our daughter, she cried for a mother she never had. I took many lovers over the years and fell in love many times. But none ever felt the way she did. A part of me died when I let her go. A true happiness I could never have."

Jadelyn watched a tear fall from her eyes and subconsciously wiped her own eyes free. "But how did you two have a child?"

"There is a deeper magic that even I can't explain. But she's been my greatest treasure. I will not be upset if you can't go. I can not fault someone for my own mistakes. But you needed to know, you had a right to know what i didn't."

Jadelyn tried to respond but couldn't find the words letting the story wash over her instead. "I need to talk to her." She whispered softly.

"She's outside on the dock waiting. There's a jacket on the hook for you so you stay warm."

Jadelyn stood up walking to the door. "I'm sorry about your loss."

"Don't be sorry for the loves that are lost. Only for those that can be found."

Jadelyn grabbed the jacket slipping it on before heading outside. She rounded the lighthouse heading for the dock behind it. At the end she could see the girl standing there wearing shorts and a shirt even in the cold. She walked up to her standing next to her. She could feel the air electricity as she got close.

"I'm sorry for the problem I've caused you." She said softly turning to face Jadelyn. The breeze brushing her hair behind her gently.

Jadelyn turned to face her and slowly touched her arm shocked at how warm it was. "You aren't cold?"

"Not with you near." Jadelyn blushed and stepped up leaning against her. Two warm arms wrapped around her and she felt warmth flood into her. "I don't even know your name."

"Jadelyn."

"Such a beautiful name. I was named Victoria after my mother." Victoria said longingly.

"I'm sure she was a great woman." Jadelyn leaned back looking up at her. "Why did you call to me? I have no family. I am destitute. Not deserving of your song or your love."

"You called to me. Each day singing to me on the shore. I would listen to you and all I wanted to do is call you back."

Jadelyn blushed and looked away at the ocean. She watched the tide ebb in and back out. The soft crash of the waves. The spray splashing lightly on her face. "I don't know what to say."

Victoria gently turned Jadelny's head back to face her. "I have no right to ask you to give up your life here. But I leave tonight-"

Jadelyn leaned up and kissed her softly. Her lips were rough and tasted like salt but the kiss sent electric waves through Jadelyn. Her hairs stood on edge and she trembled from the power of it. She leaned back gasping for air. "I can't go with you."

Victoria's eyes darkened and she looke pained. Tears formed on the edge of her eyes and she turned her head away. Jadelyn quickly cupped her face pulling her back. "Please wait. I can't go with you today. I need- I need time."

"Time?" Victoria asked the tears starting to fall.

"To settle some affairs so I can come to you free of my burdens." Jadelyn gently wipes Victorias eyes with her sleeve. "You'll always have my heart with you. And my song will always be yours."

Victoria smiled "I will wait as long as it takes for you to be mine."

"I am yours. Will you sing to me still?"

"Every night." The sun began to go down behind them dipping below the horizon. Victoria looked out at it longingly. Jadelyn slowly let her go stepping back. "Until you come to me." Victoria planted a soft kiss on Jadelyn's cheek lingering a moment. She walked away and slowly peeled off her clothing dropping them onto the dock before walking to the edge and diving off into the water.

Jadelyn rushed to the edge peering over in time to see her siren swim off just under the water. She gathered the clothes taking them with her. Victoria's smell still on them. As she headed home she could hear a song on the wind and couldn't help humming along knowing that it was for her.

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Jadelyn would walk on the shore and sing to her siren in the morning and each night the song would be returned. For one day each month the pair would walk on the shore, share a loving embrace as they slept, and more. Jadelyn would sometimes awake on their nights apart wrapped in a loving embrace in the ocean. She would sleep in the arms of her siren in a small cove just off shore. She didn't believe it could be a happier time.

It had been eight months apart where their connection had only grown. They both felt the longing grow deeper with each separation. But Jadelyn smiled as she looked at the calendar. It was finally the night where they would be together. In a few minutes she would head out and dive into the ocean to be with her siren forever. She walked down the stairs of the lighthouse to her would be mother in law. A few weeks back she had sold her house and been able to stay in Victoria's old room at the light house. The few personal belongings she had moving in with her as well.

Victoria's mother smiled "Promise me you'll bring my daughter home to visit."

Jadelyn smiled and nodded walking past her. She stepped out into the night air and walked down the dock. The cold air sent shivers through her body. She undid her nightgown and let it fly off in the wind. She took a deep breath standing on the edge of the dock and slowly took a step off into the ocean below. The cold water welcomed her with a splash as she dipped under the surface.

She felt a pair of warm arms wrap around her and lift her up to the surface. She spun around slowly and smiled. Victoria was holding her up on the surface. She let out a content hum that sent shivers into Jadelyn's core. Jadelyn rested her head on the siren's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her. She could feel Victoria start to swim them out to sea. Victoria's powerful tail propelling them deeper into the ocean and away from her once home.

It went on for what seemed like forever, but eventually the night air became a dull echo as they entered a cave. It was different than any they had been to before. It seemed a song almost seemed to echo softly off the walls. The ocean stilled to a calm. The air almost magically charged. Victoria slowed them to a stop in the middle of the pond and gently released her arms. Jadelyn slowly kicked her feet keeping herself above the water.

Jadelyn watched Victoria swim away and climb up onto a rock pulling herself out of the water. She opened her mouth and began to sing. Suddenly the cave erupted in song. It turned the air into electricity and sent shivers up Jadelyn's spine. The water began to warm around her. The moon peeked overhead casting moonlight through a hole in the roof of the cave. A ring of light shone down around her sending shimmering rays around the walls. The song grew louder, almost deafening.

Jadelyn felt invisible hands wrap around her ankles and begin to drag her down. She tried to scream and fight as she was yanked below the surface. She took a deep breath holding it as she was pulled down to the floor of the cave, the glistening crystals on the ground shining blinding lights into her eyes. She struggled to hold in her breath and found herself letting it go as water rushed into her mouth and down into her throat. She felt the need to breathe being smothered by water and slowly began to lose consciousness.

Jadelyn gasped as air rushed into her lungs. Her eyes flew open and she looked around. Seeing she was still underwater she gasped and took a breath. She gently took a breath and looked around. Not only could she breath underwater, she could see. The lights weren't blinding to her anymore and everything had a vibrant and beautiful look to it. The ocean felt alive and in it, the song. The song continued louder and took an almost physical presence pressing in around her. The water felt thick and her movements began to become sluggish. She could feel it pressing against her legs. Looking down she could see her legs being forced together moving in almost tandem. She gasped as electricity surged through her body forcing her head back in pain and pleasure. She wanted to scream for help but no sound came out. Instead she kicked out and found herself spinning through the water rapidly. She tried to right herself but only kept spinning in circles. She tried to grab something to hold onto and found nothing. Suddenly a pair of hands gripped her waist and pulled her upright. She tried to spin around but only managed to smack her tail into the offending person. She looked down in shock and saw that instead of legs she had a large tail from her waist down. She tentatively gave it a flick and felt herself move a bit. She slowly rotated it like a paddle and felt herself spin in place and found herself face to face with Victoria.

Victoria smiled and gently wrapped their tails together. "Sing with me." She opened her mouth and began to sing her song but for the first time Jadelyn could hear the words.

"Oh hear the young maiden with song oh so sweet,

That calls to the hungry, the lonely, the sea.

Of songs oh so tender, of love lost and in need,

That call the sweet beauty to come out to sea.

It haunts and it calls from the love way down deep,

To call to the sweetheart the swims out to me.

Her touch is like fire, her smile so clean,

Her eyes burn with magic of blue and of green.

My fair ocean beauty, your song speaks to me,

Call and I'll answer for you and our dream."

Jadelyn smiled and sang along with the song, her heart in perfectly rhythm. She smiled as Victoria wrapped her arms around her and they sang. And so they sang long after the moon had set and on into many years later. The song carried them out into a life full of love and full of happiness.