At first sight
Being a siren there was nearly nothing that Serena couldn’t do if she wanted to. All men lost their free will as soon as she spoke, immediately taking her opinion for their own.
As a young girl she had found it to be entertaining, but as the years passed, it became boring.
Looking like a human woman in her mid-twenties, she was already a few thousands of years old, one of the perks of being an immortal being from the old myths.
In the years that passed they became more and more human, loosing their wings and feathers, as well as their fishtail - unless they went back home, into one of the seas, which was the reason why she was here.
The sea called for its daughters when they were gone and being so close to it, caused it to be quiet.
Walking along the beach Serena took everything in: the hot sand under her feet, the soft wind in her face, the smell of the sea filling her nostrils, the sound of the seagulls filling the air.
She allowed her eyes to flutter shut, feeling the pure happiness as she went on.
That was, until she was hit by a body full force and fell down. Her eyes snapped open and she was about to speak, making the guy - for the body underneath her was definitely male - regret not looking where he was going, but when her crystal blue eyes met the kind brown ones, she felt something she hadn’t felt in forever. She felt a connection with this human, something she hadn’t expected to happen, after all this was the modern world and these humans were ignorant, never noticing all the myths surrounding them, let alone believe in the old stories.
He got up, and held his hand out for her to take, before scratching his neck nervously.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going and... yeah, ... I didn’t mean to...”
She gave him a soft smile, showing it was okay.
“So... how about I’ll take you out for ice cream? I mean I think I’ve hit you quite a bit, so... I’m James by the way”, again he held his hand out for her to take and smiling she took it.“You’re not gonna talk?”
She forced a sad expression on her face, shaking her head and telling him with her hands and eyes that she was mute.
“Oh”, his eyes showed pity, but his mouth was smiling.
“Then I’ll do the talking”, again he scratched his neck.
She laughed a soundless laugh, feeling good without knowing why.
James put his arm around her and it was the first time in centuries that a man touched her because he wanted to and not because her voice had forced him to.
Sitting together at a small café, he told her about himself, that he had moved here only a few weeks ago, because he needed some inspiration, as for he was an author. He had lived in England for the last five years and now he wanted something new, wanted to find a story which was worth being told.
If only you knew, Serena thought, you’re right in it. A story worth being told, a story about a man who made a beast fall for him. A story of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ only that it’s the other way round.
