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Neo collects some clothes from a house nearby. It is probably the only place that could be considered a 'neighbour' of this house. It's like their halfway house, where they keep anything they might need when they shift into their human forms.

Neo waits on the balcony, enjoying a glass of wine whilst I get ready for our date.

I choose my favourite summer dress, my jewelled sandals and I un-plait my hair. It's a bit crazy and wavy, but it certainly captures the 'mermaid-beach hair' vibe.

I put on a little make-up and spray some perfume, stupidly excited for our date.

I'm nervous when I step out, anxious for Neo's reaction.

He scores perfect marks. His eyes widen and his lips part. He stumbles over his words, telling me how beautiful I look.

I'm still grinning when I lock up the house and take his offered hand. We take the path down by the cove. I will never feel afraid when I walk past it again, it has a whole new meaning now.

Nerves build for a different reason when we reach town.

Neo holds my hand tightly, obviously picking up on the tension I'm feeling.

'It's okay, mea lux,' he reassures me gently. 'Where do you want to eat?'

The staring starts the moment we step foo on the main street. Locals don't even try to be subtle about it. Some of them even stop walking, stand in the street and openly gawk at us.

It's unbelievable.

I give a few of them glares, but Neo remains completely unfazed by the whole thing.

He leans over and brushes his lips against my ear, making my heart beat faster.

'Just ignore them,' he says quietly. 'Some of them have seen me on the island before. They don't know what I am for sure, but they have their suspicions. They're just curious and remember, they're more scared of you than you are of them.'

I laugh at that.

We choose a little bistro, mainly because there are only a few tables, so less gawking opportunities.

At my request, we're seated at the back. It's by the window and gives us a bit of privacy.

I want to enjoy my date with my merman-soulmate, not prickle uncomfortably under the stares of locals.

We accept the menus offered to us by the overly-interested waitress and browse the dishes.

'Is there anything that you like the look of?' I ask Neo. 'When was the last time you came onto land?'

He thinks about it, running his tongue over his teeth. 'About a year ago maybe. I always like the way you batter your fish.'

My lips twitch with a smile. 'You're going to order fish and chips?'

'Why is that amusing?' He responds, smiling. 'I'm considering it, yes.'

I shrug. 'No reason. I like the sound of the grilled tuna.'

'Good choice.'

We order our food and Neo rests his chin on his hand, leaning forwards.

'Tell me more about your life. What have you been doing in the two years since you left the island?'

It's weird to think he has known me longer than I have known him.

I tell him about my part-time jobs, my studies and qualifications. I tell him about my shitty flat and the roommate I share it with.

Neo listens with sincere interest and I find myself opening up him, pouring out my deepest thoughts and dreams whilst he listens earnestly.

He asks a million questions and I fire them right back. We talk in hushed tones, not wanting any busybodies to hear our conversation about underwater living.

When we have finished and paid, Neo takes my hand and we walk down the streets, ignoring the stares once more.

I really don't care what the locals think.

'Your great-grandfather had the same problem, I imagine,' Neo muses aloud. 'Probably why he and your great-grandmother built the beach house on the other side of the island.'

I nod in agreement. Nana's house is on the opposite side of the island to most of the houses. It's not got any really close neighbours. They probably valued their privacy.

'Want to take the cove walk back to the house?' I ask Neo as we near the turning.

He shakes his head.

'We can go that way later, if you like? There's something I have to do first.'

He pulls me to the left, off the main street and down towards the docks. I silently wonder where he's taking me and why.

A bad feeling settles in my stomach as we round the corner. Billy and Mike are stood on the deck of one of the moored boats. They are straightening out nets from the evening catch.

'Neo...' I say his name worriedly, but he only squeezes my hand in response.

He goes over to the water and bends down, placing his hand in it. A few moments later, fins appear in the water and I realise he was calling his friends.

As we approach, Billy notices and looks up. His eyes widen in shock and he nudges Mike, getting his attention.

The two of them stare at us like we are ghosts. I guess, to them, I am a ghost. I imagine they thought I'd be dead by now.

Billy's mouth sets into a grim line. He drops the net and walks to the end of the boat. He jumps down onto the jetty and strides towards us. Mike hurriedly copies him, falling in behind him moments later.

'What the hell are you doing here?' Billy demands angrily.

He gets within a few feet of us and his eyes trail over Neo, seeing him properly for the first time. Some of the colour leaves his face and his fists uncurl at his sides.

'You brought one of them onto the island?' He asks, his voice much quieter.

Mike remains silent, watching us both warily from behind Billy.

I wonder how he knows what Neo is. Sure, he is far too beautiful to look human, but his human form is no different than an average male's. They must sense his power.

'Do you have any idea what my kind do to chum like you?' Neo asks threateningly.

He takes a step towards Billy, who hurriedly backs up a couple himself.

'You stay away from me, you freak!' Billy yells, his voice panicked.

He grabs hold of Mike and the two of them stumble backwards together, unknowingly getting closer to the jetty's edge.

'You threw my fated one into a sea full of rocks,' Neo states coldly. 'There was no way to be sure she wouldn't hit one of them. You risked her life for your own livelihood.'

All the while that he talks, he draws ever closer. I stay near them, watching wordlessly. Neo's eyes have turned slitted again, his pupils black and empty like a shark's. His teeth have returned to their rows of sharp points and his skin is shimmering like scales in the moonlight.

'My friends let you go last night. Tonight, you will not be so lucky.'

His voice has changed, too. He sounds like he first did in the cave, it is rough, like waves crashing on rocks.

Neo holds up his hands and presses them flatly against Billy and Mike's chests. He pushes hard and the two of them fall back, into the water filling the docks.

I wince at the sounds of splashing and yells. I sneak a glance and see the two of them surrounded by fins in the water, flailing their arms and gasping for breath.

Neo returns to his human self and wraps me in his arms.

'They won't kill them, don't worry,' he reassures me quietly. 'My kind like to play with their food. They'll wake up on land tomorrow, albeit with a few chunks missing.'

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I'm still quiet when Neo and I get back to the house. Neo walks me in and then hesitates by the door.

I look at him and shake my head. 'Don't go. Stay.'

His eyes brighten and he smiles. 'Alright.'

He crosses the room and pulls me into a hug. I bury my face in his chest, breathing in the smell of sea and man.

'I'll always stay if you ask me to,' he murmurs against my hair.

I know that his words have a double meaning. He is offering to live on land for me.

I take Neo to my bedroom. He waits on my bed whilst I use the bathroom. I leave out a new toothbrush for him and he goes in to get ready for bed.

I change into an over-sized t-shirt and climb under the covers. Five minutes later, Neo cautiously climbs in next to me.

I snuggle up to his side and he relaxes, holding me close.

It's easy to fall asleep in his arms. The sound of waves crashing against the steps and Neo's heart steadily thumping sends me drifting into a deep sleep.

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I wake well-rested and happy.

I stretch out, my smile dropping from my face as I feel the empty side of my bed. I sit up suddenly, looking around the room.

Neo isn't in here.

I swing my legs off the bed and rush out into the kitchen and lounge area.

There is a plate with three pancakes on it and a note.

Gone swimming, will be back by ten. Enjoy your pancakes- N

I smile at his scrawly, scratchy handwriting. It's odd, but if you had to imagine how a shark would write, I guess this would be it. There's no pretty mermaid, swirling calligraphy about it.

It's quarter to ten. I hurriedly take a shower and eat my pancakes.

I clean my teeth and slip on a bikini, hoping to swim today. Now that I feel safe in the water, I want to go back in it.

The door to the balcony is open, the breeze causing the white, net curtains to blow inside.

Splashing and laughter reaches my ears and I step out onto the wooden balcony. I approach the railing and lean over it, looking down at the water.

In the cove below, are a group of men, including Neo. They are all playing in the water, splashing one another as they swim. Their tails are visible in flashes, along with their iconic grey fins on their backs.

Neo senses me watching and looks up.

'Mea lux! Join us!' He calls up.

I don't need to be told twice. I kick off my flip-flops and rush along the side of the house to the stairs. I come down them to the water. I take two steps in, until the sea is up to my knees.

Neo swims over to me, his hair tied up in a bun. As he approaches, his appearance changes. His eyes and teeth revert to human ones and I know he is doing it to make me feel more comfortable.

I sit down on the bottom step, the water coming up to my stomach. Neo slips in between my legs, resting his hands either side of me on one of the steps.

In this position, we are at eye-level with one another.

Neo places his hands on my thighs and my body shudders with pleasure at the feeling of him touching me so simply. He smiles, clearly enjoying the effect he has on me.

'My friends were determined to meet you,' he says, gesturing at them with a jut of his chin. 'Would you like to meet them?'

I look over at them and they all grin back, revealing rows and rows of sharp teeth.

Oh, boy.

'Come into the water, Marlie,' Neo teases, smirking at me. 'We don't bite. Not you, anyway.'

I slip my hand into his offered one and he tugs gently, pulling me off the step and into the sea. I kick my legs back and forth, treading water.

Neo swims us over to his friends. There are five of them, all males with long hair tied up on their heads. He introduces me to them, giving a range of names that would be considered unusual to humans.

For sharks, they're not intimidating. They laugh and joke and invite me to swim with them.

I spend the morning in the waters, enjoying their company. It's lovely to see Neo so relaxed with his kind.

As we say goodbye to them and we eat lunch on the balcony, I know that I will never ask him to fully leave the water behind.

I believe we can make a live for ourselves with a mixture of both worlds. My great-grandparents did it and it obviously worked for them. We even have the house they built.

I consider that, when things progress between Neo and I, I will want to ask him to bite me, change me. I want to be able to keep up with him, to breathe underwater and cut through it the way he does.

Hours of trying to keep up with his finned kind has shown me how much I want to be like them.

Who turns down the chance to become something supernatural?

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