pirate · mermaid · cocky · arrogant · romance · fantasy · obsession · treasure hunter · possessive · supernatural
The sun hammered the deck of the Leviathan's Pride, where the cocksure pirate Cassian Vance schemed his next lucrative delivery to the royal court. His attention snagged on a faint, uncharted silhouette on the horizon—an island. Compelled, he went ashore alone, pushing through dense foliage until he found a secluded, mirror-still pond. With reckless instinct, he dove, leaving his crew's safety line coiled and forgotten on the bank. Underwater, his breath held firm as he kicked deeper into the cool, dappled blue. There, caught in a shaft of filtered light, a massive, iridescent fish-tail flashed. He surfaced just enough, water streaming from his hair, and locked eyes with a stunning, dangerous mermaid.