“I’ve been called worse,” I whispered. Reef turned, staring at me with a soft, playful look. “It’s just—” I cut my words, trying to grasp how what he said was even possible. “Well, it’s a little difficult to believe in something pretty impossible.”
He smiled, looking around before his eyes returned to me. “In that case, let me show you.”
“You mean—” I stopped, gazing at his beauty, enthralled and curious by his bold statement. “You can show me…that you’re a shark?” I dragged out the words as I giggled nervously.
Reef stood and offered his hand to me. I stared at it, contemplating my sanity. He waved his fingers at me, smirking as he cocked his head. “Come on, Barracuda. You’ve been dipping your toes into the shadows, hesitating for too long. Why not take that leap and dive into the darkness? Join me.” He gently grabbed my hand, lifting me to my feet. I stumbled in the sand, falling against his bare chest, my hands pressed into his muscles. The sunset cast warm, golden rays across his skin, illuminating him in a burning light, like a bronze God before me. I had forced my mouth shut as I stood there, staring into his deep eyes. Reef tucked my hair behind my ear. “Your eyes remind me of the ocean after a storm, when the sky is cloudy and soaked in a dusty blue that blends perfectly into the chaotic blue-green waves. Dangerous yet beautiful.”
My cheeks burned brightly, giving my emotions away. “I’m sure you say that to all the ladies.” My fingertip traced the traditional tribal tattoo inked across his skin.
He grabbed my chin, tilting it up towards him. “Only you, Barracuda.” I could feel my eyes sparkling in response to his words. “Ready to join me in the darkness?” I nodded softly, wanting to stay with him as long as I could. “Alright then, follow me.” He winked, releasing my face.
Reef had silently ledme to a shallow part of the ocean, tucked privately beneath the tall, abandoned pier away from most of the inhabitants of Golden Coast. I had never been this far out before, the surroundings foreign to me. The small cove was peaceful and quiet, forgotten by man. “What is this place?” I asked, following him down the steep terrain, stepping over the dark rocks.
Reef helped me through the last part, the two of us now standing at the edge of the water. “This,” he waved his arm across the sea, “is my spot.”
I glanced at the beautiful, jewel-colored water, listening as the gentle waves rolled onto the warm sand. As I gazed further out, I noticed multiple dark masses swimming in the water. I gripped Reef’s arm, slight panic flooding me. “Are those—”
“Sharks?” He looked down at me, smiling. “Indeed they are.” He kissed the top of my hand, removing it from his arm as he stepped forward, wading deeper into the water.
“Reef, are you insane? Get out of there!” How was he not freaking out?
“Relax.” He chuckled, the water reaching his waist. The sharks began to circle him, swimming to his side as he stroked their backs like they were some average pets. “These Blacktipsmean no harm. And they know I won’t hurt them.” It amazed me to see him standing there, stroking dozens of sharks, unphased.
I glanced down at my feet, watching the water brush along my toes. Maybe Reef was right. Maybe I just need to dive in headfirst and let the darkness consume me. I took a deep breath, tossing the cowboy hat and my skates aside, and stepped forward, allowing my instincts to control me as I slowly inched further into the warm water. Reef glanced up, pleased to see me walking to him. He reached his hand out, helping me as my body slid past the sharks, their tails slapping my torso and legs as I jumped into his arms.
“See?” He held me close, protecting me despite the lack of an actual threat. “Harmless.” I watched the dark colored sharks swirl and swim around our bodies, simply asking for a little love and attention. My legs lowered cautiously as I reached my hand out. A single shark brushed my exposed palm, its top fin startling me as I cried out. Reef laughed, placing his hand on top of mine, pushing it into the water as another slid beneath my touch. I laughed, excited and blown away by the magical moment. Maybe sharks weren’t as scary as everyone believed.
The feeling of Reef’s body pressed against mine mixed with the dazzling moment of standing in a swarm of sharks aroused me, adrenaline and excitement raging together in my veins. I tried to reel my emotions back, clearing my throat, pulling my hand back from his. “So, is this what you meant when you said you were a shark?” I teased. I turned to look at him, thrown by his overly excited expression. “What?” I asked.
Reef gripped my face, holding me tight as the sunset burned behind us. “I’ll show you, but promise me that you won’t scream.” I held my laughter back, pressing my lips together, remembering how he’d asked me this before. “I mean it, Delilah.” The sound of my name flowed perfectly from his lips, making my heart leap. “Just promise me.”
I nodded. “I promise.”
He released my face and began to step further into the ocean, diving down into the water. I stood there, dumb founded, surrounded by dozens of sharks, waiting for Reef to resurface.
“Okay, Reef,” I laughed, staring at where he had submerged himself. The water began to calm, meaning he was no longer there. My smile quickly faded. “Reef?” The Blacktip sharks all scattered, quickly leaving me by myself, as if something had startled them. Fear and concern began to inch up my spine as I remained frozen, unsure of what was happening, the feeling of being watched weighing heavy on my shoulders. “Reef!” I called out, desperately searching the water for him.
The sun began to slip away behind the horizon, darkening the water around me. I watched as a large shadow moved in the distance, growing as it aimed towards me. At first, I thought it was another Blacktip, swimming to greet me like the others had, but as it moved closer, the alarming size told me it was something else. Something bigger.
The dark fin broke through the surface, confirming my suspicion as the giant Great White shark continued to swim towards me. I stepped back, my heart racing with horror.No!I panicked, turning to run away, my legs failing me as I fell forward, crashing face first into the water.
My eyes shot open, burning from the salt water as I twirled around, staring at the enormous shark. It circled me, the stomach of the large beast scrapping the ocean floor as it moved. I watched, trying to stand up when it brushed along my torso, helping me to my feet. As I broke the surface, I inhaled loudly, gasping for air, wiping my hair from my face. The shark bumped into me, nearly knocking me back over as it continued to circle me, but never attacked me.
My fear and panic began to dissolve as I realized the shark meant me no harm, much like the smaller ones earlier. I reachedmy arm out, shaking as I placed it in the water, inviting the giant fish to me. “Please don’t bite me,” I cried softly, forcing myself to remain still. The shark turned, aiming straight for my hand. “Please don’t bite me!” It slightly opened its mouth, closing in on me. “No!” I cried, forcing my eyes shut, preparing for the attack as my arm locked in position.
Something smooth ran along my exposed palm, sliding through my hand. I opened one eye, glancing down to see the shark slithering along my hand. Its tail whacked my arm, splashing my face with water, causing me to laugh.It didn’t attack me. It didn’t attack me!My hand remained there, bobbing in the water as the shark returned, running along it a second time. “Wait.” I watched the fish swim. “Reef?”
The shark nudged me again roughly, knocking me down into the water. I stared at it, reaching my arm out as my fingers ran along his body, noticing the black designs inked along its dark skin. I knew those markings. It was him. Reef.
I shot to the surface, inhaling when Reef softly gripped my torso with his jaws, forcefully pulling me down into the water. I watched, admiring his resilience as his teeth lined up perfectly with the shark bite along my stomach, gently holding me in his mouth. It was him all along. Reef. He was the shark that bit me, the one that marked me, claiming me as his.
Reef picked up speed, carrying me further into the ocean as I released all control and remained in his mouth, my hands and feet curling towards his head, holding on tight. He swam towards an empty portion of the water, illuminated by the last few rays of the fading sun, before slowly rising towards the surface, gently breaking through so I might breathe. I inhaled, panting lightly before tapping his nose. As I breathed in one last time, Reef pulled me back into the sea, releasing me from his mouth. My arms swung, allowing my body to float in the water while he continued to swim around me. I watched him, showingoff, smiling as bubbles drifted from my mouth. Even as a shark, he was beautiful.
My hair glowed in the sunlight, warming my body as I slowly sank in the cool water. Random fish swam by, their scales reflecting the golden beams, resembling burning stars in the night. I reached out, tapping them gently with my fingertips, giggling as they scuttled from my touch. The Blacktip sharks from earlier slowly began to join me, circling my body like Reef. My lungs began to ache, begging for air, but I was too far from the surface. My face dropped, staring up as the sun began to fully die into the night, clawing at the water, desperately trying to break through. My heart ached, racing as I kicked and screamed his name in the water. Reef rushed to me, swimming swiftly, helping me to the surface.
I coughed and gagged, the salty air filling my chest. I breathed in, gasping as my body fell forward, landing on Reef’s back, draped across him as he glided gently along the waves, allowing me a moment to rest. My face fell forward, my fingers curling around his top fin for support as I breathed against his smooth skin. “You’re beautiful, Reef,” I whispered between heavy pants. I kissed his skin, laying my head down as he slowly began to swim back to the cove. “Beautiful.”
Reef slowed, allowing me to slide from his back into the shallower parts of the cove. I waded back, watching as he turned and swam away, disappearing in the darkness. I tried to speak, but I was still focused on calming my breathing. I stepped back, walking towards the sandy beach, falling to my knees and rolling onto my back. The sky had fully turned to night, stars filling its blackness, sparkling like the reflective scales of the fish in the sea.Reef is a shark. I repeated the statement over and over in my head, baffled and blown away by the truth.
