“Delphini hasn’t been here yet,” I state.
“Only she can tell ya if she wants more,” Cookie says.
Her harpy sits between her large legs, receiving a massage after nearly pulling her shoulder this afternoon. I catch a whiff of the balm they are using and grunt. They should use mine, it’s better. I walk to the far side of the room and dig through the jars until I find my special reserve to use on Hamako.
Centuries at sea of watching life after life be lived to completion have given me a great appreciation for taking care of one’s physical form. Balms, salves, oils, herbs; they are all things I took an interest in when I quickly realised that, unlike my compatriots, I would not get to rest amongst Love’s tentacles for eternity because my life will never end. The tinctures I make are infused with a drop of Love’s power to aid in healing and calming my crew.
It takes some searching to find the right jar of oil, but once I do, I toss it at Cookie, who easily catches it in her massive hand. Hamako’s moan of pleasure is enough to tell me she might not be in as much pain as she let on. Cookie will pamper her anyway with the way she is wrapped around the harpy’s tiniest talon.
The troll tosses the oil back to me and it’s only when I’m setting it down that I slip and knock over a jar that I have long tried to forget. The one piece of that place that still exists. A jar that I should have filled with offerings to the goddess before I promised myself to her. It’s never been filled with anything. When I made my promise to Love, I gave them myself– mind, body, and soul. The terracotta figure jar has sat atop many ships and shelves, but when the bath was constructed, I buried it amongst my others to finally forget about it.
Now, scattered across the tiles is a handful of pearls. The colours vary from a pure white to a deep, almost purple, brown shade. They sparkle in the low lamp light. I turn back to stare at the still-fresh mosaic on the wall that now depicts a Wolfen creature on two legs lapping at the cunt of a mermaid.
“Has someone been pearling?” I ask, staring back at the gemstone.
“Too early in the season,” Aiofe says. “Why?”
I don’t answer her. The tipped-over figure stares at me, and I know where these have come from. I recognise these high-quality pearls like I recognise my own fucking face. In a swoop, I pocket the pearls into my loose trousers and push my slides back on. The women in the bath stare at me as I pass by them to leave, their curious looks following me out of the door.
Since Delphini’s arrival on the ship, I have been different. The crew aren’t wary of the new human, but I am. That hasn’t stopped me from giving her extra attention. I have rationalised with myself that it is simply because she is human. She doesn’t have the predator instinct that monsters do. That’s why I have spent nearly a fortnight with her in our training facilities. It’s the least I can do to prepare her for this life.
Delphini is more capable than most. She trains without complaint. Even as her limbs shake and sweat drips down her neck, she will attack again. I remember her reaction that first morning when I grabbed her. It curdles in my stomach that my touch has brought that reaction to her.
She can’t freeze up if the prey she hunts grabs hold of her. The four people she must kill will consider themselves untouchable. Even after the message she left, they will still believe they are predators.
She must show them they aren’t.
“She is more ready than you know.”Love’s claim echoes around my skull.
I roll my eyes as I leave the bath. As if I can’t see her potential, her strength. But now, I crave something more from her. To hear Delphini beg for my touch.
The crew have welcomed her with open arms and the sight of it makes the dead thing in my chest skip. But I crave more than the domestic intimacy of it all. The lightness she has found on my ship is important, but I want to see the darker side of Delphini again. Coated in blood and rage, demanding and begging for me all at the same time.
We are going to have a long discussion abouteverything.
I stuff my hands into my pocket and swirl the pearls between my grip. Love is absent from my thoughts, as they have been recently. Maybe that is why I am voicing concern aloud and half complete to my crew. Without them in my thoughts at all times, I can’t bear the silence of it.
I’m past my anger at having to share them with her. Delphini needs Love’s steady reassurance and conviction as much as I do, and as much as it pains to be without them, it causes an ache much deeper in my chest, knowing she is entirely alone.
My sandals slap across the tiled floor as I march down to her room. Normally, this late in the evening, the door is shut. My human has locked herself away for the night. It’s open now.
Delphini’s quarters are the same layout as most of the crews; spacious room meant to house a being of any size, and substantial en suite. The only thing I don’t allow in these rooms is food. Not because I am worried about pests, but because eating meals together is an integral part of camaraderie and trust.
Her room is an odd mix of the things she bought and things she brought from her old apartment. The old quilt from a previous crew member still lay on her bed, but I see the luxury she is holding on to.
Pink silks and knits draped in her wardrobe that is now so full it doesn’t close. There are a plethora of shoes lining a wall. I am not even sure when she would wear those high-heeled shoes, but she brought them. A desk tucked into the corner is now littered with makeup and…
There is also a laptop.
Where the fuck did she get that?
I don’t remember that from her old place, and I am certain no one on this ship would have given her that. She is supposed to be keeping a low profile, not only has she already killed one man without a plan, but she has also started her first stage of revenge against her ex. Certain people believe that she is dead or possibly back from the dead. If she leaves a trace of her existence outside of that incident at the apartment, people will look for her.
I walk into her room and flip the laptop open. The metal case is warm to the touch, meaning she used it recently. The display screen lights up and prompts me for a password. How the fuck am I supposed to know that? The little question mark near the side that offers a hint doesn’t help either.
‘Yiayia’sfirst product.’
That’s all it says, and those words mean nothing to me when strung together. I sneer at the screen and slam the lid shut. While Delphini is polite and friendly with the crew during mealtimes, there is one crew member who seeks her out regularly.
