"Listen, I'm the one who tipped you off about the mermaids, so I think I deserve to see it."
"Well, she's a siren, so I'm not sure if that still stands." Dominic said. He was acting childish, but for some reason he didn't want to show Beatrix to anyone else.
"It doesn't matter. I helped you, didn't I?" Austin was looking around the lab, searching with purpose.
"You're being awfully pushy." Dominic frowned, getting ready for a confrontation.
"Hey, I just wanna see it. I think I deserve that at least." Austin's hand was on the curtain as he began pushing it away.
"I think you need to leave." Dominic walked towards Austin, his hand outstretched to grab him.
Beatrix was fully exposed now, the curtain completely pushed to the side.
"Gotcha." Austin started forward, drawing something from the inside of his jacket.
He had a twisted, unusual look in his eyes, he was obviously unwell. He raised the knife about his head and slammed it down in a harsh strike, aimed directly at Beatrix.
"Stop!" Dominic rushed forward, but he wouldn't make it in time.
Beatrix rushed sideways in a quick dodge; she saved her life, but her arm was deeply cut. But she was in no situation to care about that.
She rushed forward, her teeth bared as she aimed for his shoulder, sinking her teeth into flesh.
It was a strangely soft, supple texture. At this moment, she had the idea that her teeth could tear through anything, and she was probably right. The skin was tearing, the flesh separating, but she didn't let go.
He was screaming, but she didn't let go.
"Narcissa!" Dominic yelled as he pulled her away.
Blood was dripping down her chin as she breathed heavily and attempted to calm
herself down. Her head was spinning, iron was staining her taste buds.
Adrenaline was coursing through her body. Austin had almost killed her. Why?
Beatrix spun around towards the bleeding man. She made a horrifying picture; she was covered in blood, and her teeth and nails were still sharp, her tangled hair trailing after her in the water. Austin was leaning over the tank, slightly in the water, as he desperately tried to stay conscious. His blood was pooling into the water, turning it a light red.
If he wasn't taken care of soon, he would pass out from blood loss.
But he didn't seem to care about that. His eyes were crazed and obsessive, a dark light in them. He slowly came closer to Beatrix.
"You'll pay…" He said ominously.
"You'll pay for what you did for her." He feebly lifted his knife.
Dominic had rushed to get a first aid kit and had his back turned. But that was fine. Austin couldn't do anything to her at this point.
"We'll have everything after you're gone, I know it. She'll be happy, and then we'll both be happy together." He tried to strike with his knife, but Beatrix easily avoided his movements.
He was delirious from blood loss, and his words were stilted and simplistic. But there was something else going on, he was being influenced by something.
"No!" Austin yelled, furious at his failure, but he slumped over before he could say anything more.
His enraged eyes glared at her as he slowly started to lose consciousness.
Beatrix was shaking, her hands desperately grabbing the side of the tank as she submerged herself.
Was this how River had felt?
Someone had tried to kill her. She could've died.
Beatrix was terrified, but she couldn't resist the small smile slowly rising.
She felt the taste of blood on her tongue. It made her want to throw up; she had never bitten someone before, and she could still remember the feeling of her teeth tearing flesh.
Her tongue swept over her sharp teeth, outlining the edges.
She would never forget that feeling.
She played the moment over and over in her head, relishing it. For a moment, he was afraid of her, no one had been afraid of her before.
Well, except…
River's face appeared in her mind, and she felt a shiver down her spine as she remembered his fearful glare.
And then she remembered the glassy look in his eyes and the feeling of his body turning limp. Then suddenly she didn't want to remember anything anymore.
Beatrix heard a sharp knock on the tank. She opened her eyes and surfaced.
She faced Dominic, who appeared worried.
And she saw a split second of fear in his eyes as her soggy, blood-stained self rose
from the water.
"Are you okay?" He lightly touched Beatrix's arm, scanning her up and down.
She nodded, unsure of herself.
She felt physically okay, but her mind was tumbling with extreme thoughts and feelings.
He sighed in relief and hugged her, his clothes quickly soaking through.
She didn't hesitate to hug him back this time.
-
The next few days were very emotional, in a way Beatrix couldn't fully grasp.
After Dominic sent Austin to the hospital, both Dominic and Beatrix were completely exhausted. He was terrified for her, constantly checking her, and making sure to retreat her cut frequently. They couldn't exactly bring her to the hospital, so he was being very cautious.
Beatrix caught his worried gaze every now and then; the eye contact was tense and strangely sentimental.
She didn't know what to make of Dominic at the moment. He seemed to be a tangled mess of various emotions that she couldn't parse through. She saw worry, guilt, kindness, and something else she couldn't identify. And whatever emotion he was feeling overwhelmed her.
She didn't want to face it.
"Is your bandage ready to be changed?" Dominic's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
Narcissa shook her head and reached for the dry-erase board.
'It's already healing.' Sirens and mermaids had enhanced healing, so the wound was already starting to close.
Although it was proving to be an annoying healing process, mainly because of Dominic's efforts. While it was healing faster because of the bandage, it had to be changed frequently because of the water.