The city lights began to twinkle, painting the evening sky with a soft, ethereal glow. Caitlyn Hugh, her shoulders slumped with the weight of a long day, trudged along the lonely stretch of road, each step a testament to her exhaustion.

She glanced back periodically, a silent prayer forming on her lips for a miraculous taxi, knowing full well this route was devoid of such conveniences. Her phone, pulled from her worn shoulder bag, was about to offer the solace of music when a sharp honk pierced the quiet.

The sound stopped her dead in her tracks, and the sleek car behind her followed suit. A flicker of hope, desperate and unbidden, ignited within her. Perhaps, just perhaps, a ride. Her exhaustion dulled her usual caution.

The car door swung open, but the engine had been cut. An odd move, she thought, furrowing her brow. If he were offering a lift, why turn off the car? As a shiny black shoe emerged, followed by a towering figure, Caitlyn instinctively took a step back. He slammed the door, the sound echoing ominously. She craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of his face, which seemed deliberately hidden. Then, as if reading her mind, he lifted his head. Caitlyn gasped, a silent thought blooming: 'Is he a water god?' He was too handsome, impossibly so, for a mere mortal.