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Waves of Passion

Notice: This is a work of fiction copyright © David White 2001 aka Kathmandu ( [email protected]). Distribution or redistribution is strictly prohibited and only with written permission from the author except for posting to appropriate newsgroups as long as no changes are made. This is an adult story meant for those over 18 only as it has some rather intense scenes and graphic sex.

By David White © 2001

The boat was sinking and there wasn't much of anything I could do about it. The engine was out and the compartment flooded fairly quickly. The water was coming from a leak in the water jacket surrounding the exhaust manifold and the idiotic builder neglected to put any sort of valve to shut off the engine cooling water. The intake was in the bottom of the boat and the resulting spray got into the electrical panel and the salt water destroyed most of the connections in the box resulting in a lot of shorting out and burning. The shorting blew up the batteries so there was no way to power anything. It took out the bilge pump, radio and everything else; I was dead in the water. Needless to say, I was in trouble.

I frantically looked around and discovered the only life raft on board was dry rotted and useless which left only life jackets. Joy. I located a cold-water survival suit in the locker with the life jackets but found it was useless as well; someone had cut the feet out. "Gloria, you bitch." I yelled to the cold gray sky. "Why didn't you just put a bullet in my brain, why make me suffer like this, damn it." It was her style though, suffering. I hope she enjoys the insurance money; god knows I won't enjoy getting it for her.

The boat was a rental, it looked relatively new above decks but a quick look in the engine compartment once the flooding started confirmed this was a hulk with a nice paint job. I rented her for a weekend of fishing with a buddy of mine who lives across the bay. Mike and I did this maybe three or four times a year to get away from the daily grind and our wives (or soon to be ex-wife in my case) I would usually motor across the bay and pick him up then head out to the straights and fish for Spanish or grouper out on the jetties. The damned boat sprung a leak halfway across the bay. Rigged to sink most likely, the odds of this happening by accident were astronomical. The marina gets the insurance money for the boat; Gloria gets the life insurance policy cashed in. Nice how that works out, nice and neat, all I have to do is cooperate and die. They will get their wish pretty soon apparently, the water was over the main deck and rushing into the engine compartment hatch. Oh, did I mention the life jackets were useless too? Didn't really matter, the water temperature was around thirty-five or so. I'll last maybe thirty seconds in the ice-cold Atlantic anyway. Hopefully I will pass out before I drown. The thought of drowning really bothered me, I can't think of a worse way to go. Well, except maybe freezing to death in the open sea. Yeah, I think I was having a really bad day.

The stern went under and the bow stood on end as I scrambled up the tilting deck to stay out of the water as long as possible. From my high vantage point, I noticed something swimming near the boat. Probably a shark. Good, I wouldn't want to linger any longer than necessary. Probably my wife's attorney trying to get me to sign some papers before I drown. It would be my luck and her style. I watched the dark form swim around the hull a few times then swam away.

As the hull flooded, the bow settled back down and I scrambled up to the flying bridge. Soon the boat listed to port and slowly went under. The water came up to my foot and as soon as the cold water hit it, I screamed. It felt like fire, it was so cold. I lost it then, I began crying for help, panicking really. I had crawled as far as I could go, sitting on the radar mast when the water rushed up and covered me. I tried to swim away but the cold water just paralyzed me. I couldn't do much but let the suction created by the sinking boat carry me under. I held my breath and a few seconds later the suction broke and I popped back to the surface. I was shivering so hard I could hardly draw a breath. I treaded water as best I could but the cold and the weight of my clothing was making it a losing battle. Panic had a hold of me as I struggled to remain on the surface, my arms flailing madly, searching for salvation. Each time I bobbed to the surface I spent less and less time there. It was hopeless. I flailed weakly to the surface one last time and drew a ragged breath before exhaustion set in and my leaden arms refused to do more than drift in the current above me as I sank into the depths. I felt the horror of death at that point, knowing I would never see the surface again.

My breath grew stale in my lungs as the surface receded. I was so tired and terribly cold, the feeling I was suffocating grew to overwhelm me. That's when I saw a shape swim in front of me. Probably the shark, looking for dinner. A new surge of adrenaline caused me to try to swim away but hell, what was the point? My arms were numb and wouldn't respond and I could only flail with my feet. I started losing the air in my lungs as the urge to breathe hit me hard and my diaphragm began convulsing, forcing me to breathe anything. The body knows it will die for certain if it doesn't get oxygen so it takes a chance since it really has nothing to lose. My burning lungs were forcing me to breathe in the cold Atlantic and I fought it as long as I could. I realized the shape still hovered before me as I drowned. It was dark and blurry so I couldn't see what it was. Didn't matter, it didn't seem to be in any hurry to save me so I didn't care. The air in my lungs was almost gone; I couldn't fight it any longer and resigned to my fate, I sucked in a breath of seawater into my tortured lungs. It burned as it flowed into me, and I coughed, expelling any air that might have been left in a cloud of fine bubbles. I drew in another breath and the feeling I was suffocating eased and I felt better. Drowning didn't seem quite so terrible then as the water washed away the carbon dioxide build up. Of course there was no oxygen so the spiral towards death had begun as I began gasping in the water, desperate for oxygen. I could feel foam forming deep in my lungs caused by mixing mucus, water and blood plasma. My sight began to dim as my arms instinctively reached out, searching for something, anything to save myself. I felt the shape swim next to me just as I lost consciousness, I felt it sting me in the chest. It hurt but I was beyond caring.

That is, for about five heartbeats or so. I then suddenly sprang wide-awake. I really couldn't move much but I was conscious and wondering what the hell. I looked around and realized I was still deep under the sea, maybe thirty feet down and sinking rapidly. I then realized I was breathing seawater, the numbness and foam easing with every breath. "Cool dream," I thought as I drifted rather quickly toward the bottom. Not surprising since I had no buoyancy at all with my flooded lungs and waterlogged clothing. That reminded me and I looked down at my chest and saw the shirt was ripped and a puncture mark was leaking a small amount of blood into the surrounding sea. I couldn't tell much more since it was getting darker and my vision was blurry. The wound appeared to be right above my heart. Strangely, there was no pain. I realized then that I wasn't cold either. Odd.

I tried to move and found my arms and legs, although responsive, were slow and felt leaden. I looked up at the receding surface and noticed the shape I had seen earlier swimming lazily above me. I was glad I wasn't cold and the pain had eased, the fact I was still alive was a plus too I suppose but the idea of all this in preparation to being eaten muted any joy I might have felt at the time. I was still sinking too. I moved my arms again and found I could flail around a bit so I tried to slow my decent. I tried to swim and found I had some success. I stopped my downward plunge and started swimming for the surface.

I didn't concern myself with the large shape that seemed to be following me. I was totally at it's mercy so what else could I do? Maybe I could reach the surface before this poison wore off or started working the way it was supposed to. I swam slowly but steadily, approaching the swimming hulk that was my companion in this odd situation. I watched it as best I could but it swam in an out of my field of vision. I was actually doing rather well and I was perhaps 20 feet from the surface when I felt a presence behind me. I was afraid and tried to swim faster to the surface.

"If you fear a predator in the sea, human, the bottom is much safer. It has many more places to hide, they cannot swim under you and the darkness can make it harder for them. Don't worry, if I intended to eat of your flesh, you would be a delightful fullness in my belly as we speak."

I froze; the voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. I turned around and saw the source of the mysterious voice. It was the shape that had been hanging around since the sinking. It wasn't very far away but I still couldn't see what it was other than a streamlined shape with a tail. I tried to talk but nothing came out, just water rushing out of my mouth.

"Move just your lips human, I can read them well enough. You have no air to speak with."

I tried just moving my lips, mouthing out the words, "What has happened? What did you do to me?"

"I don't need to read your lips for this one. My name translates to Faith in English, I am a Makurie and I just saved your life. I have venom that does things to humans that allow them to live in the sea. In time you will adapt."

"I...I don't understand. Adapt? You mean I will turn into a fish..."

"No, you will adapt but you will remain essentially human. The biggest change has already occurred, you can breathe water and not die. Soon your eyes will focus and you will form webbing on your hands and fins will form from your feet."

"Why? Why did you do this?" I squinted at this thing called Faith but couldn't really see much. All I could think of was bad horror movies and rubber suit monsters. "Am I supposed to be your slave or something?"

"No, you do not understand. You are not a slave. To tell the truth, since I performed the 'hisoko' I am forever responsible for you and I am bound by ancient law to make sure you are able to provide for and defend yourself. You will always be dependant on myself or another of my kind, but we will always provide as best we can. I am, in a way, your servant. I chose not to see it that way though."

"How do you see the situation then?" I said, moving my lips as I drifted downward again.

"We consider it a situation of mutual benefit really. You have a second chance at life and we receive companionship. It is lonely in the sea at times."

"I'm a pet then." A look of apprehension must have showed on my face because Faith swam away. Damn, I wish I could see what "Faith" looked like.

"No, not a pet, though I could see you thinking that. I hope you choose to stay with me, for a while at least. There are others who would give anything to have you as a "hisokurie" or companion. Humans surviving to become hisokurie are very rare, few fall into the sea near one of us and the timing is very close. I must strike at the moment of drowning but before the heart stops. Before and the venom kills, after is a waste. The surest way is to drag a human underwater and have them drown in your arms so you know the exact moment. It also guarantees the hisokurie will have a very bad attitude so it is rarely done. I considered doing it if you stayed on the surface since the cold would surely kill you before you actually drowned but you sank quickly instead."

"Yeah, lucky me," I thought to myself. "So, I am becoming some sort of gill-man, that sounds really strange, will I be able to return to the surface?" I asked Faith, guessing the answer but I wanted to hear it from "Faith." I hesitate to call Faith a she since I had no way of knowing, sounded female though.

"The surface is some place you can only spend a short time. Air is not instantly fatal like water was to you; you can breathe it well enough for a short time but when your lungs dry out, you start becoming oxygen starved and you will eventually die a slow death. It is not anything to be concerned about, you will have no need to return to the surface again."

"But what about my life, I have a job, a mortgage and..."

"Which all ended when that boat sank and your lungs filled with cold Atlantic seawater. You will no longer be able to walk on land before long and if you did return to your home, you would have to live in a tank or pool. Doesn't sound very fun to me."

"No way to reverse the venom I take it?"

"No, I'm afraid not. It's not a bad life, you will come to find it as rich and interesting as the one you left, perhaps more so."

"I will have to take your word for it, I guess. Why can't I see you? You keep moving too much. Another thing, why haven't you asked my name, you told me yours."

"Simple really, there is a bond that forms between a hisokurie and their Makurie, it is hard to explain. This bond will last as long as you are with me. You are, unfortunately, not hisokurie yet and it is possible you could die before it is done. If you die with that bond in place, it will cause me a great deal of distress. I save myself pain by waiting. I will not despair your death if you are not yet hisokurie. I will not mourn a stranger."

"You bond with a hisokurie and it's death causes you distress? Interesting."

"It is quite possible that I could follow you into the silt if you were to die as a hisokurie fully bonded to me."

"'Follow me into the silt?' What do you mean?"

"I means I would die or there is a good chance that I could, that is why I will always try to insure your continued good health. Makes sure I don't abandon you to the sea I suppose."

"Then why do it? Seems awful risky. Your existence tied to another."

"It has its benefits, besides it is a very powerful drive to have an hisokurie."

"OK, so how long before I become hisokurie?" I looked around at the vast, dark sea and said, "I feel sort of exposed just floating here, is there someplace we can go?"

"We can see where your boat landed and seek shelter there until the change is done. It should be complete in a few hours. Just let yourself sink, there is nothing near that will hurt you."

I stopped sculling and I resumed my plunge to the bottom. I suddenly felt pain in first my left then my right foot. I reached down and pulled off my shoes and socks, letting them drift away. Fins forming from what were my toes caused the pain. I couldn't see them but I could feel the ridges and webbing as they formed. I also ditched my jacket; I didn't need it any more. "Am I cold blooded now like a fish? I don't feel the cold anymore," I asked as I pulled off my jacket. I didn't hear anything. I waved my arms to get Faith's attention, probably not looking at my lips.

"I was distracted, what did you say?"

"Am I cold blooded now like a fish? I don't feel the cold anymore,"

"No, you are not a fish. Fish are cold, stupid things. They are good for food though. You are like me, a water breathing mammal. You don't feel the cold because your body is metabolizing fat into warmth and oxygen until your skin changes and your gills develop properly. The venom dulls the sense of pain while this happens so you do not suffer. Many die because they run out of fat to metabolize or the brain is damaged because oxygen isn't made fast enough. You are well past that point I think."

"So, what will my skin be like? Scales?"

"No, it will be very much like a dolphin's. Don't worry, it will feel very natural to you."

"I'm turning into some sort of circus freak show and the ringmaster tells me not to worry about it."

"I don't understand some of your words but I think I know what you mean. This is not a bad thing, human. I did not cause your boat to sink, nor did I drown you. I did save your life though it is vastly different from what it once was but you still live. If it is that awful, I can kill you now so you may continue the short path to your destiny. I can place your body just about where it would have settled if I had not interfered. You can quietly decompose and I can continue on my way."

Faith's words shocked me into silence. I thought about it a second or two then said, "Well, perhaps when you put it that way, gills and flippers don't seem so bad. I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound ungrateful."

"I am not offended, I merely tell you the truth. You are not the first human who has tasted my venom and I have had similar conversations in the past. I have even killed a human who preferred death to life in the sea. She was insane I think, kept crying out for her god. It took a long time for me to get over that. Slow your decent, we are close to the bottom"

I kicked a little with my newly formed fins and held my arms out killing my decent. I noticed the webbing on my hands then; they gave me a lot more power when I used my hands to swim. I wished I could see more than a dull bluish glow from the surface. I guessed we were a couple of hundred feet underwater. I felt the bottom brush up against my fins. It was scary let me tell you. I was really glad Faith was there. I felt something brush my right hand and I jumped.

"Sorry, hisokurie. It is only me, take hold of my flipper and I will guide you to your boat, we can rest there." I did and Faith slowly towed me to the wreck. "The boat is on its side. There is an opening near the middle of the cabin? House? I think cabin is right. Anyway, I am taking you there. Take it slow and easy." It was dark but I could make out a shape near us then soon the water turned black and I felt my right fin brush against the deck. I could tell we were inside because the nature of the sounds around us changed. It was pitch dark. "Can you see anything in this murk?" Silence... I guess not. I waved my hands. Still nothing. Frustrated, I tried to think of some way to communicate when a click came from somewhere deep in my chest. Odd, I tried to do it again and I managed a croak.

"Ah, I see you are almost done with the change. You now have an air bladder and you will soon be able to speak again. Keep trying, it will come to you."

"Grroak... arooooocc.....blaaaath." I sounded like a whoopee cushion in a bathtub. I kept trying for a few minutes until finally I made the discovery I wasn't using my lungs or mouth to talk, but something else, "Heeey Iiiii cccaaaan talllk. Wooow, I cccan talk uunderwaterrr."I was smiling like an idiot then.

"You have been talking almost nonstop since you fell in. Sigh, I suppose I will not have any peace now that you can make noise."

"Wwass that humor? You tttttrying to be fuunny?" I couldn't help but laugh, which actually sounded like I was drowning all over again. So far she had been as much fun as a root canal, her joke was a surprise. She laughed along with me. For some reason that made me feel a whole lot better about this new life. "Can you see anything in this murk?" I asked again with my new voice.

"I can see well enough, it is dark though. It will be night soon and it will be hard for me to see as well. I have other senses so it will not bother me much but I still prefer a nice, cozy place to spend the night. This fits the bill nicely."

"Will I be able to see in this? Seems awfully dark."

"It depends, I cannot predict how well your eyes will adapt. Others would have. Are you afraid?"

"Not as much as I should in this situation I suppose, although I can't help being apprehensive. I'm at the bottom of the ocean with a creature I cannot see, my body changing into who knows what."

"I do not wish for you to be afraid, I am here to protect you and there is nothing that can hurt you here. The danger of your transformation is mostly behind you. Your ancestors lived in the sea long ago and your body will remember." I felt something touch my hand then and I realized it was Faith. It felt like a hand and as it enveloped my own, Faith squeezed it slightly. The skin felt smooth, warm and slightly rubbery, not unpleasant, just different. I felt somewhat reassured then, contact made the situation a little more real and a little less frightening. I then felt my hand touch something else, perhaps an arm. Again it felt smooth and somewhat softer than the hand. I ran my fingers over the skin, delighting in it's texture. I couldn't help but wonder if my skin would feel like that eventually.

"I really would like to see what my savior looks like," I said as my hand explored this creature. "Oh, wait, maybe this will help." I reached over and pressed the light button on my watch, creating a faint dull blue-green glow. My vision was sharp and I could read the numbers on my Casio "G Shock" watch easily. "I never expected to need the 200-meter waterproofing, but it may come in real handy now." I twisted my wrist and the glow filled the cabin, it seemed far brighter than I remembered. My eyes must have changed significantly. The moment I turned it on, I heard Faith utter a squeak and I caught sight of a shape moving away. "Faith?"

"Don't look at me... Please!"

"Why? My vision is better now; I can see what you look like. It's just my watch, it lights up, see?" I pressed the button again and the green glow lit up the cabin again. I could see Faith's tail fins but the rest was curled up in a ball. "What's wrong?"

"Please... turn it off. I beg you."

"What's going on? Why won't you let me see you?" I let the light fade away and moved a little closer to Faith, "Does it have something to do with the bond you talked about?"

"No... I mean yes. I... I'm sorry, I lied about the bond. It started as soon as I injected you. I... don't want you to see me... I was hoping you would come to like me before... before..."

"Before what? What is going on? I don't understand."

"I..." the sound of defeat permeated Faith's voice, "I might as well tell you. I doubt you will let this drop until I do. Hisokurie, I am not human, as you can guess. I was born a Makurie. Our ancestors were the Maku, and they were a very old race that swam the oceans before humans were standing upright. Somehow, long ago, humans left the trees and savannas to live near and in the sea. Our ancestors lived very near each other in the sea and soon we both discovered the other. Your kind forever tied to air, mine tied to the sea but we were attracted to each other and sought companionship. During that time, humans changed so you could spend more time in the sea, you lost your fur, your nose turned down to keep water out. Humans had webbing on their hands like you do now and your toes were longer and webbed too. Time passed and our two peoples did interact and eventually we became intertwined. You changed us much more than you changed yourselves. Our natural venom was the key. At first it was discovered our venom would relax a human enough to allow them to remain underwater much longer if given a very small amount. The venom changed humans over many generations though, it eventually allowed us to take each other as mates and we could even have offspring. These Makurie hybrids eventually overran the Maku and we Makurie replaced them. We were smarter and we had hands where they had fins but we Makurie have the disadvantage of needing humans to reproduce. This was not a problem until the sea grew too cold and salty for you. Your ancestors left their ocean home to live on land. From that time humans forgot about us and adapted a life on land. Thankfully, humans still live near the sea and travel on it and tend to fall in often, allowing us to still reproduce. The venom allowed humans to fully adapt to life in the sea but it has to be given at just the right moment to work. Once adapted, they can live among and breed with us."

"Ummm... I think I know where this is leading; you planned to have me as your mate? So why do you hide from me?"

"I... I am ugly, hisokurie. For a Makurie I am hideous. Humans seem to find me repulsive as well. I have made several hisokurie in my lifetime and all have left for others who are a bit easier on the eyes. One preferred death. I was hoping... I was hoping to seduce you before you saw how ugly I was. I'm sorry."

"My god, you know I would have seen you before too long and who knows how I might have reacted."

"It was a risk I needed to take, I want children. My people need children, there are so few of us now."

"Still, it is not right to do that to someone. Besides, there is only a small chance you could become pregnant from only one try... er it is with humans anyway."

"It is the same with us, I was taking the chance. Once is better than none, hisokurie."

I thought about this for a while. Here I was at the bottom of the Atlantic with some unknown creature that I assume is female who wants me to father her children. Better yet, she is so ugly she felt she needed to trick me into having sex with her. I have no idea what she looks like but indications are she looks a lot like my wife. My almost ex-wife that is... what the hell, my widow. Not like I am coming back from the dead or anything apparently. She had my curiosity though, I really wanted to see what my watery savior looked like. The way she talked, I figured her to look like a manatee with arms, a squid faced elephant seal or who knows what. (I have an active imagination, so sue me) "Well, you know I won't rest now until I see you, right?"

She sighed, "I am not surprised, go ahead then." She uncurled as I pressed the button again. The first thing I saw was her tail. The skin was smooth and it ended in a single flipper something like a dolphin I suppose, I didn't really know. My knowledge of dolphins started and ended with reruns of "Flipper." There was no way to tell the color since everything was green from the watch light. The tail looked muscular and powerful. I shined the meager glow up her body. About halfway, the light died. I fumbled a second or two then pressed it again. I brought the light to her midsection and continued up. I realized her tail merged into what could only be called a very shapely woman's waist. Oddly, I didn't see any sign of her sex organs. The way she was turned I could see she had a very human looking stomach with an innie belly button. I then shinned the tiny light up and its glow caught her breasts. They were very human like though not very large with nipples but no alveoli. I could then see her shoulders and one of her arms. They seemed human enough except there was some sort of ridge of smooth flesh that ran along her arm extending past her elbow. I couldn't tell what it was for until she folded her arm against her ribs and it formed a fin. I gasped in wonder at the elegance of its form. Her hands were very human like and lacked webbing. I brought the light back up and went to her face. As I moved the light, I discovered she had very long hair that formed a cloud around her head. My god, she is a mermaid!

So far, Faith had turned out to be rather easy on the eyes I suppose for a mermaid. Not that I had much in the way of previous examples to compare her to, but she was a far cry from the monster I had her figured for. The dolphin-like tail was surprising since every picture I had seen always showed a scaled, fish like appendage with a fish's fin. I brought the light to her face but all I could see was hair. I reached out and brushed it out of the way a little and then I could see her face.

I could tell she had been beautiful once, but now her face bore a long scar that ran from her left temple across her left eye over her nose and ended just below her right jaw. The scar was maybe a quarter inch wide and was very prominent on the delicate features of her face. She had a slightly Asian cast to her eyes and her lips were full and sensual. Her hair drifted some and I noticed the top half of her left ear was missing.

I couldn't help thinking there had to be something else. I mean, yeah, the scar was pretty bad but not revolting. In fact, it gave an exotic bit of character to a perhaps a too perfect face. I turned off the light. "My name is Duncan in case you wanted to know."

"Awful, isn't it Duncan? My first try at making a hisokurie I'm afraid. A cable from a sinking ship struck me as I tried to save a crewman. I was knocked unconscious by it. The pain was unbearable, I couldn't swim very well and I was blind in one eye, I thought I had lost it until the swelling went down. I didn't save anyone that day."

"I don't know, it doesn't look that bad to me. I expected something far worse to tell the truth. I can't imagine others would be that repulsed by it."

"When we meet up with other Makurie, then tell me that. You don't understand the position you hold now. You are a very rare and you will have your pick among all of us. You are vital to our survival and we all want children. You will be surrounded by the best of us, all vying for your favor. I am actually violating a very ancient law by not bringing you directly to the Gathering. Since night is closing and I have a responsibility for your safety, I can delay until morning in this case. I had hoped... "

"You hoped you could seduce me before presenting me to be sold in the market. I don't think I really care for this whole deal here at all. I'm supposed to be some sort of breeding stock to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. I..."

"Duncan, you don't understand. There is no money or auctions, no slavery. You are very much like a prince among us, not like a slave or a thing to sell. You will have your choice among all of us. You will see when we get to the Gathering."

"Ok, so you say I am not a slave nor a prisoner, then what would happen if I said I did not want to go to the whatever... Gathering? If you say I am free then why must I go there?"

"You will get hungry before too long and that is where your food can be found, you will have to go eventually. You can't eat just anything swimming by. You need special food to survive and it must be brought in from many places. This makes you dependant upon us to provide for you. Not to worry, wherever there is a Gathering, there will be food for the hisokurie in the area. Gatherings are permanent places where we Makurie meet to trade and visit with each other, find mates and maybe entice a hisokurie."

"Sounds like a human town. You said, 'find mates,' I thought you said you could only have children with hisokurie? Are there mermen?"

She laughed, "Yes, Duncan, there are male Makurie, we just can't have children without you. I had a mate before the accident but he is swimming with another now."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I said

"I'm not, he was a umm... what's the word? Oh yes, a jerk. He was a jerk. I ran him off."

"Oh," I said, not really knowing what to say to that.

I brooded for a while, taking this all in and trying to sort things out. Apparently life was going to be rather interesting to say the least. That's when it really dawned on me, they were expecting me to have sex. A lot of sex, with a lot of different partners. This made me nervous, they were expecting me to father a lot of children and I wasn't a young man anymore. I was in my mid forties and sex wasn't that big an issue in my life with my work and with Gloria turning my life into a living hell. We hadn't slept together for over a year and I wasn't the kind of guy to run around on his wife.

I seem to have fallen into some sort of adolescent sexual fantasy complete with nubile mermaids fighting for me. The problem was I wasn't an adolescent anymore. Talk about performance anxiety. I don't even know if I want to have sex with these umm, people? Can I have sex with them is a better question. What will happen if I can't? Will they let me starve? I worked up the courage to ask Faith after awhile.

"Your people.. they want, I mean they expect me too... and I'm not a young man anymore, what if...?

She giggled at that, although it sounded more like she was passing gas than a laugh. "Duncan, it isn't a problem, the whole purpose of the venom is to allow you to breed with us, but it doesn't force you to. The desire will come or it will not, there is no forcing. Doesn't mean the females won't try to entice you though. We have no real way of choosing a hisokurie, we can only make them when the opportunity arises. I have saved females in the past, even though they are infertile under the sea, simply out of compassion. There are hisokurie who are not interested in females Duncan, but we honor and provide for them just the same. You have nothing to worry about, you have knowledge and skills which can be just as important as providing children to us. You need to rest now, we will talk more in the morning."

I felt a bit better after that, the pressure being off, so to speak. I drifted inside the cabin, eventually finding myself a corner where I settled in and wedged myself so I wouldn't float away. With all that had happened, I really doubted I would sleep at all but soon I was sound asleep.

I awoke a few hours later to a full bladder. It was funny, waking up inside the sunken boat in total darkness and breathing water seemed perfectly natural and I didn't even think about it really. What I did think about was taking a pee. I was tempted to just let go there but then I would end up breathing it and so would Faith, I think that would have been rude if not utterly disgusting so I got up and hit the button on my watch. I saw Faith floating there in the middle of the cabin, obviously asleep. Every now and again her tail would slowly move or her hand would gently sway in the water. Watching her for a moment I realized she was keeping herself in one spot with these movements, even as she slept.

I looked around the cabin and found the hatch leading outside. I swam out into the dark blue ocean. It was dark but not nearly as dark as it was when I fell asleep, my eyes must have changed more as I slept. I moved away from the entrance a bit and tried to unzip my pants but the damned things were stuck. Not surprising since salt water was really hard on some metals. I unbuttoned my pants then and wiggled them down so I could take a whiz and not have urine trapped in them. I figured it was good enough and let it go. I felt it leave my bladder and travel down the urethra to the tip of my penis and then it all came to a crashing, teeth jarring halt. I doubled over from the sudden sensation and swore silently. I reached down to my penis to pull back the foreskin or whatever to let nature take its course. Imagine my surprise when I reached down and my penis wasn't there. I did feel a vertical slit where Mr. Happy used to be though and was struck by the thought I was now a water breathing female something. Ok, I can deal with that little problem later, but right then I really needed to pee, bad. I could feel my bladder stretching and the pain was unbearable. I called out to Faith as I tried to feel around to figure out how to go to the bathroom before by bladder burst. I cried out Faith's name again as loud as I could, doubling over again in terrible pain.

Moments later I felt Faith grab my shoulders with her arm, "What's wrong Duncan?" she asked, her unearthly voice contained concern and maybe just a little fear.

All thoughts of modesty evaporated long before then, I said, "My dick, it's gone... I can't pee and my bladder is about to burst!"

She instantly used her hands to force my legs to uncurl and then began feeling my groin area with her fingers then found a very sensitive spot and pushed hard causing something to shift. She then put her fingers into the slit and pulled down. Suddenly my erect penis appeared from the slit and Faith let go and moved away. The moment it came free I was suddenly able to pee, and pee I did. I think the level of the ocean rose an inch or two from the volume I was letting mix with the sea.

As my bladder drained, I asked, "What the hell happened and what did you do? And ah...thanks."

"I'm sorry Duncan, I should have told you about that but being female, I didn't think about it. You apparently had an erection in your sleep that stayed inside. Normally it isn't a problem; the skin is loose enough inside the umm... pocket to allow for that but you can't urinate with it in such a position so you have to pull yourself out. Everything is the same as it was Duncan, it is just protected inside you now." In the dim light I could see her looking at my erection with an expression of lust combined with a wistful longing. She suddenly turned in the water and said, "Now that you know what is going on, I'm sure you will not have any further problems." She gave a small flick of her tail and swam back to the cabin.

I looked down at my erection and muttered to myself, "Ya know, you have always been more trouble than you are worth" while I examined my modified privates. I noticed my pubic hair was gone and I could see where the slit parted, allowing my erection to protrude outward into the cool water around me. I poked and prodded and realized there was indeed a sort of pocket in my abdomen where I could fit. I also noticed the middle age pudge I had spend a lot of time at the gym to get rid of was completely gone, I could feel the washboard stomach I had always wanted but never could quite get. She wasn't kidding about my body burning fat, I was cut like an athlete now. Carefully bending my erection I found it would slip back into the pocket easily enough. I then reached inside the slit and pulled it out again. She was right, now that I knew what was going on, it was no problem at all. I tucked Mr. Happy back in and pulled my pants back on.

I drifted back into the cabin, noticing I could almost see in the darkness. Faith was curled up in the far corner of the wrecked cabin. I was about to return to my little nook but thought better of it. I looked at Faith instead. I could see she had her hands over her face, curled into a ball. I didn't have to be Makurie to know she was upset. "Faith," I said as I reached out and stroked her shoulder. She curled up a little tighter, "Please talk to me."

"What do you want Duncan? I know I'm not desirable to you, I accept that. I have lived with my scars for years and I should be used to it by now. It still hurts though. Leave me alone Duncan and go get some sleep."

"Faith, listen to me. I never said you were ugly. I bet neither has anyone else, have they? You think they are just being polite but you know they think it's horrible don't you?" I reached over and pulled her hands away from her face, "The people you have turned to hisokurie haven't left you for another because of your scars, you drove them away didn't you? Couldn't stand the thought of them pitying you, looking in horror at your ruined face. You say it happened while trying to save lives, well if it were me, I would wear it as a badge of honor and dare anyone to say anything about it." I cupped my hand against her cheek and moved her head so she would look at me. I could see her plainly, almost as well as if it were morning. "If you let someone get close to you, they stop seeing the scars and only see the person you are. No one goes through life without scars, Faith, the trick is living with them." Yeah, I know I sounded like a trashy romance novel and all that was missing was me wiping away her tears but, hell, it was the truth. I had seen this sort of thing before. "People back home, usually kids, would pierce themselves, get tattoos and cut their hair all sorts of weird ways. They did it, not to look like freaks but so that they looked different. They want to stand out, not be like everybody else. Surprisingly, it can actually be attractive if worn with confidence, makes them seem exotic, different and even sexy. I bet if you let yourself, you could be one of the most desirable of the Makurie." I moved in closer, "I know I do." I used both hands and guided her face to my lips. I gently kissed her scar, first brushing my lips on her nose then worked my way across her cheek then down to her lips. I pulled back and looked into her eyes. I could see the pain dissolving into confusion and then joy. Honestly, I did find her attractive but I have to admit, the fact I had an erection was the real turn on. It didn't happen very often anymore and by god, I wasn't letting it go to waste. Good thing Faith was there because a passing dolphin would have been in trouble.

I again drew her to me and kissed her on the lips, chaste at first then adding passion as we soon lost ourselves to the moment, our tongues mixing and swirling with each other and our hands explored. I was pleased to discover no big surprises above her waist line except for her arms, she was as human as the girl in the back seat of my Dad's '68 Chevy who later became my wife. We broke the kiss and my lips drifted down her throat, kissing lightly and swishing water over her skin. She moaned as I moved between her slight breasts. I took the left nipple into my mouth and sucked and nipped gently. She huddled and pressed my head to her breast, another gurgly moan escaped as I lavished her. Her tail would make small movements, keeping us in one spot as I explored her body with my mouth. I moved from her breasts down the line of her belly, stopping briefly at her belly button. I swirled my tongue around it a few times, feeling it tense as I tickled her.

Now let me interrupt the sex scene a moment to explain a few things. I was having a really good time giving her the tongue bath and we all know where this was heading. I was doing this for two reasons, one was the obvious foreplay, the other was the fact I had absolutely no idea how to go about having sex with a mermaid. With a woman, the vaginal opening is directly between the legs and points strait down when she stands. Since Faith was a mermaid, the whole arrangement was a mystery. Hell, I didn't even know if it was in the front or back. Years ago during my first sexual encounter, I was pretty clueless back then but I did at least have a pretty good notion as to where it was located. I was flying blind here.

I continued down, licking and nibbling, my hands gliding down her back keeping me from floating away and marveling at the smoothness of her skin. I felt her narrowing waist and gloried in the curves of her hips even if her tail lacked the cleft cheeks of a proper ass. I rubbed and tickled as I went, looking for any sign of her sex. Her backside was well muscled and devoid of anything that marred the smooth streamlined shape of her tail. That left the front side which made better sense anyway. I brought my hand around to her front and began rubbing gently as I went, looking for some indication. I think Faith figured out what was going on and brought her tail up and pressed it against my abdomen then gently guided my head to where she most wanted my attentions.

The location was a little lower than what I expected but not much. The remarkable thing was it was almost completely hidden. I felt with my tongue and felt a tiny indention. I followed it and realized it was a slit running vertically about 3 inches or so. I probed it with my tongue and pushed through found several folds of flesh which I lavished with enthusiasm. She in turn doubled over and screamed. I stopped and looked at her because she sounded for all the world like she was in pain. My concern turned out to be completely unfounded when she grabbed my head with both hands and pushed me back to the task. I obliged her and returned my attentions. She began bucking slightly as I spread open the slit with my fingers and licked and nibbled. To my delight I found she wasn't all that different from human except for the very outer lips. As I played with her, she began to swell and unfold like a flower opening in spring. Her juices began flowing in earnest and her clitoris emerged from it's hood, pulsing and throbbing in time as I licked and sucked. Her fluids didn't wash away like a humans would have and the taste was different, not bad, just different.

I did this for a few more minutes, letting my hands wonder. I discovered a small bud a few inches farther down her body and felt around it. She shuttered as I swirled my finger gently, rubbing and exploring its outer regions for a few moments then returned to her slit. As I did this, my tongue soon found her vaginal opening and I probed slightly, feeling the velvety texture and her juices flowed copiously onto my mouth. I soon had my finger there, probing and teasing at first, then thrust in and out of her, bringing her to climax. She doubled over and shook, pressing my head against her and her muscles gripping and milking my finger like a starving calf. I was impressed to say the least.

As the orgasm faded, I withdrew my finger and slowly licked her a few more times, letting her enjoy the afterglow a few moments. I then stopped and let go of her, floating away a little. I pulled off my clothes and let them drift away while fumbling with trying to get my penis out of its pocket. I was so stiff I couldn't get it to bend the little bit needed to allow it to pop out. Faith saw me and helped me out. She showed me the little trick of pushing down at the top of the pocket which moved the penis down enough to exit the pouch. Damn, I was going to need an instruction manual for that stupid thing.

After I popped out, Faith rubbed her sex for a moment then grabbed my penis with both hands and began rubbing up and down my shaft, sending electric shocks of pleasure up my spine as her lubricant allowed her hands to slide effortlessly and pleasurably. She then moved one hand to the base and wiggled her finger inside the slit a little that moved and stimulated my testicles. It was both pleasurable and a little weird since they were inside my body now. She moved them gently from side to side as she pumped my penis, rubbing the small jets of precum onto the tip adding to her silkiness and bringing me closer to my own climax.

She stopped just before I lost it, letting me calm a bit before she took me into her mouth and began a slow, methodical pumping, allowing the tip to slide into her throat, her muscles contracting around it, squeezing and sucking. Her tongue would swirl and lick as it moved in and out. Far sooner than I wanted, I felt my testicles tense and I couldn't hold back any longer. I thrust into her throat without thinking and exploded in a soul shattering orgasm. I jetted into her and she accepted every drop greedily as she looked up into my eyes. I felt like I had ejaculated a half-gallon or so and I couldn't believe the intensity. Gloria was not too shabby in the sex department, at least when she was interested in it when we were younger but she never could do that to me. I was gasping in the water, letting the burning pleasure flow through me as she slowly pumped, letting the orgasm spend itself.

Presently she let me slide from her mouth, a stringy tendril of fluid followed me as I drifted to the sandy bottom, floating languidly in the cool water, my body spent. Laying there relaxed in the sand, recovering from one of the most intense orgasms of my life. I closed my eyes and thought of nothing but the memory of the supernova I had just experienced. Later I felt something settle on me and looked to see Faith resting her crossed arms on my chest, looking down at me with this huge smile on her face, her eyes shining brightly. I returned the smile and said, "Wow, that was amazing! I hope I wasn't too rough."

She giggled and said, "No Duncan, I enjoyed your ah... enthusiasm. Of course, I can't get pregnant that way." She stuck out her tongue and licked my nose.

"No, I suppose not. I tried not to but the flesh is weak..." I said.

"Not a problem, hisokurie. No pressure, remember? Just let things happen as they will."

"That's fine with me." Faith settled into the sand next to me, her tail draped over my legs. I turned slightly in the weightlessness and faced her. I put my hand on her belly and idly ran my fingers over her. I took the opportunity to explore the mystery that was her tail, first running my hands down her waist then hovering briefly over her sex. I felt the warm folds with a light touch then moved on. I reached behind her and glided my left hand down the back side of her tail, feeling the smooth muscle and resilient skin. I moved lower until I came to the bud I had found before. I gently touched it, swirling around and exploring. I looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she returned the glance.9

"There are no taboos among us Duncan, if it brings pleasure or babies, it is accepted. I will say though that we are not as sensitive there as humans are so we tend not to. We can try it if you like, I've never done it myself."

"Maybe later perhaps, I was just curious. Gloria wasn't interested in it which pretty much made me uninterested too I guess." I continued my survey down the length of her tail, feeling her gentle curves that narrowed to her fin. The fins themselves were horizontal in relation to her body and reminded me of a dolphin. They were stiff and rubbery feeling, like a set of swim fins. I found out that they were ticklish too as I ran my hands over them, taking in their texture. I twisted them gently and turned her over and felt the backside of her tail with both hands. I noticed a small ridge running down it's length, apparently the extension of her spine. I ran my hands up, feeling the muscles under the skin, seeming like coiled wire. I noticed her tail actually started almost to the middle of her back, the flesh melding flawlessly.

Her shoulders were muscular but not mannish, her arms had the odd ridge that felt similar to her tail fins although not as stiff. Unfolded they were not all that noticeable but when she put them to her side they formed a fin sort of like a shark. Again I was struck by how beautiful the form was, how beautiful her entire body was. I thought perhaps her otherworldliness would be a problem but it was actually a turn on. As my hands roamed, they eventually found themselves once again fondling her breasts. I reached over and placed my hand behind her neck and pulled her into a kiss once again.

As our tongues met and danced, Faith reached down and fondled my erection... dear god, I had and erection. I looked down and sure enough I was standing at full attention. I knew myself pretty well by now and it usually took at least 15 to thirty minutes for me to "recharge" even when I was young and horny and lately it could take hours. Surprised, Faith asked, "What's the problem, Duncan?"

"I have an erection!"

She looked at it for a second then said, "It's not a problem from where I'm swimming." as she proceeded to rub her breasts seductively.

"No, not a problem. I'm just surprised to have one again so soon."

She smiled at that, "I think you will find many surprises in your new life, Duncan, most all of them should prove enjoyable." She swam up close and she gently grabbed my stiff member and guided it to her warm folds. I sucked in a sharp breath of brine as I entered her. The first sensation was her warmth, she was almost unbearably warm at first until I grew accustomed. I found out later that although her body temperature was the same as mine, I was floating in 35 degree water and comfortable in it. Going from near freezing to almost 100 was somewhat a shock bordering on pain.

We stayed coupled but motionless for a few moments, I was almost to the point of pain and then it eased. She enfolded me in her arms, trapping me against her body. She said quietly as the fire eased, "That is called 'jejehone pah' or 'fire and ice' in English, don't worry, it will pass quickly. I should have warned you, I'm sorry. It is not so much a shock if you keep yourself in the pouch until you are just about to enter. It doesn't happen in warm water thankfully. There are those who enjoy the feeling although to me it must be an acquired taste."

"Yeah, quite the wakeup call," I said as the sensation faded from pain to pleasure as I began thrusting slowly, savoring the silky heat of her sex. I slowly built up the intensity as I grew accustomed to the weightless environment. I wrapped my legs around her tail to keep us together while she worked to keep us in one spot, more or less. As our passions built, my thrusts were met by her own insatiable lust. I could feel myself spurt jets of precum occasionally, adding to her slippery juices making everything slide like a well oiled machine. Thankfully our fluids didn't wash away like they would have in my former existence. It was somewhat awkward at first until I became accustomed to the weightlessness.

There wasn't too much difference between her and a human female, felt like a silk wrapped piece of heaven as far I was concerned. There was a difference though, since her sex was lower, it was below her pelvic area. That meant she was a bit more flexible and I could vary the angle more than I could with a woman. As our passions heightened, I found her breasts were a bit more accessible so I took full advantage and teased them with my tongue and lightly nipping and pulling at them. She moaned and thrashed in the water so much I was afraid she would buck me off at one point. I just held on and rode her for all I was worth.

Considering how soon it had been since I had ejaculated the first time, I was amazed to find I was on the verge of exploding again far sooner than I would have expected. I had never been multiorgasmic and a second round so soon usually meant a marathon session and a sore penis on the rare occasions it happened. That definitely wasn't the situation here because I felt the tightening and tingling that signaled an orgasm far sooner than I had ever felt before. I dug my heels into her sides and drove hard into her as she also began her orgasm. Once again her muscles pulsed and milked at my member as she climaxed much the same way she had with my finger earlier, sending me into unbelievable ecstasy. Surge after surge of sperm jetted from me in bursts of intense pleasure as my penis sought the deepest part of her, locking me in the rigor of passion. The climax was like nothing I had experienced before. At that point I decided this new life wasn't so bad after all, especially if there was more where that came from.

Once the orgasm faded into a warm afterglow, I opened my eyes and looked at the mermaid floating under me, our bodies still joined. I searched her face and saw something I had never experienced during sex before and it affected me far more than the act itself. It was Faith and the expression on her face that made my heart skip a beat and burned an indelible mark into my memory. It was the most beautiful expression I had ever seen on any living being, a look of absolute bliss and satisfaction. It made Buda look like a crotchety old man with hemorrhoids. That moment and her expression defined the rest of my life and I promised myself I would do everything in my power to see it again.

As I looked upon her beauty in absolute rapture, she opened her eyes and gazed up into mine. I don't know if it was love, lust or a kidney stone but I felt for her in a way that defies description. Her smile melted my heart and it was almost unbearable then, I could only pull her into my arms and hug her in an embrace that went far beyond the body; I felt I was embracing her soul.

I kept my promise. I saw it when our first child was born, again when I fathered a child by her closest friend a year later. I saw the bliss in her eyes again when our daughter made her first hisokurie and our son took a beautiful Makurie as his mate and later bring a confused and terrified fisherman into their family and help him make the transition. Again I saw the look when our grandchildren were born and I see it now as I tell her with my failing watery breath that I loved her more than life itself and our forty years together were the happiest anyone could ask for.

I did not fear the darkness that was coming, I only regretted not being there when our great grandchild was born in a few months and I will miss seeing Faith's smile. The cave I rested in was filled with my family and friends, some of the children I had fathered over the years and the several humans who shared their lives with the Makurie as I had. One of the hisokurie was close to me, holding my hand and weeping silently. She was a girl who had committed suicide by jumping into the sea with a chain tied around her waist and had landed almost on top of Faith and I when she sank into the depths almost ten years before. At first Faith was hesitant about saving her because those who sought out death were usually too mentally fragile to make the change to life in the sea. Faith changed her mind though when she saw the girl was no more than twelve and covered with scars from a lifetime of abuse. Once the venom had worked it's magic Andrea became a part of our family and blossomed into a beautiful woman who we considered as much our daughter as any of our other children. I told her not to cry for me because I was the luckiest person on earth and I told her we would meet again someday. I then asked them all to leave except for Faith. They filed past me, some touching me or squeezing my hand as they all told me goodbye.

I was starting to feel something I hadn't since I had dropped into the sea, I was cold. I knew it wasn't the water but instead it was death coming for me. Once we were alone in the grotto, Faith glided up to me and settled her body against mine, her warmth feeling like heaven for a moment or two. She hugged me close and held me for a long moment. She could feel my strength slipping away. She pulled away and looked into my eyes. I reached up and stroked her ageless face as life began flowing from my body, the coldness of death gripped me and with every ounce of strength left in my failing body, I asked her, "What happened to your scars? I don't see them anymore."

The end.