Since I began writing for Siren, a number of reader have expressed a desire to see Ryn swimming with Ben and Maddie. And seeing as how Jaws of Madness (which I'm considering abandoning) is a total flop, I decided to take a break on it and try this one on for size.

There really hasn't been much screen time with the mermaids in aquatic form, so I'm afraid I will have to take a number of creative liberties with this one. I can't seem to figure out how much of their selves they retain while in water.

So for now, my head cannon is that they regress to a more feral state but still remember some of what happens on land, just not clearly. Which is why you will notice nothing (characters included) have names. Writing this one was a little weird, to say the least. I'm hoping I managed to pull it off.

Enjoy.

The mermaid glided through the water, savoring the familiar freedom only the ocean could bring. Her body on the surface was so… restrictive. How the humans endured was a mystery.

Speaking of humans…

She twisted and turned so that she was facing the way she came. It wasn't necessary, the mermaid was able to smell her mates from much further away than they were now. She did take some measure of satisfaction at seeing the glow of the lights they carried. It wasn't dark, they were deep, but not that deep. The water was murky enough to make seeing difficult for them.

Having lived her entire life beneath the waves, the mermaid had no feelings whatsoever on the concept of 'light'. It didn't help her hunt, didn't protect her during a fight, light was useless. Right now, though, it was proof her mates were following closely, or at least as closely as the pair could manage.

The ocean was not a safe place for them, not this far down. Their eyes were too adjusted to the surface world to see in the darkness, those shining sticks were required for that. Their sense of smell was almost nonexistent compared to the mermaid's, so too their hearing. They bore false-fins allowing them to swim but could only do so at a fraction of the speed she could. Without claws or fangs, they wouldn't have a hope of survival should anything decide they were prey.

The mermaid's mates were truly defenseless while underwater. They couldn't outrun threats, nor could they fight it.

For this exact reason, she remained near. This close to the surface, the danger should be minimal. Her race didn't come this far up, and most of the more vicious ocean predators were farther out. Still, there was always that possibility of something wandering closer.

The mermaid didn't care what came at them, including the great leviathans, nothing in all the ocean was going to so much as approach her mates. Defenseless they may be, unprotected they were not.

Having once again traveled too far ahead, the mermaid circled back around to rejoin the couple. She darted toward them at full speed, only to veer off at the last second and swing around them in a graceful twirl.

Their faces were obscured by the masks they wore to breathe, but she could see their eyes well enough, both pairs of orbs were locked upon her, watching every movement. Not wanting to disappoint, the mermiad launched herself into a flurry of spins and turns, whirling around the duo.

Truthfully, they had no intended purpose. Humans didn't belong in the ocean, for obvious reasons. Yet, the mermaid's mates wanted to swim with her, to see her as what she truly was. Fears were expressed, but unwarranted. She had become accustomed to her mates enough to know who these two were, whether it was her humanoid self or mermaid form.

Moving in closer, the mermaid lightly brushed against one of them ever so slightly. Her female mate, judging by the smell. Not for the first time, she lamented their covering. Much like the rest of them, human bodies could not withstand the frigid temperatures of the deeper ocean. It was vital but prevented her from feeling their softer skin against her smooth scales. This went both ways. More than once, the humans reached out to touch her only to remember they couldn't properly feel their mermaid either.

They would make up for the annoyance later, but that was later and this was now.

When the mermaid caught the scent, she recognized it immediately. Blood, a fresh kill, and far too near for comfort.

The mermaid shot out in the direction of the smell came. There was another animal present she could detect, but whether it was a threat or not, she needed to determine.

Upon getting closer, she found another of the oceans predators feeding upon its recent kill. Its rows of sharp teeth tearing into its prey with abandon. There shouldn't have been one here, but the why was irrelevant.

Under normal circumstances, it would sense her presence, and immediately flee. These may be predators, but it wouldn't dare attempt to fight a mermaid. For her part, she would have allowed the shark to escape unless hunting herself.

However, this beast smelled blood, and fed upon its victim with a ravenous hunger.

Just as the mermiad suspected, the animal bolted away when it figured out she was approaching. She would have left it there, but the presence was far too dangerous for her mates.

Increasing her pace, the mermaid was easily able to catch up. Now within range, she tore into flesh with a furious cry. The fight lasted only a few seconds, her quarry more interested in flight rather than fight. By the time it found retreat was impossible, it was too late.

Once sure the shark was dead, the mermiad ripped free a few pieces of meat and gulped them down. She wasn't all that famished, but there was no point in letting good food go to waste, even if other ocean dwellers would come eventually. Not to mention, this particular meat wasn't part of her usual diet.

Before leaving the newly made corpse, the mermaid cut free a few more pieces of the fresh meat for her mates. Not only were they nigh helpless in this environment, they couldn't even hunt for themselves. It didn't matter, she wouldn't allow her mates to go hungry.

Halfway back to the couple, the mermaid realized that the strange facial coverings that allowed her mates to breathe made it physically impossible for them to eat. And even if they could, their teeth were too blunt for chewing what had been gathered. Yet more proof humans didn't belong in the ocean.

Regardless, the mermaid's mates were here to see her and the ocean, not to live here. She knew they would join her here more often if the environment wasn't so unforgiving to their frail selves. Probably for the best they would return to the surface soon. With her in tow, of course.

Abandoning the meat she'd retrieved, the mermaid returned. Their faces were impossible to read, and they couldn't make sounds like she did, but their body language was clear. They were blissfully unaware of the danger that had been unintentionally lurking near. They didn't need to know.

The mermaid had already been vigilant before, but now she stepped up her efforts. The last incident had been something of a fluke, there shouldn't be more, but one never knew.

While they initially had to clear destination in mind, the mermaid did have an idea of something to show her mates, a few somethings actually. Humans, baring very special occasions, never went this deep. As a result, they had no idea about what was down here.

Shifting closer to her male mate, the mermaid let out a quiet screech. Neither human could answer, but they understood her meaning. They'd arrived.

The mermaid guided the way, but much slower now. While she didn't need light to navigate the water, wood, a rarity in the ocean but not unheard of, wasn't something she could smell all that well or hear. Last thing she wanted was to accidentally smack her head because she didn't notice the obstacle.

Unaccustomed to light she was, the mermaid found it useful for locating her target. Coming to a stop when her webbed hand made contact with the object's surface, she motioned to it with her head.

Confused, but intrigued, her mates joined her on either side to examine what she'd led them to. It was an old human vessel, made long before humans began using metal for their ships. How old, the mermaid hadn't the faintest idea. Much of the ship had rotted away over the years, but the wooden frame itself remained.

Continuing on, the mermaid drifted to a large gaping hole in the side. She didn't hesitate before diving through, after making sure her mates saw her do so. It was easily large enough for several of her to pass through, they would have no trouble.

During one of her many trips back to the ocean, the mermaid had swum into this wreck by complete accident. The first time, quite literally. She'd made something of a lair out of it. It was by no means home, that honor was reserved for her mates on land, but it served as a relatively safe place in the water. The entryway they used the only way in or out.

Safe enough that once her mates were inside, she allowed herself to relax her guard the tiniest bit.

The area was spacious for the most part, the ship's contents having faded away with time. Only a few pieces remained, such as a small metal disc the mermaid was currently holding out to her female mate. The woman took the item and turned it over to get a better look. It was no bigger than her palm, covered with markings the mermaid couldn't understand. It wasn't the only item she found among the wreckage, it just happened to be the first within reach.

Sometimes, the mermaid considered bringing some of her treasures back to the surface with her. But it didn't seem right to remove them from their resting place here. It felt too similar to disturbing something sacred, human made or no.

Their air was limited, they would need to return to the surface soon, but the mermaid still had more she wanted to show them. They spent so much time showing her their world, it was only right she do the same for them.

Leaving the old ship, the mermaid motioned for her mates to follow.

On the far side of the wreck, lay a small coral reef. The ship must have managed to land directly on top of it when it first sunk, but the reef itself had survived. As time passed, the coral, unimpeded by the addition, simply grew over top of it.

How the mermaid wished she could show her mates the coral reefs on the bottom of the ocean. Massive groves, carefully cultivated by the merpeople for a variety of purposes. She always knew how stunningly beautiful coral could be, but the swaths around her colony defied imagination. She had roamed among its nooks and crannies many times even into adulthood.

Now, all she had left of these times were the memories.

Even if the mermaid could somehow transport her mates to the seafloor safely, her people would never allow humans to reach the colony. They would kill them long before. Neither could she go back, she was thought dead.

The mermaid paused to regard her mates. The pair were hovering over the coral patch, close so they could see, but made no move to touch the stuff. They wished no harm on any ocean life, even something many would see as insignificant, such as the coral they were busy admiring.

Yes, the mermaid might be barred from ever returning to her people, but it was a choice she would happily make again and again until the day the ocean's dried up.

While her mates were distracted, the mermaid floated closer. When they became aware of her presence, they didn't seem particularly surprised. Almost as if they had been expecting her to come over and had been waiting patiently for her to do so.

It was the mermaid's male mate that acted first. Leaning over, he touched his mask covered forehead to hers, lingering for a long pause. Both closed their eyes, reveling in the act. There was no direct skin to skin contact, but this was the best that could be done.

The whole time, her female mate was running her covered fingertips over her dorsal fin, waiting. When the mermaid pulled away from her male, the female was ready to repeat the gesture with her as well.

The ocean had more than its fair share of wonders, many of which were out of reach of humans. What the mermaid could show her mates, she would. But that would have to wait until another trip. Their air was running low, and any moment now they would all need to resurface.

For now, the mermaid was content to float here over this tiny patch of coral, holding her mates' hands in her own webbed ones.

It all came to an end far too soon for the mermaid when the human female made a gesture with her hand to the male. He understood instantly, so too did the mermaid.

Time was up.

They needed their mermaid's help to descend, they didn't for going back. It was slow going for their false-fins, but they could go no faster. No longer required as a guide, the mermaid swam lazy circles around them, keeping an eye for anything that could cause trouble. She would not be able to relax fully until the pair were safely back in the air and sunshine.

The mermaid may have come from the ocean, and she did miss it sometimes, but that life was now far behind her. Visits like this one were the only reason she had left to return, even those were a fleeting desire.

The surface was in sight now.

Time for the mermaid and her mates to go home.

I had a little free time today, and honestly, I didn't think I'd be able to actually finish this one, yet here we are. Hope it was what you all wanted and you liked it. Characters and stuff went unnamed for reasons mentioned above, but hopefully it was easy enough to tell who was who and what was what.