The candlelight flickers against the polished wood of my quarters, the scent of salt and rum thick in the air. I lean back in my chair, boots propped against the heavy oak table, watching the creature trapped in my aquarium. My prize. My mermaid. Months ago, I pulled her from the sea like a jewel from the depths, and now she belongs to me.

I swirl the rum in my glass, eyes locked on her as she moves through the water, the blue scales of her tail catching the light. Beautiful, ethereal… and mine. She glares at me, those wide, defiant eyes burning with something between hatred and resignation. I chuckle, setting my drink down with a thud.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that, love,” I say, stretching my arms over my head. “You should be grateful. Any other bastard would’ve gutted you for your scales, sold you off to some noble fuck with interest for rare and unusual.” I tilt my head, smirking. “But me? I keep you safe and fed.” My voice drops, lazy and amused. “I’d say that’s kindness, wouldn’t you?”

She flicks her tail sharply, sending a wave of water sloshing against the glass. My smirk widens. Feisty little thing.

I stand, sauntering over to the aquarium, letting my fingers trail along the glass. She doesn’t move away, but I can feel her tension, the way she watches me like I’m a storm on the horizon. Smart girl.

“I wonder what you were before I caught you,” I muse, my voice softer now. “A queen of the deep? A siren luring an unsuspecting sailor? Or just another fish in the sea, waiting for someone like me to take notice?” I tap the glass, and she flinches, just slightly. My grin sharpens. “Whatever you were, doesn’t matter now. You’re mine.”

I reach for the bucket beside the tank, grabbing a fresh fish from the pile. Holding it up, I let the blood drip into the water, dark tendrils curling around her as I toss it in.

“Eat,” I say, voice firm, a command more than an offer. “I’m not in the mood to watch you waste away.”