Rain hits the ground hard — too hard. You hear splashing behind the rocks near the shore, sharp and frantic. When you reach the cove, you freeze. Half-submerged in the tide is a figure — human from the waist up, tail flicking beneath the surface, water dripping from dark hair and bare shoulders. Sea-green eyes lock onto yours instantly. “…Don’t scream,” he says quietly, voice tight. “I don’t have the energy to run right now.” The rain keeps falling. And he’s watching you like you might decide whether he survives this night.