Kaiba silenced his alarm and rolled over in bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind oddly clear and his body strangely relaxed.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but the sex sessions with the merman were refreshing in more ways than one.

His phone was still buzzing, and Kaiba shut his eyes tightly, reaching for it again and holding it in front of his nose, seeing an unknown number flashing across his screen.

He sat up quickly and answered it, hearing an unfamiliar, deep male voice addressing him by full name.

"Seto Kaiba."

Kaiba frowned. How did this stranger get his personal number?

"It is I, Mahad," said the voice, and Kaiba gripped his sheets tightly, his heartrate shooting up through the ceiling.

"I have a gift for you, the one we agreed upon. Meet me on the beachfront. The address is…"

Oh damn, Kaiba thought nervously, knowing it was too late to refuse the "gift".
The stones were useless to him. Scales were what mattered now.
Also, he had just had amazing, mind blowing, life-changing sex with Atem.
There was no way he was releasing Atem after something like that.

"Are you listening?" Mahad fumed on the other end, hearing only silence as a response. Was the human chanting nonsense in his brain again?

"Yes, and…" Kaiba paused, making sure to sound as shaken as he possibly could. "We need to meet now. There's something you forgot to mention about your cousin."

Mahad's blood ran cold at these words and he gave Shadi an uncertain look over his shoulder before answering the human. "We will talk in person. Come now."

Kaiba hung up and threw the covers off himself, hurrying to get dressed.

There was a soft knock at his door, and Kaiba had just barely managed to buckle his belt before calling out to Isono, "Come in. What is it?"

"Master Kaiba." Isono bowed stiffly and held a plastic bag containing the signet ring with both hands. "Young Mokuba was so interested in the work being done, we slept in the spare rooms at the lab. I hope you didn't mind spending the night here alone."

"It's fine," Kaiba growled, snatching the ring from his manservant, feeling his cheeks burning with arousal at the thought of Atem wrapped around him again. "I'll bring the merman his breakfast today."

Isono nodded plainly and watched the young CEO hurry out of the room.

Atem heard the wheels of the food cart coming through the hallway and he opened his eyes slowly, feeling oddly lethargic.

He was beginning to understand why sex with humans was explicitly forbidden.
It was draining and made him lazy.

To his surprise, Seto Kaiba walked into the room, wheeling the food-laden cart, and Atem lit up, smiling at him languidly.

"Good afternoon, Seto Kaiba."

"It's morning," Kaiba said stiffly, edging the cart towards the far end of the wall and leaving it parked there. "Early morning."

Atem nodded sleepily and closed his eyes again, wondering if the human was up for another session. He looked refreshed, and his skin was glowing.

Kaiba set his briefcase down on the chair and began gathering the dry scales into another plastic container, hearing gentle, inviting splashes behind him.

"Human…do you want to play before you leave?" Atem asked sleepily.
What exciting new sexual wonders did the human have for him today?
It seemed that every time they connected, each time was more intense than the last, and Atem loved it.

Sealing the bag, Kaiba tossed it into his briefcase before turning around and seeing the water emitting soft curls of steam. His face burned with anticipation.
Oh, how considerate.
But he had an urgent meeting.
But…the water was warm, and Atem was smiling at him so sweetly, it was hard to resist.

Atem continued to smile, hearing Kaiba's thoughts loud and clear.

Kaiba shut his briefcase with a click and sighed.

He walked towards the pool with almost too much eagerness, his conscience yelling at him to stop, but he had already kicked off his shoes and sat down at the edge, sinking his legs into the steaming water, enjoying the way it stung his calves.

His pants quickly absorbed the water and grew heavy.

"You look nice today," Atem said silkily, leaning against one of Kaiba's knees and running his hand up and down his clothed thigh, wetting the fabric so quickly, the color darkened.

Kaiba nodded silently, his thoughts focused on one thing: the intense, mind-bending pleasure from the heated tentacle.

Atem laughed, the sound echoing pleasantly around him and Kaiba bravely eased off the edge and sank into the water, attempting to wrap his arms around Atem's shoulders, but to his dismay, the merman dodged him nimbly, still laughing.

"Can you swim?" Atem asked playfully, and he saw the human's face twitch in annoyance. Was that a yes or a no?

Not in the mood to play hard-to-get, Kaiba lunged at Atem and wrapped his legs firmly around his waist, bobbing lightly in the water and enjoying the hard smoothness beneath him. He pressed tight kiss against his tanned ear and gave it a playful bite, feeling the merman shiver happily.

"Do it quick. I have to go," Kaiba demanded, and to his delight, the merman nodded and obliged.

This time, Atem found it was easier to disrobe the human. After all, he had been receiving so much practice.

He unbuckled the belt with ease and tossed it aside, working the buttons, amazed to feel a hardness there already waiting for him.

"Why are you so eager today, Seto Kaiba?" Atem asked suspiciously, wondering if it was in this human's master plan to drain him of all energy for the rest of his stay.

Kaiba grinned handsomely and held on tighter to Atem, leaning in to kiss him gently, enjoying the soft plumpness of his lips for a lingering moment before pulling away to answer him, "You've converted me."

"Converted?" Atem echoed, mildly confused while his lips stung pleasantly from the residual sensations of their kiss. "I don't know what you mean."

"I mean, you've changed my mind," Kaiba said hastily, baring his teeth and giving the soft flesh on Atem's neck a firm, loving bite. "I like you. It feels amazing, so much that I'll never want to stop."

Atem laughed nervously, and turned his head away slightly, his stomach clenching and curling at the way Kaiba's tongue flicked in and out over his skin, tasting him.
Oh no…what if he had messed up?

"You're still planning on letting me go, right?" the merman asked faintly, his resolve slipping when Kaiba's slender fingers slid suggestively over his slit and gave him a rough rub, sending a jolt of fiery pleasure shuddering up his spine, and Atem closed his eyes, riding it out and willing himself to remain composed.

"Shut up about that," Kaiba breathed, giving the merman's slit another rough rub, up and down. "Take it out and fuck me senseless with it."

Atem blinked rapidly, his heart clenching at Kaiba's dirty words.

"Don't forget your place, human," Atem said nervously, his tongue twisting on his own words while his arousal throbbed excitedly. "What will you give me in return?"

Kaiba tightened his legs around Atem's waist, his boner already leaking and aching in the hot water. Fucking come on…! Seriously?!

"Yes, I'm serious," Atem said, with renewed conviction, and he ran his hands up and down along the human's clothed legs, which were wrapped so firmly around his waist. "You're still wearing this protective layer here…"

Kaiba released Atem and kicked his pants off with practiced ease, stepping on the hems and freeing each of his legs before forcefully wrapping himself back around the merman's body and grinning impishly at him.

"How about a ring?" Kaiba suggested, running his hand down Atem's bare chest and palming his nipple playfully. "Your royal ring, the one that came off of Mahad's finger."

"You killed him?!" Atem gasped, horrified, and he briefly considered pushing the human off of him, before the human laughed loudly, sending a wonderful shiver up his arms.

"No, you idiot," Kaiba said pleasantly, nuzzling his nose into the base of Atem's spiky blond bangs. "He gave it to me in a gesture of good faith so that I'd find and release you. You can have it back. Check my pocket."

Atem patted Kaiba's blazer and his fingers closed around a plastic bag.

He pulled it out and stared incredulously at Mahad's golden ring sitting the clear folds and he gripped it tightly, his heart pounding.
Mahad…had given this human his signet ring as a gesture of good faith.
His bodyguard really put this much trust into Seto Kaiba?

"I paid, now fuck me," Kaiba demanded, tightening his grip around Atem's neck and feeling incredibly pent up. "Harder than before."

Atem curled the ring in his fist and stuffed it back into Kaiba's pocket, surging forward with enthusiasm and pressing Kaiba up against the wall, baring his fangs and resisting the urge to sink them into his soft flesh.

He recalled hearing a rumor that if one fed on human blood while mating, the energy he'd receive would be limitless, but it was considered blasphemous.

Kaiba shivered and shut his eyes, his mind humming with excitement the moment he felt sharp fangs graze across his skin. Was he going to be bitten? It would feel amazing, right? Some pain along with all this pleasure was definitely welcome.

Atem tensed and held back with an enormous effort, his head spinning as he wondered if Kaiba was insane.

The human was asking to be bitten?

Burying the sinful thought, Atem uncurled his length, prodding it tentatively underneath Kaiba's soft testicles, and shoved himself upwards into Kaiba's tight, clenching hole, reveling in the sweet heat that enveloped him steadily.

Kaiba gasped and stiffened, caught off guard by the sudden penetration, his rim stretching painfully as his back scraped against the wall. Never in his life had he wished to be a in a bed more than he did now. The intense pleasure was overwhelming, making it hard to breathe every time Atem thrust into him passionately, and his fingers slipped wetly on Atem's shoulders.

Atem shivered happily, feeling himself sinking slightly due to Kaiba's weight around his body and he braced himself on the wall, placing his hands down on either side of Kaiba's body and leaning into him heavily, his stomach twisting and curling pleasurably with every sharp gasp Kaiba made, and the throbbing heat from where they were connected burned with a strange fire.

Kaiba shut his eyes and threw his head back, his heels slipping dangerously down Atem's bare back, but strong arms held him afloat while he was stretched thickly by the writhing tentacle, and after several more vigorous thrusts, Kaiba could no longer discern pleasure from pain. Everything melted together wonderfully, from the way Atem's heated skin slid up against his to the passionate licks of the tentacle rising higher inside of him, causing his legs to tremble violently against his will as he came in a wrenching heave.

Atem kept his eyes open, drinking in the marvelous sight beneath him, his vision fading in and out as Kaiba's hole clenched deliciously around his dick and milked him steadily, clamping down around him so tight, his entire lower body became numb, causing him to cum thickly in Kaiba's ass. With his lips pressed firmly against Kaiba's parted ones in a hurried kiss, Atem sank beneath the water steadily, letting the warmth envelop them from the shoulders up.

Atem ached to steal the human away and curl up with him on soft sand at the bottom of the ocean, because their standing-floating-while-making-love technique was quite exhausting.

Kaiba's eyes shot open the second water passed the tip of his ears, and he froze, thumping his fists frantically against Atem's back. Suffocating. Drowning. Resurface please.

Quickly realizing his mistake, Atem surfaced, and felt Kaiba pull away from him with a gasping heave.

Water dripped handsomely down his face and his light brown hair matted prettily against his cheeks.

"I'm sorry," Atem breathed, reaching forward to brush a strand of hair away from Kaiba's forehead. "Are you alright?"

Kaiba coughed lightly, his eyes and nose stinging from the salt water as he nodded. His ass throbbed strangely, and he grew hot all over when he realized Atem was still inside of him. He shifted uncomfortably, feeling the tentacle curl playfully against the edge of his rim, giving his insides a fiery lick.

He let out a startled yell which was drowned by Atem's hearty laugh, and the merman grinned mischievously at him, his violet eyes shining with mirth. "Remember previously, you said not to take it out."

"Take it out…before I die," Kaiba breathed, closing his eyes and feeling a pounding headache coming on. Amazing. A sex headache.

Atem gently extracted himself from the human and helped him sit up on the edge, eyeing him with pity when he shivered visibly again.

"You should have something here to help you dry off," Atem said, wondering if the human was able to walk, and he watched Kaiba point shakily at the bottom of the pool.

"My clothes…please."

"Of course." Atem smiled sweetly and dove to the bottom, quickly retrieving the clothes and pushing them to the surface, dragging them heavily across the water towards the human.

"Great," Kaiba cursed his own stupidity under his breath.
Time to walk through the house naked for a dry change of clothes.
He shakily rose to his feet and stumbled to the door, hearing the merman call after him.

"Bring spare coverings here next time!"

Atem sighed and listened to the door slamming in response.

Now feeling unnaturally weak, Atem rested his head against the edge, his head spinning and his breathing too light. There was a strange pain tugging in his chest and Atem ignored it, sinking beneath the surface and sitting at the very bottom.

He recognized these symptoms.
It was illness from lack of pressure.
He needed to be back in deep water as soon as possible.

Upstairs, Kaiba hastily stepped out of the hot shower and got dressed again, making sure to throw his sopping wet clothes into the sink.

Why did he even bother getting dressed the first time around when he went down there?

Irritated at himself, Kaiba checked his reflection in the mirror one last time before rushing out of the room and back down to the basement.

Atem heard footsteps approaching the edge of the pool and he didn't surface.

Kaiba frowned, slowly sweeping his briefcase and phone off the plastic chair and called out to the merman, "I'm off to see your bodyguard. Anything you'd like me to pass along to him?"

Atem swallowed thinly and slowly rose to the surface, only popping his head up to say, "I'm getting sick. Lack of pressure from deep water is giving me shortness of breath and—"

"Yeah we get it, you're unwell," Kaiba snapped, his heart skipping several guilty beats as he turned to leave once more. "I'll ask him where the safest place is to release you without being seen."

Atem watched with a heavy heart as the human stormed off with an echoing bang of the door, and he sank slowly beneath the surface again.

To prolong his health, he would have to stay submerged in the water for as long as possible now, but knowing that the human was planning on releasing him soon, he felt better about his entire predicament.

Mahad paced the beach nervously, doing his best to shut out Shadi and Rishid's bickering.

"We've kept ourselves hidden for centuries," Shadi hissed angrily, "Why should we reveal ourselves to this human? Why is he different? How do we know he can even help us?"

"The human is powerful," Rishid argued, "If he knows the truth, then we can save Atem sooner. It's useless to keep secrets from someone who can help us."

"Atem could be dead! He will be delivering us a dead body!"

"You should give up your place in his court for saying such things! Atem is alive!"

"Shut up, both of you!" Mahad whirled around to face the empty expanse of ocean behind him, hearing his own voice echoing back over the waves lapping at shore.

Rishid and Shadi glared at each other, leaning against the rock underneath the water.

A long black car parked just past a log fence on the roadside above them, and Mahad eyed the vehicle apprehensively from afar.

"He's here," he muttered to his companions underwater. "Shut up so I can concentrate."

Kaiba stepped out of the car and swept his gaze down across the beach, spying one robed figure and two odd waves behind a large rock he was waiting beside.

It seemed Mr. Royal Bodyguard had brought two backup soldiers to ambush him in the water. Good thing he had parked up here for an aerial view of the beach before heading down blindly.
These mermen were dangerous if Atem's abilities were anything to go by.

He hurried down the side of the cliff following a thin trail, his shoes slipping terribly on the sand several times before he managed to reach the bottom, unscathed.

"Seto Kaiba!" Mahad called, raising his arm in an awkward greeting. "Let's talk here."

Kaiba stood stubbornly several feet away, calling back, "No thanks! You come here!"

Underneath the water, Shadi and Rishid gave each other an angry look before shouting at Mahad in their minds.

"What an impudent human!"
"Make him approach the shore so we can protect you if he poses a threat!"

"Shut…up," Mahad breathed, willing his face to remain pleasant, and he waved again, managing a thin smile. "Please, let's talk by the water. It's more pleasant here."

"No," Kaiba said firmly, folding his arms across his chest and feeling his feet sinking deeper in the sand. "I'm not about to be ambushed by your two friends in the water. Do you think I'm an idiot?"

Mahad's blood ran cold and heard simultaneous gasps of disbelief from Rishid and Shadi, their panicked cries echoing annoyingly in his ears.

"You were right! He does know of our existence!"
"We've been seen! We've been seen! How was he able to see us?"

"Well?" Kaiba said loudly, his voice almost drowned by the sound of the waves. "I have your ring!"

He waved the plastic bag and the ring gleamed in the low afternoon sun.

"Approach us, and we won't hurt you," Mahad said with firm finality, and he mirrored Kaiba's stance with his feet planted strongly apart. "You come here, or no deal."

Fine, dammit, Kaiba growled, stalking towards the mermen and keeping his gaze on the large rock behind his back. Maybe his two friends were waiting behind there with harpoon guns or something. He was outnumbered here anyway.

Besides, he was no use to them if he was dead.

Mahad eyed the approaching human apprehensively. They stared each other silently for a long moment before Kaiba spoke first, handing him a sealed bag containing his signet ring.

"I did my tests, and I want to amend our agreement," Kaiba said stiffly, watching the merman snatch his ring back and slip it onto his finger, looking relieved.

"You said you would melt it down," Mahad breathed, gazing at the ring on his hand, his heart calming down steadily. He had lost a good night's sleep over this, thinking that the ring really had been lost.

"When the fuck did I say that?" Kaiba smirked, eyeing the tall rock again and watching the merman's face remain blank.

"You said it to me in your mind," Mahad replied bluntly, and Kaiba rolled his eyes, pressing on with his own agenda.

"I found your little spoiled prince. He's being kept in a lab by a rival company," Kaiba lied smoothly. There was a deep truth to the lie.

"You neglected to mention that he had a fish's tail. Breaking him out is going to be difficult. You're asking me to commit a crime—several crimes."

Mahad heard Rishid and Shadi gasp again and shout at him from the water.

"So he knows! Can we reveal ourselves?!"
"But is Atem alive?! Ask for proof!"

"Okay…first of all, shut up!" Mahad roared, turning to face the rock.

Kaiba blinked, taken aback by the sudden outburst, but he felt a smile tugging at the corners of his own mouth. The other two were probably giving him hell.

"And show me proof," Mahad growled, facing Kaiba once more, and Kaiba was ready for this.

He pulled out his phone and showed the merman photos taken from the security feed in his own lab before Atem had destroyed the glass tank, even showing the blurry image of a hand coming towards the camera out of murky water.

"H-He's alive!" Mahad cried, grabbing the phone from Kaiba and rushing to the water's edge. "Come here, you idiots. Have your proof."

Kaiba watched with rising amusement as two heads surfaced and circled the rock. He studied their faces intently. Dark skin, and angular eyes. One man had a tattoo of scripture down one side of his face, and the other was wearing obnoxiously large hooped earrings.

"He looks like he's suffering," Shadi said angrily, giving the handsome human on shore a suspicious glare after seeing the image of Atem sitting lifeless against the edge of the small tank in shallow, murky water.

"Why are these photos taken from the air?" Rishid added, his confusion rising, and to Kaiba's relief, Mahad explained for him.

"Humans have cameras in the sky. But as for how Seto Kaiba obtained images from these cameras…" Mahad threw the human a suspicious look over his shoulder and Kaiba called back lazily, "I stole them! So I've already committed one crime trying to find him!"

"Tell me the location," Mahad said furiously, advancing on the human and gripping the phone tightly in his hands. "I will go in there and retrieve him myself."

"Right, and you'll end up in a tank too. Brilliant plan," Kaiba smirked, and he saw the two mermen behind him disappear behind the rock again. "If you're patient, I can break him out."

"There's no time! He's dying!" Mahad fumed, pointing at the photo on the phone with a shaking finger. "His skin is dull. He's sitting in a puddle of his own waste. This is humiliating."

"I know the man in charge," Kaiba answered smoothly, holding his hand out for his phone. "I can make him an offer he can't resist. I'll buy him and release him to you."

"Buy him!" Mahad cried, hearing similar shocks of displeasure from his two comrades behind him. "Is he being sold?!"

"Not yet," Kaiba growled, clenching his fists tightly at his sides, his heart pounding terribly in his chest. "I'll get my hands on him before that happens. But I'll need your cooperation."

"Right, your payment, our cooperation," Mahad said hurriedly, reaching into the pocket of his robes and holding out a large stone with a glowing blue core, his hands visibly shaking. "…Our promise."

"Yeah, I don't need that anymore," Kaiba said lazily, waving it away and pocketing his phone quickly. "I want your dead scales."

There was a long silence where only the crashing of the waves on shore rang out between them, and Shadi was the first to speak up, whispering to Mahad.

"How…does he know about that?"

Ignoring the comment, Mahad agreed readily. "Dead scales. Agreed."

"No, you didn't hear the rest of my demand," Kaiba said, his teeth flashing white in a half-grimace. "I want an endless supply of dead scales, for the rest of the foreseeable future. Those are my conditions for freeing the prince."

Mahad blinked rapidly, wondering what he was agreeing to. How would they even begin to do that? It would mean continuous contact with a human!

"He is a king, not a prince, and we do not agree to those terms," Shadi said deeply, showing his face from behind the rock again, glaring at the human. "If that is your clever method to remain in contact our people, we do not want any part of that."

"I don't need to see your ugly faces," Kaiba sneered in response, and he felt the merman standing beside him stiffen angrily. "Just deliver them to shore. Toss them up or something. Leave them on the rock and fuck off."

"Excuse me for interjecting, but that is a disgusting request," Rishid chimed in unhelpfully from behind Shadi, folding his arms and leaning his back against the rough rock. "What on earth are you planning on doing with our sheddings?"

"Not important!" Mahad snapped, secretly relieved that the human's demands had changed from precious stones to something easily procured in abundance.

"Do we have a deal?" Kaiba asked, his fingertips tingling with excitement. "Are you men of your word? Because if you anger me, I'll be the most dangerous enemy you'll wish you'd never—"

"Save your threats human, we know," Shadi interrupted, moving closer to shore and itching to wring the human's neck. "You have metal ships in the water too. Mahad here has told us of your expeditions."

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about," Kaiba sneered, "My ships have been picking up garbage."

There was a long silence, and Rishid tentatively poked his head out from behind the rock, his eye wide, "I've seen the ships that do that—"

"Shut up," Mahad hissed again, his cheeks burning. So perhaps this human was their friend after all, but something still felt off about him.

"Fine, human, let's make a blood pact," Shadi suggested nastily, and Mahad turned to give him a terrified look, shaking his head angrily. "No, no, we will not do that."

"Yes, we will!" Shadi argued back, rising higher and higher out of the water, no longer caring if the human saw his lower half. "I don't trust this human, and neither should you. Atem's life depends on it."

"I agree to the pact," Kaiba said lightly, examining his nails with his heart pounding thickly in his chest. "Repeat after me: I will give you dead scales forever until the end of time. At least, until the end of your time. They don't have to come from you. Scales from any mermaid will do."

"Reverse that wording, you devil-tongued sea urchin," Shadi growled, pointing coldly at him. "Dead scales will be delivered to you until your death."

"My company will keep living on even after my death," Kaiba said, his eyes gleaming. "It's my legacy. So as long as my name is alive, I'll never die. Sure, make a pact like that."

All three mermen fell silent, and Mahad narrowed his eyes at Seto Kaiba, thinking that Shadi was right.

This human, however helpful, could not be trusted, but blood pacts were a dangerous practice, even amongst mermen.

They just had to hope for the best and place their faith in Seto Kaiba's word.

"We will make the deal when you've managed to release Atem," Mahad said finally, and Shadi nodded in silent agreement behind him.

Kaiba felt his blood boil and he curled his fists at his sides, "I want something in return, immediately, or no deal."

"Then….no deal." Shadi answered haughtily.

"NO!" Mahad cried, whirling around to glare at his comrade and then back at Seto Kaiba. "Fine, human, don't listen to him. I will give you my scales for as long as you keep requesting it. You must free Atem in return. I alone…"

Mahad turned to glare at Shadi again before facing Kaiba once more.

"I alone shall travel to shore to deliver you sacks filled with dead scales. What you do with them is none of my business."

"That's what I like to hear," Kaiba said gleefully, managing a tight smile. Jackpot. "I'll give you the address to my private beach. There will be a deposit area drilled into the rock for you, so you can stay underwater when you deliver the scales. Daily."

"Daily?!"

Noises of shock and discontent rose up from behind the rock, and Mahad blinked incredulously at the human, his ears ringing with dread.

"Yeah," Kaiba smirked, keeping his arms folded across his chest in a protective stance. "You shed daily, don't you?"

"This human is the worst!" Rishid's voice could be heard from behind the rock and Kaiba ignored it.

"Yes, but rising to shore daily is unhealthy," Mahad said stiffly, wondering if he was signing his soul away to the devil wearing human skin. "Weekly. And you will receive a pouch full of scales from the entire week."

"No, Mahad! You're foolish!" Shadi shouted over the sound of crashing waves.

Mahad stood his ground, clenching his fists at his sides.
For Atem.
Anything…for Atem.
This man could save Atem.
If he agreed to these terms, Atem would return to them alive.

"Deal," Kaiba said readily, reaching his hand out for a shake. "Forever, right? Even past my death. There will be someone present to collect the scales."

"If you can manage that, then yes," Mahad growled, reaching to grasp the human's hand in his and giving it a firm squeeze. "Dead scales will be delivered to you until you have no need for them. Atem must come to us alive, or the deal is off."

"I'll do my best," Kaiba replied coldly, withdrawing his hand quickly. "You want him on this shore, or on the shore of my private beach?"

"Your private property will be just fine, if you can guarantee his safety and the safety of the men in my pod," Mahad said readily, somehow feeling as if he was losing for some reason.

"Double deal," Kaiba grinned and turned to walk away, giving the merman a careless wave over his shoulder. "See you in a few days, but if you don't hear from me, I've probably been arrested!"

All three mermen watched the human walk away blithely and climb the sandy cliff towards his car.

The door slammed and the car pulled away from the cliff's edge, leaving nothing but the smell of exhaust in the air, mingling with the salty ocean spray.

Mahad stood silently in the sand, his eyes watering dangerously.

His companions behind him had resumed bickering and he shut them out completely.

Atem was still alive, and that was all that mattered.

Author's note:

Kaiba demands sexytime from atem and atem obliges but feels sick after because he's getting the merman's equivalent of altitude sickness.

Mahad makes a bad deal, and kaiba walks away the winner. A full sack of dead scales for a lifetime, but he has to release atem.

edited by:setokaibaes

love,
Ugli