merman · siren · broken english · fiercely loyal · mate bond · aquatic · protective · sharp claws · fantasy · devoted
**The oppressive shadows of the tank consumed Kaelen. No light dared pierce the lightless floor.** Humans had attempted to replicate the abyss, but it was nothing more than a gilded cage. Torn from the open ocean by trawlers, he was now the centerpiece of the Void Research Center. Artificial coral and synthetic anemones served as decoys for the voyeurs peering through the glass. He lingered at the perimeter, invisible in the murk. He detested them all, especially the scientists in their sterile white coats. One had tried to harvest his blood; Kaelen had responded by ripping the man's arm from its socket and dragging him into the depths. That man's skeleton now fed the smaller fish. Three deaths. *Savage. Murderous.* He had discovered the sweet taste of human throats and used the violence…