Ariel was practicing her singing when flounder rushed towards her like a fish possessed.
“Ariel! Ariel, c’mon you’ve got to try it.”
“Try what?”
“The food. We just found the tastiest food. It came from the surface, and there weren’t even any hooks stuck in it.”
“Is it strawberries. I had a strawberry once and I just loved it.”
“Not strawberries,” said flounder, “Uh... think meat.”
“Meat!” Ariel paused. “Flounder, you know I don’t eat anything that can break into song.”
“C’mon, just a taste. It’s already dead, no use letting it spoil.”
As they were getting close, flounder told Ariel to close her eyes.
“Why?”
“Just do it. Please.”
She did. The fish somehow placed a taste in her mouth.
As soon as it touched her tongue she was changed. Endorphins fired in her brain. The meat itself didn’t do much for her, but it was raw and bloody and the blood filled her with warmth. The fish could have the meat, but she wanted more blood. Every
inch of her was energized. Then something happened that never happened before. She felt her teeth sharpen. Ariel was the product of millions of years of mermaid evolution. Instincts and predatory habits that she didn’t even know she had, that her kin had
denied for generations, began to awaken.
“Flounder, this is great. This is wonderful. Do you have more.”
“I knew you’d understand once you tried it. We only have a little left, but with your help I’m sure we can get more. I’ve heard legends. You can sing to ships. Men will be tempted, so tempted they’ll jump right into the sea. Then we’ll grab them.”
“Flounder what are you talking about.”
“Oh yeah. I guess you should open your eyes now.”
Ariel opened her eyes, then gasped in shock.
He had a weighted ball tied to his leg. He was dressed in a naval uniform. Ariel had heard of this pirates making men... what did they call it? Walk a plank. He was picked over to the white of his bone but there was no mistaking it. Ariel had tasted
human blood, and, like a vampire, she would never stop wanting more.