The Hunter and the Merman
"My name is Kaito," he said, offering a stiff nod to the man he hoped would be his savior.
"Zac," the Merman replied, wiping his brow. "And what exactly is this prize you're offering in exchange for a witch?"
"I know your kind seeks human males for your rituals," Kaito said, his eyes flashing a predatory red. "I can provide you with a victim right now."
Zac let out a short, dry laugh, completely unimpressed by the display of power. "No thanks. I can attract all the victims I need with these muscles—especially the gay men. They're easy enough to charm without your help. Thanks for the offer, though."
Zac turned his back on Kaito and stepped onto the treadmill, bumping up the speed as if the conversation were over.
Kaito's jaw tightened. He wasn't used to being dismissed, especially by a "fish." He looked down at his water tumbler, a wicked idea forming in his mind.
"Okay. If you say so," Kaito murmured.
He moved toward the treadmill, feigning a stumble. With a flick of his wrist, he tipped his tumbler, sending a stream of liquid directly onto Zac's moving feet.
The moment the water hit his skin, Zac's stride faltered. He gasped, his eyes widening in sudden, sharp panic. "This is salt water! How dare you!"
"Run along, hunky fishy," Kaito taunted, his laughter echoing against the gym walls.
Zac didn't stay to argue. He could already feel the heavy, tingling heat in his legs—the agonizing precursor to his transformation. He jumped off the treadmill and bolted toward the back of the gym, his gait becoming awkward as his muscles began to fuse.
"Run as fast as you can before those legs turn into a tail," Kaito called out, watching with an amused smirk.
Zac threw one last, murderous look over his shoulder before disappearing into the locker rooms. Kaito didn't miss a beat; he followed the scent of the sea straight into the shower room.
Tensions at the White Dove
Back at the headquarters, the air was thick with unspoken words. Akihiko and Baekhyun sat by Ethan's bedside, waiting for any sign of life. Following Cristine's strict warning, they were both on their best behavior, though the atmosphere remained heavy.
"Here is some tea," Min Joon said, entering with a tray. "Drink up before it gets cold."
"Thanks," Aki muttered, taking a cup.
Baekhyun didn't reach for the tea. Instead, he remained focused on Ethan, gently holding the unconscious man's hand. "Ethan, please... wake up," he whispered.
Watching them, Min Joon felt a sharp, familiar pang in his chest. He quickly looked away, masking his hurt behind a neutral expression. Aki, on the other hand, felt his blood boil at the sight of Baekhyun's intimacy with Ethan. He gripped his tea cup so hard his knuckles turned white, but Cristine's warning echoed in his head, keeping him in check.
"A reminder to you both," Cristine said, her eyes scanning the room. "Do not make a scene. Ethan is still recovering. When he opens his eyes, it will mean the baptism was a success. Until then, stay calm."
Aki took a long sip of tea and looked at his rival. "So, what's your plan, bro?"
Min Joon flinched at the word, worrying a fight was about to break out, but the two men stayed surprisingly composed.
"I have to continue my mission to become a Bellator," Baekhyun said, his voice weary. "If Ethan isn't awake by tomorrow, I'll have to leave. Aki... could you watch over him for me?"
Aki frowned. "What do you mean 'become' a Bellator? You already are one. Didn't you hear what Miss Cristine said earlier?"
"I heard her," Baekhyun replied. "But our training isn't truly finished until we can—"
"Baekhyun," Min Joon interrupted, his voice laced with an old, lingering affection he couldn't quite hide. "Just... be careful out there."
Baekhyun turned and offered his ex-boyfriend a small, bittersweet smile. "Thanks, bro. You too."
The Gossip Gallery
Outside the room, tucked behind the heavy stone pillars, a Sarangay and a Lambana were eavesdropping on every word.
"Gosh, did you hear that?" the Sarangay whispered, shaking his bull-like head. "He called his ex-boyfriend 'Bro'? Baekhyun is a total walking red flag."
"Right? It's completely unacceptable!" the Lambana squeaked, her wings fluttering in indignation. "Master Min Joon clearly still has feelings, and he just gets a 'thanks, bro'? Huge red flag!"
"But we don't know the ending yet, do we?"
The two creatures jumped as Cristine suddenly appeared behind them, a playful glint in her eyes.
"Miss Cristine!" the Sarangay gasped.
"So, tell me," Cristine said, leaning against the wall with a smirk. "Which team are you on? Are you Team Baekhyun—the handsome walking red flag? Or Team Aki—the soft, hunky best friend?"
The Sarangay and the Lambana looked at each other, caught in deep thought, while Cristine watched them, amused by the drama unfolding in her own headquarters.
Maria's House
While the hunters dealt with their drama, Jin Ae and her friends arrived at a popular local spot. The air outside the restaurant was thick with the savory scent of roasted garlic and spices.
"We're here, girls! And it smells absolutely delicious," Jin Ae said, her eyes bright with excitement.
Beside her, Catherine shifted her weight, looking visibly uneasy. Her eyes kept darting toward the entrance.
"Are you okay, Monday?" Jasmine asked, noticing her friend's stiff posture.
"Yeah... I'm fine," Catherine replied quickly, though her voice lacked its usual confidence.
"You look pale, Monday. Maybe you're just hungry," Jin Ae suggested. She didn't wait for an answer, grabbing both of her friends by the arms and pulling them through the front doors. "Let's go inside!"
As they stepped into the warm, bustling interior, a handsome waiter approached them with a stack of menus.
"Hello! Welcome to Maria's House," the guy said with a charming grin. He handed a menu to each of them, lingering slightly as he looked them over. "Just call me when you're ready to order, okay?"
He topped off the greeting with a playful wink.
"Yes, babe! I mean—yes, sir!" Jasmine chirped, waving her hand enthusiastically as he walked away.
"Jasmine, behave yourself," Catherine whispered, pulling her collar up as if trying to hide.
"Oh, come on! Let's try their famous secret recipe," Jin Ae said, pointing to the star dish on the menu.
The girls quickly made up their minds and waved the waiter back over.
"Yes, ladies? May I take your orders?" the waiter asked, pulling out a notepad. Jin Ae leaned forward and began listing the dishes they wanted to try, unaware of the tension still radiating off Catherine.
The Bargain in the Stalls
Inside the steam-filled shower room, the sound of splashing water couldn't drown out the wet slap of scales hitting the tile. Kaito stood over the stall, watching with a cruel smirk as Zac's powerful legs fused into a shimmering, heavy tail.
"So," Kaito murmured, his voice echoing off the damp walls. "Are you going to help me now? Or should I wait for everyone in the gym to come in and see this?"
"No! Please... no," Zac gasped. His panic spiked as the heavy thud-thud-thud of someone knocking on the main locker room door reached his ears.
"Help me find the witch," Kaito commanded, leaning closer. "The moment she is in my grasp, I will leave you to your vanity. Do we have a deal?"
"Fine! Okay! I'll help you," Zac hissed, his tail twitching in distress.
Kaito reached out and placed a hand on the cold, wet scales. Almost instantly, a thick, white smoke began to curl from Zac's lower body. The Merman let out a low groan as the scales dissolved and his muscles rearranged themselves, his tail split back into two human legs.
As the smoke cleared, Zac stood before him, completely exposed and breathless.
"You really do have a magnificent body," Kaito remarked, his eyes roaming over Zac with a dark, predatory hunger.
Before Zac could reach for a towel, Kaito reached out, his touch bold and unexpected. Zac froze, his heart hammering against his ribs. "What... what are you doing?" he stammered, his eyes wide with shock.
"I can't help it," Kaito whispered, his voice dropping to a low growl. "You're quite attractive. I think I'll take a little deposit on our deal."
Without warning, Kaito pulled Zac toward him and pressed a hard, demanding kiss against his lips. As their lips met, Kaito flicked his wrist. The main doors to the shower room swung open with a bang, and every showerhead in the room roared to life simultaneously, drenching the two of them in a cold, heavy downpour as they remained locked in a dark embrace.
The Awakening
At the White Dove headquarters, the heavy silence was finally broken. Ethan's eyes fluttered open, his vision clearing as the weight of the curse finally lifted.
"Teacher Min Joon," Ethan rasped.
Without a second thought, Min Joon pulled him into a tight, relieved hug. "How do you feel? Are you feeling better now?"
"Yes, Teacher... I'm okay," Ethan replied, a small, tired smile gracing his lips.
"Hey, how are you, E?" Aki asked, stepping forward to wrap his best friend in a hug as well.
Ethan pulled back slightly, his eyes landing on Aki's head. "I'm okay now. And I like the new look—you look cute with those fox ears."
Aki's face turned bright red, his ears twitching in embarrassment. "I... uh, thanks."
Ethan's smile faded as he looked around the room. "Where's Baekhyun?"
Aki and Min Joon traded a heavy, lingering look. They didn't know how to tell him that Baekhyun had already left, traveling toward the shadow of Mount San Cristobal where his sister and her friends were waiting.
The Recipe for Disaster
Back at Maria's House, the "famous recipe" had just been served. The steam rising from the bowls was intoxicating, and Jin Ae reached for her spoon, her mouth watering.
"Wait!" Catherine shouted, grabbing Jin Ae's wrist. "That food is not for us."
"What are you talking about?" Jasmine asked, already lifting a spoonful to her lips.
Catherine didn't answer with words. She flicked her wrist, and an invisible force knocked the spoons right out of her friends' hands.
"How did you do that?" Jin Ae asked, shocked.
"There's no time to explain. Look," Catherine said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a lime—a gift from Lennard's father. She sliced it in two and squeezed the juice directly into the center of the steaming soup.
The reaction was instantaneous. The golden broth hissed and curdled, turning a foul, oily black. A stench like rotting flesh filled the air.
"What is that smell? It's disgusting!" Jasmine gagged, covering her nose.
"This food isn't meant for humans," Catherine whispered, her eyes cold. "They use human meat. Look at the bowl."
Jin Ae leaned in, her stomach churning. Floating in the black sludge was a human cuticle, and beneath it, a severed finger bobbing in the broth.
"We have to leave," Jin Ae hissed, her instincts finally kicking in. "I didn't bring my weapons. We're in danger."
They tried to stand, but their legs felt like lead. The handsome waiter from before was standing at the end of their table, his charming smile now looking sharp and predatory.
"Don't you like the food?" the man asked, his voice dropping an octave into a gravelly growl. "Especially a Bellator like you..."
"No, baby..." Jasmine started to stammer, but the words died in her throat.
The waiter's skin began to tear and gray. His handsome features melted away, replaced by the twisted, terrifying face of a monster.
The Blood Pact of Lust
Inside the steaming shower room, the bargain was sealed in a way only creatures of instinct could manage. Kaito's breath hitched, his voice echoing off the tile as he surrendered to the sensation Zac provided.
"This is good... ahh!" Kaito groaned. He could feel Zac's focus, the Merman's intensity building with every passing second. But as the pleasure shifted into a sharp, stretching pain, Kaito looked back over his shoulder. He gasped, his eyes widening at the sight of Zac's true form—unleashed and far larger than any human's.
"It wasn't that big before, Zackie," Kaito rasped, his voice a mix of shock and dark desire. "But f*ck... it's massive."
"You want this inside you, don't you?" Zac growled, his voice vibrating with a primal hunger.
"Yes, please," Kaito pleaded, his eyes glowing a faint, possessed red. "I want it all. Give me everything you have. Claim me."
Driven by Kaito's words, Zac buried himself deep, his movements rhythmic and powerful. The air in the shower room grew thick with the scent of salt water and musk.
"OOOHHH! Yes, Daddy!" Kaito cried out, his fingers clawing at the damp walls for grip.
"AAAHHH! Your body is amazing," Zac hissed through gritted teeth. "It feels like you're pulling me in... scking me dry. Sht!"
The tension reached its breaking point. Zac's body tensed, his muscles roping as he felt the surge of heat beginning to boil over.
"I'M CMMING! AAHHHH! FCK, YOU'RE SO GOOD!" Zac roared as he reached his peak. Kaito arched his back, pulling Zac even closer, ensuring every drop of the Merman's essence was left inside him.
"It's so warm inside... AAHHHHH!" Kaito exhaled, slumped against the wall in the aftermath.
"Sh*t," Zac panted, leaning down to press a bruised, lingering kiss onto Kaito's lips. "You're wild."
Kaito smiled, biting his lip as he looked up at the powerful creature he had just successfully manipulated. "So, are you going to help me now? If you do, we can do this whenever you want."
Zac didn't hesitate this time. "Hmn. I guess we have a deal." He claimed Kaito's lips once more, sealing their dark alliance with a final, hungry kiss.
TO BE CONTINUED...