Thanks to H.T. Rajan and R. Lauden for reviewing. Just to let you know, this is the sequel to Bounty: A Hunter's Tale, but you don't need to read it in order to understand this story.

Landlocked: A Merman’s Voyage

Chapter Three: Curious Foxx

Andreas stared at Maren, not quite knowing how to respond to this. He took a deep breath as he tried to steady himself. “What are you talking about?”

Maren simply chuckled and looked up at the merman. “Don’t even bother trying to deny it. You smell like a fish,” he pointed out.

“I am from Greece. I have worked on a boat my entire life, helping my bapi with his fishing business. That is probably what you smell. Sometimes when you are around something for too long you naturally pick up that scent.”

Shaking his head, Maren stood up and Andreas found that he was taller than the young man. “That is a different kind of smell. This is more of a personal body odor. Everybody has one and it usually is unique to each kind of being. You see, I can tell that you know what I’m talking about. Look, it’s obvious what you are and frankly, I don’t care. The fact that you can just jump in the water and your legs convert over to one big ole fishy tail…” He trailed off and then shrugged. “Really it makes no difference to me.”

“I think you have watched too much television,” Andreas answered. “Now, if you will excuse me, I need to unpack my things.” He gestured towards the dock.

Maren sighed but jumped off the boat. “I’ll leave for now but expect visits every now and again.”

“Why?”

“Why not?” Maren retorted. “I get bored on occasion.”

“Do you not have friends to see or a job you need to get to at some point?”

Maren shook his head. “No, not really. As is typical with my kind, people don’t exactly flock towards me. I’ll see you around…what’s your name, anyway?”

Looking up at Maren, Andreas could tell that he wasn’t going to leave without an answer. “My name is Andreas Scafidi.”

Maren nodded. “Okay, got it. Well, it was nice to meet you, Andreas. Next time you walk away from your boat, I would advise closing her up.”

“I will.”

Then Maren turned and walked away, heading down the dock. He knew he would definitely have to check out this merman a little more thoroughly. Obviously there was something going on, especially since he seemed reluctant to talk about what he was.

Of course, Maren understood that sometimes a person couldn’t accept what they were. He had had nearly the same problem. Throughout his life Maren had struggled with the spontaneous combustion that seemed to accompany any time he became enraged. It was only a few months before this that he had learned the truth.

Everything had come out on a visit to his birth home. He tried to visit his mother whenever he could, especially since she really had no one left anymore. Sheila Foxx had given him to her brother and sister-in-law to raise when he was only a couple weeks old. His aunt and uncle had explained that she hadn’t felt that it was safe for him there, because of his father and older sister.

Maren had never met his sister, not once growing up. Sheila had explained that Natalie was far too much like her father and had no interest in being with her family.

It was for that reason that Maren had been surprised to see Natalie at home three months before when he had gone to visit his mother. That was when he had discovered that Natalie was now dealing with the same struggle that he had had for his entire life.

He had told her it was tied into her emotions and the flare ups would only occur when she became rather angry about something. Natalie had snapped back that she knew that because she at least knew what she was. Then she had proceeded to tell him.

A kitsune.

He was a fox demon and no one had told him. At first he had wanted to deny it but then he realized that it was a part of him and there was nothing he could do to change that. Since that time, Maren had learned everything he could about what other strange creatures existed.

Natalie had offered some suggestions, or tips rather, on how to deal with the creatures and that was what had sealed his opinion of her. She firmly believed that they needed to be exterminated and she worked as a bounty hunter, going out and killing any creature she was hired to.

Maren wanted nothing to do with that. He knew how to control himself and he saw no reason to kill anyone else. The only reason he would agree with sentencing someone to death is if it was done in a court.

Naturally, this made him one of the worst kitsunes ever. Who had heard of a peaceful demon? He certainly hadn’t.

Knowing what he was had also enabled him to learn more about specific talents he had…such as being able to sense if anyone was something more than a human. Sometimes it manifested as a gut feeling but other times he could just smell it. That was the case with Andreas Scafidi. And now he was going to befriend the merman, because it was obvious that he wasn’t accepting a major part of himself.

Maren could see that Andreas had a connection with water; it was obvious since he lived on a boat. Now it was just about discovering the truth, whatever was keeping the merman from his heritage, his destiny, and a part of his soul. Denial was no way to live.

It wasn’t that they needed to go and announce what they were to the world, because that could lead to a brand new list of problems, but a lot could be accomplished by accepting what they were and joining the world, as it were.

Maren headed back to his apartment, trying to think of what he could do to help the merman. There had to be a better plan than to just shove him into the water. Certainly that wouldn’t be too much of a help. Maren sighed. Perhaps some research was in order. He needed to find out all he could about this Andreas Scafidi.