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Saluote had left the city limits in order to swim away from the noise of the people and to just feel free. As he swam through the wide open waters, he merged with a school of tuna fish. It was late at night, so Saluote didn't think there would be any trouble to worry about. But, he was wrong. A fishing boat was doing some late-night fishing and he got caught in the net with the fish he was with. He panicked and tried to get out by cutting the ropes with his nails, but he didn't move fast enough before the ship was back on the shore and let the net fall. The men saw him and Saluote didn't know how to react. Should he get away and escape back to the city? That sounded good, but then they'd find the other merfolk and he couldn't risk being the cause of their extinction. Maybe if he slipped away and swam in the opposite direction of the city. Slowly slipping away from the arguing men, who had begun to argue about what to do with their discovery, Saluote had just about reached the side of the boat when someone stepped behind him. "Where do you think you're going?" The merman opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't say anything; nothing came out.

Saluote looked up at the man and blinked. What did he mean he was going with him? He just wanted to go back home! The man began to attack the others and the merman hid in a corner. When the screaming ended, Saluote peeked out only to be lifted by the stranger. A human form? He had one, but what would happen to him once he was in his human form? The merman started to fight against the other out of fear and desperation, letting out small, shrill whines.

Saluote shut up, but only because he didn't want to get hurt. When he was dropped into the pool, the merman swam as far away from the vampire he could get. The other spoke to him through his mind, and Saluote gave him a glare. "No. I won't." He couldn't be a weak prisoner to this guy. Maybe if he defied him enough, he'd leave him alone and Saluote could go home. He never should have left the city. "What are you going to do to me? If you plan on hurting me, I'll kill you!" How would he do that, though? Saluote didn't know how to fight.

"Wait, no...! Please...!" Saluote swam over to Vlad and pressed against him; he had no idea why. "I'm sorry! Please, don't take me back there! S-Saluote. My name is Saluote." The merman kept his eyes closed, afraid the other would do something to him. "Forgive me...."

Ocean gem? Saluote blushed and kept his gaze down. No one had ever called him something like that. He was....Well, he didn't know what he felt. When his neck was kissed, Saluote gasped a bit and trembled a bit. It felt nice and exotic to the completely innocent merman. "I-I usually just...eat clams and shellfish. Pl-Please stop...! I feel weird...."

Saluote's face turned red as he watched the vampire strip. He wasn't able to look away for a few moments, but he did and turned to hide his face in his hands. The man had done that on purpose, hadn't he? When he was gone, Saluote swam up to the surface and climbed out of the pool to sit on the edge. The merman had changed into his human form, which was clad in an iromuji kimono with a silk sash and a beaded bracelet similar to the necklaces old-style Japanese exorcists used to use. It had no power over exorcism, however. Saluote sat on the edge of the pool and ran his fingers through his hair. His fingernails weren't as long as they were when he was in his merman form, but they were longer than a man should have. ...I don't like being out here alone, but.... When the vampire mind if he went inside and joined or met him in the kitchen? Shaking his head, Saluote stood and went inside anyway. He found the other in the kitchen and looked away shyly; even though he was dressed now, Saluote had seen parts of him that he shouldn't have. "..." No sound came out of his mouth as he went to speak and the man frowned. How was he supposed to communicate with him? He used telepathy before; could he send messages like that to him? "Can I join you?" Saluote hoped he had gotten his question because he didn't even know if he was doing it right. While he was at it, he should probably ask the man's name, too.

There he went with the flattery again, causing Saluote to look down shyly. He sat at the table and fiddled with the bracelet as he waited. Hearing the other's name, and his many titles that honestly had no meaning to the merman since he had no idea what any of them meant, he nodded softly to acknowledge them. Vladmir Rouminouff....It's not just his titles that sound important and powerful. So does his name. Saluote had always fantasized about being with a man with a strong and exotic name. Names he was used to just didn't cut it for him. He heard them everyday and they were just boring. When the fish was served, Saluote tilted his head, not sure how to eat it. "Thank you. Um....N-Never mind." He didn't want to look like an idiot in front of the man, though he wasn't even sure why. It wasn't like it would matter, right? Instead, Saluote just sort of stared at the food as he tried to figure out how to eat it.