Chapter 2

Casey dove under the surface of the tropical waters. He was very familiar with the waters and coral reefs around his island home here off the coast of Sri Lanka in the Gulf of Mannar. He'd lived here for as long as he could remember. First with both Uncle Thomas and Uncle Martin, and now with just Uncle Martin.

God, how he missed Uncle Thomas.

He choked back his grief. It had been over five years now, he didn't think Thomas's death should still affect him so much, but it did. At twenty years old, he should be able to control his emotions better. Be more like Uncle Martin; he rarely let his emotions show, not since Thomas had died.

Casey scooped up another oyster, gently prying it open with the tip of the knife. Seeing nothing, he carefully placed it back down and tried another. He floated along, his long sleek tail flipping gently to propel him along. He'd been under for ten minutes now. He'd need to surface shortly, but he pressed himself further.

He loved the feel of the cool saltwater teasing his skin, flowing over his body. Sea grass tickled his bare torso, his long gray-blue tail skimming the waters behind him. The freedom he felt under the water, especially in his mer form, made him feel content. Like he belonged somewhere. The fish and coral and sea turtles didn't judge him, didn't blame him, didn't hate him.

A manta ray floated under him, and he skimmed a hand over the manta's slick back. A school of butterfly fish swam around him as he ducked down to pick up more oysters to check.

This was his job, Martin had informed him years ago. His duty to Thomas's memory, to help Martin with the estate upkeep. He'd been diving for pearls long before Thomas passed away; in fact, Thomas had often gone with him. But it was definitely more like a job now, as he took little pleasure in it without Thomas.

He managed to find a couple more pearls before he had to surface. Martin was waiting in the boat, flipping through a book. Casey handed over the small bag he had attached to his wrist to Uncle Martin, then took a few moments to push back his mer side before climbing awkwardly onto the boat and reaching for his shorts.

"Good job," Martin stated as he glanced in the pouch at the five natural pearls he'd harvested.

Casey couldn't help but feel a small swell of pride at his uncle's praise as it didn't happen very often. Martin was nothing like Thomas had been. Even back when Thomas was alive, he was always more aloof. Thomas was the affectionate one, who doted over Casey constantly. Casey always thought that Martin only accepted him because Thomas had insisted. Casey knew very little of how he came to be with his uncles. He didn't remember his very early childhood. Sometimes he had dreams of a place he felt he should know, but neither of his uncles had ever mentioned anything other than his parents had died and they had taken him in, especially knowing his 'special condition'.

"I saw a pod of dolphins over yonder," his uncle stated, and Casey's eyes lit up. "You can go swim for a bit if you want."

"Really?" Casey smiled in hope. It was rare that Martin Jorss indulged him like that. Usually, it was a run to harvest some pearls and back.

Casey's hand floated to the collar at his neck hesitantly. "Will you..." he dropped off the question as Martin nodded.

"Yes, I'll follow."

Casey grinned as he walked to the back of the boat, dropping his shorts, and diving off gracefully. With Martin following him, there would be little chance of setting off the collar--he certainly had no desire to experience it's painful zap to his body that reminded him he'd strayed too far. Martin had set the boundaries for the collar to about quarter mile from the control, which was usually at the house, unless they were pearl hunting.

After Uncle Thomas's death five years ago, Martin hadn't been willing to take any more chances on Casey getting into any more trouble. Casey understood it. Most of the time, he was grateful that Martin cared for him enough to help him, to keep him safe from venturing too far from their home. Too many things could go wrong, Uncle Martin had told him time and time again. The collar was his protection. It allowed him some freedoms, to wander the island, to swim a bit off shore, but if he strayed too far it would send an electrical jolt to his system until he was back within the perimeter that Uncle Martin had set.

It was one way that Uncle Martin could keep him safe without keeping him imprisoned. While it felt confining sometimes, Casey knew that Martin was just doing what he could to keep him safe from those who would exploit him, who might even kill him if they found out about his 'mer' side.

Martin had even made him a special cave that he could use during the pull of the full moon cycle. It was a natural cove on the south side of the house, the farthest away from the other part of the island that was owned by some old aristocratic family that never used it. There was a gate installed over the mouth of the cave that Martin could lock when Casey was lost to the lunar pull. Casey could enjoy the moon's radiance from the cave without Martin fearing Casey venturing too far into fishing areas that dominated the area during the night tides, especially during a full moon.

So he was excited to get to swim out in the ocean and not just have to linger near the shore. He transformed immediately as he hit the water, his long legs merging to form his powerful tail. He took off, pausing only long enough to make sure that Martin was actually following in the boat.

Martin hated the seawater, rarely venturing in like Uncle Thomas had. Probably even more reason that Martin had had to resort to the collar and cave to help control Casey's wanderings. Martin only took him out a couple times a month, unlike Thomas who had gone out with him nearly every day. They both missed Thomas so much.

It didn't take him long to find the pod of dolphins. They frolicked around him happily, and he felt his heart soar. He hadn't been able to hang with dolphins in a while, and he missed it. They nudged him playfully, clicking and whistling around him. He swam with them, holding onto one of their dorsal fins. He lost himself in the innate joy of gliding through the water, feeling so light and free.

He wished he could stay here forever.

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Martin Jorss watched his 'nephew' frolicking with the large sea mammals, a tinge of distain pricking his heart. The boy had certainly grown up to be a beautiful young man, lean and compact, but beautiful nonetheless. He was even more so in his shifted form. The sleek lines of his torso tapering into the narrow hips that led to his long, lean tail.

Martin just wished he could love the boy like Thomas had. In truth, he'd always been a bit jealous of Thomas's attention of the boy after they had rescued him from the laboratory. Thomas had fallen in love with the boy, became like his father and treated him like he was his own son. Martin found it hard to share Thomas's affections with someone else after having had Thomas to himself for so many years.

After...after the 'accident' that killed Thomas, Martin couldn't help but blame Casey. It had been his fault that they were out that far in the first place. He couldn't forgive the boy for killing his love, but he managed to keep his word to Thomas and look after him. At least with the collar, he didn't have to suffer the boy's presence as often.

While Casey spent a lot of his time wandering around on the island and swimming in the surf nearby, Martin tended to keep to their large house or his work in town at the clinic. He would work on analyzing Casey's blood and tissue samples in his lab or he would spend a lot of time reading in the living room--as long as Casey wasn't in his tank. He hated being in the room if Casey decided to take a swim in the huge saltwater tank they had installed for him. It reminded him too much of when he and Thomas would sit there for hours watching him as a young boy swimming around. He missed Thomas curled up next to him. It hurt too much to be reminded of that.

Sometimes he'd head into town for supplies or spend a few hours helping in the town clinic. They didn't have much medical care close by, as he'd discovered five years ago when he'd so desperately needed it. Spending time helping at the clinic left him feeling a bit less angry and resentful for all that he had lost.

His head jerked up out of his reverie when he heard a loud laugh. Some of the dolphins were launching themselves out of the water over Casey's sandy head. He watched the boy, no--young man, twisting and turning as he spiraled through the water with the playful mammals.

Martin knew he should be happy. He should be glad that Casey was still here with him, that he was alive and well. But he couldn't. He still ached with his own loss and seeing Casey laughing and playing only made him feel angry that Thomas had been denied the same chance to experience such joy.

"Casey!" he yelled, having now had enough of the boy's laughter. He pressed a button on the controller to Casey's collar, feeling a sick sense of pleasure knowing it would cause a small zap of pain to the boy, but it was the only way to get his attention. He saw the lean body jerk slightly before it stilled and looked back at him. He waved the boy to come back. "Let's go!"

He ignored the look of disappointment on the young man's face. You know nothing of disappointment, boy, he thought. Wait until someone you love is yanked away from you, then see how that feels.