She blinked up at the young men from the shy inlet of the rocks, where she had perched herself. Her sisters had done this for generations and it was almost time for her to follow in their footsteps. She tried to stay still — within the shelter of the rock ahead of her, the water curving around her tail, and the sea breeze caressing her skin and hair.

Her sisters had always described it as a chase, a shark encircling its oblivious prey — silent, yet ruthless to reach its kill. They described their rites of passage almost fondly, in a dreamy fashion, as if luring young human men to their deaths gave them the utmost satisfaction.

But why didn’t she feel the same way? Looking at the human male in front of her, he didn’t look like he was causing any harm. Sure, he may have looked somewhat disagreeable compared to the beauty of the males of the deep that she was more accustomed to, but he did possess a mystical look in his deep, brown eyes and windswept, black hair. Her sisters wouldn’t understand — they’d curse, wail, and shriek in a terrible cacophony of sound. She was always hesitant of this rite, unsure of its significance or why it meant the potential murder of other young things.

She sighed as she pushed herself off the rock away from looking at the young, human males on the beach within her perspective, pursing her lips. Her first sister, Jezebel, who was following her, approached her giving the death glare but did not speak. They forbid to speak a word during these proceedings because they couldn’t frighten the prey. She shook her head as Jezebel spat at her in disgust. Jezebel always had her doubts about her — how she was always too sensitive, soft, and not blase enough about humans. She didn’t understand and doubted she ever would, but if she didn’t bring this human male to his doom, she would never be able to join her sisters again.

With a sigh and a huff, she nodded at Jezebel and flipped her tail under the water, as she swam closer to the human male. Hesitantly, she raised her head above the water, so she could peer out see him in front of her — nothing blocking her line of sight. She stared at him in wonder and swallowed her pride as she began her song.

The song she and her sisters sung for generations wasn’t one with words or anything distinguishable. It was only a soft, mellow descending tone. The male bent his head forward to peer directly at her. As she beckoned him closer, she swam slightly to the shoreline, making sure not to get too close. She continued her song, fear swallowing her as the male slipped through the shallows moving slowly toward her. It was exactly as her sisters said — they moved without a will, their eyes gone glassy, limbs turning to putty as the song pulled at them, like a tide pulls at the shore. She swam further out, reeling the male in. A look of confusion played upon his face, curving into his eyes and brow. Slowly but surely, he made his way to her and opened his mouth, but she clasped her scaled hand over it, his eyes widening slightly.

“I...I am here to send you to your death.” He nodded.

“I know, I just had to see if you were real.” Stretching his fingers in wonder, he touched her face, feeling the scales and gills that covered her fish-like skin.

“But, I can’t. I can’t kill you.” She shuddered, eyes pinched, head hanging low. The male put his hand on her shoulder and caressed it gently.

“You don’t have to.” She looked down and saw that the human male was not very human at all... He had possessed a tail similar to her own. She sighed grateful relief and collapsed in his arms, as he happily caught her.