A Clutch of Mermaids

"No."

"Do you ever go braless at home?"

Sarah snickered. "All the time."

Kami glanced at her, turned back to Rachel. "Do your breasts hurt after a day without a bra?"

"No. Not usually."

Kami sat back, smiled. "Then I think you'll be fine."

Taking a measuring tape, she did a quick check on Rachel's breasts. "I'll have a new set ready in a couple of hours, Rachel. Just come back after dinner to pick them up. You gals can get dressed and go."

"Oh!" she said as the two were at the door. "Two things I forgot to mention.

"Both the tails and the seashells are UV-transparent. You won't be developing any tan lines, but you may need sunblock in some... odd places, at least initially."

The two smiled at that. No worries.

"And, yeah - the tails are pretty stretchy and clingy. They really show that dreaded visible panty line. So, nothing under them, please, ladies. It really shows."

With that, she closed the door, leaving the two shocked women looking at each other.

.

The food in the staff cafeteria proved to be quite good, much of it apparently unordered dishes from the guest restaurant. And the two friends got to meet some of the other mermaids.

There were 10 of them at the Resort at any one time, they learned, but some were almost always working at the pool. With Rachel and Sarah arriving at the Resort, two others were about to leave.

The two were pleased that all of the others seemed friendly. Sarah and Rachel were tired after their journey and begged off when invited to the staff lounge. Neither of them had any trouble sleeping that night.

.

There was a small change room and toilet discretely located at one end of the pool. Sarah and Rachel talked nervously as they pulled themselves out of their clothes and into their tails.

There was a full-length mirror by the door. The two of them struck a pose, arms around each other's waist. They were a striking pair. Looking at her reflection, Rachel realized that the seashells did more to accentuate her near nakedness than hide it and wondered if that made it better or worse.

Sarah was thinking much the same thing. Impishly, she flicked a forefinger against one shell. Her nail made a dull click.

"Pretty cool top, Rache! You'll have every boy drooling."

Rachel bent her head to pointedly stare at Sarah's uncovered breasts. While not so large as Rachel's, they were ample, indeed oversized for the blonde's small frame. Rachel saw to her surprise that Sarah's coral-colored nipples were prominent, hard. She decided this was not the time to mention it.

"Not as much as they're going to be drooling over those, Sarah. They're just awesome,   sweetie."

Sarah grinned, leaned up and kissed her friend softly on the cheek. "It's showtime, girl. Let's get out there and wow the boys!"

The stretchy fabric of the tails meant that they could hobble a little bit. Picking up their mono fins, they moved slowly to the edge of the pool, sat down and pulled on their fins.

Slipping into the water, they swam slowly over to the 'mermaid beach', a sandy spot with both sunny areas and shade from a couple of palm trees. There were two other mermaids there, one of whom was also wearing shells.

Rachel couldn't decide if she was happy about that or not.

.

The day passed slowly, but not unpleasantly. As Kami had noted during their initial interview, their job was what many women their age wanted to do in their spare time. And swimming was something they'd been getting up early each day for years to do.

Guests came by every so often. Some wanted photos, others just wanted to chat. All of the mermaids got good at both. None of the guests made any rude remarks, which was a relief, although the men in particular had a difficult time keeping their eyes on the girls' faces.

They giggled over that when by themselves.

Remembering Karl's instructions, the two took turns with the others swimming around the pool and diving by the bar window. It was dark on the other side of the glass, making the window look rather like a half-mirror, difficult to see through. Sarah made a point of doing a slow summersault each time she went by. A couple of men in the pool sank underwater to watch them swim by each time they passed.

Sarah was amused by the attention. Rachel on the other hand initially bristled inwardly at being ogled, but, to her surprise, found it soon ceased to bother her. This wasn't back home and being visible in their minimal costumes was what they were here for. Looks, in other words, were free.

From time to time, one of the mermaids would deliver a drink to a poolside guest, usually receiving a bracelet tip in return.

.

The two friends quickly settled into the resort routine. Their hours shifted periodically as the weeks went by, but it was always 10 hours a day.

They made friends easily enough with the other girls. There was little to do on the job but swim and talk.

The black girl, Iris, left soon after they arrived and was followed by others leaving after their contracts had ended. New mermaids arrived in their turn. There were always new faces.

Life was peaceful, one day flowing into the next.

.

After they got off work one evening, the two made one of their routine stops to check their pay. Tapping their bracelets on a resort computer terminal, they were able to watch their pay balance building up.

There was of course no need for money on the island. Having their bracelets tapped added funds to their accounts, tapping their bracelets at the staff lounge or one the Resort shops took some away.

Rachel had known from the beginning that topless Sarah was earning more than she was and was content with that. Then she noticed Sarah's tip balance, which was about two and a half times bigger than hers. "Hey!" she said, pointing. "No fair!"

Sarah looked up at her, tilted her head to one side. "Really, Rache? You're so innocent, girl." She giggled, put her hands behind her head and thrust out her chest. She wiggled a little and her boobs bounced under the staff t-shirt.

"Rachel, honey, I've been getting a lot of photos taken with the younger guys. And they've also been the ones asking for me to bring them drinks. You, Miss Seashell, have been having your photo taken with the older couples, ones where your hidden nips don't threaten a little old lady's self-image. Who do you think tips better -- and why?"

The tall woman blushed a little. Irritating as it was, she had to acknowledge that her friend was right. And how much did the shells actually do to protect her modesty? She had to admit, not that much. Rachel had a lot of boob and most of it was visible, even with the shells.

The next morning, Rachel stood in front of the mirror in her room, dressed only in her sarong. She pulled her shoulders back, put her hands under her breasts, turned back and forth, examining herself.

Then she took a deep breath and walked out, leaving the seashell bra in her room.

Perhaps coincidently, her tips started getting much higher thereafter.

.

One big tipper towards the end of their contract was named William. A tall man in his early 30s with dark hair and an exuberant moustache, he became what the girls considered a 'regular', one of the guests -- mostly but not entirely men -- who spent a lot of time near the mermaid beach.

Rachel and Sarah were both taken with him. Handsome and charming, William was some sort of investor and proved to be a very good tipper.

He was also fascinated with breasts. He came back again and again for photos with the mermaids. In one, he sat down and arranged Sarah and Rachel on his outspread knees. His hands were around their waists, high enough that he got a not-quite-unintentional but hardly objectionable resting of the girls' heavy breasts on the backs of his thumbs. In another, he had all the mermaids present cluster around him. Pulling them in close, he had soft, tanned boobs resting on both shoulders and pushing against his back. One girl stood behind him with hers on his head.

William was in seventh heaven.

Yet he was a gentleman, in his own fashion. Beyond the photo poses, he never touched the mermaids, never made lewd remarks. He was personable, interested in them as people as opposed to mere decorations. He was, indeed, pleasant to be around.

One evening, when Rachel and Sarah were about to go off shift and swimming languidly towards the change room, William was waiting for them. For once, he seemed a bit uncertain of himself.

"May I ask you two a question?"

They smiled. "Of course, William."

"Look, I don't mean to pry, but are... um.... about the Hunt..."

"The what?" Neither woman had a clue what he was talking about.

"Look, I'll personally double the bonus if you're going."

"What bonus?"

William was becoming more uncertain and it showed.

Rachel looked at him blankly. "I'm really sorry, William, but I don't understand."

"No? Surely you two have been told about... "His voice trickled off. "Never mind. Forget I said anything. It's been a pleasant evening. I hope you both sleep well."

The two women were soon headed back to their room.

"Well, that was weird. What in heck was he talking about?"

"Don't know, but I really am not ready for bed yet. Can I buy you a nightcap, Rache?"

The tall woman thought for a moment.

"Sure, why not? But just one."

Entering the lounge, they heard a call. Turning, they saw a few of the other mermaids sitting in a corner. They waved and joined the rest.

"So, where did you two get to after work?" Tammy asked. Petite, with full breasts, a tiny waist and a look that murmured Aloha!  when you looked at her, this was Tammy's third time at the Resort.

Rachel and Sarah looked at each other, shrugged.

"One of the guests invited us for dinner at his cabin," Rachel said, telling a little white lie. "We turned him down, but it took a while."

"Hope he didn't get creepy on you," one of the other girls muttered.

Sarah smirked. "Let's just say that he was a gentleman, but one with a lot of very polite hopes." All of the girls broke out laughing.

"Hey," Sarah said quietly to Rachel. "Maybe somebody here knows."

Turning to the group, she raised her voice, "He mentioned raising the bonus for a hunt. Anybody know what that's about?"

The question was met with raised eyebrows and shaking heads - from everybody but Tammy. She merely stared at her drink and smiled softly to herself. Nobody but Rachel seemed to notice.

The party wound down after a second round. It would be an early enough morning for many of them.

Rachel grabbed Sarah by the arm. "Tammy knows. I'm sure of it."

"Knows what?"

"About hunting! Didn't you see her? Come on, I want to talk to her!"

The group of mermaids was breaking up as they walked, each woman heading for her own bed.

They managed to catch Tammy alone by the door to her room.

"Tell us!" Rachel demanded.

"Tell you what?"

"You know," Sarah pressed her.

"The Hunt?"

"Uh-huh. What's it all about?" Rachel asked.

"Forget it, hon. You're a sweet girl. It's not for you and you don't want to know."

"But..."

"Look, it's just kind of a game some of the guests play. Your guy probably had had too much to drink when he mentioned it."

"Tell us!"

Tammy sighed, tapped the lock with her bracelet and, as it swung open, pulled them in after her. She stuck her head out, looked up and down the corridor before closing the door after her.

"Look, it's kind of a secret. I had to sign a legal non-disclosure agreement and your blabbing could get me fired."

The two stared at her.

"We won't tell," Sarah said.

"We promise," her friend added.

Tammy bowed her head and rubbed her temples. Her head came up again and she looked from Rachel to Sarah and back again with a strange expression on her face.

"The Hunt is like an after-hours game Karl and Kami run for a few of the male guests. Maybe some of the female ones, too, I dunno, but it's mainly guys."

"What kind of game?"

"Well, you know how this place is so pure, with us posing tits-out in public all the time but everything's aboveboard and wholesome? You know, the customers can pose with you in their arms but nothing more? No dating the guests? Right?"

"Yes?"

"Well, the Hunt..." and the girls could hear the capital letter as she spoke, "is the exact opposite of that."

"What do you mean?" Sarah demanded.

"There's another island near here - a group of little ones, actually. Karl flies everybody in and out. And then it's... well, 'pirates and captive mermaids' for a week."

"Huh?"

"You're in a mermaid costume you can't get out of and they've got a week to catch you. It can either be a real bitch or..." Tammy's eyes closed and she smiled to herself, just a little, "...or it can be a lot of fun, I guess."

"So, what happens if they catch you?"

"They own you for the rest of the week."

"Own you... You don't mean...?"

"I do mean. If they catch you, they have their own pet-mermaid-sex-bunny-slave-girl-fuck-toy for the rest of the week and can do whatever they want."

"Whatever...?" Rachel was shocked.

"Well, no, nothing really nasty, at least not when I did it. But having a captive mermaid available 24/7 really seems to do something to a guy's libido. I don't think I've ever been screwed so many times in three days. It was almost continuous. Thank heaven they caught Gale soon after."

"Gale?"

"Another mermaid who'd agreed to do it."

"But why would..."

Tammy cut her off. "Why would any normal girl agree? Well, first off, it is exciting. And maybe a girl really likes one of the guests, but Resort policies have kept them from getting together. Bottom line though, it's the money, honey. Just participating earns you about what you'd earn all summer. And the tips from the guys were pretty spectacular on top of that. And it's all paid in cash."

"I'm no whore!" Rachel said heatedly. The thought of being paid for sex was more than just irritating.

Tammy looked up at her, her gaze level. "Nobody said you were, Rachel. But nobody has to participate and there's always a chance the boys won't catch you 'cause it's mainly swimming between the islands there and we can all outswim them. A mermaid either has to be unlucky or else come up against somebody really smart.

"Anyway," she said, "nobody's asked you, have they?"

That stung, when Sarah and Rachel thought about it. Weren't they pretty enough to be asked? Were they perceived as being too prissy?

"And Kami lets them play this... Hunt?" Sarah asked.

"Hey," Tammy said, rather sharply. "Get down off your high moralizing horse, Supergirl. It's just a game for big boys and girls. Yes, it's a sex game, but nobody's forced into it. Hell, Kami designed the tails the girls wear! She and Karl do well by this resort, I guess, but I suspect they make just as much organizing the Hunt."

"So, how many guys are we talking?"

"Two or three. And maybe three to five girls. They can release you if they want, let you go back to the wild, but one way or t'other, you're a mermaid until the end of the week."

Ever the realistic one, Rachel interrupted. "But, well... with a mermaid tail on for a week, how do you...?"

Tammy snickered. "Pee? Poop? It's a special tail. It only locks your feet together. You can pee, no problem. And the boys -- well, no access problem for them, either."

"But that's just sick!"

Tammy sat down on her bed, sighed.

"Look, an hour ago, you thought Karl was a real nice guy, right?"

The two thought on that. They nodded.

"Well, he is nice - and I guarantee he'll remain nice. Karl's no pimp. He doesn't grope you or proposition you like some bosses would. He stands up for his girls with creep guests no matter what. He treats us like ladies, right? You'll get paid to the penny owed when you leave here with no quibbles and that includes your tips. He is a nice guy and Kami's a nice lady, too. But they've figured out a very special fantasy adventure that some very rich men will pay a lot of money for.

"And the mermaids who're asked to play all have a choice. They can say no and that's the end of it, no hard feelings. And they all have a chance -- a good chance -- of keeping out of the men's hands. Better than that if they're good swimmers. And the boys are all clean and the girls all go home well-paid."

She sighed.

"OK, to be honest, it was a hell of a lot of fun. It was exciting dodging the boys and fun sensing their frustration because none of us got caught for days. And, yeah, the sex was amazing when it happened - I came and I came and I came. That dessert island fantasy thing, maybe?"

She yawned. "Look, I'm tired, kids. Can we talk about this tomorrow? I really need some sleep."

And with that, all she would say was to remind them that they'd promised to keep quiet.

+

The summer was coming to an end. Rachel had been unable to pry anything more out of Tammy.

"What do you think? Sarah asked one afternoon as they lay under a palm tree.

"Think?"

"The Hunt."

Rachel shivered a little. "I don't know, Sarah."

She paused, lost in thought, then, "Look, this place has pushed my boundaries way, way out already. It's OK for you, Sarah..."

The shorter woman cut her off, a frown on her face. "Because I'm thinking of doing something that makes me a slut, Rachel?"

Rachel's head snapped over to look at her friend. "Oh, shit, no! What I mean, Sarah, is that you're the adventurous one, the one always pushing the envelope, the daring one. I'm..." and her voice grew soft, "just not very brave, I guess."

Sarah's frown turned to a look of compassion. "Cut it out, Rache. You're the one with common sense and I'm the one who's always getting us into crap, one way or another."

"Sarah..."

"It's true, Rachel. You're smarter than I am. I should listen to you more. But..."

"But?"

"Look, we've done OK here, right? Or, at least, I have. And your tips sure went up once you lost the shells."

The brunette blushed, nodded.

"But this could be our chance, Rache! Double the money, that talks. And William said he'd double the bonus on top of that. And, anyway, who's to know?"

"You said you weren't willing to consider hooking, Sarah. This is getting paid for sex. That's hooking, the way I see it."

The blonde woman sighed, closed her eyes.

"It's getting paid to participate in a high-stakes game which might -- might -- culminate in sex, Rachel. We're not standing on a filthy street corner, turning tricks all night. At worst, it would be like Tammy said, the same two or three guys for a few days. Maybe just the one."

It was Rachel's turn to close her eyes and think.

Sarah didn't give her much time. "Look, girl, if it's what Tammy said, we get to play hide-and-seek with some good-looking guys and maybe -- maybe -- get laid. Are you turning into some kind of werevirgin or something? What about Tom and Billy? You told me you really enjoyed sex with them."

"I did," her friend admitted. "But I was in love... OK, no, but I really liked Tom."

"And Billy?" Sarah smiled at her.

Rachel blushed again. "OK, but..."

"But nothing, sweetie! You let Billy into your pants to get back at Tom for ditching you. You said that, Rache!"

Rachel was silent.

"And you said you'd enjoyed it, girl!"

Rachel sighed. "I'll think about it, Sarah."

Sarah's smile could have been used to start fires.

+

Karl looked at the two of them over the tops of his glasses. The door to his office was closed.

"OK, what's up?" he smiled. "Why all the secrecy?"

"Karl," Rachel said, "You told us to talk to you if there was a... problem with one of the guests."

The man's smile vanished.

"Who?" he demanded. "What happened?"

"It doesn't really matter," Sarah said. "And none of them have done anything really wrong. It's just that..."