“Shit, Percy. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
He took my hand and kissed my scaled knuckles. “No need to apologize. The pain is an arousing reminder of what we just did.”
I blinked, again not knowing how to respond to that.
“You Deep Sea Mer were always masochists.” Came a malicious voice behind Percy. “I never quite understood it. But I guess one can never truly understand beasts.”
On high alert, Percy spun around to face the voice, his hand still holding mine forcing me behind him, blocking me from the intruder’s view.
“Calder,” Percy hissed his name. “What are you doing here?”
My stomach sank at the sound of his name. Shit. Shit. Shit.
“I’m simply out for a swim. I smelled your…copulation…from a mile off, and came to investigate.”
Percy growled, menacing. “You should know better than to come near a male and his claim.”
“I was simply curious, my friend. When I caught your scent, I had to know who the great Percival would take to bed with him. This scent with you is very familiar. You know, earlier today I ran into my little nephew. He had a female with him with this exact scent.”
I continued to hide behind Percy, wanting to make myself as small as possible. His tone, the sheer desire to cause pain and suffering behind it, was something all too familiar to me. It turned me into a coward, as feeble as I was all those years ago.
The guys clearly didn’t want Calder to know that I was once human. I couldn’t let him see my eyes.
“Leave.” Percy demanded.
Calder ignored him. “Why don’t you show me your female, Percy?”
Percy inhaled slowly, his muscles bulking up as he tensed, making him seem so much larger. “I don’t need to show you shit, Calder. You do not own me. Now leave, before I make you.”
“You’re right. Your…kind…is particularly immune to the syren's call. But that doesn’t mean she is. Why don’t you come out from behind him, Darling?”
His voice washed over me and a familiar feeling of cotton being stuffed into my head clouded my thoughts. Before I could even stop myself, I drifted out from behind Percy. I caught a glimpse of deep red scales right before Percy tugged me back behind him, breaking the control Calder had over me.
“My, my. I never would have thought my nephew would be able to successfully turn someone.”
“I gave you your chance.” Percy spat.
And he started to shift.
His black as night scales flared, multiplying. It happened in nearly two blinks worth of time but I watched as his legs fused, scales spread, and he formed a long, powerful tail. Huge spines sprouted from his back and his claws were even longer than before. He looked like the predator I knew he was.
He lunged for Calder so fast, the other Mer didn’t even have the chance to raise his hands.
Percy slashed his claws to force Calder backwards. I watched as Percy utilized his powerful tail by slamming it into Calder’s middle. I realized then that Percy wasn’t even trying to hurt him, just pushing him further away from me. I wanted to cheer, seeing that Percy definitely had the upper hand. That was, until Calder pulled a spear from some sort of holster on his back.
I felt helpless, like a dear in headlights as I just sat there. Watching as the tables quickly turned, and Percy was being the one pushed back as he dodged Calder’s jabs and slashes with the weapon.
Somehow Percy was able to get in close and tackle him to the ground. The two of them tumbled across the sand, black and red scales flashing. Percy was hissing things at him in a language I couldn’t understand.
Red scales.
I screamed when suddenly Calder flung Percy off of him with the spear and slashed Percy across his stomach. Blood flowed out into the ocean, dirtying the clean water with its metallic smell. I dove, wanting to do something to stop him. But I only made things worse when my movement caused Percy to become distracted and Calder struck him again.
With a grunt of pain, Percy pushed Calder off of him, causing the other Mer to fly backwards a few feet. Taking the opportunity, Percy rushed towards me.
“Atalanta, run!” he shouted, bleeding from the wound in his stomach and now his shoulder.
Calder laughed maniacally as he righted himself. “Look at the little newborn, trying to protect the all mighty Percival.” He spit blood out of his mouth. “Well, it looks like she didn’t try hard enough.”
Didn’t try hard enough.
Red scales.
Red.
Red.
So much blood.
You didn’t try hard enough.
Those eyes.
Darkness rushed up around me.
Chapter Ten
Percy
Kill.
I turned when I heard Calder mock Atalanta for her brave attempt to protect me. He had ignored my warnings, and despite me showing my superior strength, still refused to leave.
I would kill the threat before he could harm what was mine. Calder may have been skilled with that spear of his, but he relied too heavily on it. Just like he relied on his Syren voice and seat on the council to ignore consequences. But I had also acted recklessly, my shoulder and stomach throbbing as proof of that.
I inhaled, calming my mind and kicked off, rushing forward. Get in close, my father would say. Spears are useless when you can’t swing them properly. I jerked to the side, dodging Calder’s jab. I miscalculated when the blade nicked the skin right above my hip before it bounced off my scales.
Rusty.
Weak.
I wouldn’t let it happen again.
Past the spear’s blade, I grabbed the wooden shaft between Calder’s grip and pulled, attempting to snatch the damn thing from him, but he had a tight grip. In a split second, I switched tactics and pushed the shaft into him. He may have had a solid hold on the weapon, but the weak noble couldn’t compete with me on physical strength.
I shoved the spear down, pinning the shaft to his chest.
“Let…go…” Calder wheezed. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to use his syren voice or simply commanding me, thinking the power of a councilman would sway me.
He had a lot to learn.
I shoved further down, wondering if I could crush his ribs and stop that feeble heart of his.
Calder’s eyes were wild, beginning to look panicked as he failed to push the spear off his chest. Good. He should have known better than to come anywhere near a mating pair unless he was part of the pod.
My eyes glanced up to Atalanta to check if she was okay. She wasn’t where I had last seen her. I thought perhaps that she had run like I had told her, until I saw the pop of color from her scales through the clouds of sand Calder and I were kicking up. She was on the ground, curled up into a ball. Motionless.
“Atalanta!” I called, hoping she would respond.
She didn’t.
I cursed. Not again.
In my distracted state, Calder was able to build one good shove and I tumbled off of him. Before I could right myself, I felt the chilling burn of that stupid spear slice across my back.
I gasped and gritted my teeth. I needed to get that damn thing away from him.