Page 46 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 7

“Why? Because the future won’t allow it? If we’re all fated to have that future then it will come no matter what,” the Kaly-slice reminded her. “But maybe the future isn’t so set. Maybe you can mess up so royally that it doesn’t happen. Maybe you just did.”

Revenge Of The Sea

RYDER!

Grayson saw Ryder go down with Khos. They spiraled towards the water with Ryder shifting into his human form just before they hit. Then they were swallowed by the dark water. Shimmery shapes converged on where they’d gone down.

Mers!

And as he watched helplessly, the Mers swam Ryder and Khos to the stony island where their kind had attacked from. He was slightly relieved, because while Ryder could breathe underwater, Khos could not. His head snapped from there to the other group of Mers who had fired on them. His vision blurred for a moment.

Whoa! I was only grazed by that blast, but I better set down.

The Mers seemed not to know that he was another Vampire. That was a good thing. It likely had to do with him being a single bird. While he would have been annoyed at that another time, he wasn’t now.

Just believe I’m an animal. A single, insignificant bird. Ignore me. Until I make it so you can’t.

He fluttered down onto a nearby rock. He scanned Ryder’s face anxiously. His beloved’s body was lying on his back, eyes still closed, completely naked, exposed by the moonlight. The Mers who were mostly humanoid on land–though their skin had a lustrous blue, green or purple shimmer to it like scales–surrounded him. Khos was wet and bedraggled beside Ryder, still unconscious as well. The Mers took out what looked like silver cuffs, which they bound Ryder’s wrists and feet with and then hogtied him. They bound all four of Khos’ paws together as well as muzzling it.

Grayson wanted to bear his fangs with every touch of those webbed hands on his beloved and Khos’ bodies. But he held his emotions in check. While this situation was enough to upset anyone, even him at his coldest and most distant, he knew that part of his reaction was because of how new he was to being a Vampire again and seeing his–Master!--beloved hurt and taken from him.

But he needs me to keep cool so that I can save him. I have to be Ashyr here with all the gifts.

There was a hiss from the Mers and he saw them looking towards the shore. He glanced in that direction and his wings immediately puffed up. Legion, Lawson and Natasha were standing there, staring at the Mers.

“Give him to me!” Legion called out.

The Mers looked at one another. Though they said nothing out loud, Grayson had the distinct impression they were talking to one another telepathically.

That’s right. That is how they communicate. Eyros was able to break into some of their conversations, but he always said his head felt swimmy afterwards, Grayson remembered.

“He’s one of ours! Hand him over!” Legion snarled.

The Mer in charge–or so Grayson guessed from how the others deferred to him–stepped closer to the shore, which meant he waded a foot or two into the water. He was naked except for a colorful shift of reds and blues that was tied around his waist. Truthfully, the slip of fabric seemed to draw more attention to his genitals than hide them. So their clothing was not for modesty.

No, it was to identify their Houses. Somewhat like ours. I don’t recall that pattern right now and who it belongs to.

The Mer leader was slightly taller than the others but lean with that sleek, swimmer’s build. He had long hair that fell to his buttocks, which had dried from being out of the water for some time.

I wonder if they were waiting to see if any Vampires would violate the sanctity of their lake, Grayson realized. With all the Order activity at the Spire I wouldn’t blame them for being edgy. Seeyr was the friendliest with the Mer of all of us. Live and let live. I highly doubt that Kaly will feel the same way.

“I know you can hear me, fish!” Legion snarled again.

“I can hear you,” the Mer leader called out with an upward lift of one eyebrow. His voice was low and melodic, if a little halting. The Mer did not talk often. “But what you say has no worth.”

Legion’s whole body shuddered as if it was trying to contain their rage and not quite succeeding. “That Vampire is my prey! This is not your business!”

Lawson and Natasha let out twin roars to punctuate Legion’s statements.

The Mer leader was unimpressed. He stood there, proud and tall, and stared at Legion. “This one came into our territory.”

What?! No, we didn’t! Grayson nearly squawked. Since when is the air above the lakes your territory? I think not!

If this was still the current thinking by the Mer when he returned to the present, he would be having a serious talk with them. They had to be pushed back. But that was hardly important now. Ryder and Khos were in their control.

The weapon that had taken Ryder down was in the hands of another of the Mer. It reminded Grayson of a rocket launcher except it was silver and hollow in the center. There were no rockets. It glowed. The inside, especially, was giving off a lot of radiance. Whatever that was, he needed to know as well. Again, this would be something to consider when they returned to their own time. But still it was disturbing as he’d never seen this technology before.

It looks to have been designed to fire out of the water, too, which means that it was made to fight us. It really felled Ryder in one blast.