Page 48 of Blood of the Sirens
“Fuck. Off.”
A collective gasp went up from the elders, but the young mers only growled. Then it happened in the blink of an eye. Aris roared and lunged. Behind him, all the other mers screamed in retaliation, and they fell upon me like sharks on a bleeding baby whale.
My father leaped into action along with the other elders. Fathers struck sons as the scent of blood filled the water, shrieks and groans echoing all around me. I slashed out repeatedly with my knife, uncaring and unknowing if I actually hit anyone. All I felt was rage. All I knew was fear that someone would take my female.
My father intercepted Aris before he reached me and slapped him across the face with his tail, hard enough that he floated upwards and away, unconscious. A rough hand wrapped around my throat and squeezed. I bucked uncontrollably against my father’s hand, but he didn’t let up for a single moment as red streaks opened up along his arms where I struck him with my blade.
Black crept into the edges of my vision, and my movements slowed. My knife dropped to the seabed.
“Done?” Father asked dryly.
I blinked once to say yes.
“Do you have control?” he asked.
I blinked again.
The hand loosened around my throat, and I doubled over, massaging my neck. My gills pumped furiously to bring oxygen into my body after being sealed shut by my father’s hand. My eyes were likely bloodshot. I picked up my knife and shoved it back into my satchel.
“Everyone, sit down,” Father commanded.
Black and bloodied mers sat next to their fathers and clan leaders (me included), temporarily chastened.
“He certainly displays all the signs of a mated male,” shot out Gastor, leader of the Jackfish clan. White scars decorated his tail, with big chunks of scales missing from when he’d had a run in with a boat in his youth.
Aris’s father, Oran, stood angrily. His blue skin matched Aris’s. “How would you know? All we know about mated females is simply myth and legend at this point! None of it matters if he hasn’t actually mated her!” Bubbles flew from his mouth with his vehemence, his son glaring moodily with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Are you shouting at me?” my father intoned darkly, eyes narrowing.
Oran shot a nervous look at the others as if suddenly remembering he and all the other clans were only here because of my father’s good will.
“I just … I think it odd that we are all here, yet your son has been the one to be stalking and hiding a female,” Oran mumbled, shooting glances at the others to gauge support. He moved back, Aris sulking just behind his shoulder. Like father, like son.
The other clan leaders mumbled among themselves.
My father rolled his eyes.
“Welivehere,” he pointed out, sounding bored. “Of course, it’s more likely he would find one. He is constantly flitting up to the surface.”
Oran continued, never knowing when to keep his mouth shut, much like his son. “I’m just saying your son has never hunted before. Yet the moment we arrive, he’s the first one to scent out a female. Why hadn’t he found her earlier since you all live here?”
My palms itched as aggression leaked through the surrounding water. My father shot me a look. I knew I had to give them something. Perhaps it was for the best that I outed the other female. It was her or Jesse, after all.
“There is another siren born I found,” I offered, biting my lip. “She was on the island Barrett used to bring you to shore. She will be at the spring break.” I scanned the eager mers, not seeing Barrett in attendance. “She has straight, dark hair and is very … forward. I think she would gladly take any of you for the sex. Her garment was a bright orange.”
Aris jumped up, and about half the other mers with him. “If she is forward, that means the female is in heat! That is better than Merrick’s female, who must be spurning him. Papa, let me go retrieve this female right now!”
Elders and fathers grabbed their young mers and forced them down to the chairs, ensuring another round of snarls, grumbling, and ear pulling. Gold scales flashed and skin scuffled, fighting for dominance.
My father stood, ending the little spats. “Merrick is sorry for any damage suffered while encountering his female.”
I glowered. No, I wasn’t.
“However,” my father continued, glaring at me to remain silent, “I believe instincts gripped him and it couldn’t be helped. He has rectified the situation the best he can by giving youthe location of another siren born. Have all debts been satisfied?”
The young mers appeared more than ready to accept the information of a new, probably more willingly siren born on hand, but the clan leaders didn’t look as happy. I know it looked bad; the son of the host clan had somehow stumbled upon not one, but two siren born females.
I didn’t know what else to do.
