13. Revenge Of The Sea #2
“What do we care about the welfare of your pet?” The Mer leader asked as he perched on a large boulder and regarded Ryder evenly.
Ryder had to crane his neck to see the Mer leader. “I thought one of your many objections to Vampires was that we have no true respect for living things. Seems like you don’t either unless they swim.”
The Mer leader shifted almost imperceptibly at Ryder’s criticism. It had hit home. His eyes–a deep sea green though it was hard to tell in this light–flickered to the Dire Wolf.
“He is unharmed,” the Mer leader said.
“Not through any act by you,” Ryder answered.
Grayson was so impressed–as he always was–by Ryder’s ability to appear unaffected by pain or discomfort. Even now, as Grayson knew he was roiling in agony, he did not show it. His voice, though gravelly, held no sign of it either.
“We must protect ourselves,” the Mer leader finally answered.
Ryder let out a dry cough-laugh. “We weren’t attacking you! We didn’t even step foot in your lake! But you shot us down anyway. I think we need protection from you.”
The Mers around Ryder bristled at Ryder’s tone and words. But their leader did not move at all. They settled after what must have been a telepathic command.
The Mer leader cocked his head to the side as he regarded Ryder. “You are familiar to us somehow.”
“Am I? I thought all Vampires looked alike,” Ryder responded dryly.
Though he didn’t appear to be moving, Grayson knew that Ryder was systematically testing the strength of those bonds to see if he could break out of them.
But they were likely made of the same material that they crafted their dungeons out of and would be extremely hard to break.
Grayson guessed that if they were getting out of this it would be up to him.
“Those in the tower do not like you. Why?” The Mer leader asked.
“Before I have a conversation with anyone I like to know their name,” Ryder said evenly. “I’m Ryder and this is Khos who you attacked cruelly and are holding against our will. What’s yours?”
The Mer leader stared at him again with those unfathomable eyes. “Marinus.”
“Huh, do you have a father named Aquor?” Ryder asked, his gaze suddenly sharpening.
For the first time, Marinus stiffened and half rose from his feet. “You knew my father?”
“Knew?” Ryder genuinely looked perplexed. “Last I saw him was in Nightvallen swimming off after our parlay.”
Aquor? Of course! He was the one that represented the Mers in our last peace conference! Grayson realized with a start.
“Last time he met with your kind he was slaughtered,” Marinus’ voice grew ragged with pain and his right hand clenched into a fist.
The Mers around them hissed. A few tridents were suddenly aimed at Ryder’s bare back, electrical sparks zapping between their tines. Ryder’s expression grew grim.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I wasn’t part of that,” Ryder said then paused, “At least, I don’t think so.”
“You have killed so many of us that you don’t know?” Marinus stepped towards Ryder menacingly.
“No, I don’t know because I don’t fully remember everything that took place during the War. I thought I did, but some parts I think I’ve either blocked out or…” Here Ryder shook his head and grimaced. Whatever he was still suffering from the weapon strike made shaking his head a very bad idea.
“Who are you?” Marinus asked softly.
“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me,” Ryder said with a sigh.
“Every word out of a Vampire’s mouth is a lie. You promised us peace and then you boiled us alive in our lakes,” Marinus spat.
Ryder’s expression was truly sorrowful, which was causing Marinus some confusion. “I’m certain we did terrible things to your people. We were doing terrible things to our own. So why not to you, too? Again, I am sorry for what it is worth.”
“It is worth nothing,” Marinus answered.
That didn’t anger or offend Ryder, who simply said, “I can understand that. But let me at least warn you against future danger from the Vampires.”
“Oh? Do you think there is something your kind can do that we cannot withstand?” Marinus’ voice was low and deadly. His eyes narrowed.
“Perhaps you can deal with them, but I know you don’t,” Ryder said quietly. “Legion is going to come back here. They won’t be alone and they won’t be without weapons that can hurt you. Your best chance to avoid trouble with them is to release me and dive down to your cities as fast as you can.”
“Release you?!” Marinus laughed bitterly. “No, I think not. And if we return to our cities, we will be dragging your carcass with us!”
Ryder was not afraid. “That’s not how this will go, Marinus. I fear you and your people will be harmed or even killed if you remain here with me. Legion is not like other Vampires.”
“They are a beast just like the rest of you!” Marinus snarled.
“You may think that, but I assure you that Legion lives for nothing more than to cause pain and kill,” Ryder said. “That is all they were born into this Second Life to do. And you offended them and, not to mention, you stole their prey. They will not let this go.”
“I hope they do not. I hope they come and bring plenty of their kind,” Marinus said with an angry smile. “For there is nothing left that brings me joy then killing Vampires.”
Ryder closed his eyes. “I am more sorry for that than you will ever know.”
Grayson realized that things were not going well in the discussion between Marinus and Ryder. And he was certain, as Ryder was, that Legion would be returning any minute now to take their revenge on the Mers and them.
I could shift and use my Ashyr Bloodline gift to freeze them all in place while I cut Ryder and Khos’ bindings with their tridents, Grayson thought.
He felt around inside of himself for his power.
The flame in his chest was there. It was far brighter and more steady than it had been in some time.
It still wasn’t what it should be and would be, but he needed to be fed more and rest. Yet, hopefully, it would be enough to do what he needed to here.
Just as Grayson was about to shift, he felt a wave of his own power. Except it wasn’t coming from him. It was coming from behind him. He fluttered, lifting a few feet off the ground, before settling once more.
The Mers were all levitating off the ground by several feet. From the strained looks on their faces, they couldn’t move. Grayson looked towards the Ashyr Vampires who were accomplishing this task. It wasn’t one of them, but five.
Five of my people in the Order. Five of my people are serving Legion!
He knew that there were Ashyr Vampires in the Order.
That only made sense. After all, it had been set up presumably by the Vampire survivors not Kaly or any of the other Immortals responsible for the slaughter.
So there were bound to be people from his Bloodline that joined. His gaze fixed on their leader.
Dani?!
His heart squeezed and he thought it might shrivel into the size of a raisin upon seeing her standing there in Confessor’s robes. Her head was thrown back. Her silver eyes blazed as her hands were outstretched towards the Mers that grunted with the effort to move.
Ryder had seen it was Dani, too, but his head was lowered so that she couldn’t see his face. She hadn’t recognized Ryder in the future. At least, he didn’t think so. But, then again, she hadn’t mentioned working for Legion or the Order either!
I told Ryder to forgive Natasha, or at least, give her a chance to explain. It’s not so easy to do when it’s your own.
Legion with Natasha and Lawson now in human forms strode through the five Ashyr Vampires to stand beside Dani. The flame in Grayson’s chest burned hot.
How could she? Why didn’t she tell me? Is she one of the Sect?
Rage wanted to flow over him and take him away with it.
His fledgling–his Childe–doing this, fighting on behalf of his enemies, had Grayson seeing red.
But he forced himself to look away from her.
He had to get Ryder and Khos out of here now!
But how? He wasn’t strong enough yet to take on eight Vampires plus the Mer. Not by himself.
It was then that he felt it.
Something ancient.
Something huge.
Something dead.
It was beneath the water. Lying on the bottom of the lake right near the island. In life, the thing had wings and claws. It had teeth as long as swords and a sinuous body. Understanding flowed through Grayson as he reached for the Kaly power inside of him.