by Anne Bourne
Ephyra tried to keep tears from welling in her eyes. To hear it out loud made it more real than she ever admitted. Her thoughts went to Gabriel and she desperately wanted to protect him from this nightmare.
“Who is this creature you’ve decided is better than your own kind? A human.”
“I haven’t found anyone,” Ephyra shot back at him.
“You are a disgrace to the two lines whose blood you carry!” he hissed and rage filled his body.
He slapped her hard across the face and Ephyra cried out at the pain. She tasted blood and then screamed as he bit her neck.
“You admit the Corals are a line then,” she panted, hoping if she angered him enough he’d give her a swift death. She offered a silent apology to all her friends and to Gabriel, she had failed them all.
“You may have inferior blood in one half but it’s merblood nonetheless. It’s unthinkable for you to take a human mate,” Erebos roared. He looked at her smoldering eyes. “Let’s see how much you enjoy it.”
He tore the sheet in strips and bound her wrists to the bedposts. Ephyra freed her legs and kicked out. Erebos grunted as he caught one in his gut. He shoved them aside and covered her body with his, thrusting himself between her legs.
Ephyra cried out as he tore her shirt to bare her breasts to him. He nipped them hard. She tried to block out the pain and he smothered her under his weight. He used his sharp teeth to draw blood; she felt the stickiness tricking down her breasts and her stomach.
She tried to feel for any give in the twisted sheets, but they cut into her wrists. Her legs were heavy and useless, pinned beneath him. His teeth gashed her stomach and she writhed in pain.
A warm hand groped her breasts, tasting the blood and suckling at their peaks. Then she felt a rough finger touch her between her legs. Ephyra bucked in terror as it shoved inside her and explored. She wondered if he intended to sterilize her like Scyllane. Ephyra realized she would die because human female eggs were not in the same place as a mermaid’s.
“I’m quite familiar with human torture, my dear,” he panted.
Ephyra’s scream stuck in her throat, her humiliation complete as she lay helplessly. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and she desperately tried to think of Gabriel. This was nothing like it had been with him as Erebos pushed her legs apart like sea kelp.
“What the hell!” Gabriel’s shout made her eyes pop open and she tried to warn him.
Gabriel had already launched himself at Erebos and grabbed his shoulder, throwing him off the bed and slamming him into her nightstand. Erebos quickly leaped up and squared with his opponent. The man’s eyes blazed in fury and more than that, fear for her. Erebos nearly laughed out loud.
“This is your human?” he sneered toward Ephyra.
Ephyra began to shake uncontrollably, afraid for Gabriel. He was staring coldly at Erebos and then moved forward, punching the other in the face. Erebos moved aside, his nose bleeding.
Gabriel hastily unbound her. He made a quick check and saw blood on her torso. His eyes turned a dark shade of menace.
Ephyra saw him grab the nearest post of the bed and snap it off. Whirling, he swung it as hard as he could. Erebos dodged the first but was surprised when the second hit him across the jaw and he fell.
Uncontrolled anger filled the room and Erebos got up to swing a fist at Gabriel in return. He ducked. Erebos swung again, using his legs to lash out as well. Gabriel grunted at the impact in his abdomen and fell to his knees. He took a hardcover book and thrust it up, corner first, into Erebos as he leaned over to punch again.
The corner jabbed into Erebos’ stomach and he grimaced. He grabbed Gabriel’s hair. Gabriel panted as he was pulled to his feet, then lashed out with a left side kick and connected with Erebos’ chest. The other had the wind knocked out of him and let go. Gabriel didn’t stop but kept pummeling him with his fists until he couldn’t tell if it was his blood or the intruder’s.
Ephyra had swung from panic to awe at Gabriel’s fighting skill. He should have been dead by now but Erebos was winded and looking frustrated. Over and over the warlord slammed the man into the wall and Gabriel kept getting up. He swung, kicked, and dodged.
“Stop, please!” Ephyra cried as Erebos once more knocked Gabriel into the wall with his power. “I have a champion to claim!”
Erebos stopped his fist, his other hand around Gabriel’s throat and then threw him to the side. His hair had come loose and stuck to his face, his mouth open and panting. Ephyra realized Erebos had almost lost the fight as Gabriel got back up. It shook something in her and she realized she’d underestimated Gabriel.
Ephyra felt a jolt of power; the champion curse gave her a small bit back. She used it to try to summon a banishing spell against Erebos. She saw Gabriel’s eyes flashing fire and his knee coming up to crash into the warlord. The impact threw them both against the wall. The Shoal leader cried out in fury. He summoned all the power he had, growled a spell and hurled it at Gabriel. The man crumpled at his feet, writhing in pain.
“Who would stand against me?” Erebos growled.
Ephyra put herself in front of him but saw Gabriel was getting up again, spitying blood from his mouth. He lunged like a torpedo, flying past her and tackling the man again, shoving him against the wall, his elbow in the hollow of his throat.
“Me,” he gasped. “She chose me for her champion!” Gabriel stared with hard eyes into Erebos’ murky black ones.
Erebos stilled.
“No human can undo a spell,” he whispered with narrowed eyes.
“Just get the fuck away from her,” Gabriel snarled.
Ephyra stood stunned, half the sheet draped around her body. She felt her heart tear in two at what Gabriel had done. She wasn’t sure if she was elated or devastated. The champion had rules of its own — ones she hadn’t known were pertinent to tell him. She felt tears slide down her face as she gazed at her champion, pinning her enemy like he was a crab against the wall.
“Then get ready to fight,” Erebos snapped and shoved Gabriel off him.
Gabriel wiped the blood from his mouth. He glared at Erebos, and then went to stand next to Ephyra. She took his hand, palm up and held in one hand; with the other, she placed her fingernails into it. She removed them to leave a spiraling design with a sword in the middle.
“You are bound now. You are my champion,” Ephyra said with agony in her voice.
“Now, go,” Ephyra commanded Erebos and she shoved her spell toward him. Erebos lifted his lip at her before being vanishing, leaving only a small blood smear on the wall.
Gabriel paced furiously across the floor, his eyes glaring at the bloody bed. Ephyra remained standing.
“I’ll kill him, why did you do that?” Gabriel exploded. “Where did he go?”
“We need time,” Ephyra stuttered. Her mind was reeling with the consequences of what he’d done. She looked up at him with full eyes. “Why did you say you’ll be my champion?”
Gabriel stopped pacing and tilted her face up, his hands gentler than she expected.
“Because I didn’t know what else to do,” he laughed harshly. “I know it’s impossible, but I love you. I want to help and if this is the only way then I’ll die before he touches you again.”
“I’ll recover, I’m not even human, remember?” she said with an attempt at bravery.
Gabriel narrowed his eyes as he gazed at her. She knew he felt her courage and that it nearly ripped his heart out.
“Tell me what to do,” he said simply.
Ephyra nodded through her tears. She gripped his hands in hers and pulled him closer. He had no idea that what he’d done would keep them apart more than the ocean.
“We have to train you and we will have to return to the ocean.”
“We?” Gabriel raised a brow. Then he grimaced at the pain it ca
used.
“Jake knows the ways of mermen. There’s an arena far under water that all the ancient fights take place in.”
“How am I supposed to fight under the water,” Gabriel grunted.
“Let me clean you up first and we’ll talk about it later.”
He followed her to the bathroom where she soaked towels in warm water and gently wiped his cuts.
“I can do this,” he said, but she sat him down on the toilet lid.
“Please, let me.” Gabriel complied. He peeled off his shirt and she gasped at the bruising that already marred his skin.
“Are any of your bones broken?”
“Don’t think so.”
Ephyra was glad to feel her power returning slowly and summoned a healing spell. His eyes started to close and she hastily helped him to his bed. He would need to heal quickly. She closed her eyes against the pain that awaited them.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Jake felt like a lightning bolt hit his head and he bent over, clutching his temples.
“What’s wrong?” Marcus cried and stopped the car.
“Wait,” he panted.
Jake saw the sea witch’s face in his mind and realized she wanted to communicate. She was saying something, her words becoming clearer. She was telling him to stop resisting and the pain would subside. He did.
“Has she found a warrior?” Scyllane’s voice came into his head like a fog horn.
“No,” Jake said in his mind. Scyllane frowned.
“Erebos was on land but I can’t feel him anymore.”
“How?”
“I’m not the only one with access to the ancient runes, Jake. You need to come back, I can’t hold two spells at once like this for much longer,” she said, irritated with her own limited power.
“I need a few minutes. I’m guiding two humans.”
“What are you doing wasting your time?” she demanded.
“Ephyra wanted her friends taken care of, no matter how stupid.”
“I see you’re as under her thumb as ever,” Scyllane complained. “Very well, you have an hour and Ephyra has twenty-four hours. Make sure you get near water.”
Suddenly she was gone from his mind. He straightened to face two sets of anxious eyes staring at him.
“The spell is dissolving, I have to return and Ephyra needs to be in the water in twenty-four hours.”
“I called Gabe but the reception was spotty. I’ll text him to make sure.” Marcus paused, considering the merman. “I’m sorry for what I did to Muriel, and I know it probably doesn’t mean anything to you but I had to say it.”
“It doesn’t, you’re right. You should say it to her but you’ll never see her again. I will relay your message though if it’s important to you,” Jake said mildly. He couldn’t condone Marcus’ behavior but he also knew he was just human and he couldn’t possibly understand.
“Please,” Marcus said and held out his hand. “You make a great human.” Jane gave him a hug.
“Good luck,” Jake told them as they got into their car.
He lifted his head to the wetness pouring from the sky. It felt good after being so dry and he turned his gaze toward the frothing ocean. He wanted to be back home. Jake closed his eyes and sat down on a rock that stood against the relentless slashing of waves. He prayed Ephyra would return soon — he was a fool to have let her out of his sight. He decided he’d offer himself to be champion and one way or another they’d put an end to this madness.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The queen angelfish nibbled on Scyllane’s fin and woke her from a garish dream. She sat up and the fish whispered in her ear. Scyllane frowned to hear Erebos had returned. She thanked the angel with some scraps of shrimp.
Scyllane could feel her mind sliding closer to insanity. She was out of hope now and the mirror was her only friend. She smiled at it, the glinting object silent but close.
She unwrapped her tail around herself and flexed her fins. They were still somewhat sore but still functioning. It was time. Scyllane gathered every bit of magic she had left to her, grabbed the mirror, and asked for Erebos.
Her estranged husband’s furious face glared at her through the surface. She saw Sevag’s mangled body in the background and a smile lit her face. Erebos was ready for her now but she couldn’t swim quickly in her state. Scyllane gave a sharp call and a giant squid loomed up from the depths, its huge eye luminescent and roving.
“To the palace,” she said to it and the beast floated to her.
Scyllane grabbed the notch of hard skin on its back and the squid shot in the direction of the palace. Within minutes, she saw tiers rising in the distance and something else that she hadn’t seen in centuries. Spires of black rock twisted around a circular ring and guards were hard at work moving rock out of the middle. She reined in the squid and they hovered for a moment. Scyllane realized Erebos wasn’t simply back, he was recreating the arena.
“She’s found a warrior,” she whispered and felt hope burst through her chest.
Scyllane felt like shouting in triumph but one of the guards lifted an alarm as he spotted her. She cursed her slowness as she urged the squid to run. Mermen surrounded her from every side and plunged their spears into the beast. He gave a cry and bucked Scyllane off. She flew to the side, into arms covered in hard armor.
Scyllane blasted the ring of mermen with her magic and it flung them back. She groaned at her bad luck — the magic’s light was like a beacon and she saw a black Shoal coming toward her.
“No one harms her. You will answer for murder,” Erebos’ enraged shout came to her and Scyllane froze.
She turned, mirror spear at the ready and threw flashes of power into the black current. It scattered, but she saw Erebos’ tall form glide out of it, his eyes red with grief. Scyllane felt him sliding invisible threads of a magic net around her and she instantly combated it. The net pulled tighter until she was forced to stop struggling and drop the mirror, where it floated away.
Scyllane jutted her chin defiantly and her eyes bore into his.
“You are the only thing keeping Ephyra in human form, aren’t you?” Erebos said, answering his own question.
Scyllane growled at him. He knew if she died, her spell died with her and it would force Ephyra to come sooner.
“Keep her alive within two breathes,” he said to the guards and floated away.
Scyllane felt the net dissolve but a dozen mermen closed in on her and she could feel her powers draining. The mirror couldn’t help her anymore. She tried to call it, to see where it had gone but all she saw was a dull gold gleam far below.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“Gabriel!”
Gabriel’s head shot up and he sprinted to the bathroom where he saw her frozen in confusion.
Points of spines poked their heads out from her wrist to elbow and she pulled up her pant leg to show him shiny scales. They were beautiful, but Gabriel knew it wasn’t a good sign.
“Something’s happened,” she whispered in anguish. “I thought we had more time.”
Gabriel gave her hand a squeeze. He had his suitcase still packed, but knew he probably wouldn’t need it where they were going.
“It’s all right, our timetable will just move up. Flights into Florida are canceled, they’re under a hurricane warning, so we’re driving.”
“I expect nothing less of a champion,” Ephyra tried to joke.
They scrambled to get in the car. Gabriel had dropped Dag off at the sitter’s with a quick apology. The car sped down I-90 and Gabriel pushed the speed limit.
“I may be in over my head, princess, so let’s go over this plan to get me in the water.”
Ephyra removed a blue moonstone from her pocket and held it out. It sparkled in the sunlight and changed colors from teal to cerule
an to deep navy.
“What’s that?” Gabriel vaguely remembered Muriel wearing something like that.
“It’s how you will breathe under water,” Ephyra said wryly. “The moonstone has the power to grant you another form. That’s why Muriel was able to become human.”
“So, I’m supposed to turn into a mer … person?” he asked and tried to maintain their straight path. Wearing a woman’s piece of jewelry was one thing but that it would turn him into a merman was another.
“Yes, I think it has to touch your skin,” Ephyra answered sensibly.
Gabriel’s heart was racing. He tried to picture his legs disappearing and couldn’t do it.
“Whatever it takes.” He gave Ephyra a grim smile, the urge to kill Erebos still strong in his breast.
The car sped even faster as the shadows raced the sun.
• • •
Jake felt the tingling in his arms and legs. He watched as his legs began to fuse into one. He recognized the pattern of his scales merging the joints together, his knees disappearing. Jake quickly dove from the rock into the water; it closed over his head like a blanket. He hoped Ephyra had not changed yet. For some reason, he just knew Gabriel would get her to the water in time. It both hurt and reassured him.
He felt power rush to his lower half and looked down to see his tail flexing and muscular. The split fins propelled him with ease through the currents and away from the shore. Jake was so glad to be back home, he felt like spinning. But the feeling quickly subsided as he saw a perpetual gloom of fragments of houses and scattered merfolk.
Jake tore his shirt off and let it float away. He examined his body to make sure it was his. His broad shoulders and wide chest were the same, his torso muscled and supple. He swam cautiously through rubble and avoided dark holes. He spied a few of what appeared to be armed guards in the distance. The Coral realm was destroyed to a house and he wondered where they all had gone.
A cold hand reached up and he shied away in a flash only to recognize Muriel’s drawn face coming up from a hole in the rocks. He swam back and grabbed her shoulders to pull her close.