29] A Violent Exchange 

Eros' POV

This mortal ship wasn't filled with pirates at all; they were common sailors. I just said that to convince Lily to come with me after dragging her out to sea. The fact is, those claw marks on her arm were from me pulling her with me when she defied me after being consumed with delirious lust. Our lovemaking was violent, though she enjoyed it as much as I, the blood loss was a bit too overzealous on my part. She never tried to hurt her friends. I had hurt them. I had incapacitated them, thrust them into a net and dragged them through to the mortal ship. I had lied so much in the past few hours, I wasn't so sure I could weave this master plan together without tripping up on my own falsehoods.

Unfortunately, I was mated to a half-wit who distrusted almost every action I had taken thus far. Yes, I enjoyed toying with her, with anyone really. I was proudly sadistic and a tad masochistic. But I was two other things; Rather in love with the half-wit, Lily dearest. And a King of Erebos about to die unless some violent necessary exchanges took place.

I had to do this.

I had to fix this war of territory. The story on how Darvs were created was true. Mermaids with the darkest tails were chosen to mate with mortals, to conceal any concept that Darvs were a cross of species. Rather, they were connected to Erebos's dark scales. A bad omen.

It was a very basic, simple, conniving plan that the Overseers of the Clans had enforced many decades ago. Lily and her friends were next to be traded off, to keep the mortals at bay from Belle Island.

The in-between enemy, being mortals, was going to be our ticket to territory.

I had it all planned. Soon, Lily would get her stupid friends back, unharmed. And then, mortals would be coming to war with the Coral Clans, distracting Aegir from focusing on eradicating us, convincing him to make us all allies instead. Though I hated that, it was the only way. Hate would only get me so far.

I wasn't tutored by some old war legend, I just knew my instincts. I knew how to confuse Coral Mermaids, Coral Merka... they were all so gullible. They also loved strange things. They believed in miracles and the deeper strange meanings behind life altering events. They would consider the war with mortals a sign to stop warring with their own water bred kind; my kind.

Though I hated the Coral Clans, they were my food and we were still creatures of the water. Mortals didn't belong out here. They were expendable. Though they could be considered an occasional snack, I'll admit. They just weren't as tasty as other Mermaids. Although half Mermaid blood, half mortal blood, mixed into Darvs, was just down right delicious.

Hmmm, my thirst was a thought for another time. I'm on the boat now and I come face to face with the small crew. Five men on the lower deck, a couple more above on the upper deck.

"I brought the last slave," I drawl as I walk forward between the men while the humans stare at my strange member between my legs. It did seem to enthral everyone, but could I blame them? It was fabulously violently designed, it was wicked... "As I said I would, she is the last one due this year."

"The captain said you're not the Merka they were expecting to deliver the goods," a short stout man, approaches me, with rope wound up his arm, "Who are you, you're not Devon of sandy hair."

"Oh, no. I am Eros of the Ezili Clan... Devon, sent me," I make it up, except for the next part, "To send a message, actually. The trading of Mermaids, ends today."

"It's a part of a treaty," the stout man scratches his chin, "So the fish people want war, do they? Why did you deliver us these six Mermaids then...? Something smells rather fishy about all this, Eros of the 'Ezili' Clan."

"Oh, you probably haven't heard of me, but your kind will soon know," I snarl the last part low, I can't keep the threat out of my voice, "...my sweet Queen will avenge her kind. The sacrifices," I smirk a bit, "Their mine now, by the way, not yours."

"What are you talking about? What Queen?" the stout man looks to where I point and he turns his gaze onto Lily, who floats in a pool of blood, hissing and glaring in my direction.

"I pissed off a very dangerous female, who wants her friends back... and probably wants to fight me at the end of it," I half shrug, "I have a rather big day ahead of me."

"What's going on down there?" I hear a loud rumble from the steps, as the confident captain walks down, holding a sword by his hip, "You causing trouble, Merka?"

I stare him down, "I'm just here delivering the last Mermaid. She's got some initiating tasks to complete, it's a long story... but short... I need to teach Lily how to kill... properly," I nod as I walk towards the stout man who's watching the sea, I grab the back of his pants, lifting him up casually and throwing him over the side of the ship, "Here's one for you, sweety fins!" I call out, waving at Lily.

While the overboard sailor screams on his way down, I turn back to the captain holding the long sword up to face me.

"You're insane," he shakes his head, stepping towards me.

"I'm just bored," I shrug, waiting for him to thrust with his weapon, "Just watch your left, captain, you might need to duck."

I've already pulled on a thread over the Rough, to bring a wave to come crashing forward onto his half of the ship. The captain glances briefly to his left, he sees the wave rushing for him and he promptly lunges for the railing to grab a hold of something.

The water crashes down, washing most of the men into the rails and the posts. Off their feet, I lunge forward and have some fun. I rip the throat out of the captain. I steal his sword and look up to the Darvs. They're unconscious but they won't be for long. First, I dismember a couple of the other sailors, whistling as I hear them scream, and those who cower and try to hide, I simply throw off into the water for Lily to finish off.

Lastly, there is a young boy on the ship and he hides on the upper deck, behind the ship's wheel.

I flash the terrified boy a smile, but I won't harm children, so he can live. He could pass on the tale of this crew's end.

I use the captain's sword to cut down the Darvs and lower them gently to the blood soaked floor.

"Wakey wakey, little fish," I lean down and grab the back of Halina's head, pulling her up to see her eyes slowly open as she groans, "Finally," I get up and walk away to the edge of the railing, to look for Lily.

I watch a whirl pool swirling, drowning the sailors I threw her way.

I grin in pride, even as Lily faces me with tears streaming down her face and red cheeks. Ah, she was such a handful. I slowly shake my head, what a cute little thing she was when she was frustrated.

At least Lily had listened for once. I wouldn't need to bring in my back up now. We could transition the Darvs into the Ezili Castle slowly. On more agreeable terms.

Lily would soon see, that this was the best thing for them–

"Jump now!" I hear one of the Darvs behind me scream. I turn and watch the six of them dive off the edge of the boat as a hundred foot vertical wave comes crashing forward. To the lower deck only. Towards me.

I jump off at the last second, but it collides with my back anyway, knocking the breath out of my lungs as I'm thrown down violently into the surface of the sea.

I feel the bruising and I'm pulled into Lily's whirlpool. I feel the water sucking me towards the bottom, quickly and ruthlessly.

It takes me a moment to understand that this is a murder attempt. To realise my mate is trying to suffocate me and steal any chance my gills would have of taking oxygen from the water. I try to stray from the current, to pull on my own threads of the Rough. But as I go to control it, I feel faint.

I disappear downward, sucked down and whirled around. Before I know it, water crashes in from above as the whirlpool dies.

I barely get a single weak breath in before someone grabs my arm and hauls me out of the death trap.

I breathe deep and easily through my gills, floating around to find my General, Bellus of the shell eyes, has saved me.

He is shaking his head, his silver shell eyes are alight with fury and disappointment in Lily's actions. As am I.

Behind him, my other two war Generals, Nereus of the waning moon and Tethys of the golden gaze, swim deeply, with three other male Erebos close by.

Bellus slowly raises a brow in the water, asking me for permission to initiate the back up plan, if things went sour... very sour... this was our next phase.

I thought I could avoid this.

But, apparently Lily would never trust me. Which meant I just had to take.

I hold up six fingers and I slowly nod, giving my approval.

Bellus doesn't hesitate, he tells the other five what to do.

We all swim up, I'm in the lead.

Five slim tails surround Lily, the bleeding Queen of Ezili.

Seven Erebos rise to the surface, surrounding them, me included.

I, first, break the water line to hear Lily sobbing.

" –I killed him, I had to kill him to end this constant violence and suffering," Lily clutches onto two of her friends. The ones known as Roanne and Vanora. They comfort her while the shy and curious one, Darya, has her instincts on alert. She turns and freezes as she notices me.

"Er... Erebos... Eros..." Darya stutters it out, too quietly while panicked.

Perhaps all Darvs were somewhat sweet things.

"Huh?" Rivea turns to Darya and Zandy spins to see the other male Erebos circling in. Zandy screams a warning.

Now they all take note.

As a small foreboding silence, falls upon everyone, Lily turns slowly, she meets my gaze and her eyes practically pop out of her head with guilt and shame.

"Choose," I speak to my chosen Erebos, "One for each. Drink. Taste how sweet they are. Weaken them just enough. Bring them back. We have a tank for each Darv."

"No! You can't do this!" Lily screams at me, "Don't hurt my friends, Eros!"

"They are not my friends," I snarl, "But I am their King. Silence, Lily, or I'll execute one right now to gain your compliance," I say it for shock value and she shuts up, so I can smirk and drawl to my men, despite the fact my mate nearly just murdered me, "Enjoy your meals. Leave Lily dearest to me, please. She's my slave, after all."

"Seize them, show no lenience," Bellus seconds the command, every snarled word is full of pain, "We don't have time for games in war. Shred their necks. For Irsa."

I roll my eyes. Bellus always had a thing for her, even though she never reciprocated.

However, Bellus, my second, did deserve some justice for his pain and Lily would just have to deal.

None of the young Darvs stand a chance. And neither does my murdering little flipper.