Chapter Text
Your steps were near silent as you approached the inlet. It wasn't something you found yourself doing often, since you had grown accustomed to making sure others could hear your approach. But the noises of struggle you'd heard while walking on the trail above had raised a loud alarm in your head. Given the vast number of trees and underbrush, you hadn't been able to see anything. It could be a wild animal or something else caught in a trap. Those damned poachers that had taken to the ocean lately had apparently been causing issues on the island as well. It wouldn't be a surprise if they decided to entertain themselves by going after some of the local land bound creatures as they failed in their watery pursuits.
Eventually you reached the edge of the watery grove, carefully slotting yourself behind a large tree and peaking around. A harsh gasp caught in your throat, pain stabbing in your chest from the physical effort of holding it back. Legends had been passed down sure, but you couldn't remember the last time anyone ever mentioned actually seeing a wild mer. Sure, people insisted they were out there still and said that every lost ship or person was due to them, but that was just superstition. You'd heard some larger groups were trying to research them with some fancy tech, though you imagined you would have heard if anyone were...
Oh. Poachers. Hells.
You felt your gaze flicking over the poor creature. A long blue tail dragged along the ground as it struggled, little beads of red dripping down where the net wrapped around and was digging in. A few fins flicked through holes in the net, sharp tips catching but never in the way it really needed. As you watched, it flipped over. With the new angle, you could see its clawed arms pinned tightly to its sides, one bent and stuck near its head. Its face had a rather strange pattern, almost like a crescent moon. A large thick appendage of some kind came off the top of its head, dangling on the ground as it struggled. Like a night cap or something, with a little bulb at the end. An anglerfish, maybe? Were mers meant to resemble specific creatures?
A part of you wondered if you should run back and inform the town elder. Mers were supposed to be dangerous, some stories insisting they could use songs to lure humans into the water's depths. But it looked so... sad. Somewhat dry, aside from the blood, and you couldn't help but wonder how long it had been stuck here. Probably beached itself trying to get free and moved into the inlet for safety. But it wasn't designed for something so large. There was no way for it to submerge itself properly. If it were anything else, you would have helped. That was the original reason you came down, after all, though you had more expected a small animal in a bear trap or wire.
Chewing on your lip, you dug into the pocket of your shorts and pulled out your keys. The sound of struggling ceased at the metals clacking together, and a quick glance revealed a pair of near glowing, blood red eyes locked onto you. Hesitating, you unclipped the attached pocket knife and slid everything else back into the pocket. You took a few steps toward it slowly, freezing when it bared teeth and snarled. After a moment, you looked around. This might be a problem. It could be able to free itself the rest of the way if you got its arms out, but that would put you in plenty of danger as well. Doing so would inevitably put you near its head and those teeth looked sharp. But it wasn't like you had much of an option. It needed help, and you didn't really have time to risk getting the proper tools. Not to mention if those poachers really were after mers, the poor thing could be running out of time.
A deep breath. You strode forward with purpose, ignoring the snarling and the ever increasing struggling. A louder hiss left when you grabbed a section of net near where you would assume its hip was. Thankfully, the pocket knife was designed for boat use, and it didn't take too much time to saw the rope apart. The moment the net gained some slack and you gently set it back to avoid snapping, the mer went silent and froze. You hesitated, glancing back up to see those red eyes trained directly on you. After a few seconds, you turned back to the task at hand. At least it seemed to understand that you were helping it. Maybe you'd survive this after all.
If only the whole thing could go quickly. Despite your best efforts, it wasn't exactly a quick job. The poor thing was really tangled, and you couldn't even imagine the pain it must be in. You worked slowly down its tail, hoping to get enough that it could be free without you needing to cut the whole thing. While you tried to avoid touching it in the hopes of avoiding any anger, it was impossible to keep from making contact at all. Closer though, you could see that the deep blue scales you'd noticed earlier seemed to shimmer in different shades. Not super strongly, though you imagined that was due to how dry they were. Some of them flaked off when the rope nudged them. Blood, darker than a human's but still red, slid down where the net had completely worn away the scales. You were extra careful with those visibly raw spots, trying to ease any pain or discomfort best you could. It couldn't have been comfortable, but you hoped it knew you were trying.
Your knife cut through a spot at the very end, near the fins coming off the tip. Slowly, you slid the net off its tail and inched your way back up. As you reached its hip, the whole tail twitched. A breath lodged in your throat as you froze, both transfixed and terrified in equal measure. Some of the little clawed fins along the length flicked back and forth, testing the extent of its freedom. Total, for the tail at least. Everything else was a whole different battle. Still, it moved. Steadily, it shifted further into the water, the full length of its fins at the tip submerging. Everything it did was slow, but with great precision. A predator, your brain supplied. You could only hope any relief it felt would be directed at you as a shaky breath escaped.
Still, it was absolutely gorgeous. The scales that became properly wet near the end started catching the light through the trees above, showing you the full extent of the iridescence. It even seemed like some of them might be glowing a little on their own. The word for it escaped you, and that along with wondering what exactly certain things were called made you decide to look up fish biology if you made it out of this. If only to be able to better explain to yourself what was happening.
Though that still meant you had to actually get out of this in the first place, and that wouldn't be happening if you never finished. Next was its torso and head. While those little clawed fins on its tail could be dangerous if you weren't careful, its actual claws and teeth were a whole different story. Once those were freed, anything was fair game. Given you had to kneel over the thing to cut away the rope, there was no was you'd be able to get away in time once the net was off.
“Please trust I'm trying to help you,” you whispered softly, voice barely audible over the sound of your heart pounding in your ears.
You pointedly avoided looking back at its face, terrified seeing it still staring at you would make you lose your nerve. Just the thought of those teeth it had bared made your breakfast want to escape. It took another breath before you got started. Unfortunately, one of its arm was in the direct path you needed to work on. Pinned directly against the side facing up. Since there wasn't really a way for you to safely roll it over, it would have to do. Your hands shook despite your best efforts, though it remained extremely still. Every vein turned to ice when you freed the claw and it flexed. But it stayed. Not reaching or even adjusting. Just a little stretch.
Another trembling breath, and you started moving again. Thank the stars above it seemed to be intelligent. The stories of mers were so varied, you had no idea which ones to believe at first. Ranging from mindless beasts destroying everything in their path to merciful guardians protecting the ocean or those that deserved it. You might actually make it out of this whole ridiculous situation with your life and limbs intact. At least you hoped. Some parts of your brain were still swirling with panic, waiting for the adrenaline to die down so they could take control. If it was in this state, how long had it been here? What were the chances it had anything to eat recently?
Forcing your breathing to slow, you cut again, this time freeing the arm entirely. Despite how uncomfortable it must have been, it remained almost entirely still. Only the gentle splashing of its tail shifting almost behind you. You couldn't let the panicked fears take over yet, especially when you were almost done. Though you couldn't exactly avoid its face when freeing its neck. The net hadn't covered its head, yet it still remained deathly still as you worked. Even without being able to see it from the corner of your eyes, you could feel the gaze boring into your head. Did all predators act like that when being helped?
Your hand slid carefully between the net and a set of gills along its neck. Slowly, holding your breath, you pushed the last of the rope off. There was moment of stillness, near silence aside from your heart, as neither of you moved. And then everything flipped. Claws wrapped around your wrists, using the momentum to push you onto your back as a panicked cry just barely managed to escape. Water splashed against your back, the displacement making your head go under for just a moment before you pushed it back above.
It was leaning over you, tail pressed tightly to your side as if it couldn't stand any distance. Those same glowing red eyes stared down at you with an intensity you didn't know how to name. Slowly, it lowered. You wanted to scream or cry, but no sound was able to leave you. A tiny part of your mind wondered if it were their eyes that led people to their deaths and not songs. You tensed further as its head pressed against the top of yours, scales dried and a bit rough against your now wet skin. It moved deliberately, much like the predator you knew it was, shifting slowly down your head until it reached your neck.
Finally, it must have found whatever it was looking for, pulling back. Something about its expression sparked with displeasure, but you honestly couldn't tell if that was just your fear talking. One of its claws flexed, and you couldn't stop the flinch as it raised the hand it had been holding to its face. Its eyes finally left yours, switching over to your hand. It moved you this way and that, mapping your appendage. Studying you in earnest, it seemed. If it was just curious, you might actually survive this whole thing.
And then its mouth opened. A soft whimper escaped despite your desperate desire to stay silent as the rows of sharpened teeth were fully revealed. Each one had a deadly point, perfect for an oceanic hunter to tear apart its prey. Tears dripped down the sides of your face, joining the water that had gentled by now. You wanted to fully cry out, to struggle and escape, but knew there was no point. It had you in its grasp, and doing any of that now would probably only upset it.
With an uncomfortable amount of gentleness, it closed its maw around your wrist. There was soft pricks of pain as it bit into you, but that was it. It froze entirely, eyes closed as it focused on whatever weird game it was playing. After a few seconds, something that could only have been a tongue swiped over where its teeth had been moments before, soothing the injury. It seemed strangely satisfied when it finally pulled back, tilting your hand this way and that. As if it were admiring the little marks it had made on your wrist.
It's mouth widened in a smile, dropping your wrist and letting it land on your chest. Before you could even consider how to react to what had just happened, it shifted back a bit. Your other hand was released, only for two claws to wrap around your sides. A hiccuped breath escaped as it lifted you from the water with uncomfortable ease. Though maybe you shouldn't have been surprised. Just its torso and head alone were taller than you, with its tail nearly twice that. It set you down on your butt near the edge of the inlet.
Almost immediately you tried to scoot away, desperate for distance on instinct alone. One of its claws wrapped tightly around your wet shoe and pulled you back. A soft growl rumbled in its chest, eyes narrowed with the quiet rebuke. You froze, and its expression seemed to relax when you stayed in place. It lifted its claw slowly, watching as if you might bolt again. A part of you truly did want to, but your brain was just mush. Its head twisted ever so slightly to the side, eyes upturning just before it spun around and flopped into the water. You watched with a continued mix of horror and awe as it rolled. Among the scales now wet enough to catch the sun's rays, there was more of that distinct glowing. It didn't seem particularly happy at not being able to completely submerge, but it was more relaxed than you'd seen it yet.
Something about that thought jolted in your head. What the hell were you doing? It was well and truly distracted for the first time since this all started. Before you could keep arguing between fear and instinct, you scrabbled to your feet and made a break for the treeline. You'd just managed to recover from stumbling in the soft sands when a large splash sounded behind you. Though it wasn't that particular noise that halted your escape. As you grabbed onto the nearest tree for support, a loud whining made you pause. True escape was right there, but something kept you rooted. Using the rough grains of sand stuck to your legs and stinging pain from your wrist to keep yourself grounded, you turned just enough to glance back.
The mer had pulled itself onto the shore of the inlet, eyes once more locked onto you. You had strangely no doubt in your mind what its expression was saying. It seemed... genuinely upset. Not for losing a meal or something, but instead akin to pure desperation. Though you couldn't let yourself falter. Mers were strange and dangerous. The newly formed memory of your hand surrounded by those sharp teeth was still clear in your mind. The fact you'd survived this encounter at all seemed like a miracle. You didn't know why it was so intent, but you had already helped it. From here, it would be fine. Easy enough to get back to the ocean and properly recover where it would be safer.
You twisted your body, hesitating only a moment more before lifting a hand. Its eyes widened at the motion, the whining growing with intensity as it started to push further onto the shore, claws digging into the sand. You didn't know if it had actually understood anything you'd told it today, but you felt like something should be said. You wracked your brain, settling on the first thing you could think of.
“Swim well and free,” you said softly through trembling breaths. Before it could react, you turned on your heels and took off into the trees. A loud trilling noise followed as underbrush dug into your legs, eventually fading into nothing as you managed to make distance.
The memory alone would live with you forever, but it would be yours at least. Something only for you to enjoy, unless the mer would appreciate it as well, you supposed. Still, you did genuinely hope it could enjoy its renewed life back in the ocean.
*****
You stretched your arms above your head, sighing softly as they came back down to rest on top of your meager dining table. As was your new normal, your eyes drifted to your wrist. Even now, almost a full month later, the injury hadn't healed. Though it wasn't exactly the same either, to the point it wasn't really a wound anymore. Or even a scar. What had once been a set of red dots curling your wrist was now a small band of blue wrapped around it. Like a tattoo or bracelet. The color reminded you of the strange creature's tail. Moon, you'd taken to calling him in your head. Because of the pattern on his face, you guessed, though both the name and him had come to you in a dream. Perhaps the mark was something more. It wasn't like you could ask anyone without risking the poachers hearing about you possibly having met a mer. Sure, you could be wrong and they could just be assholes hunting endangered species, but the huge boat you'd seen didn't bode well. You hoped the mer was far away, safe somewhere else.
Holding back a soft sigh at your own wandering thoughts, you grabbed the wide bracelet you'd been using to cover the mark and got up to get ready. A simple pair of shorts and a comfortable tee, along with a whole boatload of your favorite waterproof sunscreen. You'd been avoiding the shoreline for, well, obvious reasons, but people were starting to notice. At the very least, you could go to the end of your little dock and dip your toes in to enjoy the chill. Warm enough that you'd only need a wetsuit if you were going for a good deep dive. Definitely nice for a simple dip, and a good start to reintroducing yourself to the water.
You walked slowly down the dock, closing your eyes for a moment to enjoy the scent of salt water and warm summer breeze. As you neared the end, you plopped down. It was another moment before you finally opened your eyes, sliding off your sandals and setting them to the side with little preamble. The next step was what really gave you pause. Trepidation tightened your muscles, taking several breaths to calm. You didn't really know what you expected to happen, though you did curse how deep the water in this area was. It wasn't as if you would touch the water and immediately be sucked in by some unknown force. You snorted at the mere thought, letting your feet dip in. Sure enough, nothing happened aside from some phantom aches from your wrist. With a deep breath, your body relaxed and you let the cool water calm you further.
Living on the shore had always been a plus for you with your love of the ocean. Avoiding it for so long had been quite the burden on you. Relaxing with a quick dip or a little kayak ride were favorites when you had the time for it. It had almost been a month already. The mer was hardly going to be hanging around still, hovering nearby in case you just happened to get close enough. Besides, you were a decent ways from the inlet. You were honestly starting to feel sort of silly for the whole thing.
“You took too long,” a gravelly voice sounded in your head.
You jumped, head raising to look around. What in the actual hells? That hadn't come from anywhere near you, despite your frantic searching. Almost like your own thoughts but distinctly something else. Like someone were speaking into you. Telepathy? That was fantasy or science fiction. Or so you had thought.
A soft splash broke the silence, a rough rumbling following. You shot your head to the source, eyes widening as a familiar blue head continued emerging from the water barely two arms length from where you were sitting. A sharp breath whistled through your teeth when you froze, gaze locked onto Moon. His eyes were narrowed at you, entirely unimpressed. Honestly, you might have thought about running back to your house, his sudden appearance, or literally anything else if you weren't so focused on what had just happened.
“Did you just speak in my head?” you blurted out, snapping your mouth shut when you realized you'd spoken.
He blinked, eyes upturning in mirth. “The bond. You can hear me now that it settled since I am nearby.”
You opened your mouth to ask what the heck any of that meant before freezing once more. Slowly, you shifted your gaze to the leather bracelet that hid the blue band. “Oh.” Your brows furrowed, eyes sliding back to the mer. He... seemed friendly enough. For now. It might be a good opportunity to learn something at least. “Is that why I know your name?”
He grinned, once more revealing those sharp teeth. It faltered ever so slightly when you flinched, though he still said, “a version you can understand in your language.” His body twisted a little, tail splashing behind him as he moved closer, pausing when you leaned away. Immediately, he glowered, hissing. “I won't hurt you.”
“I, uh, right,” you said, clearing your throat weakly. That was probably true. If he'd really wanted to hurt you, he could have easily done it plenty of ways back at the inlet. In fact, aside from the mark on your wrist, he'd been surprisingly gentle. Still, those claws and teeth of his were flashing through your mind. “This is all very... new,” you settled on, letting your shoulders relax a bit when his annoyance started to fade. “I assumed you left. There's those people staying in town. I think they'd try to hurt you.”
He rolled his eyes. “They can try.”
A small snort escaped before you could stop it. “You sound very confident for someone I found caught in a net.” You cast your gaze down immediately, chewing on your lip when you fully processed what you'd said. What were you even doing? What was the plan? You should take the opportunity to run before he did something.
“Rude,” was all he hissed in response.
There was a few seconds of silence followed by another splash. His head popped into view, your breath catching as he glanced up for just a moment before gently bumping his head into one of your legs. He let out a soft trill, seeming particularly pleased by your lack of movement.
“Back now.”
You blinked. “Me?” At his little nod, you cocked your head to the side. There might be time to learn a little more. To protect yourself a little later if the need arose. “How did you know I was here anyway? I haven't been here very long.”
“The bond,” he said simply, wrapping a clawed hand gently around your ankle and lifting it from the water to study it. “I could feel when you entered the ocean. Came straight here so I would not miss you.”
“I... hope you know that word doesn't really mean anything to me,” you said, watching him closely. Some things were obvious, of course. The mark on your wrist must be what he was talking about to some extent, and you wondered if that phantom ache from earlier was actually him finding you. “I'm guessing it means something very specific for you?”
He hesitated, letting your foot fall back into the water with a displeased click of his tongue. His gaze returned to yours, keeping contact as he backed up just enough to lift himself further out of the water. It was more than a little terrifying how far he was able to do that, bringing the top of his head to around your chest. His eyes narrowed as you started to panic a little, wondering just how far he could pull himself if needed. Rationality struggled. This was a dangerous predator, and you were just sitting here having a regular conversation. Something frantic buzzed in your gut, and you missed his gaze slide down to your wrist.
A loud, rumbling growl made you jump, forcing your attention back to him just as he ducked beneath the water. You pushed up with your hands, scrambling to get back to the safety of dry land when a pair of hands wrapped around both your ankles and yanked. You yelped, hands scrabbling against the warm wood and barely remembering to take a breath before you were pulled under the surface.
Your eyes flicked around wildly before managing to lock onto the mer. He was far more imposing under the water, looming over you. He seemed much, much larger, tail coiling ever so slightly around you as he stared. Any amusement or softness from before was gone, replaced by clear annoyance. Panic surged down your spine, and you opened your mouth to scream against your will. His eyes widened through the resulting bubbles, pulling you against his chest and dragging you back above the surface.
“Breathe,” came the insistent command.
You'd already started coughing out the water before his demand, trying to wiggle out of his grip so you could cover your mouth. One of his arms did release you, gently moving your head back and forth until you managed to calm the coughing fit and make contact with his narrowed eyes. He relaxed after several seconds, adjusting his grip on you and starting to fall back. A whimper escaped, thoughts of being dragged into the depths once more flashing. Though you never went under. Instead, he simply floated on his back, pulling you onto his chest so only your legs were dangling into the water on either side of his torso.
“What was that for?” you said, clearing your throat to clear the last bits of water. Instead of an answer, you could feel him grab one of your hands, and you looked down to see to see him fiddling with your bracelet. “Is this why you did that?”
Grumbling, you pulled your arm away from him and hugged it against your chest. He immediately hissed, body shifting more underneath you. A frown tugged the edges of your lips and you looked up. Panic sparked through you, freezing your veins. Between recovering from the coughing fit and trying to figure out what he was doing, you hadn't realized he'd been slowly floating away from shore. Even now, you could feel his tail moving back and forth, propelling you even further.
One of his claws grabbed your thigh, making you jump but focus back on his scowling face. “You're covering my mark,” he hissed.
Huffing out the panic best you could, you unlatched the bracelet and slid it into your pocket. “Better?” you mumbled, brow furrowing as his face immediately relaxed.
“Yes,” he said, a soft purr rumbling his chest as he grabbed your wrist and nuzzled against the blue band.
You flexed your hand anxiously, though he did nothing aside from admire the mark he'd managed to leave. “I don't suppose you'll return me to shore now?”
His eyes flicked back up to your face, and you could feel his tail twitch. “Must I?”
“I would rather.”
“Talk first,” he said, looking back down to the mark. “I will return you to shore after.”
You shifted a bit, looking back to the dock. There was no way you'd be able to get there yourself, even at twice your swimming speed. He was made for the water. Humans were not. “Do you promise?” you asked softly, turning back to him.
He blinked, pressing his teeth to your wrist. “I swear.”
It was the best you could hope for, so you nodded and took a deep breath to calm your still racing heart. Fear was still coiling tightly around you, but you'd never make it out of this without your wits. “Okay. Just... please try not to get too far away?”
Another pleased purr escaped him at that, louder than the first and causing his whole chest to rumble. “Acceptable.” There were a few moments of silence before he finally released your hand, leaning his head mostly back down into the water and settling a claw on your hip to keep you steady on him. “The bond. It's special to us.”
“I assumed that,” you said when he didn't elaborate. “Also what do you mean by 'us'?”
“Celestials,” he said, trilling softly. “Special kind of,” he trailed off, claw tapping against your hip.
“Mer?”
“Yes.” His eyes upturned, grin widening. He seemed so genuinely pleased by just talking with you, but it didn't really make any sense. “There are not many of us, but we are always gifted a special connection. If it is broken before being able to form, a new one will eventually start many years later.” His tail shifted again, though this time he angled himself to be perpendicular to the shore. He grinned when you relaxed just a fraction at the realization. “We have a soul meant to belong to us as we belong to them. I did not realize it was you until you made contact with my scales.” His smile fell a bit. “Did not intend to scare you as much as I did.”
You could feel your mouth open and close like a fish, a comparison you might have laughed at if you were in your right mind. “Me?” you managed, pointing to yourself. “You must realize I'm just a plain old human, right? There's nothing special about me.”
His eyes narrowed. “Special, even if human,” he hissed. “What you are does not matter. The mark is proof you are our star.”
“Our?” you managed, a mere squeak.
He chuckled, and you could feel his tail lift before it slapped into the ocean behind you. Almost immediately, the water around you seemed to shift. Large movements happening under the surface that you couldn't see. It was as rapidly growing ripple to your right that caught your attention first, breath catching harshly in your throat as yellow fins emerged. The claws on your hip started gently rubbing up and down, an action you might have found comforting it not gripped by absolute terror.
The creature that emerged seemed at least somewhat similar to Moon in size and general shape, but that was about it. His head was surrounded by an array of fins much like a sunflower. All of his scales were yellow as well, with that same iridescent quality. Shimmering in the light beating down from above. White eyes stared directly at you, some of his scales glittering with light when you made eye contact. Bio-luminescence, you'd learned from research after the first encounter. His mouth was widened in a sharp grin. Once he stopped coming out of the water, he paused and... waved.
“Sun,” Moon provided, chest rumbling in what you assumed was supposed to be a comforting purr. “Twin.”
That explained any similarities, you supposed. One was rough enough, but you supposed you could handle two if they kept genuinely respecting your wishes. Panicked as you were, the only bad thing Moon had really done to you was drag you off the dock. In fact, all of your current terror was directed at Sun. Something warm coiled within you, stemming from the mark on your wrist. As if you knew instinctively that Moon could be trusted but couldn't quite believe it. Against your better judgement, you shifted even closer to the mer you were currently sitting on. Sun tilted his head, giving a little warble. Was he... sad? What the hell was even going on?
A good bit of water lapped up against your other side, even splashing onto Moon's torso. Your brow furrowed, turning to see what was causing it. A genuine squeak of terror escaped at the far larger mer lifting itself from the depths. Easily three times the size of the other two, with a mix of dark reds and oranges covering his face and body. His face, currently staring down at you with narrowed eyes, had a similar pattern to Moon's but not quite as strong. The fins surrounding his head had the same pattern as Sun's, but there weren't quite as many. There was something different about him as well, somehow far more threatening. Even the iridescence of his scales gave way to black instead of being more colorful like the others. You could barely see the fins along his tail, but it was obvious the claws there were far longer and sharper than Moon's. And that was even accounting for the size difference. If Moon were the same size, they'd still be longer.
“Eclipse,” Moon offered, not even bothering to hide the smug cheeriness worming its way in. “We were lucky enough to learn we shared a star many years ago.”
Oh. Things were about to get far more complicated.
*****
You fiddled with the bracelet on your wrist, eyes briefly flicking to the large group standing outside the bar. Almost immediately, you forced it away. It wouldn't do to even make eye contact with the hunters. The last thing you needed was to bring attention to your celestial mers. If anything happened to them because of you, you'd never be able to forgive yourself. It was bad enough they insisted on coming to see you every time you so much as grazed the ocean water. One mistake and you could lead them right into the jaws of death or perhaps something even worse. You didn't want to think about what the hunters were really after.
A voice shouted out your name, and you turned to see one of the bar employees waving at you. Vanessa, your only childhood friend. She'd been chatting with the hunters, apparently believing their story that they were simply surveying the area and studying the wildlife. Even worse, you'd heard a few of the elders complaining that they'd even brought her on the ship a couple times.
“Hey,” you said quietly, moving closer slowly. The hunters watched you, many with silence and straight faces. You wondered how much of it was suspicion or just paranoia on your part. “Getting ready to start the day?”
“Pretty much!” she said, giving you a quick hug. “I feel like I haven't seen you at all lately. Too busy enjoying that new boat of yours?”
“It is pretty nice,” you said. Wouldn't really do to tell her the only reason you got it was so you could meet your mers further from shore where it was safer for them. The boat was just a tool. “People seem to enjoy my fish at least. Gives some nice bit of extra spending cash.”
It better, given how excitedly the mers drove the fish to you. Apparently they got quite a bit of pleasure from being able to provide for you, both from you being able to eat the haul and pay for quite a bit with the money you got from selling what you couldn't eat. The happier they were, the easier they were on you and your poor addled mind. Honestly, you were still trying to adjust to the whole thing. Even now, on your way into the town, you'd seen at least one old poster warning about the dangers lurking in the depths. How were you supposed to combine the horror stories you'd grown up hearing with the three creatures nearly desperate for any scrap of time they could get with you?
“I can't believe no one tried to take you fishing before,” Vanessa said with a grin. “You must have one of those special sea hearts I've heard the elders talking about. A real luck charm. I've heard some of the people at the docks talking about paying you just to sit on the ship when they go out.”
Your eyes flicked back to the side before you could stop them, feeling your breath catch when you realized the hunters were still simply staring at you. “I'd go crazy within the hour,” you managed, looking back to her. “Anyway, I should get going. Just needed to pick up a part for the ship. One of the mechanisms near my engine broke. If I start it up wrong, I'm worried the whole thing is gonna implode.”
“Oof, rough,” she said, wincing. “Well, we're supposed to be heading out soon ourselves. I swear we're getting some of those machines repaired every day. I'll let you know when I have some free time? I really do miss you.”
“Sure thing, Vanessa. Stay safe, okay?”
She gave you a quick hug, waving as she started heading down the way to the town docks. Most of the hunters followed, a couple watching you for a few more moments before doing the same. A breath you didn't even realize you were holding escaped. Realizing one or two glanced back at you, you quickly turned on your heel and headed into town for your part. The hunters had always been a rather strange group of people, most of them giving the impression that they were little more than intense mercenaries or soldiers. A few members were smooth-talkers. Doing all the conversing with the townsfolk. Real weird people, and they made not only you pretty uncomfortable.
You shook the thoughts from your head, forcing your feet to move faster in an effort to get further from the hunters. Besides, you needed to get your part so you could go out on the water again. The mers would probably start wandering closer to the shore your home and dock were on if you didn't show up soon. They rather enjoyed just being able to exist in the same space as you, though that combined with their protectiveness meant they didn't like being separated for too long. You never felt pressured to spend days out on the ocean or anything since they were surprisingly respectful of your boundaries. Honestly, you'd expected them to fight you a bit more whenever you left. Sure, they'd ask you to stay longer and maybe a tiny bit of begging from Sun, but if you made it clear you needed to go, they never stopped you. It was nice.
And even better, one mention of having bumped into the hunters had the part shop owner scowling enough they didn't want to have their usual hour long small talk. Important little bugger in your arms meant you could rush back to your cabin. You did take the longer inland path though, in hopes of completely avoiding any of the hunters if they hadn't left yet. A part of you wished that you could relax enough to properly enjoy the familiar flowers and trees, along with their wonderfully vivid scents.
Alas, you had a ship to repair and a set of mers almost certainly growing ravenous for your presence. So you rushed along, catching a brief glance at the hunter vessel departing at the crest of the hill, desperately hoping your mers continued to be extra careful around it. It had seemed so far that all the ship's efforts had been futile, and you wished for it to stay that way. Taking a breath, you took note of the direction they seemed to be going and started back down the path.
*****
The repair was quick, and you stalled longer only to change into a new set of clothes. A nice swimsuit since you hadn't yet had the time to repair the wetsuit Sun had accidentally torn in his excitement last trip with the small sash they'd carefully crafted for you tucked in between two towels. You weren't quite sure where they'd gotten the string for it, and hadn't really wanted to know in case you didn't like the answer, but instead of fabric they'd used their own fallen scales. When tied around your waist correctly, it drooped down one side and went about halfway to your knee. It was beautiful, and you did truly love their thoughtful little gifts. If only you could wear it around the island.
Shaking your head clear, you grabbed your go bag from the door and bolted down the dock to your lovely little vessel. It started up without any issues, the sound alone a sincere relief. If you lost the boat entirely, meeting with them would have to happen near the shore, and you hated the thought of something happening to them simply because they were unlucky enough to end up with a human for a mate. Not that they viewed it that way, though. The wind blew your hair back as you started along the water, chewing on your lip. In fact, the one time you had so much alluded to that being the case, you'd gotten to hear Eclipse outright snarl. It was the only time in the last several months he'd made any aggressive noises near you, probably due to your rather obvious fear, but it was something he deemed important enough. You were their soul after all, and everything about you was what it was intended to be. They didn't care you were human. To them, that fact was, at its absolute worst, inconvenient.
You slowed down, studying the horizon with your naked eye and then the scope to ensure there was no one else around. A quick putter around the large stone spire seemed to clear that worry. The darn thing wasn't even an island, just a giant stone spike piercing from the water. It served both as a good landmark and, apparently, where they'd chosen to nest in the caves far deeper below. There was no land here. At best, you could lean against the rock. Not that they would ever expect you to. If you grew tired, they were more than happy to offer themselves as perches instead.
There was, admittedly, a small part of you that was bummed you couldn't see their caves. The way they described it was beautiful, including a room for you that you couldn't even use. For now, they decorated it with gifts. You could maybe look into getting a diving rig, but your dock wasn't long enough for the kind of ship that would require. Not to mention the cost and how much attention it would draw. No, it was a bit too much. Disappointing, since it was far too deep for you to swim. Even with an air tank and your basic diving gear. They were made to withstand deeper waters. You were but a fleshy human.
Chuckling at your own description, you took off the shirt and shorts covering your swimsuit and chucked the anchor toward the spike. They'd attach it to something on the side for you so the ship wouldn't get away. The one time it had, you'd panicked enough to make all of them upset, even after Sun went and dragged it back. They'd learned. Never again. Even if you could instinctively trust them, which you did genuinely think you could despite their still somewhat terrifying claws and teeth, being entirely at their mercy wasn't something you wanted to be. You enjoyed being self sufficient. Plus, having the ship meant you could leave whenever you wanted. It was nice to have an out, even if you pretty much never used it.
The ship rocked gently in the waves as you tied the sash and climbed onto the ledge on the back of the boat. With a soft breath, you sat down and dipped your feet in the water. It wasn't instantaneous. It never was really. Not for you at least. Apparently, they would all know the moment you made contact. Still, it was a bit nerve-wracking waiting. Something gently tugged at the ship, and you braced yourself as the anchor was set.
“Sunshine!” the voice cheered, the large mer pulling you from your perch and into a near crushing hug.
You coughed a bit at the sudden squeeze, managing to get out a quiet, “good afternoon, Sun.”
He pulled back, still outright holding you above the water so only half your calves were submerged. His eyes were upturned as always, the ever present grin nearly splitting his face. “You've been gone for so long and now you've come to us!”
“Got the ship repaired finally.”
He nodded enthusiastically, finally settling lower into the water and gently pulling you along as he moved in circles near your boat. He really couldn't stop moving. “But you didn't go in at all after that! It's been forever!”
You winced at that. It had been nearly two weeks, and you'd always met up with them at least briefly every other day before that. “Sorry, Sun. The hunters have been more active and it made me nervous.”
He tsked softly, pulling a bit harder so he could briefly bonk his head into yours. “We can take care of ourselves, sunshine! Let us do that?”
“I know very well you three are capable of protecting yourselves, but all I can think of is that first day when I happened to meet Moon. You aren't invincible, and I'd hate for something to happen to any of you because of me.”
“Not because of you,” a far softer voice said, still tinged with sleep, and you twisted a little to see your current companion's lunar counterpart had come up near your boat at some point. “And you don't need to keep bringing that up.”
Sun snickered. “Aw, Moonie! Are you embarrassed?”
Moon immediately ducked back under the water, and you felt a claw wrap gently around your waist mere moments before Sun was unceremoniously dragged under the surface. It would have been far funnier if the claw steadying you weren't ripped away but a second after. You couldn't help the small shiver as his claws briefly skated across your sides. Not enough to break skin. Even if they'd never intentionally hurt you, the reminder of what they could do wasn't exactly welcome.
A quick glace revealed that your boat was a decent bit away now, a fact which annoyed you to no end. Of course they couldn't keep you near it, especially since the water getting rougher clearly meant they were roughhousing again. Little play fights. Not anywhere you could see since it was a bit much for you, but you could tell. They very rarely drew blood or anything, though that was apparently because Eclipse had... insisted rather strongly that they be careful to avoid worrying you. He could be rather frightening when he wanted to be.
A new, far larger hand settled around your waist, making you jump a little at the cool temperature and its sudden appearance. With his usual grace, Eclipse's tail settled underneath you and lifted you so your top half was above the surface and you were resting comfortably on him. His own head peaked over not long after, studying you curiously.
“You are well?”
You nodded. “Yes, sorry it went so long.”
He head cocked, eyes narrowing slightly before his lips finally twitched upward. “Our beloved bond need not apologize. You have graced us once more.” As his eyes roved over you, they locked onto something and his grin widened enough to further reveal his sharp teeth. “And you even came bearing us.”
“You guys worked hard on it,” you grumbled, huffing softly at his rumbling laughter. To be fair, Sun had explained that the sash with their scales was a bit more than a usual gift. Some mers stayed in pods, though that was mostly the smaller ones or those that were simply that way. Like whale types that were used to traveling with families. For those, they would often carry pieces of their mates to show that they were taken, to avoid being courted when coming across another pod. They immensely enjoyed when you wore it, like you were showing the world you were theirs. It didn't matter to them that they were the only mers in the waters they protected.
Though a small part of you wished you could wear it openly. The hunters had already been searching around the island for nearly a year. Why they hadn't left to search elsewhere yet was beyond you. But it wasn't safe for you yet. Well, in some ways. Thanks to Vanessa's unfortunate decision making, you'd learned a bit about where some island legends sat. Including your current favorite that the hunters apparently despised, a fact that only made you more pleased. That the original mers that lived near the island were protectors, and the current town elder apparently still believed in that quite strongly. They could be dangerous yes, but they were unlikely to hurt those who truly cared for the island and the waters around it. You wondered if you could talk to the elder. While the three hadn't really said much when asked if they'd eaten humans before, they'd been rather adamant that they'd never hunted for them. Self defense was your biggest assumption.
“Not here. Come back.”
You blinked, shaking your head free to focus on Eclipse's displeased expression. “Got lost in my thoughts.”
He spun his head around to an unnatural degree, nearly upside down. “Of us?”
“Somewhat,” you admitted, chuckling softly as you shifted to lay on his tail. The edges of your lips quirked up at his very pleased expression when you got comfortable. “While I was stuck on the island, I got a chance to chat with Vanessa.”
Any amusement faded and he scowled. “The hunter trainee.”
“Misguided,” you said, unable to stop the quiet sigh. “I wish she could understand.”
“Not your place to make her.”
You managed a small smile. “I know.” Shaking your head again, you looked up at him. “Not fully where I was going with that, though. She was talking about old legends the hunters had been looking into. Apparently the elder thinks there's a good chance any mers that used to live around the island were guardians of a sort, which is apparently why he's been trying so hard to get the hunters banned from our port. I was wondering if it would be safe to speak with him. A good chance to learn about those old stories, maybe.”
He hummed at that, expression softening as the fins around his head settled. “And yet you hesitate?”
Another sigh at that. “I'm afraid it could go wrong. What if, when faced with an actual truth, he decides his values don't hold up?”
“We could face it.”
“It's not you three I think I would be most worried about,” you muttered without thinking, feeling him tense underneath you. Uh oh. That was a thought you hadn't vocalized to them yet. In your brief panic and need to escape, you sat up and started looking around for your boat. Not that it would matter. You could hardly swim faster than him.
He was leaning in, fins flaring and teeth bared far more than usual, when Sun suddenly burst out of the water next to you. “Not fair! I got here first! It's my turn!”
Moon half climbed onto Eclipse's tail to tiredly nuzzle one of your arms, the little appendage on his head brushing against your side at the motion. “Let yourself get dragged away. Now we're both losers. Your fault.”
“No! Not fair! I won the fight!”
“You didn't win,” Moon hissed, shifting as his tail lashed under the water. “Running when you realized she was taken is not a win.”
“Well, now you were here last, so who's really the winner here?” Sun said, voice full of some kind of clearly misplaced pride as he moved to nuzzle your other hand. “Me, clearly!”
“Or our brother, who took over when you started that fight.”
Sun gasped, lifting up and holding a clawed hand to his chest. “I did not start that! You pulled me away from them!”
“And you dragged me off after!”
Eclipse shifted, the end of his tail lashing once. “What did you mean it is not us you would worry about?”
The other two immediately went silent, turning their full attention to you. It was a bit much, especially since it was something you never intended to bring up given how protective they could be. Given your weak and fleshy human nature, it was never a surprise, and they worked very hard to ensure you didn't feel stifled due to the cultural differences. But a direct threat? You'd never really faced one of those that they could feel in such a way. They didn't like you interacting with the hunters, sure, but that was more because those guys sucked. Something you readily agreed with. The worst you'd dealt with was before you settled on this spot and there had been a few dolphins nearby your chosen meeting point. Given their mischievous and often devious natures, Eclipse had the others outright chase them away while you waited in confusion.
But that was getting far off topic, and they were clearly waiting for an answer. Sun and Moon just looked intrigued, but the annoyed expression had yet to leave Eclipse. As the clear main fighter of the group given his scars, the thought of you being in danger must weigh on him the worst.
“It's really nothing,” you said, wincing at the uncertainty in your voice and how immediately unimpressed they all looked.
“Not nothing,” Eclipse insisted before the others could speak, claws raising to settle on your calves and hold you in place. “Explain.”
You sighed, shoulders slumping. “It's just something I've thought about a bit, okay?” you mumbled. “If the hunters find out about you, that's bad enough since I hate the thought of any of you being in danger.”
Sun purred, bumping against your hand. “Want to protect us,” he said, grin widening into something you'd describe as shit-eating.
“Focus,” Eclipse said, gently smacking him with one of his tail fins.
Well, too much for hoping that might provide an actual distraction. “It occurred to me that there's a secondary issue. If they find out about our connection, I mean.”
Eclipse tensed underneath you, tail stilling as his eyes immediately narrowed, likely realizing where you were going with that train of thought. The other two stiffened as well, but didn't seem to quite follow what was going on yet.
“If the hunters confirm that I'm connected to mers is any kind of way, they'll probably try to use that. I honestly don't want to consider what that might mean.”
It was Moon who truly reacted first, fully bearing his teeth and hissing. “We would not allow them to harm you!”
“Or take you,” Sun added, usual bright expression hardened into something far more sinister. “You are ours, not theirs.”
Eclipse spun his head again, eyes completely narrowed. “You worry we would not be there. If they went after you on land.”
You shrugged, shrinking in on yourself a little at the displays. As much as you trusted them, being reminded of how aggressive they could be wasn't always the most fun. “That's the thought, yeah. I mean, the smartest thing for them to do would be to wait until I was alone in my house, right? I can't imagine they'd risk rushing something that important.” A frown tugged down the edges of your lips. “I don't think I'd want you to be there anyway.”
Moon hissed. “We can protect you!”
“Let us help! Please trust us!” Sun's voice came out with a soft whining warble.
It was Eclipse who shook his head, leaning ever closer. “You worry we would be harmed attempting to protect you.”
You brought your gaze to the scales near your legs, hearing and feeling the way your mers stilled. Nothing but the soft sound of waves brushing against them and your own heart trying to climb out your ears. Something deep within you refused to let you look at them. It was hard to pin down exactly. Guilt didn't seem right. Sure, maybe a little if they did actually get hurt because of you, but not the actual. No, that was probably more to do with fear. While you had yet to actually voice your feelings to the beasts around you, you truly did enjoy their presence. Losing that was something that coiled angrily in your stomach. And if it was because of you? You would never live that down in your head. They told you all the time that they were yours, and rarely that you were theirs. As if impatient but wishing to wait for you to say it yourself. Never vocalized, but you really were. You couldn't imagine life without them, even if what that truly meant at its core scared you.
“Beloved one,” came the quiet voice, body underneath you rumbling with a soft yet persistent purr.
You shook your head, that tight coil holding you in place. How could you look at them? They had learned so much of your expressions, and you had the worst poker face to ever exist. It was why you never played cards with any of the townsfolk. All of your thoughts would be plastered there for all to see.
“Starlight,” another voice spoke in a rasp, Moon's head bumping against your arm again.
When you still didn't respond, there was a soft plop of water to your left. You almost looked over, wondering where Sun could possibly be going when he burst forth. Water splashed all the way to your head, making you shout in surprise as he flopped right onto Eclipse's tail. He wiggled until his face was where you'd been looking, grinning wide despite the larger mer's sudden growl of displeasure.
“There you are, sunshine!” The fins on his head swished back and forth as they always did when he was particularly pleased. “We are yours, for as long as you will have us.”
You forced yourself to ease the tight ball in your stomach, looking up enough you could see all of their faces. Your tongue sat heavily in your mouth, suddenly trying very hard to be unresponsive. Though you really had no idea how long you had with your lovely mers. Human lives were already so short and could ended so unfortunately quickly. Could you afford to wait?
They were studying you, patiently waiting for your response. To an extent at least, given the way Sun's tail was swishing back and forth. About as calm as he would ever be, you assumed.
With a deep breath, you forced your body to respond. “And I am yours.”
*****
You awoke with a pounding headache, and the sound of distant rumbling certainly wasn't helping the matter. Memories of a long day with your mates as they so excitedly called themselves filtered in, and you wondered how foolish were you that you must have forgotten to drink water before going to bed. A quiet chuckle escaped in a rasp. Time for water, certainly. Your shoulder ached with something deep as you pushed yourself up, only belatedly realizing that what you had been laying on was metal and not the roughly sewn sheets you were used to. The chill against your hands woke you up faster than anything else, and you were looking around the room. All metal. Movement?
Fear lanced your heart. A large metal ship. It had to be, but the only one that would likely match this size belonged to the hunters. Your gaze immediately shot to your wrist, uncovered with the bond marks visible. If you really thought about it, you didn't remember anything after unlocking your door. A hand brushed against your head, feeling dried flecks of blood matted into your hair. Hells, this was the absolute worst case scenario. Had they simply realized? Or had the elders renewed efforts after your conversation months ago simply revealed far more than you knew? Were your bonds safe?
You forced yourself to calm, heart slowing down with each careful breath. Once you were calm enough to perhaps hide behind a rough morning, you gently brushed your other hand over the marks. Warmth immediately greeted you, each partner responding with affection as you reached out. You couldn't do much more than that given your lack of the oceanic magic they had, but slight concern wormed in as you sent more relief than intended through the link. You pulled your hand back, not willing to let them figure out what was going on. This ship was made to hunt mers, and yours would not escape unscathed if they tried to rescue you.
And they would, despite the terrible timing. Pods rarely traveled this area due to the leviathans that guarded it, but a small one had requested temporary safety. Having been attacked by the very hunters that currently held you. Your mers had agreed with some small reluctance, with the understanding that you were not to be harmed in any way. The pod's leader, a mer with soft brown scales, greeted you with a polite head nod when you were introduced. They all kept their distance, understandably not wanting to incur the wrath of the leviathans who protected you. It was fun to watch them, at least, especially since even the largest among them was half the size of Sun and Moon. And the leader had a little tropical pup he'd taken in after an attack that happily bolted around to cause mischief. He was the only one to really approach you very often. Only ever gently smacked away once by Moon when he nipped a little too hard. It was obvious your mers seemed quite fond of the little one, and took exceptional interest to your friendly interactions with him.
A soft, fond smile managed to lift the edges of your lips at the memories. Even if you worried over never being able to give them that which they clearly desired, it was nice to see them so happy. And a good boost of serotonin could only do you good right now. You took a deep breath, looking around the room. Not much to note, aside from a couple empty crates and a metal chain you only now realized was clasped around your ankle. Fantastic. No fresh water or food. Even worse. You would need them if you intended to find an escape.
The door loudly scraped open, and Vanessa stepped through with a bottle and a small box. She blinked at you, a smile spreading across her features as she took you in. “There you are!” she called, saying your name with the same fondness as always. “Glad to see you finally woke up. I wasn't expecting them to be so rough with you.”
You narrowed your eyes in a glare.
She didn't seem to mind, setting the bottle by you and sitting just out of reach of the chain with the box. “I'd been wondering why you were pulling away so much lately when they told me you had been cursed.”
Something clenched within. “What?”
“You know, by the sirens,” she said, so matter-of-fact. “They said even some of the townsfolk were starting to be influenced and then they realized you had been marked by the beasts. It sounds like they're figuring out how to remove them, so it shouldn't be too long.”
You clutched the marked wrist to your chest protectively. How dare they? They would get them over your dead body. Which, something cold said, was definitely a possibility. “And you believe all of that?” you said, soft and raspy.
She just gestured to the bottle. “Have some water. And it's okay,” she said, pulling a couple wrapped granola bars from the box and tossing one in your direction. “They said you'd probably be confused. Those beasts are affecting you, after all.”
Hesitantly, you accepted the offerings. You'd need strength after all.
“It shouldn't be much longer now, anyway.”
You nearly choked on the water, forcing the rest of it down and scarfing down the food before asking, “what do you mean?”
She grinned. “We've got a couple of the damned things! They said they can cure you with their parts.”
Cold swirled inside until you remembered you'd just checked on your mers. Besides, there was no way, even as large as the ship was, that it had the proper space to hold even two leviathan class mers. But that meant the pod had likely been attacked again. Why would they even get within reach of the ship's course when they were being protected? Had something happened?
“A couple?”
“Yup!” she said, popping the last letter. “Managed to snag this tiny one in a net near your place.”
You sucked in a sharp breath. Hells. They had the pup, Gregory. He must have decided to follow your ship back and saw you get attacked. There was no way the hunters hadn't been watching the shore if they were already waiting for your return. He wasn't that quick yet, despite how squirrelly he could be. And certainly no match for a net at his size.
Vanessa continued, either not noticing your distress or choosing to ignore it, “we caught the other one just after setting out. He must have been looking for that little thing. Big green guy. I never imagined they could get that big!”
Monty. The largest one from the pod. He never did anything aside from glare at you or snap at any possible threats. A protector, Sun had happily told you. Like the role Eclipse had taken for your group. Of course he probably tried to rescue Gregory.
“Gave us a hell of time getting him into the secondary net. We've got the last one ready. Must be one more, right? Because of the marks?”
Stars above, if all the hunters thought that way, they were in trouble. Was Vanessa just surprised or did they all think Monty was the biggest? Moon had said they were a special kind. Maybe they just didn't know about the leviathans. And the marks. Did they simply lie to her, or did they actually believe it was just a cursed tie of some sort? You couldn't believe they were stupid enough to think a literal child could mark you.
A horn sounded, and mere moments later one of the hunters strode into the room. “Let's go.”
Vanessa stood without a second thought, picking everything up as the man tied your hands together and undid your ankle clasp. He forced you to your feet, dragging you along as Vanessa fell into step behind you. Dread settled low into your stomach. It was the worst case scenario. Not only had you been grabbed, but they planned to use you as bait.
As you crested onto the deck, your wrist started to burn. You could see the barest traces of light seeping from underneath the leather binding your wrists. Panic seeped through, settling deep into your bones. They must have been told that Monty and Gregory were missing, and connected that to your concern not even an hour before. You had even less time than you hoped. They wouldn't be able to tell your location without you being physically connected to the ocean, but that didn't mean they wouldn't try. Desperation that was only partially your own swirled as you were dragged to one of the railings.
One of two large cranes immediately stood out to you, a large net dangling from its impressive height. Bright green scales flickered through the holes as Monty continued his struggle. He stopped briefly when he made eye contact, immediately taking in your state and bound hands. It wasn't long before he started again, looking at something behind you. You craned your neck, sucking in a sharp breath at the tank bolted onto the deck of the ship. Gregory was inside, brows furrowed as he pressed against the glass to look at you.
You could see further concern flit as you were yanked forward, forcing you gaze to the leader of the hunters. He glowered down at you, pulling the leather apart and sneering at the glow of your bond marks. You wanted to spit in his face. They were symbols of love and affection, a connection not known to nearly any human. Something he would clearly never have with the path he had chosen. Not something to treat like trash.
He roughly grabbed your hand, making the shoulder you'd been sleeping on cry out in pain as he lifted it into air. The entire deck was tensed, waiting. A pin falling would have echoed. You could only wonder what exactly he was going for when he dragged you to the edge and forced your arm higher. Was he trying to call your bonds? All that told you was that they had never actually managed to capture someone like you. They had no idea what they were doing. That same bad feeling swirled further. Ignorance was far scarier.
When nothing still happened, he cursed under his breath and dragged your hand over the railing. You struggled at this point, discomfort surging. Vanessa tried to say something but was silenced immediately. Horrifyingly, she obeyed. Even worse, just as you tried to look back at her, something burned deep within you. Pure, absolute pain. You hadn't even realized you were screaming at first, only realizing when you managed to register Monty's snarls. It swirled from your wrist, flaring to every nerve ending. You barely managed to look, tears flowing freely. The bastard had cut through your marks. Blood dripped into the ocean below. It couldn't break the bond or anything. Eclipse had told you the marks getting damaged would be exceedingly uncomfortable, but it would hardly be a strong connection if an unfortunately placed attack could sever it completely. Mers fought in the ocean all the time, after all. It was the blood that concerned you. A piece of you had entered the ocean. With them already desperately searching for you, you could feel their fear turn to anger as they registered it wasn't directly you they were feeling. Not truly.
Seconds dragged into minutes, though all you could do was try to focus on your breathing and avoiding Gregory's desperate cries. Eventually, the man huffed and pulled you back. You fell to the ground, clutching your wrist to your chest. Vanessa tried to get to you, but was shoved to the railing to look over the edge with the others. Waiting for your mates. You bit your lip so hard the taste of iron touched your tongue, snapping the panic and allowing logic to come back to the forefront. If your mates were on their way, you were on borrowed time. Comfort attempted to come through the mark, surely them trying to assuage your fears. They were coming to rescue you, even if you couldn't risk that. You took a deep breath, cutting off the connections bit by bit so you could focus on the task at hand. Brief, desperate panic surged at your action before disappearing entirely. They would likely regret teaching you that one.
You pushed back one leg at the time, staying on the ground to hopefully avoid detection. No one was looking at you for now. Well, aside from Monty, who had stopped his struggle at some point. Maybe preserving his strength or waiting to see what you were going to do. You couldn't be too sure, hardly knowing the mer. He was smart enough to be a protector, so you could only hope he would allow you to do what was necessary. A shock of cold forced your attention back to the task at hand, metal biting at you through the thin shirt you'd chosen the day before. Gregory gave a soft chirp, audible through the grate above the tank. You twisted slowly, managing to lock eyes with the latches on one side. No locks, thank the stars above.
Before you could try to figure out how to get him out without anyone noticing, there was a large clang and the entire ship tilted in the water. Not far enough to capsize, but enough several hunters fell over. A couple might have gone over the edge. Shouts sounded as weapons were grabbed, and a loud mechanical hum alerted you to the preparation of the other crane. As much as you wanted to, you couldn't really focus on whatever foolish plan your bonds had. All you could do was start on your own. Probably foolish in its own right, you considered, a dry chuckle trying to come up but dying on your tongue. At least the adrenaline was doing wonders for hiding the pain of your new wound, keeping you calm despite the deep red dripping down and staining your clothes.
Gregory made a quiet noise of concern when you forced your legs underneath you. They nearly buckled, forcing you to lean against his prison. The red smear made you wince, but you focused ahead. Two large clasps stood between you and the poor child. Like a briefcase, your mind briefly supplied. You shook the thought out and grit your teeth. If you couldn't focus, no one was making it out of this. Clenching harder, you reached forward and snapped each, one by one. Lifting the grate was a bit more difficult, the sound of it falling open being drowned out by the shouts and firing of harpoons.
It only took you reaching your arms near the tank for Gregory to practically jump out into them. His tail coiled around one of your arms, a soft warbled cry escaping when it brushed against the wound. A part of you felt bad for the blood now staining his scales, but it seemed a small price to pay for freedom. Step one was complete. Time to get more ridiculous.
“I need you to trust me, okay? I can't do anything for Monty if I have to protect you.”
He simpered out a chirp before taking a breath and nodding resolutely. Maybe it was the dangers of the deep, but you had to admire his courage. Even as his arms trembled, wrapped tightly around one of your own to ensure he didn't fall, his expression didn't waver.
“When we get to the edge, I'm going to toss you into the water. Go deep right away, okay? It'll be safer where their weapons can't reach you and I'll be able to focus.”
While he didn't seem very pleased, he gave you another nod. You looked up briefly, noticing Monty was now fully focused on you or, more likely, the pup being held tightly against your chest. With what you hoped was a reassuring smile, you bolted straight for the nearest open section of railing. A loud cheer made you flinch, especially as the ship lurched again. This time as the main crank started raising, squealing in its struggle. You couldn't slow in time and slammed into the railing, wind rushing from your lungs at the sudden pressure. A cough died as you gasped for air, flinging your arms to outright chuck Gregory over the edge.
The moment he was underwater, your eyes flung to the net being hoisted by the crane. It was only moving in bursts, desperately trying to lift the leviathan in its grasp further from the water. A part of you was aware of shouts from other hunters, shocked at his size and complimenting their catch. A few harpoons poked out from his tail that you could see, at least one with a large chain attached. Almost certainly the cause of his capture. He was struggling against his prison, snarling loudly and baring his teeth at the monsters above. It ceased the moment he managed to meet your gaze. Fury started to give way to concern, desperate warbles joining aggression as his struggle started again with renewed vigor.
When his gaze flicked down for just a second, you followed. Sun and Moon had emerged from the water, temporarily safe from the hunters as they focused on making sure the crane could handle reeling in their newest prize. Sun gave a warbling cry, raising his arms from the water. His claws grasped at the air. Moon delved underneath, just long enough to give him space to try and jump. It wasn't near high enough to reach you, and he snarled at the ship itself before reaching up the same as Sun. Their request was clear, even with you forcibly blocking the connection. Jump.
You turned your eyes back to Eclipse, some kind of fear worming its way into his expression alongside the rage and desperation. In some ways, the bond could be a downside. They certainly knew how foolish you were at your core by now, having spent so long with you and learning how you tended to handle things. Your gaze followed the net containing your mate to the crane holding it. A loud, frenzied trill made you look toward the water. Sun looked like he might be actively crying, claws digging at the air separating you. A loud splash sounded as Moon once more tried the jump. A few hunters shouted at the movement. Even now, their request to clear to your mind. No. Don't do it.
A deep breath was all it took before you were off, ignoring three frantic calls. You could only imagine the kind of feelings or words they'd be sending through the bond if you allowed them, ducking underneath some rope as you started down the length of the ship. Between the many people shouting orders and weapons being readied, no one was really focused on you. You were but background, a few even pushing you aside if you got in their way. Never had you expected being able to enjoy being practically invisible, but it certainly had its perks.
You slid to a stop near a large silver shell hiding the crane's dangerous machinery. Renewed pain burst from your wrist as you grabbed a bag hanging from its side, sliding it over one of your shoulders. Metal clattered against metal from the tools, and you thanked the sea for how ridiculously this whole ship was managed. A quick glance to the side revealed the controls were a no-go for obvious reasons, but that didn't mean there weren't other options. Grinding your teeth against the inevitable pain, you started climbing one of the many poles supporting the larger crane. They were still groaning from the effort of trying to reel in Eclipse, but would do for what you needed. After all, Vanessa had told you as much on the few occasions you met with her. Complaints of trying to source the right parts the ship needed. It was a small island, but they didn't want to leave to find what they required for the crane repairs. Alternatives weren't exactly an option. Duct tape and bubble gum were their only choice, she'd joked at the time.
Their foolishness would be their downfall and your victory. Pain dulled to a thrum, your mind fully focused on the task at hand. There was a distressed trill as you crested into Eclipse's view, metal groaning in protest as the net started swinging wildly back and forth. A part of you wanted to open the bond to ease his worry, but you knew they would only demand you leave it to them. They wanted to protect you from anything and everything, to their own detriment if required. Even as blood dripped onto the rust and white paint, you knew you couldn't allow that. A quiet voice in the back of your mind asked how much blood you'd lost already, unbidden. You bit it back. Nothing would stop you from rescuing your mate from his current fate.
And Monty, you supposed. Your bonds had promised to protect the entire pod as it rested in their waters. As theirs, you considered any agreements they made to be yours. And that wasn't even getting into the fact his capture was partially your fault. If you'd realized Gregory was following you and stopped him, neither would have been taken. The least you could do was ensure their safety.
You crested the crane, hooking your elbow around the pole to dig around the bag as you glanced down. None of the hunters had noticed you yet, it seemed, but you knew that wouldn't be the case for long. Eclipse was still looking in your direction, though his struggles had finally died down. You could only hope it was due to his worry it might affect you and not because he was losing strength. Either way, better to get him out sooner. You avoided looking at the ocean, knowing you would only see the other two desperate for you to jump into the water and their protective grasps. It would have been futile. Nothing would stop you from your truly foolish bravery.
Finally, you found the two things you wanted. First, a small coil of rope you used to secure yourself to the pole. Easier to work when you weren't as terrified of falling. The water would have been safe sure, but there was at least a small chance you'd smash into the deck of the boat. And then the wrench. It might not actually be bubble gum, but it was clear the large bolt wasn't actually doing much work anymore. Half rusted, it was circled by several smaller bolts that had been added to support it. It was honestly impressive the thing worked at all considering there was no way it could bend at this joint. Of course, dropping Eclipse into the water with the net and a huge chunk of metal wasn't exactly the best idea, but you trusted that Sun and Moon were more than capable of cutting the trappings without getting stuck themselves. Besides, it wasn't like there were any other options.
A loud whine echoed from below, and it took every ounce of strength not to look down. The smaller bolts were your target, and you couldn't risk more distractions. Any time you had was borrowed as is. It took using both your arms and even some of your body weight to start moving the first bolt. With the amount of the pressure they were under, you were honestly just glad it moved at all. Your biggest boon was the fact they clearly didn't have a proper engineer or mechanic on staff.
One by one, they fell. The creaks and groans grew in strength with each one that tumbled to the water below. Until a particularly loud crack sounded, rust dropping onto your hands. You slid down just in time for the large bolt to give, having to dodge as a piece flew by you. You didn't waste any time in undoing the rope and chucking both tools back into the bag, Eclipse falling into the water with one of the largest splashes you'd ever heard. Blood smeared against the pole as you slid down, sharp jabs making you wince as the cut caught some rusted edges. Someone shouted your name just as your feet hit the deck, joining the concerned trills from below. You didn't wait to see who it was, spinning on your heel and outright booking it to the other crane.
Loud footsteps followed you, merging with the blood pounding in your ears as you practically leapt onto one of the supporting poles. Monty snarled not too far from your head, and you glanced up to see him looking at something behind you. A quick check revealed at least one lithe hunter brave enough to follow you. You snatched something large from your bag, a metal crowbar, and dropped it rather unceremoniously on his head. He plummeted, and you looked away before seeing what happened. It wasn't too high up, but you couldn't think about any of that right now. They were the ones who attacked you first anyway. You stopped at the midpoint, gritting your teeth and considering your newest problem. The crane was currently over the middle of the boat, and Monty probably wouldn't get very far in his clearly weakened state if you just dropped him on the deck. Especially with that damned net still around him. It wouldn't be long until the others risked following, too, so time was getting thinner and thinner.
Just as you started fiddling with the mechanism that controlled horizontal movement, a loud crack sounded. Louder than anything you'd ever heard, making your ears ring. Monty was already snarling again when you turned your head, trying to see what just happened. And then you locked eyes with the leader, already pulling the hammer back on the gun he was holding. Hell.
Your brows furrowed, and you forced yourself to climb higher. No time to strap yourself in here, so you just wound an elbow around the metal and kicked at the emergency release. It took a second one before it gave a little, but not enough. Groaning softly, you jumped and slammed both feet into it. Metal screeched, and you grappled desperately for purchase as it swung outward. You slid despite your best efforts, legs dangling over the open water. Panic grasped at your throat, and your forced cutoff from the bond started failing as you dragged yourself back onto the metal. Darkness swam at the edges of your eyes, feet barely catching so you could start your climb once more. Hunters shouted below you, though you hoped the net being over the water might deter them at least a little.
“Sunshine!” the first voice rang with pure desperation once the floodgates opened.
So many emotions crashed into you, body clenching from the force of them. Fear. Worry. Love. You looked down to the deck, managing to spot the leader again. He still had the gun in his hands, but was arguing with Vanessa. It looked like she was trying to stand between you and him, though your current height made that rather impossible. Your gaze slid to the water almost unbidden, sharp tugs on your bond marks demanding your attention. All three mates were there, occasionally dipping under the surface to avoid the occasional attack from above. It was actually kind of impressive they'd manage to free Eclipse so quickly.
“We can flip the boat and cut him free ourselves,” the largest insisted. “Come to our safety this instant.”
Your brow furrowed at the clear command, casting your gaze back to Monty and ignoring the distress as you turned away from them. Despite still growling at the humans below, he was panting. Every little struggle had far less force behind it than when this was all started, and you doubted he was at full strength before. Dried scales flaked off where the net rubbed, and it looked like he might be bleeding from a few places. Your mind drifted to Moon, when you had first found him. Helpless and probably scared, even with his aggressive front. There was no guarantee they'd be able to get him out in time if they managed to capsize the boat. Even that was banking on the fact the hunters wouldn't try to take off. Among all the sounds assaulting you, you were pretty sure one of them was the engines whirring to life.
Another shot echoed through the air, and you gasped. Monty's attention shot to you, a whining huff morphing into a snarl. Even as addled as you were, that one had definitely hurt. You tensed in preparation to start the next climb, only for pain to flare in your side. Any borrowed time you did have had just been cut pretty severely. Warmth dripped down onto your legs with each pull higher, and a shrieking cry from Sun told you it was definitely making it to the water.
“Starlight, don't you dare! Bad!”
In any other situation, you might have laughed as his attempt to scold you. Now though, it rang hollow. He never said it that way when he was joking with you. No, anything said now was just pure desperation taken form. Not that you could argue it. Even your exhausted brain told you they had good reason to be worried as another shot rang out. This one embedded itself into the metal you were tying yourself to, fingers almost subconsciously working to form the knot.
You were dying. It was a rather surreal realization, especially since you felt rather calm about the whole thing. While there was a doctor on the island, they weren't prepared or trained for bullet wounds. Fishing or swimming related injuries sure, but this was something new entirely. Even blood supply was limited. Major injuries were to be transported to the mainland with the doctor assisting as soon as possible. The mers could try to take you there themselves, but this was the end. You'd never make the journey. Maybe the certainty is what eased your fear, though guilt still curled low in your gut. You felt so bad for your mates. All you could do was hope their next bond would arrive quickly so they didn't have to suffer. Maybe someone smart enough to not get themselves into these situations. They deserved better.
The first bolt fell.
Maybe you should never have let Moon mark you that first day barely a year ago now. Simply freed his arm and left him to the rest. He's smart, that would have been enough for him. Or if you'd hidden away long enough, perhaps they would have simply moved on. Unable to find you, they'd wait for their next bond. Probably would have been safer for them.
The second bolt fell.
You took a loud raspy breath, feeling the crane move as Monty started swinging. His gaze switched from you to the leader of the hunters. You didn't know if he fully understood what a gun was, but it was obvious he realized where the noise and your newest injury came from. His swing put himself in the way at least a little bit. Smart bugger, but you supposed that was the point. Couldn't be a good pod protector if you couldn't think quickly. Maybe you should have worked out more. Gotten stronger yourself. Or asked the elder for ways to be safer. He would have let you stay with him and his grandson. You really were foolish.
The third bolt felt.
Pain coiled around you like a snake, swirling with the darkness threatening to take over your vision. It took every ounce of thought and control you had to keep the wrench in your hands, growing ever slicker with your blood. Each finger almost seemed to stop existing one by one. You couldn't let it go. Not yet. Not until you finished what you set out to do. And maybe see them one more time. You'd probably regret dying at least a little bit if you didn't get to see them just once more. Once. It was all you wanted right now.
The fourth bolt fell. The crane groaned.
“Sunshine!”
“Beloved!”
The fifth bolt fell. You weren't sure you were actually seeing anymore. Did you still exist? Everything felt cold.
“Starlight!”
The sixth bolt fell. You hoped they couldn't feel you dying.
Screeching of metal on metal, followed by a resounding snap. Darkness had overtaken most of you, but you could definitely still hear the splash as Monty was effectively freed. The wrench finally fell from your grasp, its job completed. Shouts from the humans below, no doubt angry at losing their prey. Good. You weakly reached out, blood making your fingers slippery as you managed to undo the rope. You must have been falling, but everything felt strange. Like you were underwater. A weak, bubbly chuckle at the thought escaped before being silenced as you were snatched from the air and rapidly dragged away across the ocean. Several claws moved over your form, though all you manage was what you hoped was a nice final smile.
Then darkness finally took over.