Page 47 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 7

Grayson felt the urge to howl for his Master. He couldn’t see Ryder’s face as the legs of various Mers were obscuring his view partially, but he felt some semblance of consciousness returning. He connected with his beloved to try and coax that little bloom of awareness into a full fire, but the moment he did so, he groaned and nearly fell from his perch. Ryder was in a great deal of pain and he was sharing it.

I can’t… I can’t stay connected or it’ll take me down too, Grayson grasped as he reluctantly winnowed down their connection.

As it was, Ryder must have protected him from the blast’s effects even as he was falling unconscious or otherwise Grayson would be a third body on that beach all trussed up.

“He was fleeing from me. That he happened to fly above you is of no matter,” Legion growled and took a step into the water.

The Mers hissed wildly at that. They bristled at that single step. The weapon that had brought down Ryder was suddenly swung towards Legion. The piggy silver eyes of the Weryn Vampire shifted between all of the Mers.

“You dare take one foot into our territory?” The Mer leader’s voice was silky soft.

“I tell you now that this is Order business!” Legion pointed at Ryder. “You don’t want to be on our wrong side.”

Legion doesn’t even say Vampires, but Order business. They really did take over everything.

The Mers let out hiss-laughs that expressed their disdain at such enemies.

“You are so much less than you once were,” the Mer leader said with a shake of his head. “And the saddest thing is that you do not even recognize it.”

Grayson felt a grudging admiration for the Mer leader. He identified exactly what the Order was and how far the Vampires had fallen because of it.

“Leave or you will find out what he did.” The Mer leader gestured back at Ryder without looking.

“You are making a mistake.” Legion glowered.

But they retreated from the water, turned on their heel and loped away out of sight with Lawson and Natasha following after them. Grayson did not feel relieved. Either Legion was really giving up and returning to the Spire, which meant that they would track down Tanis and the others, or they were simply pretending to leave and would be back to get Ryder and Khos. Either way spelled trouble for his friends.

He turned his head back towards the Mers. They were lifting up Ryder and Khos. It took two of them to carry Ryder and one to carry Khos though they staggered a bit under the Dire Wolf’s weight. Khos was still firmly unconscious, but Ryder was semi-aware. A pulse of pain came over their bond, which had Grayson shutting it down again. He needed all his wits about him to save them.

Thankfully, the Mer did not take Ryder and Khos into the water. Though they undoubtedly knew that Ryder would not die without air, Khos most surely would, and Ryder wouldn’t be able to speak with them. For unlike Eyros’ gift, the Mers’ telecommunication with other races was less advanced. They could speak mind to mind with others outside their species, but they had to physically touch the person and Grayson was aware that they found touching Vampires distasteful at best. Evidently, they had decided to keep Ryder and Khos alive for now and likely question him.

Grayson hopped after them in bird form as they carried his beloved and the Dire Wolf across the island to the far side. There they had a campfire built and some of the Mer were roasting fish on their tridents over the flames. The delicious scent of cooked fish had his stomach grumbling. But he knew what that really meant was he needed blood. Mer blood was quite tasty though not as satisfying as human blood somehow. But while he had been able to drink the blood wine, he didn’t think it was wise for him to feed on anyone else directly other than Ryder. In time, perhaps they could test his tolerance, but not now when they had so little room for failure.

Ryder was laid down on the ground before the fire none too gently. He let out a soft grunt. Grayson saw that his eyes were open and he felt relief swoop through him. But Ryder was not opening their bond though he felt Ryder touch him mentally for the briefest of moments to check where he was and if he was okay. The sharp stab of pain that went through Grayson told him that Ryder was still very much suffering from the weapon strike. Khos let out a whimper as it too was dropped on the ground unceremoniously.

“Be careful with Khos,” Ryder growled.

“What do we care about the welfare of your pet?” The Mer leader asked as he perched on a large boulder and regarded Ryder evenly.

Ryder had to crane his neck to see the Mer leader. “I thought one of your many objections to Vampires was that we have no true respect for living things. Seems like you don’t either unless they swim.”

The Mer leader shifted almost imperceptibly at Ryder’s criticism. It had hit home. His eyes–a deep sea green though it was hard to tell in this light–flickered to the Dire Wolf.

“He is unharmed,” the Mer leader said.

“Not through any act by you,” Ryder answered.

Grayson was so impressed–as he always was–by Ryder’s ability to appear unaffected by pain or discomfort. Even now, as Grayson knew he was roiling in agony, he did not show it. His voice, though gravelly, held no sign of it either.

“We must protect ourselves,” the Mer leader finally answered.

Ryder let out a dry cough-laugh. “We weren’t attacking you! We didn’t even step foot in your lake! But you shot us down anyway. I think we need protection from you.”

The Mers around Ryder bristled at Ryder’s tone and words. But their leader did not move at all. They settled after what must have been a telepathic command.

The Mer leader cocked his head to the side as he regarded Ryder. “You are familiar to us somehow.”

“Am I? I thought all Vampires looked alike,” Ryder responded dryly.