A Mermaid's Cry

Chapter 25-A Task So Simple

At last we made it to the cliff, and as expected at least forty Northerners were down at the beach. Spears clutched in their pale hands, tattoos marked on their faces and arms. All waiting for night fall I would guess, waiting to attack our pod and lay waste to the island.

"Now what?" Marcus grumbles, grinding his teeth as he takes in the enemy below.

"We stick to the plan," I answer, my eyes tracking the edge of the jungle below, looking for the other  foreign Mer. "I'll give you and Zola the signal once the rest of us find and remove the sentries. Then you can have your fun."

I don't wait for his answer, turning on my heel I head back through the trees. Silently hoping that Ares will follow, and not run off and get himself killed. Reluctantly, I hear his now familiar footfalls gain on me. I stop for a moment, turning my head as he comes up beside me. The quiver strap holds tight to his chest, while his slow breaths contort the rippling muscles of his arms.

Hurriedly, I force my eyes away as foreign heat filters into my face. Whoever sought to have such distracting features on a male, is one question that I know shall never be answered. "Come on, let's go," I say, wanting to suddenly get as far from Ares and his body as I can.

He nods, but as soon as I turn my head around, I feel his heated gaze on my back. Sending goose bumps up my arms and neck. Silently, we skirt over brush and logs, careful not to make a sound now that we are close to the beach. Two times, I hear the almost imperceptible gargle of someone choking, before the jungle goes back to the sounds of chittering animals and swaying branches. A good sign, now we have eight more Mer to go.

Unfortunately, our progress is slow, mostly due to my dress catching on tree limbs and ever so often a bramble bush. Soon, the bottom of the dress is in ruins, and my temper threatens to brew into a hurricane.

"Curse this dress," I hiss under my breath, tugging the cloth for the tenth time and to my horror, watch it rip up to my thigh.

Ares immediately turns his head towards the sound, and his eyes quickly settle on my flesh.
"Silly fool," he mumbles, chuckling slightly as he heads over to a nearby hollow log hidden by overgrown bushes. "Your lucky I have an extra stash or you'd have to sit this one out."

Unnervingly calm, Ares sticks his hand into the rotting husky and pull out a pair of serviceable cotton pants. Briskly, he throws it at me, making me drop my spear into the dirt. Clutching the cotton to my chest, I eye him with caution.
"Thank you, Ares," I say, before pulling on the pants with as much dignity that is afforded me.

Finding the pants a bit loose, I peel off a strip from my dress and tie it around my waist. Taking in the long tattered remnants, I use my knife and swiftly cut off the excess material, till I have an improvised tunic that stops just shy of my lower belly.

"Much better," I sigh, tucking my knife into the improvised belt and picking up my spear.

"Indeed," Ares adds, picking up the bundle of scraps and shoving them into the log. "Now, I believe we are close to that river. I suspect that we might find our quarry there."

I nod, trying to ignore the spark in his eyes and the slight flash of his teeth. Doubtless, he was more than glad at my drastic change of clothes, a little too glad for my liking. However, I should have nothing to worry about, he has already done more than stare at my bare stomach.

On silent feet we continue, until the sound of water over rocks and the sound of something splashing into the water. Sends us crouching down in the brush, watchful and silent amongst the dirt and fronds. Holding tight to my spear, I shuffle forward, carful not to step on a twig or ram my side into a tree trunk. Ares sticks to my side like a gnat, never leaving more than half an arm's length of space. When I catch sight of the Northerner with blond hair coiled at his pale shoulders, I had no need to worry about Ares.

"I'll distract him," I whisper, placing my spear on the ground. "No male can say no to a pretty face. That will give you enough time to put a knife to his throat."

Ares huffs a laugh, a smirk showing off his sharp teeth. "Precisely," he replies, drawing his lips close to my ear as I watch the Northerner drink from the quick moving river. "Just be carful not to play your part too well. We don't need anymore, distractions."

Quick as a snake, he grabs my chin and pulls my face towards his. So close, so dangerously close that if I were to jerk away, our lips would touch and our task would be forgotten. "Right Corintha?" he whispers, a husky purr that sends a shiver down my spine.

Enraptured, it takes but a second for him to pull away and disappear into the bushes. Leaving me dazed, then confused, and finally enraged. How dare he toy with me with the Northern Mer we wish to kill just thirty feet away. Oh how I wish to wrap my hands around Ares's neck and squeeze until he passes out. However, that would be cruel of me, very cruel indeed. For now, I wait for the male to take a more vulnerable position by the river.

A simple game of patience that would have been easy. If not for the dagger that appeared at my throat and the hand that silenced my screams.