No Prey, No Pay

Chapter 4

It took Aoi a bunch of hours, before his mind started to function again.

He wasn't on the deck anymore, that scared him at first, but after a little of observation he saw barrels, cannons, iron balls and the entire place was soaked with that sweet and pungent smell.

Aoi's memories immediately associated that scent with the captain's hot tongue, his lips forced upon his own.

He moaned, frustrated for that quick flashback, then he groaned for the pain he was feeling on his nape.

That vile pirate kicked him in the head...it was a miracle he was still alive!

Aoi moved his head left and right, trying to understand what happened to him: probably he was dragged there while unconscious, but his hands were free and that gave him hope.

He could escape from one of those little trapdoors on the sides of the ship! He could just...!

Aoi tried to crawl using his hands, but after a couple of feet he was stopped on the spot: something really heavy was tightly tied at the end of his tail, just above his caudal fin.

A quite long chain was giving him maneuver space, but he couldn't reach the door or the trapdoors behind the retracted cannons "aww really? Damn you pirate!" he hissed between his sharp teeth, reaching the cuff with both his hands, scratching it in his feeble attempt to free himself.

The firsts lights of the morning were filtering from the other side of the trapdoors and the ocean waves were calling for him so much!

Suddenly the only door for the ship's hold creaked and opened, revealing the tall figure of the man Reita called Kai, a bowl in his hands and a bucket of water in the other "ah you're awake! Captain was asking about you, but...eh! He got too much rum yesterday evening" Kai casually talked while approaching the merman, a soft smile on his lips.

Aoi stood in silence, almost cowering while watching if the pirate had any kind of weapon with himself "easy, I'm not going to hurt you...I don't wanna disobey Rei's orders!" he chuckled before lowering the bowl, showing Aoi its content.

There was soup with some pieces of bread and what seemed like fish "you're...giving me this?" Aoi whispered, still tired but never intended on giving up that easily "yes, Captain's orders too...take care of our guest until we arrive at the next port" Kai said cheerfully, like he never fought with him before, but Aoi still remembered his hard fist in his hair, just one day before.

The merman glared at Kai while he was leaving the food just few feet away from him, before his eyes locked on the bucket "Rei said you need water, so... here, don't use it all at onc-" Kai never finished those words, because Aoi jumped him again, hissing and blocking his hands against the floor "free me, you damn human!" he growled "this ship is done for, as soon I'll reach the ocean all of you will die! So make peace with the thoughts of death and free me right now!" Aoi sank his claws into the other's forearms, feeling blood dripping on the wooden floor "you sure are a spoiled brat" Kai grinned.

Quickly as a eel, the pirate moved his legs to throw the mermaid away from him, before walking towards him and grab his wrists without breaking a sweat, raising almost all of his figure off the ground.

Aoi felt fear and courage fight in his heart, not sure what to feel in that moment "you're the one to make peace with your death, at least Reita didn't cut you open like a common tuna" Kai lost his grin, looking directly into Aoi's eyes "and you're lucky the captain said to take you alive at the butcher... because you're really making me loose my shit here" the last phrase was followed by a hit.

A fist directly into his stomach, Aoi couldn't do much but fold over his arm, gasping for hair and struggle his tail.

His first uppercut, it wasn't pleasant nor cool, as he used to think listening to his father's stories "now please... enjoy your stay, would ya?" Kai released his strong grip and looked at the merman flop on the floor "or... since Rei was so fucking drunk last night that he tried to fuck something disgusting as you..." the man continued to talk, going slowly down his knees until he was crouched in front of Aoi.