Beneath The Waves (bxb)

16. Brothers

Mellac reached for the unconscious human held in his brother's arms, completely content to end his life. His fingers began to wrap around the male's neck even as his brother growled in disapproval. He could disapprove all he wished, but as soon as his little human infatuation was dead, he would be much better off.

"Nn-No."

"I'm doing it for you. You don't need a human of all things. All it does is make you weak."

His hand was swatted away by Callem, but Mellac just rolled his eyes and snagged the collar of Parker's shirt, yanking him right out of his brother's lap.

"Just a small snap here..."

He rewrapped his fingers around the human's neck and was just about to jerk his hand to the side and end the annoying man's life when Callem suddenly bit down on his arm.

"What are you doing?"

His little brother barked but quickly backed away, licking blood off of his lips from the injury he'd just inflicted. The look of disbelief on Callem's face was the mirror image of what was on Mellac's at that very second.

"You... attacked me."

Callem whined, looking down at his feet as he stood against the cold cement wall.

"Callem? Is this, this disgusting human worth more to you than I am?"

Mellac threw Parker into the closed shift door, making a loud banging noise echo in the room before stalking over to his shivering brother. Oh, he knew he was stressing Callem out, but his little brother just protected a damn HUMAN.

"Well, Callem? Answer me."

Another whimper made the older mer bare his teeth in warning.

"Do not make me repeat myself. You can obviously talk for that human rat, you shall talk to me."

~Jayson

"Mellac, back off."

It was a stupid move, but I couldn't keep my mouth shut as I ran into the keeper area. Was I a bad friend for lying about taking the pain meds so I could get a cab and follow Parker, knowing that something like this was bound to happen? Probably, but now wasn't the time to think about that. I stopped by the dividing door, realizing too late that it wasn't locked. Mellac had noticed too and slammed the door open as I tried to fumble with the lock, sending me stumbling backward seconds before I was shoved up against the back wall, my neck in his left hand, feet dangling uselessly several inches off the floor.

"M-Mellac."

"Shut up, human. You will die, then your friend will swiftly follow. You are holding back my brother from living his life the way a mer should."

I felt his hand begin to tighten and thrashed against the hard wall, but there wasn't much I could do in terms of attacking him when I was being held off of my feet to begin with.

"You are the... one... hold... ing him... back..."

He dropped me like I had burned him, hissing loudly in anger.

"What did you just say to me, human? How dare you. I have taken care of him since our parents and sister were murdered by sharks. He lost his ability to speak that night and refused to hunt, but even though family means little in our society, I took care of him anyway."

It took me a moment to respond since I was coughing while trying to get my voice to work again, but when I finally managed it, I growled my response as much as he did.