Black Hearted

Part 45

Sean stared up past Mark's shoulder to see his father looming over them. He had never seen his dad look so angry. His dad's blue coral trident pressed harder against Mark's bare neck, ordering him with a cold tone of voice. "Get off my son, Pirate." Mark fearlessly glared up at his dad, answering darkly. "I do that, and you'll kill me." His dad flashed Mark a wicked smirk, retorting shortly. "I'm going to kill you anyway. I'd just prefer not to cover my son in your filth." Sean raised a hand, begging his dad desperately. "Da, Don't! Please, you don't understand!" His dad snorted, his hands tightening on his trident as he snapped out. "Oh, I understand. I have no choice but to kill him." Sean panicked, grabbing Mark's shoulders to flip him over. Laying protectively over Mark, Sean curled his tail to protect Mark's side. Staring into his father's eyes, he shouted out through clenched teeth. "I won't let you hurt him!" Soft gasps made Sean jerk his head toward the water. Four of his dad's merfolk guards were standing in the water.

Two of the merfolk were restraining Nate by his arms, while the other two had tridents pointing at his chest. His dad kept his trident pointed in Mark's general direction, yelling sternly at Sean. "GET OFF HIM NOW!" Sean shook his head, feeling his dad's powerful authority trying to influence him to submit. His dad's jaw clenched, causing his trident to glow a bright blue. Sean swallowed, trying to fight his dad's power as he strained out desperately. "Da, please! I love him!" Instantly his dad's influence ceased. Sean panted softly; he hadn't meant for that to slip out. His dad's face contorted with disbelief and disgust. Sean raised a hand to try to comfort his dad, but his dad stepped back. Glancing at the merfolk guard around him, his dad belted out bitterly to Sean. "He doesn't love you. He just wants you to believe that. It's what they do!" Nate lifted his head, snapping out loudly. "That's not true!" His dad hefted his trident up, facing Nate to snap back sharply. "Don't get me started on you, Nathan. You're no better than THEM!"

Nate lowered his head again, replying coldly. "So, what are you going to do, King Mcloughlin? Hang me like a pirate... Or kill me as an Atlantean?" Sean rose slightly off Mark, feeling torn. Would his dad kill them both? His dad grunted sarcastically, sneering out. "You don't deserve the death of either. After everything your family has done... I should kill you slowly and toss whatever remains into some tar pit on land." Sean raised an eyebrow, asking his dad curiously. "I don't understand... You know him?" Without looking in his direction, his dad pointed his trident toward Nate, growling out angrily. "I knew his father. A rebel rouser. After Atlantis sank, his father started the war between the clans in order to try and claim the throne for himself! His dad controlled the whole Atlantean fleet and used those ships to attack those that apposed his reign. Our ranks are depleted because of his kind!" Nate slowly raised his head to lock eyes with Sean's dad, sneering back just as angrily. "I'm not my father."

Sean's dad scoffed loudly, stating out. "No. But you led the raid to try and kill me and my son. With us gone, you're next in the line for the throne. I recognized your ship... It stands out." Sean was speechless. He didn't know what to say to this. He didn't know about any of this. He was always told that the raids were done by pirates. Nate's eyes were fragile and his voice sincere as he quickly told him. "Sean, I did that... but I was obeying orders. You have to believe me. I NEVER wanted the throne!" Sean's throat was too tight to answer. He wanted to believe him, but a hint of doubt was wondering if that was why Nate had pushed him into becoming his Paramour. Sean's dad waved his trident carelessly, gesturing for the guards around Nate to gag him. Nate thrashed trying to resist and screamed in fright before a cloth was tied around his mouth. Sean wondered why Nate wasn't shocking them, until he noticed that Nate's ring was gone. It was on the finger of one of the guards. Sean looked at his dad, telling him seriously. "Da, STOP! Just listen to me!"

His dad turned slowly to face him, announcing commandingly. "I'll listen. After I get you home." Sean was going to play stubborn, when his dad suddenly nodded to someone behind him. Mark tensed beneath him, shouting out. "Sean!" Sean felt the arms on him, before he saw them. More of his dad's guards hefted him off Mark, their invisibility breaking as Sean let out a screech and began to thrash wildly. Mark rolled to his feet just as a bolt of lightening struck the sand where he had been. Sean thrashed harder, screaming out. "DA! STOP!" His dad wasn't listening, he was adjusting to aim at Mark. Mark dashed across the beach, running straight for his gun. Sean slashed a guard across the face with his nails, hissing loudly. The guard dropped him, then dropped on top of him to pin him with an aggressive hiss of his own. Sean helplessly watched Mark leap into a roll across the sand, barely grabbing his gun before another bolt struck the sand by Mark's leg. Mark rose to a knee, aiming his pistol at Sean's dad.