Chapter 282 - Take My Life, not My Heart (1/2)
Arei dropped the teacup in his hand causing glass and hot water to cover the floor and his feet. ”Jos!” he shouted as she stood frozen at the bottom of the stairs. The familiar bright glow of her eyes filling him in on exactly what was happening. ”Hold on, the fuċkɨnġ curse has activated somehow!” He shouted into the phone pressed against his ear as he fumbled through the drawer, he'd put some of the tranquilizers into.
[I'm hanging up! I'll call dad!] Peg shouted from the other end of the phone.
Arei tossed the phone back onto the counter as his hands closed around the syringe. He ran after Jos as quickly as his feet would carry him, not bothering to care they were both nȧkėd as the cool air of the night encircled his body. He cursed the short distance of beach separating the cottage from the sea as he watched Jos wade out into the water ahead of him. {If she fully shifts before I get this injected into her, it's likely not going to work...} His mind raced frantically as he made his way to her. She'd already partially shifted by the time he reached her. ”I'm sorry, kitten.” He whispered, pain heavy in his words as he caught her arm with one hand and pulled the cap free from the syringe with his teeth. The needle had bȧrėly penetrated her skin when an angry tentacle knocked it away from her arm and into the surf. ”Shit!” Arei called out as he began frantically searching for it. ”Shit, shit, shit!”
”What's going on?!” Poseidon called out as he made his way across the porch of the house.
Arei's fingers found the tranquilizer as it jabbed into his finger. ”Fuck!” He called out, still grabbing it. His eyes quickly searched the water. ”Did you see where she went?” He yelled back, not taking his frantic eyes off the water.
Poseidon's confused eyes traveled over his nȧkėd son before moving toward the water. ”Um...” His eyes moved back to Arei, finally seeing the syringe in his hand. ”Oh shit! Did she shift?”
”Of course, she did! Didn't Peg tell you?!” Arei growled turning his attention back to the water.
”Nope, just said I needed to get here as fast as possible...” He scratched his head as he searched the water, his mind still slightly clouded from sleep. He reached out and grabbed Arei's arm. ”Well, there's one place I know she'll at least be near if it's the curse...”
In a blink, both men were standing on the shores of Ogygia. Poseidon's eyes moved back to his son. ”Hum...” He snapped his fingers and a speedo appeared on Arei's nȧkėd body. ”Well, it's not hiding much but it will have to work-” His words were cut off as a loud explosion sounded on the other side of the island. Just as Arei moved to dart toward the sound Poseidon caught him. ”You're fast son.” In another blink, they were on the other side of the island. ”But I'm faster...” When another loud bomb sounded, Poseidon followed Arei's gaze to what looked to be a small warship just off the shore. Massive tentacles battled against the sides of the steel ship, but with each blast of the weaponry aboard another tentacle was blown to bits and scattered across the black waters. The creature let out a bloodcurdling cry as more of its body was basted with even larger artillery.
One of Poseidon's hands shot out to stop Arei from barreling forward as the other darted into his pocket. ”Wait.” He yelled at Arei as he lifted the ringing phone to his ear. ”Ogygia, now!” He called across it as he tossed the phone and a few other belongings to the beach. He nodded toward the water. ”We need a plan to take them down without hurting Jos. The curse will not relent until the ship is either far enough away from this island or everyone aboard is dead... and we need at least one of them alive.”
Arei nodded in understanding. He followed his father's lead as he lifted his arms in an overexaggerated sweeping motion forward. The gentle waves responded to the order and began to swell. Both men shoved their hands outwards toward the ship and the waves again obeyed. By the time it hit the ship, it was a massive title wave caused the ship to tip, pitching several bodies over the side. The loud screech of sirens sounded in the distance. ”We need at least one alive! If they beat us to it, that chance goes out the window.” Poseidon growled as he kicked off his favorite shoes and stepped into the tide and slammed his fist into the wet sand. Another massive wave developed as a strong earthquake shook the beach.
The color drained from Arei's face as the beast attacking the ship took another damaging hit. He gritted his teeth into a snarl. ”I can't just stand here!” He yelled as he pushed past his father.
”What are you going to do?! You have no weapons and she's not going to recognize you! GAHHH!” Poseidon shouted as his eyes rolled in irritation toward the thickly clouded sky. ”Oh great! Fucking, great!” He growled as large droplets of water began showering down on him. His irritated gaze moved to his phone that was getting drenched in Arei's emotional downpour. He gritted his teeth as he watched his son near the ship. ”So, we're doing this? No idea who or what we're up against... no backup yet... We're just jumping the fuċk in... Gahhh...” Poseidon growled again as he dove into the water after his son. Catching up with him just as he was about to breach the boat. ”If we're doing this, we're doing it in true sea god fashion.” He flicked his wrist and handed a metal trident to Arei. Another monstrous screech filled the air bringing a smile to Poseidon's face. ”Toss me the tranquilizer. I'll take care of Jos and get her safely to shore while you two deal with this. Remember, at least one survivor.”
Arei nodded also recognizing the second monster's loud call. A devilish grin curved his lips as the waters around him began to rotate. He could hear frantic voices now yelling from the deck above. He lifted his hand causing the waves to lift him onto the deck. His war-crazed smile widened as many men froze in shock of being bored.
”Take him, men! It's only one man!” Someone called out from farther away.
”Yes, take me... if you think you can...” He charged forward with a speed unmatched by any other creature. Before the nearest three men could turn their weapons toward him he'd already forked one through the ċhėst with the trident and knocked the other two overboard with a surge of a wave. Blood splattered across the now brightly glowing tattoos of his body as he braced his bȧrė foot against the man's ċhėst and pulled the trident free. The ship began to spin, but it didn't affect his balance in the slightest unlike the men trying to come at him. Another loud blast sent pieces of beautiful teal tentacles splattering across the deck. He could feel blind rage rise up in his ċhėst as he heard Jos's pained cry. ”You bastards!” He brought another surge of waves crashing over the decks, sending several unsteady men over the sides as he charged toward those left standing. ”I swear to you, the next one to fire at my wife will pray for the quick death of becoming siren shit!” He yelled through clenched teeth.
Some of the men took it as a challenge and quickly reloaded their weapons, taking aim at another monstrous tentacle that had crept up along one side of the ship. Arei gritted his teeth more as he shot forward, massive black wings sprang out from his back launching him into the air. With deadly accuracy, he brought the trident down on the gunman with enough force that it split the man in half. He flicked the blood from his wings as he turned hate-filled eyes toward the others standing around in stunned disbelief. Weapons clattered against the deck as several men dropped them.
A familiar face stepped out with hands up. ”We surrender...”
Arei's lips snarled in even more anger. ”Marcus!”
Marcus shrugged as he stepped hesitantly away from the rest of the crew. ”I saw an opportunity and took it... Had you sedated her as you should have, we wouldn't be here... I-” His words were cut off and he swallowed hard as his eyes moved to where the man that had been standing directly beside him was now pinned to the deck by the trident.