Royal Waters

Chapter 10

Laying a claim on something and someone has a force that follows. Claiming involving a lot of things physically, mentally, spiritually, and verbally. Claiming can be used with an object, a mark, an announcement but one thing is for sure. A claim is always one-way communication.

Just how Nix called out his claim of his mate without even considering he might be hurting me. I look over the vast audience who are giving me looks of pity, hatred, and fear. 

"What!?" Nix looks down at me at the shout-out from my lips.

"Do you not feel it? The bond is fierce and strong. You cannot escape me this time." He leans in my neck

He tucks his nose along the veins of my neck that are prominent with my beating heart. His silver hair tickles along my left cheek. I gasp with my panting as his lips begin to trail along my soft skin. One kiss taps on my shoulder and another under my jaw.

He slips his arm tighter around my waist. my face heats up seeing the crowd still gazing up at us. I smile slightly chuckling. 

"Um...Nix.." I slip my hand that is between us, up to his chest, and push slightly.

"Don't." He growls under his breath but it is loud for my attempts, to stop him, to freeze.

"You have a kingdom to talk to," I tell him.

He is kissing along my jaw inching his way to my lips. 

"Hm, why fear them? They can always look away." He makes it to my lips and mumbles against them.

I finally look into his dark grey eyes. His attention is on my lips than his kingdom. He leans in to steal a kiss but I pull away. Both my hands press against his packs and push hard. My body is free and far enough to swim on its own.

He looks up at me with a slight glare. I look away and to the crowd. At the far end of the crowd, I see my parents. Mother's head is tucked away in my father's neck. Father though is looking up at me with a glare.

'I know you can hear me, sweetheart. Your mother is the one who is the telepath. We had no choice or we lose the kingdom.' Memories flood in my mind of why my parents brought me to the surface. Nix asking them for my hand even if I was one year old.

'We can't stop Nix anymore or we will die. Forgive us and be a great queen and mate for Nix.' Father turns his head away to comfort his wife.

"Ah," I scream out as two fangs dig in my neck.

I forgot about Nix. I forgot about the marking. He skipped the step of crowning me...Nope, the crown is on my head. I am so focused on my father's memories that I didn't see or feel Nix moving along with the ceremony.

I grunt as teeth dig in my flesh. Claws keep me still and fangs stab through my flesh, digging, deeper and deeper. 

If he sinks anymore I fear he might puncture my bones. White flashing hot pain vibrates along my neck down to the rest of my body.

My tail is frozen like it has a cramp. It is still from the shooting pain that is electrifying every fiber within me. 

The white-hot power shooting in my veins turns ice cold. 

I whimper and tug. Claws dig deeper in my shoulder to keep me still.

"Let go, please. It hurts." I scream out no longer able to handle being quiet.

All I get in response is a growl and more agony. My eyes close hoping it helps. 

It doesn't.  God! This hurts!

Closing my eyes increases the ice pain that is tearing my skin every passing second. It gives an unlimited amount of attention. Just as I begin to pass out from the torture, everything disappears.

The fangs, claws, pain. Everything. I slump slightly against the king.

"You are now mine, my queen." Nix's voice is distancing away as some blood floats in the water at my left.

Vision blurry with welling tears. I hear more whimpering and realize it is me.

"Your queen." My left hand is caressed softly and held up.

The cheering, applause, and smiles are worlds away. 

My mind is registered on one thing. 

He marked me. Me!

All this time he wasn't drooling for my sister, it was me.

The nice merman I met is all a facade to the real beast at my side right now.

"Sit, my love." I return to the present and flash my tail forward; swimming back onto the king's lap.

My head moving on its own and bow not meeting anyone's gaze. The dance begins once more with mates circling around and swimming about. The whole time Nix's hand stayed on my waist, at times he curled his finger and draw figure eights on my hip.

"Seems you and I will be friends for longer than we realized," Nix tells me with a wide smirk on his lips.

"Hm, seems so." I keep my voice small and not meet my mate's gaze.

"No snarky comeback? You were very fierce when on land and now you are submissive." He leans in to whisper in my ear. "Good girl."

As much as my body curses the king, I stay still and calm. Who does he think I am? A pet? He was so kind before and now, I barely know this...This... stranger. Monster. Demon of the sea.

We sit on the throne during the whole dance. We remain where we are as guests bow in goodbyes and leave. I am hoping to say bye to my parents and little sister but they don't come forward.

I look around hoping they are waiting in a corner. They are in a corner but it is near the entrance. Father and mother look back at me with sadness and guilt in their eyes. They turn away after a minute and swim out.

"What is wrong?" Nix asks breathing into my ear.

"They didn't say goodbye." Just like when I was 11. 

"Hm, must be a habit of them to do that. Cowards." I remember my father's memories and my sad expression shifts into an angry one.

"Maybe because they were forced to do what they did." I get off his lap and create as much distance as I possibly can before I hit him.

"What do you mean? Who forced them to do what?" He says behind my back.

"My father told me what you did. He told me of the reason they left to land and also why they returned. How you asked them for my hand in marriage when I was one. How you ordered them to return to their kingdom or you would drag them to the depths of the sea." I swirl around glaring at the king.

His face darkens when I reveal it all to him. By now, I hate seeing the expression because I know he can be close to losing control of his beast.

"Seems you are now aware of the truth. So..." He pushes himself off the throne to swim in front of me. "What now?"

I did not think that through. All I did was reveal to him what the reasons are for my parent's actions but it still keeps me as Nix mate and queen. 

I remain silent and turn my head to the side. 

"Here," He slips a grey with glowing blue design ring on my left ring finger. "A last-minute present I wanted to give you before we head to the castle."

"Thanks." He swims past me and heads toward the double doors.

'You better prepare yourself for tomorrow there will be no more mister nice guy, my love.' I gasp.

*I wonder what he will do to her?

Sorry if it took long for this chapter but I was preoccupied with my summer school class.

Comment, follow, and enjoy=)*