Soulless Seas

Asteria POV.I’m laying on my favourite rock, the sun is high in the clear blue sky. The water laps gently against the shore. The ocean is calm. The sun’s rays warm my cold scales as I flick my fin lazily in the water. The ocean, my home, how I miss it. For I know this is just a dream. A drug induced sedation to make me compliant.“Wakey, wakey little mermaid.” A vibration through the water and a voice I have come to hate. I open my eyes and move my large black fin away from my muzzled face. Looking into the cold and cruel green eyes of the man I made a deal with nine years, three hundred and fifty-one days ago. General Andrew Patterson.The man who caught me alongside the military and threatened every shifter with death if I didn’t agree to be a lab rat for two years and the remaining eight I was to become an attraction in an aquarium, lovingly called Poseidon’s Underwater Kingdom. I complied and I regret it. The shifters turned their backs on me for my stupidity. They will pay with

Asteria POV.What the fuck was Fenrir doing there? I shriek as I run fast. Everything moves in a blur as I smell the salt in the ocean’s air. My home, I whimper as I push on harder, faster as I turn and run towards the beach. Gun’s fire behind me, I turn my head and see military vehicles in pursuit. I smirk. The power I lost is slowly returning. I need the water.The waves crash and a rumble of thunder moves across the sky. I smile as my chest heaves. I jump over the barricade and land in the sand. Tears leave my eyes as I run towards the water. More gun fire, I scream as I’m hit but I growl and keep moving. The humans didn’t learn.I run into the water and wade as far as I can. A helicopter hovers overhead and I dive. I keep swimming as the vibration from above moves closer. Divers enter the water. Firing towards me.I shriek as the shift takes over. My legs fuse together, my talons erupt and webbing forms. My gills split across my neck. I dive further down.“I, queen Asteria, the fi

Asteria POV.What was I thinking when I kissed him? Gods above. I launch out of the water and sit on my favourite rock. This is such a mess. I should have never agreed to any of this. Look where it got me.It got me betrayed by the humans, by the shifters. I should have let the military destroy them all.“Asteria.” I look at the water and see Artemis as she moves closer to me and I burst into tears. She pulls herself up on the rock next to me and we hug each other.I sob like a baby. A sob of pain and relief. The pain of losing Shanti, the relief of knowing Artemis, was ok. The weight of what I did to save those I thought gave a shit about me. I was wrong, so fucking wrong. I paid the ultimate price, doing what I believed was right.I gave up my freedom so they could keep theirs, but the price that I paid was losing the girl I raised. I lost my sanity, my home, my people. All for what? So the other shifters could carry on with their lives blissfully unaware of the suffering that I end

Carter POV.“News just in that sirens are very real and are a threat to everyone. We have reports that sirens have attacked many fishing towns up the east coast. Citizens are reminded to stay away from the areas. No-one knows why these beautiful yet deadly shifters have attacked. But one thing is for sure, they are dangerous. The governments are in talks with the military about the siren threat. We will have more as the story breaks.”I watch the news presenter on the screen as footage is shown of sirens destroying small fishing tows and killing both shifters and human alike. It has been two months since Asteria declared war and she is making good on that threat.“Carter, we need to get your Lycan to come forward. Only you can stop her.” Lycaon says from the chair next to my sofa. I shake my head.“How? She will try to kill me again.” I say as I watch the carnage on the screen. However, Asteria isn’t with them. Where is she?“I think we can use magic to make that happen.” I turn to th

Carter POV.I lift her limp body in my arms and walk with her as the sirens all turn to look at me. They shriek and hiss at the sight of their queen laying limp in my arms.“I have marked your queen. You will all retreat back into the water now!” I boom as they all look at me. When two women move forward, I recognise one as luna Perla. The other looks feral.She throws her spear at me, and I drop Asteria as I stagger back. She attacks, trying to get to Asteria when I kick her, sending her backwards. I growl at her.“She belongs to me. MINE! This madness stops now. The military will not stop until you all are dead. This was the only way.” I say to her as she hisses at me from a crouched position. She chuckles to herself.“You have just doomed us all. When she wakes and she will, she will kill you and all that follows you. You have forced your mate mark on her. That is forbidden. The gods will judge you, and Asteria will be your executioner.” She spits at me she moves closer to me and r