But once again, Seraphina cuts me off, smashing her lips against mine with an enthusiasm that could start a forest fire. She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me closer, and I can feel every delicious curve of her body pressed against mine.
She pulls back just enough to whisper against my lips, her voice breathy and sexy. "Shut up and just kiss me, Lucian."
Well, fuck me sideways and call me a bitch. My sweet and spicy chimichanga just turned up the heat, and I am so here for it. I mean, who am I to deny my mate what she wants? Especially when what she wants is me.
Oh, she's going to be begging me to fulfill her every desire, to make her scream my name until she's hoarse and seeing stars. And I am more than happy to oblige with gusto and enthusiasm.
Because that's just the kind of mate I am. Attentive, devoted, and always ready to please.
Pleasing Seraphina will be my new favorite hobby. Sorry, knitting; you've been replaced.
Rhyland
46
The tunnels seem to stretch on forever, winding and twisting like the guts of some giant, fucked-up sea monster. The air is thick with the stench of salt and decay, clinging to the back of my throat like a bad taste I can't shake. It's dark as shit in here, the only light coming from the eerie glow of the bioluminescent algae clinging to the damp walls.
As we slog through the endless twists and turns, I can't help but notice the water level rising with every step. It starts as a trickle, a minor annoyance that has us splashing through puddles. But before long, we're wading through the murky depths, the water sloshing around our thighs and soaking us to the bone.
"Well, this is just wonderful," Dani grumbles, her voice echoing off the narrow walls. "Maybe we should've brought a goddamn raft."
I can hear her nervousness and how she falls back on her signature sass when feeling out of her depth. But I know my girl, and she's tougher than she gives herself credit for. "Nowhere to go but forward, baby," I say, keeping my voice low and steady. "This tunnel's gotta lead somewhere. Just keep moving."
Dani doesn't respond, but I can practically feel the eye roll she's shooting my way. We trudge through the water, the level rising each step until we're neck-deep in the brackish liquid.
Suddenly, Dani lets out a blood-curdling screech that makes my heart slam against my ribs. "Oh my fucking god, something just touched my leg!"
I'm at her side instantly, my eyes scanning the dark water for any sign of a threat. But there's nothing—no ripple, shadow, or hint of movement beneath the surface.
"There's nothing, Angel," I reassure her, trying to keep my voice steady. "Come on, we gotta keep moving."
The water keeps rising, forcing us to bob and weave through the narrow passage like a couple of fucking corks. The stench of death is getting stronger now, so thick I can almost taste it on my tongue.
Up ahead, the cave ceiling drops low, leaving us no choice but to dive under and swim through the submerged section. Dani stops short, treading water as she stares at the dark opening with wide, wary eyes.
"Looks like we're going for a dip," her voice tight with apprehension.
I reach out, cupping the back of her neck and pulling her in for a hard, desperate kiss. "I'll be right behind you, baby. I promise," my forehead pressed against hers. "Always."
Dani conjures up an orb of her light and nods, taking a deep breath before diving beneath the surface. I follow close behind, the icy water closing over my head like a suffocating shroud. I can feel the current tugging at my limbs, trying to pull me off course, but I keep my eyes locked on the pale glow of Dani's light up ahead, using her as my guide through the darkness.
We swim for what feels like an eternity, our lungs burning and our muscles screaming with the effort. Just when I think I can't hold my breath a second longer, we burst through the surface into a massive, underground, flooded chamber that steals what little air I have left.
The chamber is vast and cavernous, with soaring arched ceilings that disappear into the gloom above us. The walls are ancient, crumbling stones, their surfaces pitted and worn by centuries of water and decay. They seem to loom over us, pressing in from every side like they're trying to swallow us whole.
But what's in the center of the room really steals the breath from my lungs. There, rising out of the murky water like a ghost from the past is a massive pirate ship. It's old as fuck, the wood rotted and blackened with age, the sails hanging in tattered shreds from the masts. It looks like something straight out of a nightmare, a relic of a bygone era with no business in this forgotten tomb.
"Holy hell," Dani pants beside me, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she treads water. "We need to get to higher ground before something decides to make us its next meal."
I nod, my eyes scanning the chamber for anything we can use to our advantage. The ship looms over us like a goddamn mountain, its decks so high they might aswell be in the fucking clouds. No way we're climbing that beast without some serious gear.
The walls of the cavern are slick as shit, with no handholds or ledges to grab onto. We're bobbing in this death pool like a couple of corks, surrounded by nothing but water and debris.
"Fuck," I growl, frustration clawing at my insides. We're sitting ducks here, exposed and vulnerable in this watery hellhole. I scan the room again, desperation fueling my search. There's got to be something, some way out of this clusterfuck.
My eyes lock onto a glimmer of hope in the far corner. A wooden ladder, half-rotted and barely clinging to the wall, leads up to a narrow ledge that might be our ticket out of this watery hell. It's a long shot; the wood looks like it's one splinter away from crumbling to dust, but it's the only option we've got.
"Over there," I grunt, jerking my chin towards the ladder. "If we can get to that ledge, we might be able to find a way out of this shithole."
