I lean in close, my face inches from his. His blood drips from my lips, splattering onto his cheeks like some fucked up war paint. "This is for fucking with what's mine, you piece of shit," I snarl, my voice a guttural growl that barely sounds human.
With one final, savage pulse of power, I let it all go. The result is instantaneous and horrifying. Bloodbane's body explodes in a shower of gore, chunks of flesh and bone raining down around me like some twisted, gruesome confetti. The air is thick with the coppery scent of blood, the deck slick with viscera.
I stand there, chest heaving, covered in the remains of my enemy. The rage slowly ebbs, replaced by a cold, savage satisfaction. Let this be a fucking lesson to anyone who dares to threaten what's mine.
My eyes sweep the deck, searching for Dani amidst the chaos and carnage. And then I see her, locked in a deadly dance with two of Bloodbane's goons, her blades wreathed in the searing white flames of her angel fire. She's a vision of lethal grace, her movements fluid and precise as she dodges and thrusts, but I'll be damned if I let her face these bastards alone.
I blur to her side in a heartbeat, my hands finding the throats of the two savages who dared to threaten my mate. I squeeze with all my might, feeling their windpipes collapse beneath my fingers like fucking paper, and then I wrench their necks to the side with a sickening crack, the sound of their spines snapping like music to my ears.
Dani's eyes lock with mine as I let the bodies drop to the deck, and the heat in her gaze is enough to set my blood on fire. I can feel her arousal thrumming through our bond like a live wire—smell it and taste it on my tongue—the primal part of her responding to the sight of me unleashing my darker side. It's a heady fucking feeling, knowing that she accepts every part of me, even the parts that most people would run screaming from.
Focus.
We throw ourselves back into the fray, our blades and bodies moving in perfect sync as we cut a bloody swath through Bloodbane's crew. It's a fucking massacre, the deck of The Crimson Fury running red with the blood of the fallen, but we don't stop, can't stop, not until every last one of these bastards is dead or dying at our feet.
Just as suddenly as it began, it's over. The last of Bloodbane's men fall with a gurgling scream, and an eerie silence descends over the ship, broken only by the ragged sound of our own breathing and the gentle lapping of the waves against the hull.
Despite all this death and destruction, I can't take my eyes off Dani. She's a damn vision—a goddess of war, her hair wild and her eyes blazing with a golden feral light that sets my soul on fire. And I know, with a bone-deep certainty, that there's nothing in this world or any other that I wouldn't do to keep her safe and by my side for all eternity, even when she goes against me.
With The Crimson Fury nothing more than a smoldering wreck on the horizon, Dani and I finally have a moment to breathe. We'd washed up and changed out of our blood-soaked clothes, and now we're standing on the upper deck of The Seraph, watching the last remnants of Bloodbane's ship burn like a fucking funeral pyre.
Lucian's holed up below with Seraphina, practically snarling at anyone who dares to come within ten feet of her until she wakes up. The poor bastard's been through hell and back, so we all decided to give him some space, even Dani, though I could tell it was killing her to leave her friend's side.
Gideon's got us pointed towards Tempest Isle and says we should be there within a day or two if the winds hold steady. It's a welcome respite after the shitstorm we just weathered, but there's still one little matter that needs attending to—namely, Dani's punishment for scaring the ever-loving fuck out of me with that portal stunt.
I spin her around and cage her in with my arms, my hands gripping the railing on either side of her as I lean in close. "Now, back to what we were discussing, woman," my voice low and dangerous. "Your punishment."
Dani tilts her head back, her caramel gold eyes flickering with apprehension and false bravado as she meets my gaze. "Oh, is that so, big guy?" she challenges, her tone aiming for sass but falling short. "And just what did you have in mind? Because let me tell you, I can handle anything you dish out...I think."
Fuck, this woman drives me crazy. She's trying to put on a brave face—bait me. But I can see the uncertainty lurking beneath the surface. She knows damn well I'dnever lay a finger on her in anger, but the anticipation of the unknown is getting to her. I could edge her for hours, driving her to the brink of insanity with pleasure until she is begging me for release. Or I could spank that perfect ass of hers until it's red and raw, then heal her with my tongue and start all over again. Hell, I could even tie her up and leave her spread open and aching for me until we reach the island, teasing her mercilessly the whole damn way.
Or, if I'm feeling particularly sadistic, I could do all fucking three.
The possibilities are endless, and I feel my cock twitching in anticipation as I lean in close, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear. "Oh, I've got plenty of ideas, baby. And trust me, by the time I'm done with you, you'll be lucky if you can walk straight."
Dani meets my gaze. "Oh really, Mr. Big Bad? And here I thought the fierce Viking was going soft on me. Why don't you prove me wrong... if you dare?"
"Don't push me, woman." I warn.
"All I'm hearing is talk," she taunts back, pressing closer. "No action. Maybe you're not the alpha male, everyone thinks—"
My control snaps. In one swift motion, I throw Dani over my shoulder, her startled squeal of protest only spurring me on as I stride purposefully toward our cabin. "You want action, baby? I'll give you fucking action," I promise darkly.
By the time I'm done with her, she'll be so thoroughly fucked and satisfied that she won't even remember what she did to deserve this punishment in the first place.
That's just the way I like it. And from the way Dani's squirming against me, her arousal permeating the air, I'd say she likes it, too.
Lucian
60
I'm sitting in our quiet cabin on the ship, hunched over the bed like a gargoyle, clutching a damp washcloth. I'm gently dabbing at Seraphina's face, wiping away the grime and blood, my heart racing with each ragged breath she takes. She sprawls out on the bed like a fallen angel. Her golden hair fanned across the pillow, her skin radiant and beautiful.
I'm trying to hold it together, to be the stoic hero she needs, but inside? I'm a complete mess. My mind races, conjuring all sorts of horrible scenarios about what those sick bastards could've done to her. I can't take the peanut gallery's pitying looks and hushed whispers anymore.
I snap. "Everybody out!" I snarl, eyes wild and desperate. "I need some quality time with my mate, so kindly fuck off and let me brood in peace!"
They scatter, leaving me alone with my comatose angel and the oppressive silence. I stagger to my feet, legs shaking, and approach the liquor cabinet. I grab the nearest bottle of rum, not bothering to check the label and take a long, burning swig.
