Down boy,I mentally berate my eager cock. Now's not the time for a fucking boner.
Still, as Gideon launches into another bawdy tale of sailors falling prey to the Sirens' charms, I can't shake the feeling that we're in for one hell of a ride.
And not necessarily the fun kind—
The tavern doors slam open, and every head in the place snaps around to see who's ballsy enough to make an entrance like that. And holy shit, the man who strides in is enough to answer that question.
This guy's got an aura like a goddamn thunderstorm, all dark and menacing like he's about to rain down lightning and destruction on anyone who looks athim wrong. He's built like a fucking tank, all bulging muscles and violence, with shoulder-length red hair that makes him look like some deranged Viking berserker.
And his eyes... those eyes are sharp and calculating, sweeping over the room like he's sizing up his next meal. Like he's just daring someone, anyone, to step up and challenge him so that he can rip their fucking head off and use it as a goddamn soup bowl.
The whole place goes silent as the grave the moment he walks in, everyone frozen in place like mice caught in a serpent's gaze. You can practically hear the collective intake of breath, the sheer terror that ripples through the crowd at the sight of this beast of a man.
I swear, the guy looks like he eats children for breakfast and picks his teeth with their tiny bones. Like he'd snap your neck as soon as he looks at you and then return to chugging his ale like nothing happened.
"Gideon," he booms, his voice carrying an edge of malicious delight. "How long has it been?"
I glance over at the Captain; hell, he looks like he's about to blow a blood vessel. Anger is etched into his face, and he's gripping his mug so tight I'm surprised it hasn't shattered.
"Bloodbane," he says through clenched teeth.
This is not a man to be fucked with, that's for damn sure. Not unless you want to end up as a red smear on the tavern floor, your last memory, the sound of his laughter as he grinds your skull beneath his boot.
He starts moving towards our table, the crowd parting like the Red Sea. Izabelle jumps up to block his path, all bristling defiance and bared teeth.
"What the hell do you want?" she snarls, staring at the man like another barroom brawler. "That's far enough. You know the rules; you can't touch us here—this is common land."
"Enough, Izabelle," Gideon snaps, his voice cracking with tension. "Stay out of this."
Bloodbane smirks, eyeing Izabelle like she is an annoying gnat to be swatted aside. The rest of the pirates at our table don't need to be told twice. They scatter like cockroaches, tripping over each other in their haste to get clear, leaving just me, Erik, and Gideon to face the scrutiny of this asshole.
Bloodbane's gaze lands on me and Erik, and I meet it head-on, refusing to be cowed by this overgrown bastard. There's something in his blood-red eyes, a hunger beyond mere bloodlust or battle-fury. It's like he can see straight into my fucking soul—like he knows something I don't.
"I was sent here by the Sea Witch—word travels fast in Aquaria," he drawls, his tone full of malice. "Something..." he sniffs the air in my direction, "smells...different."
Beside me, Erik's wound tighter than a fucking spring, his muscles locked and ready for action. I can feel the power rolling off him in waves, barely held in check by sheer force of will.
"And she has a right to know who enters her realm," Bloodbane continues, his gaze never leaving ours.
Well, fuck. It's clear as day that this asshole is in the Sea Witch's pocket. And it's equally clear that she's caught wind of our presence here.
Gideon clears his throat, trying to draw Bloodbane's attention. "What ye be on about, Bloodbane?"
But the red-haired bastard ignores him completely, focusing solely on me and Erik. As he stalks closer, I catch a whiff of his scent—brine and blood and something sharper, like the crackle of ozone before a storm.
"Can't say I've ever seen the likes of ye two," he muses, his eyes narrowing. "Tell me, with who do you sail?"
"They're with me crew, Bloodbane," Gideon warns, his voice low and dangerous. "Back off."
But Bloodbane laughs, a harsh, grating sound that sets my teeth on edge. "You don't give the orders here, Captain," he sneers. "The Sea Witch does. And she wants to know about these two."
He takes another step forward, his hand drifting towards the wicked-looking blade at his hip. "So I'll ask again," he growls. "Who are they, and what are they doing in Aquaria?"
I glance at Erik, seeing my grim determination mirrored in his eyes. We both know we can't let this fucker get his hands on us, can't let him drag us before the Sea Witch.
But we also know we're in a tight spot here. We're outnumbered and out-weaponed, and starting a brawl in the middle of the tavern will only draw more attention to ourselves.
Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.
