"Sounds delightful," Erik observes with his usual stoicism. "Clearly, we were unprepared for such a task. Dani was weak and barely opened the portal enough for our escape."
"I know." I sigh and lean against the wall, the damp wood creaking with the sway of the ship.
"Lucian—" Erik starts.
I hold up my hand to stop him as my mind races back to Lucian and how we—howI—fucking abandoned him. He told me to get Dani to safety, but the guilt is weighing on me more now. I've already lost one brother to my own goddamn stupidity, and now, if I lose Lucian too, what the hell kind of man—brother— does that make me?
As if reading my mind, "Rhyland, you did what you had to do.Lucianunderstood that. He wanted you to protectDani, and that's exactly what you did. We'll find him, brother. We'll get him back and make those witches pay for what they've done."
Erik is always the one to spout wisdom and grace, trying to settle my nerves—he knows damn well the guilt is eating me alive and that I'll go into a headspace that's not pleasant for any bastard around me.
"We know Azrael and how he works. He will use Lucian as bait," Erik says.
I couldn't agree more. The same way he used me to get Dani to come running.
The door opens, and a tall man walks in, wearing a tricorn hat with a rugged beard and savage sea-green eyes. "Ah, I see ye both have woken up."
I lunge at the bars, a feral snarl ripping from my throat, my fangs extending, ready to tear into the bastard. "Let me out of this fucking cell, now. Who the hell are you? And what have you done with my girl, you piece of shit?"
The man stumbles back, his eyes growing wide with fear as he takes in the sight of my elongated canines, the predatory gleam in my gaze. "What in blazin' hells are ye?" he stammers, his voice trembling like a leaf in a hurricane.
It's clear as day that these pirates have never seen our kind, never come face to face with the supernatural fury of a vampire on the warpath.
Good. I'll use that to my advantage, use it to scare these assholes so bad they'll be shitting themselves for a week.
I lean forward, my lips peeling back in a snarl more animal than man. "I'm your worst fucking nightmare, asshole," I growl. "I'm the monster that's going to tear you apart piece by fucking piece unless you tell me where my girl is. Right. Fucking. Now."
The Captain straightens himself, erasing his fear, "I'm the Captain of this ship, and I'll be the one askin' the questions here. Speakin' of yer girl, I've got 'er up in me cabin for some... questionin'." He lets the innuendo hang in the air, a cruel smile on his lips.
Rage boils inside me, and I rattle the bars, my voice a menacing growl. "You lay one fucking finger on her, and I swear to all thegods, I will rip you apart piece by piece. I will make you beg for death before I'm done with you, you son of a bitch."
The Captain stands there, shaking his head. "I don't take kindly to threats," he hisses.
Erik stands by my side, his eyes cold and his voice laced with menace. "We don't want to harm anyone unnecessarily. We are here to help the realms from an impending doom. The girl you have is valuable—important. Harm her, and notonly will I allow my brother to end your miserable existence, but I will take great pleasure in dismembering your corpse until not even your own mother could recognize you."
The captain's eyes widen slightly, but he quickly regains his composure. He leans back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "Saving the realms, you say? And what exactly is this great calamity that threatens us all?"
I rattle the bars again, my patience wearing thin. "Let us out, give me my girl," I growl, my fangs glinting in the dim light, "and maybe we will tell you."
But the captain isn't ready to let it go. He cocks his head to the side, studying us with a calculating gaze. "No, I don't think so," he says slowly, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "If there's some grand danger out there, I reckon I have a right to know about it. Especially if you plan on dragging my ship and crew into the middle of it."
I let out a low, menacing snarl, my claws digging into the metal of the bars. "I won't ask again," I hiss. "Let us out, or I'll paint this whole fucking ship red with your blood."
The captain's smirk widens, and he pushes off the wall with a casual grace. "You're in no position to be making demands, boy," he drawls, his hand dropping to the pistol at his hip. "But I'm a reasonable man. Tell me more about this 'saving the realms' business, and maybe we can come to an arrangement."
Erik leans forward, his hand resting on the bars, "You are treading on thin ice, Captain," he warns, his tone as cold as the ocean's depths. "The world's fate hangs in the balance, and you would waste time with petty games and power plays?"
The captain's eyes narrow, and for a moment, I see a flicker of something dangerous in his gaze. But then it's gone, replaced by a mask of false joviality.
"Petty games?" he chuckles, shaking his head. "Oh, I assure you, this is no game. But if you want my help, you'll have to give me more than vague warnings and empty threats."
I open my mouth to tell him exactly where he can shove his help, but Erik cuts me off with a sharp look.
"Very well," he says, his voice tight. "The short version is this: an ancient evil has awakened, a being of immense power and malevolence. It will consume the realms if left unchecked, leaving nothing but death and destruction in its wake."
The captain's eyebrows shoot up, and he blows a low whistle. "Well, ain't that just a right cheery bedtime story," he drawls. "And let me guess, you lot are the only ones who can stop it?"
I bare my fangs at him, my patience at its limit. "We're the only ones with a fucking chance," I snarl. "And if you don't start cooperating, I'll ensure you live just long enough to see the world burn."
