Orion shrugs, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "Doesn't matter. If your lady is what you say she is, I feel things are about to change in this realm." He takes a long swig of his drink, his dark hair falling into his eyes as he plays his cards with easy confidence. "And that, my old friend, is something I am counting the days for."
I can't stop worrying about her even as I try to wrap my head around it. The whole Lucian thing is still nagging at me, a constant itch in the back of my mind that I can't fucking scratch.
"Has that asshole tried anything on you?"
I can feel her anxiety through the bond, a flicker of unease that makes my heart clench in my chest. But then her voice comes through again, solid and confident and full of that sassy wit that I love so damn much.
"Yeah, but I've got him handled,"she says, and I can practically see the smirk on her face, the mischievous glint in her honey-gold eyes.
I feel a rush of pride at her words, a fierce, savage joy at the thought of my mate putting that arrogant prick in his place. But it's not enough, not nearly fuckingenough to ease the rage and the fear and the gut-wrenching worry that's been eating me alive ever since she disappeared.
The barmaid returns with another round of drinks, and I slam them down in one go, the burn of the alcohol searing my throat. But I barely feel it; I am too focused on Dani's voice and the desperate, clawing need to have her back in my arms where she belongs.
"Good,"I growl."Keep him alive, so when I see him again, I can kill him myself.
"For whatever it's worth, "Orion pulls me out of my mental connection, "I'm here to help. Whatever ya need, lad."
I nod, "Thanks."
Danica
29
Ienter the dining hall, and my jaw nearly hits the floor. The room is a friggin' underwater paradise, with a long table stretching out before us like a damn runway, groaning under the weight of a seafood feast. Lobsters the size of small children, oysters that glisten as if polished by a battalion of pearl-obsessed elves, and fish that look like they were plucked straight from a damn rainbow.
At the head of this oceanic feast sits Calypso, resplendent in a gown of shimmering black scales; the front is daringly open, barely covering her assets. Her mermaid scales creep up her torso, catching the light like an array of glittering gems.
She flashes us a dazzling and terrifying smile, her teeth glinting like sharks in the soft light. "Ah, my honored guests," she purrs. "Please, take a seat. We have much to discuss."
As I scope out the room, I am immediately drawn to the gigantic floor-to-ceiling windows offering a jaw-dropping view of the underwater world. The vast expanse of the sea stretches before me, an endless canvas of deep, rich blues that seem to darken and intensify as dusk settles in. It's like being in a high-end aquarium, minus the screaming children and overpriced souvenirs.
Dining with the fishes?
The scene's beauty is almost enough to make me forget the gravity of my situation.
Almost.
I glance over at Lucian, who shrugs and plops his ass down in the nearest chair, sprawling out like he’s the king of this underwater castle.
I let out a sigh that comes from the depths of my soul. This should be interesting.
I was scrubbed within an inch of my life by a bunch of handsy attendants—which was all kinds of awkward—combed through the tangled mess of my hair like it was nothing, shaved and trimmed me up in all my nether regions, and then stuffed meinto a dress. I must admit that the gown is beautiful—black and sleek, with sequins that catch the light. It's got a slit up the left leg that goes on for miles, showing off a generous slice of skin. No shoes, though. Apparently, mermaids don't believe in footwear.
Not to be outdone, Lucian is decked out in an outfit that screams "underwater royalty." The bastard looks fresh as a damn daisy—like he just stepped out of some high-end Merman spa instead of being kidnapped and dragged to the bottom of the ocean.
His usually unruly golden blonde hair is now perfectly coiffed, slightly spiked in the front in a way that probably took an hour and a metric ton of hair gel to achieve.
The arrogant ass spent the entire time trying to charm the pants off me (figuratively speaking, since I was already in the gown) with his over-the-top flattery and cheesy one-liners. He continued about how stunning I looked and how he'd love to parade me around like some trophy girlfriend. But I shut down his advances like a boss, deflecting his flirtations. Not to mention sulking and pouting as I allowed the attendants to help me with my bath instead of him.
After chatting with Rhyland and trying to calm his Viking temper, which did jack shit for my Berserker Bae, I’m still dreading the moment I have to drop the bomb about Lucian biting me—nearly killing me—and then playing vampire nursemaid with his blood. Rhyland is going to shit a damn Viking longship when he hears about that.
And let's not even start on Lucian kissing me. Actually, on second thought, I'll just file that spicy little detail under "need-to-know basis" and call it a day.
"Yeah, so what's with the fancy getup and the whole 'trying to impress me' act?" I snap.
"I see you didn't take kindly to my necklace." Calypso notices.
I immediately grab my neck, glaring fiercely. "I'm not some pet you can just slap a collar on."
