The words were cut off as Dominic’s hands reached for the pirate’s head, gripping hard and twisting. A loudcrackresounded, followed by gasps from the other crew as Dominic swiftly snapped the first mate’s neck. Although Adara could only see his back, she knew the ruthless smile he aimed at their enemies, and it chilled her bones.
He released the pirate’s body, letting it tumble into the sea. “We do,” he said, drawing his weapon and striding across the gangplank.
Chapter 47
Dominicwashaltedthemoment he stepped off the gangplank with a sword at his throat. Adara assumed this man was the captain based on his long, immaculate coat that trailed close to his brown boots, the compass hanging from his belt, the tricorn hat placed atop his unruly dark hair, and the way the crew looked to him with anticipation.
“Now do we get to blow shit up?” Caleb whispered at her side.
“No,” Tobias responded, abandoning his post at the cannons and gripping a staff.
Caleb groaned. “You’re lucky I love you, or else I would have strangled you by now for contradicting every idea I have.” With that, he charged across the plank to the other ship.
“You’re lucky I love you, or else I wouldn’t put up with your idiotic ideas,” Tobias replied, trailing after him.
Adara followed Tobias, sword at the ready. The moment her boots landed on the deck of the enemy ship, her arms were wrenched behind her back, eliciting a muffled noise of protest from her. Dominic’s head whipped in her direction, ignoring the blade aimed at his exposed neck. She merely gave him a reassuring smile that promised death and let them pry Infinova from her grasp.
“I see you brought us a nice little plaything,” the pirate holding her drawled. Adara almost gagged at the smell of his breath caressing her cheek.
She pretended to struggle against his grasp, thrashing and kicking. “Let me go!” Her voice took on a higher pitch, edged with hysteria.
Asher narrowed his eyes at her from across the gangplank, still aboardThe Lykrenwith his bow trained on the face of her assailant. Then the corners of his lips pulled up in a subtle smirk, as if reading her mind.
“A pretty thing like her would fetch a fine price at a brothel in Jeotom,” another pirate said, tracing a dirty, cracked nail along her jaw.
Adara jerked her head away, but the pirate caught her by the throat, squeezing. She did not give them the satisfaction of seeing her struggle for breath.
“But we could have some fun with her along the way.” He released her neck, shoving her back into another’s arms. A knife replaced the hand that had been at her throat.
A vicious smile from the captain had Dominic tensing as he glanced between the pirates and Adara. The rest of theAndreilians boarded the ship, save for Asher, Vesper, and Sawyer. Their bows were better from a distance. A blur of blond hair caught Adara’s eyes as Zephyr—who also remained behind—ducked to hide behind a cannon. None of them dared move without Dominic’s orders, glancing nervously at the blade at Adara’s throat.
“I’ll make you a deal, boy,” the captain finally spoke.
Dominic rolled his eyes.
“Give up the girl, and we’ll let you all go. Or keep her and hand over any valuables on that puny ship of yours. It’s only fair that I take something of yours after you killed my first mate in cold blood.”
Dominic gritted his teeth, knuckles going white around his sword’s hilt. “You touch her, and I’ll kill every single one of you. And it will be a slow, painful death.” His voice was calm, lethal, dripping with venom. “I’ll break every bone in your body, bleed you dry until you’re nothing but a husk of pain and misery, begging for death at my feet.”
Adara’s lips curled into a coy smile. “We could have some fun,” she mused, before Dominic could make any more threats that would ruin her plan. Blinking up at the captain through her lashes, she giggled playfully. “But I warn you, I bite.”
The captain smiled, dismissing Dominic with a wave. “It seems she’s tired of you.” His crew aimed their weapons at Dominic as the captain strode toward Adara.
His brown eyes and dirt-speckled, pale skin filled her vision. The way his gaze raked up and down her body had bile rising in her throat, feeling like spiders skittered along her skin. The pirate behind her tightened his grip around her hands.
She could easily get out of this, but Adara couldn’t resist distracting them as the Andreilians quietly made their move, surrounding the crew.
“A feisty one isn’t she?” the captain said, raising a brow at Dominic. “No wonder you kept her around. Will you serve me the way you served him?”
Dominic took a step toward her, eyes darkening with savage intent. Blades were at his throat in a moment, giving him nowhere to move. The captain chuckled.
Adara leaned forward, giving him a seductive smile. “I suppose I could make things a little more . . .heatedfor you,” she said.
The captain grinned, his leering gaze roaming over her once more. Adara was grateful for the black pants that shielded her thighs from his fingers that trailed up the side of her leg and settled at her hip, for the high-necked tunic that protected her chest from his prying eyes.
Dominic’s expression was livid. Adara’s eyes locked on his, and she winked, ensuring him that she had this handled. If it weren’t for his trust in her, she didn’t doubt this entire crew would be nothing but a pile of bloodied flesh and bones for speaking to her in such a sordid way.
But Dominic held his composure—barely—as the rest of the Andreilians either circled their crew or searched the ship. The veins in Dominic’s forearms bulged as he gripped his sword. His nostrils flared with every breath, hardly containing himself from slaughtering them all. His emerald eyes held the promise of a slow, torturous death for the captain, but that was not what Adara had in mind. She wanted him dead before he even registered that his precious little plaything was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
