Thorn slid a knowing smirk toward him. “I take it Miss Jack is the Seraph’s sister?”
“Aye. She is.”
Thorn paused as if considering that for some reason. Though why it warranted such stern attention, Devyl had no idea. Cameron Jack was the last woman he was interested in. His heart had been claimed long ago by a callous lady who still held it with an iron-taloned fist.
“And you offer her your direct protection?”
He pinned a murderous glare to Thorn at the insinuation in his snide tone. The boots on his feet were older than the girl. “She’s an innocent child.”
Thorn had to keep his own jaw from dropping at the defensiveness that lay beneath those deeply growled words. Dón-Dueli … the Dark One … the World-King who’d slaughtered any and everything that got in his way, was protecting someone?
Anyone.
No fucking way.
It was unprecedented.
Thorn couldn’t get his mind to wrap around this inconceivable concept. For the first time in his insanely long life, Thorn’s treatment at the hands of the higher Sarim council made sense.
Aye … now, I get it.
Because this … this made no sense whatsoever. It was so far out of character for the vicious beast he knew Devyl to be. There was a better chance of Lucifer becoming a virginal choir girl than Devyl Bane sheltering someone without it benefitting him.
Yet those thoughts vaporized as soon as he saw the woman nearing them on deck.
At first glance, Thorn thought her a very slender teen boy or young man like Devyl’s rigger Katashi—Wild Kat as the crew had dubbed him. Until Thorn noted the delicate arch of her brows and the line of her cheeks. Though her thick chestnut brown hair was pulled back into a queue and she wore the coat and breeches of a man, it was still obvious that those hips and that posture and walk belonged solely to a woman.
One with a nice, well-rounded ass.
And her hazel blue-green eyes were absolutely mesmerizing.
But none of that should induce a cruel, heartless bastard like Duel to protect her.
Nay. Her features were too average and pretty. Her guile lacking all sophistication. She was nothing like Duel’s ex-wife. Possessed of vibrant titian hair, and goddess curves, Vine was exquisitely formed. Breathtakingly beautiful. The kind of woman who left all women lurking in her shadow in a jealous rage, and men gaping and speechless, fully erect and incapable of any coherent thought other than how to entice her into a bed as fast as possible.
He’d never had any trouble figuring out how Duel had lost his heart or his soul, never mind his life, to that bitch. Any man who favored female companionship would have gladly done whatever Vine asked and abandoned all conscience and reason for her.
But this one …
The only part of her that was remarkable was just how woefully average she appeared.
“That’s Michael’s bloodline?” Thorn whispered to Duel. “You’re sure?”
“Aye.”
Incredible. Normally, those born to Michael’s blood were hard to miss. They were blond, as a rule, tall, and exceptionally handsome.
This one …
Well, she did have one thing in common with the ancient being.
Her eyes stewed with venom as she planted herself firmly in front of them. “I’m not sleeping in your cabin, Captain. Have you any idea how inappropriate that is?”
“Aye, and I couldn’t care less. There’s not a soul here who would dare defy me or speak ill of my intentions. You will sleep where I say, Miss Jack.”
She laughed incredulously. “You would be wrong.” She sobered to glare up at him with an audacity that was as stupid as it was commendable. “Most wrong.”
Devyl actually felt a smile tugging at the edges of his lips as she started in the opposite direction of his cabin. “Miss Jack?”
