Both Cameron and her brother shifted instantly from their “human” appearance into their Necrodemian bodies—something that happened any time true evil came near them with ill intent. Their hair became as white as Mara’s and Sancha’s real hair that she kept hidden beneath her curly black wig, and their skin turned a ghostly, glittering pale. Likewise, their wings expanded and fluttered out.
Though why this eerie transition happened to her now after Paden had been returned from Vine’s custody, Cameron couldn’t imagine. Paden was the one who’d inherited their mother’s sword and her powers, and calling. Not her. Technically, she should have gone back to normal once they were freed. Yet why Cameron would change around evil this time when she hadn’t changed earlier in the tavern when they faced Vine and her minions, she couldn’t imagine.
Like Paden, she had no control over her shifted forms. It came upon her without any warning.
Captain Bane handed Mara’s care and protection off to Will. “Guard her well, Mr. Death!”
Mara cast her husband a chiding glare, but didn’t speak, as they were all accustomed to his overprotectiveness when it came to his wife’s safety.
Kalder started for the side railing, but the captain stopped him.
“You’ve been restored now, Mr. Dupree. Stay on board and don’t risk yourself.”
Kalder scoffed at his order. “Not while there’s a threat to this crew, Captain. Me life makes no never mind to me, you know that. They want a brawl and blood in the water, I’m in the mood to give it.”
Cameron started for him, but Kalder was over the side and in the raging seawater before she could stop him from his recklessness.
Paden pulled his enchanted Seraph’s sword from its sheath, and went to take a station with the rest of the crew. As Cameron headed to join them, Thorn took her elbow.
“They fed you blood while they had you?”
Cameron hesitated at his question. “Pardon?”
“Did you drink blood while you were held by Vine, lass?”
She winced involuntarily as her mind flashed on the nightmares she’d survived at the hands of Vine and her unholy alliance of misshapen adulators. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t erase the trauma of it all. “They poured it down me throat. Aye. And Paden’s too.”
He looked as sick as she’d felt when they’d done it.
And the curse he let out made her stomach draw tight.
“Why, Lord Thorn? What did they do to us?”
“They’ve bonded with you.” He glanced over to Paden. “And your brother, no doubt. I should have thought of that.”
“What’s that mean?”
A tic started in his handsome jaw as his eyes turned a deep, flowing green that reflected like iridescent water. “It depends on whose blood they used… and the binding spell.” Thorn winced as if some nightmare just occurred to him.
“What aren’t you saying, my lord?”
“You’ve the blood of Michael in your veins, girl. While the others are strong, he’s one of the most powerful of all. His blood is straight from the Source itself. There’s no telling what such a bond could cause. The damage not just to you and your brother, but to the entire world.”
A shiver went down her spine as she considered his words. “You’re terrifying me.”
“Good, lass. You need to be scared. More than that, you need to be vigilant. Because like it or not, you’re no longer simply a protector, born of the light. With what they’ve done to you, you’re now a creature of darkness, same as the rest of us. And you will be pulled toward that pit with a hunger the likes of which you’ve never known. As bad as it is for us, it’s nothing compared to what it’ll be for someone like you who’s never known its lure before. May the gods help you, little one. I’ve yet to meet the soul who hasn’t been damned by those flames.”
4
Kalder hit the ocean water and soaked it in with a sigh of relief as his gills finally opened and he was able to take his first real breath in weeks.
Or maybe it was months.
To be submerged again…
It was second only to an actual orgasm.
Although, it’d been so long since he last had one of those that they might actually feel the same. Honestly, he couldn’t remember anymore.
