Nibo’s devotion to his pathetic human bitch was a prime example. Rather than cut her loose, he’d bargained to save her.
Futtocking fool.
His human tart would be the death of him. Again. Just like Aclima had been when she’d refused Qeenan’s advances.
You’re not your brother. And I won’t have you. …
Her death had been no suicide. He’d kill her again if he could. Just as he’d killed Nibo’s latest whore.
“Nibo will gut you if he ever learns what you did.”
Qeenan hissed at the fool who spoke too loudly. “He would have risked us all for her. A slag whore.”
Joseph’s gaze went to Erzulie as she walked past and gave them a covert glance. “There are many who risk more for things they shouldn’t covet.”
Qeenan grabbed him by the throat. “Remember, I have the power to take out a loa as much as I do a mortal.”
Joseph placed a searing hand to his wrist that caused him to gasp and let go instantly. “You’re not the only one, Qee. Just because you enjoy the killing and they indulge your hunger for it doesn’t mean no one else here can rise to the occasion.”
His fury simmering, Qeenan blew cool air across his burning wrist to soothe it as Joseph vanished.
“Go ahead,” he breathed. “All of you. Mock me, if you will. But you’ll regret your actions.”
He’d make sure of it.
Adarian respected him. He understood the future better than these troglodytes. There was a new day dawning. And it wasn’t for the bleeding-heart radas who clung to their outmoded traditions and useless ways.
This was the age of division. The age of conquest and fury. Of grudges and hatred.
The Malachai was rising and he and his loyal followers were going to make sure the world paid for everything it had done to them. For all the ill it’d made them swallow.
He was tired of walking in his brother’s shadow. Tired of eating scraps and being treated like the dog sent out as a last resort, after all the others had been called for first.
Just once, Qeenan wanted to be the chosen one. His days of being cursed were over.
It was his name they would cheer, and he would be second to no one, especially not the brother he hated.
“Burn, bitches, burn.”
And it would be his brother’s precious Valynda and the crew of theSea Witchhe’d offer up as his first sacrifices to the Malachai to prove his loyalty.
“You should call for your Nibo.”
Valynda tensed as she heard Belle’s voice behind her. Clearing her throat, she finished knotting the ropes she’d been mending and tried not to be annoyed at the sound of yet another person meddling in her life. After all, when hadthatever gone wrong for her? “Why would I do that?”
“Because you’re weeping.”
She scoffed at the very idea. “I can’t weep.” She had no tear ducts.
Coming around her side, Belle placed her hand on Valynda’s chin and forced her to meet her gaze. The beauty of Belle’s features never ceased to amaze Valynda. Today, she’d painted an intricate pattern of blue and white dots around her eyes and down the bridge of her nose. The paint glistened against her dark skin and complemented the darker blue and red beads that were braided into the hair she kept held back from her face with a red kerchief that was knotted at the nape of her neck.
Because she was a rigger, charged with climbing up and down the masts, she wore breeches and tunics like the men, and yet she was as regal and graceful as any queen. Indeed, there was something innately feminine and deadly about Belle Morte. Gentle and cutthroat.
That dichotomy was what had drawn Valynda and everyone else to her and kept them all intrigued.
Not to mention the fact that Belle, in spite of her ferocity, tended to act as motherly toward them as the Lady Marcelina, who guarded the entire crew like a fierce lioness. And it was the maternal Belle staring at her right now. “Don’t be lying to me, child. I know you better. I see all that’s unseen.”
And that she did. No one could hide from the powerful sorceress. Valynda knew that. Belle’s powers were extraordinary. The only one who came close to them was Janice, the Trini Dark-Huntress who traveled with them and who could only come out from belowdecks after the sun went down.
