Page 88 of Claimed By the Depths

All I’d ever wanted was for someone to reach out and pull me from the depths of all that had violated me. I’d wished for an escape, an ounce of reprieve, even if it lasted a mere second, but in the late nights when I tended to my bruised flesh and assaulted body, my pleas for freedom went unanswered. Shutting out the chance of every being granted such a gift, I accepted the compounded beatings while the blood that had trickled from my core subsided. As the unrelenting ache from Malrik’s hands and cock transformed into wrath, tears molded into a thirst for decimation, I’d never learned what this felt like.

Safety. Security. Warmth.

Caspian combed through my tangled locks, his caress containing the vow of his claim. “Nothing you experienced was okay, darling, but I need you to know that not one godsdamned second of it was your fault. You’ve been fighting for far too long, and I can only imagine how fucking exhausted you are.” Hold shifting, he adjusted his grip before we sailed upward as he stood, his utterance continuing, “If you will grant me the blessing of standing beside you, I will ensure that in the face of adversity and challenge, you are never alone.”

The steady drum of his footfalls followed as he walked deeper into his chambers. Where I once would have felt fear at the change of scenery, especially in the presence of a man, there was only comfort. Continuing to breathe in his scent, his steps slowed, and he pressed a gentle kiss on the crown of my head. With me still flush against him, he lowered us onto a plush surface, his touch never faltering.

A shuddering inhale tumbled from me at the shift, his statement coming just as quickly, “If you are not comfortable here, we can move to the couch⁠—”

“I-I’m… I’m comfortable,” I muttered, exhaustion seeping into each edge of my existence.

As I nuzzled into him, he responded in kind and rolled onto his side to position me in front of him. “Good,” he hummed, arms hooking around me with no intention of exploration. “I’m right here, Ro. You can rest now. Nothing and no one will ever harm you again. Not without punishment in the most unbearable way that I can grant it.”

Reaching up, I guided his forearm to the back of my head, and he obliged. Gently raking his fingers through my hair, I started to drift into the dreamscape I often feared—one tainted by the horrors of my past and all I’d been robbed of. But with him, the terror I once felt fizzled into nothingness as the metronome of his beating heart coaxed me even deeper.

Not wanting to fall asleep before I could express my thanks, I mumbled, “Thank you, Cas… Thank you.”

His reply came through the fading light, the smile prevalent in his tone enough to paint one on my lips before darkness claimed me. “Of course, little siren. For you, I would burn the world if it were your wish.”

CHAPTER 46

The Dark Mother

CASPIAN

Ethereal beauty once existed as a mere concept, a definition applied only to the three goddesses responsible for the motherly curves of our landscapes and the splendor of artistic horizons. That was until Rohen walked into my life, a torrent of wrath and lethality wrapped in an exquisiteness that rivaled the gods.

She was unorthodoxly breathtaking, from the layers of freckles dotting her porcelain skin to the deadliness that coated her tongue, and I wished for nothing more than for her to learn the natural elegance she carried. She was more than worthy of worship, and every ounce of me longed to map and memorize each inch of her. To carve them into the depths of my subconscious with the same intention I planned to cradle her with.

There was no denying her vivaciousness, just as it was impossible to overlook her vulnerability—something she had blessed me with.

Tucking a fallen strand behind her ear, I admired the serenity that clung to her sleeping frame. Lips slightly parted, the gentle rise and fall of her shoulders confirmed her exhaustion. Tracks of her sorrow stained her cheeks, but the newfound peace blanketing her eased my concerns. In my arms, she had been able to release some of the undeniable weight she carried, and even if it were only a fraction of all that swam within her, I would take it.

Anything she would give me, I would accept without pause or hesitation. For she deserved the sun, stars, and moon, and nothing would stop me from ensuring she got them.

“Ro,” I muttered huskily, my voice still rough from lack of use.

Stirring slightly, she nuzzled her face into my chest. “Hmm…”

“It’s dawn.” Tracing the sun’s split rays on her back, I kissed the top of her head. “We should probably get up.”

Her question came mumbled, “What if I say no and that I wish to spend the day curled up with you?”

“Then I suppose I could not deny you. Though I cannot guarantee Syoran won't rip us out of bed.”

“Oh gods,” she laughed, the sound more radiant than any of the musicians who had visited the palace during my imprisonment. As she shifted slightly, her nose brushed against my jaw. “I suppose”—her breath ghosted my pulse point—“we should join him on the deck.”

Heat bloomed in my lower abdomen, and I swallowed the moan that threatened to fall. “Fuck. You can’t…”

Smile prevalent in her cadence, she asked, “Can’t what, Caspian Vayne?”

By the grace of the gods, she will be the death of me.

“Tease,” I huffed, fingertips trailing her waist.

“Oh?” Nipping at my neck, her timbre dropped. “This isn’t anything, treasure, for if I wished to drive you mad, I would cuff you to this bed and take my time with you.”

My mouth opened in reply, but an unrelenting force collided with my chest, preventing my utterance. As the air evaporated from my lungs, my vision darkened, and haunting yet familiar imagery returned.