Page 15 of Swamp Kings 1

Natasha pulled Celeste into a tight embrace when a sob threatened to burst from her crimped mouth.

“I got you now, you’re okay.”

“I don’t want to die, sister. Not when I’vejustfound him.”

“You arenotdying!” She put her before her firmly. “You are surely not dying, the Quantum King would not have allowed you to…to join with him if there was a risk to you!” Natasha assured, petting her head over and over while her stomach knotted at the possibility that she could be wrong. She wasn’t though, she couldn’t be. Of course he would know everything about that before daring to risk such a thing. “And here I am going on and on with my stupid potential problems when you have real, immediate ones. Why is he whistling!” Natasha growled.

“Yours are real,” Celeste strained, gasping. “I like it.”

“You like what?”

“His… whistling.”

So he had witch-whistles too. Was he going to try and woo every female, even those taken by other males? “Good, are you feeling a little better?”

“I am,” she said, her breaths steadying. “Why do you hate him?” she barely mumbled, sounding confused. “I thought… you liked him more than was safe or sane?”

“I did! Do!” Natasha assured, getting close enough to embrace her so that her mouth was near her ear. “That’s when I realized it.”

“What?” she murmured.

“That I was under a spell.”

“A spell,” Celeste said, her voice barely a wisp.

“Did you know he has voice powers? He can speak and make people feel and think things. Like right now, you feel better because of his whistling. He’s using his witchery on you.”

“Oh…” she mumbled.

Natasha refrained from pointing out that the reason she didn't care was because she was too woo’d by it. She focused on what could be wrong with her right as she became aware of the King of Lure making his way to their side of the boat.

She realized how she likely sounded, babbling about voice powers and that beautiful man, all while she’d given herself like a library rent-a-whore. The real problem was how very much she’d loved it, wanted it, andstillwanted it. That was the true problem. She was burning alive but not from shame, from the anger and fear of still wanting him more than was sane! After learning of his voice powers from one of his brothers, it all dawned on her. She was being manipulated and used to answer a need, not her own, but the needs of a man. Always the needs and desires of a disgustingman. And that was thesecond problem. He was the exact opposite of disgusting. Try as she could, and oh how she did, she couldnotloathe him. She’d been sexually manipulated and violated so very many times but nothing like this.

Dear God the closer he got the less sense she made in her own head.

She braced for impact and gave him the barest look when it was no longer possible topretendshe didn’t see him. “Is she okay?” he asked.

“I’m much better,” Celeste said. “I think your whistling… helped.”

“I have vocal abilities that can sometimes calm people.”

He sat on the other side of her, and Natasha focused on Celeste, stroking the hair from her face while feeling his eyes drilling into her skin. “Natasha mentioned it,” Celeste whispered.

Natasha’s hand froze briefly before resuming their motherly duties.

“Did she.”

She detected four things in those two words. Worry. Accusation. Wonder, and…humor. That last one snapped her face to his, the rogue anger flinging her right into his gaze. Big mistake.

“What other powers do you wield over women with your voice?”

No! She’d just told on herself!

His smile obliterated whatever might be wrong with her question and allowed for her fiery indignation.

“I have many,” he said.

“Oh, I know,” she said back. “As do all the women. Good show.”

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