Page 41 of The Withering Dawn
“Yes.”
“Do not lie to me.”
She turned her head to look at me, her eyes bright in the darkness. “I just do not like it here.”
“Aye, neither do I.”
A shaky breath left her lips. I did not like how uncomfortable she was and itched to ease her worry. Rolling onto my side, I wrapped my arm around her slender little waist and pulled her tight against me, fitting my body around hers. She stiffened at first and then gradually began to soften against me.
Warmth flourished in my chest at the way my touch could soothe whatever she was feeling. I savored how she relaxed in my arms andfinally closed my eyes, breathing her in and memorizing the scent of salt and sea-breeze in her hair.
“Tomorrow, I will take you to shore with me.” I whispered.
“Will I go into town with you?”
“No. I do not know this place. You will stay on the beach, away from the port. Stretch your legs.”
“Alright.”
“Now, try to sleep, muñequita. We both need it and I cannot even begin to relax until you do.”
“Sorry.”
I chuckled softly against her hair. “Do not be sorry.”
The next day, every nerve in my body itched with the thought of finally getting my hands on Antonio. I prayed he was there and I prayed I would get the chance to sink a blade in him so I could finally enjoy my freedom fully. For too long, his touch, his voice, and his stench followed me everywhere. It followed all of us.
We needed him gone. So did Aeris, in a way, because I wanted her to know me without that monster in the back of my mind.
Myself, Cathal, Aleksi, Nikolas, three of my other men, and Aeris piled into the jollyboat and headed for shore by midday. The whole time, Aeris could not take her eyes off the water. I could not read emotions like she could, but I didn’t have to to see the distress in her posture or the way she was toying with the fabric of her skirts like a nervous child.
We made land half a mile from town at a beach with a small, abandoned fishing shack as our only landmark. After we pulled the boat onto the sand, I turned and extended a hand to Aeris. She stood, a little hesitant, like a helping hand was something foreign to her, and then accepted my help. She started to step over the edge of the boat and, unable to help myself, I gripped her waist and lifted her out and onto solid ground.
Fragile. So fucking fragile. That was all I could think of when I looked at her, but then I recalled how she’d bitten a hole into Rourk’s neck and the contradiction was… eerily appealing. I didn’t like the idea of leaving her, but we were too close to back out now.
Aeris began to explore the beach, again seeming as if she’d never seen one before, so I stepped toward Nikolas and placed my hand on his shoulder.
“Stay with Aeris while we go into town,” I said.
He glanced over his shoulder to where she was standing in the sand, burying her bare feet in the soft grit. Then he gave me a shrug and a nod like he always did when I asked him to do something. I patted him on the arm and inclined my head before moving past him to speak with her again.
“It’s been a while since you’ve been on land, hasn’t it?”
She looked up at me with those big eyes full of wonder. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been anywhere that was not surrounded by locked doors. It feels… good.”
“Even with the waters being as dreadful as you say?”
“That’s a different matter. But you said we wouldn’t be here long.”
“No longer than we need to be. I promise. Nikolas will stay on the beach with you. When we return, we will have provisions for our journey out of this godforsaken part of the world.”
“To go where?”
“I do not know. Somewhere where the waters do not stink of death, perhaps,” I smiled.
She almost smiled with me. Almost.
I stepped in, kissing her on the forehead. Anything more than that, and I would likely get suspicious stares from some of my men who did not yet know where I stood with her. Hell, I didn’t know where I stood with her either. I’d never shared affections with a woman let alone a siren and I’d already been betrayed by three crew members over the mere idea. I had to expect others would follow suit. Most of my men were hired hands and their loyalty was thin at best.
