Page 71 of Sworn to Revenge
“Luca, put your earplugs in and cover your ears as tightly as you can,” I instruct him, and without question, he pulls the earplugs from his pocket. “This probably won’t work against their call, but it’s worth a shot to try and lessen your pain.” He nods as he puts in the second earplug and covers his ears.
I shoot him a look, urging him to back away, to move before it’s too late. My plan’s written all over my face, damn it: take the chance to run when you can. But he shakes his head, stubborn to the core, and I can almost scream at how every second ticks like a countdown to disaster. Unless I go into the water with Mariana, he won’t leave. How much courage does this damned human have? Doesn’t he understand how dangerous every second here is? I narrow my eyes at him in anger, but it doesn’t seem to faze him.
The older huntress is amused by our silent staring match. “You’re putting in so much effort for a worthless human,” she smirks, her sly smile immediately shifting toward Luca.
No. Shit.
“Get in the water,” she commands, her screech slicing through the air like a knife, sharp enough to rip through bone. I see Luca’s resolve crumbling as the pain twists his face. Even with earplugs, it’s as if the sound is clawing its way into his head, tearing at his sanity.
“Step back, or I’ll report you to the Guardian you hold in such high regard for,” I muster the most assertive tone I can and threaten the eager huntresses before me. “You’re all here for one human? The shore is empty at this hour. Swim back!” I yell this time.
“Get in the water, dear,” the older huntress demands again, trying to lure him, the high-pitched screech of the huntress voice stabbing through my ears too and I fight not to cover them in pain. I look at Luca.
“No!” he shouts back at her, tears stinging his eyes.
“A fighter, huh? The Huntress’s Kiss is definitely strong…” the old huntress sneers, raising a curious eyebrow at him. “Return to the pod; there’s no prey for you today,” she instructs the huntresses behind her, but angry screeches escape their throats, refuse to listen.
“Back off! My powers are mine again, and I won’t hesitate to unleash every ounce of hell if it means protecting him,” I threaten, praying they can’t see through the bluff in my eyes, praying I won’t have to find out how far I can really go. They seem to hesitate slightly, glancing at each other in uncertainty.
“I understand you’re not planning on helping, are you?” I try to speak to the ‘dear’ Guardian of the Coral of Life again. This time, not even a sting in response. I sigh loudly.
“Get in the water, or you’ll regret every moment you fight me,” shecontinues in her huntress’s screech, her voice now laced with anger—she’s done playing around.
“Not gonna happen!” he shouts, fighting against the pain of her cry, tears soaking his entire face as he collapses to his knees. My heart aches as I watch him suffer, every beat of it screaming to help him, but I can do nothing but stand here paralyzed by my own powerlessness.I’m sorry, Luca.
“Let go of him, he’s mine!” I threaten again, and without letting her notice, I twist my finger behind my back, streams of water wrapping around her tail and hardening into a yellow gemstone that binds her body and immobilizes her. She sinks into the water, but her screech continues, her face just above the surface at this depth. Heavy breaths fill the air from the other huntresses, and it seems they realize I wasn’t lying about my powers. Most of them slip back into the water and vanish within moments.
I breathe a sigh of relief as only four huntresses remain in front of us, one of them locked in place by my power.
“Let me go already!” a guttural scream sounds behind me; Luca won’t be able to hold on much longer, and I don’t know how much longer the kiss will protect him.
“Just give in, you worthless human,” her voice, once sharp and commanding, quivers with desperation. She feels her grip slipping and fights with every word to reel Luca into submission. His groans grow louder, but at least he hasn’t succumbed. I need to act fast. Where is that damned dragon when I actually need him?
I told you I don’t appreciate the nicknames you give me.His roar echoes in my ears, and if I weren’t so desperate for help right now, I’d roll my eyes at his terrible timing.
“The second you deal with the rest of the huntresses, I’ll come to you,” I snap, my arm stinging fiercely as if he’s punishing me for my tone. His roar tears through the sky, and the waves rise in furious response, battering the shore with violent force. The huntresses falter, their confidence visibly shaken. Even I shudder at the weight of his command, which echoes not just in my body but across the shoreline. He’s making sure everyone hears it this time.He’s actually helping.
Of course I’m helping, my huntress. I always help when it means you’ll come to me.Now I really do roll my eyes at his response.
“And where were you until now?” I don’t hide the sarcasm in my voice.
The huntress’s screech immediately morphs into a scream of pain, blood spraying around her face and onto the water as she struggles to keep her head above the surface.
“What the hell? Is that you doing that?” I ask, stunned.
If not me, then who else?God, how much I want to strangle that dragon, but I calm down when I see Luca regaining his breath. It’s finally over.
Luca collapses onto the sand, his body slumping like a marionette with its strings cut. He runs a trembling hand through his hair, and I watch the mask of the capo fall away, leaving behind a man—exhausted, broken, but alive.
“I guess I have to thank you,” I sigh in relief.
I’ll be waiting to hear it once you get here. Get moving now.His command settles into my ears, and he sends another sting through my arm before he vanishes. The remaining huntresses disappear in an instant, and the older huntress face is left unconscious in the water before me. The seawater turnsred—the Coral of Life has lost a huntress.
I rush to Luca, while Mariana still stands in place, waiting for my command, taking off his earplugs. “I’m sorry, Luca,” I say, crouching down, my toes digging into the sand along with the flip-flops I’m wearing,as if it could anchor me, trying to force my voice not to waver.
“I’m fine. Finish what you need to do and swim back to New York when you’re done. We’ll meet there,” the capo commands, but his face stays hidden, locked away behind a curtain of hair and pride. I can see it—the anger at his own helplessness, the stubborn refusal to show how much it hurt, I know it all too well. But his courage—he didn’t flee, even when faced with danger he knew could kill him on the spot. I’m starting to understand what Alin sees in him. He and Pedro are not that different after all when it comes to family.
“Thank you, Luca,” I whisper, rising to my feet. “I’ll be back as quickly as I can,” I assure him, stripping off my clothes quickly. The moment I hit the water, the ocean’s cold rushes over me, grounding me, sharpening my senses.
