Page 61 of Siren's Kiss & Feral Beasts
“You’ll hate me.”
I stare at her, taking in her exhaustion. The sheer helplessness on her face, and I want to smack, then shake her. Where’s the sassy girl with grit and troublemaking tendencies that always ended up with us in stitches and our families shaking their heads?
Orion ruined her.
“Naia, as much as I love you, we will never be friends after this. You already lost me. At the very least, give me honesty.”
“I told your grandfather and Orion about your home in Port Avaria, your neighbors there, and the crush you have onAlpha Daire.”
She spits out his name with venom, and I move closer, my voice menacing. “Watch it, Naia. We both know you’re the troublemaker, but I throw a better punch.”
“How can you defend the man?—”
“He’s my mate.”
“I see.” Her face drops. Shoulders sagging. “Then I guess we have nothing else to discuss.”
“No. There is something else.” When we were kids, we used to have a game where the first one to laugh had to rush out and kiss a fish on the cheek. Random fish. Any fish. I won most of the time, and I apply the same rules now, staring deep into her eyes. This time, I’m just not making funny faces or noises. “Did you poison my father?”
“I didn’t.” But she looks away. “But I also didn’t stop him.”
“You and Orion will pay for every last thing you’ve done to me. Please leave.”
“For what it’s worth, Neri, it was never supposed to end this way. We were supposed to be best friends till the day we die, and because of that promise, I’m going to warn you now.” Her voice drops, and her head tilts toward the door, checking for anyone listening. I already know no one’s there. “In a few days, if they can’t find the stone, they’ll force you out of Marivelle and ontohisterritory. They’ll leave you defenseless, naked, and tied to a rock if they have to, to draw out the alpha wolf. And once you’re on board his ship, they’ll attack, reclaim the stone, and drag you right back to the vampires for your wedding to Orion.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I already lost you. I won’t lose Orion, too.”
“Your mate will die, Naia. By Kai’s wolf, or my hand, but I will never submit.”
“And I will return the favor.” Her once friendly eyes are cold now, posture stiff. Neither of us willing to back down—the threat a promise. “Please don’t make me kill you, because for him, I will.”
“A sentiment we can both agree on.” I stare at her retreating form as she leaves and mourn the friendship we had. Because I wasn’t lying; we will never be the same again. The only thing that still holds meaning to me is exposing the truth and finding Kai again.
I’ll endure for him, but I’ll need a little nap to help center me.
23
KAI
The hunt has hollowed me.
Twelve months of chasing shadows, a full fucking year of tearing through ports that could’ve harbored her and setting fires to the one where herds were kept. We freed the humans and creatures found alive, sending them off to the eastern sea where colonies are setting up for the victims.
Am I a hero? No.
What I am is a man who's at his wits’ end, but has faith the goddess will smile upon him.
My claws are stained with blood and brine. My wolf follows her call, and the last one brought me to a stretch of water between Isle San Tico and Isle De Lobos. I’m close to home, just a two-day sail either way.
The challenges are also a few days from now. Ships from all over the five seas are heading this way, all but the pack that betrayed their brethren and now serve the vampires. The northern pack has been seen making deliveries, transporting valuables across the sea, and I intercepted one right before it docked in Bazra, before changing ships to one of theirs.
The sea bled black with smoke as my cannons ripped their starboard open, splintering wood and bone alike as the mast snapped clean in half. Men screamed, and my wolves howled. The humans working with the northern pack did not know what to do as we attacked from all sides.
The injured ones couldn’t do anything but lie there and pray for mercy, while the vampire’s newly acquired pets tried to flee, but I was everywhere. Claws, blade, teeth—I plowed through anyone who raised a weapon against me and mine.
The deck was slick with blood, the charred flesh of the men who died and traitors who once again kneeled for me. Just not as part of my brethren, but as traitors.
