Page 141 of The Prince from a Cruel Summer
Pre-cum leaks from the tip of my cock, and the throb is so intense it hurts. My head is spinning. I hesitate, debating whether to give in to the temptation to stroke myself, but I know one touch might shatter what’s left of my self-control.
Seth leaps toward the blonde standing in front of the hatch, and she lets out a delighted chuckle as he drags her into his embrace, kissing her passionately, lost to his lust.
His men came to our home with weapons and hooks,
Mistaking us for some warm-water snooks.
They tried to needle our bodies with spears,
Overcome by their silly earthling fears.
They hunted us night after night,
Driven by some silly vengeful plight.
We sank their boats to the deep sea bed,
And kept the best of them for ransom instead.
This is how things have to be.
When your blood is from the sea.
I peer over the bow but see no more of them. Was the throng of voices real, or merely a figment of my imagination?
Malon’s eyes gleam in the night, shimmering with bottomless lust and a flicker of envy. “Come with me, Summer Fae.”
I step forward without meaning to, my rational mind retreating to a dark, dusty attic inside me.
“See? Fickle,” Malon goads Beth.
Despite my instinct to obey, I stay in control. I seize her invitation, leaning in as though to kiss her neck, only to twist at the last moment—wrapping her in a rear chokehold, my fire flaring to life, my hand flat against her throat. “Not as fickle as you imagined,” I growl. “Let us go.”
Loud hisses rise from the waves as the women on the boat draw their weapons. The handmade blades, crafted from the jagged teeth of sea monsters, glint in the moonlight. A shiver of self-loathing dissects me from the inside out as Malon presses against me, her ass grinding provocatively on the ridge of my erection. “Come on, you want me, handsome. The high is worth your life, I promise.”
“I’ll kill you if you don’t honor our wager,” I respond flatly, my voice steady despite the rush of conflicting emotions.
“Enough.” Melisandra’s arm slices through the air in a halting motion. “No one is killing anyone.” She clicks her tongue at Malon. “The man won the bet. His heart is true to his beloved.” She dismisses the others with a wave. “Let them go.”
I release Malon’s throat, my grip slackening, and rush back to Beth’s side.
Seth lets out a frustrated whimper as the blonde who had been toying with him pushes him off, the Storm Prince landing hard on the deck.
“Thank you,” Beth says, tipping her chin in gratitude toward Melisandra. “For honoring your word.”
“I’m not quite done with you yet.” Melisandra waits as her sirens leap from the ship, each hitting the water with a chorus of splashes, all except for Malon, who stays by her side.
“Sing, child,” the leader commands. “I want to know your soul.”
Chapter 45
Horizon
BETH
Ibite my bottom lip as I finish the song. My cheeks tingle as though Melisandra could hear my entire life story—past, present, and future—in the lyrics.
“You were taught the ways of the kingdom under the horizon by Mélusine, daughter of Melpomene herself. You are indeed one of us.” Melisandra turns to Aidan and smiles , showing all her teeth. “And you, handsome, I knew you were special, but I didn’t know how much.” She titters, amused. “Malon, this is Aidan Summers, the Crown Prince of the Summerlands.”
