Page 27 of Rock of Stages
“Check.” He sneered. “Mate.”
CHAPTER 17
CALEB
Iheaded up to the Gargoyle’s Perch, the top-level deck where winged creatures like me often soared from at night. Unfurling my wings, I propelled up toward the stars. The wind whipped past me as I flew higher, and the ship appeared to shrink to the size of a toy boat in a bathtub. Since Naiya had left, I’d spent more time up here, seeking refuge in the sky, comfort from the constant yearning.
Mate.
The word echoed in my head, like the steady beat of a war drum. Naiya had said she’d return tonight, and I could feel her presence inside me, a pleasant warmth in my chest. The pull between us was faint but pulsing deeper as she approached. It was the mate bond, growing stronger as each magical thread formed.
I glanced down to the ocean, yearning to glimpse the outline of Naiya’s long, smooth body swimming beneath the surface, her graceful silvery-teal tail propelling her.
Something changed.
A tightness in my ribs. Fear. Sharp and raw.
It was Naiya. She was afraid.
I tensed mid-flight, my wings beating hard to keep me aloft as dread coiled in my gut. Where was she? I scanned the sea below as I resumed flying, searching for any sign of her in the ocean.
Was that—movement?
Yes. Two figures beneath the water, struggling?
Was I imagining this?
I flew lower and focused. Sweet skies—it was Naiya.
And the bastard holding her? Angus in human form.
A guttural snarl ripped from my throat and rage exploded inside me. Before I could think and strategize, I snapped my wings tight and dove. My fear of the ocean returned just as it rushed up to greet me.
Too late now. I hit the water with a thunderous splash, my world turning cold and weightless as I plunged. I retracted my wings and shifted to human form underwater, making it easier to swim.
I followed the mate bond and found them struggling. Angus dragged her and she thrashed her powerful tail, trying to escape his hold.
I unleashed a roar that ripped the current and surged toward them like a torpedo. Naiya spotted me and her eyes widened with shock. She jerked against Angus’s grip, and he turned to me just before I hurled my fist in his face.
The motion shot him back, forcing him to release his hold on Naiya. His blood clouded the water—or maybe it was just my eyes burning with rage.
He smirked, but it faltered as he spat out a tooth from his bloody mouth. I lunged forward and grabbed him by the throat, forcing him upward. He pounded against my chest, strugglingto escape, but adrenaline surged and I barely felt his feeble attempts.
Once we broke the surface, I took a massive breath and then tightened both hands around his neck. “This ends now,” I growled. “I’ll kill you for touching my mate.”
His eyes bulged, and he was struggling, clawing, fighting. Satisfaction flooded me as I watched him struggle to survive.
A hand touched my back. Naiya floated beside me. “Enough,” she said gently.
I struggled between glancing at her, back here with me, and finishing the job of ending Angus.
She touched my cheek. “Caleb, please.” She trailed her soft fingers over my shoulder and down my arm, calming the beast inside me. “It’s over.”
I blinked through the crimson haze blinding me and then let go of his slimy neck.
Angus coughed. “You insane piece of rock!” he sputtered. “You almost killed me.”
“If you come back, I will,” I seethed.
