Page 35 of Lost in the Dark

This time, my haze lifted for a moment. I made a noise, trying to find my voice.

“I’m theirs,” I rasped.

“Are you?” she asked. “Their meal. Meant to be devoured by us, just like we devoured your shipmates. How does it feel to be fucking your friends’ killers?”

Fuck. I felt my insides clench. The tips of her talons broke the skin around my neck, squeezing. I watched her nostrils flare as blood twisted out from the fresh wounds, curling like smoke through the dark water.

“I didn’t think your kind used that word,” I rasped.

“The mermen are idiots,” she said, baring her fangs. “I’ve spent plenty of time around sailors like you. Around mortal men. I know your words, and how fucking vile every single one of you are.”

I saw a flicker behind her, and felt the tug in my chest.

One of my mates was close.

I fought to not give it away as I saw silver glint behind her.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“For what? For being a useless piece of meat?”

“For the fact that my mate is about to kill you.”

Aegaeon

Kolp lunged for me, but I knocked her to the side— the two of us wrestling for dominance. I hadn’t expected her to turn so quickly, to go after Matt so fast.

She had been very vocal at the meeting about her disagreement, while everyone else had submitted to my request. They trusted me, despite the uneasiness the idea of having a human mate caused.

Although, Matt wasn’t necessarily even human anymore.

Kolp shoved me back and I swung my weapon, a massive silver trident that I had owned for ages. She moved quickly, dodging the blow just in time.

“He’s a human,” she sneered. “You would end one of your own over a human?”

“He’s mine,” I growled. “Meant to be my mate. You could have left him alone and not risked your life, but instead you attacked both of my mates and captured him.”

I heard a little moan from Matt and stole a glance at him. He needed to be freed, needed to be taken from this place.

I could feel Delphin waiting for me. He had already taken care of the two guards that had attacked him, and was heading towards me.

Finding this place had been tough, the tunnels like a maze. But I had found Matt just in time.

“He deserves to die!” Kolp screeched, her jaw unhinging to bare her rows of fangs.

Rage pulsed through me now and I felt the hum of power in my cold blood, seeping through all reason. How dare she do this? How dare she fight me.

I lunged forward, knocking her with the end of the trident. One of the blades ripped through her skin just as she moved back.

“I don’t want to kill you,” I growled.

Both of us were breathing heavily now, our gazes locked.

I felt Delphin enter the cave, but I didn’t take my eyes off Kolp.

“I’ve got him,” Delphin said.

I nodded, blocking Kolp as she tried to lunge again, letting out a snarl.

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