A Pirate's Dream (13 page)

But when the source of the rattle came from her bed, more specifically from beneath the annelid silk sheets, she began to sweat. There was a lump beneath her lavender sheet—a large, wiggly lump.

“Holy Calypso,” she groaned, trying not to faint from the sudden dizzy spell that gripped her. “Snakes cannot breathe down here.”

And as venomous as sea snakes were, they were as docile as puppies. Jian fidgeted in her hair, clearly picking up on her nervousness.

“I am fine, little dragon.” She eyed the writhing bundle. “Though to be safe, perhaps you might want to swim back a bit, just in case I get out of control.”

Taking her at her word, the tiny dragon pumped its tail furiously to get away, shivering beside the doorframe as it watched her with large, beady eyes.

Wetting her lips and screwing up every ounce of courage, she reached for the sheet.

“I am Hook’s daughter.” And with those words, she tossed the sheets aside then screamed as her worst fears became reality.

But this was no simple rattlesnake. It had two heads, and both were raised and looking at her. Its tail was spined, and there was only one snake in existence that looked like this. She’d only ever seen it once in Wonderland. A hydra rattler, its bite was so venomous that before she could even let out a scream of pain, she would be dead.

She was so gripped by fright that she did the only thing she could think to do. She slammed her boot down onto it. But it moved lightning quickly, so that her strike became ineffective.

It curled in on itself before turning and coming in for a strike. She screamed even louder this time, and praise the Gods that this time, when she swung, her heel caught one of the heads, knocking it down to the ground.

Realizing a boot was not an effective weapon against such a creature, she dropped it immediately and ran for the door, heart trapped in her throat. She was just reaching for the knob when it was tossed open, slamming into her and knocking her senseless to the ground.

“Nimue!” Sircco thundered, dropping to her side, hands on her shoulders as he helped her to sit. “What is it? What has happened?”

Shaking the stars loose, she rubbed at her now-aching skull and pointed at the floor by her bed. “Snake. Snake.”

Capable of saying only the one word and waving her hand maniacally at the hissing, venomous ball of terror curled up on her floor, she watched as he glanced over then blinked several times.

She could read his thoughts as clearly as if he’d spoken them.

How in the hell had a land snake gotten into Seren?

But he regained his equilibrium soon enough, and snarling, he rushed over to it and snatched the beast up by its tail. His face was a mask of fury and rage as he gripped the snake by its throat.

“Don’t tear off its head, Sircco. It will just grow them back and more.” She winced as another bolt of pain lanced through her brain. The damn door had nearly knocked her head off.

But he did not heed her warning. The snake wasn’t small by any means. It’s body was made of nothing but pure muscles and was as thick as his forearms. It wrapped its spiny barbs around his wrists, puncturing his flesh and drawing blood. But Sircco seemed not to notice as he ripped it apart with his bare hands, then with a growl, he shoved a bolt of water through its heads.

The hydra, which was nearly impossible to kill, took one last quivering gulp before sliding to the ground in hundreds of bloody pieces.

“What cannot breathe cannot live!” he growled, and when he twirled on her, thunder and lightning crackled through his eyes. The waters in her room grew heavy and hot, swirling with a dizzying rush of currents.

“Brother!” Sirenade snapped.

Nimue hadn’t even noticed her standing in the doorway or seen Stygia lingering behind her, blue eyes wide in her porcelain face as she gazed on at the carnage.

“You did this!” Sircco snapped at Stygia, causing the waters to grow even choppier with his increased fury.

But Nimue was shielded from his rage. The space where she sat remained calm and peaceful even as her room swirled, causing furniture and kelp to rise up.

Stygia shook her head. “I did no such thing.”

“Out! You are banned. Out, now!”

She gasped, clutching her fingers together. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Sirenade twirled on Stygia. “If I were you, maiden, I would heed my brother’s warning, for it will only happen once. Then I shall be forced to step in, and I promise you I won’t be near as kind as he.”

A wave rolled into Stygia, pushing her back.

“How dare you? I will tell everyone what you’ve done! What you are doing. A legger, Sircco. She is a legger. She is nothing. Nothing!”

His eyes were so stormy that Nimue shivered; she’d never seen him like this—like a king.

As if realizing herself that she would not win this, Stygia glared down at Nimue. “You have not seen the end of me—I vow it.” Then, turning, she swept out of the room.

“Sircco,” she said when he continued to tread the waters, staring at the now-empty doorway.

Blinking, he finally turned to look at her. The storms hadn’t receded from his eyes.

“I’m okay, Sircco.” She tried to get to her feet, but another wave of dizziness swept through her, and with a groan, she plopped back down onto her butt.

He was by her side in an instant, helping her to stand, but the moment she did, she was suddenly very keenly aware of the fact that, apart from a few scraps of fabric, she was very, very naked.

Sircco must have realized that in the same moment she did, because his hands suddenly tightened on her waist, and he moved into her body, his tail so smooth against her bare legs.

She gasped.

“Are you hurt, Nimue?” he asked in a voice no longer raging but still just as full.

Still waters run deep...

Words she’d heard her father say once suddenly came to mind. She’d not understood what he’d meant, but now... she thought that maybe she might. There was a passion that burned inside of Sircco, one that burned inside of her, too. And though outwardly, they remained calm, touching as they were, it was like trying to hug live wire.

Electrifying.

Terrifying.

Exhilarating.

His fingers brushed her temple. And though she winced, she never wanted him to stop. “You are bruised. I am sorry, little pirate. I heard your cry, and I—”

Placing a finger against his lips, she shook her head. “Thank you for coming. One bite, and I would have died. But how did it get down here?”

Nostrils flaring, his chest expanded as he said, “I do not know.”

She quivered when his lips brushed her flesh. They’d not kissed since the first day they’d met. And that hadn’t been a kiss so much as a claiming. Moving her finger away from him slowly, she wanted to lean forward and take him as he’d taken her before, but she knew if she did, her heart would never survive the rejection.

Fish might want to mate with leggers, but they never fell in love with them. And she feared that was exactly what was happening to her.

Regretfully, she stepped back, slightly dizzy, but no longer fearing she would fall to the floor.

He stared at his hands for a moment, and if it looked as though he hated the separation as much as she did, she knew it had to be wishful thinking.

“Thank you, Sircco.” She said it slowly, hugging her arms to her chest. “I think I need to lie down now.”

He opened his mouth, and she sensed he wished to say something. But finally, he simply nodded and left, closing the door gently behind him.

Nimue sat on the edge of her bed, dropped her head into her hands, and cried.

How would she ever survive another four and a half months here?

*

L
ater that night, when she returned to her room after dinner, she found her dirk and sheath lying beside her bed. Grabbing it up, she hugged it tight to her middle then slept the sleep of the dead, one hand always resting upon it.

D
anika shook her head. Two weeks had passed since that stupid snake had been placed in Nimue’s room. Grinding her teeth, she watched as the girl moved dispassionately between kelp fronds to help her grandmother pluck at snails.

“Still the snake?” Jericho asked, handing her a cup of warm chamomile tea.

Taking it from him gratefully, she snapped, “Aye. And let me tell you, Jer, if I ever find out who did that, I’ll skin them alive! Blasted mermaids.”

“So you don’t think it was Stygia.” He sat, studying the scene with a soft frown on his face.

“No, I do think she had a hand in placing it there, but my gut tells me Peter Pan was the true architect behind it all. Only Tinker could have spelled that snake to breathe in the deep as it did.”

“And still, Hook cannot find them? The Lost Boys, that is.” He took a slow sip of his honey-sweetened tea.

“No. Ruddy bastards went and hied themselves off to only Goddess knows where. Trishelle vows they won’t stop looking, but I know they’ll not find them, not with Tink hiding them within a veil. And it’s no coincidence, I tell ya.” She wagged her finger beneath his nose, furious all over again. “Tinker’s handiwork, no doubt. Not just anyone can slip into Seren uninvited. That... that... witch!”

Grinning, warmly, Jericho sat his mug of tea aside then arranged himself so that he could lay his head on her lap. “That was hard to say.”

“Well...” She curled her fingers through his soft hair. She loved rubbing his head, always such a soothing task. “I did want to call her something much worse, but I didn’t think it proper. I am a lady now.” She sniffed, and he laughed.

“They will work it out, love. They always do.”

“Aye, but it was going so well.” She stared pitifully back at the droplet. “Now Nimue is convinced that Sircco can’t love her, and Sircco is going half out of his mind with rage and lust and need that he seems incapable of realizing is the true beat of love. Gods, we weren’t this difficult, surely?” She glanced down at him.

Taking her fingers into his, he dropped a tender kiss onto each tip, making her wings buzz with desire.

“Nay, but we did have to battle our fair share of scheming shrews along the way, not to mention a curse that kept us apart for centuries.”

“Well, when you put it that way.” She bent and rubbed her nose against his. “Did I ever happen to mention how worth it you were, though? Because you are, my moon.”

He smiled, and her heart quivered, full to bursting with so much love that sometimes she thought she might die from it.

“As are you, my wild one. As are you.”

“They’ll work it out, right?”

He brushed his fingers across her bottom lips. “They always do.”

*

A
month, an entire month had passed since he’d gotten a chance to be alone with Nimue.

She’d pulled away from him after the snake, and he didn’t know why. Every night, she came down to the banquet, and though she looked as lovely as ever, there was a quietness to her that’d not been there since she’d first come to Seren.

She wasn’t impolite, but she was distant—and vague. In the mornings, she would visit her great-mother. In the evenings, she would go to the garden, with only Jian for company. He’d tried once to approach her, but as if sensing him, she’d gotten up and fled.

“Why!” he snapped, tossing his glass into the crystal flames impetuously, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to get himself under control.

Sirenade peeked at him from over the edge of her book.

“If this is about Nimue and her sudden and very intense broodiness, then do, please speak. If, however, this is about business, I shall carry on about my business.” Sirenade was all refined snobbishness.

“She sits in her room, refuses to speak—”

“Oh, she speaks. In fact, we had a very intense discourse yesterday on the importance of hygiene, among other things.” She rolled her wrist with a flourish.

Fury built in his bones. “She spoke. With you? Last night.”

He’d cornered her coming out of the dining hall, intending to force words out of her once and for all, but like a wily fox, she’d slipped past him, ran for her room, and locked the door. He’d let her be, but now he’d found out she’d come out at some point to... chat with his sister.

Sircco pounded his fist on the serving bench.

“Brother, calm yourself.”

“Do not tell me to be calm. I have been nothing but—”

“You’re a glowery, fuming mess, Sircco. When was the last time you glanced in the mirror? You’ve quite discomfited the human.”

“What?” he barked, scratching at several days’ worth of stubble. “Has she told you that?”

“No.” She dipped her quill into ink and began making busy scratches on rolled sheaves of coral parchment. “But she doesn’t need to. I see it every time she looks at you; she’s the frightened visage of a cornered bunny. Whatever have you done to our little friend, brother?”

Her laughter grated on his nerves. “I’ve done nothing.”

Sighing, she set her pen down. “What happened that day, between the two of you?”

Blinking, he thought back to the moment when things had changed between them. He’d held her in his arms, all too aware of her nakedness. He’d been aware of legs brushing against his tail and how very different they’d felt but how they’d excited him all the same. He’d wanted nothing more than to lean down, take her lips, and trace his tongue along the soft, velvety flesh. He’d desperately wished to study her body, not just her upper torso, but also her feet, toes, calves, and thighs. He wanted to trace them, to learn them...

“Gods.” She rubbed her forearm. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t. My skin is getting all prickly.” Her words came out in a breathless rush.

Blowing out a disgusted breath, Sircco shook his head. “I do not know what is wrong with me. I did not want the legger around—”

“But now that she no longer is, you miss her.”

“Yes,” he bit out. “And it drives me mad.”

She snorted. “It must be—your poor little hermits have hardly ventured away from the safety of the crown.”

Grunting, he shifted on his seat.

“Did you talk to her? About her? Have you tried, Sircco?”

“She won’t give me a chance. She scuttles away like a frightened crab.”