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“And I hated it,” she seethes.

“Yes, well you tend to hate a lot of things,” I mutter.

“With good reason!” she cries out. “There are many things to hate.”

“Especially me.”

“Especiallyyou.”

“And I suppose I’m about to hear all the reasons why you hate the captain, aren’t I? Alright, have at it then.” I gesture with my hand for her to unleash.

“You’re crude,” she says, crawling toward me, her breasts swinging under the low dip of her shirt and it takes all my effort to pull my eyes up to meet hers. They rage with glowing blue fire. “You’re barbaric. You’re a murderer.”

I give her an acidic grin. “So are you, darling.”

“A monster,” she spits out, crawling even closer. Maybe too close for comfort considering what a monster she can be.

“If the boot fits. They fit us both.”

“A heathen,” she says, her eyes now on my lips.

“Being a saint is so fucking boring.”

“You torture people.”

“Not for fun,” I say, though that is a bit of a lie. “Unless they deserve it,” I clarify.

Her eyes flash. “I saw the hold. I saw where you kept the crew and my servants. What you did to them.”

Blast. I didn’t want her to see that.

“We didn’t torturethemfor fun,” I try to explain. “That’s not what we do…that’s not what we’re about. The Brethren has a strict moral code.”

She barks out a sour laugh. “Oh, I’ve heard all about your pirate’s code.”

“No. Not a pirate code. The code of the Brethren. We happen to be pirates, but not all pirates are part of the Brethren. All the ones that are you’ll find on theNightwind.”

“So then you’re some kind of devil-worshipping cult.”

“That’s making us sound organized. We only do—”

“What you must to survive,” she finishes. “Yes, I’ve heard it all before.”

“Then by now you should know it to be true.” I wait a beat, waiting to see if I should provoke her or not. I know she can be dangerous but at the same time I want that. I want to tussle with her with her claws out. “But at least we have a code. You don’t. I caught you eating your husband’s heart like you were a stray dog.”

She lets out a roar and pounces on me like a lioness, her claws sharpening, teeth turning into sharp slivers. “Damn you!” she growls and she’s on top of me, my hands holding her back with a tight grip around her wrists, her mouth snapping, her fingers trying to claw the air.

“My little monster has come out to play again,” I say, grinning up at her. “Don’t you know this only excites me?”

Her nostrils flare as she seems to take in the sight of her claws, the way they extend from her fingers like eagle’s talons. Then the surprised look in her eyes turns to one of pride and satisfaction. She eyes me. “I could eat you right here.”

“So could I,” I counter. “Only I’d make it worth your while.”

“You already kissed me.” Her eyes glint. “I wasn’t that impressed.”

I snort. “My apologies. I thought you could handle it.”

“I can handle it.”