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“Cowards,” I growl. Then I yell at the rest of the crew. “You find one alive, you save him for me!”

“Aye!” they yell back, just as eager for me to have my revenge.

“Steady, steady as she goes!” Thane yells back to the bosun at the helm.

Some of the sails are taken in quickly, and the ship starts to turn at an angle so that we’re coming in on the side.

Cruz runs down the rail and jumps over the closing gap between the ships, while Ramsay yells, “Come on boys, let’s feast!” and swings over on a rope. The rest of the crew on deck waits until the sides of the ships are flush against each other before throwing over grappling hooks to secure them, our cannons shoved into their ports. Seems they didn’t even have the time to arm their own.

Priest, I can’t help but think. Please save one for me.

“It’s time,” Maren says, grabbing my hand as the Brethren climb over on the Dutch ship. “Let’s find the men who captured you.”

We jump across the water and onto the other vessel, our movements effortless now that we’re Vampyres, and start running amok along with everyone else. The crew of the Brethren always struck me as being so civilized compared to what I’d heard about pirates—especially when it comes to personal cleanliness—but now I see their savage side. They’re running everywhere with their weapons drawn, pulling out the cowardly humans from their hiding places, stabbing them thoroughly before biting them and drinking their blood.

“I thought they were supposed to keep some alive?” I say to Maren as we make our way down the stairs to where the majority of screams seem to be coming from.

She makes a tsking sound of disappointment. “They’re supposed to, but sometimes the bloodlust gets the best of them. Now that I’m a Vampyre, well, I can’t say I blame them.”

Then she spots a man cowering in the corner behind a barrel and lunges for him. My sister grabs him by the throat, her Syren claws coming out and slicing through his skin. Then, with red eyes and a monstrous roar, she bites the man’s neck and begins feeding.

“Don’t forget to eat the heart,” I tell her as I keep going.

I’ve only fed from Priest, and that was right after he brought me back to life with an insatiable appetite for blood—one that has since waned, perhaps because I knew our supplies were low—and while I do feel the hungry urge to drink blood, my vengeance is on the forefront of my mind, clouding all other thoughts.

I hear another scream and a deep, menacing growl, and I know where I can find the beast.

I run right to a room at the end, where the door is half-open, claw marks having shredded through the wood.

I take in a deep breath, steadying my nerves because I know it won’t just be Priest on the other side but the monster too, and then I step inside.

The delightful smell of blood fills my nose, and I’m back in the room I was first captured in.

The beast stands in the corner, so tall that he has to stoop over, his wings unfurled and taking up the whole breadth of the room.

In his hands is Ullan.

Ullan.

The beast holds the Syren by his shoulders, giant dark claws digging straight into his skin. There’s a glass box filled with water on the floor that Ullan has been dragged out of, only his tail still submerged. There’s a chain around Ullan’s mouth to prevent him from biting and screaming.

Seems the Dutch crew went back for more Syrens after they lost Vialana. I have to wonder when they discovered me missing from the bottom of the ship.

Larimar? Ullan says in shock, staring at my dress, wondering how I can possibly be walking.

I glance up at the beast. He really should be hideous, those fathomless eyes, the snarling teeth, the dark leathery skin. And yet I still see Priest somehow. I see the man I love in there.

The beast stares back at me and nods, letting out a low growl.

He’s been waiting for me to finish the job.

I feel a flutter of warmth in my heart, as if Priest had just performed the most romantic gesture. I suppose it wasn’t easy keeping Ullan alive when all he wanted to do was—what was the saying? Rip off his head and piss down it?

I bring my attention back to the traitorous Syren.

Did the Dutch turn on you? I ask Ullan. Did you make a little bargain with them to take me? Take Vialana and the rest? Did they betray you in the end when they went back to get more? Or did you set us up, hoping we would be captured?

Ullan blinks at me, his gills opening and closing, trying to figure out how to breathe properly.