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He held his ground and refused to back down as she cocked a hip and sashayed his way, too much skin on display—her dress nearly transparent. Raziel gritted his teeth and yanked at the clasp of his cloak, ready to toss it over her shoulders. While she didn’t care for her modesty, it seemed he would have to.

His fingers spasmed, and he gasped as the most intoxicating scent reached him. He inhaled deeply and lurched forward. Raz found himself striding toward her, the cloak slipping from his grip and dropping onto the deck in a damp puddle. Heat flushed through his body, and he reached a hand toward the Sirenidae. All he wanted was to just touch her skin. One single touch would be enough to douse the raging inferno inside him.

She smiled, batting his hand away, and stepped into his space as if to embrace Raziel. His eyes closed, unable to stifle the groan that escaped him when her fingers traced his chest.

Yes, this was exactly what he wanted, no, what he needed?—

Lightning quick, she shoved and knocked his legs out from underneath him. Raz slammed onto his back, air leaving his lungs. Cold magenta eyes glared down at him as his bride straddled him. He smiled at her, barely registering the prick of pain at his throat when his hands rested on her bare thighs. Fog settled over his mind, and all he could think of was the beauty hovering above him.Distantly, he registered shouts, but Raz couldn’t care less. This was exactly where he was meant to be.

He shifted restlessly, wanting to press against her body, but couldn’t find it in himself to move. It was as if he was drunk.

She snapped something at him in a lilting language, pulling his attention to her soft pink lips, the shade of the inside of a shell. He wanted to taste them. No,neededto taste them.

Another whisper of pain registered fleetingly as he leaned up into her space, desperate to sample her lips. To assuage some of the desperate longing.

Her breath caressed his own. “I hope you suffer as much as I am,” she hissed.

In the back of his mind, warning bells rang, but he couldn’t focus on them.

Deep pain registered a moment before the princess was torn from his grasp.

Raz bellowed and rolled to his feet, blades in each hand. His arms shook as he stared at the two warriors restraining the queen. How dare they put their hands on his wife?

“Release her,” he growled, taking a step toward the princess.

He paused when his mother placed a firm hand on his chest. Raz stared down at her hard dark eyes. “What?”

“Come back to me, my boy. Take a step back.” She slipped her handkerchief to his neck. “Move away.”

“I want,” he rumbled, not able to take his eyes from the beautiful woman as his mum gently pushed him away. “She needs me. I need...”

“No, my love. Take a deep breath and come back to me.”

Raz frowned, trying to understand her words.

He hadn’t gone anywhere, had he? All he wanted was... Raziel shook his head, trying to clear the fog and lust clouding his mind.

Sharp pain shot up his neck to his jaw, and he flinched.

He blinked repeatedly at his mother, who still had not released him. All the while, his female guards dragged the fighting queen down the dock toward the beach. Slowly, he touched the handkerchief just beneath his ear. Pulling back, he saw that his fingertips were bloody. That didn’t make any sense.

“Take another breath,” his mum whispered, stepping close to tie the scarf tightly around his neck.

“What just happened?” he asked gravely, feeling like the world had turned on its side. Everything was foggy.

His gaze was pulled toward the fighting princess, his new queen.

His mum cupped his cheek and turned his attention back to her. She bared her teeth, and her expression was full of anger. “Your new wife attacked you.”

Raziel blinked slowly.

That was a first.

No one had ever wanted to kill him before they even knew him.

Chapter Eleven

MER