Page 38 of A Dance of Water (Moon Song #2)

MINE

VALE

V ale watched his captive as she lay, small and shivering in her bed. The canopy fluttered around her, making her appear as an angelic creature, too pure and innocent for his eyes.

Kill, kill, kill.

In the dungeons. Go to him!

His dragon roared inside him, calling for blood.

Rip him apart, seethed the dragon. Tear his limbs off and throw them out to sea, strangle him with his own entrails, and burn his flesh away from his body bit by bit until nothing is left but a charred husk of melted depravity.

Kill. Him.

Destroy.

Vale shuddered, wrangling his beast back into his cage of bone and skin. He did not go gently.

It was a constant battle, but this might be the worst one yet. All because of her.

And the memory of the name she had uttered.

Caliban

Never would Vale have thought to hear the name upon such sweet, innocent lips.

Never would Vale have imagined his reaction to be so volatile—not just to the name of his bastard half-brother, but to the prospect of her being threatened.

He had not been able to stop his dragon from rising to the surface when the Umbra had attacked.

He thought the beach was safe. Small and closed-off.

He had been wrong.

Vale would never let her out of his sight again. There were five of them, perhaps that would do some good… to share the burden of her.

"Tell me, where did you hear the name Caliban?" Vale demanded.

She flinched away from his stare, burrowing deeper into the demon’s side.

The King scoffed.

What can he offer that we cannot? the dragon inquired.

Ignoring Luella’s curious looks as he waged an inner battle with his beast, Vale replied, Honesty, integrity. Love.

The dragon huffed, tail twitching.

After a moment, Bastian finally announced, "A dream."

Tharen arched a brow. "A dream?" The mage did not sound convinced.

Bastian nodded. "It… makes sense to me." He shifted to sit nearer to her, holding both of her hands in his own.

Vale caught the infinitesimal shakes of her body, the way she tensed, then relaxed, as Bastian held her.

The vampire was too cold for her, didn’t he realize that?

Get him away. I can warm her up.

She’s not ready for the kind of warmth you crave, Vale snapped.

Pale skin, roving hands, and needy sounds…

Gods, Vale wanted desperately. His cock ached for her. While his heart froze at the thought of ever giving her more than she already had—his soul and destiny.

"How does it make sense?" The King stopped by the edge of her bed, the canopy tickling against the backs of his hands as he peered down at Luella.

"I’ve felt her while she dreamed… The entire thing was odd.

" Bastian stared, transfixed at their entwined hands as he spoke to them all.

"I went into her mind while she was asleep, and what I saw"—he shuddered—"it reminded me of when her magic was tr ying to awaken. But worse. There was nothing but darkness. It was as though she wasn’t even alive. "

Vale watched as Luella tapped a small finger against Bastian’s arm. The silver of his earrings glinted in the firelight, illuminating the delicate lines of his side profile with warmth as he held her gaze.

Weak. The vampire was utterly gone for her. Adoration etched into the lines of his face.

Mine , the dragon roared.

Not ours , Vale calmly replied. She does not hold any desire for us.

Maybe not you, but she is interested in me.

And that was what Vale was concerned about.

There was one highlight to the Tenebrae’s attack—there would have to be a pause on the Winter Solstice celebrations.

"Why are you just now letting us know this?" Tharen seethed. The mage ran a hand through his hair, tousling the braids woven throughout. Vale caught the way his hands shook slightly.

Luella’s hands tangled in the edges of Bastian’s sleeves.

Fuck, Vale hated not knowing what she was thinking.

"I thought it to be nothing of consequence. I was wrong." Bastian’s expression grew solemn. It was a look Vale had rarely seen on the vampire.

The King’s jaw ticked. "What did we discuss? We are to share everything with each other, especially when it comes to her."

Bastian gave a short, terse nod, pausing when she sat up slightly, knees pressing into the vampire’s side as she braced a hand on his shoulder. His reddened eyes grew half-lidded. Vale wanted to fucking carve the smirk off his face.

As they communicated through their minds, Vale looked to Tharen, seeing the mage’s own features hard with envy at not being able to worm his way into her mind and hear every little thought she had.

Azgorath was quiet, content to simply hold her in his lovelorn ways, Vale assumed.

"What is she saying?" Tharen demanded.

Bastian gave a secretive smile. Luella’s hands curled into his chest, and the demon’s palms held her softly, keeping her steady. Was this what working together— sharing —looked like ?

"She asks if she is included in this sharing."

Exasperated, her lower chin jutted out. Even tired, with dark purple bruising on her neck and hair crusted with saltwater, hanging limp around her pale face, she was resplendently captivating.

"She can and will share everything with us. But Luella"—Vale snapped a finger, calling her like the pet Bastian likened her to as he forced her to meet his gaze—"we are not equals."

Tharen ran his tongue along his lower lip. "Don’t go getting any ideas in that pretty head of yours, little lamb. We own you."

Her stare held a tinge of defiance.

Interesting , hummed the dragon.

Indeed . That spark was new, Vale wondered how large it could grow.

Bastian coughed sharply, a strangled half-laugh covered with a hand.

"What has she said now ?" Vale asked.

Luella shook her head, looking to Azgorath as if the beast could help her, as if he held any power in this situation.

"She says she owns us, too." Bastian touched his chest absently.

Vale’s dragon roared, flames threatening to spill over as smoke filled the room. No one owned him.

Mine, mine , the dragon chanted.

Magic crackled at Tharen’s fingertips, eyes growing bright with a glow. Vale had never seen the Prima so overcome that his magic acted out. She was too powerful; her power went beyond what was inside her body—expanding to her hold over them.

If she learned how to wield that power… They were doomed.

At the sudden intensity of masculine pride and possessiveness that filled the room, she hesitantly sat back on her haunches, delicate hands gripping Bastian before gathering up Azgorath’s large hand.

Slowly, as if to give them all the chance to see her movements, Luella took the hands in her grip and pressed them against their chests. Her pale fingers held Bastian’s hand right over his heart, while Azgorath willingly allowed her to press their joined hands over his own chest.

"She says—" Bastian broke off, thick emotion in his voice. "She says she owns our hearts."

"Always." Azgorath lifted their joined hands and pressed a soft kiss to the back of hers. "From the moment the Fates wove our destinies, I was yours."

"You’re too soft, beast. What are you going to do if someone preys upon your weakness?" Tharen’s icy eyes dipped to stare pointedly at their joined hands.

The demon let out a low growl, the sound rivaling Vale’s dragon. "End them," he said simply.

Contemplative, Tharen took a moment before uttering, "Good."

Luella fell back against the pillows. She looked so safe between them.

The dragon scratched at the bars of his cage. Mine .

Vale ignored the claim.

Until Bastian gently swept away a strand of her hair, and the dragon murmured a soft, Ours .

Godsdamn it all.