Page 8 of Another Damned Storm

And now I felt like an even bigger jerk. “Sorry.”

A surge of protectiveness rocked me where I stood before Hook appeared at my side. “What happened?” he asked, his voice dipping low and not in a fun way.

“Nothing,” I rushed out.

Leo, the rat, held up his wrist. “Never’s strength is increasing.”

His head tilted slightly, and his eyes narrowed. “She did that during the flash?”

“During the landing,” I admitted.

“She stumbled and used me to catch her balance.”

Hook hummed under his breath. “Interesting.” The emotions coming through our connection weaved together in a way that made it difficult to sense what he was feeling.

“What doesthatmean?”

His eyes met mine, and a new sensation filled me. Want. Need. A desire so strong it made my insides clench. If meeting afated mate was anything like the effect Hook had on me when he looked at me like that...

Down girl.

I knew it was a manipulation. He was using his desire to mask something he didn’t want me to see, but I still had to fight the urge to fan myself with my hand. “Smoldering at me isn’t an answer, pirate.”

“You are a human with demon blood who has been imbued with the power of a god,” he explained unhelpfully. “This is new territory for me.”

“For all of us,” Leo chimed in.

I rolled my eyes. “So, interesting literally means interesting.” That was disappointing.

“It means we don’t know what powers or abilities might manifest inside you over time, or if the changes will be permanent,” Hook offered. “Only time will tell.”

A whip of cool air spun around us, kicking up fine particles of sand and cocooning us in a lazy whirlwind. I tipped my face to the sky. “Speaking of time...”

Hook and Leo followed my gaze up to the storm closing in on us, but it was Hook who spoke. “We should return to the ship.”

Leo eyed me. “You brought me here because you still haven’t mastered the art of hitting a moving target. Have you?”

I glared back. “It’s not as easy as it looks.” And no, I hadn’t mastered flashing to the ship. The last time I’d tried, I’d ended up in the water.

Leo nodded and moved to Hook’s other side wearing one of his mischievous smirks. “I don’t care where we go, as long as you do the flashing, Atlas.”

4

HOOK

The vision that struck me so violently in Rue’s chambers ended as abruptly as it started, leaving me with more questions than answers. I’d debated attempting to pick up the chain again, but I had a feeling it had done its job. Rue was sending me a message. I just didn’t understand it.

Despite the fruitless trip into the caves and the coming storm, some of the tension that had been weighing on me for the better part of the day lifted once we were back on my ship.

Leo looked as unconcerned as ever sprawled in one of the two leather chairs in front of my desk. The space was more like a small den or office, but since it was also where I came to plan and strategize, my men had long ago dubbed it the “war room.”

I leaned against the desk, my arms folded over my chest while I waited for Never to kick off her boots and tuck her legs beneath her in the other chair.

“How did it go with Rue?” she asked once she was situated.

I thought carefully about how to answer before offering, “Unexpected.”

“Why would you visit the sea witch?” Leo asked.