Page 26 of Pirate Witch

“If I can distract them and make it easier for you to get them into that cell, I will,” she promises.

“You can count on our assistance as well,” Cirio booms, striding through the door with Pierce rolling his eyes by his side.

The sight of the two of them makes me smile, despite the grim circumstances. “Thank you. I’d rather not do this alone.”

With my original plan, the probability of casualties was slim, but my likelihood of success was equally so. Too many things could’ve gone wrong if my pirates arrived at different times or attacked while outside the cell. At least, then it was only my life on the line. I bite my lip, and say a silent prayer to the Goddess that we all come out of this alive.

Whatever Klaus might say in reply is cut off as the last rays of sunlight pouring through the doorway disappear behind the bulk of a shadowy figure.

Rysen’s face is contorted in pain as he visibly struggles against the compulsion of the bargain. His eyes are dull and rimmed with red, but the pupils haven’t turned that familiar shade of crimson, which appears when his bloodlust has overtaken him. I tense, bracing myself for a blow delivered with that incredible vampiric speed and strength and drawing power to my sigils in readiness.

RYSEN

My body moves like I’m possessed. My limbs are stiff but keep moving as my body ignores my mental screaming and follows my mate’s scent. The others are behind me, caught in the clever traps Sade’s men set for us.

But I know how vampires like that think. I was an enforcer once.

As much as I hate to remember that time, the Eagle’s orders—to take Nilsa’s headimmediately—force me to rely on those ancient memories. Catherine made it clear that any delays are unacceptable, and my body complies. Even as my mind screams at my muscles to stop, they move faster and faster, using my vampiric speed against me.

Goddess, I’d rather die than hurt my mate.

Lady Moon, if you demand a new star for your sky tonight, take me instead of her.

I meet Klaus’s gaze squarely and curse him. He should’ve raised a damned army to defend our witch. How can he be so arrogant as to think a handful of warriors are enough to protect her against the rest of us when her life is on the line? Cirio should’ve packed this room with his men and made sure they knew to slaughter all five of us before we so much as blinked in the direction of our mate.

Two pirates, two witches, and a sirenae prince—all of whom won’t risk using too much force for fear of killing us—won’t stand a chance. We’ll tear them to shreds.

Something hard slams into my shins, knocking my feet out from under me. Klaus’s trident, I realise, grimacing at the sting now blossoming across my shins. I catch myself with my forearms against the hard stone floor and push back, shoving up and kicking out at the same time until he’s forced to block me or end up on his own ass. Within seconds, I’m back on my feet and retaliating, and the siren isn’t that fast. He won’t be able to stop me.

Cirio takes over, blocking the swipe of my claws meant for Klaus with his sabre. The metal bites into my wrists, but it doesn’t disable me.

He pulled his strength at the last second.Idiot. I can grow back my fucking hands. I can’t replace our witch.

There’s a roar behind me, and I curse.

The twins are here.

Out of the blue, a pair of arms wrap tightly around my waist. The touch catches me off guard and is too intimate to be anyone other than my mate. A strangled sob erupts from my throat as I realise she’s put her fragile body within easy reach.

I claw blindly behind me just as my stomach is wrenched out through my feet and the cellar we’re in disappears. It’s impossible to focus on anything, as my mind is consumed by gut-curdling nausea. By the time I can think again, I’m falling back into the room. My feet touch solid ground, and I vomit. The blood I drank this morning paints the floor red as I struggle to compose myself. It takes several long seconds for me to recover enough to raise my head and get back into the fight.

Only… I’m in the cell.

My eyes burn with relief as I watch Nilsa’s small team turn to face down the twins. The bargain doesn’t allow me the option of giving up, and my hands grip the bars, trying to bend them apart.

Nothing. I try again. Still no impact.

Bending metal this thick is nothing to a vampire, yet these bars are holding without showing even a hint of the strain.

She’s beaten me.

I choke out a surprised laugh. The weight that settled on my chest with the arrival of the mage-tech bird lifts, and I fall back on my ass. I have no idea what Nilsa did to get me in here, but thank the Goddess she did.

Right now she’s hanging back, keeping out of reach as the others engage the twins. Her arms and back are slashed with red from the brief clawing I managed earlier, and I curse myself as I stare at the wounds.

I’m her mate. Gifted by her Goddess toprotecther. And I caused those.

None of them are lethal, but they’ve got to hurt. I can tell because she’s more cautious as she approaches the twins. She waits in the shadows, picking her moment.