Page 81 of Shadowblood Souls: The Complete Series

Eighteen

Riva

T he ocean air gusts across the pier, filling my nose with the scents of seaweed and salt. And my mouth too, because my jaw is hanging slack as I take in the big white boat ahead of us.

Big is an understatement. Boat might be an understatement.

The vessel docked at the end of the pier is the seafaring version of a castle. The sleek white walls stretch across three floors above the deck to the gleaming metal bars of some kind of radio tower.

Several padded lounge chairs already sit in a couple of semi-circles across the open area of the deck, beckoning us to sprawl in them. Rectangular windows decorate the sides below deck, where that massive hull could hold an entire football field, as far as I can tell.

Andreas lets out a low whistle. “And I thought the RV was fancy.”

Zian’s eyes look ready to pop out of his head. “You couldn’t fit that on a highway.”

The Miami warmth still wraps around us, but the breeze licks a chill over my skin. I rub my arms. “I don’t know about this. If we don’t like how things are going, it’s not like we’ll be able to just leave.”

The vast stretch of ocean around and beyond the ship makes my nerves itch. That is way more water than belongs in any place all at once—at least, any place I’m going to be.

Jacob shrugs. “That’s the point, right? There won’t be an easy way for anyone to get to us either.”

His gaze slides to me, and his mouth slants in concern. “But if you think we shouldn’t take the chance…”

I grimace. I didn’t ask to be the deciding factor for the group, and I probably shouldn’t be when my dislike of open water is more instinctive than logical. “I don’t know. It just makes me nervous.”

Dominic rests his hand on the small of my back—a simple gesture, but one that sends a much more pleasant tingle through my body.

I like that he feels comfortable offering little gestures of affection. I like that I no longer panic at the thought of receiving them—from him, at least.

“It makes sense to be wary,” he says. “But if things get really bad, there have to be life rafts and things like that. It’s hard to know where we’d be safe on land with how easily the guardians keep tracking us down.”

“Yeah.” I let out my breath in a huff. “Where did Rollick wander off to? Are we supposed to head on board or what?”

Andreas tips his head toward the other end of the pier. “Last I saw him, he was over by the harbor office. Maybe even monsters need to do paperwork.”

Zian guffaws at the wry remark. I shift my weight from one foot to the other, restlessness winding through my body, and turn.

“I’ll go see what’s going on with him. If there’s a problem, I want to know right away.”

Dominic’s touch falls away with my movement, and he reaches to grasp my hand instead. “I’ll come with you. It’s better if none of us go off on our own.”

Jacob jerks to stiffer attention. “ I’m coming.”

Zian steps forward too, hastily opening his mouth. “I can make sure?—”

I hold up my hands, stopping them in their tracks. “I don’t need a whole entourage. I can look after myself just fine, remember?”

And if the shadowkind are up to something, it’ll be a lot harder for me to slink over and find that out with my self-appointed bodyguards barging along after me.

Jacob grimaces, but I don’t give him a chance to argue. Tugging on Dominic’s hand, I set off toward the compact beige office building beyond the line of smaller boats.

Dom must sense my mood, because he keeps quiet as we approach the building. He’s always been the type to walk softly, so he’s really the perfect companion.

The fact that his closeness and our deepened connection make me a little giddy is just a bonus.

Rhythmic beats thrum through the walls of the office. Apparently no one in Miami is exempt from their dance music addiction.

The bass isn’t loud enough to totally drown out Rollick’s voice. I catch a few barely decipherable words and hustle closer as stealthily as I can.

We stop by the corner of the office building. Rollick is standing several feet beyond it near the edge of the main harbor area, gazing out over the rippling water as he talks into the phone at his ear.

“I’m hoping it won’t be too long. But this is an unpredictable situation.”

He means us. We’re the situation.

I cross my arms over my chest, wishing I could hear the other end of the call.

Rollick pauses while his conversation partner must speak, his head bowing. A little of his typical cool confidence has fallen from his stance, as if what the other person says could alter his plans.

I always thought the demon was the man in charge around here. Does he have his own boss that he answers to?

Then he lets out a chuckle that’s almost gentle, his voice dipping as well. “You know I’d rather not be away from you any longer than I can help, Quinn. I’ll be sure to make it up to you very thoroughly the next time we’re together.”

My cheeks flush. Oh. I can tell by his tone that he isn’t talking to a superior but to a lover.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” he goes on. “Some of my associates panic too easily. I won’t keep Torrent away too long either. And you know you can call either of us any time. If you need us, we’ll be there.”

The unmistakable affection in his words calms my nerves. Rollick is capable of caring about something , clearly.

He isn’t a sadistic beast, at least not all the way through, no matter what the guardians think of the shadowkind.

Dominic glances at me, and through unspoken agreement, we ease away from the office. We’re halfway back to where the other guys are waiting when Rollick’s brisk footsteps approach from behind.

“All right, all right,” he says. “Everyone, on board. Let me give you a quick tour.”

With less trepidation than before but still a healthy dollop of wariness, I follow him up the long, narrow boarding ramp with the others. He motions to the broad front deck with its lounge chairs first.

“Feel free to relax however you like when we’re not working on those powers of yours. You have full access to the ship.”

I guess there isn’t much need for private spaces when he and his colleagues can slip into the shadows to talk in secret about anything they wouldn’t want us to know.

Rollick leads us through a series of hallways with equally glossy floors and walls. There’s a dining area that looks like an upscale restaurant, the smell of roasting meat already drifting from the kitchen beyond. A library room packed full of books and cozy armchairs.

Next we come to a lounge of cushioned seating facing a broad window that shows a view beneath the ocean water, one even I have to admit is breathtaking. And finally we peer into a huge space that could fit an entire apartment inside it that Rollick calls “the party room.”

By the time we reach the section with the sleeping quarters, I’m so filled with awe I’m surprised it isn’t floating me up to the ceiling like a helium balloon.

The RV was fancy, but it was still a cramped space with only the basics, as elegant as those were. This is like a full-out luxury vacation.

But the niggling voice at the back of my head reminds me that all this luxury might come at a price we haven’t yet discovered.

“I’ll be holding on to the main suite for myself, naturally,” Rollick says. “But I don’t think you’ll find anything to complain about in your accommodations. And you’ll all have your own rooms this time.”

Each of the bedrooms he opens the doors to is as big as the entire interior of the RV. The cream-colored walls and leather finishings give off a soothing vibe.

The beds are big enough that I could sprawl at any angle and not come close to touching the edges. And they’re each across from a larger TV than I’ve ever gotten to watch in my life.

I tread into the last room, which I decide on the spot will be mine, my feet sinking into the thick carpeting. What kind of channels can you access at sea?

No one has to know if I decide to hole up in here binging all the episodes of my soap opera that I’ve missed, right?

Rollick steps back with a satisfied smile. “Make yourselves comfortable. We’ll gather in the dining room in an hour to discuss strategy—and eat, of course.”

The prospect of enjoying whatever his private chef is whipping up has my mouth watering despite my wariness. It wouldn’t be so bad to enjoy the magical experience we’ve somehow landed in the middle of, would it?

Andreas gazes around the room with a breathless chuckle. “I’ve seen memories of cruise-ship vacations. Huge ocean liners with their own casinos and water slides and theaters. But none of them had cabins this nice.”

“I’ll take this over a casino any time,” I declare, dropping my backpack on the bed to claim it.

The guys linger by the doorway. Jacob starts prowling through the room as if scanning it for threats.

I narrow my eyes at him. “You’ve got your own bedroom to hang out in.”

He turns to me with a fierce flash of his eyes. “You’re not sleeping in here alone.”

I can’t restrain a snort. “I’m not sleeping in here with you .”

“I’ll put a blanket down near the door. No one’s getting past it without going through me.”

Is he fucking kidding me?

My baleful look turns into a full-out glower. “The shadowkind can slip right around you without you even knowing they’re there. And if anyone’s going to keep me company overnight, it’ll be Dominic.”

My cheeks heat all over again with those last words, but the shy but brilliant smile that flickers across Dom’s face makes the announcement worthwhile.

Jacob cuts his gaze toward Dominic, his jaw clenching. “No offense meant, but his skills are better for after a battle, not fighting one.”

I plant my hands on my hips. “You’re not?—”

Before I can tell him off again, he raises his arms in surrender. “You don’t want me right in here, I’ll stay out. I can sleep in the hall outside the door.”

My mouth twists with annoyance, but I don’t know how I can stop him from doing that if he’s going to insist. What does he even think he’s going to accomplish?