Page 109 of Traitor Witch

What I wouldn't do for a broom right about now.

On the deck, dancing around the leviathan's coils, Rysen and Kier take out the enemy crew with startling efficiency.

They're beautiful to watch. Like predators in their natural habitat.

They're both shirtless. Rysen's muscles are covered in blood, his nipple rings glinting in the sun. He looks…feral. I can't see the gentle vampire who apologised for biting me in those frowning red eyes. Only death.

Kier, in contrast, is still immaculate. He disappears in one place and reappears in another so fast it's difficult to track. His speed makes it seem like he's teleporting. But really, it's just a perfectly controlled use of glamour. He uses the fae gift like it's as simple as breathing.

Maybe, for him, it is.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Val roars, breaking my study of the two men. "Get back below deck."

"Why the fuck are you making such a racket?" I yell back. "Do you even know how hungover I am?"

"We're pirates! Looting ships is kind of in our job description! Sorry if it's too loud for you,Lady Solar."

I raise a brow.

That's the first time any of them have admitted they're pirates to me. Not that I didn't already know, but his grimace as he realises what he's done makes me want to snort.

The sarcastic way he said my title makes me pause and look away before he can read the panic in my gaze.

But the action leaves my eyes free to catch on someone who shouldn't be on the other ship.

Nos is in the middle of the fray, standing perfectly still. A beacon of peace in the middle of a battle. His leather trousers and baggy white shirt are stained with blood and he doesn't seem to notice as a man comes up beside him, swinging his blade for a killing blow.

"Nos—"

My warning cry cuts off as Nos whirls, slicing a perfect line across the throat of his would-be attacker.

Shock freezes me to spot as he spins again, parrying a blow even I hadn't seen coming.

Nos's fighting style isn't aggressive. It's pre-emptive. Not once does he let an enemy strike first.

I can almost feel his shifter senses working on overdrive.

If I wasn't currently hungover, hating all men for my body's stupid fertility cycle, and in a state of semi-shock, this display would make me seriously horny.

Then the cannons on theDeadwoodfire. Miraculously not hitting any of our own people.

The noise batters my still-ringing skull, and I glower at Val.

"Why would you do that?"

His answering grin makes me want to kill him.

But a victory shout from the other boat makes me turn and look.

Cas's enormous head reaches up to the top of the mast and rips the ship's flag down.

They've won.

In less than fifteen minutes.

"They fired first..." Val shrugs as the glow recedes from the ship, making it possible to look at him again.

His loose shirt displays the rapidly darkening bruises to full effect, but my eyes are drawn to the bulge pressing against the fly of his leathers. The bastard clearly got off on the pain.