“Okay, I understand. Well, let’s get to it.”
Serena watched as I grabbed onto the Kraken and asked, “I’m just supposed to hold one of his tentacles?”
“Yeah, he will get us there faster.”
“And he won’t eat me if I touch him?”
I laughed. “No, he won’t as long as you don’t give him a reason to. Come on, I’ll do it with you this time.”
Serena and I each took ahold of one of the Kraken’s tentacles and he took off. Serena let out a scream of fear and I couldn’t keep the laugh in. Her facial expression was just as comical.
Once again, the force of the water pressing against my face made it hard to keep my eyes open. So, I just closed them and tried to enjoy the ride this time. Not much time passed before we stopped underneath a large pirate ship.
“Okay, you guys stay here and I’ll go take a look,” I said, gathering all my courage to the surface.
I sent a quick prayer to the gods, hoping this would be Steel’s ship and not some other murderous pirate.
My head broke the surface of the water and I didn’t see anyone on the ship. There should’ve been someone on lookout, but there wasn’t. I was also surprised to see there was a male tied to the front of the ship. He appeared to be unconscious and my heart clenched at how tortured he looked. I could tell he was a siren, but his ragged state took away the beauty. I couldn’t just leave him there.
There were ropes dangling next to the siren and I grabbed onto the closest one I could reach. The closer I got to him, the more obvious it became that he was in a lot of pain. There was dried blood in his light brown hair and his breaths were coming in short and shallow. He didn’t even stir as I began trying to untie his ropes.
“Don’t move,” a male voice said from behind me, and I heard the sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath.
I slowly glanced over my shoulder and breathed out a sigh of relief at the sight of Steel. He was hanging off the side of the ship and the tip of his blade was pointing at me. His once grey eyes were now completely black, and his hair was unkempt and greasy.
“Sera,” he breathed. “Is it really you? I thought I would never see you again. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
“Whoa, slow down. The real question is why is this guy tied to the front of your ship?” I asked with narrowed eyes.
“They took you from me, Sera. They were going to hurt you and kill you. You said so yourself. This guy wouldn’t tell me where you were, so I stuck him there as a warning for the others who would be caught by me.”
My grip tightened on the rope. “Harming this siren is not right and you need to see that. We have so much to catch up on, but you need to free him first. This isn’t you.”
“Of course it’s me. Who else would I be? I’ve always killed people, so why is now any different? Now, come on up.”
“Get people to untie this man, and then I’ll come up there. I’m not leaving him here.”
“Sera, please come here. I need to hold you in my arms to prove to myself you’re real, and then I’ll get someone to get him down—even though he deserves everything he’s getting.”
I weighed my options and figured Steel wouldn’t do anything while I was hanging from the ship. I also wanted to hug him and feel him close to me, so I decided to climb up. I barely made it halfway up when Steel pulled me over the edge. He crushed me into his chest and I breathed in his familiar scent. Tears formed at the corners of my eyes.
“I missed you,” I whispered.
“I missed you too,” he said just as softly. “I never thought I would say those words to anyone, but I’m saying them now. It was too strange without your presence.”
I pulled away to look into his eyes was stunned to still see darkness. My Steel needed to come back. We had a lot to talk about, but the siren was still tied to the ship.
“Can you get him down now?” I asked.
“Come on out,” Steel yelled, catching me off guard. “It’s Sera. She’s returned to us.”
I heard some shuffling and Bastian, Gregor, Felix, and a handful of other guys came out from below deck. Bastian was the first to hug me. Second was Gregor and he refused to let go.
“We thought the worst when you disappeared from that island,” Gregor said.
“Where is the rest of the crew?” I looked at the small assortment of men.
“When we got to Tortuga, most of the crew bailed to find a different captain to sail under.” Gregor looked to Steel before continuing. “They were terrified at the thought of angering Poseidon with chasing after the sirens, but we were only doing it to find you.”
“You guys didn’t have to come after me.” I sighed. “This is all my fault.”
Steel scoffed. “It isn’t your fault. Their loyalty was tested and they cracked under the pressure. This is my real crew. Others are just the people who are meant to come and go.”
“Well, I’m here now. Can we please free that siren? If I’m correct on my assumption, that was the guy sent here to check and make sure you were okay.”
“Why would a siren check on us?”
“Because I wanted him to. Dad sent him because I was worried.”
“Wait, I thought your dad was killed by the sirens.”
“Like I said, we have a lot to catch up on, but I can’t talk comfortably with him tied to the ship.”
“Gregor, care to do the honor?” Steel nodded at him.
“Of course,” Gregor replied as he unsheathed his sword.
I heard the blade cut through the ropes and then the sound of a splash as the siren hit the water.
“That wasn’t exactly what I meant,” I said as I ran to the edge to look over.
A large wave rose to reveal the Kraken. Gregor let out a shout of panic and the others brandished their swords as they joined us.
“Get back, Sera.” Steel started to tug at my arm.
“No, wait.” I pulled away.
“May I eat this siren?” The Kraken asked as he poked the man with a tentacle.
“No, you may not eat him,” I answered. “At least not yet. Is he going to live?”
“I am not certain.”
“Can you take him to Serena and help her carry him to her cave?”
“Will you be safe?”
“Yes, how do I call you if I need you?”
“All you have to do is drop a small amount of blood into the water. I can smell siren blood from great lengths. I cannot help myself because sirens are tasty.”
“Great, thanks for letting me know,” I said sarcastically. I couldn’t believe he thought we tasted good.
“You are welcome.” He plunged back into the water and took the siren with him.
I turned back to the crew to find them staring at me with their mouths open and swords still drawn.
“I guess it’s time to start talking.” I smiled weakly.
Nobody said anything as they watched me with confusion.
“You can talk to the beast?” Steel narrowed his black eyes.
“Yeah, like I said… lots to discuss.”
“Do you recall what he did to us?” Bastian asked in a harsh tone.
“Yes, but things are different now. I’ll tell you everything,” I promised.
Bastian shook his head and disappeared below deck. The others lingered awkwardly.
“Well, am I going to get a tour of this new vessel?” I asked with a cocked eyebrow and in an attempt to clear the tense air.
“Of course, but first I think we have some talking to do.” Steel’s solid black eyes bore into me and the emptiness of them sent a shiver down my spine.
I sighed. “Guess you’re right. Important matters first. What’s the name of this new ship?”
“The Revenge. I figured simplifying it covered anything we needed to avenge.”
“Smart move.”
Steel led me below deck where I expected to find all of the supplies. Instead, there was a large table and the crates were pushed against the farthest wall. The men took t
heir seats at it and Steel motioned for me to take a seat next to him. Of course he was at the head of the table. Gregor sat at the other end and felt so far away.
“So, tell me why I shouldn’t go kill every last siren for what they did.” Steel stabbed his knife into the table for emphasis.
“Maybe because—like I said—I found out my dad’s alive and he happens to be the king of all sirens,” I replied casually.
“The king? If that’s the case, then why have the sirens been chasing you around the ocean trying to kill you? Or were you lying about everything?”
I glared at him. “I would never lie to you. I thought you would understand that by now. I still care for you and nothing has changed that.”
The only place to start was at the beginning, so I told Steel and his men my story from the moment the sirens took me off the island. By the time I finished, an uncomfortable silence had fallen over us.
“Okay, okay… let me get this straight. You want to go back to that cannibal infested island?” Steel’s eyes narrowed.
“Not really, but I don’t have a choice. It’s the only place I can find the necklace.”
“Do I get to kill them this time?”
“I don’t think so, but be ready just in case.”
“I’d really like to kill them.”
“And I’d rather find the necklace than anger them any more than I already have. Now, I’ve told you my story. Time to tell me yours. Why has your heart grown so dark?”
“Why? You’re really asking why? Boys, clear out and give us some time to talk alone. While we’re talking, go ahead and turn the ship to head towards the little demon island. Gregor will point the way.” Steel waited for everyone to leave before continuing, “Sera, the Kraken and the sirens took everything from me. First, my ship, then, members of my crew and everything I had left of my mom, and lastly, you. I want to make everyone pay for all the bad they’ve done to me. It’s only fair.”
“On that note, I actually have something to give you.”
I pulled out the necklace that belonged to Steel’s mom and handed it to him. His fingers trailed along the pendant and I watched as his eyes lightened shade by shade, until they returned to their normal grey.
“Sera, how did you—where did you get this?” he whispered.
“I discovered it not too long before I found you. A mermaid actually found it and gave it to me.”
“A mermaid? I’m surprised you survived a conversation with a mermaid. They’re worse than sirens and are far more cunning.”
“How do you feel right now?” I asked because his eyes had turned back to their normal grey.
“What do you mean how do I feel? I feel great. When did you get back here? I don’t seem to remember how you returned to this ship. To be honest, I don’t remember much after leaving Tortuga. I remember wanting to search for you, but how did I find you? Or did you find me?”
“Oh no! I forgot about the fact that you seem to forget everything that happens while your curse is active.”
“Curse? What curse?”
“Um, I think I’m going to have to go get Gregor to explain that one.”
Chapter Nine
I listened as Gregor explained to Steel that he was cursed. Both Gregor and Steel acquired it as a punishment for pirating under a captain who filleted sea nymphs. Poseidon avenged them by destroying the ship and forcing Gregor and Steel to live on with a curse to remind them of the price that would be paid for hurting his children.
The curse would make Steel lose himself to a darkness that craved blood. To me, it seemed like a split-personality problem and would come on so quickly that his moods could make me dizzy when I lived with him. His curse was what had earned him the nickname Captain Bloody Steel.
At first, he was so confused, but Gregor made Steel see the truth of his words. Then, Gregor reminded him of what happened after Tortuga. Lastly, I had to retell my story of what happened after I was taken since Steel didn’t remember a bit of it.
“How many sirens did I kill again?” Steel asked.
“Three, and you strapped the fourth one to the front of your ship,” Gregor replied and I cringed.
“And your dad’s the king of sirens?” Steel looked at me.
“Yeah…” I trailed off, unsure what else to say.
“Wow, I didn’t really make a great first impression.”
“Well, I don’t think he knows about what you’ve done, so maybe we just won’t tell him,” I suggested. “After all, it wasn't really you. It was the darkness from your curse that forced your hand.”
“I don’t think he’ll see it that way.”
“My dad is more understanding than you give him credit for. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll handle it. Gregor, you remember the way to get to the island? I’m surprised.” I changed the subject.
He shuddered. “How could I forget? It’s engrained into my mind with those demonic creatures.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m not looking forward to seeing them again.” I frowned.
“That’s okay. I’ll cut them down and make a path for you.” Steel tapped on the sword at his waist.
“I think I should just go in alone on this one,” I said.
“What? There’s no way that’s happening. Don’t even think about it.”
“If I can handle the Kraken, I think I can handle these guys.”
“So, you can really talk to him? The Kraken, I mean,” Gregor asked.
“Yeah, it’s still a strange thought, but he definitely responds to everything I say. He actually communicates into my head. I never see his mouth move,” I replied.
“He would make a good weapon.” Steel grinned.
“Not a chance, buddy. He's my new friend and I’d like to keep it that way. Not everything or everyone is to be used.”
“I know, I was just stating a fact.” Steels cheeks reddened.
“Now that we’ve got everything situated, how about giving me that tour?” I winked.
“It’ll be my pleasure.” Steel gave me a crooked smile. “I feel like you should see my room first."
“Nah, I think we should save the best for last,” I teased.
“Come on, you’re killing me. We should enjoy the best thing first.”
Gregor cleared his throat and left the room awkwardly without saying anything.
I giggled. “Nope, tour first, room later.”
Steel groaned. “If you insist.”
I followed Steel down a set of stairs and he led me down the hall. The first stop was the dining room. It was smaller than the one on The Sea Nymph’s Revenge and didn’t look like it would be a place for pirates to eat. It was decorated in silver and gold and looked like a place where royalty would feast.
“Why so fancy?” I asked and ran my finger along the smooth table.
“This time, we had a smaller crew, so we needed a smaller ship,” he answered. “Therefore, I had extra money left over for fancy stuff like this. Impressed?”
“Very, but if you like this kind of stuff then I can’t imagine how you would react to seeing Siren’s Call. Everything is either silver or gold and it’s all so beautifully detailed.”
“Are you saying some siren castle is fancier than my ship?”
I giggled. “Most definitely.”
Steel’s expression remained serious. “How would I even get to Siren’s Call? It’s not like I can breathe underwater or hold my breath long enough to get there.”
I chewed my lip. “I’m not really sure how that would work. I’d have to ask my dad but there has to be some kind of way to get you down there.”
Felix came out from the back room at that moment and smiled brightly. “It is so good to see your pretty face back aboard this vessel.”
“Are you flirting with my woman?” Steel growled.
Felix threw his arms up defensively and took a couple of steps back. “No, no I would never, captain. I’m sorry if I’ve offended you, but please don’t kill me.”
“Calm down, Fe
lix. I wouldn’t hurt you. I would be left without a chef. Besides, I know you wouldn’t go after Sera while I’m around.”
“I would never. Should I get you two some food?”
“No, I’m just giving her the tour right now.”
Felix backed up awkwardly and scurried away.
“He seemed afraid of you,” I said once he was gone.
“I don’t know why.” Steel frowned.
“It probably has something to do with your curse. You’re not the nicest person when it’s active. It’s more like the Bloody Steel in you coming out.”
“Let’s not talk about the curse anymore. It just makes me angry. There’s not much else to see. The layout will probably be the only thing that’ll take time to get used to. Do you want to tour the top deck? You’ll be happy to know the head is a lot cleaner because it’s newer. At least I remember it being not so bad. Not sure if it’s changed since then.”
They called the bathroom the head and on the previous ship, it smelled foul. The men didn’t clean it and I hated having to relieve myself in it.
“That’s a good thing because the previous head was terrible. I just about threw up every time I went in it to relieve myself.”
“Yeah, pirates aren’t the cleanest people, but I know you’ve already caught on to that.”
“How about you show me your room now. I’m a little disappointed there’s not much more to see, but I feel like if the dining room looks like this, then your room must be pretty impressive.”
“Wait until you see my bed.” Steel gave me a wicked grin.
“Oh, are we going to sleep?”
“I can think of a lot more that I would want to do with you in a bed besides sleeping.”
“Now you’ve got me intrigued. Lead the way.”
***
I rested my elbows onto the smooth wood as I leaned over to look into the water. It felt good to be back on a ship and breathing in the fresh ocean air. Steel wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder. His stubble brushed against my cheek as I leaned into him. Yesterday, Steel and I had spent the remainder of the day in his room. Gregor had even brought us dinner there. The food consisted of chicken and vegetables that had been prepared specially for me. Felix was amazing and I missed eating meals with Steel.
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