Rhiannan POV
The moment I stepped into the Captain's quarters, I knew it was about to get heated, and not in the fun way. I took a deep breath and stilled my nerves. My hands were shaking. Gah what the hell is with me!? This isn't normal!
The room smelled like sea salt, leather, and man. I inhaled deeply and almost started drooling. Heavy wood bookshelves lined one wall, and a massive map table took up most of the center. Arwen stood with his back to me, one hand on the railing, the other resting near the hilt of a wicked curved blade at his hip.
He turned as I entered, and damn it all to hell, I felt it again, that damn pull. It wanted to be close to him, always. It made me so angry!
His one good eye met mine, and it was like lightning struck my spine. His eyepatch didn't hide the power in him, or the pain. That sharp jaw, that lopsided smirk, he was danger and safety all tangled up in six foot three of leather clad sex and mystery. My thighs quivered slightly as I felt heat pooling at my center. Not the time to get all turned on Rhiannan, I chided my inner shameless hussy. She was the one who wanted him, not me.
And gods help me, he looked at me like I was his. I need to get myself under control immediately this will NOT do! I shook my head back and forth, frustrated as all hell with myself.
"You alright, goddess?" he asked, voice low and raspy, the kind of voice that could talk you into sin or sanctuary. My heart began beating erratically in my chest.
"Don't call me that," I snapped. "I don't even know who the fuck I am right now." This man would be the death of me.
He took a slow step forward, hands raised. "Fair. But you are something powerful. You practically glow. Your magic... it calls to me."
I scoffed and crossed my arms, the sheer fabric of my top barely covering the toned muscle and scars I'd earned the hard way. My long auburn hair stuck to my back from sea mist, wild and untamed, and I felt the heat of his gaze trail from the freckles on my nose down to the curve of my hips.
"Stop looking at me like that," I hissed, but my insides were melting into a puddle.
He tilted his head. "Like what?"
"Like you know me." I snarked.
"I don't. Not yet. But the bond… it's real." He stepped closer, and my pulse rioted. "You're my mate, Rhiannan. I can feel it in my soul."
Mate. That word hit me like a punch to the gut. It felt right. It fit. Like a puzzle piece clicking into place. My brain warred with itself.
I reeled back. "Nope. Fuck that. I didn't sign up for cosmic matchmaking. I don't care how pretty your pirate ass is, I am not some fated breeding doll for your magic dick."
His eye twitched. "That's not what I.."
But my magic had had it. The air sparked. My skin buzzed like a storm cloud about to blow. The sea responded, hissing and churning around the ship. A low, thunderous groan echoed beneath the waves.
"What the fuck did you do?" Arwen asked, stepping toward me with alarm.
"I..." My eyes widened, and I looked around wildly.
The water exploded with enough force to rock both our worlds. I stumbled, barely staying upright.
A massive tentacle slapped down onto the deck, splintering wood and sending pirates flying. Another curled around the mast and ripped it out like a twig. The ship pitched sideways as a massive kraken, the size of a gods damned house, rose from the depths with a roar.
"Oh, great!" I yelled, magic flaring around my fists. "My emotional breakdown summoned Cthulhu!" My blood started pumping faster as adrenaline flew through my system. I grinned like a maniac. This was my shit.
"Get back!" Arwen shouted, drawing twin scimitars and lunging forward just as a tentacle snapped toward me.
I didn't run. I ducked, rolled, and came up swinging. My magic snapped into place like muscle memory, silver energy and brutal combat precision. I summoned a spear of light and launched it into one of the kraken's eyes. It shrieked. I cackled with glee. I may be slightly psycho when it comes to battle. Oh well.
Arwen roared beside me, and then shifted.
He was massive, black fur and elemental power in motion. His panther form leapt through the air, slashing with claws glowing with wind magic. The beast bled seawater and ichor, lashing wildly. I admired him with huge eyes. He shifted! Into a fucking panther!! I couldn't even lie, I was envious and impressed and that made me pissy.
"Go for the underbelly!" I shouted, vaulting up the side of the rigging. "I'll distract it!"
"You're insane!" he roared, voice barely human and laced with fear.
"Marine Corps, baby!" I yelled back, grinning wildly as I launched myself into action.
The next ten minutes were chaos incarnate.
Tentacles whipped through the air. The ship cracked and groaned. I summoned barriers, flung spears of moonlight, and fought like my life depended on it...because it did. Thank the goddess for my training. As I fought, more memories flitted through my mind and I pushed them aside for now. Can't be distracted Rhi, people will die. I focused on the Kraken.
Arwen danced beside me, blades flashing, wind swirling, water bending to his will as he slammed tidal surges into the kraken's gaping mouth. It was the sexiest thing I had ever seen and my eyes gleamed with lust as I watched his beautiful, deadly dance.
Finally, I realized this magic wasn't cutting it. I could feel it, and I called on something deeper, an ancient echo in my bones. I screamed, channeling pure divine power through my chest, and a burst of searing white light shot from my hands, piercing the kraken's core.
It wailed, screamed, flailed, and finally...sank into the depths of the sea
The sea stilled. The silence was deafening.
I collapsed to my knees, breath ragged, hair wild, blood on my lips.
Arwen shifted back, naked, scratched, and panting beside me.
"You're… incredible," he breathed, his eyes wide and staring at me in admiration and under that, something a little more dangerous.
"Don't," I said, pointing a shaking finger at him. "Do not romanticize this shit. That was trauma bonding."
But I didn't move away when he dropped beside me, didn't flinch when his arm brushed mine. I just breathed deeply and took comfort in his touch.
We sat there, broken and panting on a half destroyed ship as the sun began to rise, and I didn't know if I wanted to kiss him, kill him, or both.
One thing was certain.
This was not a normal bond.
And I was definitely not ready for whatever came next. I sighed deeply. What the fuck had I gotten myself into?