Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 106107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Then she spots a man cowering in the corner behind a barrel and lunges for him. My sister grabs him by the throat, her Syren claws coming out and slicing through his skin. Then, with red eyes and a monstrous roar, she bites the man’s neck and begins feeding.
“Don’t forget to eat the heart,” I tell her as I keep going.
I’ve only fed from Priest, and that was right after he brought me back to life with an insatiable appetite for blood—one that has since waned, perhaps because I knew our supplies were low—and while I do feel the hungry urge to drink blood, my vengeance is on the forefront of my mind, clouding all other thoughts.
I hear another scream and a deep, menacing growl, and I know where I can find the beast.
I run right to a room at the end, where the door is half-open, claw marks having shredded through the wood.
I take in a deep breath, steadying my nerves because I know it won’t just be Priest on the other side but the monster too, and then I step inside.
The delightful smell of blood fills my nose, and I’m back in the room I was first captured in.
The beast stands in the corner, so tall that he has to stoop over, his wings unfurled and taking up the whole breadth of the room.
In his hands is Ullan.
Ullan.
The beast holds the Syren by his shoulders, giant dark claws digging straight into his skin. There’s a glass box filled with water on the floor that Ullan has been dragged out of, only his tail still submerged. There’s a chain around Ullan’s mouth to prevent him from biting and screaming.
Seems the Dutch crew went back for more Syrens after they lost Vialana. I have to wonder when they discovered me missing from the bottom of the ship.
Larimar? Ullan says in shock, staring at my dress, wondering how I can possibly be walking.
I glance up at the beast. He really should be hideous, those fathomless eyes, the snarling teeth, the dark leathery skin. And yet I still see Priest somehow. I see the man I love in there.
The beast stares back at me and nods, letting out a low growl.
He’s been waiting for me to finish the job.
I feel a flutter of warmth in my heart, as if Priest had just performed the most romantic gesture. I suppose it wasn’t easy keeping Ullan alive when all he wanted to do was—what was the saying? Rip off his head and piss down it?
I bring my attention back to the traitorous Syren.
Did the Dutch turn on you? I ask Ullan. Did you make a little bargain with them to take me? Take Vialana and the rest? Did they betray you in the end when they went back to get more? Or did you set us up, hoping we would be captured?
Ullan blinks at me, his gills opening and closing, trying to figure out how to breathe properly.
Tell me the truth, Ullan, I say, slowly walking toward him. Tell me the truth so that I may put my curiosity to rest, and perhaps I’ll let you live.
The beast lets out a low, rattling sound, his claws digging in, drawing more blood. The sight of Ullan’s blood makes my own veins thrum. I want my revenge, but maybe Syren blood will go a long way for the rest of the crew.
Tell me the truth and I’ll make sure you’re taken alive, I add, trying not to smile.
There was no bargain, Ullan finally says, his voice high and panicked. And weak. I saw the ship, knew what they were there for, and I signaled to them to come into the bay. They thought they were hunting me; they didn’t know you were down there.
I nod. Strangely enough, now that I hear what happened, the truth makes no difference to me. I see.
You can’t trust humans, Ullan says, wild-eyed.
Now, I grin. “No, you can’t,” I say aloud, even though I know he doesn’t understand me. “But we’re not human anyway.”
I look to the beast again, finally feeling relaxed enough in his monstrous presence. “What should we do, Priest?” I ask, hoping I’m reaching him. “Keep the Syren alive so we can all feed off him for years to come? Or let me take out his heart and have him watch me eat it?”
I don’t expect the beast to talk back, but it does.
“I am of two minds,” the monster says, his voice terribly low and chilling and utterly inhuman. “Priest would want you to keep Ullan and torture him for eternity. I would rather eat the Syren’s head. I suppose you could have the heart.”
“Generous offer,” I say. “I thought you were saving him for me.”
“Priest is saving the Syren for you so that you may have your revenge. What I want is to eat its brains.”