Thane Drogos"Have you ever wanted to ride a dragon?" I asked, wading in the deep water. I noticed how she eyed me, eyes darkening, desire present on her face."I believe I already have." Evie raised an eyebrow, chewing on her lower lip. I laughed. God, I loved her. "Then how about this—have you ever wanted to be fucked by a dragon on a mountain of gold?"Her mouth dropped open, eyes widening as she put two and two together. "You're taking me to your hoard?"I grinned. "Yes, I am. We have to empty it tomorrow morning, so this will be the last time you can see it."She tilted her head, curiosity forever present in her wide eyes. "But isn't it really deep down there? I'll drown.""No, you won't," I stated confidently. "There's this fascinating thing I can do with my mouth." "There's a lot of things you can do with your mouth," she giggled.I rolled my eyes, teasing, "Evelyn Marie Stanton, get your head out of the gutter and get into the water."Ever the brat, she tossed her
Evie StantonThane spent the better part of the early morning and afternoon bringing gold up to the surface. He seemed too restless to get a proper night's sleep. To be fair, I couldn't sleep either. Not only had we fucked the entire night away, but I felt different.I couldn't put my finger on it. I felt stronger. Like I was high on adrenaline. Buzzing helplessly. I was in Thane's bathroom, taking one last bath before the journey. I got out of the water, drying and dressing in my comfortable pants and slacks. Cutlass on my hip. The woman in the mirror looked different. My hair was silkier. My skin looked healthier. But the oddest part was my eyes had blue flecks in them now. I leaned in, looking at my appearance, bewildered. I wanted to talk to Katarina, but at the same time, I wanted to avoid Katarina. What was I going to say?How would I even begin that conversation?Hey, so last night, your son brought me down to see the hoard, and then we proceeded to have sex on litera
Evie StantonWe are told from the time we are old enough to understand that our lives revolve around one day being married off for the sake of our kingdom. I, of course, scoffed at that notion, refusing to allow that to be me. Until the day came that it was."Be a good girl, Evie," my father said to me before announcing my engagement.'Good girl,' I internally gasped. My face became ghostly white as I turned to my handmaiden looking for some reassurance that it was going to be okay.As per usual, she was a lifesaver. Quickly stepping forward to cover for me when it came to my father. "Oh, the girl must be so exhausted! So much excitement!"To which, I played it up, pretending to be faint under my corset. "That's wonderful news, Father, but I'm really not feeling well. May I be excused?"His smile faltered a bit as he nodded. "Of course. I can't have you getting sick. Mary, please see that she gets well. There is much to plan."'Much to plan my ass…' I internally grumbled. 'There was no
Thane Drogos-An Hour earlier-If I had known the contract was in Avalon, I wouldn't have fucking taken it. I avoided the capital at all costs. Not only were they not hospitable to pirates, but I never wanted to come back to relive the night that my entire life had changed.As Jack dropped anchor, tying up alongside the dock, I stared up at the castle. A flash of a buried memory flickered across my eyes. My mother, royal robes torn, crown forgotten, grasping my arm. I had never seen her so panicked. Feral with instinct, she could not shift due to the tonic slipped to her at dinner. She dragged me behind her through the tunnels to escape the slaughter of my cousins above. I could hear the screaming. Five years old, listening to the wails cut short. I could still smell the blood. Feel the way it stuck under my fingernails. I shoved the thought away, burying it in the depths of my mind, but the old wound was already open. I grit my teeth hard as a hand came up to my shoulder. He squeeze
Evie StantonIt felt like I was in the pathway of a snake, about to get bitten. My heart raced, and my voice stuck in my throat. Adrenaline flared within me. Somehow this scared me more than those three men did earlier. I was at a loss for words, thrown by how fast the atmosphere changed."P-please don't hurt me." My words were barely above a whisper. Utterly pathetic. I was so pathetic. I didn't know what to do. Captain Thane's brawny arms caged my only exit, pressing me against the wall.Thane's eyes were impossibly dark like he wanted to strangle me but was fighting against the notion. The conflicting sight before me made my pulse thud hard against my throat.Fear crept within me as I tried to figure out what I could do.Politeness gets girls killed. If you find yourself in danger, act hysterical. Men think you're hysterical, anyway. Make a big enough fuss and you're not worth the struggle.And she was right. I was done being polite. "Get off me, you brute!" I shouted, both hands c
Thane DrogosWell, fuck.An impressive amount of profanity flew from Princess Evelyn's pretty little mouth. Here I thought she was a polite, pretty little noblewoman in the wrong place at the wrong time, but no, she was the fucking princess with the vocabulary of a sailor. Her doe eyes were frenzied, clearly terrified, and running high on adrenaline. With one more look, she grabbed the half-wall and plummeted sixty feet into the freezing water below."Shit," I growled. The naïve little girl would die.The tide would kill her, pull her under, if it didn't break bones first. Churning like a meat grinder. And without proper use of her arms, she would drown.Fuck me. Damn it all to hell. Kicking off my shoes, I dropped my jacket and weapons, diving headfirst overboard. I wasn't thinking when I captured her, but I wasn't interested in letting Evelyn drown.If I had known who she was when I followed her cries into the alleyway, I would have let them kill her. Save myself
Evie StantonGod, what happened last night?My head pounded something awful. The sunlight peeking from behind my eyelids might as well have been a nail hammering into my skull. How on earth did I get back to my bedroom? I stretched my toes, feeling my muscles whine. A small grumble left my lips. I suppose my father would want an answer today about the marriage situation. As much as I wanted to tell him to shove it up his ass, that was not what princesses do. They smile and nod.Seen but rarely heard.I tried to roll onto my stomach and bury myself deeper into furs and hide from the world.When did my bed ever have furs on it?Hang on… why can't I move my wrist?My eyelids flew open, the reality of where I was sinking in. My wrist was attached to a bedframe with a leather cuff, furs draped over my body.The smell of the ocean in the air, brisk and salty.I recoiled at the sunlight, but blinked away my discomfort, looking from side to side. A shiver ran down my sp
Evie StantonThane's mother stared at me as I fiddled with the hem of my pants. While I was relieved to be in something that covered my skin from prying eyes, the fabric felt odd against my skin. The leather material felt stiff, scratchy.I still wore Thane's blouse, feeling incredibly unsupported without my corset. I constantly folded my arms across my chest to hide my breasts. Usually, from the neck down, I wore layers upon layers and gloves, hiding every square inch of my skin.Even though I was covered in the traditional sense, the lightweight nature of the clothing made me feel incredibly naked.Especially with crewmen eyeing me while they cracked their boiled eggs.She wasn't particularly chatty. Gave me just as much as her son did. A whole lot of nothing. Those cold eyes of hers unnerved me, like I wasn't sure if she was going to outright kill me or not. She looked like she wanted to."Where did Thane find you?" she asked, breaking the silent standoff between us.
Evie StantonThane spent the better part of the early morning and afternoon bringing gold up to the surface. He seemed too restless to get a proper night's sleep. To be fair, I couldn't sleep either. Not only had we fucked the entire night away, but I felt different.I couldn't put my finger on it. I felt stronger. Like I was high on adrenaline. Buzzing helplessly. I was in Thane's bathroom, taking one last bath before the journey. I got out of the water, drying and dressing in my comfortable pants and slacks. Cutlass on my hip. The woman in the mirror looked different. My hair was silkier. My skin looked healthier. But the oddest part was my eyes had blue flecks in them now. I leaned in, looking at my appearance, bewildered. I wanted to talk to Katarina, but at the same time, I wanted to avoid Katarina. What was I going to say?How would I even begin that conversation?Hey, so last night, your son brought me down to see the hoard, and then we proceeded to have sex on litera
Thane Drogos"Have you ever wanted to ride a dragon?" I asked, wading in the deep water. I noticed how she eyed me, eyes darkening, desire present on her face."I believe I already have." Evie raised an eyebrow, chewing on her lower lip. I laughed. God, I loved her. "Then how about this—have you ever wanted to be fucked by a dragon on a mountain of gold?"Her mouth dropped open, eyes widening as she put two and two together. "You're taking me to your hoard?"I grinned. "Yes, I am. We have to empty it tomorrow morning, so this will be the last time you can see it."She tilted her head, curiosity forever present in her wide eyes. "But isn't it really deep down there? I'll drown.""No, you won't," I stated confidently. "There's this fascinating thing I can do with my mouth." "There's a lot of things you can do with your mouth," she giggled.I rolled my eyes, teasing, "Evelyn Marie Stanton, get your head out of the gutter and get into the water."Ever the brat, she tossed her
Evie StantonThane eyed me intensely as I signed the marriage certificate. Desmond sat next to me, signing as our witness while Katarina prepared the paperwork and officiated to make it legally binding.I knew my parents would refute it, so we had to do everything possible to make it iron-tight. I passed Thane my quill for him to sign next to my signature. "Are you sure you don't want a traditional wedding?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips.He already knew my answer. "Honestly, fuck weddings," I grumbled.Thane made a throaty noise, eyes flickering with amusement. "White dresses never suited you anyways," he agreed cheekily. Desmond wheeled out from under the desk. "I still wish I could've been there. Sounded like a good time.""You always did love a little chaos," Thane retorted.At his statement, Des grinned. Katarina, on the other hand, didn't share the same lightheartedness. She had opted to go with us back to Avalon. It couldn't be easy, but she wa
Evie StantonI didn't understand why Thane was looking at me like that. Why he shared a look with Katarina before she left, leaving us in this awkward silence. I thought he wanted to marry me. Wanted a whole future together, and now he was telling me he didn't?I felt so vulnerable. Putting my heart on the line for him like that. Thane closed his eyes tightly. A few deep breaths.Suddenly, the space between us felt like a giant chasm. I wanted to reach for him. Leap across the canyon. Pull Thane back out of his thoughts.Back to me.His eyes opened, and he gazed at me, a deep-seated pain washing up on the surface of his vibrant eyes. A glossiness formed in his eyes. The silence felt heavy. My gaze softened. My arms fell to my sides.He didn't say anything, taking a seat at the table like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Thane let the heaviness settle over him, leaning back against the chair, legs stretched out in front of him.His gaze never left me,
Thane DrogosEvie swiped her blunted cutlass at me, meeting me strike for strike when we sparred right outside our cabana. The sand between our toes. Glimmering waves crashed against the coast behind her.Her blouse dipped past her collarbone, revealing the valley of her breasts where a tri-claw scar marred her skin. I hardly thought of it as a flaw, only a reminder of her courage. Despite how small and delicate she might seem, she was fearless. A warrior honing her skills.The sun lowered in the sky, just over the horizon, casting her in a warm orange light.Without sunlight, we couldn't train much longer, but that didn't slow Evie down. She was becoming quite adept with a sword, confident enough to deflect my attacks and react with a carefully timed counterattack.We had arrived back in safehold about a week ago. Everyone welcomed Evie back with open arms. Even Desmond, who wasn't bedbound anymore even if he did have to use a wheelchair. He could wiggle his toes, but ove
Evie StantonI stared wide-eyed at Thane as he ripped my corset in half with his bare hands. Easily tearing the lace holding the steel ribbed bodice together. My breath caught, thighs pressing together as a rush of pure lust washed over me again. The burning desire coiling between my legs roared to life again, even as my arms trembled like I was cold.I blinked once. Twice. Completely dumbfounded and painfully turned on.He pulled the destroyed corset off of me, tossing it behind him nonchalantly. Underneath it was an embroidered blouse that dipped under my collarbone, white satin buttons up the front of it. Long-sleeved and itchy around my wrists. I arched my back, wordlessly encouraging him to rip the next garment off of me. "Take this blouse off me," I whispered fervently.Stark blue eyes devoured me as he leaned down, propping himself up on his elbows on top of me. His shirt was completely wet, making me wonder what happened when he wrenched a completely different
Thane DrogosAfter catching up with the ship, I emerged from the water, shifting, the dragon returning to its place right under my skin. Evie stared up at me, no longer afraid, but fascinated. Life had come back into Evelyn's face. Her adoration for me was clear all over her face.Finally, I felt whole again. That Evelyn-shaped cavern in my chest vanished. I dressed in my cabin, eager to get back to Evie. I think she'd enjoy some of the changes I made in my cabin for her to make it our cabin.I met Evie on the upper deck, looping my arm around her waist while she engaged in friendly conversation with Rio, a cup of bourbon in her hand. Celebratory drinks.We joined other crewmen in joyous conversation. The crew seemed as satisfied as I felt. Justice had been served. Both Robert and Charles paid the price for their sins.It wasn't over.Not by a long shot, but I'd take the victory before planning the next move. This time against Richard and Beatrice Stanton. Rio left
Evie StantonI was ready. For death or liberation.My choice. Thane's cutlass was heavier than mine, but I held it with finesse. I knew the common people were watching over the guards' shoulders at the doors. Whatever happened, my father's reign was over. "Then kill me, motherfucker," I snarled, taking a stance in front of Thane. The crew that I loved so much. They were my people. Katarina took a step forward, beside me. My mother had fled to the altar, standing beside Robert as the officiant took his chance to get the hell out of there.My father didn't look like himself anymore. A mad contortion of himself. Angry and deranged. But perhaps this was what he always looked like. Just hid it well. His hair, usually unkempt, fell into his bloodshot eyes as he grasped at his chest."Kill them!" he screamed. "Kill them all!"All the sailors behind me shifted their stature. Ready to fight. To be honest, I wasn't sure I could fight in this god-awful dress. The petticoat w
Thane DrogosSeeing Evelyn again, after an excruciating month, felt like coming up for air. I had been dragged beneath the waves, smothered in darkness and icy water, fighting my way back up to the surface. Then I saw her.In a white dress that didn't suit her at all, a shawl over her shoulders, hiding all of her skin. Her face was hidden from me behind her veil. She marched down the aisle to a man that wasn't me. A man that didn't deserve her. Richard wore a crown atop his head, but it wasn't lost on me how hard he gripped Evie's arm like she would run at the first chance she got.My fingers played the keys, but my eyes wouldn't leave her. Her shoulders were set back, chin held high as if she walked toward the gallows. Pure resignation. She accepted her fate. But she wasn't broken. In an act of defiance, she shed her shawl, revealing her scars, the mauve claw marks from the siren attack. The dress dipped down in front, showing off the freckles sprinkled across her collarbone. The