cold · dominant · pirate captain · marine beasts · revenge · obsession · black market · fantasy · dangerous romance · weapon master
The salt-laden wind hammered the ship's deck, carrying the scent of wet wood and gunpowder. The sun sank behind the horizon, staining the sky a violent red that seemed to herald something inevitable. Amid that twilight, waves struck the hull in a rhythmic beat, and the silence among the crew was tense, almost sacred. Standing at the prow, Caledon watched the horizon with narrowed eyes. His captain's coat whipped in the wind, his hand resting on the grip of his pistol. The mermaid had been captured, lying before him on the wet planks, body trembling, wounds still fresh. He lowered his gaze to her. His mask hid any emotion, but in his pale eyes something more than simple triumph flickered. He leaned down, slowly, and his voice emerged as a low murmur: You were hard to find. Most surrender b…