Chapter 9 – Serena
The ocean at night was both terrifying and magical, a vast shadow stretching endlessly until it touched the sky.
The moon hung low to the left, its light dancing across the surface of the waves in broken, silvery ribbons.
I waded in slowly, the water cool against my skin, sending shivers up my spine as it crept higher and higher.
I wasn’t a strong swimmer—I never had been—but something about the dark water called to me, gentle and insistent, like a whispered promise that I’d be safe.
Safer than I was in the nightmarish Land of Nod, where fiends chased me into an SUV, where I had to fight for my life every time I closed my eyes.
It had only been a few days since being kidnapped. I needed time to heal, to process. To feel safe. That was how the water made me feel. As if the magical realm below the surface would protect me from the dangers of land.
Eventually, I would need to form a solid escape plan. But for now, I accepted every excuse why the timing wasn’t right to leave.
Slipping out of Evangelia’s nightgown—because yes, the woman slept in an honest-to-goodness white, frothy nighty—I tossed the material high on the shore.
Her clothing fit well enough that I was able to make do.
Although if I was allowed, I would take the hundred-dollar bill hidden in the lining of my clutch to buy some things that actually fit.
But going into town was out of the question.
So I spent the last several days doing whatever chores Dorothea had for me, and on the rare occasion that she had nothing for me to do, she would loan me out to a neighbor.
There were at least fifty people living here, judging by the number of houses and the size of the dwellings.
Yet it wasn’t until today that I realized the majority of the dwellers were elderly or families.
There were no middle-aged, single people, unless I was missing some detail.
When I asked Evangelia why she seemed to be the only one, her answer was evasive.
She said there were plenty of single sons and daughters, that they worked the fishing boats or commuted to town, and then she quickly changed the subject.
If I had to guess, they were involved with whatever crime syndicate was connected to this place.
Even though my days were filled with physical labor, sleep was hard. When I couldn’t stand being in the thick shadows of that house any longer, I found myself drawn here. Thankfully, the waves did most of the work, because I was an awkward swimmer.
It didn’t stop me from trying.
The water felt alive against my body, slipping over my arms and legs, cool and smooth.
I kicked gently, letting the waves nudge me back and forth.
It was like the ocean had a pulse, a rhythm that I was slowly falling into.
For a moment, I let myself float on my back, staring up at the stars.
They sparkled like scattered diamonds, reflected faintly in the dark, rippling water around me.
A small laugh bubbled up from my chest. I didn’t know why.
Maybe it was the thrill of doing something I wasn’t good at, or maybe it was the beauty of the moment—the moonlight, the waves, the quiet of the night.
Whatever it was, it felt good. It felt free.
For once, I didn’t need to be perfect. I just needed to be here.
If only I wasn’t a prisoner.
It’s only temporary.
Once I changed that small detail, I was going to live by the sea. Alessandro couldn’t stop me. This was where I belonged. A quiet, simple life—maybe not quite so rustic. But I was hooked, deeply fallen for this place.
“He’ll never let me leave,” I sighed to the stars. It was a dream. Once my brothers got their hands on me again, I would be stuck.
I floated on a briny wave. Drops of the salty spray lingered on my lips.
I no longer wanted to spit with each taste.
I was simply content to paddle about, staying where I could touch the shifting sand floor as the waves rocked me like a giant hand, pulling and pushing in soft, gentle tugs.
The sound of the ocean was different at night—quieter, more intimate.
The crash of distant waves on the shore blended with the faint slap of water against my skin.
“You grow bolder each night, prinkípissa,” a deep voice rumbled over the water.
I squeaked, falling back into a wave. Holy shit! Where did he come from? I turned and faced the shadowy shape, black on black against the unlit patch of night.
My legs straightened, but the oncoming wave dipped lower against my body—
Reminding me that I was completely naked.
“Spying on me to make sure I don’t escape?” I called out, dropping back into the water.
His dark chuckle skated over the waves. I didn’t want to admit how much I enjoyed that sound. “I prefer to see it as checking on my guest.”
“You could have dropped in for a cup of tea,” I snarked, “instead of sneaking up on me and ruining my quiet time.”
“I’ve been working.”
“Excuses, excuses. You know, a good host would make sure I have everything I need,” I said before thinking better of it.
Markos cocked his head. A deadly air sizzled about him. “And what are you lacking?”
“Nothing extravagant.” Annoyance fluttered through me.
He hummed in a way that I should continue.
“Toothbrush, so I can quit using my finger. Deodorant, so I don’t smell like man. And some properly fitting undergarments.” I checked the demands off on my fingers, not wanting to push for too much.
“What about the rest of your clothes?” Surprise seemed to flash through his voice.
Yeah, that’s right. I wasn’t that spoilt that I couldn’t rough it. “My own bathing suit would be nice. But Evangelia has been very generous with the basics.”
And we’d altered them to fit with hair ties, safety pins, and even a few stitches.
“Her shirts don’t fit you, and the shorts are too loose.”
“It doesn’t matter. I can make do with—” Wait. When had he seen me? I’d been here four days, and ever since our candlelight dinner, I hadn’t seen my captor.
“I’ll see that you’re taken care of,” he said with a certain finality. “But it’s time to get out of the water, Serena.”
I took a step back. “I’m not done.”
That damn chuckle felt like a sinful caress over my damp skin. “Fine, but I should warn you, the sharks are out hunting tonight.”
A sudden chill raced down my spine, causing gooseflesh to prickle my arms. I quickly surveyed the beach, my eyes darting over the inky, navy waves, but there was no menacing fin slicing through the water like in the movie Jaws.
Despite the absence of any visible threat, as I pivoted to check behind me, I felt a fleeting, almost imperceptible touch gliding over my calf, sending my heart into a frenzied thud.
It was probably just my imagination, but....
“Okay, fine, you win. I’ll get out,” I pouted.
A moment of intense silence pulsed.
“You can go now,” I snapped.
Markos slid from the shadows, moving to where my gown lay crumpled on the sand. He lifted it, shook the white cotton, and held it out.
You’ve got to be joking.
“Better hurry, prinkípissa.”
I stood frozen in the water, my heart racing with indignation. The moonlight caught the hard planes of his face, revealing a smirk that made my blood boil.
“Turn around,” I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest. I was painfully aware of how exposed I was.
“And if I don’t?” His voice was smooth as velvet, dangerous as a blade.
The waves lapped behind me, suddenly ominous. Was there really something in the water, or was he just playing with my fears? Either way, I wasn’t willing to risk it. But I also wasn’t about to parade in front of him naked.
I lifted my chin. “Then I’ll stay right here. Sharks and all.”
Markos sighed, a sound caught between amusement and exasperation. For a moment, we remained locked in a silent battle, neither willing to yield. Finally, with exaggerated slowness, he turned his back to me, still holding the gown outstretched.
“You have thirty seconds, prinkípissa.”
I sprinted from the waves as though a great white was hot on my heels. The soft sand sank under my feet, but I made it to him in record time. Just as I reached to snatch the garment, he lifted it higher.
“Hey!” I protested.
“Twenty-eight, twenty-nine—”
Oh, holy mother!
“Thirty.” He turned. His smile was slow, predatory.
“You cheat,” I hissed, covering myself with my arm and hand splayed low. “You said you wouldn’t look, and there was no way that was thirty.”
“Why would I deprive myself when the view is so...captivating?” he drawled.
Heat seared my skin as he dropped his gaze.
Something about his bold, unrepentant look brought out a fire in me. I dropped my hand, and then my arm, bearing myself to him. He wanted to see his captive—fine.
I wanted to see him.
This close, it surprised me again how large he was.
Not only taller than me, as most people were, but he was broad, the muscles visible through his linen shirt.
The heat flowed south, concentrating between my legs.
What would it be like to have that body pressed into mine?
Part of me, some insane little fiend, wanted him to pin me to the sand.
“May I have my gown back?” I snapped.
“Say please,” he murmured, voice velvety and seductive.
My pussy pulsed at the sound.
“You’re intolerable!”
He shrugged. “One thing you should know about me is that I don’t play by the rules.”
A word flitted through my mind, the description too perfect not to use. “May I please have my nightgown, pirate?” I hissed through clenched teeth.
“You’re beautiful when you’re angry,” he mused softly.
But he handed me the gown.
I ripped it from his fingers and tugged it over my head. The white material soaked up the water and clung to my skin—doing nothing to cover me. His gaze dipped again, this time focusing on my tight nipples.
“I warned you about going out at night,” he drawled.
“I haven’t seen a single monster out here.” I took a step past him, but his hand shot out and gripped my wrist hard.
“Haven’t you?”
My stomach did a little flip—but not from fear.
Oh...Oh! He wasn’t warning me about the village. That warning was about himself.
And here I was, caught alone with him on the beach. I should be frightened. This man had me kidnapped, not on purpose, but if he was capable of that, what else would he do?
And yet I let him pull me close.
His scent—sandalwood and something darker, earthier—enveloped me as he pulled me against his chest. My damp nightgown might as well have been nonexistent; I could feel every hard plane of his body pressing against mine. He bent low, closing the distance.
“Do you know what happens to little mermaids who swim after dark?” he whispered, his lips brushing my ear.
I shivered, but not from cold. “They get legs to run away?”
“Wrong fairy tale.” His fingers traced up my arm, leaving scorch marks in their wake. “They get caught by pirates.”
My breath hitched. Damn me, but I played along. “And what do pirates do with their captives?”
His dark eyes held mine, reflecting the silver moonlight like obsidian pools. “Whatever they please.”
A throb pulsed deep inside.
I should pull away. I should slap him and run back to the safety of the house. I should remember the details of our situation.
Instead, my fingers skimmed over his hard stomach. If he was going to make me burn, I was going to bring him into the flames with me.
“What are you going to do now, little mermaid?” His fingers moved to trace over my lip, tugging the bottom one before caressing down my throat. They lingered over my pulse, the predator feeling how his prey’s heart beat wildly.
“A man who takes what he wants, consequences be damned,” I whispered, my voice betraying me with its tremor.
Markos’s laugh was low, intimate. “And what if what I want is standing right in front of me, soaking wet and defiant?”
The night air suddenly felt too thick to breathe. His proximity was intoxicating, dangerous—like standing at the edge of a cliff and feeling the urge to jump.
“Run away, prinkípissa, while you still can.”
My heart thumped once—twice.
And then I turned and ran. I didn’t look back until I was safely on the back stoop. Pausing at the kitchen door, breath coming in ragged pants, I looked behind me. The monster was nowhere to be found, but I would be delusional if I thought he wasn’t watching me from the shadows.
A fairy tale, he’d said. Most of those ended in blood and tragedy. That was not going to be my fate. I dove into the kitchen and slammed the door. Only...a little voice laughed in the back of my mind. It wasn’t enough to keep the monster away. This was his lair, after all.