Chapter 11
Harley POV
Just before I could rip his heart out, he pushed me, slamming me against the cold wall. I groaned as I landed on my back in pain.
Hands trembling, I rose from the floor and saw the open wound on his chest slowly healing. He staggered forward, clutching his chest.
I turned around, quickly opened the door, and hurried out of the room. I staggered through the narrow corridor. I was cold. I had no plan from here. Everything I had done was out of anger. I had no idea how to get off this ship.
And even if I did—how long could I swim before I gave up and drowned?
I kept walking, desperate to get away from this vampire-infested place. I reached the door at the end of the corridor and climbed the stairs. I pushed open another door and was met with a gust of wind that nearly knocked me off my feet.
Brushing my hair from my face, I pushed forward against the wind. There was no sign of vampires here. It was silent and clean.
I ran toward the edge of the ship, the storm raging around me, the wind pulling fiercely at my dress. It looked like it was about to rain.
The thin dress I wore did nothing to shield me from the cold. I had no idea what to do.
Rhain would heal soon, and he would come for me—or maybe he'd die from the wound and the vampires would come instead. Either way, I was a dead girl walking. Vivian wouldn't spare me.
I looked out at the vast sea. I was so far from my pack.
Suddenly, the thought hit me—what if I ended it all? What if I jumped into the sea and let myself drown? At least then I'd be free from the vampires... and I'd reunite with my family.
But before I could move, gloved hands wrapped around my waist.
I shrieked, my blood running cold in fear. I was yanked back and slammed into a firm chest. My eyes widened, almost as if they'd fall out of their sockets.
Shock gripped me entirely. I knew it was him the moment he touched me.
"What now, pet?" he whispered in my ear. "Planning to drown yourself?"
"I should help you with that. What do you think?"
Suddenly, he lifted me from the deck and set me on the railing. My hands and lips trembled.
"Pull me down!" I screamed. "Please!"
"I thought you wanted to die," he whispered.
"Please... please..."
His grip loosened around my waist, and I slipped back down. The wind howled around us, and I instinctively pressed my back to him. All of a sudden, I didn't want to die anymore. The urge to live was overwhelming.
I clung to him, terrified the wind would carry me away.
I was shaking from the cold.
I hated him. I didn't think I'd ever hated anyone this much—until I met him.
"You shouldn't be in a hurry in wanting to die, pet. That is exactly why I'm taking you to my Country."
Standing this close to him infuriated me. I took a step back, slowly.
"I am not your pet," I said through gritted teeth.
"You tried to escape and drown yourself, away from me."
"I'll do anything but spend another moment in your presence," I snapped.
"You must be punished."
"What?"
"Punished for your crimes," he said coldly. "You also tried to kill me. What do you think will happen when my people find out what you did?"
He took another step back, turning his eyes to the door, where a man and a woman had just appeared.
I stared at them intently. My wolf told me they were human. Humans among vampires. They looked confused. My gaze trailed down and landed on the puncture marks on their necks.
They were vassals—humans used willingly or forcefully by vampires to provide blood.
He looked at them, and they obediently climbed onto the railing. The wind grew stronger as I watched in horror.
Suddenly, their faces were no longer strangers. I saw Kieran. I saw my mother.
I didn't think I'd ever see those faces again. My eyes burned with tears as I watched them stand at the edge, silent.
"You do not make the mistake of harming your king, pet," he said coldly. "If you ever attempt something I don't approve of again, you will be the reason others die."
As he spoke, his eyes began to shift into something dark and frightening. "This is your punishment. You'll watch them fall into the sea and die. And you will not look away. Do you understand?"
Tears blurred my vision and rolled down my cheeks. I brought my hands to my trembling lips, trying to silence my scream. I wanted to look away—but I couldn't.
Kieran and my mother stood at the edge, shivering from the cold.
"Stop this... please! Please! I'll do anything you say, but don't kill them!"
Just as the words left my mouth, they fell from the railing. I heard the splash of their bodies hitting the water—and my heart sank. I dropped to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Next time you think of doing something foolish, remember this," he said.
He walked up to me and dropped a handkerchief at my feet.
"We should go back inside so you can get cleaned up and eat," he said, turning to leave. He paused briefly. "Stay here, and you'll die from the cold."
Without another word, he walked away.