Bitter amusement swept through Devyl as he realized that Thorn intended to take her into his home realm of Azmodea. He was right. It would be the one place from which she could never again escape. But what a hellish nightmare that would be, especially if Thorn planted her in his garden.…
Devyl smirked. “You are an evil bastard.”
“Indeed.” As Thorn headed to her cage, she shrank away from him.
“I’ll take you to the gate, Du! Please, lord! Mercy! Mercy!”
Devyl met Thorn’s gaze and let out a tired breath, as he actually felt sorry for the bitch and the fate that would await her in that hole.
This was a bad idea. Every instinct he possessed told him he was a fool to even consider it.
She was lying about helping them. He knew it without fail or doubt.
And yet …
What if she wasn’t?
It would be a lot easier to have a map to the gate than to play the guessing game they’d been doing by following the trail of the plat-eyes and other creatures released from it. Save them time. More than that, it would save human lives, and that was what Thorn wanted him to do.
They might actually make it to the Seraph before Vine killed him and absorbed his blood and its power. Or, as the Blackthorn had pointed out, Vine converted him into a tool they could use against them—which was the last thing any of them needed.
“Well?” Devyl asked him, even though it wasn’t in his nature to confer with anyone.
Thorn released an equally agitated breath. “I leave it up to you. Feel free to gut or burn her later, I suppose.”
Rafe let out a low whistle. “And they call me heartless?”
“Aye, well, you might want to stand back as I release her, or she might make that a literal statement instead of a figurative one.” Devyl headed for the cage.
He hesitated as he swept his gaze over her fragile appearance. She looked so harmless and weak, and yet she was one of the deadliest of creatures.
Like a rabbit possessed of a cobra’s venom and razor-sharp teeth.
She brushed at her dark, matted hair. Licking her lips, she reminded him of a street beggar. “I need sustenance, Majesty.”
“We have pig blood on the ship.”
Curling her lips to expose her fangs, she groaned in protest.
“There’s no living person there for you to feast on. We’re all Deadmen.”
She screwed her face up into a perfect expression of absolute horror. “What?”
“’Tis true. There’s not a living creature among us.” He didn’t make mention of Cameron, since the last thing the girl needed was to be singled out by this beast.
She groaned even louder. “Then leave me here.”
“Never.” Mona would only escape her cage and destroy Rafael and all his crew. “You go with me or Thorn. Your choice.”
Glancing to Thorn, she shook her head. “I’ll take me chances with you, Du.”
“Why do I feel so insulted?” Thorn asked.
“You? I think I’m the one most slighted by her choice.” Devyl was definitely the one most offended by her stench. Holding his breath, he opened the cage and tried not to think about the fact that she seemed to be rotting.
From the inside out. Gah, the bowels of hell had reeked less.
Mona smiled up at him as she followed Thorn toward the ladder. While this wasn’t the most ideal situation, at least she was getting off this ship and away from the crew that had captured her. Sooner or later, Du would have to make port and then she could feed. But first …
First she would find the Seraph medallion Vine had sent her after. Then she would tear the heart from the fetid beast and deliver them both to her mistress for reward.
Along with the souls of every member of Devyl Bane’s damned crew. And then they would all have their just rewards, and the world would finally be their playground.
6
“You know this is a trap and that creature is a liar?”
Devyl passed a smirk to Thorn. “Of course I do.”
Shaking his head, Thorn snorted. “Still letting the bitches catch up?”
“Best way to keep an eye on your enemy is to have them under your thumb. Learned that from you.”
“And here I thought you weren’t paying attention.” There was a light of respect in Thorn’s eyes as he watched Rafe’s men escorting Mona up the ladder.
“You sure you’re ready to take her?” Rafe hesitated before they completely released her.
“I’d much rather she be among my crew than yours.” His Deadmen—and, more to the point, Mara—could handle the beast and put her down if needs be.
Santiago’s sailors were nothing more than a walking banquet for the hag. They were all lucky that, given Rafe’s mother’s extreme powers and knowledge about such things, the pirate captain had known and wasn’t taken aback by the fact that Devyl wasn’t quite human. That Rafe had recognized the fact that Mona was highly dangerous when they’d found her, and his mother’s spell had protected them all. Anyone else would have been killed instantly and their crew sacrificed.
In fact, Santiago was among the tiny few who knew Bane and his men were not of this world, but belonged to another species entirely.
Rafe clapped him on the arm. “No offense, my friend. But I feel better with her in your custody myself.”
Devyl snorted at his misplaced humor. “Before we go, I should warn you that Barnet has moved into our waters and is hard pressing for information as to your whereabouts. He’s determined to collect the bounty on your hide.”
“Wonderful,” Rafael said drily. “Appreciate the heads-up. I’ll be sure to warn St. Noir and Bonny about it when next I see them, as well.”
Devyl almost smiled at the mention of the female pirate. Anne Bonny was a unique piece of work. “Give Rackham my best.”
A strange look came over Rafael’s face. “You know Anne isn’t with Jack anymore, right?”
That news stunned him. Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny, and Mary Reade were so tight that he’d assumed the three had magically melded into a single life form. “Since when?”
Rafael let out a nervous laugh. “Since she conceived Jean-Luc St. Noir’s child and Rackham found out about it. The three of them have been at each other’s throats ever since.”
Wow. That was indeed impressive news. Devyl shook his head. Pirate drama. They could get into more shyte than anyone he’d ever known. “What of Reade?”
“She and Anne have both taken up with St. Noir’s crew for the time being. While Mary was fond of Rackham, her loyalty will always be to Bonny.”
“Well then, give them all three my congratulations.”
Rafael appeared bemused. “All three?”
“Aye. Jean-Luc and Anne for the baby. Jack for escaping the hell known as matrimony and fatherhood.”
Rafe laughed. “Ah.” Then he sobered as the demon was hauled past him and taken topside. The look in Mona’s eyes promised Devyl a merry time to be sure.
Little did she know, such challenges only fired his resolve. And they never boded well for his enemies.
Thorn had the scars to prove it.
Looking forward to the challenge, Devyl said his good-byes to Rafael, then returned to his own ship with Thorn in tow.
By the time he was on deck again, William and Bart already had Mona in custody.