Chapter 27

My tears flowed freely, blending seamlessly with the salty sea. Desperation clawed its way up my throat, threatening to suffocate me. I would never forgive Kai for restraining me and forcing me to watch him die. I thrashed again, but the trench creatures that held me back dug their claws deeper into my skin as I fought against their hold. I didn't care if I perished. I had to do something.

As Kai's head fell backward, a pang shot through my heart, turning my blood into ice water. "Kai, don't you dare give up! You're stronger than this beast…" I swallowed the sob that cracked my voice with emotion. "Please, don't leave me."

I startled myself as the words left me. What would I do without this cocky pirate who made my blood boil? When had the lines between love and hate started to blur? All I knew was that they had, and now I found myself residing in a murky gray area.

A glimmer of hope surged through me as Kai raised his head. His gaze appeared dazed and bewildered, as if he were teetering on the brink of death. Something hardened in his features as his eyes bored into mine.

Power erupted from him like water bursting forth from a dam. The sheer might of him roared through the water, knocking me and the creatures back a few feet. All the Dark Water in the surrounding area dissipated like it was never there, leaving behind fresh, clear water. All that remained was the Dark Hydra itself.

Kai's body radiated from within, his skin gleaming like the sun's rays striking sea glass. My mouth hung open in sheer amazement. His blue eyes appeared electrified, as if lightning itself resided within them. They were both terrifying and hauntingly beautiful, filled with an intense and mesmerizing energy.

The Dark Hydra recoiled, releasing Kai. His power surged through the water, so potent I could almost reach out and touch it. My blood resonated with his energy, drawing me closer to him.

Lightning cracked, and the sea charged with energy as beams shot through the water toward the Dark Hydra. The monster screamed as lightning penetrated its body, leaving holes the size of cannonballs through it.

In that moment, Kai was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. A halo of power surrounded him, blending his untamed masculinity with all the might of the oceans. His silhouette against the backdrop of the charged water was a mesmerizing dance of power and grace.

Kai extended a palm toward the Dark Hydra, as he had done earlier, but this time, his power gouged a trench through the creature, large enough for a blue whale to pass through.

The battle between Kai and this monstrosity continued to unfold deep beneath the churning waves. The wounded creature writhed in pain, its once intimidating form diminished by the relentless attack of Kai"s mighty powers.

Seizing the opportunity, Kai pressed forward, his movements fluid and precise. He navigated the waters with a grace that defied the messy nature of the battle. Each gesture of his hands commanded the elements, directing currents and summoning power that lashed out at the weakened Hydra.

The sea itself seemed to respond to Kai"s dominance, becoming an extension of his will. As he circled the wounded creature, his power hummed with the pulse of the ocean. Blow after blow, Kai"s power surged through the water, leaving glowing trails in its wake. The wounded beast was now a mere shadow of its former self.

The Dark Hydra, now on the brink of death, retaliated with feeble efforts to regain control. Yet Kai"s assault was relentless, unyielding. The Dark Hydra's menacing red eyes widened, betraying its horror. It attempted to escape, but Kai spun in the water, creating a massive whirlpool that enveloped the creature. The vortex tightened, pulling the Hydra into its depths. The monster thrashed and roared in a vain attempt to escape, but Kai"s control over the waters was horrifyingly beautiful. The Hydra disintegrated piece by piece until all that was left were murky patches of Dark Water.

A powerful earthquake rocked the ocean floor, and I surged up. My pulse drummed in my ears, overwhelming the deafening roar as the ground fractured in two. Kai swiftly directed his whirlpool toward the chasm. The whirlpool, along with all the remnants of Dark Water and the beast, were drawn into the abyss.

"Back to hell where you belong," Kai ordered, bringing his palms together until they touched. The chasm sealed, sending a blast of sand through the water as it closed.

I gasped as the grains of sand flew in my direction. Kai moved faster than time, slamming his body to mine, using his physique to shield my body from the debris that hurtled through the water. I squeezed my eyes shut as grit peppered my skin, clinging to Kai as if he were my lifeline. I buried my head against his torso.

"Rhea?" Kai's gruff voice vibrated in his chest, even huskier and more ethereal than I remembered. He reached up, his palm gently grazing my cheek as he pried my face from his torso.

I blinked up at him, astonished by the potency still crashing off of him like waves.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

I stared up at him, my mind seemingly unable to grasp the words he spoke. He combed his fingers through my hair.

"Rhea? Are you hurt?" he repeated, his grip and the intensity in his glare turning more urgent.

"No," I whispered. I stared at the jagged teeth marks left by the Dark Hydra and the darkness that stained the veins running from his wounds. My heart clenched in my chest as a wave of nausea washed over me, my stomach churning at the sight of him in pain. Despite my inner turmoil, I forced myself to remain calm as my fingertips lightly brushed his skin near the injury, tracing the contours of the damage with a delicate touch. "But you are."

"It will heal," he assured me, pulling my hand away from the lesion like he didn't want me anywhere near it.

My gaze drifted over the open space of the Mariana Trench, the pristine water so at odds with the dark evil that was here before. I wrapped my arms around his neck and anchored him to me. "Kai! You did it!" Elation flooded my body.

Kai's debonair smirk heated my blood to uncontrollable levels. "We did it."

A blush tinged my cheeks. "I didn't do anything, Kai."

"Didn't you, my little sea demon?" His voice turned sensual as he pulled me closer. "You believed in me and made me accept who I am. I couldn't have defeated the Dark Hydra without you."

Warmth blossomed in my chest, seeping through my body as I marveled at the glow of his sun-kissed skin.

Kai reached up, gripping my hand in his. "Let's get out of here."

He bent, placing one arm around my back and the other around my tail as he scooped me in his arms.

"Hold on tight," he whispered in my ear.

Adrenaline and excitement coursed through me. I wanted to tell him I wasn't a damsel in need of carrying, but something in the glow on his face made me swallow my words.

Kai shot up with such speed and intensity that I instinctively tightened my grip around his neck to prevent myself from being torn from his arms. Kai smiled down at me. "I'm not going to drop you, sea demon. You're too precious."

I was not the fainting type, but if this hard-core pirate, this killer and commander of the seas continued to say things like that to me, I might just swoon.

Rays of sunlight brushed my skin, heating my frigid blood as we emerged from the trench. As we neared the surface, the shadow of the ship danced above us. Kai shot out of the water like a dolphin, and we landed with ease on the deck of the Wraith. His grip on me tightened as the crew rushed toward us.

"Cap'n! What happened?"

"Where's the Hydra?"

My head spun, and whiplash threatened my neck muscles as the men all asked questions at once.

"Quiet!" Cael bellowed, and the voices instantly died down. He pushed through the crowd until he was face-to-face with Kai. A grin pulled on his upper lip. "Welcome back, Cap'n."

Kai nodded his head once in gratitude.

My gaze lifted from the crew and swept out across the ocean. Tears pricked my eyes at the scene. The death and darkness that haunted and tainted the waters before we went below were completely gone. Beautiful, vibrant oranges and yellows danced across the crystal-blue water as the sun hunkered down for the night. The cawing of seagulls was music to my ears and something I hadn't realized I'd missed until it was gone.

I glanced at the coral reef where I had been stranded when the creatures attacked me. It was still blackened and charred from the poisonous Dark Water that had stripped it of life, but maybe one day it would be vivacious again.

Kai approached the railing as the trench creatures from below eased above the surface. "Stand down," Kai warned his men as they went for their weapons.

"What will happen to them now that Dark Water is gone?"

Kai's glare never wavered. "They are creatures of the trench. They will be fine as long as they return to the darkness." Kai outstretched a hand toward the creatures, ripples of power washing over them.

I could not hide the smile that brushed across my lips. "Are you thanking them?"

"Shh… I wouldn't want to ruin my sea-monster-hunter persona all in one day."

My smile intensified at his response. "I think King of the Seven Seas has a mightier ring."

Something flashed across Kai's eyes, something I would have missed if I wasn't already staring longingly into them. Dread sank like a boulder in my stomach when I realized I had overstepped my bounds. Kai was still warring with who he was. I didn't understand why, but I could tell he wasn't ready to discuss it, so I dropped the subject.

"Are you going to hold me all day, or will you do your thing and return my legs?" A pleasurable shiver coursed down my spine when the sly gleam in Kai's eyes returned.

Kai's arms tightened around my waist, his fingers putting agonizingly sweet pressure on my skin. "Ask me that again, sea demon."

Heat flooded my body like I had swum through a thermal vent in the ocean. I bit my lower lip, trying to control my raging emotions. "Not in front of the crew."

"Then you better stop torturing me by biting that lip," he growled.

I was sure my cheeks turned every shade of crimson imaginable. Kai smiled, seemingly pleased with the effect he had on me. "Cael, hand the sea demon your shirt, will you? I'd hate for her to bare her backside to everyone."

Cael turned toward us, stripping his shirt from his torso and handing it to me. "Yes, I have a feeling that would be deadly for us all." Cael glanced at Kai, and a knowing look passed between the two.

I slipped my arms through the sleeves as Kai's power pulsated over my body. What used to feel like agonizing pain was featherlight kisses as it washed over me now. Kai sat me on my feet as my brow wrinkled in confusion.

"It didn't hurt that time," I marveled, assuming I was growing accustomed to the change.

"I can be gentle when I want to be," Kai whispered, the stubble on his jaw brushing across the sensitive skin of my cheek.

I reared backward as my mouth opened and closed like a fish and all kinds of words to call him rushed forward at once. "You sea snake! You made me feel that torturous pain on purpose?"

Kai shrugged, a wicked twinkle in his eyes as he turned away from me. I stomped after him, prepared to tear him limb from limb for being so connivingly vile.

A roar ripped from Kai's throat as he gripped his chest and crashed to his knees. It felt like the world stopped spinning, and my legs were moving in slow motion as I made my way to him, then fell to my knees.

Kai's eyes were glassy with pain, and he clawed at his chest like a madman, a person possessed. I latched onto his hands. Terror took root in the pit of my stomach, releasing deadly doses of fear in my bloodstream. The bite marks from the Dark Hydra were blackened and inflamed, as if the skin had been charred, and I could see the black poison coursing through his veins, heading for his heart.

Cael crouched down beside me, fear in his expression. The crew gathered around, all with looks of concern for their captain.

"What do we do?" I breathlessly asked Cael.

Cael's dark brows gathered, betraying his concern. "Get him to bed."

Several men rushed forward, gripping Kai under his arms and lifting him from the deck. I followed them below, fear knotting between my shoulder blades as they laid him in his bed. I crawled in after him, perched beside him on my knees.

"Out!" Cael barked, and the men quickly exited. "What happened down there? What is this?" Cael brushed his hands along the darkened veins, and Kai roared in pain.

I gripped Kai's hand and squeezed as tears flooded my eyes. "Dark Water…it's inside of him. The Dark Hydra was made of Dark Water, and when it bit him…" My voice broke on a whimper.

Kai's eyes shot open, further adding to my concern. His electrifying blue eyes were duller than I had ever seen. So dark that they were nearly black.

My body shook uncontrollably, emotion welling up inside of me. "What are we going to do?"

"I know a lot about doctoring." Cael sighed. "But I don't know anything about this." Hope sank further in my chest when Cael's usually strong, collected demeanor betrayed his fear. "I'm going to get some supplies to clean the wound." Emotion gathering in his eyes, Cael rushed out the door.

I flung myself onto Kai. His body was searing to the touch, but that did not stop me from lying beside him and wrapping my arms and legs around him as if doing so would keep him from slipping away from me.