Shattered by the Sea Lord - Starla Night Page 0,26
of liquid stuck in her throat like snot in her bronchial tubes.
She coughed and hacked so hard tears burned her eyes and real snot clogged her throat. She gagged and threw up over the side. A wave slapped her in the face, dousing her. She gasped and choked.
Ciran steadied her.
She collapsed bonelessly in his arms. Everything felt heavy and rough. Her throat filled with grit. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Dannika!” Val crawled toward her. The blood crusted on her face, and her skin underneath was green. She patted Dannika’s shoulders. “You’re alive.”
Dannika wheezed. “Barely.”
Ciran rested the crowbar at his now-human feet and handed Val the bottle of Sea Opal elixir. “Drink and heal.”
She took the elixir. “Are they your friends?”
Hadali and Tulu floated on the other side of the raft. They had jumped in and Val had screamed. They must have jumped right out again.
“Friends? No, we have just met them,” Ciran said.
Val fumbled for Ciran’s crowbar.
“They…rescued…us…” Dannika managed between coughs.
“Yes, do not harm them. They may be allies.”
“We will take you to Sanctuary,” Hadali said.
“Oh, you speak English.” Val sighed with relief. “You gave me the biggest scare.”
“Sorry.”
Tulu dove.
“What’s Sanctuary?” Val asked.
“Our island. It’s not far. Except we’re going the wrong way. Excuse me.” Hadali dropped beneath the waves as well.
The raft jerked to the left. The teens pulled it across the currents, and waves bumped and splashed the fragile plastic.
“Are you well?” Ciran asked Dannika.
Dannika nodded. Her throat burned with salty fire. “I heard shifting was rough.”
“Changing back is the hardest.” He released her. “I will assist with the raft.”
Under the water.
Where the Lusca hunted.
Where he could die.
She grabbed him. “No!”
He sat stiffly.
All the blackest, most awful terrors gushed into her mind, choking out her reason. His elbow poked her bruised belly, but she hugged him even tighter. “Don’t go. You’re injured. It’s dangerous.”
“You are injured.” He gripped her sore shoulders, gently easing her away from him. “I am capable. And I must help the trainees pilot this raft. If a full patrol attacks in open water, Luscan tridents can easily pierce this plastic.”
Logically, it made sense.
But if she let him go…
Disaster. Crisis.
Death.
“Dannika.” He pulled her onto his lap once more and hugged her, rocking her gently. “You survived. The Luscans did not harm you. We will evade them. Do not dim your light with tortured thoughts.”
His bulging arms tightened with quelling strength.
She was being irrational. No, that wasn’t true. She was a hundred percent rational after the sabotage, the plane crash, and the hostile warriors, but dwelling in those fears didn’t make her any safer right now.
Ciran was right.
She would do anything to keep him safe in the boat, but that wasn’t an option right now.
Dannika tried to force in a shaky breath. Her bronchial tubes constricted and wrenched another torrent of coughs from her beleaguered lungs.
Ugh. She couldn’t even breathe deeply like normal because of the gritty shift. She had to learn a fresh way to calm this anxiety attack.
“I’ll be okay,” she finally managed.
“Of course you will be.” He helped her to sit comfortably across from Val in the raft and rested her hands in her lap. “You have a large, selfless heart. If you could change places with me, you would do so without hesitation.”
He was right. God, he was so right.
“Harness that frustration so you can develop your queen powers.” He brushed her wet hair back from her face. “And then I, a second lieutenant of Atlantis, will shelter under your protection.”
Oh. Gosh.
He always knew exactly what to say.
His brow cleared. He stroked her cheek with his broad thumb. “Now your soul is bright. Hold onto this feeling. It gives me strength.”
She clasped his taut forearm. “I’ll do my best.”
“I know you will.” He leaned forward.
She lifted her chin for his kiss.
Hadali popped up behind the raft. “Hey, Ciran? We could really use some help down here.”
“I am coming now,” Ciran promised.
Hadali disappeared again.
Val offered Ciran the crowbar.
“You keep it.” He pressed his lips to Dannika.
She melted into his touch.
The comforting kiss was exactly what she needed. His firm jaw did not yield to her fears. His rough male skin grazed her soft cheek.
His scent filled her with warmth and protection. Images flooded her. The way he’d wielded the crowbar, the way he’d never given up. It is okay to love this male. He will never drown and leave you.
He pulled back, and a small smile curved his lips. The coffee and green tattoos swirled in alternating patterns across his high cheekbones, never