Page 99 of Take No Prisoners
He directed the shark to dive to the silt-filled bottom of the inlet, and then to swim as fast as she could. Her tail jerked to the side with so much force, Niall almost lost his hold on her fin. He gripped it with both hands and tried to align his body with hers. Klaus flattened himself along Niall's back and kept his grip tight around Niall's shoulders.
The distance between Niall and his storm weave increased with each passing second until it was a tiny buzz in the back of his head. His chest swelled as he felt something else growing closer. He felt Efren's presence in his core. That presence grew ever nearer, even as Niall's vision dimmed.
"Surface," Klaus choked.
Arrowtip rose to the surface, again at a gentle angle. Niall filled their air bubble with fresh air the moment they breached the water.
Klaus coughed, and then laughed as Arrowtip carried them intoStarlight Specter'sshadow. "I've never been so happy to see a pirate ship in my life."
They drew up to the rope net Efren had draped along the port side of the ship for them. Niall patted Arrowtip behind her gills in thanks, and then dropped his hold on her notched dorsal fin. She circled back towardEel's Gold, possibly looking for more sailors to eat.
Niall helped Klaus grab hold of the nearest rope, and then it was a race to the railing. Niall won by a hand's breadth, but Klaus pulled himself up and over while Niall was stunned immobile by the man hanging over the side of the railing, staring down at him.
Efren was still the prettiest angel Niall had ever seen. He reached down and grabbed hold of Niall's arm. Niall forced his legs to move, hefting himself over the railing with Efren's help. Then, he pulled Efren into his arms and clung to him.
Efren kissed his cheek and grabbed him by his hair, turning his head from side to side and then examining him from head to toe. "Did she hurt you?"
"No."
"And Klaus is all right?"
Niall nodded. "Where's Vadim?"
"In the hold."
"Is he going to survive?"
Efren nodded. "He removed their bond himself. He's resting."
"Klaus needs to rest, too." His grandmother approached with outstretched arms, but he was sad to let Efren go, even to hug her. He felt guiltier when she weaved an air spell to wring his clothes dry.
She patted his cheeks and grinned. "You did well, Niall. You've healed Klaus completely. We'll need to watch him for exhaustion for a few days."
"Watch me?" Klaus covered his mouth to hide a yawn. "Why?"
"Vadim needs to see you," his grandmother said. "Come. We've put him in the crate again."
Klaus staggered toward her, and she caught him before he fell.
"He'll be all right," Efren said as Niall's grandmother led Klaus to the stairs into the hold. "He's crashing after the giant amount of healing and all the excitement after. We'll feed him as soon as he wakes."
Niall sank against Efren, letting his hands roam over Efren's back, his shoulders, down his arms, confirming he was real.
"I'm here," Efren said. "You're safe." He kissed Niall's cheek again. "Come. You've burned most of your energy getting here. I'll have Codger Tim prepare you something while you rest in my cabin."
"Don't leave me," Niall pleaded. He couldn't keep the whine of exhaustion from his voice.
Efren waved to Hannah in the lookout. "Any ships on the horizon?"
They scampered down the ropes to stand on deck. "None. Coryn and some of her officers escaped in a lifeboat. She used air and water to create a force field unlike anything I've seen before. It kept the sharks from attacking her, but everyone in the water is as good as dead." Hannah patted Niall's shoulder. "You did well to call them."
"I didn't," Niall insisted. "I thought they were yours."
Efren shrugged. "Maybe we called them together."
Hannah slapped Niall's ass with the flat of their hand. From the way Efren jumped, they'd done the same to him. "Get to your cabin. You both need rest."
"Now that we're away, would you have Tim prepare meals for Niall, Klaus, and Vadim?"
