Rhiannan stood firm in her circle of creatures, still barefoot, scared shitless and damn near naked, but she would face this head on and drop kick anyone in the balls who deserved her. She wrinkled her nose, her freckles glittering in the sun. Her huge brown eyes were wide with anticipation.
The ship got closer fast...too fast. She blinked and it was already at the beach. What the fuck? What is this witch craft?
Black sails snapped in the wind, adorned with shimmering silver runes that practically screamed Fae bullshit. The hull was sleek obsidian, and the ship moved like it was gliding on thought alone, not water. And on the bow?
A figure.
Tall. Graceful. Dressed in dark leathers with blades strapped all over his body like accessories from the deadliest Hot Topic in the multiverse.
He jumped off the ship before it even fully docked.
Literally leapt.
Rhiannan's jaw dropped as the man landed silently on the sand with catlike grace. One eye visible, dark, endless, intense. The other? Covered with a black leather patch that somehow made him hotter.
His black hair was black tousled perfection. He was lean muscle and wicked grin and danger all wrapped in one Fae pirate package. Rhiannans legs trembled and she felt heat between her legs as her face flushed red. Her eyes widened. What in the absolute hell is this? She panicked. Why was she ready to jump this insanely hot pirate only seconds after meeting him? She growled at him, her creatures tensing beside her.
He stepped toward her, slow and calculated. His eyes flicked to the creatures and his brow lifted in curiousity. He'd never seen these species co mingling wit each other, yet here they all were, surrounding this beautiful goddess on a remote beach no one should even be on. He grinned at her, his lopsided grin causing more heat between her legs.
"Are you real? Did you just growl at me?" he asked, voice like velvet and sin.
"No," she snapped. "I'm a fuckin' hallucination here to tell you your eyeliner's smudged. Back off, before I kick you in the balls pirate boy!"
He tilted his head. Grinned. It was unfair, that grin. So fucking unfair. She huffed. "Who the hell are you?"
"I'm Arwen," he said, eyeing her with a heat that terrified her. "And you... you're mine."
"EXCUSE me?" She snarled.
He stepped even closer, ignoring her raised fists and ready stance. "The bond is singing. I felt it the moment you appeared. Followed your scent all the way here." He looked around, "Speaking of here, why is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life, stranded on a remote island no one lives on, and how did these creatures come to be with you? Very curious."
"The only thing singing is the sound of you getting your ass handed to you if you don't step the fuck back, Captain Creeper, and I have zero gods damn clue why I'm here or how I got here. I think I hit my head." She was NOT having this.
His grin didn't falter. "You smell like starlight. I would kill for you. Anyways. Doesn't matter how you got here or why, you're coming with me now." He declared cheerfuly.
"Oh, fuck no," she said, jabbing a finger into his chest. "Do not come at me with you're mine weirdo pirate vibes. I just woke up on a freakyass beach with three suns and no goddamn clue how I got here. You don't get to claim me like I'm a free sample at a Costco from hell."
He paused.
Then laughed.
Like, full on, throaty laugh. "Goddess, I like you already."
Something inside her twisted at that word...goddess. But she didn't show it. Not yet.
Behind him, a whole crew of shifter pirates was disembarking, foxes, bears, some guy who might've been a lizard? They all looked wary but not hostile. They watched her with awe, almost reverence. She shook her head. Weird. This was all so fucking weird.
Arwen stepped back and offered a dramatic, sweeping bow.
"You're safe now. Come aboard. We'll figure out what you are... and why the stars are screaming your name."
Rhiannan crossed her arms and glared hatefully at this sexy as sin pirate.
"Fine," she said. "But if anyone tries to collar me, I'll burn this whole bitch down."
His eye sparkled with mirth and amusement.
"I'd expect nothing less."
She grinned wickedly, "We might just get along after all. So my memory is trash, no idea how I ended up sitting on that beach or where I was before. Y'all got any fancy memory potions or some shit?"
Arwen chuckled, running his hands through that delicious black hair. "Unfortunately, not with us. Although I know someone we can ask for help." Rhiannan nodded, walking towards the ship, eyeing it warily. "I suppose I can trust you...for now."
Arwens eye twinkled, "That's all I ask goddess."