She inhaled a deep breath. “Her approval.”

She glowered at Larissa, confessing, “So, when I look at you, I feel nothing but envy and pity.”

Taken aback, Larissa cautiously inquired, “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because unlike me, she wants you.” Ann faced the sea, closing her eyes briefly, her lower lip trembling. “And I pity you for it.”

***

A taste of rose bombarded her tongue as she found herself between the slickness of Raven’s thick, long legs. A moan escaped her as her tongue ravaged the damp sweetness, clawing at the vampire’s lean abs. She pulled away, a sleek wetness connecting them, and elongated her fangs, trailing them along a thick thigh and—

She awoke in the middle of the night with a gasp, sweat dampening her brow as she shot out of the bunk and paced madly around the dark room. Her wolf incited lunacy within her dreams and a fire in her loins better left unquenched.

The ship lurched violently, breaking Larissa from her ravings and sending her sprawling to the ground. A thud echoed around the room as she hit her head on the quaking floor. The world spun, but Larissa only laughed, defeated, on the ground. What madness plagued the journey now?

The cool wooden floor started to fill with seawater, chilling her spine and cooling her wolven spirit. Slowly, she closed her eyes as half her body became submerged in the cool liquid. A hand reached out, pulling her from the chilling comfort and cradling her in precious warmth.

Larissa’s eyes remained shut, her nose clogged with stifled sniffles. “Sylva, I’m sorry,” Larissa whimpered against a soft chest, reaching out to lick the side of Sylva’s neck. The moment her tongue stroked the cool skin, a burst of rose exploded in her senses. A sharp gasp escaped her as she withdrew immediately, gazing intently into Raven’s fiery eyes, glowing brighter in the gloom.

Raven stared back at her, eyes wide and pupils dilated. Her lips parted in awe, and she stood frozen, cradling Larissa tighter. Larissa glanced towards Raven’s heart and absentmindedly placed a tender hand on her chest. Subtle beats echoed within Raven’s chest, and Larissa murmured, “How is it—”

A rapid flood of ocean water burst from the wall, exploding around them in wooden shrapnel and drowning them in seawater. The duo spiraled within a funnel of cold water under the weight of the ocean, Raven clenching Larissa furiously, air bubbles escaping their mouths as the murky depths took them.

***

The warmth of the sun and the caress of the soft breeze coaxed Raven’s eyelids to flutter open. She flinched at the sun’s morning rays, her back aching as she groggily sat up. She groaned, admiring the waves that gently tugged at the sand beneath her, drifting back into the sea.

“Shipwrecked,” Raven hissed, noting two pieces of driftwood washed ashore. She turned her gaze behind her, observing with cunning eyes a bundle of tropical trees and a wide sandy beach. “A perfectly adequate location to be shipwrecked,” she admitted ruefully to herself.

A familiar groan caught her attention, and Raven’s eyes landed deftly on the beautiful woman sprawled lazily on the murky sand—Larissa. She clicked her tongue at the sorry state the werewolf was in, ogling keenly on how her wet robes clung for dear life to her amble bosom and curvy shape.

Her black, dead heart pulsed, bewildering Raven a third time and spreading a warmth throughout her veins that she had long assumed gone. Not even her ravishing concubines, whom she adored, could make her heart beat and melt the frigidness of her soul.

Only the fiery flames of ambition could sate her, burning wildly through anything in her path that made her feel the rush of life. But then, a silver little wolf comes along and rescues her from a castle… The thrum of a heartbeat pulsed again, and Raven heaved a heavy sigh.

Ignoring her newly acquired emotions like an adult, she gently gathered the sleeping beauty into her arms, admiring her silver wild locks and cracking a soft grin as the wolf mumbled a weak protest in her sleep. She frowned as she noted a reddish-purple bruise on the wolf’s forehead, tainting her flawless olive complexion, and hissed a string of curses as she stood up on the seashore.

She despised how fragile this woman was. Raven likened Larissa’s mental and physical state to thin glass—beautiful, but a mere brush of wind could shatter her. Raven pitied the werewolf in her arms, cradling her and carrying her like precious cargo, and she pitied herself for being interested in a living creature so fragile.

If Vance figured out her interest in the werewolf, it would be the end of Raven. He would use Larissa against her, as he always did with her lovers, and Raven would be imprisoned yet again.

She recalled the ambush from last night. How Vance led a command of the Queen’s vessels under the cloak of night, shooting cannonballs and fae magic at their wake, busting a hole through their hull and sending them all adrift. She didn’t know, or care, if the other wolves escaped, but she could still feel the faint pull of the thrall enchantment on the captain.

Aggravated, she jostled Larissa gently, putting her in a better position as she leisurely strode within the trees. Her eyes flickered left and right, not recognizing any of the wildlife or plant life. She doubted they were even near fae country—a place where magic sings strong and where witches and wizards are born and made. A place connected by the blessings of the fae queen, who anoints a queen from the four covens and blesses them with her crown.

But to be blessed, one must offer the fae queen something precious in return, and Morgana is a newly anointed queen. On the dawn of the summer solstice, when the moon eclipses the sun, Morgana will bow her head and offer her pendant to the fae queen, and the queen will accept it with a grin.

***

Lazily, Larissa stirred from her slumber, feeling the dew-kissed grass graze her skin. She fluttered her eyes open, wincing at the pang on her forehead, and gently caressed it while lifting herself up.

“Where…?” A gentle waterfall pooled into a clear crystal spring, and she sat upon the soft green grass in awe of the sight. The hand upon her forehead reached for the sparkling clear spring, and she frantically shot to her feet. “Sylva! Sylva!” she hollered, twisting and turning, glancing at every spot and crevice.

“She’s not here, but knowing how stubborn she is, she’s alive,” Raven announced from the shadow of the trees, naked as she approached Larissa cautiously, carrying a freshly carved melon.

“Then where?!” Larissa fired back, fangs protruding and claws jutting in rage.

Raven halted and let out a heavy sigh as she set down the melon in front of Larissa. Larissa reluctantly sheathed her claws and fangs and glanced down at the offering. She noted Raven stayed knelt, not willing to face her. “I don’t know.” Raven stood up, running a cool hand through her silky hair. “I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t betray them?” Larissa weakly added. “You didn’t—”

A sharp exhale of breath cut Larissa off. “Don’t be absurd,” Raven hissed, arms flailing madly. “Why would I shipwreck myself on this fucking island?!”

Larissa winced, and fell to her knees, defeated. “Then we are doomed.”

Raven arms flopped to her sides, shooting Larissa a sour glare. “Are you truly a wolf? So willing give up without even putting up a fight?”

Larissa bundled herself into a ball, hugging her legs to her naked chest, and planting her face on them. “And what do you expect me to do?” She mumbled; her words muffled by her legs. “I’m just a submissive wolf…”

Raven gawked at her and cried. “Who killed a humongous crocodile and freed me from the vampire Queens dungeon!” Raven forcefully yanked Larissa by her shoulders, shaking her madly while Larissa sagged in her grasp, refusing to look at her with her doe eyes. “How are you this timid when you’re so strong?!” Raven’s eyes flashed in fury, and her fangs lengthened, causing shiver of terror to tremble down Larissas spine, and she clenched her eyes shut. “Is it because you’re a submissive?! Don’t lis--” But her words fell onto deaf ears, and Larissas mind went blank.

She deserved this scolding, she meekly peeked at Raven still raving at her, and if Raven willed it, she deserved to be hit. After all she hit Lyra, and all Lyra did was speak the truth.

Inwardly she hated that Ravens grip lessoned on her shoulders. The vampire’s wrath is starting to ebb. Larissa deserved to hit not spared the rod, and so she recalled the warning Raven made to Larissa on the pier and bashed her sore forehead into the vampire’s nose.

The reaction was instant, her back smashed into the dirt, causing the air to flee from her lungs. She panted, refusing to gaze at the snarling vampire, whose hot breath brushed against her cheek.

A few seconds of haggard breaths escaped her, and nothing happened. Slowly, Larissa turned her head towards the vampire and widened her eyes.

A kind expression lingered on Ravens face, her nose sporting a good red mark, and eyes baring a hint of pity. “You really are a fragile wolf.” Raven lifted her by the base of her head, sweeping her within her arms as she sat up, and embraced her. “Why are you trying to—” Larissa shuddered at Ravens naked breasts cushioning her own, and a warm tingle fired down her spine. “—provoke me?”

Slowly, Larissa melted into the embrace, nuzzling Raven’s soft neck. “I’m sorry, but I deserve to be hit, for what I did to Lyra. It hurt Sylva, so I should hurt.”

A puff of a snort escaped Raven’s lips as she steadied them to their feet. “Is this some sort of wolf thing?” Raven clicked her tongue. “Such a childish thing to say.” She brushed a stray lock of Larrissa’s hair out of her face. “If I punched Sylva for punching me, we’d be doing nothing but punching each other all day.” She released Larissa, who instantly missed her cool heat.

Raven strode towards the forest, proclaiming, “I am going to scout the area and see if I can find any semblance of where we are.” She paused, briefly glancing back at Larissa. “You are going to eat that melon and relax.” She marched forward, adding, “I’ll be back in 20 minutes.” Her form vanished between the shadows of the trees, and Larissa glanced gloomily back at the sliced fleshy fruit.