AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The ship groans and shifts underfoot, breaking the spell. Basil blinks rapidly, his trance shattered. He looks around, bewildered, like a man waking from a dream.
He clenches his jaw, angrily shaking off whatever had him captivated moments before. His customary mask of control slips back into place.
What are you hiding? What are you, Basil Jenks? More than human, perhaps?
The ocean whispers fade into the background noise of the night, leaving only questions in their wake. I retreat further into the shadows as Basil turns and heads back toward the main deck. His steps are purposeful again, but there’s a new tension in his posture.
He felt it too.
I wait until he’s out of sight before stepping out of my hiding place. The ocean still calls softly, but the pull isn’t as strong now. The night is muted, save for the rhythmic whisper of the waves against the hull.
I step carefully, watching his every move, thinking about his connection to the siren call and the strange happenings aboard, but making no sense of it.
He stops and leans against a wall while he answers his phone. Something serious by the looks of his face. And not news he is happy about.
It’s time to get answers. I close the space between us.
The ship lurches suddenly, catching me off guard. I lose my footing, stumbling into view. Basil spins around, eyes locking onto mine with a mix of surprise and suspicion.
Turning slowly to face him, I waver between defiance and fear. “Basil. What are you doing here?”
“What is happening on this ship, Cordelia?” He steps closer, irritation clear in his tone. “What are you hiding?”
“Nothing that concerns you.” My snappy response fails as my voice wavers.
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “I don’t buy it. You’re always around when something strange happens. Why?”
His proximity makes my skin tingle. The air between us feels charged, electric. My breath catches as I struggle to keep my emotions in check.
Stay calm.
“You wouldn’t understand.” I turn away to hide my face.
“Try me.” He is insistent, too close now.
His intensity pulls at something deep within me, stirring emotions I thought long buried. My control slips for a moment—long enough for my skin to shimmer with my shifter nature. The soft luminescence is faint but unmistakable, like moonlight dancing on the waves.
My heart pounds, each beat a reminder of the secret I’ve kept for so long. The charge in the air between us is alive with an energy neither of us can deny.
His eyes, usually cold and calculating, soften for a split second, and I see curiosity, vulnerability, maybe even a hint of awe before widening in shock.
“What was that?”
I curse under my breath and step back quickly to mask the slip-up. “You’re seeing things.”
“No.” He grabs my arm. “I’m not letting this go.”
Fear surges within me. If he discovers the truth... yet there’s an irresistible connection between us that muddles my thoughts.
“I’m not your enemy.” My voice trembles with uncertainty.
“Then what are you?” he demands, his grip tightening enough to keep me from fleeing but not enough to hurt.
Tell him or keep lying?
“Cordelia.” His voice slices through the silence.
I look away, my shoulders tense. “You don’t understand. There are secrets, not mine to tell… you should not, cannot know.”
