Excerpt: Taming the Beast

The sounds of the water rushing past the sailing barge drown out the soft moans and laborious pants of the lovers locked in each other’s arms near the bow of the ship. Early morning carried a chilling wind that lashed over their bare skin. The suns had not yet begun their ascent into the sky and the moons hid within the folds of the remaining storm clouds that drifted lazily across the horizon. The shadows that moved through the water went ignored, their attention on each other instead of the water as it should have been. She had had no care for their watch, taking what she’d wanted for so long as soon as he had appeared behind her. He never argued, willingly giving in to her whims and wanton desires. She balanced precariously along the bow of the ship, her legs spread wide and wrapped around his bare waist while he buried his face in the crook of her neck, blissfully oblivious to the danger that lurked ahead.

“Gods!” she screamed as his thrusts within her intensified and she felt the crashing waves of her orgasm wash over her body, thrilling to her very core. She heard his grunts of pleasure as well, feeling him fill her with his seed and silently hoping to be blessed with his gift. Her hope faded however as the ship suddenly lurched and rocked beneath them, throwing them both to the wooden slats of the deck in a tangle of limbs and flesh.

“What in all of hells,” he cursed, scrambling out from beneath his lover, exposed to the world and uncaring of it. She shared his shock, the bliss gone and replaced with worry and fear. She was not far behind him, rising to her feet while reaching for their discarded clothes. The ship had stopped moving and they could hear the rest of the crew moving below deck. Still, their eyes saw nothing that would have caused the ship to lurch as it had, the water still and clear.

He took his pants from her, absently tugging them on over his bare and sticky legs while searching for the offending object. The waters of the Sai’hl Straight were clear however, nothing but the early morning breeze stirring the tall grass that lined the shore.

“Do you see anything, Cale?” she asked, her voice pitched low, her large eyes searching even while she hid behind his strong form to redress. Something did not feel right, something that sent a chill down her spine and a nervous knot to form in her stomach.

“No,” he said, shaking his head and frowning. Feet pounded behind them shortly after they both managed to redress, their sin hidden for the time being.

“Report!” the captain said, looking out on the straight as well.

“We don’t know, Cap,” Cale responded, moving to stand on the bow itself, his hands gripping the taught ropes that lined the ship for support. “There’s nothin’ there.”

“CALE!”

Her terrified screams were the only thing he remembered hearing before immeasurable pain lanced through his leg. The icy temperature of the straight’s water was the next thing he felt, the freezing liquid so cold it stung his flesh and instantly made all of him numb. He could see the underside of the barge, see the horrible damage and the blurred shadows that ravaged it and felt the panic begin to set in as darkness encroached upon his vision.