With These Last Breaths: A Slow Burn Pirate Fantasy Romance (Aisling Sea Book 3) by Vanessa Rasanen

Author:Vanessa Rasanen [Rasanen, Vanessa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crab Apple Books
Published: 2023-08-14T16:00:00+00:00

31

Declan

The click of the barn door closing barely registered as Declan held the Csintala dagger up under Callum’s chin, lifting his face slightly. Tommy must have hit the man rather hard for him to still be unconscious.

But no matter.

Declan knew just how to wake him up.

You don’t have to do this.

Tommy’s words whispered in his mind, but they were soon drowned out by a sinister laugh coming from somewhere within him. Tommy might be right, but Declan no longer cared about what Tommy thought, or Gavin, or Aoife.

Aoife.

He shook away her name. She would understand. She would still love him when it was finished. She had to, just as he had to do this.

Beckoning the darkness within him to creep forward, he smiled when all thoughts of his friends dissolved away, leaving him with just Callum and the dagger in his hand.

Slowly he moved the tip of the blade up the man’s jaw to the scar Halloran had given him in front of his left ear. It shone a ghostly white in the lantern light until Declan forced the blade into the edge of it. Blood seeped around the smooth metal and trailed down Callum’s face as Declan tore open the old wound.

He’d made it halfway down Callum’s face when the man jolted awake. He squirmed and fought, his eyes going wide as he registered Declan standing before him. Declan snatched the pirate’s chin in his other hand and squeezed hard, holding him still as he finished his first cut.

With a smile, Declan cocked his head to the side to admire his work, ignoring how Callum eyed him with horror and surprise.

One raspy word fell from the pirate’s mouth. “How?”

Declan answered by waving the dagger in front of Callum’s face.

“You got cocky, friend.” Declan clicked his tongue and then shrugged. “And when you get cocky, you make mistakes.”

Callum’s face tightened in confusion, and Declan released an annoyed sigh.

“You betrayed me, Callum.” The words came out calm, collected, and menacing. “Were you not aware of that bit of the dagger’s legend? Or did you just forget?”

No answer came from the man—verbal or otherwise—so Declan continued as he turned Callum’s head to the other side and shifted the dagger to his other hand.

“No matter either way though. The dagger doesn’t take kindly to betrayers. Your loss is my gain it seems.” He pressed the blade into Callum’s other cheek and sliced it down to his jaw, speaking as he worked. “I get the dagger. And I get my revenge. It’s a beautiful thing.”

He leaned back, turning the man’s face from side to side.

“Unlike your face, however. You’ll never be pretty again.”

Callum scoffed. “Women love scars.”

“Aye. Some do, but you’ll have far more than a few scars before we’re done.” Declan dropped Callum’s face, turned away, and began pacing.

Tapping the flat side of the dagger against his lips, he walked. Back and forth. Back and forth. Tapping in rhythm with his boots as they hit the dirt floor.

“Why don’t you get on with it?” Callum spat.

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