Their Vicious Darling (Vicious Lost Boys #3)

WINNIE

I jolt upright, something sharp filling my senses. Beside me, the wolf sits up.

“Holy shit,” I gasp out and then suck in a breath. “What the hell?”

“I told you she was fine,” Bash says.

Vane turns away and folds his hands at the back of his head.

I blink through some of the fog and look over at the woman crouched beside me. “Who are…” I frown. “Do I know you?”

There is something vaguely familiar about the woman, like a dream I know the shape of, but not the finer details.

“Get her some clothes,” Pan says to Kas. “Vane, you go get her fresh water.”

“I’m not leaving her side,” Vane argues.

“I can get her water,” Bash suggests.

“Vane will be faster,” Pan says.

“You don’t give me orders,” Vane argues.

The woman leans into me. She smells like rose oil and something smoky and sweet. She takes my hand in hers. There is a crossroads of pale pink scars across her knuckles.

The boys are still arguing.

“Do you feel better?” the woman asks.

“Yeah I think so.” I smooth over my hair. “Who are you?” I ask.

“Samira,” she answers. “Smee,” she amends.

“Hook’s right-hand woman.”

Did I see her at Hook’s house when we confronted him and Tilly? Is that why I feel like I know her?

“Why are you here?” I ask her.

“You passed out,” she says.

“Oh. And you—”

“Know a thing or two about mortal women and magic in the Isles.”

“I see.”

The line of her dark brow draws to a deep V. “Do you?”

“Ummm…I think so?”

Her eyes search me and heat flames in my cheeks. She was expecting me to give the right answer and I clearly didn’t.

What don’t I know?

“All of these powerful men,” she says and lowers her voice, “blind to power when it looks them right in the fucking eyes.”

“Wait, what do you—”

Pan interrupts me. “Will she be okay?”

“She’s tired and malnourished,” Smee answers. “Feed her more.”

Pan briefly looks at me before turning back to Smee. “That’s it?”

“That’s it. Now, Cherry? That was the deal.”

“No,” Vane says. “The deal was we’d return Cherry to you. Not when.”

Smee sets her hands on her hips. There’s a dagger sheathed at her left side, the hilt wrapped in worn brown leather. Several runes are etched into the metal of the blade. Shapes and lines that remind me of the runes carved on my back.

She is just a few inches from the blade and could easily pull it before the others would reach her.

“When then?” she asks.

“Tomorrow,” Pan answers.

“We’re throwing her a party,” Bash says.

“A farewell party,” Kas adds.

“Let me speak to her,” Smee says.

All four of the boys stare at Smee and I sense the warring of wills.

Pan finally shouts, “Cherry!”

The Lost Boys are in one of the downstairs rooms yelling and laughing at one another.

“Cherry!” Pan yells again.

“I’m coming!” Her voice rises up to the loft and then her footsteps are hurrying up the main staircase a second later.

When she reaches the landing, she comes to a halt. “Oh, Smee. Hi.”

“I’m here to collect you. I would prefer you come now as would your brother.”

Cherry folds her arms over her middle and looks at Vane.

“I informed Smee we’re throwing you a farewell party,” he says and levels her with a look.

“Right. Yes. That’s right.” She smiles at Smee. “And I still have some packing to do. Not a lot. Just a few things and then tomorrow I’ll come…”

Everyone notices she cuts herself off before she says “home”.

I don’t usually feel pity for other people and I barely know Cherry, but I do understand a thing or two about wanting a place to belong.

“Jas is excited to have you back,” Smee says.

“I’m excited to come back,” she answers. “First thing tomorrow.”

Smee examines Cherry’s face for another second longer and then finally nods and turns back to the boys. “If she’s not returned to Hook by tomorrow safe and sound, I’ll tear out all of your eyeballs and eat them in a dipshit stew. Got it?”

Bash laughs. “Smee, you always were my favorite pirate.”

She smiles tightly at him. “And you are my favorite dipshit.”

He claps his hands in admiration and laughs again. “Let me walk you out.”

They disappear down the main staircase.

Pan sits on the coffee table in front of me and hunches closer. “Darling?” His gaze is searching. There is a sensation curdling in my gut like I want to shrink away and hide, but I don’t know why that’d be.

I will never run and hide from Peter Pan ever again.

“Yes?”

“Are you sure you’re all right?” he asks.

“I’m fine. I promise. Just tired like Smee said. A lot has happened.”

Kas sits at the other end of the couch. “She has a good point.”

But Pan frowns at me and Vane hovers just behind him, his attention penetrating too.

“I promise you didn’t break me by fucking me. Okay?” I give them a laugh to reassure them.

Then Cherry scoffs and turns away and thuds back down the stairs and the flash of an old memory darts through my head.

A memory of Cherry and…something.

A bird stuck in her room? Wasn’t it?

Vane turns to follow Cherry, but Peter Pan stops him. “Don’t, Dark One.”

“She’s hiding something.

“Smee said Darling is fine.”

“You’re going to believe a pirate? Who is our enemy?”

“Smee is not our enemy,” Pan argues. “She’s probably the most neutral party on this island.”

Vane throws up his hands and turns away.

“Do not go to Cherry, do not touch Cherry and do not kill her,” Pan warns.

Vane barely acknowledges the warning before he grumbles and leaves the room.

“He’s on edge,” I say to Pan.

“He always is,” he jokes. “He’ll be all right.”

But even I can hear the doubt in Peter Pan’s voice.

In fact, I have the distinct impression Vane is this close to snapping.