Adrift-mxm

Chapter 9

He was mad at himself. 

No. 

He was absolutely furious at himself. 

Not only did I not skin him, but I even brought him back and let him grab me while sleeping!

For all the curses he was shouting at himself in his mind, Inkani was completely calm on the surface as he stared down at the werewolf still fast asleep in his arms. 

The worst thing, however, was that damned tooth of Ilio's! His pup had practically been teething on him for half the night because that thing kept hurting him in his sleep! 

Acting fine on the outside but when you're out cold you cry like a baby from pain. 

Of course, he'd yanked the thing out after the brat's fourth bite to his arm, but not before using his tongue to put a bit of his numbing saliva around the damaged area. 

Even numb, that should have woken you up. Are you that content simply sleeping beside me? 

"Tch, crazy mutt," he finally growled as he walked out the door and down the hall, carrying a partially-clothed Ilio. 

He hadn't really planned on being up so early, but when one of his crewmen ran in exclaiming that he'd heard word of the royal navy heading their way, he knew that he couldn't chance it. 

Captain Moral was exactly as one would expect him to be when considering his name. Upstanding. Exemplary. Righteous.

Disgusting government rat. 

He didn't have to worry about the man taking Ilio, though. It was his crew, and his own head, that he had to watch out for. 

No one liked werewolves, besides that strange elder vampire, Vrasje, who had bonded with a crippled pup, but the naval military? They would take one look at Ilio's wolf and immediately cut it down. 

The thought made his heart itch, but Inkani simply pushed away the images and finally stepped out into the morning sun. His ship was already being prepared to leave, and, evidently, not a second too soon, too. 

A ship was just breaching the horizon, its white sails like little dots on the waterline. 

We need to go. Now. 

As if on cue, Ilio began to wiggle a bit in his arms, drawing his attention down to the pup that was finally stirring back to life. 

I've flicked you more times than I can count for biting me. Then stuck my tongue in your mouth to numb the tooth I pulled out soon afterward, yet now you awaken because of a little sunshine? 

In the end, though, Ilio had slept through it all. Now, however, he finally gave out a big, content yawn, then opened his sleepy brown eyes. 

The moment they settled on Inkani they seemed to brighten considerably as a smile slid onto his face. 

"Inka!" he exclaimed, more than a little excited that he was in his arms. 

This dog...

Scoffing in disgust, Inkani abruptly dropped him, but grabbed one of his arms right before he could hit the ground and yanked him up to his feet. 

"We are leaving," he said before turning and abruptly walking away toward the pier. 

He could hear Ilio scrambling to catch up behind him, but as the pup's footsteps slowed a bit, Inkani glanced over his shoulder curiously. 

Ah, it makes sense that it's going to hurt a little now that my numbing saliva has likely worn off. 

Ilio was holding his cheek, clearly confused and hurting a bit.