Pirate's Persuasion

by Lisa Kessler

  PirateQueen817: Hell yeah!

  They completed three missions by the time Drake came in from the kitchen and his crewmates waved their goodbyes as they left. He sat beside her and pointed at the screen. “Take that one next.”

  Heather glanced his way with a half smile on her lips. “That’s a supply ship. They’re usually full of spices and coffee.”

  Drake shrugged. “Looks like it’s riding awfully low in the water for the cargo to be coffee.”

  She raised a brow. “You think they’re hiding gold in the hull?”

  He nodded slowly, meeting her eyes, but the hunger in his gaze didn’t seem to be for virtual gold. Her toes curled in her shoes. “Let me tell Queenie.”

  GrayGhost: Drake thinks we should take the supply ship. He thinks there’s gold on board.

  PirateQueen817: Drake’s there now?

  GrayGhost: Aye.

  Drake chuckled, shaking his head. “Enough talk. Plunder that ship before it sails away.”

  Together, with Queenie coming from the north and Heather from the south, they overpowered the smaller ship while incurring minimal damage. Heather gave the command to board the ship, and her crew, with the help of Queenie’s, quickly bound the supply ship’s men to the main mast and rushed below.

  After tossing aside burlap sacks of coffee beans, the true cargo was revealed. Trunks of gold coins. Heather laughed, grinning at Drake. “You are a damn fine pirate.”

  He tipped his head playfully with that spark in his eye that melted her heart. “Used to be.”

  PirateQueen817: That was awesome! I gotta log off and get some sleep before work tomorrow. Fair winds, GrayGhost!

  GrayGhost: Night, Queenie!

  Heather closed her laptop and set it aside. “Now that we know the coven doesn’t have your dagger anymore, you can sleep tonight, too.”

  Drake took her hand, his smile fading. “You heard Bale. This isn’t some faceless coven, love. This is your sister. He saw her.”

  Heather’s stomach twisted painfully. “I know, I know.” She stared up at the ceiling. “I’ve been thinking about all this, and she hasn’t committed a crime, at least not yet.”

  Drake raised an eyebrow. “She runs the Digi Robins on the dark web. They steal high-priced artifacts and sell them to the highest bidder. There have been plenty of crimes.”

  “But she hasn’t hurt anyone. Not physically.” God, even the ceiling seemed to be judging her. She lowered her gaze to Drake’s face. Desperation seeped into her voice. “Maybe I can meet up with her and explain the trouble that she’s in. If I can get her to turn over the figurehead in trade for a pardon for the Digi Robins, then she could help David chase down more of the dark web thievery rings.” Her tone rose with her hopes. “Ashley could be a big help to Department 13. I just need to sit down with her and make her see reason.”

  Drake ran his callused thumb along her knuckles. “Your love for your sister is admirable, but we have to be realistic.” He cleared his throat, his voice taking on a rough edge. “When some of the crew were here earlier tonight, we were making arrangements to keep the Grail close, just in case she tries to hurt you. If Bale isn’t successful in arresting her, we need a backup plan.”

  Heather’s eyes widened. “The Holy Grail that made all of you immortal is your backup plan? No. No way.”

  “Why not?” His brow furrowed, clearly confused by her reaction. “We both know the easiest way for her to hurt me is to go after you. You put your house on the line with Flynn to get him on board with stealing the figurehead. This is just in case she uses it against you or comes after you with her magic before we can steal it from her. If you were immortal, too, then she couldn’t hurt you.”

  “My sister is not going to kill me.” She couldn’t even entertain the thought.

  “She won’t have to.” Drake ran a hand down his face. “At any time, she could send every spirit who has died at sea right here into your living room. And, since you can already hear them, how long would you last with thousands crying, threatening, and wailing at you? I won’t sit by and pretend you wouldn’t go mad or worse. You could jump out a window or run into the street.” He shook his head, pain lining his features. “You’re too important to me, Heather.”

  She stared into his eyes, imagining eternity at his side. God, they barely knew each other. Well, that wasn’t exactly true, her soul had known him much longer, but in this lifetime their relationship was still new.

  She wasn’t ready to die today, but if she took a sip from the Grail, she would be trapped in this lifetime, forever.

  Ever since she could remember, she’d been communicating with souls who had crossed over, transitioned from this plane. They’d shown her images of pure light, given her a sense of the freedom of time and space, no longer impeded by a mortal body. Many of them chose to reenter the mortal world, each lifetime bringing new lessons and miracles, and sometimes, even second chances at love. Immortality enticed plenty of people, but she was more interested in what might come after life.

  She shook her head slowly. “Drake…I can’t. I don’t want a sip from that cup.”

  Drake clenched his jaw. “Please. Only as a last resort. I can’t have your blood on my hands, too.”

  She pushed his fingers open and traced the long lifeline on his palm. “If something happens to me, it won’t be because of you.” Her gaze met his. “It’s all going to work out. I’ll handle Ashley, David will get the figurehead, and hopefully we can keep the Serpent Society away from her.” The corners of her lips curved as her pale fingers laced with his. “I’ll be all right. You’ll see.”

  He caressed her cheek, his gaze searching her eyes. Her heart clenched with dread. Would he walk away now that he knew she wouldn’t drink from the Grail? Maybe he should. She would age and he’d remain ruggedly handsome. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Maybe loving for a lifetime was never in the cards for them. But why would their souls have finally found each other only to have the reunion end in heartbreak again?

  Time stretched between them. His thumb caressed her cheek and she nuzzled into his touch. He hadn’t been in her life for very long, but the thought of him walking out that door broke her heart.

  He leaned in and kissed her. His tongue swept into her mouth, hungry and needy as his fingers slid through her hair, tightening into a fist. Her pulse responded, racing, yearning to be closer to him. Never in her life did she believe she’d experience this kind of passion and acceptance.

  Was this love?

  She didn’t know, but whatever it was, she wasn’t going to give it up without a fight.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Drake pulled her close, hungry for the weight of her body in his arms, a reminder she was real, flesh and blood. His. Passion blotted out his fear. He’d find a way to keep her safe. If she wouldn’t accept a drink from the cup, he had to respect her wishes, but if her sister attacked with magic, he would need an ace up his sleeve. He refused to lose Heather. This woman had lured him from the shadows of his eternal existence back into the light. Into this century. Hell, she got him to stare at a computer screen and play a game.

  She’d reminded him how to truly live, to…love.

  He couldn’t tolerate the thought of losing her, not now, not ever. And he hoped the drapes were closed because there was no way they were going to make it to the bedroom upstairs this time. Losing himself in her was all that mattered. He wanted to forget where he ended and she began.

  Tilting his head, he deepened the kiss and lifted her onto his lap. With her legs straddling his waist, he slid his hands underneath the back of her shirt, holding her tighter as he unhooked her bra.

  Her hips rubbed his raging erection, stoking the flames of his hunger for her. She broke the kiss, her gaze locked on his as she unbuttoned his jeans. “Please tell me you have a condom in your pocket.”

  He’d almost forgott
en. Lifting them both, he slid his fingers into his back pocket and then held up a foil wrapper. Raising a brow he growled, “As you wish.”

  She snatched it from his hand with a sexy gleam in her eyes as she lowered his zipper and eased his shaft free. Watching her slide the condom on had him aching for release already. He ran his hands up her soft thighs underneath her skirt until he could knead her cheeks. She kissed him again, her teeth scraping his lower lip as he hooked his thumbs under her thong.

  “I’ll buy you a new pair, love,” he whispered as he snapped the thin elastic in two.

  He tugged the remnants down her leg and quickly brought her closer. His finger traced her opening, finding her wet and ready. He fused his lips to hers. There was no denying this hunger any longer. He entered her fully and without hesitation, drinking in her moan and growling at the way her fingernails dug into his shoulders.

  She sat up and gripped the opening of his shirt. With one tug, buttons clicked on the floor around them. “I’ll buy you a new one, love,” she whispered into his mouth, smiling as she kissed him.

  He laughed, flipping her over onto the couch without breaking the kiss. Gods. This was happiness. Right here, with her. He pushed her shirt up, cupping her breasts as he pumped his hips into her. Her cool hands explored his chest, every touch sparking new sensations in his heart, marking his soul. He was hers.

  His tongue swirled with hers as his thrusts became more urgent. He moved his hand lower, sliding his fingers between their bodies.

  “Come with me,” he gasped against her lips.

  His fingers toyed with her in time with the crashing of their hips. He held on, fighting the urge to let go. Not yet. Suddenly her inner muscles clenched tight around him, and he surrendered, exploding deep inside her.

  They clung to each other, kissing over and over. He couldn’t get enough of her. He almost couldn’t catch his breath. Breaking the kiss, he stared into her eyes, losing himself in the moment. He wished he could freeze time and stay here forever.

  Something scraped across the window and he snapped his head in that direction, breaking the afterglow spell he’d been under. A flash of color. Or so he thought? The window was dark and empty now.

  “Wait here.” He got up, sliding the condom free and tucking himself into his pants as he crossed the room. There was a small opening between the drapes. He peered through into the darkness. Maybe it had been the wind. But he swore there had been movement. He saw something.

  Maybe it was Greyson. He was supposed to be keeping watch.

  But his gunner wouldn’t have been a Peeping Tom at the window.

  Heather’s arms moved around his waist from behind. “What’s wrong?”

  He turned to embrace her and kissed her hair. “I thought I saw something. Probably an animal outside, but I better check in with Greyson just in case.”

  “All right.” She stepped back, grudgingly sliding free of his arms.

  Her cell buzzed on the table behind them. “That’s weird.” She frowned. “Who would call at this time of night?” She picked it up and glanced over at Drake. “It’s David.”

  “Shit,” Drake replied. This couldn’t be good news, and there’s no way it was a fucking animal outside. He quickly made his way around the living room, pulling all the drapes closed and turning off lights.

  Heather answered the call. “David?” She pulled her hair over her shoulder and frowned. “How am I supposed to do that? If I call her after midnight and no one has died she’s going to know something is up.” She paused, shaking her head. “What if I can’t get her to come?”

  She groaned as she lowered her cell and sat on the sofa with her head in her hands. “David was at my sister’s place earlier tonight, and now he needs me to get Ashley to leave so he can see if his hunch about the figurehead is right. Apparently, she had some magic wards on the shed and it tipped her off that someone was poking around, so he’s worried she’s going to move it someplace else.”

  Relief swamped Drake’s tight shoulders. The sooner they had the figurehead and Ashley was in custody, the safer Heather would be. He came over beside her and gripped her knee. “This is good news, love. While you call her, I’m going to check the yard. Greyson texted me back. He wasn’t outside the window, so I want to know who was.”

  “I thought you said it was an animal.” She raised a brow.

  “Just want to be sure.” He shrugged. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

  He kissed her forehead and turned on the porch light before slipping out the door. His dagger hung from his belt, but he’d feel better with his hammer and pistol. Sadly, those were locked in his truck. Sticking to the thicker shadows under the Spanish-moss-covered trees, he jogged toward the street.

  “Hello?”

  He froze at the sound of a woman’s voice and scanned the area. He didn’t see anyone.

  “Heather? Isn’t it past your bedtime?”

  They weren’t talking to him. He clenched his jaw and forced his legs forward. He recognized that voice. Ashley.

  “The hope chest can wait until morning. I’m in bed, and there’s no way I’m driving all the way over to your place right now.”

  But she was already here. Why? And why was she lying to Heather?

  Drake carefully unlocked and opened the door to his truck, praying she wasn’t close enough to see the flash of his dome light in the cab. Once he had it off, he leaned in, reaching under the seat for his tool belt and gun case while his mind wrestled with the idea that the Peeping Tom in the window tonight could’ve been Ashley.

  What was she doing here? Did she think the person messing with her shed was Heather? He wasn’t sure how far away Ashley lived these days, but even from a new suburban neighborhood she could reach the historic district of Savannah in a half hour.

  David had been at her place earlier tonight.

  Maybe Ashley did think Heather had been trying to steal from her.

  He followed the sound of her voice around the north side of the house. As he rounded the corner, he froze.

  A gutted cottonmouth snake lay on the sidewalk, curved in the shape of an S. Written in blood were the words:

  Thou shalt not steal

  Drake fumbled with his phone, wishing he’d paid more attention when Colton had shown him how to take a photo. After a few wrong buttons, he snapped a picture of the carnage, cursing under his breath. Things were getting more fucked up by the minute.

  Had the Serpents followed Ashley to Heather’s house? Maybe they thought they could scare Heather into convincing Ashley to return the figurehead. Or maybe this warning was for Ashley. Who the fuck knew?

  He stuffed his phone into his pocket and froze. He no longer heard Ashley’s voice. Damn it. He ran around the corner as a black van stopped silently at the curb. Two robed men dragged a woman with long dark hair toward the open side door.

  Drake ran, pulling his blade free. His pulse drummed in his ears, the rhythm calming his jagged nerves. He shouted, distracting the man on the right. As he turned to look, Drake sent the dagger sailing end over end.

  The blade buried itself in the man’s chest. He dropped to his knees, his fingers weakly pawing at the handle until he crumpled to the ground. The woman launched an attack on the other man, breaking free of his grip, but instead of running toward Drake, she bolted past the van and into the darkness.

  What the fuck? Drake rushed to the van, but the other robed man dove through the open side door before he could get there. It rolled shut as the tires screeched, and the black van disappeared. By the time Drake got to the edge of the street, the van was too far away to make out a license plate.

  The Serpents got away, but what about Ashley? He looked both ways for any sign of her, but nothing moved in the square. He retrieved his knife from the robed fanatic and checked for a wallet or ID. Nothing. Shit.

  Frustration soured his sto
mach. He couldn’t leave a body here, but he also needed to check on Heather.

  After wiping his blade clean on the bottom of his pants leg, he sheathed it and bent down to hoist the body onto his shoulder. On the high seas, they tossed dead men into the sea. The world wasn’t as simple anymore. Science made disposing of bodies more complicated and far from his expertise.

  With a grunt, he straightened, carrying the man over his shoulder like a sack of wet cement. Sweat rolled down his forehead as he hustled toward his truck, scanning the quiet streets for any witnesses. The shocks squeaked as he lowered the body into the bed and shoved it as far forward as he could. From the toolbox, he retrieved the gray contractor’s tarp and covered the man. It looked suspicious, but it would work until Agent Bale’s cleanup crew could take over.

  He closed the tailgate and wiped his brow. Done.

  When he turned around, he cursed under his breath. A shiny trail of blood led directly to his truck. Damn it. He fired off a text to Agent Bale.

  Need a cleanup crew to Heather’s house right away. Can’t wait until morning.

  A second went by, then one more. Shit, what if Bale was already busy at Ashley’s house? Finally, Drake’s phone buzzed.

  They’ll be there within the hour. Is Heather all right?

  Drake glanced at the darkened house. Fuck, he hoped she was.

  The Serpent Society paid us a visit.

  It took him a moment to figure out how to send the picture of the dead snake. Then he added, I got one of them, but I couldn’t find any ID. Maybe you can get fingerprints.

  Drake headed for the house as another text lit the screen.

  Shit. Stay with Heather.

  Chapter Twenty

  Heather ended her call with Ashley and groaned. David had given her an impossible task, but ridiculously, she still carried a smidge of hope in her heart that her sister would be willing to see her. Stupid and naive. Ugh.

  Her phone buzzed. A text from David.