Pirates, Passion and Plunder

by Victoria Vale

  “Let’s see what we can do with them then.” He stood. “Just remember, keep one alive.”

  “Aye, Cap’n.”

  When Hannah made to stand, he put his hand on her shoulder and firmly pressed her back down. “You will stay right here.” When he gave Abigail a look, she pulled out one of many daggers he had given her. “You make one move to leave, and Abigail has my permission to stop you by any means necessary, Hannah. Do you understand?”

  “Why would I want to leave?” She looked at him innocently. “If you get yourself killed, I might still be able to save my sister.”

  Though she tried to come off haughty and uncaring, he knew her far too well. He saw the tiny vein throbbing in her temple. The way she clenched her hands tightly in her lap. Telltale signs that she was worried about him.

  “I will be fine,” he said softly, cursing his loose tongue. She deserved to worry about him. To feel even an ounce of the bloody heartbreak she had put him through.

  “I am sure,” she said curtly, not looking at him, suddenly wearing the cool mask of indifference she had worn the day he went off to war.

  For a split second, he nearly yanked her into his arms and kissed her hard like he had wanted to back then, but his stubborn pride disallowed him.

  Instead, he strode out without looking back, throwing over his shoulder, “Watch ‘er close, Abigail. She’s a slippery sort.”

  A crack of thunder broke, and lightning flashed over the mangrove trees lining the back exit, so he kept to the shadows alongside Robert, one type of adrenaline switching to another. He loved battling, especially when it was stealthy. When he could sneak up on an enemy before they saw him coming.

  So he snuck through the trees, discovering in little time how many they were dealing with and for the most part their locations. If he were to go off the head count, he would say Big Devil had brought most of his crew with him.

  Which, ultimately, made the fighting swift.

  Having fought alongside one another for years, he and his crewmen knew what to do without much communication. Take the enemy down as quietly as possible before anyone could cry out and warn the others. So he snuck up on one, slit his throat then crept through the rain toward another.

  Regrettably, a man did cry out before he made it to him, alerting his current prey.

  He unsheathed his cutlass, and the two went at it, thrusting and avoiding each other as they slid in the slick mud. The heavy rain made it difficult to see clearly, so lightning flashes were his sole source of vision. That, as it happened, suited him just fine. He preferred to rely on his senses in combination with an acute ability to anticipate another’s move to a near fault.

  So imagine his surprise when he dodged a blade thrust, spun and nearly lost his balance on the slick ground. He didn’t fall, but he was not prepared for the lethal sword thrust coming his way. A thrust, as it turned out, that never met its mark because a dagger hit the man’s forehead.

  Astounded, he spun to find Hannah behind him.

  She had thrown the dagger.

  Moments later, she paid for it too when a pirate got a hold of her.

  That’s when Luke realized he’d had no idea what a living nightmare was until now.

  Not until Hannah’s life was seconds away from being snuffed out.

  Chapter 7

  She thought for sure this would be her opportunity to make a break for it, but when she stepped outside and saw a pirate ready to run his blade through Luke, everything came to a screeching halt. Her heart stopped, and her world dwindled down to him. There was no thought of fleeing only of saving him.

  So she narrowed her eyes, aimed, whipped hard and by the grace of God, hit her mark.

  When Luke spun and met her eyes, shocked, she nearly ran to him but was stopped short when a blade slipped around her neck. Yet again, she was in the lecherous hands of a pirate only this time circumstances were especially dire.

  So said the stark fear in Luke’s eyes.

  “Anyone steps closer or kills another one of my mates,” the pirate roared, “and she dies!” His gaze narrowed on Luke. “And don’t think I won’t do it!”

  Luke made a gesture she assumed told his men to stand down.

  She started trembling and tried to find the calm center she used to embrace when beneath her uncle’s switch, but it was bloody hard. Likely because she had not stood at death’s door. Typically speaking, death itself didn’t frighten her so much. At least it hadn’t until this moment. While leaving her sister without protection bothered her, deep down, she knew there was nowhere safer for Rose than with Thomas. He would die for her.

  She was startled to realize what caused her sudden fear of dying was being separated from Luke. Losing him all over again.

  “Let ‘er go,” Luke growled, his gaze thunderous. “Let ‘er go, and yer death will be merciful.”

  “That might not have been the best argument,” she squeaked, flinching when the blade pressed tighter. Curse her and her need to talk when she was nervous. To talk at any time, really.

  “I’m lookin’ for a brooch,” the man replied. “Hand it over, and the wench is yours.”

  “I am not a wench,” she said tightly, then considered those who had given her shelter. “Not that there is anything wrong with being a wench, or whore if you will—”

  “Enough.” The man pressed the blade tighter still. “I’ll ask ye one more time—”

  That’s all he got out before he was ripped away by Robert who had snuck up from the side. He’d barely gotten the pirate off her before Luke slammed the lout up against the building and started strangling him with his bare hands. She had never seen him so infuriated, lost in unrecognizable rage.

  “Cap’n, we need him.” Robert gripped Luke’s shoulder and leaned close. “Ye’ve got to pull free of yer fury so we can get information.” He shook his head. “We need to know what Big Devil’s intentions are.”

  Yet Luke kept squeezing, and the pirate’s eyes bulged in distress.

  “Luke,” she exclaimed, trying to get through to him. “You need to listen to Robert. We must find out what Big Devil’s intentions are if we are to keep your brother and my sister safe.”

  When he kept squeezing, she rested a hand on his other shoulder and stepped close. Where she could soften her voice and keep pleading, she knew what he responded to better. So she kept her tone stern, went for his jugular, and challenged him. “You cannot do it, can you? You cannot take control of the situation.”

  Initially, his grip only tightened, his features contorted in fresh rage before she mentioned his lack of control again and finally got through to him.

  Visibly shaken, he released his hold, raked a hand through his sopping hair and turned his thunderous regard on Hannah as Robert dragged the pirate inside for questioning.

  “What were ye doing out here,” he groused, still very much the pirate rather than the man from her past. “Ye could have bloody well gotten yerself killed!”

  She backed away but didn’t get far before he had her against the wall where he’d held the enemy moments before. The man in the bedroom earlier was not the one standing in front of her now, so she knew the rules were different. What she did not know, unfortunately, was how to handle him. He was not back in control as she’d hoped but still very much out of it.

  “I—” was all she got out before he yanked her close and his lips crashed down hard on hers.

  He had never kissed her on the lips before.

  That was not part of their dynamic.

  At first, she froze, unsure how to respond, but when his tongue forced its way into her mouth, and she finally tasted him for the first time, she melted. That was the only way to describe it. Their tongues danced, and the kiss grew hungry, desperate. It was almost as if they had wanted this all along, but neither of them pressed it. She had craved it on more than one occasion but feared it would change them somehow. Morph what already worked.

  “Cap’n, ye’ll want to come in and hear this,” Rober
t said. “Straight away.”

  His lips lingered against hers for another moment before he dragged his mouth away and strode inside, without so much as a backward glance. Breathing heavily, trying to catch her breath, she stood there, stunned, trying to work through her emotions.

  “Come on in then, ye little troublemaker,” Abigail said, her voice kinder than Hannah expected given what she had done. “Yer place is by his side now to be sure.”

  When Hannah frowned, unsure what to say, Abigail went on. “Cap’n don’t kiss anyone on the mouth.” She shook her head. “Never. It ain’t the way he’s built.”

  Though mildly miffed the woman felt she needed to explain Luke to her, she was surprisingly relieved that he’d saved that kiss for her.

  “I can see by the relief in yer eyes ye’re glad to hear that.” Abigail gestured that she follow. “Get in here and dry off then sort through yer feelings as ye need to, aye?”

  Hannah blinked, finally free of her stupor and glad for Abigail’s kindness.

  “Thank you.” She met the woman’s eyes. “And I am sorry for…well, you know.”

  “Aye, I know all right.” Abigail shrugged. “’Tween us, I’d rather see a woman be able to steal my dagger so quickly and slip free of my grasp.” She winked. “That means she can do the same to a man if she finds herself in a precarious position.”

  They were in full agreement there.

  She stopped at the threshold and spoke softly, not sure why she shared. “He taught me that, you know.” She met Abigail’s eyes. “How to take care of myself…how to defend myself.”

  “That don’t surprise me in the least.” Though the men were in the other room, Abigail glanced inside before her eyes slid back to Hannah and she lowered her voice. “He’d never tell ye, or anyone, if he had his way, but the Cap’n is a good man. He takes care of us, ye see.”

  “Takes care of you?”

  “Aye.” She nodded. “He provided this building, and every wench here is under his protection. Whenever he’s about, he leaves coin and makes sure the girls are seen to.” She grabbed her crotch. “Cared for and cleaned if ye take my meaning. Gives ‘em extra loot too when they need it.”

  She got the gist. He got them medical attention such as it was.

  “That does not surprise me,” Hannah murmured. She cocked her head. “So he does not take a percentage of what you ladies make?”

  “Ladies? Now that’s a bit much.” Abigail snorted. “But nay, he gives it not takes it.” She considered Hannah. “But I imagine in a way not necessarily related to him pleasuring ye, that ye know all about that.”

  She did indeed, and it was not just in him teaching her to defend herself, but in the way he helped her navigate the darkness inside her. The strange longings that plagued her. He gave her an outlet. A means to feel somewhat normal.

  By the time she made it inside the enemy pirate was gone, and Luke’s expression unreadable.

  “’Tis time for us to set sail, love.” If she were not mistaken, emotion flickered in his eyes when he looked at Abigail. “Ye’ll be alright then? Ye remember what I told ye?”

  “Aye, Cap’n.” She sauntered over eyeing him up and down as if she intended to kiss him but instead embraced him, squeezed his backside and whispered in his ear before speaking aloud. “Travel well, Cap’n. May yer winds be fair, and yer mainmast stay stiff.”

  Where she would have normally rebuffed such a comment as inappropriate considering current company, Hannah instead chuckled and muttered, “Is it ever any other way?”

  Abigail cocked a brow at her and grinned. “Aye, Cap’n, she’s a right pirate she is!”

  “Ye mean a right prisoner,” Luke growled and stalked Hannah’s way. “Because she will not slip my grasp so easily.”

  The next thing she knew, she was over his shoulder again, and they were on their way.

  Chapter 8

  Luke knew the moment he saw a knife at Hannah’s throat, things were never going to be the same. Then, when in his fury and fear over nearly losing her, he kissed her, he knew he would never let her go.

  She belonged to him. With him.

  Something she would damned well understand before he was finished with her.

  While he could have let her walk, she was not to be trusted. More than that, he needed her in his arms. Or over his shoulder. Either way, he would hold her until he had her locked down with no chance of escape.

  He refused to feel such stark fear again.

  To lose control like that.

  “What did you learn from that pirate?” she asked as he tromped along “Is my sister all right? And why were you expecting that attack? I had not been under the impression you were.” Then she evidently gave it some thought and came to an accurate conclusion. “You always meant to lure those remaining, didn't you? To keep things on your territory, done your way. An ambush, so to speak.”

  She quieted a moment before rattling on having quite the conversation with herself. “You could have just told me that. It would have made good sense. Perhaps I would not have felt the need to steal the brooch, to begin with.” She gave that more thought. “Actually, I would have, regardless, and you likely knew that. So sparing me the details is neither here nor there.”

  Eventually, realizing she would get no answers from him, she quieted.

  Until that is, he tossed her on his bed in his ship’s cabin, and she caught sight of his various contraptions.

  “Surely, you do not mean to,” she sputtered, fighting him a little when he yanked one arm up. Made not to overly chafe, he tied her wrist to a slender, expensive rope attached to a ring. Then he straddled her to keep her legs from wreaking havoc on his groin, grabbed her other wrist before she slapped him and tied that off too.

  While he could leave her like this, he didn’t trust his little tease not to find a way to break free from the impossible. So he grabbed a flailing foot and tied it to a rope attached to a ring at the bottom corner of his bed.

  Her eyes rounded wider still. “Oh, bloody hell no, you will not!”

  “Bloody hell I will,” he muttered, snagging her free foot before she landed a good kick. He swiftly tied it off to the opposite corner. She still had room to flail about but not for long.

  “Enjoy what little freedom you have, tease.” He gestured at the adjustable ropes. Ones designed to tighten and spread her legs wide. He slid dangerous eyes from a chest in the corner to her. “When I get back we will take a stroll down memory lane, yes?”

  Her eyes narrowed on the trunk. “What’s in there?”

  “I will leave that up to your imagination.”

  Though beyond tempted to linger and finally enjoy seeing her where she belonged, he had things to attend to. So he strode out, slamming the door behind him. She hollered a variety of curses, but he ignored her and focused on the matter at hand.

  “Did they see their man then?” he asked Robert joining him at the helm.

  “Aye, Cap’n,” he confirmed. Men raced this way and that, readying the ship for departure. “They’ve set to sea.”

  “Then let’s get after them.”

  Robert nodded and roared orders. A few minutes later, the sails were raised, and they were in pursuit.

  “Ye and yer brother planned this well,” Robert said. “It could have gone another way entirely.”

  “Aye,” he grunted, not about to claim victory yet. They still had a ship to sink, not to mention Thomas’s end of things. But at least, Big Devil did as they knew he would and kept the information about the brooch to himself. That meant Blackbeard and his men were none the wiser. Nor would Big Devil mention his new prize Rose had been taken out from beneath his nose.

  That would just be embarrassing.

  Meanwhile, a few of Luke’s men, who were safely aboard now, had purchased ample time with ‘Hannah’ so as far as Blackbeard knew she was still being used well in the brothel. Eventually, he would find out she was missing, but by that time, Luke would be long gone and doubted Blackbeard would
risk one of his ships in this weather to save a woman.

  Might Blackbeard pursue them eventually? Unlikely if all went as planned.

  He peered through the rain, steering the ship into a wave, as unfazed by the conditions as his fellow pirates. “Ye see ‘er then?”

  “Not yet.” Robert narrowed his eyes, then on the next lightning flash pointed north. “There she is!”

  As Luke suspected would happen, the ship Big Devil had ordered to stay behind on the off chance the brooch was here, had been waiting for its men to return. So, after one of Luke's mates let himself be seen heading back to Abigail's brothel, they had been able to execute their plan.

  Lure some rats into their trap.

  After the man who had grabbed Hannah was dragged inside, Luke's crew finished off anyone lurking in the immediate vicinity but kept their captive alive. Then they made sure the enemy saw that man captured when Luke headed to his ship. That way, they knew things had not gone well. Nor would it for their new prisoner. A man who’s fate was doomed for what he had nearly done to Hannah.

  Suffice it to say, the enemy had fled, and Luke was on their tail.

  The land rats had been dealt with, now it was just a matter of time before the sea rats were taken out too. “Keep on ‘em ‘til we’re far enough from the island as well as ships that might be comin’ and going.” Staying beyond firing distance went without saying. He shook his head. “I don’t want this gettin’ back to Blackbeard.”

  “Aye, Cap’n.” Robert took the wheel again. “I can see this done without ye if need be.” He offered a crooked grin and winked, referring to Hannah. “I’d kill the man who disturbed me with that one tied to my bed.” He shrugged. “Besides, the fightin’ should be fast.”

  “But fightin’ nonetheless.” He clapped his man on the shoulder. “Ye know better than to assume a win, aye? Those fleein’ are always the fiercest.”

  “Aye.” Robert tossed a lusty look of appreciation in the general direction of Luke’s cabin. “Almost as fierce as the wee hellion waitin’ to spread ‘er thighs for ye.”