Pirate's Conquest

by Mary Martin

  Trusting him completely, Starlin locked her arms around his strong neck and pressed herself close against his body.

  She felt the searing heat all around them—even the soles of her feet felt on fire. Then, suddenly, cool blessed air whispered against her skin, in her hair, and when she opened her eyes they were safely on board the Tempest. She sobbed in relief, feeling Rayne's lips against her temple.

  "I love you, Starlin," Rayne said softly just before his lips claimed hers and his soul surrendered completely to love.

  The island Antare was in mourning this night. The Tempest and the crippled Ice Princess had returned earlier in the day. Many good men had lost their lives, others were recovering from wounds. Later, when the people had had sufficient time to grieve for their fallen comrades, they would celebrate the return of the survivors.

  Chevaz and Riley had been wounded, but both men would recover. Ely had wasted little time in asking

  Jamie to marry him. He'd told Rayne and Starlin that he'd wanted to ask her before, but he did not feel he could devote himself to a wife and family until he was certain that Rayne was able to take care of himself. They had all laughed heartily. It was a good feeling. Starlin and Rayne told him of their decision to sail for England for the birth of their child. Starlin was anxious to see her grandfather, and then they would be traveling on to Sontavon, to see April, and hopefully to help her to recover.

  Exhausted', but feeling the luckiest of men, Rayne sat on the veranda with Starlin next to him and talked optimistically about the future. In his lap lay the journal that Starlin had once thrown at him. He had read it from beginning to end, seeking to put to rest lingering doubt. For two days, while Starlin had rested, he sat on the veranda and began to know and understand the man whom he had hated so intensely for so many years. He could hardly wait to go home to England, and Sontavon. He intended on reading the journal to his mother. She would find solace in Carl's words, and Rayne wanted so to tell her so many things. He had been a fool, and must ask her forgiveness.

  "He must have loved her very much at one time, to have respected her decision to stay with my father and not try and persuade her to go away with him," Rayne said quietly.

  "I'm sure he did," Starlin agreed. "Although, later, I think he learned to forget. For he was happy with my mother. We had a good life in Key West. I'll never forget either of them, but I know their souls must be truly at peace now. Benton and I are both ready to put the past behind us and accept the future."

  Rayne smiled gently at her. "Your brother is in good hands. Romani and his wife will take very good care of him while he is a guest in their home."

  "It was very kind of them to offer. I know he would not have been comfortable staying with us." She sighed. "I hope one day that he and I might at least be friends. Perhaps now that he has confronted his fears, as I did, we can both go forward with our lives."

  "He told me that he will be going back to Key West to operate the salvaging firm, and that he will keep us informed of its progress."

  Starlin looked surprised but pleased. "That sounds like there is hope, doesn't it?"

  "For all of us, I think."

  Starlin met his soft gaze.

  "Will you miss it very much?" she asked.

  "What?"

  "The sea ... the danger . .. your life here on the island?'

  He shook his head slowly, a faraway look in his eyes. "No, not a bit. I was never really happy before. Nor was I free. Vengeance made me a slave."

  "And now love, I hope," Starlin murmured with a catch in her voice.

  His eyes locked on hers; jade depths shimmering with emotion. "You were my destiny from the begin­ning. I loved you even before we met that night on Torquay. You were the temptress of my dreams ... and now of my life."

  Sarah Beth Morgan was born with her father's tawny-gold hair and her mother's smoke-violet eyes. She was perfect and healthy, and squalled loudly in protest, when the doctor whacked her lightly on the bottom.

  Upon hearing the lusty cry echoing through the vast interior of Eaton Hall, Rayne had sprinted up the wide stairway and hurried into the bedchamber. At the sight of the doctor beaming proudly at the bundle in his arms, he stopped short. He glanced anxiously at the slender figure in the bed. Starlin looked pale, lines of exhaustion evident around her eyes, but she was smiling at him. It was a moment he would never forget.

  "We have a beautiful girl, Rayne," she said softly.

  He sat down on the bed next to her and took her hand within his.

  "The baby is healthy and beautiful, and you are well. I am a grateful man." He bent down to kiss her tenderly on the lips.

  "I'll leave you to rest," he said. "I must tell your grandfather and Fredrick the good news. They've been pacing with me half the night. I don't know which of us was more nervous."

  "Give them my love, will you, Rayne? And tell them that our families are truly united now—at last."

  The wind blew a siren's song through the rigging as the Ice Princess skimmed over the rolling sea breakers toward Sontavon. Her billowing sails snapped in the breeze. The smell of freshly painted masts wafted in the air, and the brightness of her gleaming decks flashed in the moonlight. It was a cool night with a full moon shining brightly on teak decks and dancing across silver-crested waves. The pilot of the schooner stood alone at the helm, the wheel sliding expertly through agile fingers. The night was soothing, with the wind sighing and the endless sea stretching for miles in every direction. The pilot found it easy to reflect on life and its hardships, triumphs, the uncertain road ahead. But with confidence now, strong enough to accept what­ever fate had yet to unveil. And on love. How wonderful it was to devote life and soul to one love, one person forever, and to share equally, receiving the same in return. Promise lingered in the stars and love's caress in night's shadow. There was so much to be thankful for.

  The pilot smiled softly, and then on impulse lashed the wheel in place and left the helm.

  A kiss, soft and tantalizing, roused him from the misty depths of sleep. Without even opening his eyes, he envisioned her, welcomed her. His hand reached out caressed her soft cheek. He smiled and slowly opened his eyes.

  "I thought you weren't sleepy?"

  "I'm not... I'm wide awake as a matter of fact."

  Their eyes met in that special way that was theirs alone; understanding without saying the words the message conveyed there.

  "I was dreaming about you," he murmured huskily.

  "Yes ... I know," she whispered, one finger lovingly tracing his full, sensual lips.

  He could see so much of his daughter in her beautiful face, in her bewitching smoke-violet eyes, her high, delicate cheekbones. And sometimes, in her tempera­ment as well, and the stubborn outthrust of her chin. He glanced over in the corner where a tiny hammock swayed gently with the ship's rhythm, and Sarah, his other love, slept soundly, and secure. The tension between him and Starlin was gone now, and the burning need for vengeance with it.

  The moonlight beamed through the open porthole, casting wavering silver shadows over their naked bodies.

  He took her into his arms and slid his body over hers. "God, but I love you so very much," he murmured thickly, burying his lips in her rose-scented hair.

  "Always and forever, I hope," Starlin replied in a whisper-soft voice.

  "Yes, my love."

  She closed her eyes and nestled against his solid chest, her limbs quivering from her need of him. He was her strength, as she was his. Nothing could ever come between them again. She breathed deeply his familiar scent and welcomed his gentle caress. Their bodies came together in fiery abandonment, lips seeking hungrily to bring exquisite pleasure, sleek golden limbs trembling with passion. Desire, white-hot and overwhelming swept them into a spiraling vortex of passion. Deep within the spiritual passages of their souls the promise was conveyed and accepted.

  Throughout the night they made love—giving, taking, sharing, becoming one in every way. And after the fires of passion cooled,
he held her close and gave her a symbol of his love to carry with her always. He slipped the ring onto her finger, where it belonged.

  The Ice Princess skimmed onward through the night across the silver-crested water toward the Castle Sontavon. The fierce brigand Scorpio had no more thirst for revenge. He was going home, his faith in love restored.