When I left the tub, I grabbed the cloth robe and wrapped it around myself. The wind still howled, but the thunder and lightning was gone. I went behind the screen and got dressed, then realized something. My panties were missing.
The clothes Delia had brought last night were on the chair, but my panties weren’t there. I looked everywhere, even the bedroom, with little results. Thoroughly annoyed, I gave up and sat by the window.
Homesickness washed over me. I had a freaking drawer full of underwear, not to mention my clothes didn’t cover my legs and trip me while I walked or display my boobs. And I was stuck on an island with all of the above, and a man who made my blood boil and my body sing.
Another black stallion darted across the grassy area in the back of the building and disappeared into the trees. It looked like the same one I’d seen last night, but I could be mistaken. I hoped they used horses around the island. It could be the one good thing on this cursed island.
Once the self-pity passed, I got up, wandered into the living room, and studied the maps on the wall. The islands I’d noticed before were located as far north as Norway and far south as Peru. They were in every ocean and waters around the world.
I sat next to the globe and tried to find Vaarda. Starting from Florida, I headed east past Bermuda. The map I’d studied before we left for the cruise hadn’t shown any islands in the North Atlantic Ocean beyond Bermuda. I counted five before I reached Storm’s island. Vaarda. It was bigger and north of the smaller islands. South of it, between West Africa and the Caribbean Sea, was a larger island. Atlantis.
Atlantis was real?
What had Storm and Levi said? They’d created the Veil to separate us from their world. What if these islands were real and we just couldn’t see them because they were hidden by magic?
The island closest to Bermuda was Callag. If one of the ships headed there, I could stow away and wait for a ship crossing the Veil to Bermuda. Delia would know if they Harvested there. After all, it was a favorite tourist destination.
Feeling better, I continued reading the names of the islands, heading north to smaller islands. Frisland. Antilla. Satanazes. I’d never heard of them. Off the coast of Ireland was Hy’Brasil, Tullius’s homeland. It was bigger than most, almost the size of Atlantis. I spied Avalon, the mysterious island in King Arthur’s legend. Off Norway was Thule. A lot of smaller ones were up in the north around the Arctic Ocean.
I rotated the globe and found some in the Indian Ocean. The largest one was Kumari. In the Pacific, I spotted Sandy. Sandy Island had been listed as real until recently when it vanished. Scientists had all kinds of reasons for it. Hiva, Bolutu, and Hawaiki were north of the largest one, Lemuria, where Delia had said they got the finest fabric. Below Lemuria were two smaller islands—Nimrods and Emeralds.
A knock interrupted me, and Delia entered with a tall woman and a girl who could be in her early teens. They both carried baskets of fabric samples.
“Lorelei, this is Alexandria, Storm’s lass,” Delia said, and I winced. “Lorelei, the seamstress, and her apprentice, Bay. They’re here to take your measurements. Storm wants you to have the best. Daily skirts, bodices, chemises, blouses, bloomers, coats, and special occasion gowns. Head to the wardrobe and set up, Lorelei. Stay with me for a moment, she’lahn.” Delia gripped my arm.
I felt bad that they were going to all these lengths when my mind was set on finding a way off the island.
“You shouldn’t introduce me as Storm’s lass,” I said, keeping my voice low.
“You ready to be called his mate?” she asked.
Hell no. “Is this how things are done here? Any man claims a woman as his mate and everyone is okay with it?”
She chuckled. “No, dear. We have Selection two weeks after we bring in new lasses. During those weeks, we teach them about our ways. On the day of Selection, we have a big party, and then the scenting begins and mates pair up.”
Bet they haven’t told the girls that yet. I might find allies brave enough to join me when I escaped once they heard what awaited them.
“Why can’t I stay with the other girls?” I asked.
“Because Storm would scare the poor lasses and traumatize them for eternity.”
I shook my head. “What are you talking about?”
“He would break down the door to find you, Lexi. The day he scented you weeks ago while they were traveling back from Lemuria, he made it clear to the elders that when he brought you home, you wouldn’t stay with the other lasses.”
And they accommodated him? No wonder he acted above the law. “So the rules don’t apply to him?”
“Oh, they do, but we let him bend them a little because he promised to give up the tower for you. But if I catch him sneaking in here at night to be with you”—she wagged her finger—“then what he wants won’t matter. I will not have an unmated couple sleeping together under the same roof. Now, I’m going back to my duties while Lorelei takes your measurements and adjusts the dresses Nerissa loaned you. It’s going to take them a few days to finish some of your clothes, so you’ll have to make do with borrowed ones a little longer.” She glanced toward the bedroom and lowered her voice. “Make sure Lorelei doesn’t talk your ears off. Ask her questions and she’ll go on and on forever. Keep quiet and the fitting will go by fast.”
“Um, where did you put my panties?”
She frowned. “The lacey little ones? They were right on top of the clothes on the screen.”
“I couldn’t find them.”
“That’s strange. I remember putting them at the very top and thinking how tiny they were.” She thumped her forehead and laughed. “By the gods, of course the lad has them.”
Something shifted in my stomach. “The lad?”
“Storm. They are so small he could just slip them right under his shirt and his crew wouldn’t notice them and make fun of him.” Delia chuckled while my face burned. “Some of them have to carry regular underwear. Try hiding those.” She patted my arm on her way to the door. “The lad just wants your scent with him, lass. Perfectly normal.”
Normal my ass. These people were crazy. “But I need something to wear.”
Delia sighed. “Nerissa said you were uncomfortable borrowing her bloomers, so go without. It’s still raining, and you’re not going anywhere anyway. I’ll ask Lorelei to make some for you before she starts on anything else. She can drop them off tomorrow.”
This was insane. I didn’t want to walk around without panties. Storm was going to be sorry he’d done this to me. I didn’t care how they did things here. He shouldn’t pull crap like this and think it was okay. I headed to the bedroom, cool air sweeping up my legs with every step I took. Damn it.
My annoyance eased when I saw the fabrics they’d brought. Jo would go crazy over them. I let myself be seduced by silk brocade, chenille, jacquard fabrics for bodices, cotton for skirts, and satin for underwear and lacing. But Delia’s warning hadn’t prepared me for the seamstress. Lorelei talked fast and hopped from subject to subject. First, it was my eyes and why she’d chosen certain colors, then my hair and skin, then the beautiful new arrivals and how the unmated males couldn’t wait to meet them.
“But that’s not going to happen. They can only see them from afar until Selection. Within a year, most of them will be building houses and starting families, unless they decide to be shieldmaidens. So we start with the bodice. Which ones do you like?”
Since I wasn’t going to be around that long to appreciate them, I chose only one. They stared at me expectantly. I added one more and received a nod followed by more expectant glances. I added a few more before she smiled and gave her approval.
“Tell me about shieldmaidens,” I said.
“You haven’t seen them train?” Lorelei said. “Of course, you haven’t. You are still new. They train in the quad every morning and evening. Kai knows how to whip them into shape, and when they are ready, they’re assigned to ships and sail with the lads. You must watch them train. The best pla
ce is on the roof. Ask Bay.” She indicated her assistant with a nod. “Every time I send her to the Great Hall, the lass runs up there to watch them train. She hasn’t made up her mind whether to be a shieldmaiden or a seamstress. Have you, lass?”
The girl didn’t respond, but the second the seamstress turned away, she rolled her eyes. I hid a grin. I decided to continue to pump the seamstress for information. Loose lips might help me find a ship, not sink one.
“So there are only two ships on the island?”
She chuckled. “Eight, lass. Six of them captained by our fearless lads and their crew and two are docked for training the young ones.”
“Nine,” Bay chimed. “The new one from King Tullius’s fleet makes nine.”
“Oh yes, nine,” the seamstress said and pulled out a measuring tape. “Now I take measurements, lass.”
Nine ships, more choices. The odds were shifting in my favor. I lifted my arms. “So how many are captained by a shieldmaiden?”
“None. We have three female quartermasters and one bos’n. As the senior most quartermaster, Nerissa will probably get the new ship. She’s due to captain one. Kai was a captain before she retired to train the lasses, but that was before we moved here.”
They helped me remove my skirts and the bodice. Then the apprentice pulled down the elastic neckline of my chemise, exposing my breasts. I yanked it right back up.
“I’ll keep the chemise on,” I said.
They looked at each other, clearly puzzled.
“You need to be naked for the measurements, lass,” Lorelei said.
“No, I don’t,” I shot back. Once again, they exchanged a glance. I didn’t understand their confusion. “Just go ahead and measure me.”
“I know that Tuh’rens are not comfortable with their bodies, but you are on the island now. We love our bodies and embrace all types and forms.”
“We embrace ours, too, but we still like our privacy.” I crossed my arms.
“Please, lass,” Lorelei continued. “I just took over for Calypso, and I want to show the island that I’m ready to fill her shoes until she returns. And dressing you will bring us more work. There are five seamstresses on the island, and I’m lucky Delia chose me to clothe you. The others are working on clothes for the other lasses.”
Damn it. She looked ready to cry. “Okay, I’ll tie the chemise around my waist.”
“But I need to measure your thighs and legs,” she countered.
Hell no was I standing around completely naked while the two of them stared at me or prodded me. Storm might return at any moment. “Measure the top. Then I’ll cover it up while you measure the bottom.” Lorelei shook her head while her apprentice still wore a baffled look. Fine. When in Rome… “Can we at least close the door?”
More confusion.
Seriously? “So no one can enter,” I explained.
“We don’t close our doors, lass,” Lorelei said. “And the only ones who can come in are Delia and Storm, and he is your mate, so it’s okay.”
No, it wasn’t, and that arrogant pirate wasn’t my mate. I continued to cross my arms. The seamstress sighed and nodded to her apprentice, who closed the door leading to the bedroom. I tugged the chemise and let it fall at my feet.
“You have a beautiful body, she’lahn,” Lorelei commented. “You should be proud of it.”
Pride had nothing to do with it. My entire body flushed as they walked around and studied me from different angles. She took the measurements while Bay wrote down figures that didn’t make sense to me. I kept my eyes on the door, expecting it to fly open any second. Storm had a knack of appearing when I least expected him.
“How often do the ships cross the Veil?” I asked so I wouldn’t think about my nudity.
“Twice a month to trade with other islanders,” Lorelei answered. “Spread your legs.”
My face burning, I looked down to where she was kneeling and winced. She measured the inseam and my thighs.
“When is the next one leaving?”
“Not until Storm and the others punish Prince Tullius for killing two of our own and leaving their mates alone.” Lorelei’s expression grew serious. “The island grieves with them.”
Great. That meant stowing away on a ship on their way to attack Tullius’s strongholds. Sounds came from the living room, and I covered my breasts, panic coursing through me. Then I heard Storm’s deep voice, and I groaned. I swear the man had some weird sixth sense about when I was undressed. I grabbed the chemise from the floor and covered my chest.
“You cannot go in there, lad, until they’re done,” I heard Delia say.
“I’m just checking on her,” Storm said.
“No, you’re not. Not until she’s done.”
“How is she doing?”
“The same way she was when you left her last night. Out. Shoo.”
Last night? Try this morning. The woman who’d drained my bath water must have taken his wet things, too, before Delia saw them. The door closed, and I sighed with relief.
Delia peered into the room and smiled. She carried a covered basket, the scent of warm bread following her as she set it on the table next to the pitcher of water from earlier.
“I thought I’d bring you something to eat. How is it going?”
Food was the last thing on my mind. After telling me a shoemaker would stop by later, she left. I went back to my conversation with the seamstress. I didn’t mind that they took forever adjusting the hems and sleeves of the clothes from Nerissa. It meant pumping them for information. By the time they left, the skirts were the perfect length and I’d learned more about the captains of the ships—they were all Storm’s childhood friends, and they were a tight group.
Damn luck. An island full of pirates and not a single one would willingly betray the man in charge. I thought mutiny was synonymous with piracy. I was never watching the History Channel again.
The second the two left, a man appeared at my door with boots of different sizes. With his Van Dyke beard, off-white shirt, black shorts that came to his knees, a scarf on his head, and a sash around his waist, he looked like my idea of a pirate. In fact, I expected him to say, “Ahoy, matey.”
Instead, he was soft-spoken and very thorough as he measured my foot. He left me with a pair of ankle-length black boots made of the softest leather and promised to bring more in a few days.
Left on my own, I went to the bookshelf to search for something to read. There were rows of leather-bound books written in various languages. Could he read all these languages? I found some in English and flipped through them, dust flying everywhere. A sneeze escaped me, reminding me of my cold. My throat didn’t tingle anymore, and my sinuses were clear. It might have been the rum or the island, but something had nuked the virus.
I grabbed a few books and curled up on the window seat. It was still raining. Lightning called and thunder answered. I’d thought the storm was over. We were north of Bermuda for pity’s sake. It should be sunny, not wet and depressing.
Ignoring the weather, I quickly drifted to a world I never knew existed, a world of phantom islands, trade treaties, and wars over water boundaries. A few of them had drawings of sea creatures in the waters around them. Water dragons were mainly shown around Japan and China. There were none in the Atlantic Ocean, yet Storm was buddies with one.
The more I read, the more things began to make sense. The smaller islands in the Mid- and North Atlantic Ocean belonged to either Hy’Brasil or Atlantis, the two powerful kingdoms. The two powerhouses had conquered most of them, while others continued to fight back and were considered rogue islands. Whoever had written this book was on the side of the royals because they had nothing nice to say about the rogue islanders. They were considered immoral thieves who attacked the ships belonging to the crowns without provocation, stole their cargo, and murdered innocent sailors.
Lunchtime came and went. This time, I threw the meat down the toilet hole and hid a smile when Delia nodded with approval at my empty plate. Sto
rm didn’t return. I didn’t care. I was busy trying to figure out the distance between Vaarda and the nearest islands.
As evening approached, I found myself wondering what he was doing. Not that I wanted to see him. Kissing him had been a bad idea, and I didn’t want to be reminded of how I’d felt. I should have hit him the second his lips touched mine. Punched his nose the way I had Tullius’s. But no. I’d just lain there helpless like an idiot and let him kiss me because my responses had shocked me. The worst part was I’d enjoyed it.
He returned just as the sun was setting. It was still raining, but he was dry. He wore a sleeveless sailor shirt that showed his defined arm muscles. Since it was loose, I could see through the sleeve opening to his pecs. I spied the tattoo of a skull and bones with strange writings on his left breast. Like yesterday, he wore knee-length shorts with boots.
He staggered a bit as he crossed the floor to where I sat. I tensed. Was he drunk?
“What are you reading, muh’Lexi?” he asked.
His words were slightly slurred. He came to stand beside me, his arm brushing against mine. Awareness skidded underneath my skin, and annoyance followed. I had to learn to fight the attraction between us. Thinking about Tommy helped.
“About your islands,” I said in a normal voice and gave myself a mental hurrah. “Atlantis and Avalon are a few I’ve heard about, but they’ve never been located.”
“And they never will be. Every last one of them exists.” He picked me up.
“Put me down, Storm.”
“No.” He took my place and lowered me down onto his lap. I tried to get off him, but the damn skirts were so wide he’d sat on part of them. If I got up, they might just slide off me and leave me naked. His arms tightened around my waist. “Sit still, lass, unless you want us to take this to the bed and finish our mating ritual.”
“You really think you’re so irresistible,” I said, scoffing and injecting as much derision in my voice as humanly possible.
“Only to you. Let your guard down and you’ll feel it,” he whispered in my ear and kissed it, taking my earlobe between his teeth.
Storm: Phantom Islanders Part I Page 12
