by S. E. Smith
Jenny nodded and watched Kell disappear over the edge of the reef. She felt movement in the water behind her. It was one of the guards. She could always feel the difference between them and Orion. With a sigh, she turned and began swimming back toward shore. It would appear she had a lot to share with Orion tonight.
Chapter Twenty
“There is a storm building,” Orion warned, pulling back on Sea Fire’s reins.
“I can feel the change in the currents, and the temperature is dropping,” Jenny replied.
They had been traveling for several hours, nearly one hundred feet below the surface. Orion wished now he had followed his plan to return to the Isle of the Sea Serpent instead of traveling to the Isle of the Elementals. He would have if he had not felt the drastic change in the currents coming from the west. It had reminded him of the Pirate King’s message.
The Elementals had always been a pain in Orion’s backside. The King and Queen—hell, the Elemental people in general—had always been a strange lot. King Ruger had always been a little envious of Orion’s ability to control water better than he could. Oh, they could make it rain and dance, but not much else.
Ruger had always complained that the Goddess gave the Elementals a mere taste of the powers of each kingdom without having it all. When Orion had asked how they related to the pirates, Queen Adrina had retorted that she had stolen Ruger’s heart in a game of chance. It turned out Ruger had made a bet with Adrina that he could make it across one of the most forbidden areas on the Isle of the Monsters before she could. Adrina had saved Ruger’s life and captured his heart—and Nali had promptly thrown both of them off the isle for upsetting the thunderbirds’ nesting grounds.
“We will need to move deeper,” Kapian said, coming up near them.
Orion cursed and glanced down. He could feel a dark turbulence ascending from beneath them. They were trapped. He pulled the trident free.
“What is it?” Jenny asked.
“I don’t know,” Orion said in a tight voice.
Out of the darkness, hundreds of dark shadows rose. Orion loudly cursed. Sea monkeys! The small but agile creatures came in two varieties—annoying and destructive. The only one who appeared to have any type of rapport with the damn things was Nali. The creatures normally stayed within the warm, shallow waters of one of the Isle of the Monsters’ outer chain of islands.
“Look!” Kapian said, glancing up when a dark shadow passed overhead.
Orion’s gaze briefly moved from the sea monkeys to the shape of several ships passing overhead. If that wasn’t enough, a flash of lightning followed by the rolling sound of thunder reverberated through the water. Sea Fire twisted around, kicking and snapping at the sea monkeys as they swarmed around them. The water churned from the thrashing bodies, blocking his view of everyone and startling the sea dragons.
“Orion! Help!” Jenny cried out.
“Jenny!” Orion called.
“Orion, they have Jenny,” Kapian shouted.
“Man the sails,” Ashure Waves shouted above the roaring winds and rolling thunder.
“There is a gale forming, Cap’n,” his first officer, Taupe LaBuff, said.
Ashure laughed. “Tell me something I don’t already know,” he shouted.
LaBuff was about to respond, probably with a depressing or negative comment, when the sound of horns began blowing. The smile on Ashure’s face turned from one of excitement to one of grim determination. A second horn sounded. Ashure could already see the reason for the alarms—sea monkeys.
“Man your stations,” LaBluff yelled. “All hands on deck! We are under attack!”
“Try not to kill the damn things!” Ashure yelled.
“But, Cap’n,” LaBluff started to protest before he clamped his lips together and nodded. Turning, he repeated the order. “Drive them back into the sea!”
As much as Ashure would love to kill the damn things, he knew it would have to be a last resort. Nali, the Empress of the Isle of the Monsters, had an affinity with the annoying pests. Reaching for the new gun at his side, he gripped the helm of the Sea Wasp and turned it into the building waves.
The first of the sea monkeys made the mistake of climbing aboard from the bow of the ship. Ashure directed the ship into the wave. The bow dipped, cutting through the swell and washing the greedy bastards overboard. Their numerous legs were great for swimming, but unless they were able to latch onto something, they were clumsy on the polished decks.
“Ashure, behind you,” LaBluff warned.
Ashure turned and aimed. He fired the pistol, and a high voltage of electricity hit the sea monkey in the chest. The creature shrieked in surprise and jumped overboard.
“I told you this was a good deal,” Ashure chuckled to LaBluff.
His second in command grunted and continued trying to knock off the sea monkeys climbing up the side of the ship. There were far too many. The damn things smelled the treasure he had and wanted it.
“What has stirred them up?” LaBluff asked in exasperation when more took their place.
“I don’t know. They are not usually so far from home,” Ashure replied with a shrug.
A loud scream drew Ashure’s attention. His gaze followed a struggle between two sea monkeys. The woman’s fiery hair caught and held his attention. Motioning for LaBluff to take the wheel, Ashure stepped closer to the upper railing and watched as two crew members struck the offending sea monkeys who promptly released the woman.
She landed feet first on the deck, scrambled back from the railing and behind his men. Her back was pressed against the main mast, and she held onto the rigging with a white-knuckled grip. Lifting a hand to his tie, Ashure adjusted it and ran his tongue over his teeth, trying to remember what he had eaten for lunch and wishing he had brushed his teeth. After all, it wasn’t every day that sea monkeys actually gave a treasure instead of stealing it.
“Where did she come from?” LaBluff asked in surprise.
“I don’t know, but I’m about to find out,” Ashure stated.
“Be careful, Captain. It might be the work of the Sea Witch,” LaBluff warned.
Ashure ignored his second-in-command. He knew enough about deception to know when it was being used. His gut was telling him this woman had nothing to do with the Sea Witch.
Besides, he decided, if he took heed of every warning LaBluff gave him, he’d be sitting at home knitting for the rest of his days. Who knows? Even that could be dangerous if he were to slip and fall on a knitting needle. Life was about taking chances—about living it to the fullest—and about discovering new and exciting things.
“Hello. Ashure Waves, at your service, my beautiful fire-haired siren,” he introduced himself with a lavish bow while shooting a sea monkey that had climbed over the railing behind him. “And you are…?” he asked with a charming grin.
If anyone had ever asked him what he expected the answer to be, it wouldn’t have been to see stars—lots and lots of stars. In all honesty, he had been so focused on the woman’s unusual eyes that he never saw her fist.
His head snapped back and he stumbled backwards several steps. The pistol he was holding fell to the deck when he released it to grab his poor, offended nose. It didn’t help that the storm clouds suddenly opened up and heavy rain began to fall.
Ashure blinked and gently examined his nose with his fingers. He winced when he felt the swelling. It hurt, but he didn’t think it was broken. He grimaced when he realized that while he’d been examining the stars of the heavens up close and personal, the fiery-haired maiden the sea monkeys had unintentionally dropped on his deck had retrieved his new toy and was aiming it at him.
“I’m Jenny,” she said, waving the gun at him.
“Ah, Jenny from the sea. You may not look like the others of your kind, but I have to say you hit like one. I should have known better than to take a sea monkey’s gift,” Ashure complained.
“Step aside, and I’ll be out of your hair,” Jenny warned, waving the gun again.
The woman released a startled scream when a sea monkey hung down off the mast at face level. She twisted, her finger closing around the trigger, and fell back into his waiting arms when the pistol discharged a stream of electricity. The sea monkey and a good chunk of the mast were thrown back across the deck before disappearing into the rough sea below.
“It has a bit of kick if you aren’t expecting it,” Ashure said, deftly taking the gun out of her hands.
“What the hell was that?” Jenny asked, pulling free of Ashure’s arms.
“The sea monkey or my new toy? I won it off a Cyclops during a game of chance,” Ashure said, shooting another sea monkey.
“I know a Cyclops named Cyan,” Jenny murmured.
“Really? Her mate Boost and I go back a long way. Did they have that crusty Minotaur with them?” Ashure asked.
“Meir?” Jenny said, glancing over her shoulder. “Oh, there’s another one!”
Ashure turned and fired low from the hip. “That’s the one. Never play a game of cards with him. He totally destroyed the pub when he lost,” he warned.
“Oh, okay,” Jenny murmured.
“Jenny!”
“Orion!! These are sea monkeys! Real, live sea monkeys. They are bigger than the ones back home,” Jenny said, weaving her way unsteadily toward Orion and Kapian.
Ashure sighed. Once again, it would appear he was a day too late. First Drago and now Orion. It would seem his luck always took a turn for the worse when it came to finding fascinating women.
“Hello, Orion,” Ashure called.
“Ashure. It would appear you have an infestation issue,” Orion responded with a grin.
“Ha-ha. Don’t kill any of them. Nali will be upset,” Ashure warned.
“I won’t,” Orion responded, lifting the trident and aiming a funnel of water at a line of the creatures crawling over the railing.
The loud crackle of electricity and the sound of thunder shattering the air drew Ashure’s attention to the sky. Raising a hand to his hair, he felt the static electricity building up. That could only mean one thing—thunderbirds.
“We’ve got company,” Ashure shouted.
“I know,” Orion replied, sending another dozen sea monkeys back into the ocean.
Ashure watched as a huge airship with twelve thunderbirds emerged from the dark, heavy clouds. Lightning flashed from the clouds to the birds. It was a marvelously breathtaking, and an absolutely terrifying, phenomenon to behold.
The form of a woman could be seen standing on the railing. When the airship was even with the Sea Wasp, the figure dove off the railing. Ashure’s breath caught at the splendid and very dramatic entrance of Nali, Empress of the Isle of the Monsters. She twirled as she descended, her arms opening, and long wings caught the air. She landed on the polished deck of his ship, one knee slightly bent and a sword in her hand.
Ashure casually tucked his gun inside his coat and gave Nali his most dashing smile. The smile grew strained when she continued to stare at him with unblinking eyes as she straightened. A hint of uncertainty flashed through his eyes, and he mentally replayed how much she could have seen. His chin rose when she lifted the sword until the flat part of it rested against his skin. Her brow creased into a dark frown, and she gave him a puzzled look.
“Who broke your nose?” Nali asked.
Chapter Twenty-One
Orion’s lips twitched at Ashure’s sour expression. For the past hour, Ashure had been arguing that Nali should be responsible for his lost inventory. Orion had to admit that Ashure had a point—about the size of a pinhead, but he did have a point when the Pirate King reminded Nali that she was responsible for the sea monkeys since they were under her jurisdiction.
“So, you want me to compensate you for the stolen items that you stole in the first place?” Nali asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Finally! You understand,” Ashure replied.
Jenny’s soft giggle drew a smile from Orion. He couldn’t resist caressing her shoulder where his hand rested. They were currently sitting in Ashure’s meeting room below decks. The glossy dark wood with gold accents, jewel encrusted lamps, and plush red velvet chairs and couch, not to mention the imported marble inlaid, magic-fed fireplace, proved that Ashure was either an excellent pirate or a cunning businessman.
“You could have at least thanked me for shooing all of the sea monkeys away first. Then, I might have considered it. Now, I will just take back the volt pistol that you cheated out of my Cyclops,” Nali said, rolling her head back to look up at Ashure with a serene smile. “I’ll also take a case of this brandy as a thank you.”
The scowl on Ashure’s face grew darker before he softly chuckled and his eyes danced with merriment. He picked up the bottle of whiskey he had been about to pour, walked over, and placed it in front of Nali. Bending over, he brushed a quick kiss across her lips before twisting away when she jerked upright.
“I’ll give you half a bottle of my best whiskey and take the kiss as payment,” he teased.
“One day, Ashure, you’ll meet a woman who will tame your flamboyant soul,” Nali warned before picking up the bottle he placed in front of her, refilling her glass, and taking a sip. “This is good, but I still like the brandy better.”
Jenny bent her head close to Orion. “Is he always like this?” she asked under her breath.
“Yes. This is why everyone wants to kill him, especially Drago,” Orion replied.
Ashure pointed his finger at Orion. “Drago does not want to kill me. Well, maybe he does, but Carly adores me, as do their children. I send them gifts,” he said.
Orion groaned when Jenny sat forward in her chair. Her eyes glowed, and the smile on her face grew until he swore it rivaled the sun. Her hands gripped the table, and he could feel the excitement in her growing.
“Carly… As in Carly Tate? She has light brown hair and brown eyes and is about this tall and…,” Jenny exclaimed, talking rapidly as she described her best friend.
“Yes, yes, and yes. She is most delightful, a bit on the dangerous side if you aren’t careful, but totally delightful. I have no idea why she refuses to leave that grumpy old dragon,” Ashure said. “I offered her the world, and all she had eyes for was a stupid, but exceedingly wealthy, fire-breathing dragon.”
“Which you are lucky wasn’t breathing fire when he looked at you,” Nali chuckled. Sobering, she leaned forward and looked at Orion. “Magna has to be stopped Orion.”
Orion leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. He nodded to Nali, knowing that the time had finally come for the true reasons for her being there. Magna’s dark reach had once again spread throughout each of the isles of the Seven Kingdoms.
“I will take care of her once and for all,” Orion vowed.
Nali and Ashure were both shaking their heads. “You cannot do this on your own. You will need Drago’s help, but he must not kill her,” Nali said.
“Stop her, but don’t kill her. I can see Orion being able to do that, but Drago…? I think that is asking for a lot, Nali. You know what she did to his people,” Ashure warned.
Nali shot Ashure a hot glare. “I know what the mirror has told me. Carly has started a chain of events that will lead to Magna’s downfall, but the time is not right,” she argued.
“Time is not right…? What do you want Magna to do? Take over half the kingdoms? The Elementals have already run scared and changed the seas. Orion, you must surely have felt the imbalance,” Ashure said, placing his hands on the table and leaning toward Orion.
“Yes. I can control the changes for now. Ashure has a point, Nali. There will come a time and a place when I will have a chance to stop Magna, and I will do it,” Orion said in a grim voice.
“Orion,” Jenny whispered, wanting to protest, but understanding that there wasn’t a lot she could do to help Kell and Seline if Magna caused any more damage.
Orion reache
d over and cupped Jenny’s hand. “I will do what needs to be done. If there is a way to save her, I will,” he promised.
“Great! You want to save her, Drago wants to kill her, and Nali wants to wait until the time is right. I need another drink,” Ashure groaned.
“Don’t forget my case of brandy!” Nali reminded him.
Later that evening, Jenny sat on a stool brushing her hair. Ashure had invited them to stay for the night. Jenny, eager to hear more about Carly’s adventures had agreed before Orion could say no. Orion had reluctantly agreed, much to the amusement of Nali.
The evening had been amazing for Jenny. While the pirate ships might look like something out of a swashbuckling movie on the outside, they were nothing like it on the inside. Lush and filled with all the modern conveniences, the Sea Wasp reminded Jenny more of a luxury cruise ship below decks. A decadent dinner followed by drinks and Ashure’s eloquent storytelling had made for a delightful evening.
“You are still smiling,” Orion complained. “He was not that entertaining.”
“Yes, he was,” Jenny laughed, gazing at where Orion was lying in bed.
“I can be more entertaining,” he suggested.
Jenny saw the wicked gleam in his eyes. Deciding two could play that game, she lay the hairbrush down on the vanity table in front of her. Reaching up, she slowly pushed the borrowed silk dressing gown off her shoulders. She was rewarded by Orion’s loud hiss of appreciation.
“I forgot to put on the nightgown—and panties,” she said, slowly standing up so the dressing gown pooled around her feet. “Oops.”
“Goddess, Jenny. Remind me to install mirrors in the hut,” Orion choked out.
Jenny felt the power of her effect on Orion and reveled in it. The knowledge that she was loved and that she loved him swept away any feelings of doubt. They were the perfect match. Lifting her hands, she cupped her breasts.
“Come here,” Orion ordered, throwing back the covers to reveal his throbbing cock.
