A Pirate's Curse (Legends of the Soaring Phoenix)

by ML Guida

She positioned her body between Amadi and her father.

  He glanced at the blade and back to her. “Why are you in here? Are you delirious again?”

  “No. I’m not delirious.”

  Amadi took a step toward her.

  She raised the dagger. “Stay back.”

  “Give me the knife.” He kept coming.

  “I’m warning you.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  Hannah lunged. The tip of the knife made contact, slicing his arm.

  “Bitch!” He yelped and clasped his forearm. Blood seeped through his fingers.

  From a nearby hammock, one of the vampires sat up, his hair mused.

  “What’s going on?” asked another groggy vampire from behind her.

  Dagger extended, she spun around. There was a third vampire, a fourth and fifth. All of them peered at her with narrowed, deadly eyes.

  A vampire grumbled, “What the hell?”

  Amadi gritted his teeth, “Get the Capt’n.”

  Kane. She stared at Amadi’s bloody wound and the red blade. She scanned the angry faces and panted. “Please just let us go.”

  Heavy footsteps pounded down the corridor, matching Hannah’s heart. Kane stormed into the cabin and marched over to her. “Bloody hell, have you gone daft lass?”

  ***

  So, now she knew.

  With her bared teeth and curled lip, Hannah was a wild cat, ready to strike again. She guarded her father like a serpent. “You drugged me, you bastard. You’re a vampire.”

  He hadn’t drugged her soon enough. He should have drugged the wine, not the potatoes. Now, he had a bloody mess on his hand—a frightened female. He folded his arms across his chest. “So, you plan on killing us with your blade?”

  She licked her lips and her hand shook. “Let us go.”

  “Go where?”

  She tilted her chin. "To Tortuga. To find safe passage.”

  He cocked his eyebrow. “Aboard a pirate ship?”

  “At least they won’t be vampires.”

  Kane winced. He couldn’t deny this, but aboard another ship, she’d not fare well, not with her beauty. His men may be vampires, but they would not rape a woman.

  William ran into the cabin. “Kane!”

  Kane stiffened. “William.”

  William frowned. “Hannah?”

  “I want off this ship.” She choked. “You’re a bunch of murdering vampires.”

  Kane ached to take her in his arms and comfort her, but the frightened look in her doe eyes and unsteady hand, holding the dagger, kept him at bay. He wasn’t a vampire now. She could hurt him. He was immortal, but he could still feel pain.

  “Hannah, we won’t hurt you,” Kane said.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Kane studied her. “Everybody out.”

  “But Kane,” William argued.

  “That’s an order,” Kane tilted his head, but held Hannah’s challenging gaze.

  “Hannah, I’m not a vampire,” William blurted.

  Hannah’s brows knotted. “What?”

  “I’m not a vampire,” his brother repeated.

  She stared at William. “You’re lying.”

  “No, I'm not,” William replied. “I didn't drink from the lake.”

  She rolled her eyes. “What does drinking from a lake have anything to do with being a vampire? If a vampire bites you, you become one.”

  “No, that’s not true.” William tilted his head. "None of them were bitten. Zuto cursed a lake and anyone who drinks from it must drink human blood to appease the God of the Underworld, Maketabori."

  “Liar,” she spat.

  Hannah clutched the dagger with both hands. Her hair hung in her face. Any minute, she’d hurt someone else or herself.

  “William, leave, now,” Kane said.

  William glared but followed the men from the cabin. Doc helped Amadi out. His men muttered curses, but they left.

  “We’re alone lass,” Kane motioned. “Won’t you listen?”

  He took a step toward her.

  “No, stay away from me.”

  “I promise I’ll not let anything happen to you or your father.”

  She pointed the tip of the dagger at his heart. “What is the word of a vampire worth? You killed my crew.”

  “No, Palmer murdered your crew.” He edged closer. “Don’t confuse us with them.”

  “I don’t believe you.” She narrowed her eyes and lunged.

  Kane easily stepped away and grabbed her wrist.

  “Let me go!” She yanked and kicked his shins, but he held her tight. Her hair whipped his face. Even as a wild banshee, Hannah stoked his blood on fire.

  “Hannah, calm down,” he ordered.

  “No! Father. Wake up!”

  Kane gritted his teeth. Bloody hell. He was terrifying the poor lass.

  He shook her wrist and the blade fell onto the floor.

  Hannah twisted. “No!”

  Kane hauled her close to his body and secured his arm around her waist, trapping one arm while his other hand gripped her wrist. Her chest heaved against his. He felt her thumping heart. Her owl-wide eyes tore at him. He needed to stop her rising fear. Leaning close to her ear, he stated in a calm voice, “Hannah, you’re losing control.”

  She jerked her head to the side. “You. Will. Not. Kill. Me!”

  She opened her mouth and started screaming. “Father, wake up.”

  Her father groaned, but he didn’t awake.

  “Father!”

  “Doc gave him a sleeping draught. He won’t wake, lassie. Calm down.”

  But Hannah increased her struggles.

  Ah, hell, he couldn’t handle this. Meaning only to shut her up, he hauled her to him and kissed her, squashing her mouth beneath his. She struggled, but he pushed her mouth open and his tongue dominated her mouth. Their tongues battled and he tasted her sweetness, trying to divert her terror, but Hannah would have none of this.

  She jerked her head away and kneed him in the thigh, but he was sure she was aiming higher. His tongue flittered slowly over the pulse beating beneath her ear. She twisted away but bared more of her flesh, allowing him to explore more of her throat. He greedily licked and sucked her hot skin, fueling his own passion. He wanted her. Her nipples pushed against his chest and he wanted to tear off her shirt and taste their peaks, bringing her pleasure, listening to her moan, crying out his name, but he restrained himself. Hannah’s rapid breath betrayed her rising panic or was it something else? Did she desire him? Or was she waiting for a way to hurt him? Or worse kill him?

  She stilled and stopped fighting him. Temptation got the better of him and he pushed down her blouse, exposing her perfect shoulder. He kissed and licked her shoulder. She trembled and released a small moan. Not of fear, but of pleasure. He was pleased with himself for turning her anger into something sweet and sensual. He indulged in sucking and worshiping her shoulder. She sagged against him. His arm circled her waist and bolstered her failing legs, hauling her forward over the solid shaft of his flesh. How could worshipping her shoulder send him plunging out of control?

  A hunger consumed him. Her shoulder wasn’t enough. He pushed her shirt down and gazed upon her naked breasts. Hannah gasped. Without thinking, he captured one nipple with his mouth and sucked hard. He moaned as she tilted her head back, offering more flesh, throwing him off guard. One minute, she was a hellion, and the next, a seductress. He relished the sensation of licking, sucking and teasing her nipple, bringing her pleasure, bringing him pleasure.

  “Kane,” she gasped.

  He pulled away and stared into her wild eyes. Her breath was sweet and intoxicating. “What lass?”

  “Behind you…”

  Kane turned. A piercing pain stabbed him in the middle of his back. He sucked in his breath and his hands gripped Hannah’s arms tight. He stared into her saucer eyes and wide mouth. His knees weakened and his hands slipped down her slender arms, pulling the shirt down. She panted hard as he brushed
past her naked belly. Agony swept through him. His knees sank onto the ground and his hands swept past her smooth, trembling hands. He reached behind his back and his finger brushed against something metal. The dagger.

  Hannah covered her mouth. “What have I done?” She pulled up her shirt, covering her half naked body. She was a beauty, Aphrodite, a goddess of love.

  He fell forward onto his hands, slumped onto his stomach and coughed up blood. Bloody hell, he could barely think.

  Hannah screamed, jumped aside. Tears sprang into her eyes.

  Heavy footsteps pounded down the hall. Hannah backed up, hit a wall and collapsed. Kane wanted to comfort her, soothe her fear. “Hannah.” Blood spurted from his lips onto the floor.

  “I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I lost control and my power took over.”

  “’Tis not your fault,” he muttered. More blood rolled in his mouth. He was to blame. The lassie was hysterical and he was the one who lost control, sending her straight into panic. She was a virgin. What the hell was wrong with him?

  He winced at her huge eyes, ashen face and trembling lips. Terror was frozen on her sweet angelic face. She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped arms around her shins. She laid her head on the top of her knees and rocked back and forth like a little girl. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and comfort, but his arms shook and he had to use all of his strength to keep from collapsing into the pool of blood forming beneath him.

  Sean and William rushed into the room and skidded to a halt. “Capt’n, Hannah, are you well?” Sean asked. He frowned. “What the hell?”

  “Jaaysus, what happened?” William ran over to Kane.

  Kane nodded at Hannah who was in danger of going into hysterics. Her glossy eyes stared at his blood pooling on the floor. “Take care of her,” he gasped. Pain twisted Kane’s lungs, but he didn’t know if ’twas from the blade or asking William to care for Hannah.

  William followed his gaze. “What the hell did you do?”

  Kane refused to answer. This time, William would have been right. He had been acting like a demon. He spit out blood on to the floor. “Mallory, fetch Doc.”

  Sean turned on his heels and ran out of the room.

  William squatted beside Hannah. “Look at me,” he whispered. “I promise I’m not going to hurt you. Look at me.”

  She gazed at William. “I swear I didn’t do mean to. I…I…I got angry. I could-could-couldn’t control it.” Her voice raised an octave. “I…I…I thought he-he was going to bite me.”

  Kane frowned. “I wasn’t going to bite her.” His words were labored and pain seized him.

  William pinched his lips together. What did he want Kane to say? Kane knew he had stepped over the line, pushed her too far. Ah, hell, he took advantage of her. Admit it.

  Each time he exhaled, his back throbbed. He gritted his teeth to keep from crying out. His vision played tricks with him, turning blurry. He shook his head. Stay awake. If he passed out, he’d send Hannah over the edge and he didn’t want to cause her any more pain. This was his fault, not hers.

  “Hannah,” William’s voice hardened. “Give me your hand.”

  She shook her head.

  “Hannah, please I promise I won’t hurt you.”

  She stared at his hand, but put a trembling hand in his. William wrapped his left arm around her shoulder and edged her closer to him, molding her to his side. Laying her head down on his shoulder, she sobbed. “I swear I didn’t mean to do this. Please forgive me.”

  “You were defending yourself. No one blames you.”

  Kane turned away from William’s scowling face and Hannah clinging to his brother. His stomach clenched. He wanted to be the one to keep her calm, to reassure her, to hold her but when he was around her, he lost control. William would not take advantage of her.

  He had never competed with William over anything and always had been protective of him—until now. What the hell was wrong with him? He just told William to care for Hannah, but seeing them snuggle together and Hannah putting her trust in his brother, he wanted to hack out his brother’s spleen, club him to a bloody pulp, dice him into chunks of shark fodder.

  A stampede of footsteps came barreling down the hallway, and Doc and Sean clamored into the cabin. Doc kneeled beside Kane. “Are you ready Captain?”

  Kane wanted to scream, but as captain, he had to set an example for not only his men, but for Hannah as well. Pain and fear were part of the job. He shoved them both into the back of his mind and masked his face. “Aye.”

  “Lay down.”

  Kane slowly rested on the floor, away from his blood.

  Doc pressed his left hand onto his back. Kane gritted his teeth. Doc ripped the dagger out of his back and Kane arched. He panted trying to catch his breath, but each time he did, blood crawled up his throat and swirled in his mouth. He glanced over his shoulder. Fear riveted upon her face. Despite the pain, he painted a smile on his face to try to calm her, but her eyes spoke of the panic rising within her. “Lass, ’Tis nothing.”

  “Sean, get me water, needle, thread and rum,” Doc ordered. “Meet me in the Capt'n’s cabin. Go now.”

  “Aye,” Sean answered and exited.

  Doc put his hand on Kane’s back and pressed. “You’re losing blood, Capt’n.”

  Hannah put her hand on William’s shirt and gripped it. Bile spilled into Kane’s throat. Hannah was his, not William’s. He knotted his fists. Stay away from her, you bastard. What was happening to him? He’d never wanted to hurt William, not until now.

  Hannah buried her face against William’s shoulder.

  A new pain seized Kane. Clutched his heart. The bile tasted bitter on the back of his tongue. Don’t, Hannah, please don’t fall for him. But William was a man, not cursed. Why wouldn’t she fall for him?

  William rubbed his hand over her arm. “Shh, shh, Kane will be fine. I’m here. I’ve got you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Kane squeezed his eyes tightly closed. Imagining ripping his brother’s throat out.

  “Why did you stab him?” William asked.

  Burying her face into his shoulder, she muttered, “H…h…he was kissing me. I thought he was going to rape me.”

  “Shh,” William rubbed her back. “Getting bitten by a vampire does not change you into one.”

  “It does not?” Her voice was tired and shocked.

  “No, it does not,” Kane growled.

  William stared at him with condemning eyes.

  “I told her this, William.”

  “So you thought kissing the lass would ease her fears?”

  Kane avoided his brother’s eyes. His brother was right. He was as thick as two boards.

  “I can’t kiss a vampire,” she whispered.

  Kane chewed his cheek. What did he expect? That she’d accept the curse. No, she’d want an honorable man.

  Sean hurried into the crew’s quarters with a lantern. Kane glanced at Hannah again. The candlelight illuminated the cabin chasing away the shadows, but highlighted his guilt with Hannah’s hair in disarray and scratches on her face where he had kissed her. William glared and rubbed Hannah’s arm.

  “Thanks Mallory,” Doc said. “’Tis all right, Capt’n. ’Tis not bad. You done heal quickly as usual, but you done be in bed for a couple o’ days.”

  Shite! Blood whirled around in Kane’s mouth, and he gagged and coughed. He spit out more blood onto the floor.

  “Capt’n, you’ve done pierced your lung,” Doc said. “But you’ll heal soon enough.”

  Hannah frowned. “He’s a vampire. Immortal.”

  “That does not mean he does not feel lass,” Doc answered. “We’re only a vampire under da full moon. Otherwise, we are men. We feel like any other man. William tends to forget this.”

  William scoffed.

  “Capt’n.” Doc tapped his left shoulder. “We need to move you to your cabin.”

  “I can walk,” Kane insisted.

  “Sure you can,” William shook
his head. “Hannah, I’ve got to help Doc.”

  She nodded her head.

  “I don’t need your help brother,” Kane warned. The last thing he wanted was to be vulnerable to William. He wanted to be tough, to prove he wasn’t upset that William was winning over Hannah.

  William ignored him. He grabbed Kane’s arm while Doc had the other. “On three,” William said. “One. Two. Three.”

  Kane gritted his teeth as Doc and William dragged him off the floor. The pain nearly knocked him out, but he was able to stand on his feet. He put his weight into Doc.

  “Come on Hannah, follow us,” William urged.

  Kane clenched his fist about ready to pop his brother in his mouth. Doc and William nearly had to carry him to his cabin. Hannah’s soft footsteps followed them.

  Sean waited in his cabin. Water, a rag, needles and a bottle of rum were nearby.

  “Give me the rum, Mallory,” Kane demanded. Kane wanted the rum to block out William and Hannah’s building tenderness.

  He sat on his bed and panted. Hannah ran over to William and he put his arm around her trembling frame. Kane bit his lip to keep from howling with pain. What had he been thinking?

  “Mallory,” Kane growled.

  Sean handed him the bottle and Kane took a big gulp, but his pain remained. Not from the damn blade. He was losing Hannah. Losing her to his brother. Losing his mind.

  “Lay down, captain,” Doc ordered. “Keep da bottle. You’re going to need it.”

  Kane glanced at Hannah, laying her head on his brother’s chest. He rolled onto his stomach and gripped the bottle. His eyes grew heavy, but ’twasn’t enough. He wanted to pass out and not watch Hannah seeking warmth from William. His younger brother. Now his rival.

  “Just do it, Doc,” Kane grumbled.

  “Aye, Capt’n,” Doc said, his voice grim.

  Doc poured rum on his back, and Kane flinched from the agony of the sting. He bit the pillow and gripped the blanket. He deserved the pain after what he put Hannah through. If he hadn’t been such a selfish bastard, he would not be losing her now. She sighed. He downed the rum, playing the coward, not able to see what was happening between her and William.

  His eyes grew heavy and he closed them sinking into his pillow. His head swam whether ’twas from the rum or the pain, he couldn’t tell nor did he care. He wanted to yell at William to get away from Hannah, order Doc and Sean to throw him in the brig, but William was only following Kane’s orders. Or was he? Hannah was the first lady they had aboard this ship and he caught William looking at her with more than respect. How could he compete with an honorable man?