She moved to the main stairway and climbed swiftly to the top deck. Near the wheel deck she could see Rachel, her red hair and yellow gown flaming in the sun, flirting with Manuel.
She crossed the deck, ignoring Esteban's insistent calls to stop, and made her way past sailors, intent upon her mission.
She finally stood where they were, Rachel had her back turned.
"Rachel."
Rachel turned quickly, surprised at having someone behind her. “Oh, it's you,” she said and turned back dismissively.
"Bitch, turn around."
She sighed theatrically and looked at Katherine once more. “What?"
Manuel had begun to back slowly away from the women.
"It was you,” Kate said quietly. “You set me up."
"I don't know what you're talking about,” Rachel said haughtily. “Aren't you a bit overdressed for scrubbing floors?"
"You gave Esteban the desk set I bought for him, you told him it was from you. You lying whore!"
"Oh that ... You can have him, I don't really want him after you,” Rachel said.
That was all it took.
Katherine was on her like a wildcat, pulling her hair and kicking her. She held Rachel's long red locks in one hand and slapped her over and over again, then shoved her across the wheel deck.
Rachel went over the rail to the deck below in a flurry of petticoats and satin, landing sprawled upon her back. She scrambled to her feet as she saw the blonde demon bearing down upon her.
Kate was angry beyond reason. Somewhere, back in the recesses of her mind, she could hear Esteban calling her, demanding she stop, but the new Kate, the one who'd been forged by abuse and pain and sorrow, ignored him. She sought revenge against the woman who'd caused all of this.
Rachel backed up, casting about for any sort of weapon she could use to defend herself. She spotted a sailor with a pistol tucked in his belt and grabbed it. She pulled back the hammer and leveled the gun at Kate.
"No!” Esteban shouted, shoving aside the people standing between him and the women.
Kate rushed in and bent low, catching Rachel around the knees, driving her backwards into the rails.
Rachel's hand flew upward and she pulled the trigger sending the shot up and away. The pistol flew from her grasp, leaving an acrid cloud of gun smoke surrounding them. Kate watched her lunge for another weapon, a belaying pin. She pulled it free holding it like cudgel over her head, ready to strike. Kate flung herself at Rachel who caught her one good blow across the shoulders, but it was hardly enough to stop her. Now atop the struggling Rachel, Kate reached behind herself and pulled out the belt knife she'd put on this morning.
She grabbed Rachel's hair, but rather than cutting Rachel's hateful throat as she'd planned, Kate instead brought the knife down and sliced chunk after chunk of red hair as close to the scalp as she could, leaving large, bald patches upon the other woman's head. Long tufts of red blew around the deck, swirling in the gathering wind.
Rachel, once terrified of being murdered, now screamed her outrage at being viciously barbered. Her hands flew up trying to bat Katherine away from her, but only succeeded in a few useless blows against her torso.
Esteban reached Kate and took her under the arms, dragging her back away from Rachel who lay sobbing upon the deck, feeling her head and crying out at each new bald spot she found.
"She's the one who gave me to Davich,” Kate spat angrily. She threw the knife on the deck where it stuck next to Rachel. “I bought you that desk set the day I was abducted. I had forgotten everything until I saw it."
Kate turned and looked at Esteban, huge tears filled her eyes. “She has no idea how lucky she is that you were here, Esteban.” Kate turned and moved back to the stairs, descending belowdeck.
Esteban watched her go, then turned back to Rachel. “You deceitful bitch."
"Esteban, no ... it wasn't like that ... You don't understand. She isn't one of us!"
His icy eyes narrowed and he moved forward to her.
"Esteban ... Please, no...” She wasn't sure what he planned to do but she was positive it would be horrible.
"The penalty for betrayal of this ship and her crew, which includes my woman, is death."
The crew watched silently, knowing the only true justice aboard Viceroy was Esteban's.
"Please! Someone help me!” Rachel begged, but her pleas fell upon deaf ears. Esteban grabbed her by the wrist and hauled her to her feet then dragged her to the rail. “Oh my God, please don't kill me!"
He lowered his head to her ear and whispered viciously. “I'm not going to kill you, that would be too good for you."
He forced her to the deck and grabbed her ankle, then reached into his pocket and took out the silver cuff he'd removed from Katherine and snapped it into place.
"You enjoyed watching my wife live the life of a slave, perhaps you ought to experience it for yourself."
Esteban left her sobbing at his feet then turned and looked at his crew; they knew he'd kill anyone who dared to speak, although none of them would. While cruel, his actions had been warranted. He knew they were aware of how much he loved Katherine. She was indeed the perfect mate for him, as her ferocious courage had just proven. For someone so close to have betrayed them was a betrayal of them all.
"Quima, take her below and dress her appropriately, then assign her duties. I don't wish to see her again."
The womannodded then motioned to Rachel to move. The two women proceeded belowdeck.
Esteban climbed to the wheel deck and scanned the horizon. “How far to Traru?” he demanded of Manuel.
"Three days, sir."
"Send word, we'll rendezvous there."
Esteban slid back down the ladder and pulled Kate's dagger from the deck, then descended after her. He pushed the half-open door of his wardroom all the way open. She had gone to the bedroom, and stood staring at the sea.
He watched Kate for a moment. She knew he was there but did not turn.
"What did you do?” she asked.
"She won't bother you again."
Kate turned and looked at him, great tears ran down her face, and she burst into sobs. He took her in his arms, and she went gratefully.
"I will see to it that Davich suffers for what he has done to you. He will not escape my wrath, but I will need your help."
* * * *
Three days to Traru left them little time to prepare, but by the time they arrived they had a plan.
Esteban stood upon his wheel deck, watching the tiny harbor come into view. This was the last port until Diamánde at Carador. Nearly all of the ships leaving the southern waters would stop here or at Diamánde itself to resupply.
As the mists parted to reveal more of the harbor, Esteban saw Davich's ship, Eleana Aru, come into view. This was Romanov's flagship, the jewel in his fleet and Esteban had spent many long hours familiarizing himself with the vessel's dimensions and her capabilities.
She was larger and heavier than Viceroy, running approximately thirty-five feet across her beam and at least a hundred feet along the lower deck. Eleana Aru was a heavy sloop; three-masted, she rode two hundred tons with more than twenty guns.
Viceroy was a frigate with a clipper keel, built for power and speed with four masts, and what she could not overcome with firepower, she could easily escape.
Esteban's hatred for Davich Romanov had already run deep, but now it ran deeper still. When he had found Consuelo with him, he'd tried to kill the man. Davich had the devil's own luck and had escaped, but not without serious injury. Consuelo had begged Esteban not to condemn his soul to Hell through murder and he had reluctantly done as she asked; a last request so to speak. His sister had never been able to recover from her ordeal and had thrown herself to her death from the turrets of their home at Diamánde.
He had run to the courtyard when he saw her fall and cradled her broken body in his arms, unable to avenge her death because of his promise.
Now, more than ten years later, he
was no longer concerned for his soul; too many had died by his hand or upon his orders for that to matter. And because he had not erased the scourge that Romanov was from the world, his precious Katherine had also been defiled.
Her wounds went deep, beyond the visible to her very core and she was forever changed as well.
He crossed his arms over his chest and shifted his weight to his other foot, scanning the harbor.
The Andalosian Navy hunted him, and officially, the Basaltic Government wanted him dead. He made a scornful sound. Esteban knew while they talked about hanging him, they also needed him to provide the outlawed goods, which they so desperately sought. Their ongoing war with Lyros and Qassli and their strained relations with Minalos meant they could not receive the fine imports those countries had to offer. As a freebooter, Esteban walked a high, thin wire.
Davich in particular wanted him dead—revenge for the horrible burns upon his face, as though his face was somehow more important than his sister's life or Kate's honor.
He inhaled deeply and moved his restless hands behind his back.
Kate was stronger than Consuelo, and he knew she would not succumb to the shame of her captivity and rape; if anything she was harder now, bitter.
Her innocence and naïveté were gone forever.
He knew she had spared him the worst of what had happened to her, but he did not need the details to see the damage. Her sleep was thin and he had not seen her sketch or draw in all the time she'd been back. She jumped at his voice and there was a haunted look that had never been present upon her face before. She never rejected him in their bed, and he always did his best to love her gently, proving his passion for her in deed as well as word.
She might be forever altered by her ordeal, but she would be avenged. Katherine would see Davich Romanov dead. Esteban would throw his body at her feet. At least then, maybe she would sleep once more and perhaps Esteban's guilt-ridden heart would find peace as well.
"You look upset,” she said, looking up from the lower deck.
He gestured with his chin toward the harbor. “He is here."
She turned and followed his gaze. The black hull of Eleana Aru was plainly visible even from this distance.
She took his offered hand and climbed up, joining him where he stood. A nauseating wave of panic rose up within her at the sight of her former prison, and she did her best to quash it before it overwhelmed her.
Esteban held her hand, bringing it up to his lips, he kissed it softly and pulled her close. He could feel her heart pounding through her chest. “You will be safe, I swear it."
"I'm not worried for myself.” She looked up at him. “Esteban, please, don't underestimate how much Davich hates you."
He smiled then, but it didn't touch his eyes. It was a grim, deadly sneer, which made her blood run cold. “If he lived a thousand years, Davich Romanov could never atone for the wrongs he has done, and the harm he has caused to me and mine,” he said quietly. “He has no idea what hate is."
He had told her all about his sister and what Davich had done to her, and she knew Esteban's hatred ran cold and deep.
"When will you meet with him?"
"Perhaps tonight. I know he will send a messenger,” he replied, looking over her head.
Kate nodded. “I should go rest, then get dressed."
Esteban pulled her to him and kissed her lips softly, but that coldness had not left his eyes. She wasn't sure she liked kissing him like that.
She made her way down to the main deck.
She returned to their quarters and simply stood watching the water for a moment. Tika entered and moved to her side.
"Are you all right, Miss Kate?” she asked.
"I'm nervous,” Katherine admitted. In fact, her stomach was a tightly bunched cluster of squirming nerves, which churned sickeningly. She took a deep hitching breath and turned to her maid, giving her what she hoped was an encouraging smile. “I'm going to try and rest for a little while, Tika,” she said. “Would you please see that my bath is ready when I wake up?"
"Of course, ma'am,” Tika said.
"Good girl. I'll need your help dressing too."
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Chapter 14
Traru was a prosperous fishing village at the northernmost point of Silania, neutral ground for both Esteban and Davich. The residents knew their best customers were pirates and raiders and often looked the other way when it came to the legality of what went on there.
Esteban knew that Davich's arrogance, his lust for Katherine, and his pure hatred for him would make the man careless; agreeing to meet here was his first mistake.
Their plan was simple—lure Romanov with the promise of a very frightened Kate, then overpower him. He planned to return to Viceroy and then dispense justice at his leisure.
He looked down at his crew preparing to land, and called out to Manuel who joined him above, “If anything goes wrong, you are to bring Katherine back here. Make sure the crew is ready to weigh anchor as quickly as possible."
Manuel looked at his captain. “It will be as you say."
Esteban nodded and clapped the younger man on the shoulder.
When they made port, they immediately received a messenger from the Andalosian, naming the inn where he wished to meet that night. Esteban sent a landing party to covertly investigate his options at that inn.
They reported that although there were several Andalosian sailors around, it seemed quiet and as safe as any other port. He nodded, satisfied then moved belowdecks.
Davich Romanov was not a stupid man. Cunning and sly, he'd managed to stay alive relying upon his instincts and his wits. His fatal flaw was his vanity. He had known she was the pirate's woman, but he'd never expected her to attack him the way she had. When he'd received word that she was back in Esteban's hands, and that he was willing to trade, Davich had leaped at the opportunity.
Davich definitely wanted her back. The little bitch had fooled him into believing she was a docile and submissive pet, when in fact she was a scheming, conniving whore. He had been shocked over what she'd done, and he seethed with embarrassed anger when he thought of how he had to be rescued by his valet. Her escape had been bold and courageous, and he afforded her a modicum of grudging admiration, although it was most likely a simple combination of good fortune and circumstances, rather than skill.
Still, he planned to make her pay for what she'd done.
* * * *
When it was nearly dark, Esteban led her from the ship, down the dock to the cobbled streets. Her hands were bound before her, secured by a thick rope and she fought Esteban's tight grasp as he led her to the inn.
Davich had arrived earlier and watched them from the window in the second story above. A chilly smile crossed his face as he contemplated not only Katherine, but also Esteban under his control at last.
He watched until they entered the doors below.
Was Esteban truly foolish enough to have come alone? His thought was confirmed by only two sets of feet upon the stairs.
Davich motioned for the two sailors he'd brought with him to move back into the shadows of the large room, then settled himself into a chair.
The door opened and Kate was thrust through unceremoniously. She stumbled awkwardly and then righted herself, turning back to glare at her assailant.
Esteban entered behind her and sneered at her angry face, daring her to protest.
He did not acknowledge Davich, but spoke. “You offered ten-thousand peks for this bitch?” Esteban stood close to the door, and Davich knew he needed to draw the pirate nearer.
He watched the pirate for a moment before he replied. “I am shocked that you actually wish to part with her, Magalia. I thought you were more of a sentimental fellow."
"Do you want the woman or not?” Esteban demanded
Davich stood and moved toward Kate. “Hello, Katherine,” he purred. “I was saddened that we did not have the opportunity to say goodbye when we were together last.” He re
ached out and touched her face and she jerked her head back away from him, making him laugh. “Here I thought you were such a docile and gentle pet. Now I see my little kitty has sharp claws."
Kate made a disgusted sound and looked away from him. Esteban was barely able to hold himself in check, literally shaking with rage watching Romanov touch her.
"Very well, you'll have your money,” he said to Esteban, still looking at Kate. He moved quickly and pulled her head forward, taking her mouth in a brutal kiss, drawing blood where his sharp teeth split her lip. Kate made a pained yelp and raised her bound hands to push him back.
He broke the kiss and touched her lip. “Do you know how much I've missed you, dear Katherine?” He held her by the back of her head and pulled her face forward, then darted his tongue out to lick the blood he had drawn. Katherine nearly gagged from revulsion and struggled to pull herself away.
Esteban thought he would be able to withstand Romanov touching her, and taunting him, but he'd been mistaken. Blind rage overwhelmed him and he leaped at Davich. “Bastard!"
Davich turned in time to see Esteban about to land upon him. Kate dropped back and tried to move away from the men, bumping into the wall behind her.
Esteban reached Davich and punched him hard, drawing back to hit him again immediately afterward. Davich managed to pull back after the first blow and lowered his head, driving his shoulder into Esteban's belly, forcing him back.
From the shadows, Kate saw two men emerge and reach for Esteban. She screamed and shouted a warning, then pulled her hands free from her mock-bonds. She rushed to the door and opened it, admitting Manuel and his two helpers, then turned back to join the fray, crying out sharply as Manuel grabbed her by the wrist and jerked her out into the hallway.
"Manuel,” Esteban barked, “Take her back to the ship. Now!"
The sailor bent and lifted her over his shoulder and then bounded down the staircase two at a time.
"Dammit let me go!” she cried.
In the room, the two men and Davich fought Esteban and his two remaining mates. The room was destroyed as the pirates grappled with the huge Andalosians.
Calthraca: Secrets And The Sea [A Calthraca Novel] Page 16
