by ML Guida
She put her hands on her hips. “I won’t abandon my brother. Not when I can help.”
William’s throat tightened at her small voice. He wished he could convince her to stay here, out of sight. But if she was bent on coming on this nightmare voyage, then she needed to know what monsters waited for her. “You could suffer the same fate, Mariah. The magic possessing Lark is dark, straight from hell. You can’t help him. You must stay here.”
“Then you condemn my brother to die.”
William towered over her, his full height dwarfing her petite form. In his most menacing voice, he said, “You’ll stay here where you’ll be safe.”
“No.” She pushed William.
He fell backward, but easily righted himself. He was surprised at her strength. Not that she could topple him over, but she was no weak female, either.
She stuck out her chin. “I will follow, you if I have to.”
Doc stumbled to his feet. “Lass, stop. You done hurt him.”
“Like bloody hell she has,” William grumbled.
“Mon Dieu! Then tell him I’m not a prisoner.”
William dusted the dirt off him. “You’re not coming with us.”
Ronan shook his head. “Cap’n, William’s wrong. Lark said she can help. Give the lass a chance.”
William studied Ronan. Of course, Ronan would take the lass’s side. On board the Fiery Damsel, the stories Lark had told Ronan of Mariah kept Ronan alive. He had been determined to find Mariah, save Lark, and meet the woman of his dreams. William should stand aside and let Ronan court her, but he couldn’t deny he was attracted to the lass and couldn’t pass up the chance to test her charms.
“Capitaine?” Mariah asked. “If Lark changes into a warlock, you will remain a vampire and your brother a dragon. The choice is yours.”
Kane bowed slightly. “Welcome to the crew, lass.”
“Damn you, Kane,” William grumbled. “Do you know what you’re doing?”
“Oui, he does. We are wasting time. We need to move now.” Her haughty voice prickled William’s skin.
She was hiding something. William grabbed her arm. “Why?”
“Because before we set sail, we need to visit my Grand-mère.”
Not satisfied, William tightened his grip. “Why?”
“Ow! You are hurting me.”
He dropped his hand. “Sorry.”
She rubbed her arm. “Because Grand-mère can give you a clean pair of clothes and she needs to give you something.”
William took a step toward her. “A witch? What the hell does she need to give me?”
She shrugged. “She wouldn’t tell me.”
Suspicion gnawed at William. The last witch had refused to disclose a secret, and it had cost Sharon her life. “What games are you playing, wench?”
She grabbed Kane’s arm. “Please, Capitaine, ’tis important.”
“I trust Lark, Cap’n.” Ronan tilted his head toward her. “If what she says is important, then ’tis important.”
Kane nodded. “Aye, we will visit your Grand-mère, lass.”
William scowled. “You’re making another mistake, Kane.”
Mariah grabbed her satchel. “Come on. Follow me. Our house is not far.”
William swore and followed the reckless little witch outside. He couldn’t help but admire the sway of her arse. She was beautiful when angry. Hell, she was beautiful when she wasn’t angry. He wanted to make her smile, yet she wanted to come aboard the Soaring Phoenix and stretch out her beautiful neck for a demon to cleave it off her stubborn shoulders.
Her boots crunched on the pebbles and crushed twigs. Branches of pine trees rustled as the sea breeze blew around them. The sun played hide and seek with the branches overhead. Despite the sun and the shirt around his shoulders, William shivered. With each step, his back throbbed.
Kane frowned. “William, you’re going to slice your feet up more than a butcher dicing up a pig. Let us carry you.”
Kane and Ronan came on either side of him.
Mariah glanced over her shoulder. “What happened to the boots I brought?”
William shrugged. “Too small. I don’t need to be carried. My feet are fine.” Surprisingly he walked over the sharp rocks without cutting his feet and didn’t stumble once. ’Twas as if his skin was made of leather. He waved his hand. “Lead on.”
“Humph.” Mariah headed down the winding ledge.
Ronan hurried to catch up with her.
’Twasn’t his damn feet that hurt. ’Twas his back. Each step he took on the rocky trail jarred his spine. He bit his cheek to keep from focusing on the throbbing pain.
Walk, just walk.
After a few feet, the ledge widened. Kane and Ronan passed William, while Sean and Doc brought up the rear. The trail wound downward, and the trees thickened. A stream bubbled next to him, and William licked his dry lips.
Sean came up alongside him. “Do you need to rest?”
Sweat leaked into William’s eyes, and the shirt tied around his neck stuck to skin. He wiped his forehead and sat on a large white boulder next to the stream, catching his breath. “Aye, my back aches.” He lifted his foot and examined it. No red marks. No cuts. No bruises. Why? Was it due to being a dragon?
Sean cupped his hands over his mouth. “Kane.”
Kane, Ronan, and Mariah stopped.
Uneasiness glistened in Kane’s eyes. “You’re pale, brother.”
William shook his head and closed his eyes. “I’m fine. Just…give…me…a minute.”
He heard her approach before her gentle fingers grasped his arm. “Are you bleeding?”
He looked up. Large violet eyes stared at him with concern. He could drown in their purple depths.
“No,” he whispered.
Doc lifted the back of William’s sticky shirt. “Da blood is seepin’ through da bandages. How much further?”
“’Tis only a half mile more,” Mariah said.
“I can make it.”
Kane draped William’s arm over his shoulder. “We’ll carry you.”
Ignoring the pain, William struggled to stand. “I said I can make it.”
William swayed, and Kane steadied him.
Mariah lifted an eyebrow. He clamped his jaw shut, daring her to say anything.
William didn’t resist Kane and Doc’s help. His brother would likely throw him over his shoulder and carry him if he did. Instead, he put an arm around each of them, then hissed. Sharp pain from his shoulder nearly paralyzed him. Spinning black dots blurred his vision, and his eyes fluttered shut.
Taking a shaky breath, he drew on every ounce of energy not to pass out.
Mariah led the away again, but they moved at a slower pace. The rocky trail turned to a smooth path of dirt and pine needles. The throbbing in his back lessened. Sweat drenched his body and stung his eyes. He longed to jump into the rumbling stream, but forced his wobbling legs to move.
“Cap’n, he’s about to pass out.” Doc’s soft voice only made the misery worse.
“Aye,” Kane grumbled.
“I’m fine.” William shook his head, but he stumbled.
Mariah frowned. “He needs medicine. Grand-mère can help him. We are almost there.”
The sun swirled around him, her voice drifted away, and he leaned his head back. He thought he heard a dog bark.
A medium-size white dog stepped in front of Mariah.
“Solstice, no,” Mariah scolded. “Down girl. Oui, I know you were worried.”
The dog released a menacing growl.
Mariah gestured toward them. “Solstice, these are the men from the Soaring Phoenix. And they will help us get Lark back.”
“You…are talking…to her like you…can understand her,” William panted.
Mariah sighed heavily, as if she was tired of being questioned about talking to animals. William blinked. Lord, he was seeing two of her.
“I am talking to her. I hear her as well as I hear you.” Mariah’s soft voice had a glimmer of irritation.
William frowned. His heart thumped blood between his temples. Heat swelled underneath his skin. The world spin around him. The sun, clouds, and trees spun faster and faster and faster.
Jumbled thoughts and images swirled around in his head, but nothing made sense. His breath was heavy.
“You can’t defeat Zuto, Mariah. He’s too powerful, and you’re too witless.” He didn’t know if he said those words out loud or to himself.
The ground rushed up toward him. He closed his eyes and passed out.
Chapter 5
William awoke to a wet cloth upon his forehead, and he inhaled fresh sage and lavender. The memory of a dream whisked over him. He’d been arguing with someone. The voice had been familiar, but he couldn’t place it, and he couldn’t see the speaker’s face. This person wanted him to take Hannah and her father to Zuto. Was desperate for him to. Was this all part of the damn dragon spell? He didn’t want to dwell on the nightmare. Taking another deep breath, he opened his eyes.
Mariah gazed down at him. “Bonjour.”
He glanced around the room. Through white lacy curtains hanging over a window, the sun sank behind purple mountains. Lord of mercy, tonight there was another full moon, and he’d turn into a damned beast again. “What happened?” He barely recognized his croaking voice.
“You lost too much blood, but Grand-mère put some salve on your back and stopped the bleeding. At least, she is not witless.”
William glared. “She doesn’t have it in her head to take on a demon either.”
She stopped mopping his face. “She says I am powerful enough.”
“Then you’re both playing with Pandora’s box. Nothing good can come out of it but foolishness.”
“No, we’re not.” She wrung out the rag into a basin and tilted her head. “Your brother is pacing in the other room. Can you walk?”
He pushed himself off the bed and put his feet on the floor. At a yelp, he jerked his feet up. A white spaniel with russet spots jumped off the rug and growled.
Mariah frowned. “Solstice, he didn’t mean to step on your tail. Sois bonne.” She patted William’s leg. “See, he’s a friend.”
The spaniel returned to the rug. She laid her head back down and wagged her tail.
William tried to ignore the stirrings in his groin from Mariah’s gentle touch. “This is the dog you think you can talk to?”
“Oui, je suis désolé. She is protective. My familiar. And I’m not imagining it.”
“You are if you think you can talk to animals.”
“Solstice aids me with my magic. She has the ability to keep dark magic at bay.”
“Just what I need.”
Solstice snarled and barked.
The dog’s howling spiked the pounding headache between his temples, and he winced.
William swiped at his hair hanging in his face. The movement pulled on his fresh bandages, and the constant throbbing in his back had stopped. Now, if he could get rid of his damn headache… “I don’t understand. The pain…”
“Is gone,” Mariah said. “Oui, I know. Grand-mère used a herbal salve to numb the pain, but she said that your dragon strength aided in your recovery.”
“Grand,” he murmured. “She’s powerful?”
“Oui.”
“Can she cure me from turning into a dragon?”
“Je ne sais pas.”
“So, she can cure human ailments but is powerless to heal magical ones?”
The oak door creaked open. An elderly woman with long white hair shuffled into the room. Her bony knuckles were white from her grip upon a gnarled cane, and when she moved, the gold bangles on her wrist clanged against each other.
“So, you are a wake.” The woman had the same violet eyes as Mariah, only tired and glossy.
Solstice rolled off the floor and nuzzled against the woman’s leg. The woman scratched the dog’s ear.
“Grand-mère.” Mariah rushed over to her grandmother and wrapped her arms around the old woman’s slim shoulders. “You look so tired.”
“Of course, I am tired. I am dying, chérie.”
Solstice whined and nudged the woman’s hand.
William frowned, and his stomach shifted with unease. Could the dog understand the old woman too? He didn’t like this, not one bit.
Mariah circled her arm around the woman’s waist as if to steady her. “No, you are not.”
But William could hear the fear in her voice.
“You are lying to yourself, ma petite chou. I can walk myself. I’m not dead yet.”
Mariah dropped her arm and bit her lip. “Oui, Grand-mère.”
The old woman shuffled over to a wooden chair beside the bed and sat. She gasped and clasped the cane with both hands. Her shawl fell down her shoulders, and her gauzy blue dress hung off her frail body. William swore that a banshee had to be on her way to escort the old woman to the other side.
She shook a skeletal finger at him. “Don’t look at me that way garçon. You are as bad as ma petite-fille. Je suis Morgana Fey.”
William tensed. “So, I have you to thank for healing me?”
Morgana jutted her chin. “Oui. Feeling better?”
“Aye. Mariah says you had something you wanted to give me.”
“If you are well enough to hear the truth.”
“The truth?” More tales about magic, things about dragons, about him, that he didn’t want to know and would corrode his insides.
“Venez avec moi.” She pointed her crooked cane at William and then at the hallway. “Your brother and his men are waiting. ’Tis important we are all together.” She labored to stand, wheezed, and shuffled toward the door.
William rushed to her side. “Let me—”
She pushed his hand off her arm. “I can walk.”
William and Mariah glanced at each other. He shrugged and followed Morgana out of the bedroom. She hobbled down a narrow hallway into a large kitchen. Cast iron pots and pans hung from hooks next to an unlit fireplace. At least it wasn’t a cauldron boiling with human remains.
’Twas a normal kitchen. White dishes with painted roses lined a wooden china cabinet. A large rectangle table had six matching chairs around it. The cozy kitchen reminded him of his mother’s back in Ireland and how she used to love to bake bread and sing. But that was before the Irish Confederate War. Before Palmer had killed William’s mother. Before he and Kane were forced to become pirates to survive.
Morgana headed toward a large round door and opened it to a darkened room. Candle light flickered upon the walls. Dread seeped into William’s bones.
Morgana gestured. “Don’t be afraid. Go inside.”
“I’m not afraid, madam.” William stormed past her and hoped, he wouldn’t see human skulls, ritualistic signs, or some other ghastly thing that witches used to worship the Devil.
He was surprised by the scent of pine, mint, periwinkle, rosemary, and coriander. But his uneasiness quickly magnified when he spied the painted circles around a five-pointed star on the brick wall. On the opposite wall, an enormous wooden bookshelf filled with books stretched from the floor to the ceiling. On another wall, built-in shelves contained jars, bottles, and candles. A fireplace flickered, and this hearth held a boiling pot.
Kane and Ronan sat at a round table. With them was a man with bushy white eyebrows, a matching beard, and hostile blue eyes. Another five-pointed star had been carved into the table’s wood grain.
William sat next to Kane who nodded and smiled. He squeezed William’s forearm. “Glad you came back to the living.”
William would have given him a smile, but he was too busy watching Ronan. Ronan’s gaze followed Mariah as if she were the most beautiful lass in the world.
William tried to ignore the burning anger rising within him. Why should he care if Ronan wanted the wench? Ronan had survived the tortures aboard the Fiery Damsel thinking of Mariah. William should step aside. Besides, she was a witch, and by the looks of things, could easily be in league with Zuto.
>
Mariah sat next to William, and he couldn’t help but feel a glint of satisfaction at Ronan’s obvious disappointment. Morgana sat next to the old man and patted his arm.
Mariah smiled. “Bonjour, Grand-père.”
A grin spread across the old man’s face. “Chérie.”
Solstice trotted inside and curled up in the corner on a rug
Kane leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “So, Morgana, tell us why we are here and why I had to send my first mate and ship’s surgeon back to the Phoenix.”
“’Tis not their story.” She pointed to each of them. “Not yet. They will have parts to play, but this is William’s and Mariah’s tale. Your men’s comes later. You are all intertwined and are about to find out why. A new adversary is coming. Don’t worry, garçons. This room is fortified from evil.”
William gave her a hard stare. “You can’t keep a demon out of a room just like you can’t predict anything.”
But the woman didn’t flinch. Slow comprehension spread her sparkling eyes. “I can see into the future, and I know what you are––you are a dragon.” Her wispy voice sent chills down his back.
He gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white. “Can you cure me?” His voice was filled with eagerness. He held his breath, hoping she would say the word he so desperately wanted to hear.
Her eyes softened. “No.”
Exhaling bitter disappointment, he slowly released the table and hung his head.
“I have something that will help you tame the wild beast.” She patted the old man’s hand. “Jonas, bring me my bag.”
The old man scraped his chair away from the table, rose, and grabbed a black velvet bag off a shelf. He handed it to Morgana. She reached inside, pulled out a red velvet cloth, and unwrapped it, revealing a gold chain with a jade pendant. She handed the necklace to William. “I have personally charged this stone, and it will aid you in learning how to control your other self.”
He took the necklace. “Charged? My other self?”
“Oui, you are now two and can never be parted. You are a shifter now and must learn to control your beast. My magic shall help you.”
He examined the stone, brushing his thumb over its smoothness, waiting for it to do something evil. Chills trickled up his arm, and he shuddered. “More magic?”
