“What is it?” she demanded, trying to see what he saw. She accidentally brushed her bosom against him, and her cheeks flamed red. She jumped back as if bit by a dog.
“If you’d untie my hands, that wouldn’t have happened,” she snarled.
He merely smiled in amusement. “Ah but then I wouldn’t have had the pleasure.”
She pulled at her bonds, itching to slap the smugness off his face. Instead, she turned her back on him and sat awkwardly on the small settee.
“What I see, ma chere, is rather ominous clouds that indicate a storm. I fear it shall delay your departure.”
Hope rose in her chest, but she dashed it to the ground. There was no escaping her fate. Jesse comforted herself with the thought that at least she had some time.
LeBlanc closed and locked the French doors. He pulled her to her feet and kissed her. His slimy tongue invaded her mouth, and she struggled in his arms. When he at last let her go, she spit at his feet.
He smiled wearily. “You’re new master will not be as tolerant as I, ma chere. I suggest you try to tame that wild beast inside of you, for I truly fear for the beatings you may take.”
She lifted her chin. “Better his beatings than your slimy kisses.”
LeBlanc crossed his arms and looked at her thoughtfully. “I think I would have enjoyed taming you myself.” He sighed. “Ah, well, ’tis better this way. Adieu, ma chere. Your new master will be here shortly to sample his new purchase.”
The door closed behind him, and the lock clicked from outside. She was not the first woman he had done this to. This was apparently his holding room, as there was no way to lock the door from this side.
Hands still bound behind her back, Jesse sank onto the bed and gave way to womanly tears. She cried until exhaustion took her in its arms and carried her to sleep.
* * * *
A crack of thunder woke Jesse. The room was pitch black, and she wondered where her master was. Lightning flashed, and she saw a silhouette at the French doors. The knobs jiggled, and when they wouldn’t give, the person threw his weight into the doors. Two more attempts soon had him stumbling into the room with the wind and rain at his heels.
The figure was upon her before she could even think to move, and he clamped his wet hand over her mouth. He was drenched, and his wet hair dripped coldly on her. Terrified, she tried to see his face in the dark. The next burst of electrical energy revealed his identity, and her terror turned to relief. He let go as soon as he was certain she was calm.
“Dulac,” she muttered. “But, you were shot. I thought you dead.”
“A flesh wound. I played dead. They had the upper hand, and I knew if I retreated, I’d have a better chance of saving you. Especially if they think I’m dead.”
“You let them kidnap me?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, thanks to you, I am now a slave.” Her temper steadily rose.
He choked in surprise. “What? That’s illegal.”
“Apparently not in the middle east,” she snapped arrogantly.
“But we’re not in the middle east.”
A soft knock at the door had both of their heads turning. The heavily accented voice filled her with dread. “Hello? Are you awake? May I come in?”
With wide eyes, she whispered, “It’s him.”
“Him who?”
She gave him a droll look. “Him that thinks he owns me.”
Dulac frowned. “I’ll kill him.”
There was another tap on the door, and keys jingled. Dulac slipped out onto the balcony just as the other man entered.
“Ah,” he said and smiled, showing pearly white teeth. “You are awake.”
He locked the door and took the spot Dulac had recently vacated. “What do they call you?”
“Jesse.”
He tilted his head. “And what is your true name?”
She stared dully at him. “Jessamine.”
He smiled. “Jasmine.”
She shook her head. “No, Jessamine.”
He just continued smiling and placed his hand on her cheek. Growing uncomfortable under his scrutiny, she tried to fill the silence. “I don’t remember my last name.”
He raised a dark eyebrow. “Really? Well, no matter. You won’t need it in my home.”
He ran his fingers through her hair, and his mouth suddenly claimed hers. She resisted, but as she had discovered with LeBlanc, there were men who took what they wanted, when they wanted.
When he pulled away from her, Dulac loomed over them. He hit the man on the back of the head with the hilt of a knife. He fell across Jesse’s legs, but Dulac rolled him off her and cut the ropes binding her hands. He indicated for her to follow him and led her into the raging storm.
Dulac stopped suddenly on the porch, and Jesse crashed into him. She was too scared of being followed to get angry at him. Curious, she waited for an explanation.
Despite the fact that the balcony had a roof, the rain came down at a slant and pelted both of them. She shivered as he slowly faced her. “It’s the perfect night for LeBlanc to die. He won’t expect me.”
She couldn’t see his face but heard well the murderous intent in his voice. “No,” she pleaded. “Let’s just go. Please.”
He grabbed her by the shoulders. “Where are we to go in this storm, Jess?”
She glanced at the dark gray sky. “I’d rather face it than him. He’ll do anything to get his way.”
He pulled the knife out and twirled in his right hand. “Not if he’s dead.”
Anger filled her. “Why can’t we just run? His men will kill us.”
A flash of lightening showed the agony on his face. His pain reached out to her, and her empathy for him rose to the surface. But she knew that trying to right one wrong with another would never work.
“I watched my men die,” he growled through clenched teeth.
She placed her hands on her hips. “I know. I was there.”
“He deserves to die.”
“I agree.”
“Then let me do my job.”
She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “Oh, that’s right. You are, after all, a pirate hunter. So how many have you swung from a rope, Mr. Dulac?”
His eyes narrowed as he refused to answer her. She smirked. “So have you ever killed anyone?”
Quietly, he replied, “I’ve never actually done the killing as the hanging is done by a hired official. But I’ve caught my share of pirates that were sent to the noose.”
Jesse poked him in the chest. “It’s not the same. I’ve killed, and even though he was scum, I swear to God it’ll never happen again.”
Pain sliced through her, and tears welled in her eyes. The taking of a human life had deeply affected her. She wished for the hundredth time she could go back and hit the pirate in the leg instead of the head. Unfortunately, she had to live with the fact there had been no time to think, only to react.
“What you’re planning is cold blooded murder,” she whispered. “Not self defense.”
Though she could sense his anger, he did put the knife away. He led her out into the raging storm.
Chapter 8
A tremor of fear slipped through Jesse. “I bet he’s raving mad. I just hope they don’t look in their own back yard for us, and I hope we’re not nesting with snakes.”
“I checked this shack out when I got here, and despite some mice and spiders, we should be okay.” Dulac’s baritone voice soothed her worries.
The shack had barely enough room for them and the gardening tools. They sat as far apart as possible, but their feet touched. Dulac pulled his legs into an Indian position, and when their knees touched, he yanked his up to his chest in an effort to avoid all contact with her. She hid her mirth.
“Mice I can take,” she whispered.
“And spiders?”
She shivered again. “Let’s talk about something else.”
Despite her request for conversation, they both lapsed into silence. The wind whist
led through the trees, and the rain beat against the little wooden shack. Its boards creaked in protest, and she prayed it didn’t collapse on top of them.
“How much longer?” she whispered.
“I don’t know. A couple hours maybe?”
A few seconds later, she asked, “How are we going to get off this island?”
“I don’t know.”
She sighed sharply. “You don’t know much, do you? Okay, well, do you know where you were born?”
“New Orleans.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-one. Boy, you sure are nosey.”
She shrugged. She wondered what it would’ve been like to have grown up normally. She supposed she’d have been a married woman by now. But then again, she knew her father wouldn’t have forced her to do anything.
“Dulac,” she said slowly. “What was it like to have a normal childhood?”
He grunted noncommittally. “As normal as it can be with nine children roaming around, and as the youngest, I was babied...a lot.”
“Do you miss them?” She toyed with the edge of her shirt.
“Are you always this chatty?” he asked grumpily.
“Only when I’m nervous.”
“I’m tired. Take the first watch since you’ve already had some shut eye.”
Irritated, Jesse resisted the urge to slug him. She crossed her arms and listened to the rain pelting the roof. It wasn’t long until Dulac’s soft snores filled the room. She couldn’t resist thinking about his delectable mouth.
Feeling wicked, she got on her knees and leaned close enough to feel his breath on her lips. She was careful not to touch him, but the urge to press her lips to his was too irresistible. Her kiss was light as a feather, and she scrambled back from him as soon as she had done it.
Jesse waited fearfully for him to wake and breathed a sigh of relief when he didn’t. After the rush of it faded, she placed her arms on her knees and rested her head on her arms. Sleep soon crept over her.
* * * *
“Jess, wake up.”
She swatted lazily at the hand shaking her shoulder. “Let me sleep.”
Seconds later, however, her eyes popped open as the smell of fresh bacon wafted under her nose. Her stomach rumbled, and her eyes popped open. Sitting up, she saw shapes and shadows and knew it was light outside. “Is it over? What’s the hour?”
“Almost. There’s a bit of a drizzle. Mid-morning.”
“I’m ravenous. Is there more?”
He laughed softly. “Little pig.”
“Just lead me to the trough.”
She woofed down the food, and once the hunger was satiated, her curiosity rose. “Where’d you get the grub from?”
Dulac was spared answering by a light tap on the shack’s door. Her heart leapt into her throat, and she bit her lower lip to keep from crying out. Numbed with fear, she watched him answer the knock.
“Della?” she whispered, unable to believe that the housemaid was helping them. Please don’t tell him I’m a girl. “Can we trust her?”
He nodded. “She’s the one who told me what room you were in.”
Della shut the door and lit a small candle before speaking. The tiny flames danced eerily over her face. “I’ve seen my fair share of LeBlanc’s greedy ruthlessness. I can’t stand by this time.”
“He’s done this before, has he?” Dulac asked, a bit angrily.
“Many times, Mr. Dulac.” She grunted. “My brother would sell me if he could get away with it.”
Jesse’s jaw dropped. “You’re related to him?”
Della nodded. “He’s my older half-brother, and it’s my own fault he keeps me here. I snuck aboard his ship last time he was home, and as father doesn’t know his profession, LeBlanc won’t let me leave...for fear I’ll tell on him.”
The small woman then smiled, and Jesse saw the same cunningness that LeBlanc’s smug smile often held. “What LeBlanc doesn’t know, is that father is on his way here. I only hope the storm doesn’t hamper his arrival.”
It took but a second for the information to sink in. Aghast, Jesse turned her head toward Dulac. “Did you know about this?”
He shrugged, and she punched him lightly in his well-muscled bicep. “Cad. You could have told me.”
“I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”
Jesse rolled her eyes. “So, tis better to have my fear get the better of me.”
The more she thought about it, the more peeved she became. Jesse got to her feet and crossed her arms. Aggravation laced her words. “So when do you expect him?”
Della’s mouth twisted as she thought. “Well,” she paused, “I think it was two weeks past...LeBlanc wasn’t here when the message arrived, and as New Orleans is not far from here, I would say he’ll arrive any day now.”
“And I s’pose we’re to sneak aboard his ship,” she grunted.
Della smiled smugly. “No sneaking will be needed. With luck on our side, I hope to present the two of you to my father as brothers.”
* * * *
Jesse stared out of the attic window with a huge frown. Fortunately, no one from the ground could see the window, and so she stood without fear of detection. Other fears, however, continued to plague her.
The biggest one, of course, involved LeBlanc discovering her and Dulac. Della had assured them no one ever came into this part of the attic. She believed it was a forgotten part of the house, and no wonder. The house was so big it was all anyone could do to simply remember the main floors, let alone an attic as big as the house itself.
Jesse crossed her arms and rubbed the goose bumps on her flesh. Still, she could not shake the feeling that LeBlanc knew where they were. He toyed with them, and while she desperately wanted to, she was having trouble believing that Della would truly help them. Yet, she had kept quiet about Jesse being a girl, which allayed her fear...somewhat.
“Hey, brother,” a male voice rumbled behind her.
She turned to face Dulac, who sat uncomfortably in a small chair. He’d do anything to keep her from getting the wrong idea. “What?”
“Not a good idea to stand by the window.”
Her temper flared. “No one can see me.”
He blew through his nose. “Damn, it’s like beating my head against a wall.”
“Then stop beating it, and leave me alone. Why’d you save me anyway?”
“I always repay my debts, little brother.”
“I’m not a—” she stopped herself before the word boy popped out of her mouth. Her teeth clenched. “I’m not your brother.”
“Damn right about that,” Dulac muttered. “No brother of mine would—”
She looked incredulously at him. “Go on. No brother of yours would what?”
His blue eyes narrowed. “Prefer men to women.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “But you do.”
That sparked his manhood. He jumped to his feet and towered over her. “Like Hell I do!”
Jesse smiled wickedly. “You’re attracted to me. I can tell.”
She turned and stuck her rump out. “Go ahead. I won’t let anyone know.”
It was all she could do not to bust out laughing. When he made no comment, she looked back to see desire written all over his face. She immediately faced him and pressed herself to the windowsill. For good measure, she folded her arms over her bosom.
She watched his face pale as he realized he was attracted to her. She almost felt sorry for him - almost. The little imp in her couldn’t resist goading him some more. “Aw, duckie, ya just now realizing that you want to walk on the wild side?”
Dulac’s eyes darkened, and his mouth turned into a grim line. He descended upon her like an enraged bull. His hands wrapped around her forearms, and he lifted her up in the air and slammed her against the wall. His blue eyes pierced her soul. “Let’s get one thing straight. I bed women and women only, and as you don’t qualify in that respect, I suggest you keep your comments to yourself...lest you get more
than you bargain for, ya little man-lover.”
He let her go, and she crumpled to the floor in a heap. Her heart ached, and tears filled her eyes. His man-handling of her person had shaken her to the core, and she hated him for making her feel so powerless. If she’d learned one thing from her father, it was that women were treated with respect.
But in Dulac’s eyes, you aren’t a woman.
That thought sobered her even as she sank to her knees. Dulac returned to his chair and turned it around so his back was to her. “Next time you need saving, brother, save yourself. In fact, you better run like a deer when you get the chance. I’m a pirate hunter, and I’ll see you swinging yet.”
* * * *
Jesse gathered up the dishes and set them on a tray by the door. She touched the doorknob, wondering if it would be safe to explore the attic. It had been two long, hot days, and it was hard being confined inside when one was used to the open seas. And especially hard when your companion refused to look or talk to you.
“Not a good idea.”
Her shoulders sagged in defeat, and she reluctantly faced Dulac. “I’m bored.”
“Me too.”
He threw one leg over the window sill. “I’m going to see if I can find out anything.”
“But...”
He held up his hand. “Don’t worry. It’s night. No one will see me.”
“But you’ll slip.”
He shook his head. “No. It’s not steep. I’ve climbed the rigging on a ship for the past five years. This’ll be a walk in the park. Remember, the house won’t be moving.”
He disappeared, and Jesse rushed to the window. Twilight had quickly turned to night, and clouds covered the stars. Despite the fact her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, she could not find him. Instinctively, she crept out the window and headed to the right.
She had the balance of a ship’s cat and scampered easily across the slanted roof. She came to a flat portion and bumped into Dulac. He jumped, then cursed.
“What are you doing?” he whispered angrily. “I thought I told you to stay put?”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Well,” he grunted. “I meant to.”
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