“Shhh, be still,” whispered a voice from the darkness that had completely enveloped him. He stopped moving and realized he was now alone in the bed. Loneliness closed over him as unseen cold hands soothed the cat’s scratches.
“Thank you,” he murmured before slipping into a river of dreamless sleep.
Chapter 10
May 1, 1900 – morning
Jesse woke before Dulac, and she quickly slipped out of the bed and to the privy. She checked for rats before using it, and after she was through, her stomach rumbled. As if in answer to its call, the door opened, and two bowls and a pitcher were set inside. Then the door slammed shut, and she inspected their meager breakfast. The porridge was runny and cold, but she didn’t expect anything less. Therefore, she wasn’t disappointed.
After drinking the completely unappetizing porridge, she turned her attention to Dulac. She looked him over, finding the welts on his back appeared less angry than yesterday. His puffy eyes remained ringed in black bruises, and his lips were cracked and swollen.
Dulac moaned, and Jesse stepped away from him just as one of his eyes fluttered open. She waited for him to talk, but he just stared at her. Shifting from one foot to the other, she crossed her arms and looked at her feet. Jesse bit her tongue to keep from asking if he’d learned his lesson. By the look in his eyes, she could tell he had.
“Are ye hungry?” She bent to pick up the cold porridge. “It’s not eggs and biscuits, but it’ll keep yer belly from yelling at ya.”
Dulac slowly pushed himself up, wincing as the skin on his back burned. Feeling worn and weary, he held out his hand. “Yes, thank you.”
She timidly took a step toward him, outstretching her arm to give him the bowl. She didn’t want to get too close to him lest she stir up his fury again. Jesse had decided to try to make peace with him. She wanted to be friends, and since they were both headed to hell, they would both need that friendship.
“I—” She hesitated and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for being such a scamp.”
Dulac wiped the back of his mouth and set the bowl on the bed. “Thanks for trying to warn me. Maybe next time I’ll listen.”
He touched the corners of his mouth. “Did you clean the blood off my face?”
Jesse took an involuntary step back and out of reach. “Would you believe me if I said no?”
His blue eyes pierced through to her soul, and she felt the connection between them strengthen. She forced her gaze away and studied the wall behind him.
“I won’t hit you if you said yes.”
She swallowed over the fist in her throat. “Yes, but I assure you, that’s all I did.”
Slowly, he got to his feet. For every step he took forward, she took one back until she was pressed to the door. But instead of bearing down on her like she thought he was going to do, he veered to her left, unbuttoning his pants as he did so. She blushed and looked away as she realized he was only going to relieve himself.
“Thanks,” he mumbled.
Jesse felt the heat in her cheeks and kept her face from him in an effort to hide her embarrassment. She scolded herself for her reaction to his partial nakedness. You’ve seen plenty of men without their clothes on, ya dolt...but none ever looked so good as Dulac.
She exhaled a deep breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Just the thought of him naked had her body turning to mush. How on earth am I going to squash these feelings for him?
Dulac returned to the bed, laying face down. Jesse sat on the floor with her back to the wall. She hugged her knees to her chest and fought the boredom. Minutes ticked by without any words spoken. She yawned, stretching her mouth wide.
“It’s considered polite to cover your mouth when you yawn,” Dulac said in an idle manner. His tone held no anger, nor snobbery, so she did her best to not take offense.
“As I am neither considerate nor polite, what does it matter?” Jesse scratched her head. “’Sides, Mother used to scold me for yawning in front of company whether I covered me mouth or not.”
Dulac huffed and went back to his silence. Jesse tried to drift back to sleep, but her scalp kept tingling. She scratched again then shook her head, but the sensation continued. She shook her bangs with her hand, and a tiny beetle fell out.
“Ugh! Son of a dog’s mother,” she spat in disgust. Then she commenced to pounding the bug into a pulp. “Lord, but I miss being up on deck.”
“Yeah, well, my guess is it’ll be a long time ’fore you see the sky, lad.”
She shivered and rubbed her arms. “Bugs... dampness...shadows everywhere...I much prefer sleeping on deck.”
Dulac grunted. “Amen to that, brother. So how long has the sea been yer mistress?”
Jesse shrugged. “’Bout ten years. Got separated from my Dad when I was eight. Been a cabin boy ever since.”
He frowned. “That’s a tough break. Where were you when you got lost?”
Jesse recalled with intense clarity the very last minute she was with her dad. She closed her eyes, hearing the cries of the crowd as they hollered for beads. His big hand slowly slipped out of hers as her head turned to look at the passing parade. She clenched her jaw, wishing for the millionth time she hadn’t let go.
“We were in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. My mother had just passed away, and he had taken me on a business trip with him. We’re originally from somewhere in Virginia.”
“Damn.”
Dulac’s deep voice held a note of sympathy, and Jesse opened her eyes to see it reflected in his eyes as well. She lifted her head and thrust out her chin.
“Don’t want or need yer pity,” she snipped.
“My pity ain’t for you but for your dad. To lose a wife and a son...that’s just Fate being a cruel bitch.”
Jesse pursed her lips together. She had thought the same thing, only it was a daughter instead of a son. Mayhap if she had been born a boy, he would have looked harder for her. As it was, he had most likely returned to Virginia and forgotten about her. But she dearly hoped not.
“Too bad we ain’t got a deck of cards,” she said, trying to change the subject. “I’m a shark at poker.”
“Oh, are you, now?” Dulac smiled. “I’ve been known to win a hand or two in my time.”
“Well, well, well,” she tried to keep a serious look on her face. “Sounds like fighting words to me.”
“Are you schooled in math? We could test each others knowledge to pass away the time,” Dulac suggested.
“Aye, me cap’n taught me all he knew. He was well educated for a pirate,” she admitted.
Dulac nodded. “Most captains are. Now, tell me the sum of two plus two.”
She looked at him as if he had a crab on his face. “Four. Don’t treat me like a common sailor, Dulac.”
He held his hand up. “Okay, okay...twenty four plus thirty six.”
Jesse squinted her left eye and used her right index finger to count in the air. “Sixty. Awright, your turn. Fifty four plus...eighty nine.”
Without blinking, he replied, “One hundred and forty three.”
She tried to squelch her amazement. “A bit slower than when me first cap’n would have answered, but not bad.”
Dulac closed his eyes, and his tanned face took on a shade of green. “Let’s stop for awhile. I’m not feeling too well.”
This time their lapse into silence resulted in soft snores issuing from Dulac’s mouth. Jesse’s thoughts soon turned toward her imminent future, and she spent the next hour or so fighting her fears.
* * * *
Pain woke Dulac from a soothing sleep. The skin on his back ached, and he realized he had rolled onto it. He shifted to his stomach with an “umpfh”. He had to admit the sheik’s men knew how to wield a whip to maximize pain without drawing blood.
As the pain eased into discomfort, his gaze rested on Jesse. The lad was curled up on the floor and fast asleep. The relaxed state made the lad look even younger.
Dulac suddenly knew who Jesse reminded
him of—his youngest sister, Sandra. She was always acting like a boy—climbing trees, wearing trousers, playing in the mud. He missed her. It had been three years since he’d last seen her. The fact they were five years apart mattered naught. Besides his twin sister, Cristi, he was closest to Sandra.
In fact, he had been the one to teach her how to climb that tree and had given her the first pair of trousers. He had also thrown the first ball of mud at her. He recalled her look of surprise had quickly turned to an impish ‘you’re-about-to-get-pegged’ grin. And he had...right in the face. Luckily, the soft mud slid off his cheek rather quickly. Then the war had truly begun, and while his mother fussed upon their return home, he had caught the matron’s secret smile when she thought they were out of sight.
Dulac sighed through his nose. Homesickness rested on his shoulders. Would he ever see them again? The Lifesaving Service would surely have stopped looking for them by now. His commanding officer had said if he did not make the rendezvous with the “fancy” ship, he would be presumed dead. So no one would come looking for him. His family probably mourned him at this very moment. His heart panged. Escape was up to him and that venue looked grim.
A soft cry escaped Jesse’s lips, bringing Dulac out of his thoughts. The lad’s head tossed from side to side as it became apparent he was lost in a nightmare. Jesse whimpered, and the sound unwittingly touched Dulac’s heart, feminine though it sounded. It reminded him of the time he had come upon Sandra holding her dead kitten. Her sobs had wrenched his heart then, and Jesse’s were doing the same thing now.
Fighting his own pain, Dulac raised up and went to save the lad from his personal demons.
* * * *
Afternoon
Jesse knew it was a nightmare, but she was powerless to stop it. The sheik had tied her to the mast and exposed her breasts for all the crew to see. None were allowed to touch, but all were free to look. One by one, they passed by her. Some wore lecherous grins. Others were angry she had duped them. Last in line, Dulac kept his expression blank.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered and hung her head in shame.
He grabbed her arms and shook her. “Sorry for what, lad? Sorry for what?”
His shaking intensified, and when she raised her head, she realized he really was shaking her. She blinked the sleep away from her eyes.
“Sorry for what?” Dulac asked again.
“Nothing,” she mumbled. “I was dreaming.”
He let go and stepped back. “The sounds you made were more from nightmares, I’d wager.”
Without warning, the door flew open. Two guards entered and remained silent as they hauled her to her feet. Fear grabbed her heart, and as they headed out the door, she threw a desperate glance back at Dulac. Jesse only caught a brief glimpse of his face but knew he was just as stunned as she was.
Minutes later, Jesse stood at the door to the captain’s cabin. Trembling, she scolded herself. Pull it together, you nit-wit. She lifted her chin and pulled back her shoulders. Foreign words were yelled on the other side, and the guards opened the door, shoved her inside and closed it behind her. She heard a click as she was locked inside.
The room was unlike any other captain’s quarters she had ever seen. Vibrant colors invaded her head and momentarily blinded her with their opulence. Huge pillows made of rich material lay strewn about the floor. The colors varied from pomegranate red to princely purple and emerald green. Gauzy material of the same colors hung from the ceiling to puddle on the floor.
“Come here.”
Jesse slowly pushed her way through the soft drapes, passing a bed three times the size of most captain’s beds. She quickly averted her gaze and continued heading toward the window. A breeze blew through the room, and several times the gauzy drapes wrapped around her. When she finally caught sight of the sheik, he reposed on a cushioned seat in front of the open window. He held a glass of wine, which he promptly pushed into her hands.
“I apologize for the necessity of making you share quarters. Has he tried anything with you?”
Jesse’s fingers curved around the jewel encrusted goblet and shook her head. “No. He still thinks me a boy.”
“Drink.”
He waved his hand at her, and she noticed every finger including his thumb had a ring on it the size of a walnut. Timidly, she took a sip, and the smooth, sweet wine slid down her parched throat. She was not fond of taking spirits and knew it would go right to her head if she drank too much.
The sheik tilted his head and gave her a curious stare. “Do you not like?”
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, unwilling to tell him she was not much of a drinker. “I do.”
He waved both hands this time. “Then drink, drink.”
Afraid of what he would do if she refused, Jesse obediently emptied the goblet. He took it from her and patted the empty spot beside him. “Sit.”
She did, snuggling up to the wall to keep from touching him. He laughed at her. “Have no fear, little Adara. I am not going to touch you. That will be a special night for us in the comfort of my home, not on a bouncing ship.”
“My name is Jesse.”
He thought a minute, then waved his hand. “But I prefer Adara.”
Jesse narrowed her eyes. “Why? What does it mean?”
The corners of his mouth lifted in mirth as he held back a laugh. “Little virgin.”
Her mouth dropped, and he let his laughter roar through the room. Her hands balled up into fists, but she closed her eyes and counted instead of hitting him. She was wise to the fact it would do no good and would just create hardship for herself, but controlling her impulsive body was another thing.
Once calm, she opened her eyes to find him staring at her. His black eyes were hard to read, but the expression on his face was one she had seen often enough on Dulac’s. Only the sheik wasn’t afraid of his desires.
“What do I call you?” She forced the words out of her mouth.
After a moment’s silence, he replied, “My name is Alam Ali Jafir, but you may call me Alam.”
“You speak English very well,” she mumbled as a warm, fuzzy feeling stole over her. She felt her tension slipping away as she relaxed against the wall.
“My father kidnapped an English professor when I was born.” He looked seriously at her before breaking out into a grin. “No, I jest with you. My English tutor was not kidnapped. His services were paid for, and when I came of age, he returned home. See? My family is not as horrible as you might think.”
“Then let me go.”
He grasped her chin and forced her to look at him. “I am not as generous as my father.”
His fingers were soft but strong as he held tightly to her and leaned in close. His breath smelled of wine and mint leaves. His lips hovered over hers, and she let him kiss her. She admitted it was pleasant, but there was still something off about it.
He released her and smiled. “And as I have paid quite well for your services, I am afraid I have to deny your request.”
He poured some wine into the goblet and handed it to her. “But it pleases me to see you beg, so feel free to ask me whenever you want, my little Adara. Just keep in mind that the answer will always be no.”
Chapter 11
May 1, 1900, Late
The weight of the world seemed momentarily lifted from her shoulders. Jesse patted one of the guard’s shoulders as she went back in to her and Dulac’s room. The door closed softly behind her, and she surveyed her paltry quarters. She frowned and put her hands on her hips. Dulac looked curiously at her from his perch on the bed.
“No no no, this jus’ won’ do anymore,” she slurred. She waved a finger at him, then blinked at her hand. She pulled it close to inspect all the freckles on them.
“I beg your pardon?” Dulac asked.
She snapped her head up and tried to focus on him. “You...the bed...me on the floor. ’Snot workin’ anymore.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Well, I don’t care how drunk you
are, I’m not sleeping with you.”
She held her finger high in the air and spoke slowly and carefully. “I am not drunk.”
“How many glasses did he give you?”
Jesse tried to count on her fingers. She touched her right index finger to her left index finger and hesitated. Then, with furrowed brow, she touched her middle and ring fingers and glanced at Dulac. “Wait, let me start again.”
He laughed at her. “Never mind.”
“No,” she insisted. “I know how much I drunk...drank... Jus’ wait a second.”
She tried counting on her fingers again but busted into laughter when she couldn’t touch her left index finger with her right. The giggles took hold of her, and she only stopped when she ran out of breath. Jesse leaned against the door as the world began to tip. Her eyes closed, and she splayed her hands against the wood.
“Whoa,” she mumbled. “Where’d these waves come from?”
Dulac was at her side in an instant. He forced her to sit down and put her head between her legs. His deep chuckle touched her heart as he cared for her in her time of need.
“This is fun,” she smiled with her eyes closed. She rode one wave after another, enjoying the rise and fall. Suddenly, the ride changed, and not only did she ride waves, she also started spinning. She threw her hands out against the floor.
“Oh, this ain’t so fun anymore,” she mumbled. “Make it stop, Dulac. Please.”
His throaty laughter spilled over her, and she tried to cling to that instead of what was going on in her head. It slipped away likes raindrops on her palm.
“Can’t help ya, lad. Just sit back and try to keep yer grub in yer stomach.”
Her stomach soured at the thought. “Shouldn’t ’ave eaten all that...food Alam gave me.”
Her eyes flew open, and she looked desperately into Dulac’s face. “Uh-oh.”
He immediately hauled her to her feet, pulled her over to the privy and held her head over the hole as she threw up. After emptying her guts several times, he wiped her face and forced her to drink some water. She held her head in her hands and moaned.
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