A Pirate's Agony (Legends of the Soaring Phoenix Book 3)

by M. L. Guida

  She strained to hear the slightest noise, but only zooming bees rang in her ears.

  She edged closer to the branches to study the horse and rider. An English saddle was strapped to the horse, but there was no rider. Where was Owen? He wasn’t stupid. He was cunning. Was this another one of his elaborate traps? The bastard had a second sense in hunting down runaway slaves.

  He and his men could be lurking in the nearby trees, watching, waiting. Her heart pounded harder and harder, sending blood rushing through her. Fear swept through her like a roaring river.

  Dusk had fallen. Vines and moss clung to the thick trees. Ferns and flowers hugged their trunks. She couldn’t tell if men hid in the dark forest that gave them an advantage.

  She wanted to grab the horse’s reins and climb up onto the saddle. But she couldn’t risk it. The horse twitched its ears and lazily nibbled. It was a mare, smaller than the stallions. The mare’s long white tail flicked at buzzing insects, and as she leisurely chewed on the grass, she moved farther and farther away.

  Violet didn’t know if she could make it to the falls with her throbbing shoulder and wrist, but the little mare could bring her there, then she could set it free. Back in London, she’d never learned how to ride a horse. Horses had frightened her. They were so big and powerful. But Celeste liked to ride around the plantation and insisted Violet come with her. She always claimed she needed Violet to tell if her slaves or men were lying. ’Twasn’t true. Celeste knew of her fear of horses and it gave pleasure to watch the terror in Violet when she first learned to ride. Violet smiled. She’d bested her. She became an accomplished rider, something Celeste hadn’t counted on.

  She hugged her knees tight. And waited and waited. Pain throbbed in her wrist and shoulder. Her parched throat was like a dry riverbed thirsting for the tiniest drop of water. Her stomach growled. She needed more to eat than avocados. If she didn’t move, she’d pass out inside the bush.

  Hoping her pursuers had grown tired of their perch, she clutched the rock and crawled out of the bush on her belly. She stopped and listened each time she moved. She headed for the mare, who still enjoyed her sweet grass.

  Violet slowly stood next to the horse, her senses on full alert. She was a doe, trying to outrun hunters. Nothing moved.

  She couldn’t hold her rock and get on the horse. Cursing softly, she dropped it. Her left wrist was useless. Ignoring the pain, she grabbed the saddle with her left hand and stuck her foot into the stirrup. With the last ounce of energy, she threw her leg across the saddle. The mare was smaller than most horses. If she had been one of the larger stallions, she’d never have been able to haul herself up.

  She panted, trying to ignore the dizziness swirling around her. Wind blew the palms and trees, chilling her skin. She brushed her hair out of her eyes as she fumbled for the reins. She bumped her heels against the mare’s side and steered her toward the falls.

  She leaned forward on the horse as it tromped through the ferns and grass. The smell of water penetrated the air, the deeper the horse trotted into the jungle. Leaves and branches brushed against Violet’s skin. She swayed on the horse, gripping its mane to keep from crashing onto the jungle floor. The insects buzzed louder. Her shoulder and wrist throbbed. God, how could she help Amadi in her present state? If only she was a vampire…Wait. Amadi was a vampire, and he was a prisoner.

  As the mare pushed through trees, the sound of water splashing and rumbling grew louder. She licked her dry cracked lips. The falls were so close.

  She’d be able to drink and rest for a while. If only she could think of a way to hide the little mare. She’d need her to get to Amadi. If she could get to him before dawn, maybe she could rescue him, but she was in no state to get to him without drinking water.

  The dense branches parted. A full moon cast a white glowing light. Water cascaded down rocks into a pool, but she and the mare weren’t alone.

  A huge blue and green dragon drank from the pool. Its wings were close to its side, and its tail curled around the hind legs. She was hallucinating. There were no such things as dragons.

  But the beast lifted its head. Glowing gold eyes narrowed. Black smoke puffed out of its long snout. Her heart thundered. She tried to scream, but only a puff of air escaped her lips.

  The dragon flapped its massive wings. Violet gripped the reins tight, but the little mare whinnied and bucked. She lost her grip and fell off. Her head hit something hard. Blinding pain slammed into the back of her head, stealing her breath, and dizziness swirled around her. The last thing she remembered was a pair of glaring golden eyes peering down at her.

  Chapter Eleven

  The Maîtresse strolled over to Amadi. Her hair was piled high into a bun, emphasizing her green cat eyes. She flicked her gaze over him then grabbed his cheek, digging her nails into his flesh. “For your insolence, you’ll work in the sugarcane fields. But tonight, you’re mine.”

  Her citric perfume gagged him. He glared. “I’d rather work in the fields than be alone with you.”

  “Still fighting me.” She licked his cheek, then released him.

  He gritted his teeth, wishing he could slap her. But he couldn’t move, not with his hands bound behind him and leg irons clasped around his ankles.

  She released a haughty laugh. “Take him away.”

  Dubois led him away. “Today, you’re going to wish you’d never been born.” He chuckled, snapping his whip.

  Amadi held his head high. He was a proud man, a free man. He wouldn’t let Dubois or Celeste break his spirit. Once a man’s spirit broke, he stopped fighting to be free. Something Amadi never did, even as a human. Freedom. ’Twas worth dying for.

  The other slaves rode in the cart to the fields, but Dubois made Amadi walk. The dumb bastard. Amadi preferred to walk, even in shackles, rather than be crowded into a cart with the other men. He liked the sun on his face and back.

  Dubois rode his horse behind Amadi. He flicked the whip, nicking Amadi’s shoulder. “Run.”

  Amadi wouldn’t be able to run, but arguing with a cold-hearted bastard was useless. He broke out in a run, only to trip over a rock and land on his face.

  Dubois laughed as he lashed Amadi across the back. “Clumsy dolt. Now get up.”

  This was only the beginning of Dubois’s cruelty. He beat and lashed at Amadi at the slightest mistake. ’Twasn’t even mid-day, and Amadi’s back was in agony. But he never complained.

  He clamped his jaw tight as he cut down the stalks and piled them high. He wanted to take the machete and slit Dubois’s throat, but another man followed Amadi, a pistol trained on him. With the damn leg irons, he could only shuffle.

  The sun beat down on him, drenching him with hot sweat. He could feel it burning his skin and knew tonight he’d be in pain.

  At mid-day, a woman came with a bucket of water and dipped a ladle, scooping clear, fresh water. Amadi licked his dry, cracked, lips and reached to take a drink to satisfy his parched throat, but Dubois rode his horse in between them.

  “Not you,” he said. “Get back to work. You’ll get no food or water today.”

  Amadi clenched his fists, but he went back to work, refusing to beg for mercy.

  ***

  Amadi was back in the damn dungeon. He yanked on his chains and winced. His sunburned and lashed back screamed in agony. Breathing hard, he stood still, trying to get used to the pain. So far, Celeste had not made her presence known, but if she was anything like her foul brother, this absence wouldn’t last forever. She’d definitely torture and humiliate him tonight. How could a woman be so evil?

  He thought Natasa had been the most evil woman he’d ever met, but she’d been a demon. Demons were supposed to be wicked.

  He leaned against the cold wall. Was Violet all right? He hoped Dubois hadn't found where he’d hidden her. He didn't want her to be punished, to be locked in this foul place. She’d said Celeste would punish her or kill her. His heart would break if one hair was damaged.

  He ran his hand throug
h his braids. The chains rattled, reminding him he was a piece of property. He'd rather be aboard the Fiery Damsel.

  Stay away from here, Violet.

  The door creaked. Light flooded down the stairwell.

  He stood straight.

  A faint sniffling caught his attention. Celeste was crying? Why? He didn’t think the woman felt bad about anything she did.

  She stood in the shadows, but she wasn’t alone. His heart withered and died. ’Twasn’t Celeste.

  ’Twas little Chloe. Her brown eyes were filled with tears and her lower lip trembled. But what turned his blood to stone was the welt on her cheek.

  “Hello, beau.”

  “What da hell did you do to her?”

  “Obviously, I beat her.”

  Amadi clenched his fists. He’d never hit a woman before, but he’d beat Celeste to death. He couldn’t stomach tasting her blood. “Let her go.”

  Celeste threw her head back and laughed. “That’s what I like about you. Your silly belief that you’re in charge, oui?”

  “Let her go.”

  “No.” She led the frightened child to the rack and lifted her up.

  Amadi launched for the barred door. His chains rattled. “Don’t hurt her.”

  Celeste cast him a sly look, a look that tore out his soul. “What are you willing to do to save her?”

  Kill you.

  Chloe bowed her head. Her curls escaped from her cap. She was all alone. Her world had been shattered. He’d promised to protect her, promised her mother.

  Amadi said what Celeste wanted to hear. “Anything.” The word tasted bitter and foul.

  Celeste arched a slender eyebrow. “Tell me where Violet is.”

  Amadi lifted his head. “She’s dead.”

  He kept his face stoic. He’d never betray Violet.

  She studied him. “You’re lying. That’s not what you told my men.”

  He spat onto the floor. “Why da hell would I tell them anything?”

  His voice was riddled with hate. Celeste put her hand on her throat, and a flicker of fear crossed over her face, but it quickly vanished. She latched a link on Chloe’s small hand, but it fell off and landed with a clank on the floor.

  Small relief flooded Amadi. The child was too small for the rack, but that wouldn’t stop Celeste. She’d find a new torture. He couldn’t bear to watch the child be tortured.

  “Then where is she?”

  “In the tunnel.”

  “Where?”

  “I don’t know. I was running for my life. I didn’t stop to see what direction she’d go.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “Then don’t believe me.”

  She slapped Chloe across the face. Chloe burst into tears. Her wide eyes and red cheek struck terror into Amadi’s gut.

  “I don’t know where Violet’s body is, but I can take you to her.”

  “If you like, Amadi, I’ll burn this child alive.”

  His cheek flickered. Tonight, he’d turn again. Tonight, Celeste would learn true terror.

  “I’m not lying.”

  “Bien. Take me to her.”

  “If she’s dead, then—”

  “That is none of your concern.”

  Celeste dragged Chloe out of the dungeon. Amadi didn’t know what he was going to do. Sunset was a long ways off. If Celeste discovered his lie, Chloe would die.

  A few minutes later, Dubois unlocked Amadi’s cell. He bound Amadi’s wrists behind his back then wrapped a chain around his neck. He yanked hard.

  Amadi choked and gagged.

  Dubois and another lackey led him out of the dungeon like a dog. Celeste and Chloe waited from them at the tunnel along with a small posse of men. They were armed, but what turned his gut upside down was one of them held an unlit torch.

  The man pointed the unlit torch at Chloe. “Soon you’ll burn. Your skin will fall off your bones.”

  Tears glistened on Chloe’s ruby cheeks, and she trembled.

  Amadi lurched forward, bent on ramming his shoulder into the bastard, but Dubois was ready.

  “Heal, boy.”

  The chain tightened, snapping Amadi’s head back. Amadi gagged on his own spit and fell on his arse.

  Dubois leaned over. He patted his hip where he had a whip. “Now, listen here, darkie. You’ll behave yourself. Or I swear I’ll flay that little girl. She’ll never walk right again.”

  Amadi growled but bit back a retort. How could these fiends do this? She was a little poppet. If they wanted to hurt someone, hurt him. He could take it. He was immortal.

  He was forced to lead the way.

  “Search as we move.”

  “This is foolish,” Dubois said. “My men and I looked in the damn tunnel. He’s lying to you, Maitresse.”

  Celeste looked between Dubois and Amadi.

  Amadi tilted his chin in defiance. He might be bound, but he wouldn’t cower to her or any of these blasted men.

  She snapped her fingers. “Search it again.”

  The men grumbled, but they searched behind rocks and between crevices. At this rate, they’d move slow. But not slow enough for the sun to set. He needed time, a diversion.

  Amadi jerked. Dubois and the other man yanked.

  Pretending to be choking, he fell on his knees, gagging and gasping for breath.

  “You fools!” Celeste yelled. “If he passes out, we’ll never find Violet.”

  The chain went slack. Not knowing if this would work, Amadi jumped to his feet and knocked the two men down. He plowed into Celeste, and she loosened her grip on Chloe.

  “Run, Chloe!” His commanding voice echoed off the cave walls.

  Chloe blinked. He worried she’d be too frightened to move. But when the man with the unlit torch came running, she bolted down the dark tunnel. Most children were terrified of the dark, afraid of monsters. But for Chloe, her monsters were in the light. Darkness would give her cover.

  “After her, imbèciles!”

  Dubois wiped his bleeding lip. He must have hit a rock. Amadi smiled, but it faded as Dubois grabbed a whip.

  Celeste snatched the whip out of his hand. “No, I want to do it.” Her deadly voice promised to make him wish he’d never been born.

  Two men grabbed his arms. Amadi didn’t fight them. If he did, they’d chase him. They might find Chloe and his plan would be useless.

  They forced him to his knees.

  Celeste cracked the whip. It sliced into his flesh. Pain gripped him. For a small woman, she had strength. But he was stronger. He bit his lip as she wielded the lash again and again.

  “I bet fifteen francs he passes out before he cries out,” someone said.

  “No,” Dubois said. “The Maitresse will make him beg.”

  Amadi vowed to prove them wrong.

  But Celeste cracked the whip. Amadi yelled. The thick cord had sliced his ear. Blood leaked down his neck. Amadi hated that he proved Dubois right.

  Heavy footsteps ran down the tunnel. Two men burst through the darkness, their faces white, sweat dripping down their temples. “Maitresse, Maitresse.”

  Amadi took deep breaths, trying to ignore the blinding agony. He peered over his shoulder.

  The men kept looking behind him as if the devil trailed them. One of them pointed. “Someone’s in the tunnel.”

  “Idiot, Violet is in the tunnel,” Celeste said. “Tell me, is she alive?”

  “Yes,” one of the men said.

  “I told you not to lie to me.” With each word, she lashed Amadi. He fell forward onto the cold ground, wishing he’d pass out.

  Celeste pushed the man closest to her. “Then go get her, idiot.”

  Amadi swallowed back his despair.

  Violet. No! Don’t try and save me.

  “But…but…she’s not a-alone.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean she’s not alone? Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little girl.”

  “’Tis not Chloe.” The other man pulled out his pistol. “
’Tis a monster.”

  Fire glowed down the tunnel. Amadi breathed in relief. William. Finally, thank God.

  Both Violet and Chloe were down there. What if….

  A mighty roar stole his breath. Someone screamed.

  Amadi couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman or a child. He sagged into the ground in defeat. Before he passed out, all he could wonder about was if William burned to death a little girl or the woman he loved?

  ***

  Amadi woke to gunfire and screams. Scared and angry voices muffled down to where he lay. But he couldn’t understand it. It took him a minute to discover where he was. Darkness surrounded him, but the stench of dried blood and dust and dead air sickening his stomach told him he was back in the damn dungeon. He lay on his back on the cold floor, surprised he wasn’t chained. Why wasn’t he? And why were there gunshots?

  He rolled onto his gut and winced. Quick pain shot through his back. No doubt the bastards thought he’d not be able to escape.

  But they were wrong. Sunset was only an hour away. If anyone came down here to hurt him, they would regret getting out of bed today. Soon his incisors would lengthen and his vampire strength would return, then his torturers would be at his mercy.

  Pounding footsteps thundered over his head, matching his sharp breath. He pushed himself to a sitting position and bit his lip to keep from crying out. Who was attacking?

  As if to answer to his question, the door creaked open. He clamped his jaw tight, grabbed the bars, and pulled himself up. The glow of a lantern chased away the blackness. Soft footsteps stepped down the stairs.

  Amadi’s heart thudded hard against his ribs. His stomach churned as he thought of the agony that would be forced upon him. A slight curvy shadow cast on the wall. Definitely a woman.

  “Amadi?” a feminine voice whispered.

  He bunched his eyebrows. Was it his imagination? “Violet?”

  She lifted the lantern concern filled her eyes. “Oh, God. I am so sorry.” She hurried over to the cell.