“And give you that satisfaction? No, thanks.”
“So, what brought you to my door this afternoon?”
“I came to talk, but I have to admit that it’s hard to focus when your eyes are like that. Steel doesn’t know about this?”
“Steel only knows what he chooses to see. All I have to do is say I’m sick and the others stay away as if I have the plague—including Steel. So, no, he’s never seen them like this.”
I sighed and tried to focus on his nose instead. “Does it hurt?”
“The curse? No. These eyes don’t feel any different. I just do. To be honest, I’ve wanted to kill you from the moment you knocked on that door.”
“Hades… should I be worried then?”
“No, because I’ve learned to control the thirst for blood.”
“You mean you drink blood?”
I’d heard of vampires, but they were only myth. Not even sirens believed creatures like that walked this earth. If they did, it would be a frightening world where a person would have to watch their back constantly.
Gregor chortled. “That’s nonsense. Vampires aren’t real. I was referring to the desire to kill—to draw blood with my blade.”
“That’s what I assumed, but thought it would be safer to ask.”
“Do you really think I would tell you if I was a vampire?”
“As my friend, I would hope so. And since you’re my friend, I need to talk to you. The men are finally starting to become comfortable with me again but some are still hesitant.”
Gregor sat on his bed, but I remained standing. This small room was more stifling than Steel’s. It needed to be aired out more, but that was probably hard when you were trying to avoid everyone else.
“Is it because of the storm or did something else happen?”
I shook my head. “The storm was all that happened and that’s more than enough. I don’t think I could handle something else happening. Steel’s been too busy to entertain me, so here I am. Did you know we’re following a treasure map?”
“I didn’t know that. I’ve been cooped up in here, remember?”
“Oh, right. Want me to get you something to eat?”
“The doc has been bringing me some stuff. He’s the only one who knows about our curse for obvious reasons.”
“I was surprised when I heard there was a doctor on this ship. I didn't think pirates cared enough to heal the wounded.”
“That’s a pretty cold assumption. It may be every man for himself, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to speed up other crew members’ deaths by not getting them treatment.”
“Then, why hasn’t Steel or anyone else come to see you?”
“He’s been busy. You said it yourself.”
“More like self-preservation.”
“I was expecting you to visit sooner, yet it took you some time.”
“I was locked in my room to avoid the harsh glares everyone was throwing in my direction the first day.”
“The doc told me you saved everyone who’d fallen into the water. Seems like you’re getting a grasp on the whole siren thing.”
“It comes to me when I need it. Using it for little things have been impossible, but at least it’s been there during the important times.”
“I’m glad you’re coming to terms with what you are.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m simply saying that you’ve chosen to keep the best assets from each race, rather than the worst. You choose kindness over greed and you save people from drowning instead of pushing them deeper. No matter what anyone says, you aren’t a bad person and there is nothing wrong with you. Just so you know, Steel’s been different with you around.”
“What do you mean by different?”
“He isn’t as cruel or demanding. It’s a nice change.”
Steel had told me he’d had a ruthless reputation, but I had yet to see it. Sure, he was meaner with his curse active, but it wasn’t what I would determine as evil.
As I met Gregor’s eyes, I asked, “Why don’t Steel’s eyes turn as black as yours? They only get a shade darker and his whites stay white.”
Gregor looked away from me and all of the teasing left his face. “Because I was that captain’s first mate too—the one on Poseidon’s Whore—, but I was given a second chance to be better. I deserve a worse punishment than this.”
“I think you both have your downs. Steel can’t even remember being cursed. You at least get a heads up.”
“Could you imagine if I didn’t?”
“You would probably be getting the same looks as me.”
“This will pass. Don’t worry.”
* * *
Gregor had been correct. Another three days went by and the whole storm fiasco was almost forgotten. Gregor finally came out of his room this morning and it was perfect timing because we arrived at the island that was supposedly hiding buried treasure.
Steel was standing next to me with a big smile on his face as the men were preparing the jolly boats to take us to shore. He said we couldn’t dock The Sea Nymph’s Revenge because it was too shallow so we were taking the littler boats. I was curious to see what I sent Stan on and whether or not it would be tolerable.
“Shall we?” Steel asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes and gestured towards Bastian, Gregor, and Barty who were waiting for us to hop on the jolly boat.
“I’m a little nervous. I’ve never been on a treasure hunt before,” I said, but moved towards the guys anyway.
“You’ll be fine. I trust that you can protect yourself and if not, then that’s why we’re here.”
Bastian helped me step over the side of the ship. The jolly boat rocked as my foot hit the bottom of it. It was slightly unstable and my heart lurched when it dropped slightly.
“Sorry, that was my bad,” Gregor admitted with a guilty smile. “I wasn’t holding the rope tight enough.”
“It’s okay,” I said, but still held onto the edge tightly as the others climbed aboard.
It was a lot more cramped than I’d anticipated it would be and I was currently smushed between Bastian and Steel. Steel had an arm around my shoulder and squeezed it lightly as we descended. My breath hitched when we hit the water. The downward motion didn’t sit well with my stomach, but it eased as Barty began to paddle us towards the shore. Glancing behind us, I saw that five other men were in a separate boat following us. They were squished together too and I understood why Steel didn’t want to lose any of the boats to Stan.
Oops…
Nobody said anything as we went, but the excitement was palpable. It was also contagious and had me ready for this adventure. I wondered what would be waiting for us on the island and for once wasn’t afraid. Looking beyond the ups and downs with Steel, that comfort and security he filled me with was still present.
The white sand was soft under my feet as I climbed out. I didn’t want to ruin my shoes again, so I chose to remain barefoot. The sand was a little warm and was making me regret my decision quickly. Steel’s chuckle didn’t help either.
“We need to get you more pairs of shoes,” he said and I stuck my tongue out at him in response.
“How about you give me a piggyback ride and we call it even?”
Steel let out an exasperated sigh. “Only for you, but you’ll have to read the map for me.”
“Deal.”
Steel handed me the tattered map and squatted down so I could hop on his back. The others were staring in awe, but Steel and I both ignored them. He walked us in the direction I pointed and the adventure had officially begun.
The terrain was rough and several branches blocked our path. Steel even tripped over a few roots that were sticking up from the ground.
“I think I should walk on my own,” I said after he tripped for the fourth time.
“That might be a good idea before the both of us get hurt,” he agreed and set me back on my feet.
He accepted the map from my outstretched hand and we continued
our forward trek. The air was thick with humidity and I had to tie my hair up to keep it from sticking to the back of my neck. My eyes were cast downward to watch my footing while I kept a hand on Steel to guide me.
The island buzzed with noises and movement of wildlife, but was otherwise quiet. There were no signs of humans inhabiting this area. No man-made structures within sight or shouts within earshot. It reminded me of my home with my parents and I understood I’d rather live somewhere like here rather than a place like Tortuga.
Bugs swarmed around our heads and bit at our exposed skin. It was a nagging sensation that was difficult to brush off. Various fruits hung from the trees, including bananas, and my mouth watered. They were teasing as they hung out of reach and there was no way I was climbing anything around here. The terrain was unfamiliar to me, so I was unsure which trees were sturdy enough to hold my weight and which weren’t. I wasn’t going to embarrass myself by falling from a tree.
“Do you really think there’s treasure ahead?” I asked not being able to withstand the silence of our group anymore.
“That’s why we’re here,” Gregor said with a smirk.
“But it doesn’t look like anyone’s been here for a while. No human at least.”
“Exactly,” Steel piped in. “That means there’s a better chance the gold hasn’t been discovered yet.”
“How do you know there’s gold?” I asked.
“Because where there’s treasure, there’s gold,” Bastian answered.
“But what if this pirate only liked jewels?” I teased as I attempted to keep a conversation going.
“I’ll take any jewels ye don’t want,” Barty said seriously.
The other men chuckled behind us, but then, the unexpected happened. One second, Steel was in front of me. The next, he was tumbling into a hole. The ground had just collapsed underneath him.
My fingers was still clinging to his shirt, so I went with him when he fell. A hand grabbed my ankle to catch us and I held onto Steel with all of my strength.
Looking down, I saw what appeared to be sharp spears sticking up from the bottom of the hole. If I let go of Steel, he’d die. But Steel’s yells and flailing legs made it harder to hold on. My fingers were slipping as the men began pulling us up.
“Grab ahold of my wrist,” I grunted.
Steel momentarily stopped his panicking to do as I said. His eyes were wild and wide with fear. My arm and shoulder burned in protest at the strain from his weight. When I thought he was going to drop, arms reached around me and took ahold of Steel. They lugged him up right after me. He and I stared at each other breathing heavily and at a complete loss for words.
“We must be gettin’ close.” Barty grinned.
“What makes you think that?” I asked between breaths.
How the Hades could he be smiling after Steel and I just almost died? My heart was still in my throat as I realized the new danger in our situation.
“That was a booby trap and that means someone’s protectin’ somethin’. Somethin’ like treasure.”
A booby trap? I wondered who would do something like this. Something so deadly.
“He’s got a point,” Bastian said. “This is exciting.”
“Glad to know me almost getting killed has been a blast for you.” I narrowed my eyes, but the seriousness was lost by my teasing smile.
“O-oh, no, I’m not excited about that,” Bastian exclaimed with heated cheeks. “Only that we’re getting closer.”
“Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let’s pick up the pace.” Steel’s eyes had darkened and I was surprised to see Bloody Steel in front of me.
The curse had come on so quickly that I would’ve missed it if I hadn’t been looking. His men cheered in response and didn’t seem to notice his change in demeanor. Well, all but one. Gregor saw and raised his eyebrows at me.
Steel pulled me to my feet and wrapped an arm tightly around my waist. His smile was blinding as he glanced up and down at me. “If anyone was thinking about making a move, this is my girl and I’ll kill anyone who tries.”
A chorus of “yes, captain” sounded and I nearly choked on my spit at his declaration. The shock of it forced me to lean away from him. The notion of us officially being a “thing” was new to me, but apparently it wasn’t to this version of Steel. This one was possessive and clingy. The complete opposite of the other who avoided kissing me.
To prove my point, Steel claimed my lips with his and smacked my bottom as we walked around the hole. I yelped and it drew a laugh from him. Yep, he was on a whole other level when the curse was active and I liked it, even though it made me blush. His Cheshire grin was back and it warmed my body.
“Will you keep your eyes forward before you fall into another hole?” I snapped.
I changed my mind. I didn’t like the extra attention as much. It was a little too creepy.
Gregor laughed at that and Steel narrowed his eyes at him. Gregor stopped quickly and shifted his gaze to the front again. I moved so Steel was back in the lead instead of beside me.
Steel held the map up as he studied it with a bold smirk twisting his lips. “It has to be around here somewhere. There’s supposed to be a small waterfall coming up, but I don’t hear it.”
“I do,” I whispered as the sound of the trickling water called to me.
I pushed Steel aside and followed the pull of the running water. It was singing to me… calling my name ever so sweetly like velvet. I came to a stop in front of a pool of water. It was small, but there was a waterfall that was probably around twenty feet high. I kneeled next to the pool and reached my fingers towards it.
The ripples in the water looked like magic and my submerged fingers zinged with energy. All I wanted to do was dive right in. It was a beautiful crystal blue and shells and rocks underneath the surface were completely visible. A few fish swam around my fingers and it brought a smile to my face.
“Is there treasure in there?” Steel asked as he came up to my side.
I shook my head and he let out a curse, but I continued grinning at the water. There might not be treasure, but there was definitely something special about this water. I couldn’t explain with words the energy and happiness the ripples sent through me. It was intoxicating… enthralling… it was the most incredible feeling I’d ever experienced, and I leaned forward, ready to slice through the surface.
“What’s that?” Bastian shouted.
He broke me from my trance and forced me to pull my body back up. Fear flared in his eyes and made my muscles tense in response. I glanced in the direction he was looking and saw people running down the hill with spears in their hands. They were heading straight for us.
“They’re coming from behind us too,” a voice I didn’t recognize exclaimed.
“And to the other side,” Steel boomed.
“What do we do?” Gregor asked as he drew his sword.
The natives stopped when they reached us and the men and women formed a half-circle around us. We were blocked with no way out unless we wanted to ram into their spears. They all wore white face paint and each had their own design. Their clothes were made of animal hide and left little to the imagination. There was a variation of dark and light skin among them, but they all held predatory expressions. The majority of them wore some shape of bone around their neck and some had it going through their ears and noses.
One guy pushed his way to the front and held an air of superiority. He was the only one not holding a spear and he wore a golden crown on his head with glittering jewels. It was so out of place compared to their primitive attire and mannerism. The man’s eyes skimmed us and came to a halt on me. They widened and his mouth fell slightly ajar. He beckoned me forward with a wave of his hand and inclined his head.
Steel moved in front of me in a defensive manner. “You can’t have her. Who are you?”
“This human capture you?” The native’s accent was thick, but he spoke slowly enough that I could understand.
“What? No
. What are you going to do to us?” I grabbed onto Steel’s arm to peer around at the man as I spoke.
“I am Heiji. I have foreseen your arrival Daughter of Poseidon.” He bowed low.
“Daughter of Poseidon? Don’t you mean siren?”
He shook his head. “You are much more than that. The treasure you seek is under the waterfall. You must swim to get there.”
“How do you know we’re here for treasure?” Steel narrowed his eyebrows.
“And why are you telling us where it is without being prompted to?” I added.
“You are our princess and savior, so it is yours to take.” The man bowed again. “Only you can retrieve it from its hidden cavern as it is your birthright. It is too far for any mortal to make it without drowning. We will take these men as our prisoners while you go for your swim, my lady.”
Their princess? I was no princess, but I wasn’t going to tell them that. Their belief that I was royalty might be the only thing that could save us.
“Princess? I don’t know what you’re spewing, but we aren’t here to be prisoners,” Steel growled. “We’re here for the treasure and will take it by force if we have to.”
The leader scoffed. “Humans are such vile creatures. This is my home. You cannot force anything here. We hold the advantage on this island. Nothing is yours for the taking.”
The guy waved his hand in the air and the others closed in on us. Their spears looked sharper the closer they came and I pushed myself to stand in front of Steel—much to his displeasure.
“These men are my allies. If you mistreat them, then you mistreat me.” I figured I might as well try to use this royalty status to our advantage. “You must swear to me that they will not be harmed if I go check out the treasure.”
“My lady, we eat humans. We have been cast aside by Zeus, but Poseidon feeds us as he feels obligated to.”
“How does he feed you and why would he feel obligated to?” I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear the answer or not.
“He makes certain that our maps find their way into sailors’ hands in hopes that it would eventually lead one of his heirs to us. We’ve been protecting his treasure for years waiting for his heir to come and claim it.”
The Pirate's Siren (Sirens & Steel Book 1) Page 10
