Kidnapped by the Gentleman

by Drake LaMarque

  “Right, so, I’m ready,” I said, nodding a little.

  “Ready for what, exactly?” he asked, faintly.

  “Do me,” I said.

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  “I can probably roll over, but you’ll have to remove my trousers. I’m ready, you should fuck me.” I looked him in the eyes and tried to give him my most alluring smile. I suspected the effect of it was lessened by the blindfold, which was brushing the bottom of my chin but I had to work with what I had.

  He coughed and shook his head. “No, that’s not… No. That won’t happen.”

  “It won’t?” Disappointment stabbed in my stomach and I bit my lip. “Why not?”

  “You’re my prisoner, it’s not ethical.”

  “You’re a pirate,” I said. I shifted side to side and shook my head. “I hardly think problems of ethics would bother you. Where did you even learn about ethics, for Heaven’s sake. I can’t imagine you with a tutor.”

  “We’re not having this conversation,” Lucifer said. “I’m ransoming you for a lot of money from your parents, and then we’re parting ways. That’s how it’s going to be.” He crouched in front of me and looked me in the eyes.

  “But what if I don’t want to -”

  I didn’t get to complete my sentence, because he took the blindfold and slipped it up and into my mouth. He reached his muscular arms around me and tied the back of the blindfold - now a gag - extra tight.

  Fuck if that didn’t make me even hotter. He was so close. I could smell him, a soft scent of leather and rum. Maybe an undertone of vanilla? Who was this man?

  “I’ll send someone later to feed you, and show you to the chamber pot. If you behave we can untie you, but you’ll remain locked in this room, understand?”

  He sat back, his hands moving to his thighs, and I breathed out slowly, wishing he’d have kissed me over the gag. My kidnapping fantasies were not coming true in the ways I’d wanted.

  I nodded, feeling sad, now.

  He ruffled my hair - which seemed at least a little more intimate than his words had been - and left the room, locking the door behind him.

  How quickly I’d forgotten about Oliver and lusted after Lucifer. How fickle and inconstant my foolish heart was. Or maybe it wasn’t my heart, but something lower down…

  The door didn’t open again for what felt like a very long time.

  Chapter 5

  In which Captain Lucifer yearns

  That night, Gabriel didn’t dare to return to the cabin they had Cedric Hale-Harrington locked in. Instead he sent Marco, who had been one of the men to take him from the streets of Kingston. Marco was, at heart, a sweet man and very kind, but he had a very good scary visage, and he had a knack for looking frightening when it was needed.

  He’d sent Marco to untie the boy. It didn’t bear to think too much about how beautiful Cedric had looked, bound at his feet, his trousers straining over the telltale bulge between his legs. His cheeks flushed and his eyes yearning…

  Gabriel shook his head. No, it wasn’t right to think about that at all.

  So, Marco had gone to untie the boy and give him some dinner and a flask of water. Showed him the chamber pot.

  Gabriel wasn’t thinking about it at all. Especially not the way Cedric’s lips had looked with the gag between them. He certainly hadn’t thought about him as he’d fallen asleep in his lush captain’s cabin, stripped of the black clothes that marked him as Lucifer. He certainly hadn’t stroked himself…

  It was the next day, and Gabriel hadn’t been thinking of Cedric much at all. Or rather, he’d told himself he hadn’t been thinking about him, when really his thoughts continued to return to the thought of them on his ship, willing and wanting,

  Gabriel looked at the map spread out between himself and his quartermaster, Dante. Quartermaster and First Mate. Dante fulfilled both roles, really. It had been a full night and half a day since they’d taken Cedric, and thanks to the lightness of the ship, they’d been able to slip out of Kingston harbour well before the tides shifted enough to allow the Naval ship to pursue.

  “So far, so good,” he said.

  Dante grunted, unimpressed. Gabriel looked up at him with one eyebrow raised.

  “It’s hardly soon enough for optimism,” Dante said. “We may have avoided the Trinity Royal, but sooner or later word will get out that we took the boy from the streets of Kingston. The Navy will send out their magical alerts and every ship in the fleet will be looking for the Devil’s Whore.”

  Gabriel sighed in a long suffering sort of way. “We evaded any notice on land, through whatever luck Marco was able to manage, and we have him contained.” He resisted the urge to add ‘for now’, but only barely. “The Navy may have seen our ship, but they can never catch us. The Whore’s the fastest ship on the Caribbean, that’s partially why I named her that.”

  “I have a bad feeling, and not only because every time we talk about the boy, your cheeks flush. What happened between the two of you?”

  If it had been any other ship perhaps the Quartermaster wouldn’t speak so freely with the Captain, challenging him in such a manner. But Gabriel had known Dante for years, and the two had concocted the scheme of the pirate ship together.

  Gabriel trusted Dante with his life, and more than that, the lives of all those aboard the Devil’s Whore. Many would not.

  Gabriel sighed and took a seat on his intentionally throne-like favourite chair. “He asked me to fuck him. Practically demanded it.”

  Dante sputtered out a surprised laugh. “I beg your pardon.”

  “Indeed,” Gabriel said. “He said being kidnapped was… something he had dreamed of. You know, carnally.”

  Gabriel’s voice became more posh the more uncomfortable he was. In that moment, he betrayed his upper class London education even more than usual.

  “Well then,” Dante said. “Why not indulge him? You’re clearly interested, and he practically demanded it, you said.”

  “It’s not right,” Gabriel insisted. He rubbed his hand over his forehead, massaged his temples and then looked up at Dante with a measure of desperation. “He’s our prisoner, I’d be taking advantage.”

  Dante sniffed, shrugged one shoulder and waved a hand dismissively. “He asked for it.”

  Gabriel shook his head. “No, I cannot-”

  There was a knock on the door and Gabriel raised his voice. “Come in!”

  Marco entered, looking somewhat shamefaced. “Captain, begging your pardon.”

  “What is it, Marco? And there’s no need for such formality, you know that.”

  Marco pushed his shoulder length brown hair behind his ears. “Sorry, Cap. The only thing is, uh, the prisoner. Cedric.”

  Dante smiled, which wasn’t something he did a lot, and it was always vaguely threatening when he did. “What about him?”

  “Well, he keeps on asking about you,” Marco said. His grey blue eyes shining with ill-concealed amusement, although he did still have an air of nervousness about him. Gabriel wasn’t sure if it was because he was interrupting their conversation, or because he had news he didn’t want to share.

  Dante sniggered. It was a deep and sort of cruel sound. “This is what happens when you target someone known to frequent the Hellfire Club, that’s all I’ll say on the matter.” Dante said.

  “Please let that be true,” Gabriel said, rolling his eyes up to Heaven.

  “Only, I sent Kaito in with his breakfast and he made him uncomfortable. The way he was asking about you, Kaito doesn’t want to go back in there. And I went in at lunch and it was more of the same. Perhaps he might, uh, settle down somewhat, if he were allowed to leave the room? Just for a walk around? Or perhaps you could go back in there Captain, set the record straight as it were.”

  Marco smiled then, obviously relieved to have said his piece, and now free to enjoy Gabriel’s discomfort.

  “Thank you, Marco, he shan’t be allowed out, it’s far too soon. And I’ll go and see him but not unti
l tomorrow. Leave him alone, perhaps some time on his own will settle his spirits and calm him down.”

  Even as he said it, Gabriel wasn’t sure he believed it. Men like that, who were so hot blooded and enthusiastic about the carnal arts? That passion didn’t usually die overnight.

  He waited until Marco had left and closed the door before leaning forward and resting his head in his hands.

  What the fuck have I gotten myself into this time?

  Dante put a hand on his shoulder in what would have been a comforting gesture, if Dante’s hands weren’t cold as the grave. “There, there, Captain,” Dante said, a trickle of amused irony in his voice. “So far, so good, that’s what you said, wasn’t it?”

  “Oh, do shut up.”

  Chapter 6

  In which there is an incident with the quartermaster

  Being kidnapped wasn’t nearly as exciting as I’d dreamed it would be. Obviously it had started out rather promising with the ropes and the gag and all, but then it had frankly become boring. Here I was, trapped on a pirate ship. A pirate ship! Full of handsome and mysterious, brooding and dangerous men, and not a one of them had laid so much as a finger on me.

  It was incredibly disappointing.

  And there was absolutely nothing to do in the confounded room they had me locked up in. I had a chamber pot, a bed, well, more like a hard cot, and a small scrap of a blanket. Barely enough to cover me when I finally gave in to the boredom and slept.

  I had the tiniest of portholes to look out of, and it was grimy and I could barely see the ocean. There was no land in sight - of course - and the vague rolling waves were terribly boring.

  If only I could get out onto the deck and see the sights for real.

  If only I could paint the ship, the mast standing tall against the clear blue sky…

  Or even better, convince the gorgeous Captain Lucifer to show me his mast, standing tall…

  The sound of the key in the door woke me up from the fitful slumber I had managed on the bed. I sat up, heart soaring - company! And possibly it would be Captain Lucifer!

  It was Marco again. One of the ruffians who’d kidnapped me.

  To be honest, he wasn’t at all bad looking. He had one of those dimples in his chin, and a fine head of dark brown hair. A hint of chest hair peeked out from the open collar of his shirt.

  If I hadn’t seen Captain Lucifer, perhaps I’d have been more excited to see Marco. But as it was I sighed and flopped back on the bed.

  “You again. When will the charming captain be returning, may I ask?”

  Marco put a new bottle of water down beside the bed and picked up the empty one. “As long as you keep asking about him, he won’t.”

  “Well, that’s spectacularly unfair.”

  Marco didn’t respond, and I had the sudden fear he was just going to turn and walk out again and I couldn’t bear to be left alone again so soon. “Wait, please,” I said.

  He must have heard the desperation in my voice, because he did wait. “Yes?”

  “I’m so bored in here, please won’t you stay and talk to me at least a little?”

  I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and gave him a pleading look. It was a good look, I’d used it to excellent effect on some of my previous lovers when they hadn’t been inclined to give me my way.

  Marco sighed and tilted his head at me. “Talk? About what? I have work I need to do, or the Captain’ll have my hide.”

  I saw a little telltale spark of something in his eyes, some interest, yes, but perhaps humour? He wasn’t entirely telling the truth about what the Captain would or would not do?

  “Well, if you have work to do, I won’t keep you,” I said. I got up off the bed and walked towards him. “But perhaps, if you were to conveniently forget to the lock the door, I could, you know, take a look around?”

  Marco folded his arms, the empty bottle sticking out from under his elbow. “Absolutely not.”

  I looked down at the ground and then back up at him. “I’d not cause any trouble. I just want to perhaps find a book to read or something to do? A pack of cards? I’m so utterly bored locked up in this room. There’s nothing to do.”

  Marco shook his head. “No.”

  “How would you like it?” I gestured around, warming to the topic, for although Marco had said no, he hadn’t left the room, he was staying to listen. Something in the tug at the corner of his mouth told me he wasn’t as cruel as he was pretending to be. I blundered on. “Just me, the four walls, a bed and a chamber pot, I’m stifled in here. Please, Marco? You can watch me if you like, I just need a little walk and then I’ll come back to the room, as you please.”

  He looked at the door and then back at me, chewing his lower lip. I was getting through to him. I moved closer.

  “How would you like it, being cooped up all day and night?”

  That was it, just the push I needed. Marco sighed.

  “All right, just for a few minutes.” He stepped back, held the door open and let me walk out. “If anyone asks, you slipped past me and I’m chasing you down. Three minutes.”

  “Five,” I said, already smiling. I was, naturally, being held in the belly of the ship. Not up off the deck itself, and although I longed to see the sunlight I wasn’t foolish enough to head up onto the deck and expose myself.

  Maybe next time.

  So I went to the next door along, which was standing ajar and nosed my way inside.

  There was a man in there, the scary man with the iron grip who’d held onto my arm during the kidnapping. I wondered if it was his rope work I’d enjoyed…

  I should probably avoid other people. I should. But I didn’t get the best look at him, he could be handsome, too…

  I cleared my throat and walked into the room.

  He turned instantly, his long, thick black hair swirling around his shoulders. His eyes seemed to reflect what little light I’d let in from the hallway, almost catlike.

  His cheekbones looked like they’d cut my finger if I touched them. His jaw was on the slim side, aiming downwards to his pointed chin.

  “The prisoner. What are you doing in here?”

  His voice had a pleasant timbre to it, deep but soft. As if he were holding something back, speaking gently on purpose.

  I walked straight up to him, a little entranced. “I sneaked past Marco,” I lied.

  He frowned at me. I saw his nostrils flare a little. I became aware of how my heart was pounding and how no one had touched or kissed me in what was it? Days? How long had I been on this ship again? It was hard to tell when I kept falling asleep out of pure boredom.

  “You ought to get back to your room,” he said. He straightened his posture as I got closer. He had a few inches on me, and his frame was slender, but I could see the muscles under his shirt. He had a sword at his hip, slimmer than the one the captain carried.

  “You ought to kiss me,” I said. And actually, that time, I hadn’t quite meant to be so forward. I had meant to ask his name.

  “I’m sorry, what was that?” His lip curled in a sneer. “I thought you’d been begging the captain to fuck you.”

  “Oh, you know about that?” I felt my cheeks heat a little. Something about this man was flustering me. My brain was miscommunicating with my mouth, or perhaps there was some animal instinct driving me, something more than just lust, because I felt a little nervous as well. As if I were in the room with a dangerous predator.

  “Cedric!” Marco called. “Get back here!”

  I ignored Marco’s cry. I found myself curiously unable to break eye contact with the predator. I raised a trembling hand to touch the black haired man’s chest. His skin felt oddly cool through the thin cotton of his shirt. He had an amulet of some kind hanging from a chain - a witch’s charm, perhaps?

  His jaw clenched. “Don’t touch me,” he hissed through his teeth.

  I flattened my palm on his chest, feeling the heat from my hand leech into him. “I want to touch you,” I said, although a part of me wa
s also insisting I flee.

  In the back of my head I heard something that almost sounded like Oliver’s voice, telling me to listen to Marco and do as he said or there’d be consequences.

  I ignored it all and lost myself in the deep green eyes of the cold man. “Move away from me, now,” he said. It was an order. If he’d ordered me to my knees I’d have done it. But move away? I didn’t want to do that at all.

  “Are you afraid?” I asked. I leaned in closer, my heart pounding, my fingers curling to dig into his chest a little, showing him how much I wanted him.

  He closed his hand around my wrist and opened his mouth. My gaze dropped then, drawn to his teeth. There was something about them. Something that the cautious and seldom heeded part of my mind insisted I look at.

  “Dante! Stop that this instant!”

  The black haired man stepped back from me quickly, letting go of my hand. I turned to see Captain Lucifer in the doorway. His shirt hung half open and he was barefoot, a more casual version of the impressive pirate.

  No less attractive, of course.

  “Captain, I wouldn’t have done-”

  “Obviously you wouldn’t have,” Lucifer strode into the room and grasped me by the bicep, pulling me behind him with such force I stumbled, he held me up with his grip. “Because you know that Cedric here is worth an awful lot of coin, and if we damage him in any way then he will be worth a lot less.”

  Damage me?

  Dante, the black haired man, had moved back as far as he could, pressing himself to the wall of the ship, one hand up over his mouth. He nodded. “Of course, Captain.”

  Lucifer huffed, yanked me further back and led me from the room.

  “Sorry, Captain,” Marco said, from further up the hallway. “He slipped past me.”

  “It’s nothing,” Lucifer said. “I’ve obviously got to keep a closer eye on our idiotic hostage.”

  “I beg your pardon,” I said, outraged. “I am not idiotic! I am spirited and delightful!”