Pirate's Persuasion

by Lisa Kessler

  And if she did take the figurehead from the Serpents—David rubbed the S-shaped scar over his heart—this could be his chance to smoke out the last of the fanatical order and take them down.

  For good.

  …

  Drake sat in the other room while Heather conducted two mediumship appointments. Hearing her work gave him a glimpse into her world. Her ability to connect with those souls who had crossed over was uncanny, and her gentle spirit shone through as she delivered the messages to her clients with healing and hope.

  She amazed him.

  He wandered into the kitchen to hunt for a snack when his cell phone buzzed. He took it out of his pocket and raised a brow when Flynn’s name lit up his screen in a text. These days their quartermaster, Colton, called the crew together for meetings. Why would Flynn be making this demand? He was their captain in name only.

  All crew will meet me on deck of the Sea Dog tonight at 8 p.m. Urgent.

  What the hell did that mean?

  Now that Drake had his dagger back, he’d been hoping for a restful night’s sleep; instead it looked like he had a date with Captain Flynn.

  He glanced at the door. Fuck. He couldn’t leave Heather alone. He might be safe from the mental attacks for now, but her sister could come for Heather anytime. She still didn’t believe Ashley would hurt her, but Drake had been on the receiving end of her sister’s assaults, and he wasn’t so certain.

  Heather came in, her smile easing his worries. “I’m done for the day. Want to play some Skull & Crossbones before dinner?”

  Staying in with her sounded like heaven. He wanted to feel her body against his, to hear her laugh and taste her lips. Instead, he held up his phone. “I’d rather spend time with you alone, but Captain Flynn has called an emergency meeting of the crew, so we need to head to River Street.”

  Heather tilted her head. “Unless I missed something, I’m not crew.”

  “Aye.” He nodded. “But I’m not leaving you here alone. If Flynn has a problem with it, I’ll toss him overboard.”

  She came closer, stopping in front of him. “We have to talk about Ashley.”

  “All right.” He rolled his shoulder back and pulled the dagger free of his belt. He laid it on the table. “I still can’t figure out how she got this. We must’ve crossed paths. Do you have a picture of her?”

  Heather glanced at the fairly blank walls. “Not anything recent.” She focused on him again. “I could show you pictures from her company’s website.” She started for the door and stopped. “Do we have time?”

  Drake nodded. “We don’t need to leave for another hour.”

  “Perfect. I’ll be right back.” She returned with her laptop and placed it on the kitchen table. She kept her eyes on the keyboard, speaking as she typed. “None of this makes sense. Ashley has a successful business. Why would she risk it all to run the Digi Robins? And if I’m wrong, and she does head up the dark web group, if they really give all the money to help people without insurance pay for medical treatment, then it proves she’s got a good heart. She wouldn’t hurt anyone.” She met his gaze. “She’s dabbled in magic before, but never with a coven. I just can’t believe it’s her.”

  She turned the laptop around, and Drake’s blood ran cold. He recognized her face. Those eyes. Gods, he hadn’t thought about her or seen her in at least eight years. He studied Heather’s face, suddenly recognizing the resemblance. With her colorless skin and hair and her bright blue eyes, he’d never connected her with Ashley, but seeing the picture of her sister with Heather, side by side, it was clear they’d been twins. One light, and one dark.

  Heather frowned. “Are you all right?”

  “No.” He ran a hand down his face and took the chair next to her. “I’ve met her before. Almost ten years ago.” He shook his head slowly. “I wonder when she stole my knife. ”

  She scanned his face, questions in her eyes. “How did you know Ashley?”

  The suspicion and worry lining her face stabbed his heart. Telling her the truth right now might kill him. Half of him wished the fucking cell phone would ring and interrupt them, and the other half wished he’d never seen the picture on the laptop.

  Heather’s words to Agent Bale came back to haunt him.

  There are no secrets between us.

  Fuck. He took her hand, needing the connection. “Your sister hired me to do some interior work on her office when she first opened in Savannah. I kept the knife in a false bottom in my toolkit.”

  Heather’s eyes welled with tears as she understood what this meant. “How could she have done this?”

  He hated the deep hurt this was causing her. “You said you weren’t close. Maybe…you don’t know your sister as well as you think.”

  Heather sniffed, lifting her chin a notch. “And you do?”

  “I’m sorry, love,” he said and continued to hold her hand, letting her work through the emotional storm reflected in her eyes.

  After a moment, she took a deep breath. A crease formed on her brow. “That would have been eight years ago. Ashley was only twenty-two. She graduated college, but she hadn’t opened Cybernet Securities yet.”

  “The work I completed was in a loft over the candy store on River Street. Her boyfriend had contracted a virus of some kind, but he couldn’t go to the hospital,” he said. “She told me no one should have to watch someone die because they don’t have insurance.”

  “Oh my god.” Heather put a hand to her lips. “I remember that. His name was Bryce. She met him in college.” As the second realization dawned in her eyes, his dread swelled. “That’s when she started the Digi Robins.”

  “I didn’t ask what kind of business she was starting, but it’s possible.”

  Heather’s gaze went distant as silence swelled between them. When she looked at him again, a crease formed between her brows. “I still can’t believe she’d hurt you. Not on purpose.” Heather glanced at the clock. “We can talk about this more on the way. I’ve got to change before we head to the ship.”

  She left the kitchen and a moment later her footsteps creaked up the old staircase. He picked up his phone, his thoughts still spinning. When Ashley discovered he couldn’t be killed, would she go after her own sister? Heather wouldn’t believe it, but it didn’t seem farfetched from his point of view.

  Ashley knew her sister communicated with the dead. Now that she had possession of the Flying Dutchman’s figurehead, could she send an army of ghosts to torment Heather?

  Fuck, he couldn’t just sit by and wait.

  And as much as it pained him, Bale was the one with the contacts and the pull. If Department 13 could find the figurehead, Drake and his crew could steal it. If he wanted to save Heather, he had to convince Bale to work with them again.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Heather was grateful she changed into long pants and grabbed a windbreaker. While the days were still warm in October, the nights hinted at the winter to come, and it was always breezy along the Savannah River.

  She’d already crossed paths with some of the crew during the fight at the Bonaventure Cemetery, but she hadn’t been formally introduced. Drake helped her onto the deck and took her hand, walking her over to a tall man in the center of the ship.

  “We’ve got nine in our original crew, ten if you count One-Eyed Bob. We recently added three women, too.” He looked at his crewmate and back to Heather. “You already met Colton. He’s our quartermaster.” Drake’s lips curved into a crooked smile. “And contrary to what Flynn believes, Colton and I built this replica of the Sea Dog, and that makes Colton the captain of this vessel.”

  A woman approached, sliding her arm loosely around Colton’s waist. She offered her hand. “I’m Skye.”

  Heather smiled. “I think we may have met before. You own the Magnolia Mystic shop, right?”

  “Yep, that’s me.” Skye glanced up a
t Colton. “I’m also the quartermaster’s wife.”

  Colton’s grin widened. “I’m the luckiest pirate on the Atlantic.”

  Drake started to introduce her to the ship’s pilot, when a tall, broad-shouldered man with striking red hair came aboard, drawing everyone’s attention. “Thanks for coming, crew.”

  This must be Captain Flynn. Heather scanned the crew’s reactions. Some were tense, some hostile, and some cautious, but regardless of the lack of eagerness to see him, Flynn wore the coat of leadership like a second skin.

  Drake had made it clear he didn’t consider the man a friend, but she figured the crew didn’t have to like him. They had to trust they were better off with him than without him.

  The rest of the crew circled around Flynn, and Heather glanced over at Drake. His jaw was tight, his forehead lined, and his gaze kept sliding over to the gangplank. Were they still missing someone?

  Greyson stood across the circle from them and tipped his head in greeting when he noticed her looking his way. She smiled and focused on the captain again, only to find him staring at her.

  Flynn’s eye twitched as he turned to Drake. “Aren’t three female crew members enough? What is she doing here?”

  “She’s under my protection. I won’t leave her behind.”

  Flynn rolled his eyes. “Have her wait in the captain’s quarters.”

  Drake growled. “If you called this meeting to discuss her sister, or how you’re trying to buy her house out from under her, then I think she has every right to be here.”

  Flynn brushed off Drake’s aggression and cocked his copper brow. “I suppose there’s a chance she could be helpful.”

  The captain looked her over from head to toe, and she half expected a snide comment about her appearance, but he surprised her.

  “You’re the one Agent Bale uses to gather information from the dead.”

  Heather nodded slowly. “I’m a subcontractor for Department 13 when they need my services.”

  Drake’s hand slid free of hers, and he jogged over to the gangplank. Heather blinked as Agent David Bale stepped down onto the deck. He wore his usual black suit with a white shirt and black tie. Department 13 did their best not to stand out among the public. She had no doubt she was the only person on this boat who knew David’s socks were some type of striped and colorful pattern. It was the only part of his uniform he could personalize without jeopardizing his anonymity.

  “What the fuck is he doing here?” Flynn pointed directly at David. “Get the hell off this ship. You ended our partnership. You have no place here anymore.”

  “He stays.” Drake turned around, narrowing his eyes at Flynn. “I asked him to come.”

  Heather’s jaw dropped before she could stop herself. Drake asked for David’s help?

  Flynn’s eyes widened in shock and possibly anger. “Is this mutiny, carpenter?”

  “No, it’s not fucking mutiny.” Drake shook his head. “A witch has been sending a ghost from my past to attack me, and she’s using a relic to do it.”

  Now it made sense. Drake must’ve figured they could end the attacks if they could find the figurehead and lock it away. That was David’s specialty.

  Flynn shrugged. “Not our problem. Agent Bale thinks he can handle it without our help. Let him.”

  “You bastard!” Heather stormed into Flynn’s personal space. “Drake was laid out on the floor of your house from one of those attacks. You witnessed how bad they are. How many more do you think he can take before he doesn’t come back to us the same man?”

  David squared his shoulders. “My department found evidence pointing to Ashley, Heather’s sister, being the elusive Robin of the Digi Robins, too.”

  Heather spun around. “You don’t know that. She fights digital pirates and hackers.”

  “You don’t know your sister as well as you think you do.” David met her gaze, regret in his eyes. “I can show you the proof later if you’d like.”

  Heather shook her head, stepping back until she stood beside Drake once more. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. She didn’t want it to be true, any of it. But it was getting more difficult to find excuses. What if they were right? What if she didn’t know her sister at all?

  David took a step toward her but then stopped short with a shake of his head. He faced Flynn again, and while David didn’t display the aggressive stance of the pirates, he had his own aura of power. There wasn’t a trace of fear in his eyes. “Drake persuaded me to come here tonight because he thinks we can help each other. I need that relic, and you need it locked in a vault where the witch can’t get it.”

  “No.” Flynn shook his head. “We’re through stealing for the government.”

  “Shut the hell up, Flynn.” Greyson rubbed a hand down his face. “Drake is crew. We protect our crew no matter what. Bale’s plan is solid.”

  Flynn looked at each of the pirates. “Don’t you understand? I’ve already made an arrangement with Robin. We can put our piracy to use for the Digi Robins and we’ll each make a healthy share of the profits.”

  A woman broke free from one of the others and shoved Flynn back a step. Heather recognized her from the Bonaventure. She was the woman who nearly died that night.

  “Are you an idiot? She’s playing you.” She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. “I stole for her for years and almost died because of her greed. No way am I going back, and you shouldn’t, either. She’ll sell whatever relics or antiquities you steal and she’ll vanish. You’re her last big payoff so she can disappear. She doesn’t care about you or any of the Digi Robins team who work for her. We all thought we were helping people get medical miracles they could never afford, but she set us up. Wake up, Flynn!”

  The woman was talking about Ashley. Heather couldn’t wrap her head around it. They had it all wrong. It was the Serpent Society that imprisoned two people underground, not her sister.

  As if he heard her thoughts, Flynn turned, facing Heather head-on. “Is she right about your dear sister? I’d say you know her much better than a woman who worked for her without ever meeting her in person.”

  Heather swallowed. “Ashley has always been driven, but she’s not violent.” She glanced at the woman she’d seen in the Bonaventure Cemetery. “The Serpent Society buried you alive, not Ashley.”

  The woman came closer, glancing at Drake first and then back at Heather. “I’m Harmony, by the way, I don’t think we got to meet that night.” Her expression softened slightly. “When I was trapped in that underground chapel with Chris, we discovered we’d been set up. Robin gave Chris the contact information for Dr. Trumain to open Pandora’s Box. She had to know he was part of the Serpent Society. She promised the Serpents the box, and they wanted to verify it was authentic.”

  “That makes no sense.” Heather shook her head, still unable to see her sister in this new light. As if sensing her turmoil, Drake started rubbing circles on her back. She sent him a grateful smile. “Why would she do that? Ashley is all about the money.”

  Agent Bale moved around the pirates to stand beside Harmony. “I’m working on the proof, but my working theory is that Pandora’s Box was never her real target. It was a stepping stone to the figurehead from the Flying Dutchman. The one thing she hadn’t counted on was that a band of pirates had convinced Harmony to sell a replica of the box and return the actual artifact to me. Your sister must’ve had the figurehead, but the Serpents ended up with a forgery.”

  Heather’s stomach twisted. “If that’s true, why would she have risked them seeing her at the Bonaventure?” She grasped at one more straw, desperate to reconcile her sister’s behavior. “Maybe she came to the cemetery that night to rescue her Digi Robins team.”

  Drake squeezed her hand and waited for her to meet his eyes before he spoke. “I don’t think she knew it was a fake, love. I think she was there that night to be sure T
rumain got the trade. When it all went sideways, she knew they’d be coming for her, since she had the figurehead.”

  “That would mean she…” Her words faded away.

  It meant her sister didn’t care that two people working for her underground charity were buried alive. If she was also the high priestess of the coven that had been attacking Drake, she definitely had enough magic to cast a spell and slip past the Department 13 cleanup crew to take the serpent ring off Dr. Trumain’s finger.

  What possible use could Ashley have for that ring? A trophy? Or was it a token to use to attack them like she did with Drake’s dagger? Her stomach soured. This couldn’t be Ashley. There had to be another explanation.

  Her grandmother’s spirit swamped her senses with love and regret. “The darkness was always there, child. You could never see it, but we did. I tried to change her path, but she’s a stubborn girl.” In a whisper no one else on the ship could hear, she added, “And she has always wanted what you have. Be careful.”

  Flynn cleared his throat, all his attention on Agent Bale. “Does your presence on this ship mean you want our help again?”

  Agent Bale smirked. “Or you need mine.” He pointed at Drake. “It’s your pirate she’s after.” Facing Flynn again, he said, “I know about the coven, and we’re in the process of locating the figurehead. Since the relic technically belongs to an American citizen, unless I can prove she procured the relic illegally, the rule of law keeps my team from stealing it.”

  Flynn raised a brow. “And what would we get from this deal?”

  David crossed his arms. “They wouldn’t be able to attack Drake anymore. He’d be safe.”

  “We’re a band of pirates.” Flynn stroked his impeccably groomed copper goatee. “We need a better offer.”

  Agent Bale let out a humorless chuckle. “You got paid for finding Pandora’s Box, and one of your employees had it all along. I’d say this one would make us even.”

  Their stonewalling wasn’t getting them any closer to the figurehead and keeping Drake safe. She needed a bargaining chip. Fast. Heather stepped forward, her hand sliding free of Drake’s as she approached Flynn. “You’ll get my house.”