by B. T. Love
“Mmm, Ladarius,” I uttered quietly as I lowered myself back down on the edge of my bed. His tongue moved melodically, knowing exactly where to go and what to do to send me over the edge. I leaned back on one hand and used my other to pull his face in closer. “Don’t stop.” He kept his pace perfectly, working to bring my passion to the surface of my body. I could feel it, feel the warmth spreading through the lower part of my stomach and encompassing my thighs. “Ladarius,” I moaned. “Keep going . . . I’m . . .” I couldn’t say another word. The warmth exploded between my legs and I moaned loudly while grinding against his mouth. The waves of pleasure lasted a wonderful length of time and when they subsided I stilled.
He stood up before me. “You are an extremely provocative woman, my Grace,” he said, panting heavily as he grabbed his length and ran his hand along it.
His body looked stunning in the flickering light, made solidly of muscle that had been bronzed by the sun. I wanted him desperately and needed to show him just how much. I rose from my bed and knelt before him, taking his largeness into my mouth. He moaned pleasantly and continued to stroke himself while I tasted his smooth skin and ran my hands along the muscles of his stomach. His other hand guided my head and pulled at my hair while he gazed down at me. I opened my eyes and looked up at him. “You best not look at me like that,” he whispered. “You’ll make it happen more quickly that way.”
I pulled away with a smile. “Is this not how you want it?”
“Yes, and no.” He took my hands in his and pulled me up against him. “When my passion releases for the first time I want to be deep inside of you.” I smiled and he kissed into me, swallowing my mouth with a deep kiss. I could taste myself on his breath, my own flavor gratifying my senses.
We made it back to my bed and he lay on top of me, his weight a pleasant pressure to feel. As he kissed my neck his body instinctively ground against mine. I reveled in the sensation of feeling his throbbing length rub against my wetness, waiting for the opportune time to slip inside.
“You are teasing me again,” I smiled.
“Not teasing, seducing . . .” He lowered himself and ran his tongue across my breast. “Arousing . . .”
“It’s working,” I told him assuredly.
His mouth came up to meet mine once more. I kissed into him as I felt his hand wander down my side and cup my backside. While keeping with the smooth movement of his tongue sliding against mine, he moved his length down my wetness and pushed deep inside of me with one solid stroke, pulling me closer against him with his hand that cupped me.
We moaned into each other’s mouths. The feeling was incredible; there was nothing on earth I could compare it to. I wrapped my legs around his waist and moved against him with every stroke as my fingers dug into his strong back. The ship swayed gently and Ladarius moved right along with it, rocking into me with tenderness like the calm waves that lapped against the ship’s wooden sides.
“Oh, my Grace,” he breathed softly. “You feel just like a virgin.” A gust of wind rattled the ropes outside as he continued his careful movements. “May I have you another way?”
“You can have me any way you desire.”
He pulled out and grabbed onto my hips, twisting me with a delicate motion, urging me to turn over. I complied willingly and laid my stomach against the bed. Our vessel began to rock with the development of heavy waves as Ladarius lifted my backside, thrusting himself deep inside of me from behind as a swell of ocean water crashed against the ship. He moaned and reached around, rubbing between my legs while pushing harder and harder. His other hand ran up along the skin of my back before gripping onto my side and digging his fingers into my flesh. Another angry wave hit the ship outside and he drove himself inside of me again, going as deep as he possibly could. I gasped, losing my breath with the moment. He was like a wild animal, and I absolutely loved it.
The wind died down outside and the waters calmed. Ladarius pulled out and turned me over, gently sliding inside of me once more. His tongue tenderly found mine. I reacted instantly to him, accommodating the soft strength of his kiss. He rocked slowly with the ship as before.
He moved his lips next to my ear. “Grace, I want you to know that I love you.”
“I love you too, Ladarius. More than anything in the world.”
His breaths quickened; I knew he was close. I opened my legs as wide as I could manage, spreading them out to my sides so he could get as deep inside of me as he could. The warmth I had felt before was returning. I moved timely against him, our rhythm completely in sync. He slid his hand behind my lower back and continued to gently thrust. His next forward push was all he needed and he moaned huskily into my neck while he pulled in and out, filling me with warmth. When his sighs subsided he continued thrusting, making sure to get me to the height of my arousal. I pulled at his hair, becoming entranced by the sensation of his wetness adding to mine and making him slip in and out of me even easier than before.
It was time. I quivered against him, arching up and moaning with pleasure. He continued to thrust while quietly watching my face and pressing his solid hand against the skin of my lower back.
After regaining my senses I opened my eyes. He was looking down at me with seriousness, the same look that was always coupled with his passion for me. I ran my fingers through his hair. “That was more than I have ever dreamed,” I told him.
He smiled. “I agree. And I’ve dreamt it many times.”
“As have I.”
He laid his head against my chest and sighed. We laid in silence for a time, listening to the gentle rocking of the ship as it was moved by the gentle tide.
“I finally found out what I wanted,” he said.
“And what is that?”
“That your back arches quite wonderfully.”
“Yes,” I laughed. “I suppose it does. And I found out that you were right about the way you make love.”
“How do I make love?” He asked, raising his head and looking at me with a witty smile, knowing exactly what I was speaking of.
“With the current of the ocean just as you told me. When the ship rocked gently you rocked gently. When the waves crashed against it you reacted the same, vigorously thrusting inside of me like the angry sea hitting its wooden sides.”
“Was that too much for you?”
“Are you serious? No, not at all. It was exquisite.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” He pulled himself up and kissed me, smoothing his fingers along my cheek. “I watched you when you released yourself. You looked heavenly. It was the most glorious sight I have ever seen.”
“Do you want to see it again?” I flirted.
“Yes, as many times as I possibly can.”
I guided him off me and on to his back, straddling his naked body, readying myself to take my place as his lover the rest of the night.
* * *
“Show a leg, Lad!” my father howled outside of my door, jolting us out of a perfect slumber.
I rolled over and opened my eyes, taking note that the sun wasn’t quite up yet. “Go away, Father. We’re trying to sleep!”
His heavy hand slammed against the wood outside. “We be bein’ pursued!”
Ladarius stirred in bed next to me. “Pursued? By whom?” he asked.
“It be Keelhaul and his crew. They be catchin’ up with us through the night.”
Ladarius climbed over me and landed on the chilly cabin floor, picking up his trousers and sliding them on as quickly as he could. “Are you certain?”
“Aye.”
Ladarius pulled on his shirt and then opened the door. “Do you think he knows we have Melody?”
“Well why else would he be sailin’ toward us so quickly? We need to be gettin’ ready fer a fight!”
Ladarius glanced back at me with a troubled look. I knew exactly what he was worried about: my safety.
Nine: War
“We need to be raisin’ the flag,” John suggested hesitantly to my father.
; He stroked his beard and looked up at his crew that was waiting for his orders. “We be raisin’ no flag.”
“But Captain—”
“We be raisin’ no flag!” His voice echoed down the length of the ship, stirring a seagull that was resting on the main mast from its sleep.
“Father,” I cut in, hoping to calm him. “What if John is right. Maybe we should raise the Yellow Jack. It’s not like it’s a sign of surrender.”
“It be out of the question!”
Ladarius leaned into my ear. “What is the Yellow Jack?”
“It’s a yellow flag which is flown to indicate the presence of an illness on board the ship. It is usually meant to indicate Yellow Fever.”
“Yellow Fever. Isn’t that what took your mother’s life?”
“Yes. And that’s what is most likely bothering my father so much. But I think John has a good idea. If we raise the Yellow Jack then it may trick Keelhaul and his crew into believing that we are all contagious on board. They would surely stay away from us.”
As if overhearing our conversation, John spoke up, “But Captain, Keelhaul will most likely be stayin’ away from us if he be thinkin’ we be sick.”
“Keelhaul be willin’ to risk his life to get Melody and the doubloon so he can gain passage to me treasure! The Yellow Jack won’t be deterrin’ him!”
“Then what do you suppose we do?” Ladarius asked.
“We be flyin’ the Pretty Red.”
“The Pretty Red?” Ladarius asked in a whisper.
“The Jolly Roger,” I told him. “It means we will give to quarter. We will spare no lives of our opponent.”
The crew muttered to each other with worry. “Do ye be havin’ a problem with me orders?” my father asked them. They reacted quickly, shaking their heads and replying no with certainty. “Good,” my father answered. “Now get to raisin’ the flag. And be ready fer a nasty fight.” The men dispersed throughout the ship and my father walked away with John glued to his side.
Ladarius faced me and placed the warmth of his hand against my cheek. “I am worried about you being on board, my Grace. This is not a place for such a fair woman to be. I fear they will take you, do things to you that I will have to kill them for.”
“Well, you are supposed to be killing them anyway, are you not?”
He managed a slight smile. “You and your attempts at being humorous. This is quite serious, my love.”
“Yes, I know.” I brought my arms around his shoulders and nuzzled my face into his neck. “But I am a tough woman. I can defend myself.”
“It’s not that I don’t agree, it’s just . . . I was on board with Keelhaul and his crew. They are not ruthless in the same way that you are used to seeing with your father’s crew. They have a brutality all their own. With cheerfulness they bragged about murderous pillages where they didn’t just kill people but tortured them horribly. They found humor in raping women. You have no idea the evil that is sailing toward us at this very moment.”
I sighed heavily and brought my head back to see his troubled face. “I suppose you are right about them then, if you know firsthand how they are. I’m sorry I took it so lightly.”
“Just stay hidden as much as you can. Will you promise me that?”
“I will try.”
“Don’t just try. They will take one look at your youthful beauty and take you for their own pleasure. I will never be able to forgive myself if that were to happen.”
“Ladarius,” I shushed him, “don’t worry. I will stay hidden. I can promise you that. But you must promise me to stay out of harm as well.”
“That might be a hard thing to do. Keelhaul is after me for stealing Melody back. He will likely want my head as his trophy to hang from his ship’s bowsprit.”
I shuttered at the thought. “That is why you must stay hidden as well.”
“I can’t just stay hidden; I have to fight with the crew. I am a part of them now. They welcomed me as their own and I will help them. It is my duty.”
I ran my hand over his forehead, twisting a short lock of his hair in my fingers. “I love you, Ladarius. And I’m scared.”
“I am scared as well. And I love you too, my Grace.” He leaned in and kissed me softly. I prayed that that kiss was not to be our last.
* * *
It took most of the day but Keelhaul’s ship was getting close. Ladarius had me go below deck to hide just before the sun was setting. He made sure I was armed with weapons— a dagger and a pistol—and told me to stay hidden in the shadows and only to fight if I were spotted. Before he left he made sure a single candle was lit in the large expanse of the room, providing an insignificant glow so I wouldn’t be in complete darkness once the sun was down for the night.
An hour had passed before I heard the warning shot of a cannon directed at our ship. My nerves agitated me and I huddled closer in my dark corner, hoping Ladarius and the rest of the crew were going to make it through the horrible fight. I jumped at the sound of one of our own cannons being fired off at our target. I pictured John on board somewhere above me, fastening his wooden boxes filled with scraps of metal and gunpowder to the side of the ship to be lit on fire. He reveled in the explosions that they made and he was rather good at concocting them. Although when he was younger a few of them had blown up in his presence before he could get far enough away, the flying debris contributing to the scars on his face.
The hurried footsteps above me turned frantic. I could hear the muffled shouts and cries of the members of our crew as more and more boots joined them on board. Keelhaul’s crew had made it onto our ship. I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing; the love of my life was up there as well as my father. In a rush of panic I began ransacking through what I could find of the crews dirty clothes, silently thanking Ladarius for leaving me with the lit candle to see. I happened to find a pair of trousers and a shirt close to my size, as well as a bandana to fasten around my hair to hide its length. I stripped off my dress and tugged everything on. Having no mirror to see if I could pass as a man, I prayed no one would notice and made another attempt to feel around my bandana, making sure all of my hair was tucked inside.
Climbing the stairs to the door that lead to the main deck was distressing. Every step that I took made the noise from the fighting above me amplify. The sounds of cutlasses clanking together frightened me, especially hearing the groans of men who had been sliced through. I gathered my courage and pushed the door open.
The length of the deck was filled with battling pirates who were fighting with all their might under the light of the moon and a few sparse candles in their lanterns. I was completely terrified. Trying to stay hidden, I sunk down behind a barrel and searched for Ladarius. He was nowhere in my sight.
A man gurgled and fell next to where I was hiding. Covering my mouth to keep from screaming, I realized that it was one of Keelhaul’s men. His eyes focused on me while he tried to speak, but the blood draining past his lips kept the words from making their way out.
An older pirate fell to his side. “Thomas!” he screamed. “Thomas, no!” I pulled the pistol out of the band of my trousers as the pirate sobbed on the man’s chest. As if hearing my movement, the man’s head shot over to see me. “You! It be you who killed me son!” He stood up and pulled his sword from its sheath but before he could come any closer I aimed my weapon and pulled the trigger, lodging a bullet into his gut. He grabbed the wound but continued to stagger toward me. Not being able to reload, I drew my dagger and jumped up, thrusting it into his chest before he had the chance to swing his sword. His heavy body fell on top of me and I screamed as we fell to the ground, beating him with my fist to try and get him off as the warm slickness of his blood drained out of him and into the fibers of my cotton shirt.
Once I gathered enough strength I pushed his weight off of me and he fell to the floor with a thud. He was the first person I had ever killed. As hard as it was to realize what I had done I had no choice but to ignore my thoughts and find Ladariu
s. I searched the expanse of the deck and took in the sight of Keelhaul’s ship looming next to our own. His was far bigger than ours, and I could see that fighting was taking place on it as well. Something caught my eye. It was a man, standing on board an upper deck with no one around him. He watched our ship quietly with his hands laced behind his back, the breeze moving the flaps of his long leather coat open to reveal a belt laced with five or six small pistols. I knew instantly that it was Keelhaul.
A group of men at the bow of the ship roared with victory. I strained to see through the commotion and gasped when I saw Ladarius being lifted above the crowd, his hands tied behind his back and a gag in his mouth. My heart sank as Keelhaul’s men quickly left our ship and went back to their own, taking Ladarius with them.
In a panic I looked around for my father but spotted John instead, who had blood smeared on his face. “John! John you must help him!”
It took him a second to recognize me but once he did he shook his head. “I can’t be helpin’ him. We be outnumbered by Keelhaul’s crew, and they’ve already killed off half of our own. I’m sorry, Grace.”
“But you must try!”
“I already be tellin’ ya, there be nothin’ we can do!”
“Well if you won’t help him then I will!”
“No Grace,” he begged, grabbing my arm. “Ye be killin’ yerself or worse by bein’ spotted. Go back down below and hide.”
“I will not hide when the love of my life is being carried off by a group of murderous pirates. If it were me Ladarius would risk his life trying to save my own.” I ripped my arm away from his grasp and took off down the length of the ship toward where the men boarded back onto Hades Halo, ignoring John’s pleas for me to come back. I stopped when I reached the bow and watched as Keelhaul descended to the deck below where Ladarius was.
“Silence!” Keelhaul’s voice was deep and raspy, and it stopped his men’s victorious cries in an instant. His crew parted as he walked through them with his hands still laced behind his back, stopping gingerly in front of Ladarius and sucking his teeth with disgust. “Hello, Lad. It be nice seein’ the likes of ye again.” I could see Ladarius’s chest rise and fall with the heavy breaths he was drawing in through his nose. Keelhaul inched closer, sticking his face right into his. “Do ye know what happens when a man tries to run a rig on me?”