Midnight Lady

by Jamie K. Schmidt

  FREE book

  Thank you for picking up Midnight Lady. I hope you enjoy it.

  If you’d like to keep up-to-date on my new releases and other fun things, please subscribe to my newsletter and get a FREE book

  Be a VIP Reader and have a chance to win monthly prizes, free books and up-to-date information.

  Click here for your free book: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/w9gnkxp12u

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  MIDNIGHT LADY

  First edition. May 30, 2018.

  Copyright © 2018 Jamie K. Schmidt.

  Written by Jamie K. Schmidt.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  The Airship Captains

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Epilogue

  The Airship Captains

  Santa Genie Sneak Peak

  Other books by Jamie K. Schmidt:

  Sign up for Jamie K. Schmidt's Mailing List

  Further Reading: Samurai's Heart

  Also By Jamie K. Schmidt

  About the Author

  To Andyjuice, who said "Please note that no matter how many #1 books you write, you will always be Kleinputz to me."

  RIP Langerschmuck.

  You left us too soon.

  The Airship Captains

  The Syndicate:

  Jeremiah Maverick

  Ship: The Genevieve

  Drink of choice: John Jameson Irish Whiskey

  Cargo: Black market items through high risk ports

  ST. JOHN PRESTON

  Ship: The Sigourney

  Drink of choice: Classic martini, shaken, not stirred.

  Cargo: Whatever gives him the most return on his

  investment

  BIG SWEET GLOCKSON

  Ship: The Candyman

  Drink of choice: Beer, lots of it.

  Cargo: Candy and other sugared treats

  NILES BLACK

  Ship: The Blackheart

  Drink of choice: Rum

  Cargo: ???

  QUICK DONNER

  Ship: The Quicksilver

  Drink of choice: Sambuca & coffee

  Cargo: Coffee & Cigars

  FREELANCE AIRSHIP CAPTAINS

  AMOS FLANNERY

  Ship: The Nicholette

  Drink of choice: Wine

  Cargo: Jewelry, exotics, souvenirs from other planets

  BLACK BELLE

  Ship: The Belladonna

  Drink of choice: Whatever is free

  Cargo: Whatever the highest bidder wants

  Chapter One

  Maggie wiped the rag over the bar's shellacked surface as she regarded the five airship captains playing poker in the corner of the room. She didn’t want to draw their attention when they’ve been drinking hard all night. Airship captain was a polite term for pirate in her neck of the woods.

  There was Jeremiah Maverick, who was looking at his cards and trying hard to conceal his glee. He was famous for losing his shirt with his outrageous tells. But he was a genial sort and lost good naturedly as long as he had a bottle of whiskey in front of him. But then, he ran a lot of black market items through high risk ports, so he could afford to lose.

  St. John Preston was sucking his teeth and rubbing the condensation on his glass. He probably had a decent hand and was deciding if it was good enough to go up against Mav.

  Maggie watched as St. John throw his cards away, pursing his lips in disgust. He more than likely ran the odds in his head and didn't like his chances. He was a tactician, a calculating genius, and a wonder with numbers. St. John could turn a profit selling cell phones to the Amish.

  "Another round, Maggie m'dear," Big Sweet Glockson said, gesturing with hands large enough to hold a watermelon like a football. He looked like he was going to pay to see what Mav was hanging on to for dear life.

  "Watch your arse,” Donna said. "Niles nearly pinched me black and blue."

  "Did you sock him one?"

  "Aye, it only encourages him." Donna rolled her eyes and hurried to the cash register to take a tourist's check. Donna was her best waitress and a wiz with helping her manage all the things that came with running a bar in a port town that was also a tourist attraction. Donna loved to play the dumb blond bombshell routine, but it was all an act to get her more tips, or to have some poor schmoe underestimate her.

  Maggie loaded up a tray with a bottle of John Jameson's best for Mav, a pitcher of beer for Big Sweet, a martini a la James Bond for St. John, a rum and coke—hold the coke—for Niles, and a coffee laced heavily with Sambuca for Quick. She carried the heavy tray two-handed to the table. Gods, she loved these boys and what they did for her profit margin.

  Laying the tray down on an empty table closest to the poker table—yet on the opposite side of Niles, Maggie cleared away the empty glasses and bowls of peanut shells.

  "Too rich for me." Niles threw in his cards and leaned back in his chair.

  Maggie felt his eyes on her, following every move. Niles Black, liked to live up to his name by being a dark, evil hearted rogue. She couldn't prove he ran slaves. If she did, he'd never set foot in the The Midnight Lady again. He made her skin crawl when he looked at her with his flat, shark-like gaze. Luckily, she only saw him on poker nights, and only when all four of the other Captains were in port, which was generally only once a month.

  She leaned over Quick Donner to empty his ashtray, and inhaled the spicy scent of his hand rolled cigars. He owned a plantation in Cuba and Honduras, but preferred to peddle his cargo on the open seas and space ways of the universe.

  He flashed her his cards. He had pocket tens with a pair of twos showing on the flop. The boys played Texas hold 'em, like everyone else who watched TV. Maggie kept her face neutral, even though she knew Mav had a straight. She went into the kitchen with the dirty dishes.

  "I'm going downstairs to check inventory,” Maggie said, after putting the glasses and bowls in the dishwasher. “I got a text today that we're going to have five cruise ships in on Saturday."

  "Are they nuts?" Donna said, looking up from her phone. She was probably texting her brother, who ran a floating dice game on slow nights.

  "It's all about the dollar," Maggie said, opening the door to the cellar.

  "It's going to be all about the docking. I don't know how they're going to fit five boats with only three parking spaces."

  Unlike the airships, the cruises were ocean liners coming in from ports from around the world. They had a special dock at the other end of town, which only fit three ships at a time.

  "They'll tender the people from the other two ships in. It's a win-win."

  "Hmmmm," Donna said, her fingers flying. Donna had an uncle with some boats. Maggie figured she'd be busy trying to arrange something between him and the cruise liners—for a 15% fee, of course.

  Maggie poked her head out of the kitchen to check on the captains' table. They all seemed happy with their fresh drinks and game. Satisfied that she wouldn’t be needed for a bit, she slipped down to the wine cellar. It was built deep down and felt like a cave. It was the coolest spot without air conditioning on the island of Cozumel and she had it all t
o herself, most of the time.

  Part of her missed the airship life. She spent her childhood on one. Maggie would have probably still be on one, if she hadn’t screwed up.

  She was a bar owner now. And while that wasn’t as exciting as smuggling in food and supplies to a starving population under a fascist regime, she also didn’t get shot at.

  Running a critical eye on the bottles lined up on the shelves, she figured she should order a few more cases of the popular stuff. Definitely another truck of beer. Maggie tsked, not understanding why the Budweiser was so popular. The wine casks were lovingly cared for and hardly ever touched, Maggie sighed. No one appreciated a good vintage anymore. She trailed her fingers over them.

  "Hello, my sweet." Strong arms pulled her back into a fully aroused male body and Maggie felt the slightest bite on her neck.

  "Don't you dare leave a mark.” She whirled and wrapped her arms around Quick's neck.

  He was a big man, his body tanned from the sun and weathered from the elements. Because his face was wrinkled before his time, it made him appear more seasoned than his thirty-five years. But when he smiled, her insides melted and her body reacted like he kissed her.

  “Missed you,” he said.

  Maggie was pretty sure he lied, although his dark brown eyes were nearly black with desire. She yanked his reddish brown hair out of the long ponytail he wore it in.

  Lifting her up onto the nearest cask, Quick flipped her skirt up. "Jaysus," he groaned. "I knew it." Unbuckling his belt and trousers, Quick let his pants fall to his ankles. "How could you risk not wearing underwear with Niles in the room?"

  He didn't let her answer as his mouth covered hers. He was a great kisser. Maggie locked her legs around his waist to pull him closer, feeling him hot and hard against her. Quick groaned, and lifted his head up to kiss over her chest as his fingers fumbled with the corset.

  "You're going to be the death of me with these strings. My hands are itching for my knife."

  Maggie leaned back, her legs pulling him with her. She moved her hips to encourage him. "I need to be back up there before Sweet drains that pitcher, so you can't cut them off me now. Later, perhaps."

  "There's never enough time." He smiled at her, running his thumb over her bottom lip. "If only you weren't so concerned for secrecy." He kissed her again, flicking his tongue over her lips. "You taste so sweet."

  "Yeah, like all I need is to fend off passes from horny pirates." Maggie ran her fingers through his thick hair.

  "I'd only have to shoot the first one. The rest would get the picture."

  "When you were around." Maggie sighed. "Oh, for god’s sake, Donner." She undid the knots with a few quick twists of her fingers and sighed as her breasts spilled out of the corset.

  Quick made a strangled noise deep in his throat and dove for her nipple. Maggie squirmed and bucked as he sucked it, running his tongue over the peak.

  "Oh," she whispered. "Yes, just like that." Her fingers reached between them to guide him inside her.

  Lifting his head up, Quick gasped, "Not yet."

  "Now," Maggie said and thrust against him.

  Quick went wild. He drove into her deep and hard. "So wet. So good."

  Maggie grabbed his head and brought them back down to her breasts. "We'll have time to do this more slowly later. But for now, I just want to feel you inside of me."

  Quick slid his hands under her and held on to her ass as he pounded into her eager body. She had to grasp the stone walls to avoid being tossed from the wine cask. Throwing back her head, she laughed from sheer pleasure. If she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend they were on an airship flying towards adventure.

  Reaching between them, he slid his thumb inside her. Quick rubbed her clit in circles as he moved in and out of her. Sparks jetted all along her nerve engines and her breath caught in a half scream. Maggie clutched his shoulders as she came.

  "Yes," she panted in his ear.

  He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her as he continued to fuck her with short, hard thrusts. Stretching like a cat underneath him, she enjoyed the sensation of his body loving hers. Maggie bit his earlobe, knowing how it would affect him. He shuddered. She felt him fill her as his body seized them spasmed.

  “Fuck, Maggie.” He sighed.

  As he slid out of her, he lifted her off the barrel to hold her tight against him.

  "I'm shipping out tonight."

  "You bastard," Maggie whispered and laid her head on his chest.

  He set her on his feet and tried to right her stays, but she slapped his hands away. He was hopeless at it.

  "I was going to tell you first, but then I saw you. And you looked so beautiful in . . . "

  "The bare bulb's glow?" Maggie pointed up at the swaying lightbulb.

  He cocked a smile at her for stopping his bullshit in its tracks. "Something like that." Quick gave her his rogue's grin that got him past where the others got shut out.

  Maggie knew better to ask when he would be back. He'd be back when he got there, and that was all there was to it. She was disappointed. She had been hoping that they could steal a few days together. Maybe go across the way to Playa del Carmen and pretend to be tourists while getting drunk on happy hour well drinks and making love nonstop. But that wasn't to be. Shrugging, Maggie set her clothes to rights and checked him over critically.

  "What was your excuse to get away from the table?"

  "I told them I had to take a piss."

  "Charming," Maggie said.

  "I'm really sorry," he said. "I'll make it up to you."

  "Yes," she said. "You will." She leaned up and kissed him. "You go on up first."

  He grabbed her again and kissed her until she was tingling all over. Damn, but that man had game.

  "Think of me?" he said.

  Maggie gave him a half shrug. "If I've got nothing better to do." She watched him creep back up the steps to the kitchen.

  Knowing Quick, he'd sneak out the kitchen door and then go down the walled corridor to the back rooms. No one would be able to tell that he wasn't returning from the men's room. Maggie eased back up onto the wine cask.

  "Well, shit," she said to no one in particular.

  Chapter Two

  It was Donna's turn to lock up the bar, so Maggie made sure she left before the captains’ table finished for the evening. All liquored up and then throw money in the mix, sometimes they let their inner pirates come out. And while it might have brought some brief satisfaction to flirt with one of the other captains to torque off Quick, it wasn't in Maggie's nature to be a tease. Or to encourage the captains that there might be a chance with her.

  She actually liked her arrangement with Quick. They didn't have each other's cell phone numbers or e-mail addresses. Maggie wasn't even sure Quick used a computer. When he was in port, which was more than once a month, they could enjoy each other without all the baggage about being in a relationship. He knew where to find her and if occasionally that led him to take advantage, well he was a pirate at heart, what did she expect?

  The tropical morning air was brisk. It was just after four a.m., mid-week. Strolling along the airship docks, she could see Big Sweet's ship, The Candyman, hovering above the ground.

  It was a beauty. One of the biggest ships docked, it was wide and fat, broad in beam. It was built to carry thousands of pounds of cargo. It had four enormous propellers that probably burned through energy crystals like Sweet went through beer.

  It had four side cannons and a gunner’s port for air to ground fighting—not that The Candyman was known for shooting its way out of ports. Still, it never hurt to be prepared for any local unrest.

  Maggie should ask him to get her some of Brakavian licorice, but her thighs really didn't need an entire case.

  That was the problem of importing from another galaxy. You really had to buy in bulk. There wasn't a candy store around either where she could get a quick fix. Cozumel's hot markets were jewelry, cigars and alien artifacts— in that
order. Well, that was the legal stuff. There was gambling, prostitution and scuba diving, if you wanted to sketch the lines of the law.

  Scuba diving used to be legal, until the tsunami wiped out most of the Mayan Rivera. However, unearthed in its place was the Mayan complex that had sunk thousands of years ago. Some said it was Atlantis, but Maggie was pretty sure Atlantis was somewhere in the Mediterranean.

  Most believed that this is where the Aztec's fled when Cortez' diseases and gold lust brought in their genocide. But whether their mystics adapted them with fins or if they perished under the sea, the marine biologists and archeologists didn't know. And until they could get a handle on what was down there, it was forbidden to scuba dive along the Mexican peninsula. And those that went down there anyway, never returned.

  Maggie was curious, but not enough to risk arrest and the possible loss of her liquor permit. She was proud of her bar, The Midnight Lady. Even prouder still that she managed to capture the cruise lines’ eyes with her pirate themed adventures.

  Sure, she knew historically, the pirates visited the Caymans, the Tortolas, and more along Grenada. But with the recent movies and interest, the average tourist didn't seem to care.

  Of course, the dress code could get a little interesting. Maggie smiled and adjusted her corset. The dress uniforms of the bar were about as stereotypical pirate wench as you could get. The males on the staff wore what she liked to call swabby uniforms and tended to fade in the background when the actors she hired to portray the "real" pirates came in.

  For a modest sixty-dollar fee, the tourist got all they could swallow well drinks, and mingle with dashing pirates and perky young lasses. Oh, it may seem a bit steep, but Maggie had to pay the actors. Some of them were really good story tellers.

  They ended the night with a treasure hunt aboard Donna's family's boat and a barbecue down by the local beach. What happened on the beach, was between the tourists and the actors. All Maggie had to do was to make sure they were all present and accounted for when the bus came to pick them up and bring them back to the ship.