A Pirate's Curse (Legends of the Soaring Phoenix)

by ML Guida

  She smiled. “Thank you for this, William. It helped take away some of my worries.”

  He bowed. “I’m glad, lass.”

  Hannah gazed at the ship. Aye, she had made a mistake by spending time with William. She had promised Kane she’d not be alone with him. Nothing had happened. She had thought about kissing him again, but kept her distance. True, Amadi had been here, but she doubted Kane would think she kept her promise.

  A few minutes later, she climbed the rope ladder and Doc stood at the railing. He reached down and pulled her aboard. His grin made her feel like she was home. “Hello Doc.”

  “Hello, lassie. D’ye enjoy yourself?”

  “Yes, William took me to a waterfall, and we swam all afternoon.”

  His eyebrows shot up in surprise, watching William as he climbed up the rope ladder and onto the deck. “Did he now?”

  “’Twas beautiful, but I need a change of clothes. Could I have a bath?”

  Bowing, he said, “Aye, lassie. Da Captain still be in dis cabin, but we could give you a bath in da galley. Dinner won’t be for sumtime. We'll set up a tub in there.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He put his hands on his hips. “Aye, lassie. No one will disturb you.”

  She stayed on deck staring at the island as the sun set beyond the fluttering lush foliage. The high tide surely washed away their footprints on the beach.

  “Lass,” Doc called, “your bath is ready. There are clean clothes in there for you.”

  “Doc?”

  “Aye, lass?”

  “Where is Kane? Is he in pain?”

  “Nay, he’s still sleeping right now. I don checked on him when I got dese clothes. I’m sure he be joining you for dinner das evening.”

  “Thanks Doc.”

  “I’ll stand guard outside. No one will bother you,” Amadi promised.

  She nodded and squeezed his arm.

  A large brass tub with steaming hot vapors was up against the starboard wall. On the floor, next to the tub, there was lavender soap and lotion. Feeling like a spoiled princess, she marveled about the special care the pirates had shown her, but they weren’t pirates to her anymore. They were her friends, near and dear. When had this happened?

  After she soaked in the bath, she quickly dressed. Would Kane be angry with her? Why did she push the limits?

  “Where the hell is she?”

  Kane. Now, she had done it.

  She jolted up and stared at the door. Quickly, she donned the chemise and snatched up the shirt. Kane.

  “’Tis takin’ a bath, Capt’n. She’ll come out when she’s done,” Amadi said.

  “I’m the Captain, Amadi. Stand aside or feel my blade. Savvy?”

  A sword unleashed behind the closed door. Sheer black terror swept over her. Her hands shaking, she fumbled putting on her breeches. What was she going to do?

  She snatched a frying pan on one of the nearby tables.

  The door crashed open, and Kane stood in the doorway with his cutlass drawn. His emerald eyes were dark and lethal. Bracing her shoulders, she pointed the frying pan at him.

  “I’m sorry, poppet,” Amadi dropped his chin down on his chest. “But dis da Capt’n.”

  Kane slammed the door shut and stomped over to Hannah. “So, lass, d’ye enjoy your time with my brother?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Hannah gripped the dagger tighter and aimed it at Kane. “What…what?”

  Kane took a step closer to her. She darted to the right. He blocked her. She tried to move to the left, but he moved too quickly and blocked her again. Nowhere to go, she took a step backward, but Kane closed the distance between them.

  She held up the frying pan. “I’ll use this.”

  He slid his sword into the sheath. “No, you won’t.” He clenched his fists and the blood drained from her face.

  She spotted a sauce pan near the cooling water in the copper bathtub and raised her palm. From three feet to her left, the pan rose jerked upward and seemingly of its own accord, hovered in the air.

  He narrowed his eyes. “What are you doing?”

  One quick swipe of her hand in a downward motion and the pan dipped into the tub filled with cool water. She pushed the heel of her palm forward.

  Kane spun on his heels, but he wasn’t fast enough. The pan tipped sloshing water onto him, bathing his face and drenching his shirt. Hannah pushed her palm down flat. And the pan clattered to the floor. Kane whirled around, wet hair plastered to his reddened face. He narrowed his eyes. “That wasn’t very nice.”

  He snatched her wrist and pinched, forcing her to release the frying pan. The pan crashed onto the floor. He pulled her against his hard wet chest, knocking the wind out of her. “You broke your promise,” he whispered. His heart beat against hers.

  “No, I didn’t. Nothing happened,” she whispered breathless.

  “Christ, d’ye think I’m daft? Like I’ve never been to the bloody pool with a lassie before?”

  His hot breath reeked of rum and his eyes were red and bleary. Drunk. Would he beat her like father did mother when he drank too much? Or worse. She kept forgetting he was a pirate and a vampire. Neither pirates nor vampires were known for being reasonable. “’Twas not like that. William was a perfect gentleman.”

  “A gentleman was he? Sweet Jaaysus, you do think I’m a bloody idiot! Blasted lass. Don’t play coy with me. So what’s your game? Play the two of us against each other and see who comes out the victor?”

  His angry eyes burned her.

  “What? No! I’d never do that!” Kane had always made her feel safe. Would he break that trust now and be like her father, promising one thing and delivering another? She wanted him to be different, to be a better man than her father. A man she could rely on, believe in, who could be strong and protective, yet tender and kind. Not a man who quoted the Bible and beat the woman he loved.

  “Please don’t hurt me,” she said, wanting to believe he would not. Hoping he would be that better man.

  He leaned his damp forehead against hers and panted. “I’d never hurt you.”

  He wrapped his arms tight around her, molding her to his firm body. He buried his face into her wet hair and whispered, “But why do you test me, Hannah? I’m a man. I have limits.”

  His cheek caressed down the side of her face, his whiskers brushing against her skin. Slight tremors quaked through her. “I’m going to teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.”

  Her father would say those very words when he would whip or beat her for using her power. She’d not be able to sit for a week. Her heart sank. Kane was her father. “What are you going to do to me?”

  He lifted his head and peered down at her. The anger fled from his eyes, but there was a glint of something else there she could not put a name to. Had the emotion been hurt or sadness? One arm left her side, but his other pinned her against him. He brushed her wet hair away from her mouth and his hand lifted her chin up towards him. “This.”

  He kissed her, pushing her head back and squelching any further words. His tongue pushed open her lips and he delved deeper inside her mouth, the tender kiss became possessive, desperate. He tasted of spicy rum, but he was all Kane.

  Her fingers itched to run her hands through his hair, proving to him that nothing had happened with William. His wet shirt soaked hers and with slick bodies clinging to each other, she imagined they were naked, back under the waterfall. Sinful stirrings pooled in her feminine core. Only a thin piece of fabric protected her from his protruding need.

  She wanted him. She wanted to remember him before she was forced to marry another. His hand covered her breast heavy with arousal, his fingers kneading her, creating more wicked sensations and she moaned.

  “Kane!” A hard knock pounded on the door. “What the blazes are you doing in there?”

  She tore away from his mouth. His men were outside, listening. “William.”

  His face hardened and he jerked away. “Bloody hell.” He ran his hand thr
ough his hair. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Go! Go to William!”

  She stared at him, not knowing how to respond. She wanted to reach out and touch him, caress his arms and kiss away his frown, but his angry scowl warned her off. “I don’t want William. I want…”

  He snorted and folded his arms across his chest. His hard gaze freezing her blood.

  She rubbed her hands over trembling arms and bit her lip. “I wish you’d believe me. You’ve nothing to be jealous about.”

  “You’re daft!”

  Putting her hand on the doorknob, she glanced back at him once more. He tilted his chin, his taunt muscles strained under his wet shirt.

  Gone was his hurt, replaced by an immobile grim face, reminding her of her father. She waited for an apology, but he pushed his lips together and akin to her father, none came. “Tomorrow, I’ll take you to Saint Kitts.”

  A lump formed in her throat. She opened her mouth to beg him to allow her to stay with him, but stopped herself. If she said one word, her voice would crack.

  “Go. I don’t want you.” He pointed at the door.

  Her heart clutched. Refusing to cry, she nodded and braced her shoulders back. She opened the door without looking back at him. A blast fresh air washed over her. A host of frowning men crowded in the companionway, including William, Doc, Amadi and Sean, glaring past her. Heavy footsteps followed and the smell of sandalwood swept over her as Kane’s towering presence came up behind her.

  William stepped forward, his right eye swollen shut. He seized her hand and yanked her between himself and Amadi. Amadi moved in front of her, and she could only see his broad back. She choked back a sob. No one in her family had ever protected her like this. How could she leave them?

  William whispered in her ear. “If you didn’t come out soon, we were coming in. Did he hurt you?”

  She released his warm hand and stared down at the floor. “No.” Her wrists hurt from where Kane pinned her to the wall, but he hadn’t struck her. He kissed her in anger, but ’twas not the same thing as his fists pounding her face like her father had done to her mother when he accused of her being too amorous with another man. Why was she protecting Kane?

  ***

  Kane glowered at his men. “Back to your stations! The lot of you,” he ordered.

  William, Doc and Amadi guided Hannah away. He wanted to grab her and beg for forgiveness, but not in front of his crew. He was the captain. Weaknesses were not allowed.

  His crew, one by one, returned to their stations. Some of them scowled.

  Another shook his head. “Poor wee lass.”

  But when Kane curled his lip, the man hurried ahead with the rest of the crowd.

  Others shook their head and some of them gave him curious glances as if he had grown three horns and a tail. Maybe he had. No one challenged him save for one.

  “Don’t even start with me, Mallory,” Kane grumbled.

  “So, are you proud of yourself?” Sean cocked his eyebrow and leaned against a wall. His eyes wandered over Kane. “Why are you all wet?”

  Kane bit back a retort and maneuvered around him, but Sean blocked his way.

  “Anything else you want to do while you’re in this grand mood?”

  Kane ran his fingers through his damp hair. “I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me.”

  “Your brother and you are smitten with the same woman. Did you know the lad had Amadi go along as an escort? He’s an honorable man. Not like someone who can’t see past his nose.”

  "Sweet Merciful Heaven!" Kane grounded out the words between his teeth. “I know. I know. Jaaysus, I thought I could let her be, but I can’t. ’Tis tearing my brother and me apart. The faster I get her to Saint Kitts and back to London, the better ’twill be for all of us.”

  Kane stormed up the stairs and headed over to the railing. The quarter moon shone down onto the palm trees and the constant waves rolled over the beach like they had done for eons. Emptiness swelled in his heart. When he lost his parents and Ireland, the same hollow emptiness nearly consumed him, sending him falling into a well of despair. He was living the same horror again with Hannah. What had the lass done to him?

  Hannah stood alone her shoulders slumped as if she bore a heavy weight. No doubt, thanks to him. For Christ’s sake, a virgin had turned his world into a hurricane. He hurried over to her, anxious to apologize away from his men. Hannah startled at his approach.

  Amadi came out of the shadows. “Call if you need me, poppet. I’m within a stone’s throw.”

  “’Tis fine, Amadi,” Hannah nodded.

  Amadi glared at Kane and melted back into the shadows. Kane didn’t order him away. Maybe he did need an escort around Hannah.

  She folded her arms across her chest. “So what do you want Captain?”

  He buried his hands in his pockets at her icy tone. “Captain?”

  “After tomorrow, I’ll never see you again, so why be informal?”

  He leaned closer, inhaling her fresh feminine scent, wanting to kiss her neck, but restrained himself. “I liked it better when you called me Kane.”

  She shrugged and stared back at the shore. The moon cast a glow on her cheeks and he detected wetness on her cheek. “I’m sorry, Hannah. I didn’t mean to hurt or scare you. Will you forgive me?”

  He held his breath, waiting for her response. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her close, promising her, he’d never threaten her again. But could he keep that promise? When she was around men, even his brother, a jealous rage overtook him. He, the man with all the answers, was now reduced to a lad panting after a skirt, ready to fight anyone for her.

  She remained still as stone, an ice statue. “Does it matter? After tomorrow, I’ll never see you again.”

  Staring straight ahead, he rocked back and forth on his heels. “It matters to me, lass, a grand deal.”

  Should he keep her aboard this ship? He and William would be dueling soon, but with Zuto hunting them down, he needed her away and safe. “Hannah, you’re in danger. London’s the safest place for you to be.”

  “So you say.” She turned and faced him.

  “I’ll talk with your father.”

  “You can talk to him all you want, but you won’t be in Saint Kitts.” She spread her arms wide. “He’ll promise anything to get off this ship, but once you’re gone. He’ll do what he bloody wants.”

  “I’ve something in my cabin that you can barter with. Won’t you trust me one more time?” He held out his hand, his heart missing a beat.

  Hannah put her hand on her throat and stared at his hand as if ’twas a snake. He was about to drop it to his side and slink away defeated when her shaking hand moved from her neck and into his. He led her down to his cabin. Footsteps followed and he knew Amadi wasn’t far behind, keeping his promise to keep the lass safe.

  Kane opened the door and closed it behind them. Amadi would stand guard and keep him honest. Hell, he needed someone to hold back the lust growing inside him, but ’twas more than lust. He refused to acknowledge what it was, because it didn’t matter, since he was a vampire, unsafe, not someone to be trusted. If he were a man, he’d have pursued Hannah across stormy oceans to win her hand.

  He led her over to his dresser and opened a drawer. She cocked her eyebrow and stared at him curiously. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her soft knuckles, savoring her satiny skin. He wanted to plant kisses along her arm, but with all his discipline, he released her hand. She peered at him and disappointment filled her eyes.

  “You want me to barter with your scarves?”

  He laughed. “Not hardly.” He moved the scarves to the side and pushed on the right side of the drawer. The side of the drawer popped down and a wooden slab shot out.

  “I didn’t even know that was there,” she said.

  “Of course, ’tis a secret compartment.”

  “I can see that,” she mumbled.

  He lifted the lid of the wooden slab, revealing an emerald necklace, the
size of a clamshell and two dangling emerald earrings.

  “Where did you get those?”

  He lifted the necklace out of the slab. “This is the heart of Ireland. I want you to have it.”

  “What?”

  “This was my mother’s and I’ve kept it safe. Now, I want it to keep you safe.”

  “How?”

  He took her hand, pried open her fist and laid the necklace in her palm. “Use it to secure passage back to England.”

  Her eyes wide, she stared at her palm. “But Kane, this was your mother’s.” She peered at him. “I couldn’t possibly take this and barter with it for passage. You’re a pirate. I know you’ve other jewels.”

  “Aye, I do.” He’d get the jewel back, but he didn’t need to tell her that. For now, he wanted to give her a piece of him, showing her how much she meant to him, since he had never been good at words. He wished their lives had been different, but he was cursed. She needed to be back in London where she'd be safe from him, Palmer and Zuto. He closed her fingers around the jewel. “Ireland’s lost to me as are you.”

  Before she could protest, he kissed her, tasting the sweetness in her mouth, wanting to erase what happened in the galley, needing her to remember him as a man, not a crazed fiend. Hannah responded to his kiss and opened her mouth wider, allowing him to take more liberties. His arm swept around her waist molding her to him, feeling her breasts push against him and her beating heart. Her hand pressed against his chest and slowly moved up until her slender fingers wrapped in his hair pulling him closer. He groaned.

  “Kane,” she whispered against his mouth. “I can’t accept these.”

  He moved his lips away from her mouth and explored her neck, tasting her, feeling the blood thump through her vein. He whispered into her ear. “Use the earrings or the necklace to set yourself free. You must not stay long in Saint Kitts, Hannah. Palmer will find you. I couldn't bear this.” He stared into her half-hooded eyes. He would not abandon her completely. He’d send a man to watch her while he hunted for Palmer. Palmer would never hurt her. “Promise me you’ll find a way to escape.”