Cassandra's Pirate (The Atlantis Series)

by Candace Smith

  “You’re wrong, Addie. The worst case scenario is we transport these destroyers to our world with us. You can’t be serious,” Cass said.

  “Ridiculous. I’ll report them to the proper authorities and have them imprisoned where they can’t hurt anyone.”

  “Really? Who do you know that won’t be lured with the promise of ruling Earth?” Cass was not even sure Addie could contain the idea of having such power.

  Vincent did not give a damn about their world, and Addie had lost credibility as soon as she referred to his beautiful Aquadea Sea as a cesspool. The thought of throwing her to King Ashton seemed promising, but he had no intention of letting Cass get away from him. “How would we do this?”

  Addie glared at him. “I’ll need proper Royal clothing, of course. And something this little King might want back. I’ll need to get into his confidence to find these Makers.” Addie’s mind was spinning with her web of deceit.

  “Vincent’s medallion would do it. The Prince gave it to Lady Astier as an engagement present,” Pascal replied.

  “It won’t work. The Royals know all the Ladies in the Realms,” Vincent replied.

  “Not in Fifth Realm,” Cass suggested.

  “Fine, I’ll say I’m from there,” Addie replied. She still had no true idea of the disparity between Espedene structures.

  “They’d never believe you’re a Fiver,” Vincent laughed. “Cass would have to do it.” This thought did not please him at all, and from the look on Addie’s face, she was not going to let Cass steal her thunder.

  “No, Cassandra has no idea how to conduct a business meeting. Especially one requiring the quick thinking of a bluff. I’ll have to go myself.”

  Cass glared at her. “Cassandra, huh? Well, Adelaide, who the hell managed to triple the size of your on-line sales?”

  Addie smiled. “With me overseeing the project every step of the way. And Cassandra, you never even thought to ask for a bonus. If you couldn’t be greedy with me, how can I trust you to handle this delicate transaction?”

  Cass rose. “Fine, Addie. Do whatever the hell you want to, but you’re not taking these sorcerers to our world. Even if it means we never go back.” She stormed out of the room and down to the beach. What the hell happened to her? They were getting along so well on the trip, almost like friends.

  Cass did not realize angry tears were running down her cheeks, until Vincent said, “You shouldn’t let her upset you like that.”

  Cass’s head snapped around. She had not heard his approach. “I don’t know why she’s treating me like this.”

  Vincent put an arm around her, and turned her so they looked out over the water. She rested her head against his chest. “Oh, Cass-lass, don’t you now? Don’t you really?” He squeezed her shoulders. “You’re nothing but a Fiver to her. She can dress you up and use you any way she wants to, but you’ll always be a Fiver. And she’s Royalty, through and through. I can see it in her eyes.”

  He turned Cass and wiped her tears, staring into her eyes. “She doesn’t give a tin of spoiled shanker fish for Aquadea. I’ve seen the hungry look of a greedy shark before, and that’s what your fine Lady friend is showing.”

  “So? What now?”

  “You said the island you arrived here on is gone. I don’t think Adelaide or the Makers can get back to your world. Aye, she’ll make her promises and maybe oust King Ashton off the throne. It’s not a bad thing to get rid of that spoiled Royal, and she’ll be more careful if she knows the sorcerers are sinking her kingdom with their building.”

  “You’re saying let her go?”

  Vincent shrugged. “It won’t leave us worse off, Cass-lass, and it’s obvious she can’t throw in with a rogue bunch of Fivers. Besides, Pascal’s actually taken a fancy to her. He’s been my friend since we were boys. He’ll keep her from getting out of hand, and he can give her an excuse to show up in the palace. They’d never entertain a Lady on her own. Pascal is going to admit he made a mistake running off, but he only did it to keep his Lady. He’s offering my medallion as proof of his allegiance.”

  Cass dragged her toes through the sand. She finally looked up at him. “Can I stay with you? At least, until I figure out something else.”

  Vincent tipped her chin with his fingers, and smiled. “Aye, and I hope it takes a long time to figure what you might be liking more.” He lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. He was surprised by the passionate urgency he felt in her response.

  Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pressed her breasts against his chest. Vincent’s arousal was immediate and potent, while his tongue explored her mouth. By the seas, it had been a long time since he tasted the moist warmth of a woman’s mouth.

  Their lips parted, and Cass whispered, “Is anyone left on your ship?”

  Vincent smiled. “No, they’re all at the fortress.” They walked the beach around to the dock and Vincent once more lifted her in his arms and carried her down the sinking dock.

  Mudeye and Johnny looked down from the fortress and elbowed each other’s ribs. Mudeye said, “My guess is the Captain got the best out of this salvage.”

  Vincent led her down to his cabin. The colors of sunset sent prisms of pastel tints through the porthole. Cass turned and gripped the open front of his shirt and stretched up to kiss him again. His fingers unbuttoned the top of her tunic and he slipped his hands inside. While their tongues mingled, his fingers untied her bikini top, and then his hands moved to hold the warmth of her breasts.

  His fingertips rested on the side of a nipple, and his arousal intensified when he felt it tighten. Sea witches’ nipples were permanently erect, so even the sign of this response had been lost to him. His light touches and explorations slowly brought back painful memories.

  Cass lowered from her toes and rested her cheek against his chest. “You smell like the sea,” she whispered. Her tongue reached out to taste the salty dried mist.

  “Aye, it’s been in my blood since I was a boy.” He lifted her tunic, and she reached back to untie the other string to her top while he undressed. “I used to sit on the craggy rocks barring Fifth Realm from the ocean. The reef kept us captive. There was no way to build a dock on that side of Espedene.” He shrugged his shoulders, and Cass watched the rippled affect across his chest. “Maybe the Royals planned it that way.”

  He sat down on the cot to pull off his boots, and Cass slid behind him. Her fingertips traced down his muscular back. “Aye, they probably did. I used to walk out on the reef to where a schooner lay split open against the rocks. The boys and I would look out on the water and imagine sailing to different islands.” Vincent chuckled and looked back at her. “Mind you, that is when we thought there were other islands, and not just these little sandbars. The sea, she meant freedom. It still does for men like us.”

  Cass leaned up and kissed between his shoulder blades. “And Rogamis?”

  “Aye, Rogamis. The little we snatched in messages from the Fourth Realm guard said it was a land of wildness, with a woman for every man and no separate classes. A man could build a life for himself and keep the benefits of his labor.” Vincent stood and slipped off his breeches and lay next to her. “Truth is, they’re not much better off than Fifth Realm. They scavenge what they can from sea battles, and the sorcerers’ garbage washes up on shore sometimes, but they’ve already begun collecting booty in exchange for supplies and liquor.”

  “What about the other pirates?”

  “They were forced to settle after their fortresses sank. Rogamis won’t push their truce with Espedene and allow the rogues to pirate from their island. When a pirate becomes a citizen, he turns his ship into a trawler.” Vincent brushed her hair off her cheeks. “I can’t give up my freedom, now that I’ve had a taste of it.”

  “So, if Addie succeeds, you’ll be able to keep your fortress?”

  “She doesn’t like me. I’m a threat to her. If she takes power, I expect her to send Damien and others after me. She’s smart, and she’ll put a pri
ce on my head that will convince even men from Rogamis to break the pirate truce. I’m counting on Pascal to dissuade her, or at least send word of her plans.”

  Cass could not argue, after the way Addie turned on her. “Why let her go, then?”

  “We’re losing our world, Cass-lass. I might be able to survive for a while on my schooner, but what about the people in Fivertown? They’re on the lowest side of Espedene and I’ve seen my old beached schooner with waves already breaking over the hull. If your friend can stop the seas from rising, she’s got to go do this.” Vincent gazed into her eyes. “Don’t you be worrying, Cass-lass. I’ll get you someplace safe before my ship goes down.”

  Cass reached up and followed the embroidery stitches on the bandana wrapped around his head, before she pulled it off. “A woman made this for you.” She smiled, and studied it before laying it on the desk.

  “Aye, Tommy’s sister.”

  “Sandra?” Vincent was surprised she knew her name, and he nodded. “He told me she was in Second Realm now. She must have been fond of you.”

  “Aye, in truth, if things had been different, we might have stayed together. She was such a saucy thing. Mudeye tells me the guard she’s with is a good man, so I can’t ask more than that for her.” He lowered his chin and rubbed it across the top of her breasts. “Last thing she did was give me that scarf and this earring she stole. The scarf was her message that she’d help me one day, if she could.”

  Cass’s eyes followed the embroidery. “Tell me more about the sea witches.”

  “Later,” he whispered, and his lips moved down to capture a nipple. His teeth nipped onto a rubbery tip and his tongue flicked across the spongy surface. “By the seas, you have no idea how badly I’ve wanted you. Since I saw you were real, and baking in the sun. I’m not afraid of much, Cass-lass, but I don’t mind telling you I spent some chilling times wondering if you were going to live.”

  His hand swept down her torso, memorizing and remembering the feel of a woman. Cass rested her hand on one of his shoulders and wound her fingers through his long waves. His head moved down from her breast, and senses reeled.

  At the first sweep of his tongue she sighed. Thoughts of conspiracy and different worlds melted away to desire. Her leg slid off the cot and her toes pressed against the floor, and all the while his fingers caressed and his tongue tasted her. Already she felt herself climbing towards a climax, and she gasped, “I need you.”

  Vincent smiled and kept to his explorations. This first climax was as much for remembering his seducing talents as it was for her pleasure. She shuddered and moaned, washing his fingers and lips with her passion.

  Vincent rose and kissed her, positioned himself and thrust deep while gripping her hips. “Ah, my Cass-lass,” he groaned. His strong thighs seated him deeper, and he felt her pulsing and squeezing. Slow plunging movements increased, until salty sweat sheened his muscles and his kisses were lost in anticipated nerves and spasms from their grinding centers. He fell on top of her, jerking and groaning the last of his climax into her softness.

  They fell asleep to the rocking of the ship on the rolling waves of the Aquadea Sea.

  Chapter V

  Three cryptically designed note sheets later, Addie stared down at her newest obsession. ‘Work mode’, definitely switched on, consumed her thoughts while she planned the final outcome and scenarios to achieve her goal. Addie’s logical mind sorted through the problem, refusing to linger on the crazy details of pirates, mermaids, and sinking worlds. As usual, she took a broad scope look at the situation and figured the outcome she desired.

  She approached the project with the same tried and true methods she employed at Larson Industries, and with the same disregard. Her strength lay in delegating the actual nuances of details and work to others. Addie was not concerned with the specifics or problems. Her employees were expected to deliver a neatly presented goal on time. Beautiful, confident Addie had no idea how much she relied on the silent work crew. Her employees had no more interest in integrating with their cold leader than she had with lowering her standings to relate to them.

  The top sheet spread before her showed a pyramid, with details and contacts climbing from the base to the ultimate goal at the tip. ‘Queen Adelaide’, she smiled at the title. The line beneath her goal noted Makers one, two and three. Pascal’s name floated up the triangle’s side with a question mark. Cass and the pirates were listed on the lowest line, disappearing at the mention of Royal frigates, Espedene Harbor, and other necessities.

  Satisfied her plan was complete, she drew lazy circles around Pascal’s name. The man intrigued her. His handsome fair looks, strong physique, and Royal status appealed to her. She did not understand his motives or the benefits of joining the band of outlaw pirates, and she weighed the benefits of trying to go it alone. There were too many variables. She was certain her obvious breeding would be agreeable to Royals. But, suppose they have a natural distrust for outsiders?

  Pascal could definitely come in handy, though even with the proper pedigree and refinements it might take some smooth talking to work around his outlaw status. He seemed to have a proper sense of loyalty, as well. Addie looked towards the door, where he had stood since the crass pirate captain left. She underlined her decision on the note pad and smiled. “You don’t belong with this group of marauders,” she purred.

  Pascal winced. Vincent had been his best friend for two decades. He taught him how to live free and break the restraints of Royalty. Now, for this woman, he was going back. It was the only chance to save their world. If he did not go with her, there would be no more Espedene, Rogamis, or their private fortress. Pascal knew the woman was using him, but her beauty and strength reached him in a way no other woman ever had. “You chose to enjoy your holiday with Cass.”

  Addie laughed. “Touché, Pascal. But remember, I have always been Cassandra’s superior.”

  “Vincent and I have always shared.”

  “And yet, he is Captain. He regards you as one of the crew, following his orders without question.” She rose and put her hands on his shoulders and he felt her warm breath on his neck. Addie whispered, “And now you’ll take orders from me.” His back stiffened. “Come now, Pascal. We will be a team, rising to the top of Royalty. With your connections and my knowledge, Aquadea will flourish under my reign.”

  Pascal closed his eyes. Vincent had been right, though it did not change anything. They still needed Addie to foil the Makers’ destructive pattern. “Do you even plan on trying to go back to your world? Would you? If the Makers can offer you a way…”

  “No. Despite the thought of being a ruler in my own world intrigues me, I am smart enough to realize someone would stop it from happening. I’ve left nothing behind, Pascal. People here are not sophisticated enough to challenge my motives and Aquadea will be a blank canvas for me.”

  Yes, he needed to stay close to her. A greedy ambitious partner would corrupt her further. “How did you meet Cass?”

  “She applied for a job with my company.” Addie saw no sense in admitting the company actually belonged to her father, and there was certainly no reason to discuss the insignificant circumstances surrounding the purse snatching attempt. Once more, Pascal misread the importance of her mission, and he focused on the thought that leaving Cass behind would bother her. “Your father truly has the King’s ear?”

  “His ambition has led him to First Adviser. I warn you, he might not be pleased to see I’ve returned.”

  Details, Pascal, minor details. “We’ll go to him first. With his shrewd judgment to rise to such a position, he will see the benefit to himself in aligning with our plans.” Yes, Pascal is necessary. His father would just as easily jump ship to remain as my First Adviser.

  Addie rubbed her thumbs along the back of his neck until his muscles relaxed, and then she pulled him towards the bed. Seduction would certainly insure his complete devotion to her.

  As if to goad them on, they awoke in the morning to find the seas had
risen another six inches. Supplies were being loaded onto the ship, and the final plans were still being discussed. Addie sequestered herself in Pascal’s cabin as soon as she boarded, to get away from the noise and commotion on deck.

  Vincent and Pascal stood by the far rail, staring out on the sea. Cass talked Mudeye into helping her climb to the crow’s nest. “This is so cool.” Her toes curled around the rigging and she clung to the mast, climbing to the platform thirty feet above the deck. The men made excuses to check the rigging and watch the tanned legs climb, occasionally leaning for peeks under the hem of the Captain’s shirt.

  “Strap your hand through the leather, girl,” Mudeye called up. “The Captain will have my other eye if you slip. Remember…”