by S. E. Smith
“You keep saying there is something inside Magna. The only thing I saw was her black heart,” Drago snarled. “I say I kill her and cut her heart out of her chest.”
“Dragons have always been bloodthirsty beasts,” Ashure commented.
Drago turned, his eyes dancing with flames, and gave Ashure a menacing grin. “How about I show you firsthand how bloodthirsty I can be?” he offered.
Ashure’s gaze hardened, and his mouth tightened. Marina’s eyes widened when she saw the flare of magic surrounding Ashure. His aura, which had been faint but light and colorful, suddenly turned to a thick and menacing black, unlike anything she had ever seen before—even Magna. The coldness threatened to choke her. When the swirling color turned toward her, as if aware that she could see it, she saw faces and greedy hands reaching for her. Frightened, she released a startled cry and swiftly rose from her chair, reaching for Mike as she jerked away.
“Marina, what is it?” Nali asked in concern.
Marina’s terrified gaze locked with Ashure’s. The Pirate King’s expression changed. He took a deep breath. There was a look of warning for Marina to keep what she saw to herself. Her head unconsciously rose and fell in a short, jerky nod. She held onto Mike, her body trembling, even as the tortured faces locked in Ashure’s aura faded.
“I… Nothing…,” she whispered, tearing her gaze away from Ashure. “Please… I need a moment alone.”
“Marina,” Mike said, watching her turn and hurry out of the room.
Marina shook her head. She needed a few minutes alone to compose herself. There were stories told as she was growing up that the Kings and Queens of the Isles were not what they appeared to be. She had learned today that the stories were true, but some of them were vastly understated.
* * *
The sound of the door quietly closing behind Marina echoed loudly in the suddenly silent room. Mike turned and gave each person in the room a cold, hard look of warning. Stepping up to the table, he braced his hands on it and spoke in a slow, measured cadence.
“I don’t give a fuck what you are,” he started, capturing each person’s gaze again. “I don’t give a damn if you have issues with each other. What I do care about is what is happening to Marina and her people. My job is to serve and protect. I will do that. It is not to go in with the intention of revenge. It is to go in with the intention of freeing those imprisoned by this Sea Witch. I don’t know if the spell she created will affect you the way it does Magna and the others with magic. If it does, you can expect to feel weak. Now, are you going to work with us or not?”
“I have said I will. The spell will affect each of us. I will have to keep my ogres away, but the Cyclops and Minotaurs who are members of my crew should be safe,” Nali said.
“You get me. There are no other dragons who can fight, but I will fight—and try not to kill her if I can,” Drago responded.
“I will fight as well. I should have taken care of her long ago,” Orion said.
Koorgan nodded. “I should have come to Queen Magika when she first asked,” he replied with a sigh of regret. “I will stand with you.”
Mike’s gaze moved to Ashure. The man’s troubled expression cleared, and he nodded. Mike didn’t miss the way Ashure’s gaze kept going to the door that Marina had escaped through.
“A pirate never turns down a good fight,” he replied in a light tone that belied the steely look in his eyes. “Of course we will fight.”
Mike nodded and gave everyone a grim smile. “Does anyone have a map of the Isle, specifically the palace?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
“I do,” Marina quietly said, stepping back into the room.
Mike turned and saw that her expression was determined even if her eyes were slightly red. She lifted her chin and returned his gaze. She had retrieved Mr. Bow from their room. Lifting his arm, he held out his hand to her.
“Are you alright?” he murmured under his breath.
Marina nodded as she grasped his hand and squeezed his fingers. He noticed that she kept her gaze focused on Ashure.
“Thank you for helping my people,” Marina finally said.
“Now, this is what we will do…,” Orion began.
Chapter Eighteen
“You are a very unusual woman, Marina Fae of the Isle of Magic,” Ashure casually commented later that evening.
Marina lifted her chin and turned at the sound of Ashure’s voice. Her back was pressed against the stone balcony railing. Behind her, the beautiful palace gardens were coming alive with twinkling lights as the night blooming flowers opened up to catch the moon beams shining down from the nearly full moon.
She had stepped outside to revel in the beauty of the night and the fact that she didn’t feel drained by Magna’s horrible spell. It seemed a lifetime since she had been able to enjoy the daytime, much less the suffocating tiredness of nightfall. Mike was still inside, talking with Carly and Jenny. She had quietly slipped away, afraid that he would talk about returning to his world.
Marina studied Ashure’s aura. It was once again the faint yet colorful hue that was nonthreatening. In the background, she could hear the others quietly talking. The open door and voices reassured her that she wasn’t alone. Still, she couldn’t quite keep her fingers from itching to call for Mr. Bow. Her gaze moved to where he was hanging near the door to the dining room.
“I am but a simple witch, your Majesty,” Marina replied, turning back to stare out at the garden.
“Not so simple, I would argue,” he said, coming to stand next to her.
He reached out and gripped the railing. His gaze moved over the garden, watching as the flowers lit up in a wide, vivid display of color. He took a deep breath.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she lied.
Ashure chuckled and glanced at her before returning his attention to the garden. “You should never lie to a pirate, my dear. We are gifted with the ability to smell a lie,” he said, briefly touching his nose with one finger.
“I may have certain talents,” she finally admitted.
“Powerful ones that are very dangerous to some people,” he murmured with a slight thread of steel in his voice.
Marina didn’t reply. While his words might have sounded threatening, neither his aura, which she could see out of the corner of her eye, or his tone made her feel as if he was a danger to her. Still, she could not erase the memory of tortured faces and beseeching hands reaching for her.
“How… How can you stand it?” she wondered aloud, unsure of how to finish her question.
Ashure dryly chuckled. “We are not always given a choice as to what happens to us in our lives. It is how we deal with what we are given that defines who we are and who we are to become,” he replied.
Marina thought about what Ashure had said. For a man who liked to appear light-hearted and unconcerned, his response was perceptive. She could appreciate his insight. Growing up, she had thought of her ability to see other people’s magic as a burden.
“Grandmother warned me to make sure that the evil inside Magna does not touch the Keeper of Lost Souls. You are the Keeper, aren’t you?” she quietly asked, turning her head to look at Ashure’s face.
His face hardened for a moment before he relaxed. “I am many things, Marina. Some might call me a keeper. Some accuse me of keeping them prisoner—while others call me a thief,” he replied with a shrug.
“What would you call yourself?” she asked, unable to contain her curiosity.
Ashure flashed her a brief smile. “All of the above and a great lover,” he replied. He said the last part slightly louder and turned at the same time. Marina stood still when he grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it before releasing it. “If you ever tire of your human, I would be happy to console you should you need a diversion, my powerful and noble witch.”
Marina blinked in surprise and pulled her hand away. Ashure nodded to Mike and murmured that it was a beautiful night before disappearing back inside. Her gaze fo
llowed the Pirate King. He was a very complex man under his elegant coat.
“What was all that about?” Mike asked, following her gaze.
“Accepting the gifts we have been given by the Goddess, even if they feel more like a curse,” she replied in a distracted voice.
* * *
Alone later that evening, Marina sat at the dressing table brushing her hair. Placing the brush on the table, she divided her hair into four sections and began braiding it. In the mirror, she could see Mike sitting on the end of their bed, inspecting the weapon from his world.
“What will you do if we survive this?” she quietly asked, tying off the end of her hair and letting her hands fall to her lap.
Mike looked up at her and frowned. He shook his head and smiled. His gaze was deadly serious when he answered her.
“Not if, when we free your people, I’m not sure. I honestly haven’t thought that far with everything going on,” he confessed, rising off the bed and replacing his weapon in the leather holster.
“Will you return to your world?” she asked.
Mike’s expression grew thoughtful. She could see that he wasn’t sure how to answer her. Turning on the seat, she rose and walked toward him. Doubt grew inside her at his continued silence.
“Marina…,” he started to say.
She stopped in front of him and searched his eyes, seeing the frustration and indecision in them. Biting her lip, she placed her hand on his chest over his heart.
“You know that I love you, and I know that you love me, but is our love enough that you would stay in my world?” she asked, fingering the buttons on his shirt.
Mike captured her hand. Bringing it to his lips, he pressed a kiss to her fingertips. Desire pulled at Marina when he reached out with his other hand and slid it along her waist.
“I do care about you. Hell, I more than care—I meant it when I said that I love you,” he replied in a rough voice.
Marina slid her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, loving the warmth of his body against hers. Yet, doubt continued to plague her even with his words. If he loved her, why would he hesitate to tell her whether he planned to stay or leave her?
“But—you still plan to return to your world, don’t you?” she murmured.
Mike pulled back and raised his hands to cup her face. She returned his steady gaze. There was an intensity to him, a determination that told her that he did plan to leave. A stifled cry of denial slipped out before she could contain it. Pulling away, she shook her head and backed up several feet. Trembling, she fought to control her rising panic.
“I have to go back,” he said in a grim tone.
Marina wrapped her arms around her waist. Her eyes burned, but she refused to allow any tears to fall. She would not attempt to hold him to her if he did not wish to be there. Unfortunately, she couldn’t hide the distress on her face at his grimly spoken words.
“Then, you should go before we leave,” she said in a trembling voice.
Mike blinked in surprise. “What?”
Marina dropped her arms to her side and clenched her hands into tight fists. Lifting her chin, she drew on the strength she had developed over the past year. She would not allow him to see how much this was tearing her apart.
“I said you should leave now. I will ask Orion if he can create a portal so you may return to your world. If he can’t, I’m sure that one of the others can. They are very powerful, much more than I. You should not risk your life for people you don’t know,” she stated.
Mike stared at her like she had lost her mind. Marina didn’t care. She would rather he left before there was a chance of something happening to him. At least if he returned to his world, she would know he was safe. There was no need for him to remain anyway. The combined strength of the remaining rulers and their armies were surely strong enough to defeat Magna and her creatures, especially if they attacked before dawn when her magic was weak.
“No,” he replied between gritted teeth.
Marina blinked. “What do you mean no? This is not your fight, Mike. You have done enough. There is no need for you to risk your… life.” She pursed her lips and shook her head when her voice broke on the last word.
Bowing her head, she closed her eyes. She had to get out of the room. The fragile hold she had on her emotions was quickly dissolving. If she didn’t leave now, she would make a fool of herself and beg him to tell her why he didn’t want to stay with her if he loved her.
“I plan to come back, Marina,” Mike said, taking a step closer to her. “I have to return, but only so that I can say goodbye.”
Marina slowly lifted her head and opened her eyes. Tears glittered in them, hanging onto her lower lashes but not falling. Lifting a hand, she brushed it across her pale cheek.
“Goodbye?” she repeated.
Mike’s expression softened at her whispered word. He cupped her face again. His eyes searched her face. He must have seen the uncertainty, fear, and despair in her eyes because he bent his head and brushed a rough kiss across her lips. Pulling back, he made sure she understood what he was telling her.
“I told you a little about my life back there and about my sister Ruth. I know she is probably getting frantic. She will tear Yachats State Park apart, stone by stone if I know her. I’m all the family she has, and until I met you, Geoff, and Erin, she was all the family I had—well, except for Charlie, but that is a different story,” he muttered.
“I understand. I feel the same way about my parents and brothers,” she replied.
“I need to let her know that I’m okay. That—hell, I don’t know what I’ll tell her; but essentially, I’ll let her know she doesn’t have to worry about me. I know it isn’t safe to take you back with me. I won’t risk anything happening to you, but I sure as hell will be coming back. I love you, damn it. I love you.”
Marina met his lips when he bent his head to kiss her again. Their breaths came in rough, uneven gasps as the heat inside them built. She pulled away with a gasp when she felt the cool air on her breasts. During their kiss, Mike had been busy undoing the clasps on the forest green blouse Kelia had given her this morning.
“I want you,” he said, pressing kisses along her jaw.
A soft moan slipped from her lips when he cupped her breasts in his hands. She frantically fumbled to open his shirt. A groan of frustration resounded through the room when she realized that the buttons only went half way down the front. She would need to pull his shirt over his head to strip it from him.
He reached down, grabbed the bottom of his shirt, and pulled it over his head. His muscles rippled as he tossed it to the side. He deftly removed her blouse and the black bra under it.
“It only seems fair,” he teased, cupping her breasts.
Marina lowered her eyelids and moaned as he played with her hardening nipples. “How is it that you affect me like this? I can already feel the warmth between my legs as my body gets ready for you,” she confessed.
Mike paused for a brief second before he cursed. “Damn, woman, you say the sexiest things,” he said in a deep voice.
“Sexy?” she repeated.
Bending forward, he began undoing her pants when she didn’t move fast enough. “You make me wish that I brought my handcuffs. I’d love to tie you up,” he muttered, pushing her pants down.
“I do not know what handcuffs are, but would a belt work?” she asked, glancing over at the robe lying across the back of the chair.
Mike froze. He didn’t mean to say that out loud. He’d planned to work his way up to some of the more risqué ways of making love after he felt confident that Marina was ready. He wasn’t into the hardcore bondage stuff, but he wasn’t opposed to having a little fun in the bedroom.
He followed her gaze and saw what she was talking about. Heat flared inside him, and he knew that this time was going to be fast, dirty, and very pleasurable. Bending, he swept her off her feet.
“Mike!”
He gave her a fierce glance before he strode over to the bed. He was thankful that the covers were already turned down for the night. Placing a knee on the bed, he gently laid her down on the light blue linens.
“Stay like that,” he ordered in a soft, firm voice.
Marina nodded. He could feel her eyes on him as he undressed. Placing his trousers on the chair, he pulled the belt free from the silk robe. He grimaced when he felt his body’s immediate reaction.
“Uh, Mike…,” Marina called, interrupting his thoughts.
He turned his head to look at her. She remained where he had told her to, but her gaze kept moving toward the table near the balcony doors. He frowned and glanced over. He slowly smiled in understanding and nodded at her silent plea.
Gripping the belt in one hand, he walked over to Mr. Bow where it lay on a small table humming. He picked up the bow and held it in his other hand, turned back, and crossed the room. A low groan escaped the bow.
“I was being good,” Mr. Bow complained. “I was minding my own business.”
“It doesn’t matter. Marina is uncomfortable,” Mike chuckled.
“Do you have any idea how long I was around before I was a bow? I’ve seen things you and Marina could only dream of doing! If you want some advice, I can tell you….”
Mike bent over, placed the bow in the closet, and shut the door, cutting off Mr. Bow’s words of wisdom. It would be a cold day in hell before he let a tree tell him how to make love to his woman. He walked back over to the bed.
“Thank you,” she said, blushing.
Mike climbed up on the bed and straddled her waist. Her eyes widened when he held out his hand and allowed the belt to unfurl from his fingers. He gave her a wicked smile and motioned for her to lift her arms.
“You can thank me afterwards,” he informed her.
If he thought she would be intimidated, he was wrong. Instead, she lifted her wrists up and rolled her hips under his buttocks. Leaning forward, he caught her wrists and wrapped the silk around them. Reaching up, he looped the other end around the headboard of the bed. What he did not anticipate was that the angle would align his cock with her lips.