“Luff up on the starboard side,” she ordered, steering into the wind.
Before them the Spanish ship came into firing range. Natalie cursed, fighting against the wind. If they could just find a better angle…
“Natalie,” Reece said, gripping the rail. “They’re coming around.”
“Hands to the ready!” she yelled.
“Nate,” Reece snapped.
“Hold,” she breathed, waiting as the Sea’s Bane turned with the waves. “Give us a target.”
Reece’s knuckles went white as he gripped the wood. “For the love of God. Fire!”
“Just a little more,” she denied, steering to the starboard side. “Ready cannons!” Natalie narrowed her eyes, watching the Spanish ship move to the side. “Come on,” she whispered. “Turn for me, lovely.”
Every second was a calculated risk but she knew if their first attack could take the vulnerable stern, they’d have the advantage.
And then the Spanish played directly into her hands, listing to the side.
“Fire!” she yelled.
“Fire!” Reece echoed. The cry was carried down the ranks until the bellow of cannons drowned out their voices.
The thundering cry of their attack gave way to the gratifying crack of wood as the Spanish ship took a direct hit.
“Reload,” Natalie shouted, bringing them around for a second hit. “Fire at will.”
Cannons boomed below them.
But the Spanish weren’t to be outdone. Their return volley rocked the Sea’s Bane, throwing Natalie against the wheel.
“She’s coming around,” Reece yelled.
“Take aim,” she called. “Fire!”
Before her eyes, the enemy vessel took a hard hit. Their ship slowed in the choppy waters, obviously having trouble navigating.
“Good shot,” Reece congratulated. “Look how she’s floundering.”
Natalie couldn’t help a smile of pride.
They fired a last round at the Spanish as the pirate ship came along the broadside. The men were already unsheathing their blades when she ordered, “Prepare to board!”
Reece drew his sword as he raced down to the deck.
“Alyssa,” Natalie ordered. “Take the helm and keep her steady.”
“Aye, Captain,” she replied, gripping the wheel.
Hot on Reece’s heels, she rushed to the side of the ship and gripped the first rope she saw.
“Up for this?” Reece asked, coming up behind her.
“You wanted to see what I was capable of,” she replied. “Soon you’ll have your answer.”
Before he could reply, she dove over the side.
For a brief second she sailed through the air, nothing but the sea beneath her feet. Natalie barely felt the rush of wind in her face. All her concentration was on boarding the enemy ship.
When she reached the rail, she let go with expert timing, dropping onto the balls of her feet as she drew her blade.
She lunged forward with a snarl, engaging the first man to rush her. Natalie twirled and parried. Her sword rang out as it clashed against her adversary’s. The sailor fought with trained efficiency. She thrust her sword at his heart only to find her blade parried. Natalie ducked under his oncoming swing, never letting her emotions get the better of her. This was what she had trained for. She was fighting for her men and her ship. Indeed, she was fighting for her freedom. Nothing else mattered but that.
With a battle cry, she drove her blade into her enemy’s chest. The dark-eyed man stared up at her in shock before slowly sinking to his knees. Natalie withdrew her sword and watched dispassionately as he slumped to the side.
Stepping over the body of her fallen foe, she proceeded farther onto the deck. All around her the battle raged. To her left she saw her men fighting for their lives, beating back the enemy. Through the crowd of opponents she caught a flash of Reece engaged in his own fight. Blood stained one arm but he never slowed as he beat back his opponent.
But before she could celebrate her win, another man stepped up to oppose her.
Natalie lost herself in the battle. She’d never had the luxury of stopping to take stock of a situation like this. All around her she heard the cries of men and prayed they weren’t her own.
Eventually the crowd of enemy sailors thinned and she could glance around. Sailors she recognized as Reece’s men fought with clean efficiency. Obviously Reece ran a tight ship. Her own sailors were taking out their anger over being confined on the hapless Spanish and Natalie didn’t envy their opponents.
As she strode forward to find another adversary she caught sight of Reece battling against the Spanish captain. They stood on the high deck, fighting before the helm.
“Reece,” she breathed, fear clutching her heart for the first time.
Dodging around Spaniards, she sprinted toward her lover. It was insane, she knew. A battle was no time to be concerned for the well being of others. Her priority should be her survival and the tactical precision of her attack. Not an enemy captain. But she couldn’t leave Reece, no matter what logic dictated.
Skidding to the steps, she dragged herself to the upper deck. A Spaniard flew at her in a rage, throwing Natalie against the ship’s rail. She fought him back, attacking with new strength. Spearing the man through the chest, she pushed him over the side. She didn’t even wait to hear the splash before moving on toward his captain.
Reece attacked the Spanish captain with brutal skill. Both men were wounded and neither looked willing to concede defeat. Natalie hugged the sidelines, waiting to see if she was needed.
Her privateer parried a blow that would easily have separated his head from his shoulders and dropped to the ground. He rolled out of the way as the other captain drove his sword into the boards Reece had been lying on only seconds before. Natalie held her breath as she watched her lover slash out, catching the captain across his chest. The man stumbled back with a cry, pressing a hand to the blood flowing freely from the gash in his skin. Still he leapt forward with a battle cry, unwilling to give in.
Natalie grinned, thinking Reece had the upper hand until the Spanish captain tripped him and sent him sprawling onto the hard planks.
“No!” Natalie yelled, lunging forward.
The captain raised his blade to drive it into Reece’s chest just as Natalie reached him. Her sword caught the Spanish captain’s and she thrust it away from her fallen lover. Stepping around Reece, she took up his fight. The Spaniard was skilled, just as she’d suspected. It was a far harder fight than she’d had with his men.
Natalie twirled, dancing around him to strike at his unprotected back. But her enemy easily compensated, slashing out at her. She leapt back in time to miss a blow that would have laid her open.
The captain swung at her, catching her blade. He pressed his advantage, using his superior strength. Natalie gritted her teeth as she fought to hold the blade back from her skin. The sword inched ever closer to her body and with a last burst of strength she kicked out at the captain. The movement dipped her body low and she twirled away from the captain even as he stumbled backward. But the price of her attack was her sword. With her loosened grip, it sailed from her fingers.
Natalie crouched in a fighting stance, willing to battle to the very end. Even if she didn’t have a weapon.
“Natalie!” Reece called.
She turned just in time to see him throw her a blade. Natalie plucked it from the air, not allowing herself to worry about her unarmed lover.
As the captain turned, she darted forward. She attacked without mercy, beating him back to the rail. He tilted, unbalanced and she pressed her advantage. With vicious precision, Natalie drove her sword deep into his chest.
The captain froze, a dribble of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. Cutting through muscle and skin, she pushed the blade deeper, wanting to be sure of her kill. Only when the man’s eyes glazed over and he slumped to his knees did she wrest her sword free fr
om his lifeless body.
Reece appeared at her side, looking down. “Thank you.”
She glanced at him, knowing the words were not easy for him to say. “You’re welcome. Thanks for the sword.”
“You’re welcome.” He glanced at her and for a moment their eyes met. Just for second she wasn’t standing in the middle of a raging battle. She was looking up at a man she’d just realized she couldn’t do without.
He kissed her then. A short, hot kiss that revealed their mutual desperation. “Don’t get hurt,” he charged, releasing her.
“Try not to need another rescue,” she replied with a cocky grin.
She turned and strode back into the fight before he could say something that would make her want to stay.
Instead she threw herself into the almost mechanical hacking and fighting. A blade cut her across the arm and she barely took notice, forcing herself to move on. Parry, twirl, stab, do anything you needed to do to survive. It was all she thought off. With their captain dead, the Spanish were less organized. Fear was getting the best of them and Natalie was more than willing to take advantage. Enemy after enemy faced her sword until finally she turned and no one was left.
Slowly Natalie lowered her sword, panting with exertion. Around her, her crew stood on the bloody Spanish deck. Her eyes darted to the dead around them, searching for familiar faces. She caught sight of one of Reece’s men staring up at the sky with sightless eyes and others who had suffered serious injuries. Their shipmates were already rushing to their side. Her heart throbbed in regret for the loss. Guilt curled through her as she acknowledged she was happy the causalities hadn’t been from her own small crew. It wasn’t fair. She was the captain of all the men for the time being. It had been her responsibility to keep them safe and for at least some of them, she’d failed.
One by one, the sailors not tending to the wounded turned to face her, awaiting orders.
Natalie swallowed hard before squaring her shoulders. “Search the hold for cargo,” she commanded. “Then back to the Sea’s Bane. We’re in need of some celebrating.”
The men cheered, holding their swords high, their hesitation over her captaincy temporarily gone. Natalie grinned at their response, wanting to yell with them. It was a heady feeling, the rush that came after a battle. Knowing you’d bested all comers and emerged alive. In those moments after a fight, the sea always smelled more pure, the sunshine felt more golden. They were the champions. Once again, Captain Nate and her crew had won the day.
Heading back to the rail, Natalie glanced at back at the Spanish vessel. Too bad it was damaged beyond salvaging. Had it been in sailing condition it could have solved so many problems.
She drew a deep breath as she turned her gaze back to the Sea’s Bane’s deck. Reece had already made the crossing and was overseeing the loading of the doubloons they’d found.
Dread coursed through her. When she made the crossing, she wasn’t going back to her chains. Perhaps in the dead of night she could close her eyes and pretend they were something they weren’t. But not now. Not after she’d won this battle.
Jaw clenched, Natalie grabbed the rope and lunged over the side. For a second nothing mattered but the wind in her hair. Her heart thundered in her ears as the world rushed by in a blur. All too soon she swung over the rail and dropped down onto her deck with expert grace.
A few of her men scurried around the deck and most of Reece’s crew were still aboard the Spanish ship. She needed to strike while she had the chance. This was her golden opportunity.
Gripping the hilt of her sword, she drew it with grim determination.
If this battle had proven anything it was that she was a pirate. It was about damn time she started acting like one.
Chapter 7
NATALIE sprang into action as Reece turned. Before she could hesitate, she pressed her blade against his throat. No turning back now.
Reece froze, his arms held out to his sides. “What are you doing?”
Natalie lifted her chin, forcing herself to gaze at him with cold detachment. “I will not allow you to force me down again,” she told him. “This is my ship and it’s time we stopped fooling ourselves.”
Behind her, she could feel her men step forward, ready to hold back Reece’s crew. James shifted from foot to foot, twin swords in his hands as he dared anyone to take him on. Their loyalty touched her but she wasn’t about to let them get killed. Not if there was another way.
“Are you serious?” Reece said incredulously.
“You are the usurper,” she replied, her voice cold. “It’s about time to find out what pirates do to those who cross them.”
He shook his head at her. “And you’re going to fight us all? You and your handful of men against my entire crew? It’s suicide.”
“I’m not going to fight them,” she replied. “I’m going to fight you. Winner takes the Sea’s Bane.”
He watched her silently, no doubt trying to decipher her actions. “You saved my life today.”
“And it might have been a mistake,” she replied, her heart twisting at the thought. “I saved my lover while caught up in the heat of battle. That blindness is gone now and I see an enemy captain who will take my livelihood and turn me into his mistress if I let him.”
“It doesn’t have to be like that.”
She smiled slightly. “I’m the captain of this ship. No other arrangement holds any interest for me. Now draw your sword.”
He fingered the hilt at his waist. “And if I refuse?”
She put more pressure on her blade, forcing his head to the side to avoid being cut.
“You are maddening,” he sighed.
“I’m a pirate,” she replied.
The anger flashing through his eyes was Natalie’s only warning. With rapid speed, he drew his sword and lunged at her. Natalie leapt back, nearly caught off guard.
“Aye, you’re a pirate,” he snapped. “Over and over I’ve heard you tell me this.” He swung his sword and Natalie parried the blow. Metal rang out over the deck as the blades met.
“We can’t be together because you’re a pirate,” he taunted her, fighting back. “I can never understand you because you’re a pirate.”
“I won’t change who I am,” she snarled, twirling out of his reach.
“Who asked you to?”
Natalie frowned as their swords met again. She’d meant to fight him for her ship but this felt more like a sparring match. His attacks were designed to unbalance her but he never went for the kill. Instead he held back. Worse, she could feel herself doing the same. This was her chance. Perhaps her one hope to regain the Sea’s Bane and instead of going for his head, she found herself loathe to hurt him.
Baring her teeth, she dodged around him and drove her blade at his unprotected back. Reece spun, catching her blade with his.
It was ludicrous, she thought as she fought him. She never held back in a fight. Her emotions were crippling her. With a cry of rage she charged him, hacking forward with blinding desperation. Through it all Reece merely defended himself. He made no move to take advantages of the numerous openings her emotional attack presented him.
“God dammit,” she seethed, gripping her hilt with white knuckles. She’d thought getting her ship back was the most important thing in the world to her.
But it wasn’t as important as keeping Reece alive. It wasn’t as important as ensuring no harm ever touched him.
Reece watched her closely. A small smile began to curve his lips as he studied the emotions flying over her face.
“Have you realized it yet?” he asked her, holding his sword before him as if worried she’d take offense to his words.
“What?” she snarled.
His smile grew wider. “You love me.”
Natalie froze, her blade feeling heavy in her hands. “I don’t,” she denied automatically.
Reece shook his head at her. “You’re always so honest, Natalie. Sometimes painful
ly so. Don’t hide from me now.”
“We’re too different,” she argued, stepping back as he advanced on her.
“Because you’re a pirate.”
“Aye,” she hissed.
“Rupert?” he called over his shoulder, his eyes never leaving hers. “Bring the chest from my cabin.”
“My cabin,” she couldn’t help correcting.
He grinned at her. “Our cabin.”
Rupert nodded his head and strode toward the captain’s cabin.
Natalie shifted impatiently from foot to foot. She eyed the men ringing them, watching their standoff. Did they know what their captain had hidden in his secret chest?
In no time at all Rupert was hurrying back to his captain’s side. Reece took a chain from around his neck and Natalie noticed there was a second key on it. This one was older and looked more battered. He fit it into the chest lock and turned it with ease. Sliding the lock free, he stepped forward and offered the chest to Natalie.
“Look inside,” he murmured.
She hesitated for a moment before sheathing her sword. The chest felt heavy as she took it from him. Quickly she opened the lid and looked inside.
“Papers?” she asked. “This was what was so important you had to save it from your ship.”
“Read them.”
Natalie took out the first one. “Your letters of marque,” she murmured coolly. “Showing off, are we?”
“Keep going.”
She eyed him in question but obediently reached for the second paper. When she unrolled it and read the words scrawled over the parchment she couldn’t believe her eyes.
“It’s a second marque,” Reece said. “Written for—”
“Captain Nate,” she breathed, reading the name.
He nodded.
In her hand, she held the keys to freedom. She’d never have to fear being caught by the authorities or the Spanish. Her crew would be respectable. They wouldn’t have to hide in pirate towns but could sail freely into any port they choose. They’d have the protection of England at their back.
“No one in their right mind would write a letters of marque for a woman,” she denied.
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