by ML Guida
Ronan glared at the man, but he sheathed his sword. William hesitated. He glanced between Mariah and Ronan.
“William,” Kane said.
“Go on. I will be fine,” Mariah said.
William bunched his eyebrows, and a muscle twitched in his jaw. He followed Kane. Mariah did not know if he was afraid to leave her with the other men or afraid to leave her with Ronan. Did he care about her? Or did he worry she would cast a spell and sink the ship?
The men dispersed except for Ronan. The sun peeked over the horizon and pink, orange and purple colors reflected into the ocean.
Mariah hugged her arms tighter around her waist. She glanced down. William’s shirt stuck to her wet body, and the gown clung to her legs.
The pirates were whispering to each other and staring as if she was a harlot.
“Pardon—” she said.
“’Tis beautiful, isn’t it?” Ronan nodded at the rising sun. “I ne’er realized how grand the sun is until after it was taken from me.”
Mariah gazed at the sunrise, picturing Ronan tortured and battered in the belly of the Fiery Damsel for months. Many men would have been bitter and angry after their imprisonment. But not Ronan. He had not let the Fiery Damsel destroy him. She sighed, wondering when was the last time Lark had felt the warm rays on his cheeks. She’d almost suffered his same imprisonment, but her would-be jailer had a change of heart. Why? Hannah.
“Thinking of Lark?”
She nodded. “I know he is suffering the same fate you did.”
“Aye, he is, lass. Palmer’s a devil. May his soul rot in hell.”
She wiped away a stray tear. He clasped her hand and pulled her into his arms. Mariah did not fight him, wanting to feel strong arms around her, pushing out the nightmare. Besides Hannah, Ronan believed in her, thanks to Lark. William protected her, but did not trust her. At his constant doubt, a swell of hurt wormed into her thumping heart, and she tried to ignore the hollow pain.
She rested her head against Ronan’s chest and listened to his heartbeat.
“When I was down in that hellhole, your brother kept me alive by tellin’ me about you.” He clasped her chin and stared down into her eyes. “His description failed to capture you. You’re a bonnie lass, Mariah.”
She shivered, not sure how to answer. Bitterness burned in her stomach at Lark being left to be tortured while Ronan had escaped and now was safe aboard the Phoenix. Maybe he could not help it.
Ronan’s dark eyes brimmed with passion. His black hair caressed her face in the breeze. He was handsome to be sure and her heart quickened at the thought of him kissing her. She should be thinking about Lark.
Stay focused.
He smiled. “Are you cold, lass?”
“A little,” she lied, feeling guilty. This man had been her brother’s constant companion, and together they had been imprisoned in a dungeon worse than anything she could have imagined. He deserved better than her lying. But she should not kiss him, no matter his tantalizing lips. “I need to change.”
“You’re so beautiful,” he said, his voice husky. He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.
Before she knew what happened, Ronan had wrapped his arms around her waist and seized her lips and kissed her, pinning her to him. She pounded on his chest and struggled.
Ronan groaned, but slowly released her. “You’re testin’ me, lass.”
“You need to ask permission before you kiss someone, Ronan.” She wiped her mouth and stepped away. “Do not do that again.”
He hung his head. “I’m sorry.”
She fixed her hair and straightened William’s shirt that hid her nightgown. She could smell William’s scent and hoped no one had seen Ronan’s transgression. She’d have to make sure not to be alone with him. What if someone told William? “Can I have some of that coffee?”
“Aye, I’ll fetch your coffee.” He ran his hand down her arm.
“That goes for touching, too,” she said.
He jerked his hand away, and hurt flooded his eyes. “I’ll get you that coffee,” he murmured. He turned, his shoulders slumped, and headed for the galley.
She had not meant for her voice to be so harsh, but he’d left her little choice. His infatuation with her was becoming more and more overpowering. For better or worse, Grand-mère had been right—her attraction for William was growing deeper each time she was with him.
She headed for the stairs to change. A sigh grabbed her attention. Capitaine Knight gazed out at sea. Solstice sat at his feet. He glanced down at the spaniel, and the dog waited for him to scratch her ears. He smiled, giving into the dog’s desire. The dog nudged against his thigh, and he focused back on the horizon. He did not tell Solstice to leave or push her away. A good sign. A very good sign.
“So, do witches change partners like harlots?”
Mariah sucked in her breath. Someone grabbed her arm and whirled her around. She stared into William’s angry, yellow eyes. Fire burned in his pupils. Grand-mère had warned her. She pushed down on his hand. “Release me.”
He shook her. “What is your game, witch? Are you casting spells on all of the crew?”
“Quoi? No, no, I am not.”
He tilted his head. “Then why were you kissing Ronan? Should I fetch Sean, Amadi or Doc? You could test your charms on them.”
Tears threatened to fall, but she refused to cry, to let him know how much he was hurting her. “No, ’tis not like that. No one has ever kissed me like you.”
He jerked her toward him. “I doubt that.”
“How dare you!” She slapped at his hand and kicked his shins.
A roar caught their attention. Ronan charged them, murder glazing in his eyes. William shoved Mariah behind him and plowed his shoulder into Ronan, knocking him to the ground.
“No,” Mariah cried. “Stop!”
Ronan and William stalked around each other like two jungle cats, snarling and fighting over a female. Ronan swung and hit William in the jaw. William retaliated and punched Ronan in the gut, doubling him over. Ronan tried to recover, but William struck Ronan’s chin and sent him flying into the air. Ronan landed on his back and slid across the floorboards. William marched over to him as he scrambled to his feet. White smoke puffed out of William’s nostrils, and he screeched a blood-curdling shriek.
Merde, he was changing into a dragon. And he was angry.
William grabbed his head and fell onto his knees. Blood dripping down his chin, Ronan skirted around William and reached for her. “Give me your hand, lass.”
She shook her head. “No, Ronan, he will kill you.”
William’s clothes ripped, muscles bunched. Blue and green scales replaced his skin, and his tail and wings unfurled. He was transforming faster, becoming more powerful, much more powerful.
Air gusted across the deck with the flap of his wings. He wrapped his tail around Mariah’s thighs like a snake and squeezed.
“Mariah, come to me,” Ronan ordered.
William gnashed his teeth and snarled.
“Ronan,” Mariah said, “Please stand down. He’ll kill you.”
“I’m immortal, lass. He can’t kill me.”
“Oui, he can. Nothing can survive his dragon fire. Please. Do not move.”
William shrieked.
Solstice charged William.
“No, Solstice,” Mariah cried.
The dog lunged upon William’s neck and bit, drawing blood.
William swiped at Solstice with his claw. She hit the deck and yelped. As she whimpered and struggled to stand, a long bloody scratch marred her side.
Capitaine Knight got out of his chair. “Leave the dog alone, you damn monster.” He wobbled toward William.
Hannah rushed for Knight. “Father, no.”
Her father ignored her plea, and with his cane raised over his head, edged closer to William. Hannah raised her hands, palms facing her father, and wind rushed around him. Capitaine Knight struggled to move, but the wind pushed him farther and farther away
. Four crewmen jumped in front of her father and blocked his path. Hannah lowered her hands, and her shoulders drooped. Blood dripped from her nose from the exertion of her powers.
“Christ.” Kane, leading a pack of his men, skidded to a stop and drew his sword. “’Tis not the full moon. Why has he changed?”
“His anger,” Mariah said. “His anger released the dragon.”
Sean clutched his pistol. “Who the hell made him angry?”
Ronan edged closer to Mariah. William snapped his jaws, barely missing Ronan’s arm.
“Ronan, get the hell away from him,” Kane ordered.
“He’s going to kill her, Capt’n,” Ronan said. “He’s mad with jealously.”
“Why would…” He glared at Mariah. “Playing games on board my ship, witch? Not throwing you in the brig was a bloody mistake.”
Heat washed over Mariah’s cheeks, and she scolded herself for being tempted by two handsome men. But they were not men. One was a vampire. The other a dragon. Both deadly.
“You need to retreat,” Mariah said. “Please help Solstice.”
Doc bent down and scooped up the whimpering dog. “I done got her.”
“Mariah—” Ronan argued.
“Back up slowly,” Mariah ordered. “Remember, I am a witch. I can handle him.”
“He’ll kill you,” Ronan insisted.
“Capitaine, get Ronan out of here before he gets himself killed.”
William growled, smoke swirled out of his nostrils.
“Now,” she ordered. “Before ’tis too late.”
“Ronan, come back here,” Kane said.
Ronan met Mariah’s gaze. “I’ll not leave the lass.”
“Then you will die,” Mariah said, softly. “I have to help him control his anger. You are the target, and he will not listen with you here. Please go.”
His pistol trained on William, Kane nodded at Amadi and Sean. “Seize him,” he ordered.
Amadi and Sean snatched Ronan’s arms. Ronan swore, arched his back and twisted his body, but could not break free. They dragged him across the deck. Kane slowly backed up.
“We are alone, now,” Mariah whispered.
William jerked his head around, his golden dragon eyes blazing. He screeched, baring his sharp teeth. He had been wounded once before, and she had healed him. This time, she wounded him, not with an arrow, but something worse. Betrayal.
Blood trickled down William’s neck where Solstice had bitten him, staining the jade stone her grand-mère had given him. She stared into William’s narrowed eyes. “William, I know you are angry, oui?”
William snarled.
“Do you feel the stone against your chest?”
The dragon snorted, and steamy smoke spilled onto her face and neck. Mariah broke out in a sizzling sweat and hoped he would not burn her alive. He had hurt Solstice, but only after the dog had bitten him. Maybe she could reason with the man inside the beast. Grand-mère had said she could help him. He needed her now.
“I know you do not trust me.” The dragon snapped again, his sultry breath rushing over her face. She tasted charcoal on her lips. Refusing to give into her rising fear, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the charged jade stone. “Mother Earth, I call upon you to strengthen the jade. Bring forth the calm of the sea, the calm of the clouds, and the calm of the full moon. Hear me.”
Hot breath brushed her again. She inhaled, taking in the calm and letting the energy flow through her. She wished she had her wand, because it would enhance the spell. But ’twas behind William, next to the bowl. She would have to make do with the power of the words.
The dragon snorted and whined. She kept her eyes closed and concentrated on the words, sending out ripples of calmness.
Cracks of bones and a sharp cry tempted to break her frayed nerves. Strong hands gripped her shoulder.
“Mariah,” a strained voice whispered.
Mariah opened her eyes. Naked, William gazed down at her with his emerald eyes, his face pinched.
“What happened? Why did I change?”
She cupped his face, trying not to lower her gaze and glance at his manhood. “Your anger. I made you mad.”
“I’m sorry I hurt Solstice. She bit me and—”
“I know. She attacked you.”
“Protecting you. Mariah, I’m too dangerous. I could have killed Ronan. I wanted to kill him. He’s my friend.”
“Oui, you could have.” She clasped the jade stone that was now cool and rubbed it, feeling the power within. She pressed her hand on his chest over the blue and green dragon tattoo. “You exercised restraint, and the jade helped you retain that calmness. The beast sleeps now.”
“If I didn’t have the stone…”
“You could have killed Solstice and Ronan.”
He winced. “And you.”
“Oui. You have a great will within you, and the jade enhances this inner strength.”
“I have to leave.” He ran his hair through his hair. “I am a danger to everyone on board this ship.”
“No, William. You will be a danger to everyone in the Caribbean, if you leave.”
He dropped his hand. “Meaning?”
“What if you get angry again and I am not there to guide you? I am able to help you learn to control the beast.”
He arched his eyebrow and walked back to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “Then don’t be kissing Ronan again.”
She tilted her chin. “I was not kissing him. He kissed me.”
Before she could finish, his lips found hers, branding her…molding her…tasting her. She put her hands on his chest to push him away but found herself moving over his tense muscles. His kiss deepened, and the memory of Ronan vanished. She wanted William, only him.
“Damn you, O’Brien!”
Ronan stood just feet away, his sword drawn. She avoided his eyes.
William clasped her hand, his thumb caressing her palm. “MacMillian.”
She glanced up at William and detected a sadness in his voice, not glee or anger. What was she doing? Tearing these men apart? She tried to release his hand, but he gripped her tighter, pulling her close.
Kane marched over to them. “Jaaysus. Put your sword away, MacMillian.”
Ronan hesitated, but at Kane’s fierce glare, slid his sword inside its sheath.
“I am sorry, Capitaine,” Mariah said. “I do not know what to say.”
“Say? You don’t know what to say,” Kane mocked. “You about got us all killed with your trickery.”
“Kane,” William said.
Kane held up his hand to silence him. “We’re going into battle, a battle to save your brother, lass. And to fight a demon, one worse than Zuto. I suggest you do your job of teaching my brother to control his powers and not seducing every man on the ship.”
She winced and lowered her gaze.
“Or at the next uncharted island,” Kane said. “I’ll dump your arse. Savvy?”
“Oui,” she muttered. “I understand.”
“I will not let him do this to you,” William said.
“Like bloody hell, you’ll stop me,” Kane said.
William growled.
Mariah squeezed William’s fingers, sending him reassurance. “William, no. Breathe. You are waking your dragon.”
William gazed down at Mariah, his mouth set in a straight line, tiny flames flickering in his gold eyes.
“Don’t threaten me, William,” Kane warned. “I’ll not have it on this ship.”
“Breathe, just, breathe,” she said. She reached for his other shaking hand and placed it on the jade then clasped hers over his. “Feel the calmness.”
William closed his eyes and sighed. He trembled beneath her.
Hannah came up behind Kane. “Stop bellowing.”
“Hannah,” he gripped her arm. “I told you—”
“I know what you told me.” She glanced between Mariah and William and smiled. “If you’d stop acting like an out of c
ontrol vampire, you’d see that she’s calming him.”
Mariah dreaded asking about her dog, but she had to know. “Solstice?”
“She’s with Doc. Along with my father.” Hannah smiled. “My father seems to care about her. He’s not talking with anyone, but he is interacting with Solstice. Doc says Solstice will be fine.”
William stiffened.
Mariah brushed her thumb over his hand, hoping he knew she wasn’t mad. He wasn’t in control. At least, not yet.
Kane studied them. William opened his eyes, and the flames were gone.
Hannah elbowed Kane. “See.”
Mariah nodded at Hannah who smiled and winked. She understood Mariah. Once again, she was glad to have Hannah on her side. She had the ability to calm Kane.
Hannah looped her arm in Kane’s. “Come on, I need to talk to you.”
“I bet you do,” Kane muttered. But he allowed Hannah to lead him away.
Only Ronan remained with them. He stared hard at Mariah. She bit her lip, at a loss for words. What could she say? He had forced his kiss on her, and it had not stirred the same feelings that William’s did. Hurt pooled in Ronan’s eyes, and he turned away, his shoulders slumped.
“If you want to be with him—” William rubbed her back “—I’ll try to work on my anger.” As soon as the last word dropped, he growled.
“Your lying is waking the dragon.”
“I’m not lying.”
“William, I will not let him kiss me again.”
“See that you don’t. When I’m not around, I’ll worry about you kissing other men.” His eyes darkened.
“No, you will not.”
“Meaning you’ll only kiss me?”
“Oui,” she said, barely audible for her own ears.
He gave her a curious gaze. The feelings inside her were confusing. He had awakened something hidden. Her cheeks heated at thinking of all the wicked things they might do skin-to-skin.
Her parents had been so happy together. Her mother glowed when she had escaped to the bedroom to be with her father. Mariah knew what they did behind closed doors, well, maybe not exactly what they did. She wanted to glow like her mother. She rubbed William’s arm and knew her dragon could make her glow.
Chapter Thirteen