Rescue Her Heart

by K C Luck

  “It’s nothing,” she said and refocused on what Rog was trying to say to her.

  "These are my wives," he said pointing to a group of four women gathered around him. Catherine nodded and smiled at them, trying to be polite. They did not seem happy to see her. Sal leaned in to whisper into Catherine's ear.

  “They hate you,” she said. “Because you’re young and pretty and interesting. Rog likes you and frankly, if I had not claimed you, it would be his bed you slept in tonight.” Catherine swallowed hard. The image of being forced to spend the night with Rog repulsed her and she was about to tell Sal so when the realization of her situation hit her. Did she just say if she had not claimed me? Catherine thought and turned in her chair to look at Sal.

  “So, what are you saying?” she asked the woman and Sal shrugged.

  “I think you know exactly what I’m saying,” she said. “But I’ll spell it out if you insist. You are my reward. My prize, if you will, for all my years of loyalty and hard work. Rog has given you to me.” Catherine’s mouth dropped open in shock. I’ve been given to Sal, she thought and was afraid to ask the next question but needed to know the answer.

  “Then what bed will I be sleeping in tonight?” she asked. Sal raised an eyebrow.

  “Now Catherine, you’re smart enough to figure that out on your own,” she said with a laugh. “Have more wine. You suddenly look like you need it.” Catherine shook her head.

  “I won’t do it,” she stated. “Send me back with the others.” A hint of anger flushed Sal’s cheeks and Catherine saw her considering what to do next. No doubt the woman was not used to people telling her no. Finally, Sal picked up her own wine and slugged back the contents. She licked her lips and then glared at Catherine.

  “Yes, actually you will,” Sal said. “Because if you don’t, then Rog or some other member of the crew will claim you. Trust me, you do not want that.” As she said it, the dark-haired servant woman from before returned to refill Sal’s glass. Sal ignored the woman and leaned in to make sure Catherine heard her. “Face it, you’re too sweet and pretty for your own good, Catherine Porter.” Suddenly there was a crash and Sal leaped to her feet with her weapon drawn before Catherine had even registered what happened. Other pirates around the table had also stood and drawn guns or knives in alarm. Looking around, Catherine saw it was only the dark-haired servant. She had dropped the vase she was pouring the wine from and it had shattered on the floor. Rog, who was now standing in his chair, saw it and started to laugh.

  “Sheath your weapons my mates, the only tragedy is the loss of some good wine,” he roared. Slowly the others around the table started to laugh too and sat back down. Sal followed suit, but Catherine could not take her eyes off of the servant, who had now dropped to her knees to pick up the shards of glass.

  “I’m so sorry,” she repeated. “I’m so stupid and clumsy.” Rog waved his hands to quiet her.

  “Just clean it up and then bring us another,” he said and sat down to start up the banter around the table once again. The servant did as she was told and once the mess was picked up, she stood up to go fetch more wine. Before she left, she looked back in Catherine’s direction. Their eyes met again and for a second, Catherine thought she saw tears on the woman’s cheeks. It made no sense. There was no way she knew the woman. So why does it feel like I do? she thought. After the servant turned away and left to get another vase, Catherine realized Sal was watching her as well.

  “How do you know her?” Sal asked. Catherine shook her head.

  “I don’t,” she said. Sal did not look convinced.

  “Then why were you staring at each other?” she asked. Catherine frowned and wondered the same thing.

  “I swear to you, I’ve never seen here before,” Catherine answered. Sal tilted her head and gave Catherine an appraising look.

  “Okay,” she said. “But I’ll tell you one thing. That woman may be older, but otherwise, the two of you look alike.” Catherine paused as she thought about what Sal had said. After a moment, she nodded. Sal was absolutely right.

  CHAPTER 23

  NAT

  Nat's body physically shook she was so upset and angry. Watching Sal lead Catherine away to who knew what fate tore a hole inside her and all she could think about was how to get away to go after Catherine. With every step she took, Nat knew she was moving further and further from wherever Sal was taking her prisoner. Although the village was not large, there were dozens of buildings. Finding Catherine would be nearly impossible if the woman were locked in one of them before Nat could get to her. She needed to hurry. Looking around, Nat counted only two armed guards escorting the group to what she saw was a big fenced in stock pen not far ahead. It was empty but for some rags for blankets on the ground. This is where they hold captives until we are auctioned off to be slaves, Nat thought with disgust as she appraised the layout. The walls were high, topped with electric wire, and looked substantially built, which made Nat all the more anxious about escaping now instead of trying later. Starting to feel desperate, Nat glanced around to consider options. She saw Colton watching her. Of all the captives in the pack, the teenager seemed to be the only one other than Nat not willing to walk along like sheep to the slaughter. Slowly, Nat slipped through the group to walk beside the boy. After checking to make sure the guards were not in earshot, Colton leaned toward Nat. “Are you with the girl who saved me?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “And I need to get away so I can go save her.” Colton nodded ever so slightly to avoid attracting the guards.

  "I'll help you. I owe her my life," he said as he glanced around to make sure they were still not being watched. "Do you have a plan?" Nat wished she had a plan, but knowing she had help, even if it was just a kid, gave her more options. The one thing she knew for sure was they were getting closer to the stock pen. An idea came to her. It was neither the best nor the most original, but sometimes brute force was the only alternative.

  “Slow down and get to the back of the pack with me,” she whispered. “Until we are near the guard behind us.” Colton did not question her decision and started to ease in the direction she told him. “Easy,” Nat said. “Don’t attract attention to what we are doing. I need us last through the gate and when we do, trip and fall.” Colton gave her a subtle nod. As everyone walked, the two of them continued to shorten their steps until they were in position. Nat watched as each prisoner was waved through the gate in the fence. When it was Colton’s turn, he did exactly as Nat hoped and made a show of stumbling before falling to his knees. The guard swore and reached for Colton to get him up. As soon as the pirate was distracted and bending forward, Nat shot out a front kick with all her strength and fury. Her foot connected with the guard’s face and Nat heard a satisfying crunch as the man’s nose was crushed. He staggered and fell. “Run!” Nat yelled and Colton leaped to his feet in a flash. Sprinting toward the jungle, Nat moved to follow him, but then saw the second guard turn to level his plasma gun at her.

  “You bitch,” he growled. “Sal said to watch you, but I think shooting you would be easier.” Nat’s eyes widened as she expected the gun to fire, but at the last moment, Colton leaped onto the man’s back. The blow knocked the guard’s weapon upward. When he pulled the trigger, Nat ducked and the blast went high. Missed me by a hair, she thought as she turned to sprint toward the jungle at the perimeter of the village. Glancing back, she saw Colton was doing his best to wrestle the guard, but the man was bigger and stronger and was pushing Colton back toward the gate. In a minute, Colton would be in the stock pen with the others. Nat thought of turning back to go help the kid but knew if she did, the guard would most likely try to shoot her again. And this time, I doubt he’ll miss. Vowing to go back for Colton once she figured out a better plan, Nat ran for the jungle and reaching the edge of the dense foliage, plunged through the broad-leafed bushes into the thick undergrowth. Vines and branches grabbed her as she battled to get clear of any pursuit by the guards.

  After five
minutes of struggling to get deeper into the jungle, Nat found a clear spot behind a thick tree and stopped to listen for the sound of shouts announcing her escape. If she could determine which direction the search was coming from she could sneak off in the other. Breathing deeply to settle her racing heart, she waited and was confused when she heard nothing. Why aren’t they coming after me? she wondered. Are they thinking a woman alone in the jungle is not worth pursuing? Slowly, Nat looked around as it occurred to her there may be creatures who lived among the plants which were dangerous enough to deter the pirates from coming in after her. As if reading her thoughts, there was a rasping noise coming from the tree branches above and Nat looked up to see a snake winding its way toward her. Nat’s eyes widened. Although she was not certain the species of this particular reptile and therefore could not be sure it was poisonous, the sheer length and breadth of its body was more than Nat wanted to wrestle with, especially considering she was weaponless and her hands were still bound. Backing away slowly, Nat watched as the creature advanced. It clearly had Nat in its sights as prey and even though Nat had no idea where she was going, she took off into the bushes around her to escape. As she fled, she had visions of the beast wrapping its body around her legs to trip her and the picture made her sprint deeper into the dark jungle.

  Finally, she broke out into a clearing and was surprised to see a small cabin built from logs and vines. The structure was old and leaned precariously to one side, but Nat did not hesitate to duck in and hide. With no windows, the space was dark and Nat could only hope it was unoccupied by man or beast. Crouching down, Nat peeked out through a crack in the door and waited to see if the snake would appear. After only a moment, she saw movement at the edge of the clearing and slowly the dangerous creature which hunted her slithered out of the trees. As she watched, Nat guessed the beast was ten feet long at least and now that it was out in the daylight instead of the gloom of the jungle, its stripes of red, yellow, and black showed out against the dirt. Slowly, the snake lifted its head and used the senses in its flickering tongue to search for her. Nat held her breath and prayed the thing would not come to the cabin. She knew snakes did not see well and hoped it was not aware of the shelter only fifteen feet from it. The last thing Nat wanted was to have to shut and lock the door and be trapped with it outside. Every moment which passed meant Catherine had to survive on her own. Finally, after agonizing seconds passed, the reptile lowered its head and began to move away into the jungle again. Nat breathed out with relief. It was time to get back to the village and find Catherine. As quietly as she could, Nat slipped out of the cabin and went back into the jungle in the opposite direction of the snake.

  Backtracking through the gloom of the jungle, Nat worried she was turned around. There was no sign of the pirate's camp. Frustrated, she continued to push through the thick leaves and brush until she literally stumbled into a wide concrete platform. Looking up, Nat realized she was at the foot of one of the cloaking towers which triangulated the village. Saying a little thank you to the universe for her good luck, Nat studied the setup. A transformer box was at the base, but it was bolted shut. She had no doubt if she could get it open, there would be electronics she could break to kill the towers stealth broadcast. I need to find some way to get in there, she thought and added it to her growing list of objectives. But first, she had to locate Catherine. Where would Sal have taken her? There were so many shelters to consider, including Sal’s own quarters. The image of it made Nat grit her teeth with fury. Sal clearly wanted Catherine and Nat had no doubt if the woman could get Catherine alone, she would try to take advantage of her. But Catherine will fight her, Nat thought and she hoped Catherine could fend for herself well enough until Nat got to her. The question really was how aggressive Sal would be with Catherine. Even Nat had recognized the pirate had a soft spot when it came to the girl, but Nat could not decide if it was enough for Sal to be patient. Nat shook her head with frustration. She’s still a dirty pirate. They were not known for being patient or respectful but instead were ruthless. I’ve got to find her and fast.

  Moving at a crouch until she was closer to the village, Nat worked hard to stay hidden while scanning the landscape. Pirates, their mates, and servants all milled around the different buildings, but one shelter in particular seemed busy. It was larger than the other domed structures and Nat slipped as close as she could without revealing herself. She could hear music and laughter coming from inside. A celebration of the pirate’s return? she wondered. It made sense. But would Catherine be in there? Nat nodded as she considered the question. Sal was arrogant enough to make Catherine go with her to just such an event. Using the girl as a trophy was definitely right in Sal’s wheelhouse, especially considering how taken Rog the pirate king was with Catherine. She’s in there showing her off. Nat wondered how Catherine was reacting to it and hoped for her sake she was playing along. At least for now when other people were around. Nat knew a time would come soon enough when Catherine would be alone with the woman and then would have to reveal who she really was to Sal. Thinking of the scene and the idea of Sal’s unwelcome hands on Catherine made Nat’s heart clench with fury. She had to find a way to stop it.

  CHAPTER 24

  CATHERINE

  Sal led her by the hand out the back of the banquet hall and through a door to the outside. Catherine knew Sal was angry at her, but whenever she tried to slow down and ask questions, Sal did not allow it. “We’re almost there,” she snapped when Catherine asked where they were going. Now that they were out in the open, Catherine saw they were near the giant pirate space galleon. Other smaller ships were settled around it, including the Avalon Mercury. Sal was headed straight for it.

  “Wait,” Catherine said and dug in her feet to stop walking. “What are we doing?” Sal turned back and grabbed Catherine’s arm.

  “Stop with all the damn questions,” she said with a snarl and started to pull again. Catherine resisted and Sal whirled on her, frustration clear on her face. “Listen,” she said. “We need to talk and this is the most private place I can think of, so let’s go.” Catherine still held back. The last thing she wanted was to be alone someplace with Sal where no one could find them and yet, the pirate’s words confused her. We need to talk? Catherine thought. What would Sal need to say? It was one thing to have Sal continue to make sexual innuendos and threats, but somehow this felt different. Sal pulled at her arm again.

  “Don’t make me pick you up and carry you,” she said. “Because I will.” Catherine could tell she meant it and so started walking with her again. It did not take long to get to the Avalon Mercury’s gangway and Sal led her inside. Frederick the android met them at the door. He was confused and upset.

  “What is happening? Why are you here?” he asked. Sal waved him aside as she escorted Catherine past him.

  “Shut up,” Sal said. “Just bring me a bottle of the most expensive alcohol you have on this ship.” Frederick paused as he considered the situation.

  “Two glasses, ma’am?” he finally asked, clearly recognizing who was in charge now. Sal glanced at Catherine and then nodded.

  “Definitely two,” she said and pulled Catherine forward to the lounge. Once inside, Catherine yanked her arm away. Enough was enough. Being in the room where she had only the day before had such a tender but passionate moment with Nat gave her strength. She was sick of Sal being a bully, and pirate or no pirate, Catherine was done being a victim. If I have to fight her, I will, she thought and turned on the woman.

  “I don’t know why you brought me here,” Catherine snapped. “But if you think it will seduce me, forget it. I want someone else.” Sal narrowed her eyes and her look was cold as ice. They stared at each other for a long moment.

  "Why did you ask me to save the boy?" Sal asked. The question caught Catherine entirely off guard.

  “He was just a kid,” she stammered in response. “I couldn’t just stand by and let you kill him.” Sal frowned.

  “So you’re saying you did i
t out of the goodness of your heart?” she asked.

  Catherine nodded. “Yes,” she said and then had a thought. Sal was not always a pirate and, in fact, had once been a slave. There was a life for her before that as well. Wanting to appeal to it, Catherine softened her tone. “Surely there was a time when you encountered people who did things simply because it was right. I don’t believe you have always been so hardened.” Sal’s head jerked up at the words and her face flushed.

  “You know nothing about me,” Sal said. “So keep your speculations to yourself.” Catherine instinctively wanted to apologize for upsetting her but did not. She had touched a nerve and knew she had to keep going.

  “Why?” she asked and then decided to take a big risk. “Because I know deep down you’re not the evil pirate you pretend to be?” In a flash, Sal was on her and had Catherine’s long hair wrapped in her hand. Jerking her head back so they were face to face, Sal glared into her eyes.

  “Trust me, I am evil,” Sal whispered. “Don’t pretend otherwise.” Suddenly, Sal was kissing her, her lips hot and angry on Catherine’s mouth. Catherine tried to jerk away, but Sal’s hand was too strong in her hair. Growing furious, Catherine twisted her face to the side and pushed against Sal’s shoulders with all her strength.

  “Stop!” she said. “I know you’re not really like this.” For a second, Catherine was not sure if she was right as Sal continued to hold her close. Her lips brushed Catherine’s cheek and then her neck.

  “You know I could just order that droid to fly us away,” she murmured. “Take us far from here. Just you and me.” Catherine heard such wistfulness in Sal’s tone, she stopped fighting her and held still.