by ML Guida
His weariness and exhaustion forgotten, he wrapped his arm around Angelica’s shaking body. “What’s wrong?”
She dug her nails into his bare shoulders. “I can’t see Isabella. Palmer was chasing her. He had a spear. Where is she?”
He ignored the throbbing pain. All he wanted to do was comfort Angelica. Below, he saw the blood floating on the surface, but there was no hint of Isabella or Palmer. Where were they? “Angelica, I fear that was no ordinary spear. Palmer can’t swim, but yet, he swam almost as fast as us. The spear must be cursed, giving Palmer the ability to see your sister.”
The wind blowing around her, Hannah raised her palms, facing Kane and his men struggling through the water. How the devil had she escaped?
A wave lifted the long boats, gently escorting them to the Phoenix. Hannah dropped her arms. Like always, blood dripped from her nose after she used her powers. She wiped her nose on her sleeve and rushed to the railing to greet Kane.
But besides the captain and his men, there was nothing else in the water.
William released them. Ronan landed on the deck, his arm still wrapped around Angelica’s waist.
His eyes filled with fury, Kane climbed up on deck and grabbed Hannah’s arms. “After William rescued you, you needed to stay below deck.”
“Not when I can help.”
“You stubborn, wench.” He held her tight and kissed her, silencing her protest.
Angelica broke free of Ronan’s arms and rushed to the railing, dodging rushing crewmen. “Where is she?”
She was falling into hysterics which wasn’t a good place to be in the middle of a battle with the smoke and noise and turbulence. He had no answers for her. She’d been so brave fighting on the island, but at what cost?
Her eyes filled with worry, Hannah came up alongside Ronan. “She needs to get below deck. I fear the demon will call upon the darkness to re-capture her.”
On shore, Zuto had his arms raised high over his head. What devilry was he calling upon now?
He put his hand on Angelica’s shaking shoulder. “Love, she’s gone.”
He drew her into his arms, wishing he could chase away her terror. “If she’s on board the Fiery Damsel or on Zuto’s island, she’ll be safe.”
She lifted her head. “How can you say this?”
“You forget.” He pushed her wet hair off her face and tried to give her a reassuring smile. “We have Zuto’s dragon. He wonna let anything happen to Isabella, because he needs those two to mate. This gives us time to come up with a plan.”
Her brow crinkled, doubt flickering in her eyes. “I want to believe you, but...” Her frown deepened, and she ran her fingers through his hair. “Ronan, your eyes—they’re no longer red. Do you feel different?”
“Feel different?” The pains and throbs in his body flared. Salt water stung his cuts. He wanted to sleep in a hammock for a week. “Aye, I feel worse than a dinghy emerging from a hurricane, but I learned I can swim and hold my breath longer than any fool on this ship.” He forced a smile. “The hunger’s gone. I no longer want to feast on the crew.” He leaned closer. “But you, you I could feast on for a week.”
She tried to smile, but tears slid down her cheeks, and her lower lip trembled. He wiped her cheek with his thumb, wishing he could say words of comfort.
Kane limped toward them. Hannah had her arm intertwined with his. The Cap’n had a gash on his thigh, and his other arm was pressed against his side. “Ronan, how the hell did you get here before us?”
Ronan looked at his woman. She was just as strong as Hannah. “Angelica and her sister—”
“Another mermaid?” Kane looked around at the smoke and men racing around the deck. “Is she on board?”
Angelica shook her head. “No.” Her puny voice was so dejected that Ronan’s lungs twisted.
“It’s my fault. I called for her, and she came. What if she’s dead? Or on board the Fiery Damsel? I didn’t want this to happen. Hannah, can you help?”
“I might be able to slow down the Damsel. It might give us time to find your sister.”
“Thank you.” Angelica gave her a weak smile.
“No.” Pity filled Kane’s usual hard eyes. “Hannah’s spent. Her powers drained.”
Angelica opened her mouth to argue, but Ronan lifted her chin, cutting off her protest. When it came to Hannah, it was better not to challenge Kane. He’d never let anyone hurt her and would be liable to lock Angelica up if he felt she was pushing Hannah beyond her limits. It had nearly killed him when she was taken prisoner. Against his better judgment, Ronan said, “I’ll find her, I promise.”
Kane seized Ronan’s arm. “We’ve got to get out of here. Zuto’s furious we took away his new dragon, so he’s calling on his god, Maketabori, for another monster—Charybdis.”
Angelica stiffened in his arms.
Dread swirled in Ronan’s gut. “But that’s a legend—”
“No, it’s not,” Angelica said. “Charybdis is real. That’s not her name by the way. It’s Charlotte. She lives in the Strait of Messina.” She lowered her gaze. “My father, not Zeus, created her. Charlotte was my step-mother. Father discovered that she’d been on board the pirate ship and told them how to kill my mother so he punished her, turning her into a foul sea creature that has an uncontrollable thirst for the sea. He banished her from here. How can Zuto send for her? He can’t leave the island.”
“True,” Kane said. “But his God is very powerful. Transporting a pissed off monster should be no problem.”
“Why wouldn’t Charybdis bring down the Fiery Damsel?”
“Because the bloody demon promised to change her back if she does his bidding and wreak revenge on the man who cursed her.”
“He can’t undo Father’s magic.”
“I suspect Maketabori can.”
“Then we have to get out of here.” Angelica scanned the sea. “Charybdis will kill us. Nothing can stop her, not even William.”
Overhead, the white clouds swelled and turned black. The skies opened up, and rain drenched them. Rain stung Ronan’s clammy flesh and blurred his vision. But there was something else in the storm. Besides the smell of sulfur from the battling ships, he detected something foul, as if decaying seaweed had smothered the smell of the salty rain. Wind picked up, and the sails overhead flapped hard. The hairs on the back of Ronan’s neck trembled. He couldn’t stop shivering.
“She’s coming,” Angelica said. “We have to find Isabella before she does. Charybdis will kill her.”
“Our only chance is to cut off the Damsel before she hits open water. If we don’t, we’ll be forced to fight, giving Charybdis time to swallow us whole.” He looked at the helmsman. “Full sail, bring us in across her bow.”
The astonished helmsman crinkled his brow. “But, Cap’n, she’ll ram us.”
Bloody and a little wobbly, Sean Mallory shoved the terrified pirate out of the way and grabbed the wheel. Ronan had learned not to question the cap’n’s order long ago.
The Fiery Damsel had manned her guns. Cannons recoiled and fired from its port side, sending shots screaming into the Phoenix’s tops, tearing sail and rigging and covering her with a thick blanket of black smoke. Ronan forced Angelica to move as burning sails crashed onto the deck. “You need to get below.”
She broke her arm free from his clasp. “Not until I know what happened to Isabella.”
Through the dark smoke, Ronan cursed under his breath. The Fiery Damsel was picking up speed. Men were in her yards of unfurling sail, others were on deck hauling out more guns, but what caught his eye was Quinton Palmer. He was dripping wet, but there was a tall willowy form next to him.
“Kane, can I use your spyglass. There’s a woman standing next to Palmer.”
Kane gave him a quizzical look, but followed his gaze. “Are you sure?” He handed over the spyglass without question, but his eyes filled with sorrow as he watched Angelica. who was still staring into the water.
“Aye, she’s there.” Ronan peered through
the glass, waiting for the smoke to dissipate, holding his breath, and his worst fears were realized. Bleeding and battered, Isabella was on deck, her hands tied behind her back. She was a prisoner of the Fiery Damsel. He handed it back to Kane their eyes met. Right now, there was nothing they could do but escape and fight tomorrow. The crew was weary, and they needed time to heal before they battled the Fiery Damsel and Zuto’s new threat.
“Angelica,” he said, cringing on what he had to say.
She jerked her head up. “Ronan, I told—” Her words died on her trembling lips. She slowly turned. “Isabella!” She lurched toward the railing as if she was going to jump into the sea.
Ronan snatched her arm and pulled her against him, drawing on his last remaining strength. He forced her toward the mast and pressed her against it. “Listen to me.”
“No! She’s my sister!” Her eyes were wide. She kicked and twisted her body like a marlin trying to escape. “We’ve got to rescue her.”
He used his body to pin her. “Angelica, we will, but not right now. Donna you see? Palmer and Zuto are counting on you to do something drastic. You have to trust us. I promise we’ll get your sister back.”
Her body sagged against him. “But you know what they’ll do to her.”
He kissed her. “I know, lass. I know.”
Behind him, Kane shouted orders to the men, instructing them to work the lines. The crew dodged the zipping iron shots to readjust the sails to catch the windage. The Soaring Phoenix lurched forward, aiming for the Damsel’s bow. But Palmer wasn’t done yet. He returned two broadsides to the Phoenix’s one. Ronan tried to utter some comfort to Angelica, but the combined blasts blocked out his voice.
Kane yelled at Sean, holding the tiller, and unlike the former helmsman, followed his orders without question. Ronan could see the sweat glistening off the crew of the Damsel. Unless Palmer wanted to crash his ship, he’d better turn. Palmer threw Isabella into the arms of one of his crewmen and grabbed the wheel. He turned, but he wasn’t fast enough and slammed the side of the starboard side against the narrow shallows, running her aground. Wood splintered, and the great ship swayed.
“Isabella.” Angelica struggled against him. “We can attack.”
Zuto was on the beach watching, his arms raised high over his head. No doubt he was calling upon his master, Maketabori, to send for Charybdis.
Lightning crashed overhead. The swirling clouds parted. A scaly tentacle creature, twice as large as any Spanish Galleon, crashed into the ocean, sending a rolling wave into the portside of the Soaring Phoenix. Water sloshed onto the deck, rocking the groaning ship. Men grabbed lines to hold on.
The ocean swirled faster and faster as a gigantic whirlpool formed. Ronan had never seen anything so big. ’Twas out of nightmares. Wind howled. Sprays of water splashed into the air. In the midst of the whirlpool a wide mouth opened, big enough to swallow a dozen ships whole. Razor sharp teeth gnashed together. The sea, sand, and hapless fish sucked down the mouth as if in a roaring vacuum. It freed the Fiery Damsel from the shallows. The Damsel rose as if a ghost ship.
Kane had no choice but to retreat.
Ronan’s woman wouldn’t understand. This wasn’t going to go anywhere. He’d leave the battle to his cap’n. Before Angelica did something foolish, he had to get her below deck. She had to be as weary as he was.
“No, come with me.”
“Let me go!” She battled against him.
There was nothing they could do. She even admitted William wasn’t power enough to defeat Charybdis. But she wouldn’t listen to reason. Not caring if she hated him, he dragged her across the deck. He maneuvered away from pirates trying to pull the Soaring Phoenix away from the whirlpool threatening to suck them down with the ship. Angelica kicked at his shins and punched him in the nose.
Pain temporarily blinded him. “Enough!” He tossed her over his shoulder.
“Ronan, damn it, put me down!” She slammed her fists into his lower back.
“No. Stop struggling.” Ignoring the pain, he tightened his grip. A stream of water slid down past him. He slipped, but he managed to hang on to his fighting Amazon. The ship lurched, flinging him and Angelica down the stairs.
Angelica screamed and went deadly silent. Ronan slammed his shoulder into the stairs, banging his head on the bottom of the stairs. He untangled himself from Angela’s limp limbs. He shook his head to clear the fogginess in his head. “Angelica?”
His heart stopped. Blood gushed down the side of her temple. What had he done?
He ran his hand through her tresses and found a huge bump on the back of her head. His gut churned. She could have a concussion. “Angelica, Angelica!”
She didn’t move. He put his palm over her nose. Her breath was shallow, too shallow. He lifted her into his shaking arms. “Doc! Doc!”
The roaring rain and thunder of cannons and crashing waves drowned his voice. He kicked open Kane’s cabin door. A broken pitcher lay on the floor next to Kane’s favorite Celtic cross. Papers were scattered around the room. Unlit lanterns had tipped over. The walls shook as if a battering ram slammed against the ship. The oval-shaped windows over the captain’s bed had shattered. There was a fine white coat of glistening glass dust on the comforter and chairs. Cold air and pelting rain blew into the cabin. He held Angelica’s lifeless body next to his shoulder. He yanked the comforter off the bed. He lay her down gently but she didn’t even groan. Fear twisted his lungs. How could he have been foolish? He’d been in a too weakened state to force her down the stairs. His pride might have killed the woman he loved.
He turned her onto her side to keep her airway open. He bent her top leg so both her hip and knee were at right angle, and he gently tilted her head back to keep her air way free.
“I’ll be back.” His voice croaked.
He hurried out of the cabin and climbed the stairs two at a time. He had to find Doc. Up on deck, all hell had unleashed. Rain pelted his face, and the howling wind almost pushed him back down the stairs. Mariah and Hannah were at the railing, one casting spells, the other using her telekinetic ability, but Ronan didn’t need them. Kane was strapped to the wheel, determined to sail them away from the shallows and through the angry squall and pursuing Damsel. He’d never let anyone else to take the risk.
Men battled to keep the trysails unfurled to help the Phoenix sail through the billowing winds. William soared in the air, blowing fire onto the Damsel’s sails. Wood and canvas crashed onto the deck. The Damsel was between them and Charybdis. But Ronan didn’t care. All he cared about was his sweet Angelica. He raced around running crewmen, hunting for Doc.
He found him kneeling over a crewman. He was tying a tourniquet on his arm to keep the blood from gushing out of a deep cut. Doc had bruises on one side of his cheek and blood on his shirt. Ronan didn’t know if it was his or the wounded. “Doc!” He rushed over to him. “Come quick, please.”
Doc frowned. “Are you daft man? I done got wounded da tend.”
Ronan knelt next to him. “Please, help me. ’Tis Angelica. She hit her head and she’s unconscious.”
“Damn.” Doc motioned to two hurrying crewmen. “Take him to the quarters with the other wounded. I’ll be there soon. Come on, Ronan. Let me look at your comely lass.”
Ronan lead Doc to Angelica. The wind blew in the cabin, but it didn’t seem to be as strong. He sat next to her and pushed the hair out of her ashen face. “Angelica, honey, Doc’s here.”
Doc examined Angelica and lifted her eyelid. “She’s done got a concussion.” He turned her head. “She’s got a nasty crack on her skull. I’ll get my bag.” He stopped at the doorway. “I’ll need assistance. Get Hannah or Mariah.”
“I can do it, Doc.”
“No, you can’t. ’Tis not just her skull, Ronan. She appears to be bleeding internally.”
“What?” Ronan looked down at the juncture between her legs. Tears flooded his eyes. A bloody flower had formed. Mother of God, was she losing their baby? ’Twas all his fau
lt. He released an agonizing scream and cradled her head in his lap. “Angelica, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
A few minutes later, Sean came in with Doc and Hannah. Sean was tired and had bloody and muddy streaks on his shirt. His hair hung in his face.
“Oh, Ronan.” Hannah rushed over to the bed. She put her trembling hand over her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”
Sean put his hands on Ronan’s shoulder. “Come on.”
Ronan broke away from his gasp. “I’m not leaving her.”
“You need da leave, Ronan.”
“I’m—”
“Ronan,” Sean said. “Leave them to Angelica. Cap’n’s orders.”
Ronan released Angelica and followed Sean out of the cabin. Mariah held a basin full of water as she walked down the hallway. Tired and defeated, Ronan sat on the step.
“Doc knows what he’s doing,” Sean said. “I’ve got to go up on deck.”
“Go, I’m not leaving.”
Sean dragged his feet up the wet stairs. Ronan stared at the door, willing Doc, Mariah, or Hannah to walk through and say Angelica was awake and everything was fine, but his command wasn’t granted.
Angelica heard whispers in the background. One of the voices was Hannah’s and she seemed so worried. Had something happened to Kane? The other was not instantly recognizable, but a vaguely Irish brogue brought a slight frown to her brow.
“I think she’s waking.”
The strong voice was enough to make her fight to open her nailed-shut eyelids.
“Aye, she’s wakin’ up. Better go inform Doc.”
She fluttered open her eyes. The dim light of a lantern shone on Ronan. He sat in a chair next to her bed. He looked horrible. His tangled hair stuck to his head. He still had dried blood and mud on his face. He had black stubble on his face, and his tired, brown eyes had more gaunt veins than a spider’s web.
Angelica tried to moisten her cracked lips, but there wasn’t enough spit in her mouth. Ronan patted her face with a cool rag, and some of the wetness leaked into her mouth. She managed to lick her lips.
“Ron...an?” Her voice sounded so thick and shaky. She swallowed, but her throat was so tight she coughed. “Why did you throw me down the stairs?”