A Pirate's Bounty (5 page)

The walls of her cunny pulsed around him, stretching, and she moaned against his ear. He wouldn’t be able to stand the torture much longer.

Faryn arched her back, tilted her hips up and thrust against him, impaling herself all the way on his cock. There was no breach, there was no cry of pain.

What the—?

One thing was for damn sure, Faryn was no virgin.

Chapter Four

Wraith’s eyes popped open and he tried to meet her gaze but her eyes were closed tight.

“Are you all right?” he asked, just in case he had in fact torn through her barrier and not been aware of it.

“Yes, don’t stop,” she begged, wetting her lips.

She moaned aloud, her head fallen to the side, her hips rocking up and down, legs clenched tight and hands roving over his back.

As much as he wanted to stop, to question her further, he couldn’t. She wouldn’t allow it. She’d begged him to continue. She rode against him and he wasn’t going to stop her—it felt too damn good. To hell with questions. He plunged deep inside her, withdrew and drove home again. He gripped her hips, tilting them farther upward as he plundered deeper inside her treasure.

He shouted out encouraging words, her answering cries leading him to a point of no return. His control was lost. On the outskirts of his consciousness he could hear those around them moaning with delight, cheering on the pirate as he took what was his. But that mattered not to him. What mattered was this woman in his arms—that she was a perfect bedmate for him. A match to his lusty desires.

He would enjoy taking her back to her family. There would be many nights upon his ship, thirty in fact, for him to do this again and again.

Faryn tightened up around him, her back arching as once again she found climax. With four final thrusts, Wraith grunted, coming deep inside her.

They stilled on the bed, both of their breathing labored as they came down from the heavenly height that was orgasm.

Cheers and applause broke out around them.

* * * * *

Faryn jerked her head up, eyes wide as she stared at their surroundings. The blood drained from her face and she bit her lip hard to keep from crying out in surprise.

How could she have forgotten where they were?

Her legs were still wrapped around Noir’s hips. Her arms still on his shoulders. He was still inside her, although softer now.

How could she have forgotten what was expected? They wanted to see blood on the white sheets.

Orelia stepped forward, a cruel smile on her lips. She clapped her hands slowly.

“My, my, slave. You are an ardent and passionate lover for one who claims to be a virgin.” Her cold dark eyes bore into Faryn’s gaze before slowly moving to meet Noir’s.

Oh no! How could she have let herself go so completely? How could she have lost all control and acted the wanton? She knew exactly how. Noir was a masterful lover. His mouth, fingers, body had stirred something primal within her. She’d instinctively heeded the call. But only to her detriment. The queen
knew
. Faryn felt naïve for thinking she could keep the knowledge of her not being a virgin from their minds. But her loss of virginity was too painful to recollect. Her virtue had been lured from her by lust and empty promises. Had Noir suspected she was not pure? Did he know?

Noir fiddled with something between them. He turned his gazed toward her own and his eyes flashed warning. Before she could understand the meaning in his expression, a sharp sting came from high up on her thigh, near her groin. She cringed and bit the inside of her cheek.

His actions answered her question. Once he’d entered her fully he’d been aware she was no virgin and yet still he’d continued to make love to her. He’d delved inside her body with an exuberance and delight she’d never known possible and he’d pleasured her. He’d cried out to her, whispered nonsensical words of her beauty, of her passion and his desire for her.

Yet he’d known.

Faryn swallowed hard. She couldn’t read too much into it. He was doing what he needed to survive the queen’s wrath. He knew the only way to get her out of here was for her to bleed, and if he didn’t get her out of this place he wouldn’t get his coin from her family.

Noir withdrew from her slowly and, using the sheet that had covered her to keep her warm before, he wiped at the inside of her thighs. The sheet came back stained red with blood, and another whitish substance—his seed.

She studied his nails, which were neatly trimmed. How had he cut her?

“Either I’m a lucky pirate or I’m that good at fucking, my queen.” He laughed and showed everyone the stained linen.

Orelia was naturally shocked, as Faryn was sure she’d figured out her secret. Her eyes widened and she nodded. A hungry look came into the queen’s eyes. “I see,” she said toward Faryn and then turned back to Noir. “You are that good.”

Captain Noir stood, putting his breeches and the rest of his clothing back to rights.

Faryn felt suddenly vulnerable. She was on display for all to see. She crossed her legs to hide her cunny and crossed her arms over her chest. She turned to Noir, wondering if he would take her to safety now or if his tenderness had been a ruse to get her to willingly spread her legs.

Something glinted on his finger in the candlelight. A skull-shaped ring. But it was a strange ring. She narrowed her eyes to look closer and saw that it had a very tiny dagger coming out the length of his finger from the ring. Before she could look further he pressed a button and the dagger disappeared. So that was how he’d cut her.

She couldn’t help being slightly put out that he’d used a knife on her, and so close to her nether regions too! The place he’d sliced her still stung and she prayed she didn’t get an infection. How many others’ blood was on that tiny dagger?

“Anyone else want to taste the blood of a virgin?” Orelia shouted to the crowd, her arms spread wide before she pointed at Faryn.

Faryn started to protest but the captain stepped forward, cutting her off.

“We had a deal, Orelia.”

“Deals can be broken.” The queen’s eyes narrowed.

“Not this time.” Noir had a deadly look on his face. Judging from the muscle jerking in the side of his jaw, Faryn would venture to guess he was reaching the limit of his patience. “I’ll take my booty and be on my way.”

Orelia turned fully toward him, her face away from Faryn. They stood that way in silence for several moments. Neither moved. It was a battle of wills that Faryn was glad she didn’t have to participate in.

“You’d best be on your way then, Captain, before I change my mind.”

Noir nodded, gripped Faryn’s hand and yanked her to her feet.

Orelia’s head fell back and she laughed aloud as Noir walked fast, pulling her behind him out through the crowd of undulating, moaning bodies.

“Avast, men! You landlubbers! Back to the ship! We sail within the hour or I shall see you to Davy Jones!” the captain shouted.

At his authoritative words and commanding voice, men pooled around them. The whines of women and men accompanied the loss of their sexual partners as the pirates gathered to serve their master. A servant rushed forward and handed Noir a jingling bag, which Faryn assumed must be his payment for delivering Orelia’s shipment.

Faryn stumbled between Noir and his men out of Orelia’s lair, to the docks and back up the gangplank. The captain didn’t stop, even when she nearly fell to her knees. His strides were determined. He barked orders left and right and all around her, what at first appeared to be chaos was actually quite orderly as the men pulled up anchor, set the sails and prepared to shove off.

Noir took her up a series of narrow short stairways, dodging ship’s equipment and men until they entered a large oak door, which he promptly shut behind them. The room was vast with a gigantic bed piled high with pillows and what appeared to be thick blankets made of silk. A large table with several chairs around it stood in a corner, piled high with papers.

Before she had a chance to look anywhere else, her attention was caught by the captain who’d flung open the doors of his wardrobe and was rifling through its contents.

“
Merde.
” He came back and rubbed at his chin, still staring into the wardrobe. “Thought I might have had something for you to put on, a gown or some such, but it appears that whatever women’s wear I may have once had on this ship has disappeared.”

He grabbed a white linen shirt and tossed it to her.

“Wear that for now. It will at least keep you somewhat warm.” He narrowed his eyes and licked his lips. His gaze fell to her breasts, causing her heart to pump faster. Her belly warmed and between her legs grew slick again. “Yes, put my shirt on quickly, else I have a mind to take you to bed again, which at the moment would not be a good idea.”

She nodded and tugged his shirt on.

“I’ll be back later. The sooner we leave port the better. Orelia is known for changing her mind often.”

He left the room without a backward glance. She scowled at nothing in particular with the realization that she’d wanted him to embrace her, kiss her before he left. Their lovemaking hadn’t felt like a duty but something more. She had to stop thinking on it for it would only bring her pain.

Noir was a pirate. He wanted something that she’d promised. That was it. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Faryn sighed heavily. Relief flooded her. They were away from the queen. They were away from the den of vileness. She would be home soon. Relief was replaced with trepidation and then relief again.

Back and forth. What would she do when she returned home? Would she even be accepted? Would her family pay the pirate? Or toss her out?

Knowing her virtue was compromised, there was no telling that her family would want her back. Already she’d been the cause of pain and shame.

A shiver chased down her spine.

Noir would surely punish her if they didn’t.

She would have to strike a deal of her own with him. Something he couldn’t refuse. But what? Already she’d promised him a fortune from her family. What more could he want?

She shook her head and sat down on the pirate’s large bed.

Hope filled her when she’d realized that she was soon to be going home. But now there was no trace of hope left. Only dread.

* * * * *

“Where to, Cap’n?” asked Churl, Wraith’s lieutenant.

“Go west through the Mediterranean Sea. We dock at Maguelone, France. The girl goes home.”

Churl raised his brow at that then narrowed his eyes. “Either ye’ve fallen for the gel, or she’s worth more coin to ye than the queen was offerin’.”

Wraith nodded but gave no more away than that. He was conflicted himself. The girl touched him in a way he was unaccustomed to.
Mais oui
, he wanted her money, but he wanted so much more than that too.

He paced the deck of
The Avenger
, hands behind his back and gaze toward the open sea. Occasionally he glanced at his men and barked orders that really had no need of being voiced as the men were already immersed in their duties. Shouting made him feel better. But what he really needed was a fight.

“Full speed ahead!” he shouted. The first voyage they’d made had been long, nearly a month of moons. This trip he wanted to see done in a fortnight, not thirty days, and since they’d not be making as many stops as they had before, he saw no reason why his wishes could not be made a reality.

He walked to the bow of the ship and stood, head back to look at the sky. The wind riffled through his hair as they picked up speed and spray from the salty sea splashed against his skin.

He sighed with contentment. The sea was his home, always had been, always would be. Whether he was gliding atop her fair waters or looking down at her from a window on the shore, the sea was his maiden.

Anger sliced at him as a vivid image of his childhood home flashed before his eyes. He could picture walking up the outdoor covered walkway, with arched stone ceilings and a gravel path that crunched beneath his boots. The walkway led to a doorway and beyond, winding stone steps that took him to the top of the tower. He’d lean out through one of the narrow windows, reaching his arm as far as he could, imagining droplets of water from the waves splashing up to meet his outstretched fingers.

Hell and damnation
!

All of it had been ripped away. His whole life taken in one night. A bloody massacre of all he knew, and his future shredded and bloody as the bodies around him.

“Cap’n?”

Startled, Wraith whipped around and growled, “What?”

Churl backed up, hands waving in defense in front of him. “Didn’ mean ta scare ye, Cap’n. S’only, the men be wonderin’ if they can have a meal now we’s out to sea.”

Wraith nodded, not trusting his voice to come out sounding right through his closed throat.

“Will ye be takin’ yer meal with the lady, in yer quarters?”

Again Wraith nodded, then waved Churl away.

With a deep sigh he made his way down to the quarterdeck and the doors leading to his cabin. But there he paused. He wanted to enter, to see Faryn again. He wanted to ask her how she fared, to discuss with her the plans for their voyage and when they landed. Wanted to gauge from her how her family would react, what amount of coin he could expect. But knowing he needed to ask those questions wasn’t what stopped him. What kept him from entering the door were the other feelings creeping in, trying to take over his controlled and methodical mind. Feelings of possession, interest, desire—he dared not give voice to anything more than that.