Souls Aflame (14 page)

Her head was tilted back, lips parted, and the seaman whispered, “Sure, baby, sure. I got what you need. I can take care of you…” And then his mouth clamped down on hers, and she felt as though she were being devoured. He seemed to come alive, to be instantly aroused. His left hand moved boldly on up beneath her dress to clutch possessively at her crotch, while his right hand quickly scooped her breasts out of her bodice. He began to fondle and pinch them, making little moaning noises deep in his throat.

She began to slide downward, wanting to lie on the deck with him on top of her body, thereby making him more vulnerable to what she hoped was the impending attack by Doc Jenkins and the others. Surely to God they will come, she thought with panic. If they didn’t, then she was helpless. There was no way out of this situation, because if she tried to push the sailor away, make him think she had only been teasing, he would be furious, and he would take her anyway—roughly and brutally. Then, in revenge, he would probably alert the other guards, and she would be passed around freely. She was in a very dangerous situation; where was Doc Jenkins? If he was about, he must see that now was the time to act!

“Ringo knows what the ladies want…” the guard grunted, lifting his weight from her to fumble with his pants. “Never get any complaints, I don’t. And I’m ready to go again in no time a-tall. I really please a woman—you’ll see…”

Involuntarily, Julie felt herself stiffen. She was not going to be able to last much longer without screaming in revulsion. He shoved up her skirts and yanked down her pantalets, and she could feel him jabbing at her with his swollen organ.

“Come on, now…” he was urging her, his voice raspy and hoarse with eager desire. “Open up. I know you want it—you don’t have to pretend with ol’ Ringo…”

She could hold back no longer. Jerking her thighs together and pushing against his chest with both hands, she moaned her protests through clenched teeth.

Instantly he tensed, lifting his head to glare down at her with angry surprise. “What the hell do you mean—no? What kinda tricks you playing on ol’ Ringo? You asked fer it plain as day, and you’re gettin’ it…”

With rough, calloused hands he yanked her thighs wide apart, and she knew that any second she would feel the first, hard thrusts. It could not even be called
rape
, not when she had offered herself to him. She was helplessly trapped beneath him unless she made a fuss which could give away the whole scheme. There would not be a second chance—Captain Guthrie would see through it all.

Her brain whirled maddeningly as she tried to think her way out of the revolting and dangerous situation she had gotten herself into.

Suddenly she decided on a different ploy. Pulling her legs tightly together, she pushed at him once again, this time asking in a whining voice, “Must you be in such a hurry? I thought you said you pleased your women! I don’t think I’m quite ready. You could kiss me some more, and…” She took a deep breath, stomach heaving with nausea once again. “I was enjoying your—your fondling…”

“Eh?” He stopped jabbing at her and stared down at Julie in pleased awe. “You say I’m too fast, eh? I see. You like to play, don’t you? Well, never let it be said that ol’ Ringo is selfish. I always pleasure my women, and if you want to tussle some more, then tussle we will. I know lots of ways to get you fired up, I do. I’ll have you begging for it, you teasing little wench…”

Quickly he ducked his head, fastened his teeth around a nipple, and bit down gently, sucking it into his mouth while flicking his tongue all about.

Julie knew she could not have felt more defiled if he were actually entering her with his swollen, pulsating member.

Suddenly there was the sound of bone crunching, and he opened his mouth to gasp with pain, her breast falling free as his head slumped downward upon her chest.

Quickly he was kicked away from her, and she was yanked roughly to her feet. She made out the anxious face of Doc Jenkins in the dim glow of the lantern just before someone doused it and they were in total darkness. “Are you all right?” he whispered, his trembling hands clasping her shoulders nervously.

Fumbling to cover herself with her clothing, she snapped irritably, “Yes, but you sure took a long time getting here. A few more seconds and I’d have been a true whore!”

“I’m sorry. We got here as quick as we could,” he said in a rush. “We were planning to be here ahead of you, in position, but we had to take care of the guards on deck, and there were more than we thought.

“Now if you’re sure you’re all right,” he went on anxiously, “we’ve got to proceed at once. If an alarm is sounded, we’ll all be thrown to the sharks, for sure.”

Julie shivered at the thought, and reminded herself that the danger was not over merely because Jenkins and the others had showed up. “I’m fine,” she assured him. “Just a bit nervous. Let’s get on with it quickly.”

One of the men unbolted the hatch door and held it while Doc Jenkins descended. Once he was at the bottom of the ladder, one of the other men helped Julie down the narrow rungs. She could hear others following, but knew one man would be left up on deck to stand watch.

Groping in the darkness, Doc called out to Captain Arnhardt while Julie hung back, afraid of stumbling and making noise. Just as someone lit a lantern, Derek answered Jenkins’ call, and Julie could see him. Her heart constricted as she thought of the excruciating pain he must have experienced from his arms being stretched high above his head, wrists shackled with heavy chains. On either side of him, his officers, Edsel Garris and Grover Watson, were likewise restrained.

“How in the hell—” He spoke to Doc in a rasping voice.

Doc interrupted him. “No time to talk now. We’ve got to get you out of here. You can thank Julie for occupying the guard so we could slip up behind him.”

Derek lifted weary, swollen eyes to her, a weak smile touching his lips.

She saw the blood oozing around the steel bracelets on his wrists, and ground her teeth.

Doc told one of the men to go up the ladder and search the guard for the keys to the shackles. While they waited he told Derek how they had bound and gagged some of the guards. “We had to slit the throats of three of them. We hid all the bodies, but there’s no telling how long before they’ll be missed. We have to move fast, and the rest is up to you, Captain. I’ve no plans or ideas.”

Derek pulled at the chains, the muscles in his arms flexing and straining. “Just get me out of these things and I’ll think of something.” He bit the words off angrily.

“Hold on.” Doc was trying to examine Derek’s bloody wrists. “You aren’t doing a thing now but cutting your flesh to ribbons.”

The crewman scurried down the ladder to tell them he had searched the guard thoroughly but found no keys. Derek swore, then snapped, “Get something to break the chains. There’s a sledge hammer in that storage bin up there. Hurry.”

His gaze turned to Julie, eyes narrowed as though deep in thought. Finally he ordered, “Get her back to her cabin. Put her mother in there with her. Post a man with them, and make sure he has a gun and plenty of ammunition. I don’t want them harmed.”

“I don’t want to be locked in my cabin and not know what’s going on,” Julie protested. “I want to help…”

Despite the tension surrounding them, all of the men laughed, which infuriated her. Derek chuckled, “You’ve done all you’re capable of doing, pretty lady. You’d only be in the way now. There’ll probably be a lot of shooting and killing before the sun rises on this day.”

“Give me a gun and I’ll use it.” She gave her long hair a toss. “I’m tired of being treated like a child, and I refuse to go to my cabin.”

Derek turned his attention away from her as someone returned with the sledge hammer. A few quick, hard blows and the chain on his right shackle snapped. He held out his arm to Julie and said in a quietly commanding tone, “Come here.”

She obeyed and moved into the circle of his arm. He pulled her tightly against his chest and held her there while the men worked to free his other hand. Her head was tucked beneath his chin, and he leaned forward to nuzzle her thick, silky hair, his fingers moving up and down her back possessively.

As always, she marveled at his strength…the sheer beauty of his massive, glorious body.

When his left arm was released, he lifted her up so that their lips touched. The others looked away self-consciously, then turned to free the other officers.

Julie felt as though the very life were being squeezed from her body, and a tremor rippled through her with the realization that he could very easily kill her just by using his powerful strength to keep on hugging and squeezing her till there was no breath left in her body.

He placed one hand on her bottom, pressing her against him, and she felt the hardness, knew that even then, in the midst of danger and peril, he wanted her.

“Later,” he whispered, raising his lips only slightly above hers, so she could feel them moving against her mouth as he spoke. “Later, little one, I’ll be inside you, where you want me—where I want to be. For now, you’re going to your cabin.”

“No—” She struggled against him futilely.

“Julie, you’re going to learn that when I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it.” His eyes twinkled in the soft glow of the lantern. “You only waste your breath and try my patience when you argue.”

He bent his head to press his lips against her ear so no one else could hear his whispers. “You know what it’s like when I’m inside you? I feel like I’m wrapped in sweet, hot velvet. You’re so tiny, but you take all of me, and one of these nights I’m going to stay inside you till the sun comes up. I’ve never known a woman like you, so passionate, so eager to please. But there’s much you need to learn about a man, things I’m going to enjoy teaching you.”

Astonished, she jerked her head back to stare up at him in wide-eyed wonder. Then he patted her bottom soundly and grinned, “Be off with you! And no arguing. I haven’t time!”

With an insolent wink, he turned toward the others, releasing and dismissing her.

Someone touched her elbow hesitantly, but she jerked away and called out frostily to Derek, “Just how long do I stay in my cabin like a child? If it weren’t for me, you’d still be here rotting in chains!”

Without so much as a glance in her direction, he snapped, “Keep your voice down, dammit. You’ll stay in your cabin until you hear from me.”

“And if I
don’t
hear from you?” she cracked sarcastically. “How will I know when to come out?”

“Oh, Captain Guthrie or Shad Harky will show up if I don’t,” he replied matter-of-factly, and even though his back was turned, she knew he was smirking. “Don’t worry, misty eyes, your bed won’t stay cold for long.”

Soft laughter echoed around her as she scurried up the ladder, shaking with rage. Her escort had to hurry to keep up with her.

How could he
—she thought with wild fury—
How could he humiliate her so?
And in front of the others! Oh, she was a fool to consider caring for him. He was conceited, arrogant, used to having his own way. He wanted to dominate her as he did his crew. He probably even wished he had the nerve to use the lash on her back! He was a savage!

Even though she had secretly dreaded marrying Virgil, she now looked forward to the respectability of being his wife so she would never again be susceptible to the likes of Derek Arnhardt. All she wanted was to get off the
Ariane
and never think of what had taken place aboard it.

“My name is Lyman Anastor,” her escort told her as soon as they reached her cabin. “It’s my job to defend you and your mother—to my death, if need be,” he added, pride heavy in his voice.

She whipped about and stared at him in the lantern’s glow, realizing with a start that he was hardly more than a boy—skinny, with a thatch of unruly strawberry-colored hair falling across his forehead.

He sensed her doubts about his capabilities as a bodyguard, and his Adam’s apple bobbed nervously as he shook his musket at her with one hand, using the other to open his coat and display a Colt Navy revolver which was tucked into his belt. “You’ve nothing to fear, Miss Marshal. I’ll gladly give my life, if need be, if that’s what my captain orders.”

“Well, that’s very noble,” she murmured, unimpressed. “But tell me why you worship Ironheart so. He’d as soon slash your back to ribbons as he would anyone else’s. He’s cruel and vile and vicious and—”

“Don’t be a-talking like that about him,” the boy snarled, eyes bulging as he cocked his head to one side. “It’s my duty to protect you, but that don’t mean I got to stand here and listen to you run down a man that I respect more’n any other I’ve ever known in my whole life. He picked me up outta the gutter and gave me a job—a reason to live. If he was to beat me, I’d deserve it.”

He paused to take a deep breath, then rushed on, “He’s a fine man, and you ought to be proud he cares for you like he does. Thinks right smart of you, everyone says. And you should be glad, ’cause he’s never taken to a woman for long at a time. Sure, he’d have one on board for a few nights, ’cause every man’s got a need, but—”

“Will you stop?” she cried incredulously, eyebrows raised, hands on her hips as she faced him, stunned. “I do not care to discuss Captain Arnhardt’s ‘needs,’ and I don’t have to listen to a lecture from you.”

They faced each other, eyes blazing. Then Julie shook her head, and covered her brow with one hand as she murmured, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to quarrel with you. It’s been a very unnerving night, and I’m sure you have good reason to revere the man. We’re both facing danger, so let’s try to be friends.”