Wings of the Morning (Kensington Chronicles) (21 page)

she had ever seen. A full-standing mirror stood in one corner

and Smokey moved toward it with dread.

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"I look like a doxy," she whispered to her reflection. Her

eyes slid shut to blot out the image, and she began to pray.

"I'm going to trust You, Lord. Please calm my fear so I can

think clearly. Right now I don't see a way out of this, but You're

a God of miracles, and I pray that You will show me what to

do."

Smokey's prayers were cut short when she heard someone

at the door. She continued to pray silently as the door opened

and Haamich Wynn entered. He looked very pleased to see

her in the dress, and Smokey felt an amazing calm come over

her as she watched him move about the room lighting each

lantern.

Until that moment she hadn't realized how dark it had

become. When every lantern was aglow, Haamich turned to

her and smiled His eyes moved carefully over her.

"I can see by your eyes that you have either resigned

yourself to your fate or decided to fight me."

"I have decided to fight you, but not the way you think."

Smokey paused and nodded above her captor's head. "I'll

fence with you. If I win, you set me free; if you win, I'll submit

without a struggle."

Smokey wondered where that came from and why she had

never before noticed the gold foils that sat high on the wall in

a beautiful glass and wood case. If she had seen them, she

would have met Haamich Wynn armed and ready when he

came through the door.

It shouldn't have surprised him, but it took a moment for

Haamich to see that she was serious. It was incredible to him

that she actually knew how to fence. The more he thought on

it, the more he liked the idea. The pirate's eyes glowed with

excitement and lust as he spoke.

"I have never in my life met a woman like you, Victoria,

and I have no plans to let you go."

"Then there is no point in the wager. I thought you might

be a man of honor," she told him coldly.

"Ah, but I am a man of honor. I'm only warning you that I will win the match and you will be mine."

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"I'm ready to take that risk. Are you?"

"Yes, more than willing."

Smokey watched as Haamich removed his coat and laid it

across a chair. He then flipped a catch at the top of the case,

the back of his hand nearly touching the ceiling. Lifting the

foils out with care, he placed them both on the bed He

selected one, backed off, and waited for Smokey to take her

own. He was quite confident that she didn't stand a chance,

but he would not be so foolish as to give her an opportunity to

strike out when he was unprepared

Smokey grasped the handle and took up her position. The

face of her opponent told her that he found this all to be little

more than an amusing game. Smokey, on the other hand,

knowing this man to be big but not clumsy, realized fully that

she might be fighting for her life.

"En garde," Haamich said, and Smokey took the offense.

In a move that was nothing short of lightening fast, she

sidestepped and cut nearly to the skin across his stomach.

Haamich deflected her next move and held her blade in

midair. His smile no longer in evidence, he was now completely

alert, cursing himself for agreeing to fight her. He was

going to have to cut her to disarm her, and the thought

infuriated him.

While he hesitated, Smokey moved again. For the next

several minutes all was quiet as they fought with equal skill

and dexterity. Haamich's strength far outweighed hers, but

Smokey was so fast and agile that she more than made up for

her lack of muscle. She could see that her opponent was

flagging.

In a move of desperation, Smokey did something she had

never done before--something for which her father would

have thrashed her. She went for his face. Slightly horrified at

the dark red line that appeared and immediately began to

bleed, Smokey stepped back and stared The pirate seemed to

freeze in his tracks.

Smokey watched as he lifted his free hand to his face. He

touched the cut that was deeper than it first appeared, and

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brought bloody fingers out to examine. Smokey's eyes were

huge at his reaction. His head began to roll, his eyes went back

in their sockets, and a moment later he fell full-length on the

floor between them. Smokey scampered back, ready to fight if

it were a trick, but he seemed to be completely out. Her breath

coming in quick gasps, she approached and poked him with

her weapon. He didn't budge.

She fell on the bedsheets and began to tear them like a

woman possessed. In less time than she would have dreamed

possible, she had tied his feet and hands. She stuffed a great

wad of sheeting into his mouth and then tied a gag so tight she

knew he would be in agony when he woke.

All the time she worked, she thanked God--and Darsey

for insisting she learn her knots. Her final two moves were to

bend the pirate's knees so she could attach the ties that were

on his feet and hands. Lastly, she secured him to the bed so he

wouldn't be able to roll to the door.

A mad dash around the room did nothing toward finding

her clothes. She hadn't even seen him take them. She had just

started a more thorough search when he moaned. The sound

panicked her, and she knew she had to flee while there was a

chance. She rushed to the door and, with a final glance back,

turned the key.

She moved silently out into the companionway, locked the door, pocketed the key, and stood still, trying to calm the

frantic beating of her heart. She knew that to go on the docks

dressed as she was could be Just as dangerous as staying on

the ship. A sound from within propelled her forward, however,

and with silent steps she gained the upper deck.

No one seemed to be about. She spotted one man by the

wheelhouse, but he was lifting a bottle to his mouth and

seemed oblivious to everything about him. The ship was much

larger than her own, but it made no difference as Smokey

moved with quiet expertise among the familiar surroundings,

staying in the shadows until she reached the gangplank. The

pirate must have dismissed most of his crew for the night,

believing he had everything in hand with his young captive.

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In order to actually leave the ship, she would have to leave

the shadows, for there was no other way. She was halfway

down when a shout rang out from the drunken watchman and

the remaining crew began to gather. Smokey took off at a run,

thankful that she'd kept her boots on. A slight sound of panic

and pounding feet followed her, but Smokey knew that as long

as no one else got in her way, she would get away.

There was no other port in the world quite like London.

Although she knew generally where she was, this section was

somewhat unfamiliar to her. She knew she could never outrun

the men, so she took to hiding. She shot down an alley and

took a moment to catch her breath.

She stood between two buildings, and even though she

could hear people talking inside, she felt safe for the moment.

The moon was bright and the sky was clear, so she knew she

must keep to the shadows. Suddenly she heard men running.

They were still a ways off and beyond the corner of the

building, but she knew she would have to keep on.

She turned and ran up the alley as fast as she could. As the

narrow lane emptied out onto the other side, her mad dash for

freedom was halted instantly when she ran full tilt into a big

man's chest. He immediately lay hold of her, and Smokey,

knowing she had been caught, began to fight with all her

strength.

"Easy, easy," a deep voice spoke above her as the man tried

to calm the wild thing in his hands.

Hearing that voice, Smokey stilled, but not before she

threw her head back to see his face. Only one word escaped

her lips.

"Dallas!"

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"smokey," dallas said with surprised pleasure, and the

small black-haired woman felt tears burn her throat.

"Oh, Dallas," she cried softly as he drew her into his arms

and held her tenderly against his chest. Smokey didn't know

when anything had felt so wonderful. To be at the mercy of an

unprincipled pirate and now to stand in the secure arms of the

man she loved was almost more than she could take.

"Your hair isn't braided," Dallas whispered almost to himself,

and Smokey was brought abruptly back to earth. Haamich

Wynn was still looking for her.

"Dallas," Smokey pushed away from him slightly, although

Dallas did not relinquish his hold Images of the pirate in a

fight with Dallas made Smokey shudder, and her voice was

filled with fear as she spoke.

"I can't explain right now, but I have to go. I--"

Smokey's words were cut off when a door opened and

flooded them with light. Smokey felt Dallas' frame tense and

his eyes darken when he saw the way she was dressed His

eyes dipped down to her neckline and then back to her eyes.

There was no warmth in his voice when he questioned her.

"What's going on, Smokey?"

"I don't have time to explain," she began and tried to move

out of his hold

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"No," he told her abruptly. "You're not going anywhere ?'until I have some answers."

Smokey's head whipped to the right at the sound of someone

entering the opposite end of the alley. She began to

struggle and whisper frantically.

"Let me go. I can't explain it right now. You've got to let me

go," Smokey begged him, but it was no use; he held her with

ease.

"What are you--" he began.

"Please, Dallas." Smokey was becoming frantic, and Dallas

was on the verge of releasing her when she acted out of

desperation. Her hand shot out and captured the back of his

head, and at the same time she threw her entire body toward

the building with all her might.

Before Dallas could form another thought, he found himself

holding Smokey against the building and kissing her, or

was she kissing him? For a moment he was too stunned to act.

Then his senses swam, and taking action or even thinking was

the farthest thing from his mind

For long moments nothing else existed. He didn't hear the

men that passed and took him for a man enjoying the pleasures

of a dockside prostitute. He didn't realize that all around

him men were looking for the very woman he held

All he knew was that Smokey was kissing him in a way he

hadn't thought possible. She was soft and warm, and her arms

wrapped around him with a type of tender desperation. Her

lips were sweet, and Dallas thought he would drown in her

kiss.

As much as it pained her to do so, Smokey began to scoot