Within a Captain's Hold by Lisa A. Olech Page B

torture? No, that wouldn’t do. He insisted she be fully aware of the torment and rape before he killed her.
    “Fair enough, I warned you.” He made a shallow, curved slice along her inner thigh. The pain wrenched her back to reality. She screamed. Blood coursed down her leg, staining the gown beneath her.
    Wolfsan watched the bloom of dark crimson with delight as she fought against her restraints. The heat to his loins blazed. He loosened the front of his breeches and pulled out his rock-hard cock.
    An urgent knock at the door interrupted him from his reverie. Cursing, he righted his breeches and pointed the knife at her. “I will slit your throat if you make a single sound.”
    Her scream filled the room and shattered the air. It rang in his ears as he struck her hard with the butt of his knife. The silence sudden as she slumped forward as far as her bindings would allow.
    “Stupid bitch.”
    Wolfsan opened the door just enough to keep the scene inside from curious eyes.
    “What is it? I warned you not to disturb me.”
    Sheffield, his manservant, had another man close behind.
    “Your Grace, I know you told me not to interrupt your…questioning of Lady Gatherone’s maid, but this man has brought news.”
    Wolfsan retreated, grabbed his coat, donned it to cover his arousal, and left the room, closing the door behind him. “Well, out with it. I have much to do.”
    The man clutched his cap in his hands and made a quick bow. “Your Grace, I’ve followed some of the other Gatherone servants. One of the kitchen maids makes it a habit to visit the docks and dally with a young man in the harbormaster’s employ. When we pressed him, he confessed that he gave information to her and another servant regarding the Scarlet Night , a privateer sloop that left port the same evening as Mistress Gatherone’s disappearance. The boy insists she never followed through with her plans. However, they had details about the ship, the crew, and the all necessary information to smuggle someone aboard.”
    “What else?”
    “The lad insists Lady Gatherone fled north instead.”
    “Gatherone’s staff tells the same tale. If it were true, we’d have located her. This ship, the Scarlet Night , where is it headed?”
    “Well, he said Lady Gatherone was interested in any ship sailing to Port St. Maria. He told me the Scarlet Night was supposed to head there but the captain, a former pirate named Jaxon Steele, declared their final destination to be Port Royal.”
    “Then that’s where we’ll find her.” Wolfsan motioned to the man. “Go and procure me passage on the fastest ship you can find. I’ll go at once to Port Royal and rescue Lady Gatherone from the hands of those pirate demons.”
    “At once, m’lord.” He turned and quickly left.
    At last. Did you think an ocean would stop us? You have much to learn, sweet Annalise, the least of which is how we punish those who displease us.
    Wolfsan turned to Sheffield and motioned to the door. “Kill her.”
     

CHAPTER 12
     
    A lantern burned low in its brass cradle. Its flame sparkled in the diamond glass doors of the cabin’s cupboards. Anna lay wishing for sleep. She found comfort in the slow rolling creak of the timbers now, but her mind was too full. Even the rocking wouldn’t lull her to sleep this night.
    Captain Steele--Jaxon--was asleep in his chair, feet propped upon his desk, arms folded across the breadth of his chest. There was something appealing about the fall of his unbound hair and the rough shadow of his beard.
    She swept her fingers over her lips, remembering the feel of his mouth against hers. The softness of his lips. The taste of his tongue. Her breasts ached for his caress. How could she fear and desire him at the same time? She knew the answer. He’d shown her tenderness and kissed her as a man kissed a woman. Held her against the solid width of his chest where she felt safe.
    Safe? Ha. She was far from safe. And yet, for a brief moment, she had a sense