A Pirate's Curse (Legends of the Soaring Phoenix) (17 page)

He laughed.
“Not hardly.” He moved the scarves to the side and pushed on the right side of the drawer. The side of the drawer popped down and a wooden slab shot out.

“I didn
’t even know that was there,” she said.

“Of course, ’
tis a secret compartment.”

“I can see that,” she mumbled.

He lifted the lid of the wooden slab, revealing an emerald necklace, the size of a clamshell and two dangling emerald earrings.

“Where did you get those?”

He lifted the necklace out of the slab. “This is the heart of Ireland. I want you to have it.”

“What?”

“This was my mother’s and I’ve kept it safe. Now, I want it to keep you safe.”

“How?”

He took her hand, pried open her fist and laid the necklace in her palm. “Use it to secure passage back to England.”

Her eyes wide, she stared at her palm.
“But Kane, this was your mother’s.” She peered at him. “I couldn’t possibly take this and barter with it for passage. You’re a pirate. I know you’ve other jewels.”

“Aye, I do.”
He’d get the jewel back, but he didn’t need to tell her that. For now, he wanted to give her a piece of him, showing her how much she meant to him, since he had never been good at words. He wished their lives had been different, but he was cursed. She needed to be back in London where she'd be safe from him, Palmer and Zuto. He closed her fingers around the jewel. “Ireland’s lost to me as are you.”

Before she could protest, he kissed her, tasting the sweetness in her mouth, wanting to erase what happened in the galley, needing her to remember him as a man, not a crazed fiend.
Hannah responded to his kiss and opened her mouth wider, allowing him to take more liberties. His arm swept around her waist molding her to him, feeling her breasts push against him and her beating heart. Her hand pressed against his chest and slowly moved up until her slender fingers wrapped in his hair pulling him closer. He groaned.

“Kane,
” she whispered against his mouth. “I can’t accept these.”

He moved his lips away from her mouth and explored her neck, tasting her, feeling the blood thump through her vein.
He whispered into her ear. “Use the earrings or the necklace to set yourself free. You must not stay long in Saint Kitts, Hannah. Palmer will find you. I couldn't bear this.” He stared into her half-hooded eyes. He would not abandon her completely. He’d send a man to watch her while he hunted for Palmer. Palmer would never hurt her. “Promise me you’ll find a way to escape.”

“I promise, I will.”
Her body arched, her nipples pressing against him, and his resolve weakened. Hannah Knight was unsure and scared and he knew that only the lowest pirate scum would take advantage of her vulnerability. Only a pirate scum would bury his lips into the thick, glossy crown of her hair, and only a pirate scum would slide his hand, inch by treacherous inch, until his fingers slipped inside her shirt, sneaking across her flat stomach seeking the lush ripeness of her breast. He brushed his thumb across her nipple, teasing and stroking around the hardening peak and eliciting a moan from his own throat. Kane cursed softly as hot blood pumped through to his shaft, thickening his aroused flesh into a hard and needful swelling, straining him to the point of agony. His hands shaking, he gripped her shoulders and pushed her away.

“What? What are you doing?”

“Saving your virtue.”

“But I want you.”

He sighed. “I know.”

He dropped his arms to his side and whisked away from her, before
’twas too late.

She
grasped his hand and she put it on her breast. “Kane, I want your hands on me.”

He groaned, his resolve weakening.
“But lass, you’re a virgin. I can’t…”

“Yes, you can.”
She cupped his cheek. “I’m being forced to marry a man I don’t want. A ruthless pirate. Let me choose the pirate I want to give away my virginity.” She put her finger on his lips. “I chose you. Don’t make me beg Kane.”

She
rose to her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips.

He struggled to breath
e. “Are you sure, Hannah?”

She took his hand and kissed his palm, her tongue rolling over him.
She sucked on each one of his fingers. “Yes, I want you. I want to feel you inside me.”

Hannah wanted to feel their bodies, skin to skin. She wanted him to give into his passion, to satisfy her every desire, to remember this night while she endured another man’s touch.

Kane captured her lips, his kiss passionate, demanding.
 

He lifted her off the floor and she wrapped her arms around his nec
k, running her fingers along his skin. He groaned and gently laid her down, his lips never leaving hers. She slowly slid her hands over his shoulders, down his chest. Her shaking fingers unbuttoned her shirt. His large calloused hand clutched hers. His lips left her and he stared down at her with hooded eyes. “No, I want to undress you.”

He slowly unbut
toned her shirt, the tips of his fingers brushing against her, and she trembled. She wiggled out of it, never taking her eyes off Kane. Her breasts strained against her chemise. Her nipples, begging to be released, pushed against the thin material.

Kane picked up the ends of her chemise
and pulled it over her head. Cold air rushed over her bare flesh as heat rushed over her cheeks. A glint of admiration filled Kane’s eyes.

“You’re beautiful, lass,” he said, his voice husky.

She exhaled and grabbed his hand, kissing his palm.

“Are you sure
, Hannah?”

“I want you.
Please Kane,” she said. “I need you. Give me a memory I’ll never forget.”

“I can’t deny you any longer
.”

He stretched out on top of her, pressing his hands on either side of her face and kissing her softly.
His masculine taste fueling her hunger, she needed him, wanting to feel his hands on her, exploring her body. All her senses concentrated on the sultriness of his lips, the bold seduction of his tongue. Her hot skin tightened, tingling sensations swept over her each time he delved deeper inside her mouth.

He eased away
and pushed her back on the mattress. She maneuvered her hands up into his thick hair, parting her lips wider, thrusting her tongue after his, demanding more, demanding everything he had to give, demanding he fulfill his promise.

A
swell of feelings rushed over her, pushing her to unfamiliar heights. Kane was part of her now. She refused to think about tomorrow, leaving for Saint Kitts and being betrothed to another man. Kane wanted to believe her father would send her to England, but he was wrong. Once father got something in his head, he was as stubborn as a goat. Her virginity was hers to give. One she wanted to have control over. A memory just for her.

His mouth left hers and he whispered in her ear, “I
wish it could be different Hannah. I…”

“No, let’s not think about tomorrow.
We have tonight.”

Kane broke the kiss and stood. His hand brushed along her naked torso. Sucking in her breath, she felt urgent stirrings in her belly and between her quavering thighs. His wicked smile stoked the tingles rushing over her as he removed one of her boots and then the other. He slowly pulled her breeches down past her thighs and calves, his look of admiration quickening her blood. “You’re beautiful, Hannah.”

Her
core throbbed, but she wasn’t sure what she expected. Kane was slow and gentle. He continued to surprise her. A pirate and a vampire, his tenderness left her breathless. Kane climbed on to the bed, and his mouth found her hers, his hair brushing against her hot skin. His lips prowled the length of her throat from her ear to her shoulder, kissing and licking her. He ignited every delicate nerve and every shy heartbeat that she didn’t know even existed, sending her pulse racing. She arched upward, wanting to feel more, feeling no need to pretend she didn’t want him to kiss her or that she didn’t want to kiss him. His hand molded around her left breast, cupping it, his fingers teasing her nipple.

He kissed his way down to her eager nipple drawing it into the wet, insistent heat of his mouth
. She whimpered his name as her hands clawed into the thick mane of his hair, holding him there. She withered with the sensations pouring through her, a flood of sweet, hot tremors, responding to his devilish tongue. Desire for him spread through her, branding the memory, her body aching for his every touch. He stopped when she cried out. “Hannah?”

“No, don
’t stop,” she panted. She was pleased at the desire mirroring in his concerned eyes and she wanted to hear him groan, to have him ache for her, but she wasn’t sure how to do this.

He kissed her between her breasts.
He laved his way down her belly. Hannah quivered. What was he doing? His hands kneaded her buttock as his mouth suckled every inch of her flattened stomach. He rubbed down her slick thigh and she tensed. He paused. “Tell me if you want me to stop?”

Her hands clutched the blanket as she
peered down. “No,” she panted. “Don’t.”

He gently spread her quivering legs apart and put his mouth on the petals of her flesh.
She jerked when he inserted his tongue inside, tasting her. She never knew men and women did such wicked acts, and she could do nothing but dig her nails into the blankets as pleasures hit her like a tidal wave, her body shaking.
Sweet merciful heavens.
Not knowing what to do, she closed her eyes and weathered the wavering storm of sensations building inside her, reaching an intensity of pleasure that rushed through her body. His silky hair brushed her thighs as his tongue lapped her like a jungle cat licking its mate.

She panted, her thoughts jumbled. Her sisters never mentioned this sweet pleasure and if their husbands indulged in this delight, they never told her. This was so personal, so intense, so private. She wanted him to stop, but no, that
wasn’t true.

“You taste so sweet, love,” he murmured.

His sinful tongue left her, and he explored every inch of her perspiring body as he moved up her torso, his hair igniting her sensitive skin to burn hotter. She ran her fingers through his thick locks, trying to brave the next pleasures he stroked inside her. His mouth covered hers silencing any whimpers.

He slid his fingers down the outline of her hip, and he
pet her wet curls. His thumb rubbed the bud of her soft flesh and she clung to him as his finger inserted inside her, slow and skillful, building another fire within her.

“You’re so tight, love,” he whispered in her ear, kissing her ear lobe.
His lips moved down her pulsating neck to caress her nipple.

Her hips matched the movement of his finger, and she cried out when he inserted two more fingers as his thumb created a demanding need for something more.
She could feel his hard arousal against her thigh. How could she accommodate him?

He stopped. “You’re tensing again, relax.”

“You’re so big,” she whispered. “I don’t know.”

His mouth covered hers and his hands widen
ed her thighs, urging them apart. Her trepidation all but returned when he nestled between her thighs and the formidable strain of his flesh began pushing forward. He stroked her bud again as he began to thrust forward.

“
It’ll only hurt for a minute, Love. I promise you.” His voice quaked in her ear.

T
he tip of his flesh slowly entered her, and she dug her nails into his back against the pain as her feminine muscles expanded over the fullness of his flesh. He rocked his hips back and drove his flesh forward without warning, startling her so completely at its boldness and invasiveness that she didn’t even have the breath or wit to cry out. The next thrust fetched a faint moan from her lips. There seemed to be too much—too much flesh, too much pain, too much sensation.

She moved
her hands over the copious muscles in his back, his shoulders, his arms, his hips as he slid in and out of her. He was so big that for a fleeting moment she panicked as his intensity increased, thrusting harder and deeper, apparently unmindful to the differences in size and shape of their bodies.

His thumb left her nub, and she gasped as his hands lifted her hips, angling them upward.
What was he doing? He plunged deeper inside her, and she had no choice but to move with him as another orgasm of undeniable pleasure surged through her. After this last wave washed over her, her body still cradled around him, clutched him with a fervor becoming keenly sensitive to the heat and friction of moving flesh. By instinct, she wrapped her legs around his pulsating hips, drawing him deeper, harder inside, and he indulged every passionate scream, shifting his hands, his hips, his body to pursue each clasping spasm, groaning when her pleasure brought her rising fiercely, frantically up beneath him. 

Her body was one monumental raw nerve being teased and tormented by muscles so taut, wet and insatiable the aftermath of tingling rushed down to her toes.
Her heart pounded, his matching her same beat. His hand played and toyed with her breast. She locked her legs around his buttocks, wanting to hold him to her. He licked her neck and she groaned, not wanting him to stop.