A Pirate's Revenge (Legends of the Soaring Phoenix) (19 page)

“We are alone, now,” Mariah whispered.   

William jerked his head around, his golden dragon eyes blazing. He screeched, baring his sharp teeth. He had been wounded once before, and she had healed him. This time,
she
wounded him, not with an arrow, but something worse. Betrayal.

Blood trickled down William’s neck where Solstice had bitten him, staining the jade stone her
grand-mère
had given him. She stared into William’s narrowed eyes. “William, I know you are angry,
oui
?”

William snarled.

“Do you feel the stone against your chest?”

The dragon snorted, and steamy smoke spilled onto her face and neck. Mariah broke out in a sizzling sweat and hoped he would not burn her alive. He had hurt Solstice, but only after the dog had bitten him. Maybe she could reason with the man inside the beast.
Grand-mère
had said she could help him. He needed her now.  

“I know you do not trust me.” The dragon snapped again, his sultry breath rushing over her face. She tasted charcoal on her lips. Refusing to give into her rising fear, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the charged jade stone. “Mother Earth, I call upon you to strengthen the jade. Bring forth the calm of the sea, the calm of the clouds, and the calm of the full moon. Hear me.”

Hot breath brushed her again. She inhaled, taking in the calm and letting the energy flow through her. She wished she had her wand, because it would enhance the spell. But ’twas behind William, next to the bowl. She would have to make do with the power of the words.

The dragon snorted and whined. She kept her eyes closed and concentrated on the words, sending out ripples of calmness.

Cracks of bones and a sharp cry tempted to break her frayed nerves. Strong hands gripped her shoulder.

“Mariah,” a strained voice whispered.

Mariah opened her eyes. Naked, William gazed down at her with his emerald eyes, his face pinched.

“What happened? Why did I change?”

She cupped his face, trying not to lower her gaze and glance at his manhood. “Your anger. I made you mad.”

“I’m sorry I hurt Solstice. She bit me and—”

“I know. She attacked you.”

“Protecting you. Mariah, I’m too dangerous. I could have killed Ronan. I
wanted
to kill him. He’s my friend.”

“
Oui
, you could have.” She clasped the jade stone that was now cool and rubbed it, feeling the power within. She pressed her hand on his chest over the blue and green dragon tattoo. “You exercised restraint, and the jade helped you retain that calmness. The beast sleeps now.”

“If I didn’t have the stone…”

“You could have killed Solstice and Ronan.”

He winced. “And you.” 

“
Oui.
You have a great will within you, and the jade enhances this inner strength.”

“I have to leave.” He ran his hair through his hair. “I am a danger to everyone on board this ship.”  

“No, William. You will be a danger to everyone in the Caribbean, if you leave.”

He dropped his hand. “Meaning?”

“What if you get angry again and I am not there to guide you? I am able to help you learn to control the beast.”

He arched his eyebrow and walked back to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “Then don’t be kissing Ronan again.”

She tilted her chin. “I was not kissing him. He kissed me.”

Before she could finish, his lips found hers, branding her…molding her…tasting her. She put her hands on his chest to push him away but found herself moving over his tense muscles. His kiss deepened, and the memory of Ronan vanished. She wanted William, only him.

“Damn you, O’Brien!” 

Ronan stood just feet away, his sword drawn. She avoided his eyes.

William clasped her hand, his thumb caressing her palm. “MacMillian.” 

She glanced up at William and detected a sadness in his voice, not glee or anger. What was she doing? Tearing these men apart? She tried to release his hand, but he gripped her tighter, pulling her close.

Kane marched over to them. “
Jaaysus
. Put your sword away, MacMillian.”

Ronan hesitated, but at Kane’s fierce glare, slid his sword inside its sheath.

“I am sorry,
Capitaine
,” Mariah said. “I do not know what to say.”

“Say? You don’t know what to say,” Kane mocked. “You about got us all killed with your trickery.”

“Kane,” William said.

Kane held up his hand to silence him. “We’re going into battle, a battle to save your brother, lass. And to fight a demon, one worse than Zuto. I suggest you do your job of teaching my brother to control his powers and not seducing every man on the ship.”

She winced and lowered her gaze.

“Or at the next uncharted island,” Kane said. “I’ll dump your arse. Savvy?”

“
Oui
,” she muttered. “I understand.”

“I will not let him do this to you,” William said.

“Like bloody hell, you’ll stop me,” Kane said.

William growled.

Mariah squeezed William’s fingers, sending him reassurance. “William, no. Breathe. You are waking your dragon.”

William gazed down at Mariah, his mouth set in a straight line, tiny flames flickering in his gold eyes.

“Don’t threaten me, William,” Kane warned. “I’ll not have it on this ship.”

“Breathe, just, breathe,” she said. She reached for his other shaking hand and placed it on the jade then clasped hers over his. “Feel the calmness.”

William closed his eyes and sighed. He trembled beneath her.

Hannah came up behind Kane. “Stop bellowing.”

“Hannah,” he gripped her arm. “I told you—”

“I know what you told me.” She glanced between Mariah and William and smiled. “If you’d stop acting like an out of control vampire, you’d see that she’s calming him.”

Mariah dreaded asking about her dog, but she had to know. “Solstice?”

“She’s with Doc. Along with my father.” Hannah smiled. “My father seems to care about her. He’s not talking with anyone, but he
is
interacting with Solstice. Doc says Solstice will be fine.”

William stiffened.

Mariah brushed her thumb over his hand, hoping he knew she wasn’t mad. He wasn’t in control. At least, not yet.

Kane studied them. William opened his eyes, and the flames were gone.

Hannah elbowed Kane. “See.”

Mariah nodded at Hannah who smiled and winked. She understood Mariah. Once again, she was glad to have Hannah on her side. She had the ability to calm Kane. 

Hannah looped her arm in Kane’s. “Come on, I need to talk to you.”

“I bet you do,” Kane muttered. But he allowed Hannah to lead him away.

Only Ronan remained with them. He stared hard at Mariah. She bit her lip, at a loss for words. What could she say? He had forced his kiss on her, and it had not stirred the same feelings that William’s did. Hurt pooled in Ronan’s eyes, and he turned away, his shoulders slumped.

“If you want to be with him—” William rubbed her back  “—I’ll try to work on my anger.” As soon as the last word dropped, he growled.

“Your lying is waking the dragon.”

“I’m not lying.”

“William, I will not let him kiss me again.”

“See that you don’t. When I’m not around, I’ll worry about you kissing other men.” His eyes darkened.

“No, you will not.”

“Meaning you’ll only kiss me?”

“
Oui
,” she said, barely audible for her own ears.

He gave her a curious gaze. The feelings inside her were confusing. He had awakened something hidden. Her cheeks heated at thinking of all the wicked things they might do skin-to-skin.

Her parents had been so happy together. Her mother glowed when she had escaped to the bedroom to be with her father. Mariah knew what they did behind closed doors, well, maybe not exactly what they did. She wanted to glow like her mother. She rubbed William’s arm and knew her dragon could make her glow.

When Ronan had kissed Mariah, William had lost his mind. Anger had swept through him, and he had fought to not give into the dragon’s instincts. Maim. Slash. Burn. His control had slipped through his fingers. He was dangerous. 

He was ready to learn how to control the beast. Nearly killing his brother would have been the death of William’s honor. He clasped Mariah’s shoulders. “What now, Mariah?”

“First, you need to get dressed.”

William laughed at the slow blush that spread across her sweet cheeks.

“Then, ’tis time for you to learn how to talk with your dragon,
oui
?”

“Excuse me? Do what?” This was her plan? Talking? He’d have better luck swimming in the ocean with an anchor draped around his neck. This was hopeless. 

“Talk with your dragon.” She clasped his hand. “Take hold of the stone.”

William sighed and held the stone. Ridiculous. “’Tis not like I speak wyvern,” he mumbled.

“The beast is part of you. You have two parts to you. Two souls. He speaks whatever language you speak. Just concentrate.
S’il vous plaît.
”

“Fine. Speak to me, dragon.”

“He will not talk to you with that mocking attitude.”

“Exactly what kind of attitude do I need?”

She rubbed his arm. “Come with me.”

“Where?”

“I need to get some things from my trunk.”

More magic? He’d had enough of the supernatural. “What kind of things?”

“Candles…and we should be someplace private.”

Was she thinking of conjuring a spell? His heart beat accelerated. She’d be naked. He groaned. Jaaysus, how the hell was he going to learn control with her naked? He was hanging on by a lanyard.

She gathered her athame, bowl, and vial and motioned for him to follow. She led him down into the crew’s quarters and disappeared into her private space. “Give me a moment to change,” she said.

Before he joined her, he hurried to his sea chest and pulled on some trousers. He wanted to protest and run away. Protect what little honor he had left.

Mariah stood at her entryway. She had changed out of his shirt and her nightgown. She wore a pale, pink-color gown that matched her rosy cheeks. “Are you coming?”

“Aye, I’m coming.” He trailed her inside, wishing she had on his shirt. He liked the way she looked, sexy and alluring.

“Sit down in the middle of the floor,” she said.

“I am not a dog.” He folded his arms across his chest and glared.

“No, no you are not. You are a stubborn dragon. Please sit.”

He slumped onto the floor. “What are you doing?”

She pulled out white candles, set them on small clay bowls, and then placed them around him. “Each of these represents the four directions of Mother Earth: North, South, West, and East.” She used a tinder-box to light the candles. Fragrant flowery scents permeated the cabin. She sat in front of him and clasped his hands. “Now, close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Must everything be difficult with you? You need to relax.”

He rolled his eyes. “Relax? I almost killed my friend, and you want me to relax?”

She clasped his hand and rubbed her thumb over his palm. Her touch filled him with a desire to kiss her. He had to admit he wanted more than kissing. He wanted to thrust his cock inside her. Relax? “This is not going to work.”

“
S’il vous plaît
. Will you at least try?”

William shook his head and closed his eyes. 

“Listen to my voice and only my voice.”

He couldn’t believe he was doing this, but the fragrance of lavender lured him into listening to her sensuous voice. Her accent caressed his soul.

“Breathe. Inhale. Exhale.”

Trying to ignore his lust and failing miserably, he took a deep breath. The mixture of vanilla and sweet lavender filled his lungs and unwound his tight muscles.

“Breathe,” Mariah whispered, her voice softer. “Clear your mind. Believe that you have the ability to talk to the beast. Trust yourself. Call to the dragon.”

Her voice was music to his ears, a soft, seductive harpsichord playing a soothing song. An image formed in his mind and he gasped. A blue and green dragon emerged. Golden eyes stared at him. The dragon sat on his hind legs, its wings stretched out behind him.

William swallowed. “Are you the dragon haunting me?”

“Aye,” a guttural voice answered. “My name is Drakon, and I’m not haunting you.”

William opened his eyes.

Mariah smiled. “You heard him speak,
oui
?”