A Pirate's Revenge (Legends of the Soaring Phoenix) (35 page)

His sword and pistol drawn, Ronan forced Mariah behind him. Thank the Lord! As much as William hated it, he knew his rival would protect her with his life.

William swooped into the swirling funnel, determined to snatch Palmer. Freezing air hit his face and rushed over his scales. He exhaled fire, but the dampness drenched the flame, changing it to black smoke. Blast it.

The tip of his nails grazed red strands of hair, and William curled his talons to seize clumps of his fiery mane. But Palmer jerked away and jumped through a wall of water. Icicles formed on William’s wings, making them too heavy to move, and he dropped toward the bottom of the funnel like an anchor.

“’Tis black magic. Get out while you still can.”

With a burst of energy, William forced his brittle wings to flap, battle the swooshing water, and puncture through the funnel wall. Hot tingles swept over him, and he shrieked. Against his will, his body contorted, bones and muscles shortening, and he changed into a man. He slammed onto the deck, knocking men to the ground.

Ignoring the grumbling of the men, he rolled to the side. Every muscle ached, and splinters dug into his flesh. He struggled to sit up, cursing. Strong hands lifted him off the deck. His legs shaky, he frowned. Palmer and Ronan faced each other, swords drawn.

“Stay back,” Ronan cried. “Palmer’s mine.”

Palmer smiled and lunged. Their swords clanged.

Men crowded in front of William, and he could not find Mariah. Where was she? 

Palmer beat upon Ronan’s sword again and again. Sweat trickled down Ronan’s face, and he gripped the handle with both hands. Odd, as Ronan was an expert swordsman. He knew better than to hold a sword like a novice. He blocked Palmer’s thrusts, but he was on the defensive, and Palmer forced him against the bulkhead. Palmer held up his hand, and chills sliced down William’s back. Evil magic. He could feel it. The sword jerked out of Ronan’s hands, and his eyes widened.

“Die, Ronan,” Palmer said. He pricked the tip of the sword into Ronan’s throat, drawing blood.  

Mariah darted through the men. “No!” she cried and lifted her wand and athame. “Mother Isis, stop him.”

The black handle on Palmer’s sword turned molten red, and he dropped it. “Bloody bitch.” He snagged her arm and shook her. “You’ll pay for that.” 

“Damn it!” William shoved men out of his way. His wobbly legs collapsed, and he fell onto the deck. Someone hauled him to his feet. He peered up into Amadi’s concerned face. Amadi opened his mouth to say something, but before he could utter a word, William seized the pistol tucked inside his belt.

“What the hell?” Amadi growled.

William fired. Smoke swirled around the barrel of the pistol. Palmer cried out and staggered. A splash of crimson stained the back of his shirt. To William’s relief, Mariah broke free of his grasp. William wanted to rush over and pull her into his arms, but his strength failed him. The pistol clattered onto the deck, and he fell onto his hands and knees, panting.  

“
Mon Dieu
, William.” Mariah rushed over and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

Palmer pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Mariah. He brushed off men who tried to restrain him and marched toward them. He was a deadly shot.

“Burn him.”

Not sure if he could in human form, William exhaled, and a stream of fire blasted on Palmer’s right side. His clothes burst into flames. Palmer released an unearthly shriek of pain as he was nearly consumed in crackling flames. The stench of burning flesh and hair reeked. Palmer waved his arms and beat at his body as if to put out the fire, but the fire burned brighter, blackening his skin. He danced around the ship, a red and yellow blur, and men darted out of the way, shielding their eyes from the radiating heat. Palmer leaped and smashed into the bulkhead, landed with a thud on the deck.

William turned his head at the black smoke and the smell of charred flesh rising from Palmer’s smoldering body. He hated Palmer but seeing a man burn alive by his will, even an evil vampire, violated his honor.

Doc splashed water over Palmer and doused the flames. Palmer lay motionless, groaning. 

Kane shoved men out of the way as he marched over to Palmer, sword raised over his head.

“
Capitaine
, no,” Mariah cried. “We need Palmer.”

“He’ll not tell the truth,” Kane said. “No mercy for the man who killed my father and stole my woman. I’ve waited a long time to kill him.”

“Kane, won’t you listen?” William asked.

“Killing Palmer will not bring Hannah back,” Mariah said. “We need to know their plans to save her,
oui
? I need to know Lark’s powers. Please.”

Doc rolled Palmer over. Mariah gasped, her face ashen. He couldn’t fault the horror in her expression. Palmer’s clothes had melted into his blackened skin, and half of his hair was gone, leaving a scorched skull.

“I know you don’t care, Capt’n,” Doc said, “but he’s done hurt bad.”

Kane lowered his sword. “He’ll heal. Take him below and leave him with his pain. If anything happens to Hannah, he’ll lose his head.”  He pointed his sword at Mariah. “If she dies…”

William shoved Mariah behind him and forced himself to stand. Tingles swept over him. An urge to change into the dragon seized him, and puffs of smoke snorted out of his nose. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, forcing the transformation back. He refused to attack his distraught brother. “Leave her alone, Kane.” 

Desperation flared in Kane’s eyes, and a vein in his temple throbbed. “Don’t threaten me, you
eejit,
” he said.  “I’m the bloody capt’n.”  

“I know,” William said. “You’re not yourself.”

“Don’t test me brother.” Kane cast his gaze over him and frowned. “Put some bloody clothes on.”

“Where’s my Hannah?” Captain Justin Knight maneuvered through the crowd and clutched his cane with Solstice by his side. His face haggard and his eyes tired, he demanded, “What’s happened?”

“Captain Knight,” Palmer moaned. He motioned. “I have…a…message….about…Hannah,” he gasped. “To save…her—”

The scent of rotting flesh blew over William, and he wrinkled his nose at Palmer’s foul stench. Iciness gripped him, and he shivered. He sensed something, something vile.

Knight wobbled over to Palmer. “Hannah? What of her?”

“Come closer,” Palmer said, his eyes closed and his voice faded.

The iciness grew stronger, and William could see his exhaled breath. His stomach churned faster. Something was amiss. He grabbed Knight’s arm. “Stay back.”

Knight hit his arm with his cane, and William jerked back. “You damn fool,” William said.

“Leave me alone,” Knight said. “He knows where my Hannah is.” He hurried over to Palmer with the dog trailing behind him. Solstice sniffed and growled.

“He’s a liar,” Kane said. “Don’t waste your time, Knight.”

Every hair bristled on the back of William’s neck. Evil was close. There was something inside Palmer’s breath. Men mumbled, and Kane scowled at Palmer, but none of them seemed to have the same sense of urgency as William did. Not even Mariah’s serene face shared his same growing fear. Why couldn’t anyone sense danger except the dog?

“Palmer,” Knight pleaded. “Tell me how to save her.” He moved around Solstice and dropped to the deck next to Palmer.

The eerie sensation grew stronger. William grabbed Knight’s shoulder and pulled him back. “Get away from him.”

Knight slapped his hand. “Release me.”

“Listen to me.” William gripped his shoulder tighter. “Something is not right.”

Palmer opened his eyes. “The warlock sends you a message, Knight.”

He opened his mouth, and blue smoke swirled and sailed up into Knight’s nose. Knight’s face paled, and his eyes rolled back into his head, Knight stiffened and fell back against William’s legs.

“Damn it.” William pushed his palms against Knight’s wide back. “Doc!” 

Doc rushed forward and lifted Knight’s eyelids. “Take him to the crew’s quarters.”

Palmer chuckled, but his snort quickly turned to a hacking cough.

“Get Palmer out of here,” Kane ordered.

William carried Knight down to the crew’s quarters. Knight had been so heavy when he’d first met him. Amadi could barely carry him. Now, the man was nothing but a heap of flesh and bones. 

“Hang on, Knight,” William said. He laid him gently onto a hammock. “Hannah needs you.”

His face drawn, Knight moaned. William cursed himself. He should have moved faster and yanked Knight away from Palmer instantly. 

Doc put his hand over Knight’s mouth. “He’s breathing. Barely.”

First Hannah, and now her father. Damn it. Their enemies were leagues ahead and soon, all would be lost.

Mariah appeared and held a necklace with a purple stone in her hand. “Here, have him wear this.”

“A stone?” Doc wrinkled his brow. “How will this help?”

“The smoke he inhaled attacks the soul,” Mariah said. “’Tis a healing stone, and it will help mend his broken heart.”

His little witch. Her magic had to win. “It won’t hurt, Doc,” William urged.

Doc shrugged and allowed Mariah to slip the chain over the man’s head. His pale color faded, and he inhaled.

“It will take time to heal,” she said. 

Solstice plopped down below Knight’s hammock and whined. William knelt and petted her head. “You knew something was wrong, too, didn’t you girl?”

“You sensed it,
oui
?” Mariah ran her fingers through his hair.

He reveled in her soft touch, and would never tire of her caress, her scent. 

Kane hurried over to Mariah and clasped her shoulders. “Do you think ’tis true? Has Hannah been taken to Coaybay?” 

William understood Kane’s anguish. He’d be going out of his mind if Palmer had taken Mariah and handed her over to the demons. Lord knew what was happening to Hannah. He wanted to tell Kane that his woman would be fine, that Zuto wouldn’t torture her, but it would be a lie.

Mariah hung her head, not able to peer into
le
capitaine’s
wild eyes. “I cannot lie to you.
Oui
, I fear Lark will take Hannah to Coaybay.”

He shook her, and her teeth rattled. “Use your magic. Find her.” He nodded to
Capitaine
Knight.  “You helped her father.”

“Kane,” William growled. “Stop shaking her.”

Kane stopped shaking Mariah. Her arms throbbed where he had dug his fingers into her flesh. She stole a sideways glance to
Capitaine
Knight who lay in the hammock, his face pale and sweaty. She had slowed the spell down, but
he
needed to fight the incantation to heal. The poor man must be giving into evil, thinking his daughter had been taken to hell. 

“Then you find her, you overgrown lizard.” Kane shoved William. “You both come aboard my ship and tell me to hunt for her blasted brother. And now, Hannah is missing. I hold you both responsible.”

“We will find her,” Mariah said.
Le capitaine
was riddled with pain. A man desperate to do anything to save the woman he loved.

He slammed his fist into the wall. “Then go find her, damn it.” 

Sean Mallory sneered at Kane with pitiless disgust. “Are you done?”

“Done? Done with what?”

“Acting like an out of control milksop.”

“I’m—”

“Aye, you are. You’re the captain,” he said. “’Tis time you started acting like one.”

Kane ran his hand through his hair. “Hannah. She could be dead.”

“She is not dead,” Mariah said. “I would feel it if she were.”

“How?”

“She has magic. Different than mine. But magic, nonetheless. And magic shifts when a light goes out.”

Kane’s face brightened. “Then you can find her.”

“Black magic veils her. I will need to conjure a spell and I might be able to locate her.”

“There’s another way, capt’n.” Ronan leaned against the mast.

“How?”

“Palmer.”

Kane shook his head. “He’ll not talk.”

“Not willingly. But there are ways to make him confess.”

“Torture?”

He sauntered over to Kane. “You’d rather have Hannah killed?”

“He’s been in league with demons, Ronan. What possible thing could I do that would make him talk? Besides, torture only makes a man more determined to prevail over his enemies. I won’t resort to it.”

“I need time,
Capitaine
,” Mariah said. 

“I need a course, Mariah,” Kane said. “I will not sail idly around the sea.”

“Give me time.”

Evil laughter filled the cabin. Hannah’s father groaned and thrashed in the hammock. The men whipped out their weapons. William and Ronan wedged Mariah behind them. Cold air rushed through the quarters, hammocks and lanterns swayed, chests skidded across the floor.