Love's Abyss (St. John Series) (11 page)

Alex ordered half of the men to follow suit with Max. They went without complaint. It had been a long rough night, and little did they know, their day was about to get rougher.

Chapter Thirteen

Max had been below deck for several hours. Alex envied his friend right now. How he longed for sleep. Max was in his soft bed perhaps cuddled up with Kris.  There was nothing like having a woman by your side in bed even if you are just sleeping.  He missed Maggie.  The storm had taken a lot out of him as well as the crew. He thought about the beauty below deck and wondered how she handled the storm. “Should’ve had her come on deck last night. Her temper would have scared the storm off,” he joked to himself.

He spied Samuel coming up the stairs from the galley and yelled for him to come over. “Yes, Capt’n?”

“Go below and check on Madison,” he directed the boy.

Samuel looked at him strangely. Ever since she had been aboard the ship the Captain had never referred to her by name. It was always “that woman”, “the she-devil,” or “that redhead,” but never Madison.

“Do you have cotton in your ears, boy?”

“No, sir.”

“Then go do as I say.”

“Yes, sir,” Samuel replied, curious as to why the Captain was suddenly concerned about Madison.

Entering the Captain’s quarters, Samuel spied Madison picking books off the floor. She was turning the spines towards her so she could read them and slowly mouthed the titles.

“Are you okay, Miss?” Samuel questioned.

“Yes, I’m fine, thank you,” she informed the boy. “Can you hand me that book over there.” She pointed towards the stack beside the door. He picked up the one on top and turned to hand it to her. “No, not that one, the one titled
The Odyssey
.”

He turned towards the stack of books and looked worriedly at the pile before him. She noticed his concern. “Samuel?”

“Yes,” he said quietly.

“Do you see it?”

“No, I don’t,” he lied.

She walked towards the stack and picked up the book below the one he just laid down. She looked at him, then the book, and then back to him. “Samuel, can you read?” she asked with caring in her voice.

He held his chin up high and kept his gaze stern. “No need for that on a ship,” he informed her.

“Well now, we’ll just have to remedy that problem, won’t we?” A soft smile crossed her lips. She looked about the room in search of paper and a writing utensil, but none could be found. The more she looked for the items, the angrier she became. How dare he not teach his son how to read? She suddenly stood up, turned towards Samuel and stormed out the open door.

“Wait!” she heard Samuel yell after her, but it was too late. As she emerged from the Captain’s quarters, she felt the warmth of the sun on her face for the first time in over two weeks. She stood there for a moment, enjoying the feel of the rays heating her flesh. Samuel’s yell reminded her of the mission. She glanced around the ship until she spotted the Captain at the helm. With determination in her stride she approached him.

The crew that were on deck, stopped and stared at the beauty approaching the Captain. Most of them had only heard the rumors that the Captain had taken a captive and was holding her prisoner in his quarters. The actual sight of her made them start to whisper among themselves.

“Get back to work!” Alex barked at the crew, unaware of the reason behind their stopping.

“Captain, I need to speak with you.” Alex raised his eyes from the compass he was viewing. Surely he must be hearing things he thought that sounded like . . . “Captain?”

He spun towards the voice. “What are you doing up here?”

“I have something I need to discuss with you . . . 
now
,” she informed him.

His eyes lowered to a small slit. “Not now,” he said slowly as he grabbed her by the arm.

She quickly jerked away. “Yes . . . now,” she replied back. About that time Samuel came rushing up to the helm, a look of horror in his eyes.

Alex looked at the boy. “Are you the reason she’s up here?”

“I . . . I . . . ,” Samuel stuttered.

“Yes, he most certainly is. I have something I need to discuss with you about Samuel,” she insisted. She glanced Samuel’s way. The look he gave her melted her heart. There was a pleading in her eyes as to say, “Please don’t tell everyone.”

Alex could tell it was pointless to keep her from having her say. He was too tired to argue with her so he conceded. “All right then, if you can have your say, will you go back to where you belong?”

“Where I belong? I belong at Governor’s Harbour and not on this bloody ship, since you brought it up.”

He took a deep breath. Jezz she could be so irritating. “Samuel?” he reminded her. “You had something you wanted to discuss.”

“Well, yes. Did you not hear me the first time?” she replied in a Kris-like fashion. Her eyes scanned the area to make sure no one was listening. She grabbed the Captain by the arm and walked him to the stern. She held her chin high and looked him straight in the eye. “How dare you! You bring a child aboard this ship and don’t offer him the proper education he deserves!”

“Woman, what on this earth are you talking about?”

“Samuel? Hello! You, or at least someone did, taught him how to survive on a pirate ship, but not how to read,” she informed the Captain. He looked at her, his brows drawn together. “Don’t give me that ‘I didn’t know’ look. How could you
not
know? You’re the Captain, aren’t you? You’re supposed to know your crew, right?”

“Is this what you wanted to discuss? What was so important as to interrupt me?”

“Well, yes, it is. It is
very
important. I want to teach him to read but have nothing to do it with. No paper, nothing to write with. With all that paper stuff below, you think you would have something in the line of that nature.” she scolded him.

Samuel watched the encounter before him. It was quiet comical, the petite hostage, poking her dainty finger in the Captain’s chest in a motherly fashion and the Captain looking at her like she had grown horns. A warm feeling came over him. Madison was taking up for
him
, the son of a prostitute.

“Not now. Later. We’ll discuss this later,” Alex said.

“No, now!” she demanded.

“I have more important things to attend to right at the moment, other than dealing with your current state of boredom.”

“Boredom? You think I am wanting to do this out of boredom? Why you . . . you . . . you ignorant ass!”

“Lower your voice and mind your sassiness there, Missy,” he stated with strong warning in his voice.

“I most certainly will not! I am
not
part of this crew, nor did I ever plan on being a part of this horrid life you live.  But here I am, me and all my sassiness, so deal with it. When you’re ready to discuss what I want, come find me,” she yelled and stomped away in a huff towards the bow of the ship.

Alex stood at the stern bewildered. No one had ever stood up to him like that, especially not a woman. He watched her storm away heading towards the bow of the ship. His shock and surprise wore off quickly and he started after her.

“Where do ya think ya goin’ there, Missy?” questioned the tall figure that blocked her path.

Madison glared up at the tall figure with skin the color of leather and a long goatee. She reached her hand up and grabbed the goatee where it met his chin and pulled him down to her. “Get out of my way,” she said in a low angry voice.

“Yes, ma’am,” the figure agreed as she pushed him away and fumed past.

The man looked up to see the Captain heading his way. “Why didn’t you stop her, Uveah?”

Uveah looked at the Captain. “From the wrath in her eyes . . . I’d rather deal with that squall again than to stop her. No, sir, I’m not tacklin’ that woman.”

Alex glared at the tall man beside him. “Then I suggest you get back to work.”

“Aye, aye, Capt’n,” Uveah replied.

Alex caught up with Madison at the bow. She had her hands on one of the many ropes, looking at the sea before them. The wind caught her hair and wrapped it around her body. He wanted to strangle her, he wanted to thank her for worrying about Samuel, and he wanted to kiss her. The conflicting emotions going through his mind startled him. He took a long slow breath to calm his nerves and readied for the fight before him.

“I wasn’t through talking with you,” he told her.

Her hand slid up to her face and caught a strand of hair. She pulled the long delicate auburn lock out of her face and turned towards him. Her emerald eyes were dark. She had her full red lips drawn together with anger as she glared at him, but said nothing.

“You’re right,” he reluctantly admitted. A look of caution crossed her face. “Samuel, he should know how to read.”

“And?” she questioned.

“I’ll get you the supplies you need.”

The angry expression melted away from her face and was replaced by one of gratitude. “Thank you.”

“Ship off the port bow!” a voice yelled.

Alex looked quickly towards the left. A sinking feeling hit his stomach as he spied the large black flag on the approaching vessel. It was Henry. He had been trying for years to reacquire
The
Abyss
, and of all times to try, why now?

Alex grabbed Madison by the arm, “Come on!” he told her as he started towards the galley.

“Why?” she questioned.

He stopped and pointed towards the approaching vessel. “You see that ship. That’s Henry Ravenclaw, and he’s not the least bit pleasant. He won’t be as hospitable to you as I have been.” Alex spied Max and Kris emerging from below. He hollered at Max and headed his way with Madison in tow.

“What’s going on?”questioned Max.

“Henry.” Alex replied. He turned towards Kris. “Take Madison with you below deck. You know what to do.”

“Yes, Captain,” Kris replied. “Come on, Madison! We have to hurry!”

Looking at the group before her, their expressions left no doubt in her mind that the approaching vessel meant trouble. Madison followed Kris. They made a quick stop by Kris’s quarters. Kris handed Madison a sword and a pistol. “Do you know how to use these?” Kris asked. Madison nodded her head. “Good,” replied Kris, “now come on.”

They walked down a narrow corridor to the galley. “We’ll hide here. Hopefully, Henry’s crew won’t make it this far.”

“And if they do,” questioned the now fearful Madison.

“Let’s pray that they don’t. Shoot anyone strange coming through that door.”

“Everyone’s strange to me!”

“Then shoot everyone but Max or the Captain,” was Kris’s logic to Madison.

“That’s helpful. I’ll just shoot anyone. Why not?” Madison replied sarcastically. Kris just looked at her friend strangely.

They could hear the roar of the cannons from Henry’s ship firing at them. “Don’t worry,” Kris informed Madison. “Those are just warning shots. Henry will not dare hit this ship.”

“Why not?”

“Because, he wants her back.”

“Back?”

“
Si
, she used to belong to Henry, but he lost her in a game of dice with the Captain years ago. So, he wants her back. He’s been trying for years to retake her by force, but to no avail. Now, shhhhh.”

The Abyss
returned cannon fire at Henry’s vessel
The
Sea Witch
. Unlike the opposing crew, Alex didn’t care if he hit the other vessel. He ordered his weary crew to open all cannons on the approaching vessel. The cannon fire raged on for about a half an hour before it ended. Kris and Madison sat quietly in their hiding spot.

“Do you think they’re gone?” Madison whispered. Her answer came with a yell from above followed by gun shots. The sounds of gun shots and metal clashing against metal echoed throughout the galley. Madison placed one of her hands over her mouth in order to keep her fear in check. “
Oh No! Not Again!”
she thought as images of the day of her capture entered her head.

Then they heard it. The door to the galley creaked open. Kris peered around from her hiding spot. She stood up and fired at the approaching figure. It was answered with a thud of the falling body. “Come on!” Kris whispered loudly at her friend, “We have to go before someone finds us.”

Madison scurried to her feet and they headed out the door, stepping over the fallen body of the pirate. They made their way to a ladder. “This takes us up top, a little ways from the helm,” Kris informed Madison. “Maybe we can make it to the Captain’s quarters. Hurry!” Kris yelled as the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder.

Both women quickly ascended the ladder. Once up top Madison, couldn’t believe her eyes, the site of the crew fighting, dead bodies, and the smell of sulfur. It overwhelmed her senses.

“Go!” yelled Kris.

Madison swiftly moved to a wall close to the helm and crouched down.

“We’ll have to go around the outside edge in order to keep from being seen,” Kris instructed Madison.

Madison nodded. The women cautiously crawled around the wall. As they rounded a corner a pair of boots appeared before them.