A Pirate's Curse (Legends of the Soaring Phoenix) (27 page)

“They have my father and I w
on’t rest until he is freed. I don’t want to be captured next. What happens if you’re all fighting and I’m alone? What if my powers are spent again? What am I supposed to do, hide under the blankets?” She glared. “I’m not going to be taken without fight. Teach me.”

Kane said nothing.
He took another sip of his coffee.

William
gritted his teeth, “Kane.”

Kane
shrugged. “She’s right, brother, and you know it.”

William scowl
ed.

Hannah tried to avert her triumphant smile by taking a sip of coffee. “So, who will teach me?” she said, putting the cup down and clasping her hands together.

“
You’re not going to learn how to fight,” William growled. “You could be killed.”

She blinked.
She’d never seen him so vehement.

William
stabbed his fork into the table. “You’ve got to get out of here or die.” 

She cringed.
His voice was like a bathtub of cold water being thrown on her. Where was the honorable man she had known?

William
seized her wrist and clutched it tight. She narrowed her eyes and grabbed her cup filled with water. “Release me.” 

“Hannah,
” Kane drummed his fingers on the table.

William gazed at the cup and into her face. “You would
not dare.”

She shrugged
, but she’d if he pressed her. She wasn’t going to be at the mercy of Jacques. She wasn’t going to be a victim. 

“Fine. I apologize lass,” William mumbled, his hand releasing her wrist.

Kane gazed at her.
He ran his hand down her arm. “I’ll teach you.”

She smiled.
“You will?”

“You’
ll regret this, Kane.” William slammed his hands down on the table. “Mark my words.” He stormed out of the galley.

“Regret? I don’t think so. I think this will be an eventful afternoon.” Kane held out his hand and Hannah gripped it. He took her hand and kissed it, his stubble brushing her skin, sending shivers through her. She licked her lips. It would be eventful.

“
Come on,” Kane stood, dragging her with him. “Let’s find you a suitable weapon.”

He
led her to the cargo hold. He was the captain and could have ordered any of his crew to teach her, but yet, he was the one who volunteered. She smiled. “Thank you for teaching me.”

He crowded her against a wall, his half-hooded eyes staring down at her.
“I can teach you a lot of things, Hannah.”

His spicy breath washed over her.
He tilted his head and his lips captured hers. She reached up and grabbed his arms, his muscles rippling beneath her. His tongue pushed open her mouth, entering as if ’twas his right to be there. Hannah lost herself in his kiss. She pressed herself against his hard body, wanting to feel the man, knowing he had risked his life for her, now giving her into request, stirred those same unnamed feelings.

Kane
left her mouth, kissing down her throat. She arched up giving him full access, wanting to feel his mouth and tongue on her skin. “If we don’t stop,” he whispered, “you won’t have a lesson today.”

She panted.
“Please…I…want…to…learn…the…sword.”

But she
wasn’t sure she was talking about learning how to wield a sword or something else, something more sensual, more sinful.

“Very well,” he said his voice husky.
He slowly stepped away from her and shook his head. “Christ, let’s find you a damn sword.”

The scent of gun
powder and sulfur filled the room. Rope nets secured cannonballs into stacks against one wall. Kane opened trunk after trunk stacked with boarding axes, machetes, rapiers, blunderbusses, long guns and muskets. On the other side, there was a cabinet. Inside were brass guns, broadswords, buck-shot, cavilers, carbines, cutlasses, daggers, Dutch knives, musket balls, hangers and pistols. Toward the stern, she spied barrels filled with gunpowder. She stepped back, looking at all the weapons, but none of them were as deadly as the men aboard the ship.

Kane lifted her chin.
“So, what would you like?”

She swallowed, not looking at the pistols and muskets, but staring into
his passionate eyes. “I don’t know.”

He pecked her on the lips, his fingers caressing her cheek.
Wicked sensations raced through her, pooling at her feminine core. He broke away. “Let’s see what we can do for you.” He released her and stepped away. She was surprised at feeling disappointment, but she was the one who asked to be shown how to use a sword.

Kane
picked out a ruby-handled dagger, pulling it out of its sheath. “Here.” He snorted. “This brings back memories.”

Her cheeks heated.
“Kane, I didn’t mean to…”

He brushed back a strand of her hair, placing it behind her ear and her words died on her lips.

“You’re so beautiful when you blush,” he murmured.

He placed the dagger in her hand, his fingers wrapping around her hand.
The dagger felt solid in her hand. Familiar.

She parted her lips, wanting to feel his on hers again.
He didn’t disappoint her. This kiss was hungry, devouring. She responded in kind, not sure whether she wanted to learn to fight at that moment and instead give in to Kane’s passion. But the image of Jacques’ leering face appeared. She didn’t want to be vulnerable again, to have him take liberties. Kane would help her become strong. She needed him.

Reluctantly, she put her hand on his chest.
“Kane.”

He stopped kissing her and rested his forehead on hers.
“When I’m around you, all I want to do is kiss and touch you. I’m sorry.”

“Do not be,” she whispered.

He groaned and faced the cabinet
. His taste lingered on her lips and she wanted more, to lick his skin, but she needed this. They were going into battle and she needed to be prepared. Her father’s life depended on it.

He picked out a
small cutlass. “I think this is a good size. Let me sharpen it for you.” He took out a dagger secured in his belt and slid it up and down on the cutlass.

She frowned.
“What are you doing?”

“Sharpenin
g the blade.”

He licked his lips, those same ones, she wanted on her body.
She lowered her gaze, afraid if he kissed her one more time, her lesson would be forgotten. Or at least the one learning to fight. Instead, she may learn the other lesson. Kane had promised to teach her—she panted at the shameful image in her mind, heat rushing over her cheeks.  

He grabbed her hand. “Com’ on, let’s get out of here before I do something stupid.”

She swallowed back a retort.
What if she made a fool of herself? Would Kane be disappointed in her? 

Men mopped and cleaned the deck.
Some of them laughed and she hoped they weren’t jeering at her. Kane glared and they returned to their duties. William leaned against the mast with his arms folded over his chest. “You’re going to get her killed Kane.”

“I have faith in her,” Kane countered.

Hannah smiled and wanted to throw her arms around him, hugging him.
This big rough pirate believed in her. Her feelings for him grew stronger.

William shook his
head. “I had faith in Sharon.” He dropped his arms and left.

“What happened to Sharon?”

He pulled out his sword. “Now take out your cutlass.”

She frowned. Avoiding questions again. She decided not to push her luck and
unsheathed her cutlass. “I’m ready.” 

Kane grinned.
He pulled out his sword, a dashing pirate, with the wind blowing his hair and his shirt unbuttoned revealing his smooth chest. She pulled her gaze away and met his eyes, glimmering with passion. He clasped her wrist and pulled her along his side. “I want you to stand here, sideways from me. Turn your body toward me.” He leaned over and kissed her lips.

“Kane.”

“Sorry. Couldn’t resist.” He grinned.

She glanced over her shoulder and his men eyed them curiously, others were speaking quietly.

“Hannah,” Kane said.
“You need to pay attention.”
             She frowned. “You need to pay attention to teaching me.”

He winked and kissed her on the cheek.

Her cheeks heated and he laughed. Cocking his eyebrow, William leaned against the railing. Were these two brothers still at war?

“Hannah, stand slightly to the side of your target.
Now hold your cutlass like this.” Wrapping his hands around hers, he molded her fingers around the base of the sword. His grip was firm, but gentle. “You should hold it firmly but not so tight you can’t maneuver. That’s right. Your footwork is most important in sword fighting.” He stood with his feet firmly planted apart. “First, place your feet shoulder width apart.”

“Now, you put your leading foot forward.
Your leading foot is the one you put under your cutlass. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed. Bend your knees and keep your balance. Grand. Now with your weight evenly distributed, you can use your leg muscles to generate bursts of rapid speed and change directions with ease. The goal’s to control your adversary’s blade by cutting, thrusting or striking. ’Tis better to be on the offensive rather than on the defensive. Give no quarter.”

William snorted.
Kane glanced over his shoulder. Hannah glared at William, shaking his head.

Kane returned to her.
“Don’t pay attention to him. To cut your adversary’s sword, you make a chopping motion with the blade.” Kane moved his sword down hers until he reached the hilt. “Now, you do it to mine.”

Hannah followed Kane’s i
nstructions from fancy footwork to defensive and offensive moves. She imitated him and met his every maneuver.

“Grand. Now, let’s engage slowly.
En garde
,” Kane said.

They hit each other’s sword slowly.
Kane would call out for her to cut his sword, strike, lunge, and thrust her sword. Sweat poured down her face, but she met him hit for hit. Her hand smarted from holding the cutlass, but she refused to give up. She wanted to prove she could wield a sword.

For the next few hours, Kane showed her more footwork.
Her fingers grew stiff and her arm ached. The hot sun beat down on her and perspiration dripped down her back.

Kane lowered his sword. “I think
’tis time for us to take a break, love.”

Her stomach growled. She sheathed her cutlass and rubbed her arm as he led her to the galley.
The galley cooled her hot skin and she downed three glasses of water. She gobbled down cold meats, a banana and a piece of crusty bread.

“You done well, love,” Kane rubbed her thigh.

“Thank you.”

Kane and Hannah took their time in finishing their meal.
The rest of the crew wandered around them. Some murmured praise at her progress on learning how to use the cutlass. She had to admit she was pleased with herself.

William ate his lunch in silence.
He rolled his eyes whenever someone complimented her. She bristled at his insolent behavior. “Some men are not intimidated by a woman who can take care of herself.”

“Hannah,” Kane growled.

She tilted her chin. “
Well, you’re not.”

William glared.
“You’re going to get yourself killed.”

“No I’
m not,” she insisted.

“William,” Kane warned.

William pushed
away from the table and stormed out of the galley. Kane spun his mug around in a circle. Sharon again. There was a moment of silence before the men began talking again. After lunch, Hannah resumed her lesson. The afternoon sun hid behind a bank of clouds, and her sweat cooled. She wiped her forehead with her palm and sighed.

“Do you want to quit
, lass?” Kane asked.

“No, let’s keep going,” she said.
For the reminder of the day, she followed Kane’s every command, ignoring her screaming muscles.

The sun set and pink and orange clouds dipped into the ocean. Kane shielded his sword. “You’ve done grand, lass. ’Tis time for dinner. You can practice your cutlass tomorrow.”

Her stiff muscles made her feel
as if she were sixty years old, but she smiled. “Thank you, Kane.”

W
hen they entered the galley, the crew clapped. Heat warmed her cheeks.

Cook left a feast of
cheese wheels, fried dog-fish, coconut rice, plantains and ship’s biscuit. She sat at the table, cut a piece of cheese and put it on the biscuit. The cheese and biscuit whet her appetite. She piled fried fish, coconut rice and two plantains on her plate. After cleaning her plate, she gulped down two tankards of grog.