LITMIR.BIZ

Скачать книгу

spit the sourness from her mouth and glared at the closed door. He’d be back. Her stunt had only bought her time. She had to get off this godforsaken ship before Rasher returned to rape her, and—and what? Fight an entire ship of pirates? Take over the ship? Swim to Virginia? There had to be a way out.

      Hours later, the captain slammed his way back into the cabin.

      “You’ll be wishin’ ye ain’t seen fit to spew on me.” He stuffed a filthy rag into her mouth. Grabbing her hair, he forced her to turn around. His fingers bit into her flesh as he shoved her facedown onto the bed. Alice struggled, screaming against the rag in her mouth and the brutal hold he had upon her neck. She couldn’t fight him, not like this.

      Rasher pinned her with a vise grip to one shoulder while he raised her skirts and fumbled to release the front of his breeches.

      “Time fer ye te learn who be in charge—”

      With the tangle of her skirts about her waist, Alice kicked out. Ankles lashed together, she used both feet like a barnyard mule and caught Rasher squarely in the groin. The full force of her kick knocked Rasher back against a pile of debris. A holler caught in his throat and turned into an agonized squeal as he doubled over in pain, clutching at his crotch.

      He fell to the floor writhing in pain, cursing her, and gasping for breath. “I’ll k-kill ye. Ye sorry b-bitch.” He rolled into a fetal curl. “Wait till I get me hands on ye, ye’ll wish ye ne’er been born.”

      An insistent knock rattled the cabin door. “Capt’n, ship off te stern. Followin’ close. Be a plague ship.”

      “Aargh, I’m busy. Be gone. Got me own plague right ’ere.” He spit at Alice.

      Far-off cannon fire caught Rasher’s attention. He struggled to his feet, and pointed a dirty finger at her. “I be right back te snap yer bloody neck.” Rasher straightened himself best he could and stumbled from the cabin.

      Another round of gunfire exploded. Alice listened to the rumble of cannons being rolled into position. Whoever was shooting at the Delmar was getting closer by the second. More cannon fire. This shot hit its mark. The Delmar lurched as if half the ship was blown away. Overhead, men screamed and scrambled on deck.

      The door flew open, crashing into the wall. The same two pirates who had dumped her there earlier yanked her off the bed.

      “Capt’n be wantin’ ye on deck.” They pulled at her to move, but she fell at their feet.

      “Cut ’er ankle bounds. I ain’t draggin’ her the whole way.”

      Alice was able to spit out the vile rag Rasher used to gag her. This might be her only chance. If she could break free in the chaos, she could hide away in another part of the ship or beg quarter aboard whatever ship was putting holes in the Delmar. She forced herself to keep her head and wait for any chance to escape.

      One of the men bent to slice at the rope binding her feet. Alice thought to kick him, but with her hands still tied and the other pirate doing his best to break her arms, she wouldn’t get out of the cabin alive.

      A rough hand began to scratch up the inside of her leg. “She sure be purty.” Alice did kick at him then, but he only jeered. “What say we take a quick poke ’fore we bring ’er up?”

      “Capt’n’s waitin’.”

      “He’s just gonna kill ’er.” The man sneered into her face. “He be thinkin’ yer a witch that put a curse upon ’im.” He raked his hands over her breasts. “Ye don’t be lookin’ like no witch ta me.”

      “Leave ’er. Ye want the next back Rasher stripes to be yers?”

      “Be worth the whip.” He wiped spittle from the corner of his mouth.

      “Take orders from yer cock, an Capt’n be havin’ it for bait.” The other pirate laughed, “If’n he be fishin’ for sardines.”

      The man spun on the other. “Sardines? Must be thinkin’ of yer own wee bullocks and twig.”

      A blast of cannon fire brought their attention back to the matter at hand. “Git ’er te the Capt’n, an’ remind me te knock out the rest of yer teeth later.”

      The scene above was chaotic. Men raced about shouting. Several lay dead. Smoke and sulfur filled the air. A blast from the ship off their starboard exploded, splintering a section of the rail, and rocking the Delmar. Alice and her two escorts fell to the deck.

      Breaking free in the confusion, Alice scrambled close to the side rail. She tripped over a body but used the dead man’s cutlass to slice at the ropes binding her wrists. It took several passes to cut through the rope. A rush of freedom filled her veins. She spoke to the dead man as she stole his blade. “I need this more than you. Sorry.”

      “There be the witch who’s brung the plague down on us.” Rasher lorded over her.

      “The Olivia Grace wasn’t carrying the plague.”

      Rasher pointed his dagger at the attacking ship. “That bloody barge is. Ye cursed us.”

      The mysterious vessel loomed large and ominous. It was bedecked with tattered black sails. Great strips of sickly green hung from the yardarms. The decks stood empty. Not a soul could be seen. Were the guns firing on their own? It looked possessed, and abandoned.

      Better to take her chances with spirits than pirates. Alice pointed her cutlass at him. “You’re right. I am a witch, and I’ve cursed you all to the fiery pits of hell. There’s only one way to save your sorry hides. Release me. I have the power to stop the devil ship. Let me go, and you can be rid of us all.”

      Rasher glared at her. “I be as damned as I plan to git. I’d ratha kill ye.”

      Alice slashed out with her cutlass. Rasher growled and lunged at her. She swung on him once more as the Delmar caught another round of fire and lurched beneath her feet. Alice lost her balance and caught Rasher’s hip with the end of her sword. Blood bloomed down his thigh, and he slashed out in anger, missing her as she ducked low to the deck. Rasher moved toward her with his dirk raised high.

      Gripping her weapon with both hands, Alice rose to catch Rasher just below his breastbone. She surged upward. Hot blood coursed over her hands. She released the grip as if burned. Rasher’s eyes, wide with shock, looked to the cutlass protruding from his front before crumbing to the deck.

      More cannon fire shattered a section of rail. Something ripped across Alice’s upper arm. She cried out and clutched at the burning pain.

      Blasts fired all around her as the approaching ship came alive. The black and green rags fell away as bright red sails rose along with a grinning skull emblazoned on a black flag. More than thirty men materialized out of voluminous clouds of red cannon smoke. It swirled about them as they swarmed the deck of the Delmar, looking as if they were arriving from the very bowels of hell.

      Alice picked up a pistol and a boarding ax. If the gun wasn’t loaded, at least it would buy her some of time. From behind, a hand came down to crush her shoulder. Jones. The man who’d stolen her ring. A gaping wound upon his forehead had covered half his face with blood.

      He hauled her against him. “Cap’n won’t be savin’ ye this time, will ’e. Ye’ve seen to that, ain’t ye?”

      Struggling against his hold, she spit, “I won’t be needing the captain.”

      With the pistol trapped between them, Alice said a quick prayer and squeezed the trigger. The ensuing blast knocked her hard against the rail, punching the air from her lungs. Powder burns singed her clothes. Jones clawed at the hole in his chest before he died at her feet.

      Alice shook her head and struggled to regain her senses. A painful ringing in her ears deafened all else. Dropping to her knees, she began a frantic search of Jones’s body.

      Holding the ax poised, Alice reached into bloodied pockets until

Скачать книгу