Chapter Five
“Release me at the nearestport,” Celeste commanded.
A wicked grin pulled at his lips, revealing even rows of white teeth with a wink of gold.
Celeste found it difficult to breathe, let alone find the words to negotiate with this captain who had pinned her to the door. His heat slid through her like rays of sunlight cresting vast blue waters. The captain was unlike any pirate she’d ever imagined. She had pictured blackened, rotting teeth, worn and weathered garments. Scrounging and pillaging to suit selfish purpose.
Captain Hook, for all his swagger and confidence, was most assuredly the most handsome pirate on the Endless Sea. She would stake her life upon it. However, it did nothing to detract from his deplorable manners and vain countenance.
The war waging inside her left her angry and confused. Her sheltered upbringing had not prepared her for a man such as him.
“Why would I release you?” His grin faded. “Aside from the fact that you repeatedly attempt to harm me every time I enter my own quarters.”
She struggled against him, but he braced himself, not giving her space to break his hold. His grip on her hair tightened, making her hiss as pain radiated through her skull. His eyes narrowed, the colors swirling and swimming like shifting tides.
“If you release me, I will pay you five times what you took from me.”
“Plotting your next move, are you?” He arched a brow and eased his grip, allowing her to angle her head to better look at him.
“I was hoping we could come to an arrangement, one that may benefit both of us.” Her mind spun, crafting and cobbling pieces together. What could she possibly offer him that would secure her safe release?
“Elaborate.” His fingers slid along the nape of her neck as he disentangled them from the mess of her hair. His ghostly touch sent a tingle along her spine.
She suppressed a shiver and held her gaze steady. If she revealed the secrets of her home, it would become vulnerable to attack. Could she trust him and his men to keep it to themselves? Highly unlikely.
But what choice did she have? It had been her home but was no longer. Not after what her uncle had done.
Licking her lips, she dove headfirst into the waves.
“I can get you into the castle vault.”
The captain blinked twice before scowling. “A trap.”
“Not a trap,” Celeste assured him. “If you take me to Arrenmore, I will tell you exactly how to access the vault beneath the castle in Nevarro.”
His chuckle sent a spark of warmth spiraling through her. His scent of sandalwood, seawater, and leather teased her as he shifted his weight away from her.
She inhaled at the sudden movement, sagging against the wood behind her. Part of her mourned the loss of contact, while the rest hummed at the prospect of him accepting her bargain.
The captain stroked his stubbled jaw. “Why would you betray your kin?”
Celeste shoved away from the door, pushing past him to pace the cabin, putting distance between them. He made it difficult to think, to reason. For all his faults, she admired his quick wit and determination, not to mention he was handsome enough to compete with the finest men at court. None of it detracted from the fact that he was an unmitigated ass. Curse him for being so complicated.
“My sister will be queen with my uncle as her councilor. They have no use for me, and I have little use for them.” The twisted lie spun from her lips easily enough, but it left a bitter taste on her tongue. “Deliver me to Arrenmore, and I will ensure you are compensated generously for your service.”
The captain turned, and his dark gaze fixed on her as she rounded the table. “By giving me the maps to the tunnels beneath the castle?”
She swore under her breath.
“Aye, Princess, I know about the tunnels. ’Tis death to any who dare approach the waters beneath the cliffside, what with sharp rocks jutting up from the seafloor and schools of sharks. Not to mention the soldiers who guard those entrances.”
She bit her lip as he strode deeper into the cabin, his presence dominating the large space.
“Do you honestly believe we did not know of those passages? That we haven’t paid and bled to uncover the secret to their access?” He inclined his head, lantern light catching the gold hoop on his left ear. “There is not a pirate on these waters who hasn’t tried, and failed, to penetrate that stronghold.”
Celeste straightened, taking measured steps to maintain a respectable distance between them. “There are...other ways.”
“Of course there are.” He paused. “But I would be a fool to barter your release for a mere promise to access that which is impossible.”
“What would you have me do in exchange?”
“Lead the way.” His grin widened. “Once we have the treasure, I will escort you to any foreign shore, still hale and hearty.”
“How can I trust you?” She scowled. “You’ve betrayed me once already. Who’s to say you will not slit my throat and toss me overboard the moment I take you to the vault?”
“You have my word.” He pressed his hand to his heart.
“The word of a pirate is worthless.” Celeste scoffed. “You must think me a simpleminded fool to strike such a bargain.”
His gaze sharpened and his lips twitched. “Not one hair on your head will be touched. While you are aboard my ship, in my care, none will bring you harm and risk the wrath of my displeasure.”
Celeste sucked in a breath. “How can you make such a claim?”
“I am Captain James Hook, the most feared and respected pirate on the Endless Sea.” He caught a lock of her hair with his gleaming hook, letting the soft curl drift across the steel. “No pirate who values his life dares cross me.”
As she searched his face for deceit, any measure of duplicity, Celeste weighed his words with careful consideration. Outside the tavern, she’d been impatient and reckless, terrified of being caught by her uncle’s soldiers. Her only goal had been to escape Port Royale, to find an ally who could help her uncover her uncle’s treacherous plot. She’d been naive to think a pirate and his scurvy crew would come to her aid...but she could use this to her advantage, could she not?
Even though he knew her identity, the captain could not possibly know of the bounty on her head. Once her uncle found her missing, he would post word to every port and village. But with the growing expanse of sea between them and Nevarro, she hoped to strike a bargain that would tempt him more than the gleaming prize her uncle offered for her return.
“Very well.” She squared her shoulders and thrust out a hand. “In exchange for my safe passage to Arrenmore, I shall lead you through the tunnels to the vault.”
He grasped her hand and sealed the bargain. The heavy weight of it settled around her as his heat seeped into her with the simple touch.
“We have an accord.” He held her hand tight before releasing it. “Oh, and one more thing.”
Celeste glared at him. Damned pirates.
“While aboard the Raven, you will remain in this cabin.” His gaze drifted over the quarters, and a smile curved his mouth. “I see you have cleaned your mess.”
Heat flooded her at the observation. “I did it only to avoid impaling myself with shards of glass.”
He ignored her, turning instead to retrieve a document from the small desk along the wall.
“When will we return to Nevarro?”
“We must first obtain supplies.” The captain turned, eyeing her saggy garments. “Perhaps a better disguise.”
She pulled at the tunic. “What’s wrong with these?”
“There is no fault with them, but if you wish to uphold your end of the bargain, you must wear something more suitable.”
“Suitable for what?”
“For pillaging a castle.”
Her brow furrowed. “I am not a pirate.”
“That is obvious.” He locked the desk and slid the key into a small pocket at his hip.
“You are despicable.”
“And yet you came to me.” He drew closer, allowing his gaze to rake over her. “Never fear, Princess. Desperation and sense make terrible bedfellows.”
Her gaze drifted to the bed, and a horrifying thought filled her. “If I am to remain in the captain’s quarters, where are you going to sleep?”
A low, sinful laugh bubbled up from deep in his chest.
Eyes wide, she stared at him, even as the terror she should have felt melted into something far more dangerous and inviting. “You cannot expect me to share a bed with you?”
“You can always sleep on the floor. Or with the crew.”
She shivered at the thought.
He leaned closer still, his voice deep as the Endless Sea. “Come now, Princess. Does the thought of sharing my bed terrify you so much you would rather take your chances with my crew?”
“You promised...” She licked her dry lips. “No harm would come to me.”
“That I did, treasure.” He trailed his fingers across her jaw. “But I can better protect you in my company...and in my bed.”
Celeste tore herself from his touch. “I am no whore.”
“You may not be a whore, but in this den of thieves, you are nothing more than temptation.” He dropped his hand. “You’ve had a trying day. Perhaps you should get some sleep.”
Without a word, he retreated from the cabin, locking the door behind him.
Fury lashed through her. The ship swayed beneath her unsteady feet. How could she get her bearings when she was constantly bombarded with contradictory emotions? She wanted nothing more than to be free.
Caught between her uncle’s treasonous plot and the pirate’s tempting proposition, Celeste could no longer see the horizon amid a haze of indecision.
She picked up a model ship sitting on a shelf near the desk, tempted to throw it to hear the satisfying crack as it shattered at her feet. But then she would have to clean it up or risk gouging her foot on broken pieces. Curse the heartless pirate.
He’d put her in this position. One in which she had no choice but to help him before receiving her freedom. The limited options aboard the ship as to where she could sleep only added insult to injury.
After replacing the small ship on the shelf, she glanced at the bed, admiring the soft velvet counterpane and the plush down-filled pillows. Celeste grimaced and looked at the floor. Even though a thick carpet covered the center of the room, it did not look inviting.
How she longed for a warm bath and fresh garments. She plucked at her oversized tunic. He’d been right about her attire, but it was not as though she had been afforded much choice when she escaped through the caverns.
Celeste looked around the cabin, searching for the captain’s chest or a wardrobe of sorts. On the far side of the room, a trunk sat atop a small pedestal, secured with leather straps. She threw caution aside and opened it. Tunics and breeches, velvet and silk, all neatly folded.
She pulled a turquoise silk tunic from the pile and held it aloft. After removing her old, tattered tunic, she tugged the silk over her head, sighing as the fabric slid across her skin. The glide of it reminded her of her favorite gown. She found a matching pair of silk trousers. They hung loose on her frame, as they were not designed for the curves of a woman but the broad bulk of a man. And not just any man.
Celeste sucked in a ragged breath at the thought of the captain wearing these silks. She shook her head and closed the trunk. Using her fingers, she brushed tangles from her hair, then wove it into a plait with the aid of a small mirror hanging near the door.
Outside, she heard shouts of the crew as they worked. Her stomach grumbled, making her wish she’d asked for something to eat, but she would rather die than make another request of the captain. Who knew what bargain he would suggest in exchange for something to sate her hunger?
Celeste crawled into the bed, snuggled beneath the blankets, and allowed the gentle sway of the ship to soothe her restlessness. Her eyes remained fixed upon the door. She prayed he would stay away. It was not that she feared for her innocence—she had none left—but he did not need to know the truth...or how his threat to join her had left her aching to tease him to the point of breaking. As much as she hated him, she could not deny the curiosity unleashed within her at the sight of the handsome, horrid pirate.
If she were required to negotiate further, Celeste was sorely tempted to find out if he would accept a more carnal bargain and seal it with a kiss. She drifted off to sleep with wicked thoughts of the captain filling her mind.