Chapter Twenty-Four #2
But he was fast. Faster than she was. Each step she took, he copied with expert prediction and inched closer. His eyes never left her face as he read each of her moves. Her stomach went cold.
Here was an opponent she could not beat.
She clenched her teeth. Nonsense. Everyone had a weakness. She just had to find his.
Her feet moved in a blur as she came in with a thrust to his left side. He met it without hesitation, without a falter in his stride, and dealt her a heavy blow from above. The vibrations ran straight through her bones and she scowled.
He already had found hers.
She twisted away before he could deal another and slashed at his knees. Thorne jumped back and his blade snaked out toward her side, connecting before she could block it.
Her breath hissed out at the sharp sting and she let him come forward, let him think he had the advantage. His thrust came fast and she met it with a sharp twist of her rapier. The guise worked and he nearly dropped his sword.
With a grunt, she met his blade again, before he could fix his grip. The next minutes flew by as they parried, each blow coming faster and harder.
This wouldn’t work. He would have her exhausted before she found a way through his defenses. She fell back as sweat dripped into her eyes.
Time to play dirty.
Humid air filled her lungs as she darted in and out, staying just beyond his reach. She settled into a pattern, one jab toward his right, two to his left. And waited for him to make his move. He read her movements and jumped ahead to meet her next thrust to his right.
She hit his sword from the inside, sweeping it out and dove forward, slamming into his chest. At the same time, she twisted her blade behind her, just in time to block his as it whistled toward her back.
The clang of steel echoed against her spine and she used the momentum to push him backward.
He regained his balance and they jerked to a stop.
“Well, this is new.” Thorne took a quick step back, forcing her to follow. “I can’t say I mind.”
His free arm twisted around her back and tugged her closer as he grappled for her rapier. Hot fingers closed around hers and began to pry them open.
Now.
Samantha brought her knee up into his groin at the same time he jabbed his elbow up and slammed it into her jaw.
The impact sent a flash of light through her vision and she stumbled to her knees.
She tucked into a ball and rolled to avoid Thorne’s blade as it followed her.
Struggling to her feet, she took a few steps back and spit a mouthful of blood into the dust at her feet.
He didn’t give her a moment’s rest and stalked toward her, twirling his sword in a slow circle. Her chest burned almost as much as her arm did and she switched hands as she scrambled to the other edge of the clearing.
“I will say, you’re a better fighter than your mother.”
Ignore him.
Still, her heart blazed with hatred.
That hatred pushed her forward and she thrust up, changing direction at the last moment. This time, the tip of her blade cut through the fabric beneath his bicep. Thorne swore and rubbed his free hand across the spot. His fingers came away red and his jaw went rigid.
The thirst for more blood rushed through her and she tightened her grip and lunged again.
This time, he met her with cold determination.
Gone was his amused smirk and his eyes had turned a shade darker.
He pushed her back, one heavy blow at a time, and her eyes widened as she struggled to deflect each one.
He’d merely been playing with her before.
This Thorne was the one feared across the seas. The cold-hearted brute whose name inspired terror.
She tried to twist his blade away as it slid dangerously close to her hilt, but his arm stayed steady. The blows came faster and her movements became frantic. Every step she took sent waves of fire up her side and her arms started to tremble.
Something glinted in his eyes and she had to use both hands to bring her rapier up and meet the heavy downward arc of his sword. The blow sent her to one knee and her elbows shook as she strained to keep her rapier in her hands.
He didn’t let up and pressed harder. And harder. A guttural cry pushed through her clenched teeth as her strength waned.
He laughed.
And with a simple twist, sent her blade clattering to the ground.
Her shoulders heaved and it was all she could do to keep herself from collapsing against the sharp point he pressed into the hollow of her throat.
“Too bad. I would have relished the look on your face when I retrieved your beloved parents’ treasure.”
Her breaths came too fast, too heavy, for her to respond, and he laughed again.
“Did you really think you had a chance?”
Her eyes pressed shut and she rested her palms against the rough sand. This was it. The end. The pressure at her throat increased until each wild beat of her pulse thumped against the warm steel.
“Come now. Are you giving up so easily? At least your mother fought until the very end.”
Her fingernails dragged through the sand, but she didn’t move. “I’m tired of your games. Do as you will.”
“Very well.”
Time hung still as his boot scraped the dirt. As the blade twisted to a better angle for him. She held her breath.
“Thorne!”
Samantha’s eyes snapped open at the shout and her mouth went slack. Thorne stiffened, but he didn’t turn from her.
“Lieutenant. You have a bad habit of showing up when you’re not wanted.”
“Let her go.”
The metal against her throat pressed harder until the tip pierced her skin. She gritted her teeth against the sharp pain and met Christian’s gaze. How the bloody hell was he here?
A warm trickle ran down her chest and Christian drew his sword. “Stand down, Thorne.”
Men began to pour from the trees with muskets pointed at the giants.
“The cannons we heard?” Thorne’s lips pulled into a snarl.
“From my ships as we overtook yours. You’ve nowhere to run, Thorne. It’s over.”
Ships.
Samantha’s heart soared.
Christian took another step toward them and Thorne lowered his sword. She lifted her fingers and pressed against the cut he left behind while she struggled to her feet.
“Drop your weapon.”
Thorne stood rigid, his gaze never leaving Samantha. He lifted his arm, held his sword out at his side. But he didn’t drop it. Something flashed in his eyes.
He wasn’t going to give up.
Samantha took a step back.
“Not so fast, dear.” His hand snaked out and closed around her shoulder. Before she could spin away, he yanked her around his front and swung his outstretched arm back in, resting the blade against her throat once more.
“If you want her to live, call off your men.”
Christian came to a stop. After an agonizing second, he lifted his hand and his men halted their forward progress.
“We outnumber you four to one. Your ship is crippled. No matter what, this ends with you in chains.”
Thorne tugged her against his chest. “I guess it all comes down to how much you want this pretty little piece of yours to live.”
Forest-green eyes sparkled in the sunlight as Christian stared them down. A rustle came from behind and the pirate spun. Her crew still held their swords and edged closer.
“Stay back,” Thorne warned. He twisted and began to edge away from the two groups of men. When they were clear, he backed up to the edge of the sinkhole.
Christian followed and the blade’s pressure against her neck increased.
“I’ll slice her throat right in front of you, boy. I mean it. Take your men and leave. Then maybe I’ll let her go.”
“She’s innocent. Why shed her blood?”
“I told you, no one is innocent. Least of all her family.”
Samantha glanced down at the crumbling edge of limestone they perched on. A pebble broke free and splashed into the water below. If she pushed hard enough . . .
Her eyes flew to Christian’s, but he remained focused on Thorne. Look at me. She widened her eyes and tilted her head to the side. He frowned and took another step forward.
Blast.
She would have to make her move and hope he followed.
Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths while sliding her foot forward to brace against.
One.
Two.
Three.
She slammed all her weight into Thorne.