23. In which there are two skeletons and a bargain #2
Odette’s laugh tinkled around the cavern. “Struck a nerve, have I? Then bargain with me. I swear to stop hunting your men if you spend a year here with me, teaching me to garner love and admiration.”
Hester spluttered, “A year?!” Odette was as mad as a box of frogs if she thought she would spend a year with her. Especially now, when her crew needed her.
Odette rolled her eye. “Well, if a year is too long, how much time would it take for you to teach me?”
Hester tilted her head. How long would it take her to teach people to fall in love with a squid-siren? She found herself saying, “A month. But not now. My crew need me now.” A month? Why had she said that? Perhaps she was insane too.
Odette nodded slowly, a smile spreading across her face. “I’m willing to wait.”
Hester let out a relieved breath. “Fine. A month when the expedition is over.”
Odette slid from the throne and prowled towards Hester.
“Wonderful. You know…I can feel the sexual frustration coming from you. I could release it.” She approached, closer and closer still.
Hester could not move, transfixed by the woman.
Odette brushed her nose against Hester’s, her lips a hair’s breadth away.
Hester’s pulse quickened, her core melting with heat.
Oh, she was sure Odette could well banish her frustrations.
“You have always been curious about a woman’s touch?” Odette purred.
Hester swallowed. How Odette knew, she had no idea.
The siren continued, “But you’re sweet on the man outside, aren’t you?”
Hester stiffened.
“He could join us. I promise not to eat him afterwards.”
Hester could barely think through the fog of desire. “No.”
Odette cocked her head and stroked a finger across Hester’s cheek. “I changed my mind.”
Hester’s pulse thudded in her ears. Changed her mind? This was not good.
Odette’s black eye lit up. “I want a month after the expedition for you to teach me. But I want one night with you now. A little deposit, if you will.”
Hester choked out, “A night?”
“You’ve got me all heated up. And if I cannot eat your men…well. I need to release my frustrations.”
Another wave of desire swept through Hester, the siren’s magic heating her blood.
“Fine. One night now.” Good Lord. Was she really agreeing to this?
A night with a squid who had killed two of their men?
“But you have to let Mei and Charlotte go, and no more eating our men.” Hell, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, and if Odette would leave them alone, she would pay any price.
Odette clapped her hands. “It’s a deal! Come with me.” She offered Hester her hand, pale and elegant. Hester reached forwards.
Mei cleared her throat and slapped Hester’s hand out of the way. “I’ll do the night.”
Hester whipped her head to Mei. What was Mei thinking?
Odette cocked her head and fixed her eye on Mei appraisingly. “A night with you, my love? Hmm. I could accept that, I suppose.” She tapped a finger to her lips.
Mei shrugged and said to Hester, “If someone has to do this, it should be me. She’s more my type than yours.”
“Your type is giant squid siren women, is it?”
Mei smiled coyly. “Redheads.”
Hester’s jaw dropped, and she shot Mei the most incredulous look she could muster. “You’re sure about this?”
Odette chuckled and lifted the eyepatch, showing a milky blue eye underneath. “Are you truly sure, Mei, my love?”
Mei reached out and pulled the eyepatch down again. “I’m sure.” She rolled her eyes at Hester, who was still gaping. “What? It’s been a while.”
Odette turned fully to Mei, her face eager. “Tentacles, or no?”
Mei shrugged. “What’s that saying? When in Rome?”
Hester bent over laughing. “When in Rome!” She laughed so hard that tears sprang to her eyes.
Well, it was laugh or cry. “We have a bargain, then. We get to keep our men, and you get one night with Mei, and a month of me teaching you when this expedition is over.” No need to mention that the expedition might end in failure and death.
And no need to worry about how the Hell she’d teach a squid woman to garner love.
Odette held out a hand, which Hester shook.
“Have…fun?” Hester said, patting Mei on the shoulder.
“Oh, she will,” Odette said, looping her arm through Mei’s and steering her away. “I’ll take very good care of her, don’t you worry. She’ll be back in the morning.”
Mei looked pleased, or as pleased as she ever looked, and said, “Someone else will need to cook the breakfast. It’ll be nice for someone else to see what I have to put up with, cooking for two crews, with all your ridiculous requests. This will be like a holiday.”
Hester shook her head in wonder, eyes snagging once again on the two skeletons by the throne. Holy Hell. Mei was batshit crazy too. A dark horse, indeed.
“Get out of here. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Mei said, shooing them away.
As Hester and Charlotte made their way out of the tunnels, Charlotte said, “You think she’ll be alright?”
“My gut says she will. Lord above. I didn’t expect that.”
Charlotte rubbed at her arms, as if trying to wake herself from a dream. “I thought I might die. Thank you for coming to find me.” She paused. “That was some very impressive magic you used back there.”
Hester swallowed and glanced side-long at her friend. “Mei knows now, too. It doesn’t scare you? Now you’ve seen me use it?”
Charlotte linked her arm through Hester’s. “Not at all. We have seen our share of frightening things on this voyage, but you are not one of them.”
1st October 1915, Weddell Sea
What was taking Mei so long? If she wasn’t back in the next few minutes, Hester was going to go marching right into that ice cave, or palace, or whatever it was, and demand her cook back.
She took the last sip of her tea and was just about to get up from the galley table when she heard a faint whistling from down the corridor.
The whistling grew louder until Mei entered the galley, a satisfied smile on her face.
She sat down opposite Hester and took out her pipe.
She lit it and leant back, putting her feet up on the table, and closing her eyes as she puffed away. Smoke rings rose to the ceiling.
Hester stared. Had never seen Mei look that way. So…serene. “Well?!” She had to know everything. “Tell me all the sordid details. Are you going to see her again?”
Mei cracked one eye open and smiled like the cat who’d gotten the cream. “I don’t kiss and tell. And no. She has gone to other hunting grounds.”
“Oh, come on. You have to tell me everything. Your captain commands it.”
Mei closed her eyes again, puffing more smoke. “Like you told me about your magic?”
Hester poked at the lumps of milk powder floating in her tea. “Will you tell the others?”
“No. You should be the one to tell them.”
“And if I don’t want to?”
“That’s your choice. I won’t force your hand.”
“Thank you.” Hester paused. “Now will you tell me everything?”
Mei laced her hands behind her head and tipped her chair back. She removed the pipe from her lips and mouthed, “Eleven.”
“Eleven? Eleven what? Oh!”
Mei smiled, her eyes still closed. “Oh, indeed.”