Carly moaned softly as the gentle rocking of the boat intruded on her drowsy slumber, and her fingers curled in the sheets. She lay sprawled on the softest of mattresses, her hand nestled beneath her cheek, her limbs free from constriction beneath the clean sheet. Her sky blue eyes fluttered open, and she stretched, feeling a delicious ache between her thighs.

Her heart thudded in her chest as she sat up with a start, hastily drawing the sheets over the creamy swell of her breasts as her gaze flew around the large cabin in alarm. The last vestiges of sleep flew from her mind as her eyes collided with devilish green ones.

He sat with his long muscular legs stretched out before him, his arm looped over the back of the chair turned to face the bed. She swallowed hard at the realisation that he had watched her as she slept, and heat stole up her cheeks.

“You – you bastard. Get out of here!” she hissed furiously. “You’ve taken what you wanted, so leave me in peace.”

He merely smiled as his intense green eyes caressed her face and bare shoulders.

“If it was only your virginity I wanted, little one, no doubt I would oblige you.”

A frown marred her brow as she glared at him, trying to comprehend his meaning. She refused to dwell on the fact that she was naked in his bed, or of how vulnerable and tiny she felt as his tanned muscular body clad in light brown breaches and a cream linen shirt seemed to fill the cabin.

Her eyes widened slightly as she grimly concluded what is it was that he wanted. “The gown I wore belonged to my sis – to my Lady Miriam Montague. I am merely her maid, and of no value should you wish to ransom me.”

He wiped his hand across his mouth at her snooty tone, trying to hide his smile at the picture she presented. Despite being naked as the day she was born, she sat in the middle of his bed as though a queen, her back ramrod straight, her sweet face expressionless. The swollen lips and tumbled golden mane floating over her creamy shoulders told him something entirely different. “Ah,” was all he could managed, and fury darkened the wide blue eyes that gazed back at him.

“What do you mean, “ah”?” she demanded. “Either you will let me go or…” her eyes widened at the possibilities. Quickly she backtracked. “I mean, I’m sure Lord Montague will pay you a modest sum to return me, that it would be worthwhile not to…um-“

“Dispose of you?” he inserted silkily.

She bit her lip, knowing instinctively by the gleam in his eyes that he was teasing her, yet it was too important a matter – her life was at stake! – to treat it lightly.

“Yes,” she replied softly, concentrating on the patterns her fingers traced on the sheets.

Her heart began to pound as she head him shift in the chair and cross the small distance to the bed. The mattress dipped beneath his weight as he rested one knee on the bed and placed a finger beneath her chin, tilting her face to his.

“Then let me make it clear to you, little one. I have no intention of ransoming you.”

“But-“ a finger pressed against her pink lips, still bruised from his demanding kisses of the evening before.

“You are mine. You were mine since the first moment I saw you poring over pretty ribbons in the market place with your sister.” As her lips parted on a soundless gasp, he smiled. “Yes, your sister.”

His head lowered as his lips captured hers, moving over her mouth tenderly as he gazed down into her startled wide blue eyes before slowly withdrawing. She shivered when he tucked a stray golden tendril behind the delicate pink shell of her ear.

“And I don’t give away what is mine,” he promised her.

Her lips parted on a silent gasp as he left her, gently closing the door behind him.

~*~

Carly gave a gasp of delight when she discovered the bowl of fresh water and a small sliver of jasmine soap that rested inside of the door. Beside it rested a neatly folded chemise, and a silver brush. She had just finished dressing when a tall lanky man, almost as tall as Daemon, stood filling the entrance of the cabin.

The breath caught in her lungs as a small figure ducked beneath his arm and hurled itself at Carly where she sat on the edge of the bed running the brush through her long mane. Her arms folded around a sobbing Miriam in surprise as she gazed upon the man over Miriam’s head with loathing. Familiar green eyes glared back at her for an instant before he shook his head in disgust and closed the door sharply on the two women.

Carly stroked Miriam’s hair soothingly as her older sister heaved against her shoulder. Horrid thoughts raced through her mind at what had been done to her sister, and she tried to suppress the outrage that burned through her as she comforted her sister. After what seemed an age had passed, Miriam’s distress eased somewhat, and gently Carly questioned her.

“Did he hurt you?”

“Yes! Well, no, not really. But he wanted to!” Miriam mumbled against her shoulder.

“You mean he didn’t try to…” Carly searched for the words, not wanting to shock her sister.

“He said I was pretty, and that I had nice pale skin. But he was so huge, and I…”

“You what?” Carly asked fearfully when no more words were forthcoming.

“Oh, it’s all so humiliating. He tried to undress me, and he was kissing me in all these strange places, and it was nice at first. Are you shocked?” before Carly could answer she quickly went on, “but…but when he undid his breeches, I got scared and started to cry, and he got really disgusted and angry with me and he stormed out,” Miriam wailed.

Carly couldn’t control the growing fury as she rubbed her sister’s back. “Shh, it’s ok. It’s ok.”

She held her sister, her chin resting on Miriam’s head and she gently rocked her in her arms. Whether from exhaustion or emotional turmoil, Miriam was soon asleep, and Carly gently eased her down onto the mattress.

~*~

Carly stormed from the cabin, her fists tightly clenched as her eyes adjusted to the light as she stomped up the wooden steps with small bare feet. They didn’t even try to lock the cabin door. Did he think they were so weak that they wouldn’t try to escape? She spotted him almost immediately, the tall muscular frame standing at the helm, his legs braced wide apart. She recognised the instant he spotted her by the way his shoulders stiffened slightly.

Without a second thought she marched right up to him and slapped him hard across the face. Her hand burned as her furious eyes locked with his, and a slight tremour raced through her at the dangerous look in his narrowed green eyes.

“How dare you let that disgusting man try to – to ravish my sister. She is only nineteen, and soon to be wed.”

“The man you speak of is my brother, so tread carefully, little one.” Her eyes widened slightly at the underlying seriousness of his words. “And your sister is older than you, no?” She blushed as his eyes dropped, moving over her body barely concealed in the thin shift that clung to her gentle curves, reminding her of all the wicked things he had done to her body, and of how her traitorous body had melted beneath his touch.

She was unaware of the sun streaming through the material of her shift from behind, outlining the curve of her hips and the sleek lines of her thighs to his narrowed gaze, or of his crews sharp interest.

Carly gasped when without warning he captured her wrist and drew her up against his solid warmth. “I fear you are in need of being taught a lesson, little one. It is not wise to strike a man or to question his authority in front of his crew. Nor is it safe to prance around in skimpy delicates onboard an all-male ship. I fear the sight of your loveliness may incite a riot even I could not control.”

She squirmed against him, but his grip was like iron. “I’ve never pranced a day in my entire life,” she whispered back heatedly, her cheeks stained pink.

“Should you wish to fight me, Carly, I would take great pleasure in it. But such sport is for the bed chamber, so choose your battles wisely, lest you lose and discover yourself on your back beneath me.”

She gasped in outrage. “You bastard! I will never let you do that - that horrible thing to me again!” she declared rebelliously.

Carly squeaked in alarm as he picked her up effortlessly and tossed her over his shoulder, sending the breath rushing from her lungs. His hand was planted firmly on her bottom as he strode across the deck and down the steps, uncaring of the hoots and whistles of his men. His boots thundered along the dark hall until he reached his cabin, and he sent the door to his chamber flying back on its hinges.

“Get out,” he said with dangerous softness to a startled Miriam, and kicked the door close after her hasty departure.

He deposited a pink faced Carly on her feet, and unbuckled his wide belt and slowly withdrew it from the loops of his breeches. Carly swallowed nervously, familiar with the feel of a belt after being walloped often for her impudence by Lord Montague’s wife.

He saw that look of wariness in her wide eyes, and silently cursed as he let the belt fall to the floor. Didn’t she know he wouldn’t harm a hair on her head?

A breath she didn’t know she was holding rushed from her lungs when he dropped it to the floor. She watched in amazement as he drew out a chair and leaned back lazily on its solid frame. Her lips parted on a soundless gasp as his finger beckoned her insolently.

She shook her head, her golden curls tumbling about her shoulders as she gazed upon him with mutinous eyes.

He raised a black eyebrow. “The longer you hesitate, little one, the more severe your punishment.”

“Oh,” she murmured, biting her lip as she thought swiftly about what he might do to her. A delicious ball of heat uncurled in her belly at the wicked image of him sliding up deep inside of her virgin pussy. Slowly, anxiously, she took small step back from him. A gasp escaped her as his hand snaked out, capturing her wrist and drawing her between his spread thighs. Her heart picked up speed as her gaze flickered to the hard bulge between his thighs then darted swiftly away.

He gazed up at her as he released her wrist and ran his large palms ran up the sides of her thighs, drawing her shift up higher and higher. The corner of his lips quirked when he felt her quiver.

“Do you tremble in fear, little one, or anticipation?” he drawled as his fingers stroked her hips teasingly, the hem of her garment dangling precariously high. Her face pinked in confusion, feeling her body soften at his gentle touch, felt the heat pool between her thighs. She cursed her traitorous body, even as she knew full well the futileness of resistance.

“Neither,” she said with a coolness she was far from feeling.

His hands slid up beneath her shift, up over her belly to gently cup the tiny thrust of her breasts. His teased the rosy tips, coaxing them into tight buds. She arched slightly as he rolled the aching tips between his fingers.

His eyes were intent on her expressive face as he slipped his hand between her slightly parted thighs to discover her melting heat. “Little liar, you love it when I play with your tender little nipples,” he murmured huskily, and she moaned softly as he toyed with a nipple while his other hand parted her soft lips and stroked her pleasure nub.

Her hands reached out to cling to his shoulders for support as his knowing fingers tormented her between her thighs, drawing soft gasping cries from her untutored body.

“Where has my fiery temptress gone,” he murmured, laughing softly at the knowledge that his touch easily awakened the sensual creature within her.

Daemon had known from the first that he had to have her. It had been a simple matter to bribe the captain of the Ambassador to take a certain path, to offer only a show of resistance when he took the beautiful stranger captive. Something had gone fatally wrong when one of the Ambassador’s passengers thought to defend the ship, killing one of Daemon’s men and resulting in the fool’s injury. The arrangement had been to keep all passengers below deck, and Daemon had looted the Ambassador of some of its more precious treasures as some sort of paltry reparation for his dead crewman’s family.

He felt her delicious body shudder as his fingers coaxed her dangerously close to her peak, and he gently withdrew from her and stood up, towering above her as he guided her backwards.

Carly barely noticed as her knees bumped against the edge of the bed, or of the pressure of his hands on her shoulders as he eased her onto her back on the soft mattress, too lost up in a sensual daze.

He pushed her shift up high her thighs, and she squirmed slightly at the intensity in the dark green eyes.

“Lift your bottom,” he murmured husily, and she did as he bid without a murmur of protest. She bit her lip as he drew her shift up, exposing the sparse thatch of curls and the gentle swell of her belly, the rise and fall of her pink tipped breasts. His warm hands trailed down over her, down between the valley of her breasts and over her hips to ease down between her thighs. Gently he tugged them apart and knelt between them.

She didn’t know what he was about when his hands drew her bottom to the edge of the bed and guided her legs over his shoulders. It was only as she felt his warm breaths stir her damp curls that she began to realise his wicked intent.

“No, you couldn’t possibly,” she began, only to end in a squeak as his tongue darted out, lapping at her dewy folds. Her whole body arched, her fingers digging into the mattress above her head as his mouth moved over her, tasting her, nibbling her, driving her into a frenzy of need.

His palms clamped her thighs to his shoulders as she writhed and shuddered against his wicked mouth. Lightening racing up her spine as he sucked on her swollen, pulsing nub, and her breath came in small pants.

Her pink face rolled side to side as gasping cries escaped her, her bottom squirming and writhing at the feel of his lips and tongue in her most intimate place. She felt the tension build to the point of almost unbearableness as his tongue pushed up inside of her, and she keened in frustration when his mouth withdrew, her heart pounding madly.

“Please,” she begged, arching her hips as she desperately sought his mouth. He eased her thighs from his shoulders, holding them wide as he gazed upon at her.

“Have you learnt your lesson, little one?”

Her heart seemed to still for an instant in her breast. Had this been a game to him? Her thoughts rushed back to when they had stood on deck, and of what he had said.

“Never,” she breathed huskily, her wide blue eyes spitting angry sparks at him. The damned devil had used her traitorous body against her to prove a point!

He left her sprawled on the bed, panting, to return with a long silken scarf. Her eyes widened warily as he knelt on the bed at her side and gently drew her up the bed so that she lay fully on it. Before she realised his intent, he had wrapped the scarf firmly around her wrists and looped it around the bed post, securing her bound wrists. He stood back, admiring his handwork, as she tugged uselessly on the soft material.

“What have you done?” she cried, unable to break free. He leaned over, his muscular arms bulging as he pressed a teasing kiss against her belly.

“You pig,” she cried as he left her. “You can’t do this to me. Untie me at once!” He never once looked back as he closed the door softly behind him. “Bastard!” she screeched, and his masculine chuckle could be heard through the door, infuriating her. She stamped her heels against the mattress in frustration as a low growl escaped her.

~*~

Her heart picked up speed when she heard him return a little time later, and she turned her face to the side, letting the long fall of her mane act as a curtain from her mutinous features. To her complete frustration the fever pitch he had aroused her to had only began to wane, and even now her body still pulsed from his intimate caresses.

Her lashes flickered close when she felt the bed dip beneath his weight, and heat skittered down between her thighs as warm fingers gently drew back her hair, exposing the curve of her cheek and the graceful line of her neck to his inspection. She felt swamped by the heady scent of him, musky male with a delicious hint of sandalwood and fresh, sea air.

Carly shivered as his warm lips pressed against the delicate skin just behind her earlobe.

“What is it you want from me?” she asked, the words drawn from some deep place within her.

His fingers stoked from her chin down over the hollow in her throat to lazily circle a budding pink tip. “Your body, heart and soul,” he replied lightly.

A small choke of nervous laughter escaped her, which quickly turned to a moan as his warm mouth closed over a pouting nipple through the thin cloth of her shift.

She felt fingers trail down over her belly to tangle in the damp soft curls between her thighs, and she squirmed on the bed.

“You have to let me go,” she cried, trying to fight the exquisite sensations of his mouth and fingers on her bound body.” You – you can’t keep me here a prisoner forever.”

She gasped when he flipped her over onto her belly, the ties at her wrists drawing her arms up higher with the swift motion. She wiggled as his hands grasped her hips, drawing her up and settling her onto her knees, leaving her creamy bottom thrust up in an extremely vulnerable position.

Her eyes squeezed shut as his fingers dipped down into the sweet cleft between her cheeks, delving lower until they discovered her dewy heat. His fingers began to stroke her, as though she were a delicate harp, gently plucking at strings. She squirmed with need and unfulfilled desire.

“Please,” she begged, hating herself. A whimper escaped her as his teeth gently closed over the silky skin of her bottom.

She moaned as a finger pushed against her dewy entrance, seeking admittance into her feminine warmth and her body clenched around the invading digit. She felt the moisture begin to trickle between her thighs as he begun to ease his finger in and out of her snug channel with frustrating slowness. Every cell in her body wanted to cry out ‘Harder!’

“Stop tormenting me!” she cried as she began to push back on his fingers. Her back arched as another long finger slipped up inside of her, her thighs trembling. Fire coursed through her as a thimb delved between her pouting pink folds to tease her throbbing nub.

Soft mewling cries escaped her as he worked his fingers inside her with maddening slowness as his tongue traced the dimples above her heart-shaped bottom.

“Do you want me, little one?” he breathed against her damp flesh.

Her face was pink between her straining arms, her breathing uneven. Her body screamed for the release only he could give her, yet some instinct, one last drop of dignity, prevented her from uttering the words that would end this torment.

“How long do you intend on lying to both of us, Carlissa Mary Jones?”

She should have been shocked that he knew her full name, but she was beyond caring, too lost up in the frenzy of need he had driven her too.

“Why fight what it is that is between us, little one?”

Tears filled her eyes as his fingers slipped from her pussy to gently spread her pink lips apart. Her whole back arched as his mouth settled over her nub, gently sucking on the throbbing heart of her. Just as she felt the tension build to breaking point between her thighs, his mouth released her.

“Oh, god,” she choked. “Please, I can’t take this no longer. Please, I need – I want you inside of me.”

He groaned against her creamy flesh, and she felt the bed move beneath her as he shifted behind her. Hands smoothed the flesh of her back in long sure strokes before gripping her hips as he pressed the broad tip of him against her pussy lips.

“Like this?” he queried huskily as he surged against her, pushing the tight walls of her pussy apart as he began to sheath himself inside of her.

She moaned and squirmed on the thick hard length of him slowly filling her, her head thrown back, her back arching as she cried out. Her body shuddered in ecstasy as she came on him as he drove into her to the hilt, possessing her fully.

He groaned as she squeezed and rippled around him, her exquisite tightness almost sending him over the edge. Slowly, with long smooth thrusts he began to stroke his hard cock in her spasming pussy as his hands reached beneath her, capturing the her tiny breasts and gently plucking and rolling the hard nipples.

She was wet and open to him as he slide up deep inside of her, and he couldn’t believe how exquisite she felt. The urgency of his thrusts began to increase, and his fingers sought beneath her to massage between her lush pink lips. He felt her quiver as his fingers found her, teasing her pink jewel until she was writhing and bucking on his hard shaft as he speared her tight pussy.

“Please,” Carly begged, her body on fire with her renewed need, her pussy glorying in the feel of him sliding up inside of her, stretching her around his huge thickness as he took her from behind. Tingles sparked between her thighs as she felt the burning, coiling heat low in her belly wind tighter and tighter until she thought she might snap.

He took her fiercely from behind, his muscular warmth covering her as his fingers strummed between her thighs as he drove into her over and over, bunching up deep inside of her straining pussy.

She felt his driving thrusts pummel her bottom as hot warmth flooded her pussy. She cried out, squeezing him hard as her body exploded around him as he shuddered and jerked inside of her, his grunts filling her ears.

She collapsed on the bed when he reached up and released her wrists, rolling slightly onto her side as she drew deep gulping breaths into her heaving lungs. He stretched out beside her and drew her into the cradle of his body, his chest pressing against the curve of her back, his shaft nestled against her bottom, his hands smoothing up and down her arms as his chin rested on the top of her head.

“Soon I will fill your belly and the thought of leaving me will never cross your mind.”

She stiffened slightly, struggling away from the burning warmth of him pressing against her from behind. “No,” she gasped.

His fingers slid down over her hips, pressing possessively against the gentle swell of her belly and holding her firmly against him.

“Yes,” he promised her as he brushed his lips against her golden tendrils.

~*~

She lay curled up in a ball on the bed, gazing out at the darkening sky through the porthole. She hadn’t moved since he had left her, too stunned by the thought of carrying his child.

Her thoughts wavered between shock and dread, yet it was the tiny thrills of excitement that she feared the most.

She didn’t move when she heard the door softly open and close, nor the gentle hand smoothing though her mane as her sister settled on the bed.

“Did it hurt?” Miriam asked softly.

Carly shook her head slightly, never once taking her eyes of the rise and fall of the sea as the ship rocked gently. They had anchored not long ago, and she had heard the lowering of boats in the water, the noisy scraping of crates along the wooden deck as cargo was unloaded.

Small hands ran soothingly through her hair, untangling small snarls.

“Do you want to…talk about it?”

Again Carly shook her head, and Miriam fell silent.

After an eternity, Carly finally spoke. “Do you remember the summer we spent in Brighton, and how we swam in the sea?”

“Oh, yes, it was absolutely freezing, and my toes turned blue!” Miriam shuddered in recollection.

“The sea would be warm here,” Carly said, rolling onto her back to gaze up at her sister.

Miriam gazed back at her with her head on the side, before enlightenment dawned and her eyes widened. “You want to-to...”

Carly nodded intently, grasping her sister’s hand. “We are both narrow enough to try and fit through the porthole. It would be a small drop to the sea, and then we could swim toward shore and get help.”

“But they would see us and stop us!”

“It will be dark soon.”

“But what if we can’t make it.”

“We will,” Carly almost pleaded.

“He did hurt you!” Miriam exclaimed at Carly’s look, and Carly gazed away as she sat up, presenting Miriam with her creamy back. Carly was unaware of the look of horror on Miriam’s face as he eyes traversed the creamy skin of Carly’s back lightly marred with bruises that evidenced Daemon’s possession of her, before her long golden mane tumbled into place.

“I won’t leave without you, Miriam. But we have to go soon. It may be our only chance.”

~*~

It was how they found themselves in the inky dark water not long later, the lights from the not-so distant shore their only guide to safety.

Their chemises swirled around their waists as they paddled toward the shore, and Carly was thankful that the tide was incoming, as their swimming ability was poor.

Carly had feared Daemon’s return would thwart their plans as she impatiently waited for darkness to fall, and even now she expected his yell to travel across the water as he discovered her missing from his cabin.

She was exhausted by the time she waded up onto the dark beach, collapsing onto her knees in the soft sand, so different from the smooth hard pebbles at the beach in Brighton.

As she turned to wait for her sister, only a length or two behind her, she didn’t see the large thick man loom out of the darkness. It was only the smell of stale cigar smoke and ale that warned her a moment before pain flared at the back of her head, sending the world black.

~*~

Carly woke with a pounding headache. She was cold and shivery, curled up on the wooden floor, her damp chemise clinging to her stiffly.

It was dark where she lay, not a sliver of light to give a hint of her surroundings. She moved slightly, and her heart felt as though it fell to her knees as metal scraped along the floor. It was only then that she became aware of thick metal manacles weighing heavily on her ankles.

“Miriam!” she whispered fearfully, feeling around her. Nothing.

Oh, god, what had her foolishness and pride gotten them into? Could Miriam have drowned, never having made it ashore? Or was she somewhere aboard the ship, being brutally used by rough, drunken men?

Climbing unsteadily to her feet, a whimper of pain shot through her head and she stumbled against a wall. Feeling around her, she discovered it was large dusty crates. She stumbled again, and it was then with dread it finally dawned on her that she was on a ship, and it was sailing.

She didn’t know how long she searched along the crates for her sister, stopping often as dizziness overwhelmed her.

The breath froze in her lungs when she heard heavy footsteps leading toward the place where she had woken.

The footsteps halted. “Come out, come out, wherever you are,” a harsh male voice slurred, and shudders raced up Carly’s spine.

She heard him stumble, thumping against the crates.

“There’s nothin to be fraid of, me darlin. I just wants a little taste of your sweet honey pot.”

A tear trickled down Carly’s cheek as she heard him stumble about.

“Come on, darlin, I promise not to be too rough with ye,” he pleaded. “Just a quick poke or two, and I’ll let ye go.”

Carly swallowed hard as his voice came closer to where she squatted surrounded by crates.

“Don’t make me go gets a candle,” he muttered angrily as he kicked something in the darkness, causing a racket as things tumbled to the floor. “I’ve been waitin ages for you to wake, so you could feel my big cock tearing up your tight pussy and pretty ass. I love to hearing the whores scream.”

Carly shuddered with relief as his voice faded, feeling sick and faint.

“You won’t like it if I have to gets a candle, bitch,” he muttered angrily. “I’ll bring me mate to hold your legs open, I will.”

She jumped as a door slammed.

~*~

Carly felt as though ages had passed before she heard his return, his footsteps steadier and more determined than before as he searched amongst the crates. She pushed back further into the little nook she had found, her arms wrapped around her drawn up legs, her face pressed against her knees.

She heard the steps close in, and squeezed her eyes shut in dread. She felt his presence as he finally stood before her, the candlelight spreading around them as the silence stretched out. A sob escaped her, which she quickly tried to muffle.

“I am not happy, little one.”

Carly’s head swung up, her heart in her throat. Frightened blue eyes took in the sight of him, dangerously handsome, blood oozing from a cut on his cheek. Angry green eyes blazed down at her.

“Daemon!” she cried, trembling as intense tangle of emotions rushed over her. Relief, hope, fear, love. She was unable to move, and simply gazed up at him with anxious wide blue eyes filled with tears.

“Come here,” he murmured with concern.

She gave a little cry as she stumbled to her feet and buried herself in his open arms, her face pressed against the solid warmth of his chest as sobs racked through her tiny frame.

“That’s the first time you’ve said my name,” he murmured, as he titled her chin up and gently kissed her. His mouth moved over hers tenderly as he held her in the cradle of his arms, and she clung to his shirt, kissing him back with sweet passion.

He drew back from her to gaze down at her intently, his eyes narrowing on the manacles at her ankles. “Did he rape you?”

She shook her head, dropping her eyes, unable to gaze upon the deep concern in his eyes without more tears spilling down her cheeks.

“You can tell me if he did, little one. There is no shame in what he did to you.”

“No, he didn’t rape me,” she whispered. “Please, just take me home.” She didn’t want to think about when his cabin had become like a home to her, just wanting to feel his arms around her and never letting her go.

She took the candle he offered her, holding it aloft as he lifting her up in his arms and carried her through the dank maze of crates towards the partially open door. She snuggled in his strong muscular arms, feeling safe for the first time in ages.

“Is Miriam-“

“She is with my brother. It was because of her that we found you so quickly, and for that I am eternally grateful.”

Carly was amazed at the respect she heard in his voice, and wondered only for a brief instant what her sister had done as she gazed up at him.

“You’re hurt,” she murmured, feeling guilty that she had forgotten so quickly. She reached up and gently wiped away a drop of blood with her thumb.

“Do not fear, little one. It would take much more than that to unman me. Nothing could keep me from exhausting myself between your sweet thighs as soon as I get you aboard my ship.”

Carly blushed, burying her head against his chest, and he chuckled.

“I would like nothing more,” she breathed shyly, and he stumbled, almost dropping her.

“Hell,” he muttered, gazing down at her with warm green eyes. “I can see you are going to be the death of me, little one.”