The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate (29 page)
Read The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate Online
Authors: Kay Berrisford
Tags: #Fantasy, #M/M romance
The net burst up into the bright rays of the autumn sunlight. Moments later, Raef and dozen trembling mer were swinging in the air, suspended over the side of the
Alice O'Shanty
as she carved a route between obstacles that could spell certain death.
Jon leaned over the rail, his smile gleaming and long hair flying, laughing down at his catch. "Ahoy there, Raef." Jon waved. Raef, despite having one tailfin painfully snarled, waved back. "I see I've a lucky haul."
"Your luck runs out here," shouted Galyna, tugging at his trident in vain. "I'll raise such a wave that your ship will keel over."
"No, you won't," snarled Raef. He untangled an arm and grabbed for the trident, grappling with Galyna. No way would he let the chieftain wreak havoc.
"No, I don't think you will," called Jon, cheery as ever, as his ship bumped and plowed onward. "The moment you raise that trident, oh, chief of the mer, Lady Cecilia Haverford's fleet will rain down cannon balls on your home."
Eh?
Raef looked from left to right, a motion Galyna mimicked. Sure enough, four large sailing vessels were lined up beyond the sandbanks to the west. More than a dozen guns protruded from the portholes and decks, which were crowded with sailors. Cecilia and Sarah appeared at the
Alice O'Shanty's
rail near Jon, dressed in matching bicorn hats and white sashes. The golden conch gleamed from a chain about Cecilia's neck. She'd reclaimed it and plenty more beside.
"These merchantmen were part of my inheritance," called Cecilia. "They were in port at Bristol preparing for their next voyage to the East Indies, so I made a change to the schedule."
Despite his struggle, Raef's heart swelled. Cecilia had many important things to do in taking on her estate and responsibilities. She'd put everything on hold to help Jon rescue him. Not only had he found a lover, he'd earned true friends.
"I'll have the waters swallow you all." Galyna growled, though he was making little progress in freeing his weapon. Raef held fast, straining with every fiber to keep Galyna from seizing control. He'd break the trident in two if he had to. "And I'll have that benighted conch the maid is wearing."
Damn. Raef wished Galyna hadn't noticed that again. He already owned one magic talisman—the trident Raef battled him for, which was more than enough.
"It would be easier just to promise Raef can go free," said Jon. "Then everybody's happy."
"Please! Do it." Henna wriggled between Galyna and Raef, making as much of an obstacle of herself as possible with one wrist snared in the net. "Let Raef go. He acted for the best. I never wanted to marry so young, and I think that pirate fancies him."
With Henna thwarting Galyna's ability to tug, Raef wrenched the trident free. He flopped backward with his tail still tangled. Catching sight of Jon, he well understood how Henna had reached her conclusion. He hoped Galyna could see it too—true love uniting man and mer. Jon had clambered over the side of the vessel, arm outstretched, fixed on Raef and only Raef, his dark eyes brimming with ardor. Raef tossed him the trident, which he caught.
"I have your wand, chief, but I don't want your weapons," said Jon. "I just want Raef, and we'll fight to the last man or woman among us to get him back."
Galyna glowered at Jon, then at Raef. His mighty shoulders sagged, resigned, though his gaze remained stony. "Then take him. Just give me my trident and go. I never want to see either of you again."
A cheer exploded from the deck of the
Alice O'Shanty
, and George whooped from the rigging. Cecilia and Sarah engulfed each other in a hug, affording Raef a glint of the ruby ring Sarah wore on her middle finger. He beamed; at last the jewel had found a worthy home where it fitted well. As gulls' screeches mingled with the hurrahs, Jon used the sharp prongs of the trident to slice through the cords of the net. It plummeted back into the ocean with a splat, taking the captured mer with it. The net spread and sunk, and Raef freed his tail, then pulled for surface before Galyna changed his mind.
"Raef!" Jon remained dangling over the ship's side. Raef swam up to the hull and kissed it, though it wasn't the
Alice O'Shanty
he wanted to pour all the blessings in the world upon.
"Thank you for coming." He beamed, shading his eyes against the sun's glare, which he'd become unaccustomed to. "I knew you would."
"And I knew you'd escape your chains by the time we got here," said Jon. He cast the trident back into the sea, where it bobbed as jetsam.
Raef laughed softly. Once Galyna found the weapon, he might come after them, but Raef hardly cared. He certainly wasn't afraid. The
Alice O'Shanty
was tacking her path back toward the rest of their fleet, and the brisk wind in her sails could carry them over the horizon, lost from their pursuers' sight before Galyna regrouped. Anyhow, he couldn't help wondering if Galyna had more pressing issues among the unhappy populace than chasing yet another errant mer, even one who defied him so outrageously.
Right now, paddling to keep near the ship, Raef's main concern was the distance between him and Jon.
"I can't wait 'til sunset," he called. "I need to hold you now."
"I can't wait that long either." Jon flashed a delicious grin. Before Raef could voice any joy or approbation, Jon plunged into the waters.
"Jon!" Raef arrowed forward and grabbed Jon, enfolding his pirate in his arms, and they sunk deep. Their lips sealed. The kiss endured, even as their descent slowed. The water caressed and cradled them, and Raef splayed his hands across Jon's muscular back. He treasured every part of Jon, so caught up in his love—and the affection Jon lavished on him—that it was effort to remember to swish his tail and push them back up into the open.
When he did, Jon snatched some air, and they began their kiss all over again. Jon ran his fingers over the sweep of Raef's curving tail, breaking away to mutter, "You're irresistible like this." Raef shimmered with pleasure, then stiffened in surprise.
"What is it?" asked Jon, rubbing his nose against Raef's.
"Nothing, it's just—" Jon moved to kiss Raef's neck, nuzzling the sensitive rims about Raef's gills, and Raef felt his cheeks color. "I didn't know it was possible in this form … but gods, my whole tail feels hard … and I'm on fire. I'm so pleased to see you."
"I'm pleased to see you, too." Jon hugged him tight, and the bulge in Jon's breeches answered more forcefully than his words. From the stern of the
Alice O'Shanty
, the company whistled and shouted. Raef cherished them nearly as much as he did Jon's kisses. He mustn't linger too long, or they'd never catch up with the ship. Still, he couldn't wait to be alone with Jon, to find those warm shores with shallow waters, and let their bodies blend as one. To see his love in ecstasy and be watched himself and adored. And to discover how much heavenly pleasure could be gathered from both his mer and human forms.
Raef sighed up toward the vast blue skies, then grinned back at Jon—paddling in the briny ocean for him—and understood he was home. Whether they adventured to the vilest pits of Port Royal, or beyond the stars and back again, he'd never let anything part him from the barbarian Pirate Kemp.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kay loves writing fantasy adventures and contemporary paranormal tales, usually set in her native England. When she isn’t buried in books, she’s stewarding at a medieval house, or shouting at the world to get involved in awesome events celebrating all things historical. She loves angst-filled romances, in which the heroes suffer a bit (sometimes a lot!) but they always get their happy ever afters.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kayberrisfordwriter
Twitter: @kayberrisford
Website: http://kayberrisford.com
More of her work can be found at Loose-Id:
Bound for the Forest
Bound to the Beast
Lord of the Forest
Locking Horns
Simon, Sex, and the Solstice Stone
Bad Slave
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