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Dominic and Chance arrived at Colton Shipping on horseback, sweating from the mad dash across the city. Quickly dismounting, the two noblemen met with Olivia’s brother and an unknown gentleman. They quickly made introductions, learning that the unknown gentleman was a boyhood friend of Devon’s from the neighboring estate.
Jeffrey Colton Darling was not a nobleman, but his family built and owned the fastest ships in England, and that made him exceedingly rich. With his dark hair, dark eyes, and unshaven, swarthy face, he looked no better than a pirate. His gaze was as hard as steel, and he possessed an aura of reserved power that gave Dominic the impression that capturing ships was something this man did with ease.
“One of my men heard word of the Oily Eel pulling anchor not twenty minutes ago. She moved in the dark with nary a lantern burning to guide the crew. Very suspicious.”
“Who captains the Oily Eel?” Dominic asked.
“Don’t know. There are a lot of ghost ships that come in and out of this harbor under the cover of night and are always gone before dawn.”
Dominic’s instincts prickled. It could be unrelated, but his gut said otherwise. Lilly was on that ship, and so was Mr. Hollow.
“It’s got to be them. Have any other ships left this night?”
“Not a one.” Colton smiled. “I’d bet my fortune we can catch ’em. A twenty-minute lead is nothing to My Darling Emerald.”
Devon laughed. “Where did you get a name like that?”
“Your sister’s eyes, of course,” Colton teased.
“Bollocks, Darling, I should hit you for that.” Devon scowled at his old friend.
“I only tease you, Devon.” Colton shrugged nonchalantly. “I just made it up, no significance. I was drunk when it came to me.”
“My sister is on that ship being exposed to God knows what.” Devon paced the dock in agitation.
“Relax, Devon. We will get them back and then we can torture those bastards for taking them.”
“I like the way you think, captain,” Dominic said.
They boarded as Colton’s men hastily set sail. Within moments they were moving with the tide into the black chasm of the open ocean. The moonlight was fleeting, as a bank of clouds began to encroach from the south.
Dominic took a place beside Colton, unable to even feel the bite of the cold wind as they gained speed. My Darling Emerald’s sails snapped taut in the wind, carrying them to even greater speeds across the inky abyss.
“How long before we reach them, Captain Colton?” Dominic asked. His eyes never left the horizon as he searched for any sign of the merchant ship carrying away his heart.
“Not long.” He smirked. “Once spotted, we can decide how we want to take them.”
A man whistled from the crow’s nest. “Straight ahead, cap’n.”
“Ready for hostile board,” Colton called from the helm.
Dominic tensed, still unable to see the ship against the black sky and equally black water. “How do we catch them?”
“Surprise attack. We will use the cover of the clouds to sail right up beside them. We will send a dingy with some of my roughest crew to prepare our welcome.” Colton smiled wickedly. “Mr. Timms, are you ready?”
“Yes, cap’n. I’ve got my knife and my Bible.”
“Bible?” Devon said skeptically. Mr. Timms was a fierce-looking man with a shaved head, a scar under his left eye, and strange writing tattooed on his exposed neck and forearms.
“Mr. Timms was a vicar in his former life until he fell in love with a married woman and exiled himself from his small village. He is kind enough to read last rites when the occasion calls for it, which is thankfully rare. In the meantime, he is my first mate and an exceptional sailor for being a man of the cloth.”
Mr. Timms held out his forearm and pointed to the dark writing forever stained into his skin. The men stepped closer to see.
Thou Shall Not Covet.
Awed, the men stepped back and Mr. Timms set about his work. All the writing covering his skin was scripture. Dominic watched the man work, and a sad ache formed in his chest. It was clear this man was punishing himself for his sins, and even though he could be no older than Domini, guilt and life at sea carved heavy lines around his eyes and mouth.
“Don’t pity him.” Colton broke into Dominic’s thoughts. “He is freer now than he ever could be as some small village vicar. This ship is his church, and these men his congregation. We are honored to have him with us. Will you wait on deck or in my cabin while we board?”
“I’m going with you,” Dominic declared. His stance and granite-hard gaze said the fact was non-negotiable.
“My lord...” said Colton.
“Don’t waste your breath,” Chance warned.
“So be it.” Colton gave a low whistle and the men below readied a dingy. “Your chariot awaits, my lord.”
The small boat was loaded with hulking, dangerous men, and as they were lowered to the water, thick clouds came crawling in like the fingers of an unknown beast. Dominic still couldn’t see the ship as My Darling Emerald slowed to a near stop, and suddenly the clouds were so thick Dominic could barely see the water before the small boat reached it.
Silently the men rowed, and a large, dark shadow appeared to loom over them as a misting drizzle began to fall. As they pulled alongside the merchant ship, Dominic looked back, but the Darling Emerald was completely shrouded in mist and invisible to him.
Like sinister shadows, Colton’s crew began to climb the side of the ship, as quick as spiders. Dominic followed, amazed with their dexterity and the secret nooks and holes they found to place their feet and hands in.
Dominic had been in many tense situations and experienced one too many close calls where he barely escaped with his life. He was used to the fear, used to the hair-raising tension the moment before an attack was made but this time... This time the woman he loved was in danger, and every second he was away from her paralyzed him. The thought of losing her was too much to bear, so much so that it took all his strength to block it out and focus on the task at hand. When he found Mr. Hollow he would make him pay with his life. He wanted him to know he was coming and to fear it. He wanted him to surrender and beg for mercy.
Dominic was the last to climb over the railing onto the deck. Shadows moved all around him as fist met flesh and shouts were subdued. The misting fog was disorienting as Dominic headed toward what he hoped would lead to Lilly. He looked back over his shoulder. The dark mass of My Darling Emerald had pulled right up beside the merchant ship.
***
Lilly and Olivia sat, silently listening to the eerie sounds above them.
“What’s happening up there?” Lilly asked warily.
“Mutiny?” Olivia stared at the ceiling, equally puzzled.
“I would expect that to be louder, but then again, how would I know?” Lilly got up to look out the small, round window. “I can’t see anything but fog.” She returned to the cot and took Olivia’s hand. “Whatever happens, we will face it together.”
They could hear heavy footsteps running, and it sounded as if they were coming closer. Men began to shout, but their words were muffled. Their cabin door burst open to startling screams from both of them.
“You bitch! I will kill you before he finds you. I will never let him take what is mine.” Mr. Hollow lunged at them as the women split apart to evade him. He grabbed Lilly by the waist and twisted, bringing them to the floor by the cot. Lilly kicked violently, succeeding in squirming out of his hold and scrambling to her feet, but in the small cabin there was nowhere to run, and he soon had her against the wall. She swung at him, but he was quick to grab both arms and cage her wrists in one hand while placing his other hand around her throat. He looked into her eyes and Lilly looked back into the soulless depths of his.
“It’s a pity I did not have time to enjoy more of you.” His eyes caressed her heaving bodice, but just as quickly returned to her face as his hand tightened around her neck. “I want to see the life fade from your eyes.”
Out of nowhere, Olivia jumped on his back, swinging her dainty fists and grabbing clumps of hair.
“Ow!” Mr. Hollow cried, letting go of Lilly’s throat. She collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
Olivia clawed and scratched at Mr. Hollow’s face as he spun around trying to shake her off. Olivia lost her grip and slid off his back, landing next to Lilly just as a shadow filled the doorway.
“You will pay for that, bit—” Mr. Hollow froze as he saw the man standing there.
“Release them and I just might spare your life,” Dominic snarled.
Lilly wanted to cheer with joy, but her throat felt like she had swallowed glass. Her heart filled with such love and happiness she thought her chest would burst. He stood there like a dark knight ready to slay the dragon and whisk them away to safety.
“Come to me,” Dominic said, keeping his gaze locked on Mr. Hollow, who seemed to be frozen with fear.
Lilly grabbed Olivia’s hand and together they darted past Mr. Hollow and behind Dominic as he stepped into the small cabin.
“Go above. Chance will see you both to safety,” Dominic ordered, and by the look in his eyes Lilly guessed what was about to happen was something she would never want to see or know Dominic was capable of. However, Mr. Hollow dearly deserved it.
The women ran down the hall towards the stairs as Dominic slowly closed the cabin door and locked it.