Wraith stifled a curse and bowed resentfully low to her. “Queen Orelia, my most humble apologies.”
Orelia walked forward, her white gown a cloud of fabric, her jet-black hair floating in waves behind her. If she hadn’t named herself queen and been called so he would have thought her royalty anyway…but of a different world. Her eyes were as black as her hair and her lips as red as the blood that he’d seen flow on this very floor. She reached him and a long slender arm emerged from her gown, a red-tipped nail trailed its way up from his navel to his chin.
“I’ve missed you, Captain.” Her voice was breathy, and if it had been a decade earlier, he would have melted into a sodden mess on the floor. Done anything she wanted. But now he’d grown older, wiser. He wanted his life back.
He grasped her hand to stop its traveling over his person and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles before letting it drop. “I live to serve ye, Madame.”
She snickered and turned her black gaze onto Faryn, whose glassy eyes had come back to their glittering blue sharpness.
“You like her,” Orelia remarked, her chin jutting out toward Faryn.
“She has nice breasts,” he answered, not wanting to give away totally how he felt about her. “Her thighs are trim, her arse… ’tis lush.”
Orelia laughed, her head dipping back, exposing her throat. “You are still the same, Noir. You want her, don’t you?”
“I’ve a mind to bargain with ye.”
Her sharp black gaze lost its teasing as she whipped her head toward him. “A bargain?”
“Aye. I thought to speak to ye about it, perhaps later.” All eyes had now turned on them. If it was seen how much he wanted Faryn for himself the price would increase, or another man might step forward to fight him for her.
He was prepared to fight for her to the death, for keeping her for himself would not only garner him a warm and luscious bedmate but also secure his future. But revealing such amongst this den of vipers could cost him a far greater price than he wanted to pay. It could also mean the safety of the wench.
“Perhaps now, Captain.” Orelia’s gaze roved over him, and he could nearly hear her calculating mind at work.
“’Tis of no great consequence, Madame.” He shrugged, trying to keep himself looking disinterested even while his pulse quickened. “Do with the slave as ye will for now and I shall speak with ye regarding her fate after I’ve seen to my men and myself.”
Orelia’s lips curled. “I should like to see you…do with my new slave.”
Wraith raised a brow, hiding his disgust with the queen and her ring of sex slaves. “And by that, ye mean what exactly?”
The queen walked toward Faryn, who now stood tall next to the servants who’d earlier provided her with a taste of pleasure. Orelia trailed her nails along the flesh of Faryn’s shoulders, down the valley between her breasts. He watched with barely restrained fury. Faryn’s brows drew together, about to rebel, until she caught his subtle shake of his head. If she would only listen, they could both get out of here quickly.
He didn’t want her to rebel against him; he wanted her to want him. He pushed the thought aside. Unfortunately, for now, they were both at the mercy of Orelia.
Orelia faced Faryn and lifted her chin. The queen turned Faryn’s face from side to side, inspecting her. Her long red fingernails trailed over Faryn’s body. Faryn bit her lip. Her eyes met Wraith’s and he wanted to step forward and haul Orelia away from his woman.
His woman? She wasn’t his and he couldn’t think of her that way. She was a possession. And when he took her from here, she would not be his in the sense that first came to mind. Nay, she’d not be his. That implied a relationship, and for what she was going to give him, freedom… She would have to be discarded in the end.
“You are so ripe, young slave.” Orelia leaned forward, breathing in the scent of Faryn’s hair. Faryn only lifted her chin higher. “You know what I think? We have a virgin.” Orelia shrieked with triumph and turned around to face Wraith. Her eyes were wide with excitement; however, their depths were not filled with happiness but something more sinister. “You know what this calls for, Captain?”
He raised a brow, knowing very well what it called for. While Faryn’s features remained passive, her gaze told him something else altogether—she stared straight ahead, challenge in her eyes.
Orelia lifted the hem of her white gown and pulled it up her thigh, revealing a small-jeweled dagger. “We must spill the virgin’s blood!”
Chapter Three
Faryn tried not to react to the words Orelia spoke or the way the light glinted off the jeweled dagger at her thigh.
Spill her blood? Did they mean to kill her? Was her end to be a virgin sacrifice? A shudder passed through her.
“Orelia, my queen,” Captain Noir drawled out. He drew closer to the queen and Faryn watched as the other woman’s chest rose more rapidly. Her lids grew heavy. Her reaction showed Faryn that this queen was half-besotted with the captain. Noir traced a finger over the queen’s chin. “I am willing to bargain for the lass as she is. Not tattered.”
Orelia’s lip puckered out in a pout. She stroked her fingers down the length of Noir’s chest and lower still to his manhood. She gripped him tightly through his breeches. Faryn watched, mesmerized. When she lifted her gaze, the captain was looking at her, his dark eyes filled with…passion? Aye, passion. Desire.
Did that passion stem from his desire for her or for the woman who held him in her palm?
His lips curved wickedly and he winked at her. Faryn gulped. He was most definitely trying to get a rise out of her.
Dear God in heaven, what was she to do?
She must escape. She glanced around the palace hall but her gaze was pulled back to the captain. He had removed the queen’s hand and shoved another pirate in his place. The queen and the newcomer embraced, their mouths meeting in a kiss. A carnal kiss. Their lips slanting over and over. Their tongues danced in and out of each other’s mouths. All the while, the captain stared at her. Faryn found herself licking her lips. Wishing she too could share in a kiss like that.
Wicked girl! What was she thinking? To have such thoughts… Her family would be ashamed! Her betrothed would surely break their engagement. This place was bad. Very bad. And yet…
Her eyes were opened to so much surrounding her. Her mind could never forget the experiences she’d had, the things she’d seen and felt.
She flicked her gaze to the floor, where she tried to count the marks of imperfection in the marble. She’d only gotten to four before a pair of black leather-booted feet came into view.
“Leannan.” The captain held out his hand to her.
Take it and she was saying aye to this fate. Run, her mind screamed. Run and never look back!