Harry looked down from his perch high above the ship on the mizzenmast cap. He did not see Cloud immediately so he rechecked his sighting with his scope before he yelled for Landis.
“Hey! Mr. Landis! We have company! Five, maybe six miles out!”
“What flag?” he called back.
Harry looked again. “Union Jack. But she’s a merchant. You are not going to believe this but she’s one of the Quinton line. His markings are on it.”
Landis found his captain immediately. “Harry says it is one of Quinton’s, Captain. Probably coming from Boston.”
Cloud swallowed hard. “You sure, Harry?” he called up.
“Yes, sir! Sure as I’ll ever be about anything!” He did not add there was something strange about the ship. He could not be sure about that until it moved in closer.
“Very well,” Cloud sighed. He did not move. He leaned forward against the railing and stared at the ship in the distance.
“Are you going to tell her?” asked Landis. Alexis was in her cabin cleaning Mike’s pistols. The ship could pass and she would never know.
“I’ll tell her,” he said finally, his voice so low Landis could barely hear him. He started toward Alexis’s cabin.
He was just out of sight when Landis saw Harry scrambling down from the cap. “Mr. Landis, there’s another ship out there too. It’s following Quinton’s but at a safe distance. I think it’s one of Lafitte’s.”
“This far north?” he asked incredulously. “You sure, Harry?”
“Can’t be, not yet. Something strange about Quinton’s ship though. She should be loaded with cargo on this run and yet she’s moving too fast and too high to be carrying much. I think she’s already been raided and boarded. Most likely he’s got men on both of the ships.”
Landis nodded but said nothing.
“Where’s the captain? He should be told. There is a reward for Lafitte. We could bring him in.”
“Oh, we could, could we?” Landis was patient. “Which ship is he on?”
“Don’t know sir. Can’t be certain he’s on either one. May be his brother.”
“I’ll tell the captain, Harry. You did what you had to do. My responsibility now.”
Harry walked away then he stopped suddenly, spinning on his heels. “Does Alex know? Does she know one of her merchants is coming close?”
“The captain is telling her now.” Landis smiled when Harry walked away, whistling softly.
Alexis did not put her work down when she heard the door open behind her, but when that same door was slammed hard to its former position she dropped the pistol she was cleaning in surprise. She stood quickly and turned to see the intruder.
“Cloud!” Her voice held relief. “You scared me. You shouldn’t—What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me so strangely?” His eyes were so dark Alexis ceased to think of them as green. Now they were black and biting. She could not tell if they were angry, she had never seen him like this before. He leaned against the door, saying nothing, simply staring at her as if this were the first time he had ever seen her. His jaw was set so tightly a muscle twitched in his cheek. She thought she recognized determination, but never this degree of it. Never like this. “Cloud?” It was a soft question and her voice was strained with apprehension.
“Don’t say anything, ” he said, cutting her off. Then more gently, “I want to look at you.” He kept his gaze focused on her as she placed her hands behind her and held on to the table edge tightly. His eyes traveled down the smooth line of her arm visible through the fabric of her shirt and rested on the white knuckles pressed against the wood. Even the strength of her grip was not enough to hide the trembling of those slim fingers. Her feet were set firmly apart, rooted to the floor, and yet he could detect the merest quivering in her long legs. Her breath was coming in short spurts and he watched the rise and fall of her breasts as the tempo of her breathing quickened. Her head was tilted to one side, still viewing him with curiosity, but her eyes were regarding him as the hunter again. Just as they had that first night she’d awakened. Only this time he saw she recognized danger—and he was the danger. Her eyes wandered about her quarters, averting from his gaze only an instant, but in that instant he saw she was planning escape and he crossed the cabin to prevent it.
His hands rested firmly on her upper arms and he buried his face in the curve of her throat and shoulder. His lips pressed hard against her smooth, tawny skin and he whispered hoarsely, “I want you now, Alex. Now.”
Alexis struggled to be free of his grip but he was firm. “Cloud, tell me what is wrong.” Despair made itself heard at the last moment. He began to unbutton her shirt. “Stop it,” she said as his head moved between her breasts. “Not like this, Cloud.” She pulled at his head until he raised himself and looked down at her. “What is it? I have never said no to you before. Why are you doing this? Why are you treating me this way?” She was breathless but she persisted even while he was bending her back over the table, even while she thought he would snap her in two. “You’re hurting me. Why do you want to hurt me this way when you can do it so easily by saying you love me?” Her next words remained a thought, unheard by him as his mouth crushed hers. She bit him. His head snapped back but then his lips were on her throat and his hands held her motionless against the table. “Cloud! No! I don’t want you like this!” She tried to kick him. “Let me go, damn you!”
He eased his grip slightly. He lifted his head and stared into her catlike amber eyes. He had never seen her confused before. It was confusion that lent itself to terror. “A ship,” he said quietly. “One of the Quinton Line. Your line now. It will be passing us soon.” That was all that was necessary. She understood immediately and fear was replaced by a gentle light in her eyes.
She shook her head sadly. “I cannot hate you for what you tried to do, Cloud. But you can’t hold me this way.” She started to move only to find he would not let her. “Let me go.” As his mouth moved to her breasts Alexis wrapped her fingers around the barrel of one of the pistols at her side. Even while he was exciting her body with familiar practiced hands she raised the pistol as high as she could.
Cloud saw her movement and hoped it would be quick. If she hesitated one instant, he would never let her have another.
While his legs were pressing tightly against hers Alexis marked her target. As his mouth bruised her tender flesh with his final white hot brand she brought the butt of her weapon crashing against his skull.
Cloud knew nothing but darkness sweeping over him. Alexis knew nothing but his mouth and hands grazing her skin as he slipped to the deck.
