Yet the first time they’d met, he’d definitely been fooled by her boyish garb and sharp, crisp mannerisms.
Only Devyl had known that night in the back room of a Port Royal tavern. He’d blame it on the dim lighting, but then no one got anything past their captain.
“What kept you?”
Cameron passed a small parcel to him. “Lady Belle told me to give this to you. She said the one to be bartered with will require it.”
There was no missing the guilt in her eyes as she spoke thosewords, and none could blame her there. Their missing crewmember, Kalder Dupree, was only trapped in hell now because he’d swapped places to free her and her brother.
Since then, they’d all been desperate to get him out. Having been abandoned and betrayed by their families and the world, none of them were willing to do it to each other.
The Deadmen were their own family now. Not crew or shipmates.
Family. One and all. Brothers. Sisters. And crazy uncles they had to keep from drinking too much on holidays and special occasions. With a tighter bond than any born of the same womb could ever achieve.
And their rebirths had been no less painful.
Devyl took her parcel and tucked it into a leather pouch that dangled from his belt. “Let’s see this met. It’s time we brought our brother home.”
“Agreed.”
William didn’t speak. There was nothing to say, as he concurred with that. Yet there was a feeling in the air and in his gut that he couldn’t quite shake. A sense of mistrustful unease. As if someone had walked upon his grave again.
You’re being paranoid.
Perhaps. But that was a normal state for the likes of them. And given what unholy threats they faced on a routine basis, none could find fault there. Hard to relax your guard when there were devils and demons abounding. All out to steal or devour your soul and end your life.
“Head! Get some good head here! Big head. Little head. Mattersnaught! I’ve something for every budget, mates! Just tell me what’s your pleasure!”
Stunned completely, William drew up short. It took him a second to realize the man yelling had a basket of shrunken heads he was peddling to the occupants, who were basically ignoring his grisly wares.
Arching his brow as the grimy man brushed rudely against them without a polite acknowledgment, Devyl swept his hand over the shrunken, leathery offerings. The instant he did so, their shriveled mouths opened.
As did their eyes.
With an echoing shriek, the man dropped the basket of heads, which began singing hymns a cappella like a bunch of Sunday Protestants, and ran for the door.
William snorted. “You’re an evil bugger, Captain.”
“Merely putting the fear of God into him, Mr. Death. Besides, it’s what he gets for soliciting head in a public place. I’m just trying to keep the pub decent for hardworking sailors.”
As if! William laughed while Cameron let out a squeak of horror at his indelicate language.
“Well, well,” a deep, sultry voice said beside them. “I can see the rumors that your newly married state has mellowed you have been greatly exaggerated. You’re still the same rotten beast,mon cher,you’ve always been.”
All the humor died on Bane’s face. A tic started in his jaw. “Menyara. You old sea hag. What areyoudoing here?”
Will blinked, then blinked again and rubbed his eyes that had to be deceiving him.
Unless Bane was drunk, and the man had never been such thatWill had ever witnessed, there was nothing old or ugly about the tiny little island woman in front of them. Indeed, her caramel skin was flawless. Her braided hair intertwined with expensive beads and colorful ribbons. And though she barely reached mid-chest on him, her voluptuous body said she was certainly no girl, yet by no means was she matronly.
Fortunately, she took Bane’s insult in stride. “Is that any way to greet an old friend,cher?”
“Friends? You stabbed me. Thrice.”
Unabashed, she smiled as she brushed her hand over his arm in a tender gesture of affection. “Well, what did you expect? Your army was destroying mine. I had to do something to distract you before you killed every last one of my soldiers.”
With a rude dismissive noise, he stepped back to make room for Cameron. “And that’s why you sent an innocent young girl to me? Punishment or revenge?”
