Hi, Silver here, short for Silver Moon Vampire, I have desided that ever if this takes me the whole year I'm going to finish this...unlike my other stories!-'
Summary: In 1760's England, three daring sisters defy the conventions of their day-by boldly taking to the sea to champion noble causes. Each will meet a man who embraces both her beauty and her proud spirit. And each will find a love more precious than any pirate's treasure... THE HEART NEVER FORGETS Kagome Higurashi's turbulant childhood had made her certain of one thing: she would wed for security, even if it meant a loveless marriage to a wealthy Boston merchant. But her plans quickly went awry when the ship carrying her to her intended was raided by pirates-led by the only man she ever loved. Five years had passes since their swahbuckling days together, when Sesshomaru Tashio had treated her as little more than a younger sister. Now he's smuggling goods for the rebels of the American Revolution-and inspiring a shared passion as intense as the war that rages all around them. Still, Kagome has been promised to another-and she knows that her beloved Sesshomaru can never give her the security she yearns for. If only her heart would believe it...
Okay, on with it then...
Chapter Two
"Kagome! Wake up, for God's sake wake up!"
The franic voice and the jarring of her shoulder snapped Kagome out of her deep, dreamless sleep. She sat upright and blinked against the flickering light. Disorientated, it took her a few seconds to remember she was on the Maiden Fair.
The hull groaned around her, a load, forbidding sound that nearly masked the roaring wind and sky-breaking thunder. Rain pelted the deck above ina battering down-pour. How she'd slept though a ragging gale she didn't know, and had no time to wonder. The ship keeled to the right, and would have tossed her from her bed had she not gripped the corner of her bunk. She presed her other hand to the side of the ship, half afraid the copper rivets would tear freeThe wooden strakes would splinter against the ocean's pressure, ripping a hole through the ship'sbelly. If she were aboard the Sea Queen, she wouldn't have worried about this vessel's soundness, but she had no idea if the Maiden Fair would withstand the strain.
"I'm dying," Kagura cried, her voice reed thin and shaking. "Please, help me."
Kagome turned away from the hull, and for the first time saw Kagura sitting on the floor in a nook between the bed and the opposite wall, knees drawn up to her chest her face waxen, her hand bone white from clenching the candle.
"What are you doing here?" Kagome asked, though she knew the answer.
Trembling in her night rail, without a shawl to protect her from the biting cold, the younger woman wept, "You're a pirate. You've been through this before. Are we going to sink?"
"Of course not. It's just a storm."
"I almost wish we would. My stomach . . . How could my mother do this to me? Is there nothing you can do to help me? Please, Kagome . . ."
Jumping to her feet, she took Kagura by the arms and helped her onto her bed. She took the candle from the womans grip and blew it out. Darkness swept into the room, sealing it, intensifying the sounds of blustering wind, the ragging force if the sea.
"What have you done?" Kagura gasped, panicking. "We need the light."
"Candles cause fires, especially durring a time like this." As if to prove her point, the ship took a vicious lurch. Kagura screamed; Kagome threw herself over the girl and held them both down. Once the hull leveled, she pulled the blankets up and tucked them around Kagura's body.
"There's plenty of water to be had," she said, trying to sound calm, but her hands were shaking and her skin felt tight anf clammy with sweat. Memories of past storms came rushing back; whip-cracking liighting, shipmates tossed like stixks in the wind, the Sea Queen ravaged of sails and mast. They'd never lost a crewman but that hadn't lessen her fear.
"Should we start a fire by accident," Kagome said, ignoring the chill biting deep in her bones, "the crew is too busy to put it out."
"I hadn't thought-" She doubled over, moaning into the pillow.
Feeling Kagura's damp brow, Kagome doubted the woman would retch even if she tried. She hadn't been able to eat more than a spoonful of broth at each meal since leaving London. there wasn't much she could do to ease Kagura's seasickness, but she had to try.
There wasn't any lavander to make a soothing tea, but maybe there was something else. "Wait here."
"Don't leave me," she whimpered, but Kagome slipped on her robe and hurried out the door, closing it behind her.
Wind blased though the hallway, whistling in her ears, flattening her gown to her body. Groping the walls, she dug in with her fingers, finding notches in the wood to keep her balance. She listened for shouts from above, bellowing orders for the helmsmen to keep the bow into the wind, barking commands for men to work with the pumps. But there was only thw wind tearing through the corridor, obliterating all but its howl.
Lightning flashed, throwing grayish light through the hatchway ahead of her. Except for the shadowed doorways and cold lanturns swinging from their hooks, she was alone. There should be saliors about, she thought frantically, gripping onto a doorjamb as the ship shuddered against a wave. Everyone must be above deck, she realized, working to keep the riggings tied, fighting the wheel, saving sails of they tore loose from their yards. Still, she wished she could hear someone, see someone.
She hurried forward, the floor icy and wet beneath her bare feet. The chilled air swept beneath her gown and rope, swirling around her legs. She had to reach the galley, one level down from her cabin. She might find laudanum there, and if not that, whiskey. Considering the severity if the storm, and sensing it could last for hours yet, rendering Kagura unconscious might be the most humane thing she could do.
Reaching the ladder, she esitated in decending and looked up through the hatchway. Stinging rain burned her skin, the cold piercing hot. It stole her breath. A gush of salty water poured through the opening, soaking her face, the bodice of her gown, both her sleeves. She gasped, shivering as the frigid wetness cut through her chest like a knife. But she spotted several crewman gripping the capstan, though they couldn't be using the pulley to bring up cargo from below, not in this storm. So what were they doing?
They weren't wearing their baggy cargo calico trousers and striped shirts, but the dark pants, knee-high boots and long black coats. With their and beards plastered to their faces. She didn't recognize, them, but that was to be expected.
They have things well in hand. Only slighty relieved, she turne away and hurried down the companionway. She'd ridden out countless storms before, but she swore this would be her last.
"Once my feet touch Boston soil, I'll be there to stay," she muttered to herself.
She rushed through the lower deck as fast as she could, bumping into walls as the ship thrashed and swayed. Crates had come loose from their tied, scattering across the corridor, some breaking open to spill their contents-which she tripped over, nearly skidding onto her knees.
Finally, she found the galley. Rubbing her hands over her arms to suppress the shilvers, she felt her way past a basin that seved as a sink. Besides that, she found the iron stove, cold now and missing the enormous pit that normally hung from a netal hook, bubbling with some creation the cook had invented.
The small, cramped room had a window the size of a cannon port, closed now, and she didn't dare open it, though some light would help speed up her search. She sould have brought the candle, she thought belateedly. But no matter. If there was whiskey to be had, she'd find it.
She opened the cabnit door and gasped when the ship lurched. She expected the contents to tumble out, crash around her bare feet, but a metal bar kept everything secured on its self. She slid her fingers over glass jars, too short she thought for liquor. Spices perhaps, or a ration of sugar.
She shearched each shelf, finding nothing, her anxiety building with each jarring pull of the ship. How much more could the Maiden Fair endure? The vessel had to withstand the storm, it had to; she hadn't braved Wilmouth, found a perfext fiance and crossed half the ocean only to drown at sea.
Stretching to reach the top self, her hand closed around a tall, narrow bottle. Pulling it down, she removed the stopper, sniffed and whispered "thank you" to the heavens. Brandy, if her guess was right.
Replacing the stopper, keeping her balance with the rocking floor, she started to turn. A rough hand clamped over her mouth. Her heart lurched to her throat, shutting off her scream. She smelled sweat and dirt. He pressed harder, muffling the rush of her breath. A solid arm locked around her waist, pinning both her arms to her sides, lifting her off her feet.
Kagome twisted, tried to break free, tried to scream, but her hoarse cry was buried beneath the sounds of the angry sea. She jabbed her elbow into her attacker's side. He grunted, but didn't release her. She sturck out with her feet, found only air. He squeezed her ribs, cutting off her breath.
"Stop fight'n'," the smooth male vioce ordered.
She wanted to smash the bottle of brandy over his head, but he had her trapped. She couldn't move. If he chose, he could easilt snap her neck in two. She stilled, heard the quick rasp of his breath in her ear, felt his eyes on her watching, inspecting.
"That's better." He eased his hand from her mouth enough for her to speak.
"Who . . . who are you?"
"Just a visitor."
A visitor? She knew the other passangers aboard the Maiden Fair. A minister and his wife, two bisinessmen, a family of five setting out to build their new home in the colonies; none of them would do this to her. It had to be one of Captain Peter's men. Yet, she found that hard to believe. In three weeks she'd been on board, none of the saliors had made any advances or untoward comments. Why would one dare do so now? The answer occured to her. With the rest of the crew fighting the ship and the storm, who would stop him from doing whatever it was he intended?
Kagome shivered with equal amounts of fear and fury. For once she wished she'd taken Sango's advice, given before Kagome had sailed for America. Wear the Sea Queen blade at all times. You'll never know when you'll need it.
Well she nedded it now, but it was locked in her trunk, buried under a pile of slik gowns. Even if she had the blade, she wouldn't know how to use it. But she had other skills. Weather they would help her now, she had no clue.
"You've no right to manhandle me in this manner," she reprimanded in the sternest vioce she could manage with her feet dangling a foot off the ground. "I demand you release me at once, or i'll report you to Captain Peters."
"Will ye now?" He chuckled, a soft mocking sound.
A chill swept over Kagome. The threat should have made the man obey at once. Captain Peters kept his men in line through equal amounts of repect and fear, knowing they would be punished- undoubtedly with a cat-o-nine-tails- if they crossed that line. If this man wasn't afraid for his captain. she had to think of another way to escape. But how? If only she could see him, read his intent in his eyes. But it was as dark as a tomb in the galley.
He took the bottle from her. She heard a faint pop, and realized he had pulled the stopper loose with his teeth. He upened the bottle, and took a deep drink, then sighed.
"This is what I've been look'n' for." He laughed and turned toward the hall, carrying her with him as if she were a rag doll. "Find'n' you was just a bonus."
"What do you think you're doing? Let me go!" Kagome flailed her legs, reached out for the wall, the basin, the jars of sugar, anything she could pry herself free or use as a weapon. Her fingers closed around teh doorjamb, but one forceful tug from her captor and she lost her hold, breaking her nails in the process.
Once in the narrow passageway, he started toward the ship's stern, The floor bucked beneath his feet; he crashed into the wall, losing his grip in her. The instant her feet touched the gound, Kagome turned to flee. He snared her arm before she took two steps, spun her around anf caught her stomach with his shoulder, heaving her up like a sack of grain.
"Put me down!" She beat her fist against his back, knowing it would do no good. What did her plan to do with her? Lock her away? She prayed that were so, because the alternatice turned her blood cold with fear. I won;t let him rape me. I won't! She'd fight, scratch his eyes out. She may not be the swordsman Sango was, but she wouldn't give up and let this man molest her.
Reaching a ladder, he climbed it with ease, then continued down the corridor.
"If you put me down right now," Kagome said, "I'll forget all about this."
"I intend tae put ye down, luv." His large hand tightened on her thiegh, and she had to grit her teeth to keep from screaming in outrage. "When I'm ready."
He opened a door and her heart lurched against her chest. Light flooded the hallway, giving her a glimpse of the stairs. As soon as he lowered her, she would run. She wouldn't let this man abuse her; she'd fight, scream for help. Someone would hear and come to aid her.
"Look at what I found, Capt'n," her captor boasted.
Captain? Outrage burst through Kagome's panic. Captain Peters would allow his man to behave like a savage, capturing her as if she were a prize? Then the reality of the situation hit her.If the captain approved of a crewman abducting a passanger, what did it mean for her?
The man bent, setting her on the floor. Kagome wipped around, filling her lungs with air to demand an explaination. The words froze in her throat.
Captain Peters, wearing nothing but brown leggings, was lying on his bed, his mouth gagged with a red cloth, his hands and arms bound by a knotted rope. He shook his head at her, and tried to talk, but the rag muffled his urgent words. The ruddy skin around his left eye was swollenand turning purple with a bruise.
"Captain-my God, what- what's going on?" she stammered, starting forward to free him.
"Well I'll be damned."
A vioce from the past, a vioce ger thought she'd never hear again had her spinning to face a wall of pitch-black windows, and a ghpst from her past.
"You . . . you . . ." There didn't seem to be enough air in the room for her to draw a full breath and finish what she meant to say. Her mind tipped, or perhaps it was the ship. In any case, she fely numb from inside out. "It can't be."
"It's good to see you too, Angel." She flinched at the endearment he used to call her when she'd been a child. The suprize in his golden eyes quicky vanished, leaving a hardness she didn't recognize. Her eyes gazed his silver hair, wild about his shoulders, his strong and towering body. He smiled, a cocky pull of his lips, a tease seduction that sent a warm shiver down her back. She remembered that smirk well; it belonged to the man she'd loved for mearly all her life.
But how could he be here now? And why?
"Sesshomaru Tashio," she finally managed. "It's been a long time."
But not long enough. Not nearly long enough to forget him.
A breath shuddered out of her, a tremor that held both a warning of tears and anger. Against her will, her feet moved towards him, closing the narrow space. For five years she hadn't known where he was, had waited daily for word from him. And when she hadn't, she assumed the worst- that he's drownd at sea. She struggled to put him in the past. But now she knew the truth. He was alive.
Her heart thudded against her chest, so hard she thought he ought to hear it, if not see the force of it beating. Stopping within a foot of him, she stared at his clean-shaved jaw, hard and tanned from the sun, his well-shaped nose, his eyes that had long ago reached inside her and stolen a part of her heart.
The she did the one thing she swore she'd do if she ever saw him again.
She reached out and slapped him.