Page 115 of Take No Prisoners
"Aye, Captain."
Tovey rolled his eyes. "Is this going to be another Melcher's Pass?"
Vadim jerked his head to glare in Martiz's direction. The former healer quickly looked away. Vadim leaned toward Tovey. "Hush. We don't speak of Melcher's Pass."
If Martiz heard them, his countenance didn't change in the slightest. He continued to gaze forlornly at the water.
Finally, they reached the docks and could end their farce. Stan and Tovey heaved Martiz out of the small craft first.
When they were past the gangplank above them and out of sight, Beatrice helped Niall out of the skiff. She stopped Efren with one leg up. "If you don't take Petri, Martiz will question why you don't have all available wind weavers at your beck and call."
"Petri's still terrified from this last trip. It'll be another ten years before I can talk them into a day trip, let alone the two-week slog to Hearthstone."
Beatrice nodded and helped him up the rest of the way. "As you say. I don't like it, though. You're putting all your eggs in one basket."
"She doesn't want us. She wants Vadim."
"And if she catches Vadim's ship on the way to Glamiere and finds he's not on it, she'll be gunning straight for you."
"We'll be in such a thick fog, she'll never find us."
"Fog." Beatrice scoffed. "Your answer is fog."
"It beats snow, but we'll have Frost aboard, too. And Jermain."
She nodded. "All eggs in one little basket."
"We're building a bunk fit for an emperor."
"And one for Vadim?"
"He's got a crate in the hold."
She laughed. "He does." She gave him a hug. "Be off with the tide before dawn. Don't give Martiz the chance to plot with Elsie tonight."
Efren had forgotten about Elsie. He wondered if Vadim had spoken to his hateful aunt after his trial, or if the crowd had kept them apart.
Efren stopped worrying about Vadim the moment he and Niall were alone in his house. They needed to pack for the weeks-long trip, but Efren had more immediate concerns. He pulled Niall to him and kissed him gently. The kiss devolved into a clash of teeth and tongues as Niall kissed him back, all passion and desire.
"Gods, I love you," Efren managed between kisses as Niall untied the laces of his shirt and tugged it from his breeches.
"Love you more." Niall dove to capture a nipple as soon as it was bare. Efren moaned as the scrape of teeth over his sensitive flesh sent a shock wave straight to his cock. "Want to prove it to you and make you scream my name as you come for me, over and over."
How could Niall make something so filthy sound delicious at the same time? "Yes, please." Efren unbuttoned Niall's shirt, wishing they had more time for him to worship every inch of bared skin as it became available to him. The afternoon light shone through the south windows, casting everything in a warm glow, including Niall's delectable skin. Efren wanted to kiss every inch of his body, to claim it as his own.
"Upstairs," Niall said as he discarded his shirt on the floor. "Now."
∞∞∞
Niall
They raced up the stairs. Unfortunately, a shadow occupied a seat in the middle of the bed.
"I thought you'd never make it." Olivia placed her tricorn hat on the comforter and tossed her glossy black hair over her shoulder.
"How long have you been here?" Efren asked.
"I knocked, but you didn't answer." She shrugged. "I have a report on the new construction. We've combined the crates as you requested, added new sails if Vadim is displeased with the arrangement, and quartered off a section of the true hold for Martiz on the way there and Hugo on the way back."
