Page 71 of Devil of the High Seas
“Leave none alive!” Beauchamp screamed, drawing his sword. Then she watched in terror as Beauchamp came toward her instead of joining the fray. He grabbed one of the lit oil lamps and smashed it at her feet. Josephine screamed as a circle of flames roared up around her, sealing her off behind a wall of heat.
* * *
Gavin and Griffinlanded side by side on the deck of theSiren, along with the rest of the boarding party. The brothers had pistols and swords at the ready. Griffin took in the blood and death that now surrounded them and gave Gavin a nod.
“You lead, I’ll follow.” It had been something they had done as boys. Gavin had always led in mock battles with the other children, and Griffin had always followed. Not because Gavin was more assertive or brash, but because his brother understood the value of support. Together, they had been unbeatable.
They moved with panther-like grace across the decks, slaughtering any who stood between them and Josephine. When the smoke had cleared from the cannon fire, Gavin had glimpsed her figure tied to the foremast.
“Find Josephine! I’ll guard your back,” Griffin told Gavin as he faced the opposite direction, holding off a new wave of attackers.
Gavin spied Beauchamp just as the pirate stopped in front of Josephine. Too late, Gavin realized what the bastard intended to do as he smashed the burning oil lamp at Josephine’s feet. A circle of flames wrapped around her, and he heard her scream his name. Gavin let out a howl of rage.
He charged across the deck, pistols raised as he fired at his enemy. The shot missed Beauchamp’s head by an inch and buried itself in the wood. Beauchamp raced up the companionway to a higher deck, laughing madly as he went.
“Choose, Castleton! Your woman or me!” Then he vanished behind a wall of battling pirates and sailors from theSerpent.
“Go!” Griffin said, rushing for the fire. “I’ll get her!”
Just as when they were kids, the twins were of one mind. Gavin was the sword, Griffin the shield. One brother could destroy the threat, the other could protect. They knew who was best suited to deal with Beauchamp, and that meant Griffin could focus on Josephine. Gavin hated to leave Josephine, it cut him deep, but only he could protect her by destroying the threat to her. Gavin chased the pirate up the steps, drawing his sword as he tossed aside his useless pistol.
“Face me, you bloody coward!” he challenged as Beauchamp ducked behind a massive pirate who wielded a pair of sabers. Gavin recognized the man, Billy, yet another sailor he’d taken onto his crew at Beauchamp’s recommendation. With Billy in the way, Gavin couldn’t reach his target. Beauchamp escaped.
Billy made a deep huffing sound and lunged for Gavin. Gavin threw up his sword, deflecting Billy’s attack. He ducked as a blade swung over his head and dropped to one knee, spotting his opening to strike. He thrust up, sending his sword deep into Billy’s chest.
Billy grunted, staggered, his fingers fumbling to grip the hilt of Gavin’s sword as he tried to pull it out. Blood bubbled up around his mouth as his hands dropped from the handle. Gavin scrambled back as the big man fell, shaking the deck with his impact.
Gavin frantically searched for another weapon and found one of Billy’s sabers abandoned on the deck. When he got to his feet he glanced toward the foremast, only to find it empty. There was no sign of Josephine. Where was she? Where was Griffin? He had to fight his way across the deck for a few minutes, killing any man that got in his path. Each second he had a chance, he searched for Josephine and Griffin.
There!Griffin had his back to the railing, but he was trapped, Josephine hanging limply in his arms.
Beauchamp had gotten around him in all the confusion and now had a pistol aimed at Griffin’s chest, a triumphant sneer on his face.
No!Gavin vaulted over the railing of the upper deck and sprinted for the bow of the ship.
Griffin turned his back, shielding Josephine with his body. A moment later, a shot rang out. Griffin stumbled, then fell forward with Josephine still in his arms. Neither moved as they collapsed to the deck.
The roar that escaped Gavin’s mouth shook the entire ship. Beauchamp spun, his eyes wide as Gavin came down on him like a dark avenging angel.
“No... I killed you!” Beauchamp shouted, glancing back at Griffin’s body, clearing confused.
“You cannot kill a man already dead!” Gavin slashed through a pirate standing in his way as he fought to reach Beauchamp.
None of the crew except for Ronnie knew he had a brother. In the heat of battle, he and Griffin must have looked completely identical to Beauchamp.
Beauchamp and Gavin met in a clash of steel, their blades singing a hymn of death as the pair dueled. Beauchamp was a strong and talented swordsman, but Gavin would not lose this fight. This man had taken everything from him, his woman, his brother, his home, his ship. And the price Beauchamp would pay would be his life.
Gavin leapt back as Beauchamp swung his sword low, aiming to slash Gavin’s legs. He landed nimbly and thrust his blade, nipping Beauchamp’s arm, but his foe escaped the deeper wound meant for him.
The two crews fought for their lives, but Gavin saw only one man, only one heart that needed to stop beating forever. He was tired of life taking away those he loved. Beauchamp pulled a pistol off a dead man and fired. The bullet ripped through Gavin’s shoulder. He stumbled and grunted as the pain hit him like a falling mast. He caught hold of a nearby railing and forced himself to keep moving.
“You won’t be able to do that again,” Gavin warned as he advanced.
“One shot was all I needed,” the bastard hissed, raising his sword. Gavin had but one instant to strike before he would lose his strength.
The ship grew eerily quiet. Beauchamp looked around and saw that most of his crew had fallen, and more and more eyes were turning toward him. Toward Gavin. Clearly recognizing this as his last stand, Beauchamp grinned, eager for this last moment of glory. Beauchamp launched himself at Gavin just as Gavin lunged forward. They collided, and Gavin sank his blade into the man’s stomach, Beauchamp’s blade only grazing him. A gunshot echoed across the deck like the crack of a whip. Beauchamp’s eyes widened. They both fell to the deck, lying side by side as Gavin stared at the blood spreading around a bullet wound in Beauchamp’s chest down to the blood spilling around Gavin’s sword. The pirate’s eyes were empty of life.
Confused, Gavin lifted his head and looked around.
