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xylune · 10 years

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Wyndrah Preview: "Domino Effect" - Ch. 10

"Domino Effect"

Part 3 of the Modern Wyndrah series

Chapter 10

Once things settled, they had an ambulance come to take Glaive away to the hospital to get professionally treated for his injury. Idrisar stood outside with Zevian and watched as they loaded up the lishere into the vehicle and allowed Haden to climb in with him. "Keep me updated on his condition, Agent Wolfe," called out Idrisar as they began to close the back doors.

Haden gave the thumbs-up, and then the doors shut and the ambulance drove away. Zevian put an arm around Idrisar and gave him a comforting little squeeze. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

Idrisar nodded stoically. "Yes, Glaive is strong. I believe he will be fine, too." He looked at the guild lord with a little smile. "Well, you've managed to hold your island. Well done, Saber."

"We're on a second-name basis now?" Zevian grinned at him.

"Old habits," excused the agent. "Well, what is your plan now?"

Zevian shrugged. "Finish with the cleanup and put the word out that it's safe for all the evacuees to come back home. I guess I should find out what Xellnaise plans to do and let him know his daughter went to Rhuidhim with Azurel and his spouse. I'll help him make arrangements to either bring her back or meet up with her there, depending on what he wants to do. I'm pretty sure he won't be interested in taking over Voldus as its guild lord, so we'll probably have to work out who's next in line for there."

"You've a lot of work ahead of you," observed Idrisar. "I can stay to help with the cleanup, but Zevian...I do have a son to think of back home."

Zevian turned to look at him, and his handsome face became pensive and somber. "Yeah, I know. I couldn't ask you to just abandon everything and stay here with me. What are we going to do about this, gorgeous?"

That was the very question that Idrisar had been dreading coming up. What, indeed? He and Zevian lived very different lives, and while he was highly respected by his department and most of the Ulvari guild as a whole, he knew there was bound to be some questioning of his judgment over his intimate involvement with a prominent member of the Zarnian mafia. He smiled a little wistfully, and he reached up to caress Zevian's face.

"We'll deal with that later. I'm sure between the two of us that we can come up with some solution to our dilemma. We should get inside and begin planning out our next course of action, before we worry about our future together."

He turned and walked back into the house then, leaving Zevian to stare after him with brooding, aqua eyes. "That's what worries me, Blackbird," murmured the guild lord under his breath. "Fuck, am I gonna lose you after this is all finished?"

Ulvari ears were trained to be sharp, and Idrisar heard the soft comment as he started up the steps. He nearly hesitated...nearly turned around to tell Zevian that of course, he wouldn't lose him. He pretended not to hear him though, and he bit his lip as he kept going. He'd already lost two of the sires he'd loved, and he certainly didn't want to lose Zevian as well. The question was whether or not they could endure the difficulties they were sure to face in their relationship, when it came time for him to return home.

Later that evening, Antyan held a council meeting at the harbor in for all Wayfarer captains to attend. He would have preferred to hold it at their fortress off the coast, but many ships were still damaged and they still needed to be on alert for the possibility of Ripper fleets coming from other parts to try and take back Voldus. Attending the council along with the other captains and their first mates were Tsabrak and Lythallendar. Their numbers were down by four ships—not too bad considering the losses they could have sustained.

"We shall make this as brief as possible," he stated as they closed off the common room and began the meeting. "We've sustained heavy damage and some losses, but our numbers are still great enough to maintain defense of this harbor and clear out the remaining Ripper forces within the city. None of you are required to stay for longer than necessary to patch up, of course. Participation is voluntary."

There were nods of agreement all around. All Wayfarers were required to answer a call to arms if at all possible, but the main fight had been won. They were a brotherhood, however. Antyan knew that most of them would stay to assist, or at least return to help finish up.

"So the question is who's staying and who's going," Aurora chimed in. "You can all discuss it with your crews and get back to us on that. Captain Darshaw here—" she pointed at Antyan—"has already volunteered the Black Cat for burial of the dead at sea. The rest of us should concentrate on ship repairs and running those bilge rats out of the city."

"As well as rescuing trapped and abducted citizens," added Lythallendar softly.

Captain Hunter raised two fingers. "Uh, just a minute...I'm confused."

Aurora smirked at the attractive human pirate. "Can't say I'm surprised, Tristan."

"Saucy," he accused with a wink at her, "but it's not the plan that's got me scratching my head, vixen. It's the title issue with your family. Don't get me wrong—I'm thrilled your folks came back from the dead and I'm sure everyone here can agree with that, but now we've got three 'Captain Darshaw's' and that's gonna get a little convoluted. Well, four if we start calling you by your surname too."

"Aye, that could perplex some folk," agreed Tsabrak with a chuckle.

Aurora shook her head. "No it won't. I'm still Star, as far as everyone save my family is concerned. Tsab's the captain of the Wavecrasher and Daddy's his first mate. Where's the confusion?"

Tristan gestured at Antyan. "He's a Darshaw too. Still leaves us with two of 'em, unless one of them wants to go by his first name."

"No need for that either," she pointed out. She gestured at her half-brother. "Antyan here's an Admiral, truth be told. He's the one commanding the fleet. That leaves us with only one 'Captain Darshaw'. Problem solved."

"Brilliant thinking, dearest," complimented Lythallendar with a smile. He looked to Antyan, who felt distinctly uncomfortable. "Well Antyan? Will you accept the title? It is after all accurate for your position."

"Or you could just go by 'King Antyan'," suggested Tsabrak with a teasing smirk.

The raven-haired sire shook his head and grimaced at that suggestion. "I suppose 'Admiral' will do, for identification purposes. I am no king, even if I've taken on a position that once called for such hubris."

"Didn't think he'd go for that," muttered Aurora to her father with a chuckle. She raised her glass of whiskey in a toast. "To Admiral Darshaw!"

The others raised their glasses and mugs to the toast. "To the Admiral of the brotherhood!"

Antyan flushed slightly and gave a stiff nod, provoking a chuckle from his sire and his sister. His father was a bit more understanding of his discomfort, and he laid a soothing hand on his shoulder. "You are still captain of your ship, Antyan. This title changes nothing except to provide less confusion in the ranks."

Antyan relaxed a bit at those comforting words, and he spared Lythallendar a tiny smile.

A couple of hours later, they had the names of the ships and crew that were planning to stay for a while and help with the defense and cleanup. People from Oricus arrived on a ship to assist, and Zevian contacted Antyan to warn him to keep an eye out for Chalice interference. A lot of the Wayfarers were relaxing at the harbor inn and having drinks before either calling it a night or getting back to work, depending on each individual crew's situation. They were trying to do things in shifts so that everyone got enough rest. Aurora sat at a table with Tsabrak, catching up on things while Lythas checked on Vurkanan. Antyan had gone to the Wayfarer fort to check on things there and visit with Rhinan for a while.

"I'd ask about who's left of our family," murmured Tsabrak after having a swallow of ale, "but I think that part's better left for after we've dealt with all of this. Your father and I will concentrate on our task better if we aren't lamenting further losses, I think."

She nodded, her eyes going shadowed at the thought of parting with that information. She and Vurk had struggled with it for some time, and he still wept in his sleep at times. She'd never informed him of it, knowing he was doing his best to be strong. "Of course, you're right. We'll all mourn our family losses after we've seen this through."

She briefly reached out to squeeze Tsabrak's hand, and then her eyes flicked to a certain human buck she'd been fooling around with for a while now. Tristan was sitting with his newest girlfriend at the bar, leaning intimately close to her as they talked. She smiled at him as they spoke, her eyes never leaving his.

Aurora heaved a sigh. "Well, that's torn it. Any doubts I had before are gone now."

"Eh?" Tsabrak gazed at her blankly, until he traced her stare across the room. "Ah, that. Far be it from me to stick my nose in your personal love life, kitten, but it seems to me that Captain Hunter has arrangements with his lovers, just like you do. I'm sure that lass understands the way of it."

Aurora smirked without humor. "Think so? Have a good look at her, and then try to tell me that again."

Tsabrak did look, and though he wasn't as sensitive to it as his adopted daughter, he saw what she meant. "Hmm, I see."

Aurora nodded. "And he might not admit it, but he's just as smitten as she is. Time to let this one go, like I planned."

She sighed again as the man in question excused himself from Rhiannon's side to go to the men's room, and her eyes strayed to his backside. Tristan had removed his jacket and the toned shape of his ass was nicely outlined by the dark breeches he wore. "Shame. I'm going to miss that sweet arse."

Tsabrak coughed on his drink. "More than I needed to know, love."

She chuckled and got up, kissing him on the cheek. "I'll be right back. I've a hunky fish to toss back. It was just good sex, anyway."

Tsabrak raised his mug to her, his amber gaze betraying a hint of sympathy. "Good luck, my dear. I'll not move from this spot."

Star intercepted him on his way to the bathroom and she said two words to him. "Come. Now."

Tristan looked down at his groin. "Er, can I at least pull my pants down first? It'll get kind of messy, otherwise."

"Heh, you're a funny guy, Hunter...but you know what I mean. I know you aren't that drunk. Come on."

He followed her dutifully out of the Inn and to the outer corner wall of it. He wasn't sure if he did something wrong or if she was looking for a little action from him. With Star, it wasn't always easy to tell. Come to think of it, with most of his girlfriends, it wasn't easy to tell...except for Rhia. She was always really sweet when happy, and never violent when angry. Her style was more the silent treatment—a thing which he wasn't used to anymore because he'd chosen such aggressive women over the past few years.

"What's up? I can't tell if you want to flail me or fuck me. I've gotta warn you, Rhia and I haven't set up any rules about me being with another woman when I'm with her, so I'll have to take a rain check, if it's the latter."

Star turned to face him and she smirked. The moonlight breaking through the clouds shone on her practically flawless ivory skin. "Neither, actually. I wanted to tell you I'm cutting you loose."

Tristan blinked several times. This woman had once told him she wouldn't cast him off 'till he either got too old to perform, or got married. Given that neither was likely to happen soon, he was understandably confused. "Wait, did you just say you're breaking things off with me?"

She nodded and crossed her arms over her chest. "That's right. Do I need to run that by you again?"

He pulled his hat off and combed his bangs back from his forehead. "Maybe. What'd I do? Is it 'cause I haven't had any time for you tonight? Maybe Rhia won't mind, if I talk to her about it."

"Oh yes, she will," corrected Star. "No matter how she tries to hide it from you."

Tristan gave a worthy pause. He was still in a giddy state over the victory, and he had some trouble absorbing what she was saying. "You think she doesn't like you?"

Star chuckled and looked out over the harbor. "No, you daft fool. I think she likes you too much for her own good. I also think you like her more than you care to admit. You've barely even looked at me all night, but it didn't slip my notice the way you've been looking at her."

He was now even more confused. "Wait...are you jealous? You?"

She looked at him with a dry smirk. "Maybe a little, but not for the reasons you think. Bend your ear this way, Tristan, because I'll only explain this once. When you first introduced us on your ship, right before I went overboard to be with my Daddy, I noticed a look from her. I've seen that look in her eyes before. I've lived it. It's the look that comes from trying your damndest to be supportive and not let it shred you to pieces to see the man you love in the arms of someone else. It's one of the shittiest feelings I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing, and I won't be part of the cause for it. Did any of that make it into your thick head?"

"Well...uh, yeah," he admitted uncomfortably. "I'm not an idiot. I just think you read her the wrong way. Rhia doesn't want a relationship and she knows about my other girlfriends, so if it bothered her, she wouldn't be with me now."

Star clucked her tongue. "For a man that has so many women, you surely don't know all that much about us, Hunter. Right then; you've got your answer and whether you choose to see it or stick your head in the sand is no business of mine. I won't be the one that visits that sort of pain on someone else, though, so the 'benefits' part of our friendship is over."

He sighed. "Great. Another one lost."

She chuckled and reached out and around to pat him on the butt. "It's a shame to lose such a fine, virile buck, but believe it or not, I have a conscience about some things. It's been fun, Captain Hunter. I can honestly say you're one of the few of your kind that can keep up with lashran stamina in the bedroom."

He grinned. "Aw, shucks, I try. So you're sure you want to do this? Because I really think Rhiannon's okay with the situation."

Star sighed and gave him a frustrated look. "Maybe the lass is, for the sake of being in your life. Truth is, I'm not. When it's just for fun it's fine, but when hearts get broken is when I draw the line. Maybe someday you'll see that."

She started to walk away, and Tristan called after her. "Hey, you never told me your real name. Can't I at least get that?"

The piratess turned to regard him, and she smirked. "That would be Aurora. It's still Star to you and everyone we know, however."

He nodded. "Got it. That's a really pretty name, though. I'll just use it in my head when I think of you."

She cast a wink over her shoulder at him, before going back inside.

#writing previews #Wyndrah #Original fiction

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xylune · 10 years

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"Rhiannon's Gambit" - Ch. 2

Beware, for here thar be spoilers! Here's the raw version of chapter 2 of this story, which ties into my Wyndrah WIP "Domino Effect". Still not sure why I got a bug up my bum to write a Rhiannon-centric story but maybe I was getting burned out on the yaoi and wanted some het. Go figure. Peer into the depths, if you dare.

Rhiannon's Gambit

Chapter 2

Rhiannon stared at the captain's quarters, surprised. She figured they'd reflect Tristan's personality a bit better—which logically would have meant disorganized like a teenaged boy's room. Instead, the room was neat, orderly and decorated with masculine style. The oaken dining table had a sterling silver plate of fruit crowning the center and an overhead lantern shaped like a basking mermaid. A bookshelf was secured to the wall beside the desk, with safety slats running the middle of each shelf to hold the books secure there. A custom laptop done steampunk style rested on the surface of the oak desk, and there was a chamber in the back left corner of a room, separated by a dark wooden slat door, and what appeared to be a closet was built into the wall near it.

Electric string lights charmingly designed to look like nautical lanterns lined the walls for additional luminance, and there were paintings of ships, lighthouses and sea life adorning the walls, as well. One of them depicted a bare-breasted mermaid, but that was surprisingly the only picture with female nudity hanging on his walls. There was a box bed in the back of the room with nautical themed sheets and pillows, big enough for two but not quite queen sized. Hanging in the corner to the left of the bed was a large hammock, and that confused her even more.

"Why do you have a bed and a hammock?" She asked him, pointing at the hammock. She smiled at him. "And that's the only boob picture you've got? You're full of surprises."

He cleared his throat. "You haven't seen my magazine collection yet. Anyway, the hammock's there 'cause sometimes the sea gets choppy and it's easier to sleep in than a bed. It just swings with the motion of the ship and I don't have to worry about falling out of it. That back there is my private bathroom, so if you want a shower without worrying about anyone walking in on you, use that. The bathing room on board is set up as a community shower. The crew's used to bathing in front of each other, but I know you're used to more privacy."

He grinned and put an arm around her. "Besides, we can do other things in my shower together that we couldn't do in the community one. Well, we could, but only if we want to give the crew a free show."

"Ah-hah...I think I'll stick to your shower," she replied dryly. "Um...so what am I going to do about clothes?"

She had some money saved up and she'd brought her wallet and bank card with her, plus she had some cash on hand. She didn't know how long that would last, though. "Unless the crew wants makeovers, there isn't much I can do to earn my keep here."

"You'll be fine," he assured her. "We'll stop off at the next port and you can go shopping while we work on the ship. If you want to help out, I'll show you how to do some things...easy stuff like swabbing the deck or helping in the mess hall. I can teach you more if you want, but you're my guest...so if you need any extra cash, just ask me."

"I can't ask you for any money," she protested, frowning.

"Why the hell not? Everyone else does." He nudged her gently and smiled. "And if you're contributing something, you're earning. I already told you I'd take care of your clothing needs."

"Swabbing decks and cooking meals might not be enough," she reasoned.

He winked at her. "You're giving me your company, too. That's worth a lot more than cooking and cleaning to me."

She blushed. "Um, Tristan? You didn't invite me just so you'd have easy access to sex on board, did you?"

"What, you mean like my personal concubine?" He shook his head. "Nah, that's not it. I could stop at any port I want and get laid. You're not all that 'easy', either."

"Well, that's...er...sweet of you to say, but I still don't get what prompted you to do this. If it's not the sex, then what is it?"

He stared at her and for a moment. "I already told you; I hate seeing people caged. Besides, I like you. I want to get to know you a little better. Of all my girlfiends, you give me the least hassle. Couldn't resist kidnapping you for a while."

She snorted. "You might change your tune about that. How long am I going to be your 'captive' anyhow, Captain Hunter?"

He chuckled and lowered his head to give her a quick smooch. "Depends. Maybe I'll keep you forever."

Rhiannon's heart annoyingly skipped a beat, and she reminded herself that it was just banter. Tristan Hunter was not the sort of man to settle down with one woman, and she still had plenty of baggage from her last relationship. Her trust issues weren't as bad as they'd been a couple of years ago, but she still suffered instinctive fear of men.

~So why am I taking off with one on a pirate ship at the last minute?~

"You okay? You look like you're feeling a little seasick again."

Rhiannon looked up at him, and she nibbled her lip. She nearly told him that she felt too safe with him and that bothered her, but she forced a smile and shrugged, instead. "I'm fine. I'm just taking everything in. I like how your ship has a classic design with modern parts, by the way. Can I see the rest of her?"

The ship began to move, and Rhiannon staggered a little, unused to it. Tristan's arm tightened around her to help her balance. "Sure, cutie. The Sea Lion usually starts off a little smoother, but the damage has her a little crooked. It'll be a lot better once we make repairs, and you'll get your sea legs in a couple days."

"I don't know about that," she sighed as he escorted her back out of the captain's quarters and to the stairs going up to the deck.

"I'm telling you, there's a pirate wench in there just begging to get out," he insisted. He let her go up first and then he followed, ready to catch her if the motions of the ship threw her off balance again. "Trust me, Rhia."

"You're not going to let it go, are you?" She moved aside for him as they reached the top of the stairs and made it to the door. "And I've already seen the deck. I thought you were going to show me the mess hall and stuff."

"I will," he promised, reaching around her to open the door for them. "First I thought you'd like to check out the crow's nest, though."

She blinked at him, and then she peeked through the door and up at said crow's nest, high up on the main mast. The ship's sails were currently lowered, as it was running on the motor engines. A ring of steps wound their way up the mast to the enclosed scaffold, and though it was designed by modern standards to provide shelter from weather and protection from falls, the crow's nest was structured of the same steel reinforced wood as the outer structure of the ship. Tristan had already explained that the wood was actually a shell covering up the steel underneath. It was how many modern vessels managed to keep a classic design without giving up naval technology and weaponry.

"I don't know if I can do that," she gulped. Her stomach churned at the thought of it.

"Afraid of heights?"

She shook her head and looked up at him. "Afraid of tossing my cookies. I've heard the crow's nest is really wobbly, and every movement of the ship is intensified up there."

He shrugged. "It can be a ride, for sure. It's also kind of fun, and you can get a bird's eye view of the horizon. Come on, Rhia." He took her hands and smiled encouraging at her. "I'll go with you. I'll do the pressure point trick and if you start getting the heaves, I'll carry you down again on my back, if I've got to."

She sighed. While Tristan hadn't overtly pressured her to do anything, he could be like a dog with a bone. She had told him more than once that she wanted to experience new things. That was how they ended up hooking up in the first place.

"Better bring a vomit bag," she warned.

He started drawing her out the door by her hands, his smile never fading. "Crow's nest already has a couple of buckets for that. You'd be amazed how many times we've had to raise and lower 'em for cleaning, when someone with a weak stomach gets stuck up there for a while."

"I don't understand," she admitted, her gaze going past his shoulder to the structure she was about to climb up into. "Don't you guys use radar now?"

"Yeah, but having a real pair of eyes up there is pretty damned helpful when you're coming up on other vessels, or when the radar's being dodgy. The crow's nest is still useful and anyone that doesn't have one on their ship is just asking for a wreck, if you ask me. Besides, it's fun to sit up there sometimes. Especially at sunset."

"Oh, so that's why you want to drag me up there so bad," she reasoned, glancing at the fading orange light to the west.

Tristan nodded. "Mm-hmm. We only have about twenty minutes before it sets completely, and you know I like to romance you a little when I can. I'll finish showing you around afterwards."

She couldn't help but smile a little. Whether he had four other girlfriends or fifty, he was with her right now and he made her feel special. Even if it was just play, she could appreciate it for what it was.

Tristan checked with Tam in the bridge first to make sure nobody was in the crow's nest already. When the blond lashran assured him the forecast was for mostly clear skies and there was no need to station a lookout yet, the pirate captain checked their heading and told his first mate that he'd take over piloting in a couple of hours. After that, he and Rhiannon made the somewhat dizzying climb up to the crow's nest, and she had to admit that the view was breathtaking. She could see the lights of Valkyrie Falls in the distance as they moved further away from land, and the sky to the west was painted in colors of orange, yellow and read. The setting sun reflected on the smatter of clouds, pretty as a picture.

Tristan closed the door to the enclosed lookout and he came up behind her. He slipped her hood back down over her head and he embraced her from behind, nuzzling her auburn curls. "See? Real pretty...like your hair."

Rhiannon nodded, swallowing a little as the structure tilted slightly with the motions of the ship. "It really is. I just hope I don't spoil it by getting sick."

Tristan's hands reached for her wrists, and he began to massage those spots from earlier. "Just relax and breathe evenly," he coached. "Some people just need to get used to it. Take Skidder, for example. He swore up and down he was prone to chronic seasickness when I made him join my crew to work off the debt he owed me, but now we couldn't get rid of the bastard if we tried. He settled his debt seven months ago, and he's still with us."

Rhiannon's eyes grew heavy lidded as she listened and watched the colors on the horizon. "Why do you send people with weak stomachs up into the crow's nest, anyhow? Do you just get your kicks from hauling buckets of puke?"

He laughed and brushed his cheek against hers, the whiskers on his face tickling her skin. "It's punishment for fucking up, sweet thing. A couple of hours up there and they don't make the same mistake twice...at least not for a while."

"So who gets to clean the buckets?" She shivered as his breath caressed her ear.

"Whoever's next in line to sit in the crow's nest," he answered, "or whoever's newest. There's a hierarchy on the ship."

"Hmm, does that mean I might have to do it?" She leaned back against him, enjoying his body warmth.

"Not unless you decide to join my crew. Helping out with cleaning and cooking is enough."

She turned a little to look at him. "There's something I still don't get about all this."

"So ask." he favored her with a charming smile.

"Before when the authorities were looking for you, you said that you didn't want me to get involved because you didn't want me getting in trouble. Now you're sailing off with me on your ship. Aren't I more likely to get in trouble this way than by hiding you in my closet for a few minutes and helping you get out of the city?"

"Er..." He hesitated with a slight frown. "Stop being Logic Girl and just enjoy it."

Rhiannon chuckled. "See? You don't even know, Mr. 'fly by the seat of my pants'."

"Hey, I live by the seat of my pants."

She would have commented on that, but the crow's nest rocked again and she ended up gasping and clinging to him. It was Tristan's turn to chuckle as he tightened his hold on her. "It's all right. Look at that; you haven't thrown up once."

"Don't be so sure it won't still happen," she warned, though his trick with the pressure points seemed to have worked. The motions of the ship still gave her an odd little thrill, but they weren't making her feel nauseous any longer.

"I think you'll get used to it just fine," he predicted, and then he lowered his head to kiss her.

Rhiannon slipped her fingers through his hair and knocked his hat off, returning the kiss. His tongue eased into her mouth and she reciprocated its caress, once again forgetting her inhibitions. She still didn't know quite how or why, but this man had a way of distracting her so very easily. She vaguely felt the press of the window against her as he backed her up against it, but it wasn't nearly as acute as the feel of his hardening groin rubbing against her lower belly. She murmured against his lips as he cupped her bottom and lifted her up onto the counter—which she assumed was intended for occupants to place drinks and food on while on lookout duty.

"Tristan, I don't think that's what this surface is for."

His soft chuckle tickled her lips. "Why not? It's my ship." His beard caressed her skin as he kissed his way down her neck and started unzipping her hoodie.

"I...b-but..." Rhiannon's protests died with a sigh of need as his hips ground between her thighs. Their earlier encounter got interrupted—not once, but twice—and she hadn't gotten any loving since the last time he was in town. Stupid choices or not, Tristan was her only source of nookie since Chip and she had her needs like any other woman. Her actions belied her words as she unbuttoned his vest and slipped her hands under his shirt to run them over his chest. It still amazed her how much the feel of his body hair against her palms turned her on. At least it was limited to his chest and stomach. She'd tried to date a guy once that had hairy shoulders and a hairy butt, and it was so unattractive to her that she could never go all the way with him. Tristan's body hair pattern was just manly and sexy to her.

~Oh brother, am I seriously about to do it with this guy right here in the crow's nest?~

It certainly seemed that way. Her hoodie fell to the floor and she moaned softly as one of his big hands reached under her blouse to unhook her bra. "W-won't someone see what we're up to?" she gasped, recalling her sense of modesty.

"Windows are tinted," he explained, his lips traveling over her shoulder as he tugged one side of her blouse down over her shoulder to bare more flesh. "I've locked the hatch too, so nobody can bust in on us."

That made her feel a bit more secure, and she slid one hand down to grope the straining hardness between his thighs. He made that sensual humming sound of approval in his throat, pressing more firmly into her palm, and Rhiannon's loins ached responsively. She encircled his waist with her legs and she slipped her other hand down to start undoing his belt and pants.

"Careful with the guns, baby," he warned huskily. "Safety's on but we could still have an accidental discharge if you just drop 'em on the floor."

That thought hadn't even occurred to her, and she giggled. "We wouldn't want an accidental discharge, would we? That would spoil everything."

He grinned against her skin, his hands easing the hem of her blouse up slowly. "Hey, my flesh gun never does that. You ought to know better."

"Thank goodness," she sighed, and she smiled shyly at him as she palmed said part again, giving it a little squeeze. "You're sure nobody will be able to see us?"

"Not unless they sneak up here and put their face right up to the window. I know my crew though, and they won't do that. They've got enough common sense to give us our privacy."

Rhiannon lifted her arms over her head to let him remove her blouse. "I sure hope so." It was probably going to be obvious to most of them that they'd fooled around while up there once they finished and went back down, but as long as it wasn't blatant...

Tristan's mouth sought out hers again as her blouse drifted to the floor, and Rhiannon's thoughts flew out of her head again. She tugged at his belt, and then she recalled that he still had his guns holstered in it. Mindful of his warning concerning accidental discharges, she snapped open the straps securing the weapons to his belt and she eased the firearms out, one at a time. Gingerly, she set them down on the counter, before undoing his trousers and tugging them down. She didn't even recall her bra being undone, and her nipples tightened as it dropped on the counter, exposing her small, firm breasts to the cool air. Tristan's hands covered them almost immediately, his palms warming them as they gently squeezed and fondled.

Rhiannon's pulse quickened and she sucked on his invading tongue. Her passion was quickly overtaking her shyness, and another moan arose in her throat. He unzipped her jeans and urged her to lean back.

"Lift your hips a little," he demanded huskily.

Rhiannon did so, and he hooked his fingers under the waist of the garment to tug it down. There was a problem, though: she was still wearing her boots. The pirate swore softly to himself and then laughed.

"Whoops...forgot about those. Hold on a sec."

He bent over and slipped the boots off...and that action was unreasonably sensual to Rhiannon. Now panting slightly, she sat back up as he pulled her socks off, her gaze going to his exposed groin. "Take your shirt off," she demanded. "I don't want to be the only one topless."

He grinned at her as he straightened up to do as she commanded. "Want my pants and boots off too?"

Rhiannon nodded. "Now that you mention it, those need to go."

She watched him undress and she blushed as more of his tanned body was exposed to view. He really was put together nicely, and he was in better shape than a lot of guys half his age. When he was finished, he kicked aside his pile of clothing and his hands grasped her hips to pull her closer to the edge of the counter. She squeaked a little in surprise, and her blush returned full-force as he pushed her thighs apart and started to kneel before her.

"What are you...oh. Oh...umm...ahh!"

Her body quivered and jerked of its own accord as his mouth began to do those wondrous things to her loins that had her so bewildered and helpless the last time. His facial hair tickled her delicate flesh delightfully as his tongue began to tease the swollen nub he'd sought out. Shaken little gasps escaped her lips, and she combed her fingers through his hair. He'd barely even begun and her toes were already curling, the pink-polished nails glinting in the orange light.

"T-Tristan...oh, gods," whimpered Rhiannon, her head falling back on the counter. She bumped it against the window in the process, but she hardly noticed the brief discomfort as his lips closed around her clit and gave it a suck. She cried out, her back arching as the sinful intensity of the pleasure jolted through her. She thought she felt him smile, and then his tongue began to flick against the captured pearl of flesh. She jerked impulsively with each lick, again at his mercy.

"Mmm," he purred, as if cherishing a delicious treat. One of his hands slid up her belly and ribcage to massage her breasts one at a time, while the other fondled the tender folds beneath her clit. His thumb circled her right nipple, making it tingle and go hard, and she gasped his name again as he pushed a finger inside of her.

~I am sooo glad I landscaped down there yesterday. Ack...what a thing to think about, Rhiannon! The man's licking you cross-eyed and you're worrying about how your pubes look!~

But considering he was getting a close-up of the area, she supposed it was a legitimate thing to be concerned with. Her breath started coming in swift, short gasps as the heat of pleasure built and built, and the jolts of sensation were getting so intense she couldn't stop herself from squirming. He slipped another finger inside of her and he stopped fondling her breasts to grasp her hip and hold her still. A curse rose on her lips, and she began to plead with him, feeling like she just might explode.

"Tris...tan...oh...oh wait...ahh...p-please...I c-can't...it's s-so..."

She wasn't even aware of what she was saying, and her incoherent pleas got lost in the increasingly loud moans that she could not prevent. His fingers curled inside of her, rubbing against a spot that almost made her feel the urge to urinate. She knew his intention and she tried to brace herself as the spasms began. A scream built in her throat and her hips bucked as her inner walls clenched hard around his busy fingers. Her eyes rolled back and all she could do was lie there and tremble as her orgasm overcame her. It kept going on and on, drawn out by his attentions to the g-spot that she'd always believed was just a myth, before she met him. She felt herself spurt a little and she suffered a moment of embarrassment, unused to her body doing such a thing. She didn't even know females were capable of ejaculation until the first time it happened to her, and it still freaked her out a little.

"Just ride it out, beautiful," he encouraged huskily between licks when he noticed her biting her hand. "Nobody's going to hear you up here."

She very much doubted that, but in favor of not biting a chunk out of her hand, Rhiannon dropped it and grabbed the edges of the counter. The scream she'd been trying so hard to hold back finally escaped in a ululating wail, and her legs hugged his torso. When it finally began to fade, Tristan withdrew his fingers and kissed his way up her heaving body, pausing to kiss each breast before claiming her lips.

Rhiannon put her arms around him and returned the kiss, still panting like she'd run a marathon. He helped her sit up, and he pushed her thighs further apart before positioning his pierced arousal at her entrance. A muffled exclamation issued in her throat as his cock eased into her, and she trembled anew. His tongue thrust demandingly in her mouth as he slowly filled her, careful not to go too fast.

"Damn, I missed this," he groaned, breaking the kiss to rest his chin on the crown of her head. He stroked her curls with one hand, while cupping her bottom with the other. She whimpered and he pulled back a little to look at her. "Ouch? Or was that a good sound? Gods, you're tight."

"G-good sound," she assured him. Oh, how he filled her...it was almost too much, but he hadn't started moving yet. Rhiannon kissed his bare shoulder and ran her hands over his chest, calming her breathing as best she could while she adjusted. The occasional, residual spasm from her climax made her clench around his thick length, and she moaned at the feel of it. "I've missed this too."

He smiled at her, his hand still stroking her hair. "Good to know, baby."

Tristan withdrew slowly, then filled her again. His lips sought out hers for another kiss, grunting softly with pleasure as he repeated the motion. He deepened the kiss and hummed in his throat, buttocks flexing with his smooth, gentle pumping. Rhiannon's breathy exclamations of pleasure were lost in his mouth as he gradually picked up speed, and she slid her hands down and around to grab his ass. Her legs embraced his waist tightly as his hips rolled with more force, and her cries grew in volume and frequency. Every thrust stroked her inside just right, intensified by the piercing on his shaft.

Before she knew it, she was calling out to the gods again. She put her arms around his neck and clung to him, undulating her hips to match his thrusts. Harder, faster, he was soon taking her with enough force to make the crow's nest shudder. The vague fear that they might soon rock it right off its seating and go crashing down to the deck made Rhiannon hold onto him tighter, but he obviously suffered no such concern.

"Ah...oh, Tristan," she blurted, feeling another climax coming with startling speed.

He changed his rhythm to fast, shallow thrusts and she tossed her head back and moaned, in the throes of her second orgasm. It wasn't quite as intense as the first, but that had been like a hurricane to Rhiannon. This one was more bearable to her and she dug her neatly manicured fingernails into his chest, scratching a path of marks down it to his navel.

"Oh...I'm s-sorry," she panted, mortified by her aggression.

He resumed his deeper thrusts and he chuckled breathlessly. "Don't be. I like it when a girl marks me. Let's me know I'm doing things right."

"You are," she agreed, face flushed with passion as well as lingering bashfulness. "You...definitely are. Oh!"

He gave a sudden, hard thrust that felt like it had penetrated deeper than before, and before she could recover from the intensity of it, he did it again...and again after that. Rhiannon clung to him again, her cries fanning his ear as his hips snapped vigorously. His groans mingled with the sounds she was making, and she couldn't be sure if it hurt or not. It was just on the edge of being painful, and the pleasure was greater than the discomfort. She stroked his hair as his voice roughened and his breath quickened with excitement. Louder he moaned, his hands grabbing her hips to pull her into his thrusts.

"Hah...ah shit, baby," Tristan cried, hissing between his teeth. "Think I'm gonna come soon."

She kissed his ear and deliberately blew into it, and then she played with the hoops piercing his nipples, tugging on them to pleasure him. This was another of her favorite parts, hearing the sounds he made and seeing the look of surrender and relief on his face when he came. He always liked to keep it up for as long as he could, but she knew an encore would come before long, if he couldn't hold back.

That low growl began in his throat, followed by a softer, helpless sound of bliss. He moaned her name and she kept it up, alternating between tugging his piercings and fondling his nipples. Tristan laid his forehead against her shoulder and his body tensed up, his breath catching as he lost it. With one last, firm thrust, he bucked inside of her and cried out once more. Rhiannon nuzzled his cheek and sighed, just as much relieved for him as fascinated by the feel of him spurting inside of her.

"Nuh," he panted after a moment, "gods, that was good. Didn't...expect to come that fast or that hard."

He laughed and took his head off her shoulder, kissing her softly. "Don't think I'm done with you yet though, cutie. I'll get my second wind and then I'm going to be all over you again."

"I'm sure you will," she smirked, "but um...could we do it in the bed next time? And don't you have to pilot the ship later, too?"

He noticed her little shiver and he held her close to share body warmth. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Damn." He kissed her again and grinned. "I could have just stayed up here making love to you and forgotten all about that, if you'd have let me. I don't want you to get a cold, though, and I guess the counter's not too comfortable."

"I hardly noticed," admitted Rhiannon shyly. "It's more the chill in the air that's bothering me."

He eased his sated length out of her and bent over to gather her clothes for her. "Of course, sweet stuff. I'll show you the rest of the ship, get you something to eat and then you can just kick back under the covers while I take over piloting. Should be smooth sailing to our next port, so you probably won't need to climb into the hammock."

She gratefully allowed him to help her get dressed, and she blushed again when he took a handkerchief out of his vest pocket to wipe between her thighs before helping her get her panties and jeans on. Well, it was better than being all sticky down there. When he finished with that, he slipped her boots on for her and put his hands around her waist to help her hop down from the counter. Still completely nude himself and not seeming to care, he gave her another smooch and then began to dress himself. Rhiannon watched with quiet admiration, and she winced when she saw the red marks where she'd scratched his torso.

"Maybe we should put something on those scratches," she suggested, concerned.

He glanced down at them as he buckled his belt, and he just winked at her and shook his head. "It'll be fine. You didn't draw blood or anything. The last girlfriend I saw did a lot worse."

Recalling the knife scar on his shoulder, her gaze went to it and a peculiar feeling arose within her. It wasn't jealousy, but something else.

"I'll stab her right back if I ever see her," promised Rhiannon suddenly, her mouth speaking her thoughts aloud. She gave a little start and blushed deeper when he raised his brows at her. "Well, I will. She deserves it for doing that to you."

He gave her an almost boyish smile. "Awe, Rhia...are you protective of me?"

She shrugged and pulled her hoodie tighter, looking out the window. "Maybe. Just a little."

He pulled his shirt on and approached her, still smiling like that at her. "That's sweet, and you're so cute." He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her forehead. "See? Told you there's a pirate in you waiting to get out."

Rhiannon giggled softly. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

He shook his head. "Nope." Pulling away from her, he procured his guns and secured the holsters again, before putting on his vest and grabbing his hat. "One of these days you'll see it, and I'll be there to say I told you so. Ready for the rest of your tour?"

Tristan opened the door and offered his hand to her, prepared to help her down the stairs. Rhiannon took it and nodded, smiling up at him. "Aye, Captain Hunter."

After being shown the crew's sleeping quarters, the larder, the kitchen and the mess hall, Rhiannon got introduced to more of Tristan's crew and they had a bowl of stew each. Tristan explained that they'd at least had time to restock supplies a bit while in Valkyrie Falls, but she shouldn't get used to too many hearty meals of this sort. When the fresh meat and vegetables ran out, they'd start on the salted fish, dried rations and grain. He explained that scurvy was one of the biggest dangers of being out at sea for too long. While they could always catch more fish as a food supply, a lack of nutritional variety could lead to mouth sores and illness.

"Has that ever happened to you before?" asked Rhiannon as she finished her serving of stew.

"Only once," he answered, washing down his last bite with some ale. "It was a long time ago, back before I had my own ship. Our food stores got contaminated and we had to dump a lot of it into the ocean. Didn't have much left except hardtack and fish. Lucky for me the ship had a doctor on it and he gave everyone with scurvy symptoms vitamin shots and treatment. Mine didn't get nearly as bad as I've seen some people get it."

Rhiannon winced in sympathy. "And do you have a doctor on board?"

"Oh yeah." Tristan nodded. "That's pretty much a requirement for any ship, unless the captain's an idiot. Shit happens out there and crew get hurt or sick. Gotta take care of 'em if I want to keep the ship afloat, right?"

"Right," she agreed with a smile. "So what's his name? Doc?"

Tristan grinned back. "Kevin."

"Really?" she raised her eyebrows. "I expected everyone on this ship to have some kind of pirate name. Just 'Kevin'?"

He laughed and nodded. "He doesn't want a pirate name. Just wants to stick with his own."

"So what's the point behind them?" Rhiannon picked up her cup to take a sip of juice. "The pirate names, I mean? Is it just for fun or do they serve a purpose?"

"Well, they are fun, but they serve a more practical reason than shits and giggles. They protect our identity. Some scalawags don't care, but I encourage most of my crew to take a pirate name instead of shouting everyone's real name all the time."

"But what difference does the name you go by make if you get caught by authorities or enemies? Caught is caught, right?"

Tristan nodded. "Yeah, but if they don't know your real identity, they can't use it to track down your family."

Rhiannon paused and stared at him. "Oh. I...didn't even think of that."

He smiled. "You're a newbie, so it's all good. A lot of people don't think of that, until someone they care about gets killed by enemies or used as leverage against them. It also protects them from the authorities trying to get information out of them or force them to testify in court against their outlaw relatives or associates."

She bit her lip. "So then is Tristan Hunter your real name, or a pseudo name you made up?"

"Oh, it's my real name. I've never used another one and people already know who I am, so there's not much point in changing it now. Maybe I would have when I first started if I'd thought about it, but that ship sailed years ago."

She smiled softly. "Do you have any family to worry about?"

He nodded. "Two daughters; Caroline and Edin. I don't really worry about them though, because they're living under a different surname and it would be pretty damned hard to connect me to them, seeing as I've never seen either of them in person. They don't know I'm their Dad. It's better off staying that way too, if you want to know the truth."

Her brow crinkled. "You've never even gotten to hold your own daughters? Never get to see them?"

"I got to hold them both when they were born," he corrected, "but that was about it. I send their mothers money to make sure all their needs are provided for and I send gifts on their birthdays—which are from their moms as far as they know. I...look, it's not that I don't want to be there for them. It's just safer for them this way, and I'd rather my girls be safe and happy and ignorant of my existence than directly involved in my life and killed."

"I...see." She found it confusing, but there were plenty of other kids out there being raised by single parents. "Are you still involved with their mothers?"

He shook his head. "Nope. They both married someone else, and the girls believe those guys are their father. I'm fine with that, because their dads love them and give them what I can't."

She was trying not to judge him, but it still seemed selfish to her. "And those are the only kids you have—that you know of?"

Tristan looked into his mug. "Used to have a son. Connor."

"'Used to'? What happened to him?"

He looked into her eyes. "He's the reason I never gave my daughter's my name. Remember what I said about enemies finding and hurting your family to get to you?"

She nodded, a sinking feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

He looked away and pressed his lips together briefly, his hand tightening around his mug. "He'd be twelve now if they hadn't traced him. I left him with a nanny while I went out to see to transport some goods through a trade route. Came home to find both of them dead. Hung by the ceiling with a note warning I'd be next if I kept taking business away from the Rippers."

Rhiannon's hand went to her mouth, and her vision blurred. "Oh, gods. Tristan I'm...I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"How could you? It's not like I ever told you before." Seeing the way she wiped at her eyes, his expression softened and he scooted closer on the bench to put an arm around her. "Hey, you didn't do anything wrong by asking. I could have kept it under my hat if I wanted to, but I chose to share it with you. Guess I just wanted you to understand my position a little better."

She sniffed and fanned her eyes with one hand, willing them to stop tearing up. "But it might not have come up if I hadn't been giving you that judgy look about your boys."

Tristan chuckled, though it lacked the usual droll quality for obvious reasons. "Any time I think of the girls, I think of Conner, too. Like I said; I didn't have to answer your question. It happened long enough ago that I can talk about it without drinking myself into a stupor now, so don't be upset."

She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, taking his hand and putting it in her lap to hold it. "When did it...happen?"

"Ten years ago." He took another swallow of his ale, but he didn't guzzle it.

"So he was only two," she reasoned, doing the math. "How old are your girls?"

"Four and six." He smirked ruefully. "Even though I'm not part of their lives the way I'd have liked to be, they healed my heart a little. Just holding them for a while after they came out helped me let go of my rage. I got the bastards responsible for Connor's death, but it didn't make the rage go away. My girls did that for me."

Rhiannon found the sentiment beautiful, and she took her head off his shoulder to gaze at his face thoughtfully. "You have kind of a deep side underneath all that laughter. I wonder what kind of man I would have met if I'd run into you before that happened."

Tristan smiled at her, and there was a hint of sadness in the expression. He gave her hand a squeeze as he answered. "You'd have met almost the same guy, but with a shorter temper. It's the person I was after that happened I'd have never wanted you to meet. Up until my first daughter was born, I was an asshole. I had nothing left but my anger, and I'm really glad you never got to meet that guy."

"Well, that guy's a part of you, even if he was only around for a few years," she reasoned. "You wouldn't be who you are now if it weren't for him, so he had a purpose too. I used to hate the person I was when I was with Chip, but that scared, helpless victim was someone I had to be for a while in order to get where I am now."

The pirate stared at her quietly, until she felt the urge to squirm and blush under the scrutiny. "Did...I say something wrong? Did any of that make sense except in my own head?"

A slow smile returned to his lips, and he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the top of it. "I just really like the way you think, and the way you explain your thoughts. It's refreshing and kind of comforting, the way you have all these big, complicated thoughts but you make them sound so simple when you describe them."

She thought of the way he'd told her just because life was complicated didn't mean one had to have a complicated outlook on it. Maybe the two of them were more alike than she thought. "Well, I just confuse myself if I try to over-explain anything."

He chuckled. "You're fucking adorable."

When she got back to the captain's quarters she'd be sharing with Tristan, Rhiannon was reminded of one problem she hadn't considered, when she made the decision to take Captain Hunter up on his offer and travel with him.

She'd forgotten to notify any of her friends.

She realized this when she reached into her purse for her pick so that she could work out some of the tangles in her hair before showering, and she saw her cell phone blinking in the depths. "Oh, no."

She checked her messages and found five texts from Trinity, two from Auric and two more from Kylie. As she read through them, she groaned. Great...they all thought she'd been abducted, since she hadn't been seen since all the pirates cleared out and people saw her hanging out with Tristan.

"She's gonna kill me," predicted Rhiannon as she began texting back to Trinity. She tried to send it, and she got an error message. "Oh crap...no service."

They were too far out from land for her to get telephone service. She knew the ship was equipped with satellite phones that could get service when cellular phones couldn't, but did she really want to talk to her friends and explain everything, right now?

"But they'll worry," she sighed, biting her lip. It would be selfish to just leave them worrying about her, regardless of how much she dreaded the lecture she'd doubtlessly get from her. With another groan, she decided to hold off on her shower and go ask for access to a phone so that she could at least let her friends know she was safe.

Tristan was happy to let her use the phone in the bridge, and he listened quietly as Rhiannon called the first person on her list and explained where she was. He suppressed his laughter and was grateful that his back was to her as she tried to describe what had happened. The poor girl kept digging herself deeper with her friend, and she was getting more flustered by the moment.

"Well, when you say it that way it sounds stupid," Rhiannon was saying to the woman on the other line. "I didn't just swim out to the ship, climb up and offer myself as crew entertainment! He asked me to come. No...well, yeah. The authorities were looking for them, but it wasn't anything serious. Um...maybe. Well, he's my friend! You don't even know him and—yes I do! We talk between visits so it's not like he's a stranger. I won't. It will, I promise. Everything's going to be fine, Trin, and this isn't remotely like my situation with Chip. Yes, he gave me a choice...I already told you that. Well no, I didn't pack. It was kind of last minute, so we're going to pick me up some clothes at the next port."

Rhiannon sighed and listened for a while, evidently getting buried under a lecture and unable to get another word in edgewise, for a moment. Just as Tristan was starting to wonder if he ought to intervene and speak to her friend, Rhiannon spoke again. "I'll find another job. I can even return to the studio, if I need to. I'll be fine. Yes, I know it doesn't look good on the work history, so I guess I'll have to come up with some—what? I'm not going to tell my boss I got kidnapped! Because it's not true and he'll have even more trouble with the law if I go with that excuse!"

"Uh, cutie patootie, I hate to but in but I think your friend has a good idea," hedged Tristan after a moment's thought.

Rhiannon looked at him, startled. "No way. I'm not throwing you under the bus just to avoid getting a bad mark on my resume for quitting without notice. I couldn't sleep at night knowing you were in trouble with the law because of me."

He did laugh, then. "Baby, I'm a pirate. I'm always in trouble with the law. Even if they put kidnapping charges on my list of whoopsies, it's not going to make much of a difference. Just make sure they know the sex was consensual, if it comes up."

Rhiannon's eyes widened and she clamped her hand over the phone's receiver. "Shhh! Don't mention the s-e-x, Tristan!"

"Uh, I'm sure your friend can spell, and she probably already knows about the s-e-x if you've told her about me before," he pointed out.

Wincing, Rhiannon put the phone back to her ear. "Yes, Trin. I know. I know. He...he thinks your right. I have to think about it. Look, I don't know when I'll be back but I'm going to be fine, and I'll try to keep you updated so you guys don't worry. Please let Auric know for me and if anyone else asks, just say I took a spontaneous rode trip and I'll make sure my bills get paid while I'm gone, if I get any before I come back. I use electronic billing so nobody needs to check my mailbox, all right? All I ever get is junk mail anyhow. Oh, right. Yeah, that's a good point. Just clean out my mailbox a couple of times a week if you don't mind. Okay. I promise, I'll be careful. He won't, Trin. He's not like that. Okay, I love you and give Auric a hug and a kiss for me, will you? Thanks, Trinity. I'll call you in a couple of days."

She hung the phone back up on its cradle and sighed, rubbing her forehead. "That was exhausting. I don't even have the energy to call Auric after that. He won't be as hard on me as she was but he's sure to have a billion questions—most of them about sex."

"Auric," repeated Tristan, thinking. "He's the sorcerer, right?"

"Uh-huh. He's also really nosey about people's love lives and a hopeless romantic. He's a real sweetheart, though. I don't know what would have happened to me, if it weren't for him and Trinity. She can be a little harsh and go into 'Mommy mode' sometimes, but it's just because she knows what I've been through and she doesn't want to see me hurt or wind up in another bad relationship again."

He nodded in understanding. "Sounds like you've got a group of really good friends. That's good to know. You look kind of tense, though. Come here."

She walked over to the helm as requested, and he turned her around so he could massage her shoulders a bit. He smiled when she hummed in pleasure and bowed her head, her auburn curls falling forward over her eyes.

"I'm glad you've got people in your life that are willing to step up and take care of you if and when you need it, Rhia."

She lifted her head again. "You worry about me too?"

Tristan shrugged. "Sometimes, yeah. I'll probably do it more often after finding out about your ex, but knowing you've got people to turn to helps."

She turned around and looked up at him with a little smile. "I never thought you'd worry about me."

"What, did you think I just forget about you every time I leave Valkyrie Falls? You've got a way of sticking in my mind, kiddo."

She lowered her gaze shyly. "Do you worry about your other girlfriends too?"

"A couple of them, yeah. Not the same way, though. I'm always worried one of them is going to kick my ass next time I see her, and the other one has some habits I'm afraid might get out of control and swallow her up."

"Drug habits?" guessed Rhiannon.

"Yeah. She likes hallucinogenics a little too much, and she also likes her opium. Sometimes I worry she'll walk off a ledge or something cause she's too high to pay attention."

"Let's hope not," sighed Rhiannon. "And the other one? I thought you dumped the violent one."

He chuckled. "Different girlfriend. The one that knifed me was psychotic. The one that could kill me with her pinky just likes to get rough now and then. She's also into bdsm, and one time I forgot my safe word and—"

"Okay, I get it," interrupted Rhiannon, blushing charmingly again. "I don't need to hear the details."

"Awe, you aren't getting jealous, are you?" He grinned teasingly at her.

"No, just uncomfortable with detailed descriptions of other people's sexcapades." She looked over at the instrument panel absently. "I'm not like Auric; I like romance and all, but I don't read smut or need a graphic replay of what people do in the sack together."

He gave her shoulders another squeeze. "All right, I won't go into all the gory details. Hey, if you're really tense, you could run a bath instead of a shower and have a warm soak. The tub in my bathroom isn't that big, but it's deep enough and long enough to submerge in if you keep your legs bent."

"Hmm, I might do that, then," she sighed. "Um, do you have any conditioner? I hate to be pesky, but I kind of need to use it when I wash my hair or it will dry all frizzy—especially in this salty sea air."

"Sure I have some. It's right in the shower rack next to the shampoo. I don't usually need to use it on my hair but I use it on my face sometimes after doing some touch-up shave. Helps keep skin irritation down."

"Oh really? I'll have to remember to try that sometime, myself. Not on my face. I mean on my underarms and legs and um...other parts I shave." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Tristan. You're a life saver. I might try to go to sleep after I get cleaned up, so I don't know if I'll be awake when you come back in."

"Probably not. I'll be monitoring our trajectory here for a couple of hours before Lotus comes in to take over. I'd put it on auto-pilot, but with the keel messed up, she might drift off course. Last thing we need to do is end up out in deep waters, without a spit of land in site to moor at if something goes wrong."

"She's not taking on water, is she?" Rhiannon's brow furrowed with concern.

"Only a little, but we've got crew taking shifts monitoring the bilge pumps to make sure it doesn't get any worse, and Blinky did a few minor repairs with his magic to tide us over 'till landfall. We ought to reach the next port by morning, so don't worry."

"Well okay," she said hesitantly, "but if I wake up knee-deep in water I might panic a little."

He smiled. "That won't happen, gorgeous. I wouldn't have brought you on this ship if I thought it might sink on you."

That seemed to reassure her, and she gave his hands a thankful squeeze before taking her leave. He watched her go and he sighed, admiring the way her curls bounced against her back and her cute little fanny. Once he was alone again, he checked the instrument panels and radar. The Sea Lion was holding steady and true on its course. He reflected on the situation as he sat down in the pilot's seat, as surprised himself by his spontaneous decision to convince her to travel with them as she had been. All of his lovers knew he wasn't a one woman man. Most of them didn't want to know the details about the other ladies in his life. Hell, most of them didn't like to do much talking at all when he came visiting. It was purely sexual, and while he always had fun with them, he never got into deep conversations with them.

But Rhiannon Argyle was another matter. She listened to him, she worried about him, and she even tried to protect him. He still wasn't entirely sure she didn't mind his other dalliances, but at least she hadn't demonstrated any desire to tie him down or get angry with him when he mentioned other girlfriends.

It then dawned on him that out of all of them, Rhiannon was the only one that felt like a friend as much as a lover. He used the term "friends with benefits" sometimes to describe his relationships with his other partners, but with her it really seemed to fit.

"Huh. So that's what it's like," he muttered.

Had Captain Hunter been the sort of man to recognize the signs, he might have turned the ship around and returned Rhiannon to Valkyrie Falls immediately out of sheer terror. Having never committed to a single woman before in his life, however, he was blind to the true nature of his and Rhiannon's growing bond.

-To be continued

#Wyndrah #Writing #Original fiction

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