Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

AUGUST 17TH, 1666

I n the morning, Rowan woke to the sound of his own stomach growling. The night before, he'd let Yves fuck him twice more as atonement for the sin of giving him that scar before they both fell into an exhausted sleep, completely forgetting the dinner tray that was meant to be left outside the door. Now Rowan was ravenous. He sat up, the white linens pooling around his bare waist, and looked toward the other side of the bed. He expected Yves to already be awake, like the other time. But he wasn't. The other man lay on his back, one hand resting on his bare stomach and the other curled into the rumpled sheets. Gentle morning light brushed the smooth plains of his face and his plush pink lips.

He looked like a fae prince out of a fairytale.

Hunger forgotten, Rowan leaned over him, memorizing every detail of his gorgeous face. Yves sighed in his sleep, dark head turning on the pillow so his face was towards Rowan. Rowan reached out to brush away a stray lock of hair, mesmerized by the beautiful vulnerability of the sleeping Demon.

It happened so fast that Rowan wasn't quite sure how he'd ended up there. In a split second he was on his back on the bed. Yves straddled him with a fist cocked back ready to strike. Those beautiful lips twisted into a snarl. His eyes had lost their trademark stars, and without that shine, they were as dark and deep as the furthest reaches of the sea .

"Yves!" Rowan yelped. The other man blinked, dull sleep finally clearing from his black eyes as he recognized him. The fist unclenched, and Yves fell back to the bed beside him, rubbing an exasperated hand down his face.

"Sorry." Yves's voice was still roughened by sleep, but he offered no further explanation.

"It's okay…" Rowan replied slowly, trying to shake off the spike of adrenaline the sudden attack had ignited. "Next time I'll sneak off before you wake." He smiled reassuringly, but Yves frowned.

Yves turned to fully face him, touching his forearm gently and then growing bolder when Rowan didn't move away. His fingers trailed over Rowan's chest.

"Can I kiss you?"

This was very different from the Yves of last night. The man who had tied him up with his own belt and ravished him.

"That depends," Rowan murmured. "Am I your guest or still your prisoner?"

"The sun is up," Yves replied, inching closer. "You are my esteemed guest."

"In that case, let's go find some breakfast." Rowan sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Yves caught his arm, a spark of something unreadable in his expression. Rowan's stomach chose that moment to make its demands known, gurgling so loudly that Rowan was pretty sure it could have been heard from the hall.

Yves's expression cleared, and he leaned in, waiting for Rowan to initiate the kiss. Rowan pecked him on the cheek.

They found their clothes from the previous night scattered across the floor, and opened the door to the sight of two cats eating from the dinner tray that had been left in the hall the night before.

"Shoo," Yves said to the cats, a small frown on his lips. The cats loped away with their bellies full. "They keep the mice away but at what cost?" he grumbled.

"Are they yours?"

"They're everyone's," Yves answered. "But they sleep in Ga?l's room most of the time."

"I'm sure Fox will be jealous. "

Yves glanced at the ceiling as if to see through the roof to where Nephele roosted.

"Your hawk isn't going to cause a problem, is she?"

"She knows friend from foe. Your cats will be fine," Rowan assured him.

They descended the stairs into the main foyer and spotted another pair of pirates making their way slowly toward the mess hall.

"Henri!" Rowan hurried toward his injured crew member, feeling Yves glowering behind him. He hugged the taller man around the waist, careful not to unbalance him as Mister Beckett hovered close by. Henri patted his captain's back with his free hand.

"You look much better," Rowan said, pulling away. He usually wasn't a very touchy person, but Henri was one of his closest friends, and it was a relief to see him up and about.

"I feel much better," Henri agreed.

"His burns are almost healed," Beckett piped up, "but the break will still take several months to heal."

Rowan nodded. "Thank you for taking such good care of him." Rowan released Henri fully and extended his hand to shake.

"My pleasure. He's been a model patient," Beckett replied as his large hand enveloped Rowan's.

The three of them made their way toward the mess hall, with Yves trailing moodily behind.

The mess had likely once been a ballroom, but was now full of mismatched tables and chairs that had clearly been looted from the various ships that had fallen victim to the Kraken's Fury . It was already half full of sleepy-looking pirates from both crews, eating their breakfast. A few of the Siren crew quieted when they spotted the Demon, but he ignored them. He gathered a plate of food for himself and Rowan. Beckett settled Henri at a table in the corner and went to get them some food as well. Rowan sat across from him, and with a sigh, Yves joined them.

"Do you not usually eat with your crew?" Rowan asked, raising his eyebrows at Yves's haughty attitude.

"I was hoping to spend a bit more time alone with you." Yves's voice was pitched low so the others wouldn't hear.

A blush climbed up Rowan's neck, and he turned his face away to hide it.

"Captain!" Rowan looked up to see Fox bounding toward them, his perpetual muscled shadow, Ga?l, following behind carrying their plates. Fox's hair was a mess, as if he'd just rolled out of bed after some morning activities. He crashed into the chair beside Rowan, knocking Rowan's shoulder into Yves's. Rowan had never understood where the younger man got his boundless energy, but it never failed to either elevate or exasperate his mood. Rowan, Henri, and Ga?l all smiled at him fondly as Ga?l placed their plates on the table.

"So, how long are we staying?" Fox asked, shoving a large forkful of food into his mouth.

"Just until the ship is repaired," Rowan answered. He felt Yves tense beside him. What was wrong with him this morning? He seemed particularly on edge. Maybe he was regretting bringing Rowan and his crew here after all.

"So soon? There's going to be a party for the autumn festival. It would be a shame to miss it," Beckett cut in. Yves tensed again as the tall doctor passed behind him to set a plate in front of Henri and settle in beside him. They seemed close. Rowan supposed that spending weeks being taken care of by someone would cultivate friendship quickly.

"Did you two make up?" Fox asked innocently, but with a hidden smirk that told Rowan he was intentionally stirring something up. Beckett and Henri exchanged a look.

Oh, so it was like that with them too.

"Yes," Henri answered, as Beckett's ears turned red. Fox beamed, and Ga?l slipped an arm around Fox's waist.

Yves had remained silent throughout this exchange, but now he rested one hand on Rowan's thigh, squeezing lightly. They finished their breakfast, listening to the chatter of the two crews mingling.

"We should talk about getting supplies for the repairs," Rowan said after they finished their meal.

Yves smiled disarmingly, causing Rowan's heart to flutter.

"Why don't you just rest for the day. We can start all that tomorrow." He leaned close, his lips brushing Rowan's ear. "Besides, your back must be hurting."

A thread of unease mingled with arousal wound through Rowan's gut, but he dismissed it as Yves took his hand. "Come, I'll show you the island."

Rowan couldn't help but be impressed by the marvel that was Illusion. The village was well kept and more extensive than it had initially seemed the night before. The people who lived there were the families of the Kraken crew and various retired Kraken crew members. They seemed happy and prosperous. The plunder of the Kraken was laundered through a small fleet of merchants and supply ships that all answered directly to Yves. The dock teemed with fishermen preparing to go out to the blue island waters for the day. Yves showed him the village, the docks, and the fields, which they'd managed to hide nestled in the thick forest that covered most of the island. If seen from a ship, they would simply look like natural clearings in the trees and nothing more.

The secrecy was astounding. No wonder the Demon was so successful; he had his own small kingdom at his beck and call.

The lot of a pirating life was to have no home but your ship. No family but your crew. And some pirates didn't even have that. Yet Yves had been able to create this peaceful haven so his crew would not have to choose between family or pirating. He had created a home for them, defended and supported by his ruthlessness.

Rowan felt his heart softening. To have a home where you never had to watch your back. Never had to make a quick escape when the authorities discovered you. It was an impossible dream, and he would be sad to leave, but Rowan was already itching to get back out to sea. The Siren was the only home he had. The crew, his only family. He was restless on dry land, even with the pleasant distraction of Yves by his side.

Close to dinnertime, Rowan excused himself to seek out Logan.

Logan sat at the end of the largest dock, bare feet swinging over the water. He hummed quietly to himself, occasionally looking out over the cove toward the Siren , then writing something down in a small notebook in his lap.

"What are you doing?" Rowan sat cross-legged next to him on the salt-weathered wood. Logan blinked at him, startled by his sudden appearance.

"Making a list of supplies," he answered. His gentle voice mixed with the soft sound of the surf. "When are we getting started? "

Rowan sighed. Every time he had brought it up today, Yves had brushed him off, steering him toward new distractions.

"Hopefully tomorrow. Yves has been a bit flaky about it."

Logan snorted but said nothing.

"What?"

"Just be careful. If this place is such a secret, is he really going to let us leave?"

Rowan had considered this as well, but he was trying not to think about it.

"We'll just have to see. I want to trust him. So for now I will. But I'm putting you in charge of the repairs. I need someone, ah…not so distracted." He was a bit embarrassed at how much Yves affected him. How easily he fell under the spell of his considerable charms.

"Do you really like him so much?" Logan asked absentmindedly, busy scribbling in his notebook again.

Rowan nodded.

"Why?"

Rowan's lips quirked into a half smile. Logan was one of the smartest people Rowan knew. He could read whether a man would be a dependable crew member with one look, but when it came to the intricacies of romantic relationships, he was a fish out of water.

"I admire him as a captain and…" Rowan trailed off. What exactly was it that drew him so strongly to Yves? A kindred spirit? His handsome face? Or was he just that good in bed? Rowan didn't know. He was acting purely on instinct. "...Well he's very handsome," Rowan finished sheepishly.

"So are you. So are a lot of people," Logan pointed out.

Rowan sighed in exasperation. Why was nothing ever easy with his crew?

"But I will oversee the repairs," Logan said, circling back to the original point of their conversation. "Just tell me when to start."

Yves frowned, watching Rowan's back retreating down the main street of the village in search of his first mate. Yves turned and closed the mansion door behind him, then ascended the grand curving staircase to the second floor. He entered his office, unsurprised to find John seated at the captain' s desk.

"John."

His stern first mate looked up from whatever he was reading.

"So the moonstruck lover returns to the real world," he said, the barest hint of teasing beneath his disapproving tone. He was the only person on the Kraken 's crew who dared tease Yves, and then only in private.

Yves rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. You disapprove. You've made that abundantly clear."

"So what can I do for you, Captain?" The mocking tone was still there, and he hadn't gotten up from Yves's desk. Yves chose to brush off the insult.

"I need you to delay the repairs of the Siren Song ."

John's eyebrows rose.

"And why would I do that when I want them gone as quickly as possible?"

Yves dropped into one of the chairs, leaning his head back over the top of the backrest, long legs extended before him. The picture of a troubled prince.

"I need more time." He would never admit even this much to anyone else, but John was the closest thing he had to a friend, and it was not wise to lie to him.

"The repairs will already take weeks," John pointed out.

Yves sat up straighter, leveling his best demon gaze on his first mate.

"I know. But I need time ."

"For what?"

What did he need time for? To make Rowan his? To devise some plan to make him stay? Yves rubbed at the scar over his heart that Rowan had left all those years ago. Rowan was the only enemy who had dared leave a permanent mark upon him.

"Just do it, and keep it quiet," he growled.

"Aye, Captain."