Chapter 12: Out of the Frying Pan…
“—And I bet you never even guessed,” Riley bragged, strutting about the room like he owned the place. Which, actually, he did, but only because he’d stolen it, so Elizabeth decided it didn’t count. “I mean, really, it was a brilliant plan. Getting drunk so that my allies were out of the way while William was attacked? No one even suspected me! If William had been half as smart as he pretend to be, he would’ve seen right through that scheme. But, oh no, and I won either way it went, too. William dies, I win; William doesn’t, I’m still free to work against him.” He turned to face Elizabeth. “Don’t you think that was clever of me?”
She fought the urge to roll her eyes. She’d been listening to Riley rant on and on about how he was better than William in every way for hours now. “Very clever,” she agreed with a fake smile.
Riley’s face brightened. “He was no match for me, really. I almost feel sorry for him; he never had a chance.”
Which was why you were too afraid to fight him yourself… Elizabeth thought.
“And he never even guessed!” Riley cried out in delight.
Quite possibly because you weren’t really worth paying attention to… Still aren’t.
“I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, though,” Riley continued to extol his own virtues. “After all, he could never really hold his own against a real man…” He gave her a pointed look, expecting her to respond.
“Like you?” It wasn’t too hard a wild guess to hazard. She might have been bored, but the overriding topic was pretty difficult to miss.
“Have you ever had a real man before?” Riley leaned in close, stroking her cheek once more.
She bit her lip and forced herself not to flinch from his touch in revulsion. “Tell me more,” she bit out reluctantly. It was the only sure-fire way she’d discovered to distract him. “How’d you meet William?”
Riley smiled at his own mind’s version of the event. “It took quite a bit of hard work for me to get on Angel’s crew,” he informed her. “But he knows a good man when he sees one. Saw me back when William was nothing more than a captive. Of course, Angel feared me as well…”
Yeah, right. That jerk’s never been afraid of anything in his life…
“…Which is why he made William his first-mate.” Riley gave her a knowing grin. “Someone he could control easily.”
Because William’s so obviously under Angel’s thumb… She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at that one. Luckily, Riley was too busy pontificating to notice.
“Angel is powerful,” he said thoughtfully. “And, while he’s an excellent middle-man, I don’t like to allow anyone else that much power.” He let out a confident sigh. “I suppose I’ll have to take out Angel next… Such a pity.”
Over my dead body! I’m going to be the one to take out Angel for luring us into that trap!
“I’m my own man now,” Riley announced. “Everything I’ve ever desired will be mine.” His fingers traced the curve of her breast. “And you’re so very beautiful…”
And you’re so very foolish…
Riley let out a wistful sigh. “I’ll come back this evening then,” he decided. “See if you’ll have softened to me by then…”
Not bloody likely…
The door shut behind Riley, and Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief. For some reason, Riley seemed to think that boasting and exaggerating his own accomplishments would win her heart. And the scary thing was that he seemed to believe his own lies. Although, given how in love Riley seemed to be with the sound of his own voice, Elizabeth could see why he might believe in the delusion that she could actually love him.
And, honestly, mentioning William’s name every five seconds? Not exactly the best way to make her forget him.
In fact, every time Riley loaded that name with disdain just reminded her of her love’s strength – strength that obviously still had Riley frightened and insecure in his power, despite his vigorous denials.
And this gave her newfound hope. William was the strongest man she’d ever met, her equal. If anyone could escape this dastardly trap, then certainly it was he.
And when he did, she had absolutely no intention of lying here like the helpless damsel in distress, just waiting to be rescued. Why, the cocky, smug smirk wouldn’t leave his face for weeks if he saved her from this…
Well, she would show him!
Casting one wary look back at the shut door, she slid the rope around her wrists down the solid wooden beam it was attached to. Within five minutes of being left alone in the room, she had decided the quit whining to herself and find a way to escape. Less than five minutes after that, she had discovered the jagged, splintered edge of wood behind the board that held her left hand. She’d had almost a day to work on it, and already she’d half worn through the rope that bound her.
At this rate, she would be free by this time tomorrow. The ‘at this rate’ being the operative phrase in that sentence. Because, in all fairness, her patience was dwindling hourly.
She wanted to get free, knock that smug look off of Riley’s face, escape, find William, give him a good yelling at for falling for that obvious trap, and then kiss him senseless. Well, maybe the kissing part could occur before the chewing-out part… And maybe a bit more than kissing…
A flush rose on her cheeks as she continued to whittle away at the ropes. She couldn’t deny that her body’s reaction to William’s touch had been increasing in intensity since their first kiss. The sensations were strange, but not at all unpleasant. And, as of late, they’d left her constantly craving more…
She didn’t even allow herself to consider the thought that William might not survive to carry out on the heated promises his more forbidden touches had suggested. No, she would find her William unharmed, and then she’d finally learn the truth about all those orgasms Anya raved about. It would be so because she decided it was so, and heaven help anyone who stood in her way once she made a decision…
She felt another chord in the rope snap and smiled to herself. Soon, my love… And you had better make this up to me…
* * *
William sat in his cell, horribly frustrated and still quite angry that he hadn’t managed to kill Lord Abrahms before the guards intervened. After all, if he had to die, he might as well take the old bastard out with him…
The key jangled in the lock, and he looked up in surprise. He hadn’t expected anyone to dare to venture back into his cell for quite some time.
“I seem to be quite the celebrity, what with the constant parade ‘f visitors an’ all,” he commented snidely.
“And, if you know what’s good for ya, ya’ll not ‘urt this one!” the guard retorted gruffly, opening the door to reveal…
William quickly hid his sudden hope at the sight of the familiar face before him. It wouldn’t do to play this new and interesting hand too soon…
“Don’t know what good your preachin’ ‘ll do this one,” the guard commented. “’E’s already damned.”
“It is still my duty to speak with him before the end,” Giles said primly. “And I would thank you to leave the two of us alone.”
The guard cast a skeptical look in William’s direction. “I got orders that ‘f he grabs a hostage, tough luck on them,” he informed Giles.
“Yes, very good,” Giles said disinterestedly. “Now, leave us.”
“Your funeral,” the guard shrugged before closing the door behind them.
Giles quickly put a finger to his lips, listening to the guard walk away. Even after they seemed to be alone, he sat right next to William and whispered softly so that there was no chance they could be heard. “Are you all right?” he asked, concerned.
William sighed. “As well as can be ‘xpected,” he agreed, wincing at his still-bruised ribs.
Giles nodded sympathetically. “And Elizabeth? Do you know where she is?”
William’s expression darkened. “Riley took her,” he bit out angrily. “That bloody bastard helped set me up.”
“Yes, we know,” Giles agreed. “Graham turned on him and helped us all escape. Riley has your ship, but the loyal men in your crew are waiting outside the fort.”
“Xander?” William asked anxiously.
“Fine,” Giles assured him. A sly smile crossed his lips. “Still trying to keep a rein on Anya’s more…outrageous statements.”
William managed a chuckle, despite his dire situation. “Hasn’t been givin’ you too much trouble, I hope.”
“It’s amazing how quickly one grows used to her,” Giles assured him.
William gave him an approving pat on the shoulder for that before turning serious again. “I take it this is more ‘n a social call?”
Giles nodded. “We’re going to get you out of here,” he agreed.
“Forget about me,” William insisted. “’Lizabeth is—”
“—Beyond our reach at the moment,” Giles pointed out. “We will undoubtedly find a way to save her as well. But if we allowed you to perish in the meantime…” He shuddered. “I would not care to face her wrath,” he only half-joked.
William conceded the point with a longing smile. “Downright menace, she is,” he remembered fondly before his mind turned back on topic. “You’ve got a plan?”
“We have,” Giles agreed. “However, we cannot manage it while you are locked in the dungeons. A priest can enter almost any fortress, but a large group of men is something else entirely.”
William nodded. “When then?”
“Well, the only time you will be allowed out is when you are ushered to the gallows,” Giles pointed out.
William grimaced. “That’s cuttin’ things a mite close…”
“There is a plan,” Giles insisted. “The noose may be put around your neck, but the trapdoor will never fall out…”
“What do you need me to do?” William agreed.
Giles pulled a small object from the folds of his robes and handed it to him. “They never bother to search men of the cloth,” he explained off of William’s disbelieving look.
“And a damn good thing, too,” William commented before wincing inwardly. “Er…sorry ‘bout that…” he referred to his casual swearing.
Giles shrugged. “You wouldn’t believe how much worse I’ve heard in the past few days.” He rose to his feet. “You know what to do?”
William nodded. “Elizabeth?” he demanded.
“I’ll make sure Xander sees to it straight away,” Giles promised.
“Thanks,” William said sincerely. “For helpin’ me, I mean. You’re runnin’ a risk that you don’t have to, an’ I know it goes ‘gainst everythin’—”
“If my faith has taught me anything,” Giles cut him off, “it is that I should trust in the mind and heart that god gave me. And I currently have no doubt that you and Elizabeth deserve very much to be happy together.”
A soft, shy smile crossed William’s face at that, betraying something of the innocent young man he had once been. “Thanks,” he repeated.
“You can thank me by following Xander’s excellent advice for you,” Giles retorted.
“And that was?”
“Try to keep that furious temper of yours under control…at least, until the time is right,” Giles responded with an amused smile.
William chuckled at that, hiding the object in question in his sleeve. “’ll remember that,” he promised. “I owe you one.”
“Don’t mention it.” Giles gave him a paternal smile before signaling to the guard that he was ready to leave…
* * *
Forrest frowned. The sight before them was…concerning, to say the least. And Riley’s way of handling it…
“The ship is mine,” Riley insisted. “He’ll just have to deal with that. And if he can’t…”
“You honestly think we can take ‘em?” Forrest eyed the opposing ship warily. It had appeared on the horizon a few hours before and was quite obviously closing in on their own ship. It was only recently that Angel’s characteristic winged-skull flag had been identified, however.
“William successfully stood up to Angel in this ship,” Riley countered. “This will be no different.”
Forrest looked less than convinced.
“Keep me informed of the situation,” Riley ordered. “I’ll be in my quarters…”
* * *
Elizabeth hadn’t quite gotten through the rope when she heard the door open once more. She didn’t have time to move her hands back to their original position.
Fortunately – of perhaps, unfortunately – Riley was too focused on other matters to notice. “Angel,” he spat.
Elizabeth just blinked at the inconsistency of her captor’s rants.
“I saw you with him,” Riley continued. “You were writhing all over him like a bitch in heat. Right in front of William, too.”
“I was not—” Elizabeth began, outraged.
“Don’t deny it, tramp!” Riley cut her off furiously before stalking over to her and roughly fisting his hand in her hair. He yanked her head so that she was looking him right in the eye as he sat down on the bed. “I’ll not put up with that sort of behavior from you,” he hissed coldly. “You’re mine now, and I’ll prove it…to both you and Angel…”
Elizabeth was tempted to ask what the sudden Angel obsession was all about until she realized what Riley meant by that statement. She thrashed violently in her bonds, feeling the rope at her wrist strain further but still hold.
Riley quickly trapped her hips on the mattress in response before crawling over her, his face leaning in far too close, his hot breath on her face making her cringe with disgust and loathing.
“You’re mine, bitch,” he hissed. “Angel may want you, but he’ll never take you from me…” And, with that, his lips crashed down upon hers.
The taste of his tongue against her lips was repugnant, and she kept her mouth closed against the invasion. Tears formed in her eyes as she struggled helplessly beneath him.
“Stop fighting me!” Riley’s palm struck her cheek.
His lips were on hers again then. And she reluctantly gave in…but only because she noticed at that moment that his blow had jarred her rope right against the sharp edge of wood, leaving only one thin strand holding her hand in place. She fought to ignore the feel of his tongue in her mouth – thick and slimy – as she wore through the last chord that held her…
“You’re mine, and I’m taking you right now,” Riley announced, his clumsy hands fumbling with her pants before he just gave up and ripped them.
Cautiously, she inched her free hand over to the edge of the bed, desperate not to attract his attention…
He gave out a triumphant little cry when he finally exposed her, settling between her thighs. “You’re going to enjoy this,” he informed her.
Her hand found the dagger beneath the mattress and pulled it from it scabbard…
“Oh, yeah,” she managed to say, a false smile plastered to her face. “There’s just one thing I need to tell you first…”
Riley leaned in at her conspiratorial tone, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. “Oh?” he inquired.
She nodded. “It’s something a very wise man once said to me.”
His expression turned somewhat confused; this was not the admission of victory he’d been expecting of her.
“ ‘It’s never wise to take an unwilling woman to bed’,” she quoted William’s reasoning the first time they’d met.
Riley’s eyes widened when he felt the point of the blade at his back the instant before it plunged deep into his flesh. Elizabeth angled the knife upward between his ribs the way William had taught her. Then, with a vicious turn of her wrist, she twisted the blade with him.
“ ‘Especially one who’s so prone to stabbing’,” she finished the quote icily.
And Riley gasped in pain before collapsing atop her…
* * *
Forrest felt a near-irresistible urge to tell Riley ‘I told you so’ just instants before Angel’s blade pierced his heart. After all, there was a reason Angel ruled the seas, and they had really stood no chance against him.
Satisfied that the deck was secured, Angel turned to his latest first-mate, a recently-escaped slave willing to fight to the death in order to retain his freedom. “Hold this position, Gunn,” he ordered. “Finn’s still on the loose.”
Gunn nodded and began to round up the few remaining prisoners while Angel and a handful of his best men ventured below-deck.
Blades poised and ready to fight, they cautiously fanned out, searching through the eerily-quiet hull of the ship for their quarry. The first few rooms had already been searched when Angel heard the first whimpering sound. He gestured for his men to be silent as he followed the noise straight back to William’s cabin. He flung the door open to discover…
Well, it wasn’t too difficult to figure out what had happened there. Riley’s corpse lay on the bed, pants wrapped around his knees, surrounded by a pool of his own blood. Cut ropes were at all four corners of the bed where his captive had obviously been tied.
The woman in question was currently huddled in the corner, clothes torn and drenched with blood, dagger still in hand, sobbing softly.
“Just the pretty little thing I was looking for,” Angel said with a sly smile, approaching her carefully.
Through tear-stained eyes Elizabeth recognized Angel, and all hope in her breast died. Riley was foolish and overconfident, but even William was wary of Angel’s strength. She severely doubted that she could overpower him. And even if she could…
There was just so much blood, blood everywhere… Could she really spill more?
Still, she lunged at him violently.
Angel sidestepped her attack easily, knocking the dagger from her hand and trapping her in his powerful embrace. “Brave little girl, aren’t you?” he commented, stroking her hair back behind her ear. “I can see why William loves you…”
The fight left her at that, the combined horror of the events of her captivity finally overwhelming her. She slumped in Angel’s arms in a dead faint, having escaped Riley’s clutches only to become Angel’s prisoner instead…