Chapter 13

“You trained him to do what!?” Will demanded.

Bella was sitting on the edge of the bed trying to coax her monkey back inside. “Well, I was ransacking your room for your clothes. I pulled your drawers out and started stuffing as many of them as I could into a duffel, and then you called me down. Jack must have thought we were robbing the place and kept going after I left.”

“You trained him to commit larceny?” Will was simultaniously amused and horrified.

Bella gave a small guilty shrug. Janie looked agast.

“Oh, I like you,” Captain Vex said from where she was leaning against the wall. “Will, if your curse kills ye, she’s getting press ganged into my crew.”

Will started to reply, but then closed his mouth and turned back to Bella. “Wait. Jack?” His mouth closed again and blinked, his mind doing loops. Then finally he said, “You named the monkey Jack?”

“At the time I didn’t think I’d ever see her again,” Bella shrugged.

Will sat down in his chair, which was covered in clothes and other odds and ends. He started laughing. The absurdity of the night just hit him all at once and he leaned onto his knees and just shook with mostly silent laughter. His eyes started watering. “Oh, you have to let me tell her,” he said. “That’s my price for-” he gestured around the room.

Bella sighed, “Alright.”

Belita nudged a pile with her boot. “So about those spare clothes?”

“Just grab whatever off the floor, it should all be clean.” Will will shrugged. There was a white dress shirt rumpled right in front of the captain. She picked it up and sniffed it in a surprisingly dainty fashion, then peeled off her wet blouse in one smooth motion. Will slowly turned to look. He thought at first maybe he shouldn’t, but after she had spied on the ritual, and been up close and personal with his hard-on while shaving him, Will decided that being gentlemanly at this point was wasted effort.

Belita Vex was tan and toned and reminiscent of a jungle cat. Her muscles moved under her skin in ripples, but with a relaxed quality that still made her look soft. Her skin was supple looking and full of curves. Her breasts were round and full and high, surprisingly firm looking for their size. Two gold rings glinted from her nipples.

Janie started to turn away, but stopped, her eyes going wide as she saw the rings. She stared. “Did those hurt?” she whispered.

Belita looked up, then down at her chest and laughed. “Oh, aye. Like blazes.”

“Why did you do it?” Janie looked flushed, her curiosity winning out over her embarrassment.

Belita ran her finger across her right ear, causing each of the many rings to bounce a bit. “I ran out of room.”

Janie unconsciously clutched her hands to her breasts. “Room? Why didn’t you just ... stop?”

Will was still chuckling. “It’s a sailor tradition. When they make the journey around Devil’s Horn, they pierce the ear closest to the horn on the way by. You see a sailor with a ring in their right ear, it means they rounded the Horn going west. Left ear is east.” He looked unashamedly at Belita’s nipple decorations. “Our Captain is saying she has rounded the Horn enough times that her ears got full.”

“I’ve heard that’s a dangerous trip,” Janie said, not really knowing what else to say.

Belita nodded as she pulled on Will’s shirt and buttoned it up. “Aye.”

“How many times have you done it?” Janie asked.

“Ten, each way,” Belita said with a small proud smile. She kicked off her boots and peeled off her trousers, her strong smooth legs emerging from beneath Will’s dress shirt.

While the Captain dressed, Janie’s eyes flicked from Belita’s head to her breasts again, not able to stop herself from counting. Five in each ear. Two in each nipple. “Where are the other eight?” she asked, then clapped her hands over her mouth.

Belita laughed and just winked at her. “Oh, I have them.”

“Oooh, now I’m very interested,” Bella grinned. She shucked off her wet clothes and was gloriously naked again. She was in the process of winding her long dark hair into a wet bun. A long nightshirt that Will only wore on rare cold nights was sitting on the bed next to her. Captain Vex was watching her with an appreciative expression on her face. It was hard to see Bella’s figure and not be impressed. Captain Vex was no exception. Tonight, the faint pink swirling pattern on Bella’s body left by the stains of the ritual paint, gave her an even more exotic appearance then usual.

“Well, I’ve seen both of ye naked. I suppose turnabout is fair play. How about we save that for another night, though. This one’s had enough excitement,” Belita said adjusting her shirt.

Will rooted around until he found a loose pair of drawstring ship’s pants. He didn’t wear them often, but now he was glad he had them. He started to peel his pants down and stopped as he noticed all three sets of eyes on him. He looked at them all. Not even Janie looked away. He pointedly turned around and pulled his pants down.

“Aw!” Bella said, “I thought you were all over your stage fright now? You don’t see me trying to be modest!”

“Because you wouldn’t know decency if it bit you,” Will said flatly.

“Biting doesn’t sound very decent.” Bella smirked and raised an eyebrow.

“Well, the view still ain’t bad from this side,” Captain Vex teased, enjoying the play of the muscles on Will’s back beneath the elaborate map tattoo.

Will tugged his dry pants on, pulled the string, and tied them so they sat as low and loose as possible on his hips so they didn’t rub against the burns too much. His erection made them tent straight out. He looked ridiculous. He turned around and put his hands on his hips. “Happy now?”

Bella and Belita both snickered. Janie put a hand over her mouth, trying to hide her smile.

Will collected up all the wet clothing, ignoring the ladies watching his erection bob and swing inside his pants as he moved. Then he dumped it all into the shallow tub in the washroom.

Jack the monkey finally came back inside. Bella scratched his head and cooed while she dropped the sleep shirt over her head. Jack hopped up on her shoulder and bared his teeth at Will. Will glared back.

Down below them, Will’s office clock chimed. Three in the morning. Dawn still seemed a long way off, but he knew that if he slept it would just make him feel worse and more tired. Sometimes a little sleep was worse than no sleep.

“If you want to sleep, you can. I’m going to stay up and get my things ready,” he said. He stepped through the mess to his travel kit which had sat on the shelf unused for years. He pulled out his field bag and scooped all the valuables the monkey had hoarded into it.

Bella flopped down on the bed and scooched herself over. Janie crawled in next to her and immediately curled up. Will picked up a few articles of clothing and went down stairs. Belita followed him.

“I was meaning to ask you,” they could hear Janie ask Bella as they left. “How in the world do you know the Prelate?”

“Alexandra? Her goddaughter came here to visit last year. She was having fertility issues, so Alexandra brought her to me.” Bella said, her voice fading as Will and Belita rounded down the stairs.

His office was dry and mostly clean. Well, as clean as it ever was, which was a lot better than the rest of the lighthouse right now.

He put the clothes he was carrying into the steamer trunk Belita had emptied earlier and started up a fire in his small stove. Then he put the kettle on. Then he carefully picked up all of Janie’s stacks of papers, alternating which directions the papers went to keep the stacks intact.

Belita watched from the doorway while he worked. “You a’right, Will?”

“Worn out. Tonight has been a lot to process. Lots of ups and downs. Whenever the curse rears its ugly head, I get pensive.” He rolled his neck. Something popped.

“You sure it was the curse, and not just a weird night?” Belita came in and helped him with the last of the papers.

“When it happens I can feel it. It’s like ... vertigo,” Will said. “Time feels all strange, and the world feels like it’s slipping sideways. Then, there’s always something awful that happens and a weird string of events and coincidences afterward. Like tonight. At least no one died this time.”

“Have tae be honest, I’m not too keen about takin’ that kind a bad luck ontae my ship.” Belita sat on the edge of the desk, trying to be supportive, but clearly and rightfully concerned.

“That’s why Bella’s along. She’s a fortune witch. Sex is her specialty, but it’s really just the way she draws energy best. What she does with it is divinations and readings. She’s a good luck charm.” Will set Janie’s papers on a shelf.

“She lit you on fire tonight,” Belita deadpanned.

“Touché,” Will chuckled.

“How do I know this curse o’ yours isn’t going tae bring catastrophe ontae the Kestrel?” Belita asked.

“You don’t. At some point things will go wrong in the craziest way possible, and it will be centered around me. Hopefully, with Bella’s help we’ll be able to see it coming.” Will sounded grim. “In here, it’s not so bad. Out there, on a ship, it can be awful.”

“What do you mean ‘in here,’” Belita asked.

“Janie warded the lighthouse. For the most part it keeps all be bad luck ... confined. Did you notice how at Mary’s everything went sideways all of a sudden, and it affected everyone who was connected to me? But then when we got back here, all the bad luck only effected me? It’s a subtle thing, but that’s Janie’s wards at work.”

“Ye really think the bar fight was your fault? I’ve been in a dozen scrapes like that,” Belita asked incredulously.

“I felt it. Luck is a subtle thing. The curse tugs at probability. It all seems explainable in the end, but if you’d been there without me, I guarantee things wouldn’t have gone down like that,” Will said. Belita still seemed a bit skeptical, but Will was completely convinced.

“I’m as superstitious as any sailor, but this seems pretty far fetched. I never heard of a curse like that anywhere,” Belita shook her head. “How would ye even know ye were cursed?”

“It took a while to figure out. Eventually, I went to the Magistrate and paid for a full reading and exorcism. They confirmed that I had a powerful enchantment woven into my aura, but they couldn’t break it. I tried a few other kinds of curse breaking too. Nothing worked. It’s why I retired. Professional adventurers can’t afford bad luck.”

“Aye, that would do it,” Belita smiled.

“Still think it’s worth the risk to have me aboard?” Will asked.

Belita thought for a few moments. “Ye think you c’n get through the drifts?”

“I do. I can see the whole plan in my head already.” Will tapped his temple.

“That’s the last thing on my list. The only challenge in the seas I haven’t conquered. If it means lashing my fate tae yours t’ have th’ best chance at it, I’ll do it.” Belita sounded resolute.

“Well, it might be the best chance. It might also be the worst,” Will shrugged apologetically.

“I’m at my best when it’s high stakes,” Belita grinned.

“You really are crazy. Good enough for me,” Will said. “Hope it’s the right choice.”

“Either way, it’ll make a good story, remember,” Belita smiled warmly.

The kettle whistled. He got up to make them tea. Belita looked down at the desk. “Well now,” she chuckled as she made out the ink stain. “Ye really are oversexed, ye know that.”

“Bella,” Will said, tracing his finger down the arc of the stain that outlined where Bella’s back and butt had been. Then he put his finger on one of the handprints. “Jaine.”

Belita’s brows rose. “Dinnae figure Janie for gettin’ that friendly with another woman. Don’t the Magistrate frown on that?”

“Janie will surprise you,” Will grinned, handing Belita a cup of steaming tea.

“Must have been a sight to see.” Belita blew on her cup.

“I wasn’t there,” Will said.

Belita laughed. “And here I was building this whole legend of ye in my head.”

“I’m afraid I’m just an occasionally very lucky, and more frequently very unlucky man,” Will smiled and sipped his tea. He suddenly felt something ... good. Wet. Warm. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the sensation. “Sometimes ... both at the same time.”

Belita watched him, curious and confused. “I feel like I’m missin’ something.”

Will fought down the urge to roll his hips. “Remember that ritual? How Bella and I feel what each other feel right now?”

“Aye,” Belita said. Then her brows rose and she looked up at the ceiling towards Will’s bedroom. “Oh! Aye.”

“Bella and Janie aren’t sleeping,” Will smiled in exasperation and shook his head.

Dawning realization spread across the Captain’s face. “What’s that like?” she asked, leaning on the table again.

Will sat down in his chair. “Weird. It’s like feeling things happening to body parts I didn’t have yesterday, and can’t actually touch. Kinda like how people who lose a limb say that they can still feel it hurt.”

“But it feels good,” Belita said.

“Well right now, yeah,” Will shrugged. It was starting to feel very good indeed. His breathing deepened. He tried to ignore it and took another sip of his tea.

“And she knows you’re feeling it?” Belita raised an eyebrow.

Will shuddered. “That’s probably why she’s doing it. Or, at least one of the reasons.”

Belita looked amused.

“So what’s goin’ tae happen when she goes off? Do ye just feel it, or will ye go off too?” Belita asked. She sat on the edge of the desk and crossed the leg closest to Will over the other one, turning her body to lean on one arm so she could look at Will while she sipped her tea. The shirt she was wearing was big on her, but in the position she was in it rode up on the sides all the way to the hip, exposing a whole lot of tanned, toned, smooth thigh.

Will looked at her exposed leg, then up to her calmly smirking face. She knew exactly what she was doing.

“You have no intention of trying to make this easier on me, do you?

Belita smirk added a raised eyebrow. Her leg slowly uncrossed and she shifted so she was sitting on the desk directly in front of him, her legs dangling on the outside of his thighs. While she moved she tucked the hem of the shirt in between her legs to keep at least some of her modesty intact.

“Are you asking me to help you?” she asked.

The shirt was a fairly typical tunic cut, with a very wide v-cut neck that was laced back and forth below the collar. Will had rather classic sensibilities when it came to clothes. Tugging the shirt pulled the neckline down below more than an inch below Belita’s sternum. The laces were pulled taut against her cleavage and he could clearly make out the indents from her rings below the fabric.

Will cleared his throat, not sure what he should do. If he hadn’t already been hard as steel, he definitely would be now. “You sure about this?” he asked. “We just met and we’re about to be stuck on a boat together for a while. With my ex.”

Belita laughed. “Well, th’ good thing ‘about being th’ Captain is that on my ship, I get tae do what I want.”

“I just don’t want to cross any lines of professionalism that might be hard to uncross later,” Will said.

“A couple hours ago I watched ye fuck two witches until somethin’ exploded, and then I shaved yer cock. Pretty sure that line’s way out on our stern,” Belita chuckled.

“Touché.” Will couldn’t help but laugh too.

“After th’ night I’ve had, I could really stand t’ blow some pressure off. Seems like ye could too. So how ‘bout it?” she asked. “Maybe I show ye my other rings?”

Will didn’t get a chance to answer. Upstairs, Janie slid two fingers into Bella’s wet slit and brought her lips down on Bella’s clit. Will’s whole body rolled and jerked and he spilled his tea into his lap.

Hot tea on recently burned skin did not feel good.

The pleasurable sensation of Janie’s fingers immediately ended. Will had stood up abruptly and bent over. His eyes were shut and he was making a long, sustained hissing sound as he tried to hold in the flare of pain. His hands were on Belita’s thighs, but he didn’t really notice. The Captain could faintly hear swearing from upstairs. She sighed and made peace with the fact that as randy as she was, maybe she wasn’t going to get lucky tonight. She ran a hand across Will’s head, pushing his hair back and trying to be soothing. “You alright?” she asked.

Will nodded. “Give me a bit. It’ll pass.”

Bella crashed through the office door, naked. “What the hell, Will!?” Bella yelled. “What- Are you alright?”

Janie was right behind her, also naked, but stayed behind Bella and only stuck her head out from behind Bella’s shoulder. She wanted to make sure everything was alright also, but she she saw Belita’s back, with her tanned thighs spread wide in Will’s direction, Will’s hands on them and the blond captain resting her hands on Will’s head, which was out of sight between her thighs, Janie forgot what she’d been meaning to say. All she could get out was “Ohnotagain!” before she turned around and went into the other room.

“Tea,” Will said. He gestured feebly to his crotch.

Bella’s face slowly scrunched. She was still in pain also, but her fear and worry were suddenly gone, replaced by amusement. “Well, since it looks like we both interrupted each other, I’m going to call it even.” She let out the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “That really hurt.”

“Tell me about it,” Will said. He finally stood up and fully realized where his hands were. He removed them. “Sorry,” he said to Belita.

She shook her head. “I’da said somethin’ if I minded.”

“Or thrown a punch,” Will said.

The Captain shrugged. “That too. How about we set aside what we were talkin’ ‘bout earlier?”

Will nodded. Bella watched the exchange with amusement. From the other room, Janie stomped angrily up the stairs.

“You might want to go talk to her,” Bella said.

“Why?” Will asked. He wasn’t feeling particularly talkative.

“Will, that girl has very strong feelings for you. She’s been looking out for you in ways you didn’t even know about for years now, and yesterday things between you two changed forever. She’s not the sort that can have sex be something casual. It means a lot to her, and now she’s walked in on you with another woman three times in two days. She’s adjusting to all this nicely, but that’s a lot to handle,” Bella said firmly.

Will shook his head, frustrated. “Alright.”

“Did you give her the bag already?” Bella asked.

“No, it never seemed like the right moment,” Will said.

“Now’s the right moment.” Bella hopped up on the desk next to Belita. “Go. We’ll stay down here.”

Will crossed the library to the sideboard where he’d put the red leather satchel. Water had dripped from the sideboard right into it. He dumped the water out right onto the wet floor. Ever since Belita’s fight it seemed like nothing at all could go right. “At least it’s waterproof.”

“M’lord, I’m sorry to wake you, but there is an issue that requires your attention,” Mister Lynch said from the doorway.

Morant came awake, a low annoyance building nearly instantly. He didn’t move or open his eyes. “Go on,” he said to his valet.

The tall, thin man in the doorway cleared his throat. “A representative of Augustus Kidd is here looking for Captain Vex. It seems they have a grievance. He is waiting downstairs in the common room.”

Morant sighed. “I will assume you attempted to convince him to wait until morning, and he insisted. I am inclined to let him wait until dawn.”

“I believe we need to act, M’lord. This could significantly impact your plans.” Lynch came into the room and began gathering and laying out Lord Morant’s clothing.

A few minutes later, Lord Halister Morant descended the stairs. At one of the many tables in the inn’s dining area, was balding man who looked like he’d spent quite a bit of money on a suit when he was younger, and never bothered to have it altered as he gained weight. The man did not stand up when Morant approached. Morant disliked him instantly.

“Rousing me from my sleep is quite irregular, sir. Is there an emergency?” Lord Morant asked as he sat down.

“Yes, sir, there is,” the balding man said.

“Lord,” Lynch corrected as he set a pair of glasses between the two sitting men. “Viscount Morant is Imperial Nobility, and as you are a loyal citizen on the Empire you will use his appropriate title.”

The balding man looked briefly angry but held it down well. He did not look like the sort who was used to being corrected, or subordinate. “Apologies, Lord Morant. We do not have nobles in Bas-” the man cut himself off and cleared his throat. “In Princes Cove very often.”

“I accept your apology. Now, please tell me who you are and why you are here,” Morant said calmly.