before. I wanted to see something of the world."
"Aye. And yer Da folded to your bobbery I take it."
Skye smiled. "I guess I did create a bit of an uproar. But, the captain was a friend of his from school. He'd thought I'd be safe with him."
"And I expect you were, until the end."
How far dared he take the lie? "Yes. Until the end."
Nathan turned around to fully face him. The man's strange eyes focused on Skye, locking Skye's gaze in place. He couldn't look away no matter
how badly he wanted to do so. Suddenly, Nathan pivoted around to the tray containing the thimbleful of Skye's blood, breaking the iron
connection between them. Skye watched him add a bottle of wine and a cut glass goblet, then tilted his head Skye's way.
"You know what he be, don't ye? You've heard the talk?"
"You mean the captain. I've overhead the men. Why aren't you all afraid of him? Why do you stay?"
"His kind ain't what you'd expect, boy. Stay with us for a bit and you'll see that he's not like the tales you've heard. We're all connected, though
he's not made us like himself. We all stay of our own free will." His focus narrowed. "And we'll protect him from any that would do him harm."
"You'd protect a vampire."
Nathan nodded. "Aye, to the last man." He held the tray out toward Skye. "Well, then, you can be taking this to the captain's quarters."
"He's going to drink my blood? What does he need my blood for? Doesn't he get enough from the rest of you?"
"Aye, your blood. Don't think we'll be trusting you just yet, young sir. We're not keen on trusting strangers right off. It's just a nip for him to judge
your intent."
"But--"
Nathan handed him the tray. Something about his expression made Skye want to turn and run. The unfocused look seemed cold, yet mesmerizing,
drawing him in. It took all his strength to turn away.
"Have you something to hide? Cap'n's a special man, young Templeton. You'll soon see the rightness of it." Nathan cupped Skye's jaw.
Skye used all his self-control not to shrink away. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the touch of a man, it was just this man, this crewmember.
"He likes you, boy. Play your cards right and he might ask you to join us. You'd do well to consider the offer."
"You think I'd join a crew of pirates led by a vampire?"
Nathan chuckled and then his hand dropped away. "Not just any pirates. We're Noctra...pirates. None better, none smarter, none more powerful
than us. As I said, you'd do well to think about it. Now take this to the captain. He'll be about ready to rise. Be quick about it."
There wasn't much choice. Skye picked up the tray, turned and left the galley kitchen, heading along the passageway toward the captain's
quarters. He'd heard the hesitation in Nathan's words. These weren't just pirates--they were vampirates--or at least served one. And that was a
totally different species from the natural order in the human world. He'd now been on the ship three days and he'd begun to understand the
nocturnal routine. If routine it could be called. Most of the regular work occurred at night rather than during the day. He'd known this mission
would be a challenge and he might not come back alive, but he hadn't expected to be sexually aroused not only by the members of the crew, but by
the captain as well.
Sleeping was not an easy feat to accomplish. He was assigned a hammock down in the hull. Close quarters to be sure with eighty-odd men on
board, half on duty, half off, at any given time. The atmosphere was hot and dense, and surprisingly smelled of sex, rather than moldering food
stores and wet wood as were the aromas found on most ships. He soon realized the sleeping quarters weren't exactly used for sleeping. In the dark
of night he could hear the moans of the men, two to a hammock, sometimes three. They were sounds of sex, shadows undulating, the rhythmic
creak of rope as hammocks swayed with the momentum of the ship and men fucking.
If the sailors weren't working, they were fucking, and it didn't seem to matter who fucked whom. It wasn't just the state of the ship, but the men
themselves. It was a ship under the glamour of dark possession.
But no one had propositioned him yet. And he was thankful for that. Because the sounds of lust had him eager to join them, his cock hard against
his leg, not a bit of respite. Almost from the moment he'd set foot on board his dick had remained as hard and stiff as the mainmast. He dared not
ease himself with one of the crew. He had to focus on his mission and suffocate this urge for personal gratification. Who knew which of them he
might have to kill if it came down to it? He couldn't allow himself to get that close.
In the darkness, he'd taken to gaining his own relief as he listened to the others, without engaging in direct intimacy with any members of the crew.