Cash Remington and the Rum Run (Sexy Dreadfuls Book 2) (7 page)

Nere edges closer to me. “I don’t know what you mean.”

A sharp slap meets my ears, and Nere falls into my side.

“Shade!” I wrap my arm around Nere’s shoulders. She clutches her cheek as Shade glares down at her, murder in her amber eyes.

“She needs to talk, Cash. Right now. Before the Kraken catches up or who knows what else comes for us.” Shade points a finger in Nere’s face. “Speak, sea witch!”

I can’t say I disagree with Shade or her tactics. After all, I’d prefer that the Gloomy Lotus and I stay in one piece. But it will play better if I bring a hint of honey to play against Shade’s vinegar. I meet her eyes over Nere’s head and give her a slight nod. We’ve played this game before, many a time.

“Nere, just tell us.” I kiss her wet hair and slide my hand to her waist. “We want to keep you safe. We need all the facts to do that.”

She chews on her lip and stares up at me, her light blue eyes watering. “My father. He married me to Poseidon. I didn’t want t-to do what…” She glances up at me and her cheeks heat. “I didn’t want to do what
we
did. Not with him. He has many lovers. And he doesn’t excite me. Not like you.”

Shade rolls her eyes.

I grin. “So, you’re saying I stole you from the god of the sea?”

“Yes.” Nere nods.

I burst out laughing, my sides shaking as I lean on the helm for support
. I stole pussy from the god of the sea
. “This is, by far, the best day of my pirate life.”

Shade crosses her arms over her chest. “This is no joke, Cash. The sea god won’t find it funny that you plucked his cherry before he got a chance.”

“I plucked it, sucked it, and fucked it.” I howl with laughter.

Shade remains unamused, and Nere’s face is now a particularly bright shade of red.

“Okay, okay.” I try to calm my chuckles, but it’s difficult. “So, that doesn’t explain why you have the Kraken Stone.”

“I took it. I thought that if I had it, then I could bargain with Poseidon to let me be free from him. Then I crept aboard the ship you found me on. But by then, Poseidon knew what I’d done. He sent a sea serpent to reclaim me and the stone.”

I nod. “That explains what happened to the ship. I knew it wasn’t a pirate attack like you’d claimed.”

“But it didn’t find me. I supposed that’s why the Kraken came. To finish the job.”

Shade’s eyes narrow. “You’re responsible for many deaths, possibly even that of Captain Lament, all because you wanted to run away from home?” Her voice rises as she glares at Nere.

“Calm down.” I sigh. “Let’s think of how to solve this.”

“She has to go back and return the stone.” Shade tilts her chin up, her wet brown hair sticking to her chest, highlighting the swell of her tits.

“No! I won’t go back.” Nere finally finds a spine and stands straighter.

Shade steps toward her. “You’d rather let the Kraken kill us and sink this ship? What a selfish little cock gobbler you are!”

“Ladies, please.” I hold a hand up. “First, she hasn’t gobbled my cock…yet. Second, we just need to figure out how best to use the stone to bargain for her freedom.”

“There is no fucking bargaining. She needs to go. I vote we dump her and the stone overboard.”

“No.”

“But, Cash, she’s going to get us all kill—”

I reach across Nere and wrap my hand around Shade’s throat. “This isn’t a democracy, Shade. I’m the Captain of this ship. I decide what we do.” I lower my voice so Shade knows I’m not fucking around. “And you will address me as Captain. Got it?”

Shade grips my wrist, but I don’t release her. Not until she understands who’s in charge.

I shake her, and she struggles to breathe. “I asked you if you understand. Do you?”

She meets my gaze. “Aye, Captain,” she croaks.

“Good.” I let her go.

She stumbles backward and takes a deep breath.

I grab Nere’s chin and pull her face around to mine. “Now, where can we find Poseidon?”

She glances to the pouch around my neck. “He’ll find us.”

“How?”

“When the stone touches the water, he can sense it.”

So many things click in my mind that I fear I’m having a stroke. My amusement at stealing the sea god’s cherry turns to rage.

“The fuck?” I want to shake her. Maybe I should have let Shade smack her around some more. “You’ve known that this entire time?”

She drops her gaze.

The stone touched the water when I rescued her. Then the Kraken appeared. It touched the water again when I dove in to swim. And then again, after we made landfall at Port Royal.

“And you know he’ll do anything to get the stone back? The whirlpool, the six-headed beast, the fucking Kraken—all because of you!” My voice rises, and I have to stay my hand, the desire to strike her almost overwhelming.

“Look who finally gets it.” Shade sits on the rail and gives me a cross stare.

“Shut the fuck up, Shade.”

Nere’s lip trembles, and I have to get away before I attack her. Shade still smirks, taunting me.

“You know what? Both of you shut the fuck up.” I stalk down to the main deck and into the captain’s cabin. It’s far more luxurious than anything I’ve ever had—real glass in the windows, a large bed, an actual closet, and two wide map tables.

I collapse onto the bed and stare at the timbers above me. What a fucking mess. I bounce my head on the mattress and try to think of a way out of this clusterfuck. I need a plan, and soon. The next time the stone touches water, there’s no telling what will rise from the deep to claim it. And Nere. But the thought gives me an idea. One neither woman will like.

I smirk as I think back to Nere’s tight cunt. At least I got to sample Poseidon’s bride before he did. My smirk turns into a laugh as a plan forms in my mind.

CHAPTER NINE

“
A
RE YOU READY FOR
this,
Captain
?” Shade’s emphasis on my title is going to get her ass spanked sooner rather than later, but we have more pressing matters to attend to.

“Splash about some, Nere. Really enjoy that water.” I peer down as Nere swims effortlessly through the sparkling blue, my tether securely fastened around her waist and the satchel with the gem hanging around her neck.

“Please don’t do this.” Her hair has come loose from the topknot and glistens in the sun.

“It’s already done. Poseidon must feel the pull of the gem. Maybe he’s drawn to you, too. I don’t know. Either way, men, lift her up.”

The deckhands pull Nere from the water and set her on the sunny deck.

“Go and finish the rest of my instructions.” I wave the men away.

Shade stands at the helm, her eyes scanning the water for any commotion.

Nere shivers, and not because of the breeze. “He’ll send something horrible before he comes. You won’t survive.”

“Don’t worry about me. Nothing’s managed to kill me yet.” Taking her in my arms, I press her close to my chest. “I’m sure Poseidon isn’t as bad as you’re making him out to be. Is he handsome?”

“Not as handsome as you.” She clutches my back as Shade shoots me a sour frown.

“Of course he isn’t. But is he nice?”

“I’ve never spoken to him.” She shrugs.

“How often would you see him?”

“Not much. Like I said, he has several wives, husbands, and lovers. I’d just be one of many. But my father wants to keep his title as the Old Man of the Sea, so getting Poseidon’s favor is important to him. And, of course, Poseidon is desperate for my father’s approval.” She buries her face in my neck. “I’m afraid of him—Poseidon. I’ve heard he likes to do things, to tie up his lovers and, and hurt them.”

He’s not the only one.
“Yes, he sounds terrible. But I’ll talk to him. We’ll sort it out.” I can’t tell if I’m lying. I’m going to return the Kraken Stone to save the Gloomy Lotus and my own skin. But Nere is a separate problem. Sending her to a husband she fears doesn’t sit well with me.

“Straight ahead!” Shade’s cry spurs me into action. I set Nere aside and sprint toward the foredeck.

The water bubbles, and red tinges the ocean.

“Heave to!” I yell to Shade.

She turns the helm hard against the wind, killing the sails and losing all forward momentum. We’re dead in the water, waiting for what’s next.

Tentacles appear, but smaller this time, and white. Crimson oozes toward the ship like red fingers.

Nere comes to my side and covers her face with her hands. “Oh, no, not him. Not him!”

“What is it?”

“Poseidon has sent a Great Old One. Cthulhu. He will tear this ship to pieces and you with it!”

“Hard port!” I shout.

“Aye, Captain.” Shade turns the helm and the wind catches the sails again. Slowly, we cut through the water and turn broadside to the writhing mass of tentacles rising.

“Heaving to, Captain.” She cuts the sails again.

I dash to the main deck and watch.

Nere sits on the stairs, a look of profound sadness creasing the skin around her eyes. “You’ll die, Cash. You’ll die.”

“No. I’ll make a deal. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll take what I want, Poseidon be damned.” I grip the rail as the monster emerges. Its face is a mass of white tentacles. Two red eyes perch at the top center. Its body is covered in scales, something like that of a dragon or giant lizard, and it has webbed hands with clawed tips. About half the size of the Kraken, it could still easily destroy the Gloomy Lotus.

“Steady, men,” I call.

The two sailors below deck shout, “Aye aye!”

The water stills as the creature examines the ship. Then, with a fierce roar, it slices through the water at a hellish pace. It’s on a direct path to the heart of the ship.

“Cash!” Nere’s teary cry barely makes it to my ears.

The monster picks up speed, its tentacles waving wildly and its claws at the ready.

“Closer,” I whisper.

It obliges, speeding closer. It opens its mouth wide, revealing more tentacles inside along with hundreds of fangs.

When there is no escaping it, I yell, “Fire!”

The strength of the cannons rock the ship and I hang onto the rail and watch as the creature is pummeled by seven cannonballs. It shrieks and slows, some of its tentacles blasted off. Green blood flows down its face.

“Now the next!”

I wait a few beats, but the men fail to fire. “The next!” I slam my hand on the rail, and the creature begins to move forward again, perilously close to the ship.

No cannons fire. Something’s gone wrong.
Fuck a mermaid in the sodding arse!

I dash to the ladder and climb below the deck. The men are racking up the second cannons, already loaded with exploding ordnance. Captain Lament spared no expense on this ship’s defense.

“This one’s jammed!” The deckhand in the red shirt tries to push a cannon into the gun port, but without luck.

“Move.” I shove him aside and with one strong heave, get the cannon into place.

The other deckhand holds the lit tinder.

I pick up another stack of tinder and use his to light it.

The ship rocks and a tentacle darts inside the gun port. The red-shirted deckhand screams and tries to hold on to the timbers as the tentacles pull him through the too-small opening. Before I can grab him, his body folds in two with a gut-wrenching cracking sound, and he’s pulled from the ship.

“Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck!” The other deckhand, Funk, is frozen to the spot.

I slap him hard across the face as the ship rocks violently. “Fire, you barnacle-balled bilge rat!”

He snaps out of it and runs to the first cannon. He lights the fuse and
boom
, the sound is deafening as the cannonball roars out of the gun port. Another boom—the explosive ordnance doing its work—and a chilling shriek erupt. I peek through the gun port. Cthulhu is a mess of tentacles and green blood.

I light the fuse in front of me as Funk runs past me to light the next. We go down the row, booms followed by explosions and more shrieks. The ship moans, and splinters rain down as the monster claws at the deck, desperately trying to take the gem that hangs around my neck.

After the last cannon is spent, I dash up the ladder to the main deck. Shade is still at the helm, and Nere clings to the mast. Cthulhu is battered and bloody, the water around it now a sickly green instead of crimson.

It swipes at the ship, its claws raking the wood and tearing a chunk out of the foredeck.

“This ship is brand-fucking-new-to-me!” Rage takes hold, and I long to kill the creature who dares to try and take what’s mine.

I scale the mast and perch myself on the edge of the crow’s nest. When the beast rocks the ship toward it again, I leap and land in the mass of writhing tentacles on its face. The stench of rot and pus almost kills me, but I wrap my legs around one of them and hack at the rest. The monster jerks and falls back from the ship, its razor-sharp claws reaching for me. I swing my sword and lop off one of its webbed fingers. It roars and leans forward, grasping in the water for its appendage.

I stand and plunge my blade downward into what I hope is its brain. Ripping my sword free, I bend my knees and push off, jumping back to my ship. I miss the deck and grip the rail. My wrists protest as I latch on, dangling off my ship. Cthulhu shrieks and writhes at my back. My sword skitters along the timbers toward the starboard side. My heart is pounding, and I want nothing more than to best this Old One of the deep.

Pulling up and over the rail, I right myself on the deck. “Fire!”

The boom sounds, and the ordnance explodes from the ship. It catches Cthulhu right in the bare patch where I cut away the tentacles. The cannonball explodes, sending green blood raining over the ship. It’s our last exploding cannonball. If this doesn’t do the trick, we’re doomed just as Nere said.

Cthulhu groans and falls back, its arms out wide and its tentacles finally still.

I raise my arms in victory. “Fuck you, you bloated bollocks-eating son of a whore’s diseased cunt!”