Her legs were still wrapped around Noir’s hips. Her arms still on his shoulders. He was still inside her, although softer now.
How could she have forgotten what was expected? They wanted to see blood on the white sheets.
Orelia stepped forward, a cruel smile on her lips. She clapped her hands slowly.
“My, my, slave. You are an ardent and passionate lover for one who claims to be a virgin.” Her cold dark eyes bore into Faryn’s gaze before slowly moving to meet Noir’s.
Oh, nay! How could she have let herself go so completely? How could she have lost all control and acted the wanton? She knew exactly how. Noir was a masterful lover. His mouth, fingers, body had stirred something primal within her. She’d instinctively heeded the call. But only to her detriment.
The queen knew. Faryn felt naïve for thinking she could keep the knowledge of her not being a virgin from their minds. But her loss of virginity was too painful to recollect. Her virtue had been lured from her by lust and empty promises. Had Noir suspected she was not pure? Did he know?
Noir fiddled with something between them. He turned his gazed toward her own and his eyes flashed warning. Before she could understand the meaning in his expression, a sharp sting came from high up on her thigh, near her groin. She cringed and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out.
His actions answered her question. Once he’d entered her fully he’d been aware she was no virgin and yet still, he’d continued to make love to her. He’d delved inside her body with an exuberance and delight she’d never known possible and he’d pleasured her. He’d cried out to her, whispered nonsensical words of her beauty, of her passion and his desire for her.
Yet, he’d known.
Faryn swallowed hard. She couldn’t read too much into it. He was doing what he needed to survive the queen’s wrath and to keep Faryn alive. He knew the only way to get her out of here was for her to bleed, and if he didn’t get her out of this place, he wouldn’t get his coin from her family.
Noir withdrew from her slowly and, using the sheet that had covered her to keep her warm before, he wiped at the inside of her thighs. The sheet came back stained red with blood.
She studied his nails, which were neatly trimmed. How had he cut her?
“The answer to your question could go one of two ways. Either I’m a lucky pirate or I’m that good, my queen.” He laughed and showed everyone the stained linen.
Orelia was naturally shocked, as Faryn was sure she’d figured out her secret. Her eyes widened and she nodded. A hungry look came into the queen’s eyes. “I see,” she said toward Faryn and then turned back to Noir. “You’re that good.”
Captain Noir stood, putting his breeches and the rest of his clothing back to rights.
Faryn felt suddenly vulnerable. She was on display for all to see. She crossed her legs and her arms over her chest to hide her areas. She turned to Noir, wondering if he would take her to safety now or if his tenderness had been a ruse to get her to willingly spread her legs.
Something glinted on his finger in the candlelight as he handed her the sheet to recover herself. A skull-shaped ring. But it was a strange ring. She narrowed her eyes to look closer and saw that it had a very tiny dagger coming out the length of his finger from the ring. Before she could look further, he pressed a button and the dagger disappeared. So, that was how he’d cut her.
Though it had been a risk to slice her so close to her nether regions, she was grateful for his quick thinking. She’d never seen a weapon like that before, and it sent a shiver running through her. How many others’ blood was on that tiny dagger?
“Anyone else want to taste the blood of a virgin?” Orelia shouted to the crowd, her arms spread wide before she pointed at Faryn.
Faryn started to protest but the captain stepped forward, cutting her off.
“We had a deal, Orelia.”
“Deals can be broken.” The queen’s eyes narrowed.
“Not this time.” Noir had a deadly look on his face. Judging from the muscle jerking in the side of his jaw, Faryn would venture to guess he was reaching the limit of his patience. “I’ll take my booty and be on my way.”
Orelia turned fully toward him, her face away from Faryn. They stood that way in silence for several moments. Neither moved. It was a battle of wills that Faryn was glad she didn’t have to participate in.
“You’d best be on your way then, Captain, before I change my mind.”
Noir nodded, gripped Faryn’s hand and yanked her to her feet.
Orelia’s head fell back and she laughed aloud as Noir walked fast, pulling her behind him out through the crowd of undulating, moaning bodies.
“Avast, men! Ye landlubbers! Back to the ship! We sail within the hour or I shall see ye to Davy Jones!” the captain shouted.
At his authoritative words and commanding voice, men pooled around them. The whines of women and men accompanied the loss of their sexual partners as the pirates gathered to serve their master. A servant rushed forward and handed Noir a jingling bag, which Faryn assumed must be his payment for delivering Orelia’s shipment.
Faryn stumbled between Noir and his men out of Orelia’s lair, to the docks and back up the gangplank. The captain didn’t stop, even when she nearly fell to her knees. His strides were determined. He barked orders left and right and all around her, what at first appeared to be chaos was actually quite orderly as the men pulled up anchor, set the sails and prepared to shove off.
Noir took her up a series of narrow short stairways, dodging ship’s equipment and men until they entered a large oak door, which he promptly shut behind them. The room was vast with a gigantic bed piled high with pillows and what appeared to be thick blankets made of woven plaid. A large table with several chairs around it stood in a corner, piled high with papers.
Before she had a chance to look anywhere else, her attention was caught by the captain who’d flung open the doors of his wardrobe and was rifling through its contents.
“Ballocks.” He came back and rubbed at his chin, still staring into the wardrobe. “Thought I might have had something for ye to put on, a gown or some such, but it appears that whatever women’s wear I may have once had on this ship has disappeared.”
He grabbed a white linen shirt and tossed it to her.
“Wear that for now. It will at least keep ye somewhat warm.” He narrowed his eyes and licked his lips. His gaze fell to where the sheet was pulled taut to her breasts, causing her heart to pump faster. Her belly warmed and a frisson of the same desire she’d felt before flashed through her veins.
“Aye, put my shirt on quickly, else I have a mind to take ye to bed again, which at the moment would not be a good idea.”
She nodded and tugged his shirt on.
“I’ll be back later. The sooner we leave port the better. Orelia is known for changing her mind often.”
He left the cabin without a backward glance. She scowled at nothing in particular with the realization that she’d wanted him to embrace her, kiss her before he left. Their lovemaking hadn’t felt like a duty but something more. She had to stop thinking on it for it would only bring her disappointment.
Noir was a pirate. He wanted something that she’d promised. That was it. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Faryn sighed heavily. Relief flooded her. They were away from the queen. They were away from
the den of vileness. She would be home soon. Relief was replaced with trepidation and then relief again.
Back and forth. What would she do when she returned home? Would she even be accepted?
Would her family pay the pirate? Or toss her out?