Cape Storm Page 0,86

you?"

"You won't believe it: gold. Sunken treasure. He said he'd just found some." Josue laughed and shook his head. "Crazy people out here. All crazy. I thought I'd find you, see if you were worth keeping. He shows up again, I shoot him if I like you and keep the money anyway."

Josue had no idea what a bad idea that would have been. "Did he say what to do with me when you found me?"

"Yeah." Josue's smile was a model of impish delight. "He said tell you Kevin said hello. And to take you back to port and let you go. Crazy. Like I said." I let out a slow sigh. "And you figured you'd threaten me into giving you something else? Or just rape and kill me?"

Josue shrugged. "It's the way things are."

"You are such a lucky man that things didn't work out your way," I said. "If they had, you'd be screaming your way to hell right about now, along with everybody else on this ship." He didn't believe me, but he should have. I was in no mood to be Ms. Nice Guy, but compared to the fury that David would have unleashed on them if they'd hurt me, there was literally nothing I could do to them that would be anywhere near as horrible.

"My offer's still open," I said. "You take me where I want to go, and I'll pay you enough money to make you king of the pirates forever."

He tried not to look interested. "How do I know you'll keep your promise?" I turned my hand over again. Lightning flashed and crawled. "You know I'll keep this one." Josue sat up straighter, his eyes flicking around as if he was trying to figure out an exit strategy. He finally nodded. "It's a deal," he said. "Just - put that away, bruxa. "

"Hey, Josue? Call me a witch again, I will Taser the holy shit out of you." I felt the black exhilaration creep over me once more, the stealthy march of Bad Bob's influence running through my veins. "Oh, hell, maybe I'll just do it anyway." I didn't, but it was fun watching him think I would.

I paced the bridge as Josue ordered the crew around. I had nothing to do, really, except wait and think.

Think about Kevin sneaking around behind Lewis's back to let David out of his bottle, sending him to pluck me out of the ocean.

Why?

Cherise,I thought. I couldn't imagine Kevin getting the initiative to come running to my rescue any other way. We'd always cordially hated each other.

I was even more surprised that David hadn't tricked his way out of the bottle again by now. It wouldn't take much slack for him to snap the rope that bound him; Djinn had been doing it for millennia, and they were very, very good at finding loopholes to exploit. Either Kevin had been very specific about what he wanted him to do, or David didn't really want to get free just now.

Maybe because he knew that if he did, he might end up fighting me, and neither of us wanted that. He'd wanted to save me. Kevin had allowed him to do it.

Kevin, you're a romantic.That made me smile. I supposed I'd have to thank him some way.

Maybe by not killing him. That was a gift that kept on giving, right?

The sun was putting on a spectacular evening display, all clouds and blood, when the lookout called a warning. At least, I thought it was a warning - Portuguese wasn't exactly my strong suit, but the tone definitely sounded urgent.

"What is it?" I asked Josue, as he left the bow rail to head toward the stern.

"A ship," he said. "Coming up behind us, and moving fast. Big, maybe a military ship or a tanker."

"Tankers don't move that fast," I said.

Josue continued to stare over the stern rail, frowning. "Could be more trouble than you're worth, mermaid. I'm thinking I throw you back."

"You want to go downstairs again, talk it over?"

He gave me a scornful sneer. "You can't sail the ship alone. My men won't work for you."

"Want to bet? Just do what I tell you, Josue. If I feel this ship slow down, you're over the side, and your crew goes with you. That's a promise." He knew I meant it. He nodded. I had no doubt that later on, he'd try to stab me in the back, maroon me, or otherwise screw me over, but for now he was treading carefully