Shadows of Blood and Deceit (book two)

6

The girl pirate led us through the docks hurrying through the crowds. I didn't trust her. Who just offers strangers a ride across the sea for free? It didn't sit well with me.

"What did you say your name was?" I asked as Raiden and I trailed behind her.

"I didn't," she snickered.

Raiden's smile gleamed from the right of me. I rolled my eyes. That was so something he would say.

We finally stopped in front of a giant ship. It was more luxurious than the others. The wood was newly polished, shining as brightly as the dark water underneath it. There were no cracks in it and the sails didn't have rips or patches. Whoever owned this ship cared for it and loved it.

The girl turned back to us. Her dark skin glowed beneath the foggy sunlight, her eyes glowing with it. She smirked with a proud arrogance in the lines of her face. "The name is Kalon. But most people call me Captain."

She was cocky. Great.

She led us onto the deck which was filled with more pirates. They looked like they were straight out of a movie. Swords and pistols lay on their hips, well hung from their hips, along with more weapons. They wore big hats and long coats that dragged on the decks.

Kalon put two fingers between her lips and blew, a loud booming whistle came from her mouth. The pirates stopped what they were doing and turned to their captain. There was a series of 'ayes' and 'captains back!'

"Steal anything good Cap?" a man asked before his eyes flicked over to us. Icy blue eyes cut through me like glass as he looked at me from head to toe, they lingered a little too long on my breasts. He smirked. "Who's she?"

Kalon smacked him upside the head.

"Ow!" he whined and rubbed the spot she hit him.

"What have I taught you pigs about respecting women?"

"Just about everything there is cap," he sighed, looking at his feet.

She smiled, proudly then turned back to us. "This is ..." she trailed off and lowered her voice. "What's your names?"

I opened my mouth to tell her when Raiden squeezed my hand in warning. I cleared my throat thinking of fake names. "Ava and ... Rhy."

Raiden's black eyes burn through me and I can tell he does not like the name I've given him.

"Well, Ava and Rhy, this is my first mate Dayton but everyone calls him Day. He has a tendency of being an ignorant ass."

Day puts a hand to his heart in fake hurt. "Cap, I'm truly offended."

"Shut up, where's Maz and Cook?"

Suddenly a body slumps in front of us from the sky, black hair hangs upside down and a face appears in front of ours. Though the face was upside down. I realized the girl was hanging from the wooden sails. "Right here, Kal."

Kalon smiled and gave the girl a quick kiss, a small but loving gesture, before introducing us. "This is Mazu, our sailing master, my sweetheart."

Mazu blushed and turned her head. She turned her body around and landed on her two feet in front of us. Her almond eyes were as dark as embers, her hair as black as ravens. Her outfit was a simple white button-up blouse paired with tan pants and suspenders and leather boots. She puts two fingers to her forehead and salutes us in greeting.

Mazu turned back to Kalon. "Why are you bringing more strays on the crimson? we can't fit them."

"Oh, sure we can," Kalon said with a wave of her hand.