Now she just had to wait for Daniel to wake up. Which shouldn't really be long. Henry had assured her he hadn't given him much of the potion, and he had already shown signs of stirringwhen Bullhad carried himashore.

A voluble curse from the trees behind her a moment later proved her thought correct.It was time to begin. Resigned tothe battle ahead, Valoree turned and started up the sand to the trees.

Chapter Fourteen

Daniel tookanotherlook at hisbound hands and cursed again.

What thehell had happened? The last thing he remembered was waking up with a terrible hangover from the drinking game he hadobviously lost, and Henry nursing some foul-tasting liquid down his throat.Then he'dwoke-up here?

Where washere, exactly? he wondered a bit hazily. Hisfirst thoughtwas that he hadbeen stakedout in the sand and left to drown. But he wasn'ton sand really, and there wasno sign of water. Thoughhe was staked out. Twogood-sized posts hadbeen driven into the sand oneithersideof, and up alittle from, his head, just off the carpet of silkysoftclothhelay on. His hands had beenboundto them. Similarposts at the other end held his feet spread-eagled. "Wouldyou like adrink? "

Daniel glanced down sharply to the woman now standing between his boundfeetas she eyedhimwarily. He glared at her for a moment, then asked between ' clenched teeth, "What exactly are you up to now? Hanging me was notgood enough, so youhave decided to stake me out in the sun and let medie a long, slow death from thirst? "

He realized how stupid that sounded the moment the words finishedleaving hismouth, considering thatshe had just asked him if he wished a drink, buthe could do little to take themback now.

"I believe youhave to be left out in the sun for that, " Valoree asserted calmly. Shemoved to pick upa bottlethathad been laid out on a barrel a short distance away. There was also bread, cheese, and what smelled like somesort of roasted chicken there aswell, he noted with interest. Hewatched her pour a glass of wine half-full, pick up aspoon, andmove toward him. "As you can see, Imade suretheyput you in the shade."

Daniel glanced around briefly tosee thathe was staked out undera groupof nice shady trees.He turnedtoward heragain as she knelt on the silkymaterialbeside him. "Oh, "he said."So how do you plan to kill me? "

Pausing, she met hisgaze brieflyand frowned. "I did nothave you brought heretobekilled, " she snapped, and he gave her a morose smile.

"Well, doforgive me forslighting you by thinking so.It was notthat long ago that you wereordering me hanged from the crow's nest."

Valoree released asigh, thenshrugged. "Iwasnot happyabout it.But you are the king's spy, andI did vow to protect my men as captain.I had little choice but to see to thatto the best ofmy abilities."

Danielfelt himselfsoftensomewhat, then frowned. It was as simple as thatto her. She had aresponsibility as captain to see to the safety of her crew. He supposed he could understandthat. He had been in similar situations and had to make comparable decisions. He had even understood that when Henry had explained it to him, when Meg had explained it to him, and One-Eye, Skully, No-Nose.. .Hell, the whole crew had had a go at him about itoverthe past month, each of themending their littlechat with: "We'll just keep this littletalk betwixtus two, hmmm? Noneed forthe captain to know'boutit.She'dthink I was fussing in herbusiness."

Aye, Daniel understood her decision, and he wasn't really angryabout it either, though hecouldn't havesaid the same right afterward.Once histemper hadcooled a bit, he had realized that hewas half to blame for the fiascohimself. If hehad been honest fromthe outset andsimply cleared up the mess over herbrother and Back-from-the-Dead Red from the beginning, none of it might have happened. But he'dbe damned if that meant he was going tolet her get awaywith marryinghimto save his life. Not thathe didn'twanttomarry her, butwho the hell needed that?

He did notneed her throwing it inhis face every timethey had a disagreement over the next fiftyor sixty years: I only married youto save your life. Ishould have let you swing! Nay. If they married it would be because she had finally admitted her desire to do so, notunder the excuseof saving his hide.The thing of it was, hewas pretty damn sure she did want to marry him.Orat leastthatshe wantedto sleepwith him.But he wanted to hear her say it. If she would just say it, he would becomethemostagreeable, mostcooperative of men.

A sigh of impatiencefromher drew hishead around as she asked, "Do you want some ofthisor not? "

Daniel eyed theliquid suspiciously. He was thirsty, but... "Is it poison? "he asked, his gaze narrowing at the spoonful of wine she hadpoured out of theglassand wasmoving toward his lips.

Rolling her eyes, she lifted the spoon to her mouth and swallowed its goldencontents.

"There. See? No poison. Now doyou want some? "

Faceexpressionless, he nodded, and she quickly poured out another spoonful and tipped it into hismouthwhen he opened it.

Then she fed him another spoonful, and another. It was a perfectly ridiculous way to drink, and most unsatisfactory.He felt likea child, and histhirst required a fullglass or two poured down his throat to quench it, not these little trickles of thestuff.

"If Iamnot hereto be killed, why am I tied down? "he asked after severalspoonfuls, when his frustration got the better of him.

Valoree hesitated, then admitted, "Because Henrywasworried about howyou would take the news Ihaveto impart. He was unwilling to leave us herewithout a guard unless you were tied down."

His eyes narrowed at once at that. "What news? And why could younot impart iton the ship? "

"Oh, I couldhave, "she assuredhim quickly, then added, "but I wanted privacy for the other part."

"The other part? "

"Aye."

"What other part? "

"The part thatcomes after the news, " she said evasively.

Danielshifted impatiently, tuggingat his bonds infrustration.

"Well, whatbloodynews? "

She hesitated uncertainly, then asked, "Would you not like some more winefirst? " When his only response wastoglareat her angrily, she shifted unhappily and asked, "Do you not remember anything about last night? "

Daniel blinked at the question. He was rather fuzzy on that subject. Itwas alla sort of pink haze. Pink and fuzzy. "What happened? "

"We got married."

He immediatelybeganto struggleas ifshe had stuck her blade in hisarse, hishandsand feetpulling furiously at theropes that boundhim, cursesrolling off his tongue in fury. He snarled as Valoree eased warily away from him to watch from a safe distance. After a few moments of fruitless struggle, Daniel stoppedand glared at her. Panting, he raged, "The hell wewere!"

Valoree moved silently toa sackbeside the barrel, withdrew a piece of paper, and returned to holdit before his face. It was a maritalcontract, andhis signature was right there on it beside hers, albeit a littlesloppy.

"Henry fetchedaminister from Port Royale, and Jasper took careofobtaining the special license. You said 'I do' and signed.

We are married."

Danielstared at the paper forthelongest time, thenglanced towardher smugly. "I will have it annulled."

Sighing, she looked away from him briefly, then back hopefully. "Would you like more wine? "

"Oh, no." He shook his head firmly. "I'll not touch another drop of anything but water untilI've had this marriageannulled."

Sighing, she walkedback to replace the piece ofpaperinits sack, muttering, "I guessyou leave me nochoice, then."

"What? Youare givingup? "he asked withdisbelief andnot a little disappointment. Had he beenwrong? Did hemean so little toher? Where was his lady pirate? Where was her fight?

Finishedputting the license away, shestraightened andturned to calmlymoveback toward him."Nay. I am notgiving up. I am simplymoving on toaccomplishing the taskmyself."

"What task? "he askedsuspiciously. Hergaze dropped atonce tothearea south of hiswaistand north ofhis knees.

"A little rapingand pillaging."

Daniel's jawdroppedin amazement;then anincredulous grin stoleacrosshis face. "And howdo you plantoaccomplish that without my cooperation? "

Her gaze still on his nether regions, she arched an eyebrow, her relief showingas she commented, "It appears I may havesome cooperationwith that task. Just enough to see the deed done, no doubt."' Daniel didn't have to glance down to understand her meaning. The very thought of the raping and pillaging she had mentioned had made his one-eyed soldier decide to stand at attention - and it certainly was doing that. It was standing so straight and eager, she could probably fly her JollyRogerfrom the damn thing.Since there was no sense in arguingthe point, he decided to simplylie there and see how things developed. Until she picked up a knife from the barrel andmoved towardhim.

"What are you planning todo with that? " he asked warily.

"Well, " she mused calmly, "itseemsto meI cannot undress you all tiedup asyou are."

Hiseyebrowsroseasshemoved down by his feet, then knelt between them. "So youaregoing to let mego? "

"Notquite, " shesaidcheerfully, then slid the knife between his leg and knee breechesand beganto slice upward.She wasmost efficient; were he a fish, he would considerhimselffilleted, he thought grimly as hisknee breeches droppedaway from oneleg.

Straightening, she performed the action again on hisother legjust as quickly.Then she shiftedfurtherupward to sit between his spread thighs, making twomore slices, each one neatlycutting the cloth from where her lastslicing motion had left off, up to andthroughthewaistof his breeches.Leavingthecloth lying over him, she then tossed the knife aside and straightened to standconsideringly between his feet.

Danielswallowed andwaited.He supposed he had expected her to lifther skirts and drop tomount him in justas quick and efficient amanner as she had sliced his clothes away.She didn't.

Instead, she reachedout suddenly and began to undo herbodice, watching his face as she did. Once done, she pulled thegarment off first oneshoulder, then theother and let it drop between his legs. Heroverskirtfollowed, then the kirtle, and then her partlet.

Daniel licked his lipsas her corset and petticoats slipped away next. She was left in achemise so thinthat through it, he could see the triangular shadow between her legs and the round darkness thatwere the areolae of herbreasts.

Her gaze slid back tohis manhood now, a slow smile spreading on her lips. Danieldidn't have to lookdown toseewhatcaused thatsmile.Hehad been unable todo anything but grit his teeth and bearit as hehad grown stifferwith each removed item, his erectiongrowingand lifting the loose cloth of his breeches away from hisflesh.

Winking at him, she bent slowlyandgrasped the hem of her chemise, drawingit slowly upward. Itwas only then that Daniel realizedshe had forsworn hose and garters, and was barefoot.

Probably a smart thing to do to negotiate the sand here, he thought distractedlyas sheslowlystraightened, uncovering her calves, herknees, herthighs.

Daniel swallowedaudiblyas she revealed thenestof curlsat the apex of her thighs. Itwas as bright as redasthe hair on her head. His gaze paused there briefly, losing several of her movements, but he caught up as she lifted the gown past her breasts, and his eyes widened.They wereswollen and full, with nipples that at the moment were tightly erect and a cinnamon-brown.

Daniel had to bite hislipto keep from groaning aloudat that.

Her little striptease had excited her as much as it had him, it seemed. She was definitely no shrinking violet. Tossing the chemise tojointhe smallpile of clothes to theside of where he lay, Valoree steppedover histhigh to kneelbesidehis chest. She bentover him then, her hair falling forwardlike acurtain to hide her face from view as she beganto undo the fastenings of his shirt.

"Untie me." Daniel's voice was harsh from the strain of watching, silent and unmoving, but she ignored him, undoingthe lastof the buttons. She pushed thecloth of his whiteshirt open witha sigh, her hands running over hischest as she did, her hair ticklingacross his belly, which tightened atonce in response. She slid one hand down over his stomachto sweep the remainsof his breeches out of the way, her hand brushing across his hot flesh as she did, making him close his eyesin exquisite pleasure. Damn! She had barely touched himand his bodywasalready threatening toexplode.It was the anticipation.He knew bloody well that she would not untie him. That she would mount him with that damned sexy smile of hers, and ride him untilhe -  His eyes popped open asshetrailed kisses down his chest and across his stomach. "What are you doing? "He gasped in horrified wonder as she pressed the little kisses to his hip, then shifted between his legs.

"Sometimes, " she murmured against the flesh of his thigh, "when the men go ashore, if they arefeelinggenerous, theyhave been known to send back a prostitute or two for the men left behind, " she told him, her hand closingaround his manhood and squeezing curiously. "They are not supposed to and risk a whippingfor doing so, but a half a dozen times orso overthe years, Ihave come across themen engagedin various actswith these women. Twice the women were on their knees - "

"Oh, God!" Daniel gasped as she rose up slightly, her breath brushing against the excruciatingly sensitive tipof his manhood as she spoke.

Pausing, she grinned at him slightlyandannounced, "Youare getting bigger still. I did notthink you could."

"Ohhh, God!" Danielgroanedas her mouth closed over his tip and she suckled at him likea babe at its mother'sbreast. It was rather obvious that shedidn't have a clue what shewas doing.

She was experimenting with him like a child with a toy. She sucked, then she licked, then shenipped, anditdidn'tmatter that She hadno idea what she was doing, for the very fact that she was doing it - andthe view he had of hereyes and face as he looked down his bodyather - was driving him insane.