She smiled.

"I did teach him that." Lock grinned.

That night, Sparrow and Lock spent quietly in their room with their daughter.

"Once I'm Knighted, we can think about moving out of the fortress and maybe building a house of our own on the coast of Rubyshire," Lock said, once Shea-Ann was tucked into her cradle and he and Sparrow lay in bed, cuddled naked in each other's arms.

"That would be wonderful." She kissed his chest. "Especially if we have more children."

Lock tilted her chin upward and brushed her lips with a kiss. "We can start trying for another whenever you feel you're ready."

"I think I'd like to wait a few months before starting on another baby, but we can certainly go through the motions." She straddled him, gazing coquettishly into his eyes. She leaned forward, kissing him, then drew back, her expression concerned. "Unless you're not up to it because of the injury-"

"I'm feeling fine, girl," he grasped her hips then cupped her face in his hands. "Ever since I've been away, I've been dreaming of lying with you like this."

She smiled tenderly. "You have?"

"Sparrow, through some of the roughest times a and believe me, it did get rough a I thought of you and all we've gone through together. I knew I could make it through just about anything. You're like some magical anchor in a stormy sea, saving me from hitting the rocks."

"That's beautiful." She caressed the base of his throat, leaned forward, and kissed him. "All I thought of was you, too, Lock."

Sparrow slipped down his body, pushing his thighs apart and kneeling between them. Clasping the base of his erection, she gazed at him and said, "I want to give you a welcome home present."

His pale eyes narrowed and his lips parted as his breathing quickened with antic.i.p.ation. "I'd be a fool to argue with that."

Grinning, Sparrow lowered her head, her hair caressing his abdomen as she ran her tongue up and down his shaft. She lapped his c.o.c.k head, feeling his body tense as pleasure grew along with his thick, steely rod.

How many nights had Sparrow closed her eyes and imagined his taste and scent? She'd longed to feel his body and hear his voice. Now it was real, and she wanted to devour every inch of him. Her tongue ran along the underside of his erection before she took the head between her lips and sucked in a quick, steady rhythm that soon had him panting. By the subtle jerking of his hips, she knew he was trying to restrain himself from thrusting hard.

"Oh, Sparrow," he murmured in a strained voice, trying to keep quiet to avoid waking the baby. "You'd better stop, girl. After so long away from you, I haven't got much control left."

Sparrow released his c.o.c.k and gazed at him. She squeezed his hard, hair-roughened thighs and whispered, "It's all right, Lock. Give in. I want to feel you come."

He groaned when she lowered her head again and took as much of his b.a.l.l.s as she could fit into her mouth. Her tongue tickled and teased the sac before running up the length of his c.o.c.k. Again she took the head between her lips and sucked. One hand kneaded his b.a.l.l.s while the other held his shaft, squeezing and stroking.

The barrage of feelings were too much. Lock had dreamed of this moment for so long and now that it was here, with more raw sensation that he could have imagined. He broke. Gasping, his hands clutching the sheets, he surged into her warm, wet mouth. Sparrow closed her eyes, accepting the brunt of his pa.s.sion. Her p.u.s.s.y was drenched from arousing him, her c.l.i.t throbbing. Just feeling him come pushed her over the edge as well and she climaxed simply from the emotional stimulation of exciting him.

He relaxed onto the mattress and Sparrow sprawled between his parted thighs, one hand still curved around his softening c.o.c.k. They lay, unmoving, as their breath and heartbeat returned to normal.

Finally Lock chuckled and said, "d.a.m.n, it's good to be home."

Sparrow lifted her head to meet his gaze and grinned. "Well, d.a.m.n, it's good to have you back."

Chapter Twenty Nine.

The Sparrow Song docked in the harbor of Lock's old house on the Archipelago. He stood on the deck of the ship entrusted to him by the Order, a ship he'd designed, helped build, and named after the love of his life. Lock stared at the familiar beach, feeling strangely detached. He suddenly realized that even though he'd lived on SeaSpider Island almost all his life, he'd never felt like it was home. He wanted nothing more than to sail from the Archipelago and never set eyes on it again, but there was something he had to do first.

"So this is where you used to live." Sparrow approached, leaning on the rail. The wind tossed her long hair and spray from the sea dappled her face. It had been a year since he'd been dubbed, five years since they'd met. In spite of pain so terrible he still shuddered at the memory, he was glad for the day he'd been tortured. It had killed Lock the White, but had birthed Sir Lock, Captain of the Sparrow Song and husband to the most beautiful woman he'd ever known. Sparrow continued, "It's lovely."

"No, it just appears that way." He turned toward his crew. "Ready?"

Carrying shovels, the men followed Lock and Sparrow to sh.o.r.e where they began digging the forest and beach, taking back the gold, silver, and jewels he'd pirated for so many years.

Though he couldn't return the goods to their rightful owners, he intended to give it to people in need. It belonged to them more than it ever had to him. He'd been glad when Mahir and Torn had approved his plan to return to the Archipelago. For the first time, he felt like a true Knight. As Sparrow had once told him, he couldn't erase his past, but he could improve his future.

"I can hardly wait to get back to Shea-Ann," Sparrow said as she and Lock dug beneath the shade of a tree just outside his house.

The building was empty, all the contents taken or ruined. Storms had battered the walls and destroyed the roof. Obviously the servants had abandoned it years ago, or were taken by other masters. Lock didn't care. If he could have knocked the entire place completely to the sand, he would have done so.

"Which one?" He winked.

"Both of them. Our daughter and her temporary nanny."

"There was no way I was taking her with us on this mission," Lock said. "I didn't even want you to come."

Sparrow paused in her digging, her eyes on his. "There was no way I was letting you come back here alone."

"Alone? I've a ship full of Knights and trainees."

"Somehow I doubt they'd give you a hug when you need one."

Lock smiled and touched a hand to her cheek. "When I'm away at battle, I miss those hugs."

"So do I." She leaned forward as he bent to kiss her.

"So it's true," came a husky voice from behind them.

Lock's stomach tightened with disgust. He and Sparrow turned to his mother who stood, her arms folded beneath full b.r.e.a.s.t.s exposed in a sheer red dress. Her hair was piled on her head, a red flower the same color as her painted lips adorning the thick brown and gray ma.s.s. Lock noted she'd aged well and was still attractive, but her blue eyes were as cold as ever. She continued, "Someone said you'd returned and were wearing the tunic of the Ruby Order. I said that was a crazy story."

"Who is this?" Sparrow demanded.

"No, who is this?" Shanna's gaze fixed on Sparrow.

Sparrow stepped in front of Lock, staring at the madam. "I'm his wife."

Shanna's eyes widened a bit, then she broke into uncontrollable laugher. "His wife? You're married?"

"Sparrow, this is my mother." Lock's voice dripped contempt.

He saw the look of fury cross Sparrow's gentle face.

"This is unbelievable." Shanna circled the couple, completely ignoring Sparrow, her eyes only for Lock and the black uniform he wore. "How can you possibly be a Knight? I've heard only honorable men are Knights."

"He is honorable!" Sparrow snapped.

"How did you manage to fool this little girl, Lock? Did you tell her what you are?"

"Sparrow knows everything."

Shanna raised an eyebrow. "After marrying you, I'm sure she does. You were the best wh.o.r.e I ever had-and the most profitable pirate to trade with."

"You repulsive b.i.t.c.h!" Sparrow dove at Shanna, but Lock caught her arms and tugged her against his chest.

He kissed her hair and said, "Ignore her. She's not worthy of your attention."

"Oh, how chivalrous!" Shanna batted her lashes and pressed a hand to her heart before she clenched her fists and scowled, "I thought you were dead. You'd have been better off. It seems the Ruby Order isn't as selective as everyone thinks, if they took you."

"I can't believe how jealous you are of your own son!" Sparrow said.

"He was much more than a son, little girl." Shanna took a step closer to Lock.

Sparrow struggled against his hold and kicked at the madam.

Shanna shook her head and walked away. "What a terrible waste of man flesh and thievery."

Lock held Sparrow until Shanna disappeared. When he released her, she shoved him.

"Don't ever do that again, Lock! If I want to punch somebody in the nose, it's my business!"

"Sparrow, you don't have a nasty bone in your body. She's not worth your effort."

"After what she did to you, she belongs dead!"

"To us she is dead. Are you going to help me dig up this trunk, or what?"

"Since when is your temper so soft?" Sparrow still fumed as she continued digging. "Crag told me how he had to bail you out of prison for a tavern fight during that trip to Tanek last month."

"What would you have had me do, girl? The man was looking for trouble. He came at me with two swords."

"Crag said you knocked six men unconscious."

"He had friends?" Lock offered her a helpless look. Sparrow smiled, and Lock knew her anger was slipping. "How about tonight I knock you unconscious with something other than my fist?"

Sparrow giggled. "Want another daughter, do you?"

"Daughter. Son. Either is fine with me."

"I'll see what I can do."

The Knights dug until dusk before returning to their ship. They could have dug for days, but the Sparrow Song was gaining the interest of pirate ships. They didn't want to cause trouble in the Archipelago if they could help it. Still, they had trunks full of goods worth enough to make a commoner a king.

Lock watched the last of the Knights loading trunks into a dingy. He asked the nearest trainee, "Have you seen my wife?"

"Said she had some business in the village, Sir," the boy replied.

Lock clenched this teeth. He should have guessed Sparrow wouldn't leave the Archipelago without letting Shanna know just what she thought of her.

"Tell them we'll be back within the hour," Lock said to the boy before running down the path to the village.

Sparrow knew the bordello from Lock's descriptions. The sight of the two-floor building with men and women half-dressed and summoning guests outside it, made her sick to her stomach. She thought of how empty their lives were, how empty Lock's had been. He'd dragged himself out of the Archipelago, and his mother had condemned him for it. Being a mother herself, she couldn't imagine any woman treating a child as Shanna had treated Lock. He was right of course. She should mean nothing to them, but Sparrow couldn't release the anger she felt towards the madam.

Several bare-breasted women glanced curiously at Sparrow as she stepped into the bordello.

Inside, prost.i.tutes entertained pirates on couches and rugs. The air was thick with pipe smoke, old sweat, and perfume. Lock had told her of the smell, but it was the first time she'd ever experienced it, and she understood his loathing.

Shanna sat on a bamboo chair drinking from a silver goblet. She placed the drink aside and stood up on seeing Sparrow.

"My little daughter-in-law." The madam smirked. "Come about a job, or are you looking for Lock? He'd probably like a romp before he goes. And if you think he's going to stay with you forever, you're wrong. His heart is here, and he has no soul."

"You have no soul!" Sparrow snapped.

"What good is a soul, dear? You can't make a profit with it."

Sparrow drew a deep breath, her rage fading to disgust. "Lock was right. You're not worth our time."

Sparrow walked to the door, and Shanna said, "That's because he's had most everyone here enough times. Want some advice on how to keep him awake at night, little girl?"

Sparrow spun and struck Shanna so hard in the face that the Madam landed on her backside on a sheepskin rug.

"Well, maybe you're more like him than I thought," Shanna muttered, wiping a trickle of blood from her split lip.

"Sparrow."

Sparrow turned to the doorway where Lock stood. He extended his hand to her, and she took it.

Together they walked to the sh.o.r.e and boarded the Sparrow Song.

As they drifted from the harbor, they stood on deck, gazing at the sky. Lock slid his arm around her, and she rested her cheek against his chest. His bird hopped from his shoulder to Sparrow's and said, "I love Sparrow."

"He took the words right out of my mouth," Lock murmured against her hair. He gazed skyward. "It's a new moon."

"Yes." Sparrow smiled, pressing her body closer to his. "How very apt."

Epilogue.