"Snoggers!" Gilly scampered after it, avoiding Valeryn and his sparring partner.

"Is that...?" Joelle made a grab for the diamond just as Valeryn took a step back. He stumbled over her, squashing her underneath him. The pistol popped from Joelle's grip.

Gilly paused. The gun or the gem? The gem! She shuffled around the pile of limbs. Almost got it. Another boot kicked the diamond, sliding it across the floor once again. Frustrated, she cursed.

Without fully understanding how, Gilly was on her feet. She couldn't hold in her scream, the searing sting of her scalp was too great. Machete's man traded the handful of her hair for wrapping the crook of his arm around her neck. The cool metal of a pistol's barrel pressed against her temple. Terror seized control of her breathing.

"Machete!"

The brawl came to an abrupt halt. Thayer pursed his mouth but he showed no other signs of reaction. He was angry, this she knew. She didn't do as she was told. 'Twas easy for him to keep his emotions in check. He wasn't the one about to die. Fighting against tears, she directed her stare at the diamond between them.

A thought occurred to her all too late. Everyone in the room gawked down at the gem.

"Well, sink and burn me," Valeryn muttered.

Mather lit up.

Thayer took a deep breath, shaking his head. He must think she betrayed him. She would never do such a thing. She cared for him too much. But she might not get the chance to explain. Nothing would be more terrible than dying without him knowing the truth.

"What's this?" Keeping an eye on Thayer, Machete gingerly collected the diamond the size of a child's marble. It glittered under his inspection. "Mather, you did not mention the girl came with a jewel."

"She stole it from me," Mather growled. "The diamond is mine, Diaz."

"It appears that determination has changed, no?" Machete chuckled. "This has been an unexpected windfall, a diamond and Captain Drake's woman."

"She's not mine," Thayer said.

He sounded positively adamant. A piece of Gilly wilted.

"Amusing. She claims to be yours." He closed the gap between them. The foul stench of his breath sickened her.

"Come now, Machete. You shouldn't believe the chit. She would say anything to save her skin."

"Hmm. I think you would, too, to spare her. I see how she looks at you, Drake. I'll take her word as true. You've bedded her. That's what will make this so sweet."

Machete pressed the point of his sword to Gilly's chest. Pressure from the arm crooked at her neck made it hard to swallow the growing lump in her throat. She shut her eyes and tears tumbled down her cheeks. Antic.i.p.ating the plunge of the blade would kill her before he pierced her heart.

"Aye, I have bedded the wench, but without proper accord. Isn't that what men like us do? Wield our swords and our c.o.c.ks upon the weak?"

Gilly opened her eyes, appalled as much for his confessions as for his cruel indifference concerning her. And how dare he share their intimacy among all in the room. Now she was going to die a liar and a wh.o.r.e.

Drake stalked around to the outer edge of the aisle, never lowering his cutla.s.s and keeping both his enemies within striking distance. "You are mistaken if you believe she looks upon me with kindness. She merely chooses to try her luck with the man of lesser evil."

"Evil? Oh no, Capitan. I serve my country. I do what is necessary to keep order and I reward myself for my success." Mirth crinkled the corners of his eyes. "Si, I suppose there is very little difference between you and I." Machete lifted the diamond for another look and withdrew his blade.

Gilly hugged her bag to her chest, an instinctual reaction to protecting herself. 'Twas the first time she noticed the remaining rosettes felt solid clutched against the exposed flesh of her bosom. Strange how the softness of velvet and the hardness of diamonds contrasted definitively and yet complemented one another so perfectly. Mercy me! The other rosettes! There are three more diamonds!

"I earn my arrogance," Drake said.

"And yet I am more powerful," Machete countered. "Oh, but wait. There is a significant difference between us." Machete pocketed the gemstone. His lips coiled into a wicked taunt. "I still have my family."

Drake sneered and took a menacing step forward. He stopped short as Machete s.n.a.t.c.hed Gilly's arm, tugging her from his crony. With the pistol no longer aimed at her head, Gilly's fear loosened a tiny notch.

"Careful, pirata. My sword may slip and gut su mujer. You wouldn't want the pretty little thing to become another casualty of your foolish irresponsibility, do you?"

Had Gilly not known better, she might have thought the guttural sound came from a stampede of bulls in the street rather than from Thayer. Never in her life had she witnessed a man's rage harnessed so that the very air around him shifted. His fingers stretched and gripped, stretched and gripped, the hilt of his sword.

"I'm going to kill you, Machete. I won't be merciful. You won't die in your sleep like Governor Don Francisco de Barca."

Machete's smile faltered and his nostrils flared. "Perhaps. But not today. Not while I hold your woman."

Gilly's skin reddened where his fingers dug into her forearm. But she felt no pain. The villainous b.a.s.t.a.r.d sawed at the corded strings of her bag looped around her wrist. No! Not my bag, not the other diamonds! She grimaced as the blade caught on her tender flesh.

"You see what happens when you fight?" Machete said. "Now you've nicked yourself."

She had more than a nick. Rivulets of blood spilled from the cut. Bright red droplets spattered on the white pristine floor.

"Give it back!" She swiped for the bag he held up at eye level, toying with her. Toying with everyone.

"Conduct yourself, senorita, should you want to avoid suffering more of my blade."

"I'm not scared of you," she spat. No, she was quaking in her shoes with terror, but he didn't need to be aware of it.

"Tu eres una muchacha tonta e imprudente. No matter, you will learn." He handed her a handkerchief. "To stop the blood," he said.

She didn't know what Machete said, but she had an idea by the pity in his grin.

"If we're done negotiating," Machete chuckled, apparently amused by something he had said, "I'll wish you gentlemen a good day. Come, mi pequena. We must prepare you for this evening's performance."

Gilly had long tired of being pa.s.sed around from hand to hand like a whiskey bottle. No way was she leaving willingly. She risked the blade and shoved into Machete, grabbing for her bag. A rush of fetid air from his lungs fell upon her face and he staggered, brandishing it out of her reach.

Mather charged at Machete readying to run him through.

"No!" Drake lunged forward blocking Mather's sword. Gilly was too close for the fool to strike Machete. The la.s.s fought gallantly against the b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Holding the pouch and his knife in one hand and tugging her along with the other, Machete labored to dodge her open palm boxing his ear and slapping his face. Had the situation not been grave, Drake would have found humor in her actions. As it was, she was bound to get herself killed.

"Out of my way, pirate."

"Machete is mine to kill, Mather."

"I won't let him leave with my diamond." He swung his sword wide. Drake easily parried.

"You're nothing but a bladder of air, and a wee babe can wield a sword better than you."

"And yet, you have not defeated me."

"Wasting words and f.e.c.kless, you are."

Caught off guard by Mather's attempt on his boss, Machete's man failed to notice Valeryn and Quint change positions.

"Ho! Clam brain!" Quint pitched a piece of broken statuary, thwacking the man between his deadlights. Valeryn followed up with a punch to his jaw, sending him into a dazed spin.

"Nice job, V."

"We make a good team, you and I," Valeryn said.

"Says you, ya a.r.s.e."

Drake commended Valeryn and Quint for their creativity, but d.a.m.nation, they went on teasing one another while he engaged in the real fighting. Neither noticed Machete's ruffian had raised his pistol at Valeryn. Drake could do nothing while fighting Mather except warn him.

"Mind your back!"

Valeryn spun, kicking the gun from his hand. Quint dove for the gun and fired it, felling the offal.

Machete grew wise and shoved Gilly aside. With her facing the other direction, Mather saw a chance. He veered away and charged at her.

"Gilly!"

She spun but fear stole her time to react. Drake had but one choice. He couldn't draw his pistol with his la.s.s in the line of fire. Instead, he threw his long dagger. End over end the knife flew, slicing through the air, landing its mark between Mather's shoulder blades.

Mather skidded to a halt, groaned and fell to his knees. Gilly shuffled a step away, her pale eyes wide. The b.a.s.t.a.r.d reached behind with his left hand and grabbed the dagger's handle. Gritting his teeth, he yanked it free. The knife clattered as it hit the floor. He tried to push himself up, his glare steady upon Gilly. But the blade penetrated deep and Mather struggled to lift his right arm.

Drake stood above him. Mather leered up at him, his tongue twitching in a furious spasm.

"As I said, threaten me and live not another good day."

"Go to h.e.l.l."

"Ah, but I come from h.e.l.l and I'll see you there presently." Without ceremony, Drake speared Mather's chest with his sword. An awful gurgle caught in the b.a.s.t.a.r.d's throat. His lids fought to stay open with every laborious breath. Drake withdrew and Mather crumbled without the support of Drake's blade. Drake had nothing more for the dying man.

"Are you hurt?" He reached to take her fragile hand in his, but Gilly didn't move. His heart ached under the weight of her gla.s.sy eyes, deep blue now from the dam of tears threatening to burst. "Gilly?"

She flung herself into him, wrapping her arms tightly around him, pressing her face against his chest. His brace of pistols pinched, but he didn't care. Not as long as he had her in an embrace. He agonized over all she had been through, how her life had been so vulnerable, so near death, in part to his carelessness. He grieved over influencing her virtue and having to let her go. But for this moment, he simply would hold her, feel her silent sobs and stroke her blond hair. "Shh, you're safe now, sweetheart."

Valeryn clasped his shoulder. "Machete is getting away."

Machete's footfalls echoed down the chamber, each sound tugging Drake to give chase. His chance to rectify past mistakes shrunk with the distance Machete gained. In due time. Keep your head, Drake, until then. "Let him."

"B-but, my bag, the diamonds." Gilly's tired expression shifted to one of confusion. "He has the diamonds." She reminded him she had lied and had hidden her true motives. A spark of anger reignited.

"So he does." Bitterness tinged his tone. He dropped his arms from their hug and faced his mate, refusing to look at her any longer. "We know where he's going."

"His palace is well fortified," Quint said.

"Tell me, Captain Quint, why are you here?"

"'Twas the closest isle on which to disappear. There was a misunderstanding with the Royal Navy. They had us holed up in an archipelago. I had to destroy my ship as a diversion to keep from capture."

"A pirate captain with no ship. A pity, for sure. But that's not what I meant. What was your role in Machete's affairs? Have you turned against the brethren and allied with an enemy?"

"A strong accusation, Drake. It is plain beyond disputing that you two flim-flammed me. We're not so different, you and I. Once I heard that the la.s.s belonged to you, I wanted repayment for my injustice. Eye for an eye."

"I respect that," Drake said. And he did. The brethren hardly ever broke ranks among their confederacy, but never underestimate a sea-wolf seeking fair justice, especially a female sea-wolf.

Gilly confronted the red-haired captain. "You used me to get back at them?"

"Nothing personal, dear," Quint said.

"Forgive my incredulousness," Gilly retorted.

Within her power, Quint would not have let Machete harm Gilly, oddly, this Drake knew. But they were wasting sand yapping about it.

"We need to get out of here before Machete sends his men back to finish us off. Valeryn, help Quint with Sancho. The brother deserves a respectful burial." Drake remembered under whose roof he stood. "A seafaring-man's burial," he amended. "Grab Sam and meet us at the little inn on the south end of the docks. Be well armed. 'Tis time Havana is free from Machete's tyranny."

Chapter Seventeen.

"So you see, Hyde never spoke of Mather. I had no idea who I was running from or for what reason."

The moment the afternoon breeze cooled the sweat on Drake's brow outside the church, Gilly had been chattering nonstop. Her words tumbled out as quick as their pace. And 'Twas an effort for her to keep up, her two steps for every one of his. He said nothing, but listened to her story. A stout drink was in order when they arrived at the inn, and he'd be sure to have a bottle or two sent to their room.

"After I heard the gunshot, I peered into the lock. I had to know. What I saw I'll never forget. Hyde fell to his knees covered in blood. Mather said they must find me. Hyde tried to speak, choking, shaking his head. I panicked and ran. I ran with no place to go. A thoughtless move, I know, bribing Abel, playing on his admirations as I did, just so I could board the ship. I had no other recourse. Hyde was dead."

Her voice wavered. She couldn't hide her feelings for this man. Drake was sorry for her loss and yet, quite annoyed by the way she spoke his name.

"I had to board the Rowena. How was I to know she would shipwreck? How was I to know you'd come along? If it weren't for you...Well, by and by, it wasn't until Mather captured me that I found out Hyde had stolen from him."

She continued on about Henri's courageous, and in Drake's mind verily stupid, attempt to rescue her, Mather's schemes to part her with his money, and Lynch's unwanted advances. She didn't stop until he closed the door of their room. Gilly grabbed fistfuls of his jacket when he turned from engaging the lock.

"I swear, Thayer, I didn't know about the diamonds. You must believe me."

He wanted to believe her. It would be easier if he didn't. At the moment, he didn't know what to believe. He wished the innkeeper made haste with his liquor.

Drake dislodged her death grip and stepped around her. "You've lied to me from the beginning."

"No, I only manipulated the truth to protect myself." She followed behind much too close. "Men have a way of benefiting themselves, do they not? If I had been completely forthcoming, can you honestly tell me you wouldn't have tried to collect a reward for my return as you threaten you would? Well, Thayer? Wouldn't you?"

Gilly was right. At the time, if he had been sure she was in no real danger, he would have collected a tidy reward on a runaway bride. Perish and rot, he didn't doubt it. Drake raked his hands through his hair and turned to face her. "Yes, I would have collected a reward." She flinched under his affirmation, as if he'd done nothing less than slapped her.

She looked to the squared tips of her shoes. "I see."