Saved by My Blackguard (Linked Across Time Book 1) (9 page)

Evelyn reached up and ran her hand over his hair. “Must we?”

“I want to be with you forever. I don’t see that we have any other choice.”

He’d thought about their situation all night long. Sleep had evaded him, and he was forced to face many truths. It was likely he was stuck in 1722. If that was the case they had to move on and start a life in another place. The best location for them to go was the Colonies. They were not yet the United States, but they were still a place where they could disappear. It hadn’t become the land of opportunities for no reason. He could start from nothing and rebuild his whole life. They would marry and start their life together. They only had to find a way to get there.

“All right. I suppose we should get dressed and figure out how to get to the pirates’ den Captain Jack mentioned. Maybe if we’re lucky we can get one of them to help us.”

Paul snorted. “I like that you’re optimistic sweetheart, but that plan isn’t likely to come to fruition.”

She sat up and glared at him. “What do you suggest we do? I’m willing to listen to whatever you propose.”

He stared at her and said nothing. As a man used to solving any problem he didn’t know how to tell the woman he loved he had no idea how to save them. Their fate was up in the air without any support to see them through.

“I don’t know.” He scrubbed his face with both of his hands. “I wish I had the answers but I’m lost. I’ve never felt so useless in my life.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself.” She reached up and cupped his cheek. “We’ll figure it out. I have faith in us and our destiny. We didn’t come together only to be pulled apart. Let’s begin with Port Royal and see where it takes us.”

Since he didn’t have any better ideas he was forced to agree with her suggestion. He wished there was something else, anything that they could do instead. The idea of walking in with her among a group of men with little to no morals made his stomach clench up with dread. They were on the verge of signing their own death warrants, or worse. He didn’t want to think what they might do to Evelyn if they killed him. She’d be easy prey for their lecherous intentions.

“All right.” He pulled her into his arms. “But before we get dressed I want something from you.”

“What?” she asked.

“This…”

He leaned down and captured her mouth with his. A kiss filled with promise and love. If they were about to walk into the den of iniquity then he wanted her taste to remain on his lips every step of the way. Evelyn pulled back with a sigh.

“I love your kisses. Promise me you will kiss me often for the rest of our lives.”

He chuckled. “That is a promise I can keep.”

Evelyn stood up and pulled on her shift. It was a sign he should follow her example and dress too, but he was entranced. She was graceful and beautiful. He loved watching her. Soon, she’d need him to help her tie up the laces of her dress. Paul reached for his clothes and put them on quickly. When he turned around she’d already pulled her dress up and awaited his attention.

“I’m ready for you to do my laces.”

It always took her longer to get dressed. She had so many clothes to put on. His were simple shorts and a shirt. He leaned down and kissed her shoulder.

“None of that or we’ll never get out of here,” she chastised him.

“Yes, love.”

He tied up her laces and spun her around into his embrace. The lure of her lips was hard to resist. The taste of her was starting to fade from his mouth and he needed another fix. He captured her lips with his and pushed his tongue inside her mouth. The kiss was different from the last one… it had a different promise. It told her that she was his always and he’d go to the ends of the earth to keep her at his side. He wasn’t going to give up. It was time to release the defeatist attitude he’d let simmer at the bottom of his gut. Their love would see them through and they would find a way. He just had to believe. Paul took a step back and gazed down into her beautiful blue eyes. The languor of their time in the cave would remain with him always, but he was ready to see what the real world offered them. He had Evelyn and that was enough for him.

“Let’s get out of here.”

She placed her hand in his and they exited the cave. They stopped in front of the opening and stared out at the lush vegetation. The island had a lot of beauty to rival the dangers they faced. He leaned down and kissed her quickly. A flash of lightning followed by a rumble of thunder caught his attention. He glanced up at the sky and saw dark clouds filling it. They’d waited too long to leave and now another storm was rolling in.

Wait—this could be what they needed. A storm had sent him back in time, perhaps this one could push them both forward. This was where he was when it hit. He’d seen Evelyn running. It couldn’t have been her. Perhaps it was an image of what was yet to come.

“Why if it isn’t Lady Evelyn,” a voice called out, “I’m glad to see you alive. I was afraid you had perished in the storm.”

Paul pushed her behind his back and turned to face the man who’d called out her name. If he knew who she was that could only mean one thing. He was one of the pirates who’d kidnapped her. He wouldn’t let them get anywhere near her. It was his job to protect her.

“No thanks to you.” Paul glared at him. “I won’t let you hurt her. Leave us be and there won’t be any trouble.”

“Who said anything about harming anyone?” He waved a hand dismissively. “As to trouble…I rather like a little bit from time to time. It keeps things interesting.” His lips tilted into a cocky smile.

“Jack?” Evelyn peeked around Paul. “I’m glad to see you made it too.”

“See the lady likes me.” Captain Jack waved at her. “You don’t need to protect her from me. I would never hurt a hair on her pretty head. As to other things…” He wiggled his eyebrows. “That’s entirely up to her.”

Paul punched him in the face. He wouldn’t, couldn’t stand for him to speak about her in such a derogatory manner. She was special and wasn’t to be the object of any man’s lust. Well except for his, but that was different. He loved her.

“Was that necessary?” Captain Jack held his hand over his nose. “I didn’t say I was going to do anything. If she wanted me she had ample opportunity to sample my charms. She turned me down.” He shrugged. “It’s her loss.”

Evelyn giggled… Actually giggled. He wanted to punch the captain again. She’d not laughed so lightly in his presence. Paul saw red and wanted to dismantle every inch of the pirate. He didn’t like it one bit that the woman he loved, was so devoted to, might be even remotely besotted with another man.

“Jack, quit teasing him. He doesn’t have your sense of humor.”

Paul glared at Jack, inspecting every inch of him. So, he appeared to be good-looking, and he could grudgingly admit he could see why a woman might find him attractive, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. He was an irritating fellow. Why couldn’t something pick him up and carry him someplace far away. That would please him immensely.

“Very well if you insist, love.” He bowed. “For you I will cease baiting the man. But first you must tell me what happened to you. I tried to find you when the ship went aground but you were nowhere to be found.”

Evelyn opened her mouth; no doubt to tell him how one of his crew shoved her overboard but the man responsible beat her to the punch.

“It’s the witch!”

Captain Jack turned around. “What nonsense is this, Percy?”

“It’s her fault. The storm and the destruction of the Siren Song. We’d have made it to port if you hadn’t insisted on bring her on board.”

Paul rolled his eyes. There was one thing to be grateful for being from the twentieth century. Witch burning and blaming them for the world’s problems had gone out of style. This man wanted to blame Evelyn for something his tiny mind didn’t understand.

“There is no such thing as witches. At least not in the sense you’re spouting.”

Percy rushed forward and poked Paul in the chest. “You’re only saying that because you’re under her spell. She did the same to the Captain. He’s never taken a lady on board before her.”

“She has done no such thing.” Captain Jack shook his head. “I’ve never liked one on sight before. Lady Evelyn is a treasure and I wanted her for my own. That doesn’t make her a witch.”

Percy got even more erratic at the captain’s words. “You’re wrong. It’s why I pushed her overboard. If she’s not a witch how did she survive? Everyone knows a witch floats and can survive a storm of her own making. The proof is standing right in front of you. She is alive and well so surely she must be a witch. Can’t you see it?”

“You pushed her overboard?” The captain’s voice was cold and filled with menace as he turned on his crew member. “You knew what she meant to me and that she was not to be harmed and you took it upon yourself to dispose of her, because you got some nonsense inside your head. You must have a death wish.”

The captain’s hand rested on the cutlass at his side. Paul was waiting for him to unsheathe it and skewer the man for daring to go against his orders. He wondered what was holding him back.

“I had to. You must see that.” He waved his hands at the sky. “She’s working her magic again. Another storm is going to hit. We must kill her if we want to save ourselves.”

“The man is insane. Evelyn is not a witch.” Paul had to make the captain see reason. “No one has the power to control the weather.”

“I don’t blame Evelyn,” Captain Jack paused and looked up at Paul, “I know what must be done.”

Before the captain could react, Percy pushed past him and rushed at Evelyn. She screamed and ran away from him.

“Evelyn!” Paul shouted.

Paul’s heart stopped at the familiar sight. This is how he’d seen her before. The vision that appeared to him before he fell back in time and in an instant he knew why he was there. It was to save her. That was why he’d seen her before he fell and passed out.

Evelyn stepped out of Percy’s reach and spun around, heading back toward Paul. She tripped and fell as Percy lunged for her. Paul reacted and yanked him away from her before he could do her any permanent harm. The pirate fell back toward Captain Jack. He shook in fear as he glanced between Paul and Jack.

“She must die. You both know it. You’re just afraid. Look past her charms and you’ll see the truth.”

Paul looked Jack in the eyes and said, “Kill him or I will with my bare hands.”

“It will be my pleasure.” Captain Jack’s smile looked menacing as he stalked toward Percy.

Evelyn stood and ran toward Paul. He opened his arms and held her close. The wind picked up. It was familiar to Paul. The storm was going to send him back. He knew it deep down. He didn’t want to let her go. If he held on tight perhaps she could come back with him.

Captain Jack held up his cutlass. As he was about to strike Percy, his crew member reached out and tripped him. His cutlass tumbled to the ground landing near Percy. The wind spun around him and lifted Jack. Paul’s mouth held open in shock as the captain disappeared before them. Where had he gone? Was he in 1987? Had the storm taken him instead of Paul?

Percy picked up the cutlass and stalked toward them.

“You’re not going to hurt her.” Paul held Evelyn tight in his embrace.

“I will and once she’s dead you’ll see her for what she is.”

Paul stepped back, continuing to hold Evelyn in his embrace. Percy lunged forward. The wind picked up again spinning around them. Percy fought it to get to Evelyn and Paul. He tripped trying to get to them. The cutlass slid into his thigh spurting blood in every direction. From the amount of blood coming out of Percy’s thigh Paul assumed he’d hit his femoral artery. There was too much blood to believe anything else. Percy wasn’t going to live through such a devastating injury.

The strong wind knocked the breath right out of Paul. Through it all he never let go of Evelyn. It pushed at them until he couldn’t see anything anymore. If he was about to die at least he got to do it with the love of his life. It was his last thought before he thought no more.

***

The sun burned. He didn’t want to open his eyes. What had he had to drink? There had to be an explanation for the infernal beating inside his head. The last time he’d felt this bad was the one and only time he’d gotten hammered.

Then he remembered and leaped forward. “Evelyn!”

“Don’t shout. You’re hurting my head.”

He looked over and saw her lying in the sand next to him, her hands wrapped around her head. Time travel didn’t appear to agree with either one of them. It gave him a whopping headache and by her body language he’d guess she was experiencing something similar. He glanced across the beach and realized they were in his time, at the hotel he was staying at on the island.

He stood up and helped her to her feet. “Do you know where we are?”

She looked around. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the large hotel behind her. It was massive and as lavish as Port Royal had to offer. His assistant made sure he had the best of the best for his vacation, including his own suite and every amenity available.

“Are we where I think we are?” She raised an eyebrow.

“If you mean my time then you’re correct.”

He couldn’t wait to show her everything and start their life together. He wished and wished he could bring her back with him. Now he had her where he wanted her. They’d escaped death and he wasn’t about to take the gift he’d been given for granted.