“No. I want you to remove her deadly powers. Put a spell on her that makes her do only good. And if she tries to do something wicked, she gets a boil on her bottom and a wart on her face.”
“No!” Fortunata squealed.
“I like that idea.” Gremma played with the coins now, mesmerized. “And maybe the boils cannot be removed. If she wants them removed, she loses a year of her life.”
“You’re not as nice as your sisters,” Denny observed.
“She cursed me twenty-three years ago and banished me from the palace. I’m a little…annoyed.”
Denny nodded. “I can understand that. We will stay in touch. Once you inform me that she is fully cured, Prince Merritt and I will come for her.”
Gremma gave him a lovely smile. “That may take a very long time.”
“Fine by me. Oh. There’s one more thing. Please make her remove the hex on this child, Bertie.”
“I’m hexed?” Bertie looked befuddled.
“But who is he?” Gremma asked.
“I’m not sure, but I detected the chill of bewitchment around him. And I suspect he’s Arthur Fellows, my former ship’s doctor. He’s in love with her.” Denny gestured to Fortunata, then down to Bertie. “He’s an idiot.” He glanced down at Bertie. “No offense, Bertie.”
The boy shrugged.
“And what about you?” Gremma asked. “Can I remove your wings?”
“You can do that?” Denny hadn’t counted on that bit of good news.
“Oh, yes. I’m the most powerful witch in the universe. That’s why she did this to me. She tricked me and I fell for it.”
“You can remove my wings.” Denny had never been so relieved in his life. It was almost climactic when the seer waved her hand and the wings vanished from his body. He breathed a bit easier and smiled at Fortunata.
“I’ll get you for this,” Fortunata snarled at Denny.
“Can you remove the wings from her lady-in-waiting, Anisse?” Denny asked.
“I can.” Gremma nodded. “I just need something she has touched.” Her hand fell on one of the silk purses. “She made this?”
“Yes.”
Boy, she is good
.
“Consider it done.” The seer reached over and shook his hand. “I will need to keep Fortunata imprisoned to counteract all the wrongs she has done. It will take at least a year, unless you were thinking of my keeping her here longer?”
“Yes, two years and seven days,” Denny said.
Gremma smiled. “The same amount of time she kept you imprisoned. By the time I’m through with her she’ll be so sweet she will give you toothache.”
“No, I won’t.” Fortunata glowered at her.
Gremma ignored her and gestured to the two men who dragged the weeping Fortunata away.
When she’d gone, Bertie fell asleep in a chair.
“He will awaken shortly and will remember none of what happened to him.” Gremma said, “You’ve done a very kind thing.” She paused. “How are my sisters?”
“They are wonderful. They miss you very much.”
The seer looked overcome with emotion. “I will contact them and let them know I’ve regained my powers. I’ve been so limited, thanks to Fortunata.”
“I wish you well,” Denny said. “And now, I must return to my ship.”
He took the last of the remaining coins from the priest hole and hastened back to port. His crew was rushing back with fresh provisions. Only Ebba seemed upset that Fortunata had been arrested.
She sighed. “Fortunata made life so interesting.”
“No, she made it scary,” Denny retorted. He begged the crew to hurry with their repairs and the replenishment of their stocks.
The following day they left for the port of Plymouth, and Denny got used to life without wings again.
“What do you miss the most?” Anisse asked him over breakfast one morning.
“Being able to fly up to the crow’s nest. My knees aren’t what they used to be.”
“Me too. But at least we have the memories. Most people don’t even have those to look back upon on a chilly morning.”
“Aye, ’tis true.” Denny studied his maps. He felt whatever he had to face in Penzance was worth everything he had to go through to rescue Merritt. He’d chosen Plymouth as the port at which they’d dock, but hadn’t counted on running into The Pirate Fairy at sea. Denny and his crew had first spotted her at daybreak and had laughed when they’d seen the ship had been attacked by a whale. She was sinking.
Denny and his crew offered everybody safe passage, but Captain Rigby refused to leave his ship.
“Fortunata can fix it,” Rigby said. “Where is she?”
“Imprisoned.”
Rigby looked shocked.
“Where is my sister?” Denny demanded.
“At his house, in Penzance,” one of Rigby’s crewmen responded.
“And Merritt?”
“He’s there too.”
“You traitor,” Rigby said, and lunged at the sailor.
Denny swung his way onto Rigby’s ship and fought him, first by sword, then pointed the gun Fortunata had given him. Half expecting it not to work, Denny fired, but Rigby jumped overboard, straight into the path of a circling school of sharks. Rigby didn’t even have time to scream, they devoured him on sight.
* * * *
Three days later, Denny and his crew arrived at Plymouth and loaded up with fresh supplies before heading to Cornwall. They rented horses and buggies to travel by road to Rigby’s house. Merritt and Polly were nowhere to be seen, but Rigby’s men came out and gave no resistance to Denny. It was a good thing too. He’d been a good boss to Sorenson and Foster. They seemed pleased to see him too. They accepted his gold coins and took off for some parade down on Market Jew Street.
“It’s St. Piran’s Day,” Foster said.
“Never mind that, where’s my sister?”
“She’s in the kitchen, cooking.” Foster looked embarrassed. “Prince Merritt’s in the bedroom. He’s sleeping. They both sleep a lot. Is Fortunata really in prison?”
“Yes, she is. And she’s been turned into a good witch.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Foster said and hurried down to the parade.
Denny found Polly in the kitchen. She was darning a sock and looked up, surprise, then pleasure crossing her features when she saw Denny.
“Is it really you?” Her voice cracked, as though she couldn’t believe her own eyes.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
They ran to each other. He hugged her hard.
“Did I just die and go to heaven?” she asked.
“If you did, then so have I.” He touched her face and hair. She was Polly. Still the same girl. Older, but still the sister he loved.
“How did you find me?” Tears pooled in her eyes.
“It’s taken me years. Are you all right, Poll?”
“I am…now. Denny. I’ve missed you so much!” She burrowed her head under his chin.
“You’re so tall,” he murmured as they clung to each other.
“I’m not ten anymore,” she said, though her voice sounded like that of a little girl.
He held her tighter.
I will never let her out of my sight again
. He held her, delighting in the sheer luxury of being with her again.
When they parted, they were both crying.
“There is so much to tell you,” she said, swatting at her tears. “I don’t know what kind of spell is upon us, but all I want to do is clean, cook and sleep.”
“Take a rest for now and I’ll find Prince Merritt, then we can all go to the parade.”
“He’s a very nice man. I really like him.”
“I like him too.” Denny never wanted to let her go, but she settled into a chair by the window, smiling as she slipped into sleep, her face in the sun. He would get her and Merritt away from here, away from whatever poison she’d been given. He hoped the seer’s magic would soon work and the spell would be broken. He ran from room to room, searching for his lost love.
And there was Merritt, sleepy in bed, his eyes aglow when he saw Denny. “Am I dreaming?”
“No, darling, you are not.”
When Merritt smiled, Denny didn’t know what to say. His mind, body and soul melted into an insane puddle that made him say the daftest thing ever. “There’s a parade. Please tell me we can leave this house and go join the fun.”
“How did you know I love parades?” Merritt reached for him. “There’s something we have to do first, though.”
“There is?” Denny couldn’t stop smiling.
“Oh, yes, there is.” Merritt laughed as Denny threw himself across the bed and kissed him.
“No ropes for us today,” Denny said. “I want both your hands on me.”
“I want that too.”
It felt so good to touch him again that Denny took his time just running his fingers across every inch of skin.
Merritt seemed to come back to life, got up and kicked the door shut. “I know what’s different. You’ve lost your wings.”
Denny laughed. “Your sister can no longer hurt us.”
Merritt looked amazed. “Really?”
“Really.” Denny grabbed him and took him down to the floor, trying to get between his legs.
Merritt twisted and turned underneath him as if fighting Denny, even as his hands held Denny’s head to his. Their cocks connected. Denny’s was rock hard, Merritt’s was not.
“It’s the sleeping potion,” Merritt said.
Denny ground himself against him and Merritt’s breath quickened. Denny pulled Merritt’s shirt up and over his head, a couple of buttons popping off against the floor. He took hold of Merritt’s left hand, licking and kissing the palm as his fingers flexed in pleasure. Denny stole a glance at Merritt’s face as he sucked his fingertips, one by one. There was a look of disbelief as well as furious lust. Denny bent forward to lick his face and neck.
Merritt moaned as Denny moved down to his torso. As he traced Merritt’s ribs with his tongue, Denny held Merritt’s hands up over his head, and heard his deep, contented sigh. Denny kept rubbing, dry humping Merritt’s crotch with his knee, and at last, Denny felt him harden. He reached up with another kiss for Merritt’s mouth, one hand going to his swollen cock. He couldn’t help himself. He needed to touch that sweet, thick, piece of manhood. He had the juiciest one Denny had ever seen, his balls heavy in his hands. He ran Merritt’s cock head against his face. Merritt squirmed for entry into Denny’s mouth, but Denny had to make him wait.
Denny tightened his grip on Merritt’s cock, running it down his throat and to his chest. The second the head touched Denny’s nipple, they both groaned. Denny took Merritt’s pants all the way down past his feet. Merritt’s fingers made quick work of Denny’s pants, and as he inched the fabric past Denny’s ass, Denny knew in seconds he was going to be inside Merritt, his man panting for a hard pounding, his legs wrapped around Denny’s waist.
No, Denny wanted this to last.
He kept rubbing Merritt’s cock over his arms and face, licking his way down Merritt’s thighs. His legs opened up. His body implored Denny,
fuck me
. But Denny kept at it, licking him, teasing him, tasting him.
Oh, yeah
.
His cock was in Denny’s mouth now, and Merritt’s gorgeous ass came off the floor. He flailed around as Denny sucked him thirstily. Merritt’s cock adored Denny, and he kept a hold on Merritt as he started to come.
As soon as he was finished, Merritt’s body still tensing, his pulse racing, Denny put his mouth straight down onto his ass. Merritt’s feet rested on Denny’s shoulders.
Merritt reached for him as Denny used Merritt’s juices to prepare him for Denny’s cock. Merritt touched Denny’s cock with his fingertips. “I want it, I want it, I want it.”
Prince Merritt’s wish was Denny’s command. He plunged into him, loving how tight Merritt was, how good it felt to fuck him. Finally. Merritt grabbed Denny’s face, their mouths glued to one another. When they finally broke apart to breathe, Merritt said, “I love you, Denny.”
“Merritt, I love you, too.” He sobbed when they came together. It was perfect. It was bliss. It was better than dreams.
And it was better than any bleedin’ parade.
Also available from Pride Publishing:
Hanalei Moon
A.J. Llewellyn
Excerpt
Chapter One
February 5, 1997
Sunset had not yet come to Hanalei Bay and I resisted looking back over my shoulder at the beckoning red-gold hues of the last, vibrant rays kissing the ocean. This was the most magnificent place on earth. Hanalei Bay managed to pack a lot of beauty into a tiny parcel of land. Pristine beaches, cascading waterfalls from the emerald green mountains fringing our side of the islands and, dammit, the best sunsets in the world… And I have seen a lot of sunsets, being a professional surfer.
I hesitated outside the house. I could tell the ceremony had already begun, judging by the incessant chanting coming from inside. It was common in Buddhist households to let yourself in during times of prayer but, although I knew the back door was unlocked, I couldn’t do it. Not with Ntino’s family. Not ever.