Immortals After Dark 09 - Pleasure of a Dark Prince

get past the idea that Lothaire was on that ship.
    “They’re downwind,” MacRieve answered. “But aye, I think so. Whatever Nïx sent you to retrieve, someone aboard the
Barão
either wants it or wants to stop you from getting it.”
    “This makes sense, then. Nïx told me to beware oftwo cryptic things—a guardian and a rubber baron. Confirmation on the second. And before you ask, I have no idea what a guardian is.”
    “The soothsayer warned you of the
Barão
? Then I’m going to take heed.”
    “Uh, how?”
    “If they follow us for the rest of the day, then I’ll disable their ship at the earliest opportunity.”
    “Disable?”
    “Aye. When they anchor for the night, I’ll scuttle her.” At her questioning look, he said, “I’ll swim over, dive underneath, and yank off the propeller. Simple enough.”
    “Get in the water—at
night
?”

THIRTY-FOUR

    Just before moonrise, Lucia and MacRieve stood on the platform in the drizzle. She plucked on her bowstring as he readied for his mission—by stripping off his shirt.
    At sunset, the
Barão
had dropped anchor just upriver from the
Contessa
, within the very same bend—which, as far as MacRieve was concerned, was a declaration of war.
    Nothing she could say would dissuade him from his plan.
    She was beset with nerves, and for more than one reason. Tonight the moon was full, and though Lucia trusted the witches’ power in the cuff, spells that went against the course of nature had a way of going awry. Like if Fate wanted her way, she’d figure out how to get it.
    Plus, Lucia was uneasy about MacRieve being in the water at night. “Just take the skiff, werewolf.”
    He shook his head. “I have to get in anyway. And I doona want to be seen. If I stir the vampire I scented, he could attack you while I’m over there.”
    “It’s too dangerous,” she insisted.
    “Well, I’m no’ too keen on leaving you here with Damiãno, either.”
    Today MacRieve had told her that Damiãno was a jaguar shifter, one of a powerful species known for their strength, agility—and dirty fighting.
    “If that
gato
comes near you, I want you to drill him between the eyes.”
    She had her new quiver at her thigh and her bow ready to shoot, but close quarters—like those on a ship—were an archer’s most disadvantageous combat zone. “I’ll do what I can.”
    He gazed at her anxious expression. “You’re truly going to be worried about me?”
    “Just because I don’t want to tell all you my secrets doesn’t mean I don’t like you.”
    “Aye, we’ll be talking about your secrets later.”
    After the
Barão
’s sighting, they’d seemed to enjoy an unspoken truce for the last few hours. “You can’t just let me have them?”
And keep your wolf’s nose out of my business?
    “My Lykae curiosity demands answers. And now I’ve remembered how I can coax you to tell me anything.” He reached out and cupped her breast.
    “Wolf!” She slapped his hand away. “You’re just trying to distract me from my worry.”
    “Aye, and I merely wanted to touch your bonny breasts.”
    “Can you be serious? I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
    “Lousha, you’ve seen me almost completelyturned—do you no’ think the things in the water should fear me?”
    Good point. “Wait…
almost
completely turned?”
    He chucked her under the chin. “Relax, this is a cakewalk. What’s the worst that can happen?”
    As if on cue, the skies opened up, pouring rain.
    “Just be careful,” she whispered as he slipped into the black water, beginning his silent swim to the
Barão
.
    As she impatiently waited, she tried to analyze this worry. Nearly two weeks ago, she would’ve been overjoyed that he was leaving her behind. Now? She feared she was falling for him, her rough-and-tumble Scot. Which could only be a disaster.
    MacRieve could never be satisfied without sex. Hell,
she
could never be. The last ten days had turned into bout after bout of sensual torment—
    She heard something moving on the decks and tensed, her ears twitching. Seconds later, she let out a breath. Just Schecter, activating his lure. Every time he hauled it out of the water, her ears registered the frequencies anew.
Noise polluter.
    Though Lucia didn’t know where Charlie or Damiãno was, she could hear Rossiter pacing as usual. And Izabel was with the captain in his cabin, discussing something with him in a low voice.
    Lucia sighed. Those two had it so easy as a couple, with just two minor