Free My Pirate Lover by Lexie Stewart Page A

victim to the traps. “Where is that mangy dog?”
    Lance swung down from the rigging and dropped lightly onto the deck behind Captain Bloody.
    “You called?” he said politely.
    Captain Bloody whirled around and without hesitation threw a boarding axe at Lance’s head.
    Lance ducked it.
    “What have you done to me ship?” yelled Captain Bloody.
    “I made some renovations, mate. You like?”
    Captain Bloody fired one of the pistols tied to his baldric. Lance dodged it.
    “Damn you to the bottom of the deepest ocean!” bellowed Captain Bloody.
    “Think again, matey!” said Curry, stepping up to Lance’s left.
    “Aye!” cried Lenny, stepping up to Lance’s right. The three of them stood shoulder to shoulder, swords raised.
    A scowl shadowed Lance’s features. “Lenny, if you’re out here then where is Josie?” This was hissed out of the side of his mouth as he didn’t want to ruin their image of camaraderie.
    “It weren’t my fault, Cap’n!” said Lenny. “She done pulled a pistol from her tiny bloomers and said she’d blow me ta Timbuktu if I didn’t get out of her way!”
    That sounded about right, thought Lance.
    “Well then, Mr Bloody,” he said, “this might be a good time for you to surrender. See, there’s three of us and only one of you!”
    Just then, a bunch of Captain Bloody’s pirates climbed up through the hatchway. The first one to step out on the deck sneered at Lance and jangled a set of keys on a large ring. Lance’s cocky grin faltered. He’d had these pirates locked in the ship’s brig. He hadn’t known that one of the bastards had a set of keys, but then, this was their ship.
    “You want to count again, matey,” said Captain Bloody as his men crowded the deck. “Lance Breakheart, you’ve had a fine run, I’ll give ye that. So, I’ll make room on my bowsprit to hang yer rotting head! How’s that sound?”
    “Many thanks,” muttered Lance.
    Captain Bloody raised his sword and screamed, “At em you scurvy dogs!”
    With bloodthirsty cries the pirates surged forward. Lance, Lenny and Curry only survived the initial onslaught because the pirates got in each other’s way and fought amongst themselves.
    “They’ll swarm us up here!” said Lance. “Below deck! Narrower spaces! They can’t all get to us at once!”
    Lance kicked over a barrel and rolled it at the pirates, buying himself and his two companions enough time to escape down a hatchway. A number of pirates raced down after them but the main bulk were still trying to untangle themselves after being bowled over by the barrel.
    The sounds of cursing, swords clashing and furniture breaking echoed up from below deck, making Bloody leer contentedly.
    “Well, what are the rest of ye standin’ about for?” he yelled. “There’ll be a prize for the man who brings me Breakheart’s head!”
    “What kind of prize?” asked one of his men.
    “A shiny prize!”
    That was good enough for the pirates. They charged the hatchway but never went down it.
    A doll with red hair fell from the sky and landed between the charging pirates and the hatchway.
    The pirates were so surprised, they stopped.
    “Mmmfnah,” said the doll, who was laying face down on the deck. “Mmmfnah Mm!” she said again.
    One of the pirates cautiously flipped the doll over with his big toe.
    “That’s better,” said the doll.
    “Who are you?” stammered the pirates.
    “I am the goddess Dollita! I appear to you in this form because my real form is so tremendously beautiful your mortal brains would turn to mush!”
    “What do you want, oh Goddess Dollita?”
    “I have been summoned from my realm by the tears of the mothers that gave you birth. They implore me to tell you to change your wicked ways. Seek redemption! Pursue a life of kindness and generosity.”
    The pirates considered this.
    “Generosity?” said one, scratching his scraggly beard. “What’s in it for us?”
    “The cleansing of your blackened souls!” cried the