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SCARLET RAVEN
By
Jewel Adams
Corin McCloud stows away on a
refurbished schooner—the Raven. The journey barely
begins when a violent storm rolls over the schooner,
throwing her world upside down and lands her in
Charlotte Amalie, 1725.
Rogan Drake spent the last two
years building his reputation as the infamous
pirate—Dragon, in order to revenge his brother’s
murder. He forgoes following the pirate Billings, to
keep an eye on a girl that just entered the city.
She certainly wasn’t from here, not dressed
so…openly. “Brave little woman, but hardly wise.”
The exotic shape of her eyes reminded him of a wild
cat. Add in the sensual blend of amber and
chocolate, and a man could drown in their depth.
“Are you untamed my little stranger?”
Can Rogan give up his quest to
revenge his brother’s death in order to keep Corin
safe? Will she accept her new life as his wife? Can
they both survive the anger of Black Diamond, the
most notorious pirate in the Caribbean?
Time Travel Historical
Erotic Romance
ISBN: 978-1-935048-11-4
1-935048-11-2
Word Count: 92,141
EBook $6.49
Trade Paperback
$15.49 plus shipping.
EXCERPT
SCARLET RAVEN
By
Jewel Adams
...
Large mast ships of all sizes
and shapes dotted the water. At the docks stood what
couldn’t be mistaken for anything but a “Spanish
Galleon…”
“She’s beautiful, I’ll give you
that.”
Not looking at the voice that
cut through her astonishment, Corin suddenly grew
very nervous and moved off the walk to avoid the
man.
Rogan had been following her
for some time. The beauty caught nearly every man’s
eye since she entered the town. His heated gaze fell
to the natural swing of her fully curved and
enticingly small hips. Raising his gaze to the satin
flatness of her bronzed waist, Rogan felt his loins
tighten with an alarming velocity.
The exotic caress of that thick
roped hair held the color of polished teak and his
fingers itched to feel the softness fall through his
fingers.
Wherever she appeared from he
knew she certainly wasn’t from here, not dressed
so…openly. He would give her credit, she was braver
than most the women he knew, but hardly wise.
Looking closer, Rogan watched the way her eyes took
in the docked ships, floating from one to the next,
all the while their deep rich brown grew larger. No,
he was wrong, her eyes weren’t just brown, but amber
and chocolate all mixed into a sensual blend a man
could drown in. Their shape intrigued him, almost
wild like a cat. “Are you untamed my little
stranger?”
Keeping his distance, Rogan
ignored Big Dan’s wave to go, Billings could wait,
Rogan suddenly found a more interesting priority.
Corin nervously ran her fingers
through the feathered bangs that hid her eyes from
his. He still followed her. She pretended to stop
and look over a frigate showing an odd but
decidingly British flag. Her gaze seemed unable to
get their fill of the man.
Man, oh yes he was more of a
man than she’d ever seen. Broad, powerful shoulder,
she needed to breathe hard over the temptation they
inspired. For a second she let herself daydream over
how it would feel to be held by such strength. She
could envision her fingertips tracing the bold line
of rigid muscles. They would travel down across the
large wall of copper skinned chest, sprinkled with
bronze hair. Heavens, he looked like Hercules, only
better with that wild blonde mane of silky waves.
Corin swallowed hard, she
didn’t dare look beyond the deep open vee that
exposed the corded expanse of his trim waist. She
forced her eyes away from the bulging thighs and,
other more potent evidence of his masculinity and
looked directly into those relaxed blue eyes.
Sucking in her breath their
crystal depths trapped her own. He definitely
witnessed her brazen scrutiny and silently told her
he liked what saw when he took the liberty to see of
her as well.
A firing blush crept up her
graceful throat, inflaming her high cheeks,
deepening the rich hue of her smooth complexion.
Unable to end what she started, her eyes fell upon
the parted lips smiling confidently at her from that
fierce square jaw. Instead of being insulted, Corin
felt an unfamiliar heat strike hard and fast in the
most womanly part of her body.
What the hell was wrong with
her? Corin never reacted to any man like this, never
wanted to, but she seemed incapable of breaking the
spell that wove between them.
The sudden ringing of a loud
bell made her jump. Having broken his invisible hold
over her, she moved with the crowd, hoping to lose
the man and the unwanted power he could wield over
her.
“Hear Ye all, citizens and
visitors of the gracious Governor of Charlotte
Amalie. ‘Tis a warrant for the arrest of the pirate
called Dragon.”
Someone in the crowd called
out. “How much is the bounty man?”
“Thirty gold pieces my friend,
if you’re brave enough to bring him in alive. Twenty
if he’s dead.”
A man in back of her laughed
out. “Taint’ worth me life! That one’s no ordinary
pirate.”
Corin didn’t know what to make
of all this. Their jest didn’t camouflage the
serious intensions. Her own humor deserted her.
She rubbed her bare arms when
the man began to hammer the notice on the board. She
didn’t like any of the feelings taking hold of her
since seeing the harbor and what it held. Whispering
to herself, “Charlotte Amalie? But how?”
The crowd began to break up.
She walked on unsteady feet, drawn to the notice,
yet afraid of what she might find. The elaborate
hand writing flowed over the crisp parchment. Her
eyes raced over the words until they found what they
searched for. With shaking fingers she traced the
date as if confirming its existence.
“June 18th, 1725…”
“It should be at least 100 gold
pieces.”
Jumping back, Corin’s frighten
voice spoke out, “What?”
“The reward, ‘tis not enough.”
Confused by her thoughts,
having Hercules standing in front of her made Corin
sway. When his hand captured her wrist she tried to
break free from the burning in his touch.
“Dear lady, I fear you are
overcome by Charlotte Amalie’s noon sun.”
“Yes, I guess. Please let go of
me.”
His release came slow as if he
regretted obliging her request.
“Thank you.”
Something close to anger flared
inside him over the fear stealing the beauty’s
vibrancy. “Does the talk of pirates frighten you?”
“What? Oh no, I guess not, I’ve
never known any.” Her words sounded as ridiculous to
her ears as the soft laughter they earned from the
man. His nearness must be confusing her. Corin
couldn’t stop feeling that she’d missed something
important. She needed to think and started to walk
away, but he fell in step with her.
“I hope you don’t have the call
to see any, my lady.”
“Why would I?”
Rogan’s brows drew close over
her lack of knowledge. The fear he glimpsed wasn’t
because of the notice. Neither did he think that his
presence confused her. He quickly lost any argument
he should not care what her problems were, he
couldn’t make himself leave her side. Rogan didn’t
have to look around to know of the hungry eyes
following her.
“The waters are full of them.”
Corin heard about the thieves
on the open seas. How unsuspecting ships stumbled
onto drug drops and were killed for their mistake.
But why didn’t she think he meant that. Why?
“Then I will be careful.”
“Are you sailing soon?”
“I…no, maybe.” Corin’s thoughts
became occupied by the coach coming down the street,
causing her to stop and stare as it passed.
“That’s a coach.” She could
have kicked herself for not keeping her thought to
herself.
His blue eyes were following
her intent interest in the common vehicle passing
them. “Where are you from?”
“New Orleans.”
Rogan hid his surprise.
“Well, originally Bridgetown,
Massachusetts.”
He started to ask her what part
of New Orleans but she abruptly stopped, he almost
overran her.
Her ashen pallor made Rogan
fear that she’d swoon. “What is it? Answer me!”
Her arm came up and pointed, he
could see her lips were shaking too much to speak.
The girl’s enlarged eyes never left the unfortunate
soul the governor hung that morning. Rogan detested
the practice of leaving such a sight up as a warning
to others not to thieve.
Taking hold of her shoulders he
turned her about and away from the ugly scene. Rogan
brought his arm about her waist and gently drew her
against him. An unfair advantage, due to her shocked
senses, but he wasn’t beyond taking it as he led her
away. His palms were alive against the gentle woman
in their hold. Slim, she felt like satin and she
moved sensually beneath his hold. The slight flare
of her lovely hips brushed against his thigh,
creating a fierce response in his tightening groin.
Pure strength and willpower kept him from
embarrassing them both by displaying what he wanted
from the lady. Rogan didn’t remember experiencing
such a strong and instant attraction for any woman,
it felt unsettling yet extremely stimulating.
But for all her bold attire or
lack of it, he didn’t believe the lady would willing
submit to the roughish thoughts taking hold of him
at the moment.
“Why did they do such a thing?”
Caught off guard, “What?”
“Hang that poor man and then
leave him there. Why it’s barbaric and sick!”
“‘Tis the way and not uncommon,
why even in New Orleans they still practice
hanging.”
His statement made her steps
falter.
Corin wanted to run, be sick
and cleanse away the fear taking root. It couldn’t
be possible. Pushing the thoughts away she tried to
concentrate on why she came here.
“I must find the police.”
“Po…lice?”
“Law, someone in authority.”
“There is the Governor…”
“I guess he’ll do. Where is
he?”
He fought with answering, “It
is that way.” No, he couldn’t tell her how
inappropriate her attire might be. Rogan searched
the crowd looking for Big Dan and Terry, waving them
back to follow.
Corin didn’t understand why he
stayed with her. The eerie feelings inside her only
grew more pronounced as they walked through the
strange streets. The looks she received made her
grateful for the large man’s presence. More than
once she caught the lecherous way men’s eyes
followed her. But the disgust she glimpsed and felt
from the women made her begin to shake. It didn’t
take a fool to realize she wasn’t up to their
standards. The only group she came close to fitting
into made her own sensibilities revolt.
He felt every response, no
matter how slight from the woman at his side. That
she didn’t refuse his hold stopped surprising him,
he almost wondered if she realized he remained. No,
the lady’s attention became captured by what she saw
around her and she’d taken the insults given to her
entreating smiles very hard. Instinctively, Rogan
realized this woman wasn’t what she appeared to be.
Women that gave their treasures freely weren’t
affected by what the others thought. She suffered
the reaction of a lady unaccustomed to the ways of
the streets.
And yet he couldn’t place her
with the women proper or society dames.
When they entered the cool
interior of the place he brought her to, Corin took
a moment to adjust to the opulent surroundings.
The nervous way she tucked her
hair in back and tried to straighten her slight
blouse tore at Rogan’s senses.
When the uniformed man looked
curiously up from his papers Corin couldn’t put it
off any longer. She turned to her escort. “Thank you
for bringing me, I hope it wasn’t out of your way.”
“You can be sure it wasn’t, my
lady.”
The formality he used made
Corin straighten. Calling on her pride she didn’t
want to show him anything that would demean herself
in his eyes. She didn’t care why she felt so
strongly, she just wanted the respect he held her in
to stay in those beautiful blue eyes.
“I better go.” Turning away
from him she forced herself to walk determinedly to
the desk.
“I need to see the Governor,
please.”
The man’s eyes were shameful
the way they went over her. The half smile he gave
her infuriated Corin beyond all the others.
“He’s busy.”
“Really, and if I screamed at
the top of my lungs, would he still be busy?”
His eyes grew large over her
threat. Corin took a deep breath to insure he
believed her. She’d done the same thing once in
grade school and both times it worked beautifully.
“Come this way please.”
He opened the double doors and
she followed. A portly man was seated behind a
ridiculously large desk. The brocade waistcoat and
vest he wore over the lace ascot shirt nearly became
her undoing. All she could think is that the man
must be dying in all those garments and in this
heat. Taking a peak beneath the table, she almost
spoke out her thoughts over the lace stockings and
garters that he wore.
“Whom shall I say is requesting
an audience?”
“Miss Corin Elizabeth Ann
McCloud.” She wished she possessed ten more names to
throw in just so the pompous ass would have to
repeat them. The whole procedure sounded comical,
the man being no more than ten feet in front of
them.
All he got for his effort was a
rude ‘humph’.
Turning back to her, he asked.
“And what is the nature of your audience?”
Having had more than she could
tolerate, Corin walked past the red faced man and
came to stand directly in front of the desk. She
waited patiently for the man’s spectacled eyes to
come up and look at her.
“Good day Governor.”
She put him in an uncomfortable
position and enjoyed his dilemma.
“Good day to you, Miss
McCloud.”
“I have some very tragic
information to tell you, sir. If it is alright I
would prefer to tell you face to face.”
The man leaned back in his
chair and seemed to contemplate her rather rushed
outburst before waving the man throwing daggers at
her away.
Corin couldn’t help but turn
and watch him be dismissed. It was then she realized
her escort never left at all, but stood only a foot
or so behind her. Flustered, she didn’t dare look
him and maintain her composure, but before she
turned back to the Governor, her self appointed
guardian winked at her.
“Well young woman, what is the
tragedy?”
She came here to tell them, but
suddenly it seemed so pointless. “I, there was a
fierce storm at sea.”
“How long ago?”
“I’m not sure exactly, I must
have been unconscious for sometime.”
“What port did you sail from?”
“Port? It would be New
Orleans.”
“When did you leave?”
“Saturday morning…”
“That’s only five days ago.
Rogan, isn’t it too far to be that much off course?”
Corin tried not to show her
agitation over the man bringing him into their
conversation. Rogan? Such an unusual name, but it
did fit him.
“Miss?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I asked what happened?”
“The storm, it was awful, there
was this frightening blue light…When I came around
there was no one left.”
“You mean the whole crew washed
over?”
“Yes sir. Can you take out a
search party?”
“And where might we start? You
hail from New Orleans and in five days you are in
Charlotte Amalie. I’m sorry, but you were
unconscious for some time I’m afraid. When did you
wash up?”
“Wash up?” His words and the
meaning seemed to move through her at an incredible
speed, like the blue light. Closing her eyes at the
memory. “I…the date…on the notice…”
“Rogan! For God’s sake catch
her!”
John didn’t need to yell, Rogan
sensed her weakness even before her knees gave out,
lifting her up in his arms.
“John, I’ll take care of the
lady, she obviously has no relatives about.”
“I think it would be wise, she
must get some decent clothes Rogan. Though it is a
treat…”
Rogan gave his friend a warning
glance that ended an old man’s musing.
“If you don’t mind I’ll take
our leave by the back entrance, she’s already
created quite a stir in your city.”
“By all means.”
John held the door for the man.
“Rogan we need to talk.”
“Tonight John, right now I’ve
other more enticing duties to perform.”
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