Chapter 79: Book 1: Chapter 27 (Book 5 of 5)

We got up from our seats at the large dining table and Regina led us back through the residence. As we descended the steps, I couldn’t help but strike up a conversation.

“You know, things could have gone more smoothly if you’d just told me I was really negotiating with you and not your husband.”

Regina chuckled but didn’t stop or react in surprise. “You are a cheeky one, Captain Carter, I’ll give you that. Richard is many things, charismatic, a doting father, an incorrigible flirt, and rather good in bed, but politically astute, not so much. I have tolerated his philandering over the years because it got him out of the way when the work needed to be done and generated considerable sympathy for me in the corridors of power.”

“That is less relevant now, but I wanted to see what kind of man you were. You showed up here with two attractive women at your side. I wanted to know whether you were the kind of man who planned to prostitute these girls for your own ends or if you valued your people as more than sex objects.”

Regina stopped then as a bass growl rumbled across the front garden of the summer residence.

She smiled at my instinctive reaction and for the first time, I got a hint of just how beautiful she could be when she wanted to show it off. “I was gratified to learn you weren’t that kind of man at all. Although I rather suspect if I had dangled the prospect of my daughter in your bed, we could have got several more concessions,” she deadpanned.

It was my turn to almost miss a step from shock.

“That was a joke, Captain Carter, do be a gentleman and laugh,” she teased.

There was laughter from all around. Everyone but me. I gave my crew a dirty look which silenced Jackson’s mirth with a gulp but had no effect on Ana or Shana. A flicker in Regina’s eyes told me she had spotted and collated the group dynamic for later.

This was a dangerous woman, and the kind my analysis ability would be no help in identifying. Thankfully, our first meeting had gone well.

We reached the gate and Regina sent Sergeant Macdonald and his patrol ahead to pull the team currently outside my ship. They had preparations to make, and our agreement was bound in a Framework Contract. If we tried to leave without them a powerful geas would compel me to order us to remain and honour the agreement.

Quixbix had explained it was theoretically possible to overcome such a geas but it would be incredibly difficult and nigh on impossible at our current level of progression.

“I shall see you in a few hours, Captain Carter,” Regina said by way of farewell and turned on her heels and returned to the house.

We headed back down the hill.

When we were about halfway, I said. “That went well, despite some unexpected turns, we got everything we needed.”

“What would it be that went so well,” A honeyed voice that brought a shiver of pleasure rippling up and down my spine asked sweetly from just out of sight behind a leafy hedge.

You have resisted the passive effect of the Siren’s Song by Patricia Belmont. Your resistance has cascaded to those bound to you that may have failed.

The notification that Quixbix flashed up let me know who it was on the other side of that hedge, and then she stepped out, confirming it in all her gorgeous glory.

Up close she was even prettier than I remembered. There was a slenderness to her figure that was missing before, her bust was maybe a touch smaller than it used to be but remained generous. I think she had gained a few inches in height from the species change which gave her a lissom look.

Her eyes were a vivid jade colour and matched the highlights in her hair. The whole eye and matching coloured body parts seemed to be a theme with Darkwyrlds species. She smiled at me, showing off those pearly white teeth, which I noticed were a little sharper than on a human.

“Torin has made a deal to transport the Governor and his people to Saginaw in three hours in exchange for ownership of the state-owned Lake Michigan Islands,” Jackson hastily replied.

He had a big dumb lovestruck expression on his face.

My resistance had not extended to him, and he hadn’t been under orders to keep that knowledge confidential, so the Canon didn’t encourage him to keep his lips zipped.

“What the fuck, Jackson?” Anastasia growled and elbowed him in the solar plexus.

The young sorcerer coughed and rubbed at his chest where the short blonde’s sharp elbows had struck him. The starstruck look on his face was gone, though. Ana’s rough treatment had broken the spell.

I drew my scimitar and pointed it at the smiling woman, a very nonplussed look on my face.

“Whoa there,” she rushed to say, and took a step back onto the grass verge. “The Siren Song thing is entirely unintentional. It happens whether I want it to or not, but as you can see the effect is easily shrugged off.”

Despite my fresh resistance, Patricia Belmont’s voice remained honeyed and very easy on the ear, a marked improvement of the pre-Darkwyrlds timbre she possessed.

<She is telling the truth about the Siren Song. It’s a natural part of their voice and they can’t shut it off> Quixbix informed me. <It loses its efficacy the more familiar you are with siren.>

I re-sheathed my scimitar.

“That may be the case, but that hasn’t stopped you trying to take advantage of it,” Shana criticised her.

“A girls got to use the tools at her disposal,” she retorted with another winning smile aimed at me. “It’s a harsh world, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“We had, Miss Belmont. Now with your ill-got knowledge, you’ll know we have matters to attend to,” I said, dismissing the woman and continuing to walk down the hill.

My crew followed me, and I heard a frustrated huff from behind us and then the sound of rapid footsteps as the siren chased after us.

“Call me Trisha, please,” she panted a little as she caught up with our brisk pace.

I grunted in response, still a bit resentful with her little ambush.

“And you are…?” she asked pleadingly.

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“I’m sure you heard,” I answered noncommittally.

“Torin, yes, an unusual name, but I didn’t get a surname to go with the handsome face and piercing black eyes,” she complimented, still fishing for information.

I almost told her to fuck off, but something held me back.

Then I sighed to myself as I understood the reason why.

Regina’s words echoed freshly in my mind about offering her daughter as a sexual playmate. She said it as a joke, but there was a seriousness behind the humour. I doubted Regina would have traded her daughter like that, but she was right on the money that she would have wrung further concessions from me if she had.

And here was another pretty young thing, one who I should have put firmly in my rear-view mirror after the stunt she pulled but couldn’t.

I had a weakness; one I wasn’t sure what to do about or even if I wanted to do anything about it.

“Carter,” I told her instead. “Captain Torin Carter. This is my crew, Shana, Anastasia, and Jackson.”

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Torin,” Trisha said pleasantly. “And the rest of you, of course,” she added quickly after a sharp look from Ana.

Our brisk pace meant we reached the quayside by the time introductions were complete. Jackson sidled off to the podium to check out what information he could glean from it. That wasn’t necessary with Quix around, but Jackson was the only one of us without direct access to the imp. Anastasia skipped ahead of us eager to get back aboard the ship, leaving Shana and me with the siren.

“Goodbye, Trisha,” I said politely, and turned away.

“Please, wait,” she said and caught hold of my arm.

I gently removed her grip from my arm. “Make it quick, Trisha. I have things to attend to,” I told her.

“Are you really taking the Governor and his people off the island in a few hours?” she asked.

Jackson had told her as much, so I didn’t see a reason to deny it. “Yes, we are.”

Trisha started her pitch, which I’d been anticipating since she surprised us. “Will you take me along as well? I’m a reporter and need to be where the story is. Right now, that is with the Governor. When all of this settles down someone needs to be able to tell the people what has happened. The people have a right to know and I’m best placed to do that.”

I had serious doubts the world would return in the manner Trisha believed it would. Which was beside the point. I had resolved to work on my weakness by not caving and giving the pretty woman what she wanted.

“I don’t think that will be possible,” I said. “The Governor and his people will be requiring all the berths we have available. Besides, I got the distinct impression you were not welcome in their camp.”

Trisha waved that off. “That was just his daughter, paranoid she is, and borderline delusional. His wife understands I’m not trying to seduce him or anything like that.”

“But apparently not enough to rescind her daughter’s orders to the guards to use lethal force upon you,” I pointed out. “Like I said, they will know you are on board, so even if I were amenable to the idea, I’m sure they would insist I leave you behind.”

Trisha looked downtrodden and pouted prettily. I vowed to be strong and resist temptation.

“Let’s not be so hasty, Torin,” Shana piped up and she moved behind Trisha and smacked her rounded bottom unexpectedly.

Trisha squeaked and hopped forward a smidge from the surprise. Shana moved in close behind, breathing softly on Trisha’s earlobe and whispered to me over the siren’s shoulder. “There are our quarters, after all. None of the Governor’s people will be in there. And if we snuck her inside now, nobody would know until we arrived in Saginaw. The quarters are fully soundproofed. As long as she is willing to pay the price for passage, of course.”

“p…p…price?” Trisha gulped and blushed prettily.

Shana was right. Fuck resolve. Resolve is for pussies. Time to embrace my weakness for women and make it a motherfucking strength. I’m supposed to be a cad and should act like it.

I stepped forward and stroked Trisha’s jawline softly.

“Shana has wisely suggested that my bed is indeed available for the duration of the trip. So, tell me, Trisha, do you want to share my bed with Shana and me for the rest of the day? To be crystal clear we will be naked or close to it and there will be a lot of fucking. The choice is yours.”

Trisha’s jade-coloured eyes opened wide, ill-prepared for my sudden forwardness. “C…Can I think about it?” she whispered.

“I’m afraid not. Their people will be here soon and that would cause complications,” I told her.

“Um…ah,” Trisha muttered.

Shana kissed her cheek from behind gently and ran her hands down Trisha’s shoulders before releasing her and joining me.

I pulled Shana into a tight embrace and kissed her deeply. When the kiss broke Trisha was still standing there, shell-shocked.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Shame,” I sighed and turned away from the siren.

We made it three steps down the quay before Trisha sprinted around and in front of us. “I…uh…I agree,” she said quietly and blushed crimson once more.

“Excellent,” I winked and drew her into my embrace on my other side and guided her up the gangplank and down into the bowels of the ship where my quarters awaited us.

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