Once a Pirate (Mystical Realm Series Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

man pulled him from her. His fingertips lingered on hers for a moment before their connection was severed. Anna watched him leave, his blue eyes shooting back to her over his shoulder just before turning out of sight. She released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding just as Char and Cole reached her side. After assurances of her safety and denying the event ever took place, Anna buried the experience where she would never again think of the dark stranger.

 
     
     
    Chapter Three
     
    The Crimson Jewel bobbed beside the Meridelle docks, the black, red and silver of her hull a testament to her name. Her three masts stood dark against the bright sky, silvery sails held tight to their massive heights at rest. Most villagers ignored the ship, but her legend was far-reaching, preventing all from approaching her intimidating form. The Crimson Jewel boasted a bloody past unrivaled by most; the most feared Pirate ship on the open sea.
    Her Captain’s reputation was equally as dark, known as a heartless bastard who wouldn’t think twice about slitting a man’s throat for looking at him sideways. Jake Reynolds enjoyed the protection and respect his bloody reputation earned him. He worked hard to make sure he would never be seen as the weak victim he’d once been. The harsh reminders marred his flesh, hidden from view beneath the black, leather of his coat and gloves. Orphaned at a young age, Jake witnessed his mother’s murder at the hands of his grandfather; the man who then began a vicious cycle of abuse against the small boy left in his care.
    Jake gripped the railing of his balcony, staring down at the crystal blue waters rocking beneath his ship. The sight disgusted him more with each day they remained docked in the Meridelle harbor. With a sigh, Jake turned and walked into his quarters, slamming the heavy wood and glass doors behind him. He didn’t want to listen to the sounds of the city or smell the stench of dock life. He ached to be out in the true depths of the Ocean, but his need for what Meridelle held was more pressing. Jake would remain in Meridelle until he retrieved what was stolen from him, even if it meant his misery in the meanwhile.
    Every piece of his mother was discarded, thrown away or sold by his grandfather in a callous attempt to deny the existence of his dishonored daughter. Jake managed to salvage only a small music box in memory of her, her photograph resting safely inside its recesses. He could still hear the music as his mother would wind it each night when tucking him into bed, her sweet voice singing the lullaby to him. Jake cherished the box after her passing; the only object which made life with his abusive grandfather bearable. However, the music box was stolen from him shortly after her murder. Lost for years, Jake now knew it resided within the well-guarded walls of the castle. Now, Jake’s only motivation for being anywhere near Meridelle was to reclaim what was rightfully his.
    A knock on his door heralded the arrival of his Quartermaster, Sully. Sully looked out for him since Jake was a shivering, defiant runaway demanding passage on the small sailing vessel the older man was working on. Jake was grateful for the man’s kindness, but it took years for the trust they now shared to form.
    “How are the men?” Jake asked warmly.
    “They are well, Captain.” Sully’s sun-wrinkled face creased. “It isn’t them I worry over.”
    “No need to worry, Mate,” Jake waved off the older man’s concern, knowing it was in reference to the incident at the bar. It wasn’t uncommon for Jake to partake in bar fights and perhaps even be thrown out of some establishments. “I’ve nary a scratch on me.”
    “It isn’t scratches I fear, Jake,” Sully sat in one of Jake’s wooden chairs with a sigh. “It’s the attention of the royal Guards you seem intent on drawing.”
    Jake knew his first mate’s worry was justified. He hadn’t exactly been subtle these past weeks since