Chapter Five
With Char safely on the deck, Keegan withdrew his cell and called Colton. If they were followed, he didn’t want to risk shouting, and a phone call would be faster than searching the ship for the quartermaster.
Keegan scanned the shoreline for any sign of movement. The moment danger set its eye on Char, an unwelcome specter materialized inside him. A protective, possessive, dangerous part of himself he’d buried lifetimes ago suddenly stepped forward into the center of his consciousness.
Colton finally answered the damn phone. “Keegan?”
“Are you on board the Sea Dog?”
“No, I’m at Skye’s shop. Is everything okay?”
Keegan shook his head, eyeing Char beside him. “I think our historian has found a connection between the Grail and the Serpent Society. Agent Bale is on his way to the ship now. Can you meet us here?”
“Yeah. I’ll be right there.”
Keegan lowered his voice. “Come armed.”
There was a pause, then Colton replied. “The armory below deck is stocked if you need it. Be careful.”
“Aye.” Keegan ended the call and stuffed his phone in his pocket.
The moonlight shone in her dark eyes as she looked up at him. “I’ve never been on board this ship before. It’s much bigger than I realized.”
Keegan raised a brow. “The pirate historian has never been on the deck of the Sea Dog?”
“No. It’s a replica for tourists.” She shook her head. “Or at least that’s what I thought.”
“She was Colton’s labor of love.” He lowered the Glock to his side and reached for her with his other hand. “For years we laughed at him for his attachment to a sunken ship, but after we sailed this replica out into open water, we were the first to thank him. A pirate can’t stay away from the sea for too long.”
A car parked on River Street, and he tensed, reaching for his gun as he whispered, “Take cover.”
Without hesitation, Char crouched behind an oak barrel. He caught himself admiring her instincts. Not that he was expecting her to cry or panic, but he hadn’t anticipated a bookworm historian would keep a cool head when danger came calling.
He pulled back the slide on the Glock, jogging to the railing. A man got out of the car, his pace brisk, without breaking into a run. Keegan stayed low, waiting for the interloper to walk through the yellow light from the streetlamp.
Agent Bale.
Keegan straightened, lowering his weapon. The agent came up the ramp and on board like a man on a mission. He glanced around the deck and frowned. “Where’s Dr. Sinclair?”
“She’s safe.” Keegan holstered his gun. “What makes you think she’s in danger?”
Agent Bale’s gaze landed on Keegan. “My informant witnessed two men dressed in monk robes meeting at the fountain in Forsyth Park today. They were wearing serpent rings and discussing the Grail.”
Keegan frowned. “What does this have to do with our historian?”
“My informant is dead. They attacked him.”
Keegan’s fingers twitched on the handle of his gun. “You know it was them?”
“They carved an S into his abdomen.” A muscle jumped in Bale’s cheek, and pain lined his eyes. This was more than an informant. Bale cared about this guy.
Keegan went to the barrel and offered Char a hand, his voice hushed. “Did you hear?”
She nodded, accompanying him back to face the government agent. Keegan didn’t release her hand when they stopped. He did enjoy touching her, but this had nothing to do with lust. Part of him wished he could blame it on that. Lust was simple and satiable.
Deeper emotions weren’t so easily controlled.
Shoving the thoughts aside, he focused on Agent Bale. “You think Dr. Sinclair’s digging for stories about the missing Grail could have brought her to their attention?”
Before the agent could respond, Colton and Skye crossed the ramp onto the ship. The quartermaster and his lady stopped, Colton’s gaze locking on Char. “This is our historian?”
Char dropped Keegan’s hand and offered it to the quartermaster. “You must be Colton Hayes.”
“Aye. Quartermaster of the Sea Dog.” He shook Char’s hand, glancing at his woman. “And this is my fiancée, Skye. She’s been helping us in the search for the Grail.”
Char took Skye’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Skye chuckled and stepped back, nudging her pirate. “It’s about time you got a little more estrogen on this ship.”
Colton almost smiled as he turned to Char. “I assumed you would be a man.”
Char shrugged. “You’re not the first to expect Dr. Sinclair to have more facial hair.”
“Agent Bale lost a man tonight.” Keegan interrupted. “Seems the Serpent Society isn’t as dead as we thought.”
The agent took over, sharing what little information he had. Skye’s vision of the men with serpent rings at the fountain in Forsyth Park had been accurate. Keegan caught Colton’s eye, tipping his head toward the captain’s quarters.
Colton gave an imperceptible nod.
Keegan waited for a pause in the conversation to interject. “The quartermaster and I need to check the tie down at the stern.” His eyes met Char’s. “Stay right here.”
“Aye,” she answered as if she were crew.
And somewhere in the empty chasm of his chest, his heart thumped.
…
Keegan and Colton retreated to the shadows, their footsteps echoing as they headed for the stern of the big wooden ship. Charlotte faced Agent Bale again, unsure what to say. Keegan had mentioned the crew didn’t really trust him.
And truthfully, Charlotte wasn’t sure who to trust at this point. She barely knew the crew, and as Keegan had reminded her earlier in the evening, he was a pirate.
Rather than engaging the agent who brought her into this situation, she turned to Skye. “How long have you known Colton?”
Charlotte shut her mouth before she could ask, Do you know he’s a couple centuries older than you?
If Skye was going to marry Colton, surely she knew.
But what if she didn’t? Charlotte had no idea how these men traversed through time without aging. Did they fake their deaths, leaving spouses to grieve them? Could they father children? Were they forced to abandon whole families?
Skye smiled. “Not as long as I probably should, since I’m about to marry him, but what can I say? A pirate stole my heart.”
Charlotte glanced at Agent Bale, who seemed to be focused on where the men had retreated. She turned to Skye again. “So you know he’s…”
Skye nudged the agent, snapping his attention back to the conversation at hand. “Did you explain things when you brought Dr. Sinclair into this…situation?”
Agent Bale nodded. “She’s aware of the Grail and the effect it had on the crew.”
Skye faced Charlotte again. “Then, yes, I know Colton was the quartermaster of the original Sea Dog that went down in 1795.”
Charlotte’s eyes widened, that addictive hunger for knowledge gnawing at her insides. “And you realize that while you’ll age, he won’t?”
Skye’s smile faded, her eyes darting to the agent. “You didn’t tell her why the crew needs the Grail back?”
Agent Bale cleared his throat. “All of this conversation is classified. Understood? No one outside of this ship can hear it.”
Charlotte nodded.
He crossed his arms. “The crew isn’t healing as fast as they used to. After their gunner was in a car accident and nearly died, the crew tried to retrieve the cup to take another swallow only to find it missing.”
Charlotte raised a brow. “So they’re not immortal anymore?”
“We’re not sure,” Skye interrupted, lowering her voice as if the river itself might hear. “They’re definitely not bulletproof like they have been for more than two hundred years.”
“If they get the Grail back, are you going to drink from it, too?” After the words passed Charlotte’s lips, she wished she could reel them back in. She barely knew this woman. It was none of her business, but her curiosity wouldn’t be denied.
“Only the crew drinks,” Agent Bale said. “No extra immortals, or the deal is off and the government will take control of the relic.” He straightened his suit like he hadn’t just doomed Colton to watch Skye age and die while he remained young forever.
Skye waved a hand in his direction and stayed focused on Charlotte. “I don’t know if Colton has talked to all the crew yet, but he’s not planning on taking another sip. We want to start a family, and outliving our children isn’t part of the plan.”
Charlotte’s head was swimming with questions. With immortality added to the equation, the complex web of a relationship was infinitely more treacherous. It was romantic that Colton would choose to give up immortality for the chance to live one life with Skye.
But would he end up regretting his choice when his body broke down and sailing this ship became impossible for him?
Her gaze wandered over to the shadows. Keegan hadn’t mentioned his immortality was fading. Not that they’d had much time for philosophical discussions, but he hadn’t seemed unhappy or depressed by the passage of time. He had to be planning to take another drink.
If she had the cup in her hands, what would she choose?
A crease formed on Agent Bale’s brow. “Has Colton thought this through? If the spell from the cup is fading, death is back on the table. The Serpent Society has already claimed one of my informants.”
Skye tipped her chin up, and the moonlight twinkled in her eyes. “Life and death are two parts of one whole. Without each other, they cease to have meaning. Death is what makes life precious. Without it, endless life can become an inescapable prison. The world passes you by without seeing you. You’re dead already without any peace.”
A shiver crept down Charlotte’s spine. “It can’t be that bad. Imagine having all the time in the world to search for answers to life’s mysteries, to watch the rise and fall of nations, and you don’t have to be left behind.”
“Everyone is different.” Skye shrugged. “Colton sees this as an end to a curse. He’s only helping recover the Grail because some of the crew aren’t ready to give up forever just yet.”
Charlotte glanced toward the shadows. Which side of the fence was Keegan on?
…
When they were a safe distance from the others, Keegan stopped and faced Colton. “The agent knows about the Serpent Society. I say we tell him about Skye’s vision.”
Colton crossed his arms. “Sounds like it already came to pass. What’s the point in putting Skye’s psychic abilities under the government’s magnifying glass?”
Now there was a loaded question. Keegan turned to the dark water, leaning on the railing. “I just want to find the Grail as soon as possible. If we’re all on the same page, we can use every advantage.”
Colton stepped up beside him. “Are you that eager for another sip?”
“Aren’t you?” Keegan glanced over at his old friend. “Besides, I don’t want to see the historian hurt. She’s got no stake in this fight.”
Colton raised a brow and looked toward the bow. “You care about this woman.”
“Don’t be puttin’ words in my mouth, Quartermaster.” Keegan followed his gaze in the direction of the others. “You know as well as I do, I only care about myself. But I’ve never met a woman quite like her before. Would be a pity for the world to lose her to the serpent bastards.”
Colton faced him again, his expression somber. “I don’t want them to find out about Skye, either.”
“Then let’s loop the agent in and get all our cannons firing to finish this.” Keegan straightened. “Once the bastards are dead and we sip from the cup again, we’ll have a smooth sea ahead of us.”
Colton shook his head, staring at the water below. “I already told John, but you might as well know, too.” He turned his head, meeting Keegan’s eyes. “I won’t be drinking with you this time.”
Keegan frowned. “You’ll…”
“Die.” Colton sighed. “Someday.” He gestured to the ship. “I’m leaving the Sea Dog to John, but he’s given me his word the crew will be able to sail her out anytime.”
Keegan raked a hand through his hair. “This doesn’t make sense. The crew needs you. You’re the quartermaster.”
Colton chuckled. “You sing in a rock band now, Keegan. You don’t need a quartermaster. No one does.” A bittersweet smile curved his lips. “I want a family, and I don’t want to outlive them.” He pointed toward the bow. “Skye is my future, and for whatever time we have left, I’m going to love and treasure each day because I’ll know they’re precious. The cup stole that from me. I don’t want another drink.”
Keegan’s gut twisted at the thought of losing Colton. He cleared his throat. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Stop with the sadness, Keegan.” He clapped his shoulder. “God willing, I’m not dying tomorrow. Be happy for me.”
Keegan pulled him in for a tight hug, his thoughts jumbled. Until tonight, it hadn’t crossed his mind that any of the crew might not take another swig from the cup, and now, the realization hurt. The last time he’d lost someone to death, he’d gone mad with the grief.
He wasn’t sure he could withstand losing another.
Colton stepped back. “There’s no shame in growing old, Keegan.”
They rejoined the group, but Keegan struggled to stay engaged. The only thing keeping him from running into the darkness was the woman with raven hair. Char’s eyes pinned him in place. He ached to pull her into his arms and lose himself in her.
But first he had to keep her safe.
…
Agent Bale left the boat and headed for his car. The pirates hadn’t realized he was already well aware of Skye Olson’s psychic gift. He didn’t tell them otherwise. His department tracked every psychic in America, measuring their abilities in case they were ever needed. He had three full-time agents who called hotlines all day every day, testing and tracking data.
Skye was from a long line of gifted females with an ability to predict future events. But admitting the depth to which his agency cataloged the paranormals would probably spook them, and right now this band of pirates was his best chance to stop the Grail from falling into enemy hands.
When he got to his hotel room, he locked the door and sat on the edge of the hard bed. For a moment, he allowed himself to surrender to the ache eating him up from the inside. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs while he covered his face with his hands.
The life he’d chosen was noble, but the top secret nature of it made relationships problematic. He didn’t have many friends, but he’d counted Pokey as one. Witnessing his last breath had broken David. But he’d make the Serpents pay. Dearly.
He pulled in a deep breath and forced himself to get back into the game. He owed Pokey some justice. David opened his laptop to update the database, grinding his teeth as he added “deceased” beside Pokey’s name.
Agent Bale wasn’t sure how much the pirates knew about the Serpent Society, but he had a file going back to the beginning of recorded time. The zealots wanted to control all of the world’s holy relics in an effort to earn their way back into the Garden of Eden. Most would write off their quest as delusional, but David was hesitant to rush to judgments.
If this job had taught him anything, it was that there were things in this world he couldn’t begin to explain, but that didn’t make them any less real or dangerous.
He opened a new window on his laptop and started entering Dr. Charlotte Sinclair into the database. He’d come to her because of her expertise on the history of the Sea Dog and pirates in general, but he also had a hunch.
And his hunches had a hall of fame batting average for being on the money.
Years ago, he’d logged information on a young girl in Savannah who was gifted with a deadly power. Charlotte Pratt.
He’d used his resources in Department 13 to have her monitored for a year, but her abilities never materialized. Over time, she fell off his metaphysical radar.
But the moment he met Dr. Sinclair, something told him she might be the same Charlotte with a new last name. Unless she changed her social security number, it would be easy enough to check.
Even if she had new papers, his gut told him this was the same woman. Had to be.
She didn’t waste precious time trying to uncover a scientific explanation for Skye’s psychic visions of the future or a rational solution for the crew’s immortal existence. Sure, she’d asked to meet the crew, wanted proof, but most American citizens were resistant to embracing the “impossible.”
Something in Dr. Charlotte Sinclair’s background must’ve made it easier for her to accept the truth. And he was going to find out what it was.
After entering all the information he had on her, he clicked the Scan button. The screen flashed like a strobe light as the program culled through data in all of the government’s records. DMV, voter’s registration, FBI, it was all available to him.
And his search engine was powered by more than Google. One of their programmers was a gifted shaman, his powers honed in on finding things and people. Through trial and error, they managed to program the secret search engine that ran half on programming and the other on magic.
By morning, he’d have a complete profile on their historian.