Yo Ho A Pirate’s Life for Me: Excerpt from Sea Hawk’s Mistress

I had a ball writing this pirate adventure. I would listen to the soundtracks to all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies as I imagined Captain Jason Flint strutting the deck of his pirate vessel, The Sea Hawk. In the scene below is a duel on the beach between Jason and Captain Lorenzo Mendoza, Spanish pirate who took Jason’s mistress, Shelley, in payment for stolen goods–namely The Sea Hawk.

I remember when I got the cover for Sea Hawk’s Mistress. I did a happy dance. Jason is exactly how I pictured in my head. This is still my favorite cover.

See more about Sea Hawk’s Mistress (included in the trade paperback Pirate’s Mistress)

EXCERPT from Sea Hawk’s Mistress

Out of the green foliage walked a group of men—led by Jason!

His face was hard, his mouth drawn in a grim line. His eyes were like stone and he walked past her without a glimmer of recognition.

“Mendoza, I believe you have something of mine,” Jason said commandingly.

Lorenzo laughed and waved Jason to come and sit outside his tent, where there sat a few chairs and a small table set for morning refreshments.

“I do not recall having anything belonging to you, Capitán,” Lorenzo said as he sat. “You had stolen my ship and I collected on that debt. We are even.”

Errol Flynn in "The Sea Hawk"

Jason refused to sit and stood glaring at the Spaniard. “We are not even.”

Lorenzo thought for a moment. “Yes, perhaps it was not an even trade. She is worth much more to me than any ship.”

“The girl is mine. I’m here to take her back.”

Lorenzo clucked his tongue. “No, Capitán, she is mine. You have a fine ship and I have a beautiful woman. My hunt for revenge is over. Now leave this island before I grow angry and teach you another lesson.”

Shelley stood stunned, watching the exchange. Jason acted as though she was invisible, yet he demanded her return. A shiver of anticipation skittered down her spine at the thought of his naked body sliding along hers. She almost moaned at the mental image of being tied to his bed, ass in the air, ripe for a paddling. Cream gathered between her legs and her cunt clenched in want for his touch.

Her reaction to Jason was so much deeper than that to Mendoza. She was attracted to Lorenzo, but she was in love with Jason. Her pirate lover awakened the woman inside who yearned to emerge and experience sexual pleasure—and love.

“Careful, Captain, I am not feeling forgiving this morning.”

Lorenzo leaned forward in his chair. “Don’t threaten me, Capitán. The senorita remains as my lovely hostage.”

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Carribean

Jason laid a hand upon the hilt of his sword. “She comes with me. The woman is my slave, and as such, she is my property.” He drew his sword and pointed the tip at Lorenzo. Jason’s command faltered for a split second before he fought down the outward sign of weakness.

Shelley took note of the painful wince upon Jason’s face. She wanted to go to his side and help him. But his countenance was firm—his heart was ice. He wouldn’t even spare a glance in her direction.

“I fear you take your life into your own hands. You are not well enough to face my blade.”

“Afraid to find out, Mendoza?”

Lorenzo’s face turned angry. “You are a fool, Capitán.” He stood and pulled his blade from the sheath at his side. “You see her as only a slave. I see her as my future wife. I will fight for what I claim as mine.”

Wife? Shelley glanced from Lorenzo to Jason as they stripped away their side arms and began to circle each other on the beach.

Lorenzo wanted to marry her. Jason wanted to possess her. What did she want?

When Jason pealed away his coat, the strips of a bandage shone beneath his white linen shirt. Her breath caught as the men faced each other—anger, resentment and revenge filling the air with a thick aura of negativity.

Someone was not going to walk away from this confrontation. Someone was going to die. Could she live with the consequences of this battle?

It was like watching a scene from a movie as the two powerful men faced off with their sword skills as their only defense.

“Perhaps we should end this feud today,” Lorenzo quipped as he slashed his sword through the air. “To the winner go the lady and the ship.”

Shelley’s heart beat wildly as Jason swung his sword at his foe.

“So be it!” The crash of metal against metal filled the air as the two pirate captains battled upon the beach—fighting for their very lives.

Her chest tightened as her breath came quicker, anxiety pumping through her veins with each beat of her heart. How could she stand here watching Jason and Lorenzo fight over her like wild beasts over a mate? To the winner go her body—and all the rights of a male over his woman.

Lorenzo cut and slashed and Jason parried each attack. However, strain etched Jason’s face with each cut of his sword. His prior wound was draining his strength quickly and Lorenzo used it to his advantage. Instinctively, she moved forward when Jason fell backward onto the sand. She was promptly grabbed by Jason’s first mate, held back from interfering in the battle.

“It is between them now,” he whispered.

Lorenzo motioned to Jason to rise before continuing the fight.

“This is insane!” She pulled her arm from the man’s grasp. “Jason is injured. He can’t last much longer against Lorenzo.”

“He knew that before he even challenged Mendoza.” He paused then said as they watched Jason attack Mendoza once again with his sword, “He loves you more than his own life.”

“What good will that do me if he gets himself killed?” She turned to the pirate and pleaded with him. “Let me go. I must stop this.”

“Do you love him?”

Tears streaked down her face as her heart’s longing ate at her soul. “More than anything.”

They turned back to the men fighting for the right to own her, and when Mendoza slashed open a wound on Jason’s right arm, Shelley screamed.

She broke away from her captor and ran across the soft sand, yelling, “Stop!”

Jason grabbed at the wound with his left hand, pausing a moment to stanch the blood. Lorenzo lowered his sword at her approach. She ran to Jason’s side and threw herself at him. She clung to his body crying and he wrapped his right forearm about her waist weakly.

“Jason…please stop. I can’t take anymore,” she wept.

“Shh, luv.” Jason nuzzled her hair and her tears flowed harder.

From behind her, Lorenzo breathed heavily. “Go. Take her. And the Sea Hawk.”

She turned in Jason’s arms. “You’re letting me go?”

He closed the distance between them. Touching her face with gentle fingertips, he said in a low voice, “I stole a few moments with you, querdia. You will always carry with you a part of my heart…but I see your heart belongs to him.” He looked up and gazed at Jason. “Gold and jewels buy a warm companion for your bed, but there is no treasure as precious as the love and devotion of a true lady.”