Other Oceans: Book Two of the Hook & Jill Saga Read Online Free PDF Page A

pirate smiled, darkly. “How fortunate that I am Jill now.”
    Her smile hit its mark. “I shall leave you before I myself lose perspective and allow you to tempt me away from my duties. Again.” He swept to the wardrobe to collect his hat. “I advise you to make use of Smee. He thinks himself irresistible to children. In reality, they find him most intimidating.”
    Jill laughed. “I wonder what his Lily would say to that? But I think the girl in the brig is not exactly a child.”
    “All the better. Intimidation grows with age.”
    “How well I remember!”
    He smiled warmly.
    She opened the door for him, concealing her state of dishabille behind it. She had been careless with her blue brocaded dressing gown. Though the captain was formal in matters of dress, Jill often flouted convention in Hook’s quarters, inducing him to show his appreciation of her form. This morning was no exception, but the key had ultimately been reinstated to its position in the lock. She gazed upon her lover’s fine features, and fingered the trim whiskers of his beard. “It would be too easy, wouldn’t it, to have another key made?”
    Hook donned the hat, producing a smug smile. “And unnecessary, my love.” He slid his good hand into his coat pocket. “I keep its twin on my person.” He held up a ring of keys for her inspection, then replaced it. “You see, I, too, am your captive.” He raised his boot, kicked the door out of her hand so it slammed with a bang and he lifted her off her feet, sweeping her into his embrace. He kissed her with a violent passion, until her heart hammered in her ears and her lungs begged for breath. Then he set her down to bow to her, and after wrenching the door open, he strode off onto the companionway, to take the steps like hostages and stare down the gazes of his always curious crewmen.
    Behind him, Captain James Hook left a woman clinging to his doorway, on fire. She would be difficult to satisfy by tonight.
    Red-Handed Jill was his mistress, and he had mastered her.
§ § §
    Identify the weapon. Discover the weakness. Rules, literally, to live by. Tactics that assured him victory in many a conflict, whether of physical strength, or of wits. Hook knew from long experience the value of these lessons. He had used them to his advantage countless times, not excepting in his battle to win Jill from Pan, and from herself as the girl Wendy. But now at last he possessed her, and a new dilemma had arisen. Jill herself was both his weapon and his weakness. She could be used against him.
    She matched him in every respect, not least of which in fearlessness. A fearless woman was, ironically, more difficult to defend than a coward. More worth defending, as well. Hook cared about few things, but on those things he cherished, he lavished the full intensity of his personality.
    Hook cared about Jill, deeply. Although they were united only a short time, their history was a long one. A story of magic. Even as Wendy, she was no ordinary female. While telling her tales to a pack of boys, she was unaware of their impact. Yet word by word and feature by feature, she had crafted her captain until he loomed before her, a solitary man with a hook for a hand, lusting for revenge. His design had been to dispense with the child, but she was changing— maturing— and as he discovered her powers, he found himself wanting the woman. Moved to mercy, Hook offered an exchange. Death to the girl, deliverance for the lady. She proved as valiant as he imagined her to be, accepting her culpability for his maiming and joining him as his consort. No, more than that. His partner.
    Hook led Jill into a life of danger, and although she relished it, he was obliged to see to her safety. And his own, for she lived under his protection now. Courageous as she was, if he abandoned her for any reason, her situation would be tenuous. She was safe enough aboard the Roger in current circumstances. His men he held under tight control, but his