When Whitley winds up on the top of a pirate hit-list thanks to her con-artist father, she must hide her identity and board another pirate ship, trusting in one shape-shifting pirate named Bluff to help her escape. Too bad you can never, ever, trust...
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I follow Bluff as he briskly crosses the ship and heads toward the main deck where most of the crew are gathered. They chatter excitedly but I also detect a tremor in some of their voices.
"Did you see that'ns eyes? Prettier than the English girl, I swear."
A man shorter than I am with a bald head hops onto his toes "The red head touched me! Left a mark too!" his voice was high pitched with excitement as he ran his dirty plump fingers over his arm where a portion of his skin was red and shiny and bubbling like he'd been burned.
I shivered.
They liked seeing the Sirens, even despite their touch burning him.
"Bubbles, you need go get that wrapped." Bluff announces, grabbing the short man's arm. "Chuck you have ointment, aye?"
A man with curly hair, specked with grey and one pale eye steps forward. Grabbing the short man and pulling him along. Just before they pass through a door I've never noticed before, Bubbles looks back and gives the crew a cheesy smile. They whistle and laugh in response.
Strange, strange men.
"Look!" another pirate hollers suddenly, causing them all the jump. "There's a siren still aboard. There! There she is." I wince as the man points right into my face. His finger smells oddly of fish.
All the men laugh, smack each other on the back.
"Don't do that!" a younger man with hair longer than my own yells, his eyes wide with fear.
The rest of the men laugh heartily at him and offer him a glass bottle. He doesn't smile but grabs the bottle none-the-less and takes a long swing. He has dark green eyes, and though he could certainly use a bath, he's probably the most attractive pirates I've seen yet.
Besides Bluff. But I have a hard time putting Bluff in the same category as these men. He's cleaner, his language is much better and he's so much less... crude.
But he is a pirate. I need to remember that.
Because even though he's standoffish around her sometimes, and definitely has some serious secrets—sometimes the way he looks at me causes a stir deep in my chest.
I cannot trust him. No matter how he makes me feel.
"Back to work, boys!" Bluff shouts over the jubilant laughter. "We have a heading and we're getting behind."
A few men laugh at him, and one pushes the bottle into his chest.
Bluff gives him a long serious look, eyes locked with eyes. Then he says, "I'll drink, only if you hoist the main stay." His lips spread into a mischievous grin that make my stomach flip. The crew chuckle at him.
"You drink first. Then we work."
Bluff rolls his eyes but there's a hint of amusement there. I forget that these men are apparently like family to him. He tilts the bottle straight up and lets the brown liquid drain down his throat. He tries to hide his reaction to the harsh rum but I notice the awkward arch in his back as she swallows and the quick wrinkle of his nose as he finishes.
