Lions of the Sea

53

The soldiers dragged Marina into the stern locker and against the mizzenmast's foot. There, they hung the shackles' chain to a hook at the end of another chain that came down the mast. The third guard pulled from it with a pulley, tightening it until Marina's arms were stretched over her head. But he didn't stop there. He kept pulling with the other men's help. They slowly hoisted Marina until her feet didn't touch the floor.

To the paralyzing pain in her belly and her side, that added a sharp, burning pain along her arms, forced to bear the whole weight of her body. Marina let out a muffled groan. Yes, she'd promised not to cry, but that was more than she could take. She saw them leave and close a door separating the locker from the magazine, leaving a small window on the door open.

She trembled from head to toes, the pain pushing her nearly unconscious, her insides twitching. A blessed stupor was taking her over when the door opened again. This time to let Castillano in.

He controlled his shock at what they'd done to her in the scarce ten minutes Alonso had taken to get to the magazine, and turned to the guards.

"What's she doing up there? Do I look like a damned contortionist?" he barked.

His voice forced Marina's eyes open and she glared at him.

Castillano smirked, taking his coat off. "Missed me?" he asked mockingly.

While the guards loosened the chain to let her feet touch the floor again, Castillano untied the stole around his neck and rolled up his sleeves. His wound was doing fine without the sling, and he hadn't worn it again since he'd come back from the Phantom that morning.

"You damned coward," Marina growled, seeing him remove his sash. "You feel such a man with thirty cannons and a hundred men to back you up, huh?"

"Sorry, I don't speak French," he replied, more and more sarcastic to stay in control.

"Of course you do, you darn bastard. I spared your life thrice and this is how you pay me back."

Castillano smiled wider and a chill ran down Marina's spine, for she knew him cunning enough to not fall for her insults. But she kept going when he came closer to her, her voice but a hoarse whisper.

"You don't even dare to remove my chains, because you know that even beaten I'd defeat you again. I should've given you a dress instead of your flag. For that's what those without balls wear."

When he was only two steps away, Marina gathered her scant strength left and tried a kick. But Castillano seemed to expect it. He dodged the kick and grabbed her ankle. He took another step and let go of it. To wrap his arm around her thigh.

Marina stuck against the mizzenmast, as if those few inches would make any difference. Castillano held her thigh against his waist and his spare hand grabbed her face, in such a way that she couldn't move her head.

"And I thought you had a little honor," Marina grunted. "What a fool I am!"

He looked into her eyes and raised his eyebrows with a twisted smile. He was grateful inside for her insults, that helped him keep the charade. Marina's face pursed in fear when his blue eyes slid down to her lips. Then he stuck his body against hers and sought her mouth to kiss her.

Marina shut her eyes. She couldn't make a single move to reject him. However, soon enough she realized his lips didn't try to force hers. Actually, they hardly touched her. A moment later he turned his head to face the soldiers. Since he hadn't given them further orders, they lingered there, enjoying the show.

"What're you doing there, drooling like idiots! Out! And close the door!"

The three men hurried out of the locker. They closed the door as he'd said, but left the small window open. Castillano cursed under his breath. He faced Marina again, while she gawked at him. His eyes made a quick inventory of her bruises and cuts, and he couldn't stop them from going back to the ruby lips so close to his. Her heavy breathing pushed her chest against his, and he had to conquer some unexpected resistance to move his body away from the child's. He forced his eyes back to those black coal gems staring at him.

"Don't—" he said, and sighed. "Forget it."

He stepped back from her, but didn't let go of her leg until he could get away from her kicks with a single step. Only then he turned his back to her and strode to the door. He glanced out and closed the window, pushing the bolt to lock it, so nobody could peep on what happened inside the locker.

Marina, still catching her breath, watched him halfway between fear and curiosity. She was still afraid of what Castillano might do to her, but something was off there, and pain kept her too stunned to figure it out.

He loosened the chain coming down the mast. Marina's knees buckled and she curled up right where she fell. Castillano approached her cautiously and met her eyes, like asking for something she didn't understand. He raised his hand a little, as to cover himself from any blow she might try, and released the shackles from the mast chain. Marina took her hands to her belly, closing her eyes, her face contracted in pain.

Castillano was crouching down by her side when he saw her shiver and raise her head, gasping for air.

"Let it out, child," he whispered, and rested a hand on her shoulder while the girl spat blood and bile, shaking with every retch.

Then he helped her move away from that dirt and made her rest her back against the grain bags piled up around the mast. Only then his brain processed something his eyes had already visited: her shirt chest ripped open, showing the wide strip tightly wrapped around her torso, which didn't hide the firm lines of her breasts.

"That's why you can't breathe," he grumbled.

He was wondering if he'd dare to do something about it when Marina managed to open her eyes and tried to raise her hand. Castillano took it and faced her blurry gaze. The girl moved her lips, unable of uttering a word, and passed out.

Castillano held her when she slipped to the side against him, and lay her down on the floor carefully. He stood up, looking around. He needed to send the guards to fetch some things, but he couldn't let them in and find out that what they'd watched had been all fake. And what he wanted didn't fit through the door window. Marina was sort of petite, yet lifting her could reopen his wound. So he had no choice but grab her by her armpits and drag her behind the pile of bags around the mast. The girl didn't even blink.

He lay her down so only her head could be seen from the door, her messed hair and her arms stretched past her head. He studied the scene, wondering if it'd look convincing. Then he untied his trousers' waist. He faced the door, breathed deep and yanked it open.

While he instructed the soldiers, he couldn't help noticing the hostile glares from the pirates, chained a few steps away. He glanced at them, intending to smirk and make his act more convincing. But his lips froze when he met Morris' eyes. The pirate glowered at him in such a way that made Castillano wish they would never meet again without the chains restraining the blond giant. All of him screamed that if that ever happened, he'd deliver a slow painful death to Castillano, and enjoy every little bit of it.

Castillano turned his back on them. Well, he could get it. The giant thought he'd just raped his girlfriend, and that he was about to do it again. He went back to the locker and closed the door behind him. Marina was still out. He only hoped the guards would hurry. He needed the cold water to apply a compress to her belly, else the next day she wouldn't be able to move, and breathing would hurt like hell.

Lucky him, the guards did hurry. Castillano made them give him what they'd brought, clean Marina's vomit and leave, trying to look eager to be left alone with the bitch. He also made them give him the key to the door. As soon as they were gone, he turned it, locking the only access to the locker. Just in time. A muffled groan told him Marina was waking up.